We found a very mixed bag at the original Menaul outlet of El Chamo Arabe today. Food is tasty and plentiful for the toll. Service is fine, if not welcoming. The room is pretty but overly warm and reeks of grease. And there were some additional cleanliness issues. I want to return for the food, but if the other issues aren't addressed it may be the last time. Tons of grease smoke hanging in the air (the kitchen needs more serious ventilation - I texted and warned a friend not to come, as she hates the smell of cooking grease in her hair) when we came in at the early end of lunch (the place filled up pretty well behind us - it's Tuesday). It's a nice enough room (loved the painting of Bolívar and the Venezuelan tchotchkes in the case by the door) with plenty of seating - grab and read a menu, order at the front - it prompts you for a tip (went on the heavier side even with the counter ordering because I want El Chamo Arabe to stay around) and the counterwoman (not the friendliest person, but not rude) delivers everything to your table when it's ready (which will be a minute - but you're not here for _fast_ food). The room is pleasantly decorated but overly warm and - well, there's that grease smell issue: it was bad enough that we had to change clothes after eating here. Okay, prices seem reasonable. But when the food comes, prices seem downright _good_ - these folks give you a LOT of food. We got a $5 dolmas appetizer to start (juicier than what one usually finds; quite good) which came with the grape leaf rolls sitting on a pretty tasty dressed salad. We sure didn't need it, though: our mains (a shwarma plate with gyro meat and an arepa picada with one of chicken and one of beef) were really large. Really large. And it's tasty food. Enormous salads with both $14 plates: dressed well with great, fresh romaine leaves cut just right for easy eating. I'd note with some surprise that both the shredded chicken and beef on the arepas were pretty tasty, but was surprised to find the chicken grabbed me more. There is habañero salsa (albeit in a greasy bottle) on the tables if you need piquancy (why not? we're in New Mexico), and that was great. I'm not sure that the plentiful quantity of the mustard/ketchup (or was it Russian dressing?)/mayo sauce drowning of the arepa picada salad was a good thing. It was pretty, but it got to be a bit much for my taste down toward the bottom of it all - I'd ask for it lighter next time. The lunchmeat turkey and American-type cheese slice and perfectly cooked round fried egg certainly added to the salad, and the arepas themselves were a delight. My wife liked the rice and gyro meat and salad of her shwarma plate. Here's the thing: in addition to the grease-in-the-air situation, there were some cleanliness issues. The table where we sat (it was dead when we arrived, except for some waiting DoorDash drivers) hadn't been properly wiped and there were some old rice grains on it. The bottles of habañero and other salsas on the table were grimy and needed to have been wiped. The tray on which the silverware was brought to our table was greasy - repositioning it on the table to make room for our food made me want to wash my hands. And there was a hair (not ours) in the salad under my dolmas: I didn't mention to my wife because she would have stopped eating and I also didn't bring it up with the counterperson since the small restaurant was at that time full of lunching customers who didn't need to be troubled by hearing about it. And I know mistakes happen and I was not interested in a refund or apology; things happen. But I hope El Chamo Arabe customarily pays more attention to keeping things sanitary - the food is good enough that I want to come back and see. Food - 5 Service - 3 Atmosphere - 2 (lose the grease, fix the temperature and it's a 4) Cleanliness: 2 Value - ? read more

See all

If I could give a zero I would. We placed an order for a chicken shawarma bowl and a beef shawarma bowl with drinks. It came to over $40! This is for take out mind you. I asked her for a reminder buzzer to pick up when ready, and the girl claimed she gave it to my daughter. She did not. I went back to ask for it. She had to place a call to someone in the kitchen, in a separate building for my order number to get the right number. We sat down in the communal dining area for all the other mini restaurants there and waited over 20 minutes. I had gone back to see where the take out was. Finally I saw her bring it through the door from another location outside the food court. The chicken shawarma bowl was in the tray, but instead of the beef shawarma was a chicken shawarma wrap and cold French Fries. I told her she brought me the wrong order and begrudgingly she took it back outside to where she had brought it and 20 minutes later I got it. The bowl was 1/2 yellow rice, 1/2 romaine lettuce with almost no dressing and 3 of the skinniest sliced tomatoes I have ever seen and some cooked beef, very sparingly scattered on only the rice side of the bowl with a drizzle of a nondescript white dressing. My daughter was mostly done with hers when I got mine. I also orders the fried plantain side. It was 4 pieces, equivalent of one small plantain on one side of the cardboard serving boat and some shredded mozzarella on the other side! Now that is a bizarre combination! With almost no meat on either of our shawarma bowls, it was such a huge disappointment. The girl kept rolling her eyes with her mistake and then giving me dirty looks from behind the counter. In the 35 minutes we were there, we were the only people who had placed an order. With the lack of service, and overpriced items, this place will go out of business soon at The Block, just like the overpriced Thai place in the same complex that only lasted around 2 months! read more

