I gave Chope's 5 stars because 10 stars weren't an option. Â This is my favorite restaurant on planet Earth. Â It holds "Shrine Status" with me. Â I wouldn't just want to eat my last meal here, I would want to eat my last 100 meals here. Â The chile is HOT, the food is authentic NEW Mexican style, and the owners are real and genuine.
Review Source:This off the beaten path restaurant between Las Cruces and El Paso is famous for their chile relleno. I was intrigued so I made plans to meet a friend from Las Cruces there for dinner.
I was coming from El Paso and the drive was quick and the scenery (especially through the pecan tree grove) was beautiful.
We ordered the chile con queso to share and I got a combo of the famous chile relleno, the chile con carne and a taco. My combo came with homemade tortillas. Everything was really good. The spice level was just right. The chile con queso is different from what you would expect - more of the chile than the cheese but it is excellent with your side of chips. The chile relleno was clearly the star of my meal. These are not overstuffed with cheese like most chile rellenos - instead the light breading really brings out the flavor of the chile. Even though we were stuffed, of course we had a sopapilla for dessert - perfect pillows of fried dough heaven.
Was really happy with my experience here - in addition to the great food, I appreciated the attentive and friendly service. Chopes will now be a tradition any time I am in the area.
The best Mexican food in the area. The food tastes home-cooked because it is by the Search Results Abuelitas in what used to be their home.
My family has been going here for generations, at one point it was at least once a week, and Lupe knew exactly what each of us ordered.
It's a great drive through the valley in a car or on a motorcycle.
Don't be afraid of the bar, it might look tough, but everyone is there for a good time.
Went to the restaurant on a Tuesday night and this bad boy was packed, It's worth any wait.
The Chiles awesome. The Tortillas awesome. The service awesome. The Green Enchilladas with Chicken Awesome.
DRINKING 40s at a dinner table?? PRICELESS
EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE!
Ok if you give this anything but 5star you really don't know what NEW Mexican food is..... Not Mexican food folks.... big difference. Like Mexican... only newer (oh yeah and smothered with Chile).
This is the real deal. I was born in Las Vegas NM, I live in Albuquerque. This poor Hispanic kid grew up eating the real deal every day. Trust me this is it.
Everything tastes homemade: beans, tortillas, salsa, Chile, rellenos. Thank you Chopes for continuing to do it right. Don't take shortcuts. I love it. I'm going to take people there and preach the gospel according to Chopes.
I love it!!
One of the best gems in New Mexico!
Only about a 20-25 minute drive from Las Cruces, it is totally worth every cent for gas.
Facts:
*A restaurant and bar that has been run by the same family for  decades upon decades.
*The bar is typically filled with the whole biker crew, but don't let that deter you from getting your draaank on! Oh, and did I mention that they serve 40 oz. bottles?! However, due to the new, updated, ludicrous liquor laws in New Mexico, you may not have this by yourself (it has to be split between two people). Sooo what stops someone from getting two 24 oz. bottles in a row? Silly Nuevo Mexico.
*Love the food here! Now this is TRUE Mexican/southern NM food. A great starter of chips and salsa goes great with their house margarita!
*My favorites? Their amazing rellenos and enchiladas! And the infamous, official state question: Red or green?? CHRISTMAS! Their red is smooth and tasty, while their green has the consistency of a salsa and is chunkier...chock-full of delicious green chile pieces.
*Cap off your meal with a sopapilla and absolutely douse it in honey.
TIP: Only Visa & Mastercard accepted here.
So, why am I docking a star? Inconsistency, unfortunately. Sometimes, our plates of food will be piping hot (how they should be), while a few have been almost room temperature. They've been improving this flaw, though. In addition, the food can take a VERY long time, even when going in the late afternoon when the restaurant isn't very busy.
If you're driving through NM and you're within 50 miles of Chope's, give it a shot. It's definitely worth the time to get out to La Mesa!
This is a must eat if you're in the area! Â It's definitely worth the drive through the pecan orchards. Â Chopes is a great local family run restaurant with great New Mexico flare, serving 40 oz beers and a cool biker bar next door. Â Don't be intimidated to go in and get a drink. Â After hanging out in there for five minutes you'll find yourself talking with all kinds or maybe even dancing with one of the regulars. You can't go wrong with the enchiladas or chile rellenos either. Â I definitely miss this place and still crave the food!
Review Source:Chope was my step dads great uncle. This restaurant and bar has been in his family for something like 80 years. The food here is as good as it gets for authentic regional New Mexico style food. Tonight I was accompanied with a few relatives for  dinner and I had the number 6 combo plate which comes with a chile rellano, enchilada, green chile and rice n' beans. Lets just say the only thing left on my plate was the stem from the chile rellano!! DELISH!! Pure simple New Mexico style food done right.
