Although a little pricey, the food, service, ambiance (100+ year old building!!) and show were all 5 stars. The margarita drinks were strong and flavorful. Our salads were a good size and the poached pears delicious. The salmon entree was cooked to perfection and the chocolate mousse - devine. Seeing an authentic Flamenco show up close was absolutely stunning. The raw talent of the performers was something to behold. The evening was truly one for the books. read more

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While on vacation, we walked over to this restaurant. We had our dog so we sat at the patio. The goal was to have a few beverages on the Margarita Trail. I had the prickly pear and the smoking bull (my favorite of the 2). My husband had the classic margarita and a vodka tonic. He said the vodka tonic did not taste like it had alcohol. Maybe because they specialize in margaritas? For this trip no food but would definitely go back to try. The atmosphere was the best part, being right on Canyon Road. The service seemed attentive for us being outside but drinks came out super slow. read more

El Farol Restaurant - Smoking Bull and Vodka Tonic - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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I hadn't been to Santa Fe in 25 years and was thrilled to find El Farol was not only still in business but the food is still excellent! We ordered tapas and salad and everything was delicious! Relieved to find it was flavorful without being too spicy hot for my tender palate (although I've lived in the SW for over 30 years, my taste buds developed in the Midwest). Excellent wine choices, too. Service was fast and efficient, yet we never felt rushed. A lively ambiance! We thoroughly enjoyed the full experience! read more

I rarely write reviews but I felt it necessary to share my experience at El Farol. It was the last night of our girl's trip and we wanted to try a fun restaurant. Since El Farol is not in town, our hotel shuttle dropped us off. We walked into the restaurant and saw a live band playing and diners seated near the front of the restaurant. There were also a few people at the bar and plenty of open tables. We looked around for the hostess to check in. The bus boy went to get her. Mistakes happen - we arrived at 7:50 for what we believed to be an 8:15 res. El Farol had us down for 7:15. The hostess rudely scolded us and said "you're 45 minutes late". We apologized, even though we weren't sure how the scheduling mix up happened. Noticing all the open tables, I asked if we could stay and have dinner anyway. She curtly responded " No, we're closed". Of course with a band playing and other diners having dinner in the main and bar area, her response was clearly inane. Somewhat taken aback by her less than hospitable reply, I asked her if she could suggest another restaurant in the vicinity - again this was met with a stern "No"! Overhearing this ridiculous exchange, another diner who happened to be on her way out offered us a ride to town, as our hotel shuttle had already left. Thanks to the lovely lady who dropped us off at The Shed (where we were warmly greeted and enjoyed a delicious dinner) - she saved the evening and gifted us with the warmth and friendliness Santa Fe is known for! There are many amazing restaurants in Santa Fe - El Farol is not one of them! Unless you like being scolded by the hostess, and sent away without even sampling the food, use your money to eat at any of the other lovely dining establishments Santa Fe has to offer! read more

I cannot begin to describe how amazing of an experience we had for my husband's birthday dinner with my in-laws at El Farol. We were greeted like family and instantly seated. The tapas were extraordinary! In the most positive sense, the menu doesn't do the flavors of each dish justice. Try it all! The main courses melted in our mouths. The desserts! Omg! Things I normally wouldn't order were beyond expectations. I cannot give El Farol enough praises. We talked about the meal all night and even the next day. The owners are spectacular people and it was an honor meeting them! Thank you for making my husband's birthday dinner incredible. If you're traveling to or live in Santa, you NEED to stop here. read more

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My wife and I were extremely excited to have dinner and see the flamingo act. However, the food was totally disappointing. Both our entrees were different and low quality. The service was the only bright spot. The bill for the two of us was over $342.00. Never again. read more

