Carnitas Uruapan Mexican Food #2

Our food was good and freshly made. Both the chilaquiles with red and green sauce were delicious, along with the flautas. The service was fast and friendly. The portions are really big.

Great place for Friday evening dinner. Authentic carnitas. If you want to remember how it tastes in Mexico. You need to try it out.

Love the new location, even closer to me and same great service, food and quality. Excited to visit all the time now!

Had the Carnitas plate was excellent, except for the 1st time in 4yrs Carnitas were dry not tasty & succulent as they've been in the past. Albondigas were ok might have tasted better if I had eaten them there at the Restaurant instead of 2hrs later at home in Poway Staff / Hostess was very Cordial, Polite, Courteous & Expedient I'll definitely be coming back & need to try something different, it's just hard to pass on the Carnitas

The food was absolutely delicious. The service was great and our server was attentive to our 89 year old birthday guest. The prices were very reasonable, especially in these times when the cost of eating out has skyrocketed. We had the car it's dinner for 4 and a side of chicharrones. Will definitely return.

Tried them for the first time to night and it was very good. I had the carnitas dinner for one and my wife had the taco sampler plate (5 mini tacos: carnitas, carne asada, pollo asada..). We had a large group and everyone was happy with their meals. The carnitas were very flavorful and I would definitely order again.

I ordered the carnitas plate for one. The serving was generous and SO GOOD! Oh did I tell you about the price, it’s a pound of meat, tortillas, rice, beans and all the fixings for just over $10. Will definitely be back and look forward to going to their new location when it opens.

If you want some reheated carnitas go here, carnitas are not supposed to be crispy . Will not go again . This is the 2person plate. Cilantro and onion are not even diced. And came with no lemons either . Your local north gate carnitas are much better

Fantastic decor, so many little details that only a family-owned business can bring authentically. Things that mean something and wanting to share this joy with those that patronize the restaurant. The people are friendly and welcoming making every one feel at home. The food was delicious with homemade, slow-cooked goodness! People in my group devoured the carnitas and noted the deep flavor and tenderness! I asked from some spicy house made salsas and they provided a great variety, including quite spicy salsa and very pleasant tomatillo. I enjoyed the shrimp burritos covered with a wonderful sauce. All the meals had generous portions and authentic flavors. I would also return for the flautas! Everything was priced reasonably so you can eat well in a budget. I am looking forward to returning when visiting in San Diego next time!

We stopped by Carnitas Uruapan after a recommendation from my husband's coworker, and he was absolutely right. This place clearly specializes in carnitas--they were incredibly flavorful, as were the rice and beans. Everything arrived on hot plates, which we appreciated. The drinks are a great deal; the horchata and pineapple aguas frescas come in huge glasses with unlimited refills, and the chips and salsa are unlimited as well. We also tried the adobada torta, which was delicious, and the tamal/enchilada combo. The tamal wasn't dry at all, and the enchilada had a nice smoky sauce. We also ordered the carne asada fries--the portion was humongous and could easily feed two people. The meat had a nice charred, smoky taste, though I wish it had just a bit more seasoning. The prices are very affordable, our server was friendly, and the restaurant was clean. We are definitely coming back!

Our family frequented Carnitas Uruapan (CU) for many years at their old location on Spring Street. It's been a local "go-to" for authentic Mexican food. So, when we heard they were gettin "squeezed out" of that cozy location we and many others were pretty upset. But, we hadn't been to this newer location. We love this place! It's so much better than the old venue. It's way bigger, has lotsa seating & tables, has very open and spacious, rooms for groups and plenty of parking! I love the huge rustic, wooden tables and chairs. There are all sorts of nooks n spaces w/ cultural decorations that create the ambiance as though you were a tourist in a restaurant across the border. They even have TV monitors w/ soccer or whatever live sports games going on. And the food hasn't changed. (We had the carnitas dinner for 4 and that was perfect. Even had leftovers.) Marco and Martha are still just as welcoming and hospitable. They recognized us and made our first visit there feel pretty special. Even though their other location was tiny by comparison, we didn't mind bringing the fam there w/ limited seating because we knew how good the food was. Now we don't have to worry about seating at this EC Blvd location! I took random pics around to give an idea of what this Carnitas Uruapan has to offer. Bring the familia and amigos. This is a great place to even celebrate a special occasion w/ a group!