El Chamo Arabe - The almost beefless beef shawarma that was grossly overpriced. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Me and my husband have visited this location about 3 times. My husband loves the Reina Pepiada and the Venezuelan Hamburger. I have had 2 different dishes here one being the Arepa Picada and the other being the Reina Pepiada. The Reina Pepiada was ok. The Arepa Picada I didn't like at all - it just wasn't for me. They have a lot of different food options to choose from - not only Venezuelan but they also had some Mediterranean options. The waiter could be a little more friendly and look a little less bothered when explaining the menu options to customers. The drink options are also limited. It was hard for me to pick anything other than water to drink and I don't enjoy water with my meals. The place also seems a little untidy and the restroom needed replenishing of the supplies which I mentioned to the staff twice since I needed to wash my hands. This place has a lot of potential. Worth checking out if you enjoy Venezuelan and Mediterranean dishes read more

El Chamo Arabe - Reina pepiada - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

See all

Humble little place that serves lots of unique South American dishes, and in huge portions! We had a Reina pepiada arepa and it was good. My wife has ravines and it could have served 4 people! My daughter ordered cachapa. They were big and full of cheese. Probably can feed 3. Can't wait to return and try their sancocho. read more

See all

Wow! This place is great! We went in for the mideastern fare. They have Venezuelan, too! Interesting combo, maybe we will try that next time, but.... The mid eastern plates we had were so good , I will be going back for more! I had the chicken shawarma plate, my husband had the Mediterranean lunch plate. Mine was exquisite and my husband liked his. We had pineapple sodas to go with. Delicious but very sweet, I only drank half. Can't wait to go back! read more

El Chamo Arabe - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Unique name. Understated modest dining room. Venezuelan & Mediterranean food is not a natural combination, but they pulled it off. Sampler platters made it easy to try quite a few of their offerings all at once. Definitely need to order more of their platters next time. read more

El Chamo Arabe - Venezuelan Sampler - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

See all

They always hit the top notch on the latin inspired dishes. Working my way through the ever expanding menu. read more

See all

Really can't go wrong with either of the Venezuelan or Mediterranean options. The picada was one of the best things I've ever had - tender shredded beef with freshly fried arepas all under a mountain of fresh greens, delicious sauce, topped off with a fried egg. The owner himself was bussing tables and talking to folks which I really appreciated. This is an amazing hidden gem for halal food in the area! read more

See all

If you're in New Mexico and craving a bold fusion of flavors, *El Chamo Arabe* is a must-visit! This Nuevo Latin spot combines the best of Latin and Mediterranean cuisines, and it does so with perfection. At the new location in Rio Rancho's The Block, the Mediterranean Sampler is a showstopper--packed with vibrant, fresh & savory tastes. But the real star? The hummus. Silky smooth, rich, and bursting with flavor, it's the perfect dip for any dish or to just scoop up with warm pita. If you're in the mood for a culinary adventure, this is the place to be! Highly Recommend! read more

Flavor was good, the ambiance was good, customer service was good to. I think we can give it a try again. We have tried other Venezuelan dishes in other areas these were different in taste but not bad. read more

El Chamo Arabe - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Food was okay but the service was horrible. The young girl was so annoyed that we ordered. I don't know what her problem was, I guess because we ordered about $100 worth of food. I guess next time we will skip the bad service and spend our money somewhere else. If she's at the register, skip this place otherwise enjoy the food. read more

Absolutely delicious food that's not like what you get everywhere else. Can't believe I didn't discover this place sooner! I'll definitely be back! read more

I ordered the chicken schwarma sandwich with a baclava for dessert, they were both excellent with plenty of flavor. The shopping center had good parking, the place was clean and the staff was friendly. Would highly recommend. Will be back again. read more

El Chamo Arabe - Dining room. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Great food- I've been here several times since discovering it. Reminds me of great fusion options I see back home in NYC. We like to eat a little of both countries food options each time. Huge portions. read more

El Chamo Arabe - Arepa Pepiada, Falafel, Schwarma plate & tostones. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The beef shawarma sandwich, the empanadas, the gyro shawarma plate, the garlic sauce , the plantains, all of the three plates I had plus the three empanadas I had were all Delicious ! Fresh ingredients , fresh food, and cooked perfectly. read more

Friendly staff. I will try a different dish next time -- I had the pattacones, but the plantains didn't seem super fresh or salted. The combination of ketchup, mustard, and their house sauce didn't seem to work well together, but who knows - maybe this is how it's supposed to taste. I'll probably try the arepas next time and revise my review! read more

El Chamo Arabe - Pattacones - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I came upon this place at a location a Mediterranean restaurant used to be. I was excited to try Venezuelan cuisine, and I was not disappointed with the black bean, sweet plantain, and avocado vegan arepa. It was tasty, stuffed with fillings, and satisfying. I enjoyed the hot sauce and house creamy garlic sauce (which I assume is not vegan) on top. The parchita juice, papaya juice, was so fresh and didn't seem to have any added sweetener. A great vegetarian lunch! read more

Good and Fresh Food This place didn't have much business when we went here but deserves it! I love seeing more cuisines in the abq area, however, some of them don't get the business their food calls for. Come here if you like Venezuelan food and supporting local restaurants! read more

El Chamo Arabe - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

You order at the counter and a take a seat in the small dining room of this random spot in a strip mall. We got the Venezuelan sampler and it was great - sharing size for two not terribly hungry folk. I would have loved to try it all. Nice service & food came out quick. A humble, quality place. I will be back. read more

Don't go for dinner--you will feel rushed. It's more of a lunch place. The dishes also seem fresher and hotter when you go for lunch. By dinner time, all the ingredients have been sitting around getting cold. read more

Pretty unremarkable. Went in early afternoon on a weekday and were the only customers; still took 20 minutes to be served. Food was ok but I would have enjoyed a green chile cheeseburger more. Won't be back. read more

Ok first of all let's cover the food. This is top notch delicious. The empanadas are yummmmmmy and the shawarma is seriously cravable. Now the service... these people are super kind and attentive. They are working hard to earn loyal customers and it shows. Cute restaurant, food made with love? What more can you ask for?!? Try it. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. read more

This place is really cute the ambiance, food is really good and the service is amazing you have it all in one place. We will be back all the time. 100% recommended. Lets support small Business and such a great young couple. Thank you!! For bring me such a nice piece of my country read more

My favorite was the chicken empanada and the patacones. I definitely recommend this place! Also, you have to try the mora juice!!!

Excellent food with a winning concept, serving well-prepared Venezuelan food with Mediterranean choices, and vegan and vegetarian options. The owner, Ibrahim, is from Palestine, was raised in Venezuela and we're lucky to have him making us food now in Burque! read more

After my 3rd visit within 2 weeks, I've decided this place needs to be made known! During my 1st visit, I tried the shawarma plate with lamb. Everything served on that plate was so well balanced. The salad was refreshing, rice was plentiful, and the lamb was super tender. The white cream which I'm guessing is garlic aioli complimented the dish nicely. Also, their pita bread is fresh made in house. On my 2nd visit, I asked the chef to surprise me. So I was served the Patacones plate. Geez, I'm so glad I trusted the chef enough to pick out my meal! Presentation was a 10/10. It was a bit too pretty to devour. But from the first til the final bite, I was NOT disappointed! I highly recommend the Patacones plate. On my 3rd visit, I had the La 505 Arepa. So good!!! I'll be returning to try their entire menu! Overall, great food and the young owners were very friendly. Hope they'll do well! read more

El Chamo Arabe - Shawarma Plate with lamb, fresh pita bread, house salad and rice. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

See all

This place is soo good. We had the lamb shawarma, two different arepas (pabellon and reinstall pepiada), and two different juices, mora and parchita (blackberry and passion fruit). Both shawarma and arepas were so large and filling, full of flavor. The meal also came with French fries, and the arepas came with a patacone (fried plantain, that's like a chip).I wouldn't mind coming back here again if I was in town. read more

Nice folks. The Venezuelan food is excellent. Black beans flavorful and the blackberry juice is amazing.

Wow. Delicious food from my home town. The food has a lot of flavors and color. The arepas, empanadas are awesome. Try it. U will come back there every week. read more

I found this place when I went to aye Mi Mexico. It's right next door. I've never tried Venezuelan food, so I was excited to try this. I got the arepas plate and it was delicious. My dad got the Mediterranean plate. We shared our food to try both plates. The felafol was so yummy and their rice knocked it out of the park. Everything was delicious. Our host who was also our waiter was so nice and full of recommendations. He made our experience quite comfortable. I loved how inviting and comfortable this place was. Definitely recommend this place and try their drinks they are phenomenal. You won't be disappointed. read more

My friends and I were looking for a place to eat and decided to look up places on yelp. The food was delicious and service was pretty good. If you are in the Albuquerque Area please visit them. You won't regret it. read more

The service is kind and prompt. The food is really good (try the baba ghanoush and the falafel, the arepas are also excellent, and get som patacones as well). The place itself feels homely and casual. When I first saw the menu I had doubts but they really do both cuisines justice, which is hard to do! The food is as diverse as the owner. Really awesome origin story for this place. Definable a new favorite. read more

Excellent new restaurant!!! Both the Middle Eastern and Venezuelan options were delicious. I love the vegana arepa!! The black beans have a tasty smokey flavor to them. So if you're looking for a new shawarma place or you need an empanada - go check this place out! read more

My co-workers and I love the Shawarma Sandwich's with fries. Great food with reasonable prices. The sauce is delicious, it's a most.

The food is absolutely delicious. All the staff was very nice and every thing so clean even the rest room was clean. My family and I will be back. I do recommend El Chamo Arabe you won't be disappointed. read more