Carmen's Taqueria

I love the food here, but never order take out food an hour before they close. I ordered take out on 1/23/25. I assumed if I ordered take out instead of sitting down, The food would be good for lunch the next day. I was wrong. They drowned my dishes in cheese. It seems like they were getting rid of the cheese by placing it on my plates. I was very disappointed with them. I will never order take out that late again for my lunch from them. I have never experienced this before with other restaurants. $40 was wasted. I still needed lunch for the next day. I am a trying to become a vegetarian, so too much cheese is not helping me with the transition.

I feel like the biggest fool for not trying Carmen's sooner. The food is amazing and the service is especially friendly which is a big deal in my opinion, next to the quality of the food. My server was a beautiful lady named Damariz, and she was attentive and friendly. I definitely will be returning to dine again soon. The happy hour specials was exactly what I liked, and the food is fresh and flavorful, and the prices are reasonable. (Edit) the music is a variety of different artists which is refreshing. 👍👍👍👍👍

Easy to find, children's menu, nice wide variety but not unmanageable, easy enough to read for older eyes,great service, fast kitchen, food service temperature was piping hot, real stainless tableware more than adequately strong, closed ceiling w/clean diffusers, interesting decor - could use a splash of paint inside and out. Plenty of business. Chips were better than average - thick and warm, salsa (typical red tomato) was OK. The food looked great, (beef fajitas) well presented, but even as thinly sliced as it was, a little more inedible gristle than I would like. Maybe need a tiny bit of trimming is in order.

First time here in a long time. The service was absolutely amazing. The waitress I had was kind, polite, and happy to assistance and offer suggestions. I had 4 tacos both steak and pastor... Absolutely amazing. Love the multiple varieties of salsa especially the spicy. Very tasty. I am sure I'll be back.

The tacos were visually appealing, with fresh-looking ingredients and a generous portion of steak. However, the taste was a bit disappointing. The steak was cooked well, but it was bland and lacked any seasoning. The other ingredients were also somewhat bland, and the overall flavor of the tacos was underwhelming. I was a bit surprised by the lack of flavor, as the tacos were advertised as being made with fresh ingredients. However, I think the problem may have been that the steak was the only ingredient that was fresh. The other ingredients, such as the tortillas and the salsa, tasted like they had been sitting out for a while. Overall, I would give the taco place two stars out of five. The steak tacos were fresh, but they were also bland and flavorless. If you're looking for flavorful tacos, I would recommend going elsewhere. However, I do think there is potential for this taco place to be great. If they use fresher ingredients and add more seasoning, I think their tacos could be really good. I would be willing to give them another try if they make some changes. Honestly it was a cool atmosphere and we came at an absolute dead time but there’s so many better options out there.

we came here for the first time a couple days ago after hearing everyone raving about them. the bogo margarita deal is great & there were no issues with that. i ordered a shredded chicken chimichanga with rice & beans and honestly the chimichanga was probably the worst ive ever had. the chicken tasted as if it was boiled & had absolutely no flavor. no marinade, no seasoning at all. the meal cost $14 which in my opinion is kind of pricey compared to other places i’ve went to, and they don’t even include beans with it, only rice. to get beans it was an additional $5 charge. the portion of rice i got was tiny for the price. i enjoyed the live music they had and our server was very kind & attentive, however i didn’t feel like the food was worth anywhere near the $20 we paid just for my meal.

If I had only one word to describe this restaurant, it would be "authentic". An expansive menu, including posole and menudo, plus a menu that actually explains what the dish actually is (really helpful for those of us not entirely sure what we are ordering most of the time). I had the barbacoa chimichanga (and yes, I am aware that the chimichanga may have been a tex-mex creation) which was fantastic. The BBQ beef was tender and delicious. Rather than guacamole from a jar, it was served with fresh sliced avocado. I had perhaps the best fresh sliced tomato I have had in a restaurant in years! The chips were not the flat greasy fare normally encountered in traditional restaurants. They were crispy, fluffy affairs. Truly amazing! And the salsa! Absolutely fantastic! My wife had the taco salad with ground beef. I thought it was fantastic. In fairness, she "borrowed" some of my fresh-shredded lettuce to round it out, but I recognize that preferences vary. Next time she orders the taco salad, she will request more lettuce, and will ask to substitute half the beef for refried beans but again, personal tastes vary. Considering this place is less than 10 minutes from our house, I look forward to visiting again and again. The food was amazing and the service was spectacular. Definitely 10/10! Oh, and the price was amazing!

