The best chicharrón burrito, sopapillas and menudo! Great customer service. Did I mention the horchata??

I came in craving tacos. We were met at the table right away. The staff were all friendly and genuine. The place was clean and inspired me to believe it was safe (post pandemic). The food was delivered quickly, was warm, and tasted excellent! This is a place with authenticity as its' trademark. Definitely a "go to" spot for me from now on! read more

Solid place. Good food and service. Very reasonable prices. The menudo is exceptional.

I don't understand the rave reviews about this place. I'm traveling from California through New Mexico. Spent the day in Santa Fe and ended the day here. It was under the "10 Best " in Santa Fe, so my wife and I tried it. What a mistake and a waste of money. I ordered hard shell tacos, and the wife ordered the "Sunday Special", flautas. The shells of the tacos looked like Taco Bell shells that had been fried again until the were burnt. Couldn't eat them. The shells of the flautas were also over cooked and burnt. The rice had a chemical smell to it. The guacamole had a harsh smell to it and tasted terrible. How can you screw up rice and avacados??? We left the uneaten food. Upon going to the counter to pay the bill, the cashier was friendly and asked if everything was good. I told her no the food was terrible. She kept smiling and did not question my response. I do not recommend this place. I've had better food at Taco Bell. read more

Came from Meow Wolf hungry and found Cafe Castro on their recommended restaurant list. We went in and staff was incredibly friendly and nice. When we ordered our food was served quickly and was cooked to perfection with balanced flavors that complimented each other nicely. Cafe Castro was clean and had a warm atmosphere with decorations that don't feel artificial and is a perfect place to eat. If I could give a number out of 10 instead of 5 I would still give 10/10. read more

Yum! The vegetable tamales are so worth a trip here and the steak fajitas didn't disappoint for my keeping keto goals. My friend really enjoyed the sopapilla at the end of her tamale meal. Priced just right for a night out on the reasonable and the portion sizes are large. Staff was friendly and very accommodating. Next trip to Santa Fe, I'll be back! read more

Our first meal in Santa Fe was at Cafe Castro, and we were excited and hoonngrryyy for it. There was a bit of a wait around 7:30PM on Friday, but we just entertained ourselves by taking pictures of the strip club sign (Cheeks) next door. After getting seated, we were floored by the prices. I don't think anything was over $7.50. We ordered the chips and guac to start with, and I had the stuffed sopapialla. The guac was super garlicky and super amazing. Best guac ever (maybe tied with Cafe Barrio in Phoenix). My sopapialla, however, was on the eh side. Too many conflicting flavors, soggy fried dough due to the dousing with chile, and meh rice + beans. I tried a few of the other dishes (huevos, tacos, enchiladas) and was similarly impressed (or, not impressed). I liked the fresh sopapiallas with honey though, and the service was great. Despite these (and the delish guac), I probably wouldn't come back if I find myself in Santa Fe again. read more

Great place. Nice and relaxed atmosphere and the food was great. Not too spicy either.

Great food and warm service makes Cafe Castro a nice dinner option. While driving from Phx to Denver we stopped for dinner, based on Yelp reviews. Service was fast and warm, and the food was good. I had fajitas which were pretty good, the meat wasn't the highest quality, but it was still tasty. Overall a good option, if they had real margaritas they would be close to five stars. read more

Santa Fe is blessed with an abnormal amount of fine eateries. For such a small town, in such a remote location, it is nothing short of astounding. Part of this is easily explained. There's a good deal of 'second home' money, mostly from NY, TX, and CA. That explains the unusual amount of high end joints, some excellent, most mediocre. The primary reason for Santa Fe's culinary standing has nothing to do with high-end this or high-end that. It's ALL about the basics, and the basics in northern New Mexico are red, and green, chiles. You can fancy it up like they do at Coyote Cafe, but all that architectural plate posturing is nothing more than a travesty. If you're smart, you just make it like mom did. No frills, just the true and tried dishes, prepared as they have been for generations. There are a bunch of fantastic mom and pop shops. Tia Maria's, The Shed, La Choza, Tecolote, Diego's, etc., but, after years and years of research, Castro's has become our clear favorite. Formerly out on Rodeo, now only on Cerrillos, Castro's Cafe is perfect. Simple, good, and oh so tasty. They have all the normal dishes, the prices are right, the service very friendly, and the chile is as good as you'll ever find it. The only sad part is that I don't live in Santa Fe anymore, so it's harder to get my chile fix. Castro's has thought of that too. Thankfully, you can buy their green chile sauce to go. Which is a good thing, cause otherwise living in California would be unbearable. read more

