Rio Chama Steakhouse was outstanding. I ordered the filet, and it truly melted in my mouth. It was cooked perfectly, incredibly tender, and full of flavor. You can tell they take a lot of pride in their steaks. The sides were just as impressive. The asparagus was fresh and perfectly prepared, and the mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious. Everything on the plate felt high quality and thoughtfully done. The atmosphere had that classic steakhouse feel and the service was great throughout the meal. If you're in Santa Fe and want an amazing steak dinner, Rio Chama is definitely worth the visit. read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Everything was delicious and beautiful. We came for a Sweet 16 birthday dinner with a large party, including 3 small ones. They were super kind and helpful and the room they seated is in was gorgeous. The drinks, garnish, and courses were visually captivating. All of us enjoyed our meals and the fondue stayed warm until the end. As we were leaving, we got to enjoy some live music playing in another area of the restaurant. read more

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Worst service ever!!! Took my mom & her best friend there last night who are in town for my mom's birthday to listen to the pianist there that I heard really good things about. He was Wonderful but the service was so bad when I talk to manager, she seemed nice & wanted to help and said she would take care of us and the server offered dessert to us to remedy the very bad service, so we each order a dessert and gave the server some grace it was his first day. But then the server came back with only one dessert for all 3 of us & it was a cheese cake that looked like someone picked it up with their hand squished it and put it in a box for the 3 of us!! Really!!!! Worst service ever!! I have lived in Santa Fe 9 years & never had such atrocious service by the waiter and especially then the manager!! I have A lot of clients in Santa Fe and a lot of them are visitors from out of town; and will tell every single one of them how horrible the service was and for them to definitely Not got to Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse!!! read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - This was the Cheesecake the gave us to make up for the absolutely terrible service! It looks like someone mashed it with their hand - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We went there to listen to the in-house piano virtuoso, Doug Montgomery. there's no cover charge to sit and listen to him play. There's no expect expectation that you order food or alcohol while attending his concert. . However, the food here is incredible. However, we did order salads and their soups, which were outstanding. Mr. Montgomery is a classically trained pianist. He plays a wide variety of music that includes Gershwin, Chopin, Puccini, Billy Joel, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones to name just a few. He also plays audience requests. It was a small audience, but the tables are comfortable. The food is good in the music was enchanting. No better way to spend an evening in Santa Fe than at the Rio Chama prime steakhouse. read more

Sunday nite, very busy. sent steak back twice. poor service. Had to ask for things twice. never got a water refill. when the steak finally came, it was very good. read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - Disappointing - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

The food itself is good. The calamari is delicious, and I liked the prime rib, but the service was lacking due to some rather lengthy wait times throughout the entire meal. They explained that there was an unexpected rush and made it right with us though. read more

Amazing restaurant! There wasn't a single aspect that was not close to perfect here. The service was beyond. I has the Elk Loin, which was buttery and cooked to a perfect medium as requested. Don't skip on the green chili Mac and cheese. Very easy to get reservations at, which was surprising, but I guess most "basic" tourists go for the standards that are fed to them through mass media. Can't wait to come back and enjoy this true New Mexican gem!! read more

Went there today for Easter Brunch. The Manager /hostess was rude, severely bad attitude, and deflected her rudeness on my family. I overheard her telling other staff that we had been rude to her first, the only question was asked was if the patio door was to be unlocked for easier access to restaurant. Food was "barely adequate", but not what Rio Chama used to be!! Andrew, our waiter was excellent! Hostess/manager needs a hospitality 101 class, don't talk about customers within ear shot of customers. Negative Attitude should be left at home, don't spill onto workplace. Overall complete disappointment---except for our waiter--who was trying to make things right. read more

I ordered my steak medium rare and it came out raw. I ordered a side of asparagus and they forgot it. After I mentioned it, they brought it and my steak out 10 minutes later and said nothing and did not check back again. Service and food was far shot for the prices. Check this one to not ever again. Probably why it is also empty for a Saturday night in beautiful Santa Fe, NM. read more

We went on Wednesday night to celebrate her birthday, my sister liked her prime rib (and I thought it was tasty.) my husband had spicy corn soup with a burger and he said it was very good. I had a fish I believe it was Seabass which was OK, but it was so small for $56. It was not worth it. The size was about 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" usually it comes on top of couscous, but I had asparagus because I don't like couscous that was very accommodating. Do you ambience is nice. The service was good although it took us quite a while to get our check to pay and leave. read more

A Christmas Letter to the Owner of Rio Chama: Dear Owner, Merry Christmas! Thank you for providing the worst Christmas Eve dinner my family has ever experienced. I'll get right to the point so the rest of our night is no longer wasted by your horrible restaurant. First of all, the gap between giving us water and asking what drinks we'd like was at least 20 mins. The gap between ordering drinks and receiving them was at least 25 minutes. That's over a 45 minute wait!! Not to mention, when my stepfather asked about the Manhattan, the server said she didn't know anything about it. (We'd soon find out your "chefs" don't know anything about cooking). While we're on the subject of servers, we had four of them. Not sure if one was supposed to be a primary server or if we were deliberately given a rotating cast of uncaring people off the street who had the demeanor of someone about to receive a colonoscopy. Hey Owner- maybe when charging 4 people $360 for 4 bloody slabs of unseasoned meat (despite 3 people requesting medium-well), the least you could do is provide ONE server. Also- we noticed you raised your prices an extra $25 per plate for your Christmas meal. Thanks. I won't feel bad at all when you close your doors permanently. My family deserved better. The city of Santa Fe deserves better. You deserve bankruptcy. Seasons Greetings, Our Extremely Disappointed Family PS The au jus sauce had no flavor whatsoever. Why even include it? PSS Are your mashed potatoes served cold year round or was this exclusive to the Christmas menu? PSSS Happy new year! read more

