Stopped at La Barraca in Gallup, New Mexico, for lunch while driving to Santa Fe. For some reason, I overlooked the 3.5-star rating, and I'm glad I did. This was my first trip to New Mexico and my first real experience with New Mexican food, and this place set the bar pretty high for the rest of my 4-day vacation. I ended up eating a lot of enchiladas on this trip, and in my opinion, these were by far the best I had in New Mexico. The red enchilada sauce had so much flavor, especially with the ground beef, which was my favorite. The tamale was also really good--not dry at all, just right--and the beans had great flavor. The rice was just okay for me, but to be fair, I found out on this trip that New Mexico-style rice just isn't really my thing. It's a little heavier and pastier than what I'm used to, so I'm not going to knock the restaurant for that. Service was quick, everyone working there was friendly, and the restaurant was clean. Definitely glad I ignored the 3.5 stars and gave this place a try. Great first introduction to New Mexican food! 5 star read more

See all

Great Chili Rellenos. Beans, rice, and enchiladas are basic. I wasn't impressed with this restaurant at all. There wasn't really anything special. As I mentioned, the Chili Rellenos are darn good. If you stick to those, you'll be fine. Try to stay away from the uninspiring enchiladas. You'll be stuck with the rice and beans. They come with pretty much everything. Quick Tip: When I was there, I was approached on four separate occasions by ladies trying to sell jewelry, candy, and paintings. Right there in the restaurant! They went from table to table. I've never seen that in a restaurant before. That practice left a bitter taste in my mouth..... separate from the beans and rice. read more

La Barraca Restaurant - It looks better than it tasted. - Mexican Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

Love green chile stuffed sopapillas! This place hasn't changed much in decades. This place feels like the Gallup I remember of the 80's. read more

La Barraca Restaurant - Green chile stuffed sopapilla - Mexican Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

When they say carne asada burrito, there is carne asada and only carne asada in the burrito. No beans, rice, pico de gallo, guacamole or anything else. The meat is very good but the meat only burrito is kind of boring after a few bites. I believe they serve beer and margarita but I didn't confirm. read more

See all

The service was fast and gracious with good recommendations. My wife had a soft shell fish taco and a beef taco. She said the fish taco was one of the best she has ever had. I had the special beef burrito with shredded beef. Interesting presentation and some of the best flavored shredded beef I have had. If you like local flavors and "mom and pop" restaurants try this one! read more

All I can say is wow! We were lucky enough to see Posole as a special and it did not disappoint. The red chile was flavorful and had some heat to it. The posole was tender as were the chunks of pork! The chicken enchiladas which I ordered Xmas (half red, half green chile) was also delicious. The chicken was tender and generously stuffed and I enjoyed the green as much as the red. The guacamole was a nice way to cool the heat and was also delicious. The decor is pretty outdated but who cares when the food is this delicious. My husband had the tacos carnitas and that was delicious as well. Don't miss this place when you are in Gallup. Service was great! read more

The food is excellent!! The service is really really good... I recommend this restaurant to anybody it is so clean.

This was a place that I use to go to and order full order of enchiladas plate. I had been going there for years and in all of Gallup I did not go anywhere else ever. Then somewhere around mid 2023 the quality and taste of everything seemed terrible. The entire meal was not exciting and the red sauce for the enchiladas didn't taste as great as I recall. So since then never returned because other family members have gone after have told me the same about the quality and taste. That sucks because it was amazing, but now...oh well. No where to go in Gallup for quality food dining experience read more

Okay, where do I start.... there are no marked parking spots, walking in my daughter (2 yo) and I were cut off at the door by a large family trying to get a table. I didn't know that it was a seat yourself establishment so we had to wait awhile. Once we finally got a table, the table next to us who arrived after us was served first and when I asked for water from that server he said "I'm not your waiter" and walked away. Our waitress was awful and I mean awful, I say this as a former waitress myself. Our food arrived, my daughter refused to eat it only eating her side of ranch dressing. Okay she's two... but when I tried to give it later to my dogs, they wouldn't eat it! My "cheese" enchiladas took me on a exploration to find the cheese... read more