Best Mexican food and drinks in Murfreesboro hands down. Being Latino I'm very judgmental of Mexican food. While other spots in Murfreesboro are good they don't come close to Carmen's! Great atmosphere and friendly staff.

I finally got to see what all the hype was about. The salsa is a 10! Fast service. My tamales were great they did need a sauce to level them up. Great specials. The only hesitation was they took our cards and that took as long as getting the food. They also confused some of the tickets and we didn't catch it in time. I will definitely go back for a take 2.

Buyer beware! Maybe I should have known, but nothing on the sign indicated that the 2 for 1 was only for on the rocks margaritas. Didn't find out until we got our check, mentioned it to our waitress and she just said sorry, it's only for on the rocks. Also, the menu said $7.99, so we not only didn't get the 2 for 1, we were overcharged.

The service was good. Food I did not care for. You had better like cilantro if you go here. Ordered two combo plates and the beans and rice were cold. The plates were cold. I did not care for my burrito, cold beans or cold rice. I think it had cilantro in it.

Carmen's remains the go-too place for consistently great meals. I have a soft spot for the huevos con chorizo here but haven't had them for awhile. What a mistake! Tasty generous serving--tortillas prepared well not just warmed up like so much of the competition. Fresh pico. Then lack beans with some taste. But so many great dishes--especially veggie choices. Love the veggie burrito--lots of squash, not just peppers and onion. The patio setting is comfy not crowded. And the service is always consistently prompt and efficient.

Love this place. It's my favorite Mexican spot because of the nice touches they have like adding avocado to lots of their dishes, they have the best tortilla chips. Their drinks are also super cheap. Definitely go if youve never been.

It has been awhile since I last came in and I'm so glad I did come back! My taco salad was delicious! The service was quick and she was amazing! The waitress was precious! Setting was great! Love it and will be back!

Plainest Mexican food I've ever had but strong margarita so do with that what you will!

Worse service I've ever gotten. We got seated by a small boy and were then moved because of an "event ". Got drinks and chips and our waiter never came back. I had to go ask for more chips, finally got our food but one person didn't get theirs. I had to go ask for it. He was working a large party and should not have had any other tables. I will not be back!!! If the service is terrible someone should at least come and apologize.

I enjoy the vegetarian fajitas here. You don't have to ask for avocado and other fresh toppings. However on take out they charge an automatic 12% tip. I normally tip on take out but I don't like being forced to do so. Four meals came with one small salsa and tiny bag of chips. One of the members I purchased food for was really unhappy with the dry and bland state of her chicken tacos. I would eat in person here.

One of the best places to get authentic Mexican food. I ordered the Quesabirria Tacos and they were incredible. My girlfriend ordered a traditional Mexican soup, Pazolé. Also delicious. They also have a good selection of Agua Frescas.

The service is good with nice traditional Mexican restaurants. The food is a great value with great taste. I'll admit I'm very picky on food, and this is the best Mexican restaurant in Rutherford County.

The food is amazing and the service too .. I recommend it! Authentic ... it's so so so good! even the drinks are amazing.

Get the Carmen enchiladas as they as so good!!!! Staff is great and they have great drink special too.

Great place! Chips are amazing! You can't beat fresh chips! Salsa was good too! We like to judge a mexican restaurant by their chips and salsa. I had the barbacoa and pastor sopas and my husband has chilaquiles. They were both very good! We really enjoyed Carmen's! Will be back!

