Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad

One important detail you don't get in restaurants very often noadays is kind, attentive staff that is there when you need them and not there when you don't! Hands down, this place has the nicest employees I have ever seen anywhere in San Diego! I even got to exchange a few words with the manager and had a very interesting interraction with him - what a smart man :)The food is delicious and the ambience is perfect for a "beach town" restaurant! Cocktails are definitely their strong side :) I will come here again!

We were in the mood for Mexican food last night and decided to try something new. We searched and searched and found this spot online which looked delicious. When we arrived we were seated pretty quickly. Menu was small which made me nervous but also made me believe since it's a small menu their food had to be good. lol We started with a few margaritas which were delicious. We ordered chips and salsa, carnita tacos, birria plate, and the chili relleno. When everything arrived it all looked soooooo good!Chips and salsa was so good. Salsa was fresh and not too spicy. Food was delicious! Everything was full of flavor and tasted like high quality ingredients. It wasn't cheap.. but I feel like it was definitely worth it.

First, the atmosphere is wonderful, and the restaurant decor and remodel from the brewery that used to be there is warm, welcoming, and beautifully done! The location right on State St is great for people watching as you enjoy your meal, or you can sit more in the interior. Now at $14.00 for a Margarita and 15.00 for a pineapple mojito, you expect to get a little taste of alcohol. My husband had 2 margaritas and felt absolutely nothing! He said he would never order a Margarita there again as it was mainly ice. The chicken and carnita tacos we ordered were very good and they cost $20.00 for each plate. Nothing comes with them except 3 different salsas you can use which came in little bottles and they were good. Luckily, the server let us know that 2 had habanero, which were very spicy. I don't know if you have to pay for chips and salsa because the server asked us if we would like some, but we declined because we ordered the elote appetizer.The elote appetizers were delicious also. The flan is not so good. It is supposed to be a mango flan, but there was no taste of Mango, the chocolate stuff on top was like a mousse or pudding, and even as a regular flan, it wasn't very tasty. We are retired, and our favorite thing is to eat out. I have been to Jalisco, my relatives live there, and my husband and I love Mexican food. This restaurant is a beautiful welcome addition to Carlsbad, and I hope they take constructive criticism well so that they get repeat customers.

This place has a great atmosphere and incredible staff. I wish I remember my waiters name because he was that good!We got classic margs which you can't go wrong with.Dogs allowed on back patio!Recommendations:- tuna starter- chips and salsas (must get and bottomless!)- shrimp tacos (they give you 4! Downside you can't mix and match so get someone to order a different type of tacos!)- burrito - I didn't try this but my friend got it and it was huge!Things that were good but I'd try something different next time:- guac - very disappointed. It was fresh and good, but just was missing something. I could have made better guac at home :/- carne asada tacos - the meat was a little well done. I prefer medium rare. Overall, I will be back here to explore some of their larger dishes. Can't wait!

This place is a new addition to carlsbad village and actually pretty dang tasty. I've been on several occasions and the food is fairly flavorful with a decent price. The chicken enchiladas, shrimp tacos and guac are all pretty solid. The margaritas are tasty as well. Ambiance is casual chic and the service is pretty solid, NGL. 3.5-4 stars and here's why... I frequent several very high end places in Asia, Europe and pretty much all over the world and I have never had a basic margarita with Clase Azul Repo cost me $72 each... I get it, it's a premium tequila, but these things should be priced around $40.

Jalisco Cantina is a Mexican restaurant in Carlsbad Village that has an excellent ambiance and offers both inside and open air dining. We went with two adults and three children and everybody was very happy. The location had an upscale feel but is very inviting.The menu had a good variety of appetizers, tacos, burritos, and entrees. We tried the guacamole and were impressed by the homemade chips. The tacos come with four per plate and had great flavor. Two kids had quesadillas and I tried the chicken enchiladas. The enchiladas were fantastic and had a rojo sauce that was excellent. If you go, ask for the three hot sauces but be prepared - all three pack a lot of kick. The balsamic hot sauce in particular was very unique.Service was great and the prices were fair for the area. Definitely worth checking out!

Came in on a Sunday afternoon for drinks and apps. A female Bartender greeted us after a bit and we ordered the Watermelon drink, Sandia Fresca (don't recommend, the lime and the watermelon flavor were fighting each other) and a mezcal drink, the Smoke & Fire. We told another male bartender we didn't like the watermelon drink, and he also said it has too much lime in it and quickly made me a cilantro smash, which was amazing. The 3rd bartender was on his way out but kept banging things around and acting kinda crazy. We asked if we could order ala carte, and they said no. So we got the Ceviche. For some reason, it took a long time to get it. Chips were good, fish was good but really big chunks and kinda bland.

Came here for drinks and apps with friends. We each had a marg and they were delicious. La mora was our favorite! The food was tasty and well portioned. It was on the pricier side but you are paying for ambiance. The servers were attentive and friendly. I would come back for the homemade tortillas. I think they should consider complimentary chips/salsa considering how pricey everything else was. Recommend for a cute date night!

Food was delicious! I've been here two times with my kids and we enjoyed both experiences. We got the kids steak taco with rice, chicken taco with chips, carnitas tacos, camarones tacos, and carnitas salad. Service has been great, staff has been kind and friendly.Few critiques: - The first time the carnitas was great and the second time the carnitas was really dry. - I wish they offered complimentary chips and salsa and allowed mix and match with the tacos. - We sat outside in the patio area both times, the ambiance is nice but our table was extremely wobbly, the water glasses kept spilling when the table moved. - The water was also warm, wondering why there wasn't some ice in it? Overall I would recommend this place and would come back!

Really modern, clean design restaurants!! Service at the bar excellent by Nash. Made me a fantastic mezcal margarita. Not a fan of Mexican restaurants that charge for chips, & salsa. But, it's the way of the world now, was at an Italian restaurant they charged me for bread, & additional charge for oil & vinegar THAT WAS NEW ONE FOR ME!! Jalisco Cantina is a great addition to the neighborhood!!