Carmelita's Kitchen

Come here monthly for the salmon -- it's that goodService from Sebastian was incredibleAttentive and respectfulHe's my guy now!

Food and service always great and consistent. However this time the patio was closed due to renovations and we love the outdoor patio. We will return once it's open again.

Been coming here for YEARS. The location is great. Anchors the RSM lake with a great patio view. The service is always phenomenal super friendly and efficient. Food is fantastic. They have the best chips in town. I love the bean dip and leave the salsa for my wife. Both the calamari and shrimp taquitos are go to appetizers for us. Shrimp enchiladas, carnitas and chili verde are amazing. I would be willing to bet everything on the menu is top notch. My only issue is price. Like every restaurant prices have risen steadily but seems more here WITH smaller portions. I can't pay 30+ for an entree and still leave hungry. The recipes are really good a little on the mild side and the service s always great but I'd rather go down the street to todos santos and get as good a meal for 20% less

Had a wonderful lunch today after our 3 mile walk at rancho santa margarita lake. Kelly was our amazing server and what a terrific person. Kelly was efficient, friendly and professional. We also saw the amazing Eric who is an amazing person as well. We started with drinks. My wife had Don Julio Blanco with Topo Chico and three limes muddled with mint and I had a few Cadillac margaritas. My wife offered the chicken quesadilla and I had the Pollo Serrano. Both dishes were great. We also witnessed ou4 neighboring table where their mom had her 91st birthday celebration. She was having a great time as we did also.Good people, food, service and ambiance. Highly recommended.

This is my favorite local place to go for Mexican food and it has been consistently great and fresh for the decade plus I have been going. The location is right on the lake which is a beautiful spot to sit outside and people watch. The recently added an awning so even when it is raining or very hot and sunny, outside is an option. Service is always great and attentive. One of the things I really love about coming here is the food feels a little lighter and less greasy than other Mexican restaurants (even the carnitas). The tostada salad is my favorite of all time (my benchmark for tostada salads at other restaurants) and they let you switch out the protein to your choice. You can even get this to go (with one caveat that the shell will need to be broke to pack it). Drinks are awesome and the warm bean dip is not something I have found elsewhere served with salsa and chips complimentary and we all really enjoy this! What a nice touch for your customers. There are a few kids options off menu so be sure to ask your server if you have little ones with you!

I think there are 2 things about this restaurant that are the best - the patio view of the lake and the exceptional service we received, the food was good, but nothing special from any other Mexican eatery. The prices were average to average high. We had the Carmelita Combination with chicken enchilada and beef taco. The enchilada was flavorful with the green sauce but I would've wanted a bigger portion. The taco was overcooked and difficult to eat. My friend got the burrito and said it was good but again nothing special and unique. Overall a nice experience.

I hate that I have to leave such a poor review because the food is always very good here. This review is for the way the "GM" Jose handled a situation that occurred with my takeout order on 3/1/2025. I was given the wrong order and didn't realize until I got home. This is now the 3rd time that I have had some issue with my order so I was extremely frustrated. I called and spoke to Jose and I said that because this is an issue that has happened multiple times, I needed my meal comped. He said his corporation doesn't comp meals and offered an appetizer or a dessert. I stayed firmon what I wanted to make this situation right. I have managed a restaurant and I know that anything can be comped and payments can be voided, especially when the mistake is on the restaurant and not on the customer. Jose continuously refused over the phone, and then again when I picked up the correct order in person. He gave me an appetizer and dessert that I told him I did not want. I initially ordered my food at 725pm and did not get home with my actual food order for me and my family until 8:36pm. I have loved eating at Carmelita's since they opened and it's very very unfortunate that Jose handled the situation the way he did.

I absolutely love this place! The stunning lake view, delicious food, and fantastic service make every visit special. We've been coming here for years, and it never disappoints.The house-made margaritas are a highlight--there's truly nothing better than sipping one with friends on a sunny afternoon, soaking in the relaxing atmosphere. The restaurant can get quite busy, but the staff always handles it beautifully. They're friendly, efficient, and attentive. Dennisse took care of us during our most recent visit, and she made sure we had everything we needed with a smile.Whether it's a family reunion or a long-overdue catch-up with friends, this place is perfect. It's a little slice of joy by the lake, and I can't recommend it enough!

Never been here before but it was a great experience. Started off with the shrimp taquitos. Those were delicious. They serve complimentary chips, beans and salsa. To drink, I got a phenomenal mezcal sour. The service from Sabastian was top tier. He made great recommendations, was friendly, and made the stay enjoyable. He's an employee all restaurants desire because of his positive attitude and quick service. Definitely will be back!

The food was good, the service was very questionable. Our server was not very attentive. We found something in our sauce and showed her, she grabbed my friends fork and poked it and tried leaving the fork back on the table. We ordered 8 shots, she came back with 9 and charged us 9. We told her we only ordered 8, she took back the shot and didn't remove it from our bill. She didn't ask us if we wanted salt or it chilled. She didn't even provide limes. First round of two pitchers other people poured out drinks out. The last round it took awhile to receive and it was just left out at our table. We ordered a birthday dessert and our table wasn't pre-bussed completely. Won't be coming back.