Placed my order for my family and myself, they forgot an order of enchiladas. So I drive back, left the food for my kids to eat since they were hungry, they confronted me over the missing plate asking where everything else was at as if I was lying and desperate for their subpar microwave equivalent food. They go ahead and make it for me and since I had to go back, my food is now cold. The bald guy at the front and the owner still arguing me telling me they gave me the benefit of the doubt on the missing plate. They said next time to bring the whole order back. I told him no one is that desperate for a free plate of the disgusting food they serve. Bland and flavorless, should've just taken it all back for a refund. Plenty of other choices with better service and food. Nice looking place though, too bad owner is awful and so is the food. read more

Monroe's was always a favorite of mine. It's not the same really disappointed in food. It was really bland. Never had that before. The service was great no complaints. read more

The service was very good! until the shift change, clean, and fairly plain. The food was a mixed bag. The chips were fresh and crisp. The salsa was very tasty! The margaritas are made with wine and, surprisingly, tasty. I had fish (2). tacos, which had about a 1" X 3" finger of fish, cod, didn't even reach end to end in the small soft tortillas. Unimpressive and overpriced for the amount of fish you get. My husband had the chili rellenos plate. Ordered sauce on the side to ensure a crisp relleno. Neverless it arrived far from light & crisp, instead with an oil soaked batter.our sides - beans (very good) rice (not very good) and onion rings (excellent). So again, a mixed bag. read more

An amazing locally owned business that takes care of both customers and employees. This is an original Mexican restaurant with good food, great service, and a relaxed atmosphere. Stop in and support a local business. read more

Food is always great! Don't miss out! If you have a chance to visit, do so, but you will be pleased ordering in!

Solid choice for NM food in Albuquerque! Nice ambience and service. Try the enchiladas or the taco salad.

Monroe's is one of those steady New Mexican restaurants that you can always count on. They don't do trends - they have a old fashioned board out front that they put "punny" specials on. It's not frilly New Mexican food - it's the kind your family (their family) has been making for generations. When it comes to Monroe's, I actually think the simple stuff is the best. It's New Mexico comfort food - green chile chicken enchiladas, stuffed sopas, and smothered burritos can't be beat here. Monroe's has a unique way of serving. You seat yourself anywhere you like, and every employee who walks by is your wait staff. Community waiting. Sometimes it works really well, and sometimes you have to flag someone down (because as the saying goes, when everyone is in charge, no one is), but I've never encountered a single Monroe's employee who wasn't incredibly happy to help. If you get a chance during good weather, go sit out on the often forgotten about patio. Lovely! read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Bean and beef burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Although I've lived in the Albuquerque area for many years, this was our first visit to Monroe's, an establishment in Albuquerque dining. We were very impressed. The décor is beautiful. The fireplaces looked lovely and we're sure would be nice during the colder months of winter. The service was top notch. Seating was ample and comfortable. The bathrooms were clean and appeared well kept. And the prices were very reasonable. We wanted to try different items in order to get a broader idea as to what Monroe's is like. I had the Combination Enchilada Platter and my wife had the Super Combination Platter. Both our dishes were really large. My wife could only finish half of it, was we brought the rest home. We found both to be delicious. We found their chili, both red and green, to be mild. This was a bit of a surprise to us. Even my Carne Adovada enchilada, which I've always experienced being spicy, was mild. That especially surprised me. Being long time residents of New Mexico, we're used to hotter chili. I don't say this to criticize Monroe's, but I did want to mention this for others of New Mexico who haven't been to Monroe's. If you're looking for some place that's like others throughout New Mexico with spicy chili, you won't find it here. However, if you're taking friends or relatives visiting from out of state and they're palates are not used to spicy food, I highly recommend Monroe's. This is not to say that long time residents of New Mexico should stay away. The food is delicious, just don't expect the heat that you're used to. We intend to return here. read more

