Carlsbad Tavern

This place is a dump. Dirty looking kitchen. Food that barely scrapes by as adequate or mediocre. Overcooked meats and weak service make this a place to avoid.

Sunday night my sister flew in from Canada. She wanted some authentic Mexican cuisine so I brought her to Carlsbad. We were served by Jeff who explained that the food is actually New Mexican cuisine, they use peppers in nearly every dish from hatch peppers to habanero and everything in between. Jeff mentioned that he was new to the restaurant and imediately I thought oh no… I thought our service would be slow but he really changed my mind quickly. He was very knowledgable about most everything and he really did an amazing job making is laugh. He suggested the brochettes and potstickers for appetizers which were very good. We also ordered the pasta dish with Chipotle chicken as suggested it was amazingly flavorful. Overall I would give our service and the meal 10 stars if I could.

We decided to take a road trip to Phoenix and found Carlsbad Tavern on Unilocal and saw how many reviews it had and decided to try it out. Good Food Great Atmosphere. We will defiantly stop by again when Im back in town.

Great spot for lunch or dinner. The ambience is especially noteworthy with a waterfall, outdoors seating, indoor seating, and a bar. The menu is New Mexican cuisine plus burgers and other specials like fish or steak.

This place is excellent New Mexican cuisine! I especially love the new mexican potstickers and am obsessed with the cream sauce that it comes with! The lobster enchiladas are also to die for!!!

I just had the most amazing New Mexico styled dinner at Carlsbad Tavern. The Carne Adovada and tri-​colored tortilla encrusted Chilled Relleno was the best I’ve ever had. Don’t tell my grandma but they blow hers out of the water… hehe. The Prickly Pear Margarita was absolutely delish, and the waitstaff was more than accommodating.

I have only been here for late night eats and vodka drinks LOL They have great burgers and I LOVE the nachos. They have a great cherry mule as well.

Not bad but disappointing.
Nice restaurant w/​a nice atmosphere but not what I was expecting or wanting. The food was pretty good but not a good Mexican menu. You have to order chips & salsa-​salsa was not very good-​not spicy at all. Staff was very friendly but took a minute to get the server to continue checking on the table. Overall not bad but would not suggest this restaurant if your looking for good, authentic Mexican food.

Don’t you love that feeling when you’re starving, so you go onto Unilocal and find a restaurant with raving reviews, and you get all excited. But then, you get there and actually taste the food and experience the slow service, and come to the conclusion that all those people who wrote reviews have never had good mexican food before in their lives. You can’t really put the blame on them, can you? They’ve been deprived.
We ordered the carne asada tacos which were very disappointing. The waffle fries/​nachos were also disappointing. I must say, the blue corn tortilla enchiladas were not that bad. So if you do happen to give this place a try, I suggest you stick to the enchiladas. The good news, is the valley does have plenty of other great Mexican spots for those of you who have been deprived. So don’t give up hope, just yet.

Went here searching for the hottest and most delicious burger in AZ and I found it. The Habanero Cheeseburger paired with the Prickly Pear Margarita were absolutely perfect.

It was a first visit dinner to Carlsbad Tavern and they hit it out of the park.
Starting with their Tequila Shrimp appetizer served on an amazing black bean creation was love at first bite. The way they prepare Ribeye steak is phenomenal… melt in your mouth perfection. The crab stuffed poblano pepper was terrific. Even the spicy mashed potatoes were memorable.
Washed it all down with a couple of their very tasty signature five star Prickly Pear Margaritas.
Delicious.
An interesting and comfortable rustic ambiance complete with running «river» creates a unique spirit of New Mexico. Instantly on my top five Phoenix restaurants list.
I have to go back again. Can’t help it. It’s calling to me. Three thumbs up.
GO! I doubt you would be disappointed.

