Just had the #3 best ribs in America according to Food Network... hatch chili rubbed. Not too spicy but just enough. You can still taste the pork but then you get the rub and it's the best flavor. So absolutely amazing. Also had the best margarita I've ever had - jalapeño margarita. Not too strong, not too spicy, just fresh and delicious. My GF flat" enchiladas. They were good. I would say I was not impressed with the rice but they were not "bad. Then to have the complementary sopapillas with honey for dessert! Such a gorgeous restaurant! read more

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Great ambiance for lunch with East Coast relatives. They got their hatch chili fix. Excellent service.

What an amazing restaurant and bar! We saved this for our last meal out on the town and it did not disappoint. I highly recommend making reservations for this one as it is often packed and a bit of a trek for most people to get there. The grounds are beautiful even at night and the history to the interior spaces was evident. I could definitely picture some epic parties being thrown there. I split a taco platter with my sister and we each got a sopapilla at the end of the night. Service was quick and prompt as we were there close to closing and my margarita was on point. I felt the price matched everything we were provided and will absolutely return when back in ABQ again someday. read more

We were visiting Albuquerque after a 10-year absence and eager to dine on our favorite New Mexican cuisine. Naturally, we went to El Pinto. They've been in the same place since 1962 and my family and my husband's were long-term and frequent guests. Through the years they've expanded, primarily into the lovely and ambient patio. The same gracious welcome greets diners as summertime outdoors dining is offered. Our waiter, Daniel, was welcoming and personable, with impressive knowledge of the menu and the history of the restaurant. He was impressed with our long relationship with El Pinto and we enjoyed reminiscing in short episodes as he was kept busy with other tables. Our meals were Excellent! I had my long-favorite number three and recalled how their chile relleno made me a forever fan. My husband enjoyed the enchiladas. The soapaipillas were just as puffy and hot as we remembered, dripping with honey. We enjoyed our dinner so much we returned two evenings later and it was just as delicious! Don't let your Albuquerque visit pass without a visit to El Pinto! read more

Let me start off by saying that the restaurant is gorgeous. The decorations are beautiful. They even had an old Army Half-Track in the front. Indoors is very pretty; they had an art show going on in one of the rooms. The music is also nice. There's a lot of good ambience from wood fireplaces to water fountains, but the bad part is that the over-priced food pays for it all. Almost everything on the menu is $20 or more, which I think is really high for Mexican, or New Mexican food. I ordered a #2 Combination Plate with a Coke, and my wife ordered a Carne Asada Breakfast with water. Our bill with tip was almost $60! The combination plate was rather small with 2 small rolled tacos, a small tamale, a small "enchilada" that was basically just a rolled up tortilla with cheese on top, and some pinto beans. I thought about getting a burrito, but those were $20 as well. My sister ordered the burrito, and honestly a $8 Chipotle burrito is bigger, and better. Not that the burrito was small, but it wasn't worth $20. My combination plate definitely wasn't. On the other hand, my wife's carne asada was a good portion, and tasted good; good not great. So all in all, the food wasn't anything to rave about. Service was a little slow. Our server was nice enough, but the food took a little longer than usual, and drink refills were a little hard to come by. I honestly don't think the ambience is enough to bring me back. I honestly would recommend a pass on this one. read more

El Pinto - Front of restaurant with an old Army half-track. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Here for the margaritas!! I'm not huge on New Mexican food, but I do love this blaze because they have the best drinks ever . read more

I just moved back to New Mexico and just HAD to go back to El Pinto. OH MY!!! They have updated a lot in the 20 years I have been gone. It was very nice before, but they continue to amaze. The atmosphere is so relaxing. The wait staff were very attentive and I had everything I wanted when I wanted. The taco salad was a perfect blend of vegetables, beef, beans, cheese...well you get it!!! Can you say WARM Sopapilla drizzled with honey!!! YUM!! Even the chips and salsa were above the normal fare. The prices were very reasonable for the amount of food on the plates. Highly recommend and I will take my out of town visitors (and in town family) to El Pinto to showoff the NM cuisine and hospitality!! read more

A first timer here the food was amazing and was the service our host Ava was really good she went above and beyond. Came to know it was her first week and you couldn't even tell. This place has great vibe and ambiance too. Would definitely recommend it. read more

El Pinto is SUPER!! We're from El Paso and when we heard El Pinto's recipes were the family recipes of Josephine Chavez-Griggs we were in. Those are the same recipes that were served at our beloved Griggs in El Paso. The chile con queso was WONDERFUL and just like our Griggs! Same with the rolled tacos, green enchiladas, salsa, and sopapillas. Amazing food. We may have to move here. No I'm serious. read more

Checked out this place on a road trip. Food was bland, considering the price. Also, I found the environment to be unsanitary overall.

So I decided to glasses of lemonade I'm am waiting for 20 plus minutes for 2 Glasses of pink lemonade. I am very disappointed, just because there's a lot of people and a big building doesn't mean it's a good one. I would've voted zero stars, but I can't do that so the least I can give them is one. update after we got lemonade after 30 minutes. It's a tiny little cup. i'll add a picture OK just to let you know this cost $10. That's right $10. read more

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

El Pinto Restaurant is everything you've been told and more!! The grounds are just gorgeous and the many patios and fireplaces make this place simply whimsical. There is nostalgia in the air that just makes you feel good and want to linger a little longer. We shared the award winning red chili ribs, guacamole, queso, and chips. For dinner we split the dry aged ribeye and of course sopapillas. The food was fantastic. This is a place for a romantic dinner for two, a celebration with family & friends, or just a mid week pick me up. The host was accommodating and he made our reservation amazing! Our server was the best and he made us feel right at home!! If you live, or end up in Albuquerque, be sure to enjoy a wonderful experience while you relax on one of El Pinto's beautiful patios. read more

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Food was way below expectations..upon entering the restaurant it seemed very nice and well kept. Server was very nice and accommodating. Food was subpar compared to what the environment and prices would leave you to believe. Salad had soggy croutons from sitting too long baked potato was cold. Food does not match appearance of establishment read more

The best New Mexican food in Albuquerque! The service was excellent. I've been there twice in 3 weeks and have not been disappointed at all. If you haven't been in awhile, you need to go back. I've been eating there since I was 12 years old!! read more

Stopped by to check out the place. The atmosphere here is amazing very calming and lots of people. The bar area is nice lots of customers and happy hour deals. The inside had so many things to look at and different rooms have different things The food is amazing here. Not to much sauce just the right amount of heat and taste. Loved the enchiladas at this place. Tacos, enchiladas, steaks so much to choose from. Waiter did great. read more

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We came here this past weekend to this iconic restaurant during the Hot air balloon festival. Guided by the reviews over 1200. We were 17 of us, got impressed by the size of this place it's so large that can accommodate up to 1,400 people. They have a nice set up and the people that work we very attentive but the food was not. Since we were a large party we ordered different plates from burgers, steaks and according to their menu their baby back ribs rated as the number 3 in the Nation as the best. I know that i was not the only one that thinks the same but no in our opinion we didn't like the taste, probably we don't have a taste for that particular New Mexico pepper sauce that they use to marinate the ribs. Sorry not for us and not much to say. read more

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

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This is an amazing place!!!! They make all their food fresh and grow some of it themselves or locally source. They have their own chicken for fresh eggs! Everything is amazing from the margaritas to the fresh hot chips and home made salsa to the local pinto beans. When ever traveling through Albuquerque this is a must stop for me. I will say I do not know what the mask mandates are in Albuquerque, but 1 girl had a mask hanging from her ear at the front desk and that was the only person working their with a mask on. Disappointed in their lack of concern for customer health. Why they lost a star from me. read more

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El Pinto has been a local establishment that many people have liked for years. I myself have only been to this establishment 4 times in my life. After last evening, I now know why. A reservation was made a week in advance for a "60th" birthday party and all was confirmed for a table where the live music was being played. This was at the request of the "birthday girl". The "birthday girl" was disappointed as she chose this date, 2/21, because of the live music. She also sacrificed one of her best friends joining us because of the date she chose and could have just gone with a different day had we known the music wouldn't have been available to us. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready and the hostess was going back and forth with someone regarding our table. After about 5 minutes, we are taken back to our table and find out we've been moved to a different section. We asked what happened to our reservation and are told by a "manager" named Anna, "so this is where we need to put you tonight". I guess the owner is in town and he gets preference on the table we had reserved a week ago. She's very rude and doesn't allow us to finish our conversation before she walks off. She also cut us off when we asked to lower the heater in the room we were in. She should not be a customer facing manager. Some time goes by and another manager named Luis comes over to talk to us. He apologizes for the inconvenience and lets us know that the only thing he can do is help get us another table closer to the area we wanted. It's not ideal, but at least he made an effort to assist us. Our waitress named Mya was super friendly, very attentive and did everything she could to turn our evening around in to a positive experience. For this I give Mya 5 stars alone. The food and drinks were delicious. We had to problem there. We didn't expect preferential treatment but the owner could have been gracious enough to allow patrons to keep their reservation. It's what a good business owner would have done. I don't write this review with any malicious intent, but as someone who has had a job supporting customers for over 30 years, I believe that I have a right to point out things I see as not very customer friendly. On a different note, as this establishment has been well known for years and the establishment was quite busy, it would be nice to see upgrades in tables and seating. The seats were quite dingy and not very pleasing to the eye. read more

I was disappointed in so many ways. The chips were from the bottom and broken. When we asked for unbroken chips the servers (Janice D.) annoyance at us was obvious to myself and my wife. I ordered the full rack of Red Chili rib dinner and the server said it came with salad OR baked potato. This was wrong as 2 sides are standard. I got flustered at this and just said salad. The salad croutons were stale and moist but I didn't want to say anything to the server as her service went downhill after the chips were replaced. For example, our service was sooooo slow, water refills only by request (2X), extra napkins only by request (ribs are messy so the server should provide a couple at least when the ribs come - please). The ribs were great but the server really destroyed my satisfaction with the meal and ambiance. After the meal I requested the check and that took ~ 10 minutes to appear. The return of my credit card took another 10 minutes. The server apologized for the delay but 20 min to get us out is really way to long. The table we ate from was wobbly and the tabletop surface had screw heads beneath the cover making the eating surface even more precarious. Almost comical to see the beer & water glasses leaning like the leaning tower of Pisa and on a wobbly table! All in all this dining experience was the worst I've had at El Pinto. Plus the server stiffed me out of a side dish and the one side dish I was given had stale & moist croutons (to which I was too intimidated by server to send it back). On plus side, the music by Shane was fun. read more

Such a beautiful location. I just wish their service was up to par. Foods just okay and worth a little sacrifice for the ambiance. read more

I used OpenTable to make my reservation and they did as requested with seating. We were comfortably seated away from others and there was appropriate social distancing. The food was as good as it has been in the past. I really enjoy the quality of the meal. We love all the appetizers from the Chile con queso to the light as air Chile strips and the refreshing guacamole with excellent fresh tortilla chips. I know they are known for the New Mexico fare but I love to share their 12 oz Ribeye steak, it is so packed with umami. Then I get a relleno on the side. Top it all of with a top shelf Margarita and we have a special occasion. read more

Loved his place. The food, service and atmosphere. I Was eating New Mexican food at several restaurants during my NM trip and this was by far the best. Chicken enchiladas were delish as was the accompanying rice. Even the green salad was crisp and fresh (although dressing tasted bottled). The comp salsa and chips were amazing with crisp corn flavor and no greasiness, and homemade tomato chile salsa with just the right amount of kick. My organic margarita was perfect. Loved all the rooms and patios - wanted to explore more. Its like being in an historic estate. Server was efficient friendly and accompdating. If I could would remove half star for not enough chicken in enchilada and out of the way location but that's part of the charm. read more

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

The food was horrible. don't waste your money coming here. there are many other options for mexican food. the service was also low quality, we were ignored. we stuck around because someone dear to us recommended the place. the vibes were not giving. please save money or go elsewhere. the manager laughed when i voiced my concerns. read more

I've been trying to find some new brunch options around town, so decided to give El Pinto a try. The brunch menu (served only on Sunday, but the full menu is also available) has some traditional items like huevos rancheros but also some fairly unique things. I tried the red chile eggs benedict which was their green chile cheese biscuits an egg, and one covered in red chile hollandaise and the other with chile con queso. This is normally served with ham in the benedict but they were quite happy to accommodate me and substitute in avocado for the ham. The outdoor seating is only kind of outdoors, they have somehow, through no small miracle I'm sure, enclosed their outdoor patio with some makeshift walls and windows (the windows do open) and some pretty powerful heaters. Our waitress was extremely friendly, knew the menu very well and checked on us frequently to make sure we didn't need any coffee refills or anything else. All in all it was a good experience, though as other people have mentioned, given the general tourist nature of the place it does feel a bit overpriced for what it is. Perhaps you're paying for the setting which is certainly very nice. read more

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

Several people told us this was the best place to go for New Mexican cuisine. The restaurant seems to be in an old home which was expanded upon many times. There are a lot of different rooms, and you could get lost finding your way out. Which gives it a fun hacienda charm. But, our food was just average. We had better in Old Town and other places. And the service was similarly just okay. The waiter seemed so hurried that he didn't have time to really care. He was friendly enough, but just seemed harried. At least once someone brought the wrong dish to our table, and we saw the same thing happen several other times at other tables. Overall, not the best experience. read more

My husband's pick and it didn't disappoint for a delicious dinner. Having had a big breakfast we skipped right to an early dinner and easily got into the restaurant without a wait. Located outside of the main town area, El Pinto has a large dirt parking lot with several sections. Dirt lots made it feel authentic to start. The inside of the restaurant is large with several separated dining rooms. It looked liked they could easily accommodate large groups and had separate rooms for that purpose. The inside was simple and not fancy. Our service was great. The waiter was friendly. We didn't wait long for our meals and had everything we needed without delay. The chips and salsa to start were great. The chips had grill marks on them and were served fresh and warm. My Chicken Enchiladas were delicious. I opted for blue corn tortillas which upped the flavor and Christmas style chile sauce on top. Both the red and green chile had plenty of heat. The rice and beans on the side were good too. The half rack of Famous Red Chile Ribs was really good and literally falling off the bone. A little disappointing was that despite looking really spicy they weren't spicy at all. The Green Chile Strips were unique and delicious with a nice breading. "New Mexico caviar" was how our waiter explained this appetizer. We loved our meals and with a menu full of more delicious options I'd return again. I'm always drawn in when the menu includes blue corn tortillas. read more

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Made a reservation, was worried they were going to be able to honor it because there were so many people outside, but we were not rushed and they seated us promptly. Make sure you take the time to look at the pictures throughout the walls in the rooms of the restaurant. The owners, who happen to be twin brothers, have served celebrities and political figures. If that is not attesting to the quality of the food, I don't know what else you need! In addition, make sure you take home some of their homemade salsa it is so worth it. The restaurant even has its own little "farm" so to speak with a grill ingredients for the meals that they serve. read more

El Pinto - The outside of the restaurant is a picture perfect place to have a wedding. It reminds me of being in Italy. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

We were in town and knew that we would go wherever my family decided to go. I kept my mind open as I am crazy for New Mexican food but my Aunt who was picking where we went would have final and doesn't like Mexican food due to her allergies. So I was surprised as we pulled into Pinto. It was a hacienda design that looked like a posh Mexican restaurant. And it was. I saw her in the parking lot as we were walking in and she said she knew I wanted some of the best New Mexican in Albuquerque and this was the spot. We got a spot inside by the fire as it was a little chilly outside this day. We got pretty quick service and got beverages. They didn't have V8. We ordered some things, me getting the breakfast tacos. The dishes came with sopapillas and we asked them to come at the end (dessert style). Of course they came with the meal though. They were kind enough to bring them back later. The food was pretty good. Definitely above average. The great ambiance definitely added to brunch though. The place has a cheery New Mexican energy with a lot of happy people. It was a spot for some groups to stop off after Sunday Services. Over all we had a great time and I hope to come back soon for an even better time! read more

El Pinto - The really good complimentary salsa - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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This is a beautiful restaurant in the traditional new Mexican style. We came during the lunch menu. If you want to sit on their beautiful patio you want to go ahead and make a reservation in advance. We just got here from the airport so we get seated in the dining room. Traditional Mexican fare, and you can get your choice of shredded grass fed beef. Their house chips and salsa are excellent! We had Chilli Relleno With beef and chicken, and both were great. The rice was a little bland, but stuffed chilli pepper was excellent. read more

