Great introduction to New Mexican food here in Grants. Our meals included the chimichanga, burrito, and taco salad! We also got the side of sopapillas and chips and salsa. The entrees came with red and green sauce with them being mild and hot respectively. There were tons of parking and they are doing limited seating due to covid. We were seated pretty quickly and food was also served fast. Service was great and I was glad we came here to try out this local New Mexican food as our first meal in the state! read more

See all

Stopped here on way back to AZ. food very good! Both had smothered burrito, tasty, and and spicy, lettuce and tomatoes very fresh. cute, clean place! Only complaint was that food should have been cooked hotter. Green chile and fillings were lukewarm. read more

Some people raved about these guys but don't see what all the fuss is about. Plus they upped the price on their meat products by $2 which is understandable, but still.. would've been nice if they mentioned that before my purchase then would've opted for cheese enchiladas instead. On a beef enchilada combo all I liked was the beans & the sopapillas were interesting. Never had those before. Anyway the rice tasted like unseasoned tomato sauce & the enchiladas tasted how I imagine canned dog food tastes. I wasn't impressed. Would rather eat at Taco Village. Maybe I'll try something else some other day. read more

Food was not so great, I got a taco jack-in-the-Box is better The only thing I really liked here was the chips and salsa & sopaipilla. Do not recommend read more

Very good New Mexican food... the only reason I can't give a 5 star is because they put pork in their chili and I can't eat pork... what's New Mexican food without green chili? read more

So so life this place. All the Food we ordered was delicious and the owners are so kind and friendly.... read more

El Cafecito - El Cafecito - Mexican Near Me - Grants, New Mexico

Food was amazing. Service was awesome and the vibe was pretty good. I had the chicken chimichangas and they were delicious.

We stopped by for lunch. We ordered chips and salsa, chicken enchiladas and cheese enchiladas. The rice was not what I was expecting. It come marinated in a red sauce, unexpected and different. The cheese enchilada was lacking substance. The saving grace was the sopapillas. They are perfect and come with honey. Exactly what I like. Overall it was okay but not somewhere I'd go again. read more

The servers at the restaurant were extremely friendly and attentive. If they spill something on you, they just clean it up right away while showering you with apologies :) they made it very easy to select what meat option I want! In addition, we got to make our own salsa with the provided ingredients of tomato sauce, salt, and the chile samples. If you're avoiding Sonoran style mexican food this is the place! read more

The food was delicious (sausage breakfast burrito with green chile), but I've never had worse service in a restaurant. The cashier seated me by pointing at a table across the room and telling me to sit there. I ordered my food and it came out (too) quickly with the cheese unmelted on top. The waitress literally slowed down a little as she walked by the table and slid the food across the table and kept going without a word or any eye contact. She never offered me water or asked if I needed anything, then 15 minutes later dropped off the check again without a word. The service makes the food unworthy of a future visit. read more

Simple, fresh and delicious food, the fried bread was perfect, the lady at drive thru very kind, it worth the stop!

Great local food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. I eat there every time I come to town to visit family.

11/16 had lunch here. Good food. Great prices. I had the shredded beef tostada. It was perfect. It's small, so if you have a big appetite, order something to go with it. But for 3.50 it's a deal! My hubby got the bean n beef burrito smothered in chili verde and cheese. It was wonderful! Reason for 4 stars: No cervesa A charge for chips n salsa Salsa is very good, but they play tight with it. Although were gringos, We LOVE salsa. read more

Is this the best place to eat in Grants? I'm afraid so. Meanwhile, if you've eaten at any of the good New Mexican style restaurants in Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque, etc, El Cafecito falls way short of expectations. The flavor here is bland, salsas are average and while the price is right, the flavor doesn't rival it's in-state competitors. Meanwhile, if you're an out-of-towner stopping through you might like this place. In fact, with large portions, exceptional value and fair service you might rave about it, as long as you aren't a New Mexico resident where you're used to be spoiled with incredible local flare. Come expecting average food and you'll leave thrilled. Simple as that. And, this place beats all the other greasy spots in town. read more

See all

Large portions, good food. The server told us that we could have only one menu per the Governor's orders ....? Our meals included sopapillas and chips with salsa. We dined inside the restaurant, not close to other diners. Chimichanga was not large and crunchy. The other items of enchilada, taco were very good. Fast service. read more

We stopped here on our way headed out of Santa Fe. The food was really heavy an had weird flavor. I LOVE New Mexican Food (like it is a SERIOUS problem, now that I've returned to NJ) and I just couldn't eat this stuff. It was heavy and really did not take very good at all. The service was mediocre. We stopped here only because it was convenient and on the side of the road. I would not return here again. It was a HUGE disappointment. read more

El Cafecito - Mexican Near Me - Grants, New Mexico

Excellent lunch with my colleagues! We had a meeting in Grants and decided to try this place. It didn't disappoint. I had the chicken chimichanga with red sauce and loved it. The waitress was rocking! We were a large group and she never disappointed. I didn't really care for the salsa and chips but they weren't bad. Just not my favorite. read more

Excellent food great quality, nice menu selection. Breakfast burritos are yummy and great service. Highly recommend.

