Coyote’s Mexican Cantina

Stars for a huge TV and fairly friendly staff. The food is good, but unless you’re famished, you’ll be a bit disappointed — we thought it was bland but you got a lot. The menu is pretty short and not as many Mexican choices as we expected. The back patio has potential, but they need to clean up the broken umbrella and bar area and put up some twinkle lights to really make it cool place to relax on a warm night. We were there fall 2010.

this place is closed and i have a gift card to it i bought their (rip off)
number out of service etc
so why is it on Unilocal

This place is terrible. Lured here for a business meeting and will never go back! How you can mess up a burrito THAT badly and for $ 8!!! Fail!

I’m so sad about this place… they’ve changed the menu, hardly any items on it anymore, mostly just bar food. It was actually pretty good before, now I’m just hoping another place comes in and makes use of that great patio along with some good food.

The food here is really lame. This is not a restaurant… not worth your time or money unless you’re looking for a bar and some fried apps.
Incredibly small menu, and everything lacked flavor: from chips and salsa, to beans, to the enchiladas, to my wife’s veggie burrito. I had to drown everything in Tapatio to survive.
Bar seemed ok, and beers were only $ 4. Just don’t go here for dinner.
I lived in LA for years and highly enjoy a 3 star mediocre mexican place (e.g. Coyote on Beverly in WeHo). This is a 1 – 2 star food experience.
Dig?

4 of 5 stars for Coyote Mexican Cantina. After reading some of the Unilocal reviews about Coyote, I decided to give it a try. I have to give credit for my follow Unilocalers; the were right on target with many of their comments.
Coyote has two big rooms, the main dining room (table cloths) and the full bar. There is one door and that is into the dining room. As dinner was a bit early tonight, we sat at tables in the bar (no table cloth). Service was prompt, warm and friendly; I felt more like being at a friend’s house fo dinner than a Cantina. Good chips (warmed) and good though not great salsa. As another Unilocaler commented, the Salsa is a bit too sweet and not nearly hot enough. We order the Chipotle Burrito (as recommended by a couple of Unilocalers) and I ordered the «Small Plate» of two Enchilada’s. The Burrito was $ 7.95 and is really a full meal in a wrapper; you gotta be really hungry to need more. My Small Plate was $ 12.95 and was much larger than I expected. So, for both the prices were fair for the meal received. The food was really good and I would enjoy eating it again in the future.
All in all, a very good experience. Why not 5 stars? Well, there was nothing really impressive or unique about Coyote to warrent a 5^th star. It is on par or slightly above par for a good Mexican restaurant. Yes, I’ll return in the future.

Surprisingly good experience! My bff and I were craving Mexican and ended up at Coyote’s a few nights ago. Not the nicest looking restaurant inside or out but it’s a cantina dammit… so who cares?
As always chips and salsa were served… which would have been good if it the salsa wasn’t so sweet… why do they do that? argh!
Bff and I ended up sharing the Sundried Tomato Chipotle Burrito and it was really good! The burrito was huge so splitting one was perfect. It tasted a lil smoky, a little tangy and very cheesy.
We also ordered a drink each and ended up paying a lil less than 15 bucks per person. including tip. For 15 bucks we left full, slightly buzzed and our Mexican-​food cravings totally satisfied… I’m a fan.

Wasn’t the 1^st choice and not even the 2^nd for lunch on Sunday. We chose Cantina because they were actually open for business unlike the other places.
First off, I was surprised they didn’t offer lunch specials or combo plates. I was really looking forward to a yummy Enchilada/​Chile Relleno combo but it just didn’t exist here. I also wasn’t expecting the high priced menu items.
I went with the Chicken Torta, hmmm well what can I say. Basically it consisted of bread, chicken, cheese and a generous amount of bell peppers and onions. My fault for not reading the menu description. I just assumed it would be your typical Torta with lettuce, tomato, guacamole and maybe some sour cream. I had to steal some of my friends fajita toppings (guac & sour cream) and add to my flavorless Torta. I was very disappointed.
I guess I should say «thanks for being open.» Truth is, I know I won’t be back anytime soon.

This place is nice. The owner is cool. The food is yummy. Great size for a party. Had a quick meal at the bar and watched a game on the telly.

— Bad Service (We had to ask for assistance for everything– and they didn’t necessarily fulfill the request)
— Bad Food (How the heck do you mess up a Chicken Quesadilla? Somehow they found a way– super greasy and oily and chewy chicken)
— They overcharged us on the bill. (Took forever to fix)
— Finally tried to leave but was told I had to wait until they got some server number (?) before they could ring me up.
Will not go back.

