Best Contemporary Mexican Restaurants in Carlsbad

Amazing food and service. Margaritas were mostly ice so next time ask for light ice

I don’t know why I’ve never reviewed South of Nick’s before, but this is hands-down one of my all-time favorite places! They never disappoint. If I’m anywhere near South of Nick’s—or even two hours away—I’ll make the trip without hesitation. Today, we were lucky to have Nadia as our server, and she was fantastic! Attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely amazing. As for the food—wow. I had the Chilean Seabass, and as always, it was perfection. My husband ordered the Steak Chimichanga, upgraded with a Lobster Enchilada and beans—absolutely fantastic! We also couldn’t resist starting with the Shrimp Taquitos alongside the incredible black beans, salsa trio, and fresh tortilla chips. To top it off, I ordered the Shrimp Cabo to go, because why not extend the deliciousness to later? Every single thing we had was bursting with flavor and perfectly executed. South of Nick’s consistently delivers a phenomenal dining experience, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you haven’t been yet, go—you’re in for a treat!

Beautiful restaurant and excellent food. I definitely recommend Javier's for a special evening.

Great place to watch the game on Sunday. Drinks, food and service were excellent. Short rib eggs Benedict was awesome and don’t forget about the passion fruit creme brûlée !

Taco Tuesday and happy hour deals were great. We sat in the lounge and had great service as well.