Carmelita's — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

Expensive, mediocre Mexican food. The current star rating review is surprising to me.

I ordered the flank steak fajitas. It was a few small slivers of meat, a tiny bed of rice, maybe a tablespoon of overwhipped guac, and an overwhelming amount of onions and peppers. I mean, the steak was great and cooked to an almost perfect medium rare, but the portion size was less about a third of what you would normally receive at a similar Mexican restaurant. I mean, I could have easily eaten all of the steak in one bite if the challenge arose (4'ish ounces maybe?). Besides the steak, everything else on that plate was bland.

I ordered a bowl of the chicken tortilla soup. It was underwhelming, neutral, and watery. Would not recommend.

I did enjoy and do recommend the bacon wrapped jalapeño popper type appetizer. Spicy, flavorful, and a decent portion. Proceed with caution if you aren't averse to heat.

I won't ding your star rating for the multiple homeless people that I was approached by and panhandled with at my table while eating dinner outside in the patio area. Especially the one guy who literally ran into me as he tried to squeeze down a nonexistent aisle way next to my seat. The restaurant staff was aware of the situation and seemed unphased by it. Is this typical? Seemed strange. Whatever.

Besides the confrontations with the randoms off the street, the ambiance of the covered outdoor porch area was pretty decent. They had a few of those stainless steel propane gas heaters strewn about to help with the chilly mid January weather. The plateware was of the fancy variety. Could be a nice place for a romantic date under the right circumstances.

The service was not good. I can't really sugar coat this one. My glass of water was lacking refills for most of the meal. It was an 8 ounce glass that was half full of ice. Pair that with those spicy jalapeños and you have an almost always empty beverage receptacle. A different waitress also dropped off someone else's order of ribs at our table. I told her we didn't order it. She looked at me in the eyes and told me I did. I just kind of shrugged. Eventually another waitress saw it on our table (she looked embarrassed) and awkwardly snagged it away to deliver it to it's correct...

This place was DELICIOUS.

We started off with a regular mojito and a cilantro cucumber margarita. The mojito was a little weak, but that's just based on my preference. It was the right mix of mint to lime and I really enjoyed it. The cilantro cucumber margarita was refreshing and exactly what my partner wanted - something less sweet and more zest. Two thumbs up on the drinks.

We ordered the Queso Fundido while waiting on our friends to arrive and it was NOT a bad decision! Along with the tasty salsa and black bean dip that arrived when we sat down, this cheesy dip with its roasted salsa cooked in was just delightful. I highly recommend this as an appetizer. It was great! And the salsa and bean dip that came with chips on the table was some of the best restaurant salsa and beans I've had since I left Miami.

Once our friends arrived, we ordered the Chile Verde, the Pollo a La Chipotle (minus the chipotle), and the Chimichanga (to split).

The Chile Verde was delicious! The chicken melted in your mouth and the spices were right on. I tasted some of my friend's and if I hadn't been so happy with my Chimichanga, would have totally stolen her plate...

The Pollo a La Chipotle was missing the Chipotle because it is made with cream and my friend is allergic to dairy. So she got the chicken (a little dry) and rice & beans. She mixed it with the leftover table salsa and beans, which she said was quite good. I'd love to have tried the chipotle sauce.

The Chimichanga was enough for two people (after we'd eaten all the queso fundido) ;-) And it was SOGOOD*! We ate every piece of that with the rice and beans and enjoyed every bite. It was just the right mix of sauce to meat.

And the service - the service was GREAT! I left a 30% tip, because Francisco totally deserved it Our waters were never empty and he wasn't too pushy, but was friendly enough to recognize when our friend's had arrived and we were ready to order meals. And he gave us great advice on what we might want to split between all the delicious options.

I definitely recommend this place and it is on my list to return when I'm again in the...

Experience - Carmelita's Kitchen de Mexico is a laguna icon and bucket-list type experience. Me and my wife got a rare opportunity for a date night and quickly made our way to Laguna. With a 30min wait we were able to slip in to the bar immediately. The whole staff was great minus maybe one cook who seemed to get upset over an order change, understandable given the request, since it was a grown man asking to have someone cut his corn for him. smdh. In a Mexican restaurant the chips and salsa help give the lay of what to expect. The chips are hot, slightly thicker, but not hard and not greasy. Salsa was fresh and the black bean dip was a nice touch. Probably the best chips and salsa from a restaurant I have had.

Ambience - I can't speak to the daytime, but when the streets are full at night the lights come on in Laguna and the beach is just across the street it's a great stop in for the hungry. It is an intimate setting and the culture is great food! the fire is hot and the bar is hoping. There is usually a wait between 20-45+ but it is worth the wait.

Staff - Bartender was very attentive and had a great attitude for each request even though the place was slammed. When I asked a couple of small requests of other staff members or made an inquiry I was always very pleased with the knowledge of the menu and recommendations. You can tell they enjoy working here.

Amenities - I noticed a patio area but am unsure if it was available for Carmelita's patrons. Restrooms are clean and unique. The entire place is the perfect balance of functional, well designed, and attractive.

Value - Carmelita's is a value for the food and dining experience. Expect to spend between $25 to $50 if you are hungry and want a drink.

Panda Power Meal - The BBQ smoked ribs are a great starter for 2. Try a Carmelita's Barrel select with the Seafood Enchiladas and don't forget Shortcake...