There is one southwestern joint in town that is a must visit that's Cocina Azul. The place is…read morebeautiful, sharp clean and very new looking. They have ample seating in brightly lit areas and even patio seating. It was fun busy and alive on a Tuesday night. Our server was so wonderful, very happy and relaxed it's a sign of a good place. All the front staff were wonderful workers and seem to work very harmoniously. My coworker and I had t different things he got a smothered burrito and I got the brisket combo, both dishes were too much food for too grown men. Delicious and huge portions plus a really nice presentation. The wait was a bit long but that just means they are making everything before service. The only hard part was parking, it's a small lot so be prepared to walk a block or two during dinner rush. Trust me it's totally worth it!!!

I'm in Albuquerque for a few days. I wanted some New Mexican food so I have Cocina Azul a shot…read more East to get to and easy parking. Their 2 big things were their "chili". Everything has either red or green chili or what they call Christmas style and that's both green and red. Not on top of each other but side by side. They both were good. HOWEVER, they were spicy. Really spicy. The green Sause looked like mostly diced hatch green chilis with seeds left in. It had a good flavor. The red Sause was heavy (I think) New Mexico chilies. It had a bright red color, actually stained my fingers, and a woodsy taste. I got a comb plate. It has a chili relleno, tamale, taco, and enchilada with rice and beans. And it was good. It was a lot of food. (See pics) I'm from Oklahoma and the Mexican food there is alot different. But I enjoyed my meal. I would have licked the plate clean if it wasn't so spicy. 4/5

My favorite meal this year. Very friendly staff and comfortable seating outside underneath a tree,…read morewith fairy lights above. We had the guacamole and salsa, I recommend mixing them together, they pair surprisingly well. A little pricey at $9.60 for the plate. For entrees, we had the green chile chicken enchiladas and carne adovada Christmas style. The latter is one of the most distinct and delicious regional dishes I've had. All entrees had really nice pairings with pinto beans, potato hash, and freshly cooked sopapillas. We chose to have the sopapillas with honey as a dessert, but there's the option to stuff them with the entree.

This place is like a Mom and Pop hole in the wall gem. The restaurant is small. Parking is a bit of…read morea challenge. There are parking meters along the street and they are free after 6 pm. We stuck a few quarters into the meter that couldn't be read, and we walked into the restaurant. We were greeted at the door and given several options for seating including outdoor seating. We took a table in the entry way, not in the main restaurant. It was a quaint spot overlooking the patio section out front of the restaurant. A server met us, took our drink order, and we placed a few appetizer orders. We got some chile con queso, and the chicharron. They initially brought out the queso in two small plastic to-go containers. I was not very thrilled with that. Then, when we polished them off, they brought out some more in a small serving dish. Why we didn't get the dish in the first place is beyond me. The queso was good, but I didn't think much of the chicharron. My husband like it though. The server did an excellent job keeping our drinks filled. We placed our order, and it wasn't too long that our orders came out. I got the combination plate, red sauce, ground beef taco. My husband thought he ordered the enchilada plate, but the chile relleno plate came out instead. He told them that was fine. The ground beef taco was so delicious. The chile relleno was pretty good, and the cheese enchiladas were okay, even though it was like they were barely there. The pinto beans, not refried beans, were also enjoyed. What really set them apart was their papas - those potatoes were soft and super flavorful. Their red sauce was spicy and flavorful. The server brought out two fresh and hot sopapillas. We poured honey on those things bite by bite. I honestly think those were the best sopapillas I've had. I also used the restroom before we left. It might need a little updating, but it was certainly clean.

We haven't be here in a long time, when we were not used to New Mexican food, so we were hesitant…read moreto come back. Had family in town and gave it another try. So glad we did, it was a great experience for a large group. There were 8 of us and no complaints, that is always a win! The food is delicious, definitely very New Mexican though, so make sure that is what you are wanting. There was a long wait time for a table, which is typical for a Friday night most places. The food came out fast and are good portions. Service was amazing: quick, correct, were on top of drink refills, to go boxes and bags, and great teamwork and energy from staff.

We decided to sit at the bar and enjoy drinks and dinner. They make some great margaritas on the…read morerocks. When they ask if you want green or red sauce on your enchiladas, don't fall for the green sauce is milder. Ask for the sauce on the side. I got green sauce on my pork enchiladas and had to get some guacamole to keep my tongue from burning up. The Carne Adovada is excellent. Very flavorful pork.

