What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
La Cueva Cafe
Review
About
Travelers' Choice
2024
Features
CUISINES
Mexican, Southwestern, Latin
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Dog Friendly
Highchairs Available
Outdoor Seating
Parking Available
Seating
Table Service
Takeout
Location
Parking Available
Does this restaurant offer highchairs for toddlers?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Open until 8:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
Monday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Contribute
4.5
(1,253)
Excellent
800
Good
346
Average
77
Poor
15
Terrible
15
Tighe2015
Clearwater19 contributions
May 2024 • family
La Cueva is an authentic Mexican restaurant that is reasonably priced and offers fantastic flavors. The servers were so pleasant and attentive ensuring that we had everything we needed during our dinner. Fantastic homemade guacamole!
Written May 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
randolrus
Fresno28 contributions
Jan 2025 • family
Best Fajita in Years! LA Cueva is a hole in the wall place... but oh my.. the food is top notch. We had great and friendly service... wife's taco meal was great and my chicken fajita was fabulous. Served in sizzling cast iron... steaming my glasses up like it should.. best flavors and generous portions... not the Tex-Mex stuff... real Mexican food.. I'll be back.
Written January 28, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David D
Fort Collins66 contributions
Oct 2024 • family
On a scenic drive from Sante Fe through Taos to Colorado we (accidentally) timed our arrival in Taos at lunch time on a gorgeous October Wednesday. We did not use Trip Advisor to scan for restaurants (and missed it as #1), but our maps app showed this was a highly rated choice. And it was great. The only reason for pointing out that we went there mid-week is to highlight the steady flow of customers who knew and appeared to love the restaurant. Despite the steady flow of customers the restaurant did not appear to have any trouble accommodating the request for outdoor seating.
Everything was fantastic. The wait staff were efficient and engaging from the moment we were met by the host until we settled the bill. Our two lunches were superlative. The guacamole ingredients appeared simple but the result was fresh and delicious. The entree portions were generous but not over the top as can happen in some NM restaurants.
There is no parking lot to speak of, but the one-way road next to the restaurant off the main drag seems to have a lot of capacity.
Written October 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill Nevins
6 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
It is sad when a restaurant I had enjoyed and recommended widely disappoints on another visit. However this is what happened August 31 Saturday when we re-visited La Cueva Cafe looking forward to the very fine meals like the ones we have had on previous visits. That is not what we got! The service was abrupt and rushed with the waiter seemingly in a hurry although the place was not that full or busy. He took our orders and then delivered WRONG orders to each of us and disappeared. He never checked back until the check was dropped on our table. Specifically we had ordered eggs medium and got eggs barely cooked (over easy I guess or merely cracked out of the shells), and I had ordered the special breakfast enchiladas with mole poblano but instead found he had given me cheese enchiladas. Because the waiter had disappeared and I did not feel like chasing him, we paid our bill and gave a light tip (15%), and left. I doubt we will ever return to La Cueva Cafe. Taos has many other fine restaurants to choose from and now I cannot recommend choosing this one.
Written September 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MeBCusick
Prescott121 contributions
Jun 2024 • couples
Doesn’t look like much… but wow! A tiny place with lots of wear, yet came as a recommendation from a Tour Guide/local. Food was authentic, fast, & service was great. We really enjoyed the “Christmas” (green AND red chili). Guacamole was excellent. Cozy patio with summer ambience of hollyhocks. This little restaurant is just what it is & you’re in for a very fair price with authentic food.
Written June 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MikeB1952
Santa Fe1199 contributions
Aug 2024 • couples
We've been here before. And liked it. When our hotel proprietor suggested La Cueva for dinner we jumped at the chance. La Cueva is a little 'hole in the wall' just down from the Taos Plaza. It's quite small inside with a rather nice patio area. Since it was windy, we chose to sit inside. Tight quarters. But nice.
My wife and I shared chips and salsa (great salsa; so-so chips) and Enchiladas de Camaron Enchipotladas. The enchiladas were delectable. Quite good.
And the service was first rate with our server asking regularly how our food was and filling water and asking if he could do anything.
We really enjoyed our dinner.
Written August 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Webb
Manhattan Beach55 contributions
May 2024 • couples
As others have said, this is a small café and I’m told there can sometimes be a considerable wait for a table. We came for a late lunch and got right in. The food was excellent, some of the best we had in New Mexico. We would definitely return.
