Had the best "smokey" mezcal I've had to date. Chile rellenos were made the way I remember from back in the '60's. Love the ambience, very old Mexico feel. read more

I hadn't been here in years (17 to be exact). To be honest, I have never been in love with this place as I find the food to be mediocre but the ambience is nice (more of an upscale dining experience) so I get why people like it here. This was BFF's first time here and he loved it. Both he and mom ordered the carne adovada plate which came with refried beans and rice (they did state that the red chile was too spicy though). I ordered a bean and cheese burrito with both red and green chile (Xmas style). It was ok but 16 bucks for this was too expensive. We also ordered a margarita each and they were also just ok and too expensive at 13 bucks each. As for the parking, it is kind of confusing but there is plenty of (unmarked) spots and kind of like a maze. We dropped off mom on the side (she is handicapped) as there really isn't a front side where you can drop off anyone. Our server was so genuinely nice though and provided excellent service and she went above as well as she noticed us dropping mom off via the cameras and told us we could go out through the side entrance. Would I be back? Most likely not as I had mentioned above that this place has never been one of my favorites but I am sure I am in the minority. I hear it is quite the place to be seen (for happy hour). read more

El Paragua - Carne avocado plate - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

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Dessert and drinks are always my favorite part here, especially the natillas (like an horchata pudding.) I prefer those over the flan. The kids love the arroz con pollo soup. Fajitas are always a hit. I got the taco combo plate this last time and had to take most of it to go as the portions are huge and a little greasy, but everything was delicious. Service is always great even when we come in with 10-20 people. It can be a little cramped, but they accommodate our huge parties. Bathrooms are nice and clean. read more

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Absolutely terrible experience. We came in on a night that was not even busy and somehow still spent nearly two hours getting nowhere. About 20 minutes to be seated, another 20 minutes just to get our drink and food order taken, and then close to an hour waiting for the food. The entire time, our server was rude, dismissive, and full of excuses. We stayed polite and simply asked normal questions about our meal, yet somehow that was enough to earn attitude all night. The manager eventually came over and tried to explain that they were "super busy" and that the delay was because they wanted our food to come out hot. That explanation would have been a little more believable if the food hadn't finally arrived cold to the touch. When I pointed that out, instead of apologizing or trying to fix it, our server sarcastically shoved a plate toward me and said, "Yeah, it's cold, huh?" That pretty much summed up the level of service we received. At that point, we didn't even bother eating. We left. Restaurants have bad nights. Kitchens get behind. Orders take longer than expected. None of that is difficult to understand. What is difficult to understand is how a restaurant can make customers wait nearly two hours, serve cold food, make excuses for it, and then have a server mock them for pointing it out. We were patient, respectful, and gave them every opportunity to make the situation right. Instead, we got excuses, cold food, sarcasm, and some of the rudest service we've experienced. If the goal was to make sure we never wanted to come back, mission accomplished. I would not recommend Paragua based on this experience. read more

Andrew our server was amazing. Very attentive, food A+. Menudo and chicharones and sopapillas. Bartender I think was the boss very grumpy kept saying he was tired lol. My mom's hometown came just for the food. read more