MUY BUENO! Moving from Arizona (And having an abundance of great Mexican food for over 40+ years there) we were skeptical that we would find any comparable food here in Tennessee -- nothing personal Vols, but hey its not a border state.....soo.....any way...we happened here on the ever present YELP APP that properly directs us to great eats at all times and in all cases. We had just finished hiking the Greeter Falls trail down in Altamont, TN.. when we needed some refreshment from the hot and humid hike! ENTER CARMENS TAQUERIA! Found it on the app, and pulled into town on the way back home...so here's the scoop. Ambiance: Clean, quick, and traditional mexican cantina style decorations throuhout the place -- even a patio decorated up just like we would see in MX (whether it be Cancun, Cabo, or Puerto Penasco (our personal favorite)). Service: Service was great from the start. We were greeted right away and sat down within 1 minute and chps and salsa were already on the table waiting for us to dive in. Food & Drink: My wife is a Frozen Margarita specialist and enjoys many different flavors -- to which she selected the Peach. I went for the gusto and ordered the 20oz Strawberry to which my wife then changed her order to the 20oz as well... GREAT CHOICE. The margaritas were perfectly frozen -- not lumpy or chunky which some places can be as they don't blend it well -- but these were stellar - sweet (think they needed a bit more alcohol honestly) but hit the spot after a hot hike in the forest. The chips were hot / salty and the salsa was tangy but not overly hot either....Pretty perfect so far... My wife ordered the Caren Asada plate with some side tortillas as she wanted the Fajitas without the veggies (go figure)....and I ordered the mixed chicken & Steak fajitas....BINGO! I was pleasantly surprised with how much food they deliverd -- well more than your average place by far. The meat was piled high on a perfect amount of veggies -- not overly done, and not overly charred from the cast Iron skillet either....Veggies were crispy and the pico was tangy!! I LOVED MY FAJITAS...My wife on the other hand was not as impressed with hers....it was good no doubt but the steak was on the chewy side and not as fresh and tendy as she was hoping for. Either way it was still a great meal. Price: Price is always hard to critique on Mexican as it can vary so greatly....I think the Food was priced perfect for the amount of food you received....I was not as happy with the Margarita prices of $12.50 per margarita...even for 20oz....seems a bit steep for my pleasure. Summary:: Wonderful place to dine in and get some great Mexican food and even though I'm not happy with the pricing of the Margaritas -- They were Amazing. This is highly recommended and we will be back!!! Keep Munching Amigos!

The best Mexican food in Murfreesboro. Food is always delicious, everything seems very fresh. The service is great all the servers are very nice. Lovely music, great ambiance with the live music on the weekends.

One of the best ceviche I have ever had! And the portions were very generous. Definitely come back for more!

This is the best Mexican food I have had. The fish tacos are so fresh tasting, and the corn tortillas are mouthwatering. The servers are very attentive and the service is great! I love that they have live music something as well. Great place to have an authentic experience!

Ordered on a holiday, before their closing time. Told I had to pay over the phone and be there in 10 mins bc they are closing early from no customers. Not only did I get food poisioning, which was proven by a doctor visit, also which I had to pay for, they double charged me. I called them the next day, and before even getting to the food complaint, I was told I would have to be there in person with a receipt for b9th transactions. I obviously would have stopped a double charge on the spot, and not a single receipt was provided bc they charged me on the phone. Use to like this place. But this experience definitely has me going elsewhere. Shame.

Yes yes yes! Hit up this place on Taco Tuesday for the taco plate special! Lots of types of meat to mix & match in authentic street tacos. ¡muy delicioso!

Carmen's is the best!! Service is good, staff is so friendly, and the food is amazing. I always order fried fish tacos. They are the best fish tacos I've ever had. I won't get fish tacos anywhere else cus I know I'll just be disappointed since it's not Carmen's. They are stuffed with all the goods and topped with an amazing sauce, sure to fill you up. Their salsas are also great. We like to get the green and hot in addition to the regular red they typically serve. The green is more jalapeño like and the hot tastes like smoky chipotle. Come here and you won't be let down. They also have live music on the weekends. I usually don't like live music at restaurants cus it's almost always so loud and overwhelming but I love his singing. PS don't forget the margs!

There was a super nice young boy at the front door taking out to go order. I don't necessarily agree with having kids work even though he's likely related to the owner but still don't like that personally. He was very sweet though. Now I guess it's on the front of the menu but it's in pretty small font but they charge a 12% tip on to go orders and personally I feel that they should be telling people or have a big sign or something. Also I think tipping culture is out of control. I have no problem tipping when I sit down at a restaurant and am provided a service. I placed an order similar to placing an order at a fast food chain and then the food was brought out in a bag for us to take to go. There was 0 service that was being provided and the price of the items ordered should be sufficient enough to pay for the food itself as well as the people preparing the food. I will likely never come back after this experience.

My wife and I decided to try Carmen's after reading reviews. When we arrived it wasn't overly busy and we were seated right away. We ordered and waited waited waited then 25 minutes later we brought the wrong order. We weren't going to wait another 20 minutes for another. They did have a large selection of vegetarian items on the menu which is what we look for so I give them one star for that but service and accuracy needs improvement.