This has become my family's favorite for sit down Mexican food in the neighborhood. Are the carnitas delicious? Yes! Well done and their chicharron is some of the best I've had! They are so kind every time, my son loves that there is a little table and chairs that is just his size, they always try to accommodate our seating with him. It's a lovely, clean space. I recommend that Chamango Margarita... did I mention the full bar?

This restaurant is super cute! The decor and setup are extensive. There was only one server running around doing pretty much everything from dishes to bussing to ringing people up. Super friendly guy! It took a few times for the kitchen to get our selected taco flavors right, but the server was super on top it with double checking. Once we got the flavors right, the food itself was tasty, we got taco sampler plate to try a little bit of everything. The chicken and potato tacos were kinda sad, but the carnitas and chicharrones tacos were super flavorful! I would come back for the carnitas.

My friends and I were walking down the street from a nearby art show on our way for cocktails at the Luau Bar. We were getting hungry and decided to stop in for some lunch. I was reluctant eat at what I though was a quick taco shop, as I feared it would be quite greasy. When I walked in, I was surprised. It really was a lovely sit-down, family restaurant with a large menu and lots of beautiful Mesxcan decorations everywhere. They even had a wall with a fun photo op that my friends and I, of course, couldn't resist. They displayed traditional Mexican pottery and floral decorations with vivid colors. There was also an area where they were selling traditional Mexican candy. The women who took our orders were also friendly, and answered all of our questions. We almost decided to eat our food there, as it was so cute, but we wanted to sit on an outdoor patio and have cocktails with our food, so we took it with us to the bar. I had ordered the shrimp quesadilla, one of my favorite things to eat in a Mexican restaurant. It was huge and they didn't skimp on the shrimp or guacamole. If I am nearby another time, perhaps I will try another menu item and a Margarita, and enjoy the fun atmosphere. After all, this was a very nice surprise.

Inside dining included the Padre's MLB on the big screen, comfortable seating, great service, reasonable prices, solid Margarita and generous serving sizes- the tacos are HUGE!

We love Carnitas Uruapan and it is our goto Mexican restaurant. I found out they have bigger place in El Cajon Blvd and better parking so we head over there. The place is so nice and big!! Perfect for a huge party!! There's plenty of sitting and a bar area! I have to get my fave dish Chile rellenos. My daughter couldn't decide and got the roll tacos + potato tacos. Both are delicious!!! We also got chicharron and they are delicious!! We also tried the margaritas which is good, but a little light on the alcohol. But it's buy 1 get 1 free promo on Thursday. They also got Mexican candy in a cart for sale!! It's so cute! We all got a couple of candies. Service is always amazing!! They are very friendly and quick with refills. Will definitely come back again.

The food was delicious, the service was excellent thank you! I will came back soon ! With my family and friends to enjoy it!

Took my Mexican in-laws here and they were very impressed at the quality of the carnitas. We came for an early weekend brunch and were seated right away since it was still pretty empty. There was only 1 waitress working so it took maybe 10mins to get our food and drinks. She was very friendly and conversed with our group well. The restaurant was clean and nicely decorated; there was a candy cart that I'm sure kids would love. The carnitas was moist and crunchy at the same time, highly recommended. Also, their drinks were also fresh tasting and well seasoned.

Great food with quick service , carnitas recommended, best Michelada ever! We go there frequently ...

Celebrated a dual birthday here. A staple spot for this crew. The food is great so I can see why! We ordered all the workings for carnitas tacos that we could build ourselves. Did not disappoint! Couple of us enjoyed some margaritas! I hadn't tried their blended chamango margaritas yet and it was delicious! This is a great place for groups! Salsa and chips are addicting as well! Love when we get to celebrate here!

I took my friends from Tijuana & Michoacán here & everyone agreed that the carnitas are legit amazing. You can do the dinners & it's a great value. Also the chicharrón? Yummmmmm.... It's a family owned place & the staff speaks Spanish (how could you NOT in SD running a Mexican restaurant) & they decorate a small corner for the holidays. Super friendly & welcoming. Also, you get to support the locals. I'll be back to try more!