Written May 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AdventurousTraveler6
16 contributions
Mar 2024 • family
A genuine hole-in-the wall with delicious food, La Cueva was a delicious and very affordable taste of New Mexico. We had the ceviche, which was the genuine article (cured in lime juice, not cooked), the Caesar's salad, and the Hatch chile rellenos. All was delicious, in a distinctive and funky Taos ambience.
Written March 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara O
Red Bluff245 contributions
Nov 2023 • family
This place is amazing! It looks a little rough on the outside, but it’s got absolutely great food. Being from California we have eaten tons of Mexican food all over the State and Arizona.
This is our first visit to New Mexico and we’ve had Mexican in Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Taos. I have to say this is at the very top of list. The food was delicious, hot and of great quality. The Portions were really good too. The service was excellent and quick. Not disappointed by any means. We had 2 ice teas, Diet Coke, chips salsa, guacamole, Frito bowl, chicken mole fajitas, and steak fajitas both were served with beans and rice, homemade flour, tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo. All that food for $78.41. We worth it would go again and again!
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TexasJane09
San Antonio133 contributions
Aug 2024 • couples
This is not a physical location that will impress, so sit outside on the patio if available.
That said, this might have been the best food we had in a week in the area and eating at fine dining restaurants. The guacamole tasted like it had just been made and was primarily avocadoes, with just the right amount of seasoning. My husband said it was the best Frito Pie he had ever had and he has had a lot of them. We would eat here again but for the drive from Santa Fe. The green chicken enchiladas looked fab!
Written September 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KarenM
Abilene4 contributions
Dec 2024 • family
Don't judge this place by the way it looks, the food is pretty good. Downside, it was cold in December and there is no place to wait inside for a table...you have to wait 20 minutes outside in the cold. Then we were placed in a room that felt like a storage room. And there was no queso, so I started to order nachos and cut the chips but I thought that would not be so nice. The menu is extremely limited to only a few items. The good news is the food was good, not out of this world though...and the price was right. I would go there again without the lofty expectations and be happy!
Written January 2, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LAW64
Tonbridge1790 contributions
Sep 2022 • none
Not really in the very centre of Taos - just a short walk away. Very busy when we visited - cash only on the day. We were seated in the plaza at the back and had fast service as we said we were in a hurry. Reasonably priced tacos etc - saw all the fresh ingredients being delivered.
Written October 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew Rodney
Santa Fe1436 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
The food here was very good; based on a few similar meals here this week, I’d rate Orlando’s higher, but I recommend La Cueva. The outside patio is indeed lovely and dog-friendly. I ordered the Pollo con Mole (enchiladas); the Mole was very nice, and anyone who has tried many moles knows that it can differ significantly from the region and even based on the chef. This version was nice, but I felt it could have been more flavorful. The chicken enchiladas were delicious. Beans and rice were average (again, the beans at Orlando’s were more savory). My wife had the Garlic Style Salmon, which was excellent and unusual. Very high-quality salmon, moist, and the chipotle mayo was an excellent side addition. We ended with Flan, which was flavorful, but the texture could have been smoother. Not bad, mind you; I still recommend it, but I’ve had better. Service was excellent (our server was Adrian). I think La Cueva is very good, short of excellent, and worth trying, but do stop at Orlando’s just outside town first; it is excellent and serves very similar regional food.
Written July 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
culbertson2010
Denver4 contributions
Jul 2023 • friends
Great food ,
but the dark haired, dark eyed waitress with the scowl and the thick false eyelashes was one of the rudest servers I have ever had the misfortune to experience. I have never understood why people who don’t like being in the service industry don’t choose careers that allow them to express their talents and interests. Hopefully her surly attitude and unprofessional manner won’t keep people from coming back to enjoy the great food at this charming little restaurant! Seafood enchiladas were amazingly good and had a great sauce.
Written July 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz W
Foresthill223 contributions
Sep 2024 • couples
Lots of roadwork outside the restaurant but our lunch was worth a bit of inconvenience. Plenty of patio umbrellas to shade tables and quick and friendly service. We ordered a light lunch but were very tempted by the frito pie and enchiladas but stuck with the tacos which were filled with plenty of chicken, beef and veggies. Great salsa and chips! We were a bit bummed we didn’t have time for a bigger meal. Next time!!
Written September 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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