Barbacoa El Primo

Mexican restaurant · Albuquerque

Barbacoa El Primo

Mexican restaurant · Albuquerque

1

1300 San Mateo Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108

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Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by Justin De La Rosa
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null
Barbacoa El Primo by null

Highlights

Tender barbacoa tacos, tortas & burritos. Fresh fixings & salsas.  

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1300 San Mateo Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Get directions

barbacoaelprimo.shop
@barbacoa_el_primo_llc

$10–20

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1300 San Mateo Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Get directions

+1 505 433 4261
barbacoaelprimo.shop
@barbacoa_el_primo_llc

$10–20

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Last updated

Aug 20, 2025

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@eater

The 25 Best Restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico | Eater

"While new, expensive, overhyped tacos dominate many Instagram feeds, real ones know the $2 taco is alive and well at Barbacoa El Primo. As the restaurant’s name suggests, barbacoa is the one and only meat you’ll find here, but there’s no need for other options when the slow-cooked, tender beef is as good as this. You can order it in a torta, burrito, or taco. The red and green salsas pack piquant punches, but their heat can be tamed with an agua fresca or horchata. Know before you go: Feed the crew with the restaurant’s family pack, which comes with a pound of barbacoa, tortillas, garnishes, and salsa." - Justin De La Rosa

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-albuquerque-new-mexico
View Postcard for Barbacoa El Primo

Sakina CHBANI-IDRISSI

Google
We had such a great time at Barbacoa! Everything was so tasty and fresh. What I liked most was the super tender & slow cooked meat. And the homemade tortillas! An authentic family business with a good sense of service. We were welcomed with smiles. The place is clean and so lovely! We came from France and sure will return next time we visit Albuquerque!

FullTime X2

Google
Solid breakfast burritos. Barbacoa is your choice of meat and your only choice. There's a reason why though, it's good! Red salsa off the salsa bar was extremely hot. I love hot. And this checked the box for sure. Be careful everyone else lol. The green sauce was hot as well but nothing like the red salsa. Will definitely try the rest of their menu when I get a chance. This is in the old logo burger building.

Casual Jim TV

Google
I was in a party of five at about 11 am on a Saturday. This restaurant was extremely busy which is always always a good sign for amazing food. This restaurant has a very limited menu built around its primary product which is Barbosa. I ordered a breakfast burrito that included their signature product. Others in my party who had visited this restaurant previously simply ordered Barbacoa by the pound and that's the proper way to eat at this restaurant. The Barbacoa at this restaurant is absolutely amazing! I highly recommend this restaurant!

David Tang

Google
Really amazing Barbacoa. In my opinion the breakfast burrito is better than the Barbacoa burrito because it comes with egg, potatoes, and cheese and barbacoa. The red sauce is pretty spicy - so be ware. The green sauce is perfect. Highly recommend! The drinks are great as well. You get a refill too.

Mary B

Google
We were looking for a good Mexican restaurant to eat at and found this place from a TikTok video. It was so good and the atmosphere was very casual and felt like a good family atmosphere. We ordered a family meal and it was perfect for two. The gteen salsa was perfect. The red was hot but super addicting. Will eat there again.

Zuzana Patterson

Google
The torta was a decent size. The gordita was just one triangle piece, so you would most likely need more depending on how hungry you are. As far as the meat quality goes you can't go wrong ! Delicious and juicy on matter how you get it. Highly recommend.

Huy-Binh Nguyen

Google
We came from New York and were blown away. There is nothing like this in NYC and this is why we come to the west - incredible food, immaculate down to earth vibes, and super friendly staff. Incredible barbacoa and fresh toppings, and the Chile relleno burrito was perfectly slightly smoky and not stuffed with fillers.

MAC n’ Cheese

Google
Barbacoa El Primo is the place to get exceptional barbacoa. Everything they serve is barbacoa and it always delivers. The employees and managers are very nice and enjoy what they do. I usually get the breakfast burrito and tacos that are fantastic. The fillings are a nice add on for the tacos and the red sauce is really hot if you like your food spicy.
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Jenny S.

Yelp
Came for a quick lunch and this barbacoa hit the spot!! Plenty of parking and quick service so I was in and out of there in a jif I ordered the La Gordita which is like 2 flour tortillas sandwich ingredients barbacoa and then grilled. Soo good, tender and juicy barbacoa They have a self serve toppings bar with onion, cilantro, cabbage, tomatoes, limes, 2 spicy salsas one green one red that tasted like habanero I'll be back next time I'm in town!
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Maggie S.

Yelp
Best Barbacoa in town! Last time I went it was in a Sunday before we went to the railyards. There was no wait. Quality and taste was no lost. The staff was friendly. 10/10 recommend if you are craving barbacoa. The salsas are spicy but are so good.
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Aram K.