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I really want to love this place. Maybe it's the subliminal heart in the name. The best I can say is that it's OK. We've been eager to go to patio restaurants since getting vaccinated but the weather has been chilly. Yelp to the rescue...I did a search for patio dining with heaters and, voila, Monroe's came up. I was hoping that a year of only eating takeout would have changed my attitude about this restaurant but, it's the same. Don't get me wrong. It's isn't bad, but I think my combo of tamale, enchilada and taco were on bland side...even with the red chile. The tamale and cheese enchilada were right next to each other on my plate. I had to really dig around to see which was which. Finally I took a bite and I still wasn't sure which I was eating. I know that sounds odd. The rice was decent and the beans were refried, my preference for beans, but again, so-so. My taco was ground beef and came in a pre-fab shell on a separate plate. I saved that for tomorrow. I originally asked the waiter if I could get a two-item combo instead of three items, but the answer was no. It didn't appear I had a choice of meats in my combo either since he never asked what kind I wanted. But I didn't actually ask to substitute. My favorite part of the meal had to be the chips and salsa. Chips were warm and seemed homemade. Salsa had a little kick to it, but not too hot. I'm happy they were included with the platters. It drives me crazy to have to pay for chips (too much time in CA, I guess). The platters also came with big sopapillas and honey. That's a tasty NM bread you'd be hard-pressed to find in CA. So yay for both of those. Yay for the heater, too. It was on a timer, I think, because we had to ask them to turn it back on halfway thru the meal. My dining companion had a fajitas burrito. Didn't come with anything on top but I'll bet that was an option he missed. Still, he said he liked it. Maybe I'm just ordering the wrong thing, but I judge a Mexican restaurant by the old standards...tacos & enchiladas. With the two meh-sangrias(specials on the board), our bill came to about $50 with the tip. I won't be hurrying back. It is a popular restaurant though I'm not sure why. Again, maybe I'm ordering the wrong thing. I will say that the wait staff was attentive. I had called to see if arriving 30 minutes before closing would be too late and I was told they seat people right up to closing time, telling me we couldn't be rushed. They didn't rush us and we appreciated that. read more

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We love Monroe's. Sadly, we haven't been able to eat at the restaurant due to COVID in over a year, but have ordered takeout several times and the order is always 100% accurate, ready on time, and delicious, which we can't say about some other New Mexican joints this past year (giving them a giant pass because COVID knocked everyone for a loop). But Monroe's has the takeout game DOWN. We are looking forward to eating again in person now that we are vaccinated because their team service is THE BEST. They pool tips so you can get a water refill (or, let's face it, a chip refill) from anyone. Everyone is friendly and helpful. Their food is bananas. My son and my father have both declared Monroe's a favorite and I love their seafood enchiladas and their chicken fajita burrito. Tasty, and their salsa cannot be beat. We will see you again soon, Monroe's! read more

Me and my friend just stopped in. Learn from our mistake and skip this place. I got the nachos. They put salsa on it and it was soggy. Soggy nachos is a first for me. My friend had the Indian taco. That was liquidy and soggy as well. The manager stopped.by and took out plates and saw clearly that we barely touched our food and said, "everything was good, guys?" Like, seriously dude? We didn't complain though. We paid and left. Between this and burger king, eat at burger king. You'll leave less disappointed. read more

I'm making up for failing to leave a review when we last visited two years ago. Having enjoyed Monroe's -- both on Osuna and near Old Town ABQ -- about weekly from 2011 through 2022, I have reason for confidence that Monroe's quality endures. We always found the atmosphere and cleanliness to be top notch, second only to the consistently courteous and cheerful manner of the wait staff. But the quality of the Tex-Mex food is what drew us back and what has my mouth watering now. Our regular orders included Huevos Rancheros, Pork Green Chile Stew, Chicken Enchilada Platters, and Sopapillas with Honey, all washed down with frosty Bud Light. Always excellent, whatever we ordered! I fervently wish I were 500 miles closer right now. read more

