Carmelita's

I give this place 3 stars mainly to based on the cosmetics of the place. I think they did a fantastic job in making it stylish regardless of the fact that it's by the side of a road and small. You can tell they put an effort to make it look the part and I think the style is beautiful. There is free parking and there is an elevator to go straight to the restaurant. No kids menu. I liked to receive the chips with salsa and beans , although they did not refill the chips even though we were still waiting for our food. I think the margarita tasted great. Food was really average. I personally think that when a place can't have a view as a selling point it needs even more to have amazing food. I ordered something that was supposed to be a chef plate with a mix of things that did not really taste of much , it was very oily and bland, most of it was nachos and not something that would make me go back for. Check your receipt! When we were there it was not busy and they still added us an extra drink to the charges, a service fee and at the bottom it said that if you use a credit card you will be charged extra 3 % too. On the top of that there was a request of tip of course. Considering how pricey everything was and again for a small place on the side of the road with not remarkable food it did not feel like the best approach to have all of these fees . It doesn't make a person want to go back.

This is a very cute and cozy Mexican restaurant located steps from the beach. They have a delicious selection of Mexican cuisine. They serve you complementary fresh chips and salsa. I got the California burrito, which comes stuffed with fries. Only downside is they drizzle tartar sauce on the outside so it's very messy to hold and eat. That wasn't stated on the menu. Overall great place and ideal restaurant for a date!

Nicole, guy with the Epic Mustache, every awesome soul working on the weekly International Holiday, TACO TUESDAY- - - Cheers y’all! The drink we call The Steven, the Carne Asada Street Tacos, chips, salsa, and bean dip :o) the happiness every bite brought to me with the love you all put into the experience in the food! Thank you all very much, and may all who celebrate life enjoy a delicious meal at Carmelita’s!

We are frequent visitors the area, but this was our first time staying in Dana Point. The service was prompt, friendly, and attentive. Our meal was so good on the first night that we returned the next evening to try more dishes. The tacos de calle and flan were exceptional. The seafood dish (pictured) included a chile relleno stuffed with seafood and was absolutely superb. The frijoles negros served as a dipping sauce for the chips added an extra touch of flavor.

Great place. Outstanding service. Very friendly, prompt, and attentive. Food was delicious and presented beautifully. Chips and salsa with bean dip before meal was great. Only negatives, a little expensive and portions not huge. Also, they charge a lot for things such as kids drink and soda water which at most places is free. But overall I’d highly recommend this place.

We didnt have a reservation, but they kindly squeezed us in anyway! We only had the queso app, but it was so so good! My sister loves it here and highly recommends it. Edited we went again two nights later and tried the birria tacos which were super juicy and very flavorful, and the spacy mango margarita was great with just the right amount of kick to it to it to offset the sweetness of the mango. The blackberry margarita was also refreshing and not overly sweet.

I went to this place with my family for lunch! Food was so fresh and yummy. Food took little longer to come as they had a big catering order. 5 stars for our server, Antonino, who kept us posted about the catering order and checked on us multiple times!! I will surely go back to this place!!

We came here for Valentines dinner and it was one of the best meals we’ve had in California!! Javier and our other server were absolutely incredible and so hospitable. Best margarita I’ve ever had coupled with an incredible burrito, they truly went all out and gave me a rose and everything. If you’re looking for a new place, this should absolutely be on your list!

Carmelita's is amazing! From the food, to their margaritas, and most importantly their staff... so friendly and welcoming. Thank you to Javier for the best service, he takes care of us like family.

Alma and Mario made my birthday dinner the best celebration! Excellent food, superb libations! Highly recommend, if you haven't tried yet! This was not the first time and will definitely not be the last! Beats having to navigate into the Laguna location!

I love the food at Carmelita's, it's honestly some of the best Mexican food in the area. Things to know: --This location is really small and parking is always tough --The cokes are in little glass bottles, meaning overpriced and no free refills --The menu is pricey, but the food is high quality Worth stopping by if you're a Mexican food fan -- I'd recommend the chicken enchiladas or the burrito.

