La Guelaguetza

Wonderful small local Restaurant! My daughter brought me and the colorful decorations matched the flavorful foods in appeal!! Had and lived the pizza albeit a little spicy for my tender tongue❣️ The Mole I had was dark, sweet and full of intense flavors.Enchiladas were great, rice just average, beans ok. Loved the basket of homemade potato chips as we sat down. Highly recommend if you like authentic tastes.

This place is exceptional. Absolutely phenomenal tacos. My tacos dorados (golden tacos) almost brought me to tears! I wish I was in ABQ to eat here more often. The waiter was extremely kind and helpful, even re-filling my water bottle. The food came out very quick and was so unbelievably good! They start you out with home made kettle chips and two bottles of homemade salsa! Unbelievable. I will be thinking about this meal for a long long time…..

The food is amazing. As well as the waiter and the rest of the staff no matter what time. Me and my family come here often, and we’ve always received the same treatment and experience. If you speak the language even better, the waiters will crack jokes with you and you will for sure enjoy it there. The food is a whole different story, ITS AMAZING with out a doubt I recommend for people that want to explore new food to come here.

Friendly staff greeted us with a tray of house made kettle chips which were crispy and tasty. We ordered the Birria Pizza and it was more than two could handle. Plenty of birria and bursting with the flavor of fresh cilantro. The dipping sauce was nice and the server also brought us house made red and green sauces (we liked the green sauce best!) while we were waiting for our food I asked the server to sample their mole sauce, he brought us three different mole sauces (black, sweet and spicy) WOW there were amazing and bursting with flavor! I would highly recommend ordering something with the mole sauce if you enjoy mole sauce, probably the best mole sauce I’ve ever sampled! Will stop by again when passing through Albuquerque, NM.

This place is nothing fancy but its definitely a hidden gem. Fresh kettle chips right after being seated was a nice surprise. The food was delicious. We had the Biria pizza it was enough for 4 people. The food was freshly made and authentic Mexican. Spicey but good. I would go back.

Probably the best Mexican food I've ever had outside of DFW. Their Taco Dorado's (With chorizo) was amazing. The sausage was amazingly cooked. Their standard salsas are pretty good, however I asked if they could get me a hotter sauce and they made an amazing pepper sauce. It had just enough bite to be hot, but stayed away from uncomfortable. It tasted amazing and had a pleasant after taste and burn. Service, as such, was exceptional. The horchata was horchata. I can't say if it was better than any other, but it was good. Dinner for 3 ended up around $55, so a pretty good price too. Especially for the quality. The atmosphere was nice, however pretty standard for a "local" Mexican spot. You won't be disappointed, but also not blown away at how nice the building or decor is. Definitely coming here again if I ever happen back in the area.

1000/100✨We found this restaurant after looking through many good reviews and it did not disappoint. It’s the best Mexican food that I’ve ever had. We were in town for a week from California and went there twice in a week:) Quesabirria, horchata, and homemade potato chips. All of them were excellent!!

Came here solo after reading reviews of hidden gems in the Albuquerque. This is definitely one of those spots! Don’t skip it! Came in around 615pm on a Monday. Plenty of open seats and just in time before the dinner crowd came in. A lot of folks ordered to go food as well. Constant flow of people ordering their delicious meals. Speaks volumes! Ordered the Quesabirria tacos which was plenty of food for me and very good! You also get complementary homemade potato chips. Yum! Note - alcohol is not served here. Enjoyed a Mexican Coke instead. Total Meal was $16 and change before tip. So one table order the Pizzabirria which looked awesome and enough for two people to share.

La Guelaguetza is close to our house, yet somehow we had never been there. I'm so glad we went there. Three of us had the quesobirria tacos. I think they're the best ones I've ever eaten! Freshly fried tortillas filled with delicious meat and cheese with a flavor-filled, mildly spicy consomme for dipping - so good. My daughter had the Luciano chimichanga, which was delicious - shredded brisket, rice, cheese and a side of green chile soup. We all loved the complimentary house-made potato chips as well - thin, crispy, and fantastic with or without a drop of Valentina. We'll be back soon to try one of their moles.

