Carmelita's Méxican Restaurant

Long time restaurant in Roseville. The main dish chicken mole enchiladas was OK. The mole sauce was sweet. I didn't get a whole lot of the other flavors. Shredded chicken was a little dry. The rice and beans were good. Our server was nice. The gentleman working the register was preoccupied with paperwork, rather than wanting to make eye contact and answer some questions about the history and family of the restaurant.

This was our second time here and I am happy to say both times I have been here, I love everything about it. The first time I had the carnitas and this time I had the spinach enchiladas. And blackberry margarita. EVERYTHING was perfect. My cousin ordered the Chile Rellenos and said they were the best she's had. Martin was our server and he was great too. We will definitely be back.

I've been wanting to try this place and am happy I finally got to. Had a combo tamale & taco. The taco was perfectly crispy and full of goodness. Tamale chicken filling had very good flavor - a bit more masa than I like but not a big deal. Great salsa too.

First time there, and hands down some of the best food I have ate in a long time. I had the Carnitas, it was delicious, just needed some crispyness to me. Only complaint is i wasn't able to order my 3 tacos with differnt meats. I always order a three tacos plate. when I go to a new place I always get their Carne Asada, Carnitas and Pollo to see which one I like the best for future orders. Definitely coming back and highly recommended

Dropped in for lunch and was seated immediately. Our server was super friendly and attentive. The service was amazing. I had the chipotle chicken bowl and it was delicious. The chips and salsa were plentiful and the bean dip was excellent. Everyone at the table enjoyed the food. They kept the drinks refilled and regularly checked in with us. The process for paying is super quick. I'd recommend this place for either lunch or dinner. The menu options are plentiful.

This place was suggested and I'm glad we tried it out! We hadn't eaten all day because of our schedule and we're headed to Thunder Valley. Stopped by and nothing disappointed. Wifey had carnitas and I had a three item combo. The flauta was super crispy as was the taco. Tamale was just what I needed. Even the chips and salsa was fire. Definitely had to get a Togo box for all the food. I will definitely be back.

Delicious! The steak chimichanga is top tier to the chicken! The guacamole was fresh and served beautifully!

Found my new favorite Mexican food place! All the food was seriously so good! The carnitas was so flavorful and tender! Rice was yummy and not dry like other places I've been to. Perfect portion sizes and beautifully plated! Everything was so delicious! We will definitely be back!

I grew up going to the Carmelita's in Fair Oaks as a kid, and it's always held a special place in my heart--it was a go-to for great food and good memories. After moving to Roseville and living there for the past seven years, I started visiting the Carmelita's location there and was never once disappointed. The food has always been consistent, flavorful, and comforting--everything I loved growing up. My girlfriend is just as big of a fan, and whenever her parents are in town, it's a must-visit for all of us. It's become our favorite spot for Mexican food, and the Roseville team never misses. Now that I'm living back in Fair Oaks, I mostly go to that location again, but I still have a soft spot for the Roseville Carmelita's. It's just as fantastic, and I'd gladly recommend either location to anyone looking for a great meal and a welcoming atmosphere.

Came here the other night to catch up with some girlfriends, they do have a happy hour from 3 to 6 PM. I believe on weekdays! Prices overall for happy hour are great, I got four chicken flautas for only $10. They also have a ceviche option, but I don't know that I would order it again. It was very dry and definitely needed some lime! The Al pastor tacos were very small but you get 3 for $12 I believe on HH they were missing a little something but I liked the flautas I got a kids burrito to go and it came with rice and beans and was huge for $10 Service wasn't the best but the place got very busy fast. A Good staple in Fair Oaks!

I haven't been here for years and years! My 78 year old mother and I dropped by after running errands near old town Roseville. It was about 12:30 on a Saturday. There was plenty of street parking. We were promptly greeted and seated right away. Our server was friendly and polite. My mother ordered the fajitas and I ordered the mole enchilada. Everything was absolutely delicious, the portions were large, and the chips and salsa were flowing. The interior is definitely old school Mexican restaurant style. Low ceilings. Stucco. Tile floor. The booths look like they've been recently reupholstered, with nice bright fabric that appeared fresh and clean. I'm looking forward to my next visit here. I'll make sure I don't wait 5 plus years between like I did this time.

Service was prompt & friendly. We ordered to go. The meals were intact in their trays w/o spills. We both had green enchiladas which were excellent to spicing and flavor.