Yummy food, great drinks and an AMAZING STAFF. Go dine with Jessica OR visit Lydiana & Taylor at…read morethe bar!

10/10! We stopped for dinner at Char on our drive from Colorado to California, and were blown away…read moreby the food and the service! Cody took incredible care of us, giving great recommendations for food and drink. He made us feel well taken care of, and has a great sense of humor. We're both still talking about the meal days later, and now we have a reason to come back to Albuquerque! If you love good food, good drinks, GREAT waiters, and a meal that's also an experience, you have to go to Char!

I love the black cherry jelly infused pickles fried in blue corn!!!!!!!!!…read more with ranch dressing I love these and if I am in the area again I will come back just to buy these!!!!!!!! One of my favorite dishes in Albuquerque NM!!!!!!!

In the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, the Indian Pueblo Kitchen serves foods from or inspired by…read morethe pueblo culture of New Mexico. Just because it is in the IPCC don't think the food isn't good. I would come to the Indian Pueblo Kitchen even as a stand alone location. Every dish has an inspiration from Pueblo cuisine. For example, horno bread with the stews, indian tacos, and the pies are prepared as a Pueblo would. This time I had the indian taco. Quite tasty and the bread soaks up all the flavors from the toppings. The pie isn't overly sweet. All good. Enjoy local native flavor here.

Delicious made-from-scratch casual vegan Mexican food. Yum. I'm so glad I came here amid numerous…read moregreat vegan options in Albuquerque. I was impressed with the wide array of vegan "proteins" including tofu (grilled or fried), soy curls, homemade seitan, calabacitas, and avocado. I got the enchilada plate (because I can NEVER resist enchiladas) Christmas style. It comes with 1-2 proteins and I added a third so I could try the grilled tofu, the grilled soy curls, and the seitan. It was hard to tell what was what with so many things in there - probably should have gotten an extra side of one of the proteins instead. Nevertheless everything was incredible. Great chile sauce and beans and rice. I was super disappointed that they were out of kombucha during my visit - they typically have both Stargazer and New Mexico Ferments.

This place came highly recommended from research to this city and let me tell you, it was one of…read morethe best meals I had on my cross country trip. With modest curb appeal, it gives the feel of an old school diner with an earthy, sustainable twist. The service was fast and excellent especially if visiting for the first time. We were given suggestions and options based on our tastes. Though I am pescatarian, I enjoy many vegan or vegetarian dishes and I would be willing to bet meat eaters would love this place too! Fresh ingredients packed with so much flavor! A true gem of Albuquerque.

We stopped by Frontier Restaurant in Nob Hill for breakfast and had a great experience! I ordered…read moretwo eggs with hash browns and toast, along with an iced coffee. My husband had eggs, sausage, hash browns, and toast with an orange juice. Everything came out hot, fresh, and cooked perfectly. The eggs were just right, the hash browns had a nice crisp to them, and the portions were filling without being over the top. My iced coffee was also a great addition to breakfast. Frontier is such a classic Albuquerque spot with a casual, no-frills atmosphere and really good comfort food. We both really enjoyed our breakfast and would definitely come back!

Te gusta! TBH, NM's…read morefood scene was underwhelming during my time there, and it was pretty disappointing to get food from the hearth that was more mediocre than the stuff we get on the East Coast. We ate from the border crossing past El Paso all the way to Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. And I'm sure we missed a ton of great places, but that being said, the places we did try... yikes! We rolled the dice on this place. At first I was like, "Great, another place that is going to give us a premade tortilla and some bland combination of stuff in the tortilla..." Now look... this is not a Michelin-starred place, nor is it Michelin-recommended. It's not going to be a spiritual experience. It's not going to make you think differently about a taco, an enchilada, or anything else on their massive menu. But this place has heart, soul, and there's a lot of hustle. The tortillas are made fresh, right there behind the counter (i.e., you can literally watch them crank them out), and that makes a ton of difference. The food is honest, without pretense: fast and affordable. The ambiance is equally without pretense -- college kids, working-class folks, families, academics... The food was simple, spartan, and honest. No frills. Not extraordinary, but above average for the context. There is an ASTOUNDING amount of variety on the menu, and the combinations are infinite. I very much enjoyed my meal, I very much enjoyed the people-watching, and I very much enjoyed the experience. This was perhaps the best meal I had in New Mexico -- the cheapest, and the most memorable. If this place was a beer, it would be one of those local lager/pilsners that is as cheap as a Pabst/Coors/Miller but punches up way past the pretentious IPA scene. Thanks Frontier.