Interestingly, this place is owned by the same people who have the Tea House, which has also gone down the tubes lately. Last night I tried to order their $30 signature burger for take out. I called the restaurant FIVE times and nobody picked up the phone. Then I drove over. An assortment of waiters were lounging at the bar in an almost empty restaurant and the hostess was nowhere to be seen. Waited for 10 minutes. Nobody approached me to ask if they could help. Left again. Called for the sixth time. Went in again and stood conspicuously at the front counter. A middle aged waiter wandered over at this point - the same one who had done nothing to help this regular - and the hostess also appeared, in what seemed to be a fugue state, and half-heartedly asked if she could help. I will never eat here again. EVER. read more

Everything was fair.. the tapas.. the drinks, the service and especially the paella., I made a reservation several weeks before we were planning our trip to Santa Fe. I remembered as for all being one of the best restaurants when we visited Santa Fe before Covid. It is still on the beautiful canyon Road. It has definitely gone downhill. I believe it's really a tourist trap right now. read more

We had a company party, dinner and a show. We experienced a wonderful time. We would do this again! The appetizers were spot on, the drinks refreshing and good. The supper was super, we chose from 2 salads both excellent, the menu had 4 to select from, everyone very much liked the main courses they selected. The dessert was delicious and served pretty. The chef did a excellent meal. Our show was superb, our 2 Flamingo dancer ladies were non-stop entertainment, couldn't take your eyes off them. The singer, well he was star with that voice, of course and certainty not the least, the guitar man had us all moving our feet and hands. They worked well together. The show is something to see. We are very glad we selected a company party there and we hope all will enjoy this as much as we did. Booking and working with Freda was a nice & easy experience as well. Bravo! read more

Came here with my friend on our first evening in Santa Fe, which happened to be a rainy day, and it was a nice, cozy restaurant to get a drink and some apps and hang out in for a little while. The ambiance was nice inside and Canyon road has some cute shops and galleries so I definitely think it's worth coming to this area and El Farol! We got the house margaritas which were pretty good, and honestly you can't go wrong with a margarita! Our favorite app was the pimentos (shishito peppers) which were so beautifully made that we got 2 orders of it. But the other apps were delicious as well - we got croquetas, patatas bravas, Brussel sprouts, and the aguacate (I had never had fried avocado before, but I enjoyed it!). We were there early enough to catch happy hour which was clutch! Loved it! read more

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BTW, that food poisoning landed me in the emergency room twice, with a hefty bill to boot. Ends up shell fish poisoning is no joke. DO NOT ORDER THE MUSSELS! read more

We went to the Flamenco Dinner show and it was wonderful. The menu was delicious, the servers were attentive, and show was great. Would come back again and recommend. read more

A beautiful, cozy, rustic, restaurant, and bar in a mini restaurant row area of Santa Fe. We were a party of four and had excellent food and drinks served by a bartender who was going nonstop but at the same time super efficient and friendly. read more

El Farol Restaurant - Hamburguesa Santa Fe - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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This is a must if you are a foodie in Santa Fe. The food is exceptional! One person in our group of 4 had spent 30 yrs in the hospitality industry and first thing he said was that if you have been in the restaurant biz for 85 yrs, something is going right! We had an insane amount of tapas and everything was exceptional. I personally loved the flash fried avocado. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted and was the best avo variation I have ever had. I also had a beet salad and again...best I have ever had! The rest of the group feasted on a variety of tapas and everyone loved everything. The entire staff was working together and making things happen. We got appropriate attention and space to enjoy friends. All of staff were happy to help anyway they could. The vibe was classy and comfortable! Some folks were dressed up for a special night out and other were finishing off their day as a tourist, and everyone was comfortable! This was a top notch place and we were thrilled with everything! read more

"HAILED AS SANTA FE'S MOST HISTORIC AND ICONIC BAR AND RESTAURANT!" - This is on the El Farol website and is a lie. Years ago it was one of the best restaurant/bars in Santa Fe with live music including a Tuesday night blues jam. It changed hands, was remodeled and the soul was wrung out of it. Now it's a shadow of what it once was. Locals don't go there. Almost all of the positive reviews are from tourists. read more

