I wasn't necessarily sure what to expect, but I was blown away by the festive atmosphere of the restaurant, the friendly service, and the quality and authenticity of the food. This restaurant is quietly tucked away near the old town portion of Council Bluffs. Metered Street parking is available in the area. We were there mid afternoon and there was quite a bit of activity. I'm guessing that this location gets a lot of traffic later in the evenings and on weekends. Don't let the slightly frazzled menus fool you, this restaurant is immaculate! I cannot believe that I have never been here before. The hours of this restaurant and its menu clearly reflect the ability to get Mexican style breakfast, lunch or dinner all day long. Our servers bilingual capability reflects the clientele that are attracted to this wonderful spot. Great chips, nice fresh salsa with a little bit of heat and very good guacamole. I love the fact that they offer a little bit smaller portions so that you don't end up feeling like you have to stuff yourself or leave a little bit behind. The pricing is great and clearly beer and margaritas are readily available. There is even a corner of the restaurant that caters to Mexican style snacks. Great desserts too! We will definitely be coming back here again - and so should you! read more

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This is our favorite spot to come! Everything is good!!!! The food and service are always 10/10 read more

La Carreta Rosa - This is our FAVORITE spot to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Everything is sooo good! - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

This place is legit. If you're looking for real deal Mexican this is it. First- They have both Coke and Pepsi products (score) and offer American and Mexican guac for example. The tamale was soooo good. Fluffy and tasty masa. Other dishes proclaimed yummy. Their salsa is amazing-chopped chiles and seasonings and chips were great! Not too thin and not too thick. When you drive up or walk in you may over think it but don't. Stay and enjoy! read more

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Food is great, the atmosphere is welcoming and the service is outstanding. We are traveling through town and found this hidden gem. It would be a regular haunt if we lived closer. read more

I LOVE IT!!!! I've been to every Mexican place in CB, and this one takes the cake! I love how cheap it is, and the salsa and chips are to die for. The service is so fast, and the servers are so friendly! This will forever have a hand on my heart, I come here frequently with my friends, and they love it aswell, I've recommended this place to multiple friends, and they crave it! Thank you La Carreta Rosa! read more

La Carreta Rosa - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Hadn't been there in quite a while but i was impressed. Nachos and Menudo were really good. Service was great

The food was much better than I expected when walking in. It is a small place and probably mostly does takeout. There seemed to be one person working as a waiter who was quite but very nice. read more

La Carreta Rosa - Menudo - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Good, honest Mexican food in a small, local restaurant. Reasonably priced and friendly service. Loved their horchata, salsa and carnitas! read more

La Carreta Rosa - Inside restaurant, delicious salsa and ice-cold Modelo Negra - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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This place is a gem. It's tucked away and doesn't look like much from the inside or outside, but don't let that fool you. A restaurant's main purpose, of course, is the food. Here, La Carreta Rosa exceeds the standard. I would eat here quite often if I actually lived in the Council Bluffs/Omaha area. The staff was friendly, the food was delicious, the portions were large, and the experience was highly satisfying. I'll be back to La Carreta Rosa. read more

The food was fast and fresh! So so good. The customer service here was phenomenal as well. Cute little spot with an intimate ambiance. We had a first date here and they happened to give us free dessert on the house. Hidden gem in Council Bluffs! Make sure you stop by and experience La Carreta Rosa, you won't be disappointed! read more

Awesome fresh delicious food and super nice staff. Hot and fast and their behind the counter hot sauces will light your fire. Definitely going back. read more

The customer service was amazing the guy always made sure we were doing good, the food tasted amazing and on top of that I really liked the scenery of the place it felt like home. read more

Good and service are great, I ordered camarones al mojo de ajo and they're the best.. building does need an update though.!

Incredibly good food and wonderful service. Authentic Mexican street food. Both my wife and I have been slowly exploring the entire menu. Everything has been exceptional. The made to order guacamole is just the very best. The bistec Mexicana and Ranchero are both great introductory menu items. The service, no matter how busy has always been fast, friendly and on point. Just a great little place with great food, great prices and great service. read more

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This is one of our favorites for Mexican food. The guy that runs the place is so nice, and very accommodating, so the service is great and fast. The place, in my opinion, is the definition of a hole in the wall place, and I absolutely love that, wouldn't change a thing. read more

Omg. What a gem. Doesn't look like much outside or inside. Actually made me feel like I was in a restaurant in Mexico! Nothing flashy, but do not let that deter you! Excellent service and price.. best of all the food had such excellent flavor! I love supporting places like this!!! read more

Looking to try different Mexican restaurants and saw this little place across the river in Council Bluffs. Restaurant is in one of the old store fronts. Very limited seating. One Waitress covering everyone and only one to two in the kitchen. This appears to be solely a family operated business. Waitress was very friendly and invited us to sit down at an unclean table and someone from the kitchen came out and cleaned things off and passed us menus. There is a daily special, but the menu is also has a decent selection. Complimentary chips and salsa are brought to the table. The salsa is outstanding. My wife and I could drink this stuff. Spicy with a bit of a kick with a hint of sweetness, This is some of the best we have tasted anywhere around. We ordered cheese enchiladas and street tacos. Enchiladas came out smoking hot and were tasty with a good red sauce on top on them. Tried the beef, pork and shrimp street tacos. All were good sized with plenty of filling and were tasty, but the absolute best was the shrimp. I would go here just to eat the shrimp tacos - very good. Prices were very reasonable and we enjoyed our meal. A place we want to eat at again. read more

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Have known the owner for years. If it's authentic Mexican chow you got a hankering for Check out this little gem. They have the best, hands down south of the border shrimp cocktail I have ever had!! Super large meal in a glass!! No scrimp on the shrimp . If you're looking for HOT SAUCE this will definitely make you sweat! They have great salsa and chips served before your meal. Lots of locals good selection of the usual Mexican beers, Margaritas, glass bottles of Coke. Kitchen is spotless. Probably not your first date, going to impress her kinda place, older well used booths I think 8. You gotta try it, give the independents a go. read more

La Carreta? YUM! This place is exceptional! If you are looking for authentic Mexican food, not Tex-Mex, definitely give them a try. The building as others have mentioned, may look old and run down inside and out but it adds to the charm. Places like this usually have the best food. The food is definitely the star here and the service is just wonderful. This is another one of those places that we have liked everything we have tried on the menu. They have glass bottle sodas. The chips and salsa are always delicious and fresh. The red and green sauces are mouthwatering. I don't know which one I like better, and I often end up mixing them. I can make a meal out of just the beans and rice alone. If I had to pick one menu item that was my favorite so far, I'd say the La Carreta Special Fajitas. They put in steak, chicken, and shrimp, and then add this smoky bacon that just puts the whole thing right over the moon. They are fabulous! I'm getting hungry just thinking about them. read more

I rarely write reviews, but this place is AMAZING!!! The tacos are very good and their valid "7 Mares" is amazing!!!!! Good for a hangover! MUST TRY if you're in the area!!!!! read more

La Carreta Rosa - 7 Mares - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Best Mexican food in Council Bluffs. You will not find a bad item on the menu, and the food comes out quick, which is great for the lunch crowd. Their salsa is the best I have ever tasted. read more

My wife and I stumbled upon this place tonight just looking for a Mexican restaurant. Wow, were we surprised! Excellent food that is not Tex-Mex. I had the camarones mojo de ajo and my wife had the carne asada. Both were very generous and the margaritas were huge. Great food, our go to place now for authentic Mexican food. The only discount I would give the place is that Felix must have thought we wanted to listen to classic rock. But him switching off of Latino tv to a classic rock station is not enough to lower it to four stars though. read more

I work in Council Bluffs and like to try out the local places. Not only is this probably the best Mexican food in CB, I bet it is one of the best Mexican cafes in the Omaha area. My litmus test is the tamale. The pork tamale arrived wrapped in a corn husk, the filling was the perfect combo of flavor and heat, and the masa was pretty good, maybe a little drier than I like, but that depends on how long ago the tamale was steamed. (I know this because I have made them myself.) Nice service, standard rice, refried beans, and salad, homemade tortilla chips and a decent salsa, I will be back to eat my way thru the menu. read more

La Carreta Rosa - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Definitely a Mexican restaurant in Council Bluffs worth checking out. (Free) salsa and chips: CHECK. Good salsa, too; flavorful and with a little kick. Delicious cheese enchiladas: CHECK. Loved the fresh, chewy tortilla, too. I don't consume large meals, so I was bummed to see they don't serve items like enchiladas a la carte. So my husband and I split a meal consisting of: 3 cheese enchiladas, rice and beans ($8.99). With a Mexican Coke and tip, we were out of there for under $15. It's housed in a cool old building with some "art" pieces inside. I agree that this place could use a cleaning; the floor hadn't been swept in a while, it appeared. But the service was quick and friendly, the food fresh and warm. Please, support local businesses in Council Bluffs! Come check this place out for yourself. read more

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Nothing fancy, but clean, staff very attentive, & food was great, very authentic. And margaritas were superb!

Have been in the area for 2 years. This restaurant was recommended by long time local residents and did not disappoint. They use cheese that is not Velveeta on their dishes...only one so far that does not...call it authentic!! read more

We really enjoyed this place. They dont have alcohol, but it doesn't matter as the food was excellent. My husband and I wanted to try everything, but settled on enchiladas and a chimichanga. Both were excellent as wells at the beans and rice that came with them. We also ordered guacamole..what a treat. You need to check this place out! read more

The staff was so accommodating. We came here for work and we have tried tons of the Mexican restaurants and by far this is the most authentic!!! read more

Doesn't look like much from outside but don't let that fool you . Authentic Mexican fare here as well as American Mexican . Try the Mexican guacamole or their ceviche . Best in town ! All of their food is great . It's a small place but big food taste ! A must try! read more

Great little hole in the wall in Council Bluffs. Definitely more authentic than other Midwest Mexican restaurants. Delicious complimentary chips and salsa. Flavors are great! My personal favorite is the pork tacos Mexican style with a little bit of onion and cilantro on corn tortillas. My boyfriend loves their huevos rancheros. Service is great - always pleasant. I'll be back for sure. read more

Stumbled across this gem thanks to yelp reviews & we've been back a good 4/5 times since then. We've tried the tacos, chips & salsa, enchiladas, & horchata. Haven't had a complaint about any of the food and both prices and speed are great. Staff is very friendly and helpful! read more

Erin O. said it all. Definitely worth a stop in. Really liked the enchiladas and the free chips and salsa were mighty tasty. Salsa is spicy and peppery (mainly jalapeño, I believe) and acidic. Cilantro is in there, but the flavor is muted -- just the way I like it. And they have Mexican Coke. Yum. read more

I wasn't sure about this place from the outside, but once I got inside it was completely worth it! The flavors at La Carreta are different from most Mexican restaurants. The food was fresh and it had a nice blend of spices. La Carreta advertises itself as "Authentic Mexican". Perhaps, this is the difference in the flavor pallet. I ordered the enchilada dinner. It came with three enchiladas of your choice, rice and beans. On the side was a tomato slice, lettuce and some sour cream. The sour cream was great for tamping down some of the heat, but there wasn't enough of it. You also got chips and a green salsa that had a wonderful, fresh, tomato flavor. The service was good. There was one person waiting and running register when I went (it was definitely a slower period), but he made sure I had everything I needed and was unobtrusive. Parking was a little difficult, although there was plenty of metered parking on the side streets and it was an easy walk to the restaurant. If I find myself in the area again, I'll definitely return to La Carreta Rosa. read more

We found this hidden gem on Main Street in Council Bluffs! We had three meat fajitas with beef, chicken and shrimp. We also had the. Carnitas which was the best I've ever eaten! Our waiter was very pleasant and quick to serve everything while it was still sizzling hot. Don't let the looks from the outside deter you from trying this real Mexican food gem! read more

This is a gem of a Mexican restaurant in the Council Bluffs/Omaha area! I've searched for years for real authentic Mexican food like this in Omaha - not just a typical Tex-Mex. The place, housed in an old historic building, needs some major updating and is pretty much a dive, BUT the food is AMAZING. They have a Yucatan taco that is to die for - perfectly seasoned chicken, tons of toppings and a big slice of avocado. Their complimentary chips and salsa are amazing, too. What puts it a notch above the rest is their AMAZING hot sauce! They have a green sauce that has so much flavor it's crazy - and it's good on EVERYTHING - and their red hot sauce is also great and on some days nearly too spicy! Humberto is the only server who has ever waited on us - he is so friendly and attentive. When they're swamped during rush hours you do have to wait a little bit longer for things, but it's worth the low prices and amazing food. We usually just go before or after the main rush time and have the place mostly to ourselves! I wish they'd paint their front door and that there was a little updating done to the place, as well as an additional restroom, but really we don't come here for the ambiance, we come here for the FOOD!! read more

Just took my second trip to La Carreta Rosa and it was great both times. Give this place a shot. It may be a little small with some unique decor, but the service is quick and friendly and the food is really good. I'm always a sucker for good Mexican food and this place hits the spot. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area. read more

Love the small old building and Chimis are great. Wife loves her steak fajitas. Going back.

First time here and I enjoyed my meal. It's not the cheapest Mexican food in town, $8 for the lunch special (chips and salsa included). The service was perfect, friendly quick and diligent. Chips and salsa come free which is a definite plus. Real chips and a quality salsa. The meal I would give a B. The beans and rice were average at best. I had the chicken burrito which was good, I would get it again. Best part of the meal was probably the coffee. It came out in an awesome cup and was quite strong. Best restaurant coffee I think I've ever had. Plus only 75 cents. Ambience is small and authentic. read more

La Carreta Rosa - Chicken burrito lunch special - Mexican Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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My friend and I walked in to this restaurant and we say most of the seating booths were wore out and had tape on the cushions. There was one lady there waiting for takeout I believe otherwise the restaurant was empty. My friend and I are not one's to "judge a book by its cover" so we decided to order. We were welcomed by a gentleman (assuming he was the owner) and he gave us a couple of disheveled menu's with orange tape with handwritten numbers indicating change of prices. There were some really interesting decor and old Mexican photos hanging on the wall. Maybe this was the theme or character they were trying to achieve? Who knows. Anyway it wasn't the classiest place but sometimes these are the best places to eat. I ordered the small chuckle tortilla soup and 3 chicken tacos Yucatán and my friend had the Pollo a la Diablo. As we waited the gentleman gave us chips and salsa which seemed homemade and tasty. Our food came out a short while later. Everything looked really good and fresh. The tortilla soup looked homemade and tasted really good. The Yucatán tacos were really tasty but maybe a little dry. My friend said that his Pollo Diablo was spicy but not overwhelming and he was able to enjoy the other flavors. So overall the food was really tasty and the service was good. I would definitely return and I would recommend you to try it out for yourself. read more

Great authentic Mexican food, prices are reasonable. Don't come expecting a cerveza or margarita , no alcohol here. But , worth coming for the food alone! Try the Bistec a la Mexicana!! read more