Review Source:A trip south to La Mesa through the pecan orchards and past the fields of cotton we were rewarded at the south end of our excursion by delicious Mexican food. Â My wife had the taco plate while I had a green chile smothered ground beef stuffed sopapilla. Â Both of our meals were very good. Â Too bad the restaurant is not a little bit closer to Las Cruces, but dining in the 150 year old house is worth the drive.
Review Source:I am a Lobo from Albuquerque so I'm not suppose to like anything or anyone in Las Cruces. Â Chopes is so good. Â You have to find your way here. Â We had a big group, we grabbed a big table in the corner. Â Somehow a bucket of beer showed up. Â Then the food. Â The food is awesome. Â We all had typical New Mexican fare...enchiladas. Â Everyone was happy with their meal. Â So we ate at a few places in Las Cruces (La Posta and The Eagle) ...the food is different here than in ABQ or SFe somehow. Â I think it is better in LC. Â The service is certainly better in all the Las Cruces restaurants. Â Who knew Las Cruces was such a nice place. Â Now I do.
Review Source:Was in with my husband and baby, after reading all the reviews it sounded like a great place to eat. The drive was just as described-beautiful! The place is very nice and the hostess greeted us with a big smile. However The waitress was very unfriendly, she took our order, brought our food quickly and never came back, she went to check on other tables and just passed right by us ignoring us as if we weren't there. The chips and salsa were very good, the food was average. I had the number five- the enchilada was good, the relleno was average and the gordita was not good at all, the rice was good but the beans tasted smokey burnt. If you really want good authentic Mexican food, don't go to chopes, trust me, go to habaneros restaurant, that is our favorite so far just thought we give chopes a try. Big mistake :(
Review Source:This is one of the most authentic Mexican Restaurants in the area. The charm and hospitality are definitely one of its drawing points. The chips are cool and the salsa is definitely hot.
A must see to bring out of town guests to!!!!
Greg Tolmasoff
Cinderella's Mobile Pet Sitting
Las Cruces, NM
The place has character. The house is the restaurant and across the parking lot is the bar. The food is respectable, the service outstanding and the ambience is super cool. The drive there is as advertised so make the visit, enjoy the diversity of the clientele and have a 40 while waiting for your food.
Review Source:We read about Chope's in "Road Trip" and their reviews nailed it. Great Mexican food at reasonable prices. People line up to get in here. It's worth the wait.
On Saturday afternoon, their bar (next door) is a magnet for middle-aged bikers and is a hoot inside.
If we lived in the area, we would definitely be back often.
Perfect motorcycle cruise ending and beginning for a gorgeous ride through the pecan farms.
I haven't tried their food, but the 40's are cold, put on ice, and a kick ass waitstaff.
The decor is premium :)
Stop in, grab a seat at the bar, and monitor your boozing if you drove because you'll wanna stay for more than 1 here!
Oh Yeah! Â Stacked enchiladas with egg on top are great. Â I make them myself all the time but Chopes has it down with many years of experience doing it. Â I grew up in Deming and only found out about this place from a friend at work here in San Diego. Â Then found a friend at church that grew up near there and knew it well. Â Man, am I glad I finally found it. Â Every New Mexico trip has a stop at Chopes when possible.
I have friends going there to work a Department of Homeland Security job and have already hooked them up with the location and hours. Â Highly recommend this place to anyone road tripping down the 10 to El Paso, it is definitely worth the detour off to NM 26.
After hearing rave reviews about Chope's, I was excited to go there. Â The drive through the pecan orchards was lovely and I was shocked to NOT have to wait on a Saturday night.
The good: Â The salsa was tasty and spicy (but not so spicy that you couldn't eat it). Â The taco on my combo plate was delicious and reminded me of my childhood with its soft corn tortilla shell. Â The rice and beans, especially the beans, were almost perfect.
The meh: Â The chips were tasty, but cold. Â If they'd been warmed up a bit, they would've been much better. Â The relleno was ok, since I'm not a big relleno fan, maybe I'm not a good judge of that.
The bad:  The red chile sauce on my enchilada was  extremely bland and the tortilla was chewy.  My tamale was mush - I've had better from a can, honestly.
Would I go back? Â If I was nearby (not too often), I would go have a taco plate in a minute. Â The rest...not so much.
Would've never found this place if it weren't for the NYTimes review. Â It was the end of a long day of driving from SF to Dallas, and what a treat this was. Â Literally, the /best/ chile relleno, ever. Perfectly fried, and the red chile sauce had such fantastic flavor. Â Transcendental doesn't even begin to explain. Â Cute little bar next door, too for when you're waiting to be seated. Â Can't wait for my next long haul drive to stop in.
