El Sombrero Patio Cafe

El Sombrero hits the spot! The enchiladas were cheesy, loaded with flavor, and that chile sauce was amazing. The rice and beans were solid, and the chips and salsa came out quick and fresh. Big portions, chill vibe, and super friendly staff. If you’re in Las Cruces and want some legit New Mexican food, this is the place!

Wonderful place to eat! No Texmex just Mexican food. When we arrived the place was empty but in no time was packed.

I took my wife to this establishments today for the first time. We waited to be sat and we waited approximately 15 min and was not asked what we would like to drink or given complimentary chips and Salsa. When the next couple was seated they were given Chips and Salsa as soon as the were sat. Then recieved drinks. So we left the restaurant and will no longer be returning.That was poor customer service. I will not recommend this restaurant to anyone I know. Nopalito’s welcomed us and right away presented us with chips and salsa as well as drinks.

Went to have lunch for the first time here got seated and left there for 15 minutes no one ever came back to give us drinks, chips or salsa. Other people started to come in. They were seated and right away gave them drinks, chips and salsa. That’s when we got up And left. Let them know that they have that customer service will no longer be returning and I will let all my friends know. They have bad customer service. So instead, I came to eat at Nopalito’s where I was greeted and welcomed as soon as I walked in The waiter brought our chips and salsa

Had the green chile and ground beef enchiladas....OMG ..... hit the spot best i have had in 10 years .... they don't know how to make there in Colorado

Loved my experience! The food was absolutely delicious the red enchiladas were so tasty and spicy ! Super clean and nice! Anthony was especially exceptional! Very friendly all smiles a great waiter for sure! He took great care of our table! Will be coming back.

I really like this place. I travel to Las Cruces frequently for work and always make a point to eat here. It is popular so depending on the day there can be a bit of a wait but it is worth it. I’ve had many of the menu items and they have all been great. I really like the salsa they bring out with the chips. It is spicy and flavorful. I highly recommend.

My husband and I have been wanting to try this place for about 6 years. Finally made it. Food was AMAZING. Service was HORRIBLE. Waitress ignored us. Had to go venture off and find my own straws. It was extremely hot out on the patio and there were several of us fanning ourselves. Asked to turn the ceiling fans on and was ultimately ignored. I will give this place another try in the future and hopefully will be able to post a better review.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by staff and asked where I'd like to sit. I chose the "outdoor", Inclosed patio which was a little warm, but not bad. It being taco Tuesday, I went ahead and ordered the folded tacos with ground beef which came with beans and Mexican rice on the side. After my meal, I had a sopapilla dusted with cinnamon and sugar, I was expecting a little more homemade and fluffier, but tasted ok. To say the least, the food was good and flavorful. Nothing was overbearing in spices. My waitress was nice and attentive. I'd definitely come back and try something else next time.

I visited on the 4th of July 2025 and arrived about an hour before their advertised closing time. I was planning to have an appetizer and a drink, thinking I would be out before they closed. I made it to the host station and I was told by a manager(I'm assuming) they weren't busy and were closing early. He didn't seem to be in a very good mood so I started to walk away immediately. Before I could make out the door, some other customers stormed past me and commented about the early closing, they sounded a lot more disappointed than me. I can't see myself ever going back.

What could be said that hasn't already been said? This restaurant is wonderful and is a bedrock of our community. If it's cool enough for your taste I suggest the patio.

We were brought here by our Las Cruces friends before our Las Cruces guided tour. I attempted to compare apples to apples by ordering the same thing I would compare to Mexican restaurants in Southern California. I was swiftly corrected by our server when she told me "this is New Mexican" cuisine. I told her our Mexican is considered "Baja Mexican". The shredded beef tacos were smaller than what I was used to, but they did give me three. They tasted exactly as they do back home. Perhaps I would have appreciated something else with maybe a sauce of some sort. It really was nothing special to us. I guess we were really expecting more. Even the beans and rice tasted neutral. Not our kind of Mexican cuisine. Dicks

It is a very expensive restaurant.I went there To order a side Order of rice and a side order of beans at 3.50 for each one and only got a large spoof of rice and bean I will never go back there again

Felipe was quick and courteous. Flautas and gorditas, with queso fundido topped with al pastor was on point and delicious. Will I ever return? Si señor!