«A good spicy challenge strikes a balance between flavor and fear.”―Adam Richman
Carlsbad Tavern (CT) is a curious anomaly in the Unilocal world; they’re listed as «Mexican,» but they’re far from your average Mexican, or Tex-​Mex joint. They’re actually their own genre known as New Mexican Cuisine which relies heavily on the New Mexico’s State Vegetable: the Chile Pepper*. Being a Spice-​Crazed Pepper Head, CT is right up my alley as almost every dish here has some kind of fresh or dried Chile incorporated into it. CT was actually the very first place I ate when visiting AZ, and has become my go-​to spot whenever I’m in town. Now, let’s get to the food!
Habanero Cheeseburger– The 2009 Food Network Magazine «Burger of AZ» comes with the special caveat of «You order it, you own it” – because the spice level on this dish is pretty extreme. They mix in Habanero Chili Powder into the freshly-​ground beef and top it with some spicy Jalapeño Jack Cheese. It’s a good thing it comes with a side salad because you’ll need it to help cool down your mouth as the heat continues to build in your mouth. The burger itself is excellent with a pillowy soft bun, perfectly-​cooked beef and spicy goodness made this the best burger I’d had in a good while! Spice Level 8 out of 10!
Green Chile Mac & Cheese– One of my favorite dishes here at CT, as the creamy, melted cheese and seasoning of «Christmas» Chiles makes this another Chile Heads dream. The fresh Jalapeño flavor really stands out in this dish. Spice level 4 out of 10.
Prickly Pear Caramel Flan– Words can’t describe how amazingly good this Flan is! It’s so decadent that it melts in your mouth and coats your tongue in a tantalizing array of creamy, sweet and velvety softness that you’ll keep wanting more. They should call this dish «Desert Crack.» Spice Level 0
Service & Ambiance– As CT’s name suggests, the restaurant is a homage to the famous New Mexican Caves, and the décor throughout is representative. It’s kitschy, cheesy and gauche – but I love it! Bat posters, Chile Pepper light strings, metal Bats and an awesome waterfall are just a few of the things you’ll see at CT! It’s done in a fun, tongue-​in-​cheek kinda way and you can tell they don’t take themselves too seriously here which is to be admired. I highly recommend dining al fresco here, as the patio is much more inviting than the dark interior. The service here is always impeccable, and my last trip was no different. Our waitress (I wish I could remember her name) was amazing – kept my iced tea full, got our orders right and had a great attitude and sense of humor.
Value– Pretty standard AZ pricing of around $ 10 – 15 for an entrée, but the quality ingredients makes this a good value in my opinion.
CT is a must go for any Pepper Head and for anyone else looking for a delicious meal in a clean, comfortable and fun environment. Highly recommended for spicy goodness – and that Flan! *swoon*
*While a Chile Pepper is technically a fruit, culinarily speaking it is considered a vegetable.

This place has a great twist to Mexican food! They no longer have taco Tuesday — which is a really big down fall but I still come back to get their enchanted platter! The food is spicy and very unique. I’ve also tried the jalapeño marg and loved it– it has a great kick! The only reason I’m giving this place a four star is because they need to bring taco Tuesday back and have a better happy hour menu!

This place was highly recommended from a friend of mine. I thought it was okay.
The ambiance and menu looked much better than the food was.
The nachos were pretty plain. I was hoping for more heat and that great New Mexico chile flavor. The carne adovada plate was also a bit on the boring side. I have had carne adovada all over the place and this one didn’t stand out. When I think of New Mexican food I think green chiles, red chile, lots of spice and savoriness.
The patio was nice and the service met expectations for a busy place.
While it wasn’t bad I really don’t think I would come back as it is a bit far for me and was just okay. I also can’t say I would recommend it as for New Mexican food there are just better options around the valley.

Oh Carlsbad… I have mixed feelings. Service isn’t always amazing but they seem like real people which I enjoy. I love that they’re open late, and the food is always amaze balls and they give you a fairly large side portion. Drinks off menu are great and booze is a plenty in the cocktails. However my waiter was too busy to make my drink and then it didn’t come in the traditional glass, I’m a stickler for by the book drinks. Plus, I was overcharged nearly $ 3 for my food, that’s serious, a little bit here and there could be a lot. Although I’ll keep coming back. Patio is to die for, during the summer it’s great but wear bug spray because the water attracts mosquitoes.

The patio is the best this time of year. I love the happy hour specials. My favorite are the spicy crab cakes with a refreshing margarita. The weather is just perfect to sit outside for lunch and the waterfall is relaxing. Can’t wait for the 20^th anniversary on November 22. I heard drinks and food for a penny for lunch. You can guess where I will be!!! Great service. Great drinks. Good prices. Local owned, New Mexican cuisine. What more can you ask for?

Went here with some friends and was not impressed. This is definitely a place with a nice atmosphere and is probably better for drinks only. Had nacho appetizer and chips and salsa. Chicken was dry and nachos had no flavor. Salsa was not spicy and very watered down. Chips were good and hot however. The food itself was OVERPRICED and just okay. Won’t be back. It may be called Carlsbad tavern because its BAD. Also there is a rock for decoration inside the restaurant that says «beware». It should be on the outside warning people not to go in. Also their parking situation is crazy. I had to park down 2 blocks. Also I should mention it took 20 minutes for someone to come over to the table to take our drink order.
P.S.
If you wanted chicken wings, which my friend really did, you cannot get them any time. Its only for the late night menu. how hard is it to make chicken wings? Why only LATE night?

