Carlos O'Brien’s Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Phoenix

My husband and I ran in there on a Saturday afternoon trying to beat the dinner rush. Luckily, we were able to get seated immediately in the bar area. Our server quickly greeted us and asked if we had any questions. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of her after that point. I tried several times to flag someone down but couldn't catch anyone's attention. We saw two tables seated after us get greeted and had their order taken while we were still waiting for our server to put in a drink order.

I wasn't necessarily expecting an authentic experience but I will say this is the blandest Mexican/TexMex food I've ever had. I usually have a more adventurous palette while my husband is more tame, so I was incredibly surprised when he agreed with me that the salsa tasted like the mildest jarred grocery store salsa. It had no taste. There was a spicier salsa, possibly roasted chile guajillo, as well on the side but that too was pretty featureless.

My husband had steak fajitas and was for the most part satisfied but definitely not impressed. I had a variety of smaller bites off the appetizer menu. I believe one was a taco, one was a flauta and one was a chimichanga. They all seemed like the same thing, just rearranged and garnished differently. We also tried the pollo fundido (?) - mini chimichangas topped with what appeared to be a cream cheese based sauce and a slice of melted cheese. It was a pile of guilty pleasures but ultimately had no taste. In the end, I took the majority of my food home with me. I was able to eat them after completely doctoring them up and reheating them. The second time...

I migrated to Phoenix in 1990, and my first job was a mile from the 12th & Northern restaurant. They had inexpensive food that was voluminous and very tasty. As the years went by, the prices legitimately increased, but the volume of the food decreased. fast forward to the latest restaurant opened at the Mayo location (migrated from the corner of Scottsdale & Bell). I decided to stop in for lunch. After my experience, I won't be going back. Ever.

Where to start: okay, how about this:

1. There is ZERO ambiance as there had been in the previous locations with the settings, decorations, etc. It feels like a cafeteria with immensely high ceilings that amplify the cacophony of voices and echoes. It sounds and looks as though you are eating lunch in a dorm caf.
2. The food was awful. I ordered my usual Lunch Special A, a beef taco, enchilada, rice, and beans. I should have brought my magnifying glass so that I could see the beef in the taco: at least 80% of the contents was lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. The beef that had no taste. The rice was seriously overcooked and clumped together. The enchilada was only okay - they certainly don't use as much melted cheese as they used to. The only edibles that didn't disappoint were the chips and salsa.
3. They have started to use the customer beeper: I had to wait several minutes to get a table even though I could see that at least a third of the tables were unoccupied.

I paid, left a generous tip (as I always do), and left Carlos O'Brien's for the last time. How 25 years changes the very good to...

Two words to consider when looking for old school Phoenix Mexican food, Pollo Fundido. Come on! Shredded chicken rolled into a flour tortilla, deep fried until golden and crisp. Then, it's slathered with jalapeño cream cheese and covered with cheddar, placed under a broiled until the whole operation is melty served with rice and beans. Enjoy it when you can because this is a Phoenix thing. Move away and you crave that gooey cheesy melt combined with crispy tortilla and juicy seasoned chicken. Trust me, I've been trying to find a place in San Diego (home) where I can have this again. Nope, only in Phoenix.

Let's also not forget about Cheese Crisp's. A Phoenix thing and cannot be found elsewhere. And NO! A quesadilla is not the same thing so don't even try to correct me because you are wrong. O'brien's, Garcia's, TeePee, etc etc all serve Cheese Crisp's. Paired with house salsa and a sprinkling of fresh chopped lettuce and tomato is equal to heaven.

Service here was efficient and friendly. Drinks, salsa bowls and chips were always full and plenty. Food come out fast so be sure to "course" out your meal as you see fit. Inside booths and tables were comfortable and not too close to your neighbors.

Until my next trip to Cheese...