Review Source:This is a place you have to try at least once when in New Mexico. This is as much of an authentic New Mexico culinary institution as I found in my many years living there. Â The food is not healthy, expect some grease. You need to try the chile rellenos! Â The environment is a bit gritty, a true melting pot with customers from all social classes - a mixture of local pecan farmers, college students from nearby New Mexico State University, bikers, professionals, a very interesting place. In the bar you can meet all types of interesting people. The drive there through the pecan orchards is quite nice. The prices are cheap
Review Source:In an area famous for GREAT Mexican food, Chope's stands out. Â A short 20-minute drive from west El Paso, Chope's is in the heart of the Mesilla Valley between Las Cruces and El Paso. Â The recently remodeled interior lacks the old-time feel that Chope's used to be known for, the food is as good as ever. Â The sauces are all prepared from local chiles: translated muy picoso. Â The bar next door is always filled with a mix of bikers, has-beens, never-weres, locals, losers, and restaurant patrons waiting for a table. Â The diversity aside, everyone gets along real well like seeds in a Hatch Green Chile pod. Â The pitcher of Margaritas will take the heat off. Â Chope's closes early, is always crowded, so come early.
Review Source:Chopes is as down home New Mexican grub as you can get. Historic old cafe and bar in a very small town less than 20 minutes south of Las Cruces. The drive there is relaxing and scenic as long as you drive NM 28 and AVOID stinkin I-25. You cant miss the place, it will be the two small buildings on the west side of the road (across from the Post Office)where a LOT of cars and motorcycles are parked along the road. Â
Excellent fresh green chile dishes from enchiladas to rellenos and good spice to the chiles but not overpowering. Best time to visit would be mid August theu Sept when the chile crops are being harvested and green chiles are freshest.
Locals, tourists and bikers are all welcome here, its a melting pot of folks. That tells you one thing, the place serves good quality AND inexpensive food. The place is VERY small so plan on arrving for lunch at 11:00 or 1-2pm and dinner no later than 5:00-5:30 unless you want to wait an hour or more. For the guys, make sure and pick up one of their business cards, you will see why when you read the back of it.
TIP: Tor some REALLY good tortilla chips, go the convenience store across the street and look for the "local" brand Los Indios. These are freshly fried and MUCH better than any other packaged tortilla chip. DO NOT buy beer ar anything else there though because prices are jacked SKY HIGH.
Chopes is one of those places I crave when I'm not home visiting family and a required visit when I do make it home. Â This review isn't necessarily about the food (which is truly great!) but of the restaurant itself.
Chopes was recently renovated! Â As those who have visited previously will tell you, the original layout was a bit cramped, a bit dirty, and a more than a bit in need of some sprucing up. Â I was thrilled to see that all of the above have changed! Â A side room in the main building has been opened up, providing a lot more seating. Â The decor is really nice, with a tiled copper ceiling and re-framed art on the walls. Â
As usual, service is quick and friendly and the food is great. Â Even though the look of the place has been brought a bit more current, Chopes hasn't lost its charm and is still one of my favorite restaurants in the world!
Its tough being the only negative on this one and perhaps we just hit a bad day but it was probably the worst meal we have ever had in a restaurant. Â The drive to get there is great, the atmosphere is fun but both our meals were terrible. Â The rellenos were greasy mush and smelled and tasted rancid. Â The taco shell was also rancid limp and greasy - either fry them crisp or leave them soft but this was greasy cardboard textured. Â I ordered my enchilada 'green' but got red instead. Â Bad start when they mess up The State
Question. Â Not generally being that fussy I didn't bother asking to have it changed, should have. Â It could have been ketchup with a ton of hot sauce in it for all I could tell. Â We love spice in food and have eaten Schezwan in China, Thai in Thailand and in some of the best Indian restaurants in the world. Â We can do heat but expect it to have some flavor to it as well. Â Never could find anything resembling meat or cheese in the enchilada either and gave it up as a lost cause. Â Presumably from other reviews the green chile would have had some flavor. Â We didn't bother with a sopapilla though they are recommended. Â Too afraid we would get another rancid greasy mess. Â The drinks were good, very nice margarita and cheap and we thought the rice served with the meals was pretty tasty - a little different from other places, but that's about it. Â We were there fairly early for weekend lunch service which could explain the cooking oil not being hot enough but that would only explain away the greasyness not the rancid flavor, and having been in business forever they should know when to start heating their oil by now. Â Perhaps it was just an off moment but with both meals so bad we were terribly disappointed with a place that others have found so good.
