4. Restaurants

El Pinto

10500 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87114
  • (505) 898-1771
  • Store is closed

El Pinto Menu

  • Appetizers
  • New Mexican Grill - Steak
  • New Mexican Grill - grilled Entrees
  • Side Dishes
  • Speciality Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for El Pinto

  • Appetizers
  • New Mexican Grill - Steak
  • New Mexican Grill - grilled Entrees
  • Side Dishes
  • Speciality Desserts

Visit below restaurant in Albuquerque for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 10021 Coors Blvd Nw )
Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 2560 Coors Blvd NW )

  • california w.

    El Pinto is a beautiful restaurant, which is the draw. The portions are huge, and I recommend splitting a dish (no kidding, 3 people could eat one combo). The salsa is excellent. However, the rest of the meal was standard --nothing really stands out as being exceptional, and it feels as though it caters more to tourists.

    (3)

  • Brenna M.

    Nasty food, I don't see what all the hype is about.

    (1)

  • Rowena M.

    I can see why this place can be a favorite spot for a lot of folks. Upon entering, you will be charmed with the rustic and homey atmosphere of the place-lush greenery, fountains in the patio, and live music. That the place endorses Herradura tequila earned it extra points from the hubby. The food itself was just average though. There weren't a lot of choices and even the variety was based on the type of meat or type of sauce, not the dishes themselves. The menu had your usual suspects- enchiladas, burrito, chile relleno, and combination platters if you can't make up your mind. So come here for the atmosphere and if you want the regulars- but certainly not for innovative, unique, or even traditional dishes.

    (3)

  • Nita M.

    They went way too tourista. The food isn't as good as it used to be and the service sucks. We haven't been there in years because of this. It used to be so friendly and warm but now it's just another restaurant.

    (2)

  • Jenn H.

    I am still a fan! I brought my BFF from Oklahoma here on Friday night. It was a chilly rainly night and upon walking to the door, the aroma of burning cedar made you feel welcome and homey. :D I made reservations via their website, easy peasy. The reservation check in woman, she isn't very nice or friendly. She is actually quite GRUFF, but other than her, everyone else was extremely helpful and friendly. We were seated in a dark cozy red room with a blazing fireplace. It looked like a dinning room in an old mansion. Dimly lit and a warm ambiance. Our server suggested margaritas to us using better quality tequila, since we ordered "house margaritas". Our drinks were delicious and tasty. I ordered the chicken nachos, which my daughter and I shared, but were unable to finish. It's really big!! I love the fresh cut up jalapeno's on it, HOT! My friend ordered the stuffed sopas, one beef and one pork. I don't remember or think the dish comes with beans and rice. I do not think it does. But it's a LARGE portion and she ended up taking leftovers home. I love El Pinto salsa! It's not BLAZING HOT like Sadies can be and it's not all tomatoey either. We also ordered some guacamole...which was good. It had some seasonings in it and wasn't bland. All in all, it's a wonderful place to bring out of town guests or a date. Maybe even a first date...the setting is memorable. :D

    (4)

  • Jeff M.

    I have been here over and over, and always forget to review. Went last night - it was good. It's aways good. We were part of a large party (16 or so), and service was so-so. Food was fantastic - I mean fantastic - it almost always is. I had not had a steak there before - it was good - it was really good. Margaritas great, guacamole real fresh. Fantastic quest. I go on and on. But, keep in mind - it's pretty pricey.

    (3)

  • Daniel R.

    Firstly, this place is huge. I bet it could sit 500+. It's got two patios and a rather large indoor seating area. We sat outside because it was a nice night. What a mistake, there were more mosquitos here than in New Orleans. The service was pretty good though and they actually found us a citronella candle and some Off! I was in the mood for some green chile. The green pork enchiladas served NM style with a fried egg was recommended by the server. This was a huge portion of food. The green chile had good flavor, but didn't pack much heat. I would recommend the dish to anyone looking for a NM green chile fix though. If I come back, I'm going to try their red chile.

    (4)

  • Gina F.

    Gorgeous restaurant! Really beautiful indoors & out. The place is just huge, so we were surprised there was a wait, but we were able to grab a table in the bar, Obviously a popular spot. Pros: atmosphere, chili con carne (which my husband had & says was his fave thing he ate in NM), good portions. Cons: green chili wasn't as good or spicy as other places, veggie burrito was rather bland, prices are a fairly high for what you're getting (like 12.50 for a flour tortilla filled only with pinto beans, rice, & cheese, and no side dishes), and our service wasn't that great--she didn't bring us silverware or napkins, & was unsure of the food when we asked a couple questions (but I think she may have been new). Overall, I'd still go back, but try something different. The atmosphere makes it worth the extra couple bucks on occasion. If my food wasn't that great the 2nd time around, I'd probably not be back.

    (3)

  • Angie S.

    In town for a business retreat and one of our evening activities was dinner and a tequila tasting at El Pinto. Not tequila-drinker, but was still interesting to learn about the tequila-making process from Jim, our host. The staff are very friendly, knowledgable and have a sense of humor. For dinner, enjoyed the green chile chicken enchilada in blue corn tortilla, with a side of sour cream and calcevides (mixed squash/veggies) as recommended by Jim. Meal was amazing and, though I was stuffed, still ordered the flan - a personal favorite - which did not disappoint. We sat outside in the covered patio areas, and overall great atmosphere and experience.

    (4)

  • A.J. S.

    This restaurant is a pretty famous one in Albuquerque. Presidents to Paupers line up to feast upon the delicacies within this establishment. We in fact had to wait an hour to get a table. Normally this would be a wait I would make, but they had free chips and Margarita's on tap; so I relented and waited. Ambiance - The ambiance is great here, in the main dining area it's neither too loud, nor too quite. The decorations are nice, and the lighting is not too bright, nor is it too dark. Food - The food was very good, I liked the Enchillada. Also the green chili was really good. If you go to Albuquerque and don't have Green Chili, you have really missed out. Lastly, Margarita's on tap? I loved it. Service - The service was very good. The free chips and salsa in the waiting area was a nice touch, and the waiter was very nice. I appreciated his advice, as I don't really know the difference between mexican food and New Mexican food. All in all, I would definitely go back. It was worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Emilie S.

    Sat outside with friends who are locals. BEAUTIFUL patio. If I was from Albuquerque- I would have gotten married here. Pitcher of margaritas was expensive, but necessary. Green chile and chicken stuffed sopapilla. Guacamole.

    (5)

  • Ricky M.

    Place is absolutely beautiful. Building has such an authentic look food is awesome I tried the Red Chile Ribs and they were some of the best I Have ever had they are a must have. There silver coin margaritas are also worth a try.

    (4)

  • Keira M.

    Nice atmosphere...good margaritas...hang out for friends and must go to place with out of town guests. Food is fair.

    (3)

  • Janice C.

    * 100th Review * Do me a favor. Upon walking into El Pinto, look to your left. See the rows and rows of picture frames hanging on the wall? You'll notice: 1. Obama was here. 2. McCain was here. 3. Sarah Palin was here. (no, she wasn't wearing that $75,062.63 Neiman Marcus outfit) 4. Hillary Clinton was here. (a very unflattering picture at that. She's holding a jar of El Pinto Salsa, with her head turned to the side, and mouth wide open!) 5. Janice was here. (rats! they didn't take my picture) El Pinto is more of like an El Torito, except it's more charming and has a bigger, better layout. They even have a back patio where you can probably book your own private party. This place is so huge, they also have their own buffet area. AND, a separate bar area. Ay caramba! My pork burrito was ok.. My blue curacao 'Rita was served in a sugar-rimmed glass. I like salt better. Their sopaipillas are not as flaky-good as the one I had at La Choza. I did end up buying a medium sized jar of Fiery Hot Chipotle salsa for $3.25 (damn that Hillary!) It was spicy alright. I might just go back again for the salsa. But then again, there's tons of other better choices in NM than this one.

    (3)

  • Scott L.

    Another place the locals eat when family is in town! For take out, I recommend the chili con carne, some tortillas and a side of beans. For dine in, its all really good. I recently had a regular old chicken burrito for lunch, it was delicious with both red and green chilis, and we ate on on of the most beautiful patios in ABQ, in full bloom right now.

    (4)

  • Glen C.

    I think I found the place that is as good as you will find in Albuquerque, New Mexico. FOOD: New Mexican food. We ordered the appetizer platter and deep fried green chiles. I thought the platter was solid... guacamole was fresh... queso was cheesy... but the ribs were a disappointment. Tender, but the flavor was lacking. Just spicy. I ordered the Combination Plate 1... and it's just OK. The rolled taco tasted dry, but the tamales was great. The chile con carne was so-so. SERVICE: Our server Megan was excellent. Very nice, helpful and drinks were always filled. She gave good solid recommendations and was cheery without being annoying. We ended up closing the place... and never once did our server complain. (I still can't get over how everything closes at 10PM). AMBIANCE: The restaurant is quaint. Not overly fancy... but a lot kitschy items... I thought the President seal stuff was pretty cool. Sat in the patio and they had the heater turned on which made it HOT. We had to ask them to turn it off... but it's the fall and I understand how the place could get cold quickly... Just those heaters were way too much. The worst thing about the place were metal patio furniture on the brick ground. The tables wobbled and the tables were just really small. Solid place. 3 1/2 stars here... Thanks El Pinto.

    (3)

  • Jason F.

    Great food and a fun atmosphere. It gets crowded on the weekends at night, but the restaurant is huge so that's not really their fault. Only reason its not 5 stars - call ahead for their hours. They seem to close early, and I've been turned away for showing too close to closing time since there was still a wait. I love their Green Chile Stew. Huge portions. I always think i'm ordering too little, and then take food home.

    (4)

  • Laura C.

    El Pinto use to be our favorite restaurant up until three to four years ago. We loved both the food and atmosphere and was surprised when they significantly raised their prices a few years back. We accepted that as a tourist attraction, El Pinto could get away with expensive Mexican food. We still liked El Pinto but only went once or twice a year. Then over the years, the food quality went down and our favorite dishes weren't as tasty as we remembered. Good memories, made us return two days ago and we were so disappointed. We expected the high priced Mexican food, but were shocked at the smaller combo plate portions. Even the sopapillas are smaller. The only large portioned good values were the appetizers. As for taste, everything was average. Even their green chile is below par. We ordered hot and it was blah and mild. There are many better tasting, better priced Mexican/Southwest food in Albuquerque. We're done with El Pinto.

    (2)

  • Candi P.

    Poor table service -- so-so food, sorry!

    (2)

  • D.G. H.

    I realize this is a tourist place, and I even came here as a tourist at one time, but now I'm a local this is the one spot my family has to eat at when visiting. And don't get me wrong, this is great food, amazing atmosphere, and amazing service!! The heat is perfect for a local, maybe a little spicy for visitors, but they need an education for their tastebuds. :) Our server this time was way above the norm. I think his name is Ryan Morro? (I'm sure I misspelled it). The water and drinks were never half empty, the chips were always refilled, and when he found out that we loved the sopapillas and we were there until the restaurant closed, he gave us two bags of them to go, since the place was closing! It made our night and the guy deserves a salaried position! We will continue to visit El Pinto every time we have a visitor, and tell everyone we know about this place. Yes the price is a little much, but come on you are paying for atmosphere! and I for one and willing to save up my money and enjoy an evening @ El Pinto!

    (4)

  • Martha S.

    Solid. Not incredible, but solid. If you're looking for spice, you can get just enough. Enchiladas are good, carnitas are good, sopapillas are phenomenal. The menu doesn't have any "wow"s on it, but you'll find anything you can get at other mexican restaurants. The atmosphere is nice--very relaxing. It's sort of "upscale Albuquerque." Definitely check it out if you're in the neighborhood.

    (3)

  • Elektra R.

    i had heard this was a must-eat in ABQ, and while I think it's a bit overrated, it was a really fun place to eat. It's HUGE, so if you're meeting friends, make sure you tell them where. The food was so-so, but the green chile was good, the drinks were great, and the service was pretty good, too. The sopapillas, of course, awesome.

    (3)

  • Nina T.

    Sucks! This is my third time here. For the third time, they tried to pass off the dinner price for the lunch portion. I imagine that many people don't notice, so they don't realize they are being cheated. Also, the service has been incredibly slow all three times. This place will not get my business again.

    (1)

  • Chris E.

    An Albuquerque Landmark 1 star of 1 for ambiance - live music made it a 1 .8 star of 1 for service 1.2 of 2 stars for food .8 star of 1 for cleanliness Judging from the president, celebrities and TV networks showing up at El Pinto, I'd say this place is about the total experience, not just the food. The best part of my meal was the guacamole someobdy else at our table ordered. Thanks Richard. Eleven years ago I asked an Albuquerque native which restaurant was best in Albuquerque. He said El Pinto, and brought cases of salsa with him when he returned from visits home. He also got sacks of Hatch chiles, but that's another story. He gave me a bottle of El Pinto salsa when the office bid me farewell. That particular bottle was pretty scorchy. Three years and three tries later I finally found El Pinto. It's west of the river and north of town. My first visit I was seated in one of the northwestern dining rooms. Rustic with a rock waterfall fountain, turned off for winter. Dining rooms and patios are a huge part of El Pinto's allure. Some kind of Southwest/New Mexico style to suit most tastes. My meal was probably a green chile burrito or chiles rellenos. It's how I compare chefs. As I ate I wondered, "Why am I here?" My host of tonight loves the calabacitas at El Pinto. Earlier today, when he asked where I wanted to eat, I said, "We're in New Mexico, we have to eat New Mexican." He looked slightly dismayed, but said El Pinto calabacitos tickle his tastebuds. We were seated in a former patio, pillars walled in, central fountain now a home for potted chile and firecracker penstemon plants. A fireplace blazed in the corner. The iron chairs were comfortably padded. I had what my host had. Stuffed green chile sopapilla chicken, the chile hot, and a side of calabacitas. We also got chips and salsa. The chips were chips, some almost burned black. The salsa, not too hot, was good. The guacamole improved the chips dramatically and answered my opening question, "Can good guacamole be found in New Mexico?" Yes. At El Pinto. At least I thought it was good. Remembering my red hot gift salsa experience I wondered if ordering hot chile sopaipillas was a good idea. It was fine. Very edible, some sweating and nose wiping, but I've experienced much more severe chile effects at other restaurants. The flavor was ok. The appearance of the lettuce bed hiding my little pillows was spruced up with sodium bisulfite. The diced tomatoes on top gave it a splash of southwest color. Some very good Mexican folk music performers livened up our patio. A table of Minneapolis school teachers did some spontaneous dancing lighting the place up with their spirit. One of us ordered the Levante dessert. We shared it. It was decent, like the food, fluffy whipped cream layered between thin cake slices. I've written reviews of much better food than El Pinto's. But the ambiance, live music, and decent food made a good package of the evening. Give it a try, especially some warm summer evening. El Pinto salsa can be bought in grocery stores across the country. Tea, Sopaipilla Chicken, Calabacitas, Levante, $27.29, includes tax. Will I return? When my fellow diners decide El Pinto is the place to eat, I'll join them and not regret a minute of the evening.

    (3)

  • Sandra N.

    BEST MARGARITAS IN TOWN!! This is a beautiful restaurant, great for entertaining out of town guests. I really can't drink margs anywhere else now. I like the red chile, but they're best meal items are not the classic New Mexican food. We started with the red chile ribs, awesome! My boyfriend had the quest burger, great meal, our waitress suggested it. I had the enchiladas. They were pretty good. Overall we were happy with our experience.

    (3)

  • Alisa R.

    Wonderful and large patio (2 patios to be exact), beautiful NM ambiance, and flavorful chilis. Great for newcomers! They start you off with excellent chips and salsa. We ordered margaritas which were balanced and potent... just the way I like them! Then, I ordered one the combination plates that featured each chili sauce native to New Mexico: the green and the red. I favored the green overall. The main complaint is the amount of mosquitos present on the patio that night. We visited during the monsoon season. It took them until the end of our meal to locate the citronella candle and we were eaten alive. The food was delicious but not my typical eats. Even though it was my first experience of New Mexican fare, I feel like I could find better cuisine elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Clif B.

    fantastic joint. gorgeous building and atmosphere average+ food just the facts: 1 visit // June 2012

    (3)

  • reese w.

    Ok, so this seems more like the kind of place where you bring out-of-town visitors or clients to impress them. Yeah. It has a buffet. That's almost enough to make it a no-go in my book. The location is super nice, the restaurant is sprawling and has beautiful grounds. The menu has a huge selection, from steak to burgers to New Mexican food. The chips are free and plentiful and they fill you up. The lunch menu wasn't terribly priced and they sure do give you a heaping amount of mediocre food. It was too bad that we went to La Choza up in Santa Fe the day before for lunch because otherwise, we might have thought that El Pinto was better. They give you free sopaipillas, but they just weren't as chewy and flaky as the ones we ate at La Choza. But fried is fried, right? Oh yeah, the margarita's aren't so terrible, and they're huge (as are the food portions). It kinda felt like we were going to Chili's where you pay a moderate price for a ridiculous amount of food that's only so-so. BUT... if I had to bring a picky eater somewhere that was "New Mexico-y" then I might pick this place. Well, it's not like I'm from New Mexico, but that's kinda what this place felt like.

    (3)

  • Kira E.

    The first time I went to El Pinto, I admit it wasn't to eat. It was for a Family Reunion with a professional photographer. They have a lovely outdoor area that's great for huge group shots and individual portraits. Then we all came inside and the manager let us take pictures in front of the waterfall. I couldn't believe it! He was so accomodating! After that wonderful experience, I had to go back to eat. I had the stuffed sopopilla, a local delicacy and it was truely amazing. Best of ABQ 2010 said they had the best guac and green chile, so of course I had to try it. AMAZING! But the hot green chile isn't for the faint hearted. You have to get "burned in" as the locals say before trying it. (They also won the best patio dining, which I will definitely agree to as well) Thank goodness for the gas heat lamps! The parking lot is gravel and fills quickly, so ladies, don't wear white heels, or you may have some dusty toes and spikes. The restaurant has multiple rooms each with a fireplace, it's cozy, great for large groups and kids. You see people dressed casual and also in formal cocktail dress for parties and events.

    (5)

  • Lavonda S.

    We visited on a Tuesday evening less than an hour before closing. We ordered the Fiesta appetizer platter which included red chile ribs, chile con queso and guacamole along with tortilla chips. The guacamole was bland - it could have used more salt, lime and garlic. The queso was flavorful, but not very warm. And the red chile ribs were room temperature. The best part about the meal was the price of only $18.49 for a very generous quantity of food. The tortilla chips tasted commercially prepared and the complimentary sopapillas were not very hot, fresh or puffy. However the complimentary salsa was very good. It was full of fresh tomato and chile flavor and heat! I don't like leaving such a negative review. Perhaps the food would have been of better quality if we had arrived earlier in the evening, but as it stands, I cannot recommend a visit here and would encourage travelers to seek out local flavor somewhere else.

    (2)

  • Angela B.

    If you love green chiles...it's a must. Amazing ambiance, solid cuisine, best guac and margs.

    (5)

  • Erin R.

    Being that I live in the Pacific Northwest, I get my fix of green chile by the jars of El Pinto green chile sauce that my mom ships to me. That's why this is a must stop location when I visit the Southwest. Lucky for me, my friends' wedding rehearsal dinner was located here- BONUS! At first I was unsure about the buffet style service until I concluded that I could have a little bit of everything without ordering it all myself. Genius! The queso and salsa- YUM. Enjoyed green chile relleno, enchiladas and some red chile pork. Margaritas were nice and salty. This restuarant is HUGE. Plenty of space, but usually quite busy. I'll be ordering a case of salsa and green chile sauce when I return to the rainy Northwest.

    (4)

  • Lori B.

    FYI.....4.5 Stars **************TOURIST WARNING******************** THIS IS NOT MEXICAN FOOD. This is NEW MEXICAN Food. There is a huge difference so be aware of that before going. It's all about the red & green chili folks. Okay, that being said, it's awesome New Mexican food. I'm having trouble reading the less desirable reviews regarding one of my most cherished restaurants ANYWHERE (I lived in ABQ for 5 years). I usually don't get this defensive about a restaurant but I'm confused. I think some of these people were expecting Tex Mex or California style Mexican food. You won't find that in New Mexico because this region has it's own style of food entirely. My go to on the menu is the Chili Con Carne, red chili, flat enchiladas with a house margarita. Delicioso! I will painfully admit that there are a few other NM restaurants that have better cuisine but one of the best attributes of El Pinto is the restaurant itself. It's gorgeous!!! Set in the North valley, surrounded by Cottonwoods, the grounds are rustic and inviting. The enormous outdoor patio alone knocks it out of the park. Inside is a meandering layout that includes many different styles of dining rooms, each one as warm and inviting as the next. Again, I don't get how this is missed in other reviews but it is truly a unique and beautiful dining atmosphere. Upon our last visit, the servers were awesome. We had a party of 15 and the servers broke up our checks with no fuss at all. We all received our correct orders and all food came out at about the same time. I was impressed. When I had friends & family visit me whilst living in Albuquerque, El Pinto was always a dining destination. And now that I am a visitor to Albuquerque, it's always a stop on my list and will remain one of my favorite restaurants for a multitude of reasons.

    (4)

  • E L.

    The restaurant is located outside ABQ and can be a challenge to find especially at night since we are new to the city. Driving into the expansive parking lot provides a feel of entering into an opulent mansion. Once inside, the place is filled with photos that of their celebrity clients and memorabilia. The menu is pretty extensive and we ordered the combo with christmas (red and green chile) as recommended by the waitress, including their famous house margarita. With all the hype and fame, the food was surprisingly unremarkable. The chile sauce was weak and short on flavor. The margarita was good but it is not a drink that I order frequent enough to made a fair qualification. I thing this is a tourist trap as I have had way better New Mexican cuisine. The price is reasonable but the taste fall short of its long history and hype. Not recommended.

    (2)

  • L T.

    Cute patio seating area .. Service was good..food came out fast! The chips were awesome - served warm and crispy.. Salsa was yummy too... Our meals were good..not great... Blue corn omelette was good and the green chile chorizo scramble was

    (3)

  • Marcy M.

    You really haven't eaten great New Mexican food until you've visited El Pinto. Come early or be prepared to wait in line! (However, if you do, you can wait in the bar and sometimes get great salsa, chips and other appetizers while you're waiting). The decor is beautiful (the large patio can't be on a summer evening!) Service always great. I love their rolled enchiladas, and their red chile carne asada. They do not have Mexican musicians, which I like as I usually don't like the noise or distraction (go to Garduno's if you want music). A bit pricey, but well worth it!

    (5)

  • Shannon C.

    We had a great dinner with fantastic service. This restaurant is a local favorite and a tourist destination. The menu is on the expensive side. There are other restaurants I would go to to eat a good meal at a much more reasonable price. However, El Pinto has an amazing patio, and I much enjoyed my leisurely dinner with my partner. My my glass needed a refill, it was filled. My waiter made a mistake on our order and there was a no charge on the bill. If I needed honey, it was there. This is RARE in New Mexico! Thank goodness for good service! The only issue I had were all of the kids playing tag for a good amount of time around my table. I finally had to pull some of them aside and give them boundries. I was shocked that the parents didn't reign them in sooner-they were oblivious. Other than that, and the expensive menu, I think the restaurant is worth a chance.

    (4)

  • Andrew L.

    Walking from the parking lot, the building looks amazing, and huge, which makes sense, while the waiting area is small; you don't wait very long, since they have many, MANY dining areas. I had the fortune/misfortune, of sitting outside, on the patio. While it was a great night out, the sun was out, but so were the bugs. (Still feeling the effects of the many bites) If you are going to sit outside, in the patio on the left side of the building, get some bug spray first, or a long sleeve shirt. I had a Combination Place Numero 3. It was a nicely size plate of various foods. It wasn't bland, but it wasn't exciting either, just the normal Americanized Mexican fare. If you head over there, no need for reservations, just pop in, I'm sure they could handle large groups also, the portions are good, and they have a good variety on their menu. The staff there is attentive, and our server was extremely nice, and willing to spend time, trying to help us decide what we might like.

    (3)

  • Amanda R.

    The guacamole here is amazing! We ordered it as an appetizer, and as soon as I tasted it I slowly started moving the plate towards me so I could have it all!! The food is very good, the atmosphere is fun and authentic. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I felt you could get a little more food for your money there. It isn't the place I would go all the time for New Mexican food, but if you have never been there it is worth it to go, and also for special occasions! It is on our list of places to return to!

    (4)

  • Tom M.

    For New Mexico themed food...it's very good. Avoid the ribs which are over-rubbed with red chiles. The place is legendary and has crazy history. We go everytime we are in town and will continue to go everytime! Get the enchiladas. I really liked the hot green chile sauce.

    (4)

  • Bernd L.

    The place to go for salsa/chili and Margarita aficionados. Great outdoor atmosphere in the maze of cool and breezy patios and gardens. They have a variety of at least six different salsas (from mild to infernal, from red to green, from plain to smokey) and their Margaritas are the proper libation for rinsing. Their chili con queso burger is nothing to sneeze at either!

    (4)

  • Shannon M.

    Mexican Food, one of the more controversial review topics on Yelp. Nonetheless, I'll jump right in with my review of El Pinto. "Yay, I'm a fan" sums it right up! El Pinto aims to be a classic New Mexican family restaurant and it delivers with tasty combo plates, colorful table settings, man-made grottos, and margaritas to meet every preference. Here's the rundown: Food: I've had the pleasure of enjoying a few meals here family style and so I've been lucky to sample enchiladas, tamales, red chile rubbed ribs, and the steak tampico (a ribeye that is topped with spicy cheese sauce and therefore quite literally not for the faint of heart but well worth the sacrifice of eating tofu and spinach for the following week). All the dishes I've tried hit the perfect mark of flavor and spiciness. It's true, there's not a lot of nuance in the flavors, but if you embrace the spirit of this place you'll be perfectly happy getting smacked in the taste buds with cheesy/chili goodness. Beverage: If you're up for a margarita, be sure to go for one of their fresh lime juice options vs. the house sweet and sour margarita. Well worth the upgrade. Also feel free to talk to the server or bartender about what style you like and they are sure to help you obtain the perfect margarita. If you want to take it one step further -- consider their tequilas for sipping (not shooting). another great item to talk to your server or bartender about. This place KNOWS their tequila and the staff has all been taught well by Jim Garcia (their director of operations but also a fantastic host). Don't be nervous, give it a try! Atmosphere: Everything about this place says traditional Mexican restaurant. Maybe it's my nostalgia for similar places I went to as a kid, but I find the Southwest and Mexican decor both comforting and rejuvenating. It completes the full experience. In the spring/summer there are also patio areas with beautiful flowering plants and water fountains. Service: El Pinto's is a family business resulting in a friendly and committed staff that likes to have fun. You'll often hear them joking with one another as well as seeing them help each other out with serving food. Their attitudes really adds to the ambiance. All in all, this place can best be described as a good ol' Mexican restaurant. Any single aspect taken on it's own may not be completely unique, but the total package feels like something special.

