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    Russell's Cafe

    4.2 (96 reviews)
    ModerateDiners
    Open 6:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Russell's Cafe Photos

    RUSSELL'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Crunchy Chicken Quesadillas
    John W.

    I miss the original Russell's Stop! The people here are still phenomenal, food is still amazing and thank the American Indians, NOT THE TA SUITS, some of the local favorites are still on the menu! To the TA/PETRO Corporate baby eating, blood sucking , Freemason, Satan worshiper executives, I wish you the life you deserve and a big, stinky pile of FU$$ YOU! Please tip your servers well!

    Mushroom Swiss Burger
    Billie E.

    Road weary riding, last decent stop for a while travelling on I-40. Sit down burger type joint with breakfast and some mexican dishes. I had the mushroom swiss burger, my friend had some kind of sloppy yummy chili burger something. Both were good! I didnt care for the onion rings, but i left nothing behind. Waitress was nice, food came quick The travel center also houses a Subway.

    Steak salad.
    Lorena R.

    This review is STRICTLY FOR THE CAFE. I posted a review for the truck stop separately. I ordered a side of fried okra, which was crispy and served freshly fried. However, they're definitely the frozen kind and not breaded in house. I wanted a taco salad and asked if I could get steak strips instead of ground beef and was told it would be an additional $10! They have a steak salad, so I opted for that instead. The greens were fresh and the steak was cooked well done. They do provide an ample serving with plenty of dressing. My boyfriend did get the taco salad and he said it was "bland & tasteless" I did see him adding salt & pepper to it... The service was good and the restaurant was clean.

    New Mexico burger
    Jason V.

    NOTE: Review is not for the travel center, but for the restaurant. Okay, here we go... I figured I'd stop here for something to eat, you know to keep me going as I was traveling on old Route 66. They have a great menu, with a lot of American and Southwestern items. Service was great, and food was hot and came at a respectable time. I had the New Mexico burger, which was served on a tortilla. Something different, you know. I was asked, "Red or green chilies?" like I was at other places in New Mexico. They have pies for dessert and I regretfully didn't get one.

    Dessert menu
    Zacharias L.

    The food is always good, and I have the same waiter every time I come. He's always kind and helpful! I miss the Russel truck stop but everyone at the new TA brand is still awesome.

    Outside view
    Alyona Z.

    2/21/20 5 I came across this cafe thanks to yelp, and at first it took me elsewhere as the address wasn't listed. It also didn't specify that it was inside of a truck stop. After carefully reading some reviews, I understood where to find this place and so glad I did. 1. The truck stop is huge with so many things to offer you while you either get gas or get food. 2. There's a cool diner inside. 3. The staff at the diner, museum and register were all very friendly and helpful. 4. Free vintage car museum 5. Clean restaurant, restroom and a lot of gifts/ souvenirs to pick from. I had a great time here, after ordering my steak and eggs and French toast, I was full to my maximum. I needed to walk off the food coma I was getting myself into, so I explored the vintage car museum and checked out the amazing vehicles they had. Along with all the nostalgic things you can imagine from the 50's & 60's era. Definitely come here and spend some time here, eating and exploring, it will be worth it

    Inside diner
    Cliff K.

    It's conveniently located off of I40 easy on and off. Easily enough parking so that should be an issue. It's a very clean every where. It's also about expectations, everyone is under staffed, so I always appreciate the service staff who are working. This restaurant still has that old time feel of a truck stop diner, It has a wonderful old style counter and booths. They have lots of wonderful breakfast Fair and I had the hot roast beef sandwich and they still get their beef locally so it really tastes like roast beef. The food was well prepared hot and delicious. The bathrooms were clean and well stocked. It has a typical truck stop area for truckers supplies and it has a large area for convenient store supplies like snacks and hot to go food similar to a 'loves or a flying j". It also has a Subway inside. I love the fact that it's locally owned and I love the fact that they use local beef and other things for their food. In true diner style they have great homemade pies and desserts. The topper was they have a wonderful free museum of cars and '50s which make it a nice rest stop for seniors and families. They also have an ice cream area so you get some ice cream treats. And I forgot to mention it has great variety of gas. All in all it was a fun place and I would recommend it.

    pot roast
    Kenneth V.