Terrible management and broken promises--avoid for events. In November 2025, we reserved the entire top floor at Paragua for a 45-person wedding party scheduled for September 5, 2026. Management explicitly agreed to three conditions: keeping their standard menu, allowing separate checks for guests, and securing the top floor. We followed up in January 2026, and twice more after that. Each time, management updated their books and gave us a full confirmation.One week before our wedding, the manager, Raul, called to say they could no longer accommodate our 45 guests because they had booked other reservations over our time slot. When we went to speak with him in person, he offered a series of shifting excuses: they were understaffed, they could no longer do separate checks, we had to use a set menu, and he insultingly claimed he was worried my wedding guests would "skip out" on their bills.After an hour of arguing, Raul agreed to honor the original 45-person reservation but told us to call back on Sunday, August 30, 2026, for a final confirmation. When my husband called that day, Raul went back on his word yet again. He claimed that due to "fire code issues," he could now only accommodate 38 people, and he completely forced us onto a single check.Paragua left us stranded days before our wedding, entirely disregarding a reservation that had been on their books for nearly a year. Their management is unreliable, unprofessional, and deceptive.Fortunately, we took our business elsewhere. Gabriel's restaurant stepped in and absolutely saved the day. They were completely willing to accommodate our 45-person party with only a $200 deposit and separate checks. Their staff was incredibly attentive, provided exceptional service, and made sure our wedding celebration was perfect. Gabriel's made over $2,000 from our party alone, proving just how much business Paragua foolishly threw away due to their own poor management. We love Gabriel's and will be scheduling all of our future parties there!On top of Paragua's severe booking issues, we also had a major safety concern during our initial visit: a family member became deeply disoriented and blacked out after having only one margarita, raising serious red flags about their bar service. We will never give Paragua our business again, and we strongly warn anyone against booking an event here. read more

Went with friend who loves this place but i wasn't to impressed food was ok nothing special had spaghetti sauce had no flavor but it was eatable read more

This family-owned take-out has several locations in the Santa Fe / Española area and is rightfully loved by locals because it is the best representation of New Mexican cuisine from this area. Their sit-down restaurant / bar, El Paragua, is even better with great food, generous portions and cozy atmosphere. read more

The food in the past was phenomenal, however having to wait more than an hour for your reservation makes this a little less of an ideal experience. Once we got food it was exceptional. read more

The food was good but the service was seriously lacking. I think our waiter didn't put our ticket in and then got my daughter's order wrong twice. We didn't get our food until 1:15 minutes after ordering. It seemed like all the wait staff couldn't find our server. I was trying to be patient with him as it seemed like every other server was giving other guest great service. After he forgot our sopapillas was strike 7. read more

Hands down the best margarita & tacos I've ever had. Friendly, family service (literally - family members of the founders work in the restaurant) and so many delicious food options. I've never had anything here I didn't absolutely love. The recipes are flavorful, the ingredients fresh, and the service prompt. The house margs are to die for and should not be missed. For extra fun, order a swirl which is a margarita mixed with sangria. The beef tacos are award winning for a reason. The salmon was perfectly cooked. The borcheta was tender meat with veggies served flaming. Save room for sopapillas and homemade fruit preserves (apple is my favorite!) or honey for a sweet treat to finish the meal. read more

We love El Paragua and all their sister restaurants in the area. Real authentic local New Mexican cuisine. I especially like their Carne Adovado burrito. We have purchased their red and green enchilada casseroles many times for family get together and large group. These are always highly appreciated by our guests. Everything we purchased there has been fresh and tasty. We also like their tacos which are made the same way they were when we cane to New Mexico before taco shells were invented. The chicken in their dishes is always fresh and tender. read more

No drive through Espanola is complete without a stop at "the umbrella" better known as El Paragua. The service, the food and most recently discovered the sangria are all wonderful. We always order the shrimp cocktail and the tasty salsa and chips. During happy hour you are served a little side dish. This time it was the bean burrito smothered in red chili. The food has always been really good and we never have a bad server or bartender. This is a great stop for both appetizers and a full meal. After a weekend up north, it was more like a couple stops. We could not get enough! read more

El Paragua - Weekend get away! #newmexicotrue - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

Unpredictable hours. Some say they are open by reservation only. If you call their number it goes to some phishing service.

