Barelas Coffee House: A New Mexican Culinary Gem in Albuquerque

Good morning from Manana Cafe. Join Tom Neiman, Jim Tritten, and some of the boys from the VA Creative Writing Group as they venture into the Historic Barelas District of old Albuquerque. One of our landmark eating establishments, this New Mexican restaurant features everything you would ever want in authentic comfort food that is sure to please the most discriminating palate. Interesting interior decor, friendly professional staff, and excellent food await you. Just click on the following YouTube link to watch our antics and report to you today. https://youtu.be/gsINC_db6L4?si=-L7Buxnz2eX-PgV5

I'm so sad that I now live on the east coast and the best Mexican food is so far away. The Barelas Coffee House is a staple of Albuquerque's Best Mexican food that can be had. It's priced easy on the pocketbook and besides being so far away, the only downside is trying to find parking. The place has grown so much over the years that it takes up the entire small triangular block on which it sits. The dining room seems to go on forever. If you're on a budget you should really try this place as you'll get food comparable to other places with 3 times the price. Like usual, you know if the locals all eat there that it must be good. And it is!! Say Hey to "Fro" as we used to call him, Michael Gonzales is the owner and operator. A more pleasant man you'll never find. He's even very gracious when they are slammed, which is quite often. Michael has also been good to the community, giving back so much. He could be the mayor of Albuquerque if he wanted.

Good food, large servings and well priced. This is definitely an institution, which is a pro/con -popular for a reason because it's tasty and filling, but with the popularity comes a lack of speed. Came during a midday brunch/lunch rush and waited over 40min for my food, which isn't outrageous for a busy time. However, my food was only lukewarm/cold, which indicated it had been sitting for a while. My server was friendly, and did her best, but she seemed a bit stretched thin for the crowd. Decent experience overall, but wouldn't necessarily make a special trip here.

Amazing at always, seriously a classic and my go to for huevos rancheros. I love when I go and the patio is open because it's always nice to enjoy a piping hot plate of huevos rancheros deluxe and coffee out in the fresh air. They have misters on when it's a little warmer too.

Local restaurant with a home feel to it! Service was quick and everyone is so nice. They have an outside seating option or to sit inside. There was a long line to be seated that they clear out quickly and service is very quick. Our waitress was attentive and ensured she checked in us throughout our meal! Food was hot, great portion size, great cost, and so delicious!!

This is a New Mexico staple. I've been living here for a long time and never made it here until today. Very glad I did! It's a seat yourself, vintage, local, and authentic space. The service is incredibly fast and they pump the food out in minutes. It's constantly busy and now we know why. I ordered their famous huevos rancheros deluxe. I am a huevos fanatic so I had to try because some places make really bad huevos. This place was VERY competitive. Everything was so delicious and paired so well with each other. The beans however had minimal flavor and didn't really taste like much on their own. They paired very well with everything else though. Obviously the sizes of the dishes are huge and the prices are fairly low. I'm definitely coming back and trying more things!

If you want an original New Mexican breakfast you've come to the right place. This is the OG of New Mexico Gems! From fresh tortillas to outstanding service. 5 stars all around. I really enjoy coming here! The menu is pretty long- but there is always something for everyone. The place is unassuming- in other words not fancy. With indoor and outdoor courtyard seating. My go to is the carne adovada and eggs. comes with a side of hash browns and ofcourse THE TORTILLA. I can't stress this enough because i know we here at new mexico take pride of the sopapilla and fry bread, but if u want the best tortilla in town this is one of my go to places to enjoy them. If you did enjoy them and it's your first visit, guess what? it's available for take away! incase you crave them on sundays which they are CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. lol cheers! hope you enjoy your meal here

Wow, this was my first time ordering huevos rancheros (deluxe), and I'm very impressed! I was shocked because it's also very affordable here. The dish was overall great, and every part of the dish complimented each other well; it came with beans, two eggs, cheese, hash browns, and green chile. I'm not even a big fan of beans, but I liked it here on this dish! I would 100% come back here, and it was the highlight of food spots in ABQ when I visited. We went on a Saturday morning, and it was packed here where the line went to their gift shop. Instead of making reservations or putting your name down, you wait in line to get seated. It's very impressive that the line system works; people are just dining and leaving fast. You also pay at the front stand with your meal ticket. I need to start ordering huevos rancheros for brunch now!

You can't leave ABQ without trying Barelas' huevos rancheros! Stopped by on a weekday morning and parked across the street. Though they seemed busy, they were able to seat me and my friend right away on their patio. This place is cozy and just has that laid back, welcoming vibe. The staff was warm and friendly. My friend raved about their huevos rancheros so I, of course ordered the huevos rancheros deluxe. It comes with two eggs, hash browns, beans, chile and cheese and served on corn tortillas. One bite and I immediately understood why my friend wouldn't let me leave ABQ without eating at Barelas. This massive plate of deliciousness was less than $10! Although it was very tasty, I simply couldn't finish it all, but I sure did try. If you want authentic New Mexican breakfast, Barelas is it.