Finally! After trying about 10 different places looking for good, spicy Mexican style food near north Chandler, we found our new favorite place. Have come her during regular and late night dining hours and have not been disappointed yet. Great atmosphere, especially on the patio during cooler days because the waterfall and cavern like area around the patio makes you feel like you're really in a cavern. Staff was great at keeping the table well stocked with water, gave helpful recommendations for dinner, and is always friendly.
As for the food, the food is fantastic. At a gance, the menu seems a little pricy but you find out why when the food comes around. Have used the free chips and salsa check-in offer every time. The salsa isn't very spicy but is very flavorful. Doesn't look or taste pre-made and tastes great. The seasoned chips that come with it were good too. Just have to be careful not to fill up before the main pate comes your way because the dinner plates are huge! First time I came I had the Enchantment Platter and second time I got the Carne Adovada Burrito from their late night menu. will say this for the spice levels on the menu: they aren't messing around. Very accurate when it comes to heat intensity so if you like it hot this is a good place to go.
The Enchantment Platter has a little bit of everything: chilli relleno, chicken enchilada, carne adovada burrito with red and Hatch green chilli sauce, rice, black beans, and a sopapilla. I hope you didn't think I was joking about the size of these plates. FRIGGIN HUGE!!! You definitely get what you pay for in spades. Very good chilli relleno. Crispy with good filling. I can't stand eggy/soggy rellenos that most restaurants have so was very happy. Â The chicken enchilada was very flavorful with a good kick back from the chili sauce. chicken inside was moist with good seasoning. The carne adovada burrito was great. Again, good spice and seasoning for the beef and not dry at all. The red chilli on the burrito had a good flavor but wasn't too spicy. Not complaining though because the bee inside had enough kick for me without the sauce adding to it. Also, spiced black beans? Nom! Rice is what it is, not that I go out to eat for the sides. The Sopaipilla was nice and flaky. Good to help soak up the chili sauce. Waste not want not! Ended up taking half of this plate home for a very tasty lunch.
The late night Carne Avodada burrito is the same as the one that came on the Enchantment platter, just bigger since it's on it's own. Came with black beans and rice. Also had to try the Sopaipillas for desert. Again, very flaky and warm with a good dash of powdered sugar on them. Served with honey of course.
Have got to say, this is by far one of the best Mexican style restaurants I've been to to date. Will definitely be coming here when I need my spice fix! Great place to bring your friends for the atmosphere or if you wanna watch them burn up from the heat for a laugh! XD
Carlsbad's patio is my favorite part of the whole place! Their patio is huge and has water running through it which makes it so fun and refreshing feeling in the desert. The staff has always been friendly here, and seating inside isn't bad either but it is really dark in there/ I can't pass up sitting on a good patio. This is a great spot for me because we live across the street so we can walk there or ride our bikes. The salsas that come with the chips & salsa are much tastier than your typical salsa (I like the green one) so I recommend getting those to munch on while you wait for your entrees. The Tesuque chicken salad is the bomb, the snapper tacos are really good, and the blue corn enchiladas were pretty good too. I want to try the Habenero burger next and I definitely want to go to brunch here one day. Two complaints are that the drinks on happy hour weren't cheap they were til like $7 (originally $9) and I wish it opened before 11am for brunch because I am usually up and hungry well before 11am which in turn, forces us to go elsewhere.
Review Source:I've been going to Carlsbad Tavern for years now, and it's a great go-to for late night eats (though I tried their brunch for the first time today, and was kinda blown away - I will be back for that). Food is pretty consistent, service always good, and the decor is funny/cute.
As others have pointed out: if they say spicy on the menu, believe it.
The food here is delicious! The first time I went I had the Chile Rellanos but with french fries instead of rice and beans. Â I was really happy they accomadated my french fry substitution as it's a bit unusual. The Chile Rellanos where delicious, best I've ever had! I even had enough to take home. Â The last time I was there I had the Macaroni and Cheese Bites and Chips and Salsa. Â I love love love the green salsa, it's not a chili based salsa and I couldn't quite pin point what it was, but it's delicious! Â The Macaroni and Cheese Bites are little bits of snacking perfection, I loved them!