When visiting New Mexico, my friend took me to El Pinto, and I was extremely impressed! From the…read moremoment we arrived, I loved the atmosphere, design, and layout of the restaurant. Make sure you take the time to walk around and see the entire property--it is HUGE! It feels like you're stepping into a beautiful Spanish-style hacienda, yet it still manages to feel warm, homey, and down-to-earth. The restaurant is very spacious, has beautiful areas for events, and is also dog-friendly. We made reservations, and I definitely recommend doing the same--you NEED them! We were seated right away, and our server was attentive, friendly, and made our experience even more enjoyable. Now, the food! I loved that you can order your chile "Christmas" style and get both red and green. And FYI--endless chips and salsa! The margaritas were strong and delicious, exactly how a margarita should be. I highly recommend the chicken enchiladas. The chicken was moist, tender, and perfectly shredded. The tacos were also great, and the mole chicken was delicious. My only wish is that the menu offered a few more seafood options. Between the atmosphere, great service, delicious food, and margaritas, El Pinto was such a fun New Mexico experience. If you make it to New Mexico, El Pinto absolutely needs to be on your list of places to visit!

Overall, the restaurant is quite remarkable. The location is unique and the interior and exterior…read morespaces are beautiful. My parents lived in ABQ for years and always thought that the atmosphere was great, but the food was so-so. However, on this instance, we all thought the food was quite good. Flavorful carne adovada, although it was a bit tough. Red chile sauce was spicy but had great flavor. The green chile sauce was hot and tasty. Posole was also good. The gold margaritas were also good - to anyone complaining about the price - at $14.50, the price is very fair considering the cost of ingredients. If you want a cheap junk margarita that is more sugar than anything else, go somewhere else! Our gripe... The place is huge and has an abundance of great places to seat guests. We had a pretty large group - 7 people celebrating a family reunion of sorts. However, they sat us right next to the bussing station that had noisy carts, dishwashers, and other distractions. It was so loud, it was hard to hear the person across the table. There were at least 10 other tables that they could have seated us at! It seems to me that this area should be used only when the restaurant is completely full. This seems to be a poor management decision rather than the fault of the servers or hosts.

All the way from California!!…read more Ambiance: bright, good lighting, fresh paint, clean. Looks like locals come for a bite to eat and a lot of takeout orders. Service: when you walk in you're greeted by the person at the small pony wall. They have signs for specials and menus. You should select a table and then decide what to eat before going to the window and ordering. They do not take your order at the table. Food: very tasty and fresh. Reminds me of Tex-mex food. The beans were delicious!! The sauce they use is hot sauce thickness it was fresh and delicious. The red sauce had a kick to it. Glad we stopped in and tried it out.

Stopped in after reviewing some of the posts here. The…read morestaff is super friendly, the food was average + to us. My husband is very hard to please, he had a ground beef burrito, he said he's had better. I had the two taco plate. The taco shells were the best part! The tasted fresh and coolly expertly. It was served with pinto beans, Guacamole and chips. It was a large plate, I could only eat 1.5 of the tacos, even though those taco shells were so good. Parking was tricky when we arrived. We parked out back. That back lot is fairly small. Interior was simple, but again, staff made it special,

We got takeout but when we went to pick up, the restaurant was hopping. The hostess was busy taking…read moretakeout orders on the phone and staff kept bringing out more. Luckily they have special parking spots just for people picking up takeout orders. I got the chimayo plate and both the tamale and the enchilada were amazing, even as a takeout order. Great flavor. The salsa with the chips were too hot for my parents but they loved the guac. If I'm ever back in Albuquerque for Santa Fe, I'm definitely going to dine in.

This was a great experience! The atmosphere was nice and…read moresurprised with the live music! The only thing I would say was a problem (if can even say that..) it was pretty loud and hard to visit with others at the table. Our waitress was excellent! We had a large party, he was attentive and kept the table going with drinks etc. the food was good and huge portion.