Good Food Excellent Service Great price I'm satisfied!! Server went out and beyond to keep me happy! I will come back!!!

This spot gets it. Carnitas Uruapan delivers the kind of flavor that makes you stop mid-bite and just nod. The carnitas are rich, crispy-edged, and tender--clearly made with care and tradition. Portions are generous, prices are fair, and the whole vibe feels like you've been invited to someone's home kitchen. No gimmicks, just damn good food. If you're within 30 miles, this place is worth the drive.

This was fantastic! I love carnitas and try them wherever we go and have been doing this for years. This was the best I had. I asked for extra crispy and they came out crispy in the outside and moist and delicious on the inside. They were not sickly sweet like some shop like to make them and all the sides were stellar. We ordered some guacamole on the side and had them load us up in salsa - it was really delicious. The ambiance is wonderful and the staff was super friendly, efficient, and quick. We loved the place so much, we just placed an order for tonight to bring to a get-together. Wherever you are in San Diego, this is worth the drive.

Good food good service very good music. This place is good for kids Carnitas. They're really good. That has the onion. Everything is really good. Enjoy it everyone

Many years ago, I went to a restaurant by the same name in Tijuana and loved it. Although this restaurant doesn't have mariachis, the food was delicious and the prices were affordable. We received great service as well. I will definitely be back soon and recommend it highly For a yummy family meal at affordable prices.

Brianna was our cashier. Not sure of server's name, but she was terrific. My sister and I enjoyed the dinner for one each and had plenty for dinner later and then some. Can't be beat! Music from days of old played. Lunch was perfect. From TJ to Spring St to El Cajon Blvd. Always delicious.

So sad they no longer in La Mesa. Glad they are near by in the neighborhood 92115 area. I am Mexican and love their authentic food.

Duuuuuuuuude... don't sleep on this place. Seriously, it's so good! I have been to Carnitas Uruapan and it's been great each and every time. Twice I went in for breakfast and the last time was to sit at the bar and enjoy my food inside of the restaurant - I love the vibe. The carnitas, I mean, come on. They're insanely good and I suppose we'd all expect that especially since it parades their specialty in the name of the restaurant. After having the carnitas and eggs once, I needed to come back for more, which I did. Beyond me being impressed by this place, so were all of my friends. But wait, there's more. Here's something I don't believe many people will think about when visiting this place. When you're craving a carne asada burrito, consider coming here before taking a trip to the local taco shop. Call ahead, place your order, walk in, sit at the vibey bar, get served your burrito, and close your eyes to savor the juicy carne and well built burrito after you take each and every bite. So what are you waiting for? Get your butt over to Carnitas Uruapan and thank me later.

We weren't sure if this restaurant was run by the same family that ran the Carnitas we grew up on in Spring Valley/later Lemon Grove (we were informed it wasn't), but came for the carnitas plates and weren't disappointed. We started with a chicharrones plate for appetizers, and they were great - nicely crisped on the outside and tender inside. It's been a while since I had these and I forgot how good they were. For our entrees, we all ordered the carnitas plates, which come with the usual accompaniment of tortillas, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lemons. On the side were rice and beans, and both dishes tasted great. Really liked both. The carnitas were flavorful and tender, and will order again. Will also be trying the carnitas burrito and sopes on future visits. Service was solid and there was plenty of parking out front. Nice interior inside the restaurant and plenty of seating, including a room for larger groups.

The carnitas to go was a big hit with my family. Be sure to order extra tortillas. I will be back for sure.

If you are going to spend your hard earned money eating out, go where you are treated like family!Best carnitas in town and the beans and rice are good too!

It's clearly a family-owned business. Everything was excellent. I tried the carnitas for two. My only complaint would be regarding the tostadas, they could have used some queso cotija and less beans, haha.

