Join Tom Neiman and Jim Tritten as they report on one of New Mexico's most recognized restaurants and one that most of our Mañana Café followers have been to - El Pinto Restaurant & Cantina. Incredibly tasty food, good service, in a beautiful setting, view our full report in our weekly podcast report by clicking on the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/bmMaqRoUzcI read more

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First, they sat us at a child's table in this giant room. We were the only guests seated in this room. Next, we ordered our food without cheese. The food came with cheese. It was very difficult to get refills on our water. Our tamale tasted like a frozen tamale that you get from the supermarket. The menu stated tortillas were free. When we received the bill, they charged us for the tortillas. They gave us the wrong check. The check they gave us was almost double the amount of our bill. There's a service charge for using a credit card. This service charge was never stated on the menu and we were not aware of it. The overall service was so slow and not acceptable. Mediocre food, poor service, not very good ambience, I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

AVOID this place. We were unfortunate enough to book a 8:30 pm reservation on a week night. While there were plenty of people there in the restaurant, the staff must have wanted to go home. We didn't get our food until 9:30. I ordered the ribs that were supposed to be the "#3 ribs in America" according to Food network. The rest of the table ordered burgers and Mexican combo plates. We were thankful when the food finally came. However, there was no need to warn us of "hot plates" as EVERYTHING was stone cold. I mean like left outside cold. They took two plates to try to "fix it" But they didn't realize what we meant by "Cold" was that it was inedible. Every plate. They did finally comp all the food. They allowed us to take it home if we wanted (we were pretty hungry by 10:15 and eating the cold french fries) and they discounted our Margaritas by 50% - the waitress was sweet, the manager did what she could, but it was a horrible experience. I hate wasting food, so I took the ribs. My wife begged me not to as we are flying back to LA tomorrow and she thought they would give me food poisoning. I reheated them when we got home... I took two bites and threw them away. They just tasted like basic ribs with cheap taco seasoning on them. Nasty. Never again. read more

High-end New Mexican restaurant. For the 7 months I've been living here, I've avoided the place because I didn't think I wanted expensive "Mexican" food. But everything was good! The Grand Gold Margaritas, chips and queso, pork chop, enchiladas, and Spanish rice were all delicious! The service was terrific as well. The waiter was very attentive and accommodating to our big bachelorette group. The ambiance was charming as well. I'd love to come again for sure!! read more

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We called ahead of time to ask if they could accommodate outdoor seating and they said yes, as long as it wasn't cold and windy. It's a beautiful sunny 67 degrees and not windy. They wouldn't seat us outside. So we are going elsewhere. Super disappointing. In general, this place is beautiful for tourists, but it's overpriced and the food is not better than you can get at lots of other New Mexican restaurants around town. Go for the ambiance. It's nice. read more

Beware they add a charge to your bill for using a credit card. They do this without giving you any notice up front.

El Pinto has a great hacienda-style setting that really captures the feel of old New Mexico. During my first visit in the pandemic, the food was pretty bland, but the atmosphere carried the experience. On my most recent visit, though, everything came together perfectly. The food had a lot more flavor, and our server mentioned they use eggs from their own chickens. After eating, we wandered around looking for the chickens and ended up finding wild blackberries, which made for a nice, unexpected dessert. It's the kind of place where the surroundings add something extra to the meal. read more

The restaurant is beautifully decorated with great ambiance. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We had the quesadillas and they were really good. Highly recommend this is a great family restaurant. read more

A local picked this place for us to have brunch right before our flight back home. She knew we wanted to leave with our last meal there being authentic New Mexican and it didn't disappoint. First thing they serve, right after bringing us water and coffee was chips and salsa (on the house). The chips were fresh and salsa tasted homemade. A lot of the dishes offered have either green or red chile in them... I went with the Breakfast bowl which had eggs, carne adobada, bacon, breakfast potatoes, tortilla and chile. I opted for green chile on the side, in case it was too hot for me. The only issues I had was that they forgot my chile and had to remind our server, same as remind her we wanted the (delicious) sopaipillas, the meal comes with, at the end of our meal instead of during. We also had to remind her to bring us more water and refill our coffees. Other than this, the place is very pleasant and loved the patio area they have. And the food was exactly what we expected and a nice way to finish our New Mexico stay. read more

El Pinto - Breakfast Bowl - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Guacamole was delicious, as was the green chile queso burger. Wait staff was attentive and made sure our table of nine was kept up with on fresh drinks & chips. read more

Jacob is a great server!!! He made our experience amazing. It's rare to find great and hard workers nowadays.

