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    Rio Tacos

    4.6 (120 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Rio Tacos Takeout or Delivery

    Services - Rio Tacos

    Catering services

    Rio Tacos Photos

    RIO TACOS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Rio Tacos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Jim T.

    Good morning, everyone. Join the boys from the VA Creative Writing Group as they venture to the northernmost environs in Albuquerque to RioTacos on Alameda. A step up from their former food truck, the staff has transitioned to a brick-and-mortar. Great food cooked by the owner himself. Friendly staff. Homemade flour tortillas! Ample indoor and outdoor seating. Ask for the Veterans discount. Easy to find - just east of the Indian Motorcycle shop in the old Wise Pizza location. Watch our YouTube video to see what we ate and listen to how we enjoyed it. Highly recommended. https://youtu.be/0NC0Q25vqWY?si=HtiaLE5lVKtSWCRo

    Asada burrito
    Edwin S.

    Very cute little place just east of Indian Motorcycle dealer. Counter service with table delivery. The staff was fantastic, even git napkins for us since it was our first time there. The food.....was delicious! Fresh and hot. I had the quesa-birria tacos. They were delicious. My friend enjoyed the asada burrito....she ate half and said she was going to eat the rest later....well it was so good she finished it while we talked. Highly recommend this tacoria.

    Quesa Birria taco plate
    Tasha R.

    Came on two different occasions to try the tacos. You order at the front before you sit down. Since it was my first time I wanted to try one of each taco. I visited on a weekend and there was a line out the door because there isnt much space inside and only one register. It did take awhile to get the order but there was some seating inside on the sidewall to wait. Staff was friendly and brought my order to me. These are the four I tried: Barbocoa 4/5 good flavor but not enough meat in the taco. Chicken 3/5 dry meat and not much flavor Al Pastor 4.5/5 juicy flavorful with onions and pineapple Carne Asada 3.5/5 also dry less flavor has some crisp to the meat. On a separate occasion I ordered Birria tacos to go online in case I had another long wait. The food was prepared quickly and was still warm when I got home. Birra 5/5 it had good filling and perfectly cheesey. It also came with consume and salsa. Definitely a favorite.

    Exterior
    Kyle B.

    Great food and outstanding customer service. Felt very welcome by the staff. I would certainly recommend visiting this business.

    Crusted tacos al pastor
    Rachel M.

    The Rio Grande quesadilla was huge and messy, but I had order envy of my husband's crusted tacos al pastor. Customer favorite must be the fish tacos because they were on every table. Would return for a fast taco fix but not my favorite al pastor in town.

    Tacos Adada
    Richard G.

    The place is bright and clean. They had the garage door open to the patio on a perfect day for it. We were instantly helped when we came in by very nice staff members. The food came out within a few minutes of the order and was hot and very tasty. Five stars for a taco shop is a lot but I like the place.

    Quesabirrias and Elote
    Eric I.

    Finding authentic Mexican food in Albuquerque has been a side quest since I moved here but RIO TACOS made my Mexican dreams come to life! The best tacos I've had here in ABQ! I highly recommend this place if you want homemade authentic Mexican cuisine. I had the quesabirrias, although they would have been great with onion and cilantro, everything was good as it came. A red cilantro sauce would have been great as an option! Service was great!

    Aram K.

    We have been supporting rios tacos for a while even since they were just a food truck. This small business run by a father and son team will blow your mind. First of all I want to let you know that unlike most little taco places, the owner has a real culinary background, and it shows in the artistry of the food. Every item at Rios tacos looks as good as it tastes and smells. The queso birria tacos stand out here as the best I've ever had anywhere I've gone in my life. You absolutely must try this item here. The quesadillas are also really great here and worth having along with your meal, so are the tacos of any kind. The barbacoa stands out as an amazing meat though, probably top 2 barbacoa in all of New Mexico and top 3 I've ever had anywhere. It's really really good and worth a try. For desserts their Sopapilla cheesecake is pretty good, but if I had one piece of feedback I would say the tres leches was a bit dry and could loose the whip cream on it. Tres leches is my favorite dessert so I eat it often and had to include some constructive feedback. But everything else is so great that my 5 star review sticks. It's hard to find a business like this in New Mexico so if you're reading this review, drop what you're doing and head down there!