I was so excited to try El Farol since I love tapas and they say it's the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe. It's located at the very end of Canyon Rd. Charming, they have flamenco shows here (not while we were in town) but they close too early at 9 pm! We made reservations to get a table outside. Love their decor inside, but we feel safer outside. They have a cute patio! It took forever to get seated. We were in no rush but I had the feeling there was a screw up since the hostess was away forever to check on the table! They didn't have one ready for us, instead of telling us that, they put a table upstairs, by itself, near the patio??? What is the point to make a reservation weeks before, then? We didn't have the option to wait for a table. So, yes a screw up! Drinks, we got the sangria, the worst I ever had. Sour! Too sour! Food- a mix between Spanish tapas and Italians ones. Not very authentic Spanish food (yes, I have been to Spain). We got the aguacate, small, tad disappointed, maybe you can share with 2 people max? Fried avocado with crema on top. Patatas Bravas were good, a modern version of it. Calamares fritos just OK, smaller calamari, had better. Lanza de carne was flavorful, solid steak bites. We also tried their polpette al forno, meatballs, good. Prices high, the portions are smaller for the usual tapas in my book. The desert was just OK, some kind of flan with orange flavor. It should have been from the house based on the screw up. Customer service, not good. Service the same, because we were up high away from everybody, they kinda forgot about us so we had to gesticulate, speak up to get a water refill or other regular things. Not impressed food wise, wish we had a better experience at El Farol! read more

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This is more of an elegant and expensive restaurant. The indoor decor is wonderfully traditional with exposed beams and murals. There is a separate bar area and outdoor patio. The paella and custard desert were excellent. Portion sizes are on the smaller side. Staff were very attentive but a bit slow. There is no parking so you will have to pay $10 in the lot across the street or park several blocks away and walk. They do have happy hour until 5:00pm. If you are willing to spend a little more money this is a great place. read more

El Farol Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Nice atmosphere. Great musical act. We enjoyed the chiccarones, the jamon Serrano and the gambas. Small portions that don't fill you up too much and left room for their delicious desserts. Not as crowded and loud as other tapas restaurants in the area, with as good food if not better. read more

While visiting the city we made reservations about a week ahead of time after hearing this restaurant is very good and packed at dinner and we're glad we did! It's a very interesting menu, some Italian, mostly Mexican, and we had some of each. The ladies said their vegetarian pizza was really good and the tacos and steak were also excellent, as were the margaritas that the guys had, and the one lady who drinks wine really enjoyed her glass. The place was packed and it was obvious they didn't have enough servers for the crowd, especially after all those outside had to come in because rain started falling, but thumbs up to NIck, our server, who has excellent and ensure that the dishes we changed a bit, like no dairy on the tacos, were done with no problems. The only challenge we had was parking. It was impossible to park near the restaurant and what appeared to be a possible valet lot may have been for another restaurant but with only one person there it was extremely difficult to tell. All in all, delicious food and drinks and service! read more

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We booked a night with the Flamenco dancing which was probably the better part of the night. However, given that the menu was fixed, and 70$ per person not including gratuity or beverages, I mistakenly assumed the show was included. This speaks to bad assumptions on my part as well as misleading advertising. Three in my party had the paella which was overcooked and over salted. The medallions were also a disappointment, with the meat being a bit tough and the broccolini being over salted. read more

I've been living in Santa Fe over 30 years. El Farol was always the place for local fun and delicious tapas. Went today with a friend for old times. Drinks too expensive, tapas limited and awful. I remember a huge menu offering, nothing special and delicious now. Will not be going back...will hold on to my memories. read more

We had lunch and it was disappointing. My husband had chicken enchiladas and I had chicken tacos. The chicken was chopped and had all sorts or chicken skin (not crispy but almost uncooked) and other strange parts, and cartilage. It was too much chicken on both plates and both tasted the same. My husband's enchiladas was a pile of black beans, then a pile of this awful chicken on top of the beans, and then topped with a flour tortilla with melted cheese. Neither of us could eat our lunches. Both were priced about $20 each. Would not go back though the tables were on the porch on the front and was a pleasant place to sit. read more

