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Ojos Locos adds good food to sports bar ambiance
Two themes are playing out side by side in Ojos Locos Sports Cantina in Northeast Albuquerque.
The more noticeable theme is the resemblance to another chain of restaurants known simultaneously for its chicken wings and for its waitresses’ figures. The other is a Southwestern theme.
Ojos Locos is a small Texas-based chain of sports bars with a Spanglish menu, and it serves really good food.
And that’s what the focus should be on — the food.
Ojos Locos has a product it should be proud of.
On a recent Sunday, I stopped in, and there was an NFL game on.
When I looked at the menu, I immediately played a game of “What should I eat?”
Appetizers include ceviche ($9.99), cocktail de shrimp ($9.49), fried jalapeño y pickle basket ($6.49) and elote loco ($3.99), among many others.
My game continued with my wondering whether I should get street tacos (ranging from $2.99 for one taco to $9.99 for four), or a special, such as
the sizzling fajitas ($11.49).
I started with the chile con queso with chips ($6.99) as an appetizer. The chips were very fresh, and the jack cheese-based queso was outstanding, among the best in town. The portion wasn’t huge, but the price was fair.
The buffalo chicken sandwich ($9.99) was also great, with a freshly made bun and spicy ranch dressing, It was served with seasoned fries. The meat was slightly tough in the center, either from being frozen or being unevenly cooked, but the flavor was fantastic. Overall, though, it was a lot of good food for $10.
Ojos Locos has lots of beers on tap, and it has happy hour specials. It’s a much bigger place than it appears on the outside, and even though parking might be hard to come by, you’ll never wait in line for service.
Ojos Locos has a good product.
Overall, it’s a great place to eat, and it’s fun.