Location was amazing! Service was amazing!! Food was amazing!!! I had a party of fourteen last night. We were visiting my Godmother, who lives in nearby Laguna Niguel. We took up more than half of the tables inside the restaurant. This is what I had: La Tampiquena - Grilled Skirt Steak, served with two Cheese Enchiladas with red sauce and Guacamole Simply Amazing! Diet Coke - Tiny, expensive bottle. Go here if you haven't yet. I'll be back.

This place has a really good menu and lots of options for everyone. Our server was so incredibly sweet and very accommodating! I ended up getting the wet burrito and I really enjoyed it. I ate the whole thing and I had no regrets! My friend got their nachos and she enjoyed them a lot as well. One of the other girls in our party ordered their soup and it looked delicious. The aesthetic is very cute and they had this portrait of Frida Khalo next to the bathroom that I thought was a nice touch . I will definitely be back to try more of their menu .

Delicious chips/salsa/bean dip - very unique. The enchiladas- seafood especially- are incredible.

I avoided this place based off my disdain for the Laguna Beach location & WOW, was I completely surprised by how this location blows Laguna out of the water. I visited during happy hour which was awesome! Great deals, great food, great service. Elote was 10/10 as were the carnitas and asada tacos! The bean dip for the chips is heaven- and the chips were so fresh and perfect Our waitress was awesome and sitting on the patio was lovely!

my mom always raves about this place so we finally went together, the service was amazing, especially Javier! He made us feel taken care of and helped us with anything we needed! you can tell he is such hard worker. food was sooo good and worth the money. we sat outside and they had heaters!

Small cute restaurant located along PCH. There's street parking right in front if you're lucky. Service was great, and they checked on us often. We munched on the complimentary chips, salsa and beans while deciding what to order and while waiting for our meals. I had the short rib enchiladas, which was served with rice and beans. The meat was tender and flavorful, and sooo good. Just wish they served it with some chili or had hot sauces/salsa on the side. It was delicious but overpriced in my opinion; but expected for this area.

This is a very cute and cozy Mexican restaurant located steps from the beach. They have a delicious selection of Mexican cuisine. They serve you complementary fresh chips and salsa. I got the California burrito, which comes stuffed with fries. Only downside is they drizzle tartar sauce on the outside so it's very messy to hold and eat. That wasn't stated on the menu. Overall great place and ideal restaurant for a date! Service was excellent!

Love this place! I love their chips and salsa, and beans....its soooo good! I usually get the short rib enchiladas pictured here and they are fabulous. Service is very attentive and never had an issue. Only reason for one star missing is my food came out cool, not hot. Beans were room temperature. Think our food may have been sitting awhile. Atmosphere is lovely, you won't be disappointed coming here.

PERFECTION! Absolutely LOVE this place! Possibly the best Mexican food I've ever had in my life. Also incredible service! Sylvia is awesome! She recommended her fav garlic shrimp dish and it's just ridiculously delicious! Cannot recommend this place enough. I've eaten at the Laguna Beach location and it's apparently different ownership. Would not go back. The servers there are super pushy and try to upsell everything. And push margaritas...I don't drink. Food not nearly as fresh and delicious. Don't recommend that location. This location...Outstanding!!!! On every level. Six stars!

Great food and service . Javier and sylvia were the best. Made us feel so special as we celebrated a birthday valentine. Thank you so much!

I really enjoyed my meal at Carmelita's! I ordered a taco plate, taquito and margarita. This was some of the most tasty Mexican food I've had in the area. The service was also great and they were very good at helping me decide what to eat. It was a little bit expensive for basically the vibe it was giving off. I'll definitely be back though! I think this place needs a bigger and better location since the food is so good!