I can't wait to go again and try more things!
This place is pretty cool. The inside is pretty dark feeling. At night it can be somewhat difficult to navigate your way through or even read your menu. The best part is outside! Outside on the patio they have a pretty "stream/mote" whatever you want to call it, with the misters a great combo. The menus are on newspaper that looks like its out of a western which is cute.
My favorite dish is the chicken fried steak, it's delicious! As far as an appetizer the skewers are good with mean and veggies. My favorite, and most unhealthy, green chili mac and cheese. Yum!
I have been 3 times and each time service has been slow. That and the inside being dark are my only complaints.
Other than that this is a great place for happy hour or to grab some dinner with friends/family. One out of the three was a date and I wasn't impressed for a first date.
I'm sorely disappointed considering the many good reviews of this place. Plus the fact that it is open late and so conveniently located to where we live. My family and I decided to try it out for the first time on July 4th for a late, late lunch.
THE PLACE: I love that they have a water display as you come into the restaurant. If you decide to sit by the patio area, you also get to experience the relaxing sound of water. The inside, is pretty uniquely decorated and we sat by a wall made to appear like a bat cave.
THE SERVICE: Friendly reception and our server, was super hyper and eager to assist. For sure, we never ran out of beverage. He also addressed any questions we had about the menu, as it was our first time.
THE FOOD: Oiy Vey, let's start with the good. My daughter had a simple cheeseburger. It was okay, and the fries were deliciously crispy and not oily... sadly the good ends there for us. Â First, we had chips and salsa, which does not come free. The chips were nicely spiced, which would have been terrific, if they weren't stale. We can tell they were re-heated somehow as the basket it came in was warm. Â But there is no masking a stale chip. Â The red and green salsas in came with were pretty good though. Â My hubby had the new item on the menu, Pork Tomatillo Burrito. The burrito itself was okay, the bad part was the red rice. It was so obviously old. You can taste it especially after they had to reheat and top it with cheese. The rice on my Carne Adovada Plate was just as bad. Â My Carne Adovada, I had no complaints on the serving size considering price. But it just tasted off, like it has been sitting for awhile. I know it takes awhile to cook, but this just tasted old :(
Maybe it was an off day for the resto, but I'm afraid once is enough for me and don't currently plan on trying the place again.
Carlsbad is the quintessential late night date spot for south Scottsdale. The huge water feature adds a very romantic aspect to this tavern. The food is ok, but the kitchen is open til 130 which is a big plus in my book. Service is always friendly and good this would be an average restaurant if it weren't for the great service and cool ambiance!
Review Source:Driving down this part of Hayden and away from Old Town Scottsdale, you wouldn't expect to find the treasure that is Carlsbad Tavern.
Can't tell you how many times I've drove past it on my work runs, promising I'd give it a go. Well, that someday was two weeks ago (a Friday night) and . . . Well . . . Mind has been blown!
The atmosphere here is refreshing coupled with attentive service. Maybe this is the margarita talking, but really did feel like I stepped into a cavern. Gorgeous patio surrounded by water and fountains, which is why we opted to sit out there.
Great for larger groups; also the perfect ambience for a summer date night. Emphasis on night, since we all know how hot it gets here.
Free chips and salsa when you check-in on Yelp. Was it that spicy? Nah. But it didn't TASTE like someone scooped it out of a jar. The green / tomatillo sauce was especially tangy. Also, the chips had some sort of seasoning on them which was a nice touch.
That Cruzan Pineapple Margarita? No bueno; he tenido mejor sin una carga de Triple Sec.
Tip: When you look at the menu, it gives you warnings about the spice levels. Unlike many restaurants around the Valley that employ this practice, they aren't joking, so prepare to eat once, enjoy twice if you don't heed them. Whoa, sorry, that was wholly inappropriate! :)
Also, if you're looking for Green Chile, you won't be disappointed. The menu has an entire section devoted to just that.
