Carolina's Mexican Food - Mesa

My brother took me to the one by the airport and the food was pretty good. The eating area was not but he joked and told me to pretend I was in Mexico... Then it didn't seem so bad. This location is an expansion and converted from I think a buffet. Has a prison dining hall vibe to it which is not great in my opinion. Service and food were not at awesome in the way that people seem to think this is about.... People flock to Angry Crab too and I think they just don't know any better. That place is always gross. For great Mexican food though, there is better food down the road at Elmer's Tacos in Chandler. (Highway 87 turns from Country Club into Arizona Ave when you cross into Chandler.) We also really enjoy the food at Mucho Taco over on Ray and Alma School. Used to be a Surrano's in downtown Chandler but they sold out that location and folded up the Tempe store... So now we have to go to the one on Power or the one on Gilbert and McKellips. We like the food and atmosphere all three of these places. Everyone's prices are crazy no matter where we go and it inspires me to watch Food Network and do some shopping. I hope this review helps you.

First time patrons. Large menu. Options a plenty. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. Quesidilla was huge so took more than half home. Chicken filled taco was delicious. Red salsa was very good. Green and Pico was extra so didn't try it...yet. will be back.

Solid Mexican food from a long standing tradition. Been going to the original south Phoenix location for decades. Tortillas are amazing as are all the food dishes and salsa! I think it's great that they now have restaurants around the valley so more folks can enjoy. Highly recommended.

"Wow, it had been a little while since I last visited this restaurant, and I must say the experience was fantastic! My order seemed to be taking a little longer than expected, but the moment I went to the counter, Manuel the manager swooped in and took care of everything right away. He was incredibly professional and made me feel so valued as a customer. I absolutely loved both the food and the top-notch service! If I could give 100 stars, I totally would! A huge shout out to Manuel—thanks for making my visit so great! 👍" 🌯

While the aroma of the kitchen is quite impressive, though there's a general sense of sourness to the air at the counter, as I witnessed a customer complaints being unresolved and unsightly, as well as a delivery driver having his order being cancelled after urging hurry over a late order. As an delivery man myself I have noticed they unlike all the stores here in Phoenix have all the couriers sign a sheet upon pickup. Quite telling of consistent rigidness among couriers, so perhaps they are just not suited for high volume deliveries. I can understand this, as some of the best food is often overwhelmed by the machine nature of DoorDash and UberEats. As the food is quite good this seems to be a case like a certain famous Seinfeld episode, though for the practical minded I would advise fellow couriers to avoid this one as they seem more fitting doing without deliveries; I have a feeling their regular dine in customers will be better suited as well. Peace.

No coffee, food is mediocre. Not spicy. Sauces are pretty good. They don't have ketchup. Uncomfortable seating. The manager literally told us that the owners don't permit coffee service, and that they don't carry ketchup. We asked about both.

We recently decided to stop into Carolinas, eager to dive into their vibrant, mouthwatering cuisine. As, we approached the entrance, our, anticipation heightened at the sight of a long line.. It was clear that this place was a local favorite, and we were excited to join the buzz. Once inside, the lively atmosphere enveloped us. You place your order at the register, where the friendly staff greets you with warm smiles. After ordering, you’re given a number, a small token of your upcoming delicious feast before finding a cozy spot to wait. The best part? You can watch the chefs in action right before your eyes! It’s like dining in the kitchen of a culinary show, where each ingredient is expertly prepared, and the aromas wafting around only heighten your appetite. When our food finally arrived, we were in for a treat! The tamales were divine, perfectly sized and bursting with flavor. Each bite was a celebration of spices and textures that danced on our taste buds. We savored every mouthful, completely enchanted by the hearty, comforting taste that felt like home. While Carolinas does have a downside—namely, the lack of alcohol. the beverage selection more than made up for it. We opted for a refreshing "Mexican" Coke, which perfectly complemented the rich flavors of the food. There are also other delightful drink options to choose from, ensuring that everyone finds something to quench their thirst. After enjoying our meal, we stepped outside to find ample parking, making our visit easy and stress-free. Overall, the experience at Carolinas was nothing short of fantastic, a whirlwind of delicious flavors and a vibrant atmosphere that we can’t wait to return to. If you haven’t checked it out yet, make sure to stop by for a culinary adventure that’s sure to leave you craving more!

