Aside from legit New Mexican fare, which includes a solid selection of gluten-free and vegetarian options (this alone is pretty difficult to find in the 505), Monroe's executes one more part of the dining experience with serious precision: shared table service. In my 10-some years waiting tables at cafes and restaurants, I've worked in a few that attempted the Monroe's model, usually miserably. Every server handles every table, and tips are split -- at least, that's what I assume they're doing. Your drink order, entree, refills and check will likely be taken by different people, and somehow they manage to do this without over- or under-serving the table (usually it's the latter, but people can get annoyed by too many interruptions, as well). To top things off, you can expect one of the owners to drop by your table to say hello. That alone is worth a 20% tip. The new location is a breath of bright sunshine, tall ceilings make things a little noisy (the hearing impaired may want to avoid a packed house) and the parking lot is both impressive and somehow much too small for the lunch rush, plan to park on the street. Overall, this family-run business remains authentic, real deal chile, maybe a tad on the safe side but good for out-of-towners, as well. Nice move, guys! read more

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

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I went to culinary school and supervise a kitchen near Boston, MA. Pros: Fried bread was delicious, crispy without being overcooked and beautifully seasoned. The chef seasoned his dry ingredients well, the shell of each dish was flavorful Colorful and seemed fresh Cons: --- Lettuce should be dry, not wet --- Rice was overcooked and under seasoned --- Beans were under seasoned ---Chicken Taco: cheese was not melted, lettuce was wet, chicken was cold and wet while being dry ---Carne Adovada: the taste reminded me of Greek food. Adovada should be a chili sauce with vinegar and oregano, unfortunately the oregano overpowered the dish. The meat pulled apart beautifully but was dry. Either adjust the humidity in your warmer or rehydrate with beef stock or leftover liquids. I'm assuming you cooked this in a moist environment, i would have loved a sauce made out of the leftover liquids. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Combination plate (enchilada, taco, tamale) - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Ok, ok, ok! The "new" Monroe's on 4th Street is just as good, if not better than the "old" one on Lomas. More tables, more parking . . . and most importantly, the same Great! New Mexican food. My first visit to the newly built 4th Street Monroe's satisfied my concerns that there was no way that the service and food would still give you the feeling that you were in your Abuelo's / Abuela's kitchen. Even though they were overwhelmed with customers, it was everything I could have wanted. If you haven't ever been to Monroe's, GO! Meet me there? read more

Bustling local New Mexican food chain. My carne asada burrito was tender with generous helpings of green and red chili sauce. The sopapilla was fluffy and just slightly sweet. Affordable, ample seating, clean and bright dining room. read more

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

Vibes were elite as was the service and food. Enjoyed the New Mexican cuisine, get the Red Chile here you won't be disappointed.

The chili is not as good as it used to be. The prices have gone way up. I eat there about three times a month but will not eat there as often anymore read more

Cute little place but what set this place apart was the service. Aly was our server and took time to help us order and understand some of the New Mexico dishes maybe even one not on the menu......... Being from out of town we like to find local places and this one hit the mark with tasty food , yummy chips and salsa/ guacamole and like I mentioned fantastic service. Aly even offered some tips for things to see while visiting this area!! Go Hawks:) read more

Location is very nice! I loved the new building. Service was also great! Our server was quick and wait was not long. Food in my opinion was ok, I had the green and red chili enchiladas and in my opinion favor was just not there. My husband had a chicken soup which he said was ok but added salt and pepper to give it flavor. Would u come back? Maybe. It could have just been today. So I wouldn't mind coming again. read more

Over last few weeks we have visited an establishment on Tuesday for tacos, and this Week Monroe's beef and chicken hard tacos moved to the front of the pack. Curbside service was outstanding especially the packaging. Tacos were well portioned and ingredients were fresh. Recommend you get a dozen. read more

Always an amazing place to eat. I love the full service we get from all the staff. The food is really good and is consistent. We never leave disappointed in the amount of food. They don't over do it like some restaurants in ABQ. Just the right amount. Always clean, fast, and you get friendly service. read more

