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    El Modelo Mexican Foods

    4.0 (536 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    El Modelo Mexican Foods Photos

    EL MODELO MEXICAN FOODS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Hayley N.

    We really enjoyed eating carry out from El Modelo during our trip to Albuquerque! This place was a well oiled machine and stayed consistently busy. The line moved pretty quick and food came out in a fairly timely manner. Everything was very flavorful and the portions were a decent size to where there were definitely leftovers. I'd definitely stop by again!

    Tamale Plate
    Justin Z.

    This place was super legit. One of the most authentic Mexican meals I've had. I got the tamale plate it was really good and had phat portions. The chili was kinda spicy too which was coo. They were also super busy and got everything out fast af. Good stuff

    Tamale Compuesto
    Christina H.

    This is still one of my favorite spots in New Mexico and has been since I was little. Even though I always get the same thing, it's always exactly what I want. The tamales are full of shredded meat and covered with lots of chili and served with homemade tortilla chips. The flat taco and tostada are always made fresh and are substantial and delicious. Despite this place always being packed, they really roll the orders through. I prefer to call my order in and pick it up so I don't have to wait but even if you have to wait you generally only do so for about 15 minutes or so. I highly recommend El Modelo and I know I'll be back many more times in the coming years.

    Stuffed Sopapilla
    Diedra Q.

    This place is busy which isn't a bad thing just means their food is good. They have seating outside to eat on. The service is fast and they're very polite. The food is amazing! I got a stuffed sopapilla and a tamale they were incredible. Large portions of food for a great price. The tamale was the size of my hand. The chile has a nice spice to it. I'd highly recommend this place.

    Menu - line up and order up
    Christopher T.

    The only thing lacking at El Modelo is ambiance. The service is fast and friendly and the food is excellent. By ambiance, I mean it is really just a order and get your food and leave kind of place. There are some tables outside to eat out, but nothing inside. The menu covers a lot ground. I opted for a shredded beef burrito with chili and cheese. It was spicy, but not overpowering. Really good flavor, really good seasoning. Great hole in the wall type place. When in ABQ, check it out... N*joy!

    The cute outside seating area
    Daphne H.

    The food and service were top tier. We went back twice during our 5 day stay in Albuquerque.

    Neil F.

    Finally wandered over to El Modelo. Got the chicken tamale plate with green and a bottled Coke. It was a religious experience. Best tamales I've ever had. We'll be back

    Stuffed Sopapilla
    Christiana D.

    I've been eating El Modelo's stuffed sopapillas since I was a little girl. I have never found another stuffed sopapilla that can match or top El Modelo's. They are big and loaded with refried beans, cheese and red chile. I'm obsessed with how crispy the outside is combined with the red chile heat. These are the best out there.

    Menu
    Rafael G.

    An Albuquerque staple! Haven't been here in 15 years but I'm traveling in Abq and had to stop as it's near the airport. Everything is pretty much the same. Counter service, short wait and lines go quick. As for the flavor, it was just as good as I remember. Here's what I had: Tamale- The masa is flavorful, the pork is tender, and the taste is delicious. It's also a big tamale! 5 of 5 stars. Stuffed Sopapilla- Daaaang this is good. Full of chicken and beans and lettuce and cheese. The sopapilla is large so it's a big meal in itself. 5 of 5 stars.

    El Modelo Mexican Foods, Albuquerque
    Bruce K.

    El Modelo was my second "must eat" recommendation from local friends. I stopped in for a late breakfast and after a moment with the menu, chose the Huevos Rancheros. The ordering system and the wait for your order is a little chaotic. Just be patient and if you're unsure, ask. Everyone's friendly here! My food only took about ten minutes until my number was called. There is no dining room here. A picnic table outside might be used by some, but I brought my meal into the van and dug in. Eggs over medium, spicy beans, delicious tortilla and all of it was a great flavor. A little bit messy but absolutely tasty. And this is about as local as you can possibly get. El Modelo is coming up to 100 years and it's awesome. ¡Salud to another 100 years! [Review 21089 overall - 136 in New Mexico - 52 of 2024.]

    Yum
    Cassidy L.

    Red green Christmas. Love me some good barrio grub. Order at the counter. Get it to go. Best New Mexican in the city.

    Outside

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    6 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Food is excellent! Made to order. It's takeout only and gets very busy. Love their tortillas and tamales.

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    1 year ago

    This place does it right! Get the basic and you'll be satisfied. Grab some extra tamales for Sunday football games.

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    5 months ago

    So yummy! And the ladies are always so nice! The vibe is so authentic New Mexico and so is the food!

