A tiny gem in an out of the way corner of New Mexico. They fed our large group with tolerance and hospitality. I had the most creamy, delicious guac of my life, with crispy fresh made chips. I had the enchiladas with both red and green sauce which were lovely, but the highlight were the chewy, hot, and utterly delicious sopapillas drizzled with honey. If you're in the neighborhood, do stop by.
Review Source:This reviewer, Mixmaster Mez, is a 2-souled being. One soul is green, the other red. Together, we have been making pilgrimage to El Farolito since well before the turn of the millennium. Let the Green soul speak.
Chef del Farolito is the High Priest of green chile. I let out something like  the gospel cry of The Staple Singers'  "I know I Got Religion"  when I taste this soul food: savory, meaty, juicy, earthy, hot. Makes me wanna quit my day job, buy the vacant general store across the road from the restaurant, and set up shop just so I can take green chile lunch breaks at El Farolito.
Okay, now Red. It's hard get more deeply divey than El Farolito, but what a little light it is. Slightly smaller than my first studio apartment and packed with picnic tables that literally have you booty-to-booty, this place is peopled by locals and in-the-know tourists alike. Want to overhear conversations that range from how Hans Kung's Stiftung Weltethos is a misguided attempt to homogenize faith traditions, to how-in-hell the "N" in the new "El Rito Community Center" center sign was plasma cut backward but still welded on to the gate, then this is the place for you. The deep red chile is complex with a little heat and is vegetarian, and goes perfectly with burritos filled with frijoles enteros and cheddar. The rellenos are fresh and well prepared, and twice as good (at least) as at places charging three times as much. Eating here is like being invited over to a local's home for dinner--if you got to order off a surprisingly large menu (including fresh pies and cookies) and had to pay cash for your meal (they take no plastic and charge extra for IOUs). The service is usually very friendly (perhaps a bit less so when they're packed, understandably), and it's BYOB if that's your thing.
Definitely check this place out--unless it's Monday or between 2:30 and 4:30 pm when they're closed. Oh, and do note that their area code has changed from 505 to 575, contrary to what the Yelp info says.
Let your little light shine. And while in El Rito, why not visit the studio of potter/multimedia artists Kathleen and Terry Vanderbrook? Beautiful work, gracious people, fair prices.
With a group of friends from Denver who ride bicycles a lot, we had asked for suggestions from locals about where we might stop for lunch. At first sight, the restaurant did not appear auspicious. Â There was no difficulty getting a table in this tiny venue since no one else was there. By the time we left, however, there were people waiting outside, most appearing to be locals.
The food is excellent. Perhaps in Santa Fe or Taos, that would be expected. I had an enchilada smothered in home made green chili and chopped onions. All the New New Mexican dishes our group had were outstanding. Dessert was freshly made strawberry pie. With iced tea, my bill came to $8.
Would I rate them this high if it weren't for the serendipity of discovering very good food in a totally unexpected place (and because we had such terrible food the previous night in another town)? Maybe not. But eating out is not only about the food. Friendly people (the owner who waited on us was certainly that), good friends, Â the right setting, the right time. However, you can certainly get good food at a very good price at this lovely little cafe. Â Oh yes, the apple pie was great also.
It's not that bad, if  you know what or how to order and depends who's working in the kitchen too. Â
In fact it's get better the more I eat here. Â No beer or Wine, so bring your own or arrive drunk. Â They will give you glassware - not sure how legal this is, but no one ever enforces any laws in these parts of rural Northern New Mexico. Â
Better if the owner waits on you.
Of course, like most New Mexican Cafes, everything is either served with Green or Red Chile sauce. El Farolito makes their Green Chile Sauce & Stew pretty soupy. If you order anything with Green Chile, order it on the side and ask for it chunky (They will scoop it from the bottom of the pot) t's really good served this way.
Otherwise they will ladle it all over your food and it makes it real soupy.
Don't forget to order Guacamole and chips, with a side of salsa (Really good guac & ask for your chips fresh cooked to order. And last but not least......Order a chocolate Malt (great deal!) for the drive back while watching the sunset silhouette the famous Cerro Pedernal (Flat topped mountain) on Hwy 84. Â A beautiful drive back to Abiquiu - 12 miles from El Rito.
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