Yelp
This is my second time coming to barbacoa El Primo. The first time I came I really liked the tacos and gorditas and torta, so I ordered them again this time. But this time I also asked if they could make me a quesadilla, I didn't notice it on the menu; they made it for me and.. just wow . Their barbacoa meat melts in your mouth and has the perfect flavor and texture. Their green salsa has just the right kick while maintaining a high level of flavor from the tomatillos. Their cantaloupe drink is out of this world delicious. I've had their horchata before and it's good but the cantaloupe drink is my new favorite drink there. It blew my mind. Their quesadilla which seems to be a secret menu item was sooo delicious I had to buy a second one and take it home. I couldn't believe how good it was. I will say this, it's a bit over the top greasy, but the flavors and textures inside make up for that. You know how sometimes when you go somewhere the greasiness outshines the flavor of the food? No here it's just something passive, you'll notice some drops of oil leaking when you eat the quesadilla but the flavor of the food itself greatly outshines that. I also had a taco and torta and gordita which we're all good and you had to load your own toppings from the taco bar.
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Travis F.

Yelp
Extremely fast service. The food is good and pretty affordable. I ordered the torta which is just meat inside.
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Antonio G.

Yelp
Buenisima la barbacoa. 100 recomendada y el agua muy buena. La de horchata excelente precio
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James O.

Yelp
A bit disappointed Only available tacos are shredded beef , very small portions and a bit of a wait
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Yuri F.

Yelp
the food is absolutely amazing for the price you're paying. The tacos are small and delicious. I just wish they were open for dinner too!!!
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Liz A.

Yelp
If you have never tried Barbacoa, this place is awesome to try them for the first time. This is the 2nd time I have had them. This place has friendly service, fast, efficient and is a clean facility. Plenty of food for one person. I ordered the half lb of meat. It came with all the fixings, plenty of corn tortillas. Reasonable prices. Give this place a try.
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Dee S.

Yelp
Always quick and I always call in my orders. The barbacoa is so good and so are the breakfast burritos. It's a small place to sit and eat but can accommodate a good amount of space if you decided to eat there. There is a salsa bar with all the topping necessary for your barbacoa feast.
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Heidi A.

Yelp
I was surprised how bare it looked without the toppings, but the sauce and the toppings made it complete. The service was quick. And the interior was very cute and fun. The tacos were really tasty, and full of flavor. I can't wait to come back!
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Lisa P.

Yelp
Friendly, quick service. Delicious food. Highly recommend for amazing barbarcoa!!
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Jean C.

Yelp
I can see why they were listed in the top 100 restaurants.in the SW. The meat is tender and flavorful. The pineapple horchata is amazing. The 1lb deal has tons of food. Great food and great value.
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Lorena Z.

Yelp
The barbacoa is delicious and VERY tender. There is a salsa/toppings bar so that you can pick exactly what you want on your tacos. They give you a good amount of tortillas so that you get full. I've had food leftover each time. Service has always been good when I've gone. The workers are kind/respectful and the food comes out quick. The restaurant has tons of open seating and it's a super casual environment. Lots of hungry workers go in for lunch.
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John D.

Yelp
One of the things I miss about South Texas is the food. Simple food with basic ingredients. Like barbacoa, a great weekend breakfast food. We would buy some on Sunday morning, take it home and eat. But that was then. After hearing rave reviews from friends and co-workers I had to find out for myself. I can sum it up in one word - wow! We decided to eat in. We ordered a pound of barbacoa and a couple of drinks at the counter. Drinks are mostly served in bottles/cans. Within minutes our food was served up with a stack of steaming hot street size corn tortillas - which ran out as we spooned the last of the barbacoa. Onions, cilantro, lime and red/green hot sauce. Red is extremely hot!!! - taste and then apply. A little went a long way. The barbacoa was delicious and considering the usually greasiness of the meat, I was expecting a large amount in the bottom of the cup. To my surprise it was almost nonexistent. ¡Simplemente La mejor!? Si!
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Devy P.

Yelp
This restaurant is a great place to come if you're in a hurry they work fast and have great customer service. They have a small menu which is great! The Barbacoa meat is so good and doesn't have hardly any fat that's why I keep coming back.
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Alec B.

Yelp
Loved it. I will be back. We got enough to feed four and had leftovers for the next day. Barbacoa is legit. Shells are legit and the salsa Arbol is picante. Great help yourself fixins as well. Awesome bang for your buck
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Jesse M.

Yelp
Barbacoa Primo was a really authentic style barbacoa and a friendly to visit. I had the 1LB order amd it was plenty of food for both of us .. the salsa's are and garnish are super fresh and delicious. I would definitely recommend it and I'm going back !!
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Daniel C.

