Martha Hale

Lively and friendly restaurant with lots of bar seating plus banquette seating. Plenty of burgers, sandwiches, fish tacos. It’s a busy spot so the food wasn’t served quickly but within a reasonable time. Well prepared and seasoned, generous helpings. Would definitely return.

+1

Shawn Hunter

The beating heart of this sleepy, desert town has some legit good food. We spent a weekend in the small Town of Borrego Springs. Aiming to have quiet, relaxing weekend at our Airbnb with a pool and some hot weather, we quickly realized that this town is anything but dead. We kept running in to nice locals and had some great meals in town and when it came to dinner, we consistently were recommended one place. Carlee's. We phoned in an order on a Saturday night and picked it up about 7:30. First thing I noticed about this place was how BUSY it was. For sleepy little desert town, this restaurant/bar was wide awake. There may have been one or two empty seats in the whole place and while we waited for them to finish the food, at least 3 other food orders were picked up and taken out. Staff was nice, friendly and we're hustling to take care of everyone. I love to see when places like this have staff that really care and hustle to take care of their guests. We got our food and went back to the house. I was impressed by almost all the food. The chili was delicious and seasoned well, the tequila chicken pasta was loaded with chicken and yellow bell peppers and had a freshness too it I wasn't expecting. The chili cheese fries were solid and always go great with their homemade ranch and the philly cheese steak was legit. Something I loved, but nobody else in my family liked, was the cowboy bites. Corn, cheese and bacon rolled into a bite sized fritter and deep fried. Crazy good! The food here tastes homemade and isn't as greasy and heavy as what you would normally get from a place like this. Even the chicken tenders tasted homemade and we're pretty impressive. We loved our time in Borrego Springs and really enjoyed the local sculptures, sunsets and restaurants. If your looking for the beating heart of this town on the weekend, even in the summer for what is called their "off season", Carlee's must be the place to go. I would've really loved to dine in at this place as it seemed so lively and fun, but that'll be something we do the next time we come visit. Until next time Borrego Springs.

Ordered steak to go tonight and per usual - everything was excellent. Thank you Johnny and Chino.

Ordered steak to go tonight and per usual - everything was excellent. Thank you Johnny and Chino.

This is by far my favorite place in Borrego Springs, and I have tried most of them. The food is good, and so are the prices. The wait staff can be slow at times, but they are usually busy. The barten…

This is by far my favorite place in Borrego Springs, and I have tried most of them. The food is good, and so are the prices. The wait staff can be slow at times, but they are usually busy. The bart…

This is by far my favorite place in Borrego Springs, and I have tried most of them. The food is good, and so are the prices. The wait staff can be slow at times, but they are usually busy. The ba…

This is by far my favorite place in Borrego Springs, and I have tried most of them. The food is good, and so are the prices. The wait staff can be slow at times, but they are usually busy. The bart…

Lovely venue with two IPAs on tap, fabulous Reuben and burgers. Pool table, juke box, and Monday Night football add to the ambiance.

Lovely venue with two IPAs on tap, fabulous Reuben and burgers. Pool table, juke box, and Monday Night football add to the ambiance.

always great food...always great service\nAlthough your initial impression may be that Carlee's is a locals hangout, folks here try to make everyone feel welcome...all the time.\n\nGreat ribs...gre…

Love this place whenever I come to borrego springs. Now they have live music. Years ago I sang karaoke here. Food is always good and they are a good place to watch football too. They let us bring…

Love this place whenever I come to borrego springs. Now they have live music. Years ago I sang karaoke here. Food is always good and they are a good place to watch football too. They let us bring o…

Carlee's is a great place. We always eat here on our vacation to Borrego Springs. The food is really great the prices are very reasonable and the service is awesome. Nice and cool inside even durin…

I live in Ranchita and we have dined at Carlee's semi regularly during our 9 year residence. We have always loved the food, service, and atmosphere.

I live in Ranchita and we have dined at Carlee's semi regularly during our 9 year residence. We have always loved the food, service, and atmosphere.

I live in Ranchita and we have dined at Carlee's semi regularly during our 9 year residence. We have always loved the food, service, and atmosphere.