Such a cozy spot. The service was Amazing! My fish tacos did need some sort of sauce though.

I'm honest, I'm not a fan. There are way too many places in EP to get Mexican food and this one is okay but not my favorite. There isn't anything I can rave about here.

Very good service, comfortable dining area and fantastic food. 4 people in my group all love the food. My chicken fajitas were perfect and the chocolate sopapilas with ice cream was out of this world. 5 stars!

Since when is green chile sauce orange? Asked for green chile sauce on the side for my chile rellenos. When the waiter brought it, I told him I didn't want queso. He said no that's our green chile sauce. It comes with a little cheese in it. This sauce tasted like the processed nacho cheese sauce that comes in a can. $15.50 for 2 tasteless relleños and processed cheese sauce? No thank you. BRING BACK THE OLD EL SOMBRERO

I had a large pick up order and called in ahead of time; they were quick and made everything correctly. Usually restaurants don't get every little detail, but these guys did! Every. Single. Detail. I believe the person who helped me over the phone and in person was Carl. Carl was awesome! He made sure everything was there, and even helped me bring my order to my car. He did all this with a smile. Everything was packaged nice, and it made me less anxious about getting the food back to the office. I really appreciate places like this. The food was also delicious!! Thank you!

The food is good but the owner is horrible. She is mean to her employees and talks badly about her customers. She creates a hostile work environment for her employees and this carries over to customers because when people hate their job it shows.

This is an excellent authentic place ! The food and service was awesome. The seating can be tight but you won't be disappointed by the food. My husband loves the rice which he said it tastes like his mom's. I recommend the crispy beef tacos and the chicken burrito.

Passing through and read great reviews of this place. It was busy, which was a good sign. However, we were sadly disappointed in the food and our particular server. She didn't seem that friendly from the initial seating. We ordered drinks and appetizers. One of the appetizers was the mini burritos, and we requested ground beef which was an option. When the food arrived, we noticed immediately that it wasn't ground beef. When she came back, we mentioned it to her. The waitress assured us that it WAS ground beef, even when we cut one of the burritos in half and showed her. In our option, if it was ground beef then it was pureed! Well, at least the nachos had real cheese. We finished our food, in spite of it not being ground beef. Throughout that time, the waitress never stopped by to ask us how the food was, or at any time. We finally asked a waiter serving the adjacent table to ask our waitress for the check. I am born and raised in San Diego, and lived off Mexican food. Compared, to what other Mexican restaurants offer, I wasn't impressed with this place. It was run down, which was not a big deal. However, when included into the quality of food, I cannot recommend this place. I'm sure there are finer places in Las Cruces offering Mexican food, but this place was unimpressive.

We ate at El Sombrero. Almost $40 for 2 entrees and 1 drink. Charged extra for refill on fountain drink. Charged extra for more chips and Salsa. And they can't be bothered to have more than Ranch dressing. Guess where your tip went.

I understand the need to raise prices however when quality is compromised thats a problem . My visit last night,chips stale,chile rellenos not cooked had to cut with knife,cheese on top came off like a piece of plastic and rice was dry. Rellenos if smothered an additional cost on top of the 14.95 price. Food was edible and yes I did tell my waiter and he said he would let the kitchen know. I will pass on future visits.

The very worst of the worst. I grew up in Las Cruces, and have been eating at all of the local restaurants serving traditional NM Mexican Food since the 1940's. I've seen it and tasted it all. This place is just god awful. I rank it as the bottom of the barrel to all others. The wait staff is pretty good, accommodating and friendly, but the actual restaurant is filthy. The tables are cheap and small. The place is a clown car without wheels. The Food? OMG! "I swear on my mothers grave, it is uneatable". Just pure garbage. Go anywhere else. Even Taco Bell beats this dive. It is the worst I have ever experienced in my 80 years of life so far. Tasteless meat, tough over cooked tortillas, chile either so tasteless or so hot you can not eat it. I remember Nellys and Chope's back in the day when they served OMG HOT chile, but it had flavor. El Sombrero, no. Just pure garbage. Dirty, Bad Food, its a 1000% NO!

