Gabriel's

This place was recommended to us by our neighbor who is from NM. We have always seen the sign when we are in Sante fe as we often play or stay at the Hilton Buffalo Thunder or Cities of Gold Hotel and Casino but you can't see the restaurant from the highway only the sign.As we were hungry and couldn't make up our mind where to eat, actually we wanted a something but we didn't know what so this was close and they were open.Located off the frontage road hidden by trees it's like a little hidden secret.They offer both inside and outside dining and the outside is lit up by little string lights and it's pretty romantic but there are quite a bit of tables.So privacy isn't so much there but it's a nice vibe from what we could tell. We sat inside as that was was the first available. The inside had a southwestern feel, but honestly the restaurant closed in an hour and the staff was rushing around like they had to hurry everything. I felt rushed and on the edge of uncomfortable but maybe it was just me. Our waiter greeted us and than was scarce after that.On to the food. We had guacamole freshly made at our table which was a treat , and also chips and salsa. Both were delicious. For our main i had slow cooked ribs and my wife chose a combination plate. Both were delicious. At the end of our meal once again our waiter was no where to be found so we walked up to the front and asked the manager if he could help us with paying our bill. He didn't look very happy about that because he kinda looked around for our waiter and kinda shook his head. The reason I am giving it 5 stars is because of the food and ambience. And the personalized making of the guacamole at our table.I believe if we would have gotten there earlier our experience would have been much more enjoyable and relaxed. I would definitely recommend!

Apologies in advance if you like this place but it was not my cup of tea. We had great service but the buck stopped there. The best part of our meal with the queso appetizer and the salsa. The chips were cooked perfectly. Then we get to the food. The chicken fajitas had no flavor. It needed more to them. While juicy, no flavor did not help. The fish tacos were meh. Honestly, I was not a fan but the reviews are mostly good so I won't hold you from trying on your own.

A fun place on the side of the highway. Gabriel's is huge with tons of seating and servers. Their house margarita was delicious. We also got the guacamole which is made at the table. It was good but I wish you could try it and ask for more ingredients if you wanted it. He made it then left our table without us trying it. Otherwise a great experience and look forward to going back.

We finally tried Gabriel's after three years of hearing great things about the place. I'm glad I did. The restaurant has tons of outdoor seating . There is indoor seating as well, but I always prefer outdoor seating when it's available. There is covered seating and seating in a beautiful courtyard with a fountain. The service was very attentive and friendly. The food came out quickly and without any issues. All the food was cooked perfectly with great flavor. We ordered fish tacos, ribs, and chimichanga to share. I was very happy with all three items. The portions are good and we ended up packing some to go. After the meal, we sat on the bench in the garden to enjoy the views. The area would be great to enjoy a post meal drink. I will definitely return and recommend Gabriel's.

they have a fantastic margarita selection (la unica!) and the food is solidly good. I would say this lands more Mexican than New Mexican. But the service is great and the patio is fantastic during the summer.

Expensive while underwhelming & average at best2nd time this year, we ate here; two other couples just had to go, so we came back. Again, the food is fine but a bit underwhelming and rather expensive. You can get much better food of this genre in town for less money. I had the Los Cabos Fajitas, and for $27, I expected a lot better. Sizzling? No, but the dried-out chicken and about 5 shrimp need more flavor, along with under-sizzling vegetables. The Fajitas at, say, Los Amigos for $12 is superior, and I could name half a dozen others who do this dish better and for far less money. My wife had the Chile Relleno's for $19.95; fine, nothing special, again, $16 at Los Amigos, better. Gauc for the table (our friends had to have it) was good, but $17 is not worth "the show" or the end results. Service was just OK, one guest had to keep asking for dinner ware to the point he just got up and found his own. At the last meal, we sat outside, which was lovely, but this month, the patio closed due to the cold, so we sat inside; it's not as nice there; loud and a bit cramped. Considering the long drive, adequate only food, and high prices, I don't think we will return. You can do better closer, for less money, at many other NM Restaurants in town.

Our first time dining here and we will definitely be back! The service was okay; the waiter could have been more attentive. The chips were hot, crispy, and perfectly salted. The salsa was very good, just the right amount of spice. The carnitas and tortillas were delicious! They offer great vegetarian/vegan options.

The guac is the STAR OF THE SHOW. They make it tableside & accommodate substitutions & omissions to the recipe, as you wish. There is USUALLY a long line to get in, so plan accordingly... RESERVATIONS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Their margaritas are also cold & delicious, especially on the eve of a warm day. A GREAT way to CHILL OUT.And the HUGE patio is DOG FRIENDLY AND some of the tables have an AMAZING view of the surrounding hills! As for the food, I am less enthusiastic, though a friend who has spent a lot of time in Mexico says everything is very authentic & she loves it. I suppose I am tired of Mexican food that has rice & beans with everything... I like to be surprised with new flavor combinations.I had the chicken Mole enchiladas & they were good, but, especially for the long drive from downtown, I have other options in town I like better. Worth a try to decide for yourself & be sure to be there near sunset for pics from the patio with the hills ad background!

Busy NYE dinner. Hidden gem. Reservation honored on time on a busy night. Service was amazing. Food was excellent! Had a few 'Tex-Mex' meals during our trip and was sadly disappointed, Gabriel's renewed my love of this type of cuisine. Get the guacamole!

I went to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque last week & checked out a few restaurants during our quick visit there. Gabriels was the first place we tried for lunch, it was in Santa Fe. I was so excited to try all the Mexican food out there since I've heard such great things about it! We ordered the guacamole made at your table & it was really cool having them come around & make it personalized for you. It was delicious! We also ordered the elote, which we didn't realize was just one single piece of corn on the cob. We were thinking it was going to come off the cob & in a bowl for everyone to share. It did taste delicious however it wasn't a real sharable appetizer for the table. I tried the Vegetarian Combinacione platter. It had a bean burrito, cheese enchilada, & an guacamole taco. I didn't love the guacamole taco since it only had guac & lettuce on it. I thought for sure it would come with cheese and tomatoes but it didn't. It was just pretty plain since it didn't have any added extras on it. The guac was delicious, don't get me wrong. I just wish it had a little more to it. The bean burrito was smaller but really good. I didn't realize the enchilada sauce had chiles in it, so I ordered it on the side, but I didn't realize THAT was my enchilada sauce. It was too spicy for me. so the cheese enchilada ended up just being like a cheese roll up. I really enjoyed the beans & rice on this dish though. My boyfriend ordered a beef burrito and he really liked it. I loved the side of corn it came with as well. Cute atmosphere, service was great, margaritas were delicious. Would recommend.