Archive for the 'New Mexican' Category
1510 Girard Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Monday - Friday 11am to 745pm
505.262.0115
Limited beer and wine
**Cash only!
MAP
Padilla’s Mexican Kitchen is one of Albuquerque’s best hidden treasures. Located on Girard between Indian School and Constitution, it’s nestled in a strip mall-like area, next to Harold’s Laundromat. 
According to our server who was very nice, Padilla’s has been serving for close to 30 years. Our server actually has been there since the very beginning, left for a while,
and has been back for the past 7 years. But don’t be fooled by the name…
Padilla’s serves strictly New Mexican food. As a family run establishment, they have all your favorites from Huevos Rancheros to Chile Rellenos to Stuffed Sopaipillas. Padilla’s is a place for anyone who loves homemade goodness.
When my dinner date and I arrived, we were greeted and seated promptly in the corner with a great view of the dining room. Padilla’s is definitely kid friendly and seems to cater to just about anyone. The dining room is very modest, just a few landscape paintings and your occasional beer mirror. All off the staff was very helpful and genuinely nice.
After our Iced tea and Diet Coke arrived, we were given yummy chips and salsa to start. After briefly glancing at the menu, our server appeared to take our order. I had cheese + onion enchiladas, red and green, egg over medium. The green chile was especially delicious and hot with chunks of beef and onions.
My date had a Carne Adovada burrito plate with red and green at our servers recommendation. The Carne was tender and juicy with the right amount of spice from the chile it’s cooked in. The bite I took left me wanting more. We also shared a beef and potato taco that was just like Grandma used to make. All meals come with homemade pinto beans and rice. And lets not forget the fabulous sopaipillas that come 2 to a person. I love to eat one with dinner for sopping up all the cheese, chile and egg and one with honey and beans for dessert. The savory sweet combo is absolutely to die for.
Another great thing about Padilla’s is that it’s very affordable. Between my date and I , including tip we only spent $25.00 and left very satisfied. We always like to bring a doggie bag home for the pup if possible… tonight it was not.
Taste:
[rate 9.5]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
2424 Central Ave SW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
(505) 243-2519
MAP
Casa Grande is located on Central next to the Rio Grande Bio Park and directly across from the Village Inn.
The menu at Casa Grande has a little something for everyone. There are Mexican Dishes, Seafoods, Steaks & Chops, Pasta, Chicken, Open Faced Sandwiches, Cold Sandwiches, Salads, Low Carb Specials, Deserts and the Breakfast Menu (served all day) has just about anything you would want.
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I suggest trying the Mexican Combination Plate which has two enchiladas, one relleno, a taco, spanish rice and beans. The red chile is hot, but not too hot. Some of my favorite items are the biscuits and gravy(just $2.50), Patty Melt and Spare Rib Plate. The food here is simple, but that simplicity still tastes good. After every meal you are offered a free desert, which is usually a bowl of rice pudding or tapioca pudding. This is a nice simple thing to offer guests that just adds to a positive experience.
Overall the most amazing feature of Casa Grande is their prices. It is one of the most affordable restaurants that I have visited. It’s like when you go to Walmart sometimes and wonder how they make a profit with some of their prices. Sandwiches here range from $3.95 to $5, are well sized, and come with a good portion of fries. Most breakfast items are in the $5 range. Dinners come with a salad, mashed potatoes and butter, wonderful green beans and bread. When you walk in, don’t forget to look at the daily specials, because they are a bargain!
The atmosphere at Casa Grande is very relaxed and casual. It has a small town feeling, and all different types of people come here to eat. I get the feeling that many people eat here on a daily basis. The interior is a little out of date, but still clean and inviting, consisting mainly of booths with some tables in between. There is a large mural on one one wall and some other smaller art work scattered the restaurant. In a way, the art and the atmosphere remind me of the Frontier Restaurant, without all the hustle and bustle. At times you can find merchants here, selling jewelry to the customers.