I just ate the saddest, most boring, plain, and flavorless burrito I have ever had in my life at this place. The only thing they put in it was meat and a little bit of pico de gallo. I mean, seriously—who in the world only puts meat in a burrito?? I want my money back from the guy at the airport who recommended this place when I asked for authentic Mexican. Lol. Because this ain’t it… The only flavor on the meat was salt, as if they didn’t use any other seasoning. The salsa was weak and had no flavor and no spice to it. The tortilla was hard and dry and almost kind of powdery on the outside. Not to sound mean, but I legit don’t understand how any self-respecting person or business can serve this sad little burrito with no flavor, no personality, and just meat inside it. Also, the girl working the front sat there talking to the previous customer for what felt like forever about her nails, even though their business was done and I was over there waiting/starving. Lol

This place has great prices and amazing food! The people are sweet and the food is up fast. MY FAMILY LOVES THIS CAROLINAS!!! THANK YOU!

Decent food, shitty service. They may have been around a while but still can't figure out how.

We recently decided to stop into Carolinas, eager to dive into their vibrant, mouthwatering cuisine. As, we approached the entrance, our, anticipation heightened at the sight of a long line.. It was clear that this place was a local favorite, and we were excited to join the buzz. Once inside, the lively atmosphere enveloped us. You place your order at the register, where the friendly staff greets you with warm smiles. After ordering, you're given a number, a small token of your upcoming delicious feast before finding a cozy spot to wait. The best part? You can watch the chefs in action right before your eyes! It's like dining in the kitchen of a culinary show, where each ingredient is expertly prepared, and the aromas wafting around only heighten your appetite. When our food finally arrived, we were in for a treat! The tamales were divine, perfectly sized and bursting with flavor. Each bite was a celebration of spices and textures that danced on our taste buds. We savored every mouthful, completely enchanted by the hearty, comforting taste that felt like home. While Carolinas does have a downside--namely, the lack of alcohol. the beverage selection more than made up for it. We opted for a refreshing "Mexican" Coke, which perfectly complemented the rich flavors of the food. There are also other delightful drink options to choose from, ensuring that everyone finds something to quench their thirst. After enjoying our meal, we stepped outside to find ample parking, making our visit easy and stress-free. Overall, the experience at Carolinas was nothing short of fantastic, a whirlwind of delicious flavors and a vibrant atmosphere that we can't wait to return to. If you haven't checked it out yet, make sure to stop by for a culinary adventure that's sure to leave you craving more!

I'm not sure what's more frustrating, the lack of flavor in the green chile or the lack of customer service at this location. As a customer of any business i would like to think that we all deserve a little respect and friendliness from the employees. Now this issue wasn't even mine to be upset about but the longer I sat at my table the more unhelpful and checked out the workers seemed to be. Just the expressions on their faces alone were enough for me to tell myself I won't be coming back. The food was super bland, I ended up throwing almost most of it away. I've been here numerous times but it just seems like the longer this place has been open the worse it has gotten. I'm not interested in coming back. Too bad I'm not closer to the original location.

Delicious! Never disappointed at Carolina's! I've never been disappointed with Carolina's food and service!

I have been going to Caolina's downtown restaurant since I first moved here in 1978. I have always had good service and excellent food there. But this time I went to the Mesa location and my opinion has changed from the best to the worst. The service was terrible. It took them over 27 min to finally serve me my order. Four other folks all that ordered after me had already received their food meanwhile I observed the 6 people working and cooking the food only one had a hat on to keep their hair out of the food a clear violation of the health laws and the amount of horseplay with the staff was for all to see. I was also approached by one of the female customers that offered me a special time out in the parking lot. This not what I expected from the old Carolina's. This place is one to AVOID at all times.

Always solid good food! You'll enjoy your meal here if you order any of the crunchy tacos or burritos. I get the cheese, green chili, bean burrito:) The restaurant itself is spacious and clean. I look forward to my visit every time.

I've heard so much about Carolina's I wanted to try it, but I've also heard the Phoenix location was the best. Considering this location is closer I dropped in yesterday to give it a go. There's lots of seating inside and the AC was cranking, always a good thing when it's 115°F outside. The staff were pleasant and helpful. No complaints. I got a carne asada taco and a bean and cheese burrito. Both were ok....nothing special. The burrito was rather small based on the portions you get from most places. The tortilla was meh, but still ok. My friend got the chicken enchiladas....they also were "meh" on their review of it. On a scale of 1 - 10, this was a one-and-done for me. There are way better options. I left wishing I could get a "stomach" refund and have the food removed from my stomach so I could get my burrito fix from somewhere else, but that process sounds expensive and I'm not sure how it would work.

Found a LABEL in my chicken taco! Usually their food is good, but the service and now quality of service -- very disappointed

First time at Carolina's Mexican Food. My green chili burrito was too soupy--I had to use utensils to eat it. The meat was seasoned well but not enjoyable. My coworker's chimichanga was crispy and flavorful. Also, disappointed that chips cost ~$4 when many places offer them for free. Mixed experience overall.

