Convenient location. Build your own taco from well made ingredients. Have it your own way. What's not to like!
Evan K.
I was looking forward to trying the Mexican food in Albuquerque while visiting. The Al Pastor tacos and elote are delicious here! I ordered the El Cotorro Plato, which comes with three tacos and two sides. I got Al Pastor, Shrimp, and Carne Asada for my three tacos of choice. Sides included the elote (extra charge) and a new menu item, quinoa rice because they ran out of their normal rice, which is their Cilantro lime!The prices for individual tacos here are steep, running you at about $5. On top of that, the service here took forever; we waited over 30 minutes for our food after ordering at the counter. I did enjoy the seating arrangement; there was patio seating and a bunch of seating inside.
Kacey G.
The bar tender tonight completely ignored us and was really rude. I was really excited to try this place and it kind of ruined it...
Shailen Bhatia
We are vegetarian- all veggie tacos were EXCELLENT! High quality everything, amazing tortillas for the tacos, novel ingredients. They are a little skimpy with the salsa, but I get it
Jamie Kleinberg
So delicious! I had the fish taco special (pan seared mahi mahi), the vegan soy chorizo and potato taco, and the chicken tinga taco. The handmade corn tacos are so fresh and crispy. Thank you, El Cotorro!
Jamie G.
This place is AHMAZING!! I highly recommend stopping by if your looking for some amazing tacos! They even have crazy good vegan options as well! I've tried the steak, shrimp, lamb, chicken, (Naples and the Camote vegan) they were all bursting with flavors, tender and juicy! They even have delicious helados and intriguing drink cocktails. The staff members are super friendly and professional. Each time I placed an order, it was always on schedule & nice and hot I would definitely recommend if you have a liking for one particular sauce requesting that one flavor as the 3 sauce containers provided are super small.
Barbaralee S.
We went here around 11:30 on a saturday. I googled "the best tacos in albuquerque" and this was at the top of the list. We now know why!!I had the nopales taco , the refried bean and cheese taco and cabernet wine. My husband had the french onion soup( only soup on the menu). All fantastic!!!The funky atmosphere is comfortable. The service is great.We highly recommend.
Kelsey C.
Fantastic...'nough said! ...tacos, ceviche, and sauces are always delicious. Staff are friendly and courteous. Space is clean & food arrives quickly. There are always great vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian options. An ABQ staple!
Christopher Quinteros
I haven't been here in over a year but I was just remembering their tacos. My wife obviously likes their elotes. And the micheladas are tasty. It's always a good time there. Try the fried nopales tacos.
Julie R.
I pass this place every time I am headed to Nob Hill for things like breakfast at Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe, or pizza at Slice Parlor, or fish and chips at Two Fools. Never have I thought, I want tacos from El Cotorro. Well, my boyfriend thought of it, lol! So, I finally tried it! We came for tacos and we ordered three each. I went with the Chicken Tinga, Fish Taco and Al Pastor. Tacos are served flat rather than in those metal taco holders to keep them upright. So truth be told, they looked a little, small. Or light, if you will. So I thought I would not be satisfied at first glance. I was wrong. They were all tasty with just the right amount of garnishes. They are all garnished specific to they type of taco that you order. They were oh so surprising filling. I was also quite impressed with the fresh corn tortillas that they are served on. More substance and bite than your typical corn tortilla that falls apart with too much filling.We got a side of Frijoles Refritos to share, alas, we should have ordered the Frijoles Borrachos, I think they would have been much tastier. I'm giving a 4.5 stars.I need to come back and try the ice cream. Along with the chorizo and potato taco. It sounded interesting with the soy chorizo! Although I am pretty sure they can win that last 0.5 stars in my book!
Hard to describe atmosphere. Upon entering, not quite sure where to order. There are two counters but the first one you see when you enter is not the one where you order. You go up a few stairs to the left to the other counter to make your order. It feels like if you are known to them, the service is extra quick and friendly. If you’re not, be ready to wait. It looks like this place mostly caters to UNM students so be prepared for boisterous, noisy, party-like atmosphere when busy. Also, the patio is off of Carlisle and Central so be ready for lots of traffic noise. I had the Smoked Lamb’s Leg Barbacoa which was supposed to come with raisins, mint cream, and cilantro – sounds delicious right? There certainly was lamb in the tiny 4” taco, but I never found any raisins, didn’t taste any mint cream, and only saw a couple pieces of cilantro. The taco was overly greasy and falling apart. I like when the menu lists it as Market Price - keeping the price hidden. Also had the Camote Guisado (sautéed allium, chard, kale, and purslane (depending on availability) with salsa verde, sweet potato, and micro greens. Well of all these ingredients, I found mostly onions (allium), maybe garlic, one piece of sweet potato, and perhaps some kale. Flavor-wise, it was better than the lamb taco. More even spicing. $4.25 I was going to order the Shrimp Taco but there was a fishy smell in this place which made me rethink that order. My friend had the Bean and Cheese with refried pinto beans and said it was very tasty. He also had the Soy Chorizo and Potato with tiny bits of onion but so oily as to make you gag. $4.75! Finally, I had a horchata, which was what you expected of a horchata. I asked for no ice (as it hurts my teeth) but they still served it with ice. I never tried the gelatos, but they looked good. I didn't want to wait in line again to order some. They regularly serve: Azteca (Mexican chocolate), Tres Leches, Mexican Vanilla, Horchata, and Orange but offer seasonal varieties as well. Only street parking offered. Good luck with that. Unless I’m invited to come back here, I probably wouldn’t. I prefer food trucks for this type of food. It is then cheaper and usually fresher. This is a good idea that is not quite panning out.