Their outdoor seating is as nice as the indoor for enjoying a meal. Great service, great food and a nice ambience. Recommend their chicken enchiladas. The meat was not shredded as in most other places so it was more juicy being diced. read more

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So much fun after the concert at the Lensic. Tapas galore and lots of laughs. Great food. I had the hamburger along with the table full of tapas. Yum. My wife had the beef medallions. Cool servers. We had 6 in our party. Make reservations for sure. read more

Good and delish Was in the touristy area, but the menu looks sufficiently unamericanized Spanish lol read more

El Farol Restaurant - Patatas Bravas Coles De Bruselas - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Yo! First thing I gotta say is I think El Farol deserves better than the average 3.5 star rating. Maybe its because it's literally the only restaurant I've eaten in New Mexico thus far, but IMO it was a great introduction to southwestern/Spanish inspired cuisine. My mother and I arrived around 4:30, right before the dining area began to crowd up. It was also just in time to score their happy hour deals. We both consumed 2 glasses of a Spanish wine I cannot remember the name of. :( We both agreed it was excellent! We began our meal with Croquetas ($7.00/3), which your waiter will inform you of the daily offering. Today's was a Cuban style ham and cheese, and boy oh boy were they fantastic! The warm, cheesy filling was enveloped in a perfectly crispy, crunchy shell that melted in your mouth. The flavors were incredible, you could taste every spice used (yes, they were hot!) and ham delivered a POP! of saltiness. I could eat these for breakfast! For our entree we shared the Hamburguesa Santa Fe, or famously known throughout the world as the Green Chile Hamburger. El Farol's version composed of an 8oz. of custom blend of ground beef patty, Hatch green chile, cheddar cheese, and bacon on a house-made bun served with a side of French fries ($21.50), and shit I kid you not I'm hella glad we shared. The thing was massive. The burger itself was thicc AF and the veggies piled on high. I LOVED how they used FRESH onion in lieu of grilled onions. It only ADDS flavor and my taste buds were freakishly happy. The fries were killer! Garnished with just the right amount of rosemary for character. You're given a dish of ketchup, mayo and mustard for dipping but neither my mom or I hardly used them because nothing needed to be enhanced. It was all so f***ing good. The best thing about sharing a meal is you have more room in your stomach for more! So we did ourselves dirty and ordered not one but two items off their dessert menu - Key Lime Pie (creamy key lime pie, GF Graham cracker crust, raspberry coulis, whipped cream, $10.00) and Chocolate Decadence (rich, moist, chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, dark chocolate ganache, raspberry coulis, $10.00). Out of the two I def preferred the Key Lime Pie. It was super creamy, so sweet and heavenly and fresh. The decadence was great too, it was VERY rich and quite overwhelming so the tart key lime was a good way to balance it out. You can't really go wrong with either of these, so honestly you should just get both. I could go on and on but overall I'd be saying the same thing. I am a HUGE fan, I think everyone especially tourists should give it a try and I hope these reviews get better and better because if it were up to me, El Farol gets a solid 5 stars. :) read more

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Everything was great, this spot is so cute and they serve both Mexican and Spanish food. Nice ambiance, good service, good food, great drinks especially the margaritas!! They also do a flamenco show (not sure what days) with a pre fix menu which I would love to go back for. A great place to stop for happy hour after wandering canyon road or for a full dinner+show! read more

