The mask mandate has been extended, and not one employee is wearing a mask. It's reckless and it's inconsiderate to those who do take their health seriously. Very disappointed as I did want to eat here today but will opt not to. read more

If you have never been to El Pinto you may not understand how huge this place is. When we arrived we were concerned about busy it was, however we were seated immediately. Though there was a large party going on we were not bothered and were able to have a nice peaceful dinner. Aabis, our server was amazing, attentive and very personable. We felt very well taken care of. Even though he was busy, he took his time with us to answer any questions we had. The food again was quite impressive, we each had a three item combo, so we had rolled beef tacos, chile relleno, pork tamale, chicken enchiladas, Chile carne between us. We had no complaints with any part of our meals. The great thing about their salsas red or green, is that you can have each in mild or hot without losing any of the flavor, just the heat. read more

El Pinto - One of the many outdoor patios. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The atmosphere and the food but honestly our server, Dalton, was incredible! He was knowledgeable and friendly. The prices are a little on the higher end but well worth it! Back to Dalton, he made us feel like family and took such great care of us out of towners read more

El Pinto - Enchilada with chicken and double beans. Enchiladas Plate - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Travelling across New Mexica and got to try some El Pinto salsa. It was great and made me want to try the restaurant. Not great. Their menu says they produce 25,000 bottles of salsa per shift. The inference that I draw is that the salsa business is what is important and the restaurant is now an after thought. Went in on Sunday at noon wanting to try the 'brunch'. Not like any brunch I have ever seen, just a different menu. We sat for 15 minutes waiting for a waitress. One came by and said that 'our' server was delivering to another table and would be there in a minute. Didn't happen. the first person brought us some chips and salsa and again confirmed that she was not 'our' server. Then another person came and 'explained' that were had been seated an an 'extra' table and they didn't know who was supposed to cover it. Hard for me to reconcile those differing statements. I think someone was lying. There were 13 tables in the room we were in, four of them were occupied when we sat down and there were more than 4 members of wait staff in the room. They just stood around looking bored. Finally ordered and they brought out some food. We had to send my wife's bacon back because it was undercooked. So were her eggs but we had given up by then. I ordered the 'green Chile' biscuits' and gravy and my wife got the blue corn, blue berry and pecan pancakes. the biscuits were just bread with a bit of thin gravy. No green chile flavor at all (and this is New Mexico, world headquarters for green chiles) The pancakes were too dense and dry and there is not enough syrup in Canada to soak through them. Very disappointed. I still love their bottled salsa and highly recommend it (you can order it on Amazon if you want), but I will not be going back to the restaurant. Overpriced, mediocre food and you probably get better service with your last meal on death row. read more

Last Friday night we were celebrating my son in law's retirement from the US Air Force and we chose El Pinto restaurant for that. Close to 20 people attended around 5:30-6:00. we h got our food around 8 pm. we have small grandchildren and this alone was horrible! you had one person serving us . The experience was terrible and I'm not sure I'll go back. I've been going there since 1963! your parents would be beside themselves if they saw this circus! those cheap folding chairs were lousy too. Jon Edmond read more

Definitely love everything, I had here. This place is tucked off the street and is a lot bigger than it looks outside. It has the quintessential New Mexico feel with hanging red chili's throughout the restaurant as well as green chili's that are being roasted on an open fire as you walk in. We pretty much knew what we were going to get before we walked in. I ordered the red chili ribs, my wife ordered the ribeye and we all shared the chili con queso for appetizer. Shortly after you are seated chips and salsa are brought to your table. The salsa was fantastic, and the chili con queso was great as well, their green chili's add a nice kick to the queso. The chili ribs were fall off the bone tender, and they do pile on the chili, but it is no where near as spicy as it looks. The red chili has a pretty decent flavor on its own, and, I actually added some green chili's and that worked well with the ribs. The steak was cooked perfectly at medium rare had great flavor from the grill. Their pinto beans were part whole part refried, they were good as well. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Albuquerque. read more

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I really loved the looks and feel of this place. Very New Mexican and cozy. The staff was very friendly and fast. I got the Chile relleno and tostada compuesta lunch plate which was delicious. They give you tostadas in the beginning with delicious salsa and you finish with a warm and comfy sopaipilla with honey. read more

