Oak View Restaurant Review

Carmelita’s Authentic Mexican Food

The first time I went to Carmelita’s it was under new ownership and what struck me the most was not the food so much as the new owner’s clear effort to rebrand with care.

I’m going to digress for a bit here. I don’t know much about the restaurant industry but I’ve learned a bit from property management, of all things. Years ago a commercial building I worked with had a restaurant tenant change ownership. The tenant had a percentage lease which means they paid a base rental amount and then a percentage of revenue. When the new owner took over, the revenues took a dive. I felt like I was watching a sinking ship from my office looking at the decreasing revenue each month. What happened?! Before it changed ownership the restaurant was dated and had a simple menu but they did a good business. When the new owner came in they spruced things up. New paint, new furniture, new signage, new menu. The restaurant looked much better, the menu got fancier and arguably more “Portland” but the sales decreased, rapidly. It wasn’t long before the new owner was out of business. All the changes alienated the regular customers. They didn’t come to this restaurant for sleek decor or fancy food, they were charmed by the restaurant’s simplicity. Even though the menu had only expanded and the food the previous regulars came for was still offered, the vibe changed and they lost the customer loyalty that the original owners had built up. The new owner was never able to turn things around and it wasn’t long before the restaurant went out of business.

Back to my review of Carmelita’s in Oak View. I was glad to see the new owners moving slowly with their changes and happy to support them in their endeavor, particularly after tasting the food! As the years have gone by I’ve noticed little changes here and there and can appreciate seeing a new owner putting their stamp on things in a way that isn’t going to alienate any regulars. I do have to say we call Carmelita’s the “horse restaurant” because there used to be a giant horse we would see when we ate there and anytime we drove through Highway 33 through Oak View. We still call it the “horse restaurant” even though the horse is long gone. We like to go on Taco Tuesdays. A takeout order of carne asada, rice and beans lasts a couple of meals for my family and is our inexpensive “go to” when we don’t feel like cooking. The only thing that I haven’t really liked are the enchiladas which I find to be “okay”. Like many Mexican restaurants in the Ojai Valley they serve American classics like burgers and French fries. The French fries are my favorite in the Ojai Valley because they are thin and crispy! The have a casual restaurant and patio, this isn’t the place to go for ambience but the food is delicious! Carmelita’s offers catering services as well. They do not have a liquor license.

You can visit them at 595 N Ventura Ave in Oak View. Let me know what you think!