This place is absolutely the WORST!! Definitely AVOID!! We booked our dinner reservation for 6:30pm tonight (reservation made over a month ago). We got a call from El Pinto's hostess around 5:30pm, who talked in a super noisy background trying to reschedule us to 7:30pm. We immediately refused and said over 10 times that we were on our way, and we did not want any changes to our reservation. The lady could not hear anything or chose to ignore what we said (over 10 times!!), and she insisted on changing our reservation. We were confused and asked for the manager or someone who could hear us properly, but she ignored again and again, and kept telling us about changing our reservation!! We ended up hanging up on the call. She called again, and again, and again, and we explained so many times. ALL IGNORED!! Then a male called us again and said we had changed our reservation by ourselves. That is ridiculous nonsense (our reservation on OpenTable said 6:30pm even after all the drama)!! We have never made or requested any changes to our reservation. At that point, I was so annoyed and lost patience, and this guy immediately started cursing us with a lot of dirty words. We hanged up, but he CALLED AGAIN AND AGAIN to harass me and my wife (see photos) with multiple numbers. Can't believe a well-known restaurant in the area is run by some people like this. Just ridiculous!! The harassment made me and my wife extremely stressed and uncomfortable, and we eventually gave up on going to the dinner, feeling the EXTREME HOSTILITY from this restaurant. PS: The manager emailed to say the calls were from scammers, but the callers were DEFINITELY STAFFs from the restaurant! The phone number (505) 898-1771 matches the phone number on the website. They even used a second line (505) 898-1772 to continue harassing us after we blocked the first line. SEE PHOTOS!!! Unacceptable and unbelievable!! read more

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I recently moved back to the Albuquerque metro area after moving away many years ago. In the past, El Pinto had been generally good and I probably eat there most of the time when I come back to visit. Well holy cow has this place gone down hill! I never got past the god awful hostesses. The last time I was there with about 20 family members I had a similar poor experience just getting seated. This time it was two of us and we were a bit early for a 5 pm reservation. They told us to wait (rudely) while seating several walk ins?!? Nearly walked out at that point--why would you prioritize walk ins over someone with a reservation? Then the reservation was for indoors specifically but despite that they never bothered to look and seated us at a broken table outside. I tracked down the hostess that seated us but she just kind of shrugged and brought us back to the host stand. The main woman there was rude again and annoyed we wanted an indoor table. Look folks--if you cannot figure this out let me make it simple--this is the easiest part but couldn't manage to get us seated in an empty restaurant. No way am I sticking around to see how badly you screw the hard part up. There are several other reviews on Yelp commenting on how bad the hostess here are and how getting seated was a PIA--maybe time for a change? read more

We came here because a colleague mentioned their chilli ribs was a must. So my husband ordered that. I ordered taco salad and green chilli strips. Taco salad was not good at all. Not sure why they asked you to choose green or red sauce. I chose red and it was completely drenched with it. Perhaps I should have opted for none of some pico de Gallo. Is this a new Mexican style taco salad? I couldn't eat it.. had 4 bites and done. I guess I like the regular taco salad or AKA California kind. read more

Outstanding chips and salsa to start, then a large selection on the menu. Went with the taco salad with grass fed shredded beef. Enchiladas and the vegetarian enchilada are also top-notch. Service and atmosphere spot on. A must stop if in the area!! read more

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Our to-go bag was packed carefully and ready upon our arrival. Also included were delicious fresh salsa, tortilla chips, and traditional sopapillas. My family was thrilled. Our order included their quality frijoles which they deserve to be proud of. I'm glad to have this restaurant in Albuquerque. When my guests come to town, I always offer lunch here. The decor is uniquely Southwestern. read more

