I'm pretty torn here writing this review. The food is usually delicious and the wait staff are nice, but I've noticed since I've been going here that the service has been going down hill. On a Friday night they have little to no wait staff and the staff can't keep up with bussing tables, hosting, serving... they are all over the place. This is damaging the overall customer experience. I came in with a party of three and we had to wait about 20 minutes, but not because there wasn't room in the dining hall. The wait was because no one was available to clean the tables! Sitting down now, we received chips and a tiny cup of salsa. We ordered drinks but only one of us were giving water. I ordered the coconut margarita and was told the blender was broken, so I got it on the rocks. My boyfriend ordered the Santa Fe 7k brew but only had one because midway through the second pour they ran out. He switched to the Happy Camper. The coconut margarita was still tasty, but it was weird getting a drink in the traditional frozen margarita glass loaded up with ice. As far as the food, my friend asked for the Rainbow Trout, which the server replied they no longer served. In fact, he said there were two dishes on the menu that they no longer served... So she looked again and went with the Sonora salad. I asked for the shrimp fajitas and my boyfriend asked for the tequila lime chicken. Our server came back and gave my boyfriend the wrong meal - something spicy with pork. So we returned it for the correct meal. My friend's salad looked good, but the salad dressing turned out to be super spicy and not a sesame vinaigrette. She nearly choked from a chipotle ranch or whatever they gave her. It ruined her salad. My shrimp fajitas were pretty bland without any spices added and the tortillas had holes in them, but I just left it alone and ate it anyway. We also had to ask for silverware. In the end, we didn't get to eat together since my boyfriend had to wait for the correct meal to come out. And when the time came to pay for the tab our server disappeared and the bartender became our new server. We had to ask for a correction to the ticket because we were charged for that extra incorrect pork dish. It breaks my heart to write this because ultimately I've had better experiences at El Bruno's. Not sure why this place is so short staffed and suffering, but it's going to cause me to move on and go somewhere else for Mexican food next time. read more

We didn't come for dinner, however we did come for a Margarita and a Chile con queso which both were excellent. Great ambience and wonderful service. We plan to dine real soon If we waited in the bar, like when we first entered, the review would have been a one or two. No one likes to be ignored read more

unaware of closing time my partner and I needed a last-minute Mother's Day margarita with chips and salsa so we stopped at El Bruno's which was on our way home. We try our best to do local and felt really bad we were there 10 minutes before closing time but our server Elijah convinced us to stay ! The service was great and we loved the margaritas ! Will definitely be back to try food!! Thank you Elijah we will definitely ask for you in the future, customer service like yours is what keeps people coming back. read more

So horribly disappointed on March 5th 2023 when we stopped for lunch. We sat in the bar area .. fond memories of when this property was the original Garduño's many years ago. First tip off was the chips and salsa were a) very salty and b) nothing more than minced tomato .. where's the zip? We ordered promptly - the bartender was our server. Then we waited .... and waited ... and waited. When the food came it was a huge disappointment. It was supposed to be a platter suitable for two ... it wasn't .. the portions were meager to say the least. And ... the food was horrible! All I can say is we concluded it was left-overs from a buffet and had been sitting under heat lamps for a LONG time. The Chile rellano was all breading and no Chile the tamale was all masa and no filling .. Everything was desiccated and loaded with salt. I (over) paid the bartender with a generous tip - because it wasn't;'t really her fault ... she was slammed .. but El Bruno's is off my list forever. read more

AMAZING! Top notch margaritas. I had the pollo con piñón and the only word I can use is, "exquisite." You could probably put that crema sauce on anything and feel it was gourmet dining. Martin was a wonderful server on a busy Saturday night. We were here visiting our daughter and son-in-law and grands, and we are already thinking about what to order next time. Everyone is full and everyone is happy! Thank you for a wonderful dining experience! read more

Tremendous atmosphere, service, and delicious food! Out of town guests were very impressed.