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    6 months ago

    Food is so good you won't regret coming here it's a New Mexican cuisine 5 stars in my opinion

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    3 months ago

    Worst tamales ever. Ordered and all they gave me was left over masa covered in chili and cheese with lettuce on top. 95% masa 5% meat

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    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe - Churro waffle

    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe

    4.3(510 reviews)
    5.6 miUptown
    $$

    Hadn't eaten at Sunnyside Up for several years and wanted to give it another try for breakfast…read more We sat on the patio and still had excellent service. It was as if we were sitting inside. The waitstaff were attentive and professional. The food was excellent. We ordered breakfast and all food and drinks were flavorful and plentiful. I highly recommend this business and will definitely be bac

    We arrived shortly after 9 am and had a very brief wait for a table. The restaurant has a very…read moreclean and welcoming ambiance. Our server was there promptly as we were seated taking our drink order and finding out we were first timers, pointed out common favorites as suggestions. We shared a biscuit and gravy breakfast plate, which the restaurant was kind enough to split for us in the kitchen. The menu stated they used sausage gravy and photos from here on Yelp supported that; we however got gravy with zero sausage. It wasn't even a creamy country gravy. It was so thin. The taste was good but still disappointing. The potatoes were excellent. Well seasoned with crispy bits. The egg was perfect for us. Over easy order=whites solid with runny yolk. The egg was so good I ate most of it before I remembered to take a picture. The food I'd give 3.5 stars but the service pulled my rating up to 4. We do plan on returning for their amazing looking pancakes, waffle plates and or French toast. When we left the restaurant at 10:10 AM the waitlist had started. All benches by the entrance were full. A very popular restaurant!

    Photos
    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe - Dining Area

    Dining Area

    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe - Bacon Avocado Scramble

    Bacon Avocado Scramble

    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe - Hot chocolate

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    Hot chocolate

    The Grove Cafe & Market - Croque Madame

    The Grove Cafe & Market

    4.4(1.6k reviews)
    1.2 miDowntown
    $$

    I hadn't been to the Grove in quite some time and I'm happy to say it is still the same incredible…read moreplace it always was. The parking is a bit crazy, they do have someone trying to help direct traffic through the parking lot. If you don't want to brave that though, there's plenty of street parking. It's busy but there's a lot of indoor and outdoor seating and the turnover pace is pretty good. Things can be a bit loud if you hit the crowded times, but really it's a popular spot for good reason. I got the sweet potato hash and it had the perfect mix of veggies and eggs and was cooked just right. I also tried one of their tea blends and it really hit the spot. The staff is all very friendly and helpful as well and the food comes out quickly. Anyway, great experience as always at the Grove!

    Very fresh flavors and offerings here! Glad my bff recommended it after visiting 6 weeks ago, and…read moreperfect for a lunch time pit stop on the way from the airport to our hotel. The bread is clearly baked fresh and was nice and crusty on the outside and fluffy with the perfect chew on the inside. My mini me 1 inhaled her grilled cheese (of which my husband ordered the full size and also demolished his), and mini me 2 and I shared the toasted tuna melt. Good balance of tuna, celery, and bread ratio, but I didn't dig the olives in it. There's a mini kale salad that comes with entrees, and it was healthy and palatable for kale. We did end up balancing that green with the pistachio cruffin and pistachio chocolate chip cookie. Would definitely go back for the cruffin with its flaky layers and luscious pastry cream. Cookie was less impressive but still worth the impulse buy. Indoor and breezy outdoor seating available. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    The Grove Cafe & Market
    The Grove Cafe & Market - Breakfast sandwich ($11) with iced coffee

    Breakfast sandwich ($11) with iced coffee

    The Grove Cafe & Market

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    Central Grill and Coffee House - Chilaquiles

