La Salita Restaurant — Restaurant in Albuquerque

This is our 3rd visit here, and they say 3rd time is a charm. In this case very very wrong. First, it’s freezing inside, it’s warmer outside on this cold rainy day. Hostesses were rude and loved glaring at the customers. We asked to sit somewhere away from the draft and were told we can go in the corner if we want. What a way to make you feel comfortable! Took a while for the server to come, she showed up, friendly but seemed annoyed. She came back with our drinks and asked for a straw and were told they don’t give straws, single plastic ban was the excuse, which is not an actual law yet. But we were told if we’d like to kill our sea turtles we can use plastic straws.....? Ok, that was uncalled for. She continued to betrayed us with her views on the plastics, and pollution, how we “New Mexico” are trying to be like California. All we asked was for a straw and were told they are paper straws, so we declined the paper straws. So be it. Now on to the food, we were asked if we wanted chips and salsa, well yes please, that was an inconvenience, cold hard chips, yum! Now on to the main plates, the taco plates, sounded great, was I disappointed, so disappointed. My first bite into my taco, grease ran down off of my taco onto my sweater(it was freezing inside), fun. The taco completely fell apart, shell was so saturated in grease it didn’t hold the contents. Tried the second taco, was gross, meat was cold and just gross. After minutes of trying to figure out where our server was, found her and asked for a new taco, she reluctantly got us one and rudely put it down. I didn’t eat it, I was grossed out already. Our plates were cold when they came out, and the grease was just overwhelming. When she came back, she asked in an annoyed voice if we wanted Sopapillas, well that would have been nice a while ago, but we declined. She continued to tell us all about her views on the single plastic ban that has not been signed into a law yet, and why we shouldn’t use plastics, first, educate before you argue. Make a valid point, rather then guess, and don’t talk to your guests about your personal political view on things. She wouldn’t stop until I said nicely, thanks have a great night. I’m in awe of that, that should not be tolerated in a place of business. I did talk to the manager about the food and the server, the server kind of hung around wanting to hear what I had to say, which is fine, but she had tables to attend too. The manager took off my plate from the ticket, which I appreciate. She listened, which I appreciated as well, however I think the owners need to know that their servers at their place of business aren’t up to par, and enjoy shoving their views down their customers throats rather then the food. I won’t be back, this trip put me...

I don’t even know where to begin. This used to be a place me and my husband loved to go to. Me the last 13 years my husband however grew up in this restaurant. I hate even leaving this review because our love for the family but felt it unjust to not say something. This is not the La Salita we came to know and love. We all have had to adjust to pandemic and not being able to find good reliable help but this place was ALWAYS run by family and it seems they now only care about serving vegans which is completely NOT New Mexico. Sopapillas were hard and flat we paid over $150 4 of those plates were finger plates with 10 beans 5 slivers of cheese 3 finger sized strips of cold tortilla, one Chile releno plate a side of guacamole and a side of queso. Not to mention we had to serve ourselves. No one came to speak to us except the very rude food runner that was obviously bugged to have to be even doing that. I understand why they are making people pay for their food before hand because clearly would not be getting paid for the horrible service and would lose money considerably. As much as we loved this place it was so bad and opposite of what it used to be I wouldn’t be able to spend the hard earned money I make giving quality service to my clients that they expect again. I own a family business and too went through not having good staff and had to buckle down cut my losses and go back to basics it’s what saved my shop. Only family works now and we work together as a team to get what needs to get done. We got that from places like the old La Salita. I truly hope this review is taken as constructive criticism and to heart because it was once the heart of Albuquerque and it’s better to stop and leave it with the reputation it used to have then to continue on something that is obviously not working and ruin the legacy it...

Major bummer. Last time we went to La Salita we watched the staff sneeze into the ice and scratch themselves. We told the manager and they gave us a gift card. We were hesitant to go back and waited about 4 months. Sad to say it’s gone down hill. We asked if the guacamole would be enough for a party of four, the young lady said yes the starter is ‘full size.’ The $5 guac under ‘starters’ is served in a 2 ounce ramekin. When we asked to pay the difference and switch to queso as an app, the manager, Sara said, “If you think this is small I can get you one half the size.” Great customer service. The queso was so watery more gets on the table than the chip. They didn’t drain the turkey so my enchiladas were swimming. My husband and father’s blue corn turkey enchilada plates didn’t have any turkey. It was a tortilla stacked a top another tortilla. My mom’s rellenos were burnt. I waited in line for 10 minutes while our family ate to order more beers, pay for them, then be told the tap was blown. One of the managers brought me the beer and said the staff didn’t know the handle was turned. Half our food was remade and by the time mine finally came back every one was finished. When I finally got my plate the manager stayed and talked for over 10 minutes. By then my egg was cold and rubbery and the whole experience was the pits. We used to go weekly and now it’s just over priced fast food at best. We threw all the leftovers away as my parents both reported being...