Cantina Carnitas Hitchin in North Hertfordshire

It used to be THE spot in Hitchin to grab some tacos and margaritas. Now it has a takeaway only feel with some techy kiosks. And we can't seem to find the tacos anymore... Whilst there, another couple came in, saw there was no tacos and left, so not sure if going this way was a wise financial decision either? Used to be the favourite restaurant in Hitchin, now to mourn for the loss. Hopefully it will return one day to its glory, and I can update this back to 5 stars.

Love this place. Food is great. Not really any individual tables anymore which is a real shame

No longer a restaurant, more like a takeaway - also pretty sure they have changed something in the burritos!? Shame…

Great food quality, the customer service is outstanding. Well done. Definitely I'll be back.

The waitress kadeeza was extremely polite and welcoming and greeted us with a big smile and gave us our food with manners and service was just overall great , food also came out very fast and tasted perfect.

Love this place, excellent food, great Margaritas and Tequila Sangria, most importantly it’s my toddlers’ favourite place to eat in town aka ‘the one with the yellow sign’. Had planned to visit recently for a birthday celebration but got a call from Matt to say they are on holiday that day and to expect a round of drinks on the house when we next visit, for the inconvenience - proper customer service and looking forward to our next visit!

Epic is an understatement!!! After first discovering Carnitas at TryFest a couple of years ago, then dining in the restaurant a number of times since, we were thrilled to have them join us on our wedding day. They served bottomless punchy frozen margaritas after dinner which really got the party started! Then stuffed our guests with hot, sticky, crispy tacos and nachos before bed. Matt’s passion and energy is totally infectious - from start to finish it’s been so fun to work with him. The quality on the day was unreal and we hugely appreciated their big party vibes 🥳

If you’re vegan or have allergies / food intolerances AVOID! Me and my friend told the staff we were vegan and we were told the sauces were vegan (not all are) and that they had vegan cheese (no they don’t). We were served dairy cheese in our burritos which we thankfully realised after eating only a few bites each. Thankfully neither of us had allergies as this could’ve turned out worse. Owner came out and confirmed they don’t have vegan cheese and why can’t his staff get this right. So it seems to be an ongoing problem. We didn’t have to pay and were given new food, which we really couldn’t enjoy after eating dairy. I have visited in the past and had similar issues but never served non vegan food. I will not be returning. It’s lawsuit waiting to happen.

Lovely wee spot in Hitchin. It has a back garden which was nice. Dog friendly, they forgot someones food order which took a while but made up for it with generously covering some drinks. Food was delicious. Staff were friendly and attentive for a group

High quality food, goood portions, lovely flavours. Plan to be a repeat customer! Very reasonable price too

Best frozen margaritas in the world

Service was terrible. Seemed like the staff were just a bunch of kids who didn't want to be there. Everything felt cheap and naff. Food was really fatty.

had a great time with trying there burritos at todd in the hole festival will definitely be coming in store

The margaritas have really been watered down and have way too much cane sugar in them recently. Leave with a belly ache every time I have been there since last year. Never had any issues until then and always loved their margaritas before. Really gone down hill. Food has become absolutely revolting. Such a shame. Please sort it out. I used to love this place.

First visit and definitely not the last. Tacos was great and burrito bowl was excellent.

Hands down, the best burrito I've ever had. Lovely staff and service and a very cosy and comfortable atmosphere.

Loved it. Small, intimate, cozy. Friendly waitrons and delicious food.

Very good food. It has a special board and is very good at the value for money 💰

More Tex Mex than Mexican, but jolly good nosh.

Managers are horrible in this place. Overheard managers being incredibly rude to their staff for nothing. Food is also poor quality and cold

My favourite spot in town. Fried chicken quesadillas, nachos and a jug of margarita. You can't beat it!

Amazing food! Great service awalys happy to serve. Extraordinary music to listen too. I was dancing away 😂

Travelled 40 minutes as heard great things. Arrived to a profoundly unwarm welcome from one of the most grumpy, disinterested staff members, only to be met with ‘by the way we don’t have tacos’ when we were seated. Poor show.

Lack of personal in the kitchen delayed our online order by 30 minutes, after a few years being regular customers, we found ourselves waiting too long for our order, we have always been very patient and understandable with busy times, but half an hour waiting is too much…something we are not used to…might think it twice next time…

Typically my first choice for meals out with friends in town. The food is excellent, the vibes are sublime and the margaritas are the finest I’ve had in the whole county. I’ve been a customer of the Cantina for a decade now, since their humble beginnings on the banks of the Hiz. The original and still the best!

