I was in Santa Fe for a ridiculously niche lawyers conference and wandered into El Matador on a…read morerandom Thursday night. Then I came back Friday. And Saturday. Not because of the drinks. Not because of the atmosphere. Not because of the location. Because of Katya. Katya is not my favorite bartender. She is my favorite human being. I've spent enough time in bars to know when someone is good at their job. Katya operates on an entirely different level. She can take what feels like sixteen orders at once, remember every single one, deliver them with absolute precision, keep the entire room moving, somehow do the math in her head, and still make every customer feel like they're the only person sitting at the bar. The basement bar itself is exactly what a great dive should be; a shithole. Heavy hobo stab vibes upon entry, including Katya. Smell: multiple buttholes farting at once. Climate control: sweaty patron dependent. Lighting: liability. TV: playing a rotation of trash 80s DVDs . If business schools were smart, they'd study her. If hospitality groups were smart, they'd clone her. If Santa Fe has any sense at all, they'll do whatever it takes to keep her exactly where she is. Cash only, so come prepared. And bring plenty of it, because she deserves every penny. Katya must be protected at all costs.

Kind of a grungy, punk, divey vibe. Not exactly my thing, but where that feels unique to me this is…read morethe kind of place to remind yourself it takes all kinds. A busy setting and top candidate for beginning or ending your Santa Fe drunk parade. That is to say, it is fun. It is not refined. But it clearly does not want to be. :)

If you're looking for a moody, elevated cocktail experience in Santa Fe, As Above, So Below…read moreDistillery absolutely delivers. The moment you walk in, the atmosphere pulls you in--an almost mystical aesthetic with curated decor (think mounted skulls, vintage accents, and cozy lounge seating). This makes it perfect for a date night or a unique night out. The space is intentionally designed to feel immersive, and it works. I ordered a gin cocktail with a tajín-style rim and fresh cucumber garnish, and it was incredible. Crisp, refreshing, and perfectly balanced with just the right amount of spice. Service matched the vibe--friendly and knowledgeable about what they're serving. It was easy to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. This is one of those places that feels like a hidden gem--unique, a little edgy, and far from your typical bar scene. Whether you're into craft cocktails, cool aesthetics, or just want somewhere different to hang out, this spot is 100% worth checking out.

Terrible service Incredibly long wait…read moreBartender had no idea how to make drinks and was looking up the most simple concoctions . He didn't even know how to make a dirty martini .

Definitely the best bar we visited in Santa Fe…read more When we arrived there was still seating at the bar so we promptly sat ourselves there. We ordered a charcuterie and cheese board which was much larger than expected and had plenty of local options. I started with a See You At Dusk, which was a combo of Melleti, souchu, balasmic, ginger and walnut. I found it to be a very flavorful drink that paired well with the board. I next tried a Bywater which was rum, falernum, genepy and Averna. It was a very deep and rich cocktail which I also enjoyed. The bartender was very friendly and offered us small samples of a few unusual items they stock. Overall a very fun experience.

We didn't try the food but the mixed drinks were amazing and unique. The service was knowledgeable,…read morefriendly and efficient. The decor and ambiance were done minimally but creative and upscale. Overall a great experience and next time I will try the food.

I had two cocktail bars on my "must visit" list for Santa Fe. One was Secreto, the other was…read moreTonic. I reviewed Secreto separately. And while their cocktails were good, the service was lackluster and it was loud and crowded. Granted I visited Tonic a little later in the evening, but it was low lit, quiet, not crowded, and playing jazz. The bartender was SUPER attentive, but in a positive way. He really seemed to care that we were comfortable. In fact, most of the negative reviews complain that it was low lit and quiet and only one bartender. I found these things the most attractive. They focus on craft cocktails with seasonal ingredients. I visited late in the night after other stops at Secreto and Coyote Cafe, so I was flagging a bit. I can't even remember what I ordered, but both cocktails were great. Very herbal and complex. They have herbal cocktails, savory cocktails, spicy too. I also love how some of their cocktails have little romance novels or stories to go along with them as a way to describe their flavors/mood.

We didn't even get the chance to sit down or spend our money here. We showed up with a party of 9…read moreand were stopped at the door before we could even step inside. A staff member asked our group size, said she needed to check with the bartender, and then a male employee came up and said he was the bartender. He told us they couldn't accommodate a party of nine and also refused to let us split into smaller groups. The way it was handled made it worse--he was condescending and hit us with, "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them," with zero effort to offer alternatives or show any basic customer service. I've never experienced a place turn away a group that's clearly ready to spend money, especially on drinks. Turning away out-of-town guests like that without even trying to work with us is a pretty bad look. Definitely not a great first impression.

I stumbled in on this place to get Santa Fe night life and I'm glad I came in! The bartender a very…read morechill gentlemen who is the definition of Santa Fe. The bar only accepts cash, so make sure it bring it in small bills if possible! I came in on a night where there is live music (there was a cover charge, so don't be surprised if you come on one of those nights.) If you are in Santa Fe looking for night life, this place is a blast!

