We enjoyed a visit to Thirsty Eye on a recent trip to ABQ. The brewery made my short list of…read moremust-see spots because of both the adjoining art gallery and the promise of a rye-juniper beer! I was disappointed on neither front. A band had just finished up a set on the small stage when we arrived. We grabbed a couple barstools, and as the band packed up some of their fans cleared out, leaving the place nearly empty for awhile. Then another wave of patrons came in, filling up the room once again. The bartender was friendly and helpful, sharing the brewing company's story and highlighting some special beers. We shared several, and Odin's Eye--that rye-juniper ale--was my favorite. Rented Tux is a smooth vanilla porter, and Father O'Malley's Holy Water, an Irish dry stout, was tasty as well. The art gallery was locked up when we checked, but the bartender opened it up and assured us we could stay as long as we wanted. What a treat!

Juanita (the band) was playing Friday so off we went to the Thirsty Eye because we're fans of Debo…read more The outside of the building is modest, nondescript but walk in and WOW, nice indeed. White walls warmed up with several large paintings and a blonde wood bar, comfortable bar stools and several high tops, all sleek and minimalist without feeling sterile. Nice selection of beers and ales plus some New Mexican brand canned cocktails. AND espresso, a selection of black teas, a hibiscus/lavender kombucha and a N.A. beer. How's that for rounding things out? Friendly bartenders, nice crowd with a mix of ages and persuasions, a patio out back with more art and needless to say a really terrific band.

Visited Palmer's last night with my sister and her boyfriend, we had an amazing time! The outside…read morehas a hole in the wall atmosphere, and inside is cozy and not too loud which makes it perfect for a date night! The bartender/our server gave great service and was running all of front of house by himself! He did a wonderful job on drinks as well, and even came up with a few fun off-menu cocktails which made for a unique experience!!! The food is a 10/10, we split the chicken nuggets, fries, and fried shrimp between the three of us and even had food to take home. Everything was delicious, be sure to try their sauces to dip everything and their spicy pickles! Definitely will be recommending and returning on my future visits to Albuquerque!

Stopped by for Sunday lunch since the Facebook food postings had looked so delicious. Did not…read moredisappoint. Hubby had the green Chile cheeseburger. it came out perfectly prepared and steaming hot. I had the poke cucumber cups which was the special and it was delicious. The chef brought out some loaded hash browns for us to try and again, delicious. Throw an over easy egg on top and it would have been a great meal. I had a Mexican Lager which surpassed my favorite Mexican Lager in taste. We will definitely be back and look forward to what they have in store for the Old Town location. .

I was surprised to find the upstairs bar at The Smoky Note nearly empty at 10:30 on a Friday…read morenight... then we learned we were early! More folks trickled in while we enjoyed our first drinks, and by midnight the whole room was lively. We appreciated the bartender's attention when it wasn't busy. He walked us through the menu, making recommendations and steering me away from an allergen (pineapple). The menu includes a page of craft cocktails for $16 each, which seems reasonable since the place is rather classy and they use quality ingredients. We ended up trying several menu items, then asked the bartender what he really likes to make; we ended up with a special old-fashioned and the best margarita I've ever tasted. We were also given a small tray of snacks--a few nuts, olives, and chips--which I believe was complimentary. Even when it got busy later, the staff kept up and took care of everyone. The atmosphere is nice but welcoming; we were dressed casually after a day of sightseeing but didn't feel out of place. We found street parking easily (around the corner on Bryn Mawr). It's a fun neighborhood too; we came back the next day to check out the shops and such. Check it out!

This was probably my favorite cocktail I tried in town- fun, unique and tasty. The space itself is…read morepretty, and very instagrammable- so much so there was some kind of a photoshoot going on while we were there which was awkward. Not sure if that's something they schedule to happen during business hours or if the folks just showed up and did it. Someone came in with the photoshoot folks and swapped over the background display on the back wall and turned on laser lights and the vibe became weirdly clubby for a chill early night spot. Besides these quirks, a fun spot for out of towners to stop in for, chat, get a tasty drink and recommendations for other fun stops.

