Las Mananitas

1800 Rio Grande blvd. nw
87104-2606
242-6334

Las Mananitas is a restaurant in the north valley area of Albuquerque which combines Mexican cuisine with a very homelike atmosphere. The restaurant was actually built in the mid 19th century and remodeled a few times since. However, the old stagecoach stop still reminisces of history as you duck under the low doors and look at the wooden floors with heel marks still left in the old dancehall.

I have to say that the food here was very good. I have gone several times and had the meat and potato floutas, combination burrito, and chicken enchiladas. You are started with homemade posole and each entrée is served with a sopapilla (thick and not greasy, just the way I like them). Now, I have worked in a Mexican kitchen before and this restaurant does not fall under the faults of some of the bigger and more popular restaurants. The kitchen is just a room away and everything is made from scratch, no bins full of bean or trays full of food under a heat-lamp, and yes there is a big difference. I saw the kitchen, met the cooks and was very impressed by how they operated. The owners are there all the time, stopping by to make sure everything is fine, serving your food with a smile on their face, and making good conversation. The servers are really laid back and funny. They will go out of their way to make you comfortable and I have not been to another restaurant in this city that offered the same hospitality. They were happy to give me a tour of the restaurant and enjoyed explaining the history of the old building and its area. To me, this is what makes me go back time and time again, the feeling of being a guest to a family.The only drawback is that the price is a bit higher and the portion sizes are smaller than what you may get somewhere else.

For most the best part of Las Mananitas is feeling like you are part of the history, which is why old town is so popular. For those who want a break from the contemporary, the restaurant stays true to its origins with the original old adobe walls, roof beams, fireplaces, wooden floors. There are two main rooms with six tables in each so it is very quiet. The walls have historic paintings and iron works true to the stagecoach origins. So if you feel like a relaxing dinner of good Mexican quisine with a homelike atmosphere, I would recommend Las Mananitas.

Taste:
[rate 8]
Service:
[rate 9]
Ambiance:
[rate 9]
Overall Reader Rating
[ratings]

Las Mananitas, 10.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating

Popularity: 32% [?]