What should I order the first time at Carlos & Mickey's?

The Revolution Plate or the Carnitas Combination are common first-timer recommendations, since both let you sample several dishes at once. The carnitas, marinated 24 to 48 hours before roasting and frying, is the most talked-about single item.

1310 Magruder St · El Paso · 7-Time Best Margarita Winner

Carlos & Mickey’s Menu & Prices

Q: How big is the Texas Size margarita?

Big enough that it's limited to one per customer. It's available frozen or on the rocks in any flavor, and it's a major reason Carlos & Mickey's has won El Paso Inc.'s Best Margarita award seven times.

Q: Is Carlos & Mickey's good for large groups?

Yes. Parties of 30 or more are regularly accommodated with separate checks at the Magruder Street location, and the lively atmosphere is built for celebrations.

Officially “Los Bandidos de Carlos & Mickey’s” — El Paso’s loudest, most decorated margarita bar. Before you look at the food, build the drink you’re actually here for.

Interactive · build your margarita

Which size are you actually getting into?

Regular El Paso Size Texas Size

The Regular

Price Signature margarita $10.99 · Strawberry or Italian ‘Rita $11.49

Style Frozen or on the rocks, classic lime or one of about 10 flavors (prickly pear and pomegranate are favorites).

Limit Order as many as you like.

El Paso Size

Best for Splitting the difference — noticeably bigger than a regular, built for sharing at the table.

Style Same frozen-or-rocks and flavor choices as the Regular, just more of it.

Limit No limit, but pace yourself — this is already a lot of margarita.

The Texas Size

Best for The reason people drive across town for this place. Reviewers describe it as roughly the size of your head.

Style Frozen or rocks, any flavor — it’s the size that changes, not the recipe.

Limit One per customer. It’s genuinely that big.

Carlos & Mickey’s has won El Paso Inc.’s “Best Margarita” award seven times. El Paso Size and Texas Size pricing isn’t listed on GMB — ask your server, and expect to pay more than the $10.99–$11.49 Regular price.

See the Food Menu Find a Location

3 El Paso Locations Full Bar & Mariachi Nights Family-Owned Since the 1990s

The real name, and the real family

Los Bandidos de Carlos & Mickey’s

Most El Pasoans just call it “Carlos & Mickey’s,” but the sign out front reads Los Bandidos de Carlos & Mickey’s. Current owner Rosa Saenz has run the restaurant since taking it over from her father in the 1990s. In her own telling, her father got his start in the restaurant business with money he made during World War II, eventually building it into what El Paso knows today.

The Magruder Street location, tucked just behind the Bassett Place mall, is the flagship — a room full of mariachi music, eclectic decor, and the kind of energy that makes it one of the first places locals send out-of-towners. The house specialty is carnitas marinated 24–48 hours in a secret sauce before it’s oven-roasted and finished in the fryer, and the restaurant has been recognized locally as “Best Margarita” seven times.

Three El Paso Locations

Magruder St (flagship)

1310 Magruder St · (915) 778-3323

Montwood Dr

12111 Montwood Dr · (915) 307-6886

El Paso International Airport

Concourse B · (915) 772-5225

7×

El Paso Inc.’s “Best Margarita” award, seven times over. Carlos & Mickey’s has been the local paper’s pick for El Paso’s best margarita more than any other bar in the city — the reputation the Texas Size margarita above is built on.

The food behind the margaritas

Carlos & Mickey’s Menu

Tex-Mex classics plus a few dishes you won’t find named quite like this anywhere else in Texas — including one named after the mountain that overlooks the city. Tap a category to filter.

Prices verified: July 2026, from Carlos & Mickey’s GMB listing

All Appetizers Combination Plates Breakfast & Burritos Soups, Salads & Burgers Beer, Wine & Margaritas

Appetizers

Mt. Franklin Nachos (Beef or Chicken)
Named for the mountain overlooking El Paso — beans, cheese & jalapeño chiles, piled high
$12.49
Nachos
The regular-size order
$10.99
Chili Con Queso
$8.99
Chicken or Beef Quesadilla
$10.99
Cheese Quesadilla
$8.49
Taco Salad
An edible fried shell layered with chips, veggies, shredded chicken or beef, cheese, guacamole & sour cream
$11.99
Rosa’s Flautas
Four crispy ground beef flautas, Spanish sauce, cheese & a slice of avocado
$13.99
Stuffed Shrimp
Jumbo shrimp stuffed with cheese & green chiles, wrapped in bacon, marinated in white wine & garlic
Ask server
Jalapeño Poppers
Stuffed with cream cheese
Ask server
Loaded Potato Skins
Baked with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, chives & long green chile on top
Ask server
Chihuahua Cheese Skillet
Flame-broiled Chihuahua cheese, plain, with green chiles, or with chorizo, served sizzling
Ask server
Guacamole
Ripe avocados, tomatoes, onions & jalapeños
Ask server