Wow! What a gem! This is my first time here and my husband picked the place for dinner. We were craving Mexican food and this place got it all. We came with 5 adults and 1 child. We were seated after 5 minutes. The ambiance is nice and comfortable. We each order our own plate and they're worth every dollar. They are so generous with the serving and gosh the beans and carnitas are just hitting the spot in every way. Their salsa is spicy but not lingering. The only reason this is not a 5 star review for me is bc of the rice. I felt like the rice could have been cooked a little bit more bc it was grainy. But again, I've eaten rice since I was born so I'm expecting it to be cooked well. Overall, what a gem. I bookmarked and will come back next time we're visiting my sister. Her house was 5 mins from the restaurant. I'll be coming back. Yum!!!!

The service was good and friendly. They let us do some substitutions to our order with no problems. There is plenty of seating inside. The food was good. Ordered the 2 taco combination that included beef and carnitas tacos with rice and beans. Also ordered the carne asada fries. The beef taco had a fried shell while the carnitas did not. The rice and beans were tasty. The carne asada fries were great. The fries were nice and crunchy and had a lot of meat.

Great food Authentic Mexican eatery. Best carnitas in town. Would definitely recommend

Love this place! Highly recommend the carnitas plate for one as it will be enough for two meals. The meat was moist and flavorful and came with a generous portion of toppings and tortillas. Festive atmosphere and good service with reasonable prices. My go-to spot if craving carnitas.

The food was absolutely delicious. The service was great and our server was attentive to our 89 year old birthday guest. The prices were very reasonable, especially in these times when the cost of eating out has skyrocketed. We had the car it's dinner for 4 and a side of chicharrones. Will definitely return.

Carnitas burrito had inedible pieces of fat, gristle, not sure what it was. Discovered it at home so couldn't arrange for a replacement. Carne asada and adobada were both very disappointing. Dry, little flavor, especially the adobada. Generous portions, great chips, reasonable prices, nice staff but not enough to overcome the disappointing food.

Fast and great service food was excellent. Would definitely return. If you like Carnitas this is your spot.

Food is ALWAYS amazing and authentic. I have tried many dishes and they have all been delicious. Service is great. Family owned for years. The restaurant is ideal for big parties or just families. Highly recommend!

This spot was most recently Chelato's Bar & Grill before a new branch of Carnitas Uruapan replaced it. The space is fairly large for a sit-down Mexican restaurant with a capacity for at least 50 customers. As you can tell from the business name, their specialty is carnitas with chicharrones close behind. You can get those two types of pork along with other meats in the form of tacos, burritos, tortas, enchiladas, chimichangas, tostadas, tamales, and soups. I sat at the bar to the right as you walked through the entrance to scan the menu before placing a to-go order. My choice was the Dinner for One ($7.25) which consisted of a 1/2 lb of carnitas and came with Mexican rice, refried beans, and tortillas. The meat was garnished with onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and sliced limes. I also supplemented this with a 1/2 lb serving of buche which was meat near the cheek. The carnitas used rib meat which was tastier and softer in texture than the cheek meat of the buche. The seasoning of the carnitas was also better than that of the buche. The rice, beans, and tortillas were pretty standard for a Mexican joint. The overall dining experience was ordinary so three stars was my rating.

Located next to the new Luau cocktail bar, grab some food here and bring it with you to the Luau! Portions here are very large. Tried: Chilaquiles - good Carne asada tacos - carne asada was good/flavorful, would have preferred the shredded beef crunchy style tacos but didn't see those on the list. Rice/beans were just okay, wasn't really a fan of the beans. Comes with large container of salsa that had good flavor. Small parking lot shared with other businesses, street parking as well. I'd be back if I was in the area or visit the Luau.

This latest location of Carntitas Uruapan is making some fine carnitas. They make very good Mexican Food in general, but their carnitas are not doubt their specialty. As a result, I opt for two full size carnitas tacos with all the fixings. The tacos were $3.50 each and the meal came with chips and salsa. The tacos came with a handsome amount tender and crispy carnitas, a healthy serving of guacamole, and chopped cilantro and white onions. The carnitas were tasty and offered great texture. I love that they took the time to crisp them up and served a good mix for crispy and tender pieces. Seasoning was light, but that was good because it allowed the pork speak for itself. The guacamole was delicious and the amount of onions and cilantro were just right. I would suggest that they double wrap this tacos corn tortillas. The tacos are hefty which is a good thing of course. The tortilla chips were very good and so was the table salsa they provided. There is plenty of dining space inside this eatery including a bar. Service was nice.