I got the chicken fried steak today with cream of green chile on it. The chicken fried steak was one of the best quality I have ever had. The side of potatoes was also really good, cooked perfectly crisp and soft all at once. The staff was also wonderful and very attentive. The iced tea was good and they serve free chips and salsa. Very good food, great staff and reasonable prices. I 10/10 recommend. read more

Monroe's is my favorite New Mexican style mexican restaurant in the Albuquerque area. I absolutely LOVE their Chilli Relleno burrito with Calabacitas! Everything here tasts fresh and home made. All I can say is YUM! read more

Great food & cute patio. Lots of options are on their menu for a hungry tummy. I tried their hamburger steak & it was good. Will definitely be back to try more on the menu. Service was good read more

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

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Another excellent New Mexican restaurant. Their new location on 4th and Mountain is a lot nicer than the old one on 15th and Lomas. Food is excellent. They have a low carb menu which is pretty cool. The low carb chicken fajitas are excellent. Have had an instance or two where something got messed up on a to go order and they were super cool about fixing it. Tacos are proper too. read more

Very polite staff, spacious restaurant, tasty and quick food, lots of options on what you can get all with a New Mexico chile twist, would highly recommend if you are in ABQ read more

Three years later we find ourselves here again. This time a much different experience. There was about a 30 min wait, and what looked like more than a few tables missing. Most likely due to the current COVID restrictions. They're in a relatively new building. Open and bright. Server was quick to the table for drink orders and setups. She returned with drinks and ready for our order. Huevos Ranchero and a Combination Enchilada Platter. The huevos eggs cooked as ordered, lots of cheese. Tortilla under the eggs was doughy & hash browns not what I expected to see, asked for extra crispy but not even close. But taste was ok. Better than out 1st visit - but still misses the mark. read more

I tried this place for the 1st time and was not impressed. Our server wasn't very attentive. The food was average, nothing special. This is the 1st Mexican restaurant where they charged for chips and salsa(4.95 for a small order)..and the waiter didn't come over to offer more refills on anything. He forgot our straws, salsa for my omlette. We're from out of town and if we ever come back, we won't stop here! read more

Traveling from out of town and went here. Food was amazing and the chips and salsa were some of the best I've had! The food came out quickly and it was great. I get the fajitas wherever I go and they were great! read more

This place is the source of a revelation for me: how great chile relleno can be! I think I had only okay chile rellenos before this, and these were amazing. Ithey had the option to get them with half green chile and half red, and I still don't know which to choose. They were both fantastic. My mouth is watering just thinking about the food right now. There is a lot of good food to eat in Albuquerque, so I'm going to have to work out in preparation for the next time I go backand this is definitely one of the places that I will be eating at the next time I visit! All the above, but I committed to green on the chile rellenos on this trip. Also my dad really enjoyed the pork chop dinner. Monroe's is an all-time great! read more

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Excellent restaurant. The food was terrific, service was great. Super friendly staff. I ordered the carne adovada in a sopapilla. It was delicious and their green and red chili sauce was excellent. My husband had the chicken fajitas and they were also very good. Prices are very reasonable. read more

Somewhat disappointing. The team wait staff concept is kind of cool but a little painful. We didn't want a refill of chips and we must have had 10 different people ask if we did. The food was just meh. For one of us the plate was hot and the other was cold so the food was cold as a result. The meat on the beef fajita burrito was stringy and tough. The red and green sauces were good. The tamale and crispy taco were pedestrian. The cheese nacho was very cheesy. The relleno wasn't spectacular. Admittedly, we are not huge relleno fans but every review suggested it and we didn't want to miss out. The best part of the meal was the sopapilla. It is a bit of a letdown when the free thing at the end is the best part of a meal. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't rely on it as the end all, be all New Mexico Mexican go-to place. read more

