One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Laguna Beach. Great view of the beach and very tasty food. One of the best in the area. I highly recommend them. Good food and great service. Short rib enchilada is amazing.
Jenna
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October 27, 2024
Very relaxed but classy atmosphere. Strawberry margarita was so delicious, fajitas were beautifully prepared and full of flavor. Service was impeccable.
David Ward
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September 02, 2024
My first visit to Carmelita's was a bit of a mixed bag, so let me start out by discussing the good things about the restaurant. With a big patio just across the street from the beach, Carmelita's is an ideal location to fuel up for the Pageant of the Masters. Most importantly, our server Pedro was excellent, as was all the rest of the staff that we interacted with. Carmelita's is a place you can go to for just margaritas (which are served with a salted tajin rim) and you will stumble away very pleased. I ordered the off-menu Julio's Margarita (which has Grand Marnier and muddled orange) and it was perhaps the best margarita that I've ever had. The Strawberry Cadillac Margarita is pretty but my companion said that the Spicy Mango Margarita is even tastier. For dinner, I ordered the Slow Braised Carnitas, which were tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. The refried beans on the side were also delicious. But the corn tortillas were dry and chewy. My companion ordered Grilled Fish Tacos but the food on her plate she was most impressed with was the rice. She did like the fish inside the tacos but they broke apart when she picked up the tacos because the tortillas were so dry that they started cracking. Corn tortillas are the foundation of Mexican cuisine, so any Mexican restaurant worth its salt should at least serve delicious corn tortillas. Considering that Carmelita's claims they cook their tortillas fresh on the premises, that part was a disappointment. But our experience overall was pretty good, so I will give Carmelita's a second chance the next time I'm in Laguna Beach.
Gavan
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July 08, 2024
This place was bomb!!!! Sooo fresh and delicious!!! I forgot what we got but we had to order two rounds of the (taquitos?) pictured on the left on the guac. And the chips were salted to perfection with freshly made as you can taste the hot oil seeping out. Must try
Ralph Hofmann
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September 22, 2024
Nice outdoor seating and view. Service is rushed and the staff is always running. The door to the patio makes noise every time it’s opened which can be measured in seconds. The portions are small. The staff asks questions instead of knowing how to serve. It’s way too expensive for this. My drinks came after the food. Timing matters.
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Laguna Beach. Great view of the beach and very tasty food. One of the best in the area. I highly recommend them. Good food and great service. Short rib enchilada is amazing.
Very relaxed but classy atmosphere. Strawberry margarita was so delicious, fajitas were beautifully prepared and full of flavor. Service was impeccable.
My first visit to Carmelita's was a bit of a mixed bag, so let me start out by discussing the good things about the restaurant. With a big patio just across the street from the beach, Carmelita's is an ideal location to fuel up for the Pageant of the Masters. Most importantly, our server Pedro was excellent, as was all the rest of the staff that we interacted with. Carmelita's is a place you can go to for just margaritas (which are served with a salted tajin rim) and you will stumble away very pleased. I ordered the off-menu Julio's Margarita (which has Grand Marnier and muddled orange) and it was perhaps the best margarita that I've ever had. The Strawberry Cadillac Margarita is pretty but my companion said that the Spicy Mango Margarita is even tastier. For dinner, I ordered the Slow Braised Carnitas, which were tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. The refried beans on the side were also delicious. But the corn tortillas were dry and chewy. My companion ordered Grilled Fish Tacos but the food on her plate she was most impressed with was the rice. She did like the fish inside the tacos but they broke apart when she picked up the tacos because the tortillas were so dry that they started cracking. Corn tortillas are the foundation of Mexican cuisine, so any Mexican restaurant worth its salt should at least serve delicious corn tortillas. Considering that Carmelita's claims they cook their tortillas fresh on the premises, that part was a disappointment. But our experience overall was pretty good, so I will give Carmelita's a second chance the next time I'm in Laguna Beach.
This place was bomb!!!! Sooo fresh and delicious!!! I forgot what we got but we had to order two rounds of the (taquitos?) pictured on the left on the guac. And the chips were salted to perfection with freshly made as you can taste the hot oil seeping out. Must try
Nice outdoor seating and view. Service is rushed and the staff is always running. The door to the patio makes noise every time it’s opened which can be measured in seconds. The portions are small. The staff asks questions instead of knowing how to serve. It’s way too expensive for this. My drinks came after the food. Timing matters.