I live in Ranchita and we have dined at Carlee's semi regularly during our 9 year residence. We have always loved the food, service, and atmosphere.

We had the soup and sandwich and a Reuben and fries. The service was quick and friendly. The food was plentiful and good. I definitely recommend.

burger and chicken sandwich were excellent with great crispy fries. Carlee's is what it is; a great local bar and grill that welcomes travelers. We were travelers, treated like family. Can't speak…

No frills, just good food and local atmosphere. This place offers the Best steak in San Diego! and if you want the nicest server, ask for Sarah.

Carlee’s is really good - a proper American bar with plenty of seating and delicious food. The menu is extensive and we ordered burgers which were really good, juicy and cooked exactly as requeste…

We were two couples looking for something simple. Carlee’s offered that. The food was freshly prepared and tasty. The beer excellent. Staff helpful and willing to help the English . We enjoyed it s…

We were a group of 9 cyclists from Orange County who stopped here for lunch. The food quality was very good and we all enjoyed our meals. However, the service was very slow and there was a noticeable delay. Overall it was a good experience, but the timing could definitely have been better.

Carlita Cartwright

This place is a vibe. A true hidden gem, tucked right off the Main Street roundabout. After a long, hot day hiking in the state park, my boyfriend and I were exhausted, starving, and in desperate need of a cool spot to recharge. This place was exactly what we needed. As we walked in, a few musicians were setting up for live music, but the real show had already started- - locals at the bar were singing, laughing, and having the time of their lives over dinner. The energy was contagious. Our server was incredibly kind and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. My boyfriend went for the steak special with a Pepsi, and I got the Baja burger with fries and a Diet Dr. Pepper. The steak was cooked perfectly, and my burger was packed with flavor - every bite hit the spot. After a day of hiking, this meal brought us back to life. It's clear this place is a local favorite, and I can see why. Something about it reminded me of a classic Midwest diner - - warm, welcoming, and effortlessly fun. If I'm ever back in the area, I'd come here again in a heartbeat.

Friendly little roadhouse with HUGE portions. My Seafood Gazpacho was so good I wish I had made that my lunch. The Tuna Salad was creamy and the mandarin oranges were a nice complement to it. Hubby t…

Friendly little roadhouse with HUGE portions. My seafood Gazpacho was so good I wish I had made that my lunch. The tuna salad was creamy and the mandarin oranges were a nice complement to it.…

We have been here several times and have never been disappointed. Avocado burger was truly delicious and the roast beef grinder was Amazing! Thank you David for making our fur baby Sophie, feel so …

Bar / restaurant with friendly locals and service, burger was great. Nice and cool in the hot summer.

wait time and customer service was good for this bar with huge menu. I had the Jalapeño Burger and Fries which was very good. Wife ordered Idaho Nacho Potatoes which was topped with beans, cheese…

Had dinner reservations for 6:30 and the place was packed. Fun atmosphere with live music. We ordered pretty quick upon arriving and didn't receive our food until 8:15. Our waitress only came back …

Nice friendly place with a fairly large menu. Pizza, wings, burgers and alot more. They even have live music sometimes. Cool place to hangout.

First time here. Went for lunch on a road trip. Bartender was super friendly and helpful. We had a burger and fish n chips. Both were quite good. Reasonable prices. We would go back.

First time here. Went for lunch on a road trip. Bartender was super friendly and helpful. We had a burger and fish n chips. Both were quite good. Reasonable prices. We would go back.

First time here. Went for lunch on a road trip. Bartender was super friendly and helpful. We had a burger and fish n chips. Both were quite good. Reasonable prices. We would go back.

Based on viewing its big menu online, we tried this steakhouse in the downtown area of Borrego Springs on a weeknight. My husband was happy with the reasonably-priced special -- steak with mushroo…

positive reviews about their burgers, friendly service, and dive bar vibe are correct and we enjoyed our cheeseburgers and beer. Meat was juicy, well seasoned and tasty (I'd change the bun to somet…

Great staff. Seating is like a theater style, not quite a bar, but not quite a diner. Elevated seats were cool on a really small table. We ordered the pizza, and I’ve had frozen ones that were better! If we weren’t starving from the sculpture walk, I wouldn’t have eaten it. Prices were rather high too. In summary, come for the small town ambience and a beer, but do not order the pizza!