Lovely food, great staff ... give it a whizz. Aaaarrrrrribbaaaa!

Absolutely delicious food, great for eating in or takeaway. Looking forward to the warmer weather so we can sit in the garden

Best Mexican food outside Mexico. You better believe that Matt and the team are top notch. Booyaa!

First Mexican Adventure! I’ve never really tried Mexican food other than a chilli at home, but on recommendation my husband and I decided to dine at the Cantina Carnitas for a date night treat. We could smell the delicious aromas before we even stepped inside. On entering, the restaurant was vibrant and welcoming and we were seated immediately. We ordered a jug of classic Margarita to share which was divine, with plenty of Tequila. I’m not great with spice, but our server was amazing and helped me choose the perfect dish. I had the chicken quesadillas with smoked garlic mayo and my husband had the steak burrito with a side of the dirty fries. The food came out really quick. I was so pleasantly surprised, the flavours were fresh, tasty with the perfect amount of heat. The staff are a massive credit to the restaurant, super attentive and making sure we had everything we needed. We don’t usually stay for dessert but after a couple more drinks and watching the other diners enjoy theirs, we opted for two plates of churros. These are to die for! We enjoyed this restaurant so much that we have rebooked for an upcoming family celebration.

First time at Cantina Carnitas and I will definitely be returning! Service was extremely good, friendly and helpful staff which is hard to find these days. Great selection of authentic Mexican food, fresh and full of flavour, I enjoyed every single element of the dish. Looking forward to trying other dishes on the menu next time.

The food was cold and bad the service was awful overall bad experience would not recommend to anyone

Very authentic Mexican food. Friendly staff. Vintage ambience. Overall, a lovely experience.

Eaten here a sufficient amount of times to warrant a review, probably one of the best Mexican restaurants in uk if not the world 😇, absolutely gem of tasty food with clever combinations and fabulous execution! Having read the other reviews though I would agree the service needs to be better and more friendly, website is out of date with new menu and phone calls barely get answered sometimes

I emailed in complaining and was never responded to. I booked online using their system, received an email confirmation and turned up on the day to see they were shut. No notes on the doors. Open on Google & timings on the doors. No answer to the phones. And then no answer to the complaint. Looking at their recent reviews they just don’t care until you leave a 0 star.

Came here for dinner a couple of weeks ago with my partner. Looked good initially; decorated nicely, nice music playing etc. However when we sat down and started to be spoken to I noticed that the lovely young waitress who served us seemed upset and unhappy whilst the other staff seemed fine. As a deputy manager of a restaurant myself, when i dine out I like to observe little details as such just out of curiosity. I did not catch her name but it appeared other staff members (particularly male) were seen to be joking with her which she did not like, though she was trying her best to be nice to me and my partner despite this. Personally if I knew this before I would not choose to dine in a place that exhibits this kind of behaviour right infront of the customer’s eyes. Food was alright but I will not be returning to this place unless this disgusting staff problem is sorted out.

Dissapointed. Had a reservation and was made to wait 15 minutes cramped near the counter.Staff didnt seem to ackowledge that we had to wait and weren't overally friendly.When we did eventually get our table, service was slow and a long wait for average food that came out cold.Neither waitresses came back to ask if everything was okay with the food and took no notice when we tried to get their attention.A member of our party was dairy intolerant and we asked the waitress what things are dairy free and she didnt know the answer and took a while to go and ask someone.Those are basic things someone working there should know.The resturant was also cold with no heating and looked filthy. The online ordering system is no easier! A complete waste of time and money this is not the first time we have had issues here.Will not be returning and suggest no one bothers wasting their time.

Just had another spot on meal from Cantina, incredible service and the food is as good as ever, perhaps even better. Still the best food in Hitchin!