It's not a good place to eat the service is not good the food is lacking taste simple salt & pepper we'll make a dish go a long away... I would not recommend eating here but it's gn you love bland food and and old fry grease this is your spot you will love it here!! The rice is very dry and no spices. read more

Authentic Mexican fare, great service, nice location, all good. read more

La Barraca Restaurant - Dinner - Mexican Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

See all

I found this restaurant while looking for a place to get a good steak. Upon arriving, I was told to sit anywhere which I did. I saw sirloin steak, rib eye, and t-bone on the menu served with a cheese enchilada (I could choose from beef or chicken too-about $20). However, I've not found a steak worth eating in Gallup, so I went for the beef fajitas instead ($17). As you can see, the serving size is more than adequate. It looks pretty good too. I always judge a Mexican food place by their fajitas. I found the fajitas to be rather tender yet not spiced at all. Maybe a little salt and pepper. There wasn't much to say about them. They were fair by my standards. The tortillas were flour and appear to be handmade. The guacamole was rather plain but still was fresh. The beans and rice were par as well. The chips and salsa were atrocious. It's part if what I like the best going to a Mexican food place. The chips were cold and floury tasting as if they weren't cooked long enough (odd as I think they are corn chips). The salsa was spicy but not much flavor. It really could've used something else like onions. Wait staff were nice and accommodating. The food was served promptly and quite hot minus the cold chips. The one thing that really hit me the wrong way and cost this establishment at least 1 star is the fact that 2 or 3 people were roaming through the guests trying to sell Indian jewelry and trinkets. I do not go out to be bothered to buy anything much less these items. I literally told these people five times (four up until 2 seconds ago) no and yet they continue to try to get me to buy their garbage. It's very irritating and I probably won't be back for that reason alone. I did ask the server to ask them not to come by my table and he chose to ignore my request. Overall, not a bad place to get food but the selling of trinkets took away any part of enjoyment I got from the food. read more

La Barraca Restaurant - a plate of mexican food - Mexican Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

I'm a frequent customer here. The food is delicious. Sometimes the chili is hot and sometimes it's not, just depends on the day I guess. Customer service is good, they hired some new workers. The combination plates are the best with red or green or even both!! Price of the food is fair, I'd say. read more

We came here on a recommendation from our hotel clerk. The chips seemed store bought and had no flavor, but the salsa was very good. I had the combination stuffed sopapilla with red and green, and my wife had the combination plate with a taco, tostada, chile relleno and enchilada. The stuffed sopapilla was ok but nothing special. The sopapilla itself was thick and chewy, not the crispy exterior with soft interior I'm used to. The green chile lacked flavor and seasoning, but the red was outstanding. My wife's taco and tostada were good when putting adding plenty of salsa. The relleno was not good in our opinion. The cheese, I'm not sure it was cheese, had no flavor and the texture was off. The relleno batter was thin like a won ton wrapper with a white doughy color, not the normal lightly browned crispy pillowy exterior. The chili was also very thin with no flavor. Her meal came with Spanish rice which had very little flavor and the texture was off.. soggy on the outside and hard in the middle. Side note- During our meal, we had 6 people come by our table trying to sell us jewelry and candy. I've never experienced this before but I'm guessing this is normal in Gallup. The best part of the meal were the folks that worked there. Super friendly, great smiles and very sweet. read more

We have eaten here several times in the past the food & service is aways great. However, today our server was more attentive to other individuals. She spent most of the time chatting with a group of men. When my husband asked her for a refill on his drink she just overlooked us then walked to the back. As for the food I asked for red on the side but never got it, the enchilada meat tasted like it was going bad. While we were still eating the group of men who left had mud and dirt in there shoes. So the servers stared sweeping up all the dirt together and made a bunch of dust! I figured she should've waited until some of the customers were done eating. We left our food as is and left. When were asked "how was the food?" I told the cashier the issues and all she said was the total. Then a few minutes later she said in a very low voice she was sorry. I mean I really don't like to complain and I always like eating here but I am gonna say they need to make some serious corrections before I come back. read more