Monday 7pm I've never met an enchilada I liked... until I met El Sombrero Patio Cafe's green chile enchilada! Mexican food I like consist only of Chipotle and Del Taco (and specifically the jacked up BRC!) so I figured I wouldn't like anything as authentic as El Sombrero, but when in New Mexico you've got to eat some green chile. I ordered a chile relleno and green chile enchilada ($23.99 before tip) to-go and was told my order would be ready in 15 minutes. 15 minutes later I was parked in one of two designated to-go parking spots but no call yet :( About 8-10 minutes later a nice server came by to confirm my order and I received my food a few minutes later. The parking lot can be unpleasant! First, because it was kind of dark and all these monster sized cars are parked around me I had to do an amateur three point turn, then you have randoms asking if they can wash your windows. I sketch out easily and the surroundings didn't help. When I got back to the hotel, I got dug into the green chile enchilada and didn't stop inhaling the food until I was about 80% done with the dish and felt bloated. Then I turned my attention to the chile relleno, which was perfect in every sense of the word. If I had to choose between the dishes, the relleno would be the clear winner. If you like cheese, you will love this plate! If you like good Mexican food, you will love this place!

We had a very long wait on a Saturday afternoon. I was hoping that meant it would be amazing. Sadly, when we did get seated they brought some very mediocre chips and salsa to our table. We ordered and it took a long time to get our food. I know that many restaurants are struggling to find help these days so am pretty forgiving for that. The food was okay- it filled us up and that is what we needed. I would not go out of my way to visit again but if it's on my path, I know I can get a decent meal.

The food and service here are second to none. This is my go to Mexican restaurant. Yes! Service dogs are allowed in the enclosed patio! The food has so much flavor, the chips are great and the salsa is to die for. I know what I'm talking about, I have two years experience being a New Mexican! Please! Stop by and try this place! You'll either love me or hate me!

was there the other day and i was very disappointed, i overheard the owner (i believe it was) talking to her staff and it just sounded very unprofessional and very very rude. she was talking to them like dogs.... I just lost all comprehension of space and time. I was so absorbed by her brutality.... treat your staff with respect!!! every time we come to eat here we are amazed by the service we receive. the food is good, but the service provided is always top notch.

Hint #1: It gets PACKED at lunch. If you can go as soon as they open you can get a table right away Hint #2: Always check the special board inside the front entrance. You will rarely be disappointed. Hint #3: Bring friends who've never eaten here before...they will love it too! Ok..enchilada lovers: I really like their green enchiladas (add chicken if you want!). Not a fan of their red at all and the cheese ones are often a bit tough and rubbery. Hence 4 stars and not 5. Tacos stuffed with delish and fresh taco stuff! Chips and salsa are home made and great! The red chips are my fav...ask if you can get a few extra of those in your little bowl. Grab a beer and have some of the best Mexican food in New Mexico and the friendliest service. Their beans are fantastic. It's the only place I have found in LC that puts some jalapenos in them. Their dishes are a reasonable amount of food. It's not overwhelming with filler like huge helpings of rice. Sorry, but sometimes it seems a waste to plop that much rice on a plate just to fill the space. Note their "patio" is not outside. It's a little sunroom off the main dining area. I'd rather sit inside actually as the decor is colorful and kinda cute.

Good food. Service is excellent. Convenient location. The food was delivered quickly. The server was very nice. They work hard to make sure you enjoy your dining experience.

Fortunately the first place we went to was closed because then we made a quick switch to here for the patio and it was lovely. The food was delicious and the service was great. Highly recommend the stuffed cinnamon sugar sopaipilla. Also the green sauce is delicious.

Food was very good, delivered hot and fast! Porch was a little noisy from rush hour road noise, but we had our pick of where to sit, got great service from our server and an early dinner, late lunch and got to enjoy the sunshine and a nice sunset.

Green chili chicken enchiladas are my favorite. Service is always on point. If you are coming for lunch plan to get there early as it's always packed.

Stopped in Las Cruces for a night and wanted to find a local place to eat. We called in our order and did curbside. The manager took my order and was extremely nice and helpful in recommendations. The raspberry cheesecake bites are NOT bites...they are delectable raspberry cheesecake egg rolls dusted with powdered sugar and a raspberry dipping sauce. They are...oh my gosh, AMAZING!!!!! Definitely the best dessert I have had in a long time. There are 4 of them in an order so plenty share, or not! I won't judge. Lol My tacos were delicious. They were light and filled me up just enough, especially after a day of traveling. I liked the salsa but too spicy for me so I didn't use much. My daughter had chicken nuggets and my husband had a cheeseburger. They enjoyed their food as well. We will be back if we come through town again

I first ate here when I was a student at NMSU, a lifetime ago. The food is authentic and to die for. Had the green chili enchilada....beans, rice, flat tortillas, creamy sauce. It is the best Mexican food in town. The wife had a combination plate....perfection.

The fam and I ventured down south over the weekend for a quick trip and El Sombrero is a spot love so much we hit it up on the way in town and the way out of town. This spot checks all the box for me. Amazing chips and salsa- check. Authentic New Mexican food- check. Really good queso- check. Cool patio to enjoy food and drink- check. My go to dish here is the chicken fajita burrito smothered in queso. With their chips and salsa this a a top three dish for me. Basic but delicious- wifey and I both got it. I get it every time. I always say I'll try something different, but I never do...Our daughter had the kids bean burrito and she demolished it. I can also say last trip my father in-law had the green Chile cheese burger and he can eat hot Chile... let's just say he talked about that green Chile the entire trip. El sombrero has been a go to spot for is when in the LC area for the last 15 years and will continue to be when we get down that way.

My meat-eating friends like the food here, but I tried a couple options with no joy. Chile Rellenos just okay. Huevos Rancheros with re enchilada sauce (instead of con carne) also uninspired. The restaurant does offer complimentary chips and salsa. Chips are crispy and salsa is flavorful but can be very spicy.

Delicious dinner. Food was super fresh, service was great. Loved the sopaipillas Can't wait to go back!

We were staying in Las Cruces for a few nights while visiting White Sands National Monument. After a day of sledding, hiking, and running in the dunes, this was a great place to get some local food. We turned to Yelp to get a recommendation and this place looked good to me. The building is nothing fancy, located on a corner, with a bit of parking around the back and side. This "parking lot" was overflowing, despite the late hour. I don't know if people in NM eat lunch late, or if it was the holiday, but 2pm is later than I usually go looking for lunch. We were seated immediately and given menus. On to the food! Although they took a bit to come out, the chips were warm and fresh. I'm totally OK waiting for fresh chips like that! The accompanying salsa was nice and had a good kick, so things really started out right. In my experience, if the salsa is bland or the chips are underdone, that does not bode well for your visit. Fortunately, totally not the case here. I had hoped to get the chicharrones burrito, but, sadly, they were out of the key ingredient. Instead, I ordered the fajita beef burrito, smothered in chile con queso. This is a sauce made of a blend of cheeses with hot green chiles. Holy cow! It was rich, spicy, cheesy awesomeness covering a fresh tortilla filled with tender strips of beef, peppers, and onions. I don't remember if there was anything else on the plate. There may have been beans and/or rice, but this burrito was the star of the show! There was enough spice, but not too much that it overpowered the flavors of the food. It looks like I'll have to go back for the chicharrones...

Very cool place. Great service and food. :) since 1956. Everything I got was amazing and authentic. Tamale was spicy but amazing. Tacos, enchiladas, Rice and beans were perfect.

And a half...great vegetarian options and wonderful service ...try them for yourself and see

One of my favorite Mexican spots here in Las Cruces. Anything you order with green Chile, really hits the spot. Everything in this place is enjoyable and filling. Enchiladas and flautas are amazing. I can't complain about anything. Service has been wonderful. Ambience is great and colorful. Enjoy a michelada with your meal. But remember to call it a "red beer" , because micheladas only contain lime and salt , for the heads up, unless that's what you're into

On a humid day, the salsa chips were stale. Not many humid days here, but still. The whole point of a Mexican restaurant is the chips and salsa. The chips look like they are just out of a bag - red, blue, and white. And for two people, just a tiny handful of the stale chips. Reminds me of the old joke: "The food was terrible and the portions were so small!" The salsa was all heat, no flavor. The red chile sauce was bitter. The only time I have had bitter red sauce is when it's sat overnight. My food was served cold (brought out in less than 2 minutes - I'd rather have waited and had it hot) despite the plate being hot. The cheese inside the enchis wasn't even melted. I wanted to like a place in business since 1956, but I didn't. Weak iced tea. The wait staff was nice but wasn't proactive (not refilling drinks) and the place is clean and relaxed. Cute sombrero display on the walls. Maybe I was just unlucky, but my husband's choice was also cold and bad.

