El Bruno Restaurant Y Cantina — Restaurant in New Mexico

Stay Away. The single worst customer service I've ever gotten at any restaurant. I would give zero stars if that was an option. Long story short if you want to wait A MINIMUM of 1.5 hours for your food, like only having one drink (because it's all you'll get the chance to order) and enjoy 30 minute waits between getting your appetizer and a way to eat it you'll love it here. Otherwise I would find somewhere else. Full explanation: We arrived around 4:30 and initially the service was fine actually, and what little we actually got was admittedly very good. However it started to fall apart after we ordered our appetizer, which was a simple guacamole and chips. They brought the guacamole over without chips, and said they would bring us our chips in a moment. We got our drinks at this time as well and put in our order (we're now at ~4:45). After attempting to ask for the chips multiple times we finally got them around 5:15-5:20, so a solid half an hour. During which time no one checked in on us, asked about our now empty drinks, or anything. The chips were plopped on the table and the runner promptly turned around without inquiring about anything else. Fast forward to now 5:50, over an hour after putting in our orders, no food, no one checking in, and twice ignoring us when we tried to talk to the waiter. While all this happened we watched our waiter bring drinks to other tables, and put away dishes. Clearly he was not too over whelmed if he's got the time to wipe down the bar and put away some extra glasses. We finally resolved to talk to a manager. The first person we asked nodded and walked away. Ten minutes later no manager, or anyone. So we asked again now asking hostess, she went to the bar spoke to someone who pretty much just shrugged and went on. At this point another table came over and asked us how long we'd been waiting as they were having similar issues. As we discussed this a third table who had been sat half an hour after us, and after the second table got their food. Another 10 minutes later (at this point we're pushing almost 6:15) Our waiter finally deigns to check in on us at which point we ask for a manager for a 3rd time. Finally someone comes over (who I can only assume is the manager) and stated simply, "we're short staffed what do you want." We told him what had happened, that we'd been waiting on our food for almost 1.5 hours at that point, that our drinks had been empty for at least and hour, and no one had checked in on us, and while I can understand being short staffed that we didn't understand why some tables were getting their food, and drinks no issue, but our table and the table next to us was also being ignored. Full of attitude he replied that if we didn't like our treatment that he would bring us our check. at this point our the table next to us had joined in and echoed our thoughts that if you're understaffed that's one thing, but some tables getting service while the same waiter ignores others, and tables sat well after others getting their food didn't make sense. Ff you're low on cooking staff, the food taking a while makes sense, but coming out so far our of order did not (we ordered quesadillas and shrimp, neither of which are long cook time items). After the manager just replied that we don't know how to be patient the waiter who was overhearing this offered to comp our drinks and appetizers if we wanted to just leave, as the manager continued to mutter about being impatient and knowing where the door is. Our table and the one next to us took him up on the offer and left. On the way out that table told us that it's not normally like this but that they didn't recognize any of the staff on today, and that we should give it some time and try again to see if we get better staff. While I have no intention of ever going back after the treatment of the manager, I do hope for that table's sake that they get better...

Wow!!....hard to explain how UNDERwhelmed we were with this meal. Avoid if you can. I grew up with Mexican food (50+ years) - lived and eaten all over the state of NM, and these guys managed to screw up "beef tacos". Let me recap: Got there around 6pm on a Saturday evening - got seated quickly because the place was pretty empty, (not a good sign, now that I think about it.) My wife and I perused the menus - she wanted a margarita and the "Enchiladas de Carne" with ground beef/green chile and I ordered the "Tacos de Carne", also ground beef. I asked to substitute the typical "beans/rice" side with papitas (which they had on the menu for several other items) but was told there'd be a $2 up charge.....most places will substitute as long as it's on the same menu, but I wasn't up for it and just told the waiter to pass on the beans/rice altogether. Tried to order a beer, but the waiter didn't know anything about their drafts or microbrews - so I passed on the alcohol altogether, (...if I don't know what I'm getting - I'm gonna pass.) The chips were from a bag - but the salsa was okay.