I’ve been here several times now, and each time my experience was the same. First impression of this place when you walk in is «nothing special.» They have not put a whole lot of effort into the ambiance.
If you are greeted by Eddie, you’ll quickly feel welcomed and special and think that ambiance isn’t everything. The chips and salsa are great. The chips are often warm and not too salty. They are crispy and fresh and I appreciate that.
If you sit at the bar and have to interface with the bartender (the one who is there most Fri and Sat nights), beware. He is rude, not friendly at all and at least in my experiences, has made me feel like I was inconveniencing him by being there. Stick to the seating and let Eddie deal with drinks.
The food takes quite some time to arrive unless it is really dead. They don’t seem to know how to handle crowds. Twice I have been in there with 6+ people and they seem very flustered by groups of more than 4. We had 9 people on Friday night and they brought us 2 little baskets of chips. gone in no time and they never came back to give us more. I had to take the empty baskets to the front and ask for more. And they never brought them.
Still, Eddie is attentive and pleasant. When I asked him for chips he quickly brought several more baskets and apologized. Lesson learned, ask Eddie for everything.
The best part, in my opinion is the food. My favorite «dish» is the Chipotle Burrito. If I were just judging on this dish, I would have given the Cantina 4+ stars. DELISH! Great portion size, very tasty.
The inability to handle larger groups is a significant downer for me. They have the space, especially when it is nice outside and they can use the big patio. I would never go there just to sit at the bar. With Clooney’s right down the street, why would you? Their bartenders kick ass.
I might order out from the Cantina in the future. One Chipolte burrito to go please.

Not bad. They didn’t have the tequila I thought they had (I am a big Corazon fan, which I guess they ran out of). But they have a special where you can order a tequila and add a beer for $ 3.00 (or $ 3.50, depending on the beer). Food wise, the guacamole left something to be desired. I was very disappointed in the steak fajitas — nicely grilled streak but it was like they literally drowned it in lime juice which way overpowered the flavor of everything.
So if I were to come back it would only be for drinks at the bar. I’ll pass on the food next time.

On the quiet end of Laurel Street, Coyote’s Cantina is definitely worth a stop. Chips and Salsa could use a little love (too crunchy and a little watery, respectively), but add in a margarita and all your cares are gone.
The highlight for me was the impeccable and friendly service matched by super-​flavorful food. I went with the Fajita Burrito ($ 7.50) and the boy ordered the large enchilada plate ($ 13.50). I really… really liked my burrito. The seasoning was great, a little spicy and just plain delicious. Chicken was tender and juicy; bell peppers and onions perfectly al dente. The bites I stole of the enchilada were a cheesy, saucy delight.
Service was fast and friendly as we watched the Phillies-​Rays game in the bar area. Had it been a tad warmer outside, it looks like they’ve also got a great patio.
Definitely one for the rotation!

Um, yeah… REALLY yummy.
I got the Chipotle Burrito and it was magnificent! The flavors were perfect, nice little combo of spicy, sweet, heat, cool; it was hard to describe to my husband too, but definitely delish!
My Hub had the Nachos (yum) and our friend had the grilled chicken special and it looked quite tasty. He wasn’t willing to share and he cleaned his plate so I’ll take that as a positive note. He also said his margarita was tasty: over ice, not blended!
We’ll be back!
The only weird part was the loop of 3 songs that was playing while we were there: Contant Craving, Tears in Heaven, and 2 Turn Tables and a Microphone. Hey, at least it was a variety! SILVERLINING!

I’m starting to think this is the type of place to grab some margaritas with a group of friends and watch a ball game. As a restaurant, Coyote falls short. Despite the cute patio and warm décor indoors, the food here is utterly disappointing.
I came here for lunch and ordered the two enchilada platter with rice and beans. I had one made with carnitas and the other with chicken. The dish came out relatively quickly and was nice and hot. As far as enchiladas goes, this was a decent Americanized version. Not especially outstanding on any points. The chicken meat was cubed up, somewhat spongy in texture and flavorless. The carnitas were better, but honestly, the food here tasted «scrubbed.» Scrubbed of flavor, seasonings and authenticity. I think if I ate off a taco truck, I’d have a better meal. The beans were beans, not much to say about that, but the Spanish rice had a peculiar after taste that I could not put my finger on — it seemed like it had absorbed the flavor of something else, kind of that refrigerator taste.
Tom ordered a fajita burrito and on the first bite, he considered sending it back. The chicken was all white meat, cubed up (same chicken as in my enchilada) — not a grill mark to be found on it — just bland, white cubes of chicken that were more steamed then grilled. The bell peppers and onions were barely cooked. When you think of fajitas, you think of sizzling meat, onions and peppers on a grill, browned, somewhat even caramelized. These onions and bell peppers were crunchy and raw.
We stopped the server and let her know this was not what we expected in a fajita burrito. She explained that the meat and veggies were in fact grilled. Despite our disappointed faces and protests, she offered no other solution other than to have them recook the burrito, which we declined.
The burrito was bland and unappetizing. To call it a «fajita’ burrito is truly false advertising. If it was grilled, it was on a flat grill not a charbroiler. The complimentary chips and salsa were some of the most unremarkable I’ve ever had. Roasted salsa, extremely watery (wear a bib for this one). Chips that lacked that fresh, delicate crunch and I am doubtful that they are fried in house.
The only thing that was good about our meal was the margarita. Thankfully a couple of sips of the margarita made the meal palatable.
I’d come back for drinks, but would skip the food.