El Farol was a awesome first place to go in Santa Fe, great intro to the southwestern food scene. The setting and decor definitely capture the type of cuisine they serve. Great artwork, and really nice gathering place, date night or a group. Great bar area, with a sunken in bartender area, and elevated seating . Busy Friday night, we got seated right away as we had reservations. Amazing drinks menu, definitely a margarita spot, with lots of high end tequila drinks, and more moderate priced. Extensive wine list too, started with a glass of Prosecco and a Rosé for my friend, which was from Spain which was unusual, she said it was really good, and you can't go wrong with the bubbles! We went through the menu and decided to do the small plates, they have Spanish and some Italian, which was unusual too. Started with the croquettes, which the days special was corn and chipotle, they weren't as warm as I would have liked but they tasted really good, nice spice level, starts a little sweet then the heat kicks in! Really great. Then we got the Arancini, Bolognese, saffron, risotto peas and mozzarella with a San Marzano tomato sauce. These were amazing, nicely crunchy outside, great flavor, the bolognese was so good, not too much saffron, the tomato sauce with it was spectacular. Definitely everyone should get these! Then we got the beef skewers, called Lanza de Carne, angus beef, pearl onions, cherry tomatoes and chimichurri. The first back has came out overcooked, and we asked for medium, so she happily took them back and the second batch was better. Nice, tender, great chimichurri, the flavor of the onions with the beef and sauce was really good. Another fabulous dish! Got myself a blood orange margarita, heavy on the tequila! But really good and citrusy. Dessert tins, we wanted the key lime pie but they were out, so we got the Créma Catalana. Which was a better traditional choice, custard, brandy apricot preserves, sweet orange, olive oil torta , and candied almonds. So glad we chose this, nice warm custard, kinda like creme brûlée, crunchy almonds , the citrus in the custard was forthcoming, just right, great textures. Loved the combination of everything. To top off they comped the dessert as they didn't have the key lime and we had to send back the skewers, nice way they take care of you! Everything service wise was amazing, Margarita our server, great name , was super sweet and attentive. Just a great foodie place with so many options, I wanted to try so much more, but you can only eat so much. El Farol was a great intro to the weekend of food! Loved this place. read more

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The good was excellent. The polenta was fantastic (and I don't even like polenta) as well as the fried calamari. Also really enjoyed beef skewers. In historic romantic location. Wish the space could be bigger, could help to be less crowded. Definitely returning. read more

If you're looking to have a fine dining experience, count on El Farol. This is a restaurant with a Spain-inspired menu. The appetizers are tapas. Our favorites were the Alcachofas, which are artichokes with goat cheese, the small potatoes, and the pork skewers. The green chile chicken enchiladas are flat enchiladas served on a bed of black beans, amazing! Make sure to leave room for dessert, the flourless chocolate torte is as pretty as it is good. It's a nice place for a date and has also has a fun bar set-up for being social. read more

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They have the most lovely hidden back patio with a large water feature -so impressive! We usually come here, when in town have some drinks and tapas. They have wonderful margaritas. Yes parking is challenging on Canyon Rd. sometimes you can park and walk from Alameda -but you're going to have to walk! Also Yelpers writing negative reviews about service Covid has changed dining its not going to be what you were used to pre-Covid. Everyone is new and training so calm down Karen and have a margarita. Be kind! read more

El Farol Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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They have a "local" vib and weren't touristy at all. Very much a new mexico, local atmosphere. Since we were seated across from the bar, it was a little noisy, but not annoyingly so. The tapas were great, and we shared chicarones (pork belly) and sliced jamon (ham) along with wine. The chicarones were exceptional, with a sweet and savory flavor; they were really rich. The jamon was nice, and the capers added a good flavor. Good wine list, and they had a full bar. Definately recommend. read more

While wandering around the amazing El Museo market in the Santa Fe Railyard, we happened upon a fellow Rochesterian who was selling gorgeous Moroccan textiles and African jewelry. We struck up a conversation about art and travel and she recommended that we drive up Canyon Road to see the string of art galleries, and stop at El Farol for some tapas. We were excited for the recommendation of a local foodie, and headed straight over to Canyon Road after the market. We arrived probably close to 4:30 pm, which might seem like a weird time for a meal, but it ended up perfect. We were before the dinner reservations rush, and were able to be seated immediately. It was also happy hour, and though we wanted something sweet and some coffee, El Farol looks to have an impressive menu of cocktails and small plates, all of which were discounted during HH. Our server was great, and brought us a menu that had dessert options, and also brought us a few cups of delicious coffee. We ended up ordering guacamole and salsa with chips, a trio of tacos and an order of the churros. The food was out within 15-20 min and was beautifully plated. This is definitely quality food made with quality ingredients: --The tacos were substantial, served with a red chile sauce, and dressed with cabbage, cilantro and a crumbly white cheese, plus lime wedges. We asked if it was possible to get 'one of each' (they had chicken tacos, OR pork tacos OR cauliflower tacos) but were told they don't do that. We went with the chicken and all of us really enjoyed them. --The guacamole and salsa with chips was more substantial than we expected, and everything was really fresh and seasoned perfectly. The chips were thin, blue corn chips, perfect size for dipping and eating without making too much of a crummy mess. --The churros were the star of the dishes - perfectly fried, light as air, with just enough sugar, and served alongside a small cup of chocolate sauce covered in whipped cream - they were delicious with the perfect balance of crunch and sweetness. We would love to take another tour of the galleries on Canyon Road and end up here for a proper HH and/or dinner, but there is just not enough time left in our short stay. When you go, note that parking on Canyon Road is tricky, but the Tea Room, at the top of Canyon Road, across the street from El Farol and just up about another block, is their sister restaurant, and you can park in that lot if there are spots. read more

