La Carreta Restaurante Mexicano

About

Mexican

Price Range : $11-30 ($$)

  • star
    Yelp rating
    4 stars

Location

Adress: 172 Hanover St, Portsmouth, NH 3801

Phone: (603) 427-8319

Work Hours

Mon 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Tue 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Wed 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Thu 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Fri 11:00 am-11:00 pm
Sat 11:00 am-11:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am-10:00 pm

Business info

  • local_parking
    Parking
    Garage
  • turned_in_not
    Good For Happy Hour
    Yes
  • tv
    Has TV
    Yes

Reviews

  • Lindsey W.

    star star star star star_border 13 June 2026

    Finally, a Mexican restaurant in New England that I can stand and actually LIKE!

    Free flowing chips and salsa is always a plus. Tip: if you, like me, enjoy things truly spicy, ask for the hot/spicy salsa  (not "hot sauce", actual spicy salsa!!) too and be prepared to sweat!

    Long menu organized by house favorite and then base meat type. We've had the carnitas and enchiladas and beef burritos and have enjoyed them all. Food comes out exceptionally fast (plus with this kind of food is they can have the base items slow cooked and prepped for assembly, fold your delicious meat onto a plate or into a tortillas, top with good cheese and bake it just a little and viola, your meal to you in less than 10 minutes) and staff have always been attentive, filling water, getting more chips or just checking on us regularly.

    I will say, this place isn't street tacos filled with adobada or carne asada covered with fresh salsa and coupled with a sweet ice cold horchata eaten on the side of the road (that's the best way I've eaten Mexican food), but it is an excellent sit-down option for standard Mexican fair that actually has solid flavor!

    Knocked off a star just because I don't love their tortillas. The corn are OK/good, but the flour are a bit bland and lack the bubbly charred exterior of a grill toasted tortillas I've grown to love and expect.

  • Ray R.

    star star star star star 9 June 2026

    I had to return after having such a great lunch. Today I had Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo. Perfectly executed. I have sat at the bar twice. Great service as well. Come check out their lunch menu too!

    I moved here from San Diego a couple of years ago. Great Mexican food is one of the few things that I miss. I no longer miss it now that these guys opened.

  • Ernie P.

    star star star star star 26 May 2026

    OK, so... if you do not want to salivate over the tantalizing flavors of authentic Mexican cuisine, avoid this place at all cost. For the rest of you who truly appreciate regional flavors and familial connections to the morsels on your plate, look no further. Clearly the ONLY authentic Mexican restaurant in the Seacoast region, La Carreta delivers. Take it from a guy who married a Texan - this is the only place in the region where you can experience life south of the border without paying airfare. DELICIOSO!!!

  • Sharon D.

    star star star star star_border 26 May 2026

    Easy location to get to right downtown near parking garage.    This building was three
    years in refurbishment and it looks it.  Very nicely done, clean and great Mexican style. Authentic and very comfortable.   Chips and great salsa is served the second we sat down.  We sat at the bar and had very good service. $6 margaritas on Monday!  Yippee and lots of beer choices and a full bar selection.    Unfortunately my glass wasn't washed and I had to return it.  Food all over it.   I also got the wrong kind of beer rather than what I ordered but apology accepted and I got a new beer.  We ordered a vegetarian dish but got one with chicken in it.   My dish was excellent chorizo Pollo was cooked perfectly and it was really good.  Came with retried beans and rice that I also loved.   A few in my party branches out with enchiladas and got a side of jalapeño s for a buck.    I would definitely go back the food is plenty, fresh and really delicious.  The place is huge.   We didn't wait at all but we were pretty early.   Recommend you try this one!

  • Kelly T.

    star star star star star_border 24 May 2026

    Lunch here was good! The basic Mexican dishes are available, stuffed full of ingredients that are fresh and tasty. Lunch menu was available even after 2:00 so I had the Speedy Gonzales with chicken, and hub had the lunch special #5. Chips and salsa are complimentary, which isn't always the case so worth mentioning. The restaurant is clean and service was attentive. Mariachi music blasting overhead could have been turned down a bit.

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