NICHOLAS, lost a great customer and a lot of respect from my family and troops that fought and die…read morefor a country to have free speech the reason I'm not allowed to go there no more because I wore a short shirt given it to me by one of my followed troops the night of the one year anniversary for the pool tournaments I was not allowed to enter because I wore Trump shirt the night before with my beautiful army pants given by my family members! Respect with all respect fuck that and fuck that place now I love the workers except for a few of them. God bless them, and God bless our troops hurt in sick people and hurt and sick animals

Another great meal at Boxcar, again with the Santa Fe Foodies. All nine of us enjoyed the meals. We…read morewent for Taco Tuesday; you can get $2 beef tacos, which many members did and said were very good. However, I decided to go with an appetizer I've never tried, the Bang Bang Shrimp, which was dynamite! You get four very large, crispy shrimp in a sweet-and-spicy sauce, though I didn't find it spicy, if that's a concern for some. The sauce was very tasty; the shrimp had great flavor, were plump and tender, and they were indeed crispy. This went very well with the arugula under the shrimp. I'd order this again in a second. I then had two tacos à la carte: Baja Fish beer-battered cod and Carnitas. Both were very large and excellent. The pork on the Carnitas was indeed crispy as it should be, and the cod was perfectly fried and delicious. My wife had the Asian Tuna Noodle Crunch Bowl: seared tuna, lo mein noodles. The dressing was superb; the Tuna was perfectly seared raw, and all the items that came with the salad (mango, red cabbage, daikon radish sprouts, kale crunch, edamame, cilantro, peanuts, toasted sesame) made for a lovely and delicious meal. Our server, Tony, did a fantastic job of keeping us all happy. My only 'complaint' was that Boxcar doesn't serve their amazing Brussels sprouts, or at least not all the time. Not on the menu. I told Tony and the manager how much I love them and was told it may come back as a special from time to time. Man, the Boxcar Brussels sprouts are amazing! Boxcar has very, very good food, and I would usually avoid what appears to be a 'sports bar,' but James Beard Foundation-recognized Chef Eric Stumpf will please the foodies every time. What is nice is that Boxcar has several seating areas, so if you're into food and not the 'bar scene,' they can seat you in an area that is quiet.

They do not offer fried pickle as a side and cannot order it in half order. Ordered the burger and…read moreI had to put the burger together myself,not sure if this is a Mountain West thing. Also the bacon was sticking out. Have to pay for ranch dressing, was told after the food was served. Waited for the dressing to come and the Orion rings got cold. Wasn't that busy but still took a while for the food to arrive. Out of tacos for Taco Tuesday by 10 pm, but they still offer the tacos at the regular price. After I asked for the check, the waiter offered drinks from the happy hour menu, dessert and asked me if I wanted to place an order of vegetable "something healthy" for the next day? First time that I been offer that. Would not go back again.

Great environment and outdoor seating. All beer options were great tasting and staff is friendly.read more

One of our favorite stops of the weekend. Friendly servers and patrons. Plenty of seating indoors…read moreand outdoors. Outside does have heaters if you choose to sit outside. They had a food truck out back the day we went. We will go back if ever in Santa Fe again!

One of the locals recommended this place to us for drinks, and we enjoyed it so much! The décor was…read moreso cute, and it was so cozy inside. They have three different fireplaces and a lot of areas to hang out. There didn't seem to be any table service when we were there on a Saturday night. My boyfriend went up to the bar to get us drinks, and he mentioned the bartender didn't seem to be that experienced, having to check the book frequently to know what went in each drink. She just poured all the ice from the shaker into the glass for my margarita mocktail, for example. They have a very fun drink list, and I enjoyed the mocktails, but they didn't blow me away. We would definitely come back for the vibes and we'd love to stay at the hotel next time. They also have a lot of cute and fun items in their little gift shop that's next to the front desk. So glad we found out about this gem!

La Reina is the epitome of coziness, especially when stopping by on a cold winter night. Multiple…read morefireplaces (one by the bar and others in the main room/seating area) add the perfect touch. They host live music and different venues/events. A lovely experience for the local and/or traveler. 5/5 stars.

I didn't even think of taking pictures of this place…read more The place is super tiny, like in the backyard of a small house. The parking is large with street parkings if lot is filled. The vibe is backyard brewery. There is live music or projected music where after sunset, a movie is aired in a small projected screen All the beer we had weren't really good. My friend felt sick to his stomach. And the one another had was like bad barley beer.

This was easily the worst service I've ever experienced at a brewery. From the moment we walked in,…read morethe staff was dismissive, unprofessional, and clearly uninterested in doing their job. One employee in particular was rude, condescending, and went out of her way to make the experience uncomfortable instead of welcoming. It wasn't just slow service--it was the attitude. We felt like an inconvenience the entire time. For a place that's supposed to be about good vibes and hospitality, this was the complete opposite. I won't be coming back, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone expecting even basic customer service.

Del Charro te hace sentir la full vibra de Nuevo México, sus calles, la arquitectura y por supuesto…read moresu comida. Mi esposo y yo decidimos ir al Del Charro porque era uno de los restaurantes que cierran a media noche. Nos pedimos fajitas servidas con arroz, frijoles refritos, tortillas, guacamole, cream, lechuga y pico de gallo; para el segundo plato pedimos cerdo adobada, la cual incluye arroz, frijoles molidos, tortillas, lechuga y pico de gallo. Tienen que tomar en cuenta que si van a pedir cerdo adobado es muy picante, al menos para mi gusto, realmente no estoy acostumbrada a ello. El lugar brinda un buen ambiente, cuando llegamos había una fila de espera, pero fue rápido alrededor de 7-10 min, y si de atención se trata considero que los meseros deberían de ser más atentos con los clientes, puesto que se tardaron mucho llevando la cuenta.

I judge Mexican restaurants on their chile relleno. This was the absolute best one I've ever had…read more The sauce was so good, I barely refrained from licking the plate. Stuffed with cheese, corn, beans and that beautiful sauce. Honestly, I can't really remember what everyone in my party had. Everyone raved about how good their meals were. My favorite place in Santa Fe!