    (4)

  • Michael H.

    Growing up in northern New Mexico, I've eaten at a LOT of different Mexican/New Mexican food, but El Pinto stood out from the rest. Part of it was the food; part of it the atmosphere; the Spanish architecture stretched on and on, every room displaying traditional art and pictures of celebrities that had visited the restaurant (including Katy Perry). But I was especially impressed with the service; our server, Star, not only gave us recommendations on the food and drink selections (my wife and I followed her advice on the Milagro Select tequila, which is our new favorite), but educated us on the cooking methods and local ingredients used in the cooking, which elevated the restaurant from pit stop to destination. During the meal, she was very attentive, and afterwards, we didn't take much convincing to leave with some of their amazing salsa. The green Chile was delicious, and my wife tells me the red was just as good. I guarantee I'll be back, and hope the food and service is exactly the same.

    (5)

  • Dave T.

    Margaritas were amazing, food was good, but the wait was way too long. There is better New Mexican food in Albuquerque for sure.

    (3)

  • Kevin C.

    Had not been in a long time and boy was I disappointed...not by the food but by the staff. When we arrived at 730 pm on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving...and by the way can you have a grader go through your dirt parking lot once a month to level it and fill the potholes? We were given a number and were told it would be 15 minutes... After waiting we were told that we could go sit in the bar instead as there was open seating and so the three of us went into the bar area...they were right there was about 15 open tables... The problem? Not a single one of the 15 had been cleared! I could not believe it... How long does an area need to be neglected to have 15 dirty tables? At least an hour ? So we went back to the main hostess area who saw us leave the bar and she literally rolled her eyes at the staff member in charge of seating (more concerned with when they were going to get of there for the night)...we told them that we will wait for our number to come up as there wasn't a single clean table in the bar... To which she replied with a simple "ok"... Instead of "I am so sorry"...When our number was called we followed a hostess who was also seating a couple...after seating the couple she showed us to our table which...you guessed it, had not been cleaned from the prior customer... She looked into another room to try and find a clean table, and again there were empty tables just not clean ones... So we stood there as a bus girl showed up with an obviously filthy towel that had been used for wiping down several prior tables to wipe this one....and then the rolled silverware was placed...the hostess put the three menus on the table and walked away without saying a word! Not sorry for the wait...enjoy you meal...not a word... Then the young bus girl returned to fill the water and this young girl was the first friendly sociable person we met! After that the waitress was great and the food was great and would have merited 4 stars... BUT the owners lack of any care at all for demanding a clean environment and the most unfriendly greeter and hostess I have ever seen merited not even a single star.... Show that you care about your busines, and hire a more dedicated friendly staff and retrain or fire your current crew or sell your business as you are obviously not involved anymore or you have lost the passion for friendly customer service in a clean atmosphere... You need new managers who care about your business....The value of this business is deteriorating quicker than the old red plastic tablecloths still used on the table which must be over 10+ years old... Such a shame because the food was not bad at all...and the servers themselves were great...but an unfriendly and even rude greeter and hostess with a lack of management focused on the simple task of quickly clearing and cleaning tables says volumes...Will not be back until I hear they have turned things around for the better.

    (2)

  • Helen C.

    For reasons unbeknown to me, this place is quite popular. If you ask me, it's because when one person, say Obama, comes here, then McCain must come. And if McCain comes, well, then Sarah Palin must follow along. After all, she probably got word that this place loves to take pics and no "politician" loves to pose more than she does. Sorry, Palin! Now to the important stuff, the food is just mediocre at best. We ordered over 5 different things on the menu from the stuffed sopapillas to the chili rellenos, and none of them stood out. Maybe people wine n dine here because of the decor. Not that it's exceptional, but it does have a very cozy feeling with various alcove/rooms with fireplaces and chilis hanging from the ceiling. Tip: If you're getting here by rental car, beware that they might recommend this place. If you are inclined to try, then get the coupon from the rental car for a free chips con melted queso. Say "CHEEESEEEEE".......

    (3)

  • William Q.

    My wife and I plus our 2 young kids went to El Pinto last week. The environment/staff/ambiance was kid friendly (my kids can be animals) and on top of that the food was amazing. We were unfamiliar with southwestern cuisine and tequila but our knowledgable waiter Jesse brought us up to speed on everything and even let us try some of the salsas before ordering our entrees. The food, margaritas and bread with honey were delicious.. Great experience, we hope to return one day.

    (5)

  • Warren L.

    Drop a star if price is important and ambiance isn't. This is a very pretty yet very comfortable place. I was there in March but it's clear that eating outdoors during good weather would be delightful. The place is clearly part of the price you're paying and the price is a bit high. Clearly for many people that's not a problem since there were more than a few people there on a Thursday at 5 pm and most were not over 70. My silver margarita was great. The table salsa was among the best I've had and illustrates the sometimes subtle, not to mention subjective, difference between "mild," "medium," and "hot" on the spicy heat scale. If they had omitted the heat-containing seeds from the salsa this would be "medium" to my taste. The seeds either placed it in "hot" or right on the border. Of course YMMV. The Red Chile Babyback Ribs were very good. Here the heat level was mild and the red chile was there more for flavor than heat and it worked quite well. The side order of guacamole was nothing extraordinary, just OK. The waiter asked if I wanted my Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas with "mild" or "medium" green chile. He said the mild was closer to "medium". I thought the mild was mild but that's OK. The green chile itself was very good but the chicken was pretty bland. OK but I've had better enchiladas. The iced tea seemed homemade. I had a Peach Empanada dessert with ice cream. Very good. El Pinto also makes and sells several different good quality salsas and sauces. In my view good and sometimes very good food at elevated prices which may or may not be a problem for you.

    (4)

  • Lisa O.

    Fabulous chef-even made lobster bisque soup!

    (4)

  • T P.

    This restaurant is beautiful. Very big, great booze, great food and reasonable service. I would recommend this and will return anytime i have to come to this state

    (5)

  • peter g.

    Great ambiance and outdoor seating. This is the big draw for this place. You won't find a better patio than this. Chips and salsa was ok. Actually ok describes the food here. Its nothing great or special just ok. The rice had way to much pepper and my chili relleno tasted frozen. It was just way too uniform size and shape to be handmade. My enchiladas were just ok. Margaritas were pretty good. Service is attentive and nice.

    (3)

  • Felecia M.

    Beautiful Patio and great margaritas. I like the Patron Silver one. The chicken enchiladas with red and blue corn tortillas are yummy!

    (4)

  • Michael B.

    Nice atmosphere and above average service for Northern New Mexico. The Margheritas were good and the New Mexican food is above average. My only compliant about the NM food would be the tasteless beans that came on the side. Stay away from the hamburger. It was dry and looked like it had been sitting under a cafeteria line heat lamp for an hour before it was brought to the table.

    (3)

  • Leatheriah R.

    This restaurant is in a beautiful setting, but I found the food mediocre at its Sunday brunch...specifically the breakfast burrito which was swimming in liquid and my wife's eggs Benedict which was covered in odd sauces. Food arrived at the table late was was not hot. Menu pricing is way too high. Our young server was inexperienced and overwhelmed with the number of tables assigned to her. Never again.

    (2)

  • Erin S.

    I took my mom here for mother's day brunch since she was raised in Mexico and I heard this place had the best mexican food. We were just driving through Albuquerque on a road trip and had not made reservations. When we drove up we were worried we would have a long wait since there were a ton of people waiting outside. The hostess, however, recommended we go sit in the bar because there were open tables there and you could get the full menu there. We went in hesitantly but the bar was gorgeous. We sat down immediately and were served by a very sweet waiter named Ronnie. I have celiac disease and he brought me a whole gluten free menu (I couldn't have been happier). The whole meal was fabulous and our strawberry margaritas tasted even better when paired with the food. My only recommendation is that if you like your margaritas strong order a double because they are a little weak. Also, the guacamole is an absolute must! Apparently it was voted the best in town and I can see why. It was creamy and smooth, and paired perfectly with the warm homemade chips and salsa. If you are in town and you want phenomenal mexican food I highly recommend you eat at El Pinto. I only wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often.

    (5)

  • Christopher E.

    Absolutely legendary. Worth the long drive to experience the best salsa I've had in the Southwest, and perhaps ever.

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    Outstanding! The food was good but nothing stood out. There were several other items I wish I could try. The atmosphere was what really stood out. Very elegant, casual and tranquil. This is the nicest place I've visited in a very long time. The patio is perfect. Even the tree covered, gravel parking lot had a bit of elegance.

    (5)

  • Danny A.

    Textbook definition of a tourist trap... Pretty patio, great scenery, but mediocre food at high prices... The first basket of chips I got tasted like they were just triangle-shaped salt carvings. And it wasn't just some, they were all disgustingly salty. I could feel it all over my fingers so I asked for a new batch, and some of the famous NM green chile salsa. The 2nd batch was better and the green chile salsa was pretty good, but that was the highlight of the meal. I had the allegedly-popular chicken enchiladas w/ green chile sauce and they were just past the point of "I can eat this bite" but not quite "I want another bite"... Rice/beans/enchiladas were something someone from Wisconsin (sorry Wisconsonians!) may consider to be decent mexican food, but this place (from a food standpoint) would not last 3 seconds in TX, and it shouldn't in NM either. I arrived hungry but left half of my food. Service: much like the way the food seems "manufactured" rather than cooked, there is an assembly-line process to get seated. I was handed a card and told to follow some people, but it was the wrong person so after a walk through the maze I had to return to the front to be seated. The hostesses had little mics like they were in the secret service - was actually kinda cool since I've never eaten at a place so big it requires radio communication for hostess handoffs. I expected my server to be a vapid 17-year old like most tourist traps, but she was helpful, responsive, and pleasant. She got a can of Off! for the couple next to me which I thought was nice of her since it would be an easy request to blow off ... (how many restaurants have insect repellant laying around? if the place wasn't so huge I'd have worried about it getting in food). Bottom line: if you want to go have some drinks on a nice patio or are particularly agreeable and will eat anything that appears remotely mexican, this is your place... To me, $18 chicken enchiladas that don't even taste good are just criminal in a state with such a reputation for mexican cuisine....

    (2)

  • Michael G.

    Awesome atmosphere. Food was delicious. Service could have been better, but it did not make it a bad experience. Highly highly recommend for travelers.

    (5)

  • Tom G.

    Tried their Green Chile Cheese Burger for lunch today, it was really very good. The bun is toasted, has some of the classic guacamole and some shoestring fries I haven't seen anywhere else in town. Disclosure: My public relations firm use to provide media relations for El Pinto. I was at El Pinto with another client that covered the tab.

    (4)

  • J W.

    The restaurant is beautiful!!!!! I think it's definitely fitting to bring significant other or out-of-town guest to! I wasn't crazy about the food, perhaps because I ordered wrong items on the menu. I was ready to take a break from the typical chile-infused NM food, so for brunch, I ordered the pumpkin pancakes. It wasn't bad, just not impressive. But another friend's egg benedict looked really appealing, wish I had ordered that instead.. -__- The brunch entries come with a glass of juice or champagne, good deal :) we really enjoyed the patio seating area, except for the frequent visits from one honey-crazy bumble bee ;)

    (3)

  • Brie H.

    Great ambiance and margaritas! Sit on the patio if possible. Food is pretty good if you aren't picky about your Mexican food. Great place to bring people from outside the southwest. Again GREAT margaritas!

    (4)

  • Janel L.

    Over priced!!!! Over priced!!! We are from CA and are very used to over priced restaurants but they come with a view and drinks that will knock your socks off. We brought our cousin whom resides in Rio Rancho. Being that she is very tight with her money I thought they would have had a killer Happy Hour. I was so wrong! We paid $40 for a pitcher of margaritas which was 80 percent sweat and sour. Dang...we don't even drink margaritas. What a waste!! The only reason I even gave two stars was for the all you can eat chicken wings. Save your money!!

    (2)

  • Karen A.

    Like the food, but oh is the service still HORRIBLE in the Bar area!!!! Server disappeared and had to take my tea glass up to the gaggle of servers bullshiting and ask for more tea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If the were busy i would understand but no one was! Just so disappointing! Really sad because the Lunch Buffet is Excellent!

    (2)

  • William C.

    Great atmosphere. Wait staff was friendly and nice. Beautiful property. The nachos were not that good. However the rest of the food we ordered was great. Will go here every time I am in Albuquerque.

    (4)

  • Judy C.

    Being new to NM, I thought I would give Mexican food a try (I'm from NYC). What can I say, I've had better in NYC. Yuck! Oh! I meant to say YUCK, YUCK!

    (2)

  • Amy W.

    I simply can't comprehend why El Pinto doesn't even have four stars here on Yelp. I have family in New Mexico and make sure to include a trip to El Pinto every time I visit. Truly, truly fantastic. Beautiful venue (very reminiscent of Mexico), great service, and AMAZING food. Oh, the food. We usually go for the brunch which is (sadly!) only served on weekdays. It's buffet-style, moderately priced and includes enchiladas, various types of chile, beans, rice, chile rellenos, salad, fruit, and chips & salsa. Although I don't eat green chile, my family thinks theirs is some of the best. Their red chile may be spicy but it never disappoints! Dinner is equally good, with a wide variety of traditional New Mexican dishes. They also have lighter items and the option of steamed rather than fried tortillas and low-fat cheese for the enchiladas for anyone who is watching their diet. The only downside is that it is always warm and humid inside, which is less than ideal especially if one is there in the summer in Albuquerque. Still, if you want a great dining experience unique to New Mexico, go here!

    (5)

  • Pcake l.

    food is not so awesome. queso is blah...quesadilla - i would not recommend ordering. when i saw it, i was like...umm...what is this? and it certainly didn't taste any better than it looked. BUT the atmosphere is nice and they do have good margaritas...anyhoo, in sum, if you're looking for good food...i would go elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Louie B.

    Beautiful restaurant, terrific food. Have to try the carne adovada plate. They have the best chile con queso and the salsa is amazing.. the salsa they serve there is fresh, not the same pinto slasa you see in the store on the shelf, trust me! Once you try it you'll know what I mean. El Pinto is a must stop when visiting Albuquerque

    (4)

  • tony m.

    Don't believe the hype. The place is pretty enough, but depending on where you sit it can suck. We were in an inclosed patio area where you could not hear each other talk and the chairs were made of steel. The food is over priced for what you get. I am sorry, for good mexican food i will stick to small family restaurants.

    (2)

  • Richard D.

    Short version: good food, lousy drinks, lousy service. Skip it. This is a high-volume/special-event restaurant that has no soul. From the moment I walked in and was given a number (so I could wait five minutes with two other parties), to the incredible vanishing waitstaff, to the weak Margaritas, to the cavernous dining area, this is a place to be avoided, unless you need to throw a wedding reception or feed 150 people. The food was competently prepared, it could have been the foundation of a good dining experience, instead it was the only thing that saved my visit here from being a total disastrous disappointment. Note to self: "George W. Bush's favorite Albuquerque restaurant" is not an important endorsement. Neither is Mick Jagger's imprimatur. Honestly, there are a number of restaurants in Albuquerque that aren't coasting along on reputation alone. Go to any of them instead of El Pinto.

    (2)

  • Dan W.

    I have to agree with most of the comments here. Atmosphere, if you aren't wanting conversation is very nice. New Mexican cuisine is average at a premium price. The wait staff was very good, I will add the caveat that we were dining early and as they got busier, the rounds were further between. I do have to give an above average rating for the Green Chile Queso Burger. That could become a favorite if I could afford the cost, or the calories.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    This place is pretty cool. It's huge and each area is a little different looking. The green chile was amazing. It reminded me of my Grandmas. The red chile was pretty good as well. The chips and salsa was perfect. We also had the chile spare ribs as an app and wow! They were fall off the bone good. Try this place you won't be disappointed. I didn't realize until I had been staring at the place where they had all the jars of salsa that this is the place that the salsa I buy back in NV is from.. DUH!

    (4)

  • Mike E.

    Came here with a group, very pretty decor, warm, comfortable and definite Southwestern. Service and food was very good, with a friendly staff, would like to visit again. Noticed a lot of famous people frequent the place because of pictures on the wall...though not so sure I would care to rub arms with some of the politicians. LOL

    (4)

  • Anjel P.

    Oh hell yeah bitches! So my old man is from NM and we drove through during a fabulous road trip we just took. He still has family there so we decide to all meet up for dinner at El Pinto. I heard New Mexican (not to be confused with Mexican) is the bomb so I was really stoked to try it. WOW, these people do not mess around with their chili! The food was seriously delish and the margaritas were flowing. I had the cheese enchilada and chili rellano plate and the bf had chicken sopapillas. Thanks Papa Jack for the suggestion :)

    (5)

  • Jeanne R.

    El Pinto was established in the 1960's, and is still packing them in. It is on the north side of town, about a mile off I-25, in an area that looks like a country club. The entry features a huge waterfall, and a selection of their homemade salsas. The restaurant is divided up into a number of small seating areas. Some look like a traditional Mexican patio, with lots of light and greenery. We were seated in a room straight out of a traditional territorial home. Heavy dark wood furniture, and melon and fushia walls. Good thing the light was low! We both had beers. They have Tecate, Modelo, and Dos Equis on tap! That makes this a place worth returning to by itself! For food I had a bowl of the chicken green chili stew. Big chunks of potato, shredded chicken and corn in a spicy green chili broth. Thanks goodness for the beer and the large tortilla served with it. They kept the burn to a bearable (and very tasty) level. My husband had the combination enchilda platter. The choice on the sauce was mild or hot - no medium. We were leaning toward the hot, when our waiter mentioned that the salsa was mild. Since I had just commented on how zesty the salsa was, he went with the mild sauce on the enchiladas. Thank goodness! As it was, we both left with that chapped lip feeling. Everything was excellent, with large portions. I do think that over $30 was too much for the meal, but I would probably go back, the next time I was in Albequerque.

    (3)

  • Zack W.

    I thought this was an authentic Mexican restaurant. The menu was so boring like Taco Bell that I could only find Chicken Burger edible, believing in heart that's authentic Mexican foods... for a few hours. To be fare, I went there for dinner with Caucasian friend by his recommendation. He enjoyed the typical "Mexican" foods. A Mexican friend believes the lunch buffet has more interesting items. I have to say nice ambiance in the big food court, with fountain. The service was above average. The place got busy with locals throughout the hours from 5 to 8 PM. We stayed that long not for the food but because it's a good place to have discussion. So diners beware, if you want authentic Mexican foods, there are a lot of option in Albuquerque for a third or half the cost (the cheapest dish is $9.99 literally). If you like American foods, this is a great choice, with great ambiance. And you pay appropriately for that.

    (3)

  • Sarah C.

    One would think that at the prices this place charges that you're getting hand grown, farm fresh food instead of cheese, tortillas, and chiles. $16 for a plate of enchiladas with inedible pork?! You must be kidding me. The pork was tough, tasteless, and overcooked. And the sopapillas? I didn't know that you could mess up fried dough. Who cares that presidential candidates ate here?! I left El Pinto horribly disappointed and hungry.

    (1)

  • Heather L.

    El Pinto is a decent bang for a lot of buck. We've been here several times, the service has always been great. The nachos are always revered as some of the best in town! However, the food is very overpriced! We went there this evening a rack of ribs was 25.00! It's described as being marinated in red chile overnight- they had a slight bite to them which was quickly forgotten by picking out all the chile flakes/seeds in your mouth. The atmosphere is very nice- I'll certainly come again. Only for nachos.

    (3)

  • Tanya M.

    This place is ok..but their are so many other places that are way better! I just like the way the place looks. :\ other then that -Great to tack out of towners to lol they would never know That There's more out there then just El pinto!!! lol This place is just playd up for non-new mexicans to think this is good eats in new mexico. Boo! Try old town! :)

    (3)

  • Ron N.

    We were taken to El Pinto while in Albuquerque on vacation. After having Mexican food in Pueblo, CO...I have to say it was okay. Far more expensive than similar dishes elsewhere. The service was good and our waiter was very nice. The place is huge and the place gets quite loud. I did not think that it lived up to its reputation as the best Mexican food or a must see.

    (3)

  • Nina P.

    THE MOST FAMOUS PLACE IN ABQ - I SAY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! A typical Tex-Mex place known as a favorite for some politicos. This place always seemed crowded and not really worth the wait. It wasn't bad don't get me wrong but it's not worth an hour wait. If your looking for unique flavors try somewhere else!

    (2)

  • John S.

    flies everywhere, the food was so disappointing (especially the chilies), the service was awful and the place was without air conditioning. and i brought people who were first time Albuquerque visitors there on business.

    (2)

  • U.S. A.

    I went with a group of folks, I wish I ate somewhere else. A mediocre meal at best, not impressed. Just a big tourist trap, now I can say I ate at el pinto, Yuk. Last night I went to Monroe's after a visit to old town, that was way superior. They had quick and friendly service, el pinto did not. Tomorrow night I shall try to have good food at the Standard Diner.

    (1)

  • Michelle G.

    The crappiest most overpriced mexican food I've ever had!! And it took an hour to get it after we ordered on a Saturday at 1pm. Will definitely never go there again and will warn everyone I know not to go there!

    (1)

  • Matt C.

    Overrated, overpriced food. But the patio is great!

    (2)

  • Sharon R.

    A crackling fire, a pitcher of margaritas, good food, and great service all in a wonderful atmosphere with people you love. Ahhhh, El Pinto, we love you!

    (4)

  • Port D.

    Historic restaurant, way out in the middle of nowhere. Massive and set up for tourists, group visits. Photos of visits of famous people (George W Bush, I guess this is where Presidents go when they visit New Mexico). We were in a function room but I bet being outdoors would have been nicer. The food was generic mexican food though a bit fresher than usual. Is this worth the trip out to the middle of nowhere? Probably not.

    (2)

  • Bridget H.

    Great place. Sat outside on a mild May evening... the patio seating is so nice - more like garden seating. Our server was very nice and helpful - great service. The food is on the better end of good Mexican/New Mexican, not fine dining but reasonably priced and very yummy. Be sure to ask your server for which dishes are more traditional New Mexican vs TexMex and enjoy!

    (4)

  • Sean G.

    Awesome place, great food and atmosphere. DIY outside if the weather permits

    (5)

  • M S.

    I was in town for work, staying at the airport. Heard about this place and made the long long drive to check it out. The restaurant is out in the open by itself, tons of parking. Lots of huge old trees surrounding the building set up a great relaxing ambience. The place is huge, looks almost like a movie set. The food was pretty average mexican. When I asked for guac/sour cream on the side I found out later I got to pay $2 for small scoops of these mandatory mexican condiments. Not cool. Service was good. The room we were in was very loud, a group of turban wearing folks at the next table couldn't use their inside voices. For appearance, I would highly recommend this place. For price of food, I think it's a little too expensive. If you're a visitor in the ABQ it's worth a look but I wouldn't be a regular.

    (2)

  • Dave L.

    I was in ABQ for a few days, this place was so good, I went to this place twice, definitely recommend.

    (5)

  • Daniel C.

    I recently dined at El Pinto on the recommendation of a friend. I was traveling from out of town. The ambience is quite charming, the food absolutely delicious, but what really made the evening tops was our server Eric. He was polite, professional, and accomodating. He seemed to anticipate our every need - greeted us with a warm smile, offered information without being too over-the-top - yet quite thorough and helpful. All servers could learn valuable lessons from Eric - he is the gold standard. We dined on Saturday night 10/27/2012

    (5)

  • Tricia M.

    Pretty good. Margaritas were mixed well and were tasty. Enchilada was a little dry, but not bad.

    (4)

  • Matt K.

    I wasn't expecting much because I often figure that, anyplace this huge must churn out factory-like food. But I was very wrong. I had the greatest burrito I've ever had in my life. Granted, I'm from the northeast where a burrito is a tortilla stuffed with all sorts of stuff and wrapped up on a plate and thats all. Thats what this was too, except that it was much more meticulous in its presentation and it came covered in an amazing red chile sauce and filled with slow-cooked pork. Delicious. Two things of note which prevents the 5-start rating. (1) There can be a looong wait for a table despite the size of the restaurant. (2) They were a bit rude when I wanted to buy a round of drinks for me, my girlfriend, and her mom. Would only serve me 2 drinks at once. So I had to go back and get one of them to return to the bar with me through the horde of people. Not a huge deal but a stupid inconvenience IMO.

    (4)

  • Jim S.

    Definitely a local spot. We went on a Friday night for my parents anniversary dinner. The best thing about the place is the large number of outdoor areas for dining. We all had something different and a overall the food was good. Like some of the other reviews be prepared for crowds, so get a drink at the bar and wait for a place to sit. The service was attentive. Overall a good experience. I would eat there again but only for certain circumstances. There are probably more cozy places to eat for a date but a good place for a family gathering.

    (3)

  • Nicole B.

    After a disappointing lunch at Sadie's we ventured to El Pinto hoping it would redeem New Mexican food. The atmosphere is definitely a lot better, though a bit touristy. If you've seen the Casa Bonita episode of South Park it's like a less elaborate version of that....indoor waterfalls, autographed celebrity photos, etc. But it is actually quite charming and there is patio seating available. The spicy salsa bar satisfied our craving for some real heat as we perused the ample menu. The waitress was helpful and everyone in our large party found something to enjoy. The food was really good...plenty of delicious green chiles and just enough cheese where required (not drowning in grease). We were all stuffed and satisfied and barely had room for a final round of dragonfruit mojitos (the drink menu is pretty spiffy). Recommend for anyone passing through Albuquerque looking for a delicious meal in a new mex disneyland sort of environment.

    (3)

  • Tara G.

    I'm originally from the SW and have been dying to have great southwestern food after years of living on the east coast. Really, the best atmosphere you could ask for.... fountains, trees, lights, service, food, margaritas...... it was so much fun! It is well worth the few extra miles and dollars for an incredible experience, particularly if it is just a group of adults who care about ambiance and having an experience! After hearing from a few people say that we should try Sadie's restaurant, we walked in there and turned right around. It was FILLED with children and felt like a '"Chuck-E-Cheese" with diner chairs and bad service starting at the hostess stand. We left right away, afraid of what might happen to our food after asking to be moved from the kids sections (I'm sure it would have been good food if we were looking for a convenient place near by with a child-like atmosphere, but we weren't!) So we called our taxi back to get us out of there and take us to his recommendation of EL PINTO and thank godness!!!! We LOVED it!! Yes, IF we were looking for a good ,nearby, "family-friendly restaurant" with plenty of other children, and (likely) good food but NO CARE for ambiance, I'm sure Sadie's would have been just fine. But we had such a great time at EL PINTO, our server Robin was awesome, and I will recommend that restaurant as the only "must do" to anyone visiting Albuquerque! Thank you EL PINTO!!!! Can't wait to come back!

    (5)

  • Julie G.

    We like El Pinto. Our favorite experience is to sit in the bar on a Sunday afternoon and split their delicious chicken taco salad or to go watch a fun game while eating chips and salsa. The servers are pretty good and friendly and we have never not found seating in their bar area. We also have taken our family and co-workers for different events and it has always been a good time and delicious food. Their green chili sauce is awesome!!

    (4)

  • John H.

    Great spot! One of our favorites! Yes, it is big and busy, but we had excellent service and really good food! Drinks were strong and delicious!

    (5)

  • Matt C.

    I have been here three times now. The first time was my first time eating New Mexican food and once a banquet dinner. I will start out by talking about the restaurant. The restaurant is little bit out of the way if your on vacation. It is cool to see all the photos of celebrities who have munched at El Pinto. The atmosphere in the restaurant and patio are unique to New Mexico. The food is traditional New Mexican. I had enchiladas with Christmas (both red and green chiles). They were solid but nothing to go gaga over. My wife is big into Mexican rice and wasn't impressed with the rice but I thought it was good. Overall the place was on point. I was extremely impressed with the catering services at El Pinto. My brother had his rehearsal dinner and the buffet was great. They had salad bar, a taco bar, and enchiladas The food never ran out and everyone found something they liked. The bartenders and service staff was very friendly. I would recommend using their services and patio for any event as long as the weather isn't too hot or cold.

    (4)

  • Pamela W.

    We went to El Pinto for the first time in a year or so. I ordered a typical dish - the green chili chicken enchiladas and was disappointed with the green chili. It wasn't fresh (which it should be this time of year), or even frozen - it was canned. There was a distinct flavor of vinegar which is always added to canned chili products.

    (2)

  • O T.

    A trip to Albuqurque is not complete without the red chili baby backs. Touristy but fun. Beautiful building. Good service. Family friendly. Good value for the price.

    (3)

  • Eliot L.

    Great atmosphere. Awesome food. Delicious Christmas Chile!

    (4)

  • Kelly A.

    I've gone to El Pinto for years... it used to be that the plate was over flowing and you'd have leftovers for days. Now I believe they measure everything out and are tight with their sauce. We just quit going due to their cutting back on the quantity and jacking up on their price. There are too many other options in ABQ to settle on this.

    (3)

  • W R.

    5 Stars for the Beautiful Patio 2 stars for the mediocre food - caters to the tourists, not the locals 2 stars for the service 1 star for price

    (2)

  • Zack S.

    I was a little concerned when we pulled in and there were 500 cars in the parking lot. There was no wait at the door though as this is a huge restaurant. We sat on the patio which was very pleasant. Food was tasty and brought out quickly. A very good variety of menu items and lots of side items if you are not a fan of rice and beans. Service was a little shaky (no pun intended) as I had my margarita spilled in my lap. Another highlight was asking my colleague what kind of meat she wanted in her vegetarian enchiladas.

    (4)

  • Mitch G.

    I wish the place we were going to go was closed. We were near to here so went. About the only thing impressive here was the entry as you drove in, not to mention the shear amount of cars and the fact that this place is so huge you are still seated. Like most on here I wished I would have read the reviews first. This place is impressive as you look at the interior and how cool it is but that really is all they have. This place is so over priced it isn't funny. There is hardly nothing on this menu that is under $16. It would be one thing if the portion was huge but they are not. They are fairly small. Now remember this is in a town where this type of food is king. In my time here I found numerous small places to eat this exact same food for literally up to two thirds less than the food here. As for the quality, like others have said it is no better then the numerous other places in town and perhaps worse than most I have been to. Case in point, we have been to Garcia's Kitchen twice. One time for Breakfast and once for dinner. Both times the meals were around $6 each. Yes $6, with enough food to feed you so you don't go away hungry. Same food at El Pinto for the same amount $16. Not to mention the service is better. I will say this. we had gone to an isotopes game that say and if you showed them your ticket you received a free Queso Dip. This item I will say was amazing tasting. Service here was okay but what is it with most places in this town that the wait staff doesn't come back to see if the food is okay. Seems to be the norm here.

    (1)

  • Gary G.

    I am a chili aficionado! In many ways this restaurant rocks. It is where you would have a wedding reception or greet a President (check out their photos). Their food is just ok. Everything seems kinda bland and mild. A bit pricy too. There are many better Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque. It is just mediocre. Not bad, not great.

    (2)

  • Kim D.

    We recently ate here while visiting from OKC at the recommendation of our hotel concierge. It was OK but we prefer our Tex-Mex food, the flat enchiladas and green chiles were not really to our liking. You get a ton of food, the chips and salsa and queso were very good!

    (3)

  • Jaime Patricio M.

    One of the largest restaurants in Albuquerque. In the North Valley of Albuquerque and in the midst of cottonwoods is El Pinto. A great place for Nueve Mexicano food - red and green chile. If you have never had either chile type--GO and experience it. also sopapillas are magnificient. Buen Provecho!

    (4)

  • R.J. M.

    Great food, but the service was lacking.

    (3)

  • Jone H.

    As a tourist, I came here on the recommendation from a local of ABQ that I sat next to on the plane. This place had ample parking and the restaurant was huge. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy eating spicy foods so my options were limited greatly here. However, I can attest to the fact that they can grill a great steak here!!

    (4)

  • Nicolas D.

    This used to be one of favorites 10-15 years ago, but it's turned into an overpriced tourist attraction since then. Ambiance and patio and nice, but the food is just OK and overpriced.

    (3)

  • Van D.

    Go here quite often when I am visiting ABQ. Food quality is slightly above average but so are the prices. What makes me come back is the atmosphere. Got to sit outside in the patio over the weekend and it really was a perfect way to spend a sunday morning for brunch. Even in the winter, the atmosphere is great with multiple rooms having fireplaces. So much better than sitting in some restaurant in a strip mall. If you are truly all about the food and don't care about your surroundings then this is not the place for you. If you don't mind paying a bit extra for nice surroundings, this would be a good choice

    (4)

  • Timmay S.

    I am torn about this place because the food is average but it's a great place to go for a drink and an app. The place is huge and the lounge area is beautiful. You can walk into the lounge and help yourself to free chips and salsa and if you can hit happy hour they always have free goodies (tacos, chicken wings, queso). The margaritas are also very good, you can get a pitcher for cheap and get 3-4 people pretty tipsy. If there food was a little better I would have given them 5 stars

    (4)

  • Heidi L.

    My favorite restaurant in the Querque!! The green chile was amazing. The drinks were great. It's a warm inviting atmosphere. Last time, we arrived with a large group and it was no problem!! I heard George Bush likes this place, and I still couldn't take away a star!! I'll go again!

    (5)

  • J S.

    I just don't get it! The patio is nice, but 40$ for a pitcher of the grosses Margaritas I have EVER had! The food is not good, super bland and super pricey!! Why do people go here? Way better New Mexican food in Albuquerque! Think twice!

    (1)

  • Irene L.

    If you don't care what your food taste like or love to overpay for below average food then come to El Pinto. It took over an hour to get or food and it was not worth the wait. The waitress never came to ask if we wanted more margaritas or anything else. Paying $15 for a carne adovada plate is ridiculous especially when it taste like crap and has more fat than meat. The best part of the meal was my twins chicken fingers. El Pintos quality of food and service has declined and I will not return to this eating establishment. The worst part is that we took my husbands dad and grandfather who came in from out of town to a horrible dinner experience.To top it off we had to pay a $35 gratuity to a crappy waitress who we barely saw the whole 3 hours we were there but she sure was quick to give us our bill and get her undeserved tip!

    (1)

  • Jeff H.

    It's tucked away and it will be tricky to find but once you get there you'll see why it's a treasure. I was driving across country and a friend called me up and said "Don't leave Albuquerque!" She explained that I had to stop at this restaurant. We pulled out the GPS and searched for a bit and finally found it (PS if you see a sign for it but can't find the entrance you're in the back of the place, go further down 4th there will be a big entrance and lots of dirt parking.) It's a really big place. It needs it's own zip code and postal service it's so big. The food is amazing as usual and be sure to pick up a jar or two of their famous salsa before you leave. Also keep your eye out for celebs it's a well know fact that a few famous faces have passed through there.

    (5)

  • Harold S.

    Whats important to you..... Eat in a cool place or have excellent food?I have been to this restaurant several times and the food is average. The Red Chili Ribs are probably the best thing on the menu as the rest is your normal Northern New Mexican flare. Tonight was the first time with my family (vs business) and I must say the kids menu was shocking. To charge almost $9 for a $4.99 kids chicken strips and fries really made me think twice about coming here again. The place does well, but to take it out on the kids is not kid friendly in my book. It is no doubt a tourist trap and a great place for business associates to have a nice dinner, however this is a place that I will avoid now. If your desire is eat in a cool place and forego the food, come on down!

    (1)

  • Chris V.

    The ambiance and atmosphere of the restaurant is pretty nice; the patios are well adorned with plants, and in that respect, El Pinto is pretty neat. However, the food is not very good. They serve the most boring New Mexican food I've ever had.

    (2)

  • Joseph F.

    Fantastic. Great New Mexican food. Large place with great bar, but service and food was super. Margaritas were pretty darn good too! I had the ribs, which were wonderful.

    (5)

  • Grace V.

    I'm sorry to say that the reason one should come here is for the ambiance, drinks, and then the food (in that order). Service? I'll get to that one later. We sat outside and it was gorgous. Sitting under a ristra and vine covered pergola on a sunny afternoon sipping margaritas with my reunited family visiting from different parts of the world...there's not much that can go wrong with that one. The menu isn't spectacular and a bit overpriced for what they're serving and how they're serving it. For what they're charging, I hope they're paying their workers well. Which probably isn't the case because our hostess and service was crappy. Apparently with each dish comes a selection of sides (makes sense) but it doesn't say on the menu outright (doesn't make sense). The hostess names them off to my mother in rapid fire. My family giggles because we didn't hear a damn word she said. My mother stares blankly and asks if she could say them again. The hostess then says "LISTEN! This isn't hard." I was horrified. I shot my dad a look that said "oh no, she did NOT just say that to mom! Let the tip reflect service!" (I'm trying to make it G rated here). Food came and it wasn' t so great..or itt could've been the distaste still in my mouth after the incident. I find out later that my best friend's boyfriend is an executive chef there. I hope to god that it wasn't him cooking for our table.

    (2)

  • Kristi D.

    This place has substandard food and is dangerous. On a recent visit, their patio had swarms of bees, I would say at least a dozen bees swarming at each occupied table. Many people were complaining, and the staff simply shrugged and said "just shoo them away". Apparently they do not know that bees like to go in peoples mouths if they're open. Also, a bus boy dropped a glass that he had removed from a table, which fell off his tray and broke very close to me. I was thankful none of the glass went up in my face because it shattered so much. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE DROPPED ANOTHER GLASS OFF HIS TRAY AND THIS TIME SOMEONE ELSES WATER THAT WAS IN THE GLASS SPLATTERED ON MY FEET. The busser looked like he was on something because he didn't apologize and had that deer in headlights look. I finally asked to move to a different table on the other side of the patio in hopes I'd get away from the bees and the drugged out bus boy. Shortly afterwards, I went to the bathroon, only to come back to my table and found that my plate had been cleared from the table, even though I wasn't finished yet. Another busser came over and apologized for clearing the table, and said that he did so because bees were swarming all over my food. My waitress appeared a few minutes later, and I told her I had lost my appetite but that I would like another soda. I never saw her again, and of course never got my soda. Apparently management doesn't realize they are putting people in danger by dismissing their bee problem as no big deal. Don't they realize there are people out there who are allergic to bee stings? And what the heck are they going to do if a bee flies into someones mouth and down their throat and they start choking? Oh yeah, and the druggie busser dropped a third thing off his tray and thank goodness he wasn't by me that time. I would never eat at this place again, and if anyone else does, wear a bee suit and helmet to protect yourself from flying glass and flying bees.

    (1)

  • Dylan S.

    Really enjoyed dinner here. Great service, food, ambiance.

    (4)

  • Andrew J.

    Alright alright!!!! Fine! I kinda.... sorta.... like.... this.... place. They have some really great things on the menu, the trick is to order a bunch of things a la carte. I have been getting a bowl of beans, an order of sopapillas, an order of potatoes, an order of calabacitas and lots of red and green chile on the side... then I just combine as I please. Make sure you drink at least 5 margaritas... maybe 6, to be safe.

    (4)

  • Timothy E.

    Great dining experience with delicious food and good service. It's quite a drive to get out there but is the best New Mexican food I've had here. Definitely a place to try.

    (4)

  • Chupacabra X.

    Fairly bland versions of New Mexican style food. Dining here is more for the North Valley patio dining atmosphere than the cuisine. The restaurant itself is humongous, as are the 3 (4? 5?) patio areas. Make sure and try the red chile ribs.

    (3)

  • Morgan G.

    Consistently excellent New Mexican food. It is always a winner with out of town guests. Great patios, even when it's cold outside. I suggest the red chile ribs or chile con carne enchiladas. My only complaint is it is a bit overpriced.

    (4)

  • Mike F.

    We took our three grandkids and four adults here. The wait staff was prompt and attentive, and the food was very, very good. I had Combo Plate Numero Tres and it had five different items on it. All really fresh and well-prepared. There was a good kids menu - and quesadillas were the favorite of the grandkids. The chips and salsa were really good as well. The salsa was fresh and even though "medium" it was quite spicy !! After dinner, they keep bringing us sopapillas until we were stuffed!! We left happy and well-fed and we'll be back the next time we visit Albuquerque !!

    (4)

  • Jerry M.

    this place sucks massive amounts of shit. the only cool thing is the staff , some of the coolest people around. Other than that only come here if you want to get jacked for bullshit food. The patios are cool, as long as you dont eat.

    (1)

  • Tom C.

    So, they definitely have the atmosphere in spades. They're set in a beautiful section of the bosque not far from the Rio Grande, and the cottonwoods set the scene for the sprawling complex/compound of a restaurant. They have the waterfall and the tile everywhere...the atmosphere is incredible. The food, well...the food is fine. Nothing special. You can do as well or better at any number of places in town. But you don't come here for the food. You come here to show off to company, or enjoy some "authentic Southwest flavor" or something like that. Don't get me wrong, I like going to El Pinto. I'll likely be back the next time I have family in town or something. You just won't ever catch me going on my own for a night out. I'll much more likely head to Sadie's or anyplace else. The value isn't at El Pinto.

    (3)

  • Rupa S.

    I eat here every time i go to Albuquerque. This place has, hands down, the best enchiladas in all the world. I love the green chili... not only that, but they have amazing sopapillas (with honey), and great margaritas. Also, they have this veggie mixture called callabasitas or something similar, and it is the BOMB. LOVE IT. Well priced, good food, EAT HERE.

    (5)

  • Brandi P.

    First of all, El Pinto's food is New Mexican, not Mexican. Their food, service and atmosphere are superior. I no longer live in Abq, but when I visit, the first place my dad and I go is to El Pinto. Their cheese enchiladas and sopapillas are to die for.

    (5)

  • Trey G.

    I was very apprehensive to eat here after reading reviews. It is billed as a tourist trap and a huge operation. This I cannot refute. However, we were seated in a little nook outside and had great personal service and pretty decent food. Not the best Mexican food I have had, but I think everyone should give this place a shot. I would definitely go back.

    (3)

  • Jim F.

    The best thing about El Pinto is the atmosphere - really nice patio seating; beyond that, it's very spacious, quiet, out of the way but not hard to get to, and the food (mine, anyway - I had the stuffed sopapillas with green chile) was good. One of the better Mexican places in town, in my experience as a returned native.

    (4)

  • Trisha H.

    Very good food if you want to get a taste of New Mexico! My boyfriend's brother took us there a couple years ago and it was great, the service the food. The margaritas were delicious! We ate outside which was beautiful for an October evening. Would recommend any new comer to the Land of Enchantment (NM) to eat here so you get a feel of what New Mexican food is really about.

    (4)

  • D A P.

    This is the most famous restaurant in ABQ. And it was actually pretty good. You keep driving up 4th until you're just about to give up & turn around, and there it is. It's huge with a huge parking lot all hidden away in a residential neighborhood. I'm guessing it used to be a ranch house. They even have weddings here. It has many rooms & always a long wait. The patio looked like the best place to have your meal. We ate in the open bar area. Food was good, salsa was good with just enough kick. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it felt very touristy. It didn't feel like the locals ate here much. Everyone looked like they just stepped off of the golf course.

    (3)

  • Ronda T.

    I live here and I have eaten at el pinto several times. It is in an authentic adobe that keeps going with many rooms,fireplaces, patios. I have had great food here and Ive just had ok food here. Like the food, the service has been inconsistent. We really enjoyed a mothers day brunch once. Usually, we go elsewhere. They do sell there, and at walmart, great green chile salsa.

    (3)

  • Cazsh R.

    wonderful atmosphere in a sprawling, old adobe, complete with fireplaces or patio dining. The food is good, with a wide range of New Mexican-cuisine options. WE always buy some of their Green Chile Sauce to take home. It's the best you can buy in a store.

    (4)

  • Edmund W.

    El Pinto is all about the atmosphere: huge patio dining, live music, local art, etc. The meal was relaxing and beautiful. The food itself (i'm told) is quite authentic. I was taken there because I asked for authentic mexican cuisine since I'd never been to NM before. I had the enchilada combo which was fantastic. If you are looking for a place to have a long meal outside and to relax with good company I recommend here.

    (4)

  • Jetgirl ..

    Decent Mexican food. Sadies is definitely better! The salsa & chile are good, but nothing about this restaurant really stands out for me. I think its more popular for being an eating spot of Presidents than for its food. Fairly friendly service. The sopapillas aren't very good though, which was the most disappointing part.

    (3)

  • Iris M.

    El Pinto has good, solid New Mexican fare, but it's not quite as good as Sadie's. With that said, this is one of the top three New Mexican food restaurants in the area and the best on the west side of town.

    (3)

  • Elder J.

    El Pinto Salsa specifically the hot is worst salsa ever made. Filled with tomato paste and lumps of green chile. Why any grocer carries this slop is beyond comprehension.

    (1)

  • Aubrey J.

    Used to be top knotch. Now it's mediocre at best. Nice atmosphere though.

    (2)

  • Ashley P.

    The food here is not awesome. It's decent, and you won't leave hungry. It's definitely not the best mexican food in Albuquerque...but that's not why anyone goes here anyway. El Pinto is the spot if you're looking for ambience, and beautiful scenery to dine in. The location is absolutely beautiful, and it's a great place to drink margaritas and hang out with friends from out of town. Definitely not on my list of places to go because I love the food though- it's mediocre at best.

    (3)

  • Marie-Aude P.

    Great traditional New Mexican Restaurant. Great ambiance with lot's of different eating areas. You can choose the bar area, or the garden is beautiful during the summer. They are plants and water fall or water features in almost every rooms. I brought a friend of mine who flew from NYC and she was enchanted by the whole package.

    (4)

  • Jessica L.

    We visited El Pinto right after Christmas. The service was great considering that we had a HUGE group of people. The servers always made sure that we had fresh chips and salsa and full drinks. The 3 stars is for the food. Coming from Arizona everyone talked up how amazing the food is here and that they have better Mexican food than we do, so I was expecting greatness. The starters were delicious, we had the queso dip and the guacamole. It was probably one of the best queso dips I have had. The disappointment came with the entrees. I ordered chili rellanos and they were the worst I have ever had. There was WAY to much coating on the outside that it was doughy and not nearly enough chili inside. The rice was slightly hard and inedible. I was so disappointed with my meal.

    (3)

  • Kat D.

    DELICIOUS! Had the combo enchiladas and the green chile strips. Really loved it, was great and just spicy enough to be perfect. The restaurant was beautiful and there was plenty of parking. The service was very friendly.

    (4)

  • Debby S.

    Go for the ambiance definately not for the food! We had a party of 8 and all of our food was dry (meat) and bland. The children's chicken tenders were awful! The kids didn't eat them. For a mexican restaurant it was surprisingly bland....without spices, onions or garlic. A huge disappointment. Service was good.

    (2)

  • Dwain K.

    "Relaxing atmosphere, good service, delicious organic and hormone free food!"

    (5)

  • Emily G.

    Waitress was very nice but got my order wrong and only got refills when the manager stopped by. Plates are over priced for the amount of food received. Definitely paying for atmosphere at this place.

    (1)

  • Sandra G.

    Thanks to Groupon I was encouraged to try El Pinto again after so many years. I'm still on the search for the best New Mexican food but El Pinto delivered to fill my craving for enchiladas and tamales. My favorite part of my visit was the margaritas and the service. My combination plate was so good I ate everything. Our margaritas were nice and strong and our waiter was very nice and friendly. He even gave us some free guacamole. Over all my friends and I had a really good experience. I will be going back more often.

    (5)

  • matt h.

    The lunch buffet is fabulous, particularly if you have kids. The buffet is $13 for adults but only $7 for kids and includes a ton of delicious food. I really enjoyed the tamales and the four different kinds of sauces to put on them. Sopapillas were included with the buffet, along with delicious green chile, a great salad bar, posole, and many other delicious items. The restaurant is huge and beautiful, and was not very crowded for our 1pm lunch on a Monday.

    (5)

  • Steven W.

    This place is simply awesome beyond my vocabulary. Monika is quite possibly the nicest waitress I have ever encountered. So far the food is a 10+. More later after I eat. Please move your restaurant to Lodi, CA so I can eat there every day.

    (5)

  • Ana R.

    I love this place!! For its atmosphere and margaritas. I have been here several times and the food has always been just average. Nothing interesting. Service is always friendly and when they are really busy they have a bar were you can enjoy some drinks and chips and salsa while you wait. But it is a great place for weddings (I've been here for one), and bringing out of town friends and relatives.

    (4)

  • mark g.

    Great for the out-of-owners. But not the best local Mexican fare.

    (3)

  • Aurora N.

    I was vacationing in Albuquerque from Austin, Texas. El Pinto was recommended by the car rental place and the hotel. My sister and I were extremely disappointed. Very bland food. The only good things were the decor and the service. There is much better flavored food from El Paso up to Las Cruces. It was definitely not New Mexico food. I will never go there again when I visit New Mexico. Add some spice to your food people!

    (2)

  • Dwight P.

    Great place to take out-of-town guests. Beautiful location in the North Valley, and the food is good, just not spicey enough for us. We do really like their bottled salsas, especially the chipotle. Would recommend it to anyone visiting from out of state, then if they really like New Mexican food, take them to a place that is really spicy. Service has always been good, although sometimes the cashiers and hostesses are a little slow in taking care of guests.

    (4)

  • Vj L.

    Always superb and the best outdoor patio in all of ABQ!

    (5)

  • Dave P.

    Very good place overall. We were seated way out back and down a narrow hall. The heater was burning hot untill we located the switch. Service was very good and our server Sarah did fine. Chips and margaritas hit the spot with some fesh guac! Our group was large and the food did come out correct with the majority being hot. Will return and look forward to enjoying a even better experience.

    (4)

  • Melissa G.

    Love this place. Best atmosphere of any restaurant in NM. Great foods!

    (5)

  • Sonya E.

    Absolutely a must when your in Albuquerque! This place was amazing! The food and the atmosphere were wonderful!!!

    (5)

  • Amy C.

    One word - "Desiree S.". You need to sit in her section. Forget the food - ok it's amazing :), but she is a firecracker. She made our fantastic meal a dynamic, entertaining experience- we Love love love her - and NO we don't know her personally- but the next time we come to town we are going to wait as long as it takes to sit in her section!!!

    (5)

  • Emily E.

    Ate my first meal in NM here. Got the lunch buffet at the recommendation of my server and it was great. Got to try the famous green chiles and postole. My favorite was probably the sopapillas which I stuffed with spicy chicken. Yum!! Very cool atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Sean S.

    Amazing patio...and even better margaritas!!! Talk about strong...2 will nearly floor you. 3 might put you in a coma!!! The food is great, service is great and capping off the meal with sopatillo's is sweet! Lots of big time celebs have have been here too...Hillary, Barack, Snoop, etc, etc. This place is off the beaten path, but make the drive...it's one of the best things in all of Albuquerque

    (5)

  • Steve T.

    A bit of a drive from where were staying near Old Town but the atmosphere was nice once we arrived. Great margaritas. We found most of the food to be mediocre at best. A stand out was the guacamole salad which was delicious. I would recommended El Pinto for drinks and appetizers but not for dinner.

    (3)

  • Joe C.

    There's not much else to say about this restaurant that hasn't been said already. Yea, it's big. It's really big. It's in a large building in the middle of no where on the outskirts of Albuquerque. If you're looking for a quiet romantic dinner, El Pinto ain't your place. It's more or less a place you take mom, dad, grandma and the kids to celebrate a holiday or an event. There are photos on the wall depicting when the staff once cooked for the White House and other things like that. Traditional New Mexican cuisine is this restaurant's forte. In the center room, and there are a lot of rooms, is a bar section which is where I sat and was served by one friendly female bartender. Because I wasn't very hungry (I've been eating New Mexican food nonstop for three days straight) she recommended I stick with the happy hour menu which included a lot of good things, all fairly priced for about five bucks each. So I got a chile cheeseburger and it was terrific. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned and cost just five bucks. Lastly, to the Californian gal who has "no clue why people visit this town" and refers to the area as "quite ugly".... thank you. Thank you for reconfirming my contention that most Californians are arrogant pretentious snot nosed SOB's who should be restricted to never go east of the Sierra Nevadas. You do your people proud.

    (5)

  • Frank T.

    After a 10 year absence, I returned to this popular place with my wife and friends. The wait was short even thought there were a lot of folks in front of us. special margarita was right on no mix just lime juice, tequila and agave. I had the taco salad. There must have been over a half pound of chicken. It was fantastic. the dressing was excellent and nice serving of sour cream and guacamole. My wife had the carne adovada. So much food. the white sangria was just what she was looking for. They had a gluten free menu which was a nice surprise. 4 star service

    (4)

  • Abq D.

    Want an ABQ local's perspective on the best New Mexican food in ABQ? You're not going to find it at any one restaurant. It depends entirely on what you're looking for. At El Pinto, you'll find terrific salsa, guacamole, and Chile con queso, the best Carne Adovada (maybe a tie with Frontier), very good green chile sauce (mainly chile, not much sauce), and better than average red chile. I'm sure there are a couple other dishes that are tastey, but nothing noteworthy. But with it's lovely cottonwood canopy and sprawling patio space, you'll also find one of the best examples of New Mexican ambiance around (in spite of the cheesy fake waterfall at the entrance). The drawback of El Pinto is the price and the fact that you can't order many a la carte items to eat on the cheap. But if you're bringing someone from out of town, you really can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Ken Y.

    Great feeling of a NM resturant

    (4)

  • Jeanne G.

    Skip it - over rated, over priced tourist trap. I have been there several times with folks who insist it's good and it is always awful.

    (1)

  • Kevin M.

    They provide tasty food in an unparalleled location. Alas it comes with an unparalleled price. It's difficult to truck it past all the excellent competitors for the privilege of $17 enchiladas. Still it's a nice place to bring tourists and good for an occasional (read annual) splurge.

    (3)

  • Wendy J.

    My office went there for a farewell lunch for our boss, and it was a great experience! The majority of us had the buffet, and it was wonderful. It had just about everything you could want, from yummy Carne Adovada to tacos. The staff was extra courteous, and alway close. Love this place!

    (4)

  • Ima G.

    If you have read my reviews, you know I am picky- if it aint right- and you don't fix it- you have lost me as a customer. However, THIS PLACE is awesome NM cuisine! Authentic chili, wonderful flavor and atmosphere. A little high end on the cost, but this is the place to go the little extra. Also, their chili and salsa is available in the grocery stores= yummy! I had the carne adovada burrito dinner, papas, beans and all the garnish. A HUGE glass of iced tea, attentive wait staff, chips and salsa por gratis- beautiful environment. May I suggest you go in the spring when all is in bloom? The patio dining provides a wonderful experience. One other suggestion: a photo of the restaurant store front would be so much better- we know you serve food....

    (3)

  • Clara S.

    I've enjoyed El Pinto for business buffet lunches and an occasional dinner date but lately I've been enjoying the Sunday brunch after the yoga in the park they have been offering on Sunday mornings. It is close to home, the food is great and the atmosphere is wonderful. Also love that they serve fresh veggies from their garden and sopapillas with local honey.

    (4)

  • Richard A.

    WAY over priced for just so so mexican food. Better options are Sadie's or Los Cuates.. The food is ok, but not great, just average, but prices are sky high.

    (2)

  • Shivani P.

    I like the food and Ambience. Nice for a nice romantic summer evening, or to sit by the fireplace in winter. They could do a little better on cleanliness and hospitality service. I have been there a few times, and sometimes see stains on the silverware and glasses, or the table top is sticky. I would have given 5 stars it they took a little more care about cleaning properly.

    (4)

  • April M.

    I absolutely love El Pinto

    (5)

  • Jon B.

    Based on the poor service, the long wait for tables, the dreadfully long wait to be served, the poor food quality (slop), I have made my last visit to El Pinto for a very long time. The salsa would be the only thing that I could recommend.

    (1)

  • Jody P.

    El pinto is a restaurant I frequent. Like everyone else says its an amazing property. Beautiful patios with 3 or 4 full time groundskeepers . the owners of el pinto take good food very seriously. Mexican food is probably the easiest and most cost effective food to produce. But the little things they do make a huge difference. Organic sea salt, rice bran for the oil locally sourced ingredients when they can. I live close to the restaurant and have a bit of insider knowledge. El pinto is currently working on getting organic certification. That sounds easy but the ingredients are just one part of it. Logs, maintenance equipment, testing, audits, machinery etc all add up to get the cert. There's a few dishes I really enjoy at el pinto. The green Chile stew is unlike any I've ever had (born and raised) and the queso. A certain ingredient is added to it to make it semi sweet. Yum! I read a few reviews about service and management. Its a tough business. The upper management at el pinto is very much involved in day to day operations and takes service very seriously. Some lower management not so much. Its like herding cats sorta. El pinto tries very hard to produce good food. They grow their own Chile, make their own worm castings to ship down south to grow the Chile and the twins are heavily involved everyday in the restaurant. Is it perfect? Nope. Its pricey, a bit far, seats a lot of people and can take a while to get seated. When I talk to out of Towner's I always recommend an el pinto night.

    (4)

  • Robert B.

    El Pinto does not have the best food in ABQ, in my opinion. But it's far, far from the worse. The food is actually quite good, but in a town full of amazing Mexican food, the bar is set pretty damn high. At first we were kinda put off by the corporate feel and the endorsements by famous people. But, the place has been endorsed for good reasons, I think. We've been here several times, both for normal dinner and a couple of special events. Our first trip was not overwhelming - the food was okay, at best. But, in subsequent visits, our opinion has been turned around. I'm not sure what they have done in the last year or so, but its working. The service is always exceptional, and the restaurant is absolutely beautiful. And actually, their house margarita is one of the better ones we have found. The food quality has improved, and do yourself a favor - when they offer a special event where they serve house roasted pork from the whole pig, GO! It's amazing. As a bonus, the owners and staff are very aware of Yelp - they respect the community here and have even hosted Yelp events. At any rate, El Pinto will now be on our list for good places to dine.

    (4)

  • Gina B.

    Patio is very charming, esp with live music. Service was great. Menu was varied and decently priced for a finer dining restaurant. Chips were disappointing, but salsa is amazing. I ordered the full rack of ribs, which was too much. Flavor was fab and the meat just fell off the bone. The sopapillas were delish, but my sides were disappointing. The zucchini/yellow squash mix was soggy and saturated with butter. My salad consisted of wilted greens. This place wins for ambiance, service, and half the food.

    (4)

  • Judy L.

    The ambiance here is unparalleled. The restaurant is enormous and has multiple rooms, each with its own feel - leaves and vines and flowing water everywhere you look. The chili rubbed ribs were fantastic and fell right off the bone. The rest of what we had was pretty good, but overpriced compared to what you could get elsewhere. You're definitely paying for the ambiance but if for just that, it is VERY well worth it.

    (4)

  • Troy W.

    Owners (twin brothers) are slime-balls. My personal opinion.

    (1)

  • Alison C.

    Best Salsa. Great food and the ambience is great too. Authentic New Mexican food. Best you will ever have.

    (4)

  • Amanda D.

    Hello, I just left a dinner at El Pinto and I have never had worse service. My friend is moving to Florida from New Mexico, and wanted El Pinto as his last meal after 33 years of living here. Before we got to the restaurant, our party discussed memories of how many times all of us had been to El Pinto throughout the years. During the meal, my friend who was moving had an order of Steak and Enchiladas which were misheard for Steak Enchiladas, which is an understandable error. A steak knife did not come with his meal, so he was not able to eat with the rest of the party. The waiter advised us that he would need to ask for a steak knife. After 20 minutes the waiter finally did ask for one, his food was cold and we were ready to leave. When we asked to speak to the manager, and tried to explain our experience. The manager available told us that he was already going to comp our plate (which we did NOT ask for, nor expect) and told us that we were wrong, it had not been 20 minutes since we had asked for a knife. We could not believe that any manager would tell his guests what their experiences were. Our dinner was effectively ruined, not by a mistake but by poor and completely unprofessional management. I look very young, but have been in management for the better part of 10 years. I would never treat one of my customers that way, and effectively blow them off. This is not something that "free food" will fix, and as native New Mexicans, we and our families will not be back. We will not be recognizing El Pinto as anyplace to frequent for our out of town guests. El Pinto, look very hard at your management team, as they may have been in their positions too long to be effective.

    (1)

  • Sara O.

    Faye can I take you home with me? I LOVED our waitress and wanted to bring her back to Minneapolis with me. The thought of never seeing her again was too much to bear. Having never tried New Mexican food before I was convinced it wast he same as Mexican. But with Faye's suggestions and tips we soon realized it was not! She even gave us beer suggestions to pair with our green or red chili based food. We were seated instantly on a Friday night which was great and next to a cozy fireplace. After chatting with Faye, I chose a chicken dish made with red chilis and absolutely loved it. I would have eaten it all if not for the delicious chips and salsa served beforehand. The rest of the group enjoyed their meals and beers as well. I haven't gone anywhere else in NM to compare but I don't think I ever would.

    (5)

  • Libby B.

    Oh this food was so bad! We came here the first night of our stay in Albuquerque (no clue why people visit this town, there is NADA to do here!) and as a table we ordered the queso and the "worlds best" nachos. Queso was delish but the nachos sucked! The chips were also disgusting. They tasted like fresh baked corn tortillas not normal, fried, salty chips that you get at every single Mexican restaurant in California. For an entree I got the enchiladas......aka 1 flat corn tortilla, sauce on top, 2nd corn tortilla, cheese on top. No rolled enchilada, no yummy warm cheese all over, basically no where near an enchilada. It didnt even taste like it had been cooked, it tasted like the tortillas came straight from the bag. It was horrible! Ate a few bites and seriously couldnt finish it bc it was so bad. The rice and beans were fine, nothing special. My husband got the burrito and ate 1/2 of it and couldnt finish it bc it was so bad. It literally had un seasoned beef and a tortilla and that was it. I tried a bite and hated it. Then we had to come back the next night because the whole family was in town and they all had decided to come here, ughh. I ordered the tamale and the "taco" (aka a dry taquito) and the tamale was so dry and had 0 flavor and the taco was dry as a bone too. Wasn't awful but NEEDED to come with sour cream or guacamole! Again, the chips sucked. They give free sopapilla at the tables and they were good but not great. The only good thing about our visit to El Pinto was that our waiter (whose name was something like Ayden) was super cute and friendly and did a great job. He was a younger guy who was just cute, no better way of describing him. Cute as in a cute little boy haha. Giggly and funny and would do anything to help us out during our meals. The property and patio are really nice though so thats a good thing but I would def not come again. We had reservations the 2nd night for 9 of us and they could noooot get their act together. They had no clue where to sit us, kept moving us from place to place and got so flustered by not knowing where to put us. The patio was only 1/2 full so I dont know what the whole issue was!

    (2)

  • Mark B.

    Very good food and a nice atmosphere (depending on which room you get seated in). The food here stays true to New Mexico and is a great place to go if you want to try NM fare. They have vegetarian/vegan options that are very good. We always enjoy coming here. You see people in coat and tie all the way to shorts.

    (4)

  • Jen S.

    I was visiting Albuquerque and a friend recommended El Pinto. I really enjoyed this place! Good times, good food, and awesome margaritas (I love a good margarita)! It was worth the stop!

    (4)

  • Robin D.

    went to El Pinto for lunch with the family. Great atmosphere and decor. The fountain in the entry and the celeb photos give an air of sophistication and excitement. The sheer size of the restaurant indicates a great party venue. The praise stops there. My beef quesadilla was dry. The salads for all who ate them were wilted. Service was very good, polite and prompt. But the experience resulted in average fare for an Albuequerque iconic restaurant.--Robe D.

    (3)

  • Kimi T.

    Wow, talk about a hidden gem! This is the kind of place I'll be taking out-of-town friends when they want to experience New Mexico at its best. Amazing food (try their freshly made guacamole and salsa), great ambiance, live music during the summers, spot-on service, great activities (i.e. tequila and tapas tastings-check their website for upcoming events). They even roast, bottle and sell their own salsas that they make on-site! Ample parking for large events and would be a great venue for weddings. I was really impressed with El Pinto when we took a tour during an Elite event we had tonight. They really care for their customers, ingredients/products, environment, and staff. It made me appreciate everything El Pinto does and how they do it. The owners, Jim and John, are down-to-earth twins that took over the family business and have done an excellent job in keeping up with the tradition of making great food with great care. I will definitely be back soon and putting this in my ABQ Favorites list. It's that good.

    (5)

  • Marqui R.

    Ive been here a couple of times. I would rate it 5 stars for ambiance, but that's where it ends. The food is so so and overpriced in my opinion. I paid almost 30 dollars for a combination plate while attending a birthday party here. $30 for a new Mexican food is not ok for me. I gladly paid it as I enjoyed the atmosphere and was here for my friend, but I don't think I would be back, maybe for a happy hour. I ordered a combo plate that had a tamale, cheese enchilada, and two tacitos. The waitress asked if I wanted sour cream and guacamole but did not explain that those were extra so I said yes. Also the combo plate only came with rice and no beans. The beans were extra as well when I asked for a side of beans, thats how an $18 combo plate turned into a $30 dollar plate, ridiculous especially for new mexican food which I can make at home for a lot cheaper!! That aside, I always enjoy the ambiance of this place and the service was quite good. I just think its overpriced new mexican food.

    (3)

  • Brian C.

    I'm a New Mexico native, and though I've lived in California most of my life, I get back here often. A couple years ago, I had the best New Mexican meal of my life at El Pinto. Over the last couple years, though, it has gone downhill. The restaurant is still as beautiful as ever, but the food and service... Well, we waited for ages for any sort of wait staff to drop by, and when he did, he was thoroughly flustered and clueless about the menu. Then the kitchen was "backed up" (on a slow night with the restaurant maybe 1/3 full), and the food arrived over half an hour late, and was mediocre at best: Lukewarm, sauces all wrong, tough and chewy enchiladas, and rock hard sopaipillas. It was as if everything had been made an hour ahead of time and allowed to sit and harden under a not-very-hot heat lamp. I'll give El Pinto another try next time I'm in New Mexico, because of my last experiences and because their salsa still rocks, but tonight was not good at all.

    (3)

  • Diana c.

    We love this place! Atmosphere is great, food is consistently very good as well. Typical New Mexican.

    (4)

  • Cyn H.

    mmmm....New Mexico chille at its finest. Make a reservation and just walk right to your table. The ribs are amazing. Just the right amount of spice, moist, and quickly consumed. Be prepared to waddle to you car afterwards.

    (5)

  • Brenda I.

    the Patio is exceptional, there was a band playing that was darn good and not too loud. and then the gorgeous rain for 10 min made for a magical evening. of course the tequila cocktails didn't hurt! some of the most unique and tasty ones i have come across in a while. the food is sublime. when i lived in abq i was at el pinto once a month, now i live in LA and dream of their chile (red with beef, green with chicken of course) and return every so often just to eat for hours. 'a true "coming home".

    (4)

  • Wes T.

    Excellent margaritas. Great bar off to the side of the establishment, with its own menu. This restaurant can get very busy, as it is very popular. If you can't get into the restaurant, or don't want to wait (I highly recommend you make reservations) sitting in the bar is a fair substitute. Very knoweldgable staff, they know their tequila. The location is nice, and they have a great patio. Located near the river on the northeast side, this is getting away from the suburban sprawl and concrete that covers so much of Albuquerque. All the space is nice in that there's also a great deal or parking available. Did I mention this place gets busy? You'll be glad that they have a huge lot, even if you do have to hike a ways to get tot eh front door.

    (4)

  • Kevin K.

    This place was a huge disappointment. The menu is lacking with over-simplified items that are incredibly overpriced. My dish was chicken tacos, which were bland and unimpressive. My son had ground beef tacos, which were horrible. He said they tasted like kibbles and I tried them to confirm they did in fact taste like dog food. Fortunately we were able to get the beef tacos off the bill. The service was slow and it took a long time to get the food ordered and a long wait to receive the food. Save your money and taste buds and go to a taco truck instead if it comes between that and El Pinto.

    (2)

  • David M.

    Another well deserved 4 star review for the restaurant that seems to know how to earn them, through their delicious food. The food is well thought out, recipes are delicious and the flavors are very tasty and complex. The expected chips and salsa were anything but typical. The salsa is WELL spiced and you also get two sides of marinated green chiles: hot and not so hot. The service here is well on par and the good review for this restaurant are right on target. I leave you with two instructions: 1. GO HERE, 2. ENJOY.

    (4)

  • Yohlande V.

    Nice ambiance - food just ok - price high for quality - excellent margaritas- great chips & salsa - friendly service.

    (3)

  • Aleisha A.

    We don't visit El Pinto often, but it is a huge hit with my southern bred in-laws. The food is on par with any other popular New Mexican food joint. My favorite thing about this place is drinking one of their awesome house margaritas on the beautiful patio. The grounds are really amazing and it's fun to look at all the celebrity pictures on wall while you wait for your table. Great place to take visitors from out-of-town.

    (4)

  • Barbara T.

    The ambiance was so beautiful, I felt like I was in another country, and the food was delicious. The wait staff was on hand regularly checking on us to see if there was anything they could get for us and how our meal was. I am from out of town and was there for my sons dissertation and he thought this was a perfect place to celebrate, he was right:)

    (5)

  • Nancy L.

    All in all, I just don't like El Pinto. The food is ordinary, the salsa is just too darned hot. The only good thing I've had there was the lunch buffet, where I could put together my own miniature taco salad. I will say that the atmosphere is terrific - and the wait staff is attentive, but not intrusive. I know I'm in the minority in Albuquerque in my lackadaisical attitude toward El Pinto, but I've been so spoiled by the old Rancho de Corrales in Corrales that I just can't get enamored of any other Mexican/New Mexican restaurant.

    (2)

  • Michele C.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in Albuquerque. It really captures NM style and the food is delicious. The atmosphere is incredible as well. The size of this place blows me away. Each area of the restaurant is beautifully decorated and makes for good conversation. Wait staff is wonderful. Be sure to tip them very well because they work hard taking care of everybody and making sure you walk out a happy customer.

    (5)

  • David K.

    Good place. I had the #3 combination. Nothing outstanding or over the top, just good basic Mexican food at a good price. Next time I'll have to try one of the steaks!

    (3)

  • Chris O.

    Monika and the whole staff made me feel special on my birthday. And the food. Wow!

    (5)

  • Tom B.

    Party of 10, but reservation made 4 days in advance for outside seating. Took 25 minutes to be seated and it was two round table pushed together. One of us said we were not getting crammed in like that, took 15 minutes to get better seating. Wait service was just as slow. Got Chile Rellenos. Very mediocre. Way more batter than chile or cheese and I swear the cheese was Cheeze Wiz. No flavor. Asked for some red chile sauce on the side, mild, literally had no flavor. The sopapillas were bland too. Huge place, lots of people, but lousy food. Don't know haw it git it's rep

    (1)

  • marci b.

    For as many times as we've dined here, we never had more fun than tonight when Desiree S. served us. Thanks for making a delicious meal even better! Go to El Pinto and ask to sit with Desiree S.!

    (5)

  • Al S.

    Great ambiance, comfortable environment, large menu, home-made food using healthy ingredients. The Chile con queso at El Pinto is reason enough to come. The chips are made on the premises and very tasty. Not greasy or too salty. If you aren't used to New Mexico's fascination with chilies remember the food here is a tad hotter than you might expect, but very good. Wait staff is extremely responsive and helpful. Also friendly. The honey is local and finishes off each meal with warm, tasty, flakey sopapillas. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Brad V.

    My wife and I love this restaurant and we have visited many times. We have lived in Albuquerque for about a year and a half (we moved here from Ohio), and we have brought 5 different out of town guests. Most recently, my parents were in town and we brought them for a New Year's Eve dinner. There are several things to love about this restaurant: 1. The Size and Decor It's impressive. Bringing out of town guests to this restaurant is a lot of fun because of it's impressive size and beautiful, fun decor. The patio is amazing during the non-winter months. 2. The Food I haven't had a bad meal here once. One time a guest we brought did not like his meal (though I do not believe this was because of poor quality, just a picky eater) and the staff gladly took it off our bill and made him something else. 3. The Service As mentioned above, the service is great. The only issue I have ever had is the staff occasionally forget the little things like a side of sour cream, but they are always quick to remedy it. This is never a big deal and frankly, as a sour cream fan I have this problem at just about every restaurant I go to. 4. The Cost The food is very affordable, especially for the quality that you get. Margaritas can get a little pricey, but you get what you pay for, right? We only order the Patron Silver Margaritas made with fresh lime juice and they are amazing. I wouldn't expect to get a quality made Margarita like that cheaply. 5. Overall This is a great place to go. I guess I would agree with some reviewers that it does have its place. If it's busy it can be a little on the noisy side, but El Pinto is setup to be a fun, casual dining experience where you can bring a huge group and eat great food. If you are looking for a quite, romantic, expensive and pretentious place, go somewhere else. There is nothing pretentious about El Pinto. Yes, it is grand. Yes, they show pictures of famous people who ate there. And Yes, they have served food at the White House before. These things make El Pinto authentic to what the restaurant is: A delicious, huge, fun place to eat! P.S. - If you want dessert, get El Pinto's version of Tiramisu. It's made with Biscochitos instead of lady fingers and it's one of the most amazing things I've ever tasted. I'm usually stuffed after dinner, but it's hard to pass up this dessert. If you order it, I suggest sharing. It's huge!

    (5)

  • Rand R.

    Good food, nice atmosphere. For the best experience, dine on the patio when the weather is nice. Drinks are good. A bit pricey, but a great place to take out of town guests for New Mexican food.

    (3)

  • James B.

    good place for drinks food, not so much carne was too salty

    (2)

  • Misha T.

    This place is totally insane looking. It's like an entire spanish villa with multiple dining areas, a bar and a ton of staff. The food isn't bad either but my enchiladas at $18 a plate is probably 2-3 times too much.

    (3)

  • Luis L.

    Excellent place for a romantic dinner. The environment is great ans the food is really good portions are generous. I Tried the sopapilla with ice cream and my wife love it. A little pricey but itreally worth

    (5)

  • John V.

    Took my wife here for her birthday dinner - one if the worst dining experiences of my life. It was a total nightmare and I will not be coming here again. We were a party of six. After being seated we had to wait 15 minutes for or server to arrive. When he did, he was so quiet that we could barely hear what he was saying. After he took our orders, he quietly walked around and whispered to everyone what they ordered to confirm he had written it down correctly. We ordered drinks and had to ask three times (20 minutes later!) where our drink order was. The restaurant prides itself on free non-alcoholic drinks and my wife ordered one, to which to server scoffed and asked if she was serious. "I don't even know if the bar tender knows how to make a non-alcoholic Margarita! Ha!" It made her feel terribly uncomfortable. We placed our order and had to wait 45 minutes before the food came (!) - it was one of those experiences where people were seated, served, ate and left before our meal came. We asked multiple times where our food was and the server kept saying "it will be right out." We kept ordering sodas while we waited and glasses PILED up on the table. No one ever came to clear them off! At one point, between the six of us there was a total of 24 empty glasses on the table that were never cleared!!! As a joke to draw attention to the fact that no one cleared the table, we stacked them into a pyramid and STILL the waiter and other bus boys around them watched and did nothing. By the time our food arrived - yep, you guessed it: the order was screwed up. THANKFULLY they cleared the empty glasses to make room to put down the plates, but then we were served dinner with no drinks. In terms of the food screw-up, my mother-in-law ordered a #2 combo plate with chicken, but instead they brought out a whole plate of chicken enchiladas. The waiter then ARGUED with her about the order and said that this WAS what she wanted. Service rule #1 guys: Never argue with your customer! The red chile ribs my father-in-law ordered were cold, along with cold fries that came with it. He ordered a side of cole slaw that never came out also. My taco salad had no salsa dressing on it - it was just a total comedy of errors. At this point the waiter (and other waiters/bus boys at the restaurant) were aware how messed up everything was, so they started tending to the table with more intensity. Knowing that it was my wife's birthday, they brought out dessert for the table, but only two of them for all six. We HAD it at this point, so we asked for the check and to-go boxes. 15 minutes later, no check and no boxes! Finally we asked for the manager who came over, profusely apologized and then laughed at us because we were so upset. This further infuriated the tabled, so we SIGNED THE CHECK (which should have probably been comped at this point) and then walked out. On the way out we asked for the owners names so we could call them, but figured a one star yelp review would be more damaging. I have seen other people write reviews and talk about how El Pintos service has gone down the drain. This was certainly our experience and would recommend locals stay away until the owners do a thorough once-through their staff. What a terrible evening - and my wife's birthday dinner to boot! :-(

    (1)

  • Jim A.

    A local recommended this place. Great ambiance, great service, clean, friendly, tranquil location. The food however, is completely without flavor, and surprisingly much poorer than average, given the detail of the infrastructure. As the saying goes, "All hat and no cattle". The Casa Bonita of ABQ. Come here for the atmosphere. If you are looking for Mexican food, stop anywhere else.

    (1)

  • Carol H.

    Terrible service - we had to wait over an hour for our food. Two different waiters brought us orders that we not ours then took that same food to other tables - and the food didnt belong to them either. The third time they brought our orders even though they were still wrong and the food was not warm. The food itself is mediocre at best and the prices are ridiculous. The patio is nice - if only the food and service were decent.

    (1)

  • Terry A.

    Terribly overpriced, not so tasty, supposed New Mexican food. This is a tourist trap. $16.95 for enchilada plate that I still felt hungry when I left. NEVER AGAIN!!

    (2)

  • Eric B.

    I visited here recently while passing thru town and boy am i glad i did. The place was packed just after Sunday brunch. I sat in the bar area and devoured what i think is the BEST chips and Salsa ever! The salsa is so fresh, tasty, spicy, just perfect! The green Chili's in it sure help. I had an order of chicken quesadillas and they were also excellent! My meal was the Chicken Adovada, and it was delicious! Overall, this was probably the best mexican meal i've eaten in my life, and i've had a lot of them! I plan to visit here anytime i am in Albuquerque

    (5)

  • J S.

    Our local hosts brought us here so I was hoping for a true taste of the region. And it was decent - but not remarkable. My partner thoroughly enjoyed his avodado; I found my green chile stew kinda boring. Margaritas were fine, not anything to swoon over though.

    (3)

  • Jeff G.

    This place rocked. Food was amazing. Got the Spicy Beef Burrito with the Green Chili topping. It is really nice and spicy, not for those that don't like spicy things or only like a little spice. For those like me that think "the hotter the better," this will be just perfect. Not so hot that you cannot taste it anymore, but definitely very spicy. Very cool theme to the restaurant, it feels like a destination-type restaurant. If you haven't been to New Mexico before, you'll want to check this place out. It gives you the feel and flavor of New Mexico.

    (5)

  • Eric J.

    Superior dining experience and I only had the buffet! Everything to choose from was New Mexican staples and well done. It was just after the lunch rush and they still kept it fresh and flowing, seemingly never running out of local favorites. Yes, you do have your choice of red or green... Too many selections to try them all, but I tried my best and definitely got my money's worth. The whole place is festive and fun. There's a large patio for dining outside in the nice New Mexico weather, or large indoor dining and bar areas as well. Not much to improve upon for a place that's been around since the 60s. Eat here and enjoy!

    (5)

  • Thea H.

    Great atmosphere. Beautiful place, really nice that much of the food is sustainable and they recycle all the leftovers. Had really good red chile ribs and posole. The salsa was excellent and green chile spread was so fresh. Tasted the steak Tampico which was also very good. Enjoyable evening.

    (5)

  • Jeff M.

    Eggs were awful and chile relleno was not great. Love this place - hope they get it back together!

    (2)

  • Victoria M.

    As a native, I expect good New Mexican food at a New Mexican restaurant. I have been to El Pinto many times and my overall opinion is that the patio is a pretty and fun place to have a drink and visit with friends, but the food is subpar for New Mexico and definitely overpriced. Most every plate comes covered in too much cheese and not enough chile. I would recommend the Taco Salad - not remarkable but a safe bet. The patio atmosphere in the summer is nice. The Sunday brunch with champagne is not bad. It's a good place to take your out-of-town guests who are newbies to hot chile - they won't think the chile is too hot-because it's not. I'm sticking with Los Cuates, Frontier, or Garcia's kitchen for great chile! This is such a beautiful place-why can't they improve the quality of very basic New Mexican dishes??

    (3)

  • Adrianna S.

    I don't write reviews for many places. I'm lazy, what can I say? However...El Pinto is so worth taking out the time! This place is fantastic! I'm from Chicago, looking for some local cuisine with a local flare. El Pinto fits the bill (not being from here, at least, that's my assumption) :-) I came here Monday for lunch with a colleague. He had enchiladas, I had a taco salad. We are now back for dinner a few days later. Nowhere else has compared. We did the chili con carne. Um...yumm-o! He had enchiladas again, and I had a taco, tamale and enchilada with the chile sauce on the side. Come for the enchiladas, stay for the ambiance. I loved it!

    (5)

  • Jacob N.

    First time here. The food was very authentic, and delicious. You can tell they use quality, fresh ingredients just by the taste of their food. I was very impressed, recommend it, and can't wait to come back and try something new. The Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas were top notch.

    (4)

  • Robin B.

    Atmosphere & tasty food. Service is very sub part except at the bar. Interesting selection of tequilas and Mezcal.

    (4)

  • RK L.

    Good food but terrible service with reservations. Not sure how you can screw up reservations so badly.

    (1)

  • Glenn F.

    Haven't been in years and my impression this time out is El Pinto is just a shadow of its former glory. We started with some confusion about who was seating which party on which patio. My daughter is dealing with residual bites from all the mosquitoes and the house flies were a nuisance. The hazards of a wet summer in New Mexico I suppose but you know, El Pinto, they make stuff to control that. Service was a little slow at first but not too bad. I had the house favorite healthy choice chicken adovada with calabacitas, beans, and rice, amid a lot of confusion about the calabacitas (standard or extra side?). Don't get me wrong, it was the best calabacitas I think I've had, squash cut in manageable slices with some chew left instead of the usual soggy chunks found at lesser restaurants. in fact, it was practically the stand out dish on the table. That and the flaming hot salsa and the El Tesoro margarita. The main feature, the chicken, was a disappointment. Dried out and tough, with a veneer of red chile that the grill didn't strip off. Ironically, it's becoming difficult to find good New Mexican food in Albuquerque. And pricey to boot. Hard to get an entree for less than $18. I mean, c'mon, this isn't haute cuisine. Sigh...

    (2)

  • Tim B.

    As we were preparing for our 2015 road trip, I queried friends as to what might be interesting culinary options along the way. One who was born and raised in that state highly recommended this establishment, commenting that she, her husband and her father partook in the restaurant at every opportunity, and then some. So, of course as we drove east across the state of Arizona, we found ourselves shoo shooing whatever eating places we saw (and to be fair, eastern Arizona is quite literally a food desert, so that accomplishment isn't really all that impressive). By the time we crossed into New Mexico we realized that we could in fact hold out the rest of the way (I'm sure we would've found something in Gallup if we didn't have our mind set on dinner). And hold out we did, even forgoing our hotel's 'social' so that our appetites would remain in check. In spite of Albuquerque's recent development, El Pinto remains on the fringes of civilization. At least, the site itself is. Once you arrive you are greeted by a parking lot seemingly designed for some millionaire's ranch, with greenery abounding everywhere, along with the option of valet parking. We were worried for a hot second that we weren't going to be able to find parking, but fortunately a spot opened up and my cat-like reflexes allowed us to grab it. Some people said you needed reservations, and given the looks of the parking lot, I was concerned that we might be shut out. And in fact if we had a certain table in mind, we may well have been. Fortunately, this place is unbelievably large, and we were told we could sit right away.* *With a caveat - apart from this place, the average walking time from door to table is about 12.6 seconds. Here the journey was exciting in of itself - we were led through one room after another, witnessing at least three bars along the way before being presented with our destination. Hearst Castle has nothing on this place. At last, it was time to carouse the menu and make our dinner selection. As I'd been obsessively checking the menus online prior to our trip, I had already decided upon the pound of ribs with chili rub, so that is what I got. Wife got the same thing along with a margarita. My excitement about this place was well justified - those ribs just slid down my throat like a hyper kid at a water park. While the locally produced beer I ordered was forgettable, it was a case of so what I as I was in culinary heaven. My only complaint? One seriously needs napkins at this place, and our waitress, sweet and otherwise helpful as she was, kept forgetting to bring them. So I sat through the majority of the meal with greasy hands, ever so tempted to grab a napkin from an unpopulated nearby table. Other than that, this is well worth the visit. Apparently presidents and other celebrities have also felt this way.

    (4)

  • Wendi C.

    Finally decide to try this place because the hype and salsa is pretty good. Total let down. Firstly, I mention I can't have anything with red chile so let me know if anything I order is a problem. I order the combo #2. It had a tamale which has red chile. Husband ate it for me and said it was not good (crumbly and dry). Tacos came as taquitos. They were tough and dry. Green chile enchilada portion was very good. Serving size for the cost of the meal overall was ridiculously small. Husband had the posole and thought it was ok. Sopas were thin and hard. Bottom line, this is a tourist trap and WAY overpriced.

    (2)

  • Cassidy Z.

    Let's be honest, we don't go to eat at El Pinto for their stellar prices for delicious food. It's all about the atmosphere and history at this New Mexico staple. If only that was enough to satisfy myself and my family, whose last few experiences have been less than great. For starters, this food is pricy. As arguably the number one tourist restaurant in New Mexico, they can get away with it--the place is always packed! But to pay $15 for a chicken salad and have poor service is absolutely not worth it, in my humble opinion. We all can agree we enjoyed our food last night but we were eating spicy salsa and chili and there was no waiter in site to fill our water, take our dessert order, or even bring us our check.

    (3)

  • Angela K.

    Am I ever glad this place is far from home! The food is so delicious I'd probably find a way to build a small cave somewhere in their massive restaurant and just live here. Set just outside downtown Albuquerque in a quaint, green suburban neighborhood, the quiet and beautiful entrance way lined with trees and decorated walls gives no hit to the size and stature of this place. Once I pulled into the parking lot I was amazed at how many spaces and cars there were already parked (felt like a mini Disneyland parking lot). I worried, I have to admit, that the wait would be hours by the guesstimation of vehicles present. But once I walked through the large awning decorated in dried pepper chandeliers (sounds tacky, but these were gorgeously made) and entered, all fears were set aside. This place is like a labyrinth in some ways, built first as one building and then added onto with gardens, themed rooms, and bar areas. Quite quickly, I was whisked away through rooms and walkways until my waitstaff seated me in an Aztec style room with large fireplace and a centralized pergola with hanging foliage. Despite the room having several families and guests, the room felt spacious with plenty of beauty for the eyes to feast on before the food. Quite promptly, afterwards, the waiter arrived with complementary chips and salsa to take our drinks. I had a blue margarita which came in almost a fishbowl size glass. For dinner I ordered their special chili rubbed ribs. They were so tender, I didn't need a knife. They also had enough heat to satisfy my spicy food craving without killing my taste buds for dessert. And for dessert, oh my, I had their Levante. It was their version of a Tiramisu, so fantastic. Throughout the meal, there never was a rush and the waiters were very helpful. I was very impressed by this place. Two funny tidbits to add: 1) Each section has a dedicated bathroom area because the restaurant is so big and 2) (While this may downgrade the score for some humorously) the restaurants wall of fame has ample pictures of famous visitors like George Bush Jr. and John McCain. All in all, I had a fantastic experience here.

    (5)

  • Paul S.

    Accidentally found this restaurant. Must be top restaurant in NM since so many famous people come for meal. Love their streak menu but Mexican dishes are nothing to write home about. Love outdoor settings.

    (3)

  • Justin W.

    We're still new to ABQ but any list of "must-try" places seems to include El Pinto so we tried it out. It is such an establishment we were told! We didn't get off to the greatest start since it was raining and wet. That meant two things. (a) the unpaved driveway was full of puddles and was all muddy. And (b), the venerable patio seating was less...venerable. We enjoyed a few drinks at the bar (small but sufficient local selection) while we waited for our seats. After getting the text message that our table was ready, we still waited another 10 minutes in the line to be seated. Not really sure why they did that but ok. We joked about asking for a tour of the place since we had heard so much and we unintentionally got that. We were taken through a private reception into a dining room only to have our hostess gruffly told by a server that there were no tables where they were taking us. So we went back through the private party and sat on an enclosed patio. Our server was very nice. Quite personable and helpful with the menu. She was friendly throughout. A bit slow maybe on the refill of chips but still really nice. So here's the thing about the food. It was pretty good. Not amazing but certainly good. I do not remember exactly what we got since it was a few weeks ago but I remember thinking it was pretty good. But (!!!) here's the thing: It was NOT worth the price. I felt like I've had just-as-good New Mexican food at many of the other places around town for $5-$8 less. It was simply just too expensive. Also, they made a big deal on the menu about their natural and local honey but served Kraft on the patio. They say it is because of bees but why can't they just bring the bottles in and out? I felt a bit cheated. But we did like the sopapillas. So overall, I would say the service was good and, not counting price, I would give it a solid 4 stars. But, it was too expensive for the level of the food and atmosphere so I am only giving three.

    (3)

  • Michael L.

    This place seems to pop up in all of the guide books on recommended places to eat so we came for dinner. It was raining a bit but not enough to dampen our spirit. We were on vacation after all so we will make every minute count, rain or shine. We had visited a local winery earlier in the day and bought a bottle hoping to enjoy it here. Well, our plan was dashed because apparently NM does not permit customers bringing in outside wine (stupid law). So we settled for their margaritas and wine selection instead. I ordered the red chili and my girlfriend ordered the vegetarian fajitas. The food was good. The service was great. The server was friendly and made good recommendations. Aside from the No-outside-wine rule we had no complaints about this restaurant.

    (4)

  • Megan E.

    I have to say... every time i come back home to ABQ I MUST make a trip to El Pinto. I really dont even think its about the food...but more of the amazing atmosphere. Outdoor seating is an absolute must!! Its so peaceful and the building is amazing. So much history and a gorgeous veranda! The food is pretty good and you get tons of it! Highly Recommended!

    (4)

  • Andre C.

    Carne Adobada ribs. Enough said!

    (5)

  • Sandy S.

    Most fantastic Mexican food I have eaten in years! Traveling through and my sister recommended I stop, she had been here during balloon festival. I am so glad she told me about this place! Everything from the freshly made chips and salsa to the homemade margaritas was amazing! The salsa was perfect with just the right amount of kick! The margarita had the perfect lime mixture !!! Yummy! I ordered the spicy Carne platter and it was spicy but not too hot! The pork was delicious! The homemade tortilla to die for! The beans and rice all homemade and wonderful! I have no idea how anyone can give this place less than 5 stars! Then there is the ambiance, what a great place! I sat out on the patio, again a good pick by my sister! It is just so pretty with all the arbors with their chillies hanging from them. There is a fire place in the middle area, since it was 94 degrees that was not going, thank heavens! This place is off the beaten path and worth every extra minute it takes to get there. Plenty of parking and room for my Rv too! Trying to add more pics but yelp is having problems

    (5)

  • Tricia F.

    Hungry for authentic Mexican we looked up what would be the best restaurant. EL Pinto was listen on the top 10 restaurants in the area. Beautiful restaurant from the entrance to the inside. We were seated in the enclosed patio area which is heated during the winter months. Our waiter was so nice and the service was spot on. The menu has several items to choose from. I had a coupon from the Internet for a free appetizer so we chose the guacamole salad. So delicious! Chips and salsa are complementary. When our meals came they looked delicious, sadly after the first bite we were so disappointed. I ordered three beef tacos with beans and rice. The tacos were stale. To the point of hard to chew. The rice was sort of tough. Our waiter did not hesitate to take the dish away and have a manager come to our table. The manager was very nice and apologized for the tacos, and he had my dinner removed from the bill.

    (3)

  • Denise P.

    Ok I like El Pinto (mostly for the atmosphere ). Personally I think they are way overpriced. They don't have the best food or the best green chili or salsa. They have the best location. I went with a group of coworkers so there were quite a few of us 20-30. There were a number of us ordering beers and margaritas and a bunch ordering sodas and tea. Every time the servers came back to the table someone needed a refill, more napkins, more chips/salsa etc. I wondered why the staff didn't bring out pitchers and a stack of napkins etc. I suggest for large groups that a strategy (smarter not harder) be put in place. You can't beat the environment though.

    (3)

  • Joseph E.

    Extremely disappointed, horrible service. I've had better food from Taco Bell. I'm visiting from California and I expected the Mexican food to be top notch since I was in New Mexico. Not so at this place.

    (1)

  • Kathy V.

    The food was alright. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas to share...we got probably 6-7 glasses out of the pitcher. They were good. The service in the bar was good. He made sure we had enough glasses, napkins and brought out chips and queso while we were waiting for our table. We were seated within the stated wait-time. Our waiter was great for putting up with our group. I think I posted a photo of my main meal, but I have already forgotten what I ate...something with chicken... The highlight of my meal was the Levante dessert. The description reads like Mexican tiramisu. But it tastes like fried ice cream. It was ah-mazing! You could forget everything else and just get the dessert and leave happy!

    (3)

  • Thomas M.

    I'm new to Albuquerque and as a fanatic Mexican food aficionado, have been scouring the area for a great place to eat New Mexico style Mexican food. El Pinto is rated as one of the best, so when my sister came out for a visit, we gave them a try. El Pinto has been around since 1929, which typically says something about a restaurant. The grounds and building are very attractive. The staff are friendly and attentive. They allowed us to bring our well behaved Chihuahua out to one of several patios, to sit by while we ate. So far, so good. I asked if they had the old fashioned taco shells (fried crispy) and was given an emphatic, yes! When our food arrived, I discovered the taco shells are actually baked (like at Taco Bell). The tacos contained ground beef, not shredded beef. The beans were not refried, but simply pinto beans in their own sauce. I mean, come on! A top ten Mexican food restaurant doesn't serve that quality of food. It was pleasant enough but that's all. So, considering the service, the surroundings, and the food, I can only give El Pinto 3 stars, and would give it 2 1/2 if that were an option. The place churns out food like a factory, not a fine restaurant. The food should have been the best thing about El Pinto, but was disappointing. Next stop, Maria & Tito's, on 4th street (also on the top ten list). maybe we'll see you there.

    (3)

  • Katie B.

    This is the 2nd time we have been to El Pinto. The atmosphere is fantastic. We were there on a 100 degree day and sat on a patio and it was cool and refreshing. However I sadly say that the atmosphere does not make up for the high prices or poor food quality. We thought that we must have caught them on a bad night out first time, yet this time was just as disappointing. Stale chips, flavorless enchiladas, nothing like you would expect from such a highly toted restaurant. Both my husband and I left saying that we would never go back and don't understand how they are still in business.

    (2)

  • Robert P.

    It's a very pretty place and the food is quite good. Had the El Pinto Margarita and I highly recommend it. Not some overly sweet child's drink, but tequila and fresh squeezed lime juice, as a margarita should be. Got a chicken quesadilla and it was quite good, ordered the queso, it was so so, could have took or left, the salsa is pretty good, chips could be better. Overall, you gotta get here if you are in Albuquerque area. Food , good to real good, service really good, Margarita good, atmosphere great, you can't loose.

    (4)

  • Tory M.

    I was hesitant to meet at El Pinto for lunch a few days ago based on the mixed reviews and lack luster word of mouth. I must say it's a beautiful old building in an equally beautiful part of town, I'd like to eat on the well reviewed patio at some point. We arrived a little early and decided to sit in the bar for the lunch buffet. The amethyst altar was pretty cool. Greg was an excellent server. Water refills and plate clearing were very timely. The food wasn't bad, one can't expect top notch for mass prepared trays full of enchiladas (green chile chicken or cheese), make your own taco, posole, chile rellenos, tamales and much more. I remember a now closed Mexican buffet that was terrible, El Pinto is much better than that. Everything I tried was edible, probably the best I could ask for from a New Mexican style buffet. There was a good mix of mild and slightly hotter chile (red or green) , all are very good. Regardless of the excellent selection of regional fare I am told that the actual meals aren't much different and way pricier. I can say that nothing stood out as being exceptional; good salsa, really good green chile chicken enchiladas, alright posole, and less than blah ground beef and chicken for the tacos. Surprisingly both Amber and myself complained of some mild heartburn, which is extremely rare for me... perhaps a sign of mediocre ingredients. Fortunately, that annoyance was the only side effect we had from our meal. The place has a number of good attributes but just as many negative ones, earning them no more than a few stars. Long story short, I'll try them again with an open mind and an open belly. I can only wish the best for locally owned businesses.

    (3)

  • Jennifer J.

    Overpriced, Overpriced, Overpriced. The 1 star is for the environment which is pretty cool. The food is alright which would be the other star. The wait is usually ridiculously long though. Other than that, steer clear if you don't want to feel robbed afterwards.

    (2)

  • Fred E.

    Recommended by the Marriot Hotel. Food was good except the wilted lettuce, which had been run under the broiler!! Pricey for Mexican Food, a real tourist trap.

    (1)

  • Jeff P.

    ABSOLUTLY amaiZing have the ribs and leave happy.

    (5)

  • Kevin N.

    Blech! Why does my family continue to rave about this place? The food was gross the last two times we went there. Yes it is pretty, ambiance and garden beauty galore, but When the plants in the garden look more appetizing than what is on your plate.... These guys need to step up their culinary game - too much competition in this city to rest on your reputation.

    (1)

  • Ann S.

    I keep returning expecting it to be better - never is. We were not seated - just told to seat ourselves-no menus. Waitress could hardly care less. Tables are always sticky, dirty. Place always has flies. Swamp cooler doesn't work. It took more than 30 minutes for food. NO reason given nor apology. Food is sloppily thrown together - my steak was no where near med.rare. And waitress didn't even ask. Never again.

    (1)

  • Ouroboros B.

    We've been to El Pinto many times, and last night's service was disappointing. Our queso appetizer was brought out cold. We asked the server to replace it, and he argued with us that it was the right temperature because it had just come out of the kitchen. We insisted that it was cold (gloppy, cold, nearly solidified queso), and he took it to replace it. A long while later, he returned with a similarly cold, gloppy, almost solidified queso. Our meal was brought out, minus one person's food. The server then said the kitchen was out of what that person ordered! The person ordered something else on the menu, and asked to speak with the manager. In fact, we asked to speak with a manager 3 times. The server never brought over a manager. He said things like "Oh, he just walked away from me," and, "I can't seem to find one." When we got the bill, the food the kitchen was out of was on the bill. When we asked to take it off, the server argued with us. I am not sure if his refusing to let us speak to manager was bad service or bad management. I don't know if finding out that the kitchen was out of a dish only when the food was ready was on the server or the kitchen. All I know is that 5 of us went to El Pinto for a celebratory dinner, and left disappointed. All of us will probably be moving El Pinto down the list of restaurants we go to.

    (2)

  • Emily G.

    Great atmosphere, food, and service. It gets crowded, so I'd suggest calling ahead to reserve a table. We were waiting in the bar area to be called for a table, and a passing server checked on us and let us order dinner from our table in the bar area. Drinks, dinner, and dessert were all amazing.

    (5)

  • Jim H.

    Went for Sunday afternoon lunch 8/23/15 with 3 friends. Good service, food and drink quality. The ambiance on the patio is really nice. All I'd say that was slightly a downer were the prices, just a little more expensive than it was worth. I had a grilled chicken salad with Blue Cheese dressing, very good but the size was more fitting for 3 people.

    (3)

  • Bou P.

    I was suprised with the Ribeye! I wasn't expecting that from a restaurant that isn't known for steaks. Would order that again, and the margherita!

    (4)

  • Howie K.

    We New Mexicans reserve a special strain of visceral hatred for those who seek to exploit the culture. In general, this place has always been a Land of Rebrandment, be they the Spanish that forced Christianity on the indigenous, Texans seeking to bring southern slavery into this territory or the subsequent Indian schooling-seeking to distinguish the Navajo language-by the U.S. government. We're always on the lookout for the next intruder, gentrifier, or corporate raider (claiming to support local businesses with crowdsourced reviews, for example). I think this question, concerning authenticity, is the monkey on El Pinto's back, Jack. And I think it's legit to be wary. El Pinto seeks to satisfy two vastly alien palates, the tourist and the local, at the same time. It's evident the moment you walk on to the property: the estate is simply gorgeous, nestled deep in the north valley shade, it doesn't appear commercial whatsoever; wander in the front door, however, and framed photos of celebrities deck the walls, jars of company salsa tempt the wallet and decor walks the thin turquoise line of Santa Fean. Locals be gettin' all wary, at this point, which can make taste buds skeptical. I've had my share of skepticism of the place, as well, but I keep coming back to these truths: the chile is locally-sourced and absolutely delicious. The estate is incredible, even better when a local guitarist serenades your meal. Pricey but delectable margaritas. The food is good, seeking to strike that tourist balance without selling out. Ever try the red chile ribs? Go ahead, Iowan, see if you can handle that heat. About the only real critique I have, save the insane wait for a table sometimes, are the staff, who can be too young and sloppy and just plain teenage; businesses take risks when they hire this demographic, that's just how it goes.

    (4)

  • Ken G.

    After many years, I finally got to visit this place and I had the following: Green Chile Burger - a great burger with that unique New Mexican spin Nachos - pretty good Fish Tacos - not as flavorful as I would have liked Carne Adovada - a pretty good version of the New Mexican favorite Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. Compared to other New Mexican spots, this is nice and fancier, but still laid back and fairly casual. There can be a long wait so make sure you plan accordingly. They have a great selection of salsas so you can take home the flavors you love. If you can make it, try to enjoy their happy hour specials - they're great!

    (4)

  • Robert C.

    We heard that this was the place to go for true New Mexico cuisine. I've also heard people rave about the New Mexican cuisine and how they put either red or green chili on all their food so we had to give it a shot. The place is super nice on the inside. Not some schleppy dining. Our waitress was a hoot! Boy oh boy, she loves her job and shows it. I'd give her five stars alone! She insisted that no one could leave without trying her signature margaritas. Not El Pinto's! Hers! Interesting flavors like coconut. Yes, they were delicious. Another shout out to our waitress, she didn't leave us hanging on chips. She made sure that those baskets were filled all the time. The salsa was superb by the way! Now, the only reason I can give three stars is because of the pricing. The food was great. No complaints about that. But, we also had really great food for half the price earlier that morning. I went with the enchiladas topped with the green chili sauce. Also, this is apparently a big stop for politicians. We saw photos of John McCain, Obama, and some others. Who knew?

    (3)

  • Todd M.

    I went to El Pinto on a Friday night to meet up with a friend while I was in town. We arrived at 6pm and were able to be seated without a wait. The restaurant itself is quite large and has several different dining rooms. The room we sat in had a couple wood-burning fireplaces that were stoked. It made for a very nice environment. The tables were far enough apart so you weren't talking over the table next to you or concerned about them listening in on your conversation. The restaurant also has a shop in which you can buy their salsa (made on site). I opted to stick with water for dinner, but I've been told their margaritas are really good. If I get a chance to go again, I may try one and update my review. After all, who doesn't love a good margarita?! Shortly after being seated, the waiter delivered our water, chips, and salsa. Their homemade salsa is really good. It has enough spice to remind you you're eating salsa, but it's not so hot that you can't taste the chips -- just the way I like it! I wanted to try a cross-section of foods, so I elected to order the Combination Plate #2. It came with two rolled tacos (chicken or beef -- I chose chicken), a tamale, a green chile cheese enchilada and pinto beans. I ordered both red and green sauce and asked for it to be hot (you can choose hot, which is similar in spice to the salsa, or mild). My friend had the stuff sopapillas, which is two sopapillas stuffed with red or green chile (or both), pinto beans, and your choice of chicken, beef or pork (he went with chicken), garnished with lettuce, tomato and cheese. Both our meals came out pretty quickly. What can I say? Everything I ordered was delicious. The chicken in the taquitos was seasoned to perfection and the chili sauces were flavorful. The spice level was exactly as I like it. Although I didn't try the stuffed papillos, my friend really enjoyed them. The waiter kept our drinks full throughout the evening and promptly brought the papillos for dessert. They were light and fluffy and tasted great with honey drizzled over them. El Pinto is not a cheap dinner -- $25 including tip, with no drinks or desserts. But with the high level of customer service and food that was really quite tasty, I felt it was worth it. Give it a try!

    (5)

  • K J.

    I don't even think it deserves one star. Arrived on a THURSDAY night with seven people. Gave the hostess our name and waited. And waited. And waited. Watched as parties of 5+ were escorted to their table while we waited. Had to ask the hostess multiple times what the heck was going on. Finally after threatening to leave they seated us at a combo of a table seating 3 pushed against a table to seat 5. We crammed in. And waited. And waited. Finally a server showed up to give waters. She filled five to the brim, didn't fill one and walked away. She never came back. Another server finally showed up, took drink orders from 2 of the 7 of us and walked away. We couldn't get service. We couldn't get attention. And we even asked the manager, who said he'd get someone there right away and that didn't happen. Poorly run restaurant doesn't deserve any stars. Avoid. (Oh, and we were with "locales" who live there, and thought they'd give it another try as the outdoor garden is quite lovely). If only it were well managed we would have been able to try the food. Although our locales said the food wasn't great but it was all about the garden setting. . . we will never know.

    (1)

  • Nei N.

    El Pinto is a pretty neat place. The space is large and nicely decorated, and it has a cool fountain in the front. I'm a big sucker for cool fountains. Decor aside, I thought the food was okay, but it's clearly an establishment that's known more for the atmosphere than the food. I had the Red Chile Ribs, and they were really tender. All the meat on the baby back ribs slid off the bones with no effort. In terms of flavor, I prefer smoked barbecue ribs so I'm probably a little biased here. The only flavor the ribs had was the from the red chile; it's just slightly spicy and a little sweet. I think maybe some cumin and Mexican oregano would give it a fuller flavor profile. The beans were fine, but the calabacitas felt dried out. Some of the corn kernels and zucchini were shriveled and tough. I don't know if they're old or just sat out under a heat lamp, but I wasn't too happy with that. If you're a tourist or just looking for a place with a fun atmosphere, then El Pinto works. I can't say I really know anything about New Mexican cuisine, but I think Sadie's has better food. Their carne adovada is tastier than El Pinto's ribs, so I'm guessing Sadie's carne adovada ribs must be better too.

    (3)

  • Gary G.

    While I have only visited for lunch, one of the best Mexican buffets around. Love the outdoor ambience, although you can also eat inside. Every visit has been great

    (5)

  • Myron C.

    Great local New Mexican fare. Vegetarian friendly. Great outdoor spaces and super wait staff. The green chili is the real deal.

    (4)

  • Andrea H.

    I would fly to ABQ to get the chili pepper rubbed baby back ribs. Meat falls off the bone. THat's enough to get me there. The guac was superb, the margaritas strong. really strong. The ambiance is just amazing- words and pictures don't do it justice- just check it out- you will not be disappointed. Oh - and notice the famous faces that have dined there- including Mick Jagger and Snoop a loop.

    (5)

  • Mona M.

    Over a month later, no response from management. We tell everyone now to avoid this place like the plague!

    (1)

  • Raquel M.

    Beautiful place! Food was very good, much better than others around town and servings were generous. Service on the other hand was not the greatest. Multiple complaints all around us and the staff was not the most gracious taking the complaints. We went in December so the weather was a bit a chilly outside, inside I thought I was going to die of overheating. It was so hot it was ridiculous. Overall I enjoyed my meal and my drink was nice and strong. Prices are quite high per plate it is not somewhere I would visit often.

    (3)

  • Joseph D.

    Taken here by a friend of ours when we passed through the area. Thank you Beverly! I had the Bowl of Chile Con Carne. Now I am by no means an expert of chili but I have placed first two times in a local chili contest. El Pinto's blew me away. Simple recipe. Perfectly executed. Service was very good and the location is amazing. They even host weddings in the gardens.

    (4)

  • Brian J.

    We were looking for an authentic New Mexico style Mexican Restaurant. We really impressed with the size and beauty of El Pinto. My wife and I both had the chicken enchiladas topped with a fried egg. It's different from the Tex-Mex back home but we both loved it. The green chile sauce was just the right amount of spicy. It was a little more expensive then I'm use to paying for Mexican Food but was worth it. I'm glad we listened to the reviews and went to El Pinto.

    (5)

  • Barry F.

    Second best green chili and margarita I had in town. Very, very pricey. Had the enchilada. Quite delicious. Friends had equally tasty treats, but nothing that I said WOW to. Lots of pictures of celebrities and politicians who have come through on the walls. It's one of THOSE spots. But definitely overpriced for the quality. Went midday on a Saturday. Pretty empty when we arrived, busier and filling with parties by the time we left. Service was spotty, but I didn't want for anything.

    (4)

  • Paul G.

    Terrible service. Food is below average for the area and way over priced. Patio is great but not worth the wait. Waiter actually said they were intentionally slowing down seating so they did not have to work as hard. He then disappeared for 30 minutes.

    (1)

  • Jason H.

    I found this place by chance (From LA). I was blown away. The salsa is amazing. Great Red and Green Sauce. Amazing veggie burrito. The food was the best New Mexican/ Mexican that Ive ever had. Really tasty stuff. Margaritas were on point. Great atmosphere. When I ride across country this is my stop.

    (5)

  • Susanna W.

    AD & PL's wedding reception location. AMBIANCE: the reception was held in the side/back patio area-- nicely shaded, strung with overhead fairy/circus lights, it was very cute & casual. SERVICE: It was a wedding reception, so its difficult to comment on service. I did wish that they came around with water more often; I was parched! FOOD: Served buffet style. The enchiladas were quite good (I preferred the version smothered in green chile). Nothing notable. OVERALL: Seemed like a nice place to have a family meal. Unfortunately, wasn't very memorable. Probably won't be returning.

    (3)

  • Robin K.

    I went to El Pinto last night and was verbally attacked in the parking lot by an employee. I was trying to find the restaurant and called my friend to get help. He saw me driving while on the phone and followed me then verbally assaulted me until I told he to leave me alone or I would call the police. I told his manager and they said they would take care of it internally. It was very disturbing and scary I am a small woman and this was a very angry strong man in his early 20 s very aggressive. I am not from Albuquerque and I will never go to El Pinto again. If I could give them no stars that's what I would do.

    (1)

  • Richard H.

    Went to El Pinto's for the first time last week. I was really impressed by the ambience. It reminded me a lot of the Mission Ranch in Carmel California, but New Mexican style. Not sure why, but the feel was similar. I will definitely be going back. It would be a wonderful place to take a friend/date for a nice dinner out.

    (5)

  • Jeremy K.

    It's the place were the celebrities eat. Not sure why that is but its true. The New Mexican cuisine is average compared to other places in town. The BIG plus here is the outdoor area! It's great for spring and summer time. It has shade with a great court yard ambiance. If you wanna sit outside in the enjoyable months make a reservation to save a long wait.

    (3)

  • Jeremiah T.

    I agree with a lot of other reviewers of El Pinto: go for the atmosphere, not for exceptional food. In my experience, however, the green chile is very good. The fancier you order, the more you'll pay and the more disappointed you're likely to be. Stick with something simple, make sure you get the green chile, and sit back and enjoy the fun setting. It's like Disneyland for NM cuisine: silly, fun, expensive, kid-tolerant, and great for groups. Just don't be in a hurry. This is not an "eat in a hurry" kind of place.

    (3)

  • Emily C.

    Basic New Mexican food with an AMAZING patio. Really, the patio is worth it - best outdoor dining experience in Albuquerque. It's an expansive stone and wood patio with lush green trees, chile ristras, and plenty of shade. It's a great place to go with out-of-town guests or if you're feeling homesick for greener pastures. The margaritas are great. It's worth it just to come here for a margarita pitcher after work. The food doesn't really stand out, but it's not bad. I honestly don't remember any highlights from my meal here. The chile-rubbed ribs are spicy and very good - if you like spicy ribs. The green chile cheeseburger was pretty basic, but solid. The gorgeous patio, though, is where this place shines.

    (3)

  • Kathleen B.

    Staff seemed confused about menu and Buffett times. Had to wait for drinks and then items forgotten that was ordered. Food just fair. Will probably not return.

    (2)

  • Jonathan T.

    This is a beautiful place and one of the best mexican restaurants anywhere. When you drive into the property you're surrounded by huge majestic trees that make it feel like you've entered an oasis. Inside is also beautiful and the patio seating is beautiful if the weather is nice. The place is huge (they can seat 1200 people) but it's so spread out that it doesn't feel like it's so big. The service is great and the food is all amazing authentic New Mexican food. I highly recommend this place as a must visit if you're in albuquerque.

    (5)

  • Jamie R.

    Sad state to change my review from 5 to 3 stars but after multiple experiences lacking the flavor and service of a five star-idge joint it's happening. Food wise El Pinto seems to have gone the way of tourist. Not nearly as spicy and now more costly. What happened to the awesome HH?! It was removed and now we're left with the mostly expensive bar menu. And while some of the choices are good, specifically the green chile cheeseburger and quesadilla, it's a huge difference from what was amazing. I understand the need to be a profitable business but to go from one extreme to the other is really a downer for us locals who were spending a wedge in the bar month after month. On the service front, sometimes it is what we've known and loved - GREAT. But too many others these days it's bristly, and appears the server is on day one and doesn't know how to keep the glass full, provide silverware and napkins, or remove plates/glasses before bringing more where there's no room to set them down. Atmosphere El Pinto wins and probably always will. We won't stop going but it's now rare instead of being our go to.

    (3)

  • Riley J.

    El Pinto is considered a crown jewel in Albuquerque. It's atmosphere and food is rewarded by trips from presidents and stars alike. However, I gotta write an honest review, because I can't do a disservice to my community. I'm sure at one point in time El Pinto wasn't a spot where overly priced food poured out from the kitchen in an attempt to convince non-locals that they were getting the best of the best. However, it's become an over-hyped restaurant with the atmosphere, and financially stable Valley-dwellers to back it. Being a Nob Hill dweller, I feel like I've been blessed with a limitless amount of restaurant choices, from ghetto to posh, I have everything in my little corner. When I was taken to El Pinto for my birthday I was pretty pumped because I hadn't been there in a while, but I remember not being too fond of the food last time I was there. What I got was an OK plate of food, but it was nothing to write home about, except maybe the price tag. I felt like I could brag to the people around me that I could get like 40 burritos that taste way better for the same price as their meal. Granted, the atmosphere at El Pinto is a little bit better than my shanty burrito joints, but hey, what can you do. The only redeeming quality is margaritas, because as you all know, I can't get enough tequila!

    (2)

  • Romeo N.

    Came here while vacationing in ABQ cause my wife and I heard this was a great places and, the fact it's the biggest restaurant in New Mexico was enticing to see. We'll we waited a bit for are table and the waiting area inside was clustered cause the waiting staff station was in the same area. So we got to are table and were served salsa as ever Mexican restaurant should the salsa was mediocre at best. I had burger witch was ok but a bit cooled. My wife had the cheese enchiladas witch were the most disgusting things we ever tasted. Even Wolf chile on top of the enchiladas would have been more flavorful. Her beans and rice were dry and tough, and again the food was cooled. The places was extremely loud and EXPENSIVE. The restaurant may be the biggest but it looks as if they just added rooms to more rooms kind of like a small maze..

    (1)

  • George J.

    This is not a good restaurant anymore. I used to love El Pinto when I was growing up in Albuquerque. We would go there every Christmas Eve. It was a small, modest place with good food and a magical atmosphere, the best of Northern New Mexico. Then something happened. I guess a new generation took over. They expanded the place five or six-fold into a gargantuan mega restaurant with tacky decor, fake waterfalls, and cavernous rooms with obnoxious background music. I just went there for a family reunion. This will be my last visit there. The food was OK, I guess, but bland and ridiculously overpriced, covered with maybe a teaspoon's worth of chile. The waitress, who seemed to be of high school age, was friendly but obviously over extended. We never got our sopaipillas. And yet, inexplicably, the place was packed. There were no tables available on the patio, which is the only nice part of the restaurant. It's very sad what has become of this once fine place.

    (2)

  • Joycie J.

    Worst New Mexican Food. Definitely not priced right. Cheese enchiladas for $15.95 is outrageous. The margaritas are the worst ever. The service was okay for dinner however, this service in the bar the guy was clueless about margaritas. We will never go back. Yes! They have Beautiful gardens. And it's lovely to sit out there in the summertime. But I'm ashamed that we take out of town guest there.

    (1)

  • Jennifer C.

    Sadly, my high hopes were dashed at El Pinto restaurant. Judging by the gorgeous photos I had seen online before our Albuquerque trip, I felt this was going to be one of our best meals in New Mexico, but it was more akin to a chain restaurant like Chili's or Applebee's. It was a major and unfortunate let-down. On decor and service, this place is easily 4 or 5 stars. The property is located on a remote and secluded little stretch of land, and the restaurant is so gorgeous from the outside with all the lush plants and string peppers adorning its facade. The inside is just as beautiful with a handful of different dining rooms options to be seated in, each and every one decorated to the nines with that New Mexican charm. We sat right by a live fireplace which was just oozing with warmth (literally) & whimsy. I found a great coupon actually on the official ABQ tourism site and we scored a free appetizer (fresh guacamole, $8.99). This was a definite highlight of our meal as the avocados were very fresh and sliced in huge bite-sized chunks. The guacamole was refreshing and flavorful and better than decent, most likely due to the fact that we were in New Mexico. It must have given it that "umami" effect! And our waitress could not have been more sweet and friendly. She was so soft-spoken and smiley, she reminded me of my 1st grade teacher (and I loved Ms. Berge)! I don't recall our waitress' name, but she was awesome. The food however, could not live up to the hype, unfortunately, and my chicken dish was bland and dry. I really had to slather on the accompanying sauce to give it some flavor. The sides were just as flat and unimpressive. My fiance however, ordered one of their specialties, the spice-rubbed ribs, and I thought this was pretty decent. The dry rub made the ribs lose moisture, but the meat was pretty tender. The flavor itself was not as spicy as imagined, and for me, that was a relief since I tried a piece of the ribs. But for someone looking for a challenge, the heat level was just too feeble. We had a mixed experience here, but I think for the short amount of time we spent in Albuquerque, I would have much preferred an epic-tasting, knock-out New Mexican meal versus a place that looks the part but did not live up to its outward appeal. Before I forget, I ordered a tamale on the side (one of my favorite things, ever!), and theirs was so dry and the pork did not taste fresh or even flavorful, and there was not even a lot of pork in it to begin with! In all honesty, I have had plenty of superior tamales off the streets of Corona, Queens, so that was a huge fail, sorry EP! A ton of celebrities and even ex-presidents have dined at El Pinto (you'll see all the photos on the walls), but I stick to my Yelp grading. 2 stars.

    (2)

  • Debi H.

    Here for their lunch buffeteverything was fresh and delicious. This is our favorite place to visit when we come to New Mexico;)

    (4)

  • Kyle L.

    If you're looking for a good new Mexican meal in the ABQ area, el Pinto is not my favorite but it is a good choice. A little more expensive than most places, but it is one of the most well-kept restaurants in town. A very large dining room on top of a large outdoor seating area. The wait staff is friendly and prompt as well.

    (4)

  • Rita S.

    I took my family there for a special occasion nine months ago and will never return. First and last time. Food took over an hour to get to the table. Horrible service. Food was barely mediocre. Maybe less. I wouldn't go back for free.

    (1)

  • Sam M.

    This was my first time at El Pinto and it will be my last. I was here for a bday party and we sat at 8pm. We didn't have drinks until after 830. The drinks were margaritas and they were terrible. They had to ring us 3 different rounds and we sent each one back before we said forget it we'll just have water. Our food didn't arrive till 925pm and honestly I'm not impressed. I ordered hot chili and my taste buds barely noticed. The waiter was near useless as we saw him maybe once every 30min. The prices are ridiculous for the quality and quantity of food. The commercial they have says "Make El Pinto Your Place". If rather make my own Hispanic food at home and I'm from Michigan. This was a BAD experience. The manager however did comp all out drinks when we did bring our concerns to him and took $100 off our bill. GOOD manager but I'm still not going back.

    (1)

  • Anne S.

    El Pinto is a great place for ambience, locals know they can usually get a table in the bar on a busy weekend evening. I would not recommend it however for authentic Northern New Mexican, it was in it's early days and now it's very corporate and the quality of the food has dropped. I had the chicken adovada which I had in the late 90's-now it's overcooked probably due to huge volume, which I understand. Great place for margaritas and chili ribs, nachos, but not thrilled with the overcooked beans. Enchiladas are decent, pricey but good. Sad they no longer have the slaw, it's not the same. Would choose the shed in Santa Fe or Rancho Chimayo for authentic Northern NM cuisine, or even Padilla's for lunch (no ambience at Padilla's though) and of course you can hardly go wrong at Barelas.

    (3)

  • jack H.

    I've lived in Albuquerque five years and hadn't gotten around to trying this place. I doubt that anyone eating there last night was a city resident. Tourists maybe. Not locals. The worst food I've ever eaten in abq. Terrible service. Kinda dirty and run down. Our table rocked to badly that drinks spilled. We had to wave down waiters to get water. Meals were of Taco Bell level. And the tab was outrageous. I mean my own Mexican food is far better. Sad. Someone said it was a great place years ago. Typical third generation has run it into the ground. Gordon Ramsay, they need you.

    (1)

  • F. Chris G.

    One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the area. Great atmosphere and patio. I highly recommend trying the Chili Con Queso. If you are in the area, definitely stop in for a good time. You will not be disappointed. Prices are very reasonable.

    (5)

  • Catherine C.

    I really enjoy El Pinto. Their green chile chicken soup and their chicken adovada plate are my favorites. The servers are usually pretty cool and the service is usually great. Summer is their busiest season, so if you're planning a large dinner during summer vacation, be prepared to wait/make arrangements early. P.S. ~ Their chips and salsa are amazing!

    (4)

  • Kimberly L.

    Not impressed with this restaurant, very disappointed. We came in for lunch.. The hostess told us to seat ourselves in the bar area. Service was lacking.. Would not recommend. The only thing great was the steak..

    (2)

  • T P.

    Place delivered as expected. Great food from all around. Decent service. Can't go wrong with the lil chilies as appetizers. Soppaillios (sp?) are like freaking Walter Whites "Blue Meth", you can't get enough of them!!!!!! You'll steal from your own mother to get some of them fresh hot sopppaillows (sp?) I don't care how they're spelled, I just want them in my mouth and in my stomach! oh yeah, the other food/drinks/salsa/insects flying around were all great. Come on, if you can't deal with giant bugs flying around, maybe you should re-think where the hell you're eating dinner at. Use your hat to smack the Shhhh outta them and have another margarita! (memo...bring hat next time!). You're In the middle of the freaking desert, and while your at it (wait...for...it...) try their dessert? (horrible, I'm taking a star away from myself for that horrible horrible line!). Keep up the good work at El Pinto guys n gals.

    (4)

  • Kathy M.

    We started with chips and salsa and thought both the chips and the salsa were excellent. The salsa had a really fresh flavor and a nice kick to it. They make their own salsa and distribute it nationally, but because we enjoyed it so much I made sure to buy some to take home! The patio outside is nice and spacious - lots of flowers and a fountain. This is an extremely large venue and our first impression driving in was that it was too big to really be good. I can honestly say that we were proven wrong. The food was wonderful. I had the carne adobada plate with beans and grilled squash. The squash was a recommendation by Anthony, our server, and it was wonderfully seasoned and perfectly grilled. The pork had a nice kick to it and a good texture. Hubby had the green chile stew. He thought it had a really good taste with just enough spice to make it enjoyable. We spent $26 for 2 lunches and no drinks, so I thought it might be a little pricey, but I'm beginning to think those are just New Mexico prices. The portions were a good size, but if you're traveling it's hard to take home your extras... We would certainly recommend this place to anyone.

    (4)

  • Max R.

    Nice, semi funky historic ambiens among the cottonwoods in the Northvalley of Albuquerque. May be a little cheesy... Very attentive staff. Worth seeing. We enjoyed a couple of margaritas, but found them to be a little heavy on the sugar / syrup. Not terribly strong in the alcohol. The chili con quest was pretty good, and tailgate worthy.

    (3)

  • Noemi D.

    I can see why New Mexican bring outsiders to this place. I'll give you some reasons why: The place inside holds a true valve to the New Mexican culture with it's display of NM art. The waiters are all dressed with white tops, black bottoms and bolo ties. They all seem to be very pleasing and charming. The setting is romantic and cozy. It can be a place for family and friends but also for lovebirds. They have different rooms and a beautiful patio (you can take advantage on warmer days). A great place to sit and chat. A beautiful fountain to take pictures. They even sell jewelry, shirts and NM salsa st the front desk. NOW the food: It was very a generic mix of NM flavors. Bland. Small portions. A bit pricey. The chips and salsa keep coming out as long as you want. The tamales were a bit dry. The cheese enchiladas was pretty good. We had the combination platter 1 and nothing really stood out as a "favorite" since everything tasted the same. If your looking for a place to hangout and not really care about your food, this is the place to go. El Pinto served its purpose with my group. :)

    (4)

  • Julio F.

    food is over priced and crappy not too good but ok for what they are charging on top of that shitty service n awful waiters n if u want to get dicked on the price n shitty waiters and meh food this is a place for you

    (1)

  • Brian L.

    Great spot - amazing ambiance - food is pretty great, delicious chili ribs, great green chile salsa, solid drinks, music throughout the week - Tuesday - Thursday It's out in middle of nowhere, but the address is accurate - so stick with it, you won't be sorry

    (4)

  • Steph S.

    My boyfriend and I decided to treat ourselves to a Sunday brunch and ended up at El Pinto. We had heard the food was pretty good and that the environment was really cool. We first walk up to the hostess station where an extremely rude host asks us where we want to sit. We decide to head out to the patio and we were lead by a teen hostess with little customer service skills. It took quite some time before we were noticed by our waitress. We ordered the fried green chile strips for an appetizer. It's a great idea but was poorly executed. The batter was textureless, tasteless and soggy. We enjoyed the red chile ranch more than the strips. We ordered the New Mexican Benedict and the red chile empanadas. The benedict dish was yummy alone because the potatoes it came with were overcooked and under seasoned. The empanada did not seem to be entree sized and the dough was also soggy. Our service was lack luster and won't be memorable. Overall, we weren't impressed and won't be returning.

    (2)

  • Stephen R.

    Went here this past weekend with my parents! First and foremost I need to give credit to our waitress, I believe her name was Adrianna. Probably one of the better servers I've ever had. Very professional, helpful, and charismatic. The restaurant alone is 3-4stars to me, but it's her service that brought it up to 5. The large outdoor patio was the perfect setting for lunch. Tons of ristras throughout that area. I didn't see much of the inside, but if (when) I come back I will definitely want to sit outside again. I ordered a combo plate: red chile pork tamale, cheese enchilada, beef taco, carne asada. I also had what i think was the house margarita. The food was very good! I loved everything except the beef taco, which was bland. Just didn't get much flavor from it. The tamale was probably my favorite, followed by the carne asada (I'm a sucker for red chile). Margarita was well made, not syrup-like or overly sweet.

    (5)

  • Selena L.

    Had an excellent family dinner! We wanted to eat somewhere where we could enjoy the outdoors but escape the heat and El Pinto was prefect! Wonderful patio dining and food was delicious! Kid friendly experience. Read yelp reviews before we went and tried the green Chile strips which were delicious! I enjoyed the Tostadas compuestas with Chile con carne delicious and huge plate! Only complaint is the prices. A little pricey for this family of five. Otherwise, I can't wait for our next El Pinto visit!

    (4)

  • Tricia K.

    This is the most popular restaurant in ABQ as evidenced by the pictures of various celebrities in the lobby. However, my opinion is that you must be drinking margaritas for the food to taste good. OK, in terms of atmosphere, you cannot beat the patio. But strictly in terms of food, this place is terrible. You can get better New Mexican food pretty much everywhere (except that place on Osuna). Unfortunately, I will have to continue to patronize this place because if its notoriety with visitors. I have yet to find something that I like. It isn't the tacos, enchiladas, chile relleno, stuffed sopapillas or the salmon (yeah, I had to try something different). The only decent things to eat here are the chips and salsa and sopapillas (unstuffed).

    (1)

  • Natalie F.

    Very nice service, very gorgeous restaurant, margaritas were just awesome. The food is also quite good.....I can see how others reviewers prefer other local venues for the highly competitive new mexican cuisine out here, however I think this restaurant is great for taking out of town guests and for special occasions!

    (4)

  • Michael M.

    $40 for an overcooked salmon and relatively bland half rack of ribs. This place is a good place to take your in-laws: safe and boring tastes.

    (1)

  • Regina P.

    Festive, fun atmosphere and great place for large groups. However, the food is less than mediocre. Not bad, but just not good. I can see why people like going here...it's lively and you can go with a ton of people. But again....the food needs improvement. Your best bet is to order some nachos (not too hard to mess up) and a beer. Skip everything else!

    (2)

  • Leslie A.

    El Pinto has a beautiful patio, but the service is lacking in many ways, and the food is only ok. We went there with a party of 5 and sat in their patio, we sat and waited for a very long time before being acknowledged, instead of taking our drink and appetizer order our waitress just brought menus and ran off before we could ask for water or anything. She came back about 15+ minutes later to ask if we wanted any drinks all while it was high 90s outside, we ordered an appetizer and we got it after a long wait. She disappeared again for a good amount of time and finally came back out, one person in our party asked can we order now? And she acted surprised as if she has completely forgotten about the fact that we were there to eat, she asked us, oh you want to order food? Lol well yes that's why we are here! She takes our order and a million years later she shows up with all the wrong orders, things missing red instead of green (should be a crime in nm). Our food had little to no chile on it, and tasted bland. We got no napkins after getting ribs as our appetizer. She got lost again so we were looking in our purses for napkins or anything to wipe our hands, I finally flagged her down and asked for napkins and she brought some out about 5-10 minutes later. She left our dirty appetizer plates on the table even after we got our entree. This whole time we are sitting in the blazing sun, we requested to get an extra umbrella but no one ever brought one, I still have a severe sunburn, while the table across from us had 3 extra umbrellas. We finish our meals and wait and wait and wait some more, she finally comes over and asks if we want dessert we say no and ask for our check we wait and wait and wait she brings our check we put the card in the little clipboard and stand it up so she can see that it is in there, we wait and wait and wait, half our table is now standing on the grass on the side because the sun in blazing and we can feel the sun burn she picks up the clipboard and we wait again for a long time, finally about 3 hours after we got there we are able to leave!

    (1)

  • Stephen D.

    Not what it once was. El Pinto is definitely a great uniquely New Mexican experience but it is not worth the price. You can get equally good food at a variety of cheaper restaurants all over Albuquerque. The staff is great and the servers are top notch but the food is very run of the mill.

    (3)

  • Cassidy S.

    Awful. Drinks had zero alcohol in them. Food was awful. Had the worst service. We asked for more chips, never got them. She brought us two soapapillas for three people and said she would bring one more, never did. We had to ask for a Togo box three different times before we got it. The only cool thing was the atmosphere.

    (1)

  • Bob M.

    Apparently very, very popular locally as the place is huge and has been around for decades (5 actually). That means something in Albuquerque where they take New Mexican food seriously. My experience was good overall. Great chips and salsa to start; unique style to both. I then had a tamale plate that is among the best ever. I asked for mild and green (of course) and it still had plenty of heat for me. The rice and bean sides were excellent. Even the de riguer lettuce and tomato "salad" exceeded my expectations. Service was OK but as I said, it's huge and it's busy. A good choice to experience NM. Don't let the neighborhood put you off.

    (4)

  • David B.

    I have visited here a few times an I must say it does not meet the expectations of good food and good service. Today we had the "worlds greatest nachos" and I must say these are not even Albuquerque's best nachos. If you sit on the patio make sure you bring a fly swatter. The waiter even acknowledged the flies and said " I know it's an attack of the flies" This place is cool to go once but I would not give it the chances I have. Good luck people!

    (2)

  • Jenifer P.

    We stopped by this place to eat on our way out of Albuquerque to Santa Fe as it came highly recommended by our car rental agent and it was good for large groups (we were a group of 10) and we were not disappointed! I got the lunch special stuffed sopapillas with a side of pozole. The pozole was fantastic as was the pork sopapilla. I also had a beef sopapilla which I was less thrilled with. The staff was friendly and our waiter was good. I love that they bring you a basket of sopapillas with a bottle of honey on the table for dessert. SO GOOD! The two things that set this place apart from most others is the atmosphere and the salsa. They are known for both. They have an indoor waterfall and fountains on the patio. The decor is very southwestern and the ambiance is welcoming. The salsa is fantastic and apparently has won many awards. If you are vising Albuquerque I would highly suggest this place, it's a little off the beaten path but well worth the drive!

    (4)

  • Tracy V.

    We went here for Father's Day, but lunch on Saturday. They had a perfect table reserved for us on the patio, and despite the heat, it was very comfortable. There were 12 of us, and they had 2 servers working our table, and plenty of others stopping to refill drinks, chips, salsa, etc. Everyone at the table was happy with their food... Commenting how good it was. Highlights included the nachos, enchiladas, taco salad, carne adovada, queso, calabacillas, and of course the sopapillas. We were too full to order our favorite flan. Such a great place to enjoy the patio, good service and good food.

    (5)

  • Nick P.

    Wow. This place is huge. I must have counted at least 100 servers with walky talkies. Super busy. Lovely grounds. Friendly service. So why a 2 star? Well the food sucked, for all of us. The Chimichanga was weird, the chile relleno was dry and looked like a fried egg and for the price, I would not come back or recommend it. Its hugely popular and busy but I have no idea why. I won't be coming back, too many other good choices in ABQ.

    (2)

  • Allison B.

    The patio is great and the food is good. Great place for large groups and out-of-towners!

    (3)

  • Andy B.

    We were invited to one of El Pinto's Matanzas (whole roasted pig) - it was very tasty and a fun change. If you sign up for the El Pinto email newsletter (The Muse it is called I think) then you will get a heads up for events like this. Guacamole & queso were available for you to help yourself. Once the pork was ready it was served to you with all the side buffet style (we had potatoes, beans, corn succotash, red & green chile, chicarrones and corn & flour tortillas). The service was very good (as it usually is at El Pinto) and their sopapillas are great - with real organic honey on the table (not "watered down" with high fructose corn syrup!)

    (4)

  • Maggie N.

    Very disappointed! We went to El Pinto because of all the good reviews, however we ended up regretting it. The food was cold and the service was subpar. The burger was average, salsa lacked flavor and spiciness, and the enchiladas were the worst I've ever had. This restaurant is overrated and overpriced for what is served. I don't mind spending freely on good food, but I do have a problem paying close to $20 for two enchiladas that taste worse than frozen store bought enchiladas. The rice and beans were also dry and flavorless. Our server never came to refill our drinks and we constantly had to flag her down. When she finally brought our food, it was cold. Lastly, the sopapillas were not fresh, instead they were cold and spongy.

    (1)

  • Steve D.

    Mucho Dissapointed... My first time in New Mexico! I was here for work and made the crazy assumption that the Mexican food would be authentic and it would blow my socks off... El Pinto came off of a recommendation from someone at my account. Even though it was about a 20 minute drive outside of Albuquerque I planned on the Trek. Atmosphere A+ = grand property with excellent decor. A lot of the seating was outside with a great veranda, fountains, decorative bunches of dried chili peppers. I felt like I was off on the right foot. Needed better speaker set up, I couldn't hear any music. Some nice Mexican music (loud enough) would have improved this. Service "D" = the server had a slight friendly demeanor but she had about 5 tables to herself which would be fine except that a few of them were 5+ people. She was swamped. I was taking on the stress of the people around me waiting to place orders, people needed drink refills. I timed a man and his son wait for over 20 minutes to get served. Need I say more. Everything else fell apart due to staffing levels. Food "B-" = Chile con Carne Enchiladas... House Specialty symbolized on the menu. She asked me if I wanted "spicy" or not. I love the heat so I ordered spicy and I was excited to feel the burn. Not only was it not spicy it didn't have a lot of flavor. Sopapillas were great. Fresh dough... Soft and delicious. Green Chili Stew = I hate to keep being a hater but it was just mediocre! I wasn't drinking due to a heavy work week, but the margaritas around me looked good. $40 to $50 margarita pitchers on menu. I counted the table next to me got about 4 good margaritas out of the pitcher and a few "top offs" Management oblivious to slow service issues. He was fooling around with his hostesses at the door instead of taking some water out of his server's boats! It appears that they opened their own Salsa Factory a few years back, perhaps they should master their operations first? Just Sayin...

    (3)

  • DC F.

    I've visited El Pinto a few times and it's definitely a nice place to go with a group of family members or visitors from other states. The atmosphere is my favorite part. The salsa and chips are to-die-for. The entrees are good, but are nothing compared to a home cooked New Mexican meal... And last but not least, I will thank El Pinto for sending their product all the way to Chicago so that I can get little tastes of home whenever I need it.

    (4)

  • Estie S.

    Friends and I went for lunch to celebrate a birthday on a recent Saturday. The food was good as usual with very fresh ingredients. The service was the best I have had from any restaurant in a long time. Our particular server was most attentive and brought us a wonderful birthday desert on the house. Definitely will be back.

    (5)

  • John O.

    Huge let down. After a significant hyping of the restaurant, the g/f suggested we go to El Pinto. I live in SLC and am not in ABQ very often. I figured I would be taken to one of the best restaurants in ABQ. What I got was an El Torito type of experience..........cheesy everything. The foyer is beautiful no doubt. Unfortunately, that's about where it stops. Everything here is textbook ....underwhelming. I had heard much about the dish in New Mexico called "sopapillas" -- and thought I'd give them a try. I was seriously stoked to try this native dish of NM. What came out reminded me of a baby's diaper. Soggy tortilla chips with unforgettable mushy meat (chicken or ground beef?) that had obviously been sitting in a food warmer all night long. It was just .....a chore to eat! Think Taco Bell at 7x the cost. Seriously. I tasted a bit of my friends house margarita and it was decent. Probably only one shot of Jose Cuervo ..........yay. Service left much to be desired. I constantly felt like I had to flag down my waiter. They seemed understaffed IMO (which leads me to point the finger at management, not the servers). I dunno......the bill came out to $50 for a very underwhelming experience. The most amazing thing is: people think this is great and it's fairly busy! Lots of gringos patronize this place thinking that it's "authentic" Mexican food. Again, I've had much better but I haven't had much worse. Next time I'm in ABQ I'll be definitely looking for something else.

    (2)

  • Sonny W.

    Had to try this joint after a few years of living in Albuquerque and my oh my was I missing out! The green chili chicken enchaladas were juicy, tender and spicy! The Chile rellenos were very delicious as well and the service was excellent.

    (4)

  • August B.

    I don't know. I struggle with places like this that people refer to as "institutions." Places that post pictures of famous people eating their food or at least their autograph photo hanging on the wall which suggests celebrities travel with their head shots handy so restaurants can hang them up. Democrats hung on walls next to Republicans finding common ground on fatty food and nothing else for restaurant eternity however long that may be. Their customary free meal comes off of jacking up the prices for working stiffs like me...but that's a different conversation. Here's one problem I have with the Pinto...the size of the building. It's like a restaurant version of Walmart...greed trumps their capacity to do quality. Rooms add onto other rooms into a building that is "Breaking" codes. You don't walk through a restaurant you walk through a compound. Just tacky...like eating at a Costco for lunch. Back to the review...I grew up on New Mexican food and the Pinto is not a bad representation, it's just over priced. Sopaipillas should be in Taco Bell by now. If you've never had one you won't stop at one or two or three. Still those are hard to mess up. You could do worse but you'd probably do better lost without a tourist guide to Albuquerque.

    (3)

  • Bette C C.

    Beautiful setting but the food and service was disappointing

    (2)

  • Christian H.

    Not sure what to add that hasn't already been said. To be frank, the sopapillas are the best item in the house, so make sure you save room. Lunch buffet is pretty good, though again it's nothing spectacular, just solid all the way around. Put it this way, if you leave here hungry, it's because you're more picky than George H Bush with a plate of broccoli. Don't forget to save room for those sopapillas.......

    (3)

  • Scott W.

    Wonderful food, atmosphere, and service! Especially our server, Hannah T - she rocked! El Pinto is definitely a "must-do" in Albuquerque!

    (5)

  • Viviana M.

    The food is so so; the only thing I like is the atmosphere! We seriously only come here for the ambiance!

    (3)

  • Eric And Jennifer R.

    Food is ok. Location and ambience = excellent! Great place to bring out of town guests. Update: We brought an out of town guest to dinner. We ate their green chile strips for appetizers and calabacitas burrito without the tortilla and a side of carne adovada and green chile for dinner. Our guest ordered the red chile ribs. The ribs were tender and looked very spicy. Surprisingly, there was enough spice to satisfy a local but not too spicy for a tourist. We could have ate the green chile strips all night long! It is a menu item that is not commonly seen at other restaurants in Albuquerque. The batter to chile ratio was just right. It was light and perfect for a hot summer night. Their calabacitas is one of the best in town that I have tried so far. Their food just went from a two to four stars. The service was also better than normal tonight.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth B.

    The patio is beautiful and huge! The margarita was the strongest I've ever had. I drank half and feel like I've had 2. The bees were a bit crazy today. One landed on my daughter's burrito and flew away with a string of cheese.

    (4)

  • Eric S.

    The 3.5 rating for El Pinto is downright crazy. This isn't an easy place to mess up. The patio is breathtakingly beautiful, and they do two things perfectly: margaritas and red chili ribs. The margaritas are fresh and a great deal if you get the pitcher, and the ribs are fall-off-the-bone, original, tasty, and even beautiful. Don't be stupid. Don't mess this up. It's simple. El Pinto is awesome.

    (5)

  • Michael R.

    What a wonderful and unique restaurant that is about as authentic New Mexican as one could ever hope for! The entryway and frontage is beautiful and the authenticity extends well beyond the main entrance into several unique dining rooms. The staff were awesome and the food was divine. A little hard to find but that in of itself is part of its charm.

    (4)

  • Jessica D.

    We were visiting from out of town over Christmas and El Pinto was recommended. We arrived at 7:05pm and were told the wait would be 45 minutes. We had house margaritas (just okay) and guacamole (some of the best I've ever had) in the bar. At 8:00 we inquired with the hostess about our table and were told with no empathy that she had "no idea how much longer it would be and could not give us an estimate." !?!? We also flagged down a server to see if she had any idea and were simply told "people are just sitting at their tables with the check, I have no idea when they are going to leave." We waited another ten minutes and then went elsewhere for dinner. A little before 9pm we got a call that our table was ready. Maybe people with reservations will have a better experience? I've heard great things about this place, but after the experience with the unfriendly hostess/server, I would hesitate to go back.

    (2)

  • Lisa H.

    Love the setting and scenery at El Pinto. The food is great in my opinion - plenty of options and though I may not be the most seasoned critic and somewhat new to NM cuisine, it tastes authentic to me. We like to take our out of town guests to El Pinto for the food and feel alike.

    (4)

  • Alex R.

    El Pinto has cool stuff, like free appetizers during happy hour but its also generally load for my taste and more expensive than I'd expect for the quality. Its in a great location with tons of parking, if you're looking to give out of town guests an experience that they'd expect out of Albuquerque, this would be a great place to try with its southwestern flare and New Mexican food. On a regular basis however, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here.

    (3)

  • Emily L.

    Wow! Visiting ABQ and friends took us here. The place is huge and the patios are gorgeous. Guitarist playing outside on the patio was soothing and not too loud. Many strings of chile ristras everywhere - some strung with lights. pretty pretty. Salsa was good with the chips then came the chunky guacamole which was good, sort of bland though. All the four dishes we ordered looked good and we tried several of the sauces - green and red, hot and mild. My sopapillas stuffed with pork were ok - pork a little chewy but all in all, i can't say enough good stuff about the place. Inside there was a nice bar, many rooms and another patio where a small meeting was being held. Our local friends love it mostly for the ambience.

    (4)

  • Yashar I.

    If you're into setting and ambiance, bump this review up to four stars. The outdoor seating area is beautiful and really sets the tone. Having tried a few similar restaurants in the area now, I would put this in the middle of the pack. Not bad but not great. I suppose it's about what you would expect. I've frequented this establishment about a dozen or so times since my parents seem to love it here. I would say the complimentary chips and salsa are a highlight, and the nachos are outstanding. The entree items, of which I've had a variety, range from average to good. I've never had a bad experience with the food, but the flavor doesn't exactly jump out at me either. There are plenty of alternatives that pack better flavor. El Pinto has tradition and an amazing dining setting on its side. This is a good place to bring large groups.

    (3)

  • Barbara L.

    We went today for lunch and decided on an inside table. We were given excellent service by Ryan Gutierrez. He was professional, kind, knowledgeable and helped to make the meal even a better experience. We ordered a beer and strawberry daiquiri and both were good. For our meal we had a half order of nachos, half order of red chile ribs and a chicken enchilada with green chile sauce. First the half portion of nachos was huge. We added chicken and they were very yummy. The red chile ribs fell off the bone and were very good. They serve housemate no GMO chips and their salsa which was so good we had three bowls. Ryan checked back often and never missed a beat. I asked for a manager and Paul stopped by. We wanted to tell him how wonderful our meal was and how great Ryan G. was. I would suggest a visit for a meal here, only drawback was room was a little dark and it was noisy. I say though for such a nice meal and fabulous service I will be back when in town.

    (4)

  • Simplehiccup D.

    Sure, it is not inexpensive, but I really enjoyed my meal as a nice celebratory splurge meal. Justin was a great server. Everything he recommended was delicious, and I even threw some challenging dietary requirements at him. I ordered a side of guacamole and soft blue corn tortillas (yum- highly recommended!), a 'rita with fresh lime juice and a squash/zucchini burrito smothered in green and red fresh chills. If I did not live in DC, I would be back all the time

    (4)

  • J. Christopher E.

    One of the nicest patios in the city, but the food is just OK. A good place to go in the summer to sit outside and have a couple of drinks and some guacamole and chips. Now that I think about it, I only go here about once every five years just to sit outside in the summer. On my most recent visit, one thing I didn't like was that it's a New Mexican restaurant but they were playing salsa music. They are going for the bring your out-of-town-visitors-to-have-a-traditional-New-­Mexican-'upscale'-meal, so why play music that makes me think of Cuba and Puerto Rico and Miami and New York City? Staff very very friendly.

    (3)

  • Sandra N.

    If you are looking for great real Mexican food, do NOT eat here. The first hint was there were no local customers & the waiters were all young kids. I guess great for tourist since it was a nice restaurant. Will never eat here again & will not recommend to friends/family.

    (1)

  • Kimber S.

    The service could be better. Love the patio. My favorite is the nachos; most well dressed packed full nachos I've ever had. Their Sunday brunch special is wonderful. Lunch buffets are cheap with many options. Margaritas are great too! Love the old mansion and gardens.

    (4)

  • Nikole S.

    This is a great place to bring friends and family from out of town! The food is great and gives them a true taste of New Mexican culture. In my most recent experience here the service was really great, probably the best I've had in a restaurant in a long time. They were very speedy and efficient. We were a larger party and they most definitely catered to that. The only warning I have if you are bringing people from out of town, sometimes its a bit too spicy for them. I forget that our palettes are more accustomed to hotter food than theirs may be.

    (4)

  • Chris T.

    Sit outside! It's so nice! The inside is cool too, lots of history and lots of typcial Mexican theming. The food is pretty good - not the most amazing food but you will have a great time at this place which makes it worthwhile. The margaritas are great too! The house is ok but this silver is where it's at. I'll be sure to go back next time I'm in ABQ!

    (4)

  • Tess W.

    This place was a major disappointment, especially considering how many people had recommended it to me. Of course, the outdoor areas are lovely; it's a nice environment. But I was astounded by how unappetizing and bland the food was given the high pricetag. On top of that we waited for an hour for a table, and everyone working there seemed super stressed. I have to assume most of the folks there were tourists. I would not go back.

    (2)

  • James S.

    I went to El Pinto upon a recommendation and was quite impressed the first time I went. The food was quite tasty and I was happy to see that it wasn't overwhelmed by cheese so you could still taste it. Our server, whose name I forget, was outstanding, although the guy that brought us out our food may need some tips on serving. He told us to "grab our plates off his serving tray, but be careful they're hot". What?!? Yes, they were extremely hot! Thanks for serving! As the food was so tasty, we decided to go again last night for dinner. Huge disappointment! Upon walking in, there were 5 people at the hostess station, none of which greeted us or even said a word. They were too busy chatting amongst themselves. After a short bit, we decided to just go into the bar and seat ourself. No one was around initially, then a girl came up and ask to take our drink order, which is when the bartender showed up. I asked if we could order food which she replied yes. Then she disappeared and never saw her again. No menu, nothing. I went to get my own menu, but by that point workers, about 7, we're hanging out at the end of the bar socializing unprofessionally. No one ever came back to take our food order, the menu wasn't even a hint. Another guy showed up to ask if we wanted chips, at which point I was done. A managerial dressed male came out and was on his phone while chatting with the workers. What's with this place. We closed our tab and left. Guys, you have a gold mine and a beautiful restaurant, but I won't return simply because your service is extremely poor!

    (2)

  • Ingrid H.

    There seems to be lots of mixed reviews, but we tried it today anyway as two locals recommended this place. We enjoyed it. The chips were served with their medium salsa and it was great! We split the stuffed sopapilla plate. Which consists of one chicken and one pork sopapilla. Both were great. The chicken was shredded roast chicken. While the pork was slow roasted in red sauce. We also enjoyed the restaurant itself. It was beautiful. For a foodiac like me who normally looks for that local dive with great food it was a little touristy, but I still enjoyed the food and atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Shane S.

    Good food, great atmosphere but could work on their bartenders.

    (3)

  • Justine D.

    Heck to the ya boi. This food is umm, umm good. I love how the deliciously salty, warm chips come with both red and green salsa. I devoured a few bowls of green salsa and our waiter gave us a a boat load of fresh roasted green chiles for us to bring home. That in and of itself was awesome. The fiance ordered combo plate #2, which doesn't look filling, but it is. I will warn that the tamale was so spicy we could barely eat it without getting a tummy ache. I love spicy, but I'm not trying to feel sick from it. The cheese enchilada, however, was amazing. I would go back for those alone. We ordered them Christmas style (red and green), but I recommend just green. I ordered a full rack of red chile ribs. Now I'm not sure if this was far too much food for one person, or if the spice weakened my appetite, but I'm leaning towards the later. The ribs are covered in red chile, and red chile flakes mind you. I thought I had enough of the ribs after a few bites until our waiter brought out warm sopapillas. I had the brilliant idea to fill the sopapillas with the rib meat and smoother in honey. Pure brilliance. I have no idea how stuffed red chile rib sopapillas is not a fixture on El Pinto's menu, because that is the most delicious thing ever (at least one of them). The one thing I thought was bizarre is that El Pinto doesn't have a salsa or house dressing. For a seemingly fancy place you would think they would have a house salsa vinaigrette. Overall I loved the food, (not too sweet) margaritas, and the mariachi band and would definitely go back. But maybe next time I will avoid the red chile. I love spice, but it is even too spicy for my belly. The fresh roasted green chile is off the chain son.

    (4)

  • Jane V.

    We had the best server ever, Faye! 4 th generation New Mexican and proud of it. She took the time to explain nm cooking and food to our guest. They got to sample the red and green chiles first. The we got out drinks and food fast and the food was good. A little price, but worth it. I love the atmosphere. Faye suggested we save out left overs for breakfast and add an egg to them. I'm excited to try it. Sadly I over did the chips in salsa, but I'm happy to have el pinto breakfast today. We buy their salsa at the store, but it is so much better fresh!

    (5)

  • John B.

    Outstanding New Mexican food. We sat in the bar because there was a wait but received excellent attention and explanations of whatever we asked questions about. It is a wee-bit off the beaten path (I-25) but worth it. The Carne Adovada plate was outstanding and not too spicy. My companion had the chicken enchiladas and was very impressed. This place was behind the presidential Cinco De Mayo dinner in 2007 and there are plenty of celebrity pictures on the walls who have visited or otherwise been associated. This place is huge and has tons of outdoor seating and plenty of parking. Someone was having a wedding reception in the outdoor area and it has a very magical feel to it. One of our friends from New Mexico had told us before we came that she thought their offerings were "bland," but we didn't think so at all. It was perfectly spicy: not too hot so as to overwhelm the flavor, and not too mild as to not have a kick, either. Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad recommended this place in a radio interview, so we were compelled to give it a try. You should too - it does not disappoint. We wanted an authentic taste of New Mexico and felt like we got it here!

    (4)

  • Matthew P.

    El Pinto's best attribute is its physical space and ambiance. The food is moderately ok to good. Individuals complaining about the heat of the salsa or red chile sauce are physically and emotionally soft.

    (3)

  • Boris W.

    Unusual for a Tuesday evening, El Pinto was packed and a 45 min. wait. But within 10 minutes, bar manager, Ronny, had us seated at a nice table in the lounge. Our server, Robin, was excellent, helping us out with delicious recommendations. Both Ronny and Robin checked on us often and made sure our visit was memorable! The super nachos were amazing and perfect for 3 people and the pitcher of "3 Gs" margaritas were, too! Thanks to you both and to El Pinto.

    (5)

  • Ben W.

    This is the second time here. Both times had brunch. The food is excellent, servers are very friendly and attentive. Every time I'm in town from El Paso I will come here!

    (5)

  • Julie N.

    Good food and great atmosphere! I've eaten here twice: once for lunch and once for dinner. The food is good for experiencing New Mexican cuisine and I loved their Margarita! The best part is the atmosphere. The outdoor seating is beautiful and the indoor seating is comfortable and fun with lively decor, several fountains and fireplaces. This is a great place to get together with a group. I'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Steven F.

    Stopped by ABQ to visit friends on my way to NYC and they brought me here. The place was nice, and big. They have so many different dining rooms you can get lost after a couple of their yummy margaritas. I had the combination plate with a rolled taco, cheese enchilada, chile con carne, chile rellano, and pinto beans with green chile. Everything was really good. Next time I'm in ABQ I would be happy to go back.

    (4)

  • Jennifer L.

    I can't believe I have lived here for two and a half years and just now came here for the first time. I was here for a work function so we had our own private room, but the rest of the restaurant and building is so beautiful .. I just wish I could have had a tour of the whole place! For apps we has salsa, guac, and queso... I thought the queso was sooo good with green chile in it. The draft selection is ok. I got a negro models which came with some yummy frosty bits on top I guess from the cold tap?? I liked it... Haha For dinner I got the calabacitas burrito because the server said it was one of the two most popular dishes (enchiladas being another). First off the burrito was prob 10 inches long and 3 inches thick... Masssive... And it was pretty yummy and satisfying being that it was kinda vegetarian. I ordered the mild green chile..,woah I thought it was really spicy and this comes fom someone who regularly takes heaping servings of sriracha on her food. I was literally sweating during dinner lol. Very tasty though. The sopapillas and honey were soo good. Wish I had one right now! I know I'm not a true new Mexican but I appreciated the good service, charming atmosphere, and good portions/ flavor. Can't wait to come back and take out of town guests!

    (5)

  • Sergio S.

    This is where one comes to stare at all of the pictures of interesting celebrities on the wall that have graced El Pinto and ingested mediocre food. The place is really gorgeous with a great patio and great ambiance but that's kinda where it ends. Fresh off the plane, I was fiending for red and green chile. They brought out the sauces for us to sample because there was spice concern at our table. The sauces were good and my dish was doused in a good dose of sauce. The typical way a New Mexican restaurant qualifies as bad in my opinion is when it just relies on the sauce and that's where El Pinto succeeded magnificently. My pork was very dry and kind of sad tasting. The kind of sad where you start to feel, as a non-vegetarian, that the poor pig died for nothing. Tis the circle of life I guess.

    (1)

  • Meg B.

    In short, delicious. -Margaritas were fabulous -Chips and salsa were a meal unto themselves -Chile con carne was forgettable, despite being served at the White House for a state dinner -Carne Adovado was tasty, but spicier than expected -Ambience gets an A++. We waited for our table in the bar area, which was pleasant enough, before being seated on a really great patio. I felt like we were dining at an old ranch house. We will definitely be back and will be recommending to visitors.

    (4)

  • Love D.

    Brought aunt here to experience mexican, she was in town for business. We waited for 20 min. to be seated, waited another 20 at the table to get menus, another 15 until we got water, another 15 to place or order. The food was good but the service was very poor. I don't know if I'll return.

    (1)

  • David D.

    I only eat here during the summer so I can enjoy their beautiful patio. No one goes here for the food, just the outdoor ambience. However I will say the Red Chile Ribs are good and by far their best dish. Margarita pitchers are way overpriced. Good place to take visitors from out of town. Highly annoying that they only take reservations for parties of 10? or more. Because of this its not unusual to have an hour plus wait for a table.

    (3)

  • Kristina S.

    I love the ambiance of this place, and it's a nice place to take out-of-town visitors. The food, however, is definitely sub-par and not what you'd expect from such an established restaurant. The combination plates didn't come with red/green chile sauce unless you ordered it as a side, so the food was a bit dry. Two of our entrees and a drink order came out differently from what we'd ordered, and a side dish that we requested never arrived despite the fact that we asked about it twice. I ordered corn tortillas on the side, and they came out fried in oil and very chewy - ugh! I won't be raving about the food at this place unless they can make it as nice as the building itself.

    (2)

  • Jennifer L.

    I grew up in Albuquerque, and every time I have a chance to come home for a visit I make sure to stop at El Pinto. I'm a little surprised at all the low star ratings it's received here, so I'm trying to counteract that with my 5 stars! It seems like most of the people who gave it low stars probably don't appreciate red and green chile the way they should. This restaurant is all about the atmosphere. I've seen wedding parties many a visit, and I can see why because they have expansive patio dining and it's beautifully landscaped. In the past, I have preferred to sit inside because of the bees that are attracted to the honey bottles on the tables. On my last visit, the bottles had been replaced with sealed honey containers and I didn't notice any bees. That was great, because one of the redeeming things about Albuquerque is the beautiful weather, and I love a nice patio. I usually don't go to El Pinto for dinner, because they have the best happy hour ever and I don't want to miss it. When I do eat dinner I get the Chicken Adobada and add some guacamole on top of the grilled chicken breast that's marinated in red chile. It's great! But back to happy hour... Friday night is the best, I think it's from 4-6:30. You want to get there early to snag a table in the bar. On Fridays they have their famous chile con queso free for happy hour. I cannot get enough of this, it's the best queso ever! It has big chunks of green chile in it, I'm drooling on my keyboard just thinking about it. So, I prefer to go on Fridays, pig out on free queso, and drink pitchers of margaritas. I'm happy with the house margaritas, but if I have the money I like to upgrade to some made with silver tequila instead. They're a little smoother that way. The service is hit or miss, but I don't go for the service, I go for the queso, margaritas, and the atmosphere. I really never get good service in Albuquerque, anywhere. People here seem to have something against friendliness. Anyway, I love El Pinto, mediocre service and all. Try some green chile, and definitely try the queso and margaritas.

    (5)

  • Shae R.

    My intro to this newmex staple did not dissapoint. Institutionalized for good reason. Beautiful property. Fried green chile strips, red chile ribs and calabacitas, a pleasure to meet you--truly. Levante for dessert? Yes indeed.

    (5)

  • Brian B.

    This place is a very nice place to have a wedding reception or a date(in which you may propose to that special one). The food is very good, but if you go at a time that they are very busy(which most of the time they are), then you may have to wait a while to get your food. The restaurant includes indoor seating and an outdoor patio. As you step into the outdoor patio, there are small vendors selling paintings, photos, rugs, and much more. If you're not from the southwest, this is a good place to go and discover the culture(from food to the arts).

    (4)

  • Elaine D.

    Stay at home and make your own food...save your money.

    (1)

  • Diana H.

    Great atmosphere and good food. I had the chili rubbed ribs - they were very tender and tasty-spicy! Also had the calabasitas which was very good too. Service was good tonite too, friendly and efficient. This is my 3rd visit over the past 5 years and I will return again when in ALBQ.

    (4)

  • Hilma J.

    From a large selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes, I ordered the Vegetarian Combination Plate: this meal will be remembered despite...well...a different kind of restaurant experience...really, it was semi-self-serve. We are out-of-towners, stopping for a late Sunday afternoon meal, and didn't realize this is how the service works at El Pinto. Semi-Self Serve: We had to get our own napkins and water which we saw on sideboards, and waited to ask for spoons and forks. Even though the young wait-staff were chatting together and checking their cell phones, standing very close to our table, when we got up to get our items, no one seemed to think it was odd, so this must be how things are done at El Pinto. My impression is that El Pinto must be a cool place for young locals to (sort of) work. For future out-of-towners it would be helpful if the person showing patrons to a table tells them how things are done at El Pinto. Maybe even note this on the menu, because the restaurant certainly looks like a place where you'd be served by a wait-staff. Don't modify a menu item: Order "as is." My husband wanted a vegan tostada: no dairy, no meat, lots of veggies. Our usual experience is that the chef/cook can easily make these modifications. Here, the waitress suggested he order sides of vegetables. The sides came, all on separate plates. The waitress handed my husband one dinner-size plate and waited while he placed all the sides on the big plate. Then she took away all the small dishes. The veggies were all delicious, we were just surprised. This way to order was a new experience for us...needing to order 'sides' in order to modify a menu item. Had he known, my husband would have stuck with the vegetarian tostada and pushed aside any cheese and sour cream. The food was good...if I were local, I'd make sure I knew who the chef is...cuz if the chef moves on to a place where the service matches the food...that's where I'd go. Now that you know, do go. The food, beautiful location and...yes, the experience...is unique.

    (2)

  • Loosey B.

    Really liked this place. Even though it didn't have the best reviews on Yelp, the waitress at Turtle Mountain said we had to try it, so we did! The place is HUGE, and the patio we sat out on was very nice. We arrived after the lunch time rush. Waiter was attentive, and the food was good. Only 4 stars because we tried another Mexican restaurant the next day that was even better. We really got into the Green Chile while we were in NM. Great stuff!

    (4)

  • Dennis T.

    Chips and salsa were great. Everything else just so so. I ordered the red chili ribs and I must say that the red chili was WAY too over powering for my taste. And I like red chilies. My wife ordered the chili relleno and was very disappointed as well.

    (3)

  • Abby K.

    New to Albuquerque, thought we'd try El Pinto. The atmosphere is wonderful, but the food was nothing to write home about. The service was wonderful, but the price was a little too high for the basic rice, beans burrito-type of dinner. Good place for out of town guests, but there are better places with fair prices.

    (3)

  • Cindy L.

    I've been here several times and have never been disappointed! EVERYTHING is delicious and the service is always welcoming and great!

    (5)

  • Tammy R.

    Over rated and over priced. For better priced and food go to Sadie's (still on 4th St) or El Charritos, you'll be amazed in the difference.

    (2)

  • Karen T.

    Bad service, high prices and mediocre food. I go for the ambiance.

    (2)

  • Simone F.

    From the fiery salsa & fresh chips to the sweet, puffy sopaipillas, to the massive portions of smoky, chili-laden southwestern fare I. Love. This. Place, with its sprawling patio, endless rooms, potent drinks and friendly staff. This is "family style" dining without the taint of corporate homogeneity. Go.

    (5)

  • Laney B.

    What a great visit!!! Not sure what user August B. is talking about with Walmart down in his review... but I have to say this place is a must stop for those especially out of town. The decor inside is really unique in this restaurant is very large. Because we came at lunch there was no crowd. I like that the chairs and tables were very spread out I hate when you're in a restaurant and feel like you're on top of each other. Our server George was a specially helpful in explaining what things to consider off the menu. We're from the East Coast so rarely have any good Mexican establishment out there. I'm a vegetarian so there were plenty of options I got a burrito the ingredients were very fresh! I got mild chili on the side since I'm not sure what I think of that stuff yet. My husband ended up getting the lunch buffet because he really wanted a good taste a little of everything. The food was very fresh not like your typical buffet. Thanks so much George for making our experience here really great!!!!

    (5)

  • Jason F.

    Great food, great atmosphere and great cocktails.

    (4)

  • John P.

    great food, staff was great and frendily

    (5)

  • Jenny D.

    Was sent here on a recommendation. Sat at the bar for dinner, and had a wonderful meal. And the margaritas were darn good. Huge serving size for dinner. Ended up turning into three meals. Really like the grounds and gardens. Nice place and will be heading here again when I'm in Albuquerque.

    (5)

  • Tory w.

    Went here on a recommendation from a local. It was good, but there are better places to go in ABQ. El Pinto is far from any of the main route 66 action. We were there kind of late, and although the place is huge, we were put in a corner and pretty much ignored once our order was taken. The food was good, but fairly overpriced. The restaurant itself is very pretty, with lots of different dining areas both inside and out, with fountains, waterfalls, and lots of other features. They've been around for a long time but I would say that at this point, they're riding on their reputation and history because food, service, etc, all could have been better, especially for the prices that they ask. It's a classy and romantic place to go for New Mexican, but I prefer the down and dirty local joints...

    (3)

  • Joshua H.

    I don't understand the obsession with El Pinto. They have average New Mexican food. Our most recent visit was a poor experience. We started off sitting outside, but quickly moved inside because there were so many flies. The lighting was so dim that we were using our cell phones to read the menu. Our food took over an hour to come out. When the food finally came out, there were a few errors with our food. The drinks specials were only offered for patio seating (even though there advertising never stated so). The kids menu is bland and pricey. We were at El Pinto for a family member's birthday and they even forgot to bring out a desert to her after I had requested one. It would have been nice if a manager had been walking around checking on how the guests' experiences were going. There is better New Mexican food and better service in town.

    (2)

  • Frank P.

    This place is a great spot to eat. We have been here in alburquerque for 8 days and all the people we talked to said that this was a must stop. We were not disappointed. Our servers name was George and he treated us like we were his only table. He was by far the best server we have had since we have been here. The food here is delicious . I had the lunch buffet and I tried a lot of Mexican food that I had never had and I like everyone. The atmosphere here is very elegant and there is a lot of room so you don't feel like your packed in like sausages. Definitely a must stop.

    (5)

  • Jeffrey P.

    Went to go eat at el pinto the other night. Really beautiful restaurant. And great service. Our server Crystal suggested the fresh margaritas and they were great! Best I've had. Not a fan of the rellenos or tamales, but the ribs rock! Definitely try them!!!

    (4)

  • Steven B.

    great food but can be pricy

    (4)

  • Kaleigh B.

    Best enchiladas I have ever had. Drove 15 minutes out of my way for lunch here and was not disappointed. Wished the weather was nicer so we could have enjoyed sitting on one of the patios.

    (4)

  • Mike S.

    How in Restaurant's name is this place a 3.5 star rating? I had been hearing about this New Mexican food restaurant for over a year and finally got to try it out over a business dinner. First off, unreal setting that sits back in a tree covered nest, phenomenal bar setting just off to the left of the hostess desk. Great margaritas, tasty chips and salsa and the patio sitting area is to die for on a warm, clear night. Try the Chicken Enchiladas with Green or Red Sauce. I'll become a regular here, no doubt. Definitely not a place to judge off of the reviews. The only thing I would change is the gravel/dusty parking lot, but who am I to judge this amazing restaurant.

    (5)

  • M R.

    We were in town visiting friends and celebrating my daughter's birthday. They suggested El Pinto, & we went not knowing what to expect. Our server, Ayden, was extremely knowledgable, helpful and went out of his way to make my daughter felt special. (She loved the flan he brought out). The food and service were spectacular. We will definitely go back next time in town.

    (5)

  • J. A.

    Atmosphere was beautiful! Fried green chili appetizer was fantastic. Margarita marginal. Left 1/2 a glass. Chips and salsa average. Left 1/2 a basket and salsa behind. If it were good you'd have to our basket twice and bring me spoon to gobble up the salsa. Stuffed sopapilla nothing to write home about. Seems they forgot to smother it. Had to ask for fresh sopapillas as the first batch were cold and rock hard. Also ordered a tamale on the side...left 3/4 on my plate while I dreamed of my friend Silvia's tamales. Not good at all! Service...asked if they could please seat us with a good fun server...again marginal at best! Took over 10 minutes to be greeted by server (Sun. 3pm it was not busy!). Water glass ran empty twice and I had to ask for more. My sons Shirley Temple was never refilled (although he did say it was good). Server often seemed busy talking to a co-worker and we overheard several personal conversations with employees on the patio. I understand this food is "new Mexican" from another review and response from management. I'm a fan of traditional and americanized mexican, but (aside from the fried green chili's) it was really not very good at all! Sadly I was disappointed! I so wanted to like this place because it was so pretty! Atmosphere 4 star. Food 1 star (except those friend green chili's and the Shirley Temple). Service 1 star.

    (2)

  • Matt K.

    Very large very busy place. Overall a good experience despite the busyness. Queso made a decent appetizer, the enchilada sampler was tasty. Excellent selection of tequilas and margaritas.

    (4)

  • Patrick M.

    Make sure you sit in the patio area. Service is very good and friendly. Margs are adequate and they have numerous tequila choices. Food could be a bit better. Had the chile verde con carne enchiladas. Got the green chilies which were nice and hot. Pork was a little overcooked.

    (3)

  • Margaret M.

    It's more a 3.75 From the moment we walked in the theme of our night was disorganization. Seriously, they have the weirdest free-for-all hosting system. And people stand directly in front of the host station to chat making it really confusing when you're waiting "in line" but the hostess doesn't make eye contact. Anyway finally got our # and headed to the packed bar, decent & strong margaritas. Our number came up - surprisingly there were tons of empty tables on the way to our table. (leading me to believe the number thing is a big sham.) Then they gave us the neighboring tables' food, but giggly with margarita - no surprise there! It was good, and I found out I could in fact handle the "hot" sauce. Then they took that food away, would've been happy to just eat that; brought out our actual food...could not eat it. It was good - but really...really disorganized.

    (4)

  • Al C.

    It was just damn awesome food. I had the pork enchiladas (being from California its always beef, chicken or cheese so I had to try pork!). They were just awesome. The guacamole was tasty too. They also served sopapillas w/ honey, also tasty. The green chile sauce was quite spicy which I like. The restaurant is just huge. They can seat up to 1200 people (yeow!) and the palce is jusut impressive because of size. This is a must-go place when in Albuquerque.

    (5)

  • Leandro Q.

    Awesome experience!!!! First time at this restaurant and I enjoyed it very much. The restaurant was located in the middle of nowhere but with good reason as we found out. El Pinto is HUGE, as we were told by the waitress they get about 1200 visitors at a time during the summer. As for our experience it couldn't have been any better. Although we made to El Pinto 5 minutes before closing Ronnie welcomed us with open arms and made sure we received the best. He gave us a tour of the restaurant and the sauce factory in the back personally. He kept us entertained while we waited for our food and even took a picture with us. Faye our waitress was amazing as well. When we finished our drinks she went to the back and spent about 8 minutes looking for some ice tea to refill our cups despite the fact everything was put away and everyone was cleaning up. As for the food. While in albuquerque we tried many restaurants and I must say this was the best. I had an order of red chili ribs and enjoyed every last bit even though it was a little spicy for my liking. Overall I would definitely recommend this restaurant and am eager to come back to NM and enjoy another meal there.

    (5)

  • Liz G.

    We went to out to El Pinto tonight with some friends, some of them were visiting from Arkansas. They are an Albuquerque institution and we were looking forward to some good New Mexican food. It was a Saturday night and they were pretty busy. I was a little surprised by the prices. Most menu items were between $15 and $20. We got our table and our waitress Shauna took our orders, got drinks, etc. We proceeded to wait an hour for our food, and when it arrived, most of the orders were incorrect. Mine was one of the only ones that was right. I ordered the red chilè rubbed ribs. The ribs were a bit greasy and were barely warm. That was a common thread at our table. My husband ordered one of the combo plates and one item was carnè adovada. The waitress asked him if he wanted mild or hot. He wanted it hot. It was mild, at best. The food overall was bland. The only good thing was the salsa, El Pinto's claim to fame. We spoke to the manager and all the incorrect orders were comped and anyone who wanted ice cream got it for free. I was so disappointed. I have been to El Pinto once many years ago and it was great so I have recommended it to people when looking for good New Mexican food in a beautiful setting. But I won't be doing that anymore and that's sad!

    (1)

  • George D.

    My family had dinner here on Wednesday August 1, 2012. It was a nice balance of good food, nice surroundings and great service. This is a New Mexican restaurant but it's a little touristy, which is okay because the food is good but the price is a little high for the area. As an appetizer I had red chile rubbed pork ribs as my cousin recommended them highly and they didn't disappoint. They were slightly spicy, very tender with flavor but the portion was a little small. The table also came with chips and salsa and the salsa was actually pretty good and I think you can buy it in stores. I had a premium margarita that was really good. You could taste the alcohol but it didn't overwhelm and it was just sweet enough. Those margs were pretty expensive though, like $12. As my entree I had red chile chicken enchiladas (yes, again) and they were good. Great sauce, tender tortilla, good chicken and a healthy portion. My one complaint is the rice beans were only so so. Not surprising but you can hope. We split a tiramisu that was a little out of the ordinary but still very good. This tiramisu had biscochitos (a very tender shortening cookie that is very popular in New Mexico) instead of ladyfingers. Somehow the biscochitos were just a little crunchy, unlike ladyfingers that are soaked in espresso. It was really good. I only have one regret, I didn't leave a big enough tip. I was loaded from the two margaritas I drank and I miscalculated. So the next time I'm going to make up the difference with interest.

    (4)

  • Kat N.

    A must stop here when we are in town from CA. Salad was fresh and drinks we great. Our server was super knowledgeable and fast. Croutons were homemade red chile even. Very fresh and great food, staff is always friendly and the hostess was awesome!

    (5)

  • Stephanie H.

    I'm surprised the reviews for this aren't better. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. It's an absolutely beautiful location, I wish I could live there. Gorgeous huge ranch house surrounded by big beautiful trees. There are about 8 million different dining areas inside, and I'm pretty sure they do a lot of big events like weddings. The food is amazing. Just amazing. Last time, our awesome server created a special plate for me with a combination of things I wanted to try. My dining partner had the red chile ribs and was in heaven. So good. Definitely will want to make reservations or you'll probably have to wait a while for a table. El Pinto is one of my favorite parts of going to New Mexico.

    (5)

  • Ric S.

    I had heard so much about this place, I was excited to go. There is a sense of wonder as you walk in: 40 people deep waiting for a table (thank goodness we had a reservation), the indoor fountain, etc. We got to our table and ordered margaritas, there were about 30 to choose from. I had one with Blue Curacao, pretty tasty. The salsa was great, too. The menu seemed like the same you see everywhere else, but one thing caught my eye: Red Chile Ribs. Am I glad I followed my instincts, because they were great. The bones fell out of the tender meat if when you look at them. Spicy, but not to the point that you couldn't taste the meat. They came with sides, and we had the calabacitas. Those were a little corn and onion heavy for my taste, but were cooked great; he squash wasn't too mushy. But why, oh why did you bring the sopapillas with the entrees?!?! They were dried out and room temp by the time I finished my ribs. I want them to be still glistening with grease when I drench them with honey after my meal. Service was just fine. Not what I would call friendly, but at least they were attentive. I guess if you've just spent 6 hours waiting on 40 tables that turn over every 30 minutes without a gap, you've got very little left in the tank to be friendly to me. Over all, pretty good, but didn't really floor me.

    (3)

  • Andrew W.

    Coming from a traveller, it may seem foolish, but this place was truly the best mexican food I have ever had. Word of advice, in terms of the scoville scale, if you arent from the south west, take it down a level. If you are used to hot, order medium, if you want medium, order mild...The rellenos were hot, the dos equis was cold and the service was fast. It just dont get any better.

    (5)

  • Kelli L.

    Food is good, not great. It's the atmosphere that makes this place!!

    (4)

  • Sade B.

    The house margaritas were good, the green chiles fried in batter also yummy. The food may not be the best New Mexican in existence but the atmosphere sure is something else. Even on a busy Friday night there was seating in the bar while we waited for a table. If it's not too cold... Sit out on the patio!

    (3)

  • Mark M.

    In town on business and the client took us here for an authentic local experience. The walls are lined with hundreds of photos of the famous folks who have visited. The restaurant is also HUGE --- it must seat around 1,000 people and it similar to a small village. Or the size of Rhode Island. Some thoughts: - Good atmosphere for a "working dinner". Plenty of stuff around to comment on if the conversation is lacking - Pricey for what you get...so be prepared - The margaritas (I'm from Austin and know my stuff) leave a lot to be desired especially for the price - The nachos...the menu reads "the best in America". UMMMM I don't effing think so. Dear El Pinto, take that lie off your menu - The service the night we went (very few people were at the restaurant) was quite terrible - The food itself is quite average. Nothing special at all. For those of you who know the chain Chuy's (in Texas)..I'd say Chuy's is significantly better. Oh, and one of these is set to open soon at the Albuquerque International Sunport (yes, Sunport, not airport---apparently there are flights to the sun).

    (2)

  • Mark W.

    Great place but food is nasty

    (1)

  • Rachel P.

    My favorite restaurant in NM. The atmosphere and the food is amazing. The restaurant is surrounded by trees and has huge patios in the summer that are gorgeous and cool to sit under. I think the waitress told me that the place seats 900 people with all the patios open. Everything on the menu is delicious, and I have went and ate only the queso and drank a Margarita and been completely satisfied. A walk to the bathroom is down a hallway with pictures of celebrities that have been there....so anybody who is anybody makes a trip to El Pinto. The BEST NEW MEXICAN food in ABQ!

    (5)

  • Alex V.

    We went to El Pinto after stopping at a few Breaking Bad locations as this is Bryan Cranston's favorite place in Albuquerque. The exterior and grounds are attractive & relaxing as was the interior. We opted to sit at the bar. Our bartender Angel was just delightful as was her co-worker Robin. They were extremely helpful & offered suggestions. Robin was especially knowledgeable about tequilas. I asked about the spiciness of the posole & Angel brought me a taste. Way too spicy for me, but then again I am a wimp. My husband liked the taste however. My husband ordered the Green Chile soup; he loved it. I had a mixed green salad with grilled chicken. Nice & simple. We enjoyed the ambiance very much, although it was very hot & muggy inside. However, I were extremely disappointed in the fruit empanadas for dessert. I took one peach & one cherry to go so I did not see them until I got home. If I had, I would have returned them. $5.99 for ONE 3 inch empanada? That is ridiculous. It kind of put a damper on my memories of an otherwise delightful lunch.

    (3)

  • Aileen W.

    There's a reason why the POTUS, past and present, end up at El Pinto. There are pictures of various well-known dignitaries and celebs who have been here. It's a beautiful restaurant and a great place to take out of town guests as an introduction to the amazing city that is Albuquerque. Seating is very flexible, even though it's a large restaurant, the dining rooms are walled off so it feels more intimate than it is. The patio seating is beautiful at night, with string lights strewn above and a gurgling fountain. You have got to try their margaritas! Delish. The complimentary chips are fresh and tasty, and are even better if you order their house guacamole. It's really good. I always go for the rack of red chile ribs. We eat what we can and take home the rest. The portion size is fantastic...I love the rice that comes along with it. The ribs are amazingly tender and the red chile gives it the right amount of kick. I can see why they say it is a best seller on their menu. We have taken many a guest here and it seems like pretty much everything we've ever gotten is really well done. I only had one bad experience here, and that was due to terrible service. However, that was an isolated incident and more an outlier than the norm.

    (5)

  • Jeremy H.

    I always want to like El Pinto because the patio is beautiful. I'm always let down by the food though, so it's always further down the list when people ask me to recommend them a good place for NM food. We were in the area last Saturday at lunch time so decided to stop in. The margarita was pretty good and I did enjoy their "world-famous" queso. That's about the best of it though. We shared a chicken burrito that I ended up eating by myself because she thought the chicken tasted funny. I can name at least a half dozen places in town to get better red and green chile sauces, and they're all cheaper too.

    (2)

  • Dinah S.

    Always great food...but exceptional service today too. Ask for Allie if you want to be taken care of well!

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    There wasn't a thing I didn't like about this restaurant! I ordered the carne adovado burrito and a Patron Silver margarita. The carne adovado was wonderfully tender, delicious, and slightly spicy, and the margarita was strong and tasty. If I were to criticize one thing, it's that the sopaipillas came out with the entrees when they should have come afterward. A couple of guys in our group got the ribs and said that they were fantastic. I'll definitely have to try them the next time I'm there...and I'll definitely be there next time I find myself in NM!

    (5)

  • Corey D.

    El Pinto is a must visit if you are in Albuquerque. The restaurant is really beautiful with fountains and plants everywhere. The patio is the area of choice though when dining in. Fun fact: They jar homemade green and red chili in the factory behind the restaurant. G.W. Bush is a frequent customer and you can find his picture in one of the back dining rooms. Other celebrities are said to have eaten here when filming at the nearby studios also. The chicken enchiladas and the taco salad we're my usual picks. The sopapillas are some of the best here. Enjoy with a corona.

    (4)

  • Lisa K.

    Yes, the atmosphere at El Pinto is wonderful, but the overpriced food is mediocre and bound to disappoint. Over the years, my husband and I have eaten there for various occasions (weddings, office parties, etc.) and were never even close to being impressed by anything we've tried. Our latest foray involved a 1/2 off groupon deal. I researched the menu & yelp reviews so I could make an informed decision and hopefully get a decent meal. I ordered the calabacitas burrito w/ red & green. My husband got the red chile ribs. The burrito was okay; the red chile looked bright red and undercooked and was rather bland, while the green looked good but was all heat w/ little flavor. The ribs were horrible. I assumed they would have a red chile/barbecue type sauce, but the only thing on them was a sauce made of coarsely ground chile pods--skins & all; no other flavors, just red chile. The final insult--the bill. Without the groupon deal, this lunch meal (w/ water to drink) would have cost $35.00! I believe we have finally learned our lesson---El Pinto does not live up to the hype.

    (2)

  • Mike H.

    I usually come here for the patio. It is a wonderful place to while away an afternoon. Food has never been the strength of EP and this fact was driven home the last couple of times I visited after dark. Without the patio to distract one from the food it makes for a miserable dinner. The margarita's are some of the best American style margs you will find but the small glasses are stuffed full of ice so it comes down to about $5.00 a sip. Overpriced drinks with pedestrian food and poor service are now the hallmarks of the bean. Not not worth the time and money is two stars. Mike

    (2)

  • Liz G.

    The place is beautiful! but I have to say I was not impressed by the food. I feel like this is one of those restaurants that white folk love, but as a Southern Cali. MEXICANA, this is NOT REAL Mexican food...in other words, it is white-washed. Will I go here again? I don't think so. The best part was the bread with honey :O) The service was good too. Message from Manger regarding my review: "Thank you for eating with us but please understand El Pinto is not a Mexican restaurant. New Mexican cuisine is very distinct from Mexican cuisine. The confusion is common. For example, Mexican cuisine uses cilantro heavily. New Mexican does not. New Mexican uses red and green chile. Mexican does not. There are many differences but you are certainly not the first, or that last, that is confused by this. We need to do a better job on the web site and on our menu explaining the difference." My Response: "The difference does not explain why the food taste bad. I had plenty of New Mexican food while I was there and it was much better than El Pintos. Whether New Mexican, Mexican, or any food in the Southwest, your food still ranks at the bottom. In addition, Mexican food does use red and green chile!"

    (1)

  • Celina M.

    Very quaint, excellent service from Estrella and fantastic food. This is my first time here. Tagged along with my husband on a business trip and he came here last year. So glad we made it before they closed. We hope to come back tomorrow before we head back to San Diego.

    (5)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Mexican Cuisine

If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.

Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.

Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.

El Pinto

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.