Carolina's Phoenix location was the first Mexican restaurant I ever went to in AZ. Food was great but the place was far away and in a bad neighborhood. I was excited when I found out they opened a location in Mesa near my house. We come to this location 1-2 times a month. The food has never been quite the same as the Phoenix location but for the convince, cleanliness and safety it is fine. Here is the #1 issue. The past few months we came the salsa is literally red water. You dip your chip in it and you now have a wet chip with no salsa. This is not ideal at all. Tonight I was literally drinking the salsa and holding it in my mouth and placing a chip in my mouth full of this water salsa. I poured some on my rice and it shot straight to the bottom. Ridiculous. Who ever is making the salsa needs to be retrained and fast. Hopefully they fix this fast or me and I am sure many others will stop coming.

New to Chandler. This historic Mexican restaurant has expanded. Tacos were crisp. Quesadilla was big. Enchilada sauce is a bit smokey but nice. Street tacos were delicious. This location has indoor and outdoor seating. It also has a drive thru.

One of the best Mexican spots in Mesa! Great food with plenty of options on the menu. We always have to get a dozen tortillas when we come here! The tortillas are so fresh and delicious!

I was referred to this restaurant and it was alright. I ordered a burro that included carne asada and fries and Chicken Flautas combo plate with sour cream, guacamole, rice and beans. The tortilla of the burrito easily broke as it was too thin. They had salsa by the fountain drinks to grab but appears to be only one type of salsa. It was good salsa though but the food did not stand out. The restaurant had the A/C on high which was nice since it's hot outside. The inside of the restaurant is spacious and pretty empty.

The food-- chimichangas are delicious. The service is fast and efficient. The ambiance is like a trip to Mexico.

It's the same lady " Nicole " every time and every time I do my best to give this place another chance but they gotta do something about the rude lady at the front,she always has an attitude, it's one of the reasons why I skip past this place.

My favorite.. 3 way burro excellent with red chili, beans, green chili. Service was quick and efficient. Take out had its own dedicated person which was very helpful.

My buddy and I were in the neighborhood and I told him I loved Mexican food, he said there's a nice place up ahead to go for lunch. I have never even heard of this place so I agreed. When we walked in they were fairly busy so I thought that was a good sign! I decided to build my own burrito and since I'm trying to go less carbs that day I decided to get a carne asada with cheese guacamole and sour cream. It was about $11 with tax and my friend ordered some type of chicken burro with red sauce and made it into a combo. Oh yeah I had the horchata, the horchata was pretty good. When my food came out the Expo told me they accidentally made me two burritos, so I was jumping for joy internally. But the first thing my buddy and I said was good thing they made you too because the size of one didn't look like much. If I were to put everything into one burrito there would still be a lot of gap in the tortilla left. I will say the meat is pretty good but the lack of anything in my burrito was subpar at best. When I opened up my burrito, I was questioning if I even got cheese and sour cream in it and the only reason why I knew there was guacamole was because I saw hints of green. Nonetheless I still ate it and theirp tortillas are very soft. For the price I paid I wouldn't recommend eating here for such a skimpy burrito but I will say it was really well seasoned and I enjoyed the ample amount of tortilla.

3 stars might me generous on my part. I've eaten here four times now and frankly there is NO Ambiance. There is nothing special about the food I've tried plus it's over priced compared to similar establishments in Chandler. My biggest disappointment was their Machca and egg burrito. A small burrito with just some roast beef and eggs. No onions, peppers or tomatoes which is how it is normally served. If you're hungry for Machca go to Fredrico's or even Filiberto's. The beef tacos only have cheese and lettuce and if you want pico on it that's extra. Just not impressed at all and I do not intend to go for a 5th visit

Favorite place for Mexican food. Can't go wrong with anything. Wish the staff was more on top of things. So many times they'll forget a side or something. Not a big deal but it's annoying. They also keep it insanely cold in the dining area in the summer. Prices have gone up, so it's not as affordable as it used to be. We don't go as much as we used to.

I ordered a tostada, and instead of being packaged properly, it was wrapped in foil. By the time I opened it, the tostada was completely smashed. This is unacceptable--tostadas should be packaged in a way that preserves their structure, not ruins them.

We ordered beef tacos, cheese enchilada, beef chimichanga a red chili burrito and beans. Everything was so good probably the best in the Valley. Only problem is the distance-open one in Ahwatukee PLEASE!!!!

A refined version of the Original Carolina's ("OC"). Food equally delicious with a well kept air conditioned location and better service.

