We tried the elk pizza, hatch cheese, Hawaiian, and the Bok Bok pizza. All were delicious and fresh from the wood fire pizza oven. The beer was good, we liked the Blonde and Helles the best. The cider was not very sweet but it was so light and crisp that I didn't get any fruit flavor either. The atmosphere was really laid back with live music and open seating on the back porch. Super convenient if you're staying at the KOA next door. Pro tip: they have a "secret" passage so you don't have to walk all the way around the perimeter of the KOA. Would come back here again. read more

See all

Very good beer, good eats too (the elk sausage pizza and duck nachos were noms!). Live music 4-5 days per week, fun roadhouse DIY environment, aloof yet attentive service. Just plain fun, really. Y'all should check this joint out, if you're a-wanderin' by as we were. A real hidden gem, just north of Albuquerque. Highly recommended! read more

Update: July 19,2021 Wow... "how the mighty have fallen" This once proud local brew house has really tanked in so many ways. In our recent visit, we seemed to be dismissed when we walked in. The server behind the bar was less than cordial, and seemed to be bothered that we were making him do his job. We went to the back of the brewery, where there was once an inviting space with games. The games remain, but it is cluttered, unkept, and basically uninviting. I felt so uncomfortable, I wanted to clean up for them, so my wife and I moved to the front. There, the one wait person, with the handle bar mustache, was awesome. However, the place just lacked the ambiance and presence it had when it first opened. The customer service overall was atrocious. It seems like it has become a "regulars" hangout. It feels unkept. Lastly, the food had always been the saving grace. The pandemic limited their selections, but it still remains limited. Our pizzas were not made correctly. We had come to expect that the margherita pizza would remain the same, but the cook and/or wait person botched our pizzas. They had no basil, limited pine nuts. Much below what we have come to expect. I have come to trust kaktus, but I'm losing faith. Dana, if you're still there, please instill some pride to this once proud institution. / read more

See all

Great food & drink!! You can't go wrong with Kaktus in bernalillo. Enjoy the quack pizza and more.

Had a buy one get one pizza coupon. The beer is great especially the Hellespont lager. Most likely the very best brewery pizza in New Mexico read more

Kaktus Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

Great place!! We came because we were staying next door at the campground but would definitely come again if we were local!! Food was delicious and the beer was really good!! Live music with Justin Nunez who blew us away! Service was fast, friendly and felt like you were hanging out with friends. read more

Kaktus Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

See all

The woman at the counter was rude she didn't seem too happy when J wanted to order the flight of beers. So I just order a beer. I am not going back. It was my first time there. read more

A great hidden spot. The pizza was fabulous. The service was fab. Loved the whole experience.

What an unexpected treat!! We found this little gem via YELP while traveling through the area. It is way off the beaten path. It is small and rustic with indoor and outdoor dining. It was filled with a fun crowd - I'm guessing mostly locals / "regulars". They even had a live band on Saturday night. Our grandkids - 3 & 5 - danced along with other patrons and were welcomed by all. According to Triple D, this would definitely be a "dive", but a funky, cozy and inviting dive. The food was surprisingly good. We had pizza, their version of pig-in-a-blanket (for the kids), and some of their craft beer. Everything was really fresh and tasty. Only issue - they were out of greens, so we couldn't order a salad. They're still getting back on their feet from New Mexico's crazy long COVID shutdown. If we lived nearby, we would be "regulars"!! read more

I read an ad online for a blues jam at this establishment. I drove up to Bernalillo from Albuquerque expecting to play some blues. Well, it turns out the jam is not open to players. Perhaps they shouldn't advertise a 'jam' without indicating it's a closed session. You want to play with your buds? OK HOW ABOUT PUTTIN' IT OUT THERE UP FRONT??? read more

As a young old hippie myself, and an ex-urban punk... I try to hit this place anytime I'm in Bernalillo New Mexico. Classic old-school hippie playing fiddle on the patio kind of place... local food, homegrown beer, friendly staff and great customers. Located right next to the KOA campground in Bernalillo. The menu includes pizza, salad, nachos; a few vegetarian items; and craft beer made on site. Great blues music Sundays on the patio is maybe suspended for the moment... but catch it next time. Worth the trip! read more

See all

Their Hawaiian pizza is my favorite, but I've never had anything we didn't love! Great live music, super friendly people. Absolute hole in the wall that's 100% worth it! read more

wow, found with the help of my Lyft driver, excellent food, live music, relaxed happy vibe, local treats. a must to visit while in town

The beers were very good, the Elk pizza was tasty and unique! The crowd was obviously having a good time and the band was fun. Super friendly staff. read more

Interesting place, really good pizza, and good service. We will go back to listen to live music.

