Carlos O’Kelly’s

Am so sad that Carlos O’Kelleys is now permanently closed. was our best Mexican restaurant around and had good margaritas. I am going to miss it.

Seriously. The WORST place I have eaten at in a while. The place looks dirty and old as hell as soon as you walk in. (no wonder its being bought and renovated into an italian resturant) My husband and I ignored it and walked it trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. I ordered their «famous» mug o ritas. Seriously there was absolutely no alcohol in there at all which I was pissed about… especially because it was St. Patricks day! So. Then I decided to order their larger margarita which they called their «huge ultimate margarita»…again, WHAT ALCOHOL?! It tastes like lemon and lime… it was absolutely disgusting. So, then comes the chips and salsa… The chips were tostito chips and the cheese was kraft cheese, I expected a hell of a lot more. I ordered the taco salad which I mean seriously, how do u mess up? Welp… they did! My husband ordered the Spinach and mushroom enchiladas which tasted like a bunch of canned mushrooms and spinach with canned alfredo sauce and kraft cheese dumped on it– which infact they describe as a garlic crème sauce— BTW you can tell this shit is already premade and warmed up as each person orders it. I will NEVER go here again… Infact it was so bad I dont even think i will try it when it becomes to italian resurant. IF I could get it no stars, I would.
Beware.

I’ve been going here for years and overall it is not bad –after all it is a chain restaurant. I have never had a bad meal and the staff had been friendly and the service good. I suspect that since the company has decided to close they have let staff go and the attitude of the remaining staff has been less that cordial, after all they are losing their jobs. All in all, I’m sorry they are closing. From what I have been told, Piero’s of Frankllin Farms is moving in. I ate there for the first time and enjoyed the meal — it was more than I expected for a small shopping center restaurant. To the folks at Carlos O’Kely’s, thanks and good luck.

Carlos O’Kelly’s is closing March 26. They were bought out and their lease is expiring. It is going to be leased by an italian restaurant that has a location in Herndon.
There apparently are other Carlos O’Kelly’s in Stafford and Fredericksburg.
We will miss the margaritas, deep fried flour flautas and the Prarie Fire steak!

Carlo’s O Kelly’s is having a serious identity crises at this point and they don’t really seem to understand what type of restaurant they really are anymore. They now have something called «Papa’s O Kellys» which is mashed patatos with cheese, and bacon on them that bring us back to the «Irish roots» what the heck? Strange culinary past histories aside Carlos or the COK as we like to call it is pretty decent food at average prices.
What is better then decent, I’ll tell you is the Salsa and chips. I will seriously drink that salsa the sweet yet spicy fine, smooth tomato base with just a hint of hot kick, all day every day. The waiters and waitresses honestly can’t keep up with my demands for more salsa. You woud think they would give it to you in different bowls. The day this place stops the salsa is the day I stop going.
the rest of the food is hit or miss. Most of it is prepared before hand, making it impossible to make any substitution with your order, and is often dried out, or soggy despite being a million degrees hot. You do get a lot of food for what you pay though, which is sort of nice.
The servers are decently attentive, you can tell that a lot of them it is their first time serving, at one time, I swear half my school graduating class worked here.
Beer and Booze prices are decently priced and taste good enough to get what ever is on special that day.
No longer as much of a fan as I used to be, I used to want to go here all the time, now, if there isn’t anything else open, or I just want some chips and salsa this is where I will go.

Truly horrifying place. This place is known for their super cheap and monstrously huge portions, but when the meat has a strange odor of dog food, the lettuce is dried and shriveled, and soup is over-​microwaved and over-​cooked, you have to say no thanks. The enchilada combo is edible after the first few bites, but after a while, the sauce, cheese, and meat just blends together into a really putrefying mess and becomes a struggle just to finish. You can tell that they prepare most of their meal via microwave because the food they have, despite being piping hot, is either dried out, soggy, stale, or with a very unpleasant smell. It really reminds of me bad quality frozen food or some taco bell.
EDIT
I just found out that this place is closing and I’m surprised there weren’t celebrations on the streets. I think Fairfax’s real estate value just went up

Bar tender ignored us. We were the only ones at the bar, he just sat there talking to his friend. The food was good but a little pricey

Holy diarrhea Batman, It’s too bad Unilocal doesn’t have a Zero star option…
We came to Carlos O’Kellys on a Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t very busy and we were told that they were short staffed, so we had to wait 5 min to be sat (no biggie). We had a party of 6 and were put in the main dining room. They were repairing an outside door and the room got FREEZING — noses running, shivering, etc. and there was no heat on in the restaurant. We asked to be moved, but the manager wouldn’t because there were not enough servers.
After 45 min of waiting for our food, 2 people from our party left because they couldn’t take the cold. When the food did come, an hour after ordering, it was GROSS. None of us finished the food and when we complained to the manager, she said «well, you should have just sat in the bar». No «sorry», no «I apologize»… nothing. The manager was SO RUDE, it was almost as disgusting as the food.
The only good part of the meal was our server, Michael, he was super friendly and was certainly giving 110% to keep his customers happy. It’s a shame he had 5 tables at once, he was running back and forth trying to keep up.
Time for the post game report… the only 2 people from our table who didn’t get terribly sick to their stomachs this afternoon were the two who left. We’ll never go back to this place again. I don’t think our stomachs could handle the beating we all got today.