MOLE - MOLE - MOLE !!!! That's all you need to know!!! If you love mole, then you have to experience theirs! Incredible, 3 varieties: sweet, black, or spicy. I recommend getting the combination of all three on the chicken breast. Absolutely delicious. The guacamole is also a MUST. Horchata and Jamaica drinks were spot-on. Service was top-notch, attentive, friendly. Ambience very casual but comfortable. Hidden gem!!!

So friendly! Togo only. Indoor was typical Mexican restaurant with festive flags on the ceiling. Plenty of seating for large groups. I wanted to order the chicken soup(broth) but he was worried I may not like it so let me taste it. Was perfect (my hubby wasn't feeling well and he loved the soup). Large amounts of white chicken cooked tender that it was easy to break apart and lots of veggies. Came with rice and other condiments. Ordered the famous quesabirria pizza (OMG it was huge). Big enough for 4 ppl. It was good but I had it to go so it wasn't as crispy when I finally had it. The meat was flavored well. The chicken enchiladas was great but spicy ..lol NM spicy is different from Cali spicy. Yummy tCondiments. I can see why this place is popular!

We were drawn to La Guelaguetza Mexican Restaurant was the promise of authentic Mexican food and we were blown away! It's a small place but the food is amazing. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Food came out fast and tastes fresh made. The green chilies soup had some heat to it. The Tacos Dorados didn't have as much flavor as the rest of the food. We all left with very full bellies!!

I knew this would be good, it was crowded despite being nearly their last hour open for the day. Did not disappoint. Excellent flavor, relatively quick for as busy as they were. If I was on the West side more often I'd be there often.

Came here during a storm and this place hit the spot. The al pastor tacos were my favorite and the size of the tacos are big! we were able to order through the phone on our way there and the order was ready upon arrival. Super authentic and affordable Mexican food

Excellent food. Very authentic. And the experience is immensely personable. I can't wait to go back.

We got to Albuquerque around dinnertime and found La Guelaguetza Mexicana on Yelp. Previous reviews raved about this place so we had to check it out. We were not disappointed! The food pictures on Yelp made it hard to choose, but Luciano--one of the chef brothers--helped us make up our minds. The birria pizza was fantastic. It's loaded with slow cooked brisket and spices on a crispy flour tortilla, topped with guacamole, sour cream and cilantro. Luciano gave us a taste of all three moles they serve: spicy, black and coloradito.All 3 were delicious. We also tried the horchata, which was creamy and sweet. The colorful restaurant was packed with customers on a Monday night, but our order was taken and delivered quickly. We highly recommend La Guelaguetza Mexicana!

This is a true hole in the wall spot that's definitely worth coming to. Considering the fact that I don't usually like Birria style tacos, these were the best I've ever had. Flavors are great. Dipping sauce was great to have. Both red and green sauces were delicious. Everything was fresh and the service was nice. I think it might just be me, but the horchata tasted savory for some reason.

Outstanding food and service. We are vegetarians and the chef made a vegetarian version of Pizza Birria for us (we were fine with beef broth). It was phenomenal. Their red and green sauces were delicious. A must try if you are in the Albuquerque area.

This was a yelped review that brought us here on our way to Austin. They are a James Beard Award recipient. So, service, so friendly, so nice! Atmosphere is very casual, very homey, there's little frills or panache, modest decor and seating. Food was good, the chicken tinga tostada was good, but very soicy, and I like spicy. The chicken tacos were very good, we lived three years in Mexico City and it was akin to the street tacos we usually enjoyed. My husband ordered a few carne asada tacos and a al pastor. He said the carne were quite tasty, al pastor was pretty good. The guac we ordered was spicy, but I liked it!