The food at Monroe's was 4-star. The reason for the 3-star review is the service. My husband and I ordered: chips and salsa, a chili relleno with ground beef, Mexican rice, a taco fiber with chicken, and an Indian taco plate. The salsa was delicious- slightly sweet and smoky. The taco finger and rice were good, both a touch dry. The chili relleno and Indian taco were delicious! The server seemed eager for us to order, and once we did she didn't really come back to the table. When we needed something, we had to grab someone else. We had never been there and did not know you had to go up to the counter to get your ticket and pay. We sat for probably 15 minutes just looking around for the waitress to get the check. We finally saw another couple go up to the front and realized the process. It was frustrating that we sat there all of that time, plates pushed aside and stacked, looking around, and not our server or anyone else told us what to do. If I went back, it would be to the other location. read more

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Super delicious Mexican comfort food. The plates are generous, the prices reasonable, and the staff is very friendly helping you make good choices from an amazing array of options. Go "Christmas style" with your dish, too. That's red and green sauce together! Yummy! Try the sopaipilla with some local New Mexican bee and flower honey for dessert. It was like a delicious fried donut. Awesome. And don't forget the locally brewed beer. Just let it happen!! read more

Good food and excellent service. I always like trying restaurants with local flair. This one came highly recommended from a fellow Texan so I had to dive in. Pleasantly surprised and although definitely different than TexMex, I'll go back. read more

We gave Monroe's a try for lunch based on a locals recommendation. Glad we did. We were greeted warmly and seated in minutes. The menus has all the Mexican items you would expect for the area. I had a chili relleno plate and it was tasty. Service was quick. They kept our ice teas full. Monroe's was a great choice! read more

I'm still on the search for my all-time favorite Mexican restaurant in ABQ. I tried out Monroe's on the recommendation of the concierge at my hotel. It's a very casual place with quick service. They only have beer and wine. My choice of wine arrived as a small bottle of pretty inexpensive stuff (can't remember the brand, but it would be something I would pass over at the liquor store), but I appreciated the fact that I could get wine with my meal! They also have a fair selection of beers, too. Next time I would skip the wine and go for a cold Corona. I ordered a chile relleno and a taco and they came out quickly. For my taste, the relleno was a little too bready and the green chile wasn't as spicy as I expect in ABQ. But all in all, a fine meal at an inexpensive price-tag! Take your check up to the counter to pay. read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Beef taco, relleno and carne adovado - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

A stalwart of Albuquerque!! You can't go wrong w anything on the menu. Great service. The owner is the most wonderful guy! Talk to him he has such cool stories!! His cousin is CHARO!!! read more

Indian taco carne adovada for me and hubby picked Calavacita tacos on veggie alternatives menu BONUS free chips salsa and FLAN My husband said "this place is freakin awesome!" so authentic we are happy read more

The food is good. Service was fast and friendly. Would have liked to have individual salsa.

Very middle of the road New Mexican food. Tacos are exactly like most other places in town. The meat has zero spice and lacks flavor. The bean and cheese burrito was fine. The tamale and enchiladas were anemic. The staff is friendly and the place is clean, but there is way better options nearby. read more

I had warm welcomes the day I flew in to New Mexico. I came here because it was one of the few options opened in the evening. Many places close early in Albuquerque. It was great trying New Mexican cuisine for the first time and Monroe's was the place. I ordered the special for the day, but I couldn't remember what it was because New Mexicans douse their food in so much sauce. It might have been enchiladas. The stew that came with it was quite hearty considering it gets cold in New Mexico. The sopapilla was quite an experience because it is a New Mexican tradition. Add honey and it changes everything. I thought Monroe's was a great place to experience New Mexican cuisine. read more

We stopped into Monroe's right after we got off the plane because we were starving and we were not disappointed! It was very good fresh Mexican food and we enjoyed it, I highly recommend you stop at Monroe's if you're in Albuquerque New Mexico read more

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It's rare that I can say I always have a good experience at a restaurant but this is certainly the case with Monroe's. Every time my family eats here, the staff is friendly, the food comes out fast and it's so tasty! Their packaged chile has been a staple in my pantry for a long time. So tonight, when I we were brainstorming where to take our large-ish (9) dinner group, of course it was Monroe's! We we're seated almost immediately, three wonderful members of the waitstaff checked on us throughout our meal and the food was so amazing. Great job, Monroe's! We'll definitely return. read more

