I was told to come here for "authentic home cooked mexican food." LOLWUT?!?!11?! Pathetic. Taquitos, burritos, enchiladas, and canned green chiles are not authentic home cooked mexican food. This is garbage border food that comes from cans and bottles. I'll never visit this restaurant again. read more

We came here shortly after getting off the plane, and right after visiting Jesse Pinkman, and were starving for something hearty. I was told I had to try a green chili cheeseburger a few days prior to our visit, however, this particular place recommended their red chili cheeseburger, so the green had to wait. I was pleasantly surprised and would certainly come here again if I find myself back in the area. The service was very friendly, and accommodating. read more

Both of us from out of town, we picked the 1st Mexican restaurant on Yelp. Extremely satisfied. Awesome original fresh food, friendly service, and good prices. Order the chili rellenos! read more

Absolutely fantastic Mexican food in the heart of downtown Albuquerque. Several different, unrelated people recommended this place to me. I went and I was not disappointed. I would not order ground beef on the nachos again, I'm sure one of the other meats would be fantastic. The food was top notch and so was the service. Prices were more than reasonable. I would recommend Monroe's to anyone visiting Albuquerque. It's a must. read more

I'm visiting from texas. I found this place from yelp and I was a little disappointed. The food seems pretty mediocre with not much flavor. It could be because I was used to the mexican food in Texas and this is definitely different. The potato was actually good with decent flavour. And the sopapia was the best part. Loved it! The stuff was very helpful as well. read more

My first blue corn Christmas enchiladas! I'd been dreaming of these for years. Unfortunately, these were not the enchiladas of my dreams. The green sauce lacked depth. I ate it every day of our trip (sometimes twice), and indeed, there is better green chili in NM (yelp knows where). Funny- the lady next to us heard us talking about our trip and came over to ask how I knew how to order like a local. Guess she listened to us the whole time we were there. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Awesome sign! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Pros: Yummy food and decent service. Cons: Dead flies on window sill next to our table and ants on the wall across from restrooms... coulda gone without seeing those.. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The closest thing to authentic New Mexican food... Monroe's is famous in Albuquerque, an absolute must if you're visiting, or if you are simply craving the best New Mexican food money can buy. Hands down the best red chile in town. The best green chile cheeseburger, (or the double O...) and excellent green chile stew. My favorite is the chicken fajita stuffed sopaipilla. Ask for the red chile without the meat and cheese on top. Its absolute heaven, right in your mouth. And pay attention to the specials of the day on the white board when you walk in. If "Pollo Rojo" is the special of the day, GET IT. If Mario or Jesus is cooking, they may even make it for you, just ask! Its sheer mania at lunch time during the week as the downtown crowd migrates over, but the wait is strangely never longer than 10-15 minutes. If you're lucky, Miguel, the smart ass but super friendly owner will greet you at the door during the day! He runs the business today the same way he did when he bought it in 1742! Hahaha... In all seriousness, expect outstanding food, a friendly and courteous wait staff, and an overall great experience. You'll see regulars at the counter that essentially have had their same spot for 40 years cracking jokes and mingling with some of the same cooks that have been there for 20. That in itself should be testimony enough! Go, enjoy and write a review when you get back to the office! read more

As any New Mexico transplant knows, you have to load up on the green chile and good food when you come back for a visit. Monroe's is so quintessential NM, that it's become a tradition to eat here on my way to the airport every time I'm in town...and my refrigerator is filled with their salsa and green chile sauce back in SoCal. My favorite meal is the green chile cheese enchiladas (some of the best in Albuquerque) and I always add a crunchy beef taco a la carte. The posole is also good, and overall it's just a great representation of New Mexican food. It has a friendly local vibe that makes me love it even more! read more

FANTASTIC!! Great home-cooked food in a no-frills, family restaurant atmosphere. Excellent service, super friendly staff, and very attentive manager. Highly recommend the green chili stew, chock full of tender pork and perfectly cooked potatoes, accompanied by toasty tortillas. Stew has a spicy bite, but you can't stop eating it!! Sopapillas were the best we've had. Special kudos to our waiter Brian, who was working hard and on top of everything without missing a beat - fantastic service. They even gave us a copy of the recipe!!! read more

Living on the west coast, you do not get a lot of these southwest flavors so being at Monroe's was a spicy treat. We had queso, the carne adovada, and the Indian Taco with carne adovada. This was our first time having carne adovada and cannot wait to attempt it at home. The meat was tender and would be perfect wrapped in a fresh tortilla (tacos were on the menu and probably what I would get next time). The portions were huge and decently priced. The service was also great! I can see why this is a popular place to dine. read more

