Carlee's

Frank Chaco

2024-04

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.

Martha Hale

2024-04

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Andrew McCauley

2024-04

We came up to Barrego on a Thursday, and some local suggested coming to Carly‘s for lunch. We’re a little skeptical when we walked in the door, but after being in there for a few minutes, we quite enjoyed ourselves. We had lunch there, the food was pretty good, and the beer was cold. Although it looks a little bit like a dive bar, the place was full, and there’s plenty of parking on the street and around the back. If you’re looking for some good quick food and Carly can be the place, as long as you’re not there in peak hour when it can be a little slow, but otherwise enjoy.

Cassidy Hazelbaker

2024-05

Fun bar in Borrego Springs center of town. Didn’t eat here but honestly the food looked really good-definitely better than what you’d expect in a small town bar. Sizzling steaks. Cozy community vibe. Live music on Saturday nights and to note- the kitchen closes at 9pm but the actual bar stays open til 2am on weekends and around 11pm on weeknights. So don’t be scared by Google Maps’ hours listing. Pool table was covered by a cloth when we were visiting- not sure when/if it’s available to play.Kid-friendliness: Kids welcome

rick remington

2024-04

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anthony giannattasio

2024-04

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Kristen Hatcher

2024-04

We thought Carlee’s looked like an establishment we should try. The ambiance was cool but our server was awful. We waited for our food for over 30 minutes and it was ice cold. She acted like it was the kitchens’s fault and said she’d have them put it back on the grill but that would’ve just dried it out. She brought fresh fries for my husband after I walked over to her as she chatted to a table for a very long time. She kept loitering there so they must’ve been friends. We also had to seek and find our own napkins and silverware. When we respectfully shared our concerns she typed a bunch of things into the payment device… we thought she was discounting us but instead I think she was typing the guest feedback in so that we would not have the option to ding her… no empathy or discount for cold food. We will not return. (Recommend going elsewhere- the gal who works next door said she prefers the Mexican food across the street to Carlee’s - that it is sketch.)

Maya Brown

2024-04

Huge menu, delicious food, clean bathrooms and the lady’s room was very big and had a nice chair next to the toilet which would make it very easy to use it as a nursing room if you’re travelling with a breastfed infant. We arrived around 30 minutes before closing and asked if they were still serving food and if they’d rather we take it to go but they seated us and let us order which was very kind of them.Vegetarian options: My vegetarian mother got the spinach dip and loved it!

Shawn Hunter

2022-05

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.

Daniel Reyman

2023-09

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Robert Jones

2024-01

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Diane Roberts

2024-04

Screw this place. I went in with my small dog and after sitting at the bar for 15 min the waitress finally spoke to me. I was told only service dogs. I asked about a patio and in a condescending tone was told if that's what I want with an eyeroll. I go to patio and there's a couple with a super big dog off leash. It chased my dog and I and I fell and now have a swollen knee. So much for the relaxing lunch. Never again. Dog lovers beware.

Michael Press

2023-06

Like many, I’m sure, my wife and I were tourists in Borrego Springs, and had vaguely remembered we thought we’d eaten here last time we were in town. It was a busy weekend (aren’t they all?) and a bit crowded, but we were seated pretty quickly, although not acknowledged very quickly at all. So we left. But while we were standing outside, one of the staff, I think the hostess who’d seated us, asked why we left, we told her, and she completely turned the experience around, convinced us to go back in and we had an absolute blast.This is clearly a local hangout - for good reason - but we were treated very well from that point forward. I’ll say more about the service in a minute but let’s start with the food, because it is more than just solid, it’s excellent. The steak bites appetizer is absolutely delicious. I mean DELICIOUS! Wasn’t expecting that much flavor. And there are a TON of appetizers to select. In fact, the menu offers quite a wide selection, and we tried several dishes, because we ate here both days we visited. I mean, baked grinders, pizzas, great looking salads, quesadillas, fish and chips, it goes on and on. Nothing we had wasn’t excellent. Okay we didn’t have ALL those things but we did have delicious stuffed mushrooms, steak bites, chilled shrimp, it was all excellent.First day we sat at a table but second day we sat at the bar and had a great time there. Again, not regulars but treated as if we were. Really appreciated that. Bartenders attentive and friendly. Ambiance is fun - if you’re into sports, you’ve got sports on several TVs. Billiards? Yep, there’s a table. And the dining room was really interesting. Tables, the bar, and even interesting raised back seats. Hard to describe but behind the tables on the floor are a series of raised sort of open booths. I liked it.I see no reason not to eat here any time you’re in Borrego Springs. And not just because the options are somewhat limited. Because Carlee’s place stands on its own as a place with excellent food, friendly service, and great fun ambiance.