I hate to do this, I really do because I absolutely love the food. This is the second review/complaint at this location. THIRD time they did not get my order right. The last visit they forgot my papas and I left it alone, but here we're again. I asked for double papas and my boyfriend asked for papas and rice. We both received beans & rice. I really wish management would take these reviews seriously and do better. Unfortunately you have now lost a customer at this location

2.5 The tortilla is great, but not anything to write home about and everything else was middle of the road. Non authentic really. Horchata was weeeeeak, just one salsa option. Wouldn't recommend unless you're like looking to eat within the block.

we stopped on our way home and it was the best decision! amazing food!!! everything tasted so authentic & delicious, I was shook because a lot of the places I've tried in Az are not it, BUT THIS PLACE IS THE BEST!!

excelent food !great portions awesome prices. We came here to celebrate without planning in advance and it was great!

big chunks of potato in our burritos not even sliced, and I FOUND PLASTIC In my burrito. That's unacceptabl and disgusting !

Carolina's is by far the best fast Mexican food you'll get in the Phoenix and surrounding areas. It's not fast food but it's not luxury dining either. It's just amazing Mexican food period.

I came at 6:01 on 12/23 Sign on the door said to go orders only which is totally fine with me They had a dining room full of people but would not serve me. It was not even christmas eve i have no idea why they were closing early. Absolutely ridiculous. Skip this place, terrible service.

This is my first time dining here. I usually go to their location on/near Cactus. I have not had their food in awhile and decided to have a triple cheat day. Their flour tortillas are amazing... fresh, hot & soft. I really wanted one with butter. But, I was a good girl. I ordered their chile verde burro with double beans and a beef flauta a la carte. The food came rather quickly, considering their indoor dining room; was practically full. The food was great as usual... they are one of the few family run restaurants, where you get consistently great food. It is no frills Mexican food at its best. The refried beans are heavenly... if you eat too much of them you will fall asleep. I'm ready for bed now. My chile verde burro was nice an flavorful, the only bad thing was my tortilla falling apart. Unfortunately, I just had to dip it in my beans. I wish they let us choose red or green sauce on the side. If you want green sauce you have to pay for it regardless. The only thing I disliked was Hayden and her rude attitude. Everything was great. I'm sure I will be back. Their to go orders were flying out the door.

The food is amazing, the people are super kind!! We are from Colorado and this is a MUST eat stop while in the Phoenix area.

My first time at the Mesa location. I thought it was a little pricy for what it was. Food was good tasty but not great portions were on the small side. Would I go back...possibly but most likely id check out other places

I had a number 1 combo for breakfast with one of their fabulous tortillas to scoop up my beans. Crispy beef taco and cheese enchilada with rice and refried beans. I started frequenting Carolina's in the early 70s in downtown Phoenix. Their huge, freshly made tortillas are the BEST in the Valley of the Sun!

Fresh amazing food every single time, extremely clean establishment, wonderful customer service, short wait for food to be ready and a great salsa bar, don't forget to take a dozen of tortillas home.

We were excited to be over at our folks house and close to Carolina's. Carolina's used to be my favorite Mexican restaurant but the last 2 times I visited it was at this Mesa location and issues with food both times. Tonight was another let down. The Refried Beans were so salty they were un-edible. The Green Chili Burritos were tasty but they forgot the guacamole,we paid extra for, and my wife was not happy. When the wife' is not happy, no one is happy.

The food is decent but the lack of customer service and accountability is the main reason I would never go there again, or would not recommend this place. I placed on online order with Carolinas at the Mesa location on 9/18/25. There was an error with the website and it said the order was not complete. I tried a few more times and got the same error message. I went ahead and placed an order directly with doordash for the order and that order went through. Later I got a call from the restaurant telling me all of the orders went through. They told me they would fulfill order number 9 and refund me for order number 10 but the website sent order number 11 to doordash so doordash would credit me for order 11 and 12 when their system showed an order was not picked up. I asked for a call from the general manager that day and did not receive a call back. I checked my credit card statement on the 22nd and it showed the charge from Carolinas and a $153.30 charge from doordash. I contacted doordash and was told Carolinas marked the order as picked up so doordash submitted payment to them in addition to what they had charged my card directly. I tried to reach out to Carolinas again and they refused to reimburse me for the duplicate charge stating since doordash charged me they would need to reimburse me. Again I asked to speak to the manager and was told he would call me first thing this morning. I waited a couple hours this morning and tried calling again only to be told he had to go to the bank and would call me as soon as he got back. It's now been an hour since the then and I still haven't received a call back or a credit back to my account. I finally had to call the credit card company and dispute the charges. Had they handled the situation the right way in the beginning this all could have been avoided but not only did they drop the ball, the manager Jesus refuses to correct the error.

