We drove through Albuquerque on our road trip and were really looking for a restaurant that spoke for the town and its culture. All in all the food was good (especially weirdly the rice was super tasty) and the service was AMAZING. The guys that worked there were super attentive and had really fun personalities. The only reason I rate it down was because for the raving reviews I saw on the restaurant, I really was expecting something different I guess. Felt like average good Latin food. My husband's food however was delicious so it may have just been my entrée. Also the Verde sauce rocked! We weren't super fans of the salsa however.

Delicious food. My husband had the brisket burrito Christmas style (red and green sauce) and I had the brisket enchiladas. Took flan home for dessert. Can't wait to taste it. Jasmine our waitress was terrific; always checking on us and super nice. Next time we are in Alburquerque we are definitely coming by.

An authentic southwest experience. Come for the green chili and stay for the sides. You can opt for rice and beans but don't overlook the posole and fideos. Quality service and delicious eats. Non food related: the bathrooms are super clean and kid friendly. Parking can be tricky at popular times even with the additional parking across the street. 10/10 always worth the drive here when in Albuquerque!

Another winner, Cocina Azul, in Albuquerque! The server said anything with the brisket is awesome and they aren’t wrong!! The brisket is seasoned perfectly, with a hint of citrus. The rice and calabasitas are buttery and flavorful. The corn tortillas are soft and pliable, they appear homemade. The red sauce is a little on the warm side, but a little splash complements the brisket. And they ended it with a steaming hot sopapilla Awesome! 👏🏻👏🏻❤️

My first time dining in. We got take out a few times through COVID but it is definitely better in person. The fideos brought me back to my childhood. And the brisket burrito was heaven.

Great casual place for breakfast lunch and dinner! All the traditional New Mexico favorites done right with great service and no wait for a table... Also serving beer and tequila drinks!!

The salsa was authentic but might be spicy for some. However I and my wife found it amazing. The main course was ok. Good but not great. The server was hospitable and courteous. Its just you would have to remind for stuff, like for example gravy that was part of my order, then drink menu, then a knife and forks but it could be because it was busy. Overall it was an ok experience.

DELICIOUS AND TASTY MEXICAN FOOD!!! This restaurant sure does raise the bar for Mexican food. My green chile burger was the best Mexican burger I’ve ever had, and the green chicken enchiladas are a masterful combination of flavors and textures that are sure to make your eyes pop and your taste buds craving for more. Simply delicious. And the staff works hard to make sure everything gets taken care of for you. Great job!

Delicious margaritas and enchiladas. We went at lunchtime on a weekday and it was a bit busy. The dining room is pretty small but otherwise everything was great! Friendly staff and I got free flan for my birthday.

The server and service is excellent. Was not expecting "Midwest nice " here. I asked how spicy the chiles were and the server gave me a sample of chips to try. She also gave me some soup since I didn't want a certain side . I was given a free dessert. The fry bread was yummy. It is simple, just add some honey to it. The brisket was delicious, tender and full of flavor. The serving size is quite large! They have a parking lot. Come here for some good New Mexican food.

First I have to say that when inquired about the fried fish tacos and found out they were supposedly hand dipped and haddock I was sold!! It soon turned disappointment. We were given 6 small tacos with 3 tiny medallions worth of fish (nuggets) which did not come hot straight out of the oil; if they had they may have tasted better. The fries and guacamole were good. Nothing was hot or worth writing home to momma for. Sorry.

Delicious dinner while visiting ABQ. Great location with clean restaurant. Great service. We got steak burritos with Christmas. Delicious. Sopas were amazing. The stacked chicken enchilada was tasty. The calabasitas were mushy. Best Pepsi I have ever had. The green chili stew was beyond my expectations as my first time experience. I loved the decor.

Dine In Review Local neighborhood gem with less than 25 tables in The Original Cocina Azul restaurant. All tables were occupied during my 515p Sunday dinner. Food was very delicious and plentiful. Bottomless chips & salsa is $3.50. I'm rating 3.5 stars (other 2 locations get 4.5 stars) because of the following: ***Surprise Charge: Inflation Adjustment appeared on my receipt. Wasn't informed about it or didn't see it on the menu***. Understanding that businesses need and should make money, please at least inform the consumer about the Inflation Adjustment **No Fire/EMS/police/military discount offered at this location** The server was semi-friendly Good margaritas, however, we were only offered large size at $13.50 each (price is not on the menu); no drink menu offered Please try The Original Cocina Azul if you're in the area. For me, I will definitely go to the other locations. I just want to feel valued as someone who has served her country in the military and recognized for it.

A fun and packed place full of helpful weight, people and food that's delivered quickly. Recently priced and quite tasty. As you can see from the pictures we ordered quite a bit and we were happy with everything. When they say spicy. It's pretty spicy so adjust if you're not from this part of the world. Lots of interesting side dishes. Don't miss out on them.

Long time resident of Texas, but lived in New Mexico for many years prior. Was definitely itching for some good northern New Mexico food, and Cocina Azul came through. I had the Frank's Sr.'s combination plate. I was not disappointed! Everything was great. The portions were so big I couldn't eat it all, but I tried. Will definitely return next time I am here.

Well once again this fine restaurant has served up some great food. From burritos to smothered chicken fried steak. The food is flavorful and served with a smile. We even enjoyed a couple of flavored margaritas. Always an enjoyable experience.

According to many Cocina Azul is an Albuquerque staple. It was raved over and over again by online foodies, locals and non-locals alike. Unfortunately it missed the mark with me. At least for 5 stars. My mother ordered the popular Brisket Enchiladas (slow-cooked brisket, three flat corn tortillas, filled with a blend of cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese, melted and smothered with your choice of Frank Sr.'s red or green chile, $15.95). Holy hell these were absolutely amazing!!! A crazy amount of flavor and the brisket was cooked to perfection. It came with a side of rice and refried beans which I found kind of flavorless but they were yummy combined with the enchiladas. I should have gotten the damn enchiladas but my burger-loving heart wanted one last green chile burger before returning home so that’s what I got. Alicia’s Green Chile Burger (fresh Angus, chuck ground steak, served with two melted slices of American cheese, New Mexico Hatch green chi/e, roasted and peeled and prepared "caribe style" by hand with salt and garlic, served on a golden, buttery toasted, specialty roll, $12.95). What i got only matched half that description. I got a clearly frozen, supermarket hamburger, paper thin, the kind you get at your local drive-thru and would be yummy if that’s what you wanted, but I expected a lot more. Also, the “specialty roll” is just a regular grocery store hamburger bun. The taste was subpar, there weren’t many green chiles and what was there lacked flavor of any kind. Overall, it was not good. Service was not great. Servers were slow, not friendly one bit and inattentive. I had to hunt the guy down to take my credit card so I could just pay and leave. Overall it’s a good place for a delicious Tex-Mex meal, but you definitely have to get the right thing. I highly suggest those Brisket Enchiladas!

It was a very pleasant visit to Cocina Azul in Old Town Albuquerque! Anastacia was a very friendly and professional waitress who came back to the table in a timely manner a number of times to check on us. The place is very clean and has a nice cozy feel to it. The food was amazing and they bring out both a red and green salsa for an appetizer and those salsas are very good but somewhat spicy, just a heads up in case that's not your thing. I had a stacked enchilada made with ribeye meat and red chile, OMG best enchilada I've ever had in my life! Overall I definitely recommend this place if you haven't tried it! I would've given 5 stars had they not forgot to bring my sopapillas out with my main course. All in all, a great experience!

Great place. The service was great. The pork taco and ribeye taco was tasty. and the rice is the best Mexican rice I ever had

The dessert that you get at the end of your meal is AMAZING!!!! The green chili stew was very, tasty. I do wish they had more authentic food options on their menu. Very friendly staff. I would return.

Was on a cross country drive and stopped here because I saw it had phenomenal reviews and I was quite blown away! I’m not certain as to the true “Mexican Authenticity” of the dishes they serve as I am quite clearly a white boy. But besides that… The combination plate was absolutely incredible. It had everything I wanted to try, the brisket was REALLY good, although I will say it was slightly over cooked. They might prepare the brisket earlier in the day and reheat it as needed. But this isn’t a brisket restaurant so for what it is it’s pretty damn good. If you’re looking for amazing Mexican food in Albuquerque this is definitely the spot. Enjoy!

What a treat! Went here because of the great reviews. It was fabulous. We shared a huge brisket quesadilla. It was perfect! We ordered the queso bowl it was so creamy and delicious! I will definitely be eating here again when we come through. Only negative is the Pepsi products.

I got the taco plate with crispy tortilla shell. The food was mostly excellent the beans seemed a little old, I can tell when beans are made fresh it has a different consistency. These beans tasted and had a thick old consistency. The tacos would have been better if the chicken was shredded rather that huge chunks of chicken that I got, made it a bit difficult to eat. The service was a bit slow for being not too busy. The rice was cooked perfect.

First timeguest while visiting and was as advertised. Great flavors and fresh tasting food. Started with guacamole which was simple and good Server recommend Frankie's Combo special and had a great variety of dishes. Co-hort ordered the Annalise burger which looked yum. Went for a straight Patron as the margaritas where pre-mixed and received a healthy pour.

Good but not great. Had high expectations based on the reviews. Started with the chips and salsa which were amazing!! I would make a meal just on those! I had the brisket enchiladas with the red sauce “because it was hotter” according to the waiter. I was disappointed as the sauce was tomato tasting with zero heat. The chip salsas (red and green) were much hotter (in a good way) and better tasting than the enchilada red sauce by ALOT!! For a place in the older side of Albuquerque, they should know how to do enchiladas with a good enchilada sauce flavor with a little heat. This IS Albuquerque, correct?! Nevertheless, I left full but disappointed. The waiter was overworked with too many tables and no time for us! On a good note, this place knows how to do some very, very good sopapillas. You may have to ask for them as they come free with your meal, but our waiter was going to skip them until we requested them. Very fluffy and golden brown, and they go EXCELLENT with the honey that is provided with them. They expand with an inside pocket that is perfect to hold some of that honey. It is worth a next time, but hopefully things get better!