Yelp
Best Barbacoa in town ! They use to be located near Highland HS, but now their new location is a sit down restaurant. One of my fav places to come visit when in Abq.
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Bryce J.

Yelp
Great service and the breakfast #2 was incredible! Barbacoa with crispy hash browns and egg with red chilies on the side was the best way to start my day today! Perfect sizing on the breakfast burrito as well! Enough to handle but not wasteful on eating too much in the morning.
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J.C R.

Yelp
Holy shit these are AMAZING! I'm from LA visiting and came across this place as I was leaving a Mexican market. Ordered a 1lb and a small consume. I used some flour tortillas i bought at the market and assembled them at home. These are INCREDIBLE. These are definitely top 5 in my book. Just as good if not better than what we have in LA. Tip: order a consume, then squeeze in lime some lime juice, add onions, cilantro, tomato, cabbage some hot salsa and sip it and DIP your taco into it. Its like eating a French dip sandwich, but Mexican.
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Celeste S.

Yelp
Has a great taste. I like that it's not oily like other barbacoa I've tried. They have all the garnish needed. You get a good amount of food for the price.

Lauren C.

Yelp
Best barbacoa I've ever had, and best restaurant I've been to in ABQ so far. A true hidden gem!

Dan F.

Yelp
I called yesterday to place an order for 40 people. I got there this morning to pick it up and everything was prepared and easy to transport. the hospital I took it to is raving about how good it is! thank you so much. I will be back for sure.
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Jen W.

Yelp
We are from out of town for a family gathering around Thanksgiving weekend. We ordered to go, large quantity, good pricing and delicious barbacoa!!!
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Jessica H.

Yelp
Great pricing for the family meals! I love how they make a taco fest so easy. Everything is packed and ready for you (tortillas, veggies, salsas, the meat!) If you choose to eat there, there's a lot of seating in the middle of the parking lot, with all your fixins available. Barbacoa is fatty and moist, super soft and flavorful. Only downside is that they're closed past 3pm, so get your cravings in before dinnertime!

Lizbeth O.

Yelp
Very friendly service and great Mexican cuisine ! Nice warm tortillas and the meat is so flavorful And juicy 10 out of 10
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K G.

Yelp
They have moved! Great inside eating location at 1300 San Mateo. We visit every time we are traveling though! Consistently delicious!

James L.

Yelp
Barbacoa is all they have and they have the best. Not overly greasy like other places and toppings are always fresh!
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Jessica C.

Yelp
Didn't get a chance to take a picture because I was busy stuffing my face. This is by far the BEST barbacoa I've ever had! I'm from Houston and I love my city but El Primo beats Htown with its barbacoa! I had 1 taco (super small so grab a few) and a torta. I also had a horchata which was sweet and so good! The green Chile is good, a little spicy but delicious.
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Will C.

Yelp
Talk about tasty! These folks do one thing and do it right. I really liked the speedy service and the "help yourself" taco toppings and salsa bar.
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Mellow C.

Yelp
Cute little spot with lots of room for outdoor dining. Great prices! Fast service. I tried their tacos & gordita...everything was yummy! The red salsa will definitely have you needing something to drink...tasty & hot!

Scott E.

Yelp
Visiting from the East coast, I saw this place on Yelp, decided to give it a try, and absolutely loved it. Easily the best breakfast burrito I've ever had. Every ingredient was obviously fresh and the meat was fantastically flavorful and moist. I will be back.
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Amy N.

Yelp
Do I even need to review this place?!? They already got 5 stars!! Anyone who says different has no taste buds lmao. Wow... F I R E. Coming from Los Angeles and growing up with Mexican food I have high expectations with my Mexican food. When my husband told me I needed to try this place I was skeptical of course, but DAMN he was right, and they exceeded my expectations. Also, with this price point wtf?! How can it be beat?!! Me and my husband ordered a 1/2 lb of Barbacoa to make some tacos and it was soo affordable and filling. The barbacoa melted in my mouth.. it was so light but flavorful at the same time. It tasted like home. It tasted like someone's abuela got down in the kitchen. I'm going to miss this place the most once I leave. The horchata was also really good! It is more on the ricey side but it was packed with flavor lol none of that diluted horchata you'll find at a lot of places. I'm going to make sure I come back one more time before I'm gone. Now I'll be on a search to find comparable bomb barbacoa in LA but I'm not sure if that will happen :( if anyone knows of a comparable barbacoa place in CA lmk...... Y'all amazing don't change

JP D.

Yelp
Our yearly trek to Santuario de Chimayo and a must to stop by our favorite spot. 2 lbs of Barbacoa to go. Love the new location and venue. See you next year
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Erin S.