You know, I love, El Pinto. Seriously, who doesn't? Their food is always great. Pretty much everything on their menu is what I'm hankering for. It's always a festive place making it perfect to take out-of-town guests or to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday or graduation. El Pinto's patio is beautiful and extensive and seats about 1,200 people pre-pandemic. While Casa Bonita featured in South Park isn't a spoof on our precious El Pinto, it is one on the Casa Bonita in the Denver area. But still, when I see Casa Bonita in an episode of South Park, I absolutely think of El Pinto. Their interiors are over-the-top fun and reminiscent of what you might find in Mexico. With all of that said, why am I only giving them four stars instead of five? It's because I hope to encourage them to invest in heaters for their beautiful outdoor patio. Right now, they have it closed and according to the hostess, they may not open it at all for the winter months. Maybe they have a good reason for not opening it during these colder months, but I sure hope they reconsider. They do offer indoor dining which isn't considered as safe seating outside. Heaters can make that comfortable alternative for diners. They are open for pickup orders and food deliveries through Grubhub. So if you're like me and are Jonesing for some El Pinto, you're all set. And they don't skimp on any of the extra perks like a bag of tortilla chips and eight ounces of their house-made spicy salsa. It's really generous. Their sopapillas are included and heat up perfectly in a microwave :D read more

The food was amazing. I had grilled chicken breast and I poured red Chile sauce on top. The margaritas are always a hit. I recommend getting the cucumber margarita. Their salsa is always my favorite. The ambience is amazing but unfortunately we were sitting in a corner that apparently didn't have any lights. By the time the sun went down we could barely see our plates, and we're young. Someone was using their flashlight to see what they were doing and the staff didn't even notice or bother to ask. The service was adequate. When someone in our party requested sweet n low, we got a very sassy remark about not having any. I still recommend coming here for the ambiance, chips & salsa, and margaritas. read more

Cold food, inattentive service and the ambiance is ruined by the overt political leanings.

Arrived at the restaurant and received great drinks at the bar. Once at the table our server took our order and 20 minutes later comes back and says he has had to retake the order because the ticket was lost. We just asked for the check and left right after. read more

I went with my cousin, uncle and Dad. It was a nice day so we were able to sit on the patio. We started with guacamole and chips. I got the Enchiladas Verdes. My dad got Carne Enchiladas with red sauce. My uncle got stuffed sopapillas. My cousin got one of the other enchiladas plates. Everything tasted great. The meals are pretty large. I ate my entire meal only because my cousin would have made fun of me if I didn't. I would have given it 5 stars except for the price. I get it, this place is famous and you're paying for some of the novelty. Either way, $20/plate for some enchiladas, rice and pinto beans seemed a little high. This wasn't the first time I've been here and I'm sure it won't be the last. read more

Very pretty setting (even during COVID) as we were seated in the covered patio. The seating area was mostly enclosed with air vents which were mandated by health code. They had plenty of heat lamps so it wasn't too cold. The food was delicious. I had a combo plate which consisted of a soft rolled beef taco and a chicken taco, also had a tamale, a cheese enchilada, and rice and beans. And of course the prerequisite red or green chili sauce which is such a part of New Mexican cuisine. The best part of the meal was the sopaipillas. Fluffy lightly fried dough shaped like pillows. The ones here are light and airy and so good with honey, made for the perfect dessert. read more

El Pinto - The entrance to the restaurant which was probably an old mansion. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Before COVID was the last time we were there, and boy have they jacked those prices WAYYYYY up. $14-$16 for a margarita that's gone in 2-3 sips. Had 2 dinner plates and 3 margaritas totaling $114 before tip. Food was "ok" and margaritas tasted good, but way overpriced for what you get. read more

DO NOT COME HERE. Margarita so bad, we didn't drink it. Cold chicken. The beef on the flauta was dry on the ends signs that it's been seating somewhere for a long while. Tourist trap. Big time. read more

Love the ambiance but the food was just average. Once we arrived, we were seated right away and led through various dining areas each with different vibes. We were finally seated in an area that had a fireplace which was perfect since I was cold and also live entertainment. The guy was a great singer and made for a nice meal. Chips and salsa was tasty that I could have just filled myself up on this. Started with the green chile strips and then ordered the rib eye as recommended by the server. The green Chile strips were tasty not hot and were similar in texture to a fried blooming onion that you get in other restaurants. The rib eye was tasty but a bit over cooked since I asked for medium and was more medium well. For the restaurant the ambiance outweighed the food! read more

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atmosphere matters in a restaurant... not as much as the food (which was very good) but if you want to take people someplace for a relaxed atmosphere, nice surrounding, good service and really good food... this is it I have a hard time not ordering carne adovada... but next time i'm going to try the red chili ribs for sure. To me this place screams company dinner or a place to sit with the extended family for that big family dinner read more

As usual, very good. Had very nice ambiance as well! Will definitely keep returning here read more