Food is consistently very good. Their sopapillas are the best anywhere, hands down. Gloria is the best waitress ever. We hate the plastic ware & Styrofoam boxes the food is served is since covid but we go anyway for the food. read more

Good New Mexican food. Bring cash, it's an old school vibe. Owner is hands on, staff has been here for years. Food is always reliable. Definitely get the sopas! And the tacos. Oh and the bowl of chile. (I think they are closed on weekends- don't quote me). read more

Taco Shel - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Taco Shel, is my goto Mexican food stop for the BEST food and green chile in Albuquerque !!! Quick, friendly and clean. Only down side is they are closed on weekends. (Rick in ABQ) read more

Being a native of New Mexico, I can tell you that this is authentic New Mexican food. It's excellent food. My favorites are the cheese enchiladas with red chili and the bowl of green chili with ground beef. The sopapillas are the best in town. It is a small, quaint, and clean restaurant! Service is always excellent. read more

Good food. Fast service! They served me even though I came 10-15 minutes before closing! Generous portions too! read more

Great Food just a small simple place to get a quick yummy meal, it's always clean & has been a go to of mine for ? years I am 60 Guacamole is fresh & simple no cilantro thank God Stuffed Sopas Red & Green & Tacos are the Best Cash Only I get carry out mostly once a week Luv It!!! read more

I love this food. Some of the best New Mexican foods that are available in our area! Privately family owned and operated.

This family knows how to make awesome New Mexican food and has been for decades. Not a fancy place but the food is always fresh combined with excellent service and you definitely leave stuffed! Totally recommend Taco Shel!! Don't forget to bring cash because they do not accept credit cards. read more

Simple mom and pop shop. Delicious and simple. Bring cash! I got two tacos with beans and rice. Really satisfying with no frills

This is our "Go To" for our chile fix! Great, fast service. The food is always on point and reasonably priced. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. Small, clean restaurant. We take all of our "out of towners" there, and they always have it on the to-do list on their next visit. We've been going there for over 25 years. read more

How is this place still in business?! To start a potential litany of complaints, let me just say that they handle money and then your food. They do NOT wash their hands or use gloves as they go between food handling and cashing you out. Gary, the owner, is a total douche bag and completely unfriendly as is most of his staff. That one waitress with the short hair and bad attitude has worked there way too long and I'm not sure why she sticks around when she clearly hates her job. This place is cash only and is open super limited hours. No clue how they stay in business. Maybe just because their sopas are so good. But let's be real here - the sopas have been handled immediately after the money was handled so all that filth must be what adds the flavor. The one redeeming part of the restaurant is Gary's mom Theresa who is a gem and makes everyone feel welcome. For years we looked forward to seeing her and she is what we miss most about what used to be our family's favorite restaurant. Now we will never go back - food handling is gross and I won't give Gary a dime of my money. read more

I ordered a stuffed sopa what I got was meat on top not stuffed like it supposed to be. The term stuffed means inside right.? The red sauce lacked flavor and the cheese for enchiladas was not melted. Very Disappointed and Not New Mexican food at all. Better off elsewhere. Taco Bell has better flavor than Taco Shel. read more

Best hidden gem for New Mexican food in ABQ! The prices cannot be beat. Great flavor and great value. One of my favorite places to get dinner to go from! This is a hole in the wall restaurant, not fancy at all. They only accept cash. read more

The green chile enchilada I ordered had a very good flavor. The taco was a little plain. However, Gary, who served us was wonderfully attentive and friendly, even found us a bandaid when we needed one. read more

One of our favs that is just not the same anymore. This use to be a regular spot for us but the last couple of times, including yesterday left us disappointed. To boot, the atmosphere of this once cute spot was terrible. A handful of tables, storage in what use to be seating and we had to ask for our table to be cleaned, though no one was in the place when we arrived. We're moving on. read more

Only cash, just something to remember. We have been going here for many years and love the food...the prices are stupid for what you get. They charge for chips and salsa for goodness sake. That being said there is no place better for sopapillas!! Period! I love their red Chile enchiladas. Their red Chile is one of the only I can have that doesn't upset my stomach. Because of Covid they are serving in take-out containers and the tables are spread out so not many tables. But we still love it and will keep going back (and complaining about the prices ) read more