Cafe Castro doesn't play. Game, Set and Match. If there ever was a knockout combination of real, quality, inexpensive Mexican food in Santa Fe, this is definitely it. The staff is attentive and courteous. The specials (ours were fajitas) were spectacular - chicken cooked to perfection and nothing prefab to be found. The prices were dirt cheap. We almost felt like we were getting away with something. All the accompaniments (rice, beans etc) were outstanding. I am so happy I found Cafe Castro. read more

Yelp, YOU TOTALLY LET ME DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This place was awful!!! I don't understand how it's gotten such high stars. I initially wrote an angry, scathing review, belittling anyone who could think this food was good. But I've decided that it was too mean, and that I was probably just irritable due to bad guacamole and the WINE Margarita I drank there. Yeah, this place is cheap. But it's suuuuper generic Mexican food. I've had better tamales in LA. I've also had this exact same generic Mexican food in LA. If you're in town visiting, and you're looking for quality, DO NOT come here. Instead, go to La Chosa, or Tecolote Cafe, both of which were EXCELLENT. Even Blue Corn Cafe had better guacamole. If you live here & are lookin for a super-cheap meal, fine, give it 5 stars & eat here every night. But I sincerely hope you realize this is not good food. P.S. I understand that the restaurant doesn't have a liquor license, but NOBODY wants a Wine Margarita. NOBODY. read more

Amazing food! Lovely, cozy ambiance - authentic GREAT prices! Excellent customer service! Before deciding on this place. I did extensive research on yelp and even sent a facebook bulletin to all of my Albuquerque locals to give me suggestions to which restaurant in Santa Fe I must try on my visit. I was determined to have Blue Corn enchiladas and introduce my California native BF to New Mexican cuisine. It was a tough decision. I kept going back and forth between La Choza, Tecolote, Tia Sophia, Maria's, etc. My parents recommended Cafe Castro and Moms even called to confirm they had Blue Corn menu options. We took the drive to Santa Fe on Friday around noon time. It was a nice sleepy drive and we got to Cafe Castro hungry with anticipation. The place is quaint, built like someones house and decorated very homestyle-ish. It's very comforting and warm, not like those high end cold restaurants. Julia, the owner, greeted us as we walked in. She took us to our table and asked if it was the BF's first time eating there, she was excited and told him he'd have nothing like it. She took our drink orders, I ordered water, moms ordered iced tea, dad and BF ordered beers. The waitress suggested the local beer brewed in Pecos, NM. I can't recall the name of it. They quickly brought us out a basket of chips and salsa. The ware wolf in me took over. I could NOT get enough. The chips were fresh and perfectly salted and the salsa was INCREDIBLE. It was spicy and had the perfect blend of flavors, onion tomato and jalapenos. Then a HUGE pot of guacamole was brought out, and I thought "wow it gets BETTER?!" The guacamole was fresh and let me tell you, it's not that guacamole that is subdued with sour cream. It's ALL avocado, lots of garlic and seasonings. Absolutely delicious. We slowed down because we KNEW we didn't want to ruin our appetite before our meals came. I ordered the blue corn chicken enchiladas WITHOUT sour cream. My dad ordered a bowl of posole, moms ordered blue corn enchiladas with red and green (apparently it's called "christmas" to the locals, but that's a fairly new term for me), and BF ordered the chicharon burrito smothered with red and green. Chicharon is fried pork parts. It's VERY rich and fried in its own fat. We didn't wait long for our food to come out. It was steamy and smelled amazing. The enchiladas were OUT OF THIS WORLD. The red chile was spicy and flavorful. I'm a native to New Mexico, so restaurant eating has to meet the standards of my mother's kitchen and this place gives moms a run for her money. It was DELICIOUS. The cheese was gooey and melty, and the spice of the chile was offset by the saltiness of the beans and cheese. The rice was cooked to perfection and had the perfect hint of tomato. It was not overpowering and the texture was fluffy. The sopapillas, which are basically tortillas with more baking soda added to the dough but DEEP fried, so they puff up like pillows, were so amazingly soft and chewy. The flaky outer portion was awesome. My BF compared them to a croissant. I'd never thought of that before. I didn't get a chance to taste my BF's burrito. It was GONE before I could ask. I would say that is a pretty good sign that it was equally as amazing as mine. My parents BOTH could not say enough about how good their dishes were also. BF and dads also said the local beer was amazing. My BF even gave his puckered "oh wow" face when he said "this beer is REALLY good." I knew he meant business. If you are making your way to Santa Fe, THIS is the place to go. There are MANY choices, but Cafe Castro should make your list. I cannot say ONE single bad thing about this place If you are looking for authentic food, Cafe Castro is it AND it's NOT overpriced. read more

