Sadie's

We tried Sadie's for the first time on recommendation from our real estate agent. She didn't steer us wrong! The portion sizes were huge. The "small" nachos are pictured below. The Mango Tango margarita was yummy! The menu says their sauces are hot, but if you're used to a little heat, these won't bother you. Their green sauce is fantastic!

Oh, Sadie’s… bless your heart. I came in ready to be wowed—ready to have my taste buds whisked away on a magical red and green chile-laced adventure through the heart of Albuquerque. What I got instead was… a masterclass in mediocrity, served with a side of “wait, is this it?” Let’s start with the combo plate. You’d think that a place with legendary status would use it to showcase the best of their best. Instead, it tasted like a sampler platter from the “just okay” aisle of a grocery store. Bland beans? Check. Rice that gave up halfway through cooking? Oh absolutely. Enchiladas that looked like they partied too hard the night before and just couldn’t bring the heat? You bet. And then there was the chicken birria—which I was excited about until it arrived and basically whispered, “Hey, I’m here to let you down gently.” It had all the depth of flavor of a wet paper towel. No kick. No richness. Just some very confused chicken wondering why it had been dragged into this. Now don’t get me wrong, the staff was friendly, and the portions were large—like comically large. But when your claim to fame is “huge plates of food,” I expect more than cafeteria-level flavor in bulk. So why does everyone in Albuquerque swear by Sadie’s? I don’t know—maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s Stockholm Syndrome, or maybe they just haven’t ventured beyond a 10-mile radius in a while. But if we’re talking straight flavor? Sadie’s isn’t bad… it’s just aggressively fine. Like a blind date who’s polite but makes you miss your couch. Will I be back? Probably not. But hey, thanks for the free salsa and existential food crisis.

My family and I gathered to celebrate my niece's army induction. The staff was friendly and accommodating, providing us with quick service. Our server was exceptionally patient and made us feel like family. I especially appreciated when the owner approached us to ask about our experience. The food portions were generous, and the chips and salsa were among the best I've had in the Albuquerque area. The ambiance was authentic and welcoming.

A pleasant surprise as it is not a Mexican restaurant but a New Mexican restaurant. Don't expect typical rice and beans. In fact, they don't offer rice, but they have some of the most delicious beans I have ever had and potatoes. All the servings were huge, Our waitress was horrible and not attentive at all, but the ambiance and the food made up for it.

The service was fantastic! Chips and salsa 5/5. Sadie's tacos 🌮, shredded chicken 5/5 Ground beef was a little dry and bland 3/5. Con queso with ground beef 4/5. I would definitely come again and try a different plate. 👍

The vegetarian Guaco Taco was amazing, best taco I've ever had and I've been to many places. The chips were crisp and salsa perfect heat and flavor. I had to stop eating the sides to have room for the awesome sopapillas with honey!

Wow!! Sadie's was AMAZING!!!! Sam was a wonderful waitress - friendly, she made our experience amazing - and even brought us extra sopapillas free of charge. The food was huge - great portions for a very reasonable price. One entree is enough to feed 2 or more! Flavor was authentic and very good. Chile sauces were the perfect spicy and savory. With the dinners, you get both Chile sauces and sopapillas, along with a HUGE meal. Compliments to the cooks who make these dinners!!!! Highly recommend to anyone and EVERYONE, if you're just stopping in Albuquerque for a day, it's definitely worth it!!!

The service at the Academy location is always fast and friendly with generous chips and salsa served almost immediately after being seated. The Roberto's Special (hamburger patty with their delicious queso) is always served quickly and always piping hot. The sides of little potatoes and beans are always fresh as well. I like to get the tasty red chili on the side and then spoon it on nearly every bite. The thin (not doughy) sopaipillas are cooked well and the iced tea is always good. This meal never disappoints and I would highly recommend it.

This place was recommended to us by a local foodie in New Mexico. It's an old establishment Their food is decent. The wait time from ordering until the food comes out could be improved, but it's not too bad considering how crowded they are. The only 5/5 dish is the chips and salsa, which ironically is complimentary.

