Norte Mexican Food & Cocktails

We were staying in the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort, so you couldn't get a closer location for us. If seated outside, it's a really nice setting, with patio heaters if needed. The food was OK, but nothing that exciting. The house margarita was a real disappointment with no taste of tequila, probably the worst margarita of our holiday.

Awesome awesome awesome. We had a wonderful party here with about 40 friends with taco bar and happy hour. The food was delicious and the drinks were great! I love this place.

I grew up within walking distance and have been coming here for decades. It is always wonderful when I get a chance to stop by and grab a bite to eat. Their queso fundido, la pachanga, and their soups are all amazing. Margaritas and tacos are great, too. Be sure to check out their specials on the sandwich board in front of the host stand before you get seated. Their patio has heaters, and it's nice to sit outside and people watch. Highly recommend!

Really enjoyed my visit to Norte! The burrito I ordered was delicious—hearty, flavorful, and came with plenty of extras on the side, which was a nice touch. The staff were super cheerful and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. On top of that, the atmosphere was really pleasant—lively but not overwhelming.

We had an ok experience at Norte's Mexican Restaurant! My husband ordered a simple bean and cheese burrito since he just wanted a light bite, but somehow it was amazing. We're pretty sure the tortilla was made in-house because it was incredibly tasty and fresh. The chips and salsa they serve when you sit down are outstanding! The salsa tasted fresh and homemade, though I didn't confirm--but it definitely had that authentic, made-from-scratch flavor. I ordered the nachos without meat, and they were so generous that I had enough to take home for lunch the next day. The best part? They were still delicious the next day! We decided to finish with the flan, but it wasn’t what I expected. It was dense instead of tender, and I missed that melt-in-your-mouth caramel texture and flavor I was hoping for. I did finish it, though—mostly because it was $8. The other downside is that they no longer offer discounts to Carlsbad Inn guests, which seems odd since the restaurant and its sign are both on the property

Norte Mexican Food (Carlsbad Village) 🌮 Food Quality: Very Bland, Lacking Authenticity Many diners describe it as “Gringo food” with little to no real Mexican flavor. One recent review said: *“The food was so bland and just poor quality we couldn’t finish it… The burrito had nothing but plain chicken… the sauce was unrecognizable—maybe tomato soup?” Others echo the same sentiment: “Order arrived late… food was bland, not the same as usual.” Some even critique the salsa and sides: “salsa tasted like pizza sauce,” “off ‘old oil’ taste to the rice,” and “guacamole seemed like it had been frozen.” Overall, unless you’re content with generic American-style Mexican dishes, the food here may fall flat. 👍 Service & Atmosphere: A Standout Service gets consistent praise: “Prompt and friendly,” “waiters and waitresses can’t do enough for you,” and “great location to the beach.” Patrons appreciate the laid-back, family‑friendly vibe and the beach‑village setting: “Nice atmosphere outside… even though tourists are their bread and butter, locals love it too.” Verdict: Not Recommended for Flavor, But Friendly Otherwise Category Rating Flavor / Authenticity ⭐ (Bland, unmemorable) Service ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Friendly, attentive) Ambience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Beach‑village charm) If you’re after vibrant, authentic Mexican food, Norte may disappoint—it’s often described as “very bland” or “just standard” . However, if you're just looking for friendly service and a casual spot by the beach, it hits those marks well. Final takeaway: Great service, solid vibe—but the food lacks punch. I’d steer clear unless flavor isn't your priority. ⭐ Would not recommend Norte for flavor. 😊 Two thumbs up for the service and atmosphere.

We were staying a few blocks away so the location was good. Place is cool, with a great patio. Our server was excellent too. That's where the positives end. This was probably the blandest Mexican food I've ever had. Zero flavor. I also had a skinny margarita that was void of anything good. It was also more expensive than a regular marg. Why?? It has less ingredients! This place has been around for over 40 years apparently and honestly I don't know how. There are other reviews like this so I'm not the only one. Please add some flavor and spice!

Restaurant is very inviting and clean! Tacos and selection to choose from are terrific! Margaritas were marvelous!!

I would love to give this more stars but it's just average Mexican food. I would come back for the margaritas and chips of course. The food is just so so. I ordered a beef enchilada with green sauce and others had a chicken enchilada with red sauce and different tacos. The quesadilla was nice. I just feel like for the price, the food is very generic and simple. Typically an à la carte enchilada will come with some really nice plating and cheese/sauce on top. This was just a bunch of shredded beef rolled up in a corn tortilla with green sauce drizzled all over it. Very dry. The patio is darling and I highly recommend having happy hour outside or an evening drink by the fire pits. Service was fair. Nothing wrong per se, but the food seems highly priced for what you receive. I think it was $98 for 3 classic margaritas, 2 enchiladas, 2 tacos, and a kids quesadilla. Might be better off doing a combo plate in the future. Feel free to give it a try! Excellent location and it's a staple in the Village.

Food overall 4 stars. Good Mexican food. We had the appetizer platter and carne asada burrito with a specific request. Server 1 star. A couple issues here. My burrito did not come out with my specific request. Not the biggest deal but I asked the server to get me one specifically to my request. Then he has the audacity to say I didn't charge you for the new burrito when giving me my check smh. Also, I gave my card to the server early so I wouldn't have to wait, I have kids and try to leave when we are completely done. Server walked by me 3 to 4 times without saying anything about 10-15 minutes since I gave my card. I had to send my kids out with my dad since there was a delay with servicing a simple request like to send to run my card. I had to finally track him down. The whole situation was weird since the server seemed nice from the beginning but seemed more two faced later. Location is great, right next to the beach.

I really hate to post anything negative but I hope in doing this that something could change. The service was not good. The server was rude.she would walk away while we talked and then came back to say you didn't tell me that.. so we said that we said it while she was walking away and she said yeah that's why. She wasn't attentive and would acknowledge we needed more water then would have to be reminded. But it was more the attitude- it was wild. Also the food wasn't very good... from the salsa, guacamole, dry chicken tacos.. the margarita wasn't blended well ... I don't know what else to say..

Surprised to see the negative reviews, my husband and I ate here twice while we were staying by the coast (we live in San Diego, just a staycation) and had a great experience! It's been a favorite of some family members who recommended it to us. Best enchiladas I've ever had, both the red and green sauces are decadent. They were stuffed with chicken! The fried fish taco was well cooked and huge portion, I just wish it had a bit more spice or flavor in the seasoning or the crema. My husband enjoyed the carne asada tacos and the meat was very tender and flavorful. We also shared a big steak quesadilla and that was great too, it came with rice and beans and we couldn't finish it all. Margs were great too! We had our baby in the stroller and both hostesses helped us pick a table where we could park the stroller out of the way and moved chairs for us. The guys bringing around chips and salsa were friendly and had a good sense of humor, as were our waitresses. The patio is just perfect, casual but beautifully decorated. Parking mau be a little difficult, we had parking at our hotel, but that's true of any place in that area. We'll be back!

Wife and I stay in Carlsbad Beach and Resort when we visit Carlsbad. Parking, beach, pool, kids everywhere, its rad. Didn't expect Norte to be so good. Tourists and purists will probably dislike it, but for families, it's legit. Great prices, great nachoes, great quesadillas. Kid friendly stuff. I came in, sat, got a glass of pinot nior and ordered the quesa and nachoes, bartender said 10 mintues I was like cool, I'll go swim with my kids nextdoor, he said cool. I came back, picked it up, and was very pleasently surprised by the quality. Face it folks, it's not a gourmet spot. It's a have fun and grub spot. Kids destroyed their food, so did my wife and I. I think it was like $35 bucks for everything too. Level set your expectations and you will enjoy. Bring the food to the beach, bring the food to the pool, or have a couple ritas, live laugh and love, you will enjoy it.

"So, if you're travelin' in the north country fair Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline Remember me to one who lives there She once was a true love of mine" (Bob Dylan) Norte is the Spanish word for "North". Now I'm not exactly sure what North has to do with this excellent Mexican restaurant, but let's just say this Northerner was very impressed with Norte. Our party of six had a table in their big dining room and had great service from a smiling and very cheerful young guy who took care of our table. I started off with a great Melon Margarita ($13.50) with 1800 BLANCO, Midori liqueur and Norte Margarita mix. I had it blended so it came out as a slushy yummy cocktail that I really enjoyed. Chips and salsa came out next and the chips were fresh and non-greasy, and the salsa was flavorful and mild. Their food menu is massive with traditional plates, specials, combinations, and seemingly every burrito, Carnita, chimichanga, enchilada, fajita, flauta, quesadilla, Machaca, sopa, taco, tamale, torta, and tostada known to mankind. They have a very convenient A la Carte section too, so you can handcraft your own plate, which is where I went. My creation involved a grilled Shrimp Tostada ($10.00) topped with lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, green onion and cheese, a pork tamale ($9.95) with red tamale sauce, and an order of Mexican rice ($4). My plate was amazing -what a feast! Outstanding job, Norte.

We had an ok experience at Norte's Mexican Restaurant! My husband ordered a simple bean and cheese burrito since he just wanted a light bite, but somehow it was amazing. We're pretty sure the tortilla was made in-house because it was incredibly tasty and fresh. The chips and salsa they serve when you sit down are outstanding! The salsa tasted fresh and homemade, though I didn't confirm--but it definitely had that authentic, made-from-scratch flavor. I ordered the nachos without meat, and they were so generous that I had enough to take home for lunch the next day. The best part? They were still delicious the next day! The only downside is that they no longer offer discounts to Carlsbad Inn guests, which seems odd since the restaurant and its sign are both on the property.

I grew up eating regularly at the Solana Beach relative to El Norte called Fidel's. It's been several years since I was at this location before. Service-polite and prompt, restaurant was more quiet than I would have expected for a Friday at lunch-probably not a good sign. Plenty of seating both inside and out. Parking, however, is a challenge to find and it took me at least three loops around the block before I could get a space. Menu is pretty similar to Fidel's in Solana Beach. I had the torta with carne asada. Chips came unsalted and were good but there was no salt and the salsa was kinda flat. I found everything pretty average. I think this place has become such an institution it's no longer aspiring to be even good. I chose to go here because I had nostalgic memories about it from the past, but the present did not live up to them and the future-well, it doesn't hold any plans to visit again.

Ordered an asada burrito. Flavor was decent, though it did not taste fresh and they didn't do a great job trimming inedible parts of the meat. Not great at following instructions either. Ordered a custom burrito and the first burrito came out wrong. I politely requested they remake it. Second burrito came with meat only somehow. Decided I was too hungry and I just ate it as is but was disappointed. Complimentary chips and salsa are always appreciated. Salsa was good, chips a bit bland.

NORTE MEXICAN FOOD and COCKTAIL is a one-and-done kind of restaurant. the business counts heavily on tourists and happy-hour locals, NORTE's only repeat offenders, to keep the doors open. located in the village, a block from the beach, surrounded by hotels, they survive on a steady supply of out-of-towners who haven't eaten here before. with the possible exception of Vallarta Express a few blocks away on Harding, there isn't a sadder stop in coastal North County for Mexican food. locals with even remotely evolved tastes don't eat here unless dragged in under protest, kicking and screaming with excessive levels of hair pulling, teeth gnashing, and threats of physical violence. I went Monday for lunch with the wife's family. okay, to be honest, I skipped most of the hair-pulling drama because the couch is NOT that comfortable but did sulk in a corner, quietly hoping the food was not as awful as I remembered. good strategy, lousy outcome. lunch was, to be kind, as mediocre as I remember. we sat in the bar and I made the tactical error of not having a margarita or three instead of food. bad time to try and choke down a meal sober. if you get suckered into an infrequent visit to Norte, do yourself a favor: sit outside. enjoy the sun on your face and wind in your hair. have a margarita or three. the salsa's not very good but the chips are usually hot and fresh. but for the love of all things sacred, DON'T order any food.

Mediocre experience minus the service was good. Food was sub-par for what we ordered. It was not a memorable first experience. Perhaps my wife and I will give it another chance in the future.

We have been coming here for 30+ years. Never been more disappointed!. In short. Prices up and portions down. Significantly. So sad to not come back here, ever again, until their bottom line clearly matters less than their customers. Sad. Very. Lining up with others clearly leaning into #shrinkflation

I don't know what Carrie was talking about. We just visited Norte, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in the San Diego area and it was great. We weren't too hungry so we ordered an appetizer; bean dip with chorizo and it was awesome! Beans were so good, I scooped some up to bring home. We also ordered a carnitas taco. They make some of the best carnitas! The service was great. Friendly and polite.

Norte Mexican is conveniently located next to the Carlsbad Inn Resort. Patrons of the resort and locals enjoy the food and drinks here. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating with heaters if you choose to dine outside. This time around, we choose to have lunch and dine inside. The restaurant ambiance is pretty casual and the bar area has a pretty nice selection of beer on tap. We were seated immediately, and quickly served some freshly fried chips and salsa. We ordered a couple margaritas for drinks - strong and a great compliment to our food. For food I ordered the fajitas with chicken, beef, and shrimp. The fajitas were tasty. My friend ordered a carne asada plate with beans and rice. He enjoyed it but said the meat was a bit dry. This place is a great location to watch the game, get a drink, and just have a nice casual meal.

Love the food here!! Love sitting in the patio..However our server Edgar was an unpleasant part of our dinning experience here. Everyone else are gems! Very polite, smiling, and gracious. Edgar is cranky! You won't find him smiling or speaking in a kind tone. Everyone has a bad day... maybe it was his, but Edgar there are ways to fake it:)

Great authentic food with an awesome atmosphere! Service and food were great! Great spot in a great area so close to the beach and all the other spots in Carlsbad

The only good thing I can say about this place is the atmosphere outside is nice. Great atmosphere with a fire pit and growing vines. Our mistake was actually eating here. Our waitress seemed to be here on detention instead of earning a paycheck. The food is below average - out of 4 of us, only 1 person was happy with it. The pollo asada (which is a $4 up charge) tasted like it was boiled instead of grilled. Hard taco was greasy. Tostada didn't have beans. Margarita was warm. Disappointing for sure.

On Saturday, me and my wife ordered the carne asada burrito and decided to split it w sour cream on the side. The burrito had unseasoned beef and bell peppers in it which it has never had in the past!!! It was gross and very small and was charged $3.95 for sour cream! I will not be going back ever again, it was horrible and it used to be good. Norte, you outta be ashamed at such poor Mexican food!!!! Bye!!!

Food wasn't the best sadly. We were visiting and used to go here years ago, but clearly not what it used to be. On a positive note the waitress was very nice as was the hostess. We left our waitress a good tip because she's not responsible for the food. I will end with this, they really need to make better salsa ASAP as it was so so bad! We spent $200 (we each got one drink) on five people.

Ok so, it's not the same inside anymore. The server for dinning inside was already gone and it was 4pm. BUT we sat outside and the service was wonderful. Wasn't too hot out just a nice sunny day and no birds around lol food was yummy and who doesn't love chips & salsa when you sit down. Took mama for lunch n we were so glad to go. Her fav here for decades is the crab burrito. Mine is the flautas. Tasty, Gracias!

Seriously bad Mexican food. I've been twice now and both times the food was terrible. The chicken tasted boiled without any seasoning, no flavor, no taste. The beans and rice were cafeteria quality. Not making the mistake of going back.

A bowl burrito with shrimp was just lettuce, tomato llttle avacado, a few shrimp - tasteless would be a compliment. Also the vegitarian burrito was something that should have stayed in the kitchen, and not been served to us.

We ordered the chile relleno. The egg breading was super weird, It was like a marshmallow around the pepper. I loved the chili sauce and beans. Good authentic flavors. The salsa was interesting bring there are no chunks it's almost a thick sauce consistency. Server was quick and back often. The patio was nice with brick everywhere with the contrasting white tables. It felt similar to a design you'd see at Disney.

We loved Fidel's and then Nortes for 50 years. Referred so many people. I loved their chicken burritos and everything else. The quality has changed. From beautiful white shredded chicken to mush chicken with a cold plate and sauce. Cadillac margaritas were the best in town. Now they have decided to short poor. Tastes nothing like before. It is really sad because we love the patio and great memories. Sadly the managers could care less about your input. The waiters are great along with the hostesses. And talking with some they totally agree because people have been complaining. I don't think they care about the locals anymore since our town has so many tourists now. But we as locals know how great it use to be. Hopefully one day they will read the reviews and listen to their guests and put their standards high like it use to be!

The last two times I've ordered from here, the Dasher came straight here, under 10 minutes, and both times the food is cold. Not even a little warm. Clearly the food sits for a bit NOT under heat, before it is given to the Dasher. OH, both times the Dasher has been there waiting for the food, so it's not been sitting waiting to be picked up. While the food is pretty good and it's nice getting margaritas delivered to the house, it's not worth getting cold food that has to be reheated.

Place was very busy also extremely loud and noisy Waitress was very sweet Food was ok Not really flavorful and tasty but was fresh Should have reviewed the ratings first But was there and so went ahead and tried it

Food was mid, service sucks. Staying at the hotel next door and for two hours before they open and two hours before after the open/close the staff blasts their terrible music. The kitchen is essential staff but they shouldn't run the house. They do enough volume to have a head of house and waitresses who want to be there.

Very disappointed. I came in for the daily special, which goes to 3:30pm according to their website, but the waiter showed me the lunch special and said it ended at 3pm. It was 3:10pm. After I ordered alacarte, I looked on the website and saw the daily special ended 3:30pm. I told the waiter the daily special is what I came in for and if I could change my order and he said no. I asked him why he didn't show me the daily special and he said because I asked about the lunch special. I asked about the lunch special because that was the only special listed on the menu. He also said the daily special ended at 3pm when the website stated it ended at 3:30pm. The food was mediocre. Not coming back.

By far one of the worst meals I've ever had. Salsa tasted like tomato paste out of a can and microwaved, quac wasn't ripe and had no flavor, and the beef taco's were all time bad. I'm surprised to see others rating 3+. Maybe my family and I caught them on a bad night... doubt it

Food's great! Richard and family are great owners. Highly recommended. Lunch specials on weekdays are the real deal!

I love sitting on the outdoor patio in the sunshine. When the sun isn't shining or if it's cold, they have heaters to keep everyone cozy. The fountain in the center of the patio is beautiful and provides a nice ambiance to the area. The Carnitas burrito was a little dry, but just add salsa. They have the best salsa! The chicken tacos were also a little dry. The taco shell was cooked to perfection. The margaritas are fantastic and they have great deals for happy hour. Our server was readily available to provide anything we needed. Free chips and salsa. I like that they have the portable credit card card machine to pay at the table.

WORST MEXICAN FOOD!!! We ordered tacos, fajitas, burritos and quesadillas and they all tasted terrible. Even the Guava Mama was terrible! Service was terrible! We should have known from the beginning when the hostess handed us all the forks with her thumbs on the tines. Please pick another spot if you want to actually enjoy your food!

Food was mediocre, very few options, family did not even know what to order . We enjoyed the outside seating but that's just about it. Asked for extra chips and they never came , soda was also very flat. Waiter seemed to not assist us or check in with us at all. Also no kids menu. Go to tortilla Mia instead .

Horrible service. Karina S don't ever tell me to tip you again. especially if you don't bring us the right food, bring it cold, bring it in the wrong size, and have slow service. Then you wanna tell me to tip, you said " that's my job ". that ain't your job. you're a waitress, that doesn't mean you automatically get a tip.

The food was okay, the price and portions are good. My little sister has a gluten intolerance and was careful to order only corn based tortillas, but unfortunately halfway through the meal she had to leave. One of her worst gluten reactions ever. We asked the waitress and she said it was likely from cross contamination as the tortillas are all fried in the same oil, but for such a sudden and intense reaction the tortilla had to contain wheat flour. The ambiance on the patio was nice, the service was good, and the food was okay. Either the restaurant added wheat flour to the masa to make a thicker tortilla, or outright mixed up the order. If you or anyone in your party have a gluten intolerance maybe order something where you can see the tortilla to visually verify it is masa.

A tale of two cities. The house margarita was excellent. Maybe the best outside of Mexico. The patio is very nice and pleasant atmosphere. The food is a mixed bag. I had a pork taco and shrimp taco. Both were considerably below average. The pork taco lacked flavor and was very uninspiring. The quality of the shrimp in the shrimp taco was very poor. The shrimp tasted like it was several days old. Definitely not fresh. My dining companion had a mahi-mahi fish taco. It was good, but not memorable. The refried beans were bland, disappointing and tasted like they were sitting in a stainless steel pot for days. They had a metallic flavor. For a restaurant that has been around as long as Norte has, they could do a lot better.

The atmosphere was great, our service was great and the food was great. We will be back when in Carlsbad.

Best Mexican food I have found in Carlsbad. The chips and salsa are my favorite. The service is not always great but the vibes are chillin.

I had a great time my waitress was absolutely wonderful! I forgot her name but she was very nice. They definitely rely on tourism because the food here absolutely sucks. The price point doesn't match the quality. The modelo was tasty though. We paid the check left our 20% and waved goodbye. On our way out three employees followed us out. The manager was about to stop us till this lady goes ello pagon!!! Ello pagon. = they paid, they paid. I'm assuming people walk out on them a lot? Or a good old fashion case of the racial profile. Who knows. I'll prob be back for the happy hour. 4-6PM.I believe grab my modelo enjoy those stale chips, tip my 20% and call it a day. Do not eat here. You will be disappointed. Definitely drink here the drinks are tasty.

We have loved this place for 30 years. Had a little bump in the road during Covid (what restaurant didn't in SoCal). Now, back and better than ever. Staff always on point. Jose our server was on top of his game with us and everyone else. Busser Mr G never stops working. A dream come true for any owner/manager. Salsa music was awesome.

The food was stellar. The salsa is a fantastic mix of spice and smoke, perfectly chipotle. I had a fish taco which was quite good. I also had a perfect margarita which was STRONG. We had a great time. We were a big group and the service was prompt, efficient and friendly. Highly recommend this spot!! They had a big booth for all ten of us which worked perfectly. It's not always easy to get a table for a big group but Norte had it available for us.

Some of the worst "Mexican" food you could imagine. Ordered the chicken milenasa and it was just a greasy, unseasoned fried piece of overcooked tough chicken breast. The rest of the food my party ordered was equally bad. Hard pass.

Read the other low star reviews and believe them. Our visit was not a success both with the food quality and mostly the service! Our server took very little notice of us and talked so fast we could barely understand him. Waited 15 minutes just for chips and salsa then more for the check. My chicken was very dry and had no flavor, the taco was ok, hard to ruin a taco. Sad that this place was such a disappointment for us. It has a Great location and bar, but after that it was downhill.

I usually don't post. Received horrible service. I am gluten free and no meat. The chips are fried in animal fat and they wouldn't try and get a meal I could eat. I just kept hearing no. I wanted to order a second drink since the meal wasn't right but didn't even get the chance. I hate eating out! Burned again. I wish I could report that something went right. I guess the weather was good. It is SoCal.

I placed a to go order. 10/10. Chille relleno was delicious and the chicken and rice soup was . It's now my favorite soup. I was feeling sick but this combo made me feel better.

Karina S is amazing! She was the best waitress we have ever have!!! She served us and 5 kids and was kind, fun and just a pleasure to be around! We have been coming here for 10+years and she is by far the coolest, most fun and hands down best waitress we have had! We can't wait to come again!!!!

we ordered a drink then wanted to order food but it is not stated on their menu that EVERYTHING has lard in it and she tried to justify it by saying all mexican food restaurants cook with lard which is not true, i've asked. no vegetarian options besides chips. the server lady who worked on tuesday (9/23/25) at 4-5pm was very nosy and sat right near our booth to see what we were talking about after we said we did not want to order food. she continued to invite bussers and other servers to slowly pass by to EAVESDROP. FUCKEN RIDICULOUS AND INVASION OF PRIVACY. they need to seriously get their shit together !! or fire the lady who had nothing better to do but eavesdrop on customers!!! check ur cameras to see which employee it was. shitty service. no bye or thank you.

Service was horrible!!!! I've ate here twice before and never had a complaint. When I walked in with my guests the 3 hostesses looked at us like we were interrupting their conversation, then just looked at us not even asking if we wanted to be sat I had to say something. One even looked us up and down with the rudest look. Then finally when we sat down the server was rude as well but nothing like the hostess's. Would not come back felt very unwelcomed. Just a heads up for anyone wanting to visit. Food was alright can't lie!

Service was good and location is great BUT the food was probably some of the worst Mexican food I've had... I ordered the carne asada plate and was served strips of dried meat that were very obviously not freshly cooked. Not worth it.