Carmelita's Méxican Restaurant

Authentic Mexican Restaurant with Great Atmosphere & Solid Food We visited Carmelita’s for dinner last night and had an overall pleasant experience. The restaurant, as we later learned, has been around since 1962, which already adds a special sense of history and character. The space itself is large, beautifully designed, and feels very authentic. The décor, lighting, and layout create a warm Mexican-style atmosphere that makes the place feel established and inviting. Street parking is available, though it may take a few minutes during busy hours. The food was tasty and enjoyable. While it didn’t completely wow me personally, it was still good, satisfying, and nicely presented. Portions were generous, and everything arrived fresh and hot. Service was efficient and professional. Our server was attentive and handled everything smoothly, though a bit reserved in terms of warmth. The only small thing that felt missing for us was the human touch a smile or a slightly more welcoming vibe would have elevated the experience even more. Overall, this is a solid choice for a relaxed Mexican dinner in a spacious, authentic setting.

This was my first time visiting with my boyfriend and his grandma. We were greeted and seated ourselves. The waiter was very attentive and extremely nice. The place was decorated for Christmas and it was a nice, relaxing setting. not too busy. The food was hot and delicious! We got chips, salsa and black beans right away. Got our drinks. I got a combination plate with chicken tamale and pozole soup with red rice. It was sooooo delicious! We will definitely be making this a regular spot.

Excellent food and really good drinks. Favorite is the raspberry basil margarita. Complimentary chips, beans, and salsa. The staff is always nice. I have been coming here for many years and will continue.

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

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

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

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

Another great meal at Carmelitas. Flavors are always on point. Staff are always friendly and quick. Drinks on the menu are good but ymmv requesting otherwise. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Sacramento for sure

This is my new Favorite Mexican restaurant in Roseville. Delicious food, but my fave is their crispy chicken taco! Shell is perfectly crispy and not oily at all. Loads of shredded chicken, lettuce and cheese! The perfect blend! Prices are decent here and we love their generous cocktails! The staff is quick to greet and serve, always smiling even when it is crazy busy! When you want a terrific meal, try Carmelita's!

Strengths: Seated promptly and greeted. Bean dip was delicious! Order was taken promptly. Able to park in the street. Bean burrito was good. Areas of suggested improvement: Service was unfriendly. Server didn't make alternative suggestions. She was unhelpful. Provide options for individuals with smaller appetites; Allow customers to choose different meat options for the Mexico City street tacos instead of the same meat; Provide a la carte options for street tacos instead of rice/beans or salad Add seasoning to the chicken Mexico City tacos. Very plain tasting. Remove the flies in the restaurant. Check in with customers. We had to ask for napkins, salsa, Make table side guacamole so that it's fresh. Don't overfill the taco with iceberg lettuce to give the appearance of a lot of meat. Guacamole was NOT fresh. It was returned with no questions asked. We did check to make sure the guac was fresh before ordering. The red "salsa", more like a mild tomatoe sauce needs flavor. Suggest adding fresh tomatoes.

My previous 5 star review was reinforced tonight. Bambie and me made a impromptu decision to have dinner here. It's Friday, 5:30pm. We' re expecting a crushing crowd and a long wait for a table. Nope, immediate seating available. Instantaneous greeting, table service. After we order and quickly get cocktails the food comes to table 4 minutes later. This place and the really engaged crew rocks! My favorite Mexican family owned restaurant in Placer / Sacramento counties. I've eaten in 20 others in Roseville / Rocklin / Lincoln / and in Citrus heights / Orangevale.

Delicious authentic Mexican food. The margaritas are amazing! Service is quick and the wait staff are very kind. Happy hour is pretty solid!

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

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

Great family MexIcan restaurant. Delicious and authentic with all the trappings of a real Mexican ambiance. Servers were great--we felt really welcomed.

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

It was very good. Lots of food . Good service. We went for lunch. Parking was very easy also.

All the servers have terrible attitudes. We told the server it was my birthday. Normally they bring out a large hat and sing with dessert. Tonight was not the case. She ignored that it was my birthday. The lady seemed annoyed that we even say anything. Not coming back. You ruined my birthday

I've been going here since the 70's. It's my favorite Mexican food restaurant. Everyone I bring always agrees. We love Rosa as a waitress. Remodel looks great. Family owned.

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

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

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

I've had a hard time finding good authentic, Mexican places, and this place really hits the spot. The bean dip they bring out with chips is absolutely to die for, that could've been my entire meal. Got the fajitas, and they were so good. Can't wait to bring family back here.

We went to this Carmelita's which the Original one and had the BEST time/food plus the Drinks we Ordered were Grownup Drinks yeah they packed a punch

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

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

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

Always great food and Service, been going for over 20 years! Best Chicken tacos in the Roseville.

Very disappointed. I've been coming here for years so I was very surprised when I went in on a weekend. I had no idea their menu was different on weekdays. It was not busy at all so I thought the service would be good. Wrong! I ordered a shrimp chimichanga. I specifically asked for no onions, pepper or salsa. The order was not correct, and I couldn't eat it. It was also soggy! They offered to make me another one but I declined as I don't like wasting food. It would have been nice to not have to pay full price. We weren't checked on shortly after receiving the meals or I would have said something. By then my daughter was finished so I boxed it up and brought it home to my husband. We also were never offered a refill on chips and the mood of the staff was not pleasant, like they didn't want to be there. The restaurant ambiance is nice. I won't be back as I don't feel like a valued customer.

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

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

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

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

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

Atmosphere is fun and amazing, along with the food! Portions were generous, service was tops!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We had a dinner for 30 people for the 45th Annual 2025 Golden State Stunt Championships on 10/11/25. We selected their outdoor patio along with a Fajita Bar. It was fantastic! The quality of food was excellent and the atmosphere was great. We couldn't have asked for a better evening. Every single person raved about it. It was the highlight of our day's activities. We will definitely be back next year. Thank you so much!!

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

Had a celebration event in their private area. Staff was friendly and helpful. The food was tasty and plentiful.

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

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

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

We tried the chicken chipotle bowl and it was delicious. We loved the chips, salsa and bean dip!!!

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

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

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