Checked out this place on a road trip. Food was bland, considering the price. Also, I found the environment to be unsanitary overall.

The food was amazing. I had grilled chicken breast and I poured red Chile sauce on top. The margaritas are always a hit. I recommend getting the cucumber margarita. Their salsa is always my favorite. The ambience is amazing but unfortunately we were sitting in a corner that apparently didn't have any lights. By the time the sun went down we could barely see our plates, and we're young. Someone was using their flashlight to see what they were doing and the staff didn't even notice or bother to ask. The service was adequate. When someone in our party requested sweet n low, we got a very sassy remark about not having any. I still recommend coming here for the ambiance, chips & salsa, and margaritas. read more

Arrived at the restaurant and received great drinks at the bar. Once at the table our server took our order and 20 minutes later comes back and says he has had to retake the order because the ticket was lost. We just asked for the check and left right after. read more

Before COVID was the last time we were there, and boy have they jacked those prices WAYYYYY up. $14-$16 for a margarita that's gone in 2-3 sips. Had 2 dinner plates and 3 margaritas totaling $114 before tip. Food was "ok" and margaritas tasted good, but way overpriced for what you get. read more

DO NOT COME HERE. Margarita so bad, we didn't drink it. Cold chicken. The beef on the flauta was dry on the ends signs that it's been seating somewhere for a long while. Tourist trap. Big time. read more

atmosphere matters in a restaurant... not as much as the food (which was very good) but if you want to take people someplace for a relaxed atmosphere, nice surrounding, good service and really good food... this is it I have a hard time not ordering carne adovada... but next time i'm going to try the red chili ribs for sure. To me this place screams company dinner or a place to sit with the extended family for that big family dinner read more

As usual, very good. Had very nice ambiance as well! Will definitely keep returning here read more

The food was horrible. don't waste your money coming here. there are many other options for mexican food. the service was also low quality, we were ignored. we stuck around because someone dear to us recommended the place. the vibes were not giving. please save money or go elsewhere. the manager laughed when i voiced my concerns. read more

El Pinto is another long time classic Old World / New Mexican dining establishment. Located in the far north valley, near were second and fourth Street join together and just before transforming into the Sandia native Reservation. The restaurant was built from a rambling old home (Hacienda might be the right Spanish word for it...) and expanded to be what it is today. A GRANDE restaurant. It's the kind of place that has celebrity pictures on the wall from the last 40 or 50 years at least! Including governors and presidents and celebrities. They were sitting in four or five different rooms and interior spaces and several patios as well. The patios are just enchanting and no matter what you get to eat you will enjoy your environment at El Pinto! Speaking of the food, I can only say it's good but not great. It's certainly not the best new Mexican food I've ever had... like a lot of large, touristy kind of places, the food is "acceptable"... if you're not familiar with New Mexican food or pretty easy to please, you will enjoy it! So, go for the environment, the history, but understand that you may have to just put up with the food. OH, I don't want to fail to mention my favorite part of this restaurant which is it's a bar! If you enter and go to the left there's a large open room almost like an atrium and they sometimes have great happy hour specials Monday through Thursday. Basically free food if you order a drink. And the drinks are decent and the atmosphere is lovely. Since I'm a local if I find myself at El Pinto it is typically in the bar area. Casual, friendly, and... a pretty good deal! read more

Worth a second visit! Excited to try this restaurant as a recommendation from a coworker. Loved the drive into the restaurant. The restaurant feels tucked away and the entry is draped with dried peppers, which felt like the perfect fit for this New Mexico hideaway. Love the feel and the ambiance inside as well. Lots of greenery and very relaxing. I did not like being handed a menu and asked to go pick a seat. It felt very much like what you might expect from a casual mom and pop diner versus a moderately priced Mexican establishment. I managed to sit in a reserved table and didn't catch it until seated. Seating patrons might help eliminate this confusion for a first time visitor. The chips and salsa are great. Nice crisp chips with well flavored salsa. I asked for assistance selecting between enchiladas and green chile stew. The waitress suggested the enchiladas. There are no lunch options on the weekend; so I ended up order two cheese enchiladas one red and one green a la carte. The enchiladas were not warm enough for my liking. The green chile enchilada was borderline cold. Flavor of both was good but the red was my fav. They also serve a sopapilla with your meal, which was a nice touch. Service was sufficient. read more