We came on vacation and came here based on the amount of yelp reviews. This place is an hacienda that is a restaurant. You enter the large gate and the parking is huge the entrance is beautiful. Even the waiting area in gorgeous. There is a ton of pictures that sho a lot of famous people have been here. We went into the patio. Thus restaurant has the most beautiful outdoor patio. It is literally huge outside. There is a breeze and chairs and sofa is so comfortable. The food is like a Tex-mex so we're not use to it. Everything had onions and they don't mess around with their chilies. Over it was good and service was great. Overall good experience. read more

El Pinto - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Wonderful New Mexican food in the north valley. Large cottonwoods surround this graceful rambling adobe. We love to dine on the patio. Efficient service and an on-site opportunity to buy a couple jars of the twins' award-winning salsa make this a lovely experience for locals and out-of-towners alike. Head over to the quiet north valley for your next intimate dinner or get-together with friends read more

I love eating at this place when I'm in Albuquerque for work. Now that my daughter is going to UNM, I took her and the family here on a weekend we were visiting. The ambiance is just great, and the service is very good. The menu is big, but not overwhelming and everything I've ever had there was solid. If you're looking for good new mexican cuisine, and don't mind driving a bit out of the way from the city (but not much) this is a great place. read more

The atmosphere, the food and the service today was perfect. I couldn't imagine a better brunch anywhere - ANYWHERE. I have been here many, many, MANY times before and as a local when talking to people about El Pinto, there are some mixed reviews and some people talk about Sadie's or other established New Mexican restaurants that we all know and are familiar with but I can say that I have been totally impressed the past few years about the quality of food and level of service beyond what I remember as just a special restaurant we went to as kids. You are guaranteed great scenery and atmosphere here. The drinks/cocktails made have always been fantastic but what is being delivered from the kitchen nowadays is outstanding! I completely recommend El Pinto and I appreciate the effort the of the chefs and staff. 5/5 stars! read more

El Pinto - Red chile eggs benedict done to perfection. Red and green!!! Amazing. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Came upon recommendation from our Balloon Pilot. The venue is spectacular, plenty of seating good spacing between tables very pretty atmosphere. We came at 3:30 PM on a Thursday, the parking lot was quite empty. Our first server was quite attentive though she let me know that they were just going through a shift change so she did take our drink and appetizer order after realizing the next shift person was starting a bit later. It was a bit awkward and a second pick up happened when the food was delivered and they did not bring out my salad but my server never stopped by until I had finished the main dish. Other bus boys came by to refill my water etc. Per recommendation of our first server I ordered the quick fried green peppers and the red chili ribs. Both were quite good as well as there chips and salsa. My wife had the chicken tamales which seemed OK. Seems like a solid place to go to in Albuquerque. read more

El Pinto - Red Chile Ribs - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

3 trips to Albuquerque and 3 times to El Pinto. The best margaritas compliment the best food in NM. Service has always been great and the food is insanely good and authentic. We will always come back. read more

Food, service and ambiance were so great. El Pinto is beautiful inside and you can buy their salsa and/or chili.

We went on a slow Saturday about 3pm. We walked through 3 rooms, past at least 30 empty tables, down a hall and into a dark, cold room with only 2 tables filled with customers. We were sat in what felt like the basement if basements were actually on the main floor. The table wobbled and when the waitress tried to fix it, it leaned. The "free" chips tasted like they were days old. The shell for the taco salad was flavorless. The taco salad (something I have gotten for years) was barely filled. I could understand if it was the lunch version but I was charged $20. The sopapillas smelled moldy. The enchiladas "3" were apparently a child's size as well. Then the charge to use a credit card (which I know isnt just here) and the charge for split tickets is ridiculous. The prices they charge for food should cover this charge. Their prices go higher as their servings get smaller. I won't even start on the $$$ margaritas. I used to enjoy this place. The "twins" (owners) are cheap, rude and think their more important than they are. Years ago they would come into my restaurant and they were rude to the server, picky and thought a $2 and the remaining salsa in the jar of El Pinto salsa they used for their breakfast was a good tip. NO ONE WANTS USED SALSA! I suggest finding a nicer and more affordable restaurant. If you're wanting Spanish food worth your money I'd suggest Hot Tamales in RR. May be a drive but your plate has more food on it and you won't break the bank. read more