Came in for lunch before heading home. Was welcomed upon entering and quickly seated. Opted for the Veggie Enchiladas- 2 tortillas filled with squash, zucchini, spinach and cheese then topped with crema and garnished with two slices of avocado and micro greens, also served with a scoop of rice and cup of black beans. The enchiladas were good but served room temperature which was weird and everything could have used some spice...we asked for some hot sauce..luckily, they had some habanero salsa. It could have been spicer buuuuttt that's just me lol it was all tasty nonetheless! Most of the main dishes on the menu are $22 and up, With that price tag I expected the enchiladas to be worth coming back for....It's wasn't bad but it just wasn't mind blowing. The service was great, the employees were friendly and attentive. It is a small restaurant but there is an ample amount of seating.

This was my 2nd visit. The first was a few years ago and there's been a few changes. It's now table service instead of order at the counter and the prices have gone up...but they have everwhere. Our food was absolutely delicious! We both agreed absolutely go back there!

Nino is so sweet and he took my to go order in person. I ordered the fajitas with extra chicken and shrimp and no cheese and gluten-free! It's so cute here, I can't wait to eat my lunch after my dentist appointment. It's very clean and pretty in here!!! Be sure to stop by for taco Tuesday and happy hour from 2-5 pm every day!!

Sat at the outdoor patio. Servers were really nice but didn't come outdoors as much, plus it's right on the busy road. The food was great! Delicious potato taquitos and the chips and salsa were crispy and warm! The margaritas were flavorful and fresh!

My wife and I stopped here for a snack, just ordered some queso and asked the waiter to hold the chorizo because we don't eat meat, when they bring us the queso there is meat in it. We call the waiter and point out that there is meat in the queso to which she replies saying: it's not meat, it's bacon. ???? No apologies or anything and then she ordered the queso again which took forever to arrive. By that time we weren't even hungry anymore. We ate some of it and just left because we were so frustrated. I paid the tab via phone as it was an option and one of the staff members followed us to our car saying we didn't pay the bill, and I had to show him I had paid via phone. Absurd, through and through. So disappointing and full of mistakes from beginning to end, would no recommend and won't be going back anytime soon.

Great food and decent portions! They provide complimentary chips and salsa with bean dip. Both fresh and I ended up having the salsa with my entree. I ordered the beef flautas -- they were amazing and I highly recommend. The service was great. Everyone was kind and attentive. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Decent prices for quality food. We chose to sit outside, It was a little chilly and they had heating lamps nearby for us. It was a great experience and I hope to be back!

Outstanding food (street tacos and tortilla soup were AMAZING) and friendly service. Can't wait to go back!

I dont get it! Service was lovely; atmosphere okay. Food fair at best. Both my friend, a Chef, and myself agreed Everything was overly salty and flavors not terribly exciting. For price and based on prior YELP reviews expected significantly better!

This place has really good food. I love the soft tacos but I don't seem to find them on the menu anymore. Can order off menu though. Also, the bean dip with the chips are awesome. For the gluten sensitive people, the chips are made first am so you're not getting contamination. However, later food in the day would be cross contaminated.

An amazing Valentine's Day dinner. Javier and Sylvia were fantastic. The muddled margaritas are delicious and the chips always warm. Highly recommend!

Great brunch. The most delicious pancakes and whipped cream!! Kids love the breakfast burrito, and juevos rancheros were delicious!!

My son loves the crispy taco plate, but I almost always tell him no when he asks for it. This kind of typical experience there is why.... One of my son's teacher called today to say he got the highest score on her test out of all four of her classes. Proud of him, I bought him tacos as a reward. I also ordered taquitos for myself and churros and flan for dessert for my son and husband. The taquitos are $16 and the taco plate is $22. My total bill was $71.48. (I included a 15% gratuity although it was to go.) When I picked up the food, I asked for salsa. The employee helping me gave it to me begrudgingly, after checking what I had ordered. Then, after giving it to me, she told me in a judging tone that they usually charge for it and there is a place online to buy it. I offered to pay for it, but she said I didn't have to. I asked out of curiosity how much it was (because my experience is you get a salsa or two with your tacos for free) and she told me very pointedly and emphatically and not nicely that it is a "$1.50, each!" (Her look made it seem like I'd gotten away with highway robbery and I felt embarrassed and uncomfortable.) Sigh. Pardon me for thinking that when I paid $22 for a taco plate, I might get some salsa with it.

We have been enjoying Carmelita's for many years at several different locations. We came to the Dana Point location a month ago and it was a great experience! However; the reason for the low score is due to the lack of management at this establishment during a weekday lunch!! I'll get to the point ... I made reservations a week in advance for a for a birthday party for six. On the morning of the party, they texted me to confirm the reservation for 1PM on Tuesday afternoon, which I did. Upon arriving, (I arrived about 10 minutes early to set up) there was one waitress on duty and she didn't know anything about the reservation. All the inside seating was sporadic so we could not put two tables together. I pre-requested indoor seating because the outdoors is loud so you can barely hear each other over the traffic noise, plus it's dusty out there and I wanted to lay down a pretty birthday runner, a paper centerpiece and place the party favors on the table before the birthday girl arrived! There was couple up front who were at a 4 top and decided to move, so we finally were able to put the tables together. Erica, what is the only waitress! She was a lovely woman who was obviously working or tail off! Erica served food, took online orders, prepared food to go, all while answering the phone, busing the outdoor tables and sweeping the floor!!! There were two guys in the kitchen cooking and one other woman prepping. Erica did it ALL and did so with a beautiful smile! Another thing that was offputting was for 6 people we should have received 3 bowls of chips, 3 warm bean dip, and 3 salsas, but they only put down 2 bowls of chips, 2 bean dips and 1 salsa so we asked for more. When the bill came we were charged $8.00 additional. Not cool. The food was good, not the best we've had there but good. We ordered spinach enchiladas, salmon salad, crispy chicken tacos, duo of enchiladas, fish tacos, and to-go we ordered the Carnitas platter. Here's a suggestion, how about having a manager on during lunch service (and of course) dinner service to expedite orders and make sure the quality is there? That's how one protects their brand! Another suggestion: why not put table tents on tables on Taco Tuesday to let customer know what the taco specials are and also inform customers about happy hour drink prices. It doesn't take much to put table tents on tables! I'm just going to summarize that this experience was NOT what It should've been and it's totally due to the lack of management that day!

Came here with some friends after a day of hanging out around Dana Point Harbor. The place offers both indoor and outdoor seating, with heaters outside. The food was delightful. We loved the free chips with bean dip. I got their popular short rib enchilada and was very pleased with my decision. The sauce on the enchilada was especially delicious, and the meat was very tender. My friends got the carnitas wet burrito, short rib crispy taco, and carne asada tacos-- all of them reported their dish being very good. Would 100% be coming back here again.

Fantastic, Original Mexican food! Fabulous Margaritas and the chip and salsa - delicious! Service - outstanding!

What a pleasant experience we had the other day. Wonderful service, a very tasty meal (fajitas and pulled short rib enchiladas), and great margaritas. The salsa was a bit understated, but the bean dip that was served with the chips was a a nice surprise. Certainly recommend this place right off of the PCH (so maybe the view wasn't the best in the world).

Given all of the Mexican Restaurant options in the area, this one is just ok. Not bad, but just ok. Small portions and high prices. Dana Point real estate is getting very expensive. Maybe relocate to a more affordable rent location so you can deliver a better value option?

Good food and friendly service though a few reminders of requests for drinks already ordered were required. Everyone enjoyed their meals and patio is nice.

Ashley was the waitress and she recommended the chipotle dish. OMG .. it was really good and her service was top notch. I would highly recommend this restaurant and Ashley as your waitress. I will definitely come back. I'm taking half of my meal home .

Great service with Gracie! Delicious freshly squeezed orange juice mimosa try the Tres Leches pancakes. Trendy spot available seating inside or outside.