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If the prices weren't so ridiculous, I'd give El Pinto four stars. The food tasted great but for $15, I'd expect the burrito to at least come with a couple of sides. Instead, my boyfriend's vegetarian burrito was just a tortilla stuffed with rice and beans (no veggies, which seems odd for a vegetarian burrito) and smothered in red and green chile sauce with cheese. It's pretty basic for such a steep price. I ordered the chicken filet with sides of Spanish rice and papitas for $16.50. Again, it seemed rather pricey for the amount of food that I got. It was one chicken breast with two sides and shouldn't have cost more than $12. The chicken tasted great and was cooked perfectly. It would have been even better with a couple of tortillas on the side. The rice had a nice flavor and the papitas were okay but needed more seasoning. I think they would have benefited from being cut smaller. I know the dish was a smaller serving because I almost finished the plate, despite filling myself up on chips and salsa while we waited for our meal. Speaking of the chips and salsa, yum! These were very good and I had a lot of trouble stopping myself from eating them. They were super addictive! I almost ordered the nachos based on their claim of being the best in America but after reading several Yelp reviews of people stating otherwise, I decided not to take the risk. The pictures I saw looked like they needed more cheese and lots of cheese is what makes nachos for me. I couldn't believe the size of the parking lot when we pulled in. Luckily, the restaurant seems to be a pretty good size too but we still had a wait of about 45 minutes for our party of six on a Monday night. I can't imagine what this place is like on the weekend! read more

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

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This was my second time coming and I can say both times the food was delicious! We had brunch the second time and lunch the first. Their outdoor seating is charming and the second time we came regular seating was at an hour and a half wait so we did bar area seating. The bar area had regular tables, high chairs and full service. Wait staff was very nice! They bring chips and salsa to start which is tasty and they have very good green and red chili. We did not use the bathrooms. Parking is on property and plentiful. What would make it a 5 star? Having some sort of non-pork meat for brunch would be great as we don't eat pork. It is a pricier restaurant so my expectations raise just because of that. I would say you can get just as tasty New Mexican food at a lower price closer to downtown attractions... that to me, keeps them from hitting 5! read more

A very disappointing experience. We called before showing up to see if they were taking walkins for Christmas Eve. The hostess that answered the phone said "yes and there is currently no wait". We showed up, they took our name and told us we would be seated in 15-20 mins. After waiting 40 minutes we checked in with hostess who told us they were still working on a table for us. Waited another 20 minutes and checked in again. At that point we were told "we aren't seating walk-ins" at all. What TERRIBLE service. This is the second time we have had a less than stellar service experience at El Pinto. We won't be back. read more

Can't miss the Southwest atmosphere when you're in Albuquerque. El Pinto's food was excellent, we had the chili relleno's and the red chili ribs were wonderful. Their special Margarita was great. The atmosphere is very the atmosphere is very Southwest very friendly. My only disappointment was it would not sell me a bottle of their special patron to kill Au K don't patron tequila you can only get it there in the restaurant read more

El Pinto - Chile Rellenos Plate - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Always good food, friendly staff. The atmosphere is lovely. And real honey! I'm a native New Mexican and this place delivers every time.

When in Albuquerque, I usually find time to stop here for lunch or dinner. They do a very good job with their menu items. Authentic New Mexican cuisine. Located in an old (small) house. On a nice day, I like to sit out on the patio. Parking available in the back if you're not into parking on the street out front. I've tried a number of their menu items and haven't found anything I didn't like. The one down side is that they don't have a hard liquor license and so the "margarita" is made with wine instead of tequila. Took a chance on it. It was surprisingly better than I thought it would be, but still not as good a a righteous true tequila margarita. Staff has always been friendly. Service fairly fast. Recommended. read more

Food was great. We made reservations and had to wait 30 minutes past reservation time because the table wasn't ready. Server was trying really hard but had two other large parties. We ordered drinks from the bar and they sat too long before getting to us, so the ice was melted and so was the salt. Not worth the 14 dollars. Sad to see this is what has become of a nice place. read more

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

Judging from the 300 cars in the lot I thought this place was going to be orgasmic!! Unfortunately after a 1.5 hour wait it was far from that. Got sat at the very back of the restaurant & it was rough. From the table umbrella being broken to having to ask for silverware multiple times it was a night i don't want to remember. Chili strips appetizer tasted almost stale, chili rellenos were cold & couldn't cut through them. Guacamole was good. Server seemed like he was thinking about everything but his tables & im not sure he's had much training or awareness. 5 stars for the guac, beans & atmosphere but unfortunately the rest of everyones food was probably the worst we've ever had in any similar restaurant. Not sure how this place has been in business this long with this many negative aspects in our dining experience for 6. Not worth the wait especially for that kind of $. I'm sure there are plenty of places with much better food & overall experience. We'll keep you updated on our review should anything change. read more

