The Mexican zest can be experienced at Carlitos', a nice Mexican restaurant located on the main restaurants strip of Antelias. Everyone from the Metn region and beyond comes to Carlitos to enjoy good Mexican food in a nice Latino atmosphere. Set in an old Lebanese house, Carilitos' has a lot of character. You walk into a dimmed lit place, where you can enjoy a hefty dinner or just grab a drink at the bar, while listening to some Latino music played all night long.
I like Carlitos. I like it a lot. We normally all go down to Jounieh for some good Mexican food found at Habana, until this Carlitos' opened its doors. We have a bigger choice now to enjoy.
The place:
- High ceiling with walls covered in brown clay
- Drawings and advertisement on the walls add a special touch to the rooms
- A long bar to your right and square tables to your left after the entrance
- Wooden dining tables and other high ones with their stools
- A DJ set in the middle of the pace, playing Latino music all night long
- Entradas
- Fajitas
- Ensaladas
- Enchiladas
- Platos Principales
- Postres
- Bajas Calorias (Platos Principales, Ensaladas)
I always order the same:
- Nachos Suprema (Tortilla chips covered with cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and Pico de Gallo. Spiced with chilli's and Jalapeños)
- Antojitos (Mixed appetizers: Potachos, Alas de Pollo, Nachos Suprema, Taquitos and Quesadillas)
- Fajitas (Beef, Chicken, Shrimps)
- Enchiladas de Pollo (Three soft tortillas filled with chicken, cheese and topped with the homemade Carlito's enchilada sauce. Served with guacamole, sour cream, beans and pablano rice)
Every visit to Carlitos' is predictable - you know what to expect. The food is consistent in taste each time. Fresh ingredients, tender meat, crunchy nachos, soft quesadillas all adequately seasoned. As for their Margarita fruity drinks, they are really extraordinary. (The margarita is a Mexican cocktail consisting of tequila mixed with Cointreau or similar orange-flavored liqueur and lime or lemon juice, often served with salt on the glass rim. It is the most common tequila-based cocktail. The drink is served blended with ice)
The pluses:
- Enjoy a diet meal at a Mexican restaurant for the first time in Lebanon
- They serve very tasty Margaritas
The minuses:
- I remind you guys that smoking is prohibited indoors in Lebanon. Please respect the law. I was shocked to see people smoke freely inside this badly ventilated space. Please reconsider this for your own sake.
- The lighting is too dimmed. Just make it 10% brighter, it will be better
Once the youngest son of a Mexican soldier, ‘Carlitos’ travelled with his father from town to town. Carlitos lived the life of a soldier while further improving his cooking skills by spending time with the army chef. In his early twenties, Carlitos was all set for fame. He had made quite a few lasting friendships and decided to embark on a new journey; his quest was now to find the one place where he could bring all his friends together, serving them the finest dishes and cocktails. And so was born the first Cantina in ‘Carlitos’ hometown. His dream had come true. But that wasn’t all; Carlitos had a thing for good drinks and fun so he grew into cocktails and unusual blends before mastering those as well. Needless to say, Carlitos managed to steal the hearts of all Mexican ladies he’d met and kept them coming back for more of his cheerful character and delicious cooking. Today, Carlitos has settled down in Lebanon, bringing his exotic dishes and special beer to this amazing little country, where it feels like home. He’s now here to capture your hearts.