It was terrible. They used to have the best moist carnitas. Mine were so dried out and hard, like they reheated old meat. The very nice server brought me a new dish but they were all hard as well. Not one speck of juice. Tortilla was old, rice was crunchy and under cooked. They also no longer have the cilantro onion and lime garnish! What a disappointment and waste of money. My friends taco was hard and old tasting. I will say the server was very nice and it wasnt his fault. But i have to find a new carnitas place.

This Carnitas U is a sister restaurant to the location on Spring Street. Known for its delicious carnitas, this location is a done-in. We came to celebrate my best bro's birthday, and everything came off without a hitch. There's a back room then converted for parties, so we had the place to ourselves. The food was spot on, the carnitas are the specialty, but I was pleasantly surprised by the cheese enchiladas. I think it's the salsa roja giving it that extra kick. They offer wine marks and beer to chase it all down. Small critique/suggestion: I was drinking beers, and they needed to be colder; these were chilled but not ice cold. Great little place, and I can't wait to get back and try different entrees.

If someone includes a particular dish in their name, damn right I'm going to try it! Went with a Super Tostada with Carnitas. Delicious and priced right at $9.50. Next time I'd ask for a flat corn tortilla instead of the flour bowl, which I almost never eat. Mexican beers were reasonable at around $4.50 Laid-back, casual atmosphere that reminded me of Baja. Pleasant service. Easy parking in the lot out front.

This is a great restaurant and the carnitas are so delicious! I recommend for family outings!

We've been here twice in the past year for birthdays, once with a party of 9 and the other time with a party of 7. The food and drinks were excellent both times, but the service could be better. In both visits, we ordered about 1 lb or carnitas for every 3 people. It comes with rice, beans, and tortillas. I'm picky about my Spanish rice, but theirs is good. It's not bland at all. You can tell they make their beans fresh and they are so flavorful. It almost goes without saying, but their carnitas are amazing. There's a reason they built their restaurant around it. Their salsas are great too, especially the red salsa. The flavor is so deep and has a good amount of spice but not too much. I would bathe in it if I could. We ordered a shrimp cocktail this most recent visit and it was *chef's kiss. It tasted like they put some fresno chilis in there along with the typical ingredients, so it has an extra kick. The chairs aren't comfortable, but that's whatever. As far as service goes, we had to ask for more plates and silverware numerous times as well as for more tortillas. Once we asked they do t always remember so we had to ask again. I would still for sure go back and the service wasn't terrible, but is just an area of opportunity.

This is a great place to eat & the staff is so amazing - Carnitas are on point. Also has a great bar - the food is always fresh & the sides are awesome. I can't recommend this place enough. Este restaurente esta bien bueno. La Comida y los tranajadores son bien lindos. La comida esta Fresca y tambien tienen un bar con muchas opsionres de tomar.

Always a solid place for good tacos and burritos. Very sweet people there. Feels very homey.

Yuck. I got rolled tacos after reading so many positive reviews. Looked and tasted like they dumped some store bought taquitos on the plate. They were so hard you could break a tooth. The beans were disgusting and the rice had no flavor. My spouse cut her burrito in half and liquid came gushing out. It all went into the trash because composting it seemed a danger to plants. Gross. Gross. Aaaannnd GROSS.

I'm not a pork lover, but I do like their Volcano Burrito (with carne asada) - even though it is a bit messy. They are also very generous with a salsa of your choice on the side (in containers). They charge a small fee to pay with a card so I bring cash. While there are direct flights from Tijuana to Uruapan, it's faster and cheaper to just come here for "comida Michoacana". ;-)

Really great carnitas - super generous portions especially for the price! Friendly staff too! We'll be back!

Made a quick stop for carnitas, I'm from Michoacán and this place has nothing to do with there carnitas they should just be a traditional Mexican restaurant instead of lying to people with the name, the lady was nice so I can't say service was bad.

Great food, great service, best drinks! Nice family place. Love that their prices are on the low end also!

This place was delicious. The service was extremely speedy which is always a plus. The food offered pretty big portions that were packed full of flavor, at a very reasonable price point. Definitely coming back here!