Luke Frerichs

Overall it was a disappointing lunch. The servers were not enthusiastic or friendly...they basically spoke.in monotone. They spilled water on my daughter and her fries - no apology. The food was...OK.. Not well-seasoned. They would have been good $10 burgers. They were not good $20 burgers.

Mr Bill

Been coming to Borrego Springs a few years now, and have been dying to try Carlee,s. It is basically the centerpiece of the whole town, with definitely the best location. Being a senior, I am a huge Back to the Future Nostalgia kind of guy, so obviously I am going to completely love this place. Absolutely love the decor, the booth, and the whole setup is awesome. Everything was very clean, including the bathrooms. I sat at the bar, and ordered a beer. Yes, the number one complaint of slow service is definitely true, but I can understand that in this day and age, it is very hard to try and cut a profit. The menu with surprisingly huge, with definitely something for everyone. I wanted to order a pizza, as I saw many people picking them up for takeout. I asked a few locals and they told me the pizza was awesome. I really wanted to order one to go back to our room, but I could tell that it would probably not be a good idea since the restaurant was already pretty well full, and I did not really feel like waiting that long and was afraid it might ruin my beautiful visit here. Definitely a Local's favorite, and I'm sure a tourist enjoy it as well. I will Probably go back tomorrow an order a pizza just to see if it is as good as the locals claim, which I'm sure it is.

Burrito

The sign is always eye catching when driving by, especially in the evening. Though it usually looks quiet and even closed from the outside, it was lively on the inside on a Sunday night. Music is not loud and obnoxious, and bar seating was spacious and plentiful. The bar tender acknowledged me And made my drink and took my order. I didn't see cocktail prices on the menu so I imagined I would get charged some exotic "desert" prices but I really only got charged like $7! I had an old fashioned and it was strong and well made. The pizza was not flavourful but it was a good size. I added pineapple and mushrooms on mine. You can tell in the picture that my topping just sat on top so it's like eating pizza and having the topping flavors on the side. Overall, I enjoyed my stay. The bar tender does not bother you and everyone else looks to be enjoying their time too. It's a good place to stop by for some drinks!

+1

Frank Chaco

Out on a drive today to Salton Sea and Coyote Canyon, Borrego on Easter Sunday 2024. Stopped at Carlee's for dinner on my way home to San Diego. I said at the bar and Initially I was ignored by the waiter, Jonathan, 5 times passing by me before he even acknowledged that I was there. I know he was busy because it was medium crowd getting ready to leave But he could have said I'll be with you in a minute or even just acknowledge that was there the first or second time passing me. I ordered a steak sandwich with beer battered fries and a Modelo. $26 plus tax and tip. I ordered a medium rare steak sandwich and received a medium well on one half and well done on the other half. I didn't say anything since this was my first time here. Jonathan was actually pleasant and checked on me a few times which was nice. The food was just okay though, as the steak was over cooked and tough. The fries were OK. Nothing out of the park. I am not sure I would return here unless there's no other option, as it was just OK. Three stars.

+12

Elavan

We went to Borrego Springs for hiking and found this place for a friend recommendation. We all order burgers, some soft drinks and a beer. The burgers were not that good, in fact we order "medium well" and got them "well done" Salvador was our server and he was the best!! The place is not that nice, but cost like some burgers in the Cheesecake Factory!

+1

Nice ambiance and friendly service. We went for lunch ơn ạ Thursday and unfortunately missed all the specials that we were interested in (Catfish ơn Friday and Prime Rib Saturday)

Nice ambiance and friendly service. We went for lunch ơn ạ Thursday and unfortunately missed all the specials that we were interested in (Catfish ơn Friday and Prime Rib Saturday)

We were very surprised how good our lunch was as it's more of a bar type atmosphere. Had nice service and atmosphere had a friendly vibe and some healthy menu selections. Seemed like the place …

We really wanted to like this place. The atmosphere was good and the server was polite. However, she did not inform us that certain dishes were not available that night while we were ordering. We placed our food order and waited around 10 minutes until she came back and said that they didn't have one of the dishes we ordered. It would have been useful to know this before placing the order.