Paul F H.
I'm an omnivore, my son is a vegan, my traveling companion is diabetic, and we all love tacos! At El Cotorro there's a taco for everyone. And, in my opinion, they are top notch, five star tacos! I ordered four different tacos -- al pastor, carnitas, carne asada, and shrimp. The tacos are somewhat petite (four inch tortillas), but the proportion of filling to tortilla is perfect, as is the proportion of the featured protein to the enhancements and sauces. They all tasted wonderful. Though four was enough to call it a meal, we craved more and went back to ordered another batch to share at the table. (BTW, you order at the counter, get a table placard, and the food is brought to your table when it's ready.)I can't remember exactly what my son ordered, but there are a bunch of vegan options available and he enjoys them all (he lives in town and stops in from time to time). My diabetic friend avoids flour tortillas and was able to substitute corn meal tortillas for each of the tacos that are normally served on flour tortillas. My only disappointment was that their ceviche was eighty-sixed by the time we arrived. I was really looking forward to trying it when I saw it on the menu. So -- I'll be back to El Cortorro the next time I'm in Albuquerque.
Jay James
We had tacos and they were one of the best. Verity and tasty. Good location and patio is awesome.Vegetarian options: Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten freeWheelchair accessibility: East entrance straight in.
hilpug
Tacos are indeed small, but very flavorful. The chips have seemed stale every time we ordered the guac. The restaurant is pleasant inside, with paintings by local artists, and they have a nice big patio. However, they definitely need more registers and order-takers. The line snakes all the way through the restaurant and onto the street on weekends. You get your food fairly soon after you order, but last time we were there the line was so long and slow-moving that we left.
Dave Whitney
Were just wandering around near our AirBnB, decided that when in Rome... :) Had a carnitas taco, braised oxtail taco, elote, margarita, and a Desert Fog IPA from the local Marble Brewery. Everything was delicious, good chance we'll be stopping in again during our trip even though there are loads of restaurants here. A huge shout out to our server (so sorry I didn't get your name!) for giving us recommendations for other good local eats, especially where we might find some decent mole... Stay tuned...
Convenient location. Build your own taco from well made ingredients. Have it your own way. What's not to like!
I was looking forward to trying the Mexican food in Albuquerque while visiting. The Al Pastor tacos and elote are delicious here! I ordered the El Cotorro Plato, which comes with three tacos and two sides. I got Al Pastor, Shrimp, and Carne Asada for my three tacos of choice. Sides included the elote (extra charge) and a new menu item, quinoa rice because they ran out of their normal rice, which is their Cilantro lime!The prices for individual tacos here are steep, running you at about $5. On top of that, the service here took forever; we waited over 30 minutes for our food after ordering at the counter. I did enjoy the seating arrangement; there was patio seating and a bunch of seating inside.
The bar tender tonight completely ignored us and was really rude. I was really excited to try this place and it kind of ruined it...
We are vegetarian- all veggie tacos were EXCELLENT! High quality everything, amazing tortillas for the tacos, novel ingredients. They are a little skimpy with the salsa, but I get it
So delicious! I had the fish taco special (pan seared mahi mahi), the vegan soy chorizo and potato taco, and the chicken tinga taco. The handmade corn tacos are so fresh and crispy. Thank you, El Cotorro!
This place is AHMAZING!! I highly recommend stopping by if your looking for some amazing tacos! They even have crazy good vegan options as well! I've tried the steak, shrimp, lamb, chicken, (Naples and the Camote vegan) they were all bursting with flavors, tender and juicy! They even have delicious helados and intriguing drink cocktails. The staff members are super friendly and professional. Each time I placed an order, it was always on schedule & nice and hot I would definitely recommend if you have a liking for one particular sauce requesting that one flavor as the 3 sauce containers provided are super small.
We went here around 11:30 on a saturday. I googled "the best tacos in albuquerque" and this was at the top of the list. We now know why!!I had the nopales taco , the refried bean and cheese taco and cabernet wine. My husband had the french onion soup( only soup on the menu). All fantastic!!!The funky atmosphere is comfortable. The service is great.We highly recommend.
Fantastic...'nough said! ...tacos, ceviche, and sauces are always delicious. Staff are friendly and courteous. Space is clean & food arrives quickly. There are always great vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian options. An ABQ staple!
I haven't been here in over a year but I was just remembering their tacos. My wife obviously likes their elotes. And the micheladas are tasty. It's always a good time there. Try the fried nopales tacos.
