Mexican Restaurants in Gallup

Explore a foodie’s paradise with scrumptious Mexican meals.

Whether you’re craving a hearty burrito or taking a lunch break from exploring outdoor activities, Gallup’s Mexican food scene offers mouthwatering eats for all palettes. Here are some restaurants in Gallup that specialize in traditional Mexican cuisine.

Cocina de Dominguez

1648 S 2nd St

Dive into generous portions of Mexican cuisine and settle into a laid back ambience with charmingly retro seating. With friendly and welcoming services, Cocina de Dominguez ensures a top-rated dining experience for all visitors. Seeking kid-friendly places to eat? This restaurant features a children’s menu with plenty of mouthwatering eats. Brunch enthusiasts will relish trying the huevos rancheros, which creates a harmony of flavors and textures from the eggs, tortilla base, and chile sauce. For a filling lunch or dinner, enjoy the stuffed sopapilla, which is filled with beef, beans, and sour cream.

Alicia’s Burrito Express

1120 E Highway 66

Step into a home-away-from-home experience with a cozy atmosphere and hearty meals. Based in the back of a supermarket, Alicia’s Burrito Express specializes in classic Mexican dishes, featuring chimichangas, fajitas, tacos, and burritos. Local-favorite dishes include the carne adovada and carne asada plates, where rich textures unveil flavorful experiences. While waiting for your meal, don’t miss dipping complementary nachos into housemade salsa, tasting a startling freshness and a burst of flavors.

Anthony’s A Taste of the Southwest

1219 US-491

Looking for a dog-friendly place to eat? Explore outdoor seating at this dining spot and soak in Gallup’s sunshine while enjoying your meal. Visitors will enjoy diving into the culinary side of the Southwest with dishes such as the Navajo tacos, chile-infused tamales, decadent enchiladas, and more. For foodies with a spice tolerance, the green chile salsa gives a fiery kick with every bite. Indulge in meals such as the steak with enchiladas or the chicken burrito, and pair your dish with a refreshing beer.

Plates of Mexican food at Cocina de Dominguez in Gallup.

Don Diego’s Restaurant & Lounge

801 W Historic Highway 66

Melted cheese, sizzling sausages, and crispy potatoes are some of the decadent ingredients in this restaurant’s breakfast burritos. Don Diego’s Restaurant and Lounge features family-style seating in spacious interiors. Feeling a deep craving for enchiladas or studded sopapillas? This Mexican dining place serves vegetarian options with a dish like the bean burrito. Try pairing your meal with a sweet and tangy margarita, and don’t miss indulging in the pork carnitas.

El Charrito Restaurant

2003 U.S. Route. 66

Make your way to old school diner interiors and explore traditional Mexican dishes. With scrumptious options such as the barbacoa taco dish and the chile relleno, you’ll find that it’s easy to devour each plate. El Charrito is a family-owned restaurant that serves authentic Mexican cuisine that will remind you of staying at your grandparents’ home for dinner. Falling in love with the chile sauces? Visitors can buy quarts of the house made sauces and take it home. Locally popular meals include the menudo with sopapillas, as well as the chile relleno, which is filled with balanced portions of cheese and is pan-fried with an egg batter coating.

El Rancho Restaurant

1000 E Hwy 66

This restaurant travels back in time with an old Hollywood glamor and southwestern decor. Be immersed in exposed wooden beams, high ceilings, and cowboy-themed interiors. Connected to the historic El Rancho Hotel, you’ll discover a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Start your day with the El Rancho Classic, which serves eggs, hash browns, and bacon with a warm tortilla. As for an afternoon or evening meal, El Rancho features a wide menu of items, ranging from western movie-inspired burgers to celebrity-themed fajitas and tamales. Don’t miss relishing the trio of dips and chips, enjoying tortilla chips with house made guacamole, salsa, and queso.

A Mexican dish with a margarita at El Rancho Restaurant in Gallup, New Mexico.

Garcia’s Sunset Grill

1605 U.S. Rt. 66

Taking a break from a day-long outdoor trip or an exploration of Gallup’s arts scene? Unwind in a delightful atmosphere and satisfy your chile cravings at Garcia’s Sunset Grill. This intimate-sized restaurant features a decadent menudo that’s submerged in a spicy red chili broth. Wander into this family-owned restaurant with services that exude a neighborly charm. Enjoy a local-favorite dish like the carne asada tacos, which are served with lime-marinated vegetables.