Margaritas tasted like juice! So disappointed bc we got a pitcher and didn't even drink half. Ugh! Food was ok. Nothing to brag about.

Probably the second best Mexican restaurant in Murfreesboro. Jalapeño margarita is always on point. The staff is very friendly. Always have a live band on Friday evening. Fun little atmosphere. The food is typical Tex-mex but just a small step above the others in town.

I went to Carmen's for the first time and I was impressed! The food was great, the margaritas were good (we got the tower for three of us, totally worth it), and the music was good.

I went to Carmen's for the first time last night and the food was delicious. I had fish tacos -- the simple fried ones -- and they were presented with a wonderful light sauce and sliced avocados on a bit of lettuce. The side dish of rice was fluffy and tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Oh, the chips & salsa served when I arrived were the best. We ordered a side of guacamole and it tasted like homemade. And this review wouldn't be complete without commenting our server. I think his name was Jorge and he was not overly focused -- interrupting our conversation -- but he always was there to give us what we needed on time. Excellent service! My search for the best Mexican restaurant in Murfreesboro is over. I found it -- Carmen's Taqueria.​

We absolutely love Carmen's! It's our favorite Mexican in the Boro. 2 for 1 margaritas every day! Live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Daily specials. They have refried black beans instead of the usual refried beans. Their fajitas are good. My favorite dish is the vegetarian cheese quesadilla. It's loaded with vegetables!

I don't give out many 5 stars but we chose to stop in to have a margarita and some tacos for taco Tuesday and wow!!! This place had the best carnitas tacos and steak taco I've had in a long time. The margaritas were awesome... waitstaff superb. I'm not sure how I haven't stopped her before today. I will definitely be back to test out the rest of the menu. The food is fresh and bursts with savory flavor. Can't wait to try more of the menu. But for sure I know my new taco spot!!!

Carmen is my fav Mexican restaurant to go to. If you have a chance to visit Carmen, make sure to order FISH taco. It's BUSSINNG ya'll. They also have live music after 6pm in the weekend. I meant taco and country music what's better than that??????

Close to the real taste of Mexico. So many local restaurants promote a type of food, but they make it too mild, as I often say: it's been Americasized.

I ordered togo food and wanted my receipt to see the breakdown and at the end of it realized they automatically put 12% for tips. Theres nothing stating that they do that on Togo orders it's ridiculous! when I posted the comment to google the owner replied and said that "do you know what your income is from a waiter ask a waiter thank you have a good day" so the owner who won't even pay a living wage is forcing costumers too instead. This place is a joke Don't eat here.

Update: I've been here a few more times since my last review and they have opened up a bathroom to the public. Food is still amazing, goes dummy in the tummy. Service can be a little hit-and-miss sometimes but it's one of my favorite Mexican restaurants to go to

First time trying Carmen's Taqueria and won't be the last. My husband and I decided to visit and walking in the front of the house, the decor isn't nice and modern but besides the decor, the waitress was warm and friendly. She took our order right away and I just had to try the tamales. I am a fan, it was filled with chicken and a spicy sauce.My chimi platter (yes, I ordered way too much food for the sake of Yelping) was flavorful and the yellow rice was so good! My husband ordered the taco, he said they were good and the fresh. The restaurant has a guitar player/singer which we enjoyed his music as we ate. Very warm and friendly atmosphere. Besides the restaurant not looking modern and hip, the food was delicious! We will definitely return.

If you are looking for truly authentic Mexican food this is the place! Indicators of authenticity? Indigenous meals that include Aztec orchata drink and seasoned cactus. The service was friendly, the tortilla chips were crunchy, and the food was so genuine you find yourself speaking in Nahuatl.

Best margaritas in the 'boro! My favorite Mexican restaurant. They have 2 for 1 margaritas, live music, and TVs make it a lively place. The food is delicious, but I always end up ordering fish or steak tacos. If you like spicy, ask for the spicier salsa with your chips it's fantastic!

Our favorite Mexican restaurant in the Boro! The BEST salsa & tamarindo margaritas. We have got all of our friends hooked on this place. Friday & Saturday night live music is the best!