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I almost don't want to write this review in fear of sharing one of the best kept secrets in Santa Fe! Cafe Castro is off the beaten path. It isn't fancy. It isn't expensive. But boy, is it good! I have been to the other more popular New Mexican restaurants in town, but they just don't compare, especially for $5 per plate higher prices! We have never had to wait for a table in the past, but on our recent vacation we went on a Friday night and waited 30 min. I watched the staff immediatly clean tables and seat waiting patrons, they did a great job on getting through the wait list quickly. The service at Cafe Castro is always 5 star, and you can tell that they take pride in their work. They like people to like their food and be happy, which makes it an enjoyable experience. Their menu has tamales, enchilada, chili rellenos, burritos, and tacos. They also offer stuffed sopipillas, which I haven't tried but they sound yummy! Also on the menu is heuvo rancheros and a few other traditional items. They offer a daily special as well, which features a dish not typically on the menu for a reasonable price. On my recent visit, I couldn't decide what I wanted, so I got the Plato Grande platter. It had 1 tamale, 1 chili rellenos, and 1 cheese enchilada with rice, beans, posole, and a pillowy sopipilla. It is a great sampling of all they offer. Everything was so good! I was impressed that the food quality was as good with them being as busy as they were, and everything was served piping hot. The tamale had plenty of meat filling and the rellenos was perfectly crisp (not at all gummy) and spicy. Their sides are good too! The rice is al dente and more like rice with seasoning than the soft, starchy Spanish rice sometimes served at restaurants. The beans are refried in house instead of from a can; I ordered mine traditional but my husband asked for the whole refried beans instead of smashing them. And their posole is so fluffy, but could use a bit more seasoning. They serve each meal with a huge sopipilla, which is like traditional fry bread (not covered in cinnamon and sugar like at Tex-Mex restaurants). It is served with your meal and you can use it to cut the heat of the chili or have it with honey. It is so pillowy, light, and very fresh. Yum! All meals come with their chili; I always order Christmas style. I love both chilis equally, but they both pack some heat! Especially the red chili. It has so many complex flavors, almost like a mole, but is so spicy! But addictive. Venture over to Cafe Castro and give them a try. It's New Mexican food at its finest from a humble, family owned restaurant. You won't be disappointed. read more

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The food was great. I was really impressed. Also, I enjoyed the fact that our meal came with complimentary sopapillas which were amazing. On a side note, the bathroom smelled surprisingly good. read more

This place was kind of really disgusting. I always hate eating food that makes me catch myself sitting there wondering what that random stringy thing in my beans is or the puddle underneath my chicken is or what the source of the bubbly corner in my soda is. I know it could be all in my head, but this place is pretty disgusting. The tables have this sticky feeling to them and the food is incredibly greasy and salty. I felt pretty miserable inside after eating my fajitas. I got heartburn which I haven't ever had in my life before. This is easily the most disgusting place I have eaten in a long time. I think Santa Fe is full of these nasty "4 star" restaurants that the locals love. This is the kind of place that people who don't know good food eat at so they don't have to eat fast food again. I have said it before and I will say it one more time. I weep for the people of Santa Fe. read more