Overall: St. James is the most well known high tea experience in Albuquerque for a reason. Although…read moreexpensive, they make the entire experience worth it from service to food and tea. I have been to St. James at least 4 times now. The food is brought out on a 3-tiered serving tray, and there is a tea that corresponds to each tier. They bring out a new tea as you finish each tier. Each time, the menu has been delicious. I appreciate that you can choose your dietary restrictions and tea option (caffeinated, herbal, non-caffeinated) when you make the reservation. Generally, we have enjoyed choosing different tea options for everyone as that allows us to try multiple teas with each course. The service is excellent. Our server is always attentive and very nice.

We have been here a few times and it is very consistent…read more While I'm not huge on tea, I have been impressed each time with the tea selection and pairing with the foods. The servers are always polite and attentive. The food is fresh and tastes great. I like how you have a 2 hour time slot, so you can pace yourself and conversations off that window. The ambiance is intimate and we enjoy the colonial setting.

Great wine. Great service. I wish they waived the tasting fee though. All in all a nice experienceread more

We were in town visiting from Arizona. The family member we were with invited us to go there for a…read morewine tasting with a social group. Right away I noticed that the chairs are wobbly. The waitress took a long time to start taking our orders. To the point we all decided what we wanted. Then when she came she told us because our group was so large, they could not do mimosa flights. About 10 of the 15 people were all disappointed because that's what we literally went there for. The waitress was short with us and even when we asked for more water, she put two bottles down for the whole group. Which we went through quickly. The food was ok but the bar literally took almost 30 minutes to get the 4 mocktails to the table that were ordered. Overall it could have been just a bad day for them but I'm lucky I don't live in this city because I would never go back again.

While I was in ABQ for a funeral last weekend, I was able to meet with a former colleague at our…read morefavorite place to get a cider! She introduced me to the blood orange cider, which the only and favorite cider I can drink. I don't drink beer and rarely drink ciders (when forced) but this one I wish they would sell in Texas, but they don't. We bought some cans that I was able to bring back in my luggage for a few extra days of enjoying it while here. Every time I go to ABQ now, I must stop at Tractor Brewing for this blood orange cider on draft, which I wish they could get the same experience in a can...it's close!

Tractor used to be a lot more fun but have found myself choosing other breweries lately. This…read moreparticular location doesn't seem to have much patrons anymore. All the times I've gone, it's really dead so we don't stay long. Some highlights are that I actually took a mixology class here back in June which was pretty awesome and also for Halloween, they had a fun selection of seasonal offerings! I had a candy apple cauldron cocktail thing and it was delicious! Also we happened upon one afternoon while the Kentucky derby was being broadcast and all the staff were dressed up and so were the patrons. It was really random but fun nonetheless Tractor used to be a staple when choosing somewhere to hang out but with the recent openings of other venues, it's more like a precursor to your actual venue of choice and not the main venue of choice.

I had heard this place had changed owners a bit ago so a friend and I decided to give it a try…read more It's the same setting I remember, with the piano and the various decorative items placed around the restaurant. When we were there the owner was both serving as wait staff and chef. He informed me that he had just made the chicken provencal and that the chicken was very moist so I decided to give it a try. It really was quite delightful. The service was fine, there was one other pair in the restaurant so it was a quiet evening. I'm a bit concerned about what will happen when it gets busier! I have fond memories of various meals at this place and look forward to seeing how the new ownership turns out. The one caveat is that it's not very vegetarian friendly, though that is somewhat expected for a french restaurant. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

we were at a wedding reception for our friends. Food was amazing, service was excellent and fast…read more The owner was extremely helpful. overall it was really enjoyable and great time. Thanks to the Chef !!! Incredible

A cute little winery in Old Town Friendly staff and great…read morewine. Went for a Yelp event but will be going back for an afternoon out with friends

This is my first Yelp event and also my first visit to Sheehan Winery. Mia was awesome, friendly…read moreand inviting. The experience was educational & informative and showed Sean's passion for NM wine and the local industry. The staff was great and engaging. The other Yelp Elite members made me feel welcome and the interaction was great. I look forward to many more events and will continue to help the yelp community and the local food scene.