Every prince knows that the most effective way to wake up a sleeping beauty is not with a boring kiss, but with a single potent drop of fiery green chili. Awaken tired taste buds in royal fashion with today’s Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of fare and drinks at El Pinto in North Valley. If you redeem your Groupon Monday through Wednesday, you get $35 worth of fare.

The New Mexican Cuisine of choice for locals since 1962, El Pinto presents a palate-pleasing menu overflowing with the venue’s signature chilies, which are grown and roasted with meticulous care. From the half rack of red chile ribs ($13.99) to one of the best nachos in America according to the Wall Street Journal ($10.99), El Pinto’s appetizers offer a tasty activation for lethargic stomachs. Traditional plates include dual chili rellenos, served with pinto beans and rice ($14.49), and chicken enchiladas in three corn tortillas stuffed with yard bird, cheddar, and either green or red chili ($17.49), all made fresh on the premises. Partner an 8-ounce, charbroiled ground-chuck burger ($9.99) with an El Pinto premium margarita ($7.99/glass), then snack on the custardy flan de crema for dessert ($5.99).

Whether eating inside the vine-covered food fortress or near the crackle of the natural wood fireplaces throughout the restaurant, patrons never wait for attractive ambience at El Pinto. The restaurant, which has been featured on The Today Show and the History Channel’s Food Tech, shares its 12-acre kingdom with a sauce factory that has the capacity to churn out between three and four million jars of red- and green-chili salsas every year. Savor the spicy flavors of traditional New Mexican cooking with today’s Groupon to El Pinto.

Reviews

The Today Show featured El Pinto while Weekly Alibi awarded the restaurant as the best place to take out-of-town guests, best atmosphere, and best outdoor dining in 2010. Albuquerque The Magazine also gave El Pinto best patio dining, best green chile and best guacamole. El Pinto won Best of Citysearch in 2005 for Outdoor Dining, and Citysearchers give the restaurant an average of 4.5 stars. Reviewers are polarized on the food, but they enjoy the atmosphere and beautiful patio dining area. More than 60 Yelpers give it an average of three stars, Yahoo! Locals give it 3.5 stars, and TripAdvisors give it an average of 3.5 owl eyes. More than 2,000 Facebookers are friends of El Pinto:

• Their patio dining area is extensive, romantic, beautiful and very New Mexican. There are plenty of huge shade trees and umbrellas, fountains and a fireplace or two. – LynninNM, TripAdvisor