    Shelly T.

    This is more of a casual lunch counter. The Baja fish tacos were fried fresh, with generous red cabbage and lime. No salsa and no mayonnaise though. The birria was flavorful, as was the consomme. The accompanying salsa roja was tasty, as they char their ingredients. Sadly, they use a lot of single use plastics.

    Breakfast burrito with Christmas chile

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Best tacos I have had so far in ABQ! Almost the exact same flavor of Birria tacos as Mexico City.

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    11 months ago

    Excellent service. The flavors exploded in your mouth! It's very clean and pleasant atmosphere. I enjoyed the chicken tacos!

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    1 year ago

    I got the chicken street tacos and they were delicious! The staff were also super friendly. Fun place to eat and super fast!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Really great atmosphere and great food! Tacos had abundance of meat and the elote was delicious. Will be back!

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    The Original Cocina Azul on Mountain Rd - Front of restaurant

    The Original Cocina Azul on Mountain Rd

    4.4(2.9k reviews)
    7.2 miDowntown
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
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    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

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    The Original Cocina Azul on Mountain Rd
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    Frontier - Mexican Combo ($11) w/ Christmas enchiladas, rice, beans and a crunchy taco

    Frontier

    4.2(2.7k reviews)
    7.3 miMidtown/University
    $$

    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.

    Photos
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    Interior

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    Complimentary Sopapillas ($0)

    Frontier - Mexican Combo ($11) w/ Christmas enchiladas, rice, beans and a crunchy taco

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    Herencia - Crab Enchiladas

    Herencia

    4.5(135 reviews)
    5.9 miEastside

    We were traveling from North Carolina to our home in San Diego…read more We looked up places to eat and were tired of "road trip food". We found Herencia and took a chance. We know good Mexican food, as we are from San Diego, and wanted to try the southwest fare. WHAT AN AMAZING CHOICE! The lovely hostess was charming, engaging and sweet (wish i had her name) and our waiter (Edgar) was authentic, personable and fun to chat with. We had been at a movie and had eaten a bit too much popcorn so we did not order a lot. The three of us shared the free blue corn (not fried) chips with three salsa samples. We then shared a salad and the amazingly good four taco sampler. Thank you Herencia (Enrique the owner, and staff) for this wonderful evening.

    This place as delightful! It's a nicely decorated spot with truly incredible Mexican food. We went…read morefor brunch on a Saturday and our server was amazing with suggestions on the menu and keeping the drinks topped off and checking in on us. They have complimentary bread and salsas which were quite delightful. I had the omelette de verduras which was just amazing. The eggs were cooked just right and it had lots of veggies plus came with a side of beans. They also had a lot of other good vegetarian options and verified everything with the kitchen on that front which made me feel like they really cared about making sure. Overall great experience and I will be back!

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    El Patio De Albuquerque - Chips and salsa were fair. $4.00 for a very small serving of salsa. I would not recommend the salsa and chips for the money you are paying.

    El Patio De Albuquerque

    4.1(903 reviews)
    7.4 miMidtown/University
    $$

    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.

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    El Patio De Albuquerque - Nice conversion of old house

    Nice conversion of old house

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    Patio seating.

    El Pinto - Fresh Guacamole

    El Pinto

    3.4(1.9k reviews)
    1.8 miBusiness Parkway/Academy Acres
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    El Pinto - Come on in!

    Come on in!

    El Pinto - Hatch Chile and Chicharrones

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    Interior entrance

    Rio Tacos - mexican - Updated September 2026

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