Great for when you're craving traditional New Mexican food. I really enjoyed the red chili on my enchiladas. The green chili-chicken enchilada combo was also very tasty. Although their tortilla chips were a let-down, the guacamole was good (I prefer mine a little chunkier than theirs). Apparently they always bring sopapillas with the meal -- these were quite tasty. Almost every meal is priced at only $7, which is very reasonable for what you get. Castro is in a standalone building with a parking lot -- it has a good vibe, and the atmosphere is what you'd expect from a casual New Mexican restaurant. The staff is attentive and very friendly. They offer a good selection of cold cerveza. I will definitely return to this place. read more

I have lived in Albuquerque for 12 years and I frequent Santa Fe at least 1-2 times per month. I can't believe I've deprived myself of Cafe Castro! This place is fantastic! It's off the beaten path of the plaza, tucked between the strip malls that line Cerrillos, but it's worth the jaunt. I had the chile relleno plate and a wine margarita. Good grief, the chile- both red and green- were nothing short of some of the best chile I've ever had. The rellenos were friend to a nice golden brown and not greasy. I said it, fried and NOT greasy. The beans, rice and posole hit the spot too, and the sopapillas are super puffy and as big as your face! I can't wait to go back. read more

Café Castro - Chile relleno plate, superb! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Went with a huge group of people and the wait staff were great. Our food came out fast and accurate. Drinks were never empty and the waitress was always close by if we needed anything. I ordered the taco salad and loved how filling it was. I only gave it a 4 star because there were a few in my group that didn't like what they ordered. read more

This was such a disappointment! We went after reading the reviews on the Santa Fe App. Although the staff was helpful and pleasant the food was mediocre at best and the facility itself was very shabby. My husband ordered the fish tacos which had absolutely no flavor, pale and unseasoned. We were wondering if they simply microwaved a fish filet and put it on a tortilla with a little lettuce and called it good. It wasn't! And no rice or beans! I ordered the shrimp quesadilla which was better and at least had some flavor. Definitely would not recommend this place. Maybe try the place across the street. At least it "looked" better. read more

Santa Fe has two kinds of New Mexican food: chi-chi, high end New Mexicanesque food that will cost you a lot and which will be delicious but doesn't reflect the home cooking of the region, and the honest, rib-sticking fare that reminds me of the food at PTA potlucks back in my public school days. Castro's serves up the latter. Which makes me really happy that they're now on Cerrillos and I don't have to trek to the far edge of town just to get my green chile fix all taken care of. This is a family friendly place run by an actual family. There are no 3-ring binders in the back explaining how to turn 10lb cans of orange goo into nachos. They don't even have nachos. Sure that garnish is shredded iceberg. I'm certain that slice of tomato tastes and feels like cardboard. YOU'RE NOT HERE FOR THE SALAD. Get the enchiladas, they're amazing. Or get a burrito smothered in some of the best green chile you'll ever have in your mouth. Live dangerously and order your chile "christmas" (red & green, get it?). If you really have to have the salad, get it, but you're missing out on the good stuff. Any by all means, save a little room for that sopapilla with the honey. read more

So THIS is where all the local families have been eating dinner lately! To tell the truth, since Little Anita's closed a couple years ago and Cafe Castro moved to Cerrillos Road, it had pretty much fallen off my radar. Which is too bad because the food is quite decent. The sopailla was perfect (and quickly replaced when the waited spilled a little iced tea on the final remaining one, Oops!) My huevos rancheros were pretty tastey and definately on the 3.5 out of 5 level for huevos in Santa Fe. But aside from the food, the price was super-inexpensive compared to some of the other restaurants closer to downtown, like have as expensive as some place like The Shed or so. Really, I'd say this place is pretty family -friendly too, judging from the families sitting at some of the larger tables. Yea... I'll be back. read more

