Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad

4.4

20 Reviews

$31 to $50

Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 30, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 8 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for business meals
Charming
Good for groups

¡Bienvenido a Jalisco Cantina!

Inspired by the rich culture of Jalisco, Mexico—a region famous for its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and birthplace of the world’s finest tequilas—we bring this spirit to every dish and drink we serve.
Our scratch kitchen uses the freshest ingredients to craft flavorful, authentic dishes like birria tacos, carnitas, and made-to-order guacamole.

Pair your meal with our extensive selection of premium tequilas and handcrafted cocktails, carefully curated to reflect the essence of Jalisco. Join us at Jalisco Cantina for a dining experience that’s as vibrant and welcoming as the Mexican sun. ¡Salud!

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Mexican
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm
Phone number
(760) 841-8404
Website
https://thejaliscocantina.com/carlsbad
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
2961 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Neighborhood
Oceanside
Parking details
None
Additional
Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wine

Experiences

Taco Tuesdays
Multiple dates available
$8 Classic Margaritas $14 for 3 Taco's

GUACAMOLE$10.00
avocado, lime, salt, jalapeño, cilantro
CEVICHE*$20.00
cured mahi, lemon, lime, jicama, red onion, serrano, aji amarillo, cherry tomatoes, cilantro
GAUCHO PAPAS FRITAS$18.00
birria, fries, chihuahua cheese, pickled red onion, fresh jalapeño, lime crema, cilantro
TOSTADA DE ATÚN*$21.00
ahi tuna, corn tostada, avocado crema, mango, lime, red onion, marinated cucumber, tajin, tamari, sesame seeds

SOPAS & ENSALADAS

ESQUITES$18.00
roasted corn salad with roma crunch, cotija cheese, tortilla strips, tomato, jicama, red onion, chile-lime dressing, cilantro
- Chicken$6.00
- Carnitas$6.00
- Carne$6.00
- Blackened Shrimp$9.00
MERCADO$15.00
watermelon, red onion, cotija, spiced pepitas, cilantro lime vinaigrette, cilantro
CREMA POBLANO$13.50
corn & poblano chowder, potato, leek, tortilla strips, fresno sauce, cilantro oil
POZOLE$15.00
pork stew with hominy, cabbage, radish, lime, jalapeño, chile de arbol, tortilla strips, chilmole, cilantro

Tacos

PESCADO$21.00
masa-fried mahi, jicama-cabbage slaw, chipotle crema, cilantro
CARNITAS$20.00
crispy pork shoulder, pineapple-jicama pico, salsa taquera, cotija cheese, cilantro
AGUACATE$18.50
masa-fried avocado, red cabbage, jalapeno mayo, salsa mexicana, cotija cheese, fresno hot sauce, cilantro
POLLO ASADO$19.00
achiote-grilled chicken, salsa tinga, salsa mexicana, avocado crema, cotija cheese, cilantro
BIRRIA$20.50
adobo-braised beef, avocado salsa, shaved onion, salsa escabeche, cilantro
CARNE ASADA$22.00
grilled tri-tip, chihuahua cheese, roasted onion, chiles, salsa frita, cilantro
CAMARONES$23.00
blackened shrimp, guacamole, lime crema, fried red onion, cilantro

PLATOS FUERTES

BURRITO$19.00
black beans, achiote rice, lime crema, grilled onions, chihuahua cheese, salsa mexicana
- Chicken$7.00
- Carne Asada or Birria$8.00
- Blackened Shrimp$9.00
ENCHILADAS DE POLLO$27.00
achiote-grilled chicken, roasted poblano, chihuahua cheese, salsa guajillo, cotija cheese, cilantro, salsa mexicana, black beans, achiote rice
BIRRIA DE RES$28.00
adobo-braised beef, pickled red onion, yellow onion, cilantro, achiote rice, jalapeño jicama slaw, corn tortillas
CHILE RELLENO$25.00
achiote rice, salsa mexicana, and chihuahua cheese-stuffed chile with smashed black beans, salsa tinga, cotija, cilantro, avocado salsa
- Chicken$7.00
- Carne Asada or Birria$8.00
- Blackened Shrimp$9.00
ATÚN INCRUSTADO$40.00
pepita & tajin-crusted ahi, cilantro lime rice, grilled honey cayenne-glazed pineapple, avocado crema, fresno hot sauce, microgreen mercado salad

SIDES

ACHIOTE RICE$6.00
BLACK BEANS$7.00
ELOTES$8.00
corn on the cob, jalapeño mayo, cilantro, tajin
HAND-CUT FRIES$9.00
jalapeño mayo
- Achiote Seasoning$2.00

What 20 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.7Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Jalisco Cantina in Carlsbad impresses with its "amazing" food, including standout tacos and chips. The "excellent" service complements the "stunning" decor and "relaxing" atmosphere. While some found the speed of service inconsistent, the overall experience is highly recommended, especially for its Mexican cuisine that goes "several steps up" from the norm.