Food and atmosphere great staff super helpful. Luckily, we were able to move seats as originally we were sat by the door, and it was very cold, and customers walking out and in did not close it properly. They need to to sort the door to ensure its closes It is an old building. That's said I loved it and definitely recommend and definitely go back or order takeaway. Great menu 🫶🏻

I have visited the place twice in the last few weeks as the food is very nice. the customer service not so much. Last time I ordered food and once done asked for the reciept, the lady on the counter said its alright, when the food is ready they will call us. When the food was ready my daughter went in to pay and out of courtesy she asked if it had been paid for. the same girl on the counter said no and my daughter was charged again. i went in to ask, the lady said her manager can only arrange refunds so he will be in touch. it has been 3 weeks. Matt hasnt contacted me. Twice I happened to be in area so walked in to ask for the refund, both times Matt hasnt been there and he hasnt made contact. Its not about the money, its not alot but its the respect for the customers which seems to bee non existant in the establishemnt. Disappointed to say the least. By the way the food is nice therefore this is not a criticism of the chef. 22/12/2023 Update: After the owners response below, I sent them an email. Silence since then. My issue is still not resolved and my money is still not refunded. 14/01/2024 Update: I have sent Matt several emails. But no response at all. 02/02/2024 update. Still nothing. It seems they have now blocked me from emailing them. I was just out here, so I thought I might send them another email but it looks like I can not. Nice one Mat.

I had some really tasty food here, but nearly froze because of the chill wind blowing through the establishment. So not a particularly comfortable experience in mid-January. Most people had their coats on. Service was pleasant, but the food was a little slow in coming, even with a partially empty restaurant. Also, I am not a Hitchin regular, but paid nearly £40 for lunch for two (no alcohol) which I thought was a little pricey... maybe it's the going rate? Portions are not huge either.

Lovely staff, cute environment, delicious food, well priced and dog friendly inside

2nd time we've been recently. Incredible food, brilliant service and lovely intimate atmosphere. Highly recommended. Can we please have one in Chelmsford!

As we approached the restaurant there was a sign on the door indicating to use a different door. Having not visited Hitchin before or this restaurant, we tried to find the right entrance. Two members of staff saw us through the kitchen window but didn't help us. My partner opened another door and there was no one there to greet us as we entered. Then a waitress walked up to us, not even looking at me and told my partner all the tables were reserved and they were fully booked. There was no 'bye, thanks anyway'.. For me, the service should be part of the experience when eating out and I left there thinking even if they had seated us, I wouldn't have wanted to spend money there. We would have left anyway.

This place was amazing!!! We booked a table and were running quite late but they made sure to accommodate us even though they were booked up and busy. The staff were lovely and warm. The food was exceptional and the special margaritas were also amazing. The interior is cute and quirky and has a homely feel. Nothing to fault. Will definitely be back! X

vibe was great, nice food, staff are really nice.

We really enjoyed our last visit to Cantina Carnitas. Good food, and they managed to fit us in with little notice. We also have a 10% off code for our next visit: CC2310

Nice food but ridiculously expensive compared to London. London is cheaper and you get more. Tried it once. Enough for me

After having previously reviewed this restaurant for takeaways positively, I am now disappointed that I have to leave a bad review. I have never ever left a restaurant without tipping in my life but last night I felt I had to. We regularly get cantina carnitas for dinner as a takeaway and yesterday we thought we would eat in for my boyfriend’s birthday as a special occasion. We were seated by front door and I asked if we could change this and was told “there are others coming” by the waitress. This meant that every time the door opened we were in the way and had people barging past us. I understand it’s a small restaurant so it was what it was. The waitresses were not friendly and when our food finally arrived after 40 mins of waiting (and a large table getting their food before us) the waitress pretty much dumped it on the table whilst facing away from us without saying anything. Our drinks were also finished and had been for 10 mins and when the food was bought there was no time for us to ask for more drinks as the waitress dumped it on the table and left. We finished our food and still no one came over, and instead of getting another drink we went home and made our own margheritas. The food was still good as always but it’s just a shame that we would have been better off getting it as a take away. Very very disappointed in the service provided and it ruined the whole experience.

Was lucky enough to hold my birthday here a few weeks back and these guys are absolute stars!! I booked out the entire garden space for the evening and it was perfect. We preordered food which was all spot on when served and delicious as ever & the margaritas are to die for. Even let us have our music! Thank you guys so much for making my birthday fab!🥰

UPDATE: since posting this review we were contacted by the manager and had a positive experience with them and resolved the issues described below. We appreciated the fast response and we will be returning to try this restaurant again in the future. I had an extremely disappointing experience at this restaurant. My party and I waited a staggering 50 minutes for our food, despite others who arrived after us being served before. The lack of any explanation or apology from the staff was simply unacceptable. When our food finally arrived, some of it was cold and they clearly had rushed and not put the hot sauces on our food we requested. The service was overall poor, and the food, at best, was average. I would not recommend dining here.