The service is sometimes great, sometimes very slow, but never rude. Casa Grade is the type of place where you can enjoy a meal, a cup of coffee and the newspaper without feeling like you are being rushed out the door. I would recommend this place to families with picky children or for a group of people who all want something different. Casa Grande has a loyal customer base which is the main reason why they offer great prices, food, and customer service.
Pros: Friendly Environment, Prices
Cons: Inconsistent Service
Taste:
[rate 7]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
321 Rio Grande Blvd NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
505.247.9625
Situated in a old home across Rio Grande Blvd. from Old Town. Chef Monica Baca cooks with traditional recipes passed down trough the generations. The interior of this old building is set up in small dining rooms. As you would expect from a restaurant in Old Town, New Mexican art adorns the walls and entry. My wife has been wanting to try this place for a long time. She has heard good things about the food.
We went into Monica’s clueless on what to expect from this little charming restaurant in Old Town. I had the combination plate which came with a chile relleno, beef enchilada, beans and rice. The red chile had a surprising kick to it. I was expecting a more mild heat, especially coming from a place that caters to a lot of tourists. The relleno and the enchiladas were good but not great. My wife had the chicken tacos. The chicken came shredded, but lacked flavor. Thankfully it came with salsa and guacamole to add flavor the tacos. The prices were fair, $8.75 for the two idem combination plate and $6.55 for the chicken tacos. Next time I am going to have to try the breakfast items. We left satisfied, but knowing that there’s better New Mexican food restaurants in the area.
Although some staff is very informal and friendly, the servers seem rushed. We have gone twice and both times we had to sit a dirty table while the waitress goes to find a rag to clean the tables. Not a very good first impression especially being a weeknights and not very busy.
Pros: Nice hot red chile
Cons: Service
Taste:
[rate 7.5]
Service:
[rate 6]
Ambiance:
[rate 7.5]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
1715 Second Street SW
Albuquerque NM, 87102
505-242-1843
8am - 6:45pm
~MENU~
El Modelo Mexican Food has been around since the 30’s making homemade tortillas and tamales. Located on 2nd street right off of Bridge street, El Modelo’s catered to the railroad repair shop workers across the street until the shop closed down in the 70’s. Today El modelo’s is an Albuquerque institution, known for its fresh tamales and tortillas.
Continue reading ‘El Modelo Mexican Foods’
400 Gold SW at the Simms Building
(505) 245 – 1711
I work in the downtown area and am always on the prowl for good places to go to during lunch. For most of us over here, finding good places to eat is a high priority because the majority of the day we sit in offices and cubicles for hours at a time. 
Lunchtime is a break for us to stretch out legs, get away for a while, and enjoy some good food before we work the second half of the day (what, you need energy to sit for hours on end). La Sierra is a restaurant that I passed by many times because it is tucked away in the Simms Building right next to the main entrance to Gold’s Gym. It also looks very plain from the outside, not like the fancy restaurants that are along Central.
When I first went here I took a look at the menu and didn’t have a good feeling because it had such a wide range of food including American, New Mexican, and Greek. I always think it is a bad sign when a restaurant mixes such different foods. However, this is one place that has really impressed me with taste, price, and portion. First of all, getting a plate in the 5 to 6 dollar range downtown is a steal. To start you are given some tortilla chips and salsa, which is good because most of the time you are starving when you get to a restaurant. Then with many of the entrees you are given a small salad or soup while waiting for your food. Nothing fancy so far right, very plain looking chips and salad, but they taste pretty good, or to the starving worker…like the best chips and salad you ever tasted!