Best food I have had in ABQ so far. We came back to eat just Sopapillas. We are vegetarian and asked for Stuffed Sopapillas with Calabasitas, side of calabasitas and guacamole. It came with 2 sopapillas on the side too. We don't get sopapillas in California, so we tried them at a couple of restuarants here and Sadies has so the best ones we had. Their chips, Salsa, hot and green sauces were v flavorful. Their service was v good. The food came out pretty fast. I think this places has been underrated.

I have visited Sadie's a couple of times, and overall, I would say I was satisfied with my experience. The waitstaff, including the waitress and busser, were consistently attentive to our needs. They ensured our drinks were always full, the quality of the food met our expectations, and that we were generally satisfied throughout our meal. However, I did notice that the host at the front could benefit from more customer service training, as their demeanor came off as somewhat rude and impolite. This aspect could definitely use improvement to enhance the overall welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant. On a positive note, the food was excellent served at the perfect temperature with a delightful blend of spiciness, texture, and taste. The portion sizes were generous, exceeding my expectations, and I even had leftovers to take home. One downside was the chairs, which I found to have poor back support. While they may not be designed for long stays, a bit more comfort would be appreciated. Additionally, the restrooms were narrow, and there was only one large handicap-accessible restroom available for a restaurant of this size, which could be inconvenient for some guests. In summary, while there are areas for improvement, particularly in customer service and seating comfort, the quality of the food and attentive service made my visits to Sadie's enjoyable overall.

The place with Mexican decor was packed. I enjoyed my margarita. The waiter was good. I ordered the small nachos. It was more than I could eat in three sittings. However, regardless of what I order, the food always looks like it is thrown and piled high on the plate. If you have no worries about your cholesterol or weight, this is the place for you. Definitely not for those who want to manage their food intake. The nachos also had burn marks on it. Why do folks love this place?

I came for lunch and just ordered the taco salad which wasn't anything special. It was still good. The service was fantastic and the salsa was definitely spicy.

Food was amazing. Service was spectacular. And the vibes were vibing perfectly. Loved their Valentine's themed drinks so much I tried more than one! Will be the first stop we make when back in town

This place was recommended by locals. I wanted to try something with green chile and it was breakfast time. Enter: Huevos Rancheros! I added bacon and it came (delivery) super fresh and crispy, almost like it was deep fried. I got sopapillas w honey, extra tortillas, and salsa w fresh chips. I added a side of avocado and am pretty sure I was given 1/2 if not a whole fresh avocado neatly sliced. Everything was packaged with care. As soon as I tried the salsa, it was spicy and fresh and I had to breathe w my mouth open..i knew then this place was YUMMY. I was at a dr office and told the staff who referred me here: terrific rec!

I really want to like this place more. My husband would likely pick it every time we want New Mexican food. I love the margaritas, probably my favorite thing. But I don't love the chile sauces, which is smothering if not ordered on the side. And I don't care for papas that usually accompany. Last time I ordered the taco salad with beef, which will probably be a go-to when I concede to my DH. Most dishes are huge!

Always a great meal. Only two breakfast items bet my huevos rancheros was divine. Great service and micheladas

I was pretty excited to come to Sadie's. This was my first time in Albuquerque and first dining experience at a New Mexican restaurant. I came here with a group of 20 for dinner on a Tuesday. The food was ok. Thank you to my fellow Yelpers for recommending the shredded beef brisket dinner. Because of that, I enjoyed my food moreso than my fellow coworkers. The shredded beef brisket with green chile was probably the best thing on the menu. Having a little tolerance to spicey foods, I was concerned when I saw "chile" on the menu. But as I found out, the green chile was more flavor than burn my tastebuds heat. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I got a healthy portion of brisket that could be split into two meals. The brisket was tender and the green chile added flavor that the rest of my meal lacked. I'm used to beans and rice with my entree, not potatoes. My coworker asked for rice instead of potatoes and was told that rice is not on the menu. Not a huge deal breaker for me. Maybe it's an Albuquerque thing so... when in New Mexico. Just a heads up to Cali diners. Let's talk about the beans. I want to say they were al dente. I'm used to soft beans. These still had a little crunch to them. The cheese, although smothered on top of my beans, was a basic yellow cheese with no flavor. The potatoes were meh. They tasted like frozen potatoes that were slighted fried. Could have passed on those too. The service was disappointing. Our coworker who recommended Sadie's said the restaurant didn't allow her to make reservations for our large party. We waited over 45 minutes for our waitress to take our order. By the time our food came to our table, we were there for an hour and a half. I don't recommend coming here if you have a large party. What I did like is we each got our own bills which made paying easy. No battle of the 20s or cards.