    CLEAN! Far exceeds any truck stop expectations. They have a cool car and historical pop culture museum inside worth the stop! Food was hot and fresh! I'd stop again without hesitation. They have clean restrooms and a convenience store attached, with fuel pumps for the car. Service was friendly and casual.

    Mushroom Swiss burger!!

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    1 year ago

    The food was good. The service was very slow. The antique cars were very good . Kitchen staff need to get with it

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    We arrived too late to see the car museum, but our dinner was good and staff was friendly.

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    2 years ago

    Food was totally flavorless. Highly certain in comes out of a can. It is a shame because it is cute diner.

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

    If you'd like a good breakfast this is a place to go. Stuff is amazing and nice. Food is delicious. I recommend trying denver omelet

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    3 years ago

    Delicious food and friendly staff! Free museum was amazing! We could have spent all day!

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    2 years ago

    Food was not good. The subway connected to it is probably a better call. Vibe was neat but food was not

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    5 years ago

    Good food, great staff! Very reasonable prices! Plus free car museum and large store full of miscellaneous items.

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    7 years ago

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    La Cita - Fajitas

    La Cita

    3.9(185 reviews)
    35.0 mi
    $$

    Every time I visit Tucumcari, I eat at Dells, which is very good. But this time I'm trying…read moresomething different. I decided to try La Cita. I'm glad I did! I visited on a Monday evening, around 5pm. That's usually the time us old folks eat. I had no issue getting a table. Promptly seated, I ordered a beer and my dinner. The menu is a good mix, something for everyone. I ordered the Chili Rellenos. Of course I ordered that. Hey, when in Rome..... My meal was served quick and hot. Waiting a minute to cool was definitely in the cards. No problem, I had my beer, salsa and chips to occupy me while the steam settled. After a bit, I dug in. First fork was the rice. Oh, was that rice ever good! The only problem was that there wasn't enough. I suggest that you order a side of that glorious grain. Fantastic! The refried beans, well, were ok, but just ok. The Hatch greenies, as you'd expect, were outstanding and very flavorful. I ordered them Christmas style, with green and red sauce. Both of those condiments were tasty, but of the two, the green sauce stood out. Boy did it ever. I'll be dreaming of that sauce later tonight. Hopefully my girlfriend doesn't pop into the picture.....OR, maybe she should! LoL, now that would be a dream! Don't worry about parking, as there is more than ample. You can park in the front, the back, either side, and if you're driving a big rig, pulling a trailer, or driving a tank, they've got you covered. Across the street is special parking for those vehicles. More parking outside than tables inside. Pay La Cita a visit for a romantic dinner, or as I did, by yourself....my dream trend may have helped with that. Hey, I may be old, but certainly not dead! Quick Tip: I parked in the back, and when leaving, I took the dirt alley. It was a fun adventure. I'd suggest that you do it during daylight hours though. You never know who you'll run into, or for that matter, over! Let's hope it isn't Skinny Pete or Badger.

    My girlfriend and I were very excited to try this place during our short stay in Tucumcari in hopes…read moreof some good, authentic Mexican food. Based off of the other Yelp reviews, I had high hopes, but unfortunately, we were let down by this place. We ordered online and ordered multiple different dishes in order to try them out. Here are the dishes that I got: Brisket Burrito: The meat was dried out and tasted several days old and reheated. The burrito also didn't seem to have the pan fried potatoes that were supposed to be in it. Tacos al Carbon: From the first bite I knew I wasn't going to eat these; the steak tasted weird, with a weird texture, and seemed old. Enchilladas: I got them with beef & green sauce; the beef had a decent flavor and texture. Stuffed Sopapilla: The sopapilla itself had a good comfort food type of taste and texture. I got it with beef & green sauce. The beef had a decent flavor and texture. As for the sides--the Mexican rice just tasted like salt, and the beans were bland and flavorless. If you're looking for fresh, yummy Mexican food--don't waste your money on this place. I have no idea how it has so many good Yelp reviews.

    Photos
    La Cita - Outside front entrance

    Outside front entrance

    La Cita - Chile Relleno New Mexico Style

    Chile Relleno New Mexico Style

    La Cita

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    Russell's Cafe - diners - Updated May 2026

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