Its alright. There seem to be two categories: 1) eat in and 2) to-​go. If you get your food to eat there it may be good or it may not, if you get it to-​go it will not be. Food ordered to-​go there is often much worse then anything I ever get while I eat there. When I order to-​go, the food is often never cut, smooshed together, cold and old. When I get it for eat-​in its almost always wonderful: presented well, colorful, fresh and hot. I understand that when I get take out from here I am getting just that: take out, however the quality is lacking in every aspect when food is taken from here compared to when eating in.
The overall food when ordered to be enjoyed at O’Kellys is at best a 4 of 5, however, a 3.5 would be more regular. Its not worth stoping in for but if you live across the street it is worth the walk.
The bar is good, fair prices, thick drinks and good people. That alone may raise it a star.

I’m a big fan of CoK’s chips and salsa. I have a bottomless stomach when it comes to them and thankfully, they oblige. I’ve been eating there for nearly 10 years and I’ve never been disappointed in the food. I order a dish that’s only on the dinner menu, but they have no problem serving it at lunch too. The restaurant’s been under the same management all the time too, and while the service is sometimes slow, especially during the day, I don’t care. The food’s too good to pass up.
While I’ve never been there for happy hour, I hear they have a good one. Regardless, stop in. You’ll have a relaxing time enjoying good food. If you’ve got kids, it’s the perfect location for them; just enough cheesy decorations and mexican music to keep them occupied and confused long enough to eat and not realize it!

I seriously think Taco Bell has better food and if forced to choose between the two, I’d definitely hit the Taco Bell.
I distinctly remember getting some sort of Navajo dip here and a friend of mine who has no standards and can and will eat ANYTHING gave up after two bites.
Also, it’s kind of grody.

Carlos O’Kelly’s is a great quick go to for inexpensive American-​y Mexican food. The obsession with «authentic» Mexican seems to be on the rise and if you’re in that group of diners you should probably keep looking for that perfect place. But for a consistent, local, friendly place for a quick bite Carlos has been a long time favorite.
My husband has been visiting this location since he was in high school and they’re serving exactly the same tacos they always have. Consistency is king with the food. Nothing on this menu is going to blow you away. It’s all pretty standard fare, good but not fantastic. But there are dollar taco nights in the bar, there is karaōke (painful and awesome dinner accompaniment), and I personally have never had an issue with inattentive or slow service. Every once in awhile you get someone who is obviously a new server, (Everyone has to learn at some point, guys!), but a little bit of understanding goes a long way.
The dining room is smoke free, the bar is not. There are a couple TVs in the bar and it gets pretty loud and college-​kid packed (especially on those dollar taco nights). If that’s not your thing, just don’t sit in the bar.
Their chips and salsa are also great. We get an order to go every time we visit.

I’d prefer to get my order to go. the atmosphere really doesn’t help the restaurant, but the food is pretty good!
I usually order the cheese and onion enchiladas, and they come with sides of refried beans and rice. Delicious, not very healthy, but delicious. The queso and chips are also amazing. When I want mexican, this is where I get it.

Carlos O’Kelly’s is a cheerful identity crisis that is roundedly unapologetic about its personality disorder. Is it a sports bar? An Irish pub? A family Mexican (ok, Tex-​Mex) joint? No one seems to know but then again, no one seems to care much either. It seems like everyone is having a good time, whether it be small families or some friends chillaxing after a hockey game (that’d be my party).
The food is a generic mix of tex-​mex and bar food (e.g., burgers). Nothing’s really bad but nothing is really great either, if that makes sense. There are diet-​friendly options, which are a welcome relief to some when half the dishes are heaped with sour cream and cheese. The servers are friendly and the margaritas weak. I half expect to hear an argument over who’s got on more pieces of flair — such is the atmosphere at Carlos O’Kelly’s.

I get the chimichangas here and they are great. I have been to this place many times and have never had a bad meal. I have also had a burrito and the tacos and both of them have been fantastic. The chips and salsa are tasty as well.
The staff is mostly college kids so it’s not always on par. It can get really busy on a Friday or Saturday night and the service can sometimes be on the slow side. But the portion size and quality of the food makes up for it. I have never left there hungry. They used to have a meal deal where you received soup, entrée and dessert for one set price. Not sure if they still do that or not…

So the bf and I went to Carlos O’Kelly’s on a Tuesday night I believe– quite a fun time, but towards the end of our dinner, karaōke night started in the room over and it got very very loud and strange. I’m pretty sure the emcee was talking about taking guys into the bathroom with him– it was weird to eat sopaipillas to that. I didn’t particularly mind it, but some of the families around us looked very uncomfortable with the topics being shouted out over the microphone and left pretty quickly.
Anyways, the food was actually quite good. I’ve gone here more than once and have never had a problem with it. It’s nothing particularly exceptional, but decent Mexican food. I like the fact that they actually have a menu section with some healthier options, including nutritional facts like calorie content, fat grams, etc. It makes it easier for someone who loves going out to eat, but is trying to keep an eye on their intake.
Service was fine. Chips are good. Overall a good experience, just nothing to really make me feel like giving this place more than three stars.

