Carlitos Café y Cantina
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After walking the long street with all the surrounding restaurants, most were very tempting and delicious foods , we decided to come and tried at this place. Because of Covid 19 , the customers were seated outside the parking lot. After we were seated, the waiter brought some appetizer like chips and salsa while we were waiting. It was a little different especially the corn and black beans salsa. It was very tasty and delicious. We ordered the Carlitos combo which came with Cesar salad, fish tacos and chicken enchiladas with lot of cheese. The place was big enough for both of us to share. It was very deep with flavors and chicken was tender and melted in with cheese. Even the fish tacos, I have no words, but it was really delicious. This restaurant was followed all the Covid required protocol which to make sure everyone's safety. The foods were very good and the prices were reasonable. Services were outstanding and place was very friendly and courteous. We would be back for sure to try other plates whenever we come to town.
Jimmy Anh TruongJimmy Anh Truong
00
Nice picturesque little mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara. They had a pretty outdoor dining area. The weather was good enough to enjoy lunch outside. The service was good. Very attentive and prompt. I had posole and my GF had the tamales. The server informed us that nothing on the menue is spicy. Not even the salsa for chips. That was very true. When we received our dishes, spice was a flavor that was missing. Fortunately, they do offer spicy salsa upon request. Which was actually good. It had a fresh fire grilled flavor to it and it had a good kick. I added some to the posole and the flavor was spot on. It made it taste homemade. The tamales where pretty good with the salsa as well. So basically the food is good with some salsa, I mean it is Mexican, right! There should be a spice to it. Per the server, they cater to thier customer base which doesn't necessarily eat spicy. They offer a lot of traditional Mexican recipes, just make sure you ask for some salsa to give it that Mexican flavor.
Anthony SarriaAnthony Sarria
00
Got here at 5PM on Thursday May16th for pre-show dinner before seeing Gabriel FLUFFY Iglesias at the Arlington Theater, which was literally across the street. Prime location. Made a reservation but I think we got there just in time to beat the rest of the dinner show rush. Live music. I got the Rock Shrimp Soft Tacos, I think my Mom got the Tacos El Carbon. We both read reviews beforehand and wanted to try something different from the usual Mexican food we order. The mango salsa was delicious. The food was very tasty and not too spicy. Our waiter was great at recommending what we were looking for and although the place really started to fill up as we were leaving, we were not rushed into vacating our table. Pro tip: The bathrooms are very very small and there are only two unisex ones, so plan accordingly. Otherwise everything else was great.
Christiana CrabillChristiana Crabill
00
Found this restaurant on a busy day there was a wave of large crowd from a concert nearby that caused no table availability when we first arrived. The impeccable timing we made it a short less than 10 minute wait for a table and we were seated within 5-7 minutes of waiting. The food, ambience, decor, margaritas and service were great. The Bohemian Beer Battered fish tacos are perfection and very filling! The Shrimp and Steak Fajitas were also delicious. The shrimp were cooked to perfection also the steak was perfectly seasoned and tender. The hand made corn tortillas are perfect as well as the flour tortillas. The Casamigos Reposado margarita was strong and delicious. The chips and salsa are delicious. The churros were perfection and Im picky about churros. I definitely will be returning. Our server Joanas was great!
Brenda SuttonBrenda Sutton
00
We had visited Santa Barbara in July and decided to return in October for another visit. My husband and I agreed that we had to return to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara, Carlitos. After walking down to the train station and back we were starved. Carlitos is right on State St so we stopped by for our late lunch. We had the combination of beef and chicken fajitas last time and knew we would order them again. Marco welcomed us and served chips and salsa to our table. When the fajitas were delivered to our table they were hot and sizzling. He offered to add lemon juice which really enhanced the flavor! The second time around did not disappoint. They were delicious and very filling. This is now one of our favorite spots in Santa Barbara and it is well worth the drive up from Los Angeles!!!
Alicia EvansAlicia Evans
00
One of the best Mexican spots we’ve found the food is delicious AF! Reasonable prices the chilaquiles and mole are amazing! Definitely recommend this spot.
Chuck ShwayzeChuck Shwayze
00
Nearby Attractions Of Carlitos Café y Cantina
Paseo Nuevo
Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens
Coastal Dispensary Santa Barbara
Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
Marshalls
Alameda Park
Kimpton Canary Hotel
Santa Barbara Museum Of Art
La Arcada Plaza
The Granada Theatre

Paseo Nuevo
4.4
(1.4K)
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Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens
4.8
(953)
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Coastal Dispensary Santa Barbara
4.7
(566)
Click for details

Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
4.8
(583)
Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Carlitos Café y Cantina
Santa Barbara Public Market
Handlebar Coffee Roasters
Cali-Forno Pizzeria
The Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant
Cajun Kitchen
Benchmark Eatery
Indian Tandoori Kingdom
Scarlett Begonia
Lilac Pâtisserie
Zaytoon

Santa Barbara Public Market
4.6
(653)
Click for details

Handlebar Coffee Roasters
4.7
(599)
Click for details

Cali-Forno Pizzeria
4.5
(506)
Click for details

The Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant
4.3
(501)
$$
Click for details
Basic Info
Address
1324 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Map
Phone
(805) 962-7117
Call
Website
carlitos.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.4
(609 reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
Classic Mexican eats & margaritas served indoors or on the patio with colorful umbrellas & fountain.
attractions: Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens, Coastal Dispensary Santa Barbara, Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, Marshalls, Alameda Park, Kimpton Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, La Arcada Plaza, The Granada Theatre, restaurants: Santa Barbara Public Market, Handlebar Coffee Roasters, Cali-Forno Pizzeria, The Andersen's Danish Bakery & Restaurant, Cajun Kitchen, Benchmark Eatery, Indian Tandoori Kingdom, Scarlett Begonia, Lilac Pâtisserie, Zaytoon
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