Walked in 10 minutes before they closed and the hospitality and service was excellent regardless of our tardiness. The red and green enchiladas were very good. The chili was tasty and not hot. Finished off the meal with a fluffy sopaipilla and honey. read more

See all

On vacation with the family and what a great dining experience. Our first exposure to New Mexican cuisine and it has changed our expectations forever. Our waiter, Hugo, was wonderful as he explained the regional specialties and brought out a small sample of the sauces and meat types to help with our selections. My wife had the Carne Adovada which was tender and spiced flavorfully. Daughter had the enchiladas with a red sauce that is head and shoulders better than anything we have had in California. Deep, rich, spiced not spicy with a hint of smoke, fabulous. I had the chile rellenos which were 2 huge chilies, stuffed and fried nicely. The restaurant is clean, spacious and modern, lively but not too loud, and easy parking. Pricing is very reasonable given the quantity and quality of food. They also featured regional beers that allowed me to discover Santa Fe Brewing Co. While we were all stuffed, our waiter brought out a plate of Sopapilla's and explained how they were an end of meal treat to be enjoyed with local honey. We could not stop eating them. We could have eaten at Monroe's the entire week and would not have regretted the decision. read more

I was looking for a place to take my mom out to eat my last night in Albuquerque. She ordered from the "gringo" menu, pork chop dinner which came w mixed vegetables and fries .she loved her vegetables and didn't care for the fries and did not eat the pork, it was hard and dry. I asked the waiter to cut it in pieces so it'll be easier on her dentures but it didn't help. We threw it away. Microwaving it didn't help. I ordered a combination plate w a taco, tamale and enchilada. Tamale and enchilada were good. Nothing was special about the taco, it was chewy. The refried beans started drying up as it cooled and the rice was a little dry but very fluffy. The lady next to us ordered a seafood enchilada, I would've loved to return my plate for hers. Unfortunately I will not go back. read more

Nice family/neighborhood atmosphere. Good food. Nothing fancy, but if you're hungry for good New Mexican food, this is the place!

Having grown up in southern New Mexico, I knew of this place, but had never been. Family came into town, they wanted the real-deal of NM cooking, and so I thought we'd give her a shot. I am pleased to report that Monroe's did not disappoint. The restaurant is unassuming, and the food is top-notch. They have some interesting specials, and even a gluten-free/low-carb menu. I was especially interested in the Mexican pizza (essentially an oversized open-face beef enchilada). You don't see that everyday. Really good service. This is a team atmosphere type place, and you'll see the servers kind of rotating between tables. We always had water, chips, etc. Awesome crew at work. In New Mexico, given the intense competition, if a place has been around for 40+ years, they must be doing something right. I can see why Monroe's is still around. read more

We stopped in for lunch after getting frustrated with the road construction in Old Town. What a gem! Service was friendly, swift and personable. The server was very patient with my daughter's questions. She got exactly the lunch she wanted. The green chile blue corn enchiladas were not too hot or too mild. Everyone loved the beans, even my bean averse child ate hers up. As Okies we eat a lot of TexMex and a lot of salsa. We get picky about our salsa. Monroe's salsa was the right amount of kick and not watery. Prices are reasonable and a good value for lunch for a family of four. We will be adding it to our list of favorites in ABQ. read more

Yummy! Locals eat here, it was pretty busy for a Monday night but you can still get a seat right away. We didn't want to wait forever at Sadies so, we found this gem. I had the BEST Carne Adovado Stuffed Sopapilla with red AND green chili. It was sooo good. I didn't order rice and beans with it, they didn't seem homemade. I did take a bite of my husbands rice and it had good flavor. But, the sopapilla was pretty big so no need for rice n beans anyways. If I lived here I would be here a few times a week. The green chili had a real good flavor and heat. I love the burn, yum! I would definitely want to eat here rather than at Sadies. The flavor is just much better here and they don't dump a crap load of cheese on top of every thing. read more

See all

Ordered today's special which was shredded beef blue corn enchiladas w/Christmas. I was impressed with the taste of every bite. Even the salsa used for the chips/salsa was very good. Nice neighborhood restaurant, cozy during the winter, I recommend it. read more

This is by far one of the best and most consistent Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque. The food is most delicious and served quickly without any fuss. If you are in the mood for some great New Mexican food. Look no further! read more