We went here for a rehearsal dinner for my friends, and even though I'm not a huge fan of New Mexican cuisine, we enjoyed this spot. It was a party of 21-ish people to include children. For their private dinner, we had very limited choices for food: Combo Plate, Chicken Enchiladas, Vegetarian plate, and another Broiled Chicken option. The Combo platter was alright, it included 1x flautas, 1xchicken enchilada, chile con carne, beans, rice, and a battered Cheese-stuffed chile. The portions were good, and food itself was decent. The battered chile was too soggy for my liking though. The green chile on my husband's chicken enchilada was delicious. For some reason, the children's menu was way more inclusive than the adults: They had choices of Burritos, Quesadillas, Scrambled Eggs, Burgers, and one other option. The drinks were pretty good, I got the Lavender Blueberry Collin, and my husband wanted a New Mexican Old Fashion but they "ran out of ingredients" so he got the Smokey Paloma. Overall, probably one of the better New Mexican restaurants. Though, I will say that the place is a little too big and may not always cater to their customers. We never received chips and salsa until the very end of our meal. The private room was also not "private" until we asked about the dividers to be placed up towards the end of the meal as well. There were just a few "amenities" that were missing in terms of the service that our friends paid for. read more

We had a family wedding reception here, and I must say it was pretty magical. The restaurant has a grand entrance - very picturesque. We were seated in a private dining room overlooking the courtyard, which allowed us to have a quiet gathering amidst the busyness of the patio atmosphere. They have a wonderful margarita selection & great appetizer options. We enjoyed guacamole, queso, chips & salsa. I can honestly eat that all day! Dinner choice was a chicken enchilada, and for me the chile was spicy but tolerable. I'm a chile wimp, which is not a good thing in New Mexico, cause it makes ordering very tricky! My niece said to add honey, it cuts the spice. Last but not least.....the sopapillas!!! OMG - my fav! I cannot. get. enough. of. them. Love them smothered in honey!! They are a MUST! I wanna go back already! read more

El Pinto - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Recommended by a friend from New Mexico; you will not be disappointed. The appetizers are worth every calorie; didn't miss the guacamole (fresh with large chunks of avocado) and the queso dip. The best appetizer was the fried green Chile strips - so good! The atmosphere was traditional New Mexico style. Clean and friendly staff read more

Covid has altered the way we dine... With that said, this review will take into account the current state! Been here a bunch of times and the location is always awesome! With outside dining only, this is a good place to with plenty of space and outdoor, bosque views! The service was a bit slow but our wait staff was friendly and doing as much as they could! The salsa, as always is good. Nothing fancy just damn good! Had some green chili strips, and they were a bit greasy but good with the aioli. The wife and I had red chili ribs with papitas and beans and stuffed sopapillas! Everything was good as usual! If you are new to the El Pinto! You gotta go! read more

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Beautiful restaurant, excellent authentic New Mexican cuisine, but needs some help in the front of the house. Had a reservation and checked in on time. Was told they will text me when my table is ready. I asked how long that would be approximately and she looked at me and said I don't know. We were finally seated 25 minutes later and given a seat somewhere east of Siberia next to an open door to the cold wind. This is after our reservation was confirmed with indoor seating. When I came up to ask to be moved, a manager stepped in and handled it properly. We were immediately moved to an available table in a different room and had the best experience from that point forward. All this could've been avoided with a little better communication at the front desk upon check-in. Looking forward to returning on my next visit to the area. read more

Great atmosphere and food. Recommended by a friend who lived here awhile back. Would come back for more. Sopapillas quite good

Cold food, inattentive service and the ambiance is ruined by the overt political leanings.