I really wanted to like this place more than I actually did. The service was personal and warm. They environment was eclectic and quirky. Everything about it was exactly what I wanted except for the food. What I ordered: I got a Midori margarita to drink. It was pretty good! we started off with the guacamole as an appetizer. It was more of an avocado sauce than guacamole. It get there is a lot of avocado in guacamole, but that was all I tasted. For my meal I got the veggie tacos. Okay maybe this place just isn't good for vegetarians. The tacos were pretty meh. Not a lot of flavor. The filling was a mixture of veggies that I normally wouldn't put in tacos. I loved that our meals came with side salads and sopapilla (delicious, soft, airy bread with honey and jam). And I told the server it was my boyfriend's birthday because I didn't want my bf to pay, we were looking for anything free. Still, he came out with some cheesecake for him anyways. I also thought the bill was a little expensive for the area and what we got, but that's just me! I would most definitely be willing to give this place another chance! Everything was great accept for the food:/ read more

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Pricey food but also the service was great but it took almost an hour and a half to get the food but other than that the food was amazing!

VEGAN EATERS HERE.....El Paragua is as good and soul filled Mexican restaurant as you are likely to find, EVER. We lived in Santa Fe for 20 years and made regular trips up to Espanola just for EP and always stopped for lunch or dinner on the way back from Taos. It is/was part of our routine and nothing could satisfy like it. Nearly seven years ago we moved back to California and have never not missed our El Paragua outings, craving, dreaming, longing. We are back for a visit and drove to Taos, our first stop and were so happy just to be in this beautiful, legacy filled space. The building, even the parking lot are unique. In the end, it's the food with the superb service a close second. We snapped up our favorite little bar-side table for two right inside the front door so we could see everything, soaking in the vibe, the people, mostly locals from Espanola and surrounding areas. Great chat with our server with whom we had many connections even back to SOCAL We ordered our favorite crispy veggie tacos, a couple of draft Stellas and sat back. First comes the dinner salad (included), the fresh from the fryer chips, hot and salty with some of their amazing salsa. Who does serves an included salad anymore??? Then the platters of crispy tacos, jammed with potatoes, onions, squash, peppers and other goodies, accompaniments on the side with a good portion of guacamole and their great "red rice" which is almost a risotto with fresh vegetables and tomatoes in a rich sauce that is a meal on its own. The finishing touch is always the super fresh made sopaipillas with tamarind jam and honey, though I always sop up the fresh green chile sauce too! The green chile is hot and richly layered in flavor. THIS, is a meal to be longed for, to drive hours for or fly across the country for. Never disappointed, always grateful for the food, the ambience, the service and the fact that there is still a place with this much attention to legacy and tradition. Thank You, until the next time. read more

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The service and food was amazing as always. I have been coming here for years, and was so excited when I heard they reopened after covid, the people are so kind. Although recently, the hostess has been very dismissive and hateful. She took forever to seat us. She was an older lady with glasses who didn't care about our service. But other than that the food and waiters were amazing we have the teriyaki strips and great drinks. read more

Exquisite food. Sophisticated, professional service. Very impressed and looking forward to returning often.

I have been to El paragua more times than I xan count. The chips and salsa are my favorite and a must. I always enjoy the cheesy flautas. My favorite is the natillas dessert a traditional Spanish delight. Anything on the menu really is delicious. This is a local and family favorite. Reservations are recommended Friday nights and weekends. read more

El Paragua - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

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Here I had the best margarita in New Mexico. Even better than Patron margarita @ Sadie's. Great place with great food and super friendly service. Definitely a must go place in New Mexico. Sopapilla was warm and not greasy. Salsa was so good. The best salsa I ever had in my life level! Beautiful restaurant with excellent food. Worth to drive here for sure. We were on the way back to Santa Fe from Ghost Ranch.. Good food after visiting a great place is a memorable experience. read more

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We are back in New Mexico for the holidays. And our first stop was one of my favorite Northern New Mexico family owned restaurants. You cannot go wrong eating and drinking here. The food is authentic and so good. Be aware that you might need to get the Chile on the side for non locals. And alas my time away from here I have become that person. Witness the photos attached, Bummer. We had burrito con carne, bean burritos and two version of shrimps. Everything was outstanding. I did have to tease my parents for eating fish in a land locked state. We had just arrived from Maryland with seafood galore. And the shrimp were beautiful and so delicious. But I digress. Anyway if you are near here please take the time to eat where the locals hang out. Friendly smiles for all and yummy margaritas await! read more