This place is so legit. Great service & authentic NM food. Really can't wait to go back read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Carne adovada burrito & green chili stew. I added beans. Incredible meal!! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I really can't believe this place has 4 stars. This was the worst Mexican, New Mexican food I think I have ever had. Server was nice. Tea was ok. Sopapillas were the best thing we had. Chile rellenos were gross and burnt. It would be obvious to anyone with restaurant experience that the oil in the fryers aren't being changed on a regular basis. Chips were stale. My wife's dish, sopapitas(?) and cheese enchiladas were cold and burt as well. Hate to waste food, but we threw away most of our food. 4 stars! Wow. read more

Really great place for New Mexican cuisine, reasonably priced and the food is great. The tamales are some of the best in town and the service is fantastic! Do yourself a favor and give it a try! read more

When we walked in, after finding Monroe's on Yelp, I thought at first that we had chosen the wrong place to try New Mexican cuisine. The decor, shall we say, is lacking. But as soon as we tried the salsa we were convinced. The carne adobada is superb, and both the red and green chiles are delicious. To top it off, hey also have a menu that includes vegan and gluten free options. read more

NOMS!!!!!! This place looks a bit scary--it is a dive, but it is clean, the service is amazing, and the food blew us away. Sopapillas, check. Freshly fried chips and refreshing salsa, check. Tamales? Hard to get back home (NW), so I'm always wary...these were incredible. Smothered in green chile sauce, I could not eat them fast enough. My husband had chicken enchiladas, which he absolutely loved. Having lived in New Mexico, he is a bit of a New Mexican Food Snob. He was amazed at how good Monroe's was. It looks like a local joint, not touristy at all. At this location, take-out may be the bulk of their business. Doesn't matter, because the entire staff serves every customer. We must have had 3 different waiters help us while we were there for less than 1 hour. They are serious when they tell you that they work as a team. I couldn't figure out which impressed me more--the food or the service. The other location was not as good, for some reason. Their food was slightly salty and the rice wasn't great. read more

I must say that my polish grandmother used to love this place but I only like it ok. The chile is not has spicy or as red ad I typically like it. This place is very good for tourists who are new to spicy foods. The chile rellenos are really good! read more

I'm born and raised in Los Angeles and thus no stranger to Mexican food. But as I learned on a recent visit to Monroe's, I know nothing about NEW Mexican food! This meal completely blew away my expectations about just how good such a dining experience can be. Perhaps we're just too poor or I have become too jaded by candle-lit, cheese-laden cliches. But what astounded me about the food at Monroe's was how FLAVORFUL it was -- how light and zesty and filling -- and how lovingly prepared. Our enchiladas, tamale and quesadilla were spot on, bolstered no doubt by the outstanding home-made salsa. I kept saying to myself, aha, so that's what this should taste like! Each bite was deeply satisfying like home-made comfort food should be. Based on previous reviewers (I wouldn't have stopped here without Yelp), I made sure to order the sopapilla (learned how to pronounce it, too), an airy fried bread treat that taught me what honey is for ;) Add a fantastic Mexican dark beer comparable to Becks and a rowdy, inviting -- not stuffy, not dark, moody and red table-clothed -- environment, friendly wait staff, more than reasonable prices and you get a winner in my book. Travelers to Albuquerque should make this a must-stop. You can bet if f I lived here (or returned to St. John's in Santa Fe) I'd be back again and again... it would become a regular favorite. Now back home in Los Angeles I'm left with memories so good that I can't eat ordinary Mexican food again. I miss the "new" in New Mexican cuisine. Monroe's, te amo, te adororo! read more

Boyfriend and I are here on vacation and we wanted some NM posole, so we stopped here for said tasty treat. I was meeting friends and my time was off, but they were happy to seat is, get us drinks, and provided us with chips and salsa while we waited. We also had a wonderful visit from the manager, Juan, who is a jovial, friendly man. Boyfriend had carne adovada stuffed chile rellenos, I had enchiladas. We shared a bowl of posole. It was all fantastic. read more

We came in here because my friend's mother wanted to go to this place because it was on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It turned out it was on there for a very good reason. The guy who served us was really friendly, and recommended items when we stalled. The waiter who helped bring our food to us told jokes and gave us many a laugh. The food wasn't as good as at Bodega Burger on Saturday, but it was worth the money. read more

A group of us on a business trip stopped in here looking for some good food on the cheap. I had the fajita quesadilla with chicken, which was OK. The others in the group all liked their meals as well, but noone was raving. Decent food, good prices, friendly staff, poor ambience - it's definitely not an Old Town Albuquerque experience, but it's a good fallback. read more