My very first experience with food in New Mexico and I was very impressed. Fabulous service and translation for a New Mexican newbie. Food was delicious and good portion sizing read more

El Pinto - Stuffed Sopapillas Plate - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Good food and nice service! Ambiance is rustic and informal. We had the carne adovada and chicharrones with fresh roasted hatch green chiles and sopaipillas! Delicious! Very traditional flavors. For dessert, we had a peach empanada with vanilla ice cream. Yum! read more

This place has everything you're looking for. Atmosphere, delicious food and great margaritas. We had outdoor seating, but opted to sit at the bar. I had the chicken enchiladas with green sauce, it was soo good ! Staff is attentive and friendly. Met the house cat on our way out.. what a gem of a place .. definitely will be back read more

Honestly, the food seemed pretty bland and it's expensive, especially in this economy. The floors are so dirty it was disgusting to see hair and trash so I wouldn't trust anything about their cleaning. read more

I have a soft spot for El Pinto. Waited tables here back in the mid 90's, got married on the stage patio, held my reception in the garden room and west patio, spent many evenings sippin margs with friends over the years...lots of memories here. You can't argue the curb appeal, the estate is awesome, the ambiance is delightful, so many fire lit nooks and crannies oozing with New Mexican flair throughout, out of towners LOVE it when I take them here. I haven't had a disappointing meal yet, this most recent visit was with family celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a quiet dinner. 3 out of 4 of us ordered the ribeye and enchilada plate, comes with tons of sides, and it was absolutely cooked perfectly. I had the vegetarian combo which was delish, and we treated ourselves to a pitcher of margs which gave us appx 2 margs each. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, the food was prompt, hot and full of flavor ...que mas querres?? We also capped off the meal with lattes, cappuccinos, flan and levante, it was a lovely evening. Their salsa is amongst my favs in our list of locals. read more

El Pinto - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Amazing food! Everything was delicious! I can't think of anything else I would want more! Thank you so much!

I had LOTS of New Mexican cuisine during my recent trip to Albuquerque. And if you really want to offend one of the locals, refer to their food as "Mexican". New Mexico cuisine is more a fusion of the native Pueblo population, Spanish, Mexican, and even some French and Mediterranean influences. However, more than any defining feature are the famous chiles grown in the Hatch Valley. I was told by more than one person, that El Pinto serves up some of the best Hatch Green chiles anywhere in town - so definitely needed to check it out for myself. From the over 700+ reviews and photos, you can see that this place has amazing decor - and with good reason since it was at one time a hacienda. An amazing waterfall greets you as you walk in, and there are several dining rooms, many of which have a fireplace for both warm and ambiance. In a word, the food is "AWESOME". First off, the complimentary chips and salsa might be some of the best I've ever had; keep in mind that I used to live in Texas and visit California often, so I don't say this lightly. The chips have beautiful charred edges and are hearty enough for dipping. And the salsa is yummy! It is thick with lots of tomato, onions, limes, and of course, the house chiles mixed in. I should've paced myself, but I filled up on the chips/salsa before my entree arrived. I ordered the Chile Verde Con Carne Enchiladas, and this dish did not disappoint. The relatively simple description of Three flat or rolled corn tortillas filled with green chile and pork, doesn't do it justice. The pork was fork tender and of course, the green chile sauce was the perfect accompaniment. The sauce was a bit acidic, the roasted flavor came through, and provided just enough heat to make the throat burn a bit. El Pinto is about a 30 minute drive from downtown and seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, but if you are in town for just a few days, I recommend visiting for a taste of New Mexico. read more

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Planning an outdoor wedding? El Pinto is your place! We had our wedding and reception at El Pinto on August 7th. Many may not know it but there is a beautiful outdoor area with a separate entrance that features a covered, quaint pavilion for a wedding ceremony and just to the north another larger pavilion for the reception. Tanisha DeLaO and Stephanie Sack were amazing and so fun to work with! We were actually able to leave our decorations with Stephanie and she helped set up the day of which was a huge help! She even helped with the the flowers and cake- keeping them cool until we needed them. Our guests commented on how good the food was and how attentive the wait staff was! Many told us this was the prettiest wedding they had ever been to! Our photographer took pictures of our wedding party on the lush grounds and it looks like we are in a forrest. Thank you Tanisha, Stephanie and the fabulous staff for making our wedding so beautiful and stress free!! read more

