Where NOT to go in Carson, CA

You took the first step to follow your beloved Dynamo to Carson, CA to watch them play the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center. To help you, the weary traveller, out I checked out Yelp to see where some of the places not to go in Carson are.

Hotels

Cali-Inn

Based on the Yelp reviews it sounds like the Cali-Inn had some serious bed bug issues back in 2013. Every review claims that the place is dirty. The following review is the most recent of their reviews.

"If there's an option for 0-star I would pick that. WORST HOTEL I EVER STAYED! I had an emergency that I had to sleep at a hotel and I found this hotel. I'm so tired and ready to rest and sleep. First there's a lamp with bulb, 2nd there's a tub that's not even working and a lot of dust! Everything is old! Air condition stopped and didn't work. It's freakin hot! Television suddenly turned off. I talked to the manager they didn't do anything even a refund or comp. nothing at all. Bad service! Dirty hotel! Never coming back never will recommend!" - Jill C.

Light bulbs lamps? Broken tubs, tvs and A.C.s? OH MY!

Extended Stay America

This review had me at German U-boats --

"Historians say German U-Boats (submarines) in World War II smelled like a combination of body odor and cigarette smoke. You see, cigarettes were more available than showers, so smoking was the way to pass the time when being pelted with depth charges by a destroyer. (Lung cancer not a huge concern for U-Boat crews.) If you'd like to experience this firsthand, all you have to do is stay at the Extended Stay America in Carson.

With this hotel's location, one would expect to hear traffic noise...and you do. You might expect to hear a few more sirens than you do back in your suburban digs...and you do. It's the smell that catches you off guard.

Apparently "Extended Stay" really means extended stay for some of the residents and several of the rooms used by our party of 30 smelled as if they had been inhabited by hardworking and hard-smoking residents for quite a while. (Note to the Fabreeze folks: This is where you want to film your next commercial.)

The front staff staff was helpful and friendly. The grab and go breakfast was fruit, coffee and a muffin. The location was ideal if you are going to a sporting event at the very nearby Home Depot Stadium, home of the Galaxy soccer team.

The price of the room, north of $100, was surprising. I've stayed at much better for $99 using Priceline, but perhaps that's because I usually stay in Costa Mesa and don't pay the premium one has to pay to be in a location like Carson.

There are definitely worse places to stay. This place is definitely tolerable for a night or two. Just don't stay so long that you can't smell the smell anymore, Because, if you can't smell the smell anymore, then you just may be part of it."- Eric W.

Food

Most of the restaurants listed on Yelp in Carson actually have decent ratings. It would appear that there are a lot of donut and Asian restaurants. You can also find your usual chain restaurants, but here are two really special ones.

Main Fish Market

This place has a single review which says that it doesn't have fish. Yep a fish market with no fish.

"...It was right by Anchor Liquor which meant that I knew exactly where it was! It was a little surprising because I do not recall every seeing this market here but then again I was looking for a fish market all the times I visited Anchor Liquor!...The place looked a mess and there was no fish in sight! There were three shelves that had miscellaneous items for sell and that was about it. There were products from Asian, fish sauce, soy sauce and other Asian condiments. A woman and man were in the store, watching television and I greeted them hello and they greeted me back, which made my visit less awkward. My stroll around the store was about a minute or so. I was just really confused and felt bad for the store..." - Patricia D.

The poor woman was confused because there was no fish at the fish market. Weird.

El Burro Tacos and Beer

Every bad review called this place a bad Chipolte rip off. The place is over priced and decorated with donkeys.

"Tacos and Beer! Someone has a degree in advertising for men!"

I just want to pause here and say that a guy named Guy started off commenting about the marketing to men.

"Ahh, but I digress as the sign is all that is appealing towards this man at least. As I walked into this dark and quiet joint, I can only wonder how Tacos and Beer translated to a place so disjointed from its name..I took the hint and ordered just a bowl with Mexican rice (they called it yellow rice. huh?) My other choice was steamed white rice. huh? Black or pinto beans on top. A handful of lettuce with nothing else on it on the side. huh? A very ungenerous portion of chile verde. Seriously took a ladle, dumped half of it back into the container, and daintily put it on my rice and beans and didn't even empty the ladle. huh? Sprinkled on the tomatillo salsa like it was worth the price of platinum. huh? I asked for more salsa on the side and they gave me some other green salsa. huh? I paid and they didn't even put the extra salsa in the bag so I had to carry it on top of my tightly sealed bag. huh? I walked out and immediately one salsa started slipping off the top of the slippery bag. As I tried to catch it, it smashes in my hand and startles me so much that the other salsa slides off the other side of my bag and collapses on the ground. huh? I seriously stood there smiling for a few seconds at this comical experience, dropped the salsa I had caught in my hand, got in my car with my bowl and took off.

At home, I powered through my sorry bowl of food and it was as expected, not worth the price. It was decent but the rice was bland and mushy, the beans were decent, the lettuce was just out of place, and the chile verde wasn't cooked very well. It was cubed and had the texture of boiled lengua. Not good if you're expecting soft chile verde..."- Guy N.

Huh?

Are there some good places to eat in Carson? For sure. Did I check out the reviews for StubHub Center? Yup and they are what you would expect when it comes to the bad. Parking is terrible and overpriced. The concession food is over priced and no very good. The beer is expensive which is standard if you are at any stadium in the U.S.

Have to travelled to Carson? What are the worst places you have found? Let us know in the comments!