We went in with a rather large group on a Friday night. Our wait was about 30 minutes, but well worth it. The chips and salsa are quite delicious and have a good spice level. I had a skinny margarita and the two taco plate with chicken. Everything on the plate was fantastic. Don't skip the sopapillas for a wonderful sweet treat at the end of your meal.

Had a coupon for a free entree if you order one and two drinks. What a deal! Love this place for their huge nachos. Had the small nachos with brisket and it was more than enough for two people. I think it could have fed a total of 4 people! DIL ordered a hamburger with chiles on it and fries and everything was spot on! Our server Elijah was super friendly and nice. Didn't catch the name of the gal who got us more nachos and refilled our sodas but everyone is super friendly. Definitely a place to stop in and have a good time with friends.

Ambiance was great for this Sunday visit. Hot chips n salsa greeted us. I had the carne adovada combo served by Andres-211 plus a chicken salad served in a towering corn tortilla bowl, And a Bondo burger served with fresh home chips. Outstanding service by Andres and the drink server, kept my thirst at bay! Props to the kitchen staff.

Okay, it's not my favorite New Mexican food, but this Academy franchise of the old Sadie's sure does a nice job with getting you a big plate of tasty eats fast, with great service. Every time. It might not be my favorite, but we come here regularly because it's so consistently good. It's Sadie's: it's different from other places in that it's its own recognizable flavor profile and it's consistent. I don't mean this in a disparaging way but it's like Coke: You know what it is, you know how it's unique, you know what you'll get and you look forward to getting it. A couple of things: prices are high. They were always kind of high at Sadie's, and they're really high now that COVID has been through. But you are going to get a LOT of food, and it's going to be good. (Not great, but good. Sometimes very good.) And Sadie's has some interesting things that make it stand out from other places: the brisket tacos/enchiladas (get them with green) and the chile con queso as a smothering sauce (as on the Roberto's Special, which also features a large, charred handmade burger patty) are worthy of note. The red (from powder) is okay; the green is somewhat better (IMO). The salsa is noteworthy - I know New Mexicans who say it's their favorite and I know some transplanted New Mexicans who actually import the jarred stuff to their new homes in other regions. I don't know anyone who doesn't like it. Service is always on-it, and friendly, too. Both the kitchen and bar staff will customize things as requested with no hassle. Bussers and servers alike are in constant motion and are universally polite and welcoming. Even though it's big and somewhat touristy looking (another one of Dave Garduños' failed outlets, may he rest in peace), it's clean. You'll certainly have a manager come talk to you during your visit: this constant attention by management really shows in the product. Sadie's on Academy is a great place to take out-of-town guests. It's a great place to have lunch (keep an eye out for their buy-one-entree-and-two-bevs-and-get-one-entree-free coupons) with a friend.

The food is incredible if you like simple, Mexican/Tex-Mex food. For the price, you get an enormous portion of food that comes with unlimited chips and salsa, as well as sopapillas and honey for dessert. Be prepared to wait as the restaurant is always busy. Luckily, staff are incredibly friendly and quick, so you don't feel like you wait that long at all. We were seated and had an excellent meal. I suggest going with the combination plate if you want to try different items. Definitely make sure to try both their green and red hatch chile. Overall, this was a really satisfying experience from start to finish.