The husband wanted some spicy New Mexican food, so we headed here. Even though it was past a typical lunch hour, the restaurant was full- always a good sign. I had a shredded beef burrito which was delicious. It had just the right amount of beef, and refried beans on the side. I ordered green sauce in a separate bowl, because I know I'm a spice weenie. It was delicious, but still felt really spicy to me, so I was glad I didn't cover the burrito with it. I would daintily dip my loaded fork into the sauce, and that worked for me! Kirstie was a hard-working and efficient server. She kept our glasses full and made sure we had everything we needed. All in all this was a great place.

Not impressed with enchilada plate. Tortillas were dry and tough and there was virtually no enchilada sauce. Not planning on a return visit

I don't enjoy trashing a restaurant in a review but this place really needs to go away even though the food is good. I got there 20 minutes before their closing time which on the door is at 7:00 pm - NOT 8:00 AS LISTED HERE. IT was not busy and when I asked for a table the person told me that they were having computer problems so they were closing early. I said we had cash to pay but he refused to seat our party. I think they had a slow day and wanted to go home early and made up the computer excuse. Closing at 7:00 is stupid for a restaurant at dinner. If they are that short on staff they need to close the business permanently and do something else. I think i'm done with this place.

oh my, the best Mexican food ever! Husband got the combo 3, he recommends it with 5 stars. I got the fajita salad. I can honestly say it's the best salad I've ever had. Im so happy we found this place. We will be back!!

This place was rated one of Las Cruces best Mexican restaurants and I can see why. El Sombrero offers spectacular customer service. There were so many good options to choose from the menu but I ended up getting the enchiladas which was really good. My favorite appetizer was the queso fundido especially since it contained Hatch green chili and I couldn't get enough of it. I also like how you can order pitchers of margaritas so that was cool.

Just ok. There is better Tex-Mex in Las Cruces. They are using something like cheese whiz on their enchiladas, and their rice is kinda bad honestly. Nice staff but the food just isn't great.

I came here on work travel and got right in for dinner on a Thursday night. The staff was friendly to me and attentive. Food came very, very quickly. My margarita was okay. It tasted like it had a splash of pineapple in it and the salt on the rim was like tiny table salt. Meh. The food was wonderful though. I got a combo plate which was plenty of leftovers for the next day. The chips and salsa they give out to each table were wayyyy too spicy. My mouth was on fire long after eating a handful of dipped chips. Not a bad spot spot.

I go here for the atmosphere and sometimes the food. Here's the thing, the kitchen doesn't drain the taco meat. From each crispy taco I have to squeeze like 1/4 cup of grease before eating. Inconsistent food from the kitchen in my long term experience. And they charge $2.50 extra to add beans and rice to your taco plate meaning over $10 total for Tacos. Usually good service and great beer selection and daily specials. Just drain the dang meat already. Well tried again today. Food was slow to come out and was cold! I complained to waiter who had no explanation other than to say he brought it out when it was ready or some excuse like that. At $11.25 a plate it better come out hot. No excuse. There are plenty of Mexican food joints in Las Cruces that are much cheaper too. Won't be returning.

From the outside, El Sombrero is nothing special. A small unassuming spot on the corner with a dirt parking lot. However, I consider this a must visit restaurant when I am in Las Cruces or just passing through. We make it a point to plan at least one meal here when we are in the area and always get the same thing- the chicken fajita burrito smothered in queso. Although this is one of the few things that I've tried off the menu, it's good enough to get every time. The complimentary chips and salsa are also excellent-tasty AND spicy. It also has a great covered patio to enjoy your food and drinks. El Sombrero keeps me coming back!

Sooooo good! The salsa is addictive! I had the Combination #1 with the green enchilada and everything was really good! My husband had the red enchilada and really enjoyed that! I will totally be back here!

Owners are still enforcing masks. Food tasted cheap and service was slow. Habanero's Fresh Mex is only two streets away from this El Sombrero location and it is much better tasting & quality.

They weren't really prepared to be opened post covid but the service and food was great. They weren't able to provide a margarita but they did have a really good wine. Loved the outdoor patio vibe/paintings.

Picked up a Gordita plate yesterday and it was The best I have ever had , good salsa and easy pick up service