We have been to El Pinto many, many times. This time we were here for my best friend's, sons birthday. We made a reservation, which was nice because it held a table for us. Our waiter was very nice, though hurried. He did his best to answer and deliver and accommodate all of our requests. Not always succeeding but I applauded his effort. The food on the other hand, my food I should say, was absolutely horrible. The egg, which was supposed to be over easy, was fried to a crisp and almost cold. The chicken was tasteless and the beans were mascerated almost beyond recognition. The rice was dry and in-edible. We had to deal with flies and a prehistoric sized dragonfly. And a LOT of noise. Will I go back? Not anytime soon. I was very disappointed. read more

El Pinto - Margarita - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I feel like this spot has gone downhill. We ate here for dinner on a Friday night, and then had New Mexican food at La Choza in Santa Fe the next day. Comparatively speaking, the food in Santa Fe is so much better...the quality of ingredients, the flavors, the cooking in general is worth every penny. This place? Not so much. If you want authentic New Mexican cuisine, I wouldn't recommend eating here, just enjoy some margaritas. read more

El Pinto - House Margarita - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The hostess was super rude. We felt very discriminated against for are skin tone and are accents. The hostess kept on saying this very loud and slowly. It kind of smelt like cigarettes and tobacco. We did not get to order because all the waiters were serving all the other tables first we just got water and left . Half a star read more

El Pinto - Amazing water fall - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

First stop on our ABQ trip . This place came highly recommended by both our cab drivers and others in the area. It was a really long drive but everyone assured us that it was well worth it. We got there finally and were pleasantly surprised by how big the parking lot was . It was like one of the biggest premises I have seen for a restaurant. The restaurant itself was huge with multiple spots containing various indoor and outdoor sections as well as a bar area. The restaurant can actually seat over 1,200 guests at a time in the five patios, three indoor dining rooms, and a cantina. The walls are adorned with pictures of famous people like Katy perry who have dined here . The water fountains are also a beautiful sight in the otherwise New Mexico focussed decor .We finally sat down under the beautiful glass covered canopy across from the bar and were attended right away. We got Posole - My first time trying it and i thought the flavors were interesting. It had the right level of spice but the texture was just something I found very intriguing. Chicken Enchiladas Plate -Huge portion sizes and we got ours with both the red and green sauces . Nothing special in my opinion but definitely nothing bad with it either. Just that I expected more. Chips salsa & Guac Breaking bad margarita - The hubby says it was spot on and loved it . They also gave us complimentary sopapillas after the meal and the honey that it came with was super delicious. The service was fantastic and very efficient. There was also a cute cat in the restaurant that had somewhat of a celebrity status .Overall,I would say its a good restaurant for the ambiance but the food turned out to be just OK . I wouldn't say its a must try spot but if you are in the area ,sure check them out . read more

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This is one of my favorite places in New Mexico to have an amazing meal & enjoy fabulous ambience. Do yourself a favor & visit this restaurant. I order the enchiladas & the rellenos. Also the service is great. read more

Beautiful decor, particularly the patios. The bar is looking a little shopworn these days but Tequila selection is excellent and bar staff are fairly knowledgeable. The bad news is that the food is generally mediocre at best and priced ridiculously high Chile Rellenos are especially disappointing. The Ribs and steaks are both excellent. The guacamole is good. And the Margaritas are excellent. We take our out of town guests elsewhere for food and take them to El Pinto for atmosphere. It's a worthwhile destination, if you keep your expectations under control.. read more

This was a beautiful place but food was aight If you want good New Mexican food I wouldn't come here it's also very pricey. Staff was really friendly though. I personally wouldn't come here again but I'm glad we at least tried it. read more

Nice roomy place. They have a lot of tables here, so even if busy one can usually get a table. The food was pretty good, not amazing but really good and lots of it. Good service and our orders came out fairly quickly. Everybody had a nice time. read more

El Pinto - Back room view. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The ambiance is great and the building is beautiful! The food is average to slightly above average, but the service and ambiance make this a really good location for food! read more

Eric and his manager did a great job handling a very minor issue! Food was tasty with unique flavors. The flat bread with a drizzle of honey was a perfect last bite. read more