    Central Grill and Coffee House

    4.5(1.3k reviews)
    2.1 miOld Town
    $$

    I absolutely love this place. I've been here a handful of times now, and every visit has been a…read moregood one. The kids are happy, I'm happy, and honestly, that's a successful breakfast in my book. The only downside is the limited seating. It's a smaller location, so it can fill up quickly, especially during the breakfast rush. If you happen to come during a really busy time, you may have to wait a bit to find a table. That said, I don't think it takes away from the experience you just have to time it right. We usually come for breakfast since they're open for breakfast and lunch, and this time I tried the Grande burrito. And let me tell you, "Grande" is not an exaggeration. That is a LOT of food. I got the bacon-smothered burrito with red chile, and it was delicious. Unfortunately, I could not finish it. I do wish there was something between the Grande and Junior because the Grande is a serious commitment, and I'm not sure the Junior would be enough. I'll have to try it next time and find out. My daughter ordered the steak sandwich, which comes with an Angus sirloin steak on Texas toast. It looked a little wild when it came out, but she ate it and said it was delicious, so apparently the presentation was just part of the experience. My son got the sausage, egg and cheese biscuits. He ate the whole thing, so clearly he approved. His only complaint was that the biscuit kept falling apart, but considering he's a little kid, I'm going to blame that one on the user rather than the biscuit. The staff has always been friendly during our visits. On this particular morning, a gentleman came around several times to refill our house coffee, which I always appreciate. Good service and a full coffee cup go a long way. And if you're into pastries and coffee, they have plenty of options. I've tried their blueberry muffin, and it is divine. They also have different baked scones, and I've had their lattes and macchiatos, which have all been really good. I still need to come back during the lunch hours because there are several things I want to try. The hot beef sundae caught my attention, and the Philly also looked really good. There are so many different options that I feel like I could keep coming back and ordering something different every time. This is definitely the kind of place where you can stop in, grab something really good, enjoy a little coffee, and get on with your morning. It's casual, welcoming, and consistently good. Limited seating is really my only complaint. Otherwise, I've been here multiple times and have yet to leave disappointed. Definitely a must-try!

    This is a go to for my partner and I, usually the owner is the one taking our order so you know…read morethey're very hands on and local! It does get very busy so prepare to find a table once you order. The food is always amazing! It has a diner setting but home cooked charm. Some highlights would be the biscuits and gravy, breakfast burrito (smothered), huevos rancheros, and their pancakes! Anything you pick, you can't go wrong. If parking fills up, they have an additional lot just east of the property! Albuquerque hospitality mixed with old town charm, stop in, get fed, and support local!

    Photos
    Central Grill and Coffee House - Casual breakfast

    Casual breakfast

    Central Grill and Coffee House - Cinnamon bun

    Cinnamon bun

    Central Grill and Coffee House - Carne Adovada B'fast Burrito - Christmas :)

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    Carne Adovada B'fast Burrito - Christmas :)

    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen - Santa Fe Pancakes

    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen

    4.2(431 reviews)
    5.9 miEastside
    $$

    Absolutely fantastic. Vacationing and we wanted to try the local food and Vick's did not…read moredisappoint. I had the huevos rancheros and it was delicious. My dad had a breakfast burrito smothered in red chili which simply does not exist where we are from and it was excellent. The service was great and the decor inside was nice and well thought out. I have been home from vacation for about a week now and already want to return for some of this awesome food!

    1 star because you can't give 0. Used to be a great place to eat. Good food., great service, nice…read moreenvironment. Everything's changed. All new staff that clearly don't understand the restraunt business. Went in today for breakfast, seated in the back. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. Took longer than normal to get waited on. Placed our order, had to correct the waitress several time on our order. Waited quite awhile, long enough to need more coffee. None was coming so had to call out to another waitress to get more. Our waitress did come back to bring the coffee. Before she got there we were discussing the fact that the entire staff was new. She must have overheard us and took it as some kind of slight to her. Two minutes later the manager came over to inform us that we were being rude to her server and that she would be taking over our service. After some discussion my wife said, "this is ridiculous, guess we won't be coming here again" the manager said "well I'll cancel your order and you can leave now". We said we didnt want her to cancel our order and she just said have a nice day. So we left. Sooo not the Vicks Vittles of the past.

    Photos
    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen - Merry Christmas!!  :)

    Merry Christmas!! :)

    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen - Peach with green chile Turnover

    Peach with green chile Turnover

    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen - Beautiful morning! :)

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    Beautiful morning! :)

    Tia B's La Waffleria - Bacon and egg Waffels, and manderin orange sour cream waffels.

    Tia B's La Waffleria

    4.0(798 reviews)
    2.8 miNob Hill
    $$

    Before visiting, I called with a question about the restaurant's name change. The person who…read moreanswered was incredibly helpful and patiently explained that only the name had changed, which I appreciated. For our meal, we ordered two Chicken & Waffles plates, a Blue Corn Lavender Waffle, and a kids' plate. The Chicken & Waffles were the highlight of the meal, offering a satisfying balance of sweet and savory flavors. The Blue Corn Lavender Waffle was a unique touch and a fun way to try something distinctly New Mexican. Neither my wife nor I cared for the drip coffee, so we asked a staff member if we could swap it out for double espressos. They were happy to accommodate us, and the espresso was a significant improvement. The service was friendly, and the staff made a positive first impression from the phone call all the way through our visit. For our family, the total came to about $80, which felt a little steep. We ended up eating inside since the patio tables were either occupied or unavailable (due to a sleeping homeless person). The restaurant is housed in a renovated older home, and they've done a nice job making the most of the space. One of my favorite touches was the collection of retro waffle makers displayed along the walls, which added a fun, nostalgic charm to the atmosphere. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and I'd happily return to explore more of the menu.