Locals seem to love this place, but I thought it was bland and mediocre at best. I do have to give credit to a tasty tamale and chile relleno though. The salsa was not hot and lacked flavor, tasted like bottled salsa with a predominate tomato taste. I make better beans and the rice was dry and tasteless. I really wanted to experience some New Mexican cooking and if this is it, I'll stick with my own Cali Mexican cooking I learned from my mother who was a rather gourmet chefess. You have to pay extra for chips and salsa that are simply uneventful. Servers and greeter were nice and friendly giving service with a smile. read more

Best Sopes I had on my trip to Santa Fe. They are cooked to a golden brown, but are still light and chewy. I preferred their green sauce, as the red was a little smokey for my liking. From the beans to the chips, everything tastes homemade. Very good prices too!!! read more

I had some grande plato or something like that. it was a giant plate of a little of everything. i ordered it christmas and both the red and green sauces were pretty good. the chile relleno was a bit soggy, and not quite enough chile taste. the other two items on my plate were about average compared to CA, just with red and green chile sauce on top (which did make it above average). read more

Delicious food, big portions, cheap price and quick service. Red and green chili salsas are awesome and I could eat the sopaipillas smothered in honey all day. From someone who doesn't typically like mexican food I would highly recommend. I had the small plate with posole and a blue corn enchilada and it was plenty food for me. read more

Café Castro - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We traveled to Taos on our final day in New Mexico and were looking for a place to stop on the drive back to Albuquerque. This unassuming restaurant off the tourist path of Sante Fe totally hit the spot! Excellent guacamole, delicious sopapilla, and tasty green chile all made for an excellent, stomach expanding meal much needed after a day of heavy sight seeing. The service was quick and attentive. We ordered and our food was out within five minutes. The inside feels more like a bar than a restaurant. But don't let that or the additional parking in the next door strip club lot drive you away from an excellent gem of a restaurant in Sante Fe. read more

Café Castro - Sopapilla stuffed with beans and green chile sauce: comfort food at its best! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

I'm giving this place the benefit of the doubt because of the exceptional service. I ordered the Wednesday special, "Blue Enchiladas" with beef that came with refried beans & rice. Imstead of chips, they gave guests this unique Mexican bread which was flakey and delicious. The food was good, but I was disappointed that the beef they used was ground beef and not beef tips. That separates the men from the boys at a Mexican Restaurant. read more

Café Castro - Wednesday's special, Blue Enchiladas with rice & beans. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We were on vacation in Santa Fe and a friend recommended Cafe Castro to us and we couldn't wait to eat there. Well, it was just as Allen said it would be! I had the tamales (one pork and one veg) & if I would have written this review sooner I could remember what the rest of the group had. I just know we all liked our meals and the sopapillas were huge! Their prices are VERY reasonable, especially with all the food you get! When in Santa Fe again, I would go back to Cafe Castro's! read more

Café Castro - Tamales - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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This was a great find, thank you Yelp. It appears that lots of locals come here and I'm sure often. It's clean, great service, prices are cheap. I had the veg. ench. it was wonderful, the green chile sauce was nice and hot. Refried beans appeared to be homemade and all the entrees came with sopapilla's. The sangria was homemade and yummy!!! read more

Great breakfast spot. Slipped in just in time Sunday morning. Had wonderful special, pork chops w/ red chili sauce. Started and ended it all with delicious horchata. Beyond the food, I liked the atmosphere of this local spot. It didn't feel like a tourist trap yet open to folks like me travel through to the wide open West. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about this little gem. Our waiter was super nice and took good care of us. The food was AWESOME!!! The horchata is the best I've ever had and I'm originally from Los Angeles where Mexican food restaurants abound. It was reasonably priced and the sopapillas were a very tasty added bonus. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in Santa Fe! read more

Current Yelp rating of 4.5 stars is over rated by at least 1 star. Yet another example of how Yelp can sometimes be deceiving because there are people that give high or low ratings based largely on prices. It's not that Cafe Castro is bad, it is pretty decent food at great prices. In my view it's a mixed bag, for instance, their chile is good but the posole is bland and boring. Just decent. Not 4.5 stars worth. And not the best example of NM cuisine in Santa Fe, as other reviewers claim, far from it. Just decent. read more

