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Baja Cantina - Carmel, Carmel Valley, CA

Baja Cantina - Carmel

4.6
4.6
604 Reviews
$30 and under
Mexican / Southwestern

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 22 times today
  • Good for groups
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Lively
Baja Cantina is a fun and energetic place that is known for its exceptional automotive memorabilia collection and excellent food. We have a large outdoor patio that is perfect to sit and relax on a sunny afternoon with one of our award winning margaritas. We have special events all year round, including our famous classic car gatherings, holiday parties, tequila tastings, and sporting events. ****We only accept online reservations during off-peak times. If you can’t find a time you want online, please give us a call.***

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican / Southwestern, Contemporary Mexican
  • Hours of operation
    Weekend Brunch: 11:00am - 2:00pm; Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 4:00pm, Saturday - Sunday: 11:00am - 4:00pm; Dinner: Nightly: 4:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Phone number
    (831) 625-2252
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Mauro Cuevas
  • Catering
    We offer a full range of catering options from simple deliveries to buffets. Have one of our uniformed chefs come to your location and prepare our famous tacos and quesadillas on our custom built comal. We cater groups as small as 10 guests, or groups upward of 600 guests.
  • Neighborhood
    Carmel Valley
  • Cross street
    Valley Greens Drive
  • Parking details
    We have both a private lot and plenty of street parking as well.
  • Public transit
    Monterey-Salinas Transit stops at Valley Hills Center.
  • Entertainment
    Live music Thursday through Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons (during summer months). We have a classic car gathering every Thursday night (also during summer months). All the best NFL matchups are shown on our multiple big screen televisions.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 604 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Kid-friendly

  • California Central Coast

    Good for groups

  • California Central Coast

    Great for outdoor dining

  • California Central Coast

    Lively

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Kid-friendly

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Good for groups

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Baja Cantina in Carmel offers a vibrant atmosphere with a sunny patio that's perfect for enjoying their "always delicious" Mexican fare. Patrons rave about the "crazy yummy" pork dishes and the extensive margarita options. Despite occasional service hiccups, its inviting vibe and tasty enchiladas make it a local favorite.

604 Reviews
  1. Karen

    VIP

    San Francisco

    54 reviews

    5.0

    54 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very fun am ambiance, especially tastefully decorated for the holidays. Delicious margaritas and yummy huevos rancheros. Can’t wait to go back!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Wendy

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We really enjoy quality of food and pleasant wait staff! Thank you!☺️

    Is this helpful?

  3. Teri

    Central Coast

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Baja Cantina is the best Mexican restaurant in the area! If the weather is fine, we love sitting outside in the fresh air. We usually order a Cadillac margaritas, so good! The chips are real—-not the strange cardboard ones that many other restaurants serve. A nice spice mix on them and super crunch make them irresistible! The salsa is spicy and not too hot. All the food we’ve tried has been delicious! We’ve always found the wait staff to be friendly and they do hustle your food out quickly. I’d recommend getting a reservation, especially on Saturday afternoon, where the large patio can be packed!

    Is this helpful?

  4. josephine

    VIP

    Central Coast

    28 reviews

    4.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was not as hot as it should have been. Flavor was good.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Karen

    Central Coast

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always enjoy going to Baja. Good place to go alone or with friends or family!!

    Is this helpful?

  6. kimberlyf

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was delicious and the restaurant was very clean. The staff was friendly and my husband loved the race car memorabilia.

    Is this helpful?

  7. John

    VIP

    San Francisco

    112 reviews

    4.0

    112 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Server is great, very easy to understand and with a smile!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Deanna

    Portland

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was delicious. My toothpick that I ordered for my entree was served cold so I took it home for my lunch tomorrow. (We were with company so I didn’t want to say anything.)

    Is this helpful?

  9. Gustavo

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a a waiter that was very attentive to our needs. As for the food it was fair even though it lacked flavor (spices) due to the style of cooking, I can’t complain much.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Laurie

    VIP

    Tucson

    131 reviews

    5.0

    131 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous food, service and love their outside patio❣️

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Baja Cantina - Carmel is rated 4.6 stars by 604 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 22 times today
Google Map for Baja Cantina - Carmel

7166 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel Valley, CA 93923

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Valley Greens Drive
  • Neighborhood
    Carmel Valley
  • Hours of operation
    Weekend Brunch: 11:00am - 2:00pm; Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 4:00pm, Saturday - Sunday: 11:00am - 4:00pm; Dinner: Nightly: 4:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mexican / Southwestern, Contemporary Mexican
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    We have both a private lot and plenty of street parking as well.
  • Public transit
    Monterey-Salinas Transit stops at Valley Hills Center.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Mauro Cuevas
  • Entertainment
    Live music Thursday through Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons (during summer months). We have a classic car gathering every Thursday night (also during summer months). All the best NFL matchups are shown on our multiple big screen televisions.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (831) 625-2252
  • Catering
    We offer a full range of catering options from simple deliveries to buffets. Have one of our uniformed chefs come to your location and prepare our famous tacos and quesadillas on our custom built comal. We cater groups as small as 10 guests, or groups upward of 600 guests.
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