Not much to look at on the outside, but clean and decorated inside. The food! Great choices and variety. Absolutely delicious! On the one hand, I want to tell everyone about Carmen's because it richly deserves it, and, on the other, I want to be sure I can always get a table. Just go.

2 for 1 margaritas AND a great live duo band on a Friday night? Yes please. No complaints on service, I expect a small delay on a weekend night. First time coming here and the outside wasn't much to see, but the atmosphere made up for it! Items ordered: Fish tacos Taco salad Beef Cheese dip And a tostada Andddd the yelp reviews were right, fish tacos were on point. Everything else was top notch. Like I said, no complaints! They even accepted my local flavor coupon after 3pm which is technically the entire happy hour from 3-close!

The food and drinks here are great. However, the service can leave a lot to be desired. They literally try and nickel and dime you for every little thing. They put charges on your receipt that you wouldn't know unless you look closely at it. I want to trust that I'm paying what the menu says. If you go up on your prices for anything, your menu should reflect it or at least your servers should let you know it.

Great food. Has been very consistent with quality of service and food. During these "covid" times I've helped support this locally owned business as a lot of people should. We will continue to give them our business.

As a newbie to Murfreesboro plus a former CA resident, I've been on a mission to find some good Mexican food. Not only was the food good, but the house margaritas were good too (2 for 1 everyday by the way)! For dinner I ordered a shrimp chimichanga and my husband ordered a chicken taco salad. I rated them 4 stars because the environment needs some upkeeping, but I will definitely be returning soon!

I have had such a wonderful experience everytime I have been. Their carnitas tacos are the way to go. I have never been a fan of corn tortillas until eating here. Their drinks and drink specials are fantastic. It is always very clean and the staff is very sweet and friendly. I can't wait until I get to go back and enjoy a long sit down meal! Highly recommend!

After living just down the road from Carmen's for a few years, we finally came to our senses and gave it a try. First things first: their Happy Hour lasts from 3pm to close?! We got some big margaritas and scarfed down some chips and salsa. They have some other drink specials that I'm not as familiar with, so make sure to check in and take advantage of whatever they are! Both times I've been our servers have been super friendly and attentive, but not overly attentive--which I appreciate. They keeps your drinks filled, but you don't feel like they're watching your every move. The overall atmosphere is fun, especially if you go for the live music on Friday nights. From what I've tried, I'm a sucker for the food. On our first trip my Vegetarian friend got some sort of massive fajita type dish that came in a cast iron pig?? It was huge and incredible and way more than anyone person could eat in one sitting. In fact, we probably could have shared it and still taken some home. I got the 4 tacos plate, two chicken, two chorizo. I don't know why I keep getting chicken tacos from Mexican restaurants because I'm always disappointed. The chorizo tacos well and away made up for it, though! You can only pick two meats, so choose wisely. Next time I'll get something other than the chicken. There's some dish called Carmen's Cheesy Plate, which is exactly what it sounds like and totally delicious. Did I mention you can get breakfast anytime? What a blessing. The Chorizo and Potatoes dish was a big hit with me. I don't know why all food isn't breakfast food. Carmen's is a Murfreesboro treasure and I can't wait to go back.

Amazing place! Drinks are super cheap and on Sundays there is draft margaritas for cheap. Food was good and drinks weren't too strong!

I went for lunch and while the food is generally good every other Mexican restaurant in town has vegetarian options or allow you to substitute sautéed veggies in place of the meat. I ordered the taco salad and asked to sub veggies for meat and they told me no, just take meat off but won't grill or sauté veggies for me. So I pay the same price for some less ice tomatoes and beans without the meat. Their table also had cracks with food stuck in it. Not clean! I will be giving future business to the other restaurants I frequent. Carmen's used to be better than this.

I found it mediocre. I have read great reviews about the fish tacos. The fish was overly breaded and too salty, I could not taste fish. I ordered the two for one margaritas, nasty, I couldn't drink and I did not want a second one.

This place rocks! Bet Mexican in the Boro by far. The shrimp, tacos, burritos and quesadillas are packed with flavor and served piping hot with fresh tortillas. The live music and delicious margaritas (top shelf) are the best in town!! Make sure you try the chips and guacamole. We have been here 3 times now and just moved here from Chicago 8-13!!!

Not a fancy place but the chips and salsa were amazing and the margaritas were amazing. I had the fajitas and they were pretty good as well.