Shannon Shaver

I just got done eating here for the second time in about a month. The first time was amazing! That's why I came back a second time, I ordered the exact same thing, fish and chips. The first time it was delicious, the second time I got three breaded fish sticks, like actual sticks that you would get at an elementary school, and it was served with lime, who eats fish with lime?! I had to ask twice to get lemon. The second time I ate here I probably got about half as much fish as the first time, not sure if I'll come back and if I do I will not be getting the fish and chips unless I make sure it is actual fish and not sticks.

AVOID THIS PLACE- it is an absolute s*** show! Rude employees. Terrible food. We came and waited over thirty minutes for drink orders. Then we waited over an hour and a half for our order- only f…

Lousy service nasty food and disrespectful service and to expensive on the food and dinks.

Horrible service and mediocre overpriced food. As we were waiting for table, we were sitting at bar. John, the bartender, was repeatedly rude, condescending and foul mouthed. If you swear twice at …

Horrible service and mediocre overpriced food. As we were waiting for table, we were sitting at bar. John, the bartender, was repeatedly rude, condescending and foul mouthed. If you swear twice …

Horrible service and mediocre overpriced food. As we were waiting for table, we were sitting at bar. John, the bartender, was repeatedly rude, condescending and foul mouthed. If you swear twice …

Horrible service and mediocre overpriced food. As we were waiting for table, we were sitting at bar. John, the bartender, was repeatedly rude, condescending and foul mouthed. If you swear twice …

The staff is unprepared for the high season crowds. long wait for food, order was missing the side and our waitress never came back to even cash out our table. I had to go find her and pay. A re…

Restaurant was full. Needed more staffing. We sat at bar and people that came in after us had there order taken before us. A Sierra Nevada beer cost $13.00! This is not a high end restaurant. We l…

Susan Fucci

We eat at Carlees every time we’re in Borrego Springs and have always enjoyed the food and atmosphere. However, we went there tonight and I ordered a French dip sandwich. It was cold (including the au jus). I asked to have it sent back (I had to get the attention of one of the hostesses because our waiter disappeared. He brought back another one which was also cold. Again I had to ask another employee to ask my waiter - he came back and took the plate and didn’t bother to ask if I wanted something else. AGAIN I had to get another employee to get our waiter back and explained what happened. He came back and I finally got a cheeseburger that was well done instead of medium as I requested. Three strikes and you’re out! Very very bad customer service and so disappointing

Amy

We placed a pickup order. The price was higher in the restaurant than it showed in their online menu. For six people, the total was $130 and it wasn’t worth it. They charge $0.75 for each pickup item. Their burgers were so dry, and none of them had any sauce. The Andy quesadilla was bad. The only decent meal they made was the Philly cheesesteak. One out of six dishes being a success is terrible. At the time that I ate my burger, I was starving and camping. These are the conditions when I would’ve enjoyed food the most, but it was still disappointing. It was so dry and the bottom bun was soggy from being placed in top of wet vegetables We tried the menu’s biggest hits, according to previous reviews. This place was such a let down.

Hernan Ortega

This place has a terrible customer service. At first we ordered a bottle of wine, it came open and the flavor did not match the wine, I believe they refilled the bottle and that's why the bring it already open. Later when the food arrives, they forget my 🔪, I ask for ir, and 10 minutes later they bring ir, without even talking they put it on someone else's dirty plate (full of bones), they really expected me to eat from a knife they out on someone else's used plate? Why he did not even bother to ask.. I spent $200, but did not enjoy it, specially for the service.

Baljinder Singh

One of the worst restaurant experiences we’ve had. It took them more than 1 hour to prepare 3 standard dishes - a pizza, a sandwich and a burger. Pizza was cold, sandwich was all burnt and burger was well done whereas we asked for medium rare. It wasn’t much busy on a Sunday evening so they don’t even have that excuse for giving us the worst restaurant service. Our server couldn’t care less and wasn’t even a bit apologetic about the whole incident. This was the only bad part of an otherwise great trip to Borrego Springs. There are lot of other good dining options in this small town so stay as far from this place as possible.