Excellent upscale Mexican. They serve chips with a black bean dip and a red mild salsa. They have a $10 kid menu which is nice for parents. The 3 item is a large dish. I would bet most have left overs. The crispy chicken taco read really good with moist chicken. The chicken tamale was in a nice salsa verde. The cheese enchilada was the only item that I would have considered average on the dish. My wife got shrimp stuffed rellenos. It was an excellent dish. They did not fry the peppers and it wasn't as heavy as a typical chile relleno.

Everything was well executed. I honestly have to say this is the best Mexican food I have had in the greater Sacramento area starting off from the appetizers of chips beans salsa, guac and quesofundido to the biria tacos mouth watering really delicious to the mixed drinks the margarita, cucumber& cilantro to the beer on tap. Everything super Amazingly delicious. Def a place to eat and enjoy great food tell them Claudia sent you

Classic family owned old style Mexican faire in an old building, that I think has been around for many many years. Interior is simple and straight forward with booths along the walls and a separate room for more, or parties. Service was great throughout the night, as he paid attention but was not hovering over us. We stuck with the standards, chimichanga dinner, and enchilada/relleno dinners. Everything was good for us. It's clearly not a 'fine dining' experience. But, for good food and good service at a reasonable price, this is a great place to keep on your radar.

At lunch on Friday the two waitstaff are too busy running the register and handling tables to provide good service. The shrimp bowl and the steak bowl are on the weekday lunch menu and both taste good and have a good number of vegetables.

Went on Saturday early 5:30-6:00. This place was a disappointment. When you ask someone where to find the best Mexican food this is the place everyone mentions. And they say they are always packed with a line out the door. No line. We were quickly seated. The staff was mediocre at best. And the food just didn't live up to the hype. The food tamale and enchiladas were drenched in sauce with no flavor. The rice was bland and flavorless. The beans also were bland with no flavor. There are better Mexican restaurants in Roseville and the surrounding area than this.

Very authentic look inside and feels like I'm at an old fashion establishment. Friendly staff and service is quick. Food is amazing and this is one of our best Mexican food places to go in town. I got the chicken and steak grilled fajita and great flavor. Only issue is didn't come out sizzling like explained. Table next to ours had one sizzling and the smells were amazing. Little disappointed about mine. Not sure if I will get it again.

Been to this location twice on the recommendation of a friend. The food is delicious. The servers are friendly helpful and attentiveve. The atmosphere is comfortable and casual. Endless supply of chips and salsa. Ordered a chimichanga. Very tasty treat with rice beans and a scoop of guacamole. Flavor bomb! Thank you!

A solid four. The location is great, I just love Vernon Street. I loved sitting by the front windows to eat. The inside decor is nothing special. Food came out quickly. The food was good with nice portion sizes. Beans were delicious! And all our tacos were good. The salsa selection was okay, and the chips were different....but in the end I decided I liked them. Maybe not our new favorite Mexican place, but if we were craving tacos while in the area, we would come again.

While Carmelita's is not my favorite Mexican restaurant, it always hits the spot. While in the area to get my hair done, we decided to stop in for some lunch. The inside has an authentic feel with plenty of seating plus an outdoor patio area. Our server was friendly and took our drink orders then brought us some chips, salsa and bean dip. My daughter is a huge fan of their bean dip, but I was not a fan of their chips. They just always seem too hard for my liking. We ordered the Fajitas Burrito, Classic Burrito with Shrimp and a side of rice and beans. The burritos were huge, but tasted great. The portions are huge so we usually end of taking leftovers home. I've tried other dishes during other visits and I am always left satisfied and full. They have a kids menu, vegetarian options plus lots of drink to choose from. They have great margaritas as well!

This place served some of the worst Mexican food I've ever tasted. It was so bland, and the only spice had to have been dried cayenne pepper out of a bottle. Flies were all over the place and kept landing in our food. The service was lukewarm at best. I honestly can't say one good thing about this restaurant.

First time here and it was highly recommended. Chips, salsa and refried beans were bomb. The service was really friendly and the vibe in there was comfortable. I asked for a chipotle chicken bowl for lunch. It came to me and at first I was like okay this looks good then I began to eat and realized it was more like a bean caldo? Like chicken, avocado, onions, mushrooms, and everything else floating in bean soup. My chicken was dripping. I took a handful of bites but I just couldn't anymore and I didn't want to be rude so I just asked for my check. When the waitress came to pick up the bowl she even looked at it a little concerned but didn't address it at all. Not what I was expecting at all. I asked for no rice but that doesn't mean sub it with bean juice. For $20 no less. A gave it a third star because I didn't ask for a correction because I hate doing that but also they saw it with their eyes and still set it down lol

This used to be a favorite but food and service have really declined. Flies were relentless. The worst taco salad ever. Hot , hot grilled veggies and meat with some kind of sauce/soup? In a greasy overcooked tortilla shell, topped with bitter romaine and the obligatory sour cream/guac. The server never came back to see if we got what we ordered (we did not) or if the food was good. Guess she knew.