    I haven't been here since they moved to the new spot and renamed. Guess it's been quite a while…read more(Waffletopia now). Anyway, I was super excited to try their blue corn waffles. I had to pick between savory and sweet, and the menu is huge with lots of options plus build your own! I went for savory and got it with goat cheese and spinach (built my own). It was delightful. The blue corn is just a tinge sweet so was an interesting mix. The waffle is a decent size but is super filling and dense. I'll have to try some sweet waffles or some different waffle bases next time! That said there are lots of gluten free options as well, so if that's for you, then don't hesitate to come check it out you won't be disappointed. There is indoor and outdoor seating, though in general the place is small-ish and can get crowded during busy times. Parking is also a bit of an adventure, but so is anywhere in that area. The staff is super friendly as well. All in all a great experience and I will be back. I can't believe it took me so long to get here in the first place!

    Photos
    Tia B's La Waffleria - The waffles are huge!

    The waffles are huge!

    Tia B's La Waffleria
    Tia B's La Waffleria - Blue corn lavender waffle

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    Blue corn lavender waffle

    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner

    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner

    4.3(181 reviews)
    4.1 miInternational District
    $

    New Mexico may be the only place you get chips and salsa with breakfast, but I like it!…read more My dad and my niece come here often, and assured me that even though the neighborhood is super sketchy, the food is good. This place looks like the coffee shops I remember going to as a kid--labs rock walls and a counter with seats. Our server was super sweet and helpful, and came back often to see if we needed anything. I had a delicious carne adovada stuffed sopapilla. We also ordered French toast with eggs and bacon and a carne adovada omelet with hashbrowns and a pancake, and everyone enjoyed their very large breakfasts. This might be in a relatively unsavory part of town, but it's worth the visit for the good food and good service!

    Five stars for the wonderful waitress they have, with so much personality. Zero stars today for the…read morevery poor plate of tacos he/she served me. Boo to the cook. The taco meat had been sitting on the back burner most of the day. I walked in at 1:10 pm and they close at 2 pm. Horrible dried up ground beef. Can't believe I am paying for dried up tacos, and the cook served me just that, instead of making me fresh ground beef. Next the Spanish Rice was also very dry and cold. The cook could not at least get it warmed up, no because it was so dried up rice, warming it up would not work. Very nasty plate I was served. The beans were good, yet they were luke warm. The only thing that was fresh on my plate was the sopaipilla and the guacamole. Otherwise, what a freaking mess I was serviced. I guess I am done with Kap's. Sorry because you all have a wonderful up-front staff. There should be a restaurant rule, that they can't serve food that has been sitting around for more than a hour drying up that should not be served to their visitors.

    Photos
    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner
    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner - Burrito

    Burrito

    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner

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    Knead - Interior

    Knead

    4.3(76 reviews)
    1.0 miDowntown
    $$

    Oof. Swing and a hard miss for me…read more Ordered: -The Mimosa - waaaaaaaaaay too sweet. I actually couldn't finish it. I had to order a prosecco and combine it with the mimosa because it was way too much super sweet orange juice -The Cajun Lion's Mane - the hollandaise was absolutely way too sour. I mean...it was bad. Like, really bad. Not only was it just awful, but my entire meal was drowning in it. Next, the coconut crusted lion's mane was absolutely inedible. It tasted more like a different part of the lion, if you know what I mean. I just didn't eat it past two bites. The asparagus was inconsistent (some smaller mushy stalks and some large uncooked crunchy stalks). The toast would have been fine but the amount of pesto on it was atrocious. I scraped most of it off...I mean there was a MOUND of it. The egg was fine (opted for regular). All in all it was just a piece of toast with an egg DROWNING in sour vegan hollandaise and pesto with asparagus and an inedible fried mushroom thing. And to say 'thing' is even offensive to 'things.' Upside! The place is cute and the people I went with seemed to really enjoy their meals! So take my review with a grain of salt. Maybe it just wasn't for me?

    They have the maple pecan donut back for fall and it is delicious. We also tried the pumpkin donut…read moreand it didn't disappoint! We were planning on stopping for lunch but heads up they now only serve their pasties, drinks and now burritos. The rest of the menu is gone. So this trip we just stuck to the donuts!

    Photos
    Knead
    Knead
    Knead - Menu

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    Menu

    El Modelo Mexican Foods - mexican - Updated September 2026

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