El Modelo Mexican Foods

The Real Deal: Authentic New Mexican Soul Food. If you want the absolute best, no-nonsense New Mexican food in Albuquerque—and arguably the state—El Modelo is the pilgrimage you need to make. Established in 1929, this spot in the historic Barelas neighborhood isn't just a restaurant; it’s an institution. ​The Food: Legendary Tamales Let’s start with what put them on the map: the tamales. They aren't just good; they are world-class. These aren't the skimpy tamales you get elsewhere; they are massive, moist, and packed with flavor. The red chile pork tamales are a spiritual experience. Come hungry. Seriously. The portions here are affectionately known as "industrial strength. I had the green chile beef burrito and a special burrito with red chile, bacon and chicharrones that provide the perfect crunch. El Modelo is old-school cool. It’s primarily a takeout operation with some outdoor picnic tables, so don't expect indoor dining service. You grab your ticket, wait for your number (and there will be a wait, because it's that good), and eat your feast under the New Mexico sky or in your car because you can't wait to dig in. It feels gritty, authentic, and utterly unpretentious. ​ El Modelo is a bucket-list destination for anyone who claims to love New Mexican cuisine. It has survived nearly a century for a reason: they don't cut corners. It is greasy, spicy, filling, and absolutely perfect.

Red chile tamales are amazing. I could only eat half of the #3 fresh. My partner and I ate the rest as 6 day old, refrigerated leftovers and the flavors and food was still amazing. That’s an amazing feat for a restaurant to brag about. I’d definitely go back again when visiting New Mexico.

The food was good, and the handmade sopapilla was especially delicious. Customer service was solid as well. My only critique is the excessive packaging—there was a lot of paper used to wrap the food, which felt wasteful and actually made the presentation look less appealing than the food deserved. From a sustainability standpoint, simplifying the packaging would go a long way and better reflect the quality of the meal.

Stopped by what used to be our favorite restaurant, ordered 1 doz green chicken tamales frozen as we were getting on a plane, got home pulled them out of bag so looking forward to them and it was red chili and pork! Called them and got no where! $48 for the wrong food. My husband ate one and said it was not the same as it used to be. What a major disappointment. Everything is going down hill since Covid your employees can make or break you. We won’t be back.

The Mexican food at El Modelo' s was very delicious and authentic. The food was packed with care and a smile. The place is not for sit-down eating. After ordering and paying, you are given a number. When your food is ready, your number is called. After proceeding to the counter, you receive your food, and it is that simple. There are a few benches outside to sit and eat, but not my recommendation. In my opinion it is not at all a sit-down restaurant or cafe.

It's an Albuquerque icon, my husband LOVES it and grew up eating there. He would give it a 5+, I would not. I want to respect the icon and acknowledge that it holds a special place. My thoughts... It's crazy busy. Cashiers are stressed and it shows. They are rude and just want to move people along. Not kind, not helpful. Food is okay. Stuffed sopapilla is delicious, tostada is really good. Tamales are meh. It's a preference, I get it. I like my tamales with lots of flavor and chile, I like my pork shredded.... These aren't it. The pork is in chunks, the chile is sparse and the flavor is bland. I have two in my fridge right now. They've been there for 3 days.... With 3 teens in the house. That speaks for itself, in my opinion. The masa is good though. The waiting area is always busy, standing room only. Not a problem just be prepared if you've never been.

The I got a green chile chicken burrito. It was good. I liked it. Chile wasn't hot. For 8 bucks, it was fairly small than I would've liked. I'm open to giving this place another shot. They got a big menu. But yeah. Overall, it was good.

On this visit I ordered the Chicharrone burrito. It definitely hit the spot for a quick dinner. El Modelo, you place an order at the counter and then you wait for your order to get called. There’s no tables inside, there’s a patio area and picnic benches around the area to sit at. Next time I come back I’d like to try their stuffed sopaipillas.

This is still one of my favorite spots in New Mexico and has been since I was little. Even though I always get the same thing, it's always exactly what I want. The tamales are full of shredded meat and covered with lots of chili and served with homemade tortilla chips. The flat taco and tostada are always made fresh and are substantial and delicious. Despite this place always being packed, they really roll the orders through. I prefer to call my order in and pick it up so I don't have to wait but even if you have to wait you generally only do so for about 15 minutes or so. I highly recommend El Modelo and I know I'll be back many more times in the coming years.