The food was terrible. We had crispy tacos and Mexican cola. We ate inside and the waitress didn't come take our order for 10 minutes after we seated ourselves. When she did, she didn't smile and when bringing the food she just put the plates down. The rice had gray peas in it. She never came back to ask if we needed anything. The bill was almost $90 for three of us.

I really enjoyed all of the food we ordered, and the margaritas here! Sat on the patio, was fairly quiet for a Friday at happy hour. Service was quick and helpful.

Been here many times and the food is always consistently great. Been here mostly on Friday nights and they've always had seating outside with heaters that are warm and the lighting is beautiful. Had Javier many times and Alma this last time. The service here is excellent.

The most incredible street tacos of my life. Wonderful margaritas and gracious staff. The food is prepared in front of you and the decorations are amazing.

Food was delicious! The short rib enchilada and chile verde is amazing. Fast service and fun atmosphere! Would go again.

The food was amazing! The margaritas were the best I've ever had! The staff was very friendly and helpful. Large portions and flavorful food.

Great tradicional Mexican food, out server was very nice and helpful with everything, is a good place to eat good food and relax

Just out and about being a tourist and stumbled upon this restaurant. They told us even though it was not breakfast they would accommodate us and cook anything on the menu. I was blown away by that statement! So we ordered a seafood omelette with shrimp and crab, carnitas chillachilles; and while we waited they dropped off warm chips, fresh salsas, and beans. When the salsa and beans is fire you know the food will be. This place is a gem get there before it gets crowded because this restaurant will be the talk of the town.

We live right across the street from this restaurant and at first when it opened and was not full service we really liked it. ever since it's gone full service The prices have just increased and increased. today for breakfast. The three of us had no drinks, no appetizers and it was $115 for breakfast. I had two chicken tacos on the tiniest tortillas you've ever seen when I asked for additional tortillas they told me they would charge me for a side. My son asked for second serving of chips and they told us it was four dollars. Really $115 for Mexican food for two tacos, a burrito And Chilaquiles and they're going to charge me for extra chips??? The water cups are way too small. Our glasses ran dry multiple times, there wasn't enough staff and the bathroom floor was filthy. sorry Carmelita's you just lost a regular customers business. you're getting too big for your britches. I totally understand that food cost are increasing, but this is ridiculous.

Excellent service and experience from Alma, I highly recommend El jefe tacos, lovely ambience.

We ate at carmelita's this morning. Nicole and Alma took great care of us. The food was excellent. The service was top notch. We will most definitely be back. Go and try their breakfast!

I ordered delivery on NYE from the Dana Point location. I ordered the guacamole, steak burrito, salad and potato taquitos. It was delivered at 7pm, everything tasted good. My friend only ate the steak burrito. Not long after he started having stomach pains and as we sat down to play cards he immediately started sweating and ran to the bathroom with diarrhea and violent vomiting. He was in the bathroom the entire night. It was horrible and obviously food poisoning. He started vomitting blood at 4am. He spent the whole next day in bed and couldn't eat anything. I contacted Carmelita's and reported it to Toast (the app I ordered from). The president of the company assured he's looking into it and no other incidents reported but I find that hard to believe. I'm posting this because maybe it will be helpful to someone else. I know things happen and out of peoples control etc. I also feel strongly the food may have been mishandled and definitely low quality. I will not be eating here again.

Best nacho platter I've ever had. Amazing cocktails as well. Excellent service. A very chill and relaxing vibe. An overall great experience

Super sweet & attentive staff, really chill vibe & the food was great! The wet burrito was my favorite and it was insanely massive. Id definitely come back for happy hour to hang out with friends. Definitely check this place out!

My family and I decided to have dinner at Carmelita's since it was right across the street from the hotel we were staying at. We are so happy we did. The food was amazing. We ordered the taqueria which is a combination of different meats, multiple sauces, rice, beans, mexican style corn, a fondue type cheese dip and fresh homemade corn and flour tortillas. We also ordered the chicken nachos as a starter. The flavors were some of the best I have ever had. The service was exceptional. This will definitely be one of our favorites spots when we are in Dana Point.