Really bland food. I don't get the good reviews on this place AT ALL. This place far from measures up. Chile isn't spicy and the food is horribly underseasoned. Pass. PS: the service was excellent read more

Taco Shel - Our very bland food - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

See all

This restaurant used to be the place to come for great food and good prices. But Not anymore, they have raised their prices again to the point that you can go to a full service restaurant for cheaper. All of the prices have gone up by more than $.50 per item. This place has been so successful for so long and now the place is empty. Many customers have dealt with the Cash only concept no credit cards. Too bad we used to visit this place at least twice per week. read more

Taco Shel - Mexican Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

My wife and I have been eating here since they opened up. Family owned and operated for over 20 years. We have eaten everything on the menu and it is ALL very tasty. Stuffed sopapillas are my go to. The red and green Chile are awesome so we Christmas everything . We would recommend this restaurant very highly 5 STAR. read more

Native of Albuquerque here. Love this place. Good food, friendly staff/owners, inexpensive, generous helpings. Bring your appetite. Taco Shel is a simple, low-key place--it isn't for the tourist crowd. It's where a local can go to get a good, inexpensive New Mexican meal, always served quickly, and always hot. What more could you hope for? I prefer their simple ingredients and old-fashioned way of making things. And the cash-only part is hardly a deal-breaker. read more

This place is one of those great staples that's been around for years. You walk in and are immediately greeted by friendly but busy staff and often the owner as well. You're directed to a table where you can read the wall menu (none of those paper things other restaurants use!) and choose your plate. You can request whole beans instead of refried and they're quite tasty. The cheese enchiladas are my favorite but everything I've ever tried has been great. The sopapillas are so good, tiny flaky little things and are delivered by the basketful; I could eat them all day. Everything here is quick: the food comes out screaming fast and before you can finish they leave your bill on the table so you can pay at the till. Bring your cash because no plastic here, tho there is a BofA ATM in the parking lot if needed. Neither the red or green are especially hot, if I could change something it would definitely be to increase the spice level. You do not get chips and salsa here but since I'm not eating here to hang out but rather a quick tasty meal, for some reason doesn't bother me at this joint. Well ok it's probably because then I have more room for those amazing sopas. Days open Tue-Fri so not always convenient but the food is good and worth scheduling around. read more

I know that there are people that swear by this place as the end-all, be-all of Albuquerque's Mexican food experience, but I don't get that. It's not bad food, but it's not the bee's knees, either. If you're looking for some decent grub at a good price, this place certainly fits the bill. I wouldn't make a point of going out of my way to have this food again, but it's not bad. They are CASH ONLY here. The place was clean when I visited, and the service was pretty good. read more

Not authentic "New Mexican" red chili has a tomato base, and color was light, not deep red. Food cost for New Mexican food is very low, so charging 9.00 for a sopapilla stuffed with ground beef, beans and cheese is silly. 2.50 for a coke? Cash only, not even an ATM card accepted. People that like this place have not experienced real "New" Mexican food. They are off 3 days a week, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. I would rather go to Taco Cabana. read more

First and foremost they only accept cash, bills, bank notes, bread, cabbage, dinero, dough, green stuff... you feel me? In other words, no credit cards or checks! Okay, that out of the way... the food was just "okay". Their food seemed to be prepared well ahead of time and platted on the surface of the sun, "hottest plate evva!" read more

This place is not worth the time, unfriendly staff, food tasted like a taco Bell, hatefully wait staff

I've been coming here for years. The #8 and #11 are my favorites. I always get red and green chile (Christmas) and it never disappoints. Taco Shel also serves some of the best sopapillias in town. I don't get the negative reviews. read more

Kinda eh... There's lots better, but if if you like traditional NM fare. It'll do in a pinch. The tamales are good but not great. read more

Several years ago this place was not bad, but it continues on a downward slide to awful. First of all there is no chicken anywhere on the menu, so green chile chicken enchilada lovers you are out of luck. The salsa is pathetic, watered down and tasteless, the green chile sauce is bland, watery and the worst I have ever tasted. The rice is also bland and sad, the beans are waaaay over cooked and pasty and topped with just a few strands of cheese. The meat in the tacos isn't seasoned at all. The sopapillas are tiny, postage stamp affairs and tough. I have no idea how they have stayed up and running with the myriad of other drawbacks I haven't even mentioned. If you want really good food try La Salita. read more

Nice little local place. Good service. Food is average to good. I would say not outstanding. Reasonably priced as well.