This place does it right! Get the basic and you'll be satisfied. Grab some extra tamales for Sunday football games.

The only thing lacking at El Modelo is ambiance. The service is fast and friendly and the food is excellent. By ambiance, I mean it is really just a order and get your food and leave kind of place. There are some tables outside to eat out, but nothing inside. The menu covers a lot ground. I opted for a shredded beef burrito with chili and cheese. It was spicy, but not overpowering. Really good flavor, really good seasoning. Great hole in the wall type place. When in ABQ, check it out... N*joy!

This place doesn't have a place to eat inside, however their stuffed chicken sopaipillas are excellent and definitely worth the stop for. They're really really delicious. If you want something craveable, filling, and not too expensive then stop here.

I've been eating El Modelo's stuffed sopapillas since I was a little girl. I have never found another stuffed sopapilla that can match or top El Modelo's. They are big and loaded with refried beans, cheese and red chile. I'm obsessed with how crispy the outside is combined with the red chile heat. These are the best out there.

An Albuquerque staple! Haven't been here in 15 years but I'm traveling in Abq and had to stop as it's near the airport. Everything is pretty much the same. Counter service, short wait and lines go quick. As for the flavor, it was just as good as I remember. Here's what I had: Tamale- The masa is flavorful, the pork is tender, and the taste is delicious. It's also a big tamale! 5 of 5 stars. Stuffed Sopapilla- Daaaang this is good. Full of chicken and beans and lettuce and cheese. The sopapilla is large so it's a big meal in itself. 5 of 5 stars.

Red green Christmas. Love me some good barrio grub. Order at the counter. Get it to go. Best New Mexican in the city.

service was quick, food was delicious. we tried the stuff sopapilla and the green chile brisket burrito. we loved both but especially the burrito, SO delicious and simple. it seemed to only have brisket, chile, and some cheese, but it didn't need anything else. it was perfect and very filling for the price. we also enjoyed the little seating area with the trees. felt like eating delicious homemade food in a backyard.

Ordered today a chicken enchilada no onions red. Perfect! Then ordered cheese enchilada red, no onions. Gave me cheese enchilada no chilie and loaded with onions! And all was cold. Can't do a thing about it since I drove 10 miles and you won't answer your phone!

Always a great place to get lunch. Everything here is great but the tamales are what they are known for. Will absolutely recommend to anyone.

El Modelo was my second "must eat" recommendation from local friends. I stopped in for a late breakfast and after a moment with the menu, chose the Huevos Rancheros. The ordering system and the wait for your order is a little chaotic. Just be patient and if you're unsure, ask. Everyone's friendly here! My food only took about ten minutes until my number was called. There is no dining room here. A picnic table outside might be used by some, but I brought my meal into the van and dug in. Eggs over medium, spicy beans, delicious tortilla and all of it was a great flavor. A little bit messy but absolutely tasty. And this is about as local as you can possibly get. El Modelo is coming up to 100 years and it's awesome. ¡Salud to another 100 years! [Review 21089 overall - 136 in New Mexico - 52 of 2024.]

Okay, this has been the best "New Mexican" restaurant I have been too. If you have a friend visiting from out of town then I 100% recommend visiting El Model to give them the authentic ABQ New Mexican experience. Order ahead because you will wait forrreeevvverrrr for your food. I have been here a few times and every single time it takes a while. Service...is...slow...but, the food is delicious. Don't worry about over ordering because the leftovers taste even better haha For the price you get a huge portion. So, excellent prices, large portions, and delicious Authentic New Mexican food - it's a win. Again, expect to wait for your order if you don't call ahead. This place is always busy. Always. Even when you go and you think it's slow - they have several pick up orders. Provecho!

