Fiesta Cafe

Well, it's got a nice selection of beers, and I think that some of the drinkers from Redding would probably enjoy this place. It's okay Mex food (I had *spicy* camarones, and they were just spicy-fine). Not in the middle of Arcata, and not expensive/groovy, so that works for me.

Interesting different thing -- they give you little syrup containers with two different salsas with your chips/meal, so you can use as much or as little as you desire. Kinda cool.

Wait staff was very friendly and available. I noticed lots of regulars. Outdoor patio is probably nice on those days when the fog burns off (this is on the north end of Humboldt Bay...).

This is always a nice option for Mexican food when you want to eat a little shomethin' shomethin' away from the hub bub of Arcata. It's just a short jaunt away in Sunnybrae, but it's far enough away to give you a more chill & subdued experience.

On tap they have several brew options available (this means---they have local microbrews). My "Humboldt Homies" and I have taken over this place a few times, and they are always welcoming and hook us up.

On a recent trip we stopped by here for a Thursday lunch. The weather was spectacular (a celebrated in the ever-fogged-in Arcata), so we sat outside. It all looked good to me, so I asked our cute server for suggestions. She recommended the carne asada tacos, and I stopped her before she finished her sentence---"Yes, please!"

The meal was pretty good, the ambiance was nice, and I was with some quality friends. A good time is always had at Fiesta.

Another Arcata mexican dud hailing the good ol' days of the 50's bland mexicana restaurants. And, yes, just like Betty Crocker, you get your canned black olive on top! They even put parmesan cheese (pretty sure its Kraft) on their tostadas, instead of cotija or queso fresco or, hell, at least jalepeno jack cheese. And the chile relanos tasted more like an omelette. Luckily, they give you ample amounts of salsa so you can dump flavor on your otherwise tasteless meal. Did appreciate chip refills, since that was the best part of our dining experience. Pricey for this kind of place too.
Waitress was pleasant. Can't fathom how people can give this place 4 stars for anything other than service...
Nice view of some gray apartment building, though. Can a person really fit on one of those balconies?

My favorite Mexican restaurant in Arcata. Their potato tacos are delicious and they have the best black beans in town. Their chips, however, are probably the worst in town. The staff has always been friendly and the place is clean. Their other store, Fiesta Grill, serves the same food and has been just as good in my experience.

Update 1/24/11:
I'm knocking this down from 4 stars to 3 because the food has gone downhill and I no longer eat there. Their potatoes & black beans are bland now. And the potato tacos with black beans is why I went to that place. Now I just go to the other location (Fiesta Grill) and order the same thing. From there it is delicious!

Not closed, but moved to 3525 Janes Rd. Arcata, CA

http://www.yelp.com/biz/fiesta-grill-and-cantina-arcata

This resturant is excellent. It has great quality food, and a friendly atmosphere. I have been a huge fan of Fiesta Cafe. You go in, sit down, and get a big basket of complimentary chips, with delicous salsa, hot or mild. The waitress is very nice, and is constantly checking to see if you need something, be it another glass of water, or if you are ready to order. The food is excellent, especially the Carne Asada, and the Standard Bean and Cheese burrito. Also, the food is fairly inexpensive. Oh, and when you leave, be certain to pick up a toffee, mint, or any other small candy from their conveniently placed basket.

This place reminded me of Chevys! But their food taste better and fresh than chevys! haha They give free chips and salsa with cream cheese, yumm! Their burritos are huge! Been here for a good 4 times already! :) Yum!

I like this place a lot. The burrito that I got was big and flavorful, the carne asada was delicious. My girlfriend said that her taco salad wasn't great, but the wonderful guacamole that we had as an appetizer surely made up for that. The waiter was very nice, and paid much attention to us (he brought the check right as I was thinking, "Hmm, I should probably ask for the check.") The prices were just fine here, as a matter of fact the prices were LOW. Inexpensive, delicious food in Arcata means that I will be back.

A tad hit or miss, but decent, carne asada is second only to Carmelas, very good.