I love this place! They use high quality ingredients. Far from my house, but always good.

This is the most consistently good New Mexican food in Albuquerque! If any review suggest that the food is not spicy, they are lying! This restaurant's red & green chili is consistently hot. The food is always great, and has a loyal following. read more

How is this place still in business? The food is canned. The food has NO FLAVOR. What a waste of 15 bucks.

I've been eating here for years when I visited recently it was not as good. The chili seemed to be thinned out and the prices were high for being it was lunch. You have to go for a hunt to look for an atm cause they dont take cards, it's an inconvenience. Garcia's on 4th st is cheaper and takes credit or debit cards. read more

Food is not authentic. ..anything really. ..okay I guess it's authentically canned. Salsa is watered down, chips are thick, stale and store bought. Soapapillas are yummy. Dining room is crammed with too many tables. Service is quick, cash only. read more

first and foremost this place is NOT Mexican - it is New Mexican, and while both types of restaurants have excellent food, do not go here expecting Mexican food (I don't understand why this place is listed as Mexican). My experience here on several occasions has been positive - the flavor of the food is very good and the service is always prompt and courteous. However, I don't go here much anymore because you can get just as good or better food at many New Mexican restaurants in town for a much better price. Taco Shel has become overpriced for what they have to offer. read more

Everyone in my extended family has been going to Taco Shel for years and years. 75% of them order the #3 (two cheese enchiladas with beans and rice) but the burritos and tacos (especially soft) are good as well. Chile is always consistently good, though it varies in how hot it is! The owner is very friendly and often present. The waitstaff are prompt and polite. And the food is quite tasty. Prices were raised a couple years back so it's not the bargin it once was but it still delicious and you will leave full. Endless sopapillas that are probably the best in town. Small place, menus on the wall, but super fast and really good! Also, cash only (Bank of America ATM in the parking lot though)! read more

The food here is New Mexican food in its most basic form and while that's not a problem on its own, the fact that the food was not good, is. We had beef enchiladas, beans and rice (by way of a child's plate). The beef was clearly sitting around for a while as it was very dry and nothing appeared to be seasoned as all three items were very bland. The sopapillas were good though as was the service. I would not come back though. read more

This IS NOT MEXICAN FOOD. This is food like your gringo mom made for you when you were really, really young. Hamburger meat totally unseasoned even by salt apparently. Even missing the Shilling's seasoning packet your mom used to use in the browned hamburger meat. Like soft tacos? Too bad; the only option here is those hard preformed hard taco shells (or is it shels?) The missing "l" on Shell is unexplained as is this place's refusal to accept anything as payment other than CASH. Come on. It's the 21st century. My tacos were tasteless as were my wife's cheese enchiladas. The beans weren't bad nor was the rice but both easily may have been out of cans. The sauce wasn't spicy at all. You can easily get better "Mexican" food at any Taco Bell. Service wasn't bad but our server had zero charisma. read more

The other reviews complaining must be ordering tacos or something. I can see where they might get under seasoned but that is the job of the chile. Chilaca with Green Chile is wonderful. We make trips out of our way for it. The salsa which is extra has a nice taste to it as well without onions or cilantro so choose to get it knowing that fact. Great fast service but it is cash only so bring your green. read more

Albuquerque has many New Mexican food joints stashed away in innumerable strip malls but Taco Shel is by far my favorite. It doesn't matter if you are Red our Green, they are both fantastic. The food comes fast, friendly and cheap, which in my mind is the best combo you can get. The portions are generous and the family who owns the joint is very friendly and hospitable. There's a lot of other places to eat great New Mexican food, but this is where I go when I'm in Albuquerque! read more