Came back after a long absense and had the birria pizza. This is still wonderful. This is still a great place to eat some unique Mexican food. The people here are nice the service is good and inside the place is clean. This place is worth the trip if you are not close for something different.

Food is just AMAZING. Love coming here best Mole and Barria tacos in town. Yummy Yummy

The sweetest man helped me with my take out order. It was very late after a long day driving and I am a picky eater. The cashier was extremely patient with me and I am very satisfied with the chicken soup I ordered. Thank you fellow yelpers for recommending this local family restaurant in Albuquerque!!

The tacos de birria were delicious as well as the consommé. They were overflowing with meat. I'm very much looking forward to going back to try additional menu items. The person who took my order was also very friendly and shared details on menu items we had questions about. I know I now have a spot to go to for birria tacos

Guys. They have Mexican sodas here!! We got a Sprite and a Fresca and they just hit differently than the American versions! We ordered the pizzabrirria & the green enchiladas which were SO GOOD! I honestly think the pizzabrirria can feed a small family with how big it is! We ordered way too much food for the two of us - but we took it home as leftovers so no complaints here. Service was great - very attentive and they brought out some homemade chips that were fire when you put the Valentina hot sauce on top of them! 4.3 out of 5 stars for us!

Our quesadillas were delicious, but we were warned that the guacamole was too spicy for us. I would have liked to have made that decision for myself. Charming, authentic Mexican restaurant with limited seating and a friendly staff. Great lunch spot.

Soooo good! Maybe the best birria I've had. Gotta get the birria pizza. hot damn! wow

Don't get me wrong, I love New Mexican/SouthWest food. But I'm also from California originally and every now and then I wan't some tipico Mexican Food. This place delivers. It's a simple place with a good vibe and very friendly staff. The menu offers all kinds of tasty things, tacos, tamales and all that good stuff. We ordered the Biria Pizza, and mole and, my favorite, asada huaraches. Our super friendly waiter who is also the owner and chef also suggested we order the "green chile soup" which has a heck of a kick; it's made with Seranos, not Hatch chiles. Everything was delicious, the mole and Huaraches. The owner is proud to come from Oaxaca and both of those dishes were as good as any I've had there. Great place!

I've never had such good mole sauce. Never. Not to be missed. Really really good. And our waiter was wonderful! And very affordable - we also had tacos - the best - and the waiter (owner) suggested a hibiscus soda that was wonderful.English was not his forte language but he took time to explain the menu to us and we had a lot of questions but he was patient and helpful- and clearly proud of his restaurant and he should be!!!

Found this great little place on Yelp and glad we went. It seems to be in a bit of a sketch area but I'm not from the ABQ so don't know the safe and not safe areas. My boyfriend and I shared the Mexican pizza and it was amazing! The beef in the pizza was delicious. Our server was so friendly. I asked him if they had super hot salsa and he made a special sauce for me which was very spicy but had great flavor. Wish they bottled this stuff. The only negative is that they don't serve beer. Definitely recommend this place.

Very tasty food! We had the Pizzabrirria (aka Birria Pizza, not sure if it's misspelled or a play on words "open pie"), which was very good and we were able to ask for no cilantro garnish (not everyone is a fan...shocking, I know). We also had quesadillas that were also very good. The place has minimal decor, super casual and seats about 30 people. Pay attention because you can miss it, especially at night. The staff is extremely friendly and very attentive. I should mention, we did wake up the next morning burping quite a bit. I think the restaurant is pronounced "la-ge-la-get-za", in case you're getting tongue-tied.

This is a hidden gem a little way off the beaten path. The service was great and the food was amazing. I would recommend stopping in for a meal.

Not so hidden gem... FANTASTIC went here for lunch after reading the reviews. Building is on a corner lot and very plain front, but push through that for the FOOD and excellent service. We had a barbacoa burrito and the tostadas plate and both were so tasty. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and the barbacoa had such rich flavors. Be sure to get a side of the homemade potato chips and this is definitely a spot to go in ABQ for authentic Mexican food, clearly made by an upscale chef. Also, very reasonably priced - you'll want to try this restaurant, even if you drive 30+ minutes to do it, like we did!

Incredible!!! They were so nice to our whole soccer team. The food was amazing and they were willing to make breakfast food for one of the kids. Loved coming here and will be back. Thanks again!

The best birria tacos I've had! A small restaurant with fun decor. The staff were super helpful and friendly. Our server walked us through some of his favorite dishes and gave us the look when he came to the birria tacos. They came out hot and stayed hot throughout. Every last bite was fantastic. If we come back to Albuquerque we will stop here again!

Food/Taste/Flavor: 5/5 - we ordered based on recommendations from the server of Quesabirria Tacos and Chicken Enchilada with Black Mole. Quesabirria tacos were tortilla with melted cheese and birria-style (meat-stew) beef folded in with a side of savory beef broth for dipping. Absolutely delicious, quite a quick, and much heavier than it looked. The lime is needed to cut through the heaviness. The enchilada was good but the mole was quite interesting! It tasted very earthy and smoky with a sweet aftertaste. Service: 4/5 - slight language barrier but very friendly! If you don't read Spanish, the English menu is quite lacking with no pictures or prices and the items available area slightly different as well. Ambiance: 5/5 - the outside was a little bit scary but inside is clean overall even though it seems like a much older building and establishment. There's colorful decorations on the ceilings and walls and festive music playing. Value for price: 4/5 - we didn't see the quesabirria tacos on the menu and was a bit surprised by the $15 cost but it was delicious!

Food was pretty good service was great cool little restaurant. We had the mole and fajitas

Great little place off the beaten path. Clean with clean bathrooms. Was greeted and seated immediately after I walked in. Put my order (chicken enchiladas mole and and a quesabirria taco) in and got my meal in 7-8 minutes. Everything was amazing with the med spice level spot on. I would definitely return.

Was in town from Denver and we found this place on a whim and I have to say 5 legit some of the BEST tacos I've ever had in my life. I got the birria tacos, my family got the birria pizza and there was no crumbs left whatsoever. Deff gonna hit this place up next visit down to Albuquerque to try the asada tacos next!

We love this place. The different types of mole with chilis are wonderful. They are full of taste and we have started craving them. We also love their pizza and tacos. Everything is good here. We highly recommend it. Great service too.

Delicious birria (been to taco places across Mexico and SW US). Spiciness at a great level. Good ambience. Generous portions. Would return again!

One of the best places I've ever eaten at. A simple space with a simple menu, but what elevated our experience to 5 stars was the quality of service and care. I imagine the two men who were hustling taking orders and cooking are probably owners. They took to making sure we understood what we were ordering and looked out for us when it came to spice level. Upon serving, one of the guys proudly explained he made the green soup and the salsa. Now the food. Nothing overly fancy, but it didn't need to be. The quality was in the ingredients and the preparation. All top notch. After stuffing my face, I praised their food and the same gentleman mentioned they also make their mole sauce on house. Of course, I was too full to order a plate but he brought me a small sample of just the sauces and was blown away. Excellent, all the way.

Well not much to look at from the outside. Or the inside. However the food is very good! We got the chicken breast super good then we also got the Area pizza for exceptional. I would say if you like Birria, this is definitely a place to eat my daughter next time and Albuquerque will be back!

Oh my goodness! Seriously the BEST tacos you will EVER eat! The sauces are made from scratch that take over 15 hours. We didn't want to finish it because it would be over... sooooooo good! Customer service was AMAZING as well. Just come!

Everything was delicious! It is a hole in the wall, but the food was out of this world. My husband and I shared the pizza birria which was the absolute best! The other couple ordered quesa birria tacos and Chicken Enchiladas Mole....so good and nothing left! The pizza birria was so big 3 people could have shared!

