La Cocina New Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Espanola

A Culinary Delight in the Heart of Espanola, New Mexico!

If you find yourself passing through Española or even if you live here, you simply cannot miss the opportunity to indulge in the vibrant flavors and rich cultural heritage at our local gem, La Covina Restaurant. Prepare your taste buds for a mouthwatering journey through the heart of New Mexican cuisine!

From the moment you step into La Cocina, you'll be greeted by warm, colorful décor that reflects the spirit of New Mexico. The rustic adobe walls, intricate handpainted murals, and traditional artwork create an inviting and authentic atmosphere. The friendly staff add to the delightful charm of this place.

Prepare to be dazzled by the diverse menu, featuring an array of authentic New Mexican dishes bursting with flavors. Allow me to recommend a few must-try dishes:

To get a taste of the menu I tried the combination plate. Be prepared to indulge in the true essence of New Mexican cuisine with these mouthwatering enchiladas, tamale, and beans. The entire plate was smothered in a rich red chile sauce, and topped with melted cheese, each bite is a heavenly symphony of flavors.

As my extra entre or ordered Lamb Fajitas. I was not prepared for the succulent, tender meat which was infused with a perfect blend of spices, creating a dish that was both hearty and unforgettable.

Sopas or sopapillas what ever you want to call them no visit to a New Mexican restaurant is complete without trying these heavenly pillows of fried dough. Served warm with your meal. I recommend to order an additional Sopa and drizzle it with some honey all to make for a sweet and satisfying end to your meal.

If you are like me and journey through Española or are a local, make time to visit LA Cocina Restaurant and savor the finest flavors the Española has to offer. With its authentic ambiance, sensational dishes, and exceptional service, this gem is a culinary adventure you won't want to miss. So, come hungry, leave with a smile, and carry a piece of New Mexico's vibrant food culture with you...

Food is a 5!!! Service should have been a 5 but I had the wrong Server!!! So, Linda gets a 1

So, this could be a negative review but I'm going to turn it around and take a moment to use this once again as a training opportunity....👌👌👌

First of all I'm pretty sure I'm related to every room in the establishment. So my confidence in what I'm ordering and what to expect is almost a sure thing. That being said the example here is that it's not always about the food when there is a unexpected and unfortunate dining experience when we choose to go out.

The food is always spot on for me because it completes all the same comparable flavors and tastes that I was brought up on especially from Northern New Mexico.

Rather than to focus on the negative experience I had today, let's switch it up about what to do!

First, when you go to La Cocina you want to ask for Alejandra!!! As she was assisting her table I had first hand opportunity to observe and listen to how well she cared about her patrons and their satisfaction during their dining experience!!! Questions that we all want to hear and consider "Customer service" when dining at a restaurant I like.

The experience we don't want to have is to be forgotten, incorrectly ordered dishes, challenges substituting combinations, unfilled beverages or trying to eat around empty plates and trash because the server doesn't have enough experience.....don't make the mistake I made. I'm recommending the best server I can to you ahead of time so you have a great dining event with your family!!! Alejandra is the one you want to request!!!

As for this occasion today?? Well let's take the advice and I will go back and try it again...... because the food is what I expect it to be. I didn't have Alejandra today as my server but I did give her my tables tip for my future return...👍👍👍 She deserved it more than the server I had who didn't make today's lunch as pleasant as I usually expect at La Cocina...😖😖😖 See you next time and I'm planning to have an Iced...

I have had good luck with the restaurant in the past, but their attitude and service seems to have really declined. I called a week before for reservations for a dinner with my team (18 people). I was told that they do not accept reservations, but to call the day of our dinner and they would try to accommodate me. I was also told at that time that it was most likely going to be seating outside, but they may be able to do something for indoor dining. So today, the day of our planned dinner, I called in the late morning and asked if we could be seated inside. They said no and were less than professional on the phone. We decided to go ahead with the dinner, as they indicated the outdoor seating was covered. Also, changing venues at the last minute wasn't really an option for nearly 20 people who were driving from all around the area. When we arrived, the hostess stated we could move the patio seating and tables around to accommodate the team (it was setup cafe style with seating for 2-4 each area and not conducive for us to interact as a larger group). We started rearranging and the manager came out to tell us we cannot move tables and he is sure whoever called about this (me) knew this and that it is not possible that the hostess said we could move tables. He forced us to move the tables back and said they don't do parties of 12 or more anymore (they could have communicated that on the phone), and that he was doing us a favor by letting such a large party sit outside. What kind of restaurant manager comes out to a large, paying party with such accusations and plain rudeness? One at La Cocina in Espanola. This could have been handled so much more professionally and service-oriented (isn't that the point of a restaurant?). By the way, the team had a decent time together (food is actually pretty good and the fellowship was great), but the consensus is that this is not a good place to return to, whether in a large...