On my second visit to Albuquerque, my boyfriend's mother picked us up from the airport and whisked us off to Monroe's for a "welcome home" dinner with his family. There were ten of us total and the staff did a wonderful job of making sure that we were well taken care of. The chips and salsa were delicious and I couldn't stop eating it. By the time our food arrived, I was nearly full. I ordered the taco platter with chicken and it arrived with three tacos! I upgraded to soft flour tortillas for a $1, although I'm not sure why those cost more. It's not like tortillas are expensive to begin with. The tacos are topped with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, which are all things that I regularly add to my tacos at home, but they desperately needed sour cream or some kind of sauce as they were dry and difficult to swallow. I ended up ordering a side of sour cream and that little addition completed my tacos perfectly. Since I don't care for beans, I ordered all rice as my side but I found out after the fact that I could have ordered papitas and I would have loved that, I'm sure. The rice was just okay and, as a huge potato fan, I think that would have been a better choice. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Chicken Taco Platter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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The Porto Ricon beans are the best beans in Albuquerque, I could eat these beans every day

We spent a couple evenings in Albuquerque and wanted to try out some of the local restaurants while there. Monroe's popped up on the top 5 list of Food Networks must try list. I must say, they weren't wrong. This isn't your traditional Mexican restaurant that has the same regurgitated menu. Everything is made fresh to order, the guacamole and salsa are both excellent. Our group all tried something non traditional, I opted for the Carne Adovada burrito. It's a take on carnitas without being fried. I can't recommend this enough. You can order it many different ways, but my burrito topped with their queso was excellent. Great service, great atmosphere, delicious food, would go again of I was in the area. read more

Came here on a weekday evening around 5:30PM, lots of people there. Was recommended the combo plate by the waiter so I took it, came with a cheese enchilada, beef taco, and tamale. Got it with Christmas chile, subbed out the rice for beans since I don't like rice. Chips and salsa were fine, salsa wasn't very spicy, a lighter-red salsa. Beans are refried beans, not the biggest fan of those either. Everything was lukewarm, chile wasn't very flavorful, didn't really enjoy this meal too much. Sopapilla with honey was tasty as the sopapilla was thick and almost bread-like. For about $14 post-tax pre-tip, the plate was a decent amount of food. read more

Had a hard time enjoying the meal. Service was disjointed. No silverware brought to the table and the iced tea was from syrup instead of fresh brewed. Most other places load the drink up with ice, here there was barely any ice and the sliver of lemon didn't make a difference. Chips and salsa were not complimentary, which is ok, but the chips were cold and the salsa was the cheapest bottled salsa with no flavor or heat. The stuffed sopapillas were ok but the red chili had very little flavor and no heat. The sopapilla that came with the meal had no color, were cracker like texture, and so so greasy, not too appealing. I can understand how rough it is to run a restaurant post pandemic, but you are still charging a premium. Please, just give me my money's worth and I will be content. read more

We've loved eating at Monroes since the 1960s. Sad to see the cost cutting like skimping on cheese in tacos (now customers have to pay extra for "extra" cheese!). Now the sopapillas are no longer included in the plates, that we're overpaying for. Sad. Still appreciate their excellent cuisine, atmosphere and service. read more

We've been coming here for years, but they heave really gotten expensive for what you get. The food and service are still good, but the value isn't. Prices on the menu items keep going up. The sopapillas used to be complimentary, now they charge for each one. This used to be one of our go to places, but unfortunately we're probably going to have to stat to pass on Monroe's. read more

I would have taken a photo of my food, but it somehow magically vanished off the plate and into my mouth before I had the chance! The food is always amazing and the staff (and owners) are extremely friendly and attentive. Also great if you're a vegetarian since one of the few places in town you can get vegetarian red chile that is just fabulous!! One of my favorites and without the horror of finding meat bits hiding inside. My go-to are the cheese enchiladas with some avocado stuffed inside too and the puerto rican beans (also vegetarian) and sweet potato fries. If you haven't checked this place out you should definitely add it to your list! read more