Ate here and it was delish. Had the chicken enchiladas Christmas style and a nice cold beer. Amazing. Good job yall

This used to be a good place to eat. Today's experience was terrible, the chile Relleno was spoiled, the oil used to cook the sopapillas was obviously old, one of our salads came with 1/2" of water in the bowl. Instead of offering an apology or checking into the problems, the owner decided to argue with us. Stated everything was made fresh this morning, which was 16 hours ago since we were having dinner. He said that no one has EVER complained. I will never recommend this place again or ever step foot in this establishment. Wait, I make one last recommendation to the health department to perform an inspection. read more

I was not good. Chicken taco and enchilada were made out of ground up chicken patte type consistency or baby food. Rice tasted out of a box. Super disappointed. Service was good. read more

Just passing through this town and stopped to eat. Nice, cute little eatery with kind workers, but the food was just not to par. It was WAY over priced and watered down. Nice plate presentation, but flavorless. It really hurt to pay the bill. We wished we would have gone somewhere else. Don't recommend it. read more

This was my favorite childhood restaurant. Everything's changed. Service was slow and our cheese enchilada plate arrived with cold food and cheese that wasn't melted. The beans and rice were dry. It's disappointing that I won't be going there anymore. read more

I haven't eaten here in over two decades, so I had no expectations being away for so long. I ordered the #2 Christmas. The chile was hot and tasty and the food was good. I have no idea why people are complaining about ground beef in their tacos. It was very good and did not taste "canned" as others have stated. The salsa was a bit watery but fine. The ?owner? Who sat me was pleasant and served me chips and salsa and tea and water within a couple minutes of sitting down. I was pleasantly surprised with the food and service. I would come back. read more

We were doing the Route 66 trip and the guy at our hotel recommended La Barranca for Mexican food. The food was terrific. Very large portions too. read more

This place is probably the worst Mexican in town. It wasn't horrible, but it doesn't compare to Jerry's, Genaro's, or El Rancho. I ordered a chicken taco and chicken enchiladas, and they were ok. My partner had a tamale, tostada, beef taco, and beef enchilada. The beef was canned. It looked like dog food. I saw the cook pull out the tamale from the freezer. The beans were also canned. If you want fresh,good Mexican food, visit Jerry's, Genaro's, or El Rancho. read more

Absolutely, without a doubt ... the worst Mexican Food I have ever ingested. A combination of high prices and poor quality. It can't get any worse. Stay away unless you like bland and ordinary food. The soft chicken taco with green sauce was okay. read more

This is NOT Mexican food! The salsa (Pace Picante Sauce??) is from a jar. In fact, everything is canned or from a jar (beans, sauces, meat??) The chips tasted stale. The green sauce was watery and the waiter spilled quite a bit on my husbands pants and didn't even know he was doing it. They also allow soliciting on the premises while you're eating. We are not fans of being harassed so we did not like this. read more

Whatever life does to you and you end up in Gallup NM. I'm sorry.. We arrive in town and get a flea biten room. I ask the owner of the motel where to eat..he points across the street to this place. So we take his advice.. thinking back "why did I take a suggestion from an owner of a dive motel??"" But with that said here we go.. I'm from Cali.so I do know good Mexican food. We have a seat and order a beer to start. ..the damn thing is warm! Then I notice the people working here aren't Mexican...nope..there Indians,not the east indian type..more like the feather in the bandana,war paint type Indians. ...I should have left after the warm beer..nope I stay!! Get the menu... Mexican,american,mac&cheese..etc. Oh boy...I should really leave now..nope we stay..!!! I go safe and order 2 beef tacos friend orders a chili reano. ..bite into a chip and there old and rancid tasting..the kind that stick to your teeth..that was awsome..!!washed it down with my warm beer..! Dinner arrives... No exaggeration here....it's actually funny! Friends chili reano..was a chili out of a can w/ a piece of that pre cut cheddar cheese half melted on top...!x?$@# My tacos.. Flower tortilla was cooked in grease.but only half way...like in a pool of lard. And the ""beef"" was something I'm sure comes our of a can with a picture if a dog or cat on it... One bite..I was DONE. We left..back to our flea bit motel room to eat crackers and pick the tortilla chips out of my molers. I have travel the world and the seven seas..this indian/Mexican joint wins my personal aware for the worst food I have ever eaten.. So if your in Gallup NM...get the hell OUT. read more