Service was not good. The food was horrible. We waited forever to be served. My food came cold. Maybe for the lunch hour you should hire more people pay more attention to your customers. It appeared that the waitress was also preparing food and being a bartender bad all the way around. No stars.

My friends and I went to celebrate taco Tuesday and wanted some margaritas with it! I don't even like tequila but hands down we all agreed it was the best margaritas we ever had!!! The food was absolutely delicious as well. We really enjoyed everything we had. There wasn't anything that we didn't like. We got the ceviche, tacos, burrito and fajitas so we tried a little of everything. The server was amazing, she was attentive and we watched her put that elbow grease into making our drinks. We kept joking about wanting to take her home with us and have her make our drinks from now on! lol. The ambience was cool, I think this place would really benefit from a little remodel with live music and maybe more seating but overall it was a vibe regardless! Would deff like to come back!! (:

Food was delicious first time here and very satisfied definitely recommend if your looking for authentic Mexican dishes

Great service, cute restaurant with lots of seating. I wanted to enjoy this Mexican spot as I love Mexican food, but it really hit the mark. Not flavorful and didn't taste fresh.

My husband and I continue to visit this wonderful spot and continue to leave happy and full! I've recently tried their fajita burrito and it has quickly become my favorite item on the menu. Definitively recommend this spot to anyone in search of some yummy Mexican food!

EVERYTHING about this place is AMAZING! From the staff to the food to the drinks... you will not be disappointed. This is our go-to spot when we want a margarita and Mexican food. Once you're seated, they'll bring over chips, salsa, and black bean dip. I recommend sitting at the bar. Their bartenders are awesome and fun to talk to. There's a tv if you want to catch a game. They offer food and margaritas TO-GO, just ask. PARKING: street parking and at times, it takes a while to find a spot. Be patient, it's worth it.

Carmelita's was a nice stop - so let me go through the checklist. Chips and salsa - chips good, salsa was runny - some folks like it that way, some don't. I don't. Guac was very good. Now to dive down into the core. I had the chicken mole enchiladas - mole was too sweet - it's a tough sauce to nail. I also ordered their carnitas to go and they were FANTASTIC. Beans and rice - nothing special there. The service was very, very good. The vibe was nice for a Wednesday lunch. It's a nice stop - go for the carnitas!

Family friendly restaurant with the best service and food anywhere. Grilled Fish, grilled shrimp, even beans and rice, but especially Grandma's carnitas is much like many hugs from heaven. Magnificent.

Great waitress! Drink needs to come when chips come.! I was finished with hot sauce and chips by the time water came! But waitress was very kind and concerned about my needs!

We were visiting friends in Roseville and decided we wanted to sit down at a nice full service Mexican restaurant. My wife ordered the quesadillas and I ordered the Baja seafood taco with grilled fish. The service was fast and the place was clean and quiet, even with lively music overhead. They brought out chips and a bean dip and a sauce dip. You could see the steam coming off of the bean dip and you could see the steam coming out of my head from the hot sauce dip! Both were flavorful, and the bean dip had a smoky chipotle flavor without being too hot. Oh, and the chips were authentic corn chips not the fried flour fake chips that you get at some cheap cheaper restaurants. My wife loved the chicken quesadilla and I loved the seafood tacos. The grilled fish was fantastic. I had never tried grilled fish tacos. It had a crispy texture which was a welcome surprise. All in all I love this place and I would definitely do it again!

I love this place. Their beans dip is out of this world! Love it. Food is delicious. Tamales with green sauce not my favorite however carnitas and other items on the menu are top notch!

I have been coming here since I was a little girl and I have to say it's never failed me. The staff is super friendly and the food is always packed with flavor with very generous portion sizes. If you want authentic Mexican food this is the place for you. They serve you chips, salsa, bean dip and water right when you sit down. The waiters are very quick to come greet you and ask for your drink order. They are always attentive and refilling beverages or removing empty plates. The food always comes out super quick and is always delicious. My husband order the two crispy taco combo plate. He got one shredded beef and one shredded chicken. He absolutely raved about it. I ordered the cheese enchilada combo plate with a cup of pozole. The pozole is bigger than a cup and is packed with meat and the fixings. It's not only hearty it's full of flavor. Hands down one of the best I've ever had. The cheese enchilada was perfect and to top it off the enchilada sauce is homemade and to die for. It's definitely a place we will continue to go to for our Mexican food cravings and for true authentic fresh Mexican food. There is a reason this place has been around for so long! It's a cute little colonial style building and the inside gives that true Mexican flare. A much try if you haven't already!!

Decided to try this place a couple more times recently and I'm excited to say it has dramatically improved from my last review. We've been here about 5-6 times in the last couple of months and it doesn't disappoint! I was pleasantly surprised to see how big the classic burrito was. They were also kind enough to accommodate my craving for mole, which I requested to be smothered on top of my chicken burrito (small up charge for priceless flavor)! The service is excellent. From the hostess and person who keeps the water glasses full, to the server and kitchen staff who always make it a point to smile and say hello. This place reminds me of going to my grandmother's house or a family function as a child. The dining room is clean and decorated with bright colors, yet still has a warm feeling to it. Haven't had drinks here yet, but there are too many tequilas to count! A must-try is you are in the mood for some traditional, authentic restaurant-style Mexican food.

Food is good but holy moly, $30 margaritas with nothing in them; tasted like mix. I will be ordering my Chardonnay only from now on.

Looking for a Mexican Restaurant while in Roseville over Yelp, I stumbled on Carmelita's. Upon arrival over Labor Day weekend on that Sunday night about 5:45p the restaurant was packed and very vibrant. This had to be a great restaurant judging by the popularity of it with locals. We were greeted very promptly and just had a short wait until we were seated. The service we received by our Server Annabelle was good, the only thing we noticed (and probably because the restaurant was so busy) that she was hurried with each time she came to our table. It was almost like she was on a timer and couldn't spend one more second to even take a breath. The food was very good and generously portioned. We ordered the large Chicken Fajitas, but quite honestly the portion was so large, that between the two of us, we still had plenty left over to take with us as leftovers. The sides of refried beans, rice, guacamole, and pico were also generous and so much so, there was no room to try any dessert. Next time you are close to downtown Roseville do check out Carmelitas, I think you will enjoy it too!

Tried something new today with the st. Paddy's day special of Serrano enchiladas and the trio plate with carnitas, asada, and bacon shrimp. No surprise that everything was delightful and Rosa was absolutely amazing as always.

I came here for lunch while shopping for a car here on Vernon..My wife and I were starving..We stepped into this amazing smelling place called Carmelitas..Yum just yum.. We were seated almost immediately..Once seated we were given menu's and water with straws. Next they brought out warm chips with both beans and salsa in separate dishes for dipping..yum yum I walked to the bathroom to wash hands. Restaurant was very clean and the bathroom was definitely up to par. On the way I walked by the bar they had TV'S with sports on and a full bar of all your favorite liquors. Lot's of tables and booths through out the whole restaurant and loaded with customers. It only took us a few minutes to decide. My wife got the Chicken Taco salad.This was a hard shell filled with beans,lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, chicken and cheese. I got the pork nachos.This was giant huge and delicious. It was loaded with shredded pork, cheese,beans, sour cream, and tomatoes. The meals were so big my wife had leftovers for dinner and I had leftovers for dinner and lunch the next day..Count that 3 bonus meals yum.. After eating we got the bill and it was not over the top for an awesome lunch and having 3 bonus meals. If you like Mexican food this is your jam. So so so good..

How do you fairly rate a restaurant where you have had so many good meals and then one complete fail? Well, I've only taken one star away, but that brings it down to three stars for me, which also means I will not risk returning because i don't have the money to waste.l on sub par food. I ordered the steak and chicken fajita and it was $24. The dish contained mostly chopped onions and peppers, which I actually took home because there was so much. As for the protein, if there was a combined 6 ounces of steak and chicken, I would be surprised. Both the chicken and steak were thinly sliced and grilled separately- and then placed on top of the vegetables. So the dish had no cohesiveness because they were certainly not tossed together. I also had to cut the chicken and steak because they were in cutlet form. I order fajitas at just about every Mexican restaurant I go to because it is my favorite meal and I can tell you that this was not made correctly. It was a very lazy way of making the dish and it showed in both flavor and absolutely pathetically small portion size. My friend only ate half his meal. The service was fine.

No other Mexican eatery in our area delivers the deliciousness of Carmelitas. No wonder we keep coming back for more than 15 years.

I'm not sure what the problem was here, but the moment we walked through the door we were stared and laughed at. There was no greeting or welcome in. I got a head nod to come towards the table where a woman laughed at my friend and I the entire time she set down the chips and salsa. The margaritas were not very good although the portion sizes were big here. But, the extremely poor customer service will be the reason I don't come back here or recommend it. Was a very weird and what felt like immature atmosphere.