I had the Green Chile Burrito with Machaca; the Dude tried the Enchantment Platter. Woweeee! My ears were ringing all night after this. The Machaca wasn't tough, which was nice. Los Dos Molinos? Watch out, you've got some competition.
The Enchantment Platter had one of the best Chile Rellenos I've had that wasn't homemade by someone's Nana. Read: Not eggy or soggy.
Massive portions, took the other half home. Â
Gave the Sopas a try after reading Ursula D.'s review. Wow!!!!
Is it a true New Mexico experience? Not sure. But Carlsbad Tavern certainly delivered in the spicy "melt your face off" department!
This place is fine--I can't say I have very strong feelings about it either way.
The cave ambiance is definitely unique but it's a bit strange. There were also a LOT of kids in the restaurant, so it's a good place to go with a family. Margaritas were weak and watered down. Food was okay, but not nearly as good as other New Mexican spots like Blue Adobe or Dick's Hideaway. I had the Green Chile burrito and it was good but not amazing.
Watered down New Mexican food, if that's your thing.
I had the chicken sandwich and it was amazing! Had jalapeño bacon and chipotle mayo, which gave it an extra kick, but was not overwhelming. Even the chips have seasoning on them to make the chips and salsa even more delicious! My husband and mother-in-law both had the platter which had the chile relleño, chicken enchilada, and pork burro. They both loved it! I got to try a bite of their sopapilla, and it was phenom! I can't wait to try more on the menu. Also, great service!
Review Source:Go to Carlsbad for quality food, late-night or earlier. The servers are friendly and they're ready with beer. Unfortunately we weren't cautioned of the size of our foursome's order.
All dishes are of large, if not massive, quantity. The nachos with chicken fed four of us, such that only I could finish my entree after a lot of face-stuffing of their good burger.
I drive past Carlsbad every night on my way to work, so after check their menu online I decided to stop on my way back from picking up my paycheck.
I decided to have the habañero cheeseburger cooked rare, it came with fries and a salad.
It was tasty but could have been cooked a little less, it arrived more on the medium than rare, it's all good though, it tasted good. It wasn't too spicy. It had chopped habañeros in it and was topped with jalapeño cheese, lettuce, onion, and tomato. I would've liked a little more heat to it though.
The fries were cooked well and I didn't try the salad as I was getting full off of the burger.
The service was excellent and friendly.
I will go again, next time I'll just make sure the burger is a little more rare ;)
Service was great, always there to fill up an empty glass and checked on us several times. Â The patio area has a nice ambiance even during the day. Â Awesome blue corn enchiladas! Margaritas were yummy :) Â The green salsa is amazing! I usually go for red, but this time the New Mexico flare caught my attention!
We used the check-in offer for the free chips and salsa without any issues. The servers were patient with us...we were so busy chatting away, that we took forever to finally order. Â I didn't notice any smell that other reviewers mentioned. I also felt that it was a nice change from the high end chains you usually find these days. Chill place with good food and decent pricing! Â My jalapeno margarita was only $4.50 - a special of the day!
Disappointing. Nothing is fresh. Do not go here if you are interested in eating good food. This is a place to go with 'bros and chicks" I guess. It's a sports bar in disguise.
I don't know why it has such high ratings. Rice-undercooked. Chips-store bought. Beans- worse than canned Trader Joes. The only saving grace was the jalapeno cucumber margarita-but even that was mediocre.