This restaurant was a major disappointment. We waited almost an hour for our food. Other tables seated after us got served first. After inquiring twice about the food we got served, and when it finally arrived, it was mediocre. The meat on my nachos was completely cold, the cheese was congealed, and there was no sauce - totally dry. It looked so sad and nothing like the pictures others have posted. My 5-year-old niece was with us, and nobody on the staff seemed to care that she was starving and getting antsy. It's like we were invisible – no one even said sorry for the long wait. The quality of the food doesn't justify the terrible service. I would not recommend dining here.

Great find this place, lovely Mexican street food, quirky lil restaurant a real gem Will definitely be revisiting

Favourite mexican restaurant I've found in hertfordshire. Quite busy so recommend booking

Don't bother, the kitchen is pure filth, food is cheap below standard.

Excellent, fast and friendly service. The food is as you'd expect. Plentiful and good value.

Nice staff, long wait for food. Food average

Delicious food and all the staff but 1 particular person were very friendly. The manager was very unfriendly, unwelcoming and unhelpful.

Fresh and lovely food. Really like this place.

10/10. I think this is the best Mexican I have ever had in the UK! Slight tex influence, but still very authenticly mexican from the tortillas to the hot sauces! Would 100% recommend and everything is very reasonably priced also.

Lovely food and atmosphere. Tacos ,quasedilla , burritos and bowl all were yummy

Horrible never getting here.again absolutely bollax

Always great food and great service. Lovely secret garden at the back. Highly recommended.

Awesome, each and every time! The best burritos, so fresh tasting!

Great mexican street food. Very tasty. Decent outdoor seating. CC2310

Staff so lovely, food amazing - great value for money. And super good with allergies too! Thanks guys.

It’s really bad service for delivery driver .. always long long wait …they don’t care about delivery driver..kitchen stuff very aggressive and rude behaviour

Visited Cantina Carnitas with a friend for a catch up on a Thursday evening. It's only a small venue (although it does have a lovely garden area out the back, weather permitting) so best to book via the app if you can. The food is simple, but full of flavour and decent portions and the cocktails are a particular highlight 😉. I went for the Beef Chipotle bowl with chilli BBQ sauce and we shared the vegetarian nachos, which was more than enough to fill us up. It's reasonably priced, good, wholesome food with a side serving of charm.

Absolutely love this place. Food is always amazing, and the frozen margaritas are the perfect drink on a hot summers day. The best restaurant in Hitchin, and personally it’s my favourite restaurant anywhere!

I've lived in Mexico. Corn and coriander run through my veins. This is the closest food I've ever tasted to the tacos and burritos of that beautiful country. Sublime every time, whether we eat in or take away. Keep up the amazing work Cantina!

Hadn’t been for a while but went to a 40th birthday in the garden mostly went for the party obviously but didn’t have time for dinner before we left. Ended up ask the staff if we could order something last minute and they were great about it and really accommodating. I ended up going for the fried chicken burrito with ghost pepper Mayo Wife had sweet potato topped nachos with the BBQ both spot on. Obviously there are other Mexican offerings in town now but none have the freshness of this spot everything just tastes fresh and not some assembly line basic.

It was our first visit at the Cantina this evening and oh boy let me tell you , it’s definitely not the last . We’ve had a mix from the menu of nachos , quesadillas, tacos , dirty fries , chicken pieces and absolutely everything was delicious!!! My daughter is a fussy eater but she absolutely loved the chicken pieces with smoky garlic mayo . I absolutely loved my frozen white peach margarita, yummy !! Thank you to all the lovely waitresses for looking after us. We will definitely be back!

Came across this place by chance and have not stopped raving about it since! Went back for a second visit after just over a week, drove all the way there and they were closed. We were so gutted that we went back a few days later and everything was just as epic as the first visit! Have tried both the chicken tinga and chorizo tacos now, both amazing, loaded fries are to die for and the selection of sauces is insane. Legit my new fave place and the best mexican food ive ever had in the U.K, and so gutted we live too far for delivery or we'd order weekly! Coming back this weekend with my bestie & can't wait. Such a lovely vibe too, good music in the garden, nice kinda secret feel to it as well. Staff are lovely and very helpful. Just pray it stays amazing no matter how big they get! Was very impressed that there is baby changing too as for a small venue i wasnt sure there would be so makes it even better to bring my 7 month old along too!