Food good. Salsa good. Just wish came with free chips and salsa. Not much else to say.

I spent almost $100.00 on 2 dozen tamales...a dozen beef and a dozen green corn! We were expecting company that evening which is why I purchased so many tamales! Thankfully, at the last minute, our company were not able to come that evening because after my husband and I sampled each one of these kind of tamales, we were glad we didn't subject our company to such horrible tamales! They are very dry and very tasteless! Between my husband and I we ate 4...one of each kind! WE HAVE 20 AWFUL TAMALES LEFT!! I CALLED THE RESTAURANT TWICE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER...TO REQUEST A REFUND!!! BUT I HAVEN'T YET HEARD FROM HIM OR HER! By the way, I'm Hispanic and I know what good tamales should taste like...my whole family use to make delicious tamales! Again, I WANT A REFUND!!!

If I could leave zero stars, I would. The food was so disappointing, the cheese was chunky, the beans were extra salty and the lettuce was OLD. My friend got a platter and I specifically put that she was allergic to guacamole and they put guacamole directly onto her food. Save yourself the trip and find another Mexican food spot, I know I will.

excellent lunch with many delicious options provided free for Million Dollar Teacher Appreciation lunch. Thank you for supporting educators!

-1 STAR: I'm a fan of the original Carolinas on Mohave in Phx., but this place on County Club in Mesa is the absolute worst place ever! All my food was cold. Enchiladas not cooked the tortilla was not even warm. Burritos cold with old tasting beans. And beef tacos same too cold and chewing like they have been sitting for awhile. Told the manager of the issue and all she said was sorry about that. Ugh! Cold and just digesting. Never again!

Ordered a burrito and it was barely warm. They made me another and it was better, but not much. My wife's tacos were just warm as well.

Food is great service is terrible and it's counter service, so not sure how they fail so hard at this part. Doesn't seem like there is any management.

Came with my mom for our annual tamale trek and we were very disappointed from start to finish. The restaurant is freezing cold and they have unavoidable ceiling fans which makes this worse. Dress in layers or get it to go. The counter help doesn't greet you and don't try asking any questions because you won't get an answer. Mom asked if the sauce on the tamales was spicy and the guy said "green or red" . Uh Red ? Is red spicy ? He punched it in the register and then asked what I wanted . Hello . She's asking you a question ? Smh . I ordered - a tamale and a taco with rice and beans . Mom had a tamale and an enchilada with rice and beans. We sat down and waited in the freezing cold til our number was called. I went and picked up our food from the counter and checked it to make sure it was right. I shouldn't have bothered since the chick set it on the counter and walked away. I sat down with our meals and we couldn't figure out whose dinner was whose . It shouldn't be that hard since I had a taco . Right ? Right ? The tamales were a disappointment. They overly sauced and must have fallen apart before being served. It was more like a tamale casserole with sauce to cover up their mistake. They were also tiny and mostly masa. Nope. Nope. Nope. The food was cold soon after we received it because the restaurant was so cold. It was a big waste of money . The tamales reminded me of Hormel canned tamales . Yuck

I understand this location has different owners from the Original Carolina's on Mohave but wonder if they also use different ingredients as it's not as good as the original location for some reason. The surroundings are nice though and they do have delish tortillas and tacos.

I ordered take out via Uber Eats on Feb 29. A friend was over and so we went on Uber Eats and ordered the buy 1 get one free bean burrito special. It was wonderful, the order came in two separate containers (like take home boxes the give you in a restaurant). There was the burrito, covered in a delicious red sauce, a little side salad. We got sour cream on the side. Today I decided to treat myself again to the same thing. What did I get? Two bean burritos each wrapped in paper, no sauce, no salad and no sour cream. Very disappointed. Where is the consistency?

The slowest service in the world DONT COME HERE IF YOUR HUNGRY they are so unorganized!!!

Simple, tasty, friendly. That is the jist of Carolina's. Order at the counter and pick it up when your number is called. It is in no way fancy fare but the variety is pretty impressive. I had never had potato enchiladas before and they were good. The red sauce was flavorful and had a bit of a kick, my taco was good. The rice and beans were nothing over the top but adding some salsa to it worked out. The salsa for my chips was the least impressive item. Just liquid with a few bits of cilantro. Everything is in styrofoam with plastic utensils and paper plates for the chips. Nice selection of drinks and indoor or outdoor dining. The restaurant was clean and well thought out, cool and comfortable. The prep and cooking areas visible and the staff was friendly. The place isn't the Ritz but it's worth a stop.