I would imagine most people know about this place from the campground next door, but locals do come here too. We were campers and followed the beer sign to the, guess what, BEER! Crazy right? It's a tiny little place with surprisingly good food. They have local craft beer with IBV (bitterness level) numbers on the chalkboard on the wall as well as wine and cocktails. The staff was incredibly busy with the Balloonists in town, but handled it well. They also had great live music on their patio. We had a delicious pizza and a couple beers and really enjoyed our night! read more

Kaktus Brewing - Love this! - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

See all

Happened upon this cute little place while staying at a neighboring KOA. Fun atmosphere, laid back vibe, nice drink selection, and some of the best pepperoni pizza I've had! There was only one cook and one gal running the joint (ie: bartender, server, and cashier), but they did an amazing job .. especially with a bit of a crowd due to a fun jazz jam session happening on the back patio. If you're in the area, don't miss out! read more

Super fun! Came out to support the Silver Spurs band. They were awesome! The food was great but they really needed more staff to keep up with the amount of people that were there. We will definitely be back. read more

See all

Ordered an $8 pizza special for the Superbowl. Got the Quacker, which includes duck sausage, shredded mozzarella, minced red pepper, over a sweet hoisin sauce. Their pies are 12", a typical medium, perfect for two people. They offer their regular crust which is not thick or thin, or a gluten free crust. When I picked this up, at 1:30 PM, the cashier was super friendly and opened the pie box so I could see what it looked like. I'm not sure how many people knew about this deal, because it was emailed to me. A usual pizza price is $13 for a specialty. If you visit, get on their email mailing list. They do have a dog friendly patio, and I saw a couple customers sipping beer with their dogs when I picked up my pie. The pizza crust was wood fired and crisp, the duck sausage was excellent, but the hoisin sauce was just a little too sweet for my family. Next time we will order the Wild Spicy Elk pizza. The beer is pretty good here too. Read my previous reviews. read more

Kaktus Brewing - Kaktus Brewing. The Quacker, $8 Superbowl pizza special. - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

Fun place!! Off the beaten path! Great beer, buffalo dishes, good pizza and entertainment!

I went 30 minutes before closing... and service was fabulous. Staff didn't seem irritated that I went in for dinner so late. They were welcoming and helpful. Even offered suggestions such as the elk pizza with truffle oil. Maybe next time, this time I opted for the green Chile pepperoni pizza. It was yummy and the crust had the perfect crispy crunch! Cool laid back ambiance and fun outdoor covered patio area with stage where lots of great performances take place. read more

See all

This place is a hidden gem! Great food, great drinks & very cool entertainment. Definitely will be back! read more

Kaktus Brewing - This place is a hidden gem! Great food, great drinks & very cool entertainment. Definitely will be back! - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

Weird vibe, mostly locals. Beer was not tasty and was warm. Went on a Sunday and the locals took over.

The pizza and beer here is amazing! I've had both the pepperoni (with green chili) and the elk pizza and both were great! Can't say enough about the folks that work here too! Friendly and boy do they work hard! read more

Kaktus Brewing - Pepperoni pizza with green chili - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

If you have not been here before, the outside is not what you expect. As you drive up, you might easily think that you are going to someone's house. Then you get inside and you understand. This brew house looks like it might be an old home converted into a restaurant. The focus seems to be a fabulous selection of beers. You can also have standard food made in unusual ways. For example, the specialty pizza, called quacker, is "Sweet hoisin sauce with Duck, bell peppers and spinach." Not quite what you might expect. I personally like an appetizer called Dana's dogs. It is a hotdog wrapped in pizza dough and baked. I like dipping it in the curry ketchup. The flavor is both unexpected and rather delicious. The tables and chairs are all sort of mismatched giving the place a vaguely divy sort of feel. Pairing that with the decidedly upscale food makes for a very charming experience. Live entertainment is a regular thing and many people clearly show up especially for their favorite band. It is not uncommon to see people dancing and having fun. I particularly like the belly dancers. They put on a really great show. They can be very busy and getting your food takes time. Also they don't normally come to your table while the bellydancing is going on. I show up early and I go up to the counter to order my food and drinks. That way, I can enjoy it during the show. I do notice that some people watch the show and then eat afterwards. This place is definitely worth the trip. You will not be disappointed. read more