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What a great valentine experience. The place offered a very tempting valentine special but we settled to just order for ourselves. Nice touch in flowers for every lady dinning in that night. This place is amazing, no need to finish reading the review and just head in over, dine and see for yourself. Probably the best tequila bar in New Mexico carrying barrels from patron was a great selling point. This place also services their world famous red chili ribs, if you're thinking twice to get it, just order it, that rub does not disappoint. There's a wide menu which is great for any diet restriction anyone can have- vegan, keto, or any diet they will have something for you. I am excited to go back I. The summer for some patio dinning experience read more

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Had so many friends and family telling me that stopping here during my travels was an absolute must. I'm happy to report that the experience was not disappointing. The place has plenty of history and could use a little "updating", but perhaps the "oldness" adds to the ambiance. Anyway, our server Michael was so "top shelf" that the fact that the food was delicious hardly even mattered. He was so helpful in his assistance with our indecisiveness on meal selections. We settled on the appetizer plate of roasted chili ribs, queso fuego and DELICIOUSLY fresh n chunky guacamole!! Anna was the manager on duty and she fluttered from table to table, making certain each guest was happy with their food and if there was anything they needed. The young ladies at the hostess desk all greeted us warmly and as we were leaving, sent us off with a "Safe travels" in unison. Courtyard eating added to the chill n relaxing lunch! read more

El Pinto - Yummy, yummy!! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Someone told me that if you're in Albuquerque, you have to stop by El Pinto for the classic New Mexican fare. It didn't disappoint! It's a huge place with indoor and outdoor seating. There was quite a wait so I'd suggest trying to get a reservation! It was packed on a week day night! We tried a chicken soup appetizer, combo plate (with tamales, beans, taquitos, chili con carne), and stuffed sopapillas. The stuffed sopapillas were phenomenal!!! Everything else was pretty good but not phenomenal. We tried the red and green chile salsa and both were yummy! I took home a jar of mild salsa home and it was a hit with my friends. For the ambiance and classic experience, I would definitely recommend coming to El Pinto! read more

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WHOA. Its rare when a meal can fill Jimi up, but El Pinto came close. The ribs are as advertised: AMAZEBALLS. Jimi got his with a side of carne adovada which translates in English to meat in red sauce. I certainly hope that Patrick Seton O'Connor heeds the advice of that caller to the Dan Patrick show and stops in at El Pinto to eat those ribs on his way to the Super Bowl 5 stars read more

Actually, this restaurant deserves four stars for the great food and service, but I want to get attention for the restroom facilities. There is no accomodation for disabled persons. As a paraplegic, I had to leave the restaurant early to use the bathroom at the Chevron station. As a retired contractor and an advocate for other disabled individuals, it would be inexpensive (and kind) to move a partition 24 inches. How about it? The Pinto was established in 1962 and no effort to comply with https://www.ada.gov/ Let's hope the manager or owner will reply to this review... read more

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

Would you like some margarita with your ice? (Food is really good, service is often good) read more

El Pinto - This is the amount of ice in a half pitcher of margaritas. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Food, red chili ribs to be specific, gets 5 stars. Flavor was delicious & the meat melted off the bone. The 2 stars is for their lack of commitment to public health & keeping their employees & the community safe from Covid. Despite a statewide mask mandate indoors AND thousands of international visitors for the Balloon Fiesta, 99% of their employees were not wearing a mask. Not the hosts, the bartenders, the cooks I saw in the back when the doors swung open, nor the manager I asked about this. He had no response for me, simply a blank look & "No, we aren't enforcing it." For a restaurant that such an integral part of the Albuquerque community, this experience was a disappointment. read more

El Pinto - Red Chile Ribs - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

When asking for restaurant recommendations for my August visit to Albuquerque, most people I talked to mentioned the same place: El Pinto. El Pinto is an Albuquerque staple, serving up New Mexican dishes to locals and tourists alike. The restaurant had a nice crowd when I arrived shortly after noon on a Thursday, but I was immediately seated on the shaded patio. My waiter greeted me with chips and salsa, taking my drink order and offering to bring sopapillas. Instead of ordering one item off the menu, I wanted to try multiple New Mexican specialties, so I made use of the lunch buffet. El Pinto's lunch buffet had a nice selection of New Mexican dishes, including enchiladas, tamales, a taco bar, baked chicken, soups, and a salad bar. I stuck to the stuff I can't get at home, which meant enchiladas and tamales, with a salad to balance the meal. The buffet food was good and didn't taste like it had been sitting out for hours, a common complaint with buffets. Nothing on the buffet was particularly "spicy", but it was flavorful enough to make up for that. The fresh red chile sauce added a little kick to the meal. My biggest complaint about El Pinto is the price. Definitely tourist prices here and, if not for the lunch buffet special, it could easily run $25-30 (or more) per person. Make the food a little cheaper and up the spice levels and it could definitely be 5 stars. While I'd love to try more local New Mexican establishments when (not if) I return to Albuquerque, I wouldn't be opposed to a return visit to El Pinto. read more