First thought: this place is huge! There are so many rooms with different styles to dine in. I got the pozole which was extremely spicy and full of hominy and a scattering of pork--definitely spicier than the pozole I've had at those hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants. I was downing water after every spoonful of soup. The corn tortillas were a bit dry and oily, but that wasn't a huge deal. The bold flavors of the pozole were the stars of the show. Totally worth the mouth-on-fire. My sister got the Chile rellenos which she said was nice and light and spicy with the sauce. My partner got the classic burger which looked decent, although I'm not an expert on burgers. read more

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We went to celebrate my Birthday and our anniversary which are a week apart. There was a little bit of a wait as the hubby forgot to call ahead. We walked around the grounds a little before we were seated. And the food was well worth the wait. The review on Yelp are not stellar but I found everything quiet delicious. We got chips, salsa and guacamole to start. All tasted great. I got the veggie burrito plate and it was really good. I enjoyed every bite, the green chilies gave a nice zip but not too much, the rice was also excellent. My husband enjoyed his burger and his ketchup with his fries. Lol he was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed all he ate. The Sopapillas were also very good and warm and delicious with honey. But the Flan was the best, I've never had such good flan before and recommend the Flan if you go!! Service was fast and friendly and I would recommend the experience. read more

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It's okay. I previously had takeout here during COVID and was lukewarm about it, but we got a gift certificate so we went, and I thought maybe the food would be better at the restaurant. It was about the same as the takeout. Flavor is okay, a little bland and pricey for what it is, nothing to really write home about. The outside ambiance is nice, and so is most of the inside, but it does seem to be in need of some upgrades. It seems hodgepodge, and unfinished in places. Music (what was playing on the speakers, there wasn't a live performer when we went) definitely didn't fit the vibe. Service was good though and the food came out pretty quickly. I probably wouldn't go back unless I had a big group (like 10 or more people) because it seems like a good place for a large party like that. Overall I feel like this is a place that used to be a staple for solid New Mexican food, but now it's just...okay. read more

Friendly staff and managers. Tried this location based on recommendations. The complimentary chips and salsa was fire and fresh. You can taste the quality. Loved the Sopasillas or not sure how to spell it. Fried dough almost like Navajo bread and add some honey and it was amazing. Had the Red chili rubbed ribs. The portion was generous and flavors were good but could have used some salt. Lacking the savory taste on the pork ribs. Definitely red chili forward and tender as hell. Worth a try for sure if you are in New Mexico near Albuquerque. read more

Mexican food is of course vital to the Albuquerque dining experience since it is in the heart of New Mexico. In Albuquerque you will find anything from mom-and-pop taquerias to modern, upscale hot spots; and then there is El Pinto. If it's your first time to Albuquerque, this place has to be on your list. You can go anytime, but it's beauty really shines when the trees turn green and you can sit in one of their many beautiful patios and enjoy their freshly lemon squeezed margaritas. Signature dish and my ultimate favorite is the Red Chile ribs. The delicious marinade makes the meat perfectly fall of the bone. They do serve complimentary chips with their famous salsa that you can purchase by the jar and fresh sopapillas. I also love the Chile con queso which is a nice creamy cheese dip with green chile. I have had almost everything on their menu and have yet to be disappointed. One little tip is that you do have to have patience on the wait time, especially during the rush, but I must compliment their staff that once you get a table their service is friendly and attentive. read more

El Pinto - Famous Red Chile Ribs - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Bland bland bland... This food has absolutely no flavor whatsoever. I was incredibly disappointed with many things. Let me start with the guacamole which they title as the "Best in the City"... Ha! Talk about a major stretch and a marketing ploy. Their Guac is so bland. I basically ate avocado with chopped onions. There was no flavor, no salt, nothing. No spice. Nothing even remotely exciting. The green chile stew was the best thing that we ate and it had only a hint of flavor. Only a hint. And even that is pushing it. I also had the chicken enchiladas as my main plate and it was horrible. Again... no flavor. Dry. Boring. Boring. Boring. I had a good experience at this place years ago, but the flavor has walked out the door. And the service was nonexistent. I won't be returning. And I suggest that you don't return either. The most exciting thing that I consumed at El Pinto aside from the green chile stew was the Coca Cola that I ordered. I could definitely taste that! Wow. What a carbonated, rich drink! read more