Then the plates showed up. My wife's plate was swimming in green chile "juice/water". Even the beans/rice (which she's good with) were soaking in this juice/water. The enchilada was flat, and had plain ground beef and some cheese, but there was very little green chile to be seen - but LOTS of juice/water. Then there was my plate. It was 3 tacos, with no sides. And then I noticed that my plate was also sitting with ~1/8" of "juice/water/grease" in the bottom of the plate. There was some chopped lettuce/tomato scattered across the tops of the tacos, but - it wasn't in the tacos, and no cheese (I know not all tacos come with cheese, but....) I started to ask the waiter for some cheese, but I was staring as this pool of liquid in the plate. I leaned my plate to one side and it was well over a 1/4" of liquid in the bottom of a taco plate?? I tried a taco and found that the taco shell was crunchy on one side and sopping wet on the other side. When I took a bite - the beef filling was completely flavorless and bland?? I looked at the filling - there was nothing but ground beef - no seasoning whatsoever. There wasn't even any salt/pepper in the beef. All of that "liquid" running around in the bottom of the plate was just ground beef juice - they hadn't even bothered to try and drain the beef. I tried another bite - it was even worse because the middle of the taco shell was soaking wet and fell apart in my hand - it just dissolved. It literally made a "splash" in the plate because there was so much mystery juice in the plate. I put down what was left of the first taco and pushed the plate to the side - which was when the waiter showed up to ask how things were. All I could get out was, "Sorry - this isn't going to work for me." He brought me a menu - and the more I looked at my plate, and my wife's plate (she was busy draining the liquid from her soggy enchilada - she was hungry), I thought to myself, "If they can't get tacos right - there's probably not much else that they're going to get right." By the time the waiter came back to get my order, my wife was pretty much done with her plate.....and she'd pushed aside almost 1/2 of her food because it was soggy and sopping wet......so - I just told the waiter to skip it and bring the check. My wife and I called it an early night and went home - both of us were very disappointed.

My advice - try some place else if you want real, quality Mexican food. There are a lot of really good Mexican restaurants around Albuquerque, and out in Rio Rancho - but this place isn't one of them. Pass on them - try La Salita, Sadie's or Mary & Tito's.....the food is MUCH BETTER, authentic and more representative...

Que tightie! I used to enjoy coming here but, ah la, want chips and salsa? They are almost $5 bucks now. Want to sub a side? Upcharge. Need more chips? Upcharge. Want to pay with a debit card? Upcharge. I was going to go use the restroom but I was afraid they might charge me for each square of toilet paper I might have used (kidding).

The food is pretty good, although the potatoes, are now like the frozen ones that come in a bag. They are definitely not worth the upcharge if you want those instead of rice. Thats really the only thing I could be critical of with my dinner. The chile is good and the family recipes are on point.

The atmosphere is nice. The owners have good taste in decor. Probably because they are from Cuba, NM and we do things right in Cuba (yes, yes... thats my hometown too).

The service is always good here. Friendly wait staff who are helpful and kind. My server was exceptionally great. I didn't catch her name but she had an orange ribbon in her hair.

Ultimately I would have given El Brunos 4.5 stars - but charging for chips and salsa knocks the score down a little. I understand the financial struggles of operating a restaurant, my family has owned several so, I get it. But the premium prices charged here definitely offset the cost of chips and salsa. It makes me feel like I'm just a cash cow, and not a guest in someone's dining room - which is how restaurants are supposed to make you feel - like a guest. I paid $60 bucks for 2 people to eat dinner. For that much money I feel the chips and salsa should have at least been complimentary (like most other New Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque). I guess that makes me tightie too - but what's a New Mexican dinner without at least one serving of chips and salsa?

Now that I went off about the chips and salsa for like 15 minutes, El Brunos is pretty good. I would recommend them to my friends and family, and actually have done that many times and will continue to do so. The owners are pretty cool people so I hope they reconsider the extra charge for chips and salsa (eeee... im...