Genaro’s Cafe

600 W Hill Avenue

This casual eatery serves a variety of Mexican-American fusion dishes, featuring items such as jalapeño-seasoned bacon and green chile-covered pork chops. Looking for a family-style dinner at home? Place an order for generous portions of enchiladas, tamales, or tostadas. Genaro’s Cafe is just a five-minute drive from outdoor activities such as exploring We the People Park or hiking across Sunshine Canyon.

Gordo’s Cafe

800 W Coal Avenue

With a brightly colored exterior and a neon sign, you’ll find a vibrant atmosphere at Gordo’s Cafe. Each dish is served with large portions of fresh ingredients and rich flavors. This casual eatery unlocks a golden ratio amount of spiciness with every meal, ensuring that your food is kicking with genuine Mexican ingredients. With brunch, lunch, and dinner items, this restaurant ensures a seamless dining experience for any time of the day.

Grandpa’s Grill

2001 E Aztec Avenue

Explore mouthwatering eats, rustic decor, and a welcoming atmosphere. Grandpa’s Grill features an old school diner-like ambience with cowboy-themed accents. Be immersed in road signs, vintage license plates and traditional wooden seating. Must-try meals include the chile rellenos, chicken quesadillas, and the mega burrito. Settle into a casual atmosphere and enjoy fast services, receiving your meal from friendly staff.

A plate of enchiladas served with red rice and refried beans at Jerry's Cafe.

Jerry’s Cafe

406 W Coal Avenue

Feeling peckish after watching Gallup’s thrilling rodeos? Make a pit stop at Jerry’s Cafe, where diner decor and wooden wall paneling exudes an old-timey ambience. Established in 1976, this restaurant has been an iconic staple in the downtown Gallup area. Don’t miss wandering around this dining spot’s exterior, finding a community-centered mural and a vibrant neon sign. For a comforting dish, dive into Jerry’s Special, enjoying a hamburger steak that’s coated with cheese and green chile sauce.

Mama’s Kitchen

820 W Maloney Avenue

Housemade carne adovada, spicy red chili sauce, and sweet French toast are some of the breakfast and brunch staples that you’ll find at this diner. Mama’s Kitchen celebrates American breakfast foods and Mexican cuisine on a daily basis with generous portions and upbeat staff. Whether you’re looking for a filling lunch after traveling along Interstate 40 or seeking ways to enhance your morning routine, you’ll find a biscuit- and tortilla-filled experience.

Maria’s Restaurant

110 W Coal Avenue

Discover Gallup’s downtown charm with Maria’s Restaurant. This intimate restaurant welcomes all visitors and locals alike with inviting services and hearty breakfast burritos. Maria’s Restaurant gives a straightforward presentation of each dish, but each ingredient is fresh and carefully cooked for flawless textures. Relish classic Mexican cuisine with chorizos, tacos, and more. Why not make a day of it? Make a one-minute walk to El Morro Theatre and watch a movie on the big screen after your meal.

Cheese-covered enchiladas smothered in red sauce at Maria's Restaurant in Gallup.

Route 66 Railway Cafe

2150 E Highway 66

Be immersed in a lively space with quick services, budget-friendly prices, and decadent meals. Route 66 Railway Cafe offers delectable breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Bring your little ones for this dining spot’s fun kid-friendly meals, enjoying items such as the Lil Conductor or Lil Railroader breakfast, consisting of pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausages, and eggs. For a traditional New Mexican dinner, take in flavorful bites of enchiladas and sopapillas with a side of red or green chili sauce.

Sandra’s Place

1501 W Historic Highway 66

Find out why this intimately sized dining spot was awarded for top-rated chile and breakfast foods in the Gallup Journey Reader’s Choice. Along with a cozy space, Sandra’s Place features a vast menu of appetizing morning meals and an assortment of Mexican dishes. Try the Hurricane burrito for a well-rounded bite of beef, beans, cheese, and chile sauce. Place an order for the Mexican combination of tacos, tamales and enchiladas, enjoying heaping amounts of food with budget-friendly prices.

Looking for more? Traverse across Gallup’s thriving culinary scene with a variety of cuisines and find your new favorite meal.

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