Two years in a row visits, exactly one year and 3 days ago! As expected our visit today was very satisfying. According to Facebook we were here June 3, 2022 and again today June 6, 2023. Ironically, we managed to see two of the same patrons who were there a year ago, were also there this evening. Amazing stroke of luck. We recommend to anyone who enjoys authentic cultural cuisine, Monroe's will not disappoint. We have recommended this place to our friends in Georgia, if ever in Albuquerque, be sure and visit. read more

I have lived in New Mexico almost my entire life. I hate myself for never getting out of my comfort zone and trying Monroe's! Today I tried it for the first time and it was delicious! I ordered the carne adovada chimichanga platter with a Dos Equis beer and a frosted glass. I would like to emphasize: the restaurant was very clean and the food had a neat presentation and was appetizing. Our server was great, I didn't have to ask for anything. Looks like I've got a new place to frequent! read more

This place was really good! The service was excellent - everyone was friendly and accommodating. We loved their chips and salsa. The chips were thick and crunchy with just the right amount of salt. Hubs had the tacos. Their shells were thick and crispy which is the best! The beef was very flavorful and the carne adovada was outstanding. He got some of the green salsa and enjoyed it I had beef enchiladas. I love when we come to New Mexico because I get them flat with an egg.... my favorite! Their rice was very tasty as were the refried beans. You receive sopapillas with your meal! They were soft and a little chewy. A table next to us ordered stuffed sopapillas and they looked outstanding. This was very affordable and didn't break the budget. Very tasty! read more

I got the big combo platter with abovado enchilada, beef taco and tamale! Great fresh flavors! Can definitely taste the freshness of the green and red chili! The taco was so so only. The tamale and enchilada were fantastic! The pork inside the enchilada has great flavor that shines thru! My favorite part of this meal is the chips and salsa that comes with it! This is the best chips and salsa I have personally ever had! The salsa is fresh flavorful and most importantly it was perfectly spicy!!! Would definitely return! read more

Monroe's Restaurant - Chips and salsa. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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The sopapillas taste was overwhelmed by yeast, not to mention the smell. The waitress messed up two of our orders. We had to wave down a waitress to ask for refills. I was given a diet soda while I had specifically asked for a regular Dr. Pepper. read more

Very good! My friend gave me suggestions for dinner options and this one had the best ratings on Yelp. I was pleased to see a separate veggie alternative menu which helped narrow my choices down. Our server was great and gave us some recommendations and what the popular dishes are. He started us off with chips and salsa as well as red and green chili, all good. I went with the veggie rellano burrito and it was delicious. Smothered with cheddar cheese on the outside and filled with whole beans and rellano peppers with calabazas and onions on the side. The rest of my table enjoyed their dishes as well, which included the breakfastarian burrito, fish tacos and quesadillas. The sopaipillas were so good! I ate mine with honey before I finished my dish. We ordered flan and friend ice cream topped with chocolate for dessert, and both were excellent. I liked the ice cream a little more with the crunch topping. Service was quick and friendly and I'd definitely recommend this place to those who want a taste of New Mexican cuisine. read more

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

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Wowza, this Texan and passionate TexMex lover was over the moon with Monroe's New Mexican food. If that is New Mexican food, I can get behind it! We went for lunch, and I immediately fell in love with the homemade chips and salsa that tasted like it was made a few minutes before we arrived with beautiful green chilis. I had the super combination platter (and changed the tamale for a chili relleno from our waitress' suggestion when I asked for a non-pork substitute). Fantastic and fresh chicken taco, amazing relleno. My partner had the carne adovada platter and about licked up every bite. The sopaipilla that came with the platter had super tasty dough. The only thing I did not love was the rice, but I think that's just a different style than what I am used to in my favorite Mexican-influenced cuisine. Also, I loved the staff. They all work together and have wonderful personalities that make it fun to dine there. When I'm back in Albuquerque, Monroe's will be my first stop! read more

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