I stopped by here this past Sunday with my wife for lunch. When looking for a brewery to visit in the Albuquerque area I noticed the funny Kokapelli logo for Kaktus Brewery and decided that was where I wanted to visit. Whenever we arrived at the brewery the first thing that I noticed was that they had an overflow parking lot and that their normal parking lot was blocked off by caution tape. After talking to Dana, the owner, for a bit he let us know that it was their 5th anniversary and so they were having a big celebration. He was actually a very nice guy and upon learning that we were visiting Albuquerque for the first time told us to ask him anything. Since we knew we were going to be in Old Town later that night I asked him what to do there and he took the time to write down recommendations. How awesome is that? Anyways it looked like Kaktus Brewing has both indoor and outdoor seating including an area in the back with space heaters and turf. We decided to sit at the bar which gave us a good view of their kitchen and the cook making all of the food. As I often do whenever I visit a new brewery, I ordered a flight here. I was given the option of 4 beers or all 8 and choose all 8. At a cost of only $8.50 it was a great deal. The 8 beers that I got were a pumpkin, innkeeper Ale (nitro), bourbon, stout, Porter, IPA, Amber and blonde. My wife and I enjoyed all of the beers but my favorite, hands down, was the bourbon. It had that oaky smell and taste while also having a lime forward flavor. Food wise my wife and I ordered the Buffalo frito pie and Pua'a Hawaiian pizza. The menu described the Buffalo Frito Pie as Crunchy corn chips smothered with 8oz of our made from scratch Bison Chili spiced with oregano, chipotle, paprika, coriander, and so much more. It described the Pua'a Hawaiian Pizza as made with marinara/hoisin sauce, wild boar sausage, pineapple and green chile. Our pizza came out first and both looked and tasted terrific. The marinara hoisin sauce had a slight sweetness to it that both my wife and I loved which countered the slightly spicy green chile. I also really enjoyed the wild boar sausage which I haven't had before. Lastly the crust of this pizza was perfectly cooked. It was crispy on the outside without being overcooked at all. As for the Buffalo Frito pie, I enjoyed that as well. While I am not so sure I tasted all of the spices that the menu listed, it was still good. The crunchiness of the Fritos were a nice texture difference from the softness of the meat. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. Everything about this place was great from the beer to the food and even the owner Dana. read more

See all

Awesome place for craft beer and pizza. They have music frequently which is great. Dana's Dog Bites are really good too. read more

Great food and beer! We shared a spicy elk sausage pizza, pretzel with cheese dip. I had a very nice IPA and my wife enjoyed the Paloma. Highly recommend, service was excellent and the entertainment was also very good. read more

Great place to get away from the usual. Great chili & pizza...and, of course, the BEER. We need to go back soon! read more

Food was excellent atmosphere. It was very relaxing service was very good would definitely recommend!

I really wanted to like this place; so close to home and I have heard rave reviews about it from Friends. I was so disappointed. I'll forgive some Of it due to COVID but the food was mediocre at best. we ordered an appetizer and pizza which came out at the same time. Ok so I could forgive that but the pizza tasted like it had been frozeN and the nachos were rubbery. I won't complain about the flies cuz hey, it's NM and it's summer but smoking on the patio; cmon now! Go smoke behind the shed like every self respecting smoker is. Anyhow, probably won't be back. It's a popular watering hole but there are a few other places that are much better in the area . IMHO read more

Fun local place to come enjoy a beer and hear some music. The outside area is cute, has a giant chess set and nice outdoor seating. If you don't want a beer they do offer wine. read more

What a gem!! So glad we found it. Off the beaten path, but worth it. Super fun vibe, mostly organic menu. The pizza was delish, and the beer and cider was so good. The staff was amazing and accommodated our hungry soccer team with smiles. Thank you! read more

Eclectic fun bar, dog friendly, staff friendly, good pours, great pizza!! One suggestion...do a deep cleaning...& keep up with...sat on patio this summer, cushions torn, dirty, and ground dirty, Tables sticky etc...nothing better than a CLEAN eclectic pub. read more

When we're on the road, we go out of our way to stay at the KOA in Bernalillo NM because this place is right next door. Creative and delicious craft beers pair so well with their equally creative takes on familiar favorite eats. read more

Kaktus Brewing - Red Pumpkin Pizza - Breweries Near Me - Bernalillo, New Mexico

What a cool, funky little place. It's parked along a side road near a bunch of trailers... driving up for the first time, you'll wonder if you're in the right place as you pull up and find a house with a dirt lot. But yes! You are there! For this house has been converted into a brewery, pizza parlor, and backyard live music venue. Come with friends and stay for a while (and bring a designated driver, too, because Ubers are gonna have a HARD time figuring this out.) read more

Good food and good beer what more can you really ask for? Okay fine the service is also good. I particularly enjoy the pretzels but they also do pizza if that's more your style. read more

This is what small towns are about - surprise dives with great beer and food (in this case pizza). Completely worth the trip out to Bernalillo! read more

There were definitely some highs and lows here. Atmosphere was definitely nicer inside than the drive in ... the trailer park next store made us a bit apprehensive. However, the outside atmosphere was cool, and beer was good! read more

Fantastic Beer, very friendly service. Diamond in the rough!! We had a few beers all good paleontology pale ale was terrific!!