I have tried this to like this place time & time again it's just NOT GOOD. At one point in time 5 years ago it was good. Everytime I have been since it's gotten progressively worse. I decided to give one last try today since my car is in shop and it's closest place to walk too. I was sadly disappointed again. We got 2 tacos (soft) fish tacos, and kid hamburger. Fish tacos were something to be desired. Kids burger meat was funky. Tacos we're greasy. Just gross. $45 later I'm still hungry. I will NEVER be going back! this is sad cause I want to support local but when it's this bad I won't waste any amount of money here. The one good thing I will say is they have good chips and salsa. read more

Went to El Bruno's today (19 Oct 2019) for lunch since I've passed it a number of times and wanted to try it out. (I posted a photo on FB awhile back of their entrance Ava's especially the carved door with Our Lady of Guadalupe because it looked really cool. At the time I actually had no idea that it was this restaurant!). It's a really nice-looking restaurant in the 'North Valley' of Albuquerque, and the food was mostly quite well prepared except for the stale sopaipilla. Also, the only other thing to note about my place is the truly 'micro' portions they gave me of rice and beans, But...that's not what this review is about! They have *Absolutely* the *Worst* 'service'(??) I've ever experienced. First, when I walked in the entrance and up to the reception station, the clueless guy standing there just looked at me with a blank stare when I walked up to him, but finally said, 'do you need something?' Being a smartass, I said, "um, yeah, I want to eat lunch like *Everyone Else* here...". He led me, zombie-like, to a table. I waited at least fifteen minutes after a waiter said he'd be back to take my order (I told him that I needed only a minute to look at the menu, since I just picked it up), and they really weren't all that busy. I went up to zombie boy at the reception station and told him what happened since I didn't have any idea when or even if my waiter would come back. He didn't say anything, though - he just wandered off to get someone. So, a couple minutes later a woman struts up quickly and just blurts out, 'are you ready??' Again, being a smartass, I replied, "um, yeah, I've been ready for about fifteen minutes or more but no one..." 'So Go Ahead!!', she blurted out, cutting me off. I almost just walked out right then and there but already had the tea that I'd ordered, so I couldn't have just walked out. I didn't have a few dollars cash to slap on the table for the tea ($2.75 + tax for tea?!). This woman only came back once, to her credit, to give me some more tea (had needed it for ten minutes...), but was so brusque and curt that I couldn't wait to get out of there. She got the tip she deserved: I rounded up the total by one quarter, $0.25, to make an even and overpriced $17.00. Never again... read more

Good service. Bad food. Would not recommend enchiladas, if you like them spicy. Amazing atmosphere. The place was so pretty.

We went for an early dinner on a Friday night. The parking lot was packed and we thought we might be waiting a bit. To our pleasant surprise, we were seated immediately. The atmosphere is superb: homey, warm, inviting. I had the combination fajitas and was not disappointed. My wife had green chile chicken enchiladas and loved them. The service was great and the decor makes me want to redecorate our home! read more

Went there for lunch this last week. Food was good nothing outstanding BUT couple days later I found out the waitress (or someone who works there added an extra amount on my card for a tip! Called and still waiting for a manager to call me back. Won't go back here again. Be careful, save your receipts read more

New Mexican food is always a treasure and it was a first time trying this restaurant. The margaritas are indeed above average. Tequila is a quality grade and the drink is not sweet. The food quality is slightly above average and meats decent. Sopapillas are average but cost is very very reasonable. $$. Group of 10 had a nice table to accommodate us. read more

Everything is great now,our first experience with them was two years ago, it was terrible but we decided two give them a second chance a couple weeks ago, food and service was outstanding so we went back last night, again outstanding but the only thing I would like them to work on is the sticky tables, it's nasty, maybe I should give them 3 stars only but I will stay at 4. I don't think I would take anyone there or recommend them until they fix this. read more

Decor was lovely, and service was reasonably solid, but the food failed to deliver. Breakfast manages to be overpriced at $9, which is an impressive feat. El Bruno's strategy seems to be to serve you as much potatoes as possible so that you don't notice how little meat you're getting. Potatoes have no business being inside tacquitos, and watery hashbrowns? Really? With so many excellent options for New Mexican food to choose from, I can't find a reason to come back. Edit: Downgraded review to a 1 from a 2 on account of rather unpleasant diarrhea for girlfriend and I after eating here. Not good. read more