On our last night in Albuquerque, we stopped by & grabbed take out from Sadie's. This was another Mexican restaurant that I had heard great things about & wanted to try before we left. I was pretty full from the other foods we had throughout the day. I ordered a bean taco, which was more like a bean tostada! It was PACKED with lettuce, beans, cheese, tomatoes. I really liked this taco & it was plenty for me to eat. We ordered some chicken nachos as well which came with all the items on the side. I ended up putting some of the guac & sour cream on my taco/tostada. I ordered the red & green sauce mixed which is called Christmas sauce. It was way too spicy for me. I wish I could handle heat a little better than I can. I'll need to build up my spicy tolerance levels before going back to New Mexico! We ordered sopapillas as well. My first time officially trying the famous sopapillas from New Mexico & they didn't disappoint! They were similar to a scone but thinner, we put honey inside them. They were the perfect dessert. Definitely cannot wait to go back here & try it with an empty stomach!

I had Chris as a waiter and he was very efficient the food was a little slow and payment was a little slow but I enjoyed the Stacked enchiladas

Nostalgic visit to Sadie's, was a top favorite two decades ago when I lived here. Here on for Balloon festival Friday and it was a 25' wait. Odd as they left many tables open. Maybe a strategy for to little help and food speed. After seating decided to spring for the house margarita, a mistake that was a total disappointment. Chips and Salsa rocked as was the service from our waiter! Had a brisket enchilada plate, maybe it was my nostalgic memory that made me disappointed in the enchilada as well. Even the Sopapillas was less than I expected. Drinks, and food made this for a overall MEH experience.

I was hankering for a tamale and heard that basically everything here is delicious so I ended up ordering a tamale a la carte with all the toppings, which also came with two sopapillas. I've had tamales from all sorts of places, but never had a tamale made without masa. The tamale I received was just ground beef wrapped in a flour tortilla...it was basically a burrito. I thought they may have made a mistake but even across the cardboard cover was written "tamale." Weird, it tasted okay for what it was, but was not what I expected and unfortunately didn't satisfy my tamale craving 2/5 The sopopillas were pillowy soft and delicious! They came with a side of honey for dipping. 5/5 The takeout window is separate (on the other side of the building) from the dine-in main door.

They have a wonderful ambiance on both the inside and outside. The food was delicious and there are so many choices for margaritas it is great! It's Tex mex style of Mexican food and the famous chile edit on to food from New Mexico is great. If you are unsure on the spice level of chile you can handle I recommend getting it on the side. They give you honey for free sopillas which are amazing. They are soft and warm and perfect for after dinner. The service was super fast. I was so surprised when the food came out. The servers were all nice and helpful for us first time visitors! I would def go back!

Elijah was an amazing server! The food was amazing and alot! We love that this place serves sopapillas w the meal!! Great meal!!

Their queso is to die for! We take all of our visitors and guests here whenever they're in town. The portion sizes are large, which is great for leftovers! The service is really fast and they serve the full menu at the bar too if you're not able to wait for a table.

It like the Olive Garden of NM food. Sometimes you really want that. Other times you don't.

Long time Albuquerque resident, first time visitor to this restaurant. The interior is beautiful with southwest decor and paintings of the original location. It was inviting and comfortable. We were greeted with a big plate of chips and salsa. The salsa was very spicy and flavorful. I enjoyed it, though it was too hot for my husband. I ordered the lunch special combo 1 with a chicken taco, chile relleno, and beef enchilada. Omg, I am hsually not a huge fan of ground beef dishes, but the spicy beef featured in the enchilada was the best I had ever had. I was very impressed. The taco shell was delicious, the shredded chicken was pretty good, and the aged cheddar cheese was great. Service was exceptional! Not only was our waitress extremely gracious, but the host was so sweet in offering to get the door on our way out because we had our infant with us. The constructive criticism I would like to share is that I was disappointed in the portion of garnish provided when I requested lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Our waitress had to go get another plate of garnish. Also the unsweet tea had loose tea leaves in both glasses I was provided. Last, my husband ordered his dish without cheese and had to send it back to the kitchen when it came out wrong. Otherwise, I would be happy to come back here again!! Price for lunch was not unreasonable, too

Well this place is a classic traditional place in ABQ. I've been here twice in the last month visiting here. First time was better then second time. What's upsetting is seeing all the employees eating in the area they do desserts. Eating food while serving food and making desserts. . Other than that solid place and food.

