Is this a joke??
I was amazed at what I had to experience at this place. Apparently my friends have had trouble before with the manager at this place but didn't tell me until we were there finishing out dinner. We sat at 8:25PM. The music and the water fountain were already off. It felt awfully quiet so I asked my server to get some music going. He did so but the manager followed by turning the music off 10 minutes 'till 9 (close time). Not only that, he turned off the lights at us! I finished my dinner which wasn't that bad, and went to talk to the manager. His response, "That's what I do! We close at nine!". I told him that he doesn't know how to run a business, and he followed by pointing me to the Taco Bell across the street. He also pointed that since he was 77 and I was only 23, I didn't know anything about running a business. I therefore responded with my strongest weapon: "Why don't you get an education?". His rage was so great that he yelled profanity and threw a punch at me!!! Cops were called, and I decided not to press charges. He kept insulting me by yelling at me "...you damn student! you damn foreigner..", and we left it at that. Outside, the officer asked us why we went to this place in the first place. He's been called multiple times to this problems because of problems with the customers with this manager (or book keeper, or whoever this old man was). He even refused to let a group of officers in because he didn't want guns in his restaurant!

What amazes me is, if this definitely isn't the first incident, why do the owners keep him as an employee?? My assumption, he must be a relative.    [01 Mar 2004 02:55:28]

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Recommended Dishes: Shrimp Fajita

     ­Tony, New Mexico Tech   

Don't believe the hype
OK, I've eaten here many times -- this is one of the best places to eat at in Socorro. I'm not sure what the other reviewer is talking about. I do know the old man the other reviewer is taking about and yes, he is snappy. The food here is GOOD and the service is usually great. You get quick refills on iced tea (soft drinks refills cost). This place is usually busy during the evenings and you can wait a while to get your food. Try it, along with the Sopapillas.    [20 Feb 2005 15:26:18]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Sopaipillas, tacos, enchilladas

     ­Anonymous, Socorro Resident   

One of the best places to eat? So sad for Socorro...
anyone remember La Casita? THAT was the best place to eat in Socorro... El Sombrero is one of the ...few... places to get Mexican food with a beer in Socorro - the food is acceptable - but hot chile? NOT. Not even enough of it in an enchilada. en-CHILE-ada... it's supposed to have lots of chile in it! Socorro is ripe for a really good Mexican place.    [23 Aug 2005 23:00:27]

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     ­socorroMuncher   

YUMMY!
Excellent food and unbelievable prices. I will admit that the manager can be a bit testy but if you don't egg him on like that reviewer did then there won't be any problems. We're using them as the caterer for our wedding. Don't let one lousy story stop you from going to the extremely good restaurant.    [06 Jan 2006 22:46:01]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: elchilada (not en-CHILE-ada) del mar

     ­Anonymous   

Delicious Shrimp-stuffed Poblano
One of my favorite dishes in New Mexico is the shrimp poblano at El Sombrero. The poblano is a relatively fat and round and truly delicious chile with a wonderful slightly sweet taste and variable but usually fairly mild heat, sometimes quite hot, however, particularly towards the stem. At El Sombrero, the poblano is opened and filled with nice shrimp and a mixture of diced tomatoes, onions cilantro and maybe some jalapeno (a pico de gallo). The menu plate includes rice and beans, which are good, but I usually order two poblanos on a dish ala carte. Wonderful!    [30 Jul 2006 13:15:59]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Shrimp-stuffed Poblano. The chicken poblano is good, too.

     ­Anonymous   

El Sombrero is for the tourists!
El Sombrero's food is mediocre at best. There's no heat to the chile and the sides (rice and refried bean mush) are usually lukewarm to cold. The service can really be slow if they're even slightly busy. And that old man just plain scares me. I don't go there anymore. Sofia's Kitchen and Armijo's offer much more delicious and authentic food, in my opinion. Try Acosta's in San Antonio and Tina's in Lemitar.    [20 Jan 2007 11:04:28]

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     ­Anonymous, Socorro   

Bad Mexican Food
Stopped by today for lunch on my way home from Nebraska, desperate for Mex food. It was horrible, and bad, snotty service to boot. Have eaten here before, liked it. Must have changed hands. I know Mexican food - this was bad, really bad.    [18 Jun 2009 22:02:09]

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     ­Crystal Brown   

El Sombrero= UPSET STOMACH!!!!!!!
My girlfriend and I stopped into
"El Squirtero" for dinner. Wow I wish I would have known what the outcome would have been!! We arrived at 8:00pm
and everyone was in a hurry to get out of there. No chips and salsa are served when you are seated, as they are in every Mexican restaurant I have ever frequented. When the food arrived it was COLD and not very impressive. The next AM I woke up with the worst upset stomach I have ever had. Extremely Extemely BAD!!!!    [13 Jul 2009 22:05:10]

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Recommended Dishes: Immodium AD for dessert

     ­Anonymous