GREAT PLACE, ATMOSPHERE our neighborhood bar.
Happy hours, staff are where u wanna be

I loved it! It’s kind of an interesting place with a very relaxed and casual atmosphere, but I had an excellent experience with the food and service, and will definitely go back next time I visit Phoenix.
I ordered the green chili burrito with carne adovada and double beans instead of rice. The carne adovada was incredible! The flavor was rich and nicely spiced with a delightful smoked flavor and a touch of heat. I live in Arizona and love heat, so it might be too spicy for some, but I thought it was perfect. The sheer size of the burrito was more than I could eat and I barely touched my beans, but I finished all of the carne adovada. In addition to its flavor, the meat is incredibly tender and melts in your mouth. The tortilla was delicious as well. Tortillas are easy to come by, but it’s sometimes difficult to find a tortilla that holds up to the moisture of a burrito without being too stiff. These tortillas were incredible. It didn’t get soggy nor was it hard and chewy on the ends. I am thoroughly impressed with this dish and highly recommend.
For dessert I opted for something light because I was so full, but couldn’t pass up the dessert menu deliciousness. I chose the flan with prickly pear sauce. The flan was wonderful! Creamy and fruity sweet with a bit of tang. If you’ve never had prickly pear, you have to give it a try. The combination of the custard flan and fruity prickly pear is a tantalizing combination.
The service was fantastic too! Our server was new, so he and another server were both helping us. We never wanted for anything and the food was delivered incredibly fast and piping hot. The whole staff, at least who we encountered, was very friendly and helpful!
My son and I were even impressed with the chicken tenders and fries. The fries were crispy in the outside but nice and soft on the inside with a nice spices exterior, but not too spicy for kids (I have a very picky 4-​year old). The chicken tenders were large, crispy and lots of nicely cooked white meat, not too greasy.

I haven’t had New Mexican food in about three years! Mention a sopapilla in California and you will end up with a corn cake about a quarter of an inch thick on your plate (sope). So I was pumped to find Carlsbad Tavern!
I’m into campy stuff so the whole tavern cavern theme was appealing to me. It’s like dining in a cave. They have a great patio too but I don’t do 115 degree dining… no sir!
The food was pretty good and what I expected for Scottsdale. The hubs got a Enchantment Platter and I got the Calsbad Tacos. I enjoyed the hubs plate more than mine so I kept stealing his food. If you haven’t had New Mexican food and don’t know what to order get the Enchantment platter! It comes with a carne adovada burrito, chicken enchilada, a chili relleno, all smothered in red and green chili (Christmas style) with a sopapilla on the side. Ahh that hatch green chili burn! It is so different from all the other chiles. It cannot be described it just needs to be experienced. The sopapilla was a little dense and flat. I so wished it was soft pillow-​y, puffy, and cloud like but no… oh well.
My tacos were served on those bigger tortillas which is what I was raised on in NM. The filet mignon was kind of tough. The flavors were were good and I appreciated the gobs of cheese (NM style!) but was a little disappointed in the texture.
Overall, it was a decent meal in a fun environment.

After being on my bookmark list for possibly years, I finally tried this place a few weeks back… and it was good! The décor is a little hokey, what with it looking like a cave and being extremely dark, but it was cute. I went with my dad and we shared a green chili burger and a sampler plate (the enchantment platter) that had a chile relleno, enchilada, and a carne adovada burrito. The burger was so so… really nothing special and not a lot of heat there, but the enchantment platter… that thing was huge, delicious, and covered in gooey cheese. There wasn’t a bad item on it. Everything was spicy and flavorful, it makes me want another one as I type about it. There was more than enough food, so I had leftovers, which were equally delicious the next day. I’ll be back.
PS they have a great looking happy hour here, would love to go back and try that!

Oh my goodness this was delicious. I am such a huge fan. The margaritas were probably one of the best I’ve ever had (and frozen which makes them even better). I loved loved loved the Prickly Pear margarita. My food order was so large that it was nearly impossible to finish even with a little help from my friends. I got the Carne Adovada plate and man was it good. The spiciness level was perfect and just enough to clear the sinuses. The flavor was full and complex. The rice and beans were solid (this is usually my indicator of good Mexican cuisine) but not anything so delicious that I felt compelled to eat them all.
The decorations were really cool and I liked how the menu was like a newspaper. I loved the outdoor fountain and sitting next to it under an umbrella on a hot Arizona day was close to paradise for the hour and a half we were there.

I went to the Carlsbad Tavern on Thursday for Happy Hour. Their Happy Hour menu is pretty solid.
I loved the Habanero Sliders. They were quite spicy, but realllly tasty! I also tried the Chicken Quesadillas. These were pretty bland.
The $ 5 happy hour margaritas were STRONG. I almost «fell asleep» in the car on the way to the next restaurant, which we all know really means passed out. I can’t help it! I am a lightweight. One drink and I am two sheets to the wind!
The waitress was pretty on top of things, seeing my Unilocal app open and bringing me free chips and salsa without me having to say anything. Score!
I loved the outdoor patio, but I did get bitten by a mosquito while sitting there. Water features are really soothing, except when they’re inhabited/​infested!
I will definitely be back again. Next time, I am eating dinner here!