This place has been a favorite for over 30 years. I have never ever had a bad experience. Food drinks and staff are top notch no matter what time or season you come. You are treated 5 star. Get yourself a bottle of tequila and leave it I the case. Try anything on the menu and bam it's yummy, if your a NM visitor This is a MUST TRY. Photo opportunity everywhere. Come in and wobble out. read more

El Pinto - Chicken Enchiladas Plate - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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So disappointed. I don't normally take the time to write a critical review, but I just have to. Here goes: we were there on 4/18/24 and ordered the green chile strips for an appetizer. They arrived cold, but tasted burnt. Totally UNappetizing. If you like chile rellenos that taste like they were dipped in pancake batter, totally mushy and also served at room temperature, you're in luck! They were The Worst I've ever had. As for the stuffed sopapillas, may I request that they ask Mary & Tito's for their recipe as theirs are way better (and less than 1/3 the price). One of my companions ordered a bowl of green chile stew. He said it was ok, but I couldn't help but notice he left half of it and didn't want a to go box. Another ordered a side of asparagus with their meal. After reminding the server twice, it finally appeared shriveled and overcooked when everyone was finishing their meal. None of us are whiners and we didn't want to make a fuss, but it was pretty awful. The only nice thing about the experience was the gold margaritas, very expensive ($15.00) but good. The price for the meal for 6 with only two of us having margaritas came to $258.70 (cash) $266.47 (credit card). I didn't know there was a surcharge for using a credit card. Now I do. The gardens are lovely and the ambience is great if you are seated outside, in nice weather. Inside, it's nothing special. If you are absolutely intent on paying top dollar for truly mediocre food, you can't do better than El Pinto. It was much better in the past, but sadly, I can no longer recommend El Pinto and don't plan to return. read more

Food was plentiful Atmosphere was great! Family and local vibe. Food wasn't as good as some other locations but definitely a solid place to eat. read more

This is a NM staple. The restaurant is beautiful and rustic. There is plenty of outdoor seating with fans to keep you cool in the summer. Dogs are also welcome. My favorites are the sopaipillas and the guacamole. I think the New Mexican food is on par with other New Mexican restaurants. I tend to not favor New Mexican food, so I cannot say that it is outstanding. But whenever I take someone there. They are always pleased. read more

El Pinto - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

We were passing through Albuquerque and saw this place was well rated and the ribs were ranked 3rd best ribs in the country so we decided to stop. Unfortunately the food left a lot to be desired, the ribs arrived cold which was very disappointing and I ordered the stuffed sopapillas which I feel are just a way to get rid of leftovers, it's literally a plate of shredded meat with lettuce on it smothered in cold red chile for $20. The complimentary sopapillas arrived arrived in the middle of our meal so they were also cold by the time we ate them. The only good thing I had here was the margarita, which was excellent. To top it all off my partner and I both got sick all night after eating here, so not a great experience for a $140 meal for 2. read more

El Pinto is an experience. I've heard they have seats for over 900, so under normal circumstances there isn't a wait. We walked in, gave them the number of how many and we were put in to a holding area for a few seconds then seated. I watched a party of 14 and 5 get seated ahead of us immediately and it was 6:30 on a Friday. We were seated on a patio that has fake walls in the winter and the host seating us was informative of this and other things as we walked through the restaurant. Our server was brand new and possibly stoned. He offered to take our food order presumably right after entering it. He asked if we needed anything a few minutes after we asked for more salsa and chips (that he had not yet brought). The salsa is medium spice and the tortilla chips are thick (like a thin cracker). If not had chips like that and I really enjoyed them. I ordered the Chicken Adovada. The chicken was cooked nicely but the calabacitas (slow cooked squash and peppers) were mushy. Also, we didn't have rice and beans or the other sides we'd ordered when our order arrived and had to ask the runner for the rest of our food and explain what it should be. The food was delivered with Sopapillas and honey is already on the table. They were just fried dough pieces. For context: I love dough. I love fried. And I love fried dough. But this... it was meh. The honey was a nice touch, but for a mild germaphobe the thought of squeezing a bottle of honey before touching my sopapilla still gives me the heebeegeebees. Overall, it was a fun experience, our server brought it down quite a few notches and the food was good, but not the best I've ever had. read more

