Press and word of mouth are very find to Carolina's Mexican Food. You'll read about in papers and magazines, you'll see it on television and people will tell you about it. A place like this will amaze you or leave you feeling let down. For me it was the latter.
It may not be fair of me to hold the hype factor against Carolina's but it's hard not too. The food was not bad by any means but it was nothing special compared to Mexican joints elsewhere. I ordered the beef enchilada and taco meal. It was good but not great. I've had better at other Phoenix eateries.
It's on the larger side for a divey Mexican joint but the eating area is drab and lives up to the grimy reputation of hole-in-the-wall restaurants. This does not bother me in the least as I come for the food but this may be an issue for some.
If you're overly picky about cleanliness be sure to avoid the bathroom.
I won't go out of my way to return to Carolina's but if I find myself in the area again I will be more than happy to drop by, try something else off the menu and see if I can't be swayed to update my review.