I love Sadie's and have been a regular for many years! Service is hit or miss unless you get one of three or four servers. Our favorites are Alondra and Jordan though so we always ask for one of them. Food is delicious and Chile is hot! Did I mention I love Sadie's?

Accidentally wrote 2 reviews in my notes so including both. Had the best time at dinner. All staff was super friendly and welcoming since the moment we walked it. Kailey was so hands-on, checking in on us, providing drink and food suggestions, and answering all our questions. She was sweet and caring. Ventura assisted in serving our plates. The queso definitely stole the show though. Salivating just thinking about it. Thanks for a great experience. -@angelepatino Biggest THANK YOU to Kailey who is super amazing at her job. From checking in on us frequently, getting us everything we wanted, making suggestions, and being so down-to-earth. She knows her menu and she was super sweet. It was my first time visiting Albuquerque or New Mexico and she is one of the reasons I have a good impression of the city and state. Staff greeted us at the front desk, we were seated almost immediately, and multiple staff helped us/Kailey throughout. A true example of team work.

I love green chiles and this place hit the mark. New menu item green chili poutine was fantastic! The green chili gravy sauce was outstanding. Salsa and margaritas were all excellent.

We came here at Sadie's and the front service was nice sat down pretty fast are server was nice and friendly and the salsa and the green and red chile enchiladas is the best in New Mexico!

Outstanding food! Simply the best salsa anywhere, or just as good as you'll find. I loved the enchiladas, loaded with flavor, chicken, beef. Delicious! Highly recommend and the crowds speak for itself

A friend insisted we visit Sadie's on our first trip to Albuquerque. Thankfully we heeded that advice and had an excellent vegetarian meal of Sopapilla and Chili Relleno. The ambience and service were also excellent. Very attentive and quick. Hopefully we'll get another opportunity to visit Sadie's.

This is not much of a review about food but more about service, we thought we would give them a try. Service was very, very bad it was around 430 the hostess sat us in the very back by no one in a small table, I will tell you I make realy good money but I think she profiled me and sat me there I'm lucky I wasn't black they probaly wouldn't let me in the door. But by se a ting us they guaranteed we would get bad service. We'll I stood there because this is how she did it this is your notable threw the menus down and left very unprofessional, I left. We went over to tomasitos very nice very professional and a good meal. As for sadies if this is how you treat people won't be back and definitely won't recomend.

I first reviewed Sadies back in '17... I don't give 5 stars often but they earned it. Whenever I'm in town I gotta go. Portions will hurt you if you get carried away with the chips & salsa. The service was fast and I think every member of the staff thanked me and had positive vibes. Today I had a chili relleno and tamale combo, excellent as always. Give them a try and see for yourself.

Went for a classic red chili meal; lunch enchiladas and the chili was -extremely- bitter, ruined the meal. Server admitted that their red was often bitter ‍ also seemed unsalted and greasy. Salsa was good so I filled up on chips. Won't be back.

The sopapillas were fantastic! Our server was great. Maybe New Mexican food is different than my expectations. I was thinking they'd have cilantro but they carry none in the building. For me, it's such an essential part of a taco that I didn't enjoy it with it.

Always a treat when I go to Albuquerque on business! Service was great and the food.... LARGE PORTIONS and every thing I ate was delicious. Chips and salsa are good and spicy but I love the spice! And of course, like mentioned, the sopapillas (that are free) make a great ending to a wonderful meal! It was happy hour so I had the house Margarita which definitely was on point. Do yourself a favor and go to one of these locations. They won't disappoint!

The food came out extremely fast and was good. The service was also good and very friendly. It was a Friday night the wait was about 20 minutes, and which was true. we didn't have to wait any longer. The ambiance wasn't bad, but I would have preferred a better table. We sat right behind the hostess stand by the front doors and it was very loud with all of the other customers waiting to be seated. Overall, great dinner and experience. We will be back soon!

definitely recommend eating here! best new mexican food in town!! the queso was my personal favorite. 2 entrees, an appetizer, and sodas ended up being $45.

In town with Little League baseball team Champions from South Texas. Brought the group for lunch. As the motor coach driver, I sat at the bar to get served quicker and get back on the bus. I had the pleasure of having the bartender "Craig" serve me. He was outstanding and lent an ear to my story. I ordered the large shredded chicken taco salad with extra guacamole. Man, this thing was huge and packed to the brim. The food and service were both great. Highly recommend this restaurant.

The margaritas at Sadie's have too much ice. When you ask for less ice the next margarita is served in a beer glass. Like a penalty.

Sadie's just isn't what it used to be. The salsa isn't as good. The honey seems to be diluted with something - it's just runny. The food is mediocre and the prices are crazy.

No seasoning if you remove chili, eat the actual chicken, beef it's pretty bland The chili had all the flavor

Sadie's is our go to spot. Food is always delicious (big portions as well). Service is always great

Walking in with a party of 10 after the balloon fiesta, and didn't want to accommodate us, but there was plenty of room to put tables together with ease. There was hardly anyone in the restaurant when we were there! It baffles me you're willing to let customers walk out with an empty restaurant! Cheers! Flatiron down the road had no problem putting tables together for us!

My experience is another positive one. For visitors and locals, this is a place to come for local food. There are a few locations around town but they stay true to New Mexico cuisine served in Albuquerque. We came for lunch; so filling, only needed a light snack for dinner. I had the Sloppy Jose, and the chili really punches up the flavor. Must finish with a sopaipilla. The honey is already on the table!

Very bland food and not authentic at all. I got the burrito and I felt like it was something I make at home. Service was good, but the food was ok.

We ate at Sadie's twice, the first for takeout on our first night in NM and then lunch on our last day to meet friends. Our takeout order was incorrect, one dish included beans when we specifically Indicated no beans. I called the restaurant once we discovered the issue and they credited that item but that left me with no dinner for that night. My husbands food was ok and my kids quesadilla was basic. We returned after hearing so many good reviews and met friends there. My kid has a gluten allergy which we were very specific about when ordering yet the server brought out a dish that was clearly not gluten-free, he's lucky we realized it before the first bite. My food was bland compared to the other food we ate in NM. We wouldn't return here next trip and we don't recommend.

Love their chips and salsa. Their red chile is too hot for me (but tasty) so I switched my enchiladas to taco salad and I have not been disappointed yet. My husband usually gets the tamales. Service is always good. Environment is relaxed. They have the room and the large tables if you have a large group.

Thursday night in ABQ....we decided to take ourselves out to dinner at a location we had never been to before; SADIES on ACADEMY. WELL! What a fabulous dinner it was, with all the ambiance we could have hoped for. I have never in my lifetime (and I've been around the block a few times) had such awesome FISH TACOS.... they were out of this world...the fish was encased in a delectable crunchy crust, that opened up into the most delectable, light, moist, flaky, white fish. The drizzle of a yummy, creamy sauce...the crunchy cabbage in a corn shell and last but not least??? a good swig of Presidential Margarita! FOODIE HEAVEN people...you must have these FISH TACOS! My husband had a combination plate...and get this folks, I think it's so BRILLIANT...at SADIES on ACADEMY? You get to choose what your combo plate is made up of...choose two or three options and viola! the combination plate of your dreams arrives! My hubby had a chili relleno, beef taco and chicken enchilada...where he put all that food I don't know. He said it was so good, so perfectly prepared, that he was not going to leave one thing on his plate! We had such a great time. All the wait staff here are friendly and helpful. The atmosphere makes everything feel very festive and happy. The booth we sat in was lovely and private...and we felt as if we were celebrating something special. As it turns out, we were...we were CELEBRATING the JOY of finding SADIES on ACADEMY! Fabulous food, beautiful location with great people...it simply doesn't get better than that!!!