Yelp
Legit best barbacoa in Burque IMO. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu (breakfast burritos, tacos, sandwiches/tortas), and the salsas are delicious too. Affordable prices as well. There's usually a line (call ahead if you're in a hurry) and bonus points if you order in Spanish!
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Raul A.

Yelp
Gordita appearance looks good. Needs to be thicker. As skinny as it is, kind of resembles a pupusa. Overall quality is good. Would recommend
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Victor L.

Yelp
Great barbacoa, tacos, burritos, consume, and salsa. They moved over near Tia Betty Blues on San Mateo, not too far away.
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Peyton T.

Yelp
DAMN good barbacoa. Perfect casual & quick lunch spot. Me & my 2 buddies split a pound of meat & stack of tortillas. Get your own fixins from the stand and get to grubbin!

David S.

Yelp
Absolutely fantastic. Loved eating at this restaurant. I look forward to doing it again when I return on a work trip.
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Gerrit K.

Yelp
Just tried this place for the first time today for lunch. We split the 1lb family pack. The Barbacoa is delicious, the mini tortillas are great, the garnish is perfectly fresh, and both hot sauces are good too. It was fun to make our own tacos with all the provided components. You can just order the tacos add they'll make them for you, but we enjoyed building them each differently. It's only open from 7am to 3 pm, so unfortunately no dinner option.

Oscar G.

Yelp
Food is a 10/10, service is quick and easy, place is clean and rustic vibe. If you want to try barbacoa I would definitely recommend this place! If you see a bad review it's probably because they didn't get their way lmao. Everyone lives and talks good about this place!
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Scott R.

Yelp
Great place for all the right reasons. Price. Quality. Super nice employees. Clean. Order at the counter. Sit outside on shaded picnic tables. A pound of meat and all the fixin's is $14.25. A can of soda is $1. My only complaints: (1) I wish they handed out plastic plates instead of those tiny cardboard 'boats' for your food; and (2) the meat itself was more like mushy stewed beef rather than the hunks of shredded beef with some texture left (which is what I prefer). All-in-all a tasty and fun experience. We will return!
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Alfredo N.

Yelp
This place is nowhere near my house, but I happily drive there on weekends to have some delicious barbacoa tacos. I've always ordered to go and I've never eaten there. I've had the 1/2 pound order and I've also tried their consomé. Your order includes all you need to have a great meal: salsas, tortillas, cebolla, cilantro, etc. They have great customer service and they have your order ready within a few minutes. I tried their agua de horchata once and it was good as well!
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Adriana B.

Yelp
Quick run down: Bomb AF Barbacoa. Best Barbacoa in the city. Authentic Barbacoa. They only serve Barbacoa. Lengthy Rundown: The first time I tried this phenomenal barbacoa was about 2 years ago at a wedding. When they told me they only had a mobile location I was so discouraged because who has time to chase down the taco truck well guess what, it's worth it and it's even more convenient now with their physical location. And side note, I don't particularly favor Barbacoa, I like asada but gente, this Barbacoa is sooooooo good. Aside from the technicalities, the food. Where to begin? The establishment only serves Barbacoa but, they serve it as tacos, in tortas and they sell it by the pound almost like a Rudy's BBQ atmosphere but tacos. I went during a Sunday afternoon rush and still the staff were friendly and the condiments were stocked and well kept and clean! Individual tacos are 1.25 tortas are about 6.00 they have authentic drinks as well, frescos y cosas así. They're super quick, super friendly and they cater. Seating is somewhat limited and it's all outside. Ps the salsa is hot so, if you don't love the heat, cuídate (caution/be careful).
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Ernesto H.

Yelp
One word: YOU HAVE TO GO!! Me and my girlfriend fell in love with this place, because we haven't had amazing barbacoa in so long! It literally tasted like the real deal from our hometown in Mexico! We got half a pound of meat and it was enough for us two and we had leftovers for dinner. Super friendly staff, and great music selection too! The sitting area was good, because weather was good, but if it's raining or cold you'll have to get it to go. Will always be my go to place when I'm in Albuquerque
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Amber D.

Yelp
I can't believe how cheap this place is and their barbacoa is out of this world! It was so good that I stopped eating what I just bought to go back and get more for the next day before they closed. I can't wait to come back and get more!
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Sonia M.

Yelp
Great a la carte menu to choose from. Nice outdoor seating and plenty of sides to make excellent tasting tacos. Would go come back and eat more tacos! Would be great if they offered a side of beans and rice.

Jonathan H.

Yelp
This place is legit. Quality food at cheap prices. We get the family deal for $18 and all 5 of us get at least four tacos each out of it. They are kind and run a great local experience. Highly recommend. Only outdoor eating. The parking lot is alway packed which is also a good sign. All we get are tacos.

Genesis H.

Yelp
The best barbacoa place in abq. The tacos are very authentic and they have the tasties salsas.