It’s the bartender, the server and the environment that makes the place an experience. The food is authentic Mexican cuisine but not as delicious as top grade Sushi but it can satisfy.
The drinks, weekly events and specials keep me coming back. It doesn’t appear to be a place of pure excitement and entertainment but on Karaōke Thursdays, the place becomes packed. Monday nights can be intense if you want to play Texas Hold em. It’s free to enter and if you win, you get a gift certificate.
It’s not the kind of place I would regularly go but it’s the people and the atmosphere that keeps me coming back. It’s definetly a local hot spot. My suggestion would be to make sure Steve is bartending, then you will definetly have a good time. Be sure to talk to the regular Carl at the bar.
I suggest checking out more reviews on Google maps.

This place varies from visit to visit, and especially month to month.
For hanging out with friends, this place is great. But during the summer last year they stopped giving free chips after 8, which was extremely annoying for those who just come to hang out and drink. But THEN, after about a month or two, the free chips came back.
50 cent taco night was also great– the tacos are definitely not worth more than 50 cents. But recently they raised the taco night price to a dollar per taco. Which, in my opinion, the 50 cent taco night was the only thing that saved this restaurant.
There are never any beer specials going on when we go, which is annoying for my friends who are drinkers. Recently they got a juke box which I’m sure they figured would spice things up– but they have it turned on SO loud that we cannot hear each other talk. Its really turned into a miserable experience.
The only thing that saves this place are the few waiters who are really good. They know that I all I want is a water, so they bring it over to me as soon as I sit down. They also know we are big chip eaters, so they bring us an abundance of chips and salsa. The waiters are extremely cool, and don’t mind us using their venue as a place to hang out and drink and not order anything. But occasionally they hire someone new to take care of our table and its a big disaster and I don’t get a refill the entire night.
They have outdoor seating which is awesome– especially to get away from the jukebox.
I’m not sure what is happening to this place, but if the waiters weren’t as good as they are to my friends and I, I would definitely not come here.

Its really more like 3. 5 stars
So i have heard some negative things about Carlos O’Kelly’s but i decided i wanted to give it a shot. I was craving Mexican and I wanted something new! PLus the school i teach at often does fundraisers here and so i wanted to check it out.
Well i was actually impressed! I had zero expectations and was met with a positive experience. OUr waiter was very friendly but i’m not quite sure he was aware that he was suposed to be taking our order and not becoming our new best friend. He asked four times if my friend wanted water with his margarita and had to ask me twice what i ordered!
My maragarita (frozen orange and Mango) was so good! It was probably the best margarita i’ve had at a chain restaurant (meaning not made with real fruit juice). We got queso which i loved, probably because it tasted like they used melted velveeta cheese. So if you dont like velveeta, i would not reccommend it.
One thing that really impressed me was the menu. I really like places that have a «lighter side» part of their menu. Most places however thing of a salad with chicken, cheese, sour cream and ranch dressing as light and when they include the nutritional information (like 1000 calories, 15 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber) it actually makes you want to vomit thinking thats the «light» side. Well at CO’K (as i’m now calling it) their lighter side included burritos and salads. The one I got had 330 calories and 3 grams of fat (definitely what i think of as light!) and was definitely filling. it was called the pico enchillada and included vegetables, crream cheese and chives. it was different, but really good. Almsot everything comes with their mexican rice, which i thought was great. Additionally all their burritos are either one or two (and is taken into consideration witht eh nutritional info) and its nice to be able to choose NOT to have an abnormal amount of food :)
The prices were reasonable and while i wasn’t wowed with the experience and probably would not seek it out again, i wouldn’t be opposed to returning if someone else wanted to go :)

It’s not often I get all Gordon Ramsay-​ish in my reviews, but they really ought to call this place Carlos O’Nasty’s.
You ever encounter a restaurant that you mostly go to just because it’s close by and convenient? You know, it’s okay, but just there more than anything? That’s what Carlos O’Kellys was for a long time for us. They have «Mug-O’Rita’s» for under 3 bucks, so that alone was enough to keep us coming.
Then one time the wife and I went there for dinner, and both came out feeling terrible. So we didn’t go back for a while.
And then you know how several months pass, and you start thinking that maybe that visit was a fluke? So you go and give it another shot and it really was bad? That’s where I am with Carlos O’Kelly’s at this point.
Last visit featured the «Margarita Fajitas», which sounded real good on the menu, but turned out to be a greasy buttery fatty mess on a skillet with no sizzle at all. As for my wife’s food, I don’t know how one can screw up plain black beans, but they did it here.
Everything seems to be obviously microwaved. Somehow it seems like I can get the same effect at home. Think I’ll pass on dropping $ 30 bucks for that when 2 Trader Joe’s burritos will do the job much more cheaply.
Décor is amusing. I get the sense this place was happening back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It also seems like it doesn’t look any different from what it did back then either.
Seriously, it’s like Taco Bell with waiters and alcohol. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.