The Pizza Birria was AMAZING. So juicy and tender. The service was very kind and attentive to helping us decide what was best to eat considering it was our first time. The authentic Mexican environment was comforting to see!

It was what every 5 star review said- our 1st time Authentic real Mexican, not Tex mex food Fresh, aromatic delicious and big portions Mole (Colorado) was amazing Fast and friendly service. Just go there.....

Recommend by the girl at the front desk for good, authentic Mexican food. She did not disappoint in sending us here. When I pulled into the parking lot it was a little confusing because there are about 5 doors you can walk through but only one is the door to the restaurant. The first door we tried was actually the kitchen, the next one was locked so we tried our 3rd and final door. It was not labeled so it was a guess. Seated right away and brought homemade chips and salsa. Always the sign of a good Mexican restaurant. ( it must be homemade to be good). I got the birria tacos. OMG, they were some of the best I have had. The cheese was nice and gooey and the dipping sauce had a really good flavor with a touch of heat. My coworker got a taco and enchilada meal but started eating it so fast, I could not get a picture. Go try them out. From the parking lot it is the middle door between the two wings of the building.

I found this place on Yelp and I'm so glad I did! The food is truly authentic Oaxacan. We tried the enchiladas de mole, burrito, barbacoa taco, pelliscadas, and pancakes - everything was delicious. I definitely recommend this spot. I even took some mole to bring back home to Vegas! Staff is awesome!

The pizzaiberia is outstanding. If you come here, order that. Got the chicken enchiladas and asked for all 3 mole sauces. One was spicy but I would have rated it a 7. It was really good. My one complaint is that the chips could have been fried a bit longer. The green chili soup was really good. No alcoholic drinks. Service was fast and the servers were funny. Place was clean but don't expect something fancy. This is a place to go eat yummy food. Portions were generous.

So delicious so recommend. The beef was incredible. Pastor is authentic and served with pineapple.

Food was so good. Was craving good Mexican food and this definitely hit the spot. Service was great and the music was great too

We got the birria pizza. That thing was STACKED.. two layers of birria and tortillas. Enough for two big people to share. Great service. 10/10.

Family owned humble spot well worth a visit. The service is friendly. We tried the following: - Pizza birria (really balanced, lightly spicy tender birria quesadilla shaped like pizza). This was a total win. - chicken with excellent mole; the mole is incredible. Truly. I just wish the chicken wasn't white meat and fry. Or if it had been shredded I might not have noticed as much. All that said, a lovely spot well worth a visit.

Son wanted birria tacos so i found this place. I ordered to go but it was super fast and hot food. He said they were really good. Would order from here again. Definitely a hole in the wall place so you gota look for it but inside was clean and it was family oriented with the service. The cooks and staff come out to the tables and hold conversations and it was fairly busy for a sunday afternoon.

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: casual, bright and warm I've had tacos in NYC, Miami, SF, and Dallas and I would consider these to be one of the best tacos I've had. Definitely a great place for dinner or a stop along the way to Santa Fe. Spicy = truly spicy

Our last day on a 16-day southwest tour - I saved this one for our last lunch before heading to the airport. While not much for the location or atmosphere, the reviews of the mole got me excited. I ordered the chicken enchiladas mole, and my wife ordered the birria tacos. The mole came in 3 styles, each was the best I'd ever had. The hot one brought a few beads of sweats, and the mild was full of flavor. The beef tacos were also amazing. My wife's only complaint was that the freshly fried tortillas were a bit oily for her. By far, this was the best meal that we had over the last 2 weeks. Also, one of the most affordable. This is a don't-miss for any future trips to Albuquerque!

Wow! Don't be put off by the humble surroundings. This was one of the best Mexican meals I've ever had. The chimichanga was humongous and delicious. The green chili soup/stew that came with it was absolutely amazing and so good as a dip for it. We also got shrimp street tacos which were cooked perfectly