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While in Santa Fe, we drove up to Espanola and visited the cliff dwellings nearby. For lunch we ate at El Pargua. This is a classic New Mexican restaurant. It is more upscale than the usual small town joints. We started with very good salsa. It was green tomatillo with medium heat, appropriate salt and well balanced flavors. It was served with good quality corn chips. Ms T ordered homemade Chicken and Rice soup. It had onion, a lot of chicken, onion, tomato, onion and some onion. I see onion as a crutch for cooks who don't know how to flavor things any other way. Ms T not being an onion eater was not too pleased. It really should be advertised as onion soup with chicken. I had a side order of posole. This was decent with very good stewed chicken, lots of chicken and good quality posole. It was salted just right but was a little bland, not much chile if any. I fixed it with a squeeze of lemon. This is worth ordering as a meal and maybe when you do so, you will get lime wedges. Ask for them if you do not and ask for red chile. TT ordered a plate that comprised a tostada with chicken and a chile relleno. In this version the chile is stuffed with tomato and onion instead of the usual cheese. The chile was poblano and was well roasted. It had good flavor. There was orange cheese on top of the tostada which seemed unusual. Bro J had a big bowl of menudo with posole and red chile added. He also liked the posole. My huevos rancheros were served with green chile and potatoes that were fried with chorizo. The chorizo used was very scant. Refried beans were bland, not creamy and lardy. The green chile was awesome however. The roasted flavor of the chile was delicious and it was salted properly. I would return for this green chile. The whole thing was served on a homemade flour tortilla. This does not work. The flour tortilla turns to goo under the eggs and salsa. I could not eat any of it. This deserves a partly fried corn tortilla and it would have been very good. El Pargua has some hits and misses. The Posole is decent with some doctoring. The green chile is very good. The service was erratic, with things missed and having to be asked for more than once. There are four star things and two star things. I will average it out to three. read more

El Paragua - Huevos with delicious pure green chile - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

Fair warning: everything here, starting with the chips and salsa, is spicy! (And this is coming from a south Texan). It's delicious, but I would at least recommend putting some sugar in your tea so you can power through the heat. I ordered the stuffed sopapillas with red chili sauce (the green sauce is made with hatch chili and also very good, my mom ordered it on her blue corn enchiladas). The sopapilla texture and flavor is fabulous, and the meat was seasoned with a warm spice with lots of depth. All lunch entrees except the stuffed sopapillas came with a sweet sopapilla with honey, we ordered an extra and took them home for later and they were fantastic. Not too sweet, very yeasty, and a good pastry texture. read more

El Paragua - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

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Inevitably, I've returned to El Paragua, one of the finest and most reputable eating houses in all of Espanola. This is another restaurant that I grew up eating at, often enjoying the selection of New Mexican specialties for birthdays and other important occasions. Today, I came in with my girlfriend for her first experience eating lunch at this remarkable restaurant. After a brief wait, we were seated at a four-top table in the back, allowing us to sit our preferred style of side-by-side. Soon after, we received chips and salsa, the sauce green and potent, perfectly scoopable and noticeably spicy. I ordered a coffee and ate the small salad that my entree (the Mexican Combo plate) features. After that, a full half hour passed before our food finally arrived. Recognizing that Sunday brunch in Northern New Mexico is one of the busiest times to eat, we chalked our late food up as an unavoidable inconvenience, and dug in. The rice and beans were fine, but the taco was noteworthy, as tasty as any made next door at El Parasol, but less greasy. The tamale was delicious, with flavorful cornmeal and spicy pork, and the enchilada more than satisfied my craving for cheese ( the over-easy egg on top provided flavor and protein). By the time I finished off the carne adovada, I barely had room for the posole and sopaipilla. This isn't a cheap meal, but it's thoughtful and traditional. Drinks are a little pricey but the margaritas are worth a shot. Though formal attire isn't required, treat yourself and dress up fancy. You'll have a good time. read more

El Paragua - Mexican combination with egg on top - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

Pricey but delicious beef tacos are my fave as well as the chicken breast salad. Get an extra dressing

If you are driving to Taos from Albuquerque this is a must stop for lunch or dinner. Or if you are driving around skip Santa Fe and head to Espanola and El Paragua. Both the restaurant and the building that houses it have lots of history. When you walk in it seems like you go back in time. This was our third visit to El Paragua and the food and service have remained wonderful for each visit. On our recent visit I selected the enchiladas (flat) with ground beef and it was just what I was hoping for. No beans, no rice to spoil the favors of this meal. I asked for the green Chile and boy was I glad I did. Hot and flavorful. My wife ordered the tacos with shredded beef and they were loaded with beef. I knew she liked them because there was nothing left on her plate just like my plate. read more

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In short: When in Espanola, this is the place to go. The prices are a little pricey for this area and the type of food served, but the food is good and worth it the experience. Plus they have sopapillas. Longer: I came here for a date on a Monday evening. For it being Monday, and fairly early (around 5:45) it had a nice amount of people there. The man in the front seated us immediately yet didn't smile once, which I found strange. We had multiple people help us, one to seat us, one to get waters, one to bring chips, one to take our order, yet the service was kind of slow. When we finally ordered I decided on the bowl of soup. Arozz con pollo. This soup came with a salad, and a sopapilla. The soup, chips, salsa, and sopa were all very good. The salad had a bit too much dressing on it for my taste, so next time I'll ask for it with out it. The soup was flavorful but could use a bit more chicken. It was mostly vegetables and rice. We shared the sopa, and I didn't finish the bowl of soup, but I didn't leave hungry either. The amount of food was perfect. He and I shared "The Swirl", which is a red margarita type drink, so good. I would go back for that alone. To sum it up, the food is good, no more, no less. The service is slow, the waiters are okay and come back to the table rarely. The alcohol is great, so drink up. read more

Food is typical Southwestern fair, it's been awhile since we've been there but the service was ok, not outstanding but ok. The ambiance is dark, dingy and crowded, up stairs is crowded n cramped, the stairwell doesn't feel safe going up or down. read more

Currently closed due to Covid issues. Website says they plan to reopen when able. Stars given just to open review for these comments. We plan to visit when they reopen. read more

Excellent service and consistently good food. I love the cozy bar for drinks and the restaurant for a sit down meal. I think I was first there in 1977. Still love it. read more

The Atenciios always provide a great experience and good service. Sometime it gets a bit crowded and its location isnt as nice as Ranchos de Chimayo but the food is good, service is good and more importantly the experience is consistently good. read more

Exactly what you expect. When friends tell you about the family run restaurant with the tree in the middle, you know you want to try it. AND the food is authentic, flavorful and great! read more

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Had a 7pm reservation, got there at 7. Was told that we were "checked in and it would be a 10 min wait." Were seated at 8:10, orders taken at 8:30. Server was cheerful and...adequate, not particularly attentive. Food (when we finally ordered) came quickly and was good. Biggest frustration was the wait and the lack of honesty about the wait. If the reservation doesn't actually get you seated any faster, why take reservations? If the wait is over an hour, why say 10 minutes? Food was good but not that good. read more

