Carbonero Latin Kitchen — Restaurant in Fredericksburg

Locals visit the afternoon of 12-29-24. The parking lot was full! For good reason. The food is outstanding. The restaurant is clean and well decorated. Digital wall menu. The service is friendly and the servers are knowledgeable about the menu offerings. The servers make your visit less transactional and more of a dining experience. Too often restaurants focus on flipping tables, rushing patrons through like cattle. Not here.

While Mexican food is considered a part of Latin food, Latin food encompasses the culinary traditions of Latin American countries, which includes Mexico, as well as countries in Central and South America and parts of the Caribbean. You have those menu choices here.

The beef Toquitos appetizer was very good. We got a single beef tamale and it was also very good. My wife really liked her shrimp Quesadilla, refried beans, salad, and lemonade. My short ribs, salad, corn tortillas, and refried beans were excellent. We will return to sample other items. Bringing the red and green sauce bottles to the table give the customer options which I like. The hot sauce at the table increases your options if you like a little heat.

*Note this review was completed without using ridiculous un-discriptive terms like out-of-bounds, OMG, on point, awesome, the bomb, yummy, delish, to die for, do your self a favor, trust me, or kids emojis etc.. Describe the food, service (or lack of) and provide details on the cost/copy of check and include pictures! Is the place clean? No disrespect to the employees but no one cares about the waiter/waitress/clerk names, or if they look like they fell face first into a tackle box. They get changed like underwear and you don't get to pick one. No we don't care about your allergies or the need for gluten free food.

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We dined in on a Friday night and they were busy. The place is very small. Had to ask for a table to be cleaned so my husband and I could sit. No menus at the table and none provided to us. I had to get up and get my own. Waitress took our order but never brought out utensils. Appetizer of yuca fries and chicharrones with a yummy side of a type of slaw came. Still no utensils. Then our meal came out as were still eating our appetizer. We asked for utensils. Still nothing. I then go up and asked the other girl at the counter for utensils. She looked at me like I was nuts. Still nothing. Our waitress then came over with an attitude and asked what it was I needed because the girl at the counter doesn't speak English (um how is that my problem) and she is the only one who is taking care of everyone and she is very busy. Um again not my problem. I told her I needed utensils that I have been waiting for. She then proceeded to roll her eyes and shake her head like I was being so unreasonable. Hell all I wanted was a damn fork to eat my food with instead of having to use my fingers and she has the audacity to get annoyed with me. She then finally brings the utensils but apparently my husband and I had to share because we only got one set. Basic 101 is making sure customers have the basic necessities at the table. We should not have to beg for a fork and absolutely no waitress should ever roll their eyes or shake their head because she thinks I being unreasonable for asking for a fork because she's the only one and she's busy. Not my problem. Here's a thought, hire people who know how to speak and understand English. This is a place we will never...

BLUF... the tacos are worth a try

I'm not exactly sure when Carbonero opened, but I believe it was just a few days ago. Given that they’re still new, I’m offering some grace in parts of my review, as it feels like they’re still settling into their rhythm.

From the outside, the restaurant looks fantastic, a huge upgrade from the vacant shop it once was. Inside, it’s clean and inviting, with a great atmosphere. There’s also outdoor seating, with some shaded spots depending on the time of day, which is a nice touch.

Upon being seated, we were served chips and salsa. The salsa had a fantastic flavor with just a mild heat, making it perfect for those who prefer a milder kick (especially for Virginians). The chips were fresh and crispy—definitely a great start to the meal.

For drinks, my wife opted for the lemonade with mint, while I stuck with a classic Mexican Coke. I have to say, her drink was delicious and incredibly refreshing; in hindsight, I wish I’d ordered the same.

For our main meal, we both went with tacos, and there was zero disappointment. These are easily some of the best tacos I’ve had on the East Coast. They offer both homemade corn tortillas and flour options, but I highly recommend going for the corn tortillas—they make a real difference. The pastor and pollo al pastor tacos, in particular, were outstanding.

The only hiccup was that it took a little longer than expected to get our check, but I understand they’ve just opened and are likely working out the kinks. I’m sure this will...