Carolina's Mexican Food

Had not been to Carolina's in probably 30 plus years. Went to the original on the South side as a kid many times with friends growing up in central Phoenix.We stopped into the location on Catus and Cave Creek the other day and the food had not changed.Still homemade goodness.Service was amazing and when I said I hadn't been in so long she gave us complimentary chips and salsa. Sooooo good!!Easy going setting, walk up and order. Love the wall of high tables with seats.Their to go service is insane, non stop and so efficient.Our food was as delicious as it always was.So glad we rediscovered it again.Can't wait to come back soon.

Decided to swing by here on my way home. It was a weekday afternoon and thankfully not too busy - several folks dining inside. I ordered the bean, potato and cheese burro and a horchata drink (no ice). Service was quick and friendly. My order was ready in about 5 minutes or so and I was on my way.The drink was refreshing and cold, even without ice. Though it was on the sweet side and pretty grainy, price was good. The burro was initially pretty tasty; I love a burrito with an interior that is of blended consistency. The tortilla was slightly charred which was nice and overall a good value. However as I continued eating, the aftertaste of the cheese possibly was not favorable. I may come back and try different menu items because it is affordable and there is a lot to choose from.

This place usually hits , today was a big miss.. ordered shredded beef tacos ,beef was burnt couldn't chew it .. also ordered green chili cheese crisp .. it was so oily I only ate the outer edges super disappointed spent 36 bucks with dozen tortillas.. fingers crossed the tortillas are ok..

Excellent Sonoran style mexican food. I would highly recommend any of their burritos because their flour tortillas are the best. The green salsa has a nice heat.

Carolina's has always been a classic Mexican food staple in AZ since I can remember and I'm a born and raised Arizonian. We visited today and walked inside to order. It was extremely clean, great temperature inside and all the salsas and their containers were chilled. I love seeing a clean salsa station! The cashier was very friendly and responsive and we were in an out in less than 5 mins. We ordered the egg and asada burrito with rice beans potato and red sauce and my hubs got the Carolina. We got some cilantro and tons of their famous red sauce and couldn't be a happier camper at the moment. We couldn't wait to eat so lo siento for the pix lol

Pretty solid breakfast burrito. All I got inside was eggs, rice and potatoes. They only had one red sauce available, which was good enough, but chips cost extra. The famous tortillas are very thin, buy freshly made and solid.

It has been too many years since the last time I ate at Carolina's. Their food is just so good. I would say it is quintessential authentic Mexican food. Tonight we shared the mini chimichangas, a cheese quesadilla and chips and salsa. We got a kids meals for the girls. Service was good, it is an order here and pick up there service, pretty straight forward. Casual dining spot with good music in the background.

I took out the cheese now it's just chorizo n beans.Top 100 restaurant New Times for a reason. You'll get used to the building and service (I am a fan of both) Strawberry Fanta on tap goes great with spicy chorizo and red sauce.

tl;dr the basics are the star at this slightly premium Mexican fast-casual chainManuel and Carolina Valenzuela originally served Mexican comfort food out of their family car in the 50's, before opening their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in 1968. Over the years, Carolina's made-from-scratch flour tortillas, the backbone of their most popular dishes, reached a legendary status. Now, the Carolina's brand (operated by the same family as The Original Carolina's at 12th and Mohave) has expanded and boasts 4 locations around the Greater Phoenix area.The North Phoenix outpost on Cactus is clean and contemporary. The sunset-yellow plaster building stands out within an otherwise dull strip mall. The checkout counter, kitchen, and condiment bar all run along one side of the space, while bar-style half-booths line the other. Staff members can be seen tossing fresh tortillas in the kitchen. A Carolina's themed painting greets you immediately upon entering, while a collage of black-and-white family photos decks the back wall. Contemporary pop plays throughout the space.My partner and I visited during a busy weekday lunch service. We opted for a Butter Tortilla, Green Chili and Oaxaca Burro combo platters (both Chimi style), and a large Horchata. Within a few minutes, our order was fulfilled, wrapped in styrofoam takeout containers, and stacked in a plastic bag.My favorite components of the meal were the fundamentals -- the large, rich, and chewy tortilla; the balanced tangy and spicy salsa; and the delicious, creamy refried beans. The rice, while standard, was worthwhile to enjoy with the salsa. The chimichangas were both reasonably large and sported a layer of enjoyable, evenly crispy tortilla, but neither was perfect. The green chili beef was plentiful but underwhelming in taste and wholly messy, while the Oaxaca boasted a more complete flavor profile but ran skimpier on meat. Meanwhile, the horchata was enormous and not overwhelmingly sugary but felt gritty despite being light on cinnamon flavor.Service was efficient and friendly, and a staff member gave us a complimentary refill on our horchata. The bills worked out to $30 for a solid and hearty fast-casual meal. If you're planning a visit, the no-brainer moves are iconic tortillas and combo platters -- both additions definitely made the meal more substantial.

Food has changed a bit over the years. It used to be better but is still decent yet smaller portions and more expensive which is true anywhere I suppose. The music choice and volume is very annoying when dining in. Perhaps some traditional mexican music would be preferable to the christian music as this is a mexican restaurant not a church.