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Delicious (strong!) cocktails and fabulous food and service. First time back after about 20 years. Highly recommend. The shrimp, Brussels sprouts and empanadas were particularly delicious read more

Such a fun place to visit while in Santa Fe! Came here to celebrate my birthday for dinner and loved absolutely everything we tried! This place offers such unique flavors and offers something to appease everyone's palate. We started the night trying to order a bottle of wine, which took three tries before our server found a bottle that was in stock. While that started the meal off slowly, the wine was tasty and was able to make up for it! We mostly ordered small tapas for dinner including patatas bravas, the pecorino and truffle honey, the shrimp and steak skewers. All of it was DELICIOUS! I highly recommend saving some bread to dip in the chili sauce with the shrimp! SO good! While the patatas bravas weren't my favorite, I've had much better elsewhere, they were still good. And the steak with chimichurri sauce is just incredible! Great place for a date night or local night out in town read more

El Farol Restaurant - Chimichurri steak skewers - a MUST! - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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The oldest restaurant in New Mexico, with a lovely ambiance to match. The steak I had was probably the best I've ever eaten. Pricy, but unequivocally worth it on a special occasion. read more

Off to a bumpy start; no parking!!! They should have posted on their website or done valet. Had to park quite a bit away but other than that it was a perfect evening. We tried calling to ask where to park but they didn't answer the phone. A big "no no" IMHO. Their menu has been downsized, I'm guessing because of Covid. But they are practicing safe Covid guidelines . I had the El Farol salad which was yummy. My companion had the Caesar salad, it was different looking looking but he said it was very good. He had the crusted pork and I had the steak ; both were excellent. Their craft cocktails were wonderful. Service was top notch. We topped off dinner with tiramisu. YUM! This place is one of my favorite places in Santa Fe. Consistently excellent. read more

El Farol Restaurant - Dessert! - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Spectacular food. Amazing service (thank you Daniel, your service & mezcal recommendations were amazing) . Beautiful restaurant. Amiable and sweet manager. 10/10 thank you, will come again! read more

El Farol Restaurant - Paella el Farol** - Spanish Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Heard about the oldest bar in New Mexico, so had to drop in for late night drinks and dinner. Unbelievably great wood fired pizza. May be best I have ever had. You could really tell the crust was wood fired and the toppings were unusally good. Drinks and atmosphere spot on. We could not have picked a better choice in Santa Fe. read more

5 stars for our server, Monica! 2 stars for the price 2.5 stars for the food 4 stars for the drinks (minus 1 for the price cause we got our drinks during happy hour) We went in between lunch and dinner hour so we got some tapas and fish tacos. The ceviche was just 5 pieces of shrimp with jalapeños and some pickled veggies on top, along a orange. I wouldn't say that was a ceviche... The fish tacos were way too fishy and the hot sauce served with it tasted watered down, as if they added water. We wanted to try a restaurant with food we could only find in Santa Fe and what better but to go to the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe, right? We saw there was only 3 stars but still decided to go so that's our fault. Trust the yelp reviews and stars. read more

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