This is good New Mexican food with an affordable price and large portions. While the food is very satisfying I really have to highlight the outstanding service. Our drinks where never empty, and our chips and salsa were always full, the food came quickly, everyone was polite and accommodating it was just a great experience. My bf and k will definitely be returning back for a cozy, delicious weekend experience soon! 10/10 read more

Decent tamales, attentive wait staff yummy salsa. Nice outdoor seating area with cover

When I was growing up in Albuquerque, Monroe's was considered one of the best restaurants for traditional New Mexican food. On a recent visit to an Albuquerque I hadn't been to in ten years, I found Monroe's is now...Puerto Rican?, according to the sign. The food I ordered was bland, under-cooked, served lukewarm, and could only be considered New Mexican by its name, not its ingredients or preparation. The service was both lackluster and persistent, with six different staff asking 'can I get you anything" within forty-five minutes, yet when we asked for our check another fifteen minutes passed before it arrived. Sopapillas were never served, although I confirmed with the server that yes, we would like the sopapillas. Very disappointing experience and I would suggest looking for traditional New Mexican food elsewhere. Sorry to see you've changed into something unrecognizable and derivative of New Mexican culture, Monroe's. read more

Carnitas plate...bland. Overcooked pork & undercooked beans. Salsa served with chips was bland. Asked for spicier & was offered red chile? Service is normally over the top but was not existent. Burrito plate must have thrown tortilla 'fresh' from Albertson's on plate. Tasteless refried beans. Never returning. I assume new ownership/management shall fail. read more

Enjoyed dinner here with framily when we were visiting Albuquerque. The place is not much to look at but the food is good. We had hoped to sit outside but it started to rain a little bit so we ended up going inside. The service is very good and our server explained that they are all here to help so essentially they are all our servers. When one in our party who had a dietary restriction forgot to ask them to leave something off the salad they were very quick to bring a new one. Keeping with my theme for the trip I had the rellenos with Christmas chile. They were excellent. We all had flan for dessert, and it too was excellent. Once again we ended up being the last people in the restaurant and they never made us feel rushed out. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Rellenos dinner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Great service is the key and Monroe's consistently delivers that. I've had their soups which are always delicious and perfect for a comforting meal, but my go to is the #5 on the low carb menu. The chicken, veggie, and guac dish is always fresh and cooked perfectly. They also have a cute patio to sit and enjoy the nice weather we've been having. read more

My favorite restaurant of all time!!! The food is wonderful and the Staff is always friendly and efficient. I love this place!

I had the Fajita Burrito and I was worried, because I in the past, at other places, the burritos sucked. Their Fajita Burrito was delicious. It was not heavy with flout tortilla, but kind of light, but the combination of chili, Fajita, lettuce and tomato was just great. I recommend it. One thing though, I paid for myself and my son. And the other 3 in our party went on another ticket. Usually you go up and pay, but the waiter said he could take up the receipts and do the transactions. Well, he managed to get my billed charged for the other 3 in our party and I paid for their 3 dinners!! So, don't expect much intelligence from the staff, but the food was GOOD!!. read more

Had chile rellenos for take-out and they were delicious! Pickup was easy and the staff were very kind.

Found this place on accident and stopped in for lunch. Evidently at the right time as there was quickly a line out of the door! Started with a super tasty guacamole salad with the chips n salsa and both were very fresh and tasty. Main course was the trio enchilada platter which was piping hot and fresh. The waitstaff were nice and attentive. I highly recommend Monroe's!! read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Enchilada trio platter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Went over on a Sunday around 10:30AM. We were able to get seated right away. The huevos was absolutely delicious. Eggs cooked just as we requested....Tasted very fresh. Green chili perfect as well. Carne adovada was the other dish enjoyed. Service was prompt. Had problem with clean silverware. It was taken care of by waite staff but took two tries. They did appear to be short handed but the staff there worked their butts off!!! Will definitely go back. My out of town guests bought a half dozen red chili sauces. Monroe's had plenty in stock. read more