I don't know why so many people like this place, maybe there just picky but this Mexican food was not good. I got a bean burrito with no meat thinking that it would have rice and lettuce and guacamole in it. no. It was literally just smashed beans wrapped in a tortilla wrap. I have never had a burrito like that! I tried to eat it but i just couldn't it was so plain. It probably didnt help considering we just ate at Robertos in San Diego which has amazing authentic mexican food. Thank god this was just a stop and pass by place cause now I have no reason to come back read more

Amazing southwest food served quickly by friendly folks. The sapopillos are great. They are like a donut biscuit but obviously not sweet like a donut. So good we'll try to plan stopping again on our way back through. read more

Great local spot. Breakfast is my favorite here, and I've decided El Cafecito makes one of my favorite breakfast burritos ever: Handheld, green chili with bacon. read more

A delicious taste of New Mexican cuisine. We were traveling through the state and wanted to try something authentic. The owner was so kind and we were even given a sample of the must try sopapilla by the chef. The serving size was very generous and the chips, salsa and queso really hit the spot. We also couldn't help ourselves and ordered the teeser nachos in addition to the sopapillas. Although very full afterwards, we were not disappointed! Highly recommend! As a side note - Currently because of Covid-19, you are able to use their drive through, call an order in , or order to go inside if wearing a mask. read more

El Cafecito is an alright dining experience with wonderful service. It is odd to not get complimentary chips and salsa, but this salsa has an odd flavor. Nothing spicy in it, mostly just tomato and slightly sweet. I've been here twice and it isn't always the best food just alright. I varied this visit and got a combination plate, I wasn't particularly impressed. I would stick to getting a taco plate next time as tacos are not difficult to mess up. For Grants this is likely one of the better places to stop during a late lunch that isn't fast food or a chain. The oddest thing as well for some reason they cannot run USAA debit or credit cards. The manager on duty knew right away when my card didn't scan that it was a USAA card. I've never encountered this before and they had to manually input it. read more

Authentic food. Portions a bit small but my impression was it was largely like going to dinner at someone's home. Entrees made from scratch, sides not so much. Friendly staff with a family atmosphere. I could of had them bring me nothing but a train of sopapillas, put honey and salt on them, eat until I could eat no more, and been completely happy. read more

If you are running down I40 near Grants NM, and like southwest US Mexican food, do not pass El Cafecito. The best Mexican food I have had in many years. I had the blue corn enchilada plate special and a chili relleno. Absolutely spectacular. The blue corn enchilada was as unusual as it was delicious. The Sopaipillas that come with most meals are excellent. read more

This is my favorite place! They make the BEST, MY favorite, Chile Reonos! I'll never stop coming back! VERY friendly and attentive staff :)

Went here for dinner after reading good reviews. NOT!!! They were out of their dinner special by 5pm so I ordered the Mexican Combo. Rice tasted like it was out of a can; enchiladas were tasteless. They charge $2 extra for chips y salsa and serve cold sopapillas with the meal rather than tortillas. Can't wait to get back to Texas for some real Mexican food! read more

Passing through Grants at dinner time and stopped at this restaurant based on the good Yelp reviews. Food was good for the most part, but would have been nice to have sour cream or guacamole included with the meal. Rice had far too much tomato for my taste. Our meals included sopapillas, but they were brought to our table at the start of our meal, so they were cold by the time we got to them (they should be a dessert item.) Glasses were kept refilled and food was served quickly. read more

I picked this place because of the ratings, comments, and pictures from my fellow yelpers. We had already decided what we were eating based off the menu someone had previously posted, so it wasn't a problem when the girl sat us without menus, just an annoyance. We ordered an enchilada plate, flautas, and fries for my little man. Their flautas were totally different than what I am use to having. There's only one per order, but they are like huge delicious flautas on steroids, double the normal size, filled with seasoned ground beef. The enchiladas and red chili were really good and not overly spicy. I was a little disappointed that our waitress didn't offer for us to order chips and salsa. They didn't come with the meal, but if she would have asked us if we wanted them, we would have ordered them. I feel like I have to have them before a New Mexican meal. On the plus side, sopapillas came with the enchilada meal. read more

Cold enchiladas and 1 honey for 1/2 dozen sopapillas. Guess getting warm take out is rare these days at El Cafecito

Don't worry about it, you're getting a good dose of Grants at this hometown hub. El Cafecito embodies everything a small town cafe should own. The menu is simple, traditional New Mexican, and the plates deliver the basics, as does the service. I have an affinity for eateries like this, the kind of place where you'll overhear conversations varying from this year's crop yield to the next big festival downtown. Grants, like so many townships built on the fortunes of the railroad and mining boom, is a community filled with earnest, honest people who are desperate to reinvent the present without losing a grip on the past. As I approached the front door I saw a sign in the window, Line Cooks Needed. I'm guessing a lot of aspiring, great people skip town around here, and that's a shame. But a quick glance of the menu perhaps presents a clue to the urban flight. I wanted a salad. Surprise, no salads at El Cafecito. I eventually settled on a beef, cheese and chile burrito, and it was... well, exactly what I expected. I'm thinking the place could definitely expand its selection and incorporate a few unusual, fun dishes, instead of just sticking to the tried and true. If I were faced with these options day in and day out, I'd probably jump ship, too. read more