We came in from out of town and Yelped this place. Based on the reviews we decided to give it a go. It was really worth it. Food was great, service was great and the price made it more than worth while. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Can't believe I have lived here for 27 years and have not been here before. I seen a couple of bad service comments and it made me a little nervous to be honest but our server was on it tonight. The food was great as well. Not as spicy as I enjoy but a freshly roasted jalapeño fixed that right up. Next time I will order one to add to the guacamole salad! Sorry I didn't catch the servers name- she was the taller one but she did have a little help from her friends. Not that she needed it, they were just that on top of it. Appetizers and main course only took about 45 minuets with no wait time! Thanks guys as a fellow local business owner I appreciated your drive for success. read more

The price is right and so is the service. Monroe's is a true neighborhood joint, and they have always aimed to please, ever since New York Puerto Riceno Miguel Diaz opened in 1977. Worth trying: Stuffed Sopapillas, vegetarian tostadas, and Navajo Tacos. Ask for guacamole salad, not just a scoop. The chile rellenos aren't made at Monroe's, so not great. If you want reasonable, great service, and unpretentious Monroe's is the place. read more

Great local diner with twit friendly staff. Modestly priced and the food matched late on Sunday Tuesday night. Seemed like it wasn't super fresh. Onion rings were brilliant and the portions were huge! read more

Had the cheese enchiladas with green chili, so good! The green chili was super fresh with big flavorful chunks of green chilies. The refried beans and Spanish rice were great. I usually hardly ever eat all of the sides but my plate is empty...super yum! read more

The service was above and beyond. My girlfriend and I showed up nearly an hour before opening (we forgot to check the opening time online), nonetheless the owner seated us. My girlfriend and I are from Seattle, so the owner made us seafood shaped (jellyfish) sopapilla to make us feel at home. The food was pretty good, and there was a lot of it. Overall Monroe's was a great experience. read more

My family and I went there the other day. My sister and mom got the chicken enchiladas and quesadilla and had a bad experience. My other sister and I got something different and feel fine but the next day they had got food poisoning, it wasn't a good experience. read more

My cousin and her husband were visiting from Nevada and wanted to go out for some "authentic" New Mexican food. Everyone I knew, except one, told me to take them to Monroe's, and that the food was fantastic. Never having been there before, but having heard about it, I was eager to try it for myself. As it turned out, we were all very disappointed. The decor is non-existant, the service was without a smile, and the food was so-so. It's not like they were really busy. There was only one other table with diners. I have had much better New Mexican food from take-out shacks in the South Valley. It's not that the food was bad, because it wasn't. It was just so-so, nothing to shout about. The enchiladas were bland with both green and red. The chile relleno, eh? The portions were skimpy and flavorless. Our server was going through the motions of being nice, but acted like she was too tired to really care and had to be repeatedly reminded to bring things we had ordered, including our wine. All in all, my first experience with Monroe's will more than likely be my last. Off the top of my head I can think of a half dozen other places I wish I had taken them. #1 on that list would have been Garcia's. read more

You must try carne adovada (slow cooked pork and chili) with sopapillas. Four stars for the carne adovada! Also, ask for a sample of the chili sauce... Put chili sauce on the meat. Eat sopapillas with honey. Yummy! As for the other items/meats (ground beef, chicken) if you are from California Arizona and Texas there is not much seasoning/flavor in the meat. When ordering other these items, ask for the chili sauces and extra salsa to put on the meat... then you will enjoy it. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Monroe's Mexican restaurant, menu cover - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Fantastic. I came with a group of friends after perusing Old Town for some jewelry (couldn't resist). We asked one of the locals for a restaurant recommendation, and this place came up. We had originally walked by the restaurant already, thought it looked kind of divey, but smelled awesome. Anyway, we followed our noses back, and had one of the best meals around. Let me tell you, after walking around Albuquerque for a few hours, this place really hit the spot for lunch. I had the combination enchilada plate, which came with three enchiladas - a carne adovado (pork simmered in red sauce), beef, and chicken enchilada. Man, that carne adovado was something else. I liked it so much, I went somewhere else that night, and ordered their carne adovado, but it didn't even come close to how good this stuff was at Monroe's. Oh, and the sopaipillas? Excellent. Wish we had those in Cali. Come here for real local flavor, and forget those touristy places in Old Town. This is the real deal. Delicious, and cheap to boot. read more