Being from New Mexico and missing the food something fierce...made me want to not like this place. Â
I have to tell you, it is not like the food back home. Â No matter how hard anyone tries...New Mexico is hard to replicate. Â
Thanks to Yelp, we got some free chips and salsa.  The red salsa is very chunky and can be difficult to scoop out of the little bowl with the chips...tasty and could use a bit more jalapeño in my opinion....sorry I love hot chile!  There is also a green/tomatillo salsa that is also very yummy! Â
I couldn't decide what to try..a green chile cheeseburger or one of their brunch offerings.  As I perused the menu, I noticed that it does have more of the northern New Mexico feel to it rather than the souther NM food I am used to. I opted for the brunch offering.  I can tell you it is very rare to find dishes served with black beans in southern NM, but theirs were tasty...a bit on the salty side.  They were served on the side of the Carlsbad Benedict...a very spicy and unique take on some Eggs Benedict. I opted for them to be served with carne adobada.  Very different from how it is back home, but very tender and spicy nonetheless.  Here, they prepare it as shredded beef marinated and saucy, where I am used to it being more of a steak that is in a drier rub type of seasoning.  Again, I really did enjoy this take on carne adobada.  The eggs were poached perfectly and I absolutely LOVED the jalapeño hollandaise sauce that finished off this dish. Â
I wasn't thrilled with the fried potatoes that were served on the side. Â They looked and tasted as if they had been sitting there for a while. Â Not fresh at all. Â
The kicker...in a good way...was the build your own Bloody Mary bar. Â For $3.75, I was given a very generous serving of vodka and made my way over to the little table. Â There was a wide range of offerings or "accoutrements" for your custom bloody mary! Â From pickled asparagus, seasoned and marinated jicama (MY FAVORITE), olives, pepperonccinis, pickles, a ton of hot sauces, tomato juice, clamato, V8, and even fresh horseradish! Â I'm sure there was more, but I couldn't fit anything else into my glass! Â I must say, I make a mean bloody mary! Â For the price, you can't go wrong!
I look forward to going back and trying their large menu! Â It is a cool place and I'm sure it gets packed during football season for the early opening for the early games...early! ;-)
The atmosphere on the patio is nice with the fountains but it isn't nice having dinner to the smell of chlorine. Â The food was ok and the server had no problem honoring the yelp complimentary chips and salsa. Â We each got the green chili chicken burrito. Â The food was laden with cheese and not for the cholesterol conscious. Â It was hard to taste much besides the cheese and the spice but, there was chicken in there too. Â If it weren't for the patio/water feature, I don't think this place would be in business.
Review Source:What a find. Â Loved it. Â Great atmosphere, good food, and good service. Will be back for sure. Â Only down side for me was the huge tv's on patio, which were turned on about 10 minutes before we left, for sports, I think. Kind of ruins the ambiance. Â But such a fun find. Â Thanks yelp.
Review Source:One of my favorite places in Scottsdale. Â Not only is the patio adorable with fountains, a moat and great lighting; but the food is great. Â I ve literally eaten nearly everything on the menu throughout the years. When the lobster burritos are on special: get them. Â The chicken salad is soooooo delicious if you want to go less mexican. Â Great bloody mary bar on Sundays and outstanding brunch menu.
Review Source:My girlfriend and I were here for the first time last night. Â We are both over 45 so we are pretty experienced diners, and not some young pups. We bought a condo just a few blocks away about 6 months ago, and have had a blast trying new restaurants in the Old Town area.
This place had a great atmosphere and we were very happy to be seated near the water fountains. Things went downhill from there. To be blunt, our waiter was just a flat out a jerk. When my girlfriend asked if there was anything on the menu that wasn't spicy, his response was rude and he acted like how dare she ask a question like that! Â He said that she might as well just have a cheeseburger. Â We were in a Mexican restaurant and my girlfriend was told she shouldn't have Mexican food!
We asked for chips and salsa (not free like in EVERY other Mexican restaurant BTW). When they were delivered the guy said something like "this sauce is hot, and this sauce is hotter". Â When the waiter came back, my girlfriend asked him if they had a cheese sauce for the chips that wasn't spicy and he acted all jerky again and said "no".
At that point we left and will not be back. We went a few blocks into Old Town and ate at Los Olivios and had a ball. Not as fancy, but "normal" Mexican food with lots of non-spicy options. Great waiter too!!!
I love this place. The patio is delightful and the food is spicy and delicious. My party of 4 shared some really good appetizers and then we ordered  chili rellenos, a crab stuffed chili dish and a variety plate with 3 different items. Everything was delicious!