I have had a few entrees here including the Turkey Avocado sandwich, Gyro, and Enchilada Plate. Actually, I have had the Turkey Avocado sandwich about 5 times already. Compared to most downtown restaurants it might seem plain…no imported honey turkey from Europe, no smoked provolone, no rye with poppy seeds or avocado from the nether regions of the world. So you might say that the description of turkey, avocado, and Swiss on a French roll might sound plain. You’re right it is plain…. plain good! This is not a restaurant that raises the cost with fancy ingredients, they make food simple with large portion, they make it good, and you don’t pay 10 dollars for a sandwich. They just started making Gyros and I tried one thinking it couldn’t be as good as some of the Greek restaurants, but it was also pretty good. In fact, I have yet to try something here that wasn’t good and it is shocking considering its humble atmosphere and mixed up menu.
The service is exactly what you would expect here, two ladies in aprons running around calling you “sweetie” and with about 7 other tables to talk to. They are nice and get you everything you need most of the time, so I have no complaints on that. Especially since I run into bad service at some of the more popular downtown restaurants. Like I said before, the atmosphere is very plain and looks like a small town diner, but as long as I have some good food in front of me, I really don’t care. So I definitely recommend this restaurant especially to the downtown employees on their lunch break.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 6]
Ambiance:
[rate 5]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
1815 Central, N.W.
247-4141
I have lived in the downtown area for the past three years. passing by Duran’s pharmacy on a daily basis, I had no clue that their was a restaurant in the back of the pharmacy. In a back corner of the Duran pharmacy is a charming little restaurant that has been serving New Mexican food since the 60’s. While not the ideal location for a restaurant, Duran’s pharmacy restaurant caters to the loyal neighborhood regulars and the daytime lunch pharmacy goers.
Nestled in the back of the pharmacy, are a few tables, a small covered patio, and a sit at counter. At a small grill the cooks is making fresh flour tortillas as they are ordered. I would have to say that their reputation for homemade buttered tortillas is true. The tortillas are undoubtedly the best tortillas served in town. These liberally buttered tortillas taste reminiscent of soft tortillas that your grandmother would make. Duran’s menu is small but offers daily special menu items that are only served on that day. On one occasion I had the blue corn enchiladas plate served with home-style beans and rice. The chile was very mild and the enchiladas were skimpy and unfulfilled. My wife had the combination plate which was also a disappointment. We left the restaurant unsatisfied. The prices are a little steep hovering more closer to $10 then $5 for a small plate. I would say that the trip is well worth it for the tortillas, but their is far better New Mexican food in the area.
Taste:
[rate 6]
Service:
[rate 8.5]
Ambiance:
[rate 7.5]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
El Charritos Mexican Restaurant
4703 Central Ave NW
(505) 836-2464
Hours: Mondays 8am-2pm; Tues-Sun 8am-7pm
(map)
El Charritos mexican restaurant is a west side favorite of mine. Nestled between a tire shop and gas station, El Charittos is the diamond in the rough. I have been eating at El Charritos since I was a kid. The old building and the paring lot used to be where the current parking lot is. For breakfast I would always get the ham and cheese sandwich with steak fries and a hot chocolate. Time went buy and i moved away for a while. Coming back the old El Charritos is long gone, in its place is a new building and landscaped parking lot.
El Charritos menu includes classic New Mexican and American entrees. My last visit for lunch I had the carne adovada plate. It came with a huge portion of carne adovada, rice and beans. The carne adovada was perfect. I also have had the combination enchilada, relleno and taco plate. The enchilada and relleno were great and the taco was good. The portions are generous and served hot. most meals are accompanied by warm sopapillas with honey. Having eaten at El Charritos a lot recently, I have to say that his might be the best tasting New Mexican food in the city. I know that is a bold statement, but their food is top notch and cooked to perfection. While El Charritos isn’t known for having the biggest plates, hottest chile or best prices. It just has wonderful tasting food.
The seating is table and chairs with some booths along the back wall. The service was pretty good. The wait staff is very fast but a bit rushed. The greeter is usually very friendly and offers you a choice of seating. Sunday for lunch you will see a mariachi group playing as you eat. During lunch on weekdays can be a bit crowded with politicians and professionals from downtown. I think everyone should give El Charritos on west central a try at least once.