DO NOT GO!! We relied on reviews from a year ago, and they did not reflect our experience at all. Unfortunately, this was a very disappointing dining experience. In a party of 11, seven steaks were served extremely rare. I sent my steak back four separate times, and each time it was returned still very undercooked (I like it pink) Another member of our party also sent their steak back, during which their baked potato was taken and not returned, twice. When it finally came back, instead of bringing out a new potato, they returned what appeared to be the original one that had been sitting who knows where in the kitchen. Although the staff was polite, service was incredibly slow. Drinks went long periods without refills, and the repeated kitchen errors made the meal frustrating and disruptive. read more

I mist admit, the mixed reviews had me a little concerned. But curious too. When we arrived it was a ghost town. Caused a little more concern. Then the menu wasn't the same as online with many dishes missing. But it ended up being very geed. Had the flat iron steak enchilada combo. Pinto beans and rice were very good, the enchilada and chile relleno were fabulous, and steak was perfect was very good meal and service was goid. read more

Went to Rio Chama last Sunday for my birthday. It had been a year. We love Doug Montgomery and he never disappoints! Fantastic performance- I could go once a Month! Service was wonderful my salmon was done too much but didn't want to bring down the mood. However I am disappointed that they don't use cloth napkins! I use cloth every night at my house. A nice dining experience needs to have cloth. read more

Several years ago, we ate here and received poor service and the food wasn't up to par. The manager gave us a signed letter for a free meal. When we came back this evening, the establishment refused to honor their commitment . Very disappointed. We left. read more

Poor customer service. Reserved online for a a party of 20 with Jerry. The restaurant communicates with us and confirmed the time, date and the party size. We showed up after the funeral to a closed restaurant and unable to get ahold of him. Once we did he came out to confirm that he misread his own email communication. The most unprofessional thing I have ever experienced. Would not recommend this place just for the lack of professional alone. read more

Rio Chama is not nearly the restaurant to go to for a prime dining experience anymore. Though I have no complaints about the service, the food is not the quality served in our many trips for dining on a special occasion. It has become poor quality, my ribeye was tough and gristle in many places. The bar has limited offerings unlike all previous visits. I have always been able to order my favorite whiskey, but no longer. It has been a while since our last visit, but we were the only seated table in our room. This never used to happen, the place was always jammed. Guess other regulars experienced the decline in what used to be a lovely restaurant with excellent offerings. However, as always, the saving grace of the meal was the chocolate pot for dessert. read more

One of our favorite restaurants and we had the worst meal last night we've had in Santa Fe in years! We usually eat there once every 8 to 10 days . The waitress told us resturant has a new chef, and the old chef took the menus with him. The green chili cheeseburger was the worst! How do you screw up a green chili cheeseburger in Santa Fe ? One of our guests had the coconut shrimp? I thought they were pieces of charcoal put on the plate by mistake ! I didn't know you could burn a shrimp that dark color brown ... it was so sad. It was almost funny, but it's not funny because this was used to be a great restaurant. Is there new ownership in Santa Fe ? The chef will not last! A bowl of chili , one green chili hamburger split two ways , burned coconut,shrimp, one glasses of wine 3 margaritas .... $200+ ... come on !! Very disappointing ! read more

Fun fabulous place! Attended the friends 80th birthday party. There were about 70 women there and they did a great job of servicing us. The food was served buffet style and was absolutely delicious! They filet was cooked to perfection and the salmon was cooked wonderfully. There was also Caesar salad, mixed vegetables, and bread. The piano was an elegant touch and brought the crowd together with warmth and humor. The restaurant itself is large and has many rooms to dine or a larger room with a bar that was also well equipped. Overall a fun pick in sante fe with wonderful food! read more

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My husband and I came here to celebrate our anniversary and we have a fantastic time! We reserved a table for two, and were promptly seated upon arrival by a very friendly hostess. Upon walking in, we are greeted with warm, dim lighting and upscale southwestern decor. Once we were seated, we were greeted by our waiter who dropped us off some waters and took our drink order. I ordered the Lavender Cider and my husband ordered a glass of the Zinfandel. For appetizers we ordered the artisanal bread basket (a quarter loaf of some cheddar green chili bread and breadsticks with whipped garlic and herb butter) and the calamari (came with two sauces). For our entrees we got the Filet Mignon and the New York Strip Steak (with bacon and blue cheese crumbles). Our sides were Parmesan truffle fries, mashed potatoes, and we HAD to try the green chili mac and cheese. This meal was well worth the price - our steaks were perfectly cooked, and everything was delicious. If you're willing to pay a larger bill, it's definitely worth your money. We thoroughly enjoyed our food and talked about our positive experience all the way back to the hotel! read more

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Went there for Christmas Eve dinner. Menu was limited which is customary for such events. In short, worst fine dining experience ever. The waiter took our orders while a pianist played holiday music so loud we could not hear ourselves. And as he got louder so did the table noise. I can't believe that he couldn't