The service is very good. We asked for some more of the red sauce and it was brought to us in a minute. Water glasses were refilled before they were empty.
They also make excellent burgers but do tend to overcook. If you want medium well, ask for medium rare. On another occasion we asked for medium well and got hockey pucks.
On your birthday you get a choice of a margarita or a flan. I got the flan and it was splendid. My companions ordered the key lime pie, bread pudding and a chocolate cake. Everything was yummy.
It's a nicely decorated restaurant with excellent food and good service. I'll be back.
This place exudes mediocrity. The food was interesting but did not quite make it over the hump. The southern fried chicken gravy was from some sort of premix I think, I recognized the taste from another foul experience at another restaurant, and it was that familiar bland and disgusting taste.
We all left plenty of food on our plates when we left.
The service was not pleasant but not unpleasant. The place was nice enough, but, it was as if the owner had gone on to better things and left this place to wither on the vine.
It was ok, but not good.
If this place was a car, it would be a used, tan, BMW 3 series with a small dent on the fender and a rip in the driver's seat.
There are far better places at this price in this town.
The management needs to be stirred up a bit here, I imagine. I cannot recommend this place. It really has nothing special to offer -- especially in that area of many. many better restaurants, like the one right across the street.
New Mexican food? Â Yes please! Â Incredible food with incredible prices and an absolutely beautiful restaurant (think Pirates of the Caribbean ride and Casa Bonita from South Park). Â I'm definitely coming back. Â Oh...come hungry...the portions are more than generous. Â
PS: try the chips and salsa. Â It's not your average Picante salsa. Â It was made with love, man.
DELICIOUS!!!! When we set out to have dinner last night we thought we knew what we wanted but this place blew our minds. Carlsbad Tavern has so much character, it's almost Disney-like. The patio has a waterfall and a cool outside atmosphere. Inside is very "bat cave" and I love it. I do wish there was a little more light in there (sometimes it was hard to see what I was eating) but I can move past all of that.
Everyone is extremely friendly and quick to seat you. We were able to get a very private booth which was nice on a busy Friday night.
Lets get to the food. AMAZING! The chips and salsas (thats right, two yummy salsas) are a must have. These things are to die for! My boyfriend had the Enchantment Platter and he said it was exactly that. I had the new Veggie Enchiladas and they were very good. I picked some of the spinach out cause it seemed like too much..... Â but maybe I'm just picky?? We had some hot and very fresh sopaipillas with honey for dessert. YUMMMM!!!
Our waiter delivered excellent service and was always checking on us.
I did hear some of the wait staff complaining about a tip someone left him last week. Not very professional. But I've been a server and I know how it is. Keep the complaints for after work.
Our experience was excellent and we found ourselves asking why we don't come here more often. Believe me.... we will!!!
Michael Martin Murphy might have said "it's a long way back to New Mexico", but in Phoenix, you can take a short ride down Hayden from Old Town Scottsdale to Carlsbad Tavern for a great taste of New Mexico.
this place is really cool. Â As you might be able to gather, the restaurant is "named after" the Carlsbad Caverns. Â (Did you know that a Cave is technically not the same thing as a Cavern but that a Cavern is a cave?) Â The ambiance/decor of the restaurant is a cavern theme. Â When you approach the building from the outside, it looks like you're approaching a "cavern". Â When you walk inside, the restaurant looks like a cavern! Â There is a moat with water outside that runs through the patio area.
I've been to CT for large lunches and smaller casual dinners. Â I love the patio outside for this! Â Oh, on the cooler spring evenings, that patio is addicting and intoxicating.
Now, for the food. Â I have ordered several things from that menu. Â I enjoy the Green Chile Stew. Â It was the first thing I ordered when I went there, and I'm one of those weirdo creatures of habit, I"ve probably ordered that 75% of the times I've been there. Â I've ordered the Caverns Chicken Salad and I think it was Lobster Enchilladas more than once. Â Their Sopas are very addictive. Â You've been warned.
what I like about their food is that every darn thing is so cheesy! Â They put a lot of cheese their food. Â If you're looking for HOT/Heat, they can certainly spice up your life. Â Their menu warns you about the spice level of certain food items. Â I would say heed it, but you won't listen to me, now will you. Â I tried that Habanero Burger and got half the pepper on the side... it was not that bad at all. Â hehe...