The patio is awesome on cool summer nights; quiet, not too crowded (around 6:30pm on a Sunday), comfortable chairs, tables which are metal mesh… that let a spilled margarita right through to your lap.
Grrr.
My clumsiness aside… this place is pretty darn tasty. I was looking for a non-«scary» Mexican place that had a bit of a cal-​mex flavor and Coyote’s certainly delivered.
Original (spilled) margarita was great (what bit I had). I ordered my second margarita (pomegranate!) with salt and it came without, but guess that isn’t a big deal.
The butter and shrimp appetizer cost way too much for only five or so shrimp, but it was still good. Partner had a small plate of enchilada’s, carne asada which was VERY salty but still palatable. I had an grande burrito which was, hmm, fairly good but a bit bland; lacked spice, salt, and flavor. Regardless, amending the burrito with salsa helped out a lot.
A lot of complaining for 4 stars, because the rest of the experience was fine. Everything that went wrong was a «this was bad, BUT…» so Coyote’s still becomes my «go-​to» Mexican cantina for the area!
Highly recommending the back patio; don’t worry about reservations for an early 6:30pm dinner.

Tom is a nice guy, running a classy place on the not so crowded end of Laurel. The burrito was good, the tortilla was very fresh and the lime steak was a good choice, although I think I’ll try the chipotle thanks to Sarah’s suggestion. The chips and salsa were both fresh and the guacamole was good, not great, but good. You’ll spend a dollar more than at a Baja Fresh or Tere’s but the food is better. My favorite Mexican so far in San Carlos (even if it is run by a gabacho :)).
He has a full bar and the patio in back looks awesome, with heaters and a fire pit with comfy lounge chairs. Looks like the place to convene on Laurel for a few margaritas once the weather warms/​dries up a bit.

I have to say, this is the best Mexican restaurant in San Carlos! I’ve been there many occassions, and the staff, including the owner, Tom, are always very accomodating, friendly, and down to earth.
The chips and salsa are always fresh, and the garlic prawn appetizer is outstanding! Everything is yummy, actually.
Therefore, when you’re in the mood for a good sit down Mexican meal give this place a go. You can either enjoy their newly furnished inside eating area, or lounge outside in their patio. Heat lamps are out there for those more chilly days and evenings.
ENJOY!!!

The past two times I have come here it has been for lunch.
we sit outside, relax in the large patio area, and order some of the best Mexican food in San Carlos
I love the chicken salad and the taco salad.
One of my friends got a burrito and it was absolutely HUGE!!!
this place is really good and I’m sad other people did not have such a good experience
they have great salsa too:)

As the co-​worker and I were looking for Chinese food yesterday, we had noticed that the old space where Cinco De Mayo (
) used to be had been renovated. We walked on by, and sure enough CDM was no longer there. So our lunch today was an easy decision, we’d see what this new place was all about.
The place looks brand spanking new, save for the tile floor, front windows and door. New paint, art, and furniture round out the dark earthen tones. Black table cloths accented in yellow and fresh silver/​stem ware round out a much more upscale establishment.
As we perused the menu we realized, this was nowhere nearly as adventurous as most of the places we normally choose to go for Mexican. There’s a huge list of burritos, some seafood/​meat entrees, and luckily for me, soft tacos. My co-​worker went for the small enchilada plate of carnitas and chicken, while I opted for fish, nopales, and steak tacos. The fish and asada were decent but a bit under salted, however the quality of the meat were high. The nopales was tasty and had a good spicy kick from the sauce. My co-​worker however thought his enchiladas lacked any real flavor and the balance of cheese (high) to sauce (low) didn’t help. In fact, he thought the fresh chips and smoky salsa were the highlight of the meal.
Even though we were there late, there was a decent amount of traffic and the service was decent for a new place. The busboy gave us the whole pitcher of iced tea (with a strong hint of mint) which made me just as happy as continual refills.
I’d have to honestly say that this is more of a Cal-​Mex type place. It definitely caters to a more upscale (read no dives) kind of clientele that like their Mexican food fairly safe. This is a stark contrast from what CDM was before but I guess San Carlos was due for another Mexican sit down restaurant since CDM is a lot like a few of the other «been there forever» joints nearby. 3.5 stars.