First, there is a great divide between restaurants that know how to make sopapillas and those that don't. Luckily Café Castro makes great ones. Their menu fails to mention that most entrées, 'cept burgers, come with one. What a great treat to start out a meal. Truly a "little pillow" that comes out hot and keeps its shape. Both green and red sauces are tasty and exemplify Northern NM food. The decor is nothing exceptional, but is more comfortable and warm than many comparably-priced joints. The staff is friendly and helpful without being either phony or fawning, and everyone seems to be working really hard from the moment you come in until you leave to make sure your experience is a positive one. The dishes are not particularly inventive, but are really solid interpretations of most of your favorites (except they don't make carne adovada.) When it comes to value, this is about the pinnacle I've experienced in Santa Fe - - very reasonable prices and generous portions of satisfying victuals. read more

What a delight. Friendly folk and great Mexican fare served with a light freshly baked bread with honey...I know, unusual but delightful. I've eaten at many Mexican restaurants, but this one is unique with the tacos, enchiladas and rellenos all deserving a ten rating. And the price is right. read more

Basic Mexican fare, enjoyed the sopaipillas but I think it would be better if they were brought out after the meal. The basket came out with our entre, so by the time we were ready to chow them down they'll cooled off. Still good, though. The Plato Grande was a good mix, came with one of the better chiles rellenos I've eaten. Fried nice & crispy before the red & green chile sauce (Christmas). First stop in Santa Fe, surprised we didn't get chips and salsa with the meal. After hitting a couple more places I guess it's normal around here. Get there early, by the time we left there was a line running past the register all the way across the covered front porch. read more

Really fantastic place to eat. This restaurant is deceiving, since it doesn't look like much. The place is clean and the staff is friendly. However, the real treat is when the food starts coming out. Every bite of food served was fresh and vibrant with both color and flavor. Just simple New Mexican dishes, but prepared so well. Everything is appropriately seasoned and served piping hot. read more

Ate here twice in one week. Very good, authentic NN grub. The sapapillos are worth the price of admission. Drizzle some honey on them and fall in love. The green chili sauce was excellent. Nothing really special about the rest. Super fast, friendly service. read more

Super convenient location, right across the street from the Silver Saddle Motel. We were seated quickly. The menu is simple, with classic New Mexico fare. The service was fast and friendly, the food was AMAZING. read more

I found this place on the recommendation of a few locals. This is one of the surefire ways to a good meal...assuming you hear it more than once, and randomly. I was told they had excellent chile and that their sopapillas were fantastic. Now I can attest to that as well. Both their chiles (red & green, "Christmas") were awesome and the sopapilla with honey was fantastic. Melt in your mouth, fluffy and delicious. This was actually my first taste of a sopapilla and now I'm hooked...if only these were more readily available outside of the Southwest. If anyone is unfamiliar a sopapilla is basically a flour tortilla that is deep-fried that produces a light puffy but crisp pastry. It has a large air pocket in the middle and can be stuffed with sweet or savory ingredients or eaten as is. I got the combination plate of Chile Rellenos, chicken tamale & a veggie tamale. It came with a good amount of beans, hominy and rice which were all tasty. I find that frequently refried beans can be overly salty but these were not. You could sense that they made this fresh and it wasn't canned...another rarity. The Chile Rellenos was superb. All of the ingredients melded perfectly and none overpowered one another. This was the highlight of the meal. The tamales were both good but nothing spectacular. They were certainly good to eat but I've found some exceptional tamales elsewhere. There was a small amount of shredded lettuce and tomatoes that also came on the plate but this tiny addition added a lot to the dish. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the freshness of everything that came out of the kitchen. The food quality was of the utmost and I got the sense that they have a very small amount, if any, of cans in the back. I didn't inquire but my guess is that most everything is cooked on premise. I know this shouldn't be a glaringly plus-point but sadly nowadays it is. The staff was very attentive and friendly. There were several families there and I would say for good reason. The prices are extremely low considering the quality and portions. I highly recommend anyone that is looking for a good Southwestern meal and at a very reasonable price make it a point to stop into Cafe Castro. It sure as hell beats any Chili's or Chevy's. I have photos and a more in depth review on my personal blog. read more