Food was good and the atmosphere nice. Was a bit busy for a Saturday night . I have been going to this restaurant for over 10 years . Unfortunately I think I have to find another place. Their corkage was always reasonable at $10 for a bottle of wine but last night they charged $20 . Sorry but doubling the price puts this place out of my budget Hopefully management sees this post at does a reasonable increase . Thanks

Food was average. I have had better Mexican food. Service was ok. Flavor was just not there. Vibe was kinda weird. Kind of Iike we were not wanted there. Definitely won't come back due to the unwanted vibes.

Break out the maracas, sharpen that palate, and celebrate any occasion with some specialty Mexican food. Carmelita's in Roseville will satisfy that savory tastes with so many menu combinations of traditional and modern Mexican food dishes. With their friendly staff, cooks who care, decor, and almost all tables full; you can't go wrong. After all, the customers returned to celebrate their favorite food with a viva Mexico cheer.

This is the best Mexican restaurant I have been to in the Sacramento area. Nothing pretentious, just incredibly great tasting fresh food and excellent service. Highly recommend it!

WOW FACTOR? Yes. The Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes are absolutely delicious and the presentation is impressive. Order every time. HAVE AGAIN: Have a full order of the Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes just for me and a second order for the others in my party. NOT HAVE AGAIN: The chicken mole enchiladas were good, but needed much, more mole sauce. And, needs sauce inside the enchiladas. Ask for more.

Food is absolutely flavorful, cooked to perfection and an absolute delight on your palate! The venue is cozy and a bit tight but seating was still comfortable. The staff were professional, clean and friendly. Me and my party were seated right away and greeted with chips and dip right :) which was great cause we were starving! I ordered the Steak Tampiquena and it was amazing! Would definitely order again. Plates were hot cause it was made hot and fresh! Lastly I ordered their churros which were a delight as they had a cinnamon type of creamy filling. Would definitely go back to enjoy The only con is parking is relied on mainly street parking - so make sure you're ready to fight for parking!

My favorite Mexican restaurant. The food is so fresh and flavorful. I'm obsessed! I can't wait to come back. The chips and salsa are also

Shared the shrimp taco for two and it was amazing! Veggies shrimp rice beans and fresh tortillas Will be back

We been wanting to come here for a while now ! So first off, the decor is very nice love the old door they have !! Our waiter was super nice and attentive with us !! All the food was delicious !!The pozole was amazing!! The prices are reasonable the only thing is there is not much À la carte items .. if you get the combo plate sounds great to try different items just you can only get beef or chicken meats not the rest with that option !! But other then that the food is amazing and the portions are super big you will be leaving with left overs for-sure!! Which is awesome!! My only complaint about tonight was that it was very hot inside I don't know if the AC was not working but other than that my experience was fantastic we will be going back!!

I never do reviews but this excited me so much I just had to. I found this restaurant by accident wanting some mexican food after doing business in Roseville. Siri assisted me in a location. In random I selected Carmelitas is a true gem. I was so impressed I have eaten there the last 4 weekends. The restaurant is clean with a great atmosphere relaxing and upbeat. The drinks we ordered were great! Nice large glasses and the jalapeno margarita was alavor bomb. My server every time was friendly and helpful with selections and treating us to their chips, salsa, and bean dip. The food is on point with flavor, seasoning perfect. It may sound a bit overboard but this was the best food I have eaten in all of Sacramento area hands down. I love mexican food and have eaten at some pretty good places. The only draw back is they aren't closer to me. I kinda hate telling people about this place but they deserve all the accolades.Every time I go someone new goes with me and makes sure they are invited ever time I go, Many thumbs up!! Please Don't Change Anything :) Jerald G.

I have eaten at the Carmelita's in Fair Oaks and really like it. This was disappointing. The bean dip was good, as were the chips and salsa. The meals were not.

We were in the area, and craving mole. We decided to give Carmelita's a try. I usually -due to past experiences, don't order chicken at restaurants specially when it comes to enchiladas, but today I decided to go for the mole chicken enchiladas. I am happy I did! I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken was white meat, and great quality!! The presentation was also very nice. We also had the shrimp ceviche, also very good! We loved that the tostadas were on the side and they were delicious, perfect crispy texture and flavor. Our server was also very nice. Michelada was also delicious, well balanced in texture and flavor! Will definitely be back.

Have been here multiple times over the years and each time my food has been frozen in the center.