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We were in town visiting with a realtor who told us this was THE place we needed to go! Blown away when we got here. The massive parking lot, every parking spot full, people everywhere including a wedding party, the incredible art and front entrance with all the chili peppers...our expectations were so high! We checked in at the front and were told our wait for 2 people for dinner was 20-25 minutes. We had a seat and checked out the menu while we waited. And waited. And walked around and waited some more. Finally an hour later we decided to check on the status, I mean we knew 20-25 minutes was an estimate but an hour seemed really excessive. The guy told us to check with the girl by the Open Door reservations sign because her computer showed more options? So we went to stand in line there, and were seated immediately...following people who had arrived thirty minutes after we did. I can't believe their systems don't talk to each other?? So we were frustrated but hoped the food was worth the wait. After all, the entire entry way is full of photos of presidents and celebrities. I got a taco salad with shredded beef and my husband got the red chili ribs. Our server, Key, was great! I had a glass of sangria too and we also ordered guacamole. The sangria was pretty good, I've had a lot better but the fruit was beautifully displayed. The chips and salsa were great! My salad was good with sour cream and guacamole but I didn't know those cost extra until we got the bill - was it a salad worth $20? No way. My husband hadn't had chili ribs before, he said they were fine but he prefers BBQ. Fries were really good though. The guacamole app I had ordered was definitely not worth the $10.25. Especially since to get it on my salad was another $1.25. Our total bill came to $66 something. Overall a very disappointing experience. We may have been more satisfied except we had just been to Sadie's the night before, and not only was it a lot less expensive but the food was a lot better and we were seated in a timely manner as well. This one really missed the mark for us and isn't a restaurant I would recommend. read more

Meh. I went to El Pinto for the first time recently with my brother and dad. It was ok. The chips weren't tasty, they are kind of thick, but the salsa was good. I ordered the chicken enchiladas with papitas and Calabcitas instead of rice and beans. The whole dish was just ok. Nothing spectacular about it. Then the soapapillas, well I've had better. I probably won't go out of my way to go here again. As for the ready at aunt, it's quite large, and there was an hour wait (we ate at the bar in the last spot available to avoid that wait time). Overall, meh. read more

We have been going there for over 30 years. Love the food and always take visitors to this place. Great coleslaw ! Enjoy talking to the owners (twins) read more

The ambiance is fantastic, don't get me wrong, however after our fifth visit... we are adding the necessary review we have wanted to not write. After arriving tonight to find our reservation was botched, we then waited 15 minutes for a different table. When we were seated we waited another 20 before they came to greet us. Drinks- took another 20, orders for food were messed up, never came back to check on us and the icing on the cake- a surcharge for using a credit card and the staff telling us after 30 minutes that they charged one card to the wrong check (an entirely different table!!) and the remaining items to a different one. Our 3 hour dinner was a mess with basics like water that was never refilled. We had a large group but to help minimize we only did two credit cards. The service continues to be atrocious, food is subpar and expensive. There are lots of better spots and sadly we will be passing this one up for the ongoing future. read more

The place is very pretty, but the service isn't great and the food is just ok. Very overpriced and underwhelming. Our server kept forgetting things and kept blaming her mistakes on "they", whoever that is. read more

I've been eating at El Pinto since I was a kid. Eating at this restaurant has been a family affair for my extended family so I have a lot of good memories associated with this restaurant. Sadly, every time I go it seems to get worse. More run down, more pricey, lackluster food, etc. Just know, when you go to El Pinto, you're paying for location and not much else. read more

Very underwhelming. All of the food was poorly seasoned and lacked flavor, especially the chicken. The service was not great either. We would often have to ask our waiter for something multiple times before she would actually bring it. Although the restaurant is pretty and the drinks are good, I would not recommend!! Overrated for sure. read more

We had a reservation for five and in the comments box I asked for a nice table since we had out of town guest. We were seated in what looked like a construction zone. It was open to the outside with plastic sheeting covering the openings. The heater wasn't cutting it. We should've refused the table. So much for ambiance; we were embarrassed. Then the food... I had a combo plate of cheese enchiladas & one chile relleno. It was the worst chile relleno I have ever had. The breading was a pasty thick flour. El Pinto is so over rated and I knew that going there but at least it was a pretty restaurant. No more. Our guest commented that he thought in some states it would not be legal to be open for business. Looked like a construction zone. On the plus side, the jalapeño margarita was good. read more

Expensive for Enchiladas and service wasn't great. I felt Like the server was mad at me because I was catching up with my friend instead of being ready to order. Disappointed to have paid premium price for very average enchiladas. read more

This restaurant is extremely hyped. And rightfully so. The location is beautiful and picture worthy. The decor is typical Southwestern and warm. Even the framed pictures of celebrities from years past contributed to this. However, when it comes down to it, the food and service were simply nothing special. The chips and salsa were okay, the tamale okay, the papitas just as you would expect. The noteworthy dish was definitely the sopapillas. This is a restaurant people are going to recommend, and it is a cultural staple for Albuquerque, however don't expect high quality food. read more

The El Pinto is a great place to eat for New Mexican. Loved the Enchiladas and the Steak and Enchilada (love the whole roasted Jalapeño it comes with). Also, they include sopiaipillas to use a bread with honey - very good. I've eaten there multiple times while visiting Albuquerque and each time it's great. The restaurant has good ambiance and they make you feel comfortable. Also love the chips and salsa at no extra charge which is nice. Their Margaritas are good and they also have Modelo Negra on tap. Give it a try if you're in the area - you won't be disappointed. read more

El Pinto - 12 oz . Ribeye and Enchilada - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Sat at the bar on a crowded Saturday night. Great service, great food, good drinks and reasonable prices.

Discovered this place thru Work gathering. Great atmosphere, excellent food, overall a great time. Going thru dozens of Chile dishes this week, this place was the best. Their renowned red Chile ribs really lived up to the hype. Of course, the Chile rub on the ribs really took it to the next level. 9/10! read more

I can't rave about El Pinto any more! My husband is from Albuquerque and we visit frequently. We have our favorite restaurants he likes to hit every trip. We were looking for something we hadn't been to yet, and El Pinto came up. The menu and atmosphere looked great from reviews, so we gave it a shot. I could not have been any happier. We absolutely loved the environment. Wood stove or fireplace in every dining space. Super cozy. The staff was very friendly, very attentive, even during this time when everyone is short staffed. Fabien was our young man server and HE WAS ON IT!!! Excellent, excellent server. Friendly, fast, caring, authentic. Someone raised him right, and trained him right! The food was fantastic. I had a ribeye and chicken enchilada. All authentic ingredients, flavorful steak. Chips n salsa were great. Husband loved his taco plate. The shredded beef had a good, unique seasoning. Now the dessert. OMG. Best thing ever! We ordered the Levante, which is essentially their version of a tiramisu with an Authentic New Mexican spin made with homemade biscochitos!!! Just wow. My only regret is that we didn't discover them sooner! I've been coming to Albuquerque for 32 years and I feel ripped off! Haha, I blame my hubby. Can't wait to come again! read more

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We have been to El Pinto several times before. We went today had a party of 12. Waited over 25 minutes just to order....20 minutes after we ordered our waiter came to let us know they were out of the Carna Asada skillet (4 people at our table had ordered it). So had to find something else on the menu to order. Food came out and it was lukewarm and it looked like they were running out certain foods. Portions were smaller then usual and several items were missing. Waiter hardly came to check on our table and refill drinks. Even after the food came out, we had to wait at least another 5 minutes before we even got utensils. The food that actually came out was just mediocre, especially for the price. Very disappointed with service and food. After reminding the server numerous times, the missing items came out after everyone had already finished eating. There are much better options in Albuquerque. read more

We went here for my uncle's 80th birthday and were sorely disappointed with the service and the food. It took a half hour just to get a drink order in. I got the chicken tacos and by the time our food arrived it was cold and soggy and also super dry. The waiter was very nice but overwhelmed with too many tables. This place is beautiful but not at all worth the money. read more

El Pinto has long been one of my favorites. Lots of ambiance and a great NM flavor. It has a long-standing reputation for great food . and service. That being said, I was sad to see the price go up as the quality went down. Let's hope they were just having a bad day that day. It's still one of the best places to dine on a patio, but be prepared for the bill at the end. read more