El Pinto - Chicken Adovada - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This is a cozy, romantic spot for a great meal. The string lights, multiple fireplaces, abundance of plants and furniture all contribute to a warm, welcoming environment. The servers were so friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. We share guacamole and chips, a steak, chicken enchiladas and margaritas. So good! read more

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Of course the salsa is amazing and the corn chips were very fresh! The menu makes it very difficult to make a decision! They have everything from waffles, pancakes, to huevos rancheros on their brunch menu. The coffee is amazing there as well! Enchiladas, quesadillas, tacos, soups, salads the list goes on and on, there are no bad choices! The staff was amazing and very accommodating! Did I mention that the coffee was amazing! The other awesome thing the staff does, they ask you about your level of heat! How cool, haha, is that? So there is something for everyone! You can make reservations and they are kid friendly! Did I mention the coffee was amazing? One additional comment, the portions are very, very generous so you are able to enjoy the meal twice, we all had to go go box read more

El Pinto - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The food is not that great. There are better places for good New Mexican food. The place itself is beautiful and the summer the patio is a great place for drinks. Staff is friendly and helpful in making suggestions. read more

It's true what reviewers say about the freshly made guacamole: it's fantastic! We enjoyed the taco salad and the chicken enchiladas plate with blue corn tortillas. Both were excellent and very savory. Very friendly and courteous service. (Thanks Michael!) Prices are a bit steep, but considering the pretty and relaxed outdoor covered patio, it's worth the premium cost. read more

Friday...Busy Busy Busy We didn't make reservations We sat in the "bar area" ... service was ok. Food was good, but pricey for Mexican food (I think). Next time we return we will make reservations. read more

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This place came highly recommended. We liked this place very much. If I lived in Albuquerque it would be a regular spot. I'd positive have my own Tequila bottle also with a BIG LEATHER BADGE saying "CHEFMANNYG". The chips came with an almost basic salsa. Instead the waiter offered chilis. We didn't if we wanted the hot or mild. The mold reminded me of my moms. It was so good it almost brought a tear to my eye. I liked the hot because it was hot. It bit back. It was so good I used it on my baked potato. Damn that was a good potato. We ate the grilled chicken filet which was a double lobe and the Red chili ribs. Both plates with the calabasitas. The ribs were super tender and the chili would probably go on anything. It would have been great on chicken or in a Mexican lasagna. Home grown veggies and fresh eggs from the resident chickens. A wonderfully sustainable aspect. If you go ask for a tour but do it before the chickens go to sleep. As a bit of a tequila snob I will add they have one of the best Tequila list I've ever seen. Cheers. read more

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When I began the search in 2014 for a venue for our wedding reception/dinner (we eloped but our family wanted a small celebration), I never imagined El Pinto would be the place we would end up! They had delicious menu options that fit everyone's dietary needs including our vegan family for well within our limited budget and gave us a GORGEOUS private room with plenty of time to bring in our flowers and other decorations! We had two dedicated waitresses that were so much fun that we considered them part of the celebration and forgot they were part of the staff and not family! Everything was simply amazing! They even sang happy birthday to one of the kids of our guests and brought her a small flan! Everyone loved the gorgeous grounds and they are still talking about it! The only thing that I wish I could change about this amazing place is that I wish they would bring the mantanzas back! They were so delicious and such a great value! read more

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Overpriced, brought out my chile rellanos with nothing on them, finally brought red and green chile in two bowls---by then they were cold. Not the best experience! read more

There is a reason this is Bryan Cranston's favorite restaurant!! My husband and I left in a good coma it was SO DELICIOUS!! Our sweet waitress I forgot her name, but she was so accommodating and took her time to help us find what our taste buds were craving. She even took into account my gluten allergy. She never rushed us. In fact from the moment we walked in all staff were super helpful! The place is gorgeous and everything from the margaritas to the apps to the RIBS are to die for!!! Come hungry ! read more

El Pinto - Beautiful setting !!! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico