Monica’s El Portal Restaurant
321 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104
Monica’s El Portal Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Albuquerque for healthy meals suggestion.
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Visit below restaurant in Albuquerque for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
321 Rio Grande Blvd NW
Albuquerque, NM, 87104 - Phone (505) 247-9625
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : 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.
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MG M.
I went for chips & salsa & a margarita while I had an hour to kill. What kind of self-respecting New Mexican restaurant, of any restaurant, for that matter, offers only a "house" margarita? Read: a drink with a heavily processed/sugared mix resembling lime juice & some type of alcohol sort of like tequila. Chips & salsa were definitely not anything to write home about. Would not recommend.
(1)Jim W.
Great food for the most part. A couple in the party weren't too happy with their fajita burritos. Queso was amazing and the service was great. I had the combo plate and everything was solid. Smallish chips/salsa to be charged $1.29 for 2nd+ bowls... but... the sopapillas were what brought us there... and they didn't disappoint!
(3)Vince H.
Excellent Mexican food. But Danger Will Robinson. When they say the green chili Is HOT they mean it. I love green chili, nothing I love better than a bowl. But I literally had to stop after two spoonsfull. Way, way too HOT. Maybe ask for a taste before you commit.
(4)T Y.
Lunch date with my sisters and belated birthday celebration. We thought Monica's would be a good spot to celebrate because it's local and near Old Town. Unfortunately, we left with so much regret. The fries were saturated with oil, my sisters plate had a bug crawling on it and the customer service was terrible, as always. The ladies are never friendly. It always feels like you're bothering them when you ask for something. And rather than taking one meal off the bill because we found a bug, they should have comped the entire check. We were so grossed out. Never again!
(1)Joleen Q.
My best friend is absolutely in love with this place. I on the other hand ordered a combo plate of an enchilada, tamale, and a taco but the green chilies on top was extremely hot and inedible for me. Even the beans were spicy! I will say that the salsa here is incredible and the sopapillas were to die for. I was in love snd it tasted like a Chalupa! You have to add honey and it is perfection.
(4)Hollie W.
My family and I found this using yelp and had a very pleasant lunch. Good prices for the food.
(4)Heidi F.
On a road trip and decided to stop here as yelp gave it 4 stars. It was very dissapointing. The food was bland and the service was poor. Maybe it was a bad service day but would recommend going somewhere else.
(1)Gabriel S.
Great, quick service. Amazing food! I got the combination to try a few things and it was all excellent! The sopapillas are exquisite. A must try
(5)Keith B.
I've been here several times as its not far from my place. Last time I went they had fallen off quite a bit. Had some young girl serving who was rude the entire time like she wanted to go home. It was a very bad experience and even though I've really like their food, the entire experience was miserable.
(1)John g.
We rolled into this restaurant from out of town hoping to find somewhere good to eat in old town Albuquerque. 4 stars on yelp so we decided to give it a shot.The decor was completely out of date. However we decided to look past that since it was old town. The food was awful. The beers were burned (cold then hot then then cold). Couple next to us left dinners untouched.Service was terrible, they were trying clear the table before we finished. Maybe a favor. I don't typically complain on yelp but this place stunk.
(1)Rickey H.
Good spot for traditional mom and pop Mexican food. Was a little disappointed in the tacos ordered hard shell but by the time I got them they were soft and melted.
(4)Roxy L.
Great local place with casera Mexican food and friendly service. Straight forward food and relaxed atmosphere.
(4)Heather H.
I had the cheese enchiladas with green chiles and they were very good. The tacos were greasy. The salsa was very good. This place is for sure worth trying.
(4)Joseph L.
Passing thru and looked at Yelp. Was not disappointed with the Green Chile, first rate. The sopapillas were OK but not as good as other MN resturants. Nice place in a good part of town, easy parking.
(4)M T.
My Family and I have been enjoying this Family owned/operated restaurant for over 20 years. Within the 1-2 years we have been in about 5-6 times. Customer Service is consistent - very clean tables, chairs and menus. Bathrooms are clean and stocked. The quality of food has always been authentic and delicious. This past couple years, we have experienced a lack of taste for the food. It's very bland and boring. Amount of food served is adequate. I really hope to return soon and have a better experience than we have in the last couple years.
(2)Johnny L.
Went late on a Sunday afternoon and sat out on the patio- a really nice area! They have a second patio in the back, too! Within 20 minutes we were seated, had drinks (the margarita was awesome!) and were brought our meals. These sopapillas are THE BEST. Seriously, I think I whispered "holy shit" after taking the first bite. It was like the first time I discovered what real sopapillas tasted like. This place is a gem!
(5)Matt P.
This place is legit! The waitress was polite and friendly. The food was awesome and the prices were awesome for how much food we got! Gonna be coming back soon and I'd suggest trying this place if you're a fan of real Mexican food.
(5)Sunny C.
Went here because they allowed our dog on the patio. The food was terrible :( I was in the mood for some good Mexican-this was the wrong place for that! The chile con queso was 7-11 style nacho cheese nooooooo! I ordered a taco salad (thought it couldn't be terrible) and it was completely unappetizing AND came with a weird, hot (temperature), flavorless red sauce. Who pours a hot (temperature) sauce on a salad?!? I could go on about each disgusting part of our dishes, but I won't. Just don't go there. :(
(1)Local 1.
This was my favorite restaurant in the 70s when it was El Encanto. Most of the reviews of Monica's that aren't favorable seemed unfair or written by people who don't eat a lot of New Mexican food. We decided to try it today. Green chile was great, salsa & warm chips were great, refried beans were yummy, sopapillas were delicious (generous serving of sopas), and everyone was really nice & friendly. I had tacos & my husband had a combination plate. Both were very dry. Dry tamale, dry meat in the tacos, & very little red chile. The red chile was made from powder. Dry, grainy & flavorless. The texture was like paste. The red chile was so disappointing. We decided that there is no reason to return. There are plenty of restaurants with excellent New Mexican food.
(2)Brian S.
This place hits all the spots. Tasty food and friendly service. I live in a place with not-so-great Mexican/southwestern food, so coming here while I'm in town is a real treat. A good amount of filling vegetarian options as well, which isn't always the case at Mexican places.
(5)Penny G.
The chicken fajitas were awful no flavor comes with rice. And beans same no flavor I order the green enchiladas to spicy were ok only thing I didn't like was that has cheese inside, it comes with potatoes and beans I did like that the service is ok the waitress don't refill water. You try to call them but they just pass by you and don't ask if you need anything or there in kitchen so didn't like this restaurant
(2)Brandon V.
Food and margaritas were great! It's a fun spot for some authentic Mexican food! The sopapillias are incredible as well!
(5)DC S.
Green chili "soup" with chicken and rice and sopapillas. That's it and that is all you need to know. Go to Monica's and eat this. Service is as good and friendly as the food is terrific.
(5)S James P.
Food was good. The service was good! Would come again.
(4)Jon T.
Strong three stars. We read a few reviews and decided we would wander around Old Town for a while after hiking in the Petroglyph Monument. We thought Monica's sounded good but while in an art shop were steered to La Placita on the Plaza by someone claiming to be a local. I was convinced until I stepped outside and read the reviews. It seems we were again being steered by a local to a touristy place. I trusted my previous research and we went to Monica's. Who knows what we would have had at La Placita, but we had a good meal at Monica's. Ms T ordered the chicken and rice soup based on another reviewer's recommendation. This was a good soup for a chilly day. It was thick with rice and chicken. She added a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime and it was a gut warming meal. We split it and also split the burger. I was up for another go at a green chile cheeseburger. This one was a good one. The patty was hand made with some nice crust around the edges. I asked for some extra green chile, having learned my lesson. The burger came with 2-3 whole roasted green chiles on it, I did not unpile them to count. So with the two additional I was brought, I had plenty. The whole thing needed a bit of salt, but was very good and I would certainly recommend it. I garnished with a little of my usual mayo and cut it in half. The only mistake I made was that I did not see that the patty was not centered on the bun and when I cut it Ms T ended up with more than half of the meat. I won't let that happen again. Monica's is a good place for lunch and if we are ever back in ABQ, I expect we would try it for any meal.
(3)Matthew W.
It's been a couple of years since I've been here. I felt like the food wasn't as good as last time, but it was still very good. (Perhaps over the last 2 years, I've been building up my expectations over and over...) Anyway, the beef taco was still good, but I like Sadie's beef taco better. The enchilada was still just so-so, and the chile relleno was fine. The sopapillas were fine too, not the best I've ever had. The chips and salsa were really good. The service was very friendly still. I'll try this place again next time and post an update.
(4)Abby K.
A typical new mexican style restaurant in Old Town with a dedicated parking lot, which was convenient. Plenty of room for guests with their multiple dining rooms. We started our meal with chips and salsa for $1.25, which was cheap, but I really dislike paying for chips and salsa at a new mexican restaurant. The salsa has a kick. Yum! Basic menu, nothing that will surprise you. The food on both orders was good, except for the rice; the rice was hard and un-flavorful. The tacos and enchiladas were stuffed very full which I appreciate and the tamales were very good. I wish we had ordered one more to be honest. We received 4 sopapillas with our orders, which we didn't obviously need, but were happy to devour! Overall a good meal.
(3)Nya A.
I enjoyed the food, location and the friendly waitress. We came as a group from DC and missed the SW food. I use to live in Phoenix so this was a great recommendation to get your SW fix. I will definitely come back and recommend co -workers to eat here.
(5)Howie K.
I believe that when a truly holy sopapilla is crafted, a little pod of heaven lives inside its folds. I'm talking heaven in that really basic, almost cartoon image, a bunch of people adorned with wings sitting on clouds eternally bored out of their minds. And while I doubt the image of the Virgin Mary has ever graced the facade of a tortilla, I'm quite certain Monica and family are endowed with a righteous, immaculate talent, because when I rip open one of their pillowy sopapillas I can actually see a little steam cloud rise and dissipate back to the heavens above. Zion, caught in a pastry. The tortillas at Monica's don't quite match the Godlike mark, but they are thick and handmade. The carne adovada ranks amongst the very best in the city, and that's impressive: big red blocks of beef that manage to maintain composure until they meet your teeth. Throw in some fluffy scrambled eggs and you've got a magnificent breakfast burrito. The Huevos Rancheros are filling and not soupy, and the chile--wow! Let's just say it's not always tourist-friendly. Other highlights include the blue corn enchiladas, fantastic green chile rellenos and tacos. Garnish can be on the light side so ask for an extra dose. Oh, and those of you who aren't fans of onion, be advised that it's most likely in the dish--though the waitstaff has never failed to ask us when we order. Come for the food, stay for the sopapillas, consider yourself Saved.
(4)Jill M.
This was a great choice for lunch. The salsa tasted fresh and spicy, the sopapillas and chips had a nice texture and were very tasty. The green chile sauce and enchiladas were good, with lots of sauce and cheese, and filled with well seasoned meat. Overall, the restaurant was a little bit dive-y and run down, and the service was friendly but inattentive (I had to ask twice just to get a menu). However, it's really cheap and the food is great!
(4)Kenda S.
Ordered the carne adovada. It was okay. The pork was a little dry but the beans were really good. I was with a group of 20 for which we had made a reservation weeks on advance, yet they were still understaffed. Waited 40 minutes to make our food order.
(3)Kia V.
The concierge at our hotel recommended Monica's when we asked for a local place to grab dinner. We loved it so much that we went back two nights in a row. The food was AMAZING and the wine-margaritas were divine! This is a mom and pop type of place, which was exactly what we were looking for! The queso dip and sopapillas were out of this world. The pork dish and chicken enchiladas {Christmas style} were wonderful. We had an appetizer, dinner and drinks and it was less than $12 per person, including the tip!
(5)David B.
Excellent home made quality Mexican food from a family owned business who takes pride in the quality of the food. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the building. Quality food at reasonable prices with very good service is found inside.
(5)Amy S.
Everything was wonderful! Margaritas and sopapillas with honey were absolutely superb! Service was great! Only thing we that wasn't to our taste were the chile rellenos. We are going to bring some of their cinnamon cookies to our resort...very excited about those!
(5)Shana M.
Only as we were walking up at noon on Mother's Day did it occur to my wife and I that we should have perhaps called first. Luckily, we slid into one of the few remaining tables. My first impression was that Monica's was a casual place in a beautiful but homey environment. The staff were friendly and suggested we seat ourselves. My wife has a gluten allergy (she has celiac) and our server was very knowledgeable about common pitfalls. She let us know that both the red and green chile were made without flour and suggested she have the corn tortillas for her enchiladas steamed instead of fried. Both the gluten and non-gluten eaters were very happy with their meals. I had a burrito with a homemade tortilla and the best sopapillas I've eaten in Albuquerque. They were seriously amazing and clearly handmade. Really good food, warm and inviting atmosphere....and allergy friendly. We'll be back. It's in old town, just outside the pedestrian area. There's a sizable parking lot and it was easy to find.
(5)Denise H.
Love, love love this place! Great homemade food, the chili is bombin!
(5)Ducks -.
One of my favorite restaurants of all time! Did Monica always charge for chips and salsa? Or was today the first time that the waitress charged me in the many many times that I have visted there before? Oh well, no prob... as the chips are homemade and so is the sauce! Waitress told me that Monica doesn't have a hotter sauce, other than the green chili sauce... Oh well, you can always add a couple of grilled jalapenos.
(5)Ty K.
Sensational. I have lived in Albuquerque 25 years and ate here for first time tonight. I am disappointed I waited this long. Everything home made. The beans were tasteful. Would give 5 stars but she charges for chips and salsa.
(4)Diane B.
New Mexican style chicken enchiladas (flat) great green chili, rice, beans, lettuce and diced tomato, two sopapillas iced tea for a lunch special on Friday. Not like San Diego but that's what makes Mexican cuisine fun. Monica's is close to Old Town, serves wine and beer, ample parking, good service. I visit my new grandson often, and this is a do over and again lunch spot.
(3)bee n.
The best food ever. Ate at Sadie's last night what a disappointment. You all need to come here especially to eat their homemade tortillas. Just like grandma use to make!
(5)Ted R.
Visited this place after reading reviews. My wife is a Mexican restaurant expert. Ordered Chile Relleno and tacos on the dinner. They got the meat wrong on the taco but getting a waitress to call to their attention was too slow to bother with Food was Okay but not exceptional. Would probably look for another Mexican restaurant as there are many to choose from in ABQ.
(3)Tracy D.
The best Mexican food we have ever had. Felt like mom was in the kitchen cooking just for us. Price was very reasonable. Stop in and try it if you are ever in Albuquerque walking around the old town area.
(5)Kristen C.
My mom and I were in Albuquerque for the night as we slowly make our way back to California. I searched for a Mexican place in Old Town seeing that we were in the heart of the Southwest and found Monica's. The service was very prompt and courteous. We were told to seat ourselves and our server got to us no more than a few minutes later with menus and asking our drink orders. We got our drinks soon thereafter along with a basket of tortilla chips and salsa, which was really spicy. The portions were perfect, too. I ordered a quesadilla with chicken, which came with refried beans, rice, guacamole, and sour cream. The chicken was bursting out of the tortilla! It was the best quesadilla I've ever had (and I've had a lot of fantastic Mexican food in California). My mom ordered a combo plate with a beef taco and cheese enchilada covered with their homemade red chile sauce. Spicy, but really good from what I was able to taste. I could see her nose and cheeks turning red from how hot it was. We also got sopapillas (with honey that was already on the table) for dessert that came with the meals. Our total for both meals was less than $20. Very reasonably priced. Fantastic authentic Mexican food!
(4)Kathleen B.
Some of the best Mexican food I've had, and our waitress was fantastic. We ordered the Combo 1b (enchilada, relleno, taco) and the #10 (chimichanga with shredded beef). In addition to the entree, beans, rice and choice of green or red chile was included, as well as a choice of homemade tortilla or 2 sopapillas. If you order with the sopapillas, this makes each entree (including dessert) right around $10 per person, and there is a TON of food. Everything is homemade, and is based on Monica Baca's family recipes. The place was busy as we were there during the main lunch hour, but we had no problem with service. We ordered extra tortillas and sopapillas to go, and the waitress included little containers of honey. Overall, we highly recommend Monica's and will be stopping by again on our way back home.
(5)sean m.
When we pulled into Albuquerque my cousin was looking for good margaritas and I wanted good Mexican food and an outdoor patio. We both agreed that this place was a great find. Delicious burritos. Fantastic sopaipillas. I ate way too much. The decor is nothing special. However, having driven down from Chicago it was nice to sit outside on a deck in mid-October.
(4)Nat S.
We were traveling through the area and needed a place to eat. After 30 unsuccessful minutes of driving we came upon Monica's El Portal. I was a little hesitant to stop here because we're very critical of our Mexican food and the prices seemed a bit high, nevertheless we decided to stay. We ordered the Chile Verde chicken soup and a pork dish- and both were excellent. The flavors were on point and while the plates initially looked small we were both quite full at the end. The tortilla (more like a large fresh and thick wrap/pita) was different from what we are used to have in San Diego, but it was very filling as were the fried breads. The server also gave us complimentary pudding to try, which was a very nice gesture and a perfect way to end the spicy meal.
(5)Dorian P.
Found this little gem during the first leg of a cross country road trip from LA back to MD. It popped up on Google and had great reviews, so we thought we'd try it. I ordered the green chili stew, which every now and then, appears to me in my dreams; warm and spicy the way I remember it. I found a similar recipe online and made it for my family and boyfriend a few weeks ago. Mine wasn't as good as the original, but it was good enough. Huge burritos. Monica's is a bit pricey, but the server had gotten my boyfriend's order wrong. He hates cheese and his burrito came with about 5 pounds of cheddar melted on top of three slabs of provolone (ok, i'm exaggerating, but it was a lot of cheese) and had to order another plate. outdoor patio was adorable.. views of the parking lot- not so much.
(3)Margarita B.
I have eaten here since i was a child. The sopapillas are the best of anywhere i have ever eaten. The guac is fresh and delicious. Even my picky kids love to eat here.
(5)mark g.
Food is pretty good. Nice coffee. Prices are reasonable, but the service... Super bitchy waitreses.
(2)Jesse P.
We came in around 5:30 on a Thursday evening and it was very quiet with only a couple other people seated. The service was great and the food was out to our table in about 5 minutes. I ordered a carne adovada chimichanga that was excellent, perfect heat from the green chile and expertly cooked.
(4)Kris K.
My boss and I were travelling to Albuquerque for the first time. We used urbanspoon to find a nice local eatery for Mexican and this is what appeared. We were pleasantly suprised with how fantastic the food was. The service was spot on. They made it feel more like a home place vs a resturant. I tried the shredded chicken and beef enchalata's. Both were fabulous. Even if the hot sauce was really hot :) I would have given 5 stars, however we were interrupted two-three times of sales people. That makes it awkward while trying to relax and enjoy a meal.
(4)Stew N.
If you're there for the food, this is the place. Ate there every day on my recent stay at the Hotel ABQ and tried a range of dishes. Main dishes are all great, hot but in a way that works just right with the flavors. I especially like the fact that things like beans and sopaipillas are top-notch as well, with attention to all details Decor and ambience aren't much, service is just sort of there (but friendly - can't imagine what the previous reviewer did to bring out the "bitchy" in this sweet-hearted staff), and prices are simply what they ought to be for this kind of attention to food preparation. But I'm there for the food, and I can't take off any stars for that.
(5)Meghan P.
This is my favorite place of the Mexican restaurants near Old Town. I had two enchiladas (one chicken, one carne adovada) with green chile. Sopapillas, rice, and beans came with the meal. I liked it a lot- the green chile (which my served described as "kind of a little bit hot") was just the right hotness for me- My tongue didn't go numb and I didn't cry, but I could feel it. The rice was kind of plain but Ilike the beans. The chicken was VERY delicious, and I liked the carne adovada too (it was my first time having it, so I don't know how it compares). The tortillas had a good flavor. I really liked the sopapillas too. I had natillas for desert. The waitres said they were really really good- that it was sort of like pudding. I'd never had them before... they looked pretty gross... like slightly homogenized cottage cheese, all white and jiggly with cinnamon sprinkled on top. But they were delicious! This restaurant is on the top of my list for my return visitsto the city.
(4)merle s.
Not upscale, but not a dive. Just really good food, made super fresh with plenty of spice. The stew was fantastic and the sopapillas are addictive. Plus the price was right.
(5)