Carmelita's Kitchen De Mexico Laguna Beach

Had a lovely late evening snack on the patio with the extended fam (the girls and 2 dogs... So yes, the patio is pet friendly (there were at least 3 other groups with pooches . We just had apps, but all were good. The guac was a very large portion, the street corn was tasty, and the girls liked the ribs (as did the pups like the extra meat . I like that the chips salsa also come with a bt of beans, something that I see occasionally, but I think it is a nice touch. Drinks were fine, perfectly good margaritas. We'll likely be back, especially since it is open late-ish.

After our ride down PCH, my husband and I stopped at the Downtown Village in Laguna Beach to walk around, and we stumbled across Carmelita's. We requested outdoor seating because the day was gorgeous and it's across the street from the beach area. There was no wait on Saturday afternoon, and we were seated right away by the lovely host. Complimentary chips, salsa, and black beans were brought to our table. We opted to order guacamole and a couple of drinks. The guacamole serving is huge and easily shareable among four people. We were so hungry; we impulse ordered and did not expect the serving to be as big as it was. I ordered a blackberry margarita, which packed a punch if you enjoy a strong drink, this one's for you. My husband's spicy mango margarita was more balanced. He did not scrunch his face after the first sip like me. While the food was delicious, I recommend sharing as the portions are quite generous. I ordered the crispy chimichanga with chicken, and they offered me a choice of shredded or whole pieces of chicken. I went with shredded, and it was quite tasty. Halfway through, I was already stuffed. It's served over rice and topped with sour cream, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and guac. My husband had the short rib enchiladas, which come with two enchiladas and a serving of beans and rice. It's worth noting that the beans and rice are excellent. I've been to many Mexican restaurants where the food is great but falls short with the sides. Here, the rice is buttery, and the black beans have great flavor. Next time we're in Laguna, Carmelita's is a must visit. It's an ideal spot to enjoy a couple of drinks and share starters or main plates with some friends. If the weather is nice, I recommend sitting outside, but the interior ambiance is equally inviting.

The service was impeccable and the food was fantastic! We had dinner at another establishment that the food was good and 4 times the price, but had we found Carmelitas, we would have eaten here every night. The food was absolutely amazing. The Chef visited our table and we expressed our appreciation of the deliciousness of our meals. We never had to ask for more water, chips, salsa. The staff was very aware of their tables. I do wish more restaurants paid the attention to their customers needs as this staff was on their game. There was not one bad meal in the bunch. We will definitely be back. Keep doing the awesome job on the menu and the staff.

We decided to stop at this restaurant for brunch after a hike and were pleasantly surprised by the complimentary chips, salsa, and bean dip that helped satisfy our hunger. The warm and crispy chips paired perfectly with the flavorful bean dip, and we appreciated the generous refills. We almost filled up on just the chips and dip alone! My friend and I shared the huevos rancheros and chilaquiles (with egg). In hindsight, ordering the chilaquiles was a bit much after indulging in so many chips, but they were still tasty. I only had a small portion of the huevos rancheros as it appeared to contain ground meat, which I wasn't expecting since I thought it was typically vegetarian. Perhaps I should have informed our server of my dietary preferences beforehand. The service was very friendly, and we had no trouble finding metered parking nearby. The patio even welcomed dogs.

Rodi was amazing as our server, providing excellent service and great recommendations. We will definitely be returning again!