We really enjoyed our dinner here the other night. It has a nice atmosphere, good service and good food. Make sure and start with the make at your table guacamole; it's delicious and plenty for people to share. If you like margaritas but don't like all the sugar in them, they have a great skinny margarita! We all had different dishes and all thought they were delicious. They included nachos, chicken enchiladas, chili rellenos and fajitas. Good chili and large portions. Check it out; it's worth a trip! read more

I was in a large group of about 40 for my company holiday dinner. The atmosphere is nice, decor pleasant. Music was a bit too loud in the back room. The food was not that great, the rice was stuck together in a lump like pasta, and though the wait staff was nice and apologetic, the food was served with a wide gap between when the first table got food and the last, which was over 2 hours after we arrived! Everyone was done eating by the time they got served. The last few tables dishes never got cleared. The margaritas were watered down and not tasty. I am new to ABQ but will not be going back, sorry. read more

I came with some friends from out of town who were craving New Mexican food. The service was great, however that was the best part of the dining experience. We ordered some margaritas and beers not realizing that they were almost triple the price of the bar if you were sitting at a table. The food was "fine" but nothing I was happy to pay for. The chicken con chili was super dry, it tasted like shoe leather covered in canned green chili. The "Ceviche" consisted of shrimp cocktail sauce with few shrimp, avocado, and some kind of squash inside of it. I don't think I will return here for food, possibly for a drink in the bar during happy hour. read more

El Bruno's - Coconut margarita - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I ordered the sour cream enchiladas. They were ok - but I do expect them to be warm throughout. The centers were cold, which left me underwhelmed. The beans tasted like they were from a can. I think there are many better New Mexican food restaurants in Albuquerque. We'll be back because my husband loves the chicharrones. I'll try other menu items next next time. read more

Hands down the best New Mexican cuisine in Abq. This is the closest thing to what your grandma made growing up. If you're looking for a beautiful atmosphere, excellent food and amazing margaritas this is your place. Seriously, save yourself the money of El Pinto and drive right down the street and experience a FAR LESS tourist"y" place like this. I can't say enough about this place. Easily wins the best red Chile in my book! The awards this place has won are well deserved. I look forward to going back! I love it! read more

Neighborhood Mexican restaurant serving good margaritas and good Mexican food. The green chili sauce was kind of bland. Chips were not greasy and tasted like corn! read more

Whoops! Service at El Bruno's has seriously declined since our last visit which is unfortunate. We waited forever both to order and to be served at our table of four. We recommended this place to friends from Nashville. They really liked the food and ambiance, but we found ourselves apologizing for the crappy service again and again. No silverware at our table, refills were scarce, red chile also didn't taste the way I remember. What happened to you Bruno's? We used to like going here but I'd hesitate going again. read more

First of all let me say this, If I have to ask for silver ware when we go out for dinner "I don't tip 20%." When we have ask for menus,tip goes down further. This was the start of our meal at El Bruno's. I ordered the enchilada de carne. What a big disappointment, there was no carne to speak of just two corn tortillas smothered in chili and cheese. I know it's Lent but I did not give up beef. My wife ordered the chicken flautas. Again, a big disappointment. Chicken was tasteless and the corn tortillas had the consistency of a wet paper towel. When our food arrived it was cold. Should have sent it back but I know better. The Sopaipillas were the best part of our dinner. Unfortunately they were not brought to us until I was almost done with the cheese enchiladas I was served. Won't be going back. read more

El Bruno's - Where's the beef? - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

A nice restaurant with great green chili and food!! We sat outside which was lovely. My margarita was made to my specifications!! Server was attentive and caring! Its our go to restaurant when we need mexican food! Highly and hugely recommended!! read more

First visit to this restaurant with friends. Chicken fajitas were sizzling and delicious, salsa and chips hit the mark. Service was good, and the atmosphere/decor made our visit a great one. Highly recommend. read more