Combination Plates & Especiales

Steak Tampiqueña Platter
Lean, lightly breaded steak crowned with spicy chile con queso, home fries, rice, lettuce, tomatoes & buttered French bread
$18.99
Chicken Tampiqueña Platter
Same preparation, chicken breast in place of steak
$16.99
Flaco’s Enchiladas
$12.99
Tacos Plate
$11.99
Revolution Plate
Chile relleno, chicken taco, red enchilada, carnitas, beans & rice — a house favorite for first-timers
Ask server
Carnitas Combination
The signature carnitas, plus a tamale, cheese chile relleno, beef taco, cheese enchilada, beans, rice & guacamole
Ask server

Breakfast

Huevos Rancheros
$9.99
American Breakfast
$10.99

Burritos

Breakfast Burrito
$9.49
Beef Burrito
$10.99
Fajita Chicken Burrito
$11.49

Soups & Salads

Caldo de Res
Beef & vegetable soup, served with rice & tortillas — when it’s gone, it’s gone
Ask server
Meatball Soup
Mexican-style, served with a cheese quesadilla
Ask server
Chicken Salad
Pineapple & avocado over lettuce
Ask server

Burgers & Fried Baskets

Mickey’s Burger
The house green-chile burger, toasted bun & special fries
$12.49
Fantail Shrimp Basket
Four jumbo breaded shrimp, fries, French bread, cocktail sauce
Ask server
Chicken Strip Basket
Fries, French bread, BBQ sauce
Ask server

Margaritas

Carlos & Mickey’s Signature Margarita
Regular size — see the margarita builder above for sizes
$10.99
Strawberry ‘Rita
$11.49
Italian ‘Rita
$11.49
El Paso Size & Texas Size
Upsized versions of any margarita — Texas Size limited to one per customer
Ask server

Wine

Prosecco
$11.99
Cabernet Sauvignon
$10.99
Pinot Noir
$10.99
Chardonnay
$9.99
Pinot Grigio
$9.99

On Tap

Samuel Adams Seasonal
$7.49
Blue Moon Belgian White
$7.49
Dos Equis
$6.99
Bud Light
$5.99

Bottles & Cans

Lagunitas IPA
$7.49
Samuel Adams Boston Lager · Heineken
$6.99
Truly Wild Berry
$6.99
Corona Extra · Modelo Especial · Michelob Ultra · Coors Light · Budweiser
$5.99
Bohemia
A pleasant surprise to more than one out-of-state reviewer
Ask server

Prices verified against Carlos & Mickey’s GMB listing, July 2026, and may change. A few items (marked “Ask server”) aren’t listed with a price on that source — call the Magruder location at (915) 778-3323 to confirm. For two more El Paso classics with fully verified pricing, see L & J Cafe and Chico’s Tacos.

Good to know

Carlos & Mickey’s — FAQ

What is Carlos & Mickey’s actually called?

The full name is Los Bandidos de Carlos & Mickey’s, though almost everyone in El Paso just calls it Carlos & Mickey’s. It’s been owned and run by Rosa Saenz since she took it over from her father in the 1990s.

How big is the Texas Size margarita?

Big enough that it’s limited to one per customer. Reviewers and local coverage describe it as roughly the size of your head, available frozen or on the rocks in any flavor. It’s one of the reasons Carlos & Mickey’s has won El Paso Inc.’s “Best Margarita” award seven times.

What sizes do the margaritas come in?

Three: Regular, El Paso Size, and Texas Size, each available frozen or on the rocks in classic lime or about 10 other flavors, including prickly pear and pomegranate. Only the Texas Size has a one-per-customer limit.

What should I order the first time?

The Revolution Plate or the Carnitas Combination are the house’s go-to introductions — both let you sample several dishes at once. The carnitas itself, marinated 24-48 hours before roasting and frying, is the most talked-about single item on the menu.

Are there multiple Carlos & Mickey’s locations in El Paso?

Yes, three: the flagship on Magruder Street, a second location on Montwood Drive, and a walk-up spot in Concourse B of the El Paso International Airport.

Is Carlos & Mickey’s good for large groups?

Yes. Reviewers regularly mention parties of 30 or more being accommodated with separate checks at the Magruder Street location, and the lively, mariachi-filled atmosphere is built for celebrations.

Find Carlos & Mickey’s