20 Reviews

T
Thomas
VIP
Portland
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great ambience, food and service. Definitely a place to return to.
Is this helpful?
B
Barry
VIP
San Diego
136 reviews
3.0
136 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Holiday shortage of adequate staffing. Guacamole was terribly thick and tasteless. It was cold and drafty where we sat. Clean bathrooms and OK ambiance. Liked the salsas. Parking in downtown Carlsbad is a nightmare. Not the best avocado tacos I’ve ever had. Bland. The chili relleno concoction was just OK. Will I go back? Not likely.
Is this helpful?
j
joey
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Overall it was ok. Server was nice but busy. Drinks were good - food was average - nothing special mesh was a little tough and dry and sucks lacked significant flavor.
Is this helpful?
R
Richard
VIP
Chicago
23 reviews
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on December 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first experience at Jalisco Cantina. We loved it. The flavors were amazing. The chips and salsa was very upscaled. We tried the Cadillac Margaritas and they were the best we ever tasted. My brother and I had Burritos and my husband had the Enchiladas. We ordered a couple of side of the refried black beans. Those were great. We split the Churro Cinnamon Donut. It was heavenly. We visit Carlsbad every year and December and we will definitely be back for some delicious Mexican food.
Is this helpful?
N
Nora
VIP
San Diego
63 reviews
5.0
63 reviews
Dined on December 4, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This place is a great add to Carlsbad. The food is always on point. It’s great atmosphere and great service. This evening the cocktails were a little behind.
Is this helpful?
L
Laura
Denver
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Host staff was accommodating and helpful when our reservation was for 3 but we had increased to 5 when we showed up. Our server Nick was great and the churro doughnut was amazing! Noise level was decent but my party likely added to the noise since we were friends we hadn’t seen in 20 years 😂 sorry for the noise but thanks for the wonderful service!
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D
Diane
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in Carlsbad. This one stands out and is doing it right. Food is amazing, definitely homemade/authentic. We’ve tried almost everything on the menu, the soups, salads, tacos, all were delicious! The staff are awesome…always attentive and friendly. It’s pricey, but worth it. The ambiance is inviting and lively. Highly recommended!!!
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C
Christine
VIP
Los Angeles
26 reviews
4.0
26 reviews
Dined on November 27, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Beautiful restaurant and super friendly staff. Took a long time to get the second beer. Wanted to eat with my tacos but it took forever. The taco Tuesday special is not that much of a deal but the $5 margaritas were! Will definitely go back
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T
Trent
New York City
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on November 5, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food and good service. We will go there again.
Is this helpful?
G
Greg
Phoenix
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great flavors, comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, fair prices, we will be back.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (760) 841-8404.

Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad is rated 4.4 stars by 20 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 30, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 8 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad

2961 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Additional information

Neighborhood
Oceanside
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Mexican
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wine

Website
https://thejaliscocantina.com/carlsbad
Phone number
(760) 841-8404

Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Taco Tuesdays

BOTANAS

GUACAMOLE$10.00

CEVICHE*$20.00

GAUCHO PAPAS FRITAS$18.00

TOSTADA DE ATÚN*$21.00

SOPAS & ENSALADAS

ESQUITES$18.00

MERCADO$15.00

CREMA POBLANO$13.50

POZOLE$15.00

Tacos

PESCADO$21.00

CARNITAS$20.00

AGUACATE$18.50

POLLO ASADO$19.00

BIRRIA$20.50

CARNE ASADA$22.00

CAMARONES$23.00

PLATOS FUERTES

BURRITO$19.00

ENCHILADAS DE POLLO$27.00

BIRRIA DE RES$28.00

CHILE RELLENO$25.00

ATÚN INCRUSTADO$40.00

SIDES

ACHIOTE RICE$6.00

BLACK BEANS$7.00

ELOTES$8.00

HAND-CUT FRIES$9.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad restaurant rated?

Is Jalisco Cantina - Carlsbad currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information