Taste:
[rate 9.5]
Service:
[rate 8.5]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
1216 Central Ave SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102-2803
Phone: (505) 243-1019
Hours: Daily 10am-10pm
(map)
When I think of classic New Mexican style hot dogs, I think of the The Dog House on central and Bob’s Burgers. The Dog House has been a staple in the downtown area since the 1960’s. A true city landmark with its animated neon sign. As a kid I remember always wanting to go to the Dog House so I could prove to my dad that I could eat the foot long chile dog without crying. The chile is very hot and is uniquely New Mexican. Their chile is not that meat and bean chili you would find throughout the country or classic red or green. It is like a hot chile gravy. Their hot dogs are spit down the middle and grilled. The favorites at The Dog House are the foot-long chile cheese dog with onions, the double green chile cheeseburger, and the frito pie. I usually always get a foot long chile cheese dong with onions and an order of chile cheese fries. The prices are very reasonable for this wonderful.
The dining room inside is not much bigger then a large closet. I don’t recommend the dining room unless you are wanting to watch them make your order. The way to order is park in the front or on the side facing the restaurant, roll down your window and just look hungry. At some point the carhop will come to your window and take your order. Never go to The Dog House when you are in a hurry, because it is always busy. Also, don’t be expecting to swipe your card here, The Dog House only accepts cash. The Dog House is definitely worth the wait.
Taste:
[rate 9]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 7]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
4230 Fourth Street NW
Albuquerque NM, 87107
(505)345-5339
map | ~MENU~
Sadie’s Restaurant is one of Albuquerque’s finest New Mexican Restaurants. Sadie’s has a long history of moving from location to location as its popularity grew. Sadie’s now is situated in a large custom New Mexican style building that has dining room after dining room of space. The rooms are large and decorated very New Mexican. Some of the main dining rooms are so large, you get the feel of a cafeteria. The saltillo tiled courtyard is a treat on a hot Albuquerque day.
If you go to Sadie’s be prepared to eat. Sadie’s offers large portions of traditional New Mexican favorites. The last time I went, I had the combination plate with green chicken enchiladas and a chile relleno. I have to say that I am somewhat of a chile relleno head. I love rellenos, going out on a limb, I would have to say that Sadie’s offers the best rellenos that I have ever had. The green chile enchiladas were equally wonderful. Most the plates came with beans and rice and a large portion of papas. Sadie’s also has amazing red carne adovada. Sadie’s is known for its salsas which they sell by the jar. Their salsa is hot, not to runny and not to chunky. I have to give Sadie’s credit, they still to this day keep the salsa and the chile hot. Most places mild their chile down to suit a wider clientele(tourists). The wait staff is right on it refilling waters and iced teas. The portions are very large so you will probably need a take out box.
While Sadie’s portions are large so are their prices. The price is well worth the portions, but other well known New Mexican restaurants offer comparable portions at a much lower cost. The average meal at Sadie’s is going to be upwards of $10. The wait staff is well trained and polite. They are always refilling your drinks and salsa. The only problem when I go their they’re are only a couple of waiters for a huge room. It is hard to get their attention. All in all you must give Sadie’s a try. They are one the best New Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque.
Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 8]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
2400 Central Ave SE
frontierrestaurant.com | ~MENU~
The Frontier is located on Central and Yale, across from the UNM bookstore. It is locally owned and has been in business for 35 years. The Frontier is open 24hrs, 7 days a week. It is a popular place for breakfast, lunch, dinner, study groups, and late night dining. When you walk in, there is usually a long line that wraps around the dining room, but it moves quickly. There are several counters and when one of them is ready to take your order, they will flash a green light. Once you place your order, you sit down and wait for your number to show up on one of the screens around the rooms. The various rooms have western paintings on the walls, especially paintings of John Wayne. There are small tables and booths or large tables for big groups. This casual atmosphere makes the Frontier a good place to meet people. You can order what ever you want, you don’t have to worry about splitting the check, and you can stay as long as you want.