If you like spicy, order the green chile with ANYTHING. It isn't over the top, but definitely has more bite than the red. I came here with three co-workers for lunch. The service was top notch and our waiter checked on us at least five times AND left a pitcher of iced tea since we were having a meeting during and after lunch. By the way, the iced tea was 4 stars, just a bit watered down, but still good. He was funny and attentive and accommodating. Even though the Herrera carne adovada enchilada plate I ordered (with a fried egg on top, thank you) didn't come with "Christmas", he allowed me to order it with red and get a bowl of green (on the side). He said the Herrera carne adovada was a special kind, that tasted better than the traditional carne adovada. I don't know if it is marinated longer or what, but I know it tasted great and the Christmas really hit the spot. That was a tasty and filling enchilada. The Mexican rice was a little soggy and disappointing, but the beans and sopapillas were really good. I also liked their chips and salsa which included a few red tortilla chips. The dish sizes are quite large and you won't leave here hungry. Everyone loved their lunch here and it helped that our boss picked up the check. Sidenote: Most of the food here is (five star) except for the rice, but the food in the Original El Bruno in Cuba, NM, is even better and the cafe up there has a bit more character. read more

El Bruno's - El Bruno: Herrera Carne Adovada Enchilada, "Christmas Style", with a fried egg on top. - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Wow. We place a to go order and when we got there to pick it up, half our order was not available because they didn't tell us on the phone that those food items were not available on Sunday. So we had to wait an extra thirty minutes and we didn't even get comped for our drinks while waiting or offered a discount for the mix up. Wow. Great way to make your customers feel appreciated. Thank you, next. read more

Stopped by for margarita's and salsa and chips. Slightly overpriced but the margarita's were good and so was the service. read more

El Bruno's - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

As travelers in the area, we received this recommendation from a local. Upon our arrival at lunchtime, it does appear to be a favorite spot of the local residents. The location is comfortable, easy to access and has sufficient parking. Our server, Diego, was very pleasant and helped with our selections. The lunch specials and prices were very reasonable. The sopapillas were great, a tasty choice for a light lunch. Thanks Diego and staff for a pleasant experience. read more

This is a restaurant I will never go to again. Prices were as expected. Food was terrible, service was bad and drinks were mediocre. This restaurant was better years ago, but now is terrible. read more

Not worth the price. Service was the slowest I have ever had. I understand the service though...they get you super hungry so you can eat the food. I think there would have been better flavor in a can of cat food. The best part of the visit is when asked how everything was and I said alright the manager/ owner/ whoever asked why I told her and she says, "you know in the restaurant business you can't make excuses but, here's one, we had a party of 25 walk in and we only have one server, it will be better next time." THERE WONT BE A NEXT TIME. read more

El Bruno's - The smallest Navajo taco in the Q - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

It's been awhile since my last visit to this hacienda style restaurant which is quite quaint, offering a variety of outdoor dining areas, including indoor & outdoor lounges. Happy hour was my reason for being here, chip & salsa with decent drinks specials, worth visiting. Have numerous friends that come here often for the chili entrée platters.However I didn't see any plate return to the kitchen with food,must of been good! Need to come back and eat, to offer a food review. read more

True New Mexican food. We take our out of town guests here all the time. The flavors are always well developed and the service is consistent. The player for two is the best deal on the menu! read more

Ugh! We did not have a good experience at this restaurant! I guess the restaurant Gods were trying to warn us as soon as we got out of the car and drew in a breath of the local septic tank that was being wafted in our direction. Still, we ventured forth into this pit of culinary despair. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table only to see lots of empty tables without COVID-19 restricted signs on them. Not sure why we had to wait. Service was sub-par based on the length of our waits for menus, water, drink orders etc. They were also out of a few of the drinks we wanted to order. But onto the food! As meals go, this was akin to scooping out the bottom of a trough. We received our complimentary(?) chips & salsa. All I can say is that if Heinz made a Chunky variety, we got it. There was absolutely no "caliente" to their salsa. Nada! Can't believe they put that stuff in jars and try to sell it. I ordered fish tacos which came with beans. The tacos were only ruined by the fact that the fish was severely overcooked (think hard and dry). And there is no way you'll convince me that those beans didn't come out of a can! Heck, I'm a white boy and I can make my own frijoles from scratch, why can't they? But let's not dwell on my pitiful pabulum. Let's move onto my wife's meal. She ordered shrimp fajitas! Normally fajitas show up to your table in a steaming, sizzling cast iron pan. Oh no! No sizzle to our fajitas please! Not a wisp of steam or crackle of oil for our table! But there was lots of oil for the veggies to swim in. The shrimp was neither grilled nor griddled. Our guess is that is was boiled and dumped on the pan after the veggies were cooked. Last but not least, we received sopapillas with our meal. Yum! Cold and soaked with oil! The best part of the sopapillas was that it meant the end of this meal! We used to like El Bruno's. When they first opened in Albuquerque we were impressed with the menu, food and service. It was a place we felt comfortable taking out-of-town guests for a taste of good Mexican-style food. Unfortunately, we can't do that anymore. We know of restaurants that are ten times better at almost half the price. Adios El Bruno's! read more

I had the Chile Rellenos dinner. The batter they use is lighter than many places. It went really well with the Green and Red chile. I'd order it again. My wife had the Sonora Salad. She said that it was a very good Salad also. read more

El Bruno's - Sonora Salad - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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So disappointed. First it took 20 minutes for our table to be acknowledged. The front desk did not make anyone aware that we were seated until a waiter noticed we had not been served water. Not to mention it was boiling hot in our section. We had to ask for the a/c to be turned on. My food was disgusting. I ordered the chimichanga and queso. 3.50 for a small side of queso that tasted like velveta. What a waste of money. I had to throw my whole meal away when I got home because I could not stomach it. Could not of been more disgusted with my meal and the start of our Mother's Day experience. The only upside was our waiter. He was amazing. He took initiative, handled our table and was on point with service. Otherwise SKIP this establishment. Not worth the price for the flavor. read more

Stopped by on the way to Cortez. Beautiful decor with hand painted murals and customized wood carvings. We were greeted promptly as we entered and seated quickly with our group of 7. The main course for dinner was excellent all across read more

El Bruno's was at the Albuquerque Magazine, Best of the City, release of the magazine with the best in all categories. I was there as a guest of Yelp. They had chicken taquitos and marinated pork wrapped in whole wheat soft shell tacos. Both were good, but did not knock my socks off. The pork was too spicy for my taste. Maybe they lost something not being served fresh at their location. I will give them another try another time. read more

Came in the other night with a guest for dinner. The location is tucked away and nice when you get tired of crappy restaurants packed into old strip malls. The decor inside is tasteful and nice. We ordered the combination appetizer in order to get a decent sampling of what is offered. It had taquitos, guac, sour cream, beans, carne adovada roll-ups, green chile cheese quesadillas, and these strange but delicious ground beef and chile fried balls. The combination appetizer was good, so we eagerly awaited the rest of the meal. We ordered the chicken enchiladas and the beef enchiladas as our entrees. This was the point where the trip became a little sour. My guest was unhappy because his enchiladas were extremely greasy so he ate a few bites and called it quits. As for myself, the chicken had a strange taste and at first I was unsure if it was chicken or pork. After my guest asked our server, he said it was, but eh, I still pass on it. I took 2-3 bites and was ready to go. When your guests finish their meals with full plates, this should be an indication that we didn't like it, but hey, that might just be me. Even when we asked our server what type of meat the mystery chicken was, he didn't seem all that concerned and said "Oh, yeah sometimes people think it's pork" and then he walked off. Hmm. Overall though, the food itself was beautiful, colorful and looked far fresher and more delicately prepared than the cafeteria-style crap that gets regurgitated onto plates at other mexican joints. With this said, perhaps next time I'm on that side of town, I'll give it another try.. maybe the rellenos, but absolutely no mystery chicken for me. read more

El Bruno's - Christmas beef enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Gone down hill. After patronizing El Bruno's for many years, after tonight I am done. The service was pitiful, the food awful, and, most importantly, our server/bartender at times refused to wear a mask, or when customers insisted, wore it below the nose. She wasn't the only one. We noticed several staff members either not wearing masks, or wearing then improperly. When I dine out, I expect a minimal level of service, not substandard food, and compliance with mandated health protocols. Is that too much to ask? read more

Seriously 0/10 food was absolutely disgusting! Not only is it extremely dirty in there it smells horribly dust everywhere spider webs all over the place decorations look all over the place and the staff is extremely unprofessional. Me and my family got the " flautas" tortilla was soggy and wet, Rice tasted like tomato soup/beans were just completely horrible. I have never left a review but I feel the need to especially for this over priced bs place. 78$ for shit food ? No thank you. Will never return again and I suggest you guys don't either it was a disappointing experience and just embarrassing. I have seriously never been this embarrassed to take my family somewhere than how I did with this place. read more