Came here based on positive Yelp reviews on our way back to Santa Fe from Ojo Caliente. Was really looking forward to it and the grounds are gorgeous, there's plentiful parking and a beautiful mural on the side of the building. We saw a sign about gentlemen having to wear shirts with sleeves as we walked in but thought it was a joke--why would the rule only be for men and not women? It's also 100 degrees out and we're a party of 5 about to spend a ton of $$$ at 3pm on a Friday in an otherwise empty restaurant. We walked in and the hostess immediately said that our male friend could not eat in the restaurant in his sleeveless shirt. I'll point out that he was with 4 women wearing tank tops and a strapless dress but WE could eat and HE could not. We asked if they had outdoor seating--nope. We tried to figure out why a place would have a rule like this and just couldn't make sense of it. We ended up eating at El Parasol which is on the same property and is basically a stand with some picnic tables. It all worked out since the food at El Parasol was delicious and cheap and the service was great! Plus, we didn't have to deal with a silly sleeve rule. read more

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This IS the place to eat while you are in Espanola. When suggesting places to eat, this is number 1. It is located just off of Riverside drive on NM Highway 76. The parking is in the back and kind of narrow getting in but plenty places to park. When someone asks what New Mexican cuisine is like...refer them to this place. The building itself could not be more original. The walls are made of rough stone and the ceiling are composed of Viga beams. The atmosphere begins before you walk in, with a sign stating "Gentlemen NO Sleeveless Shirts Please". I've personally have had great service here and have always come with a group of people. They do a wonderful job in the kitchen and on the floor. I ordered the Chimichanga and it is soooo good! Smothered in goodness, Goodness = Guacamole, Green/Red Chile (I ordered Xmas). It has shredded beef and its a BIG plate. Tough to eat in one sitting. read more

El Paragua - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

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There's no reason EVER to be in Espanola, unless Black Mesa golf course is in good shape (which it's not now) or you're eating at this place, or both. The atmosphere here is just great. It appears to be an old house converted into a great place for New Mexican cuisine. There's plenty of history denoted via news articles and food reviews, proclamations from Governors, etc. hanging on the walls. Staff was super friendly to a handful of tourists (me and my schmuck friends), and the bar drinks served cold and quick. (Great bar, btw). Waiter was super nice, and did a great job handling a diverse order. Food came out hot and quickly. I choose the rib-eye steak with a green chili on top, red enchilada on the side. Off the chart. Great place to get a meal when you're passing through... read more

El Paragua - Great rib-eye steak w green chili on top! - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

Wow. Just Wow! The food was excellent, from the salsa, to the sopapillas, to the jam, to the salad dressing, to the entrees. The service was warm and professional (I love men in ties!). The dining rooms are charming. After a cross-country odyssey to cities large and small, we found the prices to be fair. I think I'm gonna have to move to Espanola! About that jam.....so often, preserves taste just like sugar. You could really taste the berries in these. I think a place that keeps its eye on "small" details like that is doing a good job in other ways as well. Same with the fresh mint in the iced tea and the house salad dressing. Another yelper mentioned that food of this caliber can be had for less money elsewhere in town. Being a fan of dives in my own hometown, I'm sure she's right. But this is a date place, where we saw many local families celebrating special occasions like birthdays and Mother's Day. So I don't think it's a question of price, really. It's good food, it's fun and a teeny bit fancy. We liked it so much we spent another day around here just to eat there a second time. read more

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My husband and I were passing through here coming from Toas to Albuquerque. Are we ever so happy we stopped in to have a bite to eat! Our server, Chloe, was outstanding and so welcoming. The food was fabulous and talk about having the homemade taste! We loved it here! We unfortunately had gone a few days before to Tomasita's in Santa Fe thinking we would love it there only to find it not good and extremely dissapointed with the frozen food that is brought in (chile rellenos) and my husbands tacos made with boxed store bought shells. At El Paragua you will get the authentic homemade meal. My husband cannot eat spicy food and the advocado was a little on the spicy side, so Chloe had the kitchen make him a fresh batch with no spice. Wonderful service!! We will be back and it sure made up for a bad meal we had a few days before at Tomasitas. Thanks Chloe! We will be back!! : ) read more

My favorite place to eat when I visit home! From tacos to enchiladas, mmm. If you don't have time to sit and eat, stop at el parasol. read more

El Paragua - Mexican Near Me - Espanola, New Mexico

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