The menu offers breakfast, New Mexican food, platters and salads, burgers and sandwiches. My favorite menu choice is Western Hash Browns, which are hash browns smothered with cheese and green chile. The tortillas are freshly made and irresistible. I also like the Frontier sweet roll, which is a huge cinnamon roll with tons of butter. I used to get the Chicken Nachos, but I have to warn you that the jalapenos are super hot because they are fresh. Near the silverware is a huge pot of salsa, which is almost like stew, but it is very tasty. Overall, I would rate the food as above average. It has its own quality and flavor that is not typical New Mexican food and not typical diner meals either.
I grew up eating food from the Frontier restaurant. It was a favorite place to hang out with friends in high school and college. The prices used to be reasonable, but it is no longer very affordable for poor college students. I would consider the portions to be mid-sized. In the last ten years, they have become more and more popular, and much more sophisticated. I think those of us who grew up with the charm of the old Frontier, are not too impressed with all of the changes. However, the food has not changed, just the prices. I would recommend a trip to the Frontier Restaurant, even just to say you’ve been. It is not easy to find parking, and if you are not into crowds, I wouldn’t go there.
Taste:
[rate 7]
Service:
[rate 7]
Ambiance:
[rate 8]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
3200 Montgomery Blvd. NE (Amigo Mart) 872-2109
8101 Harper Dr. NE (Winners Shell Station) 798-1970
sandiachilegrill.com | ~MENU~
Well a lot of times we discuss the under the radar restaurants in this city so people can experience some diversity. How about this for under the radar…located inside of a gas station convinience store! Thats right, I was first introduced to this burrito carry-out restaurant about a year and a half ago when they expanded to their second convenience store. I was told they are the best burritos I would find in Albuquerque, and i agree that these are very good.
For the most part I get the big asada burrito, which has two portions of grilled asada steak, bacon, pico de gallo, potatoe, and cheese. It is a huge burrito and only runs 5.99. They have a menu with mainly traditional burrito items arranged is some pretty good variations and combinations (check out the website for the menu). In general the price range is from 3.99 to 5.99 and all of the burritos are made on a grill right in front of you. Of course for people on the go sometimes they will make breakfast burritos ready for you to just walk in and pick them up. They give you a receipt and you pay at the convenience store cash register.
I have only had a problem during one visit where my potatoes were undercooked and hard. Other than that they are consistent in giving you generous portions and a huge burrito that looks like it might not hold in the tortilla.
What can I say about the atmosphere…its a gas station! You probably don’t want to hang out and enjoy the scenery unless you like looking at the nutritional facts of ranch doritos. Oh and for all of the smooth ones out there, you may want to take your date somewhere else (although the flowers are cheap). But if you have a big appetite and want some good, steaming hot burritos, i would recommend this restaurant.
Taste:
[rate 7]
Service:
[rate 6]
Ambiance:
[rate 3]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]
According to our server who was very nice, Padilla’s has been serving for close to 30 years. Our server actually has been there since the very beginning, left for a while,
When my dinner date and I arrived, we were greeted and seated promptly in the corner with a great view of the dining room. Padilla’s is definitely kid friendly and seems to cater to just about anyone. The dining room is very modest, just a few landscape paintings and your occasional beer mirror. All off the staff was very helpful and genuinely nice.
My date had a Carne Adovada burrito plate with red and green at our servers recommendation. The Carne was tender and juicy with the right amount of spice from the chile it’s cooked in. The bite I took left me wanting more. We also shared a beef and potato taco that was just like Grandma used to make. All meals come with homemade pinto beans and rice. And lets not forget the fabulous sopaipillas that come 2 to a person. I love to eat one with dinner for sopping up all the cheese, chile and egg and one with honey and beans for dessert. The savory sweet combo is absolutely to die for.