Flavorless "New Mexican" food. I tried this place twice as it was recommended by locals. I will not be back. From the watered down ice tea to the flavorless hot sauce to the odd chef boyardee marinara on the rice, I was not impressed either time. Although very busy when I was there, they won't be getting my business again. read more

OK, I'm not suggesting that you travel to Grants to eat here. Grants makes Gallup look metropolitan by comparison. Sorry Grants, it's just pretty obvious. Although Grants does have a Walmart, probably the only large market in a 100-mile radius. If you happen to be in Grants, or you're passing by on Interstate 40, there are a few good places to eat here and El Cafecito may be at the top of the list. Some fine examples of New Mexican dishes; tasty, moderately spicy (some subjectivity there) and satisfying. I had the sopapilla stuffed with meat and covered in New Mexican green chile. The restaurant counts itself among those that makes a point of emphasizing the use of local chiles. I also had the chile cheese fries, with red chile, milder. Haute cuisine? Nope, but it really really hit the spot for less than $10. The place is clean and service is friendly. read more

Not a place for vegetarians. We couldn't find much to eat, because both the green and red chile sauces are made with meat, the beans contain lard, and the rice is made with chicken stock. We didn't want to look for somewhere else to eat, so I had a naked relleno. yum? no. As we were leaving, the cashier asked if everything was ok, and I mentioned the sauce problem. One of the owners was nearby, and the cashier passed this on to him. He immediately got defensive, and when I mentioned that virtually no place in Taos or Santa Fe serves exclusively meaty sauces, he waved his hand dismissively and said, "Oh, you were up in Santa Fe," as though that got to the heart of the matter. He added that if they changed the recipes, they'd lose the customers who've been frequenting their café for 27 years, and with that, he walked off. What's so hard about keeping an extra pot of meatless green chile sauce on the back burner? Let them feed the local geriatric, sclerotically arteried, obese faithful their eventual last meals, and then quietly close the doors. A more viable business plan might be to do the simple things to try to please a more diverse clientele. read more

The restaurant and bathroom were really clean, our waitress was very nice and attentive to our needs. The food came out quick! I ordered the combo plate, it was average. It didn't look or taste like authentic mexican food. The spanish rice seemed to have too much tomato sauce in it. We spent under $20.00 for 2 adults. It was plentiful, i would try something different next time i'm in Grants again. read more

El Cafecito - Combination plate - Mexican Near Me - Grants, New Mexico

Stopped at this place on the way though, it was so yummy! We got the sopapillas, one bean and guacamole, two beef. Tasted very fresh! We also got an extra side of plain sopapillas to eat with honey and this was an excellent way to end our meal. We will definitely stop back next time we are driving though! read more

A pleasant little restaurant. Food is good and quite inexpensive. Staff are very nice and helpful. Certainly a place I would return to if I were stuck in Grants again. Absolutely get the fritta frutta dessert. It is excellent. read more

El Cafecito - Fritta frutta - Mexican Near Me - Grants, New Mexico

Best authentic Mexican food! Sopapilla light and fluffy! Rellono with green chili awesome. Huevos rancheros were wrapped in a fresh flour tortilla! Make this a stop on 40 route! read more

We were driving between Santa Fe and Sedona and decided to take a detour onto old Route 66. It also happened to be just about lunch time. We were driving along and I wanted to take a look at our maps so when we saw El Cafecito, we decided to give it a try. The building and parking lot are really large, and you can tell this place has been around a while and has some history behind it. We figured "this'll be our last Mexican meal in New Mexico" ...LOVED all the Mexican food I had in New Mexico ... well, except El Cafecito. It was, as the Yelp rating says just "A-ok" ... it wasn't horrible but it was really nothing I'd write home about. The rice was not the normal rice we had grown accustomed to in New Mexico. it was rather flavorless and seemed like it had been mixed with tomato paste. My enchiladas were good and since I was driving and it was lunch time, I had an iced tea that was nice as well, and free refills to keep us hydrated in the desert. The server did a great job, and when we checked out the cashier did a great job explaining what there was to see on Route 66 and at what point we would be happier getting back onto the Interstate. In short, if you happen to be along this stretch of Route 66 during your travels, it's probably worth it to stop by (not sure there's much else to eat in the small town), but I wouldn't make a special trip for El Cafecito. read more

Will update after we eat. It was painfully obvious that the waitress was in a hurry to start her night. The food came to our table literally 5 minutes after we ordered it. It was decent. But the waitress tried cleaning our table before we were even finished with our food, and the place was suppose to stay open for another hour! She asked us if we were going to have dessert, and my bff said yes...she was not too happy. She sat at the bar and stared at us until we finally decided to leave. Not gonna go back there!!! read more