Horrible food , it's not Mexican for sure. Tasted like some Asian food. Bad 👎

The burrito was OK, the loaded fries were bad. Service was awkward I think everyone was new. Atmosphere was very awkward the whole place was empty but they set us on a small table inside next to the only taken table who were playing videos on their phone.

Mexican food so good you would think you are in Mexico . Margaritas to die for - a very cozy place and the vibe is just lovely . If you haven't been - then you must GO😍

Brilliant tasty food and frozen margaritas great service and attentive staff

Just great in every way. Keep doing what you're doing as you're getting it just right. CC2310

Very good table service was with a girl called Emilie she was amazing would come again

Had churros and fries, absolutely amazing! Our waiter was Emilie and had amazing service and was very polite and friendly. Food was amazing as I said and the music was a great vibe. Would definitely come back and recommend it if your in hitchin.

Greta food at a fair price with good service

Our favourite Mexican in Hitchin and beyond! Recommend the pork quesadilla ⭐️

The food was really good, it just took an hour to arrive. It was about 20 minutes for them to come take our order. We were a party of six and were warned that they were short staffed however there weren’t many other people eating in. The server then disagreed that we’d been waiting for an hour and didn’t apologise for the wait. Overhearing them complaining about us as we left was awkward too..

Super tasty food but sadly had a really disappointing experience today. We were told there was on a wait on taking orders as we sat down - fair enough. We waited around 25 mins to place our order and then another 40 mins for our food to come. We did chase at around 25 mins and were told it would be another 5. The food and sides didn’t even arrive together. An apology would have been nice - complementary Cokes even better! The experience made worse by walking past the staff talking about our table as we left.

Went in for lunch today - was super! Food was amazing, sun was shining and although short staffed - we were advised of this and made the decision to stay and it was the right one. Such a shame other customers at lunch time clearly have no empathy and were really quite rude - looks like everyone on that table left a review - how supportive of small business in a tough climate! We will definitely be back... Well done Cantina keep up the good work!

Food is always brilliant. I especially love their fried chicken. The staff are always friendly and accommodating and the service is always tip worthy. If you haven’t tried it I urge you to get a table booked. And definitely have yourself a margherita 😉

Having been regulars here and enjoying the exceptional food, we can’t recommend this restaurant anymore. The last 3 times we have been the wait time has been over an hour for our food. It’s sad because the food is excellent but the wait time for your food is ridiculous.

Easily the best burritos in town, and tasty drinks as well.

Been a regular at Cantina Carnitas for a while now. Cannot fault the service, everyone is so friendly and willing to help. Always get recognised by Sarah and she ensures we always have a great experience. Food is amazing and they cater to everyone no matter what dietary requirements they have or how much of a fussy eater they may be. Recommend Carnitas for anyone who is looking for amazing Mexican food in Hitchin.

Been here a few times and it's okay, bit of a wait on food and can be a bit plain but the staff are always friendly and the drinks are good

Mexican fare at reasonable prices.

Always delicious food, the atmosphere is amazing you have outdoor space as well. True Mexican food. It never disappoint as it's a small local little brigade and they do try everything to make feel good. Quick service, friendly staff, great price. The delivery system is amazing if you feel lazy to go in. Absolutely recommend this place!

An amazing Mexican cuisine. Really loved ut and they were so accommodating. A massive shout out to the staff members for going over and beyond to seat us last minute. I went with friends and we loved the food. It was more than delicious. It had such good portion sizing, filling and very authentic. I'm very glad we decided to go there and would recommend it eyes closed! Thank you and we look forward to coming back soon to try the other options.

Been many times and the food & service is always spot on

Great food and amazing drinks! Make sure you book as its a small space

Not for me waited for 50 mins for food Cutlery ??

The margaritas were great! The food and the hot sauces phenomenal! A must try

Small place so was very busy, but food and service were great.

Had dinner with friends here last weekend. Lovely food, service was a touch slow (but they were very busy) so that's fine, we weren't left hungry or anything it's just the only thing I can pick on! Would definitely return, loved the food, chorizo was very tasty, staff were friendly, sangria was great and a good amount of choice! Recommend visiting!

Just left this restaurant after our first visit… definitely won’t be our last! Really cute and quirky venue, very friendly and attentive staff. Quick service, and the food is absolutely de-lish!! Highly recommend the dirty fries and the beef quesadillas.

Great little place for a yummy bite. Food is super tasty, good service, friendly staff. Takeaway, eat in or delivery available. Will be returning here. It gets very busy so booking is advisable.