Give them a a try, you will like it.
This is a great place that always serves up delicious food and drinks. When the weather is nice, I love to sit on the patio for the all-afternoon happy hour. The New Mexican pot stickers are very excellent and well worth trying. The rest of the food is well-prepared and flavorful, although  few dishes appear to be unique.
This place used to have a great selection of port, but no longer. The beers on tap are okay, but the margaritas are truly great.
I love spicy foods but they are not kidding when they write CAUTION all over the menu next to the habanero burger. It is absolutely ridiculous. My boyfriend has a really high tolerance for spice and he could even eat the whole thing... but a day later he called me and said he wouldn't be ordering it again because digesting it was painful.... hahaha. I could only eat half of the habanero burger the first time I went so the second time, I just got a regular burger with bleu cheese. Was delicious though... can't wait to go back and try some other things on the menu.
Happy hour prices are great!
We were in the Scottsdale area for a conference and decided to stray away from the typical conference food when we happened upon Carlsbad Tavern.
Upon first entering, we appreciated the kitschy southwestern decor and were pretty impressed by the outdoor seating. I ordered the chicken-fried chicken, while my husband ordered the Enchantment platter. The mashed potatoes that came with my order were so, so, SO good and my husband raved about the carne adovado.
The reason for the three stars is the slo-o-o-o-o-w service.
I would highly recommend this restaurant for lunch or dinner. Â Great food with a New Mexican flavor. Â Great green chile, nice atmosphere, good patio and well stocked bar. The chicken wrap for lunch has great flavor, wish they offered this dish for dinner.
They don't advertise much and learning about the restaurant is sort of by word of mouth, but once I found it I keep coming back when visiting Scottsdale. Â Good value and pleasant experience.
Love this local restaurant/bar. The staff is always friendly and remember your favorites after you have been there a few times.  Anything with their green chili is amazing. The jalapeño mashed potatoes are delicious.  If you feel like something spicy try the habanera burger, it can set your mouth on fire.
The patio is great for both warm summer nights and chilly winter evenings. Â The place is dimly lit which adds to the bat cave ambiance.
Pretty good steak. Â I know it's a New Mexican place but it's dark and loud and the ol lady blurted out that filet on the menu before my eyes had a chance to adjust so I've never had anything else here after a few visits. Â No problem, the filet is good, the potatoes are good and the sauce is good. Â
The main negative is that this place can get kinda packed on the Friday and Saturday night so parking is a hassle even though they have their own parking lot.
Great service and very very good food. Explore. Â It won't hurt. They will tell you when you are getting hot. Â The flavor on the Osso Bucco is amazing. Â The chorizo stuffed pork chop is very good. Â The house salad with the kicked up ranch dressing is great. Â Sunday special buy one dinner the other is 1/2 off made it a bonus. Â Margaritas a little pricey but the house ones are good.
People around us had the fried chicken and they wolfed it. Â
Only down is that it is very dark and can get loud. Â Outside dining is great when it is cool or not raining. Â Use your flash lite app to be adventurous on the menu.
~3.5
I was wanting to take my bf out to Brat Haus, but after reading the reviews decided to let it season up a bit. looking for places near Old Town, I read about Carlsbad Tavern and since I have a new fondness to green chile, we decided to come here. We were greeted promptly at the door and asked if we wanted to seat in the bar or the dining room. The inside is pretty small from what I saw (compared to the patio area), and we decided to sit in the bar.
Used my Yelp check in for free chips & salsa, which were okay. I had a skinny margarita, as it was HH and it was very good and strong. We both had burritos, I had the green chile burrito with adovado, which was very good! I had the leftovers today which were just as delicious. The only reason this isn't a 4 is because the interior could use some attention, even though it's campy, there was visible dust and cobwebs.
Either way, I'll probably be back
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