I pass this place every time I am headed to Nob Hill for things like breakfast at Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Cafe, or pizza at Slice Parlor, or fish and chips at Two Fools. Never have I thought, I want tacos from El Cotorro. Well, my boyfriend thought of it, lol! So, I finally tried it! We came for tacos and we ordered three each. I went with the Chicken Tinga, Fish Taco and Al Pastor. Tacos are served flat rather than in those metal taco holders to keep them upright. So truth be told, they looked a little, small. Or light, if you will. So I thought I would not be satisfied at first glance. I was wrong. They were all tasty with just the right amount of garnishes. They are all garnished specific to they type of taco that you order. They were oh so surprising filling. I was also quite impressed with the fresh corn tortillas that they are served on. More substance and bite than your typical corn tortilla that falls apart with too much filling.We got a side of Frijoles Refritos to share, alas, we should have ordered the Frijoles Borrachos, I think they would have been much tastier. I'm giving a 4.5 stars.I need to come back and try the ice cream. Along with the chorizo and potato taco. It sounded interesting with the soy chorizo! Although I am pretty sure they can win that last 0.5 stars in my book!
Restaurantji Recommends
Hard to describe atmosphere. Upon entering, not quite sure where to order. There are two counters but the first one you see when you enter is not the one where you order. You go up a few stairs to the left to the other counter to make your order. It feels like if you are known to them, the service is extra quick and friendly. If you’re not, be ready to wait. It looks like this place mostly caters to UNM students so be prepared for boisterous, noisy, party-like atmosphere when busy. Also, the patio is off of Carlisle and Central so be ready for lots of traffic noise. I had the Smoked Lamb’s Leg Barbacoa which was supposed to come with raisins, mint cream, and cilantro – sounds delicious right? There certainly was lamb in the tiny 4” taco, but I never found any raisins, didn’t taste any mint cream, and only saw a couple pieces of cilantro. The taco was overly greasy and falling apart. I like when the menu lists it as Market Price - keeping the price hidden. Also had the Camote Guisado (sautéed allium, chard, kale, and purslane (depending on availability) with salsa verde, sweet potato, and micro greens. Well of all these ingredients, I found mostly onions (allium), maybe garlic, one piece of sweet potato, and perhaps some kale. Flavor-wise, it was better than the lamb taco. More even spicing. $4.25 I was going to order the Shrimp Taco but there was a fishy smell in this place which made me rethink that order. My friend had the Bean and Cheese with refried pinto beans and said it was very tasty. He also had the Soy Chorizo and Potato with tiny bits of onion but so oily as to make you gag. $4.75! Finally, I had a horchata, which was what you expected of a horchata. I asked for no ice (as it hurts my teeth) but they still served it with ice. I never tried the gelatos, but they looked good. I didn't want to wait in line again to order some. They regularly serve: Azteca (Mexican chocolate), Tres Leches, Mexican Vanilla, Horchata, and Orange but offer seasonal varieties as well. Only street parking offered. Good luck with that. Unless I’m invited to come back here, I probably wouldn’t. I prefer food trucks for this type of food. It is then cheaper and usually fresher. This is a good idea that is not quite panning out.
I'm an omnivore, my son is a vegan, my traveling companion is diabetic, and we all love tacos! At El Cotorro there's a taco for everyone. And, in my opinion, they are top notch, five star tacos! I ordered four different tacos -- al pastor, carnitas, carne asada, and shrimp. The tacos are somewhat petite (four inch tortillas), but the proportion of filling to tortilla is perfect, as is the proportion of the featured protein to the enhancements and sauces. They all tasted wonderful. Though four was enough to call it a meal, we craved more and went back to ordered another batch to share at the table. (BTW, you order at the counter, get a table placard, and the food is brought to your table when it's ready.)I can't remember exactly what my son ordered, but there are a bunch of vegan options available and he enjoys them all (he lives in town and stops in from time to time). My diabetic friend avoids flour tortillas and was able to substitute corn meal tortillas for each of the tacos that are normally served on flour tortillas. My only disappointment was that their ceviche was eighty-sixed by the time we arrived. I was really looking forward to trying it when I saw it on the menu. So -- I'll be back to El Cortorro the next time I'm in Albuquerque.
We had tacos and they were one of the best. Verity and tasty. Good location and patio is awesome.Vegetarian options: Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten freeWheelchair accessibility: East entrance straight in.
Tacos are indeed small, but very flavorful. The chips have seemed stale every time we ordered the guac. The restaurant is pleasant inside, with paintings by local artists, and they have a nice big patio. However, they definitely need more registers and order-takers. The line snakes all the way through the restaurant and onto the street on weekends. You get your food fairly soon after you order, but last time we were there the line was so long and slow-moving that we left.
Were just wandering around near our AirBnB, decided that when in Rome... :) Had a carnitas taco, braised oxtail taco, elote, margarita, and a Desert Fog IPA from the local Marble Brewery. Everything was delicious, good chance we'll be stopping in again during our trip even though there are loads of restaurants here. A huge shout out to our server (so sorry I didn't get your name!) for giving us recommendations for other good local eats, especially where we might find some decent mole... Stay tuned...