I read the reviews and ate lunch at Chope's Sept 29 while visiting Las Cruces looking for my retirement home. Â This is simply the best chile relleno I have ever had. Â I've eaten Mexican food in Chicago, Texas, and Mexico, and Chope's is the best. Â The bar is chocked full of old posters and pictures. Â The staff is friendly and efficient. Â The food is fabulous. Â Drive through the pecan orchards and enter a slice of heaven. Â A 32 oz Dos Equis and chile rellenos. Â Life doesn't get much better. Â I will be returning often after I move to Las Cruces...
Review Source:There are places that are known for their food, atmosphere, location. Chopes has it all. Family restaurant since the turn of the century (19th), it's a funky bar/cafe in two seperate buildings. The bar is a mecca for locals, college kids, bikers. Full of memorabilia and a funky juke box, you can actually purchase 32oz. bottles of beers that reminds me of my high school days. Dinner at the original building was simple, hatch chili rellenos. What gives it even more charm is the drive to Chopes, located with pecan laden trees and wineries.
Review Source:Chopes is one of the things I miss the most about living in Mesilla. A drive through the Pecan Orchards and you are there. This is my favorite NM restaurant because the food is amazing, and going here feels like going to your abuelita's house for dinner on Sunday. The drinks are cold, the food is hot and delicious. There are the rellenos, and I love the crispy chicken tacos with a cold margarita.
This is a family-run business where the food is cooked with love. Although Chopes is a local joint, lots of people come from near and far. All the best things about NM are embodied in this place: friendly people, family atmosphere, green and red chilies, and cheap beer. The restaurant is fun, but I enjoy a drink/dinner in the bar. Like others have stated, this is as good as it gets.
Previous reviews say it all. Â I post this review only to confirm, from my warped perspective, that Chopes is the real deal when it comes to New Mexican food. Â It is the best in Southern NM, and possibly best in the state (It has Sadies beat, dead to rights). The drive from LC is beautiful, leave before the sun goes down, if possible. Â
Unlike most restaurants in the area, they have not toned down the heat of their chilis, and for that, they should be commended!!
Every time I go back to visit Las Cruces, I have to hit up this place. Â It is INCREDIBLE. Â The fact that it was founded and continues to operate from the family home only adds to its eclectic nature. Â I highly recommend getting anything on the menu smothered in green chile, even if it's not the standard way to serve it. Â Their rellenos are famous, and it's easy to understand why, but make sure to leave room for the incredible sopapillas. Â The t-shirts and bumper stickers are way cheese ball, but that's some peoples' thing, ya know? Â
Ah... Â How I miss the days of margs and Chope's...
This is where you find out what New Mexican food is all about. Â The state question of "red or green sauce" should be replaced by "have you eaten at Chope's?" Â As another poster mentioned, you have not eaten Chili rellenos that are this good. Â Never. Â I've tried many dishes though...you simply can not go wrong.
It's busy...don't count on a 1/2 hour in and out. Â This is a destination unto itself.
There are restaurants, and then there are shrines that serve food. Chope's is a shrine. Nay. A church. A church of food. A church where chile relleno's are the gospel, beer the Holy Water, menus the liturgy, and sopapillas the host. And I wish I could begin to speak of the glory of the red enchilada's, but I am a person of unclean lips, and unworthy to utter such great things. Â
Here's the story. Chope's is family owned and run by the descendants of the original owners. The recipes are decade's old, if not centuries. When you eat there, you are eating true southern New Mexico cuisine, made by abuelitas who tacitly whip up masterpieces of the genre with one hand, while rocking their babies to sleep in the other. (I've seen them do it with mine own two eyes).
Bottom line- If you don't like Chope's, you don't like mexican food. In fact, you don't even like food. You probably don't even like people. And guess what? it doesn't matter because people probably don't like you. I'm sorry. It's just that I'm very passionate about this place. And if you've been there, you probably are too.
Tips-
1) Call to see when they are open and go for an earlier or later dinner to avoid the 1-2 hour wait.
2) The drive to Chope's is scenic so on your way you must roll down your windows, wave your hands in the breeze, and enjoy life. This is a crucial step in the Chope's dining process. Â
3) When you order, get a fried egg on your red enchiladas and make sure you get a green chile relleno. And no matter how stuffed you are, order sopapillas for desert. The food is hot. The food is heavy. The food is holy. Amen.
Chope's is a restaurant and bar (separate yet adjoined) Â filled with bikers, hardcores, students, and yuppies because it is outstanding. Â The food is wonderful! Â The smothered burritos are great. Â I recommend starting with some queso and tortillas. Â
It really is in the middle of nowhere and you need to call ahead to make sure it is open. Â The place gets packed, so expect to wait to be seated (if you come too late, it could be hours) and served - but it is totally worth it.
The decorations haven't been updated in decades, not that they should be.
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