Ronald Bee

2024-05

Generous servings with a large menu, wide selection of beer. Friendly service at a cornerstone of fun in Borrego Springs. Got me a Jack-a-Lope T-shirt! (You should, too!)Vegetarian options: Impossible burger, vege burger, several salad options.Dietary restrictions: Had decent vegetarian options.Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

derek draimin

2024-04

I would be embarrassed as a business owner to serve a pizza that was this bad. Our server was not the friendliest and we had to practically beg her to give another round of drinks. Their menu is larger than the Declaration of Independence. Maybe if they condense their menu, bring in high quality ingredients, and train their kitchen staff how to properly prepare their entrees this place would have some charm. When you drive through downtown Barrego it’s one of the few places that looks good. There is only a few restaurants here so even if they have terrible food they will always be busy. I think the owner just relies on that alone to make money. They could care less wether they serve good food and the customers have a good experience. Read the other reviews to see that only locals get preferential service here. Even then I bet the locals complain about the food.

Julian Budke

2023-09

Came here for a quick dinner and it's was a delight. Great staff, very generous and tasty portions.This was the first time ever I saw a U.S. restaurant manage to create a Greek Salad that at least resembled a real Χωριάτικη (ok, still not enough Tomatoes and Cucumber but too many salad leaves, but still impressive).Many restaurants don't cook your burger meat raw if you order it so, but they did and it was delicious.On the vegan side of things the Beyond burger was also great and there was a broad selection of other vegan dishes.Overall a very satisfying visit.I'd definitely come again.Vegetarian options: Quite a few vegan and vegetarian optionsParking: Parking was easy on a weekday evening.

Joe Rodriguez

2024-04

Visited Monday 3/11. Seated after a few minutes. Service seemed a bit slow but chalked it up to there being a decent amount of customers. Little did I know it was about to get much worse. Ordered drinks and shortly after two sandwiches. Drinks came out and that was that. Was never checked on for refills and it took almost a hour to get just two sandwiches. Sides came out cold (fries/onion rings) and my Reuben was lukewarm at best. The lackluster service, the absolutely atrocious wait time for such an easy order, amd subpar food has led me to never wanting to visit Carlee's ever again. I had to flag down my waiter multiple times to finally get new drinks, napkins, and it took a few tries to finally get our check. Avoid at all costs if you expect to get your food in a reasonable amount of time or even just a drink refill.

gymkhana JOSH

2023-06

I was excited to visit here. It comes up on EVERY guide for Borrego Springs and as the new guy in town I figured I better stop in to see what it was all about. I went simple, BLTA and a beer. The BLT was GREAT with nice thick slices of bacon and nicely toasted bread. The brew was cold and washed everything down just right. This place is chill, like any small town bar, but the staff seemed super pleasant and the whole experience was positive. I would definitely recommend a visit if you're in the area.

Ivan ST

2022-05

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!

Sharon Woosley

2024-03

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Melissa Nale

2024-04

Go here if you want to wait an hour for cold food, soggy bottom hamburger buns and if you like to try and track down your server after not seeing them for 30+ minutes to try and get drink refills and check and see if your order was even placed. Server sent someone else out 5-10 min later after she said she’d check on it, to tell us it will be 10 more minutes, no refills offered still- with 5 empty glasses clear as day, have to ask for silverware, oh and then they tip themselves on your bill to absolutely crush the service game-needless to say this will not be a stop I need to make ever again.

Jonathan GONZALEZ

2024-03

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Mark Christy

2023-05

all things are relative ... this place is a gem. enjoy some time relaxing in the desert and seeing things through a different angle. but to level set , the hawaiian pizza is good ... add jalapeños to the half for a nice kick. the southwest chicken salad is enormous and well apportioned. cocktail list is comprehensive. bartender is great - gave us the romantic seats ..... why not 5 stars? because nothing is perfect! carlee's is pretty close tho!

Heidi Allen

2024-04

The locals that work here really enjoy their jobs and are a wealth of information.It is a time warp...but worth a stop in!A bar, booths, and tables for dining.The potabello mushroom/pizza was tasty. I get this each time I come. It is tasty!!!

Mary Gorman

2023-05

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JC & Tammy RV living (Living on the road!)

2023-05

This little town is one of my favorite to date. The service here is absolutely 1sr class! Suzana left a lasting impression! Her charm, laughter and knowledge was a a perfect ending to an amazing day! The food yummmmm 5+ star!

james howe

2024-03

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William “Bill” Stacy

2024-01

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Elizabeth Brady

2021-05

Pleasantly surprised at how great the food and beverage is! Started with a margarita, enjoyed the tender grilled tequila chicken pasta and the steak quesadilla where the beef was perfectly cooked and a hearty portion.

Alecia Wall

2024-01

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