Really, really bad.. I'm sorry but this is just so nasty. The ground beef (yeah, they say this is authentic yet bring out ground beef tacos) is like a mush/dog food/Taco Bell type beef. Beans, and rice taste like canned, and salsa tasted like pace salsa you get at Walmart. This is probably the worst and most non authentic Mexican food we've ever had in our lives. Chips tasted very stale and generic. Brought our left overs back to the hotel and other family members thought the same. The people are friendly though... but the food... read more

Worse Mexican food in the South West. Sick for 2 days. Don't eat the beans. Matter of fact, don't eat any of it. Atmosphere bad. Little kids selling jewelry come to your table every 2 minutes. read more

The food was nasty and gross .the hamburger steak the meat was tainted I think it's was rotten the mexican food was nasty to

We stopped at this restaurant on our way back to CA from Colorado. We ordered 3 beef taco plates and a burrito. I have to admit that when the food arrived, they look slightly different than what I am used to in LA but IT WAS REALLY REALLY GOOD! Staff is the the best. After our meal, I was distracted and left me cell phone with my ATM card and my DL on the table. By the time I realized that I left it at the restaurant, we were deep in Arizona. When I called the restaurant, they informed me that they found my business card inside my cell phone wallet, called my office and already spoke to my boss and made arrangements to have it shipped back to me on our office FEDEX account. I got my phone back and noticed that they didn't use our Fedex account number but had spent money out of their own pocket and shipped it back to be via priority mail. They went beyond their duty to assure that my phone found its way back to me. I now have a favorite restaurant next time I drive through Gallup, NM. read more

Went to this place because of the reviews. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming. Tasted nothing like authentic Mexican food. It didn't taste good at all. My husband and I both got sick. I gave it 2 stars because service was excellent. Really nice people. read more

I wish yelp had a thumbs down option. Terrible! Food was horrible and the service was worst. When I expressed my concerns the cashier told me with attitude that she didn't care, made racial remarks, and told me "all you natives complain, are poor, and make our floors dirty with your muddy shoes." Disgusting!! read more

I love this place. Everytime I visit Gallup, I have to stop here for chorizo & eggs. Everyone is friendly, the food is solid, and they have my favorite kind of booths. What more do you need? read more

Restaurant was packed when we arrived, so naturally I assumed that the food would be good. I ordered 3 soft beef tacos. When it arrived, I saw that it was ground beef. Unfortunately, it didn't taste very good. As I ate it, it reminded me of the processed beef at some popular fast food restaurants that serve "mexican" food. The refried beans had no flavor. The only thing I liked was the sopapilla. That was very good. I also liked the ambiance. It reminded me of the old Love's Barbecue Restaurant. read more

Try the beef tacos. They are amazing. The free salsa has the perfect kick to it. Friendly service and great prices.

Great food! Great service. Had dinner after 9 pm. Not crowded. Had christmas (red and green chili) in March on a #2 plate. Chili was delish and chips and salsa was a good compliment to our meal. I need to come back more often. read more

Service is quick and courteous. Food is hot and decent. They also are open later than all other restraunts in town on a Friday night. Makes it nice when traveling. We drove by some that looked like a riot was about to start very nice to get food hot and good read more

Super fast , super friendly staff!... Best beef and chicken burrito ever ! I totally recommend if you're in the area and need a quick meal and very tasty read more

Damn... orders a #2 breakfast combo, and plate was not wash and biscuit was covered with something red stain like on plates.

Food was surprisingly good ...right off hwy . Cleanliness could be better but it is a restaurant off route 66 so adds character I guess read more

La Barraca Restaurant - Beef burrito special - Mexican Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico