Let me start by saying my friend and I ended up here because it was open until 11pm on a Sunday night, and we were craving Mexican food like the Southern Californians we are. All of our other favorite Mexican restaurants in the area were already closed or not open on Sunday, so we decided to find our way here. We don't regret it. :) My palette for Mexican food is sophisticatedly unsophisticated -- that is, I want it to taste like the memories I have of Southern California baja style Mexican food, or even better, just like my favorite street tacos in Baja California, Mexico. Sometimes I trick myself into half-acceptable solutions in Raleigh-Durham area, thinking "this is just as good as home..." -- but I generally know when I'm lying to myself or when food has a "twist" on it that is just not quite authentic Baja style (not always a bad thing, but it's not what I crave endlessly when I think of fish tacos, carne asada fries, and adobada.) I genuinely felt like I was being honest with myself tonight when my tummy went home raving. The giddiness started when I saw Carne Asada Fries on the menu (a Southern California delicacy consisting of french fries topped with carne asada :)). Knowing I *had* to order these, I also decided an adobada taco would be my second line of judgment. This place impressed on all counts. First, salsa bar = YUM. Spicy only in comparison to other local establishments' salsa, but very familiar to what I'm used to in Southern California. Those carne asada fries I mentioned? Total win. I've never seen these on a menu on the east coast. They are served with just cheese and carne asada, so make sure you order a side of guacamole also, and sour cream if you're up for it. It's important to spread these items on top of the carne asada fries before devouring for best experience. :) The adobada was even more impressive - served in a small corn tortilla just like my favorite baja street tacos, with cilantro and onions, and get this- NO PINEAPPLE! Let me explain why this excites me so much. Normally, you see "Al Pastor" tacos at Mexican restaurants in the area (and elsewhere on the East Coast), which are essentially the same style as Adobada. The Al Pastor tacos I've had so far in this area are always served with pineapple bits. I know this is an authentic way to serve this dish, but I personally don't like the pineapple. Back to my memory of the Mexican food I first fell in love with: my favorite street tacos in baja and at favorite Southern CA Mexican joints rarely served pineapple with their adobada, and again, my palette is partial to memory. ;) That said, the pork is also more deliciously marinated than any of the Al Pastor tacos I've had at other local establishments (and did I mention they didn't have pineapple in them?) :) Oh, and they also have my favorite Mexican beer, Pacifico. Total win. read more

Only gave 4 stars because I would like a warning or indication of heat on their salsa bar. That green stuff tore my mouth up! However, it is much tastier and more tolerant if you put it on your food. Also, the chimicanga had green bell peppers in it and I hate those, never had them in chimichanga before so would have liked for that to be listed, I'll know better next time... I say next time because I'm definitely going back here. I had the chimichanga, my Mom had the tacos -which she couldn't stop raving about. They were made there which really impressed her. My daughter had french fries and a cheese quesadilla. Now, let me tell you, had I known there were going to be that many french fries I wouldn't have let her eat the full order, there were A LOT of fries in this order, enough for two. NO complaint there as I love huge portions. This place was as expected due to the rave reviews and warnings about how it's really a self-serve hole in the wall kind of place, but in a good way. Can't wait to go back for lunch and for breakfast! Yes, they had a breakfast menu posted and they open at 9am so I'm looking forward to it one day. read more

Having lived in Cali for some years I was very spoiled with great tacos! this place is almost as authentic! Quick friendly service, yummy salsa bar, w plenty of fresh cucumbers and radishes and lemons that only perfect your taco experience!! I love this place and have never been unsatisfied. Try something different every single time, everything has been great! read more

Let's keep it simple. Go here. If you're really in need of more detail [but you should already be in the car driving here...]: I had tacos (tongue, chicken, carnitas) and a mexican coke. My friends ordered off the combo menu, so they had burritos, enchiladas and one opted for the "chorizo platter." So much food! Such small price tags! Plus, fresh salsas. I was very happy with all three types of tacos. The tongue was super tender - be bold, go for it! One of my friends got a filled churro, which was so good we got two more. Service was exceptionally friendly. I will definitely be back with friends and foodies. read more

I really enjoyed the chili rellenos I had tonight. You could really taste the chili and the cheese and fried crust were not overwhelming. Price was good I got two beers and dinner for 14 bucks. The decor is the reason I cannot give this place five stars. It is just plain boring in there. Other then a weird picture of Jesus and a TV playing Mexican programming it is just a room with a bunch of tables. Dim the lighting and play some music in the background and just a little bit of creativity will go a long way. But we were just rating food they got five stars on my first visit. read more

We were looking for El Toro but we wound up here instead. How awesome. Just across the street from my office. Great prices, authentic, NICE people, excellent salsa, clean and unpretentious. Go and enjoy. BTW I had the green chili plate. this is slow cooked pork with green chili with a side of rice and beans for $7.95. Highly reccomended. read more

Went there for the first time today and I've got to say their burritos are awesome! I'm not usually a burrito person but I decided to try the carne asada burrito after reading great reviews on here and I've got to say, it's pretty dang good. It's pretty much just steak, guacamole, and pico -- so simple yet so good. Their plain churros were also the best churros I've ever had in my life. The Mexican soda was awesome, too. This place is very authentic and reasonably priced. Definitely recommend! read more

Excellent carne asada, carnitas and fish tacos. Salsa bar. Reasonable to cheap prices especially a la carte. Bare atmosphere but go there for the food. Love it! read more

My family was introduced to Los Cuates by a News and Observer article about the Mexican Restaurants in the area where the Mexicans in the area eat. The food here is fantastic. My all time favorite is the Pollo Asado Burrito. It's big and a challenge to finish, it tastes great and it's cheap ($3.89). I haven't had a bad dish here yet and I've been eating here about once every 1-2 weeks for the last 6 months. My sons have hooked a few of their friends on the place too. The crowd is a mix of Mexicans who want a taste of home and others who want "the real thing". The staff is very friendly and treats me like a regular. This location, unlike the Capital Road location is an informal sit down restaurant, not a drive thru. It's a bit hard to find .... It's on the right a short distance after Falls of the News branches off of Wake Forest Road. It's in a little strip mall. Definitely worth finding. read more

I enjoyed my experience at Los Cuates quite a bit. Their menu had a lot of things to choose from - it took me a while to decide! Being that I ate there on Cinco de Mayo, my experience was probably a little different than it would have been on any other day. I heard about this place from a friend and was craving Mexican, so I decided to stop in and get some food to-go. Getting food to-go here is a bit of a mistake, as they were crazy busy and it took a little longer than expected for my order to come out. That having been said, the staff checked in on me several times to make sure I had everything I needed, and apologized for the wait. I sipped a Jarrito while I waited, and was offered free chips and salsa, but declined. I ordered two chicken tacos with rice and beans. It's combinations number 8 i think. The meal along with the lime Jarrito ran me a little more than 8 bucks. Lots of food - very flavorful and totally hit the spot for my Cinco de Mayo lunch needs. The chicken was a little spicy, and for someone who doesn't like spicy at all, it was a little overwhelming, so I probably won't get that again. All in all, though, it was very good. Next time I need lunch on the go, I'll call ahead and it will, without a doubt, be a 5-star experience. read more

We went here based on the yelp reviews. We were not disappointed in the least. The tacos had tons of tasty meat and the taquitos were great as well. The tacos were meatier than Chubbys, and all-around a bit better. They have a nice salsa bar with big dipping bowls, which is a nice change from the other places around here. The counter service personnel was very nice and helpful. Do not be intimidated to go here based on a fear of spanish. read more

Since I left California I have been searching for an authentic Mexican restaurant. I finally found it! This place awesome!

On a biz trip from SoCal. Excellent food and service, would be a weekly favorite if they were in my neck of the woods.

Usually one of my favorite & best places for Carnitas. This time the meat tasted old it was very greasy, and the beans had no flavor. It was a disappointment to say the least. Worst part, I took the food to go & drove all the way to Louisburg only to find out it wasn't packaged properly so I had beans on the side of my seat where it leaked. read more

Yep, do yourself a favor and get here immediately! Barbocoa soo good! I do not traditionally eat meat but it makes me cry every time! My husband is accustomed to real Mexican food and this is one of his top 3. Service solid.. food incredible! read more

I'll start off by saying I had the carne asado tacos and they were good; however, I went through the drive through and I believe that's where I made my first mistake! The price did not reflect what was in the drive through menu so they should probably update that. The woman who took my order wasn't entirely sure how to use the drive through intercom so it could've just been a lack of training. I got a combo that said it included a drink and when I asked at the window she said "I don't think it did." But the food was delicious and I'll give it another shot just for that reason. Next time I will definitely walk in! read more

We all enjoyed our meals at Los Cuates. The food was very fresh tasting. I had a chicken burrito and my companion had chili rellenos. The flour tortillas were especially good and the portions were generous. We also ordered guacamole and chips. The chips were a bit uninteresting, and not as fresh tasting as their entrees - a minor thing. We ordered at the counter and the young woman who took our order brought us our food. She was polite and efficient. The ambiance was pretty basic. It wouldn't take much to upgrade it to make the space more cheerful and pleasant to dine in - just some fresh paint and artwork would do it. Bottom line: pretty good food in a basic setting. We will go back. read more

Their asada is on point, and the amount of it that comes in a single taco could easily make two. They have homemade horchata, their salsa bar is amazingly delicious, and the guacamole was super fresh. The ladies working that day were wonderful, and the food came out fast. I like that they have an assortment of snack cakes that you can usually only get at tiendas so I grabbed Gansitos and some conchas on our way out. It's probably a good thing they're about 30 minutes from my house or I'd be there every single day! read more

This place is awesome. Authentic Mexican. Great salsa bar (spicy, watch out!).

Growing up in Imperial Beach and Chula Vista in California we lived on Hilbertos, Adalbertos and of course the best; Robertos. Hitting the 3rd Ave store 2-3 times per week for rolled tacos. Los Cuates is a slice of heaven, serving up the foods and flavors we've been looking for, for so long. The carne asada burrito is spot on. The marinated carrots are the best since El Patio in the 80s. And the rolled tacos with guacamole was perfect! read more

My wife and I got a Groupon for Los Cuates and tried it for the first time. Simply delicious, relatively inexpensive, very large servings, very authentic and yet their very own style. They have a salsa bar which has some an awesome carrot and jalapeno salad in a vinaigrette style marinade. The bottles of beer are reasonably priced and like one other reviewer noted, soccer is playing on all 3 TVs. We will be back. read more

Super awesome service and delicious food! Very authentic. I have really fallen in love with this place. It's one of my favorite places to eat at. read more

I've been hunting for SoCal Mexican since moving here a few years ago. Found it! Los Cuates is just what I wanted - portions, price and taste. Gourmet? Of course not - There are other tasty places, but if you're from West, this is the regular ol' yumminess you remember and crave. From Las Vegas? Here's a smaller version of Super Mex in Henderson. Take an order to go and enjoy! Just don't expect rice IN your burrito! read more

order-then-sit style mexican food operation with serve-yourself salsa. they are definitely appealing more to the ethnically mexican than the average american with how they prepare the food, which i find to be refreshing. it isn't mountains of cheese and enchilada sauce smothering gobs of sour cream and refried beans. if that's what you're looking for, go to Toreros. i haven't tried everything on the menu, but the standard fare is probably a step above average. they deserve three stars for sure but i'm leaning to four because of the convenience inherent in the ordering and the fact that it's impossible to run out of salsa when gobbling up all those chips (unless you're physically incapable of serving yourself some salsa). also, the food itself is quite good. read more

Did not love the food seemed like something you could throw together yourself from aldis. Definitely different than your typical Mexican restaurant, if your expecting things to be prepared in the usual way this is not the place! Very high priced for the quality of food. read more

Stopped in here while traveling and got the carne asada fries. They were good and the staff was super, super nice. Would definitely go back if I lived in Raleigh. read more

Definitely not like CA carne asada fries, but it will do. I wasn't jumping up and down. The price is about the same in CA. Drinks are a bit pricey. Overall, eh. Bland but good enough to eat when I miss CA carne asada fries. read more

BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN NC!!! As a California native, I've been scouring NC for good Mexican and found it here. The owners are from San Diego, CA and it shows. The food is prepared perfectly and for a great price. They use real cheese, cilantro, and have a variety of fresh salsas. There is no strange white 'cheese' sauce in sight. My favorite thing to get is the taco salad with carne-asada. read more

Great street tacos, the best I have had in Raleigh. Loved the salsa selection. Great food for the price. I will definitely be coming back. read more

First time eating here and we will be back. My husband has officially declared this "his new taco place". Food is awesome. Wait was nothing at all. If you like good Mexican food, THIS IS THE PLACE. read more

Amazing, just like In Phoenix. Glad we don't live closer because this place would make me go broke. 6 stars

Found this place on yelp. It's worth all the rave reviews it has received. The best Mexican food I've had in Raleigh. Great prices! I go all the time now. read more

This is the most authentic and wonderful Mexican food I have had since moving to this area. The food really is as good as it gets and the horchatas are delish! It's also a great place to brush up on one's Espanol. read more

I was very disappointed with Los Cuates. After reading all of the positive reviews, I feel like I was at a totally different restaurant. I am from Chicago and LOVE good Mexican food, and I have been on the hunt for a new taqueria in Raleigh. So I guess the hunt continues... My wife and I had Tortas. She had an asada, and I had Adobada. They were super dry. They didn't put any mayo or sour cream to add some liquid to help sauce it up a little. The nice woman behind the counter said the meat for the Adobada was marinaded in a Guajillo Chili sauce.. sounds delicious right? The only flavor I tasted was a flavor from the meat being burned. The Asada wasn't burnt, but was dry and flavorless. The only reason I gave 2 stars instead of 1 was the nice employee who took our order, and she also made some fresh tortilla chips as we were sitting down. I hate to say it, but I will not return. read more

3 stars just cause its best we have found in NC . I am from AZ and love Mexican food but have NEVER found anything comparable to back home . This place is best we have found out here and we have been searching 3 years . The Carne Asada burritos are good here best you will find probably . So if your from out West this is a good place but its not AZ or CA good just good for NC cause Mexican food sucks out her P.S. don't eat the beans they are NASTY read more

Food is adequate but not superior. Also hard to find.

Stopped in to grab a burrito to-go before driving back to campus. I ordered a carne asada burrito, waited about 5-10 mins and they said I could grab some to-go salsa cups. (Salsa was really good) Burrito definitely reminds me of San Diego. Not many places making quality SoCal burritos in the Raleigh area but this is one. read more

California transplant here. Lived all over the golden state, but my 10 years in San Diego and Chula Vista (three miles from and many, many surf trips into actual Mexico) really refined my palate for what true, fast So Cal/Baja Mexican food can and should be (and trust me people, it is NOT Chipotle). Thankfully, I have found this in spades at Los Cuates! This "hole-in-the-wall" serves up some incredible and cheap California/Baja style "fast" food. Standouts include the carnitas burrito, the carnitas burrito and the carnitas burrito. A brick-sized hunk of lovliness in your mouth with nothing inside but pico, guac and succulent pork. As it should be. Sublime. Get to this place, stat. read more

This place is a little but different that a lot of "Mexican" food that 90% of restaurants serve. I've been coming here for years it's always good. Beef tacos are crazy good. Salsa bar is probably my favorite thing aside from the carne asada burritos. read more

People of Raleigh- Unite! This place is friggin amazing. Go there and order a Carne Asada Burrito! Do it now. It's the best in this city. Also should try: Machaca Burrito Rolled Tacos with Guacamole Fish Tacos read more