Rita's New Mexican Restaurant

First time coming here and I'm sad that it took me this long to find this nice place to get breakfast. Came here for a meeting with friends and the service was good and the food was delicious. Plenty of tables and nice places to sit. It did get a little noisy at times but, it was ok. Waitress was attentive and food was brought quickly. Place was clean. Bad thing...they don't allow service dogs, except for blind patrons. To me, a service dog is a service dog and they should not be discriminated.

My mother, my self, and my cousin walked in and were seated. There were two parties of 2 people behind us and two walk In orders to go. They were all assisted and orders put in. I went 15 min. later and told the owner. She said someone will be there now. Still no one assisted us. A party of 10 came in and were sat, orders taken. We got up to leave. I went again and was going to tell the owner, she walked off as she seen me coming. I told the manager and she stated they didn't see us come in. The woman that the owner was talking to(customer) told her we were leaving and all she said was O Well.

Had the pleasure of going to Rita's for the first time and really disappointed in myself for waiting so long. The dining area is filled with art for sale which is all different and lovely to look at. Our waitress was amazingly friendly and helpful. The food came out fast, hot, and delicious. The chile had a great flavor but was not too hot. I got the combo plate and the cheese enchilada was packed with a ton of cheese. The beef enchilada was filled with a lot of beef, and the tamale was my absolute favorite part. They put cheese on top and the spice in the tamale itself was superb! My husband loved his chicken chimichanga and we both had leftovers for dinner!

Busy today inside this restaurant in Belen. We were seated pretty fast and then we waited...Finally our waitress came to our table and apologized for being so busy, no biggie. She brought our drinks and chips and salsa and then I didn't see her again til it was time to leave. Another woman brought the food and we never got a soda refill or extra napkins. We asked for a side of guacamole and it never came. Besides that, the food was really good. My burger was good size and tasted well seasoned. The green chile on the burger was good but the red chile on my fries seemed not fully blended. And the portion of red chile cheese fries was really small. I would mention the waitress more but she's still missing lol. I think I caught them at a really busy time so I'm looking forward to coming back again and trying some other items on the menu. While I was paying the clerk said the brownies were complimentary after the meal so we took some and it was delicious. I usually tip well but I left 20% because the service was pretty bad. I'll post an update next time I come back...

My wife and I ate here this morning given our normal spot was closed for the holiday. I'm sure glad I did! The breakfast was ample, quick. And service was spectacular! My wife ordered an omelete and I got bacon abs egg. Everything was perfect. I'll definitely be back!

Really enjoyed our lunch here. FOOD was very fresh and flavorful. They were out of the special of the day and replaced with the friday's one, which was a cheeseburger with all the fixings and a side of tatertots. My friend ordered that for $5.99. He said it was great and I was impressed that they even toasted the bun. I ordered the Navajo taco with the carne adovado and was very pleased. I had the red and green sauce on the side. The sauce on the carne ended up to be enough but did add a little of the extra sauce as well. Portions on both meals were sufficient and filling.CUSTOMER SERVICE was impressive. Started with a welcoming greeting as we walked in. Ryan our waiter was Top-notch. Very attentive, adressed us professionally, knew his menu well. The softdrinks were refilled before we realuzed we needed them refilled. We inquired about the desserts and since they didn't have any of their housemabe ones available, we were offered a complimentary slice. It was a yummy slice of coconut cream pie and a very pleasant surprise.

On November 26, 2023, a disabled Marine Corps Combat Veteran, Mr. Dixon, encountered a distressing situation at Rita's New Mexican Restaurant. Accompanied by his service dog, Jake, a small Frenchie, Mr. Dixon was refused service. Despite previous visits without issue, on this occasion, a waitress, citing directives from management Carla and owner Jennifer, stated that dogs were not allowed except for those serving blind patrons. This statement was made despite the presence of a sign at the restaurant's entrance explicitly allowing trained service animals.This refusal was particularly disheartening for Mr. Dixon, a first lieutenant who served two tours in the Iraqi Freedom War and suffered severe injuries. The incident caused him significant embarrassment and stress, exacerbating his existing anxiety and emotional challenges. His service dog Jake, who wears a harness marked with "service" and a Marine Corps patch, assists him daily with his disabilities.Following the incident, Mr. Dixon attempted to address the matter with Carla over the phone but received an unsympathetic response. When he sought to contact the owner, he was denied further information. This situation appears to be a violation of both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and New Mexico state statutes, potentially constituting a misdemeanor.Mr. Dixon has filed a formal complaint with the Belen Police Department under New Mexico state statutes. The actions of Rita's New Mexican Restaurant not only disrespected a veteran who served with honor but also disregarded the rights of disabled individuals. This incident underscores the need for awareness and adherence to ADA guidelines and state laws concerning service animals and the rights of the disabled. This case highlights the importance of respecting veterans and those with disabilities, and the necessity of upholding relevant state and federal guidelines.

Great food..great prices! Philly sandwich and chicken wrap..soooo good! Delish New Mexican food and super yummy dessert! Great place and friendly service.

Three of us stopped for breakfast and had huevos rancheros, and chicken fried steak n eggs with chopped green chile in the gravy. Also had a waffle and sopapillas. All the food was great , chopped green chile w gravy was fire. The guys said the red was tasty as well. Sopapillas were very good too. They offered us homemade cookies before we left. Everything including service was great, we will definitely be back!

Was visiting from California and found this amazing restaurant. Breakfast was delicious. Thank you Ritas for your terrific service and delicious food. I highly recommend this restaurant.