I really like the side salad here. I usually have chicken enchiladas and some beans, too. The service is great because any server can help me--not just one. I only wish I could remember that they're closed on Wednesdays. When the weather is nice, I enjoy eating on the patio. read more

No Margaritas. You've been warned. To add insult to injury, half the bottle beer list was out of stock. Anyone paying attention? Out of Corona? I kid you not. Staff was really lovely and tried hard to provide service. I could tell they were embarrassed at how bad the food is. Beans and rice tasted days old, Chile Relleno was inedible, not sure what happened with that poor green chile, but it was nasty. We went to Monroe's, our first time because we wanted to relax with a margarita. And while they offer "Wine" Margaritas, I have to ask, why bother? One last problem, the large fountain on the patio is a mosquito breeding ground, so expect a few bug bites. Along with not have a cocktail. Plenty of places to get a cocktail and crappy New Mexican food in Albuqueruqe, how Monroe's has last 50 years speaks to the low expectations of quality around these parts. read more

Loved it I love the red chili from New Mexico. Great service. Plate had plenty of food. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Combo cheese enchilada, tamale, taco Rica and beans. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Great food, large portions, and really fast service. I was literally waiting about 6-7 minutes after I ordered to get my food. The wait staff share all the tables, so there was always someone close if I needed anything. read more

I kept driving by here & I would make a mental note of "I need to go try that place" & we finally made it over here & I'm glad we did! You can sit inside or on their patio but we chose to sit inside. The interior design of the restaurant is very open, with natural lighting from skylights, beautiful hanging plants surrounding you, and adobe like architecture. I ordered the veggie tostadas & was very impressed. Full of flavor, filling, & the beans reminded me of what mama used to make! & wow the side of calvacitas were easy to devour! Also this was my first time ever having a margarita made from wine! It had a margarita taste but also a hint of wine sweetness to it with a salt rim. I liked it! Even though they were short staffed I wouldn't have known if they didn't tell me. Everyone was incredibly friendly, worked as a team, and always made sure we were stocked with drinks, chips & salsa, even offered more sopapilla's at the end of our meal. If you're in the mood for Mexican, go to Monroe's! read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Veggie Tostadas w/ Calavacitas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I went here today for lunch with my family and I was impressed with the ambiance, service, and food. Their menu is pretty legit New Mexican food and their chile is HOT! I follow a low carb way of eating and it can be challenging eating out when everything is so "carb loaded" these days. But to my surprise they offer a low carb, gluten free menu. And it isn't a boring, flavorless one, quite the opposite. I had grilled pork chops topped with green chile and calabacita squash on the side. The meat was juicy and my veggies were delicious! Everyone in my party enjoyed their meals and I will definitely be going back for more low carb goodness. Just be aware that parking can be challenging and the place can be a little noisy. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Shoutout to the low carb gluten free menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing food every time we stop in for a meal! Highly recommend this place to anyone looking for incredible Mexican food! read more

The service was terrible. After ordering our food, we never saw our original server, he didn'task if we needed refills or if we needed anything else. We asked another server for a refill, and she never came back with it. One of the plates was asked for no onions, and it came back with onions. We asked for a manager named Matt, and he was rude as well. As we were paying, the manger bumped into my brothers son, who is 4 yrs old, almost knocking him over, which was unbelievable rude and unacceptable.... read more

This review is based on one dining experience over Labor Day weekend 2020. Two of us dined inside. The tables were spread apart for appropriate spacing. Our server was friendly and explained that all the servers supported the dining patrons so if we needed anything just to ask. We had 3 different people check on us during our meal, the server who took our order, the chic who delivered our food, a guy who brought us our check. The food was good. My companion had breakfast although it was mid-afternoon. I had a taco salad. They had not beer menu; the server rattled off the names of the brews - most are in cans. The pricing was good, the service was good, the food was good. I hope to get a chance to visit again and have more of a dinner dining experience. This is a respectful 3-star rating fo an overall good experience read more