Don't be hard on the gringos trying to order in spanish. Went with wife to order chicharone burritos, menudo and tamales. I missed the tamales and went to order them. Got second ticket. Graciela saw the first ticket grabbed it. I took it back not understanding her spanish. She snapped at me and said that I could wait longer then. The food is great. Customer service needs work

It's been about 5 years since I've been here. I'd only been here once before. The service was friendly and the food came out fast considering there were a lot of people here on a Sunday morning. I ordered the #1 and I ordered my daughter the tamale plate. The chips that came on my plate were pretty stale. I really didn't like the taco meat on the tostada either. My tamale was huge and the red chile wasn't hot but it was good. My sopapillas were good. My daughter's plate had 3 huge tamales and she couldn't get close to finishing it but it looked great. Portions here are large but Eating outside sucks and there's lots of flies you have to protect your food from. This place is ok from time to time but it's not one of my favorites. I'll come back in 5 years and try it again.

Happening takeout place with a few picnic tables outside and a parking lot. It was our first visit and they let us sample the meats. The food is very good and filling.

I couldn't visit ABQ without stopping at El Modelo. The carne adobada burrito was delicious 10/10! My kids are kinda picky, so I played it safe and got them bean and cheese burritos, plain. They were ok, but not great. My mother had the Chile relleno burrito. She said it was ok but rather bland. It's a chopped up Chile relleno inside a burrito. We thought it would be a while Chile relleno inside a burrito. That would have been awesome. You can't go wrong with their carne adobada burrito or stuffed sopapilla.

I'm from NM and when I come home I cannot miss a stop at El Modelo. The food is incredible. Best red chile and carne adobada I've ever had. My kids love the chicharrones. Love the tortillas. The place itself isn't anything fancy, only outdoor seating after you order for yourself at the counter, but the food and kind service makes up for it.

I got a green chili chicken tamale and a red chili pork tamale. The pork was ok, maybe a little dry, but the chicken one was probably the best tamale I've ever had. Super moist and flavorful. Next time I happen to be in ABQ I'm buying a dozen and taking them home.

I had a fantastic green chile burrito with chicken. The chicken was tender and juicy, and there were big rings of stewed green chile. I regret not taking a picture, but I was eating it on a plane on the way out of New Mexico. I regret not picking up an extra for my husband because even if it were soggy from all the sauce and juice it would have tasted amazing.

I grew up with El Modelo as a staple -- a place where generations of my family gathered over affordable, delicious meals with generous portions. It was more than food; it was tradition. But in recent years, I've watched the taste change, the portions shrink, and the affordability disappear. I hope El Modelo revisits the roots that earned the loyalty of so many of us. We still care -- but we need that care returne

Been coming here sis I was a kid, this place is a true New Mexican Icon to our city of Albuquerque. I love all the amazing workers! Always greated with a smile and good conversation. The food is always on point and that horse

Amazing tortillas, tamales, and tacos! Can't wait to try the carne adovada. It was busy when we were there, but they were quick on taking and filling the order. This was a recommendation from my parents, who went here all the time as long-time locals. A bit out of the way, but definitely recommended!

Simply put, El Modelo is a staple New Mexican restaurant! It has been around for decades, and like many reviewers, I am the third generation of my family that have come here since being a kid :) To speak to their popularity; before the pandemic, the small lobby would always be packed. Customers would be lined up out the door, ordering, and picking up food! PLEASE READ: Since the pandemic, the ordering process is different. Upon arriving, park on the south side of the main building (in front of a number). Then, call the restaurant and they will take your order! Upon taking your order, you can pay with card or tell them you will pay cash. I always pay with card to save time and energy. My last few visits have taken at least 15 minutes to come out, but it is well worth it as the food is mouth watering and the prices are very competitive. The food can be very messy, depending on what you order, but they do their packaging well! They use good quality paper to wrap most food and durable containers for pasole, menudo, and chili! Additionally, food is packed in plastic bags. The food is great and the chili is spicy! You will not be hungry when done, as their servings are plentiful :)

Went here for dinner about 2 days ago; I'd been here years ago and had fond memories so took my partner. When we got our food home to eat, I was embarrassed with what they'd given us. Tamales: the tamales were good, not as great as I remembered. They were super moist and tasted fresh, but the meat was a bit tough and the Chile was reaaaalllly acidic, to the point where it gave me a stomach ache. Tacos Nuevos: this is where it all went downhill. We ordered the tacos nuevos with carnitas as the meat. The menu did not make it clear that these were hard shell tacos, and the shells were stale and not crisp. But- what was inside them was a Mexican food atrocity. Each one had 4-5 chunks of carnitas with some sad cheddar cheese melted on top. And the chunks of carnitas were like shoe leather - so incredibly dry that they were not palatable. I couldn't believe how bad they were. For a local institution, I was sorely disappointed with our most recent visit. Not sure if they were just having a bad day or what but I'll be crossing this one off my list the next time I'm in town.

Amazing food fast atmosphere no real dining there just grab n go! It was nice for a quick visit. Looking forward to my next visit.

Old tradition when I come home to ABQ. It is alway great, very consistent, and you will wait for the food. I love the stuffed sopapillas and tamales. I like everything. The place it the same and a local staple.

How they make it: love it. Worth stopping. Worth the wait. They can make a sopapilla out of everything!

I've heard about El Modelo for ages and finally remembered to go after a meeting at the National Hispanic Cultural Center (gorgeous place and just a couple blocks away). Ordering is outside and they will bring the food to your car. The menus are posted to the door along with the phone number to order. I went to get tamales the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to have for my holiday meal. I bought red chile pork and green chile chicken. I haven't had the chicken yet but the pork was delicious! The masa has a wonderful, unrefined texture. It isn't finely ground and has, what seems like, bits of rehydrated corn throughout. It was a lovely surprise and I asked a friend to taste it and enjoy it with me (said friend isn't a chile lover but after a taste of the masa is willing to try a tamale!). The masa was a wonderful thickness and, importantly, was not moist but not greasy. The filling was a perfect heat, tender meat and also moist with chile. The ratio to masa and filling was perfect. I was teased for posting a review after just 1 tamale but it was that delicious. I bought a dozen tamales and it was $36 so they are on the expensive side for a tamale. I was initially surprised at the price and decided to just go for it because it's the holidays and I'd wanted to go for so long. I quickly discovered it's a worthwhile expense and there is a definite quality difference between this tamale and other, less expensive, tamales at other shops. But $3 a tamale is still on the high end, and on par with a sit down restaurant with more overhead Negative was the menu. It is a peeve of mine when prices aren't advertised. See the photo of the menu. Yes I could have asked but shouldn't have to (and imagine how much time it would take to ask about everything I wanted!).

This was a great find. We had as much fun watching and visiting with other guests as enjoying all the food. We ordered two items and they were large, yummy and authentic Highly recommend this as a 5 star delicious take out. (No order in)

Made it here after reading the stellar reviews all around the net. Ordered the chicken and pork tamales and Sopapilla (original and Chile relleno). The place has no indoor seating and it was cold outside so had to eat in the car. The tamales were a little dry but the stuffing was delicious. The sopapilla was delicious, especially with honey, the stuffed one was "meh". Open early so good for a nice quick breakfast!

El Modelo is on a list of must try places in Albuquerque so of course I'm going to go give it a try. The history of this restaurant amazed me even more. They started in a small house across the street where Mrs. Garcia would make tortillas by hand and they started to gain traction and they hired help to make tamales. They become popular and a staple of that area of Albuquerque that they outgrow the house and bought property to make a restaurant. It's not your traditional restaurant. They have a dining area outside by the parking lot but otherwise there is no where to sit inside. When we went it was so packed there was barely anywhere to stand inside either. One thing though they don't let you make substitutions to their menu because they are trying to keep up with all their orders. They are know for their tamales so by nature I ordered a tamale and now I understand why this is a must visit place. We ordered the Combo Plate, Sopapillas, rice and beans, and tacos. The tacos had potatoes along with the beef in it. Interesting flavor but like I said tamales are where it's at. The employees were super busy and they were kind of getting annoyed with us asking questions. But granted it was our first time and their menu is kind of hard to read. It's just. A shop of people working extremely hard in the kitchen. I would recommend the food it is good. Try looking up the menu before you go because the employees just don't have the time for you.

The absolute best burritos in Albuquerque. That's why there's always a line. Call ahead. Was always a walk up, but you don't need to hang out there and I dare you to get out of the parking lot without eating your entire order.

I heard the new owner took over the restaurant, and since new ownership the food tasted different and the flavors are not like before. I was surprised they increased their prices too. Sad...

Food is always awesome and with a great price. It's the ordering process that's a bit of a drag here. If you call in an order they will make you pay with a credit card over the phone. When you go in to pick it up, don't expect it to be ready to walk out the door, they will still have to bag it and call your name again. If you don't call in, you'll likely be waiting around a very awkward and tight space for at least 25-35 minutes if not longer. Still one of my favorite places to eat! Tip: call ahead.

I had heard about this place known for their Tamales and Ive loved Tamales since I was a kid in San Antonio, TX. I drove all the way there and found it in a very odd remote location. It was very busy just before Christmas. I bought a dozen and took them home anxious to eat one. It was tasty but much too hot! I do like spicy foods but there's a point where it's just too hot to enjoy so I didn't enjoy it. I contacted a friend and gave them away w a Warning. He also admitted they were pretty hot but he ate them anyway since we both don't like to waste food. I would advise anyone to taste one before you buy them to test the hotness of the batch and make sure you're buying from the batch you like. Medium hot to mild hot seems to be the most favorable. You can always add extra hot if you or someone else prefers.

Not good, expected much more. Everyone said it was good. I had the Green chili brisket burrito. Was ok but not New Mexican food. I was very disappointed. Will not go back.

Mexican food on the menu and decision is needed. So why not try a place that's been in business over 90 years. Obviously they're doing something right. Not a restaurant, a place for takeout but there were picnic tables outside on both sides of the building. Plus a large parking lot to the south. We walk to the counter in an old building and after reading the menu we ordered. There's a lot available so it was a difficult decision. I opted for the Mexican Plate(taco, enchilada, spare rib, beans with chorizo, rice and tamale) and we added 2 more tamales. There was a lot of food served - wrapped in butcher paper. The taco was more like a chalupa, flat with picadillo. The spare rib tender and delicious. Beans and chorizo were excellent. The tamale had well seasoned meat with just enough masa to hold everything inside. We could have ordered the plate and split it with plenty to spare. But it was my next meal(it was just as good). This is real deal Mexican food(not New Mexico Mexican) which explains why they've been in business for this long.

El Modelo is an almost 100 yearsold ABQ institution in SW/Barelas area that offers authentic NM food. It has its own parking lot next to the restaurant, so it's nice to know you will always find parking if you want to go there. For me, I was there to get a bunch (30 to be exact) of tamales (the offer 2 types: red chili chicken and green chili pork) for a group meeting that I have...and what i liked was that they pretty much have items in stock and you don't need to order before hand and can just stop by on site and order items to go. In fact, I believe with COVID, El Modelo's restaurant isn't actually open for on-site (they locked their front door and there's no outdoor seating outside the restaurant either) and you'd have to order items (call them once you arrive on site) to go. I did just precisely that...arrived and parked in their parking lot, called to place my order+gave credit card info, waited for your items and someone would come out to look for your car to give you your receipt and food. The process itself is pretty painless...but the only thing that caused me to take off 1 star was just it seemed inefficient/illogical how they run their business. For example, you can't order an item in advance to pickup later. You need to be in a parking lot to place an order. It's also weird that even though my orders were for premade tamales (e.g. 30 frozen cooked tamales, half of each kind), it still took a long time to get the food delivered. Also, when placing an order, I did ask for some ideas on what I might need to do to serve that...and the lady said there would be instruction in the bag when they delivered (quick fact,...there wasn't). At the end, I ended up figuring out anyways..but still..it would have been nice to either have some ideas, especially for who never knew how to properly prepare tamales. Overall, great authentic place. The prices were reasonable...tamales were about $3-3.50 each...but the process was inefficient. So, if you would like to try this place..be prepared...for some nuisance/bad processes...but also for great, authentic NM food.

It's a great place to work. The staff seems to work very well together and appear to be well organised.

Excellent pork tamales (they sold out of chicken). Nice spice level , good masa to meat ratio, nice size, and moist/soft masa. Chile Relleno burrito - relleno was fresh, great batter, balanced cheese and chile. Fantastic sauce. Service was friendly.

Before I start, let me preface by saying 3 stars is an A-OK rating. I know El Modelo is a local favorite. I've heard such great things about it from a friend who used to live in New Mexico - in fact, he was so excited that we had lunch here on our Santa Fe vacation last fall and couldn't wait to hear our thoughts. Number one, I liked how we called our order in from the parking lot and they brought it to your car. I don't know if that was a Covid Thing or normal, but I'm all for it! I am a HUGE tamale fan, so we opted to split the tamale platter - 3 pork tamales covered in red sauce and cheese, lettuce. I realize I am in the minority when I say the tamales were good. but they were extraordinarily spicy, I could not enjoy them. Now I am from Missouri, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Overall though, I do see the appeal of this place. I can appreciate those hometown favorites, as I have a few of my own and will love them (and defend them) til the end of time. I am glad we stopped here and gave it a shot.

I have revisited the beloved El Modelo! Finally the weird COVID restrictions are no longer in place and you can once again call in the order and come pick it up. (Can I get a Hell yeah? No? Okay..) I called in my order and rushed my fat behind down to 2nd to pick up my enchilada plates. Upon walking into the familiar, tiny lobby, I'll admit. I was a bit disgusted. Everyone was packed in tight as usual. I'm trying to find anything else to look at as I waited for my order. And I noticed It is absolutely FILTHY in there. There was greasy fuzz hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen..over the food being cooked. The front freezer with the bottled sodas was painfully dusty. The seals seemed to be covered in duct tape had a musterious black sludge on it as well. There was sticky drippings and splashes on the walls and the floors were absolutely disgusting. A health inspector would have a heyday in this place... I adored my food as always, but all I could think of was the environment my meal was prepared in. I am absolutely disappointed and disgusted in the management for letting it get this bad. You're telling me after all those months with a closed lobby, not one person cleaned? Great food..but at what cost to the consumer?

I ordered a few dozen tamales for a party. I had called in advance to make sure I could get them in time and still have them as fresh and warm as possible. They said just to call 20-30 minutes before I wanted them ready. When I called, they didn't answer for several tries. They then answered and said they weren't taking phone orders. I complained bitterly and told them what they had assured me previously and that I was stuck. To their credit, they made good and took the phone order, and the tamales were fine. But the kicker was that they are charging almost twice as much for a dozen tamales as they list on their website. I pointed that out, and the guy said "Yeah, I know, they still haven't updated that." "Haven't updated" might be understandable for like a 29% increase, but even then, I'm pretty sure it's illegal. This is just hi-way robbery.

Eaten a lot of Mexican food in my day and El Modelo is, bar none, the best traditional style restaurant that I've ever been to. Whopping enchiladas, tamales, tostadas, tacos, etc. Take out only but have outdoor eating area. Only come here if you are ready to eat!

Overall: El Modelo serves up decent food for a low price. Keep in mind it is to go only. Food: 3.5 Mexican Plate: This combo comes with a taco, tamale, enchilada, spare rib, refried beans, rice, and (of course) chile. The real star of this plate were the spare ribs. The meat was juicy, tender, and flavorful. Everything else was okay. The meat in the tamale was juicy, but the masa itself was just okay. I did not like the taco. It was a hard shell taco, presented more like a tostada, and the taco shell was way too hard. Sopapillas: My plate comes with 2 sopapilas. These were quite good but a little dense. TLDR: The spare ribs are a 5/5, and I would come back for these. Everything else was a 3-4/5. Service: 3 When you arrive, call the number listed on their website to place your order. They will bring the order out to your car. Food took 30-40 minutes to come out.

This place was so good, the tamales had a lot of meat and the sauce was spicy. The lettuce and cheese is something new for me but it was tasty. Make sure you go with plenty of time as lunch time there's a lot of people.

WOW! This place is amazing. The best authentic Mexican food around. Very clean and the workers were super nice. Great place.

The food was a lot but you get what you pay for. It was reasonable the amount, but mot something I would go out of my way to try. My experience from ordering was to order and wait in your car. I waited close to half an hour and they opened at 8:30am on a weekday. Not the hours posted on their door. Don't think I would be back I was in town!

They have very delicious food!! We got tostadas, chicken and green chili tacos and tamales and oh they were so so good! We will be becoming regulars of El Modelo