Carlos Mexican - Anchorage

The fries were a little too thick for my liking, but they came with two bowls of salsa, one hot and one mild. The spicier salsa met my fiery standards and I devoured it before my friend arrived for lunch. I ordered my usual combo of taco and enchilada, and it came out in the traditional hot style. When I asked for fresh jalapeños, I was given pickled ones that I didn't like. After returning them to the kitchen, a few minutes later diced fresh peppers were brought to me, which I enjoyed. I was happy to see that menudo was available every day, not just on weekends. I'll definitely have to try the tasty tripe stew next time! 4 stars!

I was excited to see a lot of cars in the parking lot and people everywhere when I arrived at the restaurant. The staff was friendly, but the overall experience was what you would expect from a small, family-owned restaurant. Since the restaurant was so close to my home, I had high hopes for the food. I decided to go with the carne asada tacos based on the server's recommendation. I got the food to go and ate it immediately at home just two minutes away. Unfortunately, the food was not good. It was bland and under-seasoned, with chewy meat, old rice, and tasteless beans despite being covered in cheese. The salsa and chips were the only enjoyable part of the meal. To top it off, the bill came out to $23, which was disappointing considering I come from Southern California where I am used to cheap and delicious Mexican food. Overall, this restaurant did not meet my expectations.

I have adjusted my expectations for Mexican food since leaving Texas, but I would still not go back to this restaurant if given the chance. It is quite expensive and the salsa and chips are not very good. While my husband liked his fajitas, he said they were not worth returning for. On a positive note, the staff is friendly and kept my water glass full.

Wow : O ...I'm actually surprised to see two negative ratings about Carlos', but I guess even the old favorites I have around town can be off on certain days? Carlos' is located in an older, but quaint little building off the Old Seward Highway in South Anchorage. The front door cracks me up everytime I go inside or out since it's positioned right in front of a stucco pillar that you'll walk smack dab into if you're not paying attention. To me, that's just part of the rustic charm of the old place. The owners are almost always on site and they, as well as the staff, are incredibly friendly! They are johnny on the spot to refill your chip basket or salsa containers as soon as they run low. Since I like more cilantro than they put in the salsa, they always bring me a small dish of fresh chopped cilantro. :o) .... Some of our favorites are the combo platter, the Senorita Supreme, the chimicangas, the spinach enchiladas, etc.. Also, I have to give major kudos to the owner who is quite a pillar of the Anchorage community. He cares a lot about his restaurant, but he also cares a great deal about the city he lives in. Update from my 2009 review: August 26, 2015 (because I haven't been on Yelp in eons)... Wow, Carlos has started to decline since my rave review before. I'm not sure if it's more competition or what, but it's sad that an old neighborhood joint like this seems to have seen its better day. Maybe they changed cooks? Maybe they're too busy with their other business ventures? I'm not really sure. What I am sure of though is that for me, it went from a great place to eat at to mediocre at best. Bummer. :0(

Been eating here since I could walk. Best food in town, always come back here when I'm in town. Family owned and operated, gueniunly good food, great service. Love this place