Carlos Cantina — Restaurant in Iron Mountain

I've been here twice on two different nights of the week and both times I've ordered different items off the menu. Both times I can honestly say the best items were my glasses of ice water. Three weeks ago, my son and I visited here for dinner. I ordered the same thing as my 15yr-old son, (who eats almost anything): Tres Marias (three enchiladas, which are one cheese, one chicken, one beef enchilada. The cheese one was okay. The beef ones were completely made of gristle and the chicken enchilada contained the driest chicken, this side of the Mojave Desert. This night, my husband and I visited and I ordered two cheese enchiladas and a beef tamale. My husband ordered two tamales and an enchilada. We both ordered a Margarita to enjoy while we waited for our meal. Our first sip of the Margaritas, we both looked at each other (we rarely drink, but I definitely did my share in the Marines, so I know what tequila tastes like) and I told my husband that my drink tasted like Raid. I tasted his and his ALSO tasted like Raid. I thought maybe it was just me, so we waited for our food. We had some of the food (the free chips and salsa that came to the table did NOT taste like salsa. Last time, it tasted like salsa. This time, it tasted like Ragu spaghetti sauce, so we had a few tortilla chips and then just waited for the dinners) thinking we were just very hungry, then sipped our drinks again. No, they still tasted strongly of Raid. We did not have any numbness or tingling like would be expected if exposed to a neurotoxin, so I do not think there were any toxic chemicals in our drinks. They just tasted very strongly of the smell of Raid. (Like how the odor of something is so strong you can taste it.) We didn't smell Raid, but there was definitely a chemical taste in the glass. We couldn't drink them. Dinner was nearly $50 and we couldn't hear each other over how loud the restaurant was, nor enjoy the meal. Our server was ok, but another server came by several times to check on us, refill our water, ask if we were ok, ask if the food was ok or did we want something else (when he saw we hadn't eaten...

As one of the very few Latinos with an opinion in town. Coming to you with Mexican and Cuban descent , but primarily English speaking, I can honestly say holy guacamole was I impressed at how well a dish could capture the essence of my Spanish.

Take a look at the picture below.

This avocado right here encapsulates my Spanish speaking abilities. Unused and negligently cared for. Sure my Spanish could use some work but I wouldn’t go as far to say it is borderline moldy the Avocado says otherwise though.

So maybe this is my doing, ordering a chicken Cesar salad with avocado Togo. That was my bad. I should have said avocado on the side. However, given the strange marks on the avocado I honestly don’t know if the temperature would have saved the avocados soul. The staple fruit of Mexico was a lost cause here.

I will be honest. If you would have forgotten the avocado I wouldn’t have written this review. But that’s hindsight 20/20. It was the avocado that caused this.

I know what you are thinking. Salad at a primarily Mexican restaurant? Well the origination of the Cesar Salad started in Mexico. By an Italian guy named Cesar. But that’s besides the point.

My point is, Carlos Cantina, you got the chicken right and the dressing right. They were flavorful. Also the atmosphere, and you get the pricing right. Heck, for a dollar more for an avocado is attractive.

But the avocado is the a staple Mexican fruit. And you dropped the ball on the Avocado. I would have taken an avocado in a Styrofoam cup, ramekin, or not one at all. Heck I would have even taken pre cooked chicken breast to not over heat the avocado.

But instead I took my avocado to the trash. It...

Went to Carlos Cantina this evening for dinner. Great service and atmosphere. Our server was DAKOTA and he was truly great and friendly. The wife and I had a pitcher of strawberry/mango margaritas Before and with our dinner. The food was awesome. When it came time to pay our bill Dakota told us that their Internet was out and they were unable to use a debit card for payment and asked if we had cash. Unfortunately we DIDN'T have cash. Our bill was $100. He did try to use our card but unfortunately he came back to our table and said it didn't work. We told him we would go to the bank pull out the $100 and return to pay our bill. Dakota TRUSTED us and being the HONEST people that we are believing in CARMA we did just that. We went to the bank pulled out the $100 and returned to pay our bill. I want to give a huge SHOUT OUT to DAKOTA and THANK HIM for having TRUST & FAITH In us to do the RIGHT THING. Unfortunately I'm sure that there will be some that won't to as trusting honest and do the right honorable thing tonight if their card machine isn't working and STIFF THEIR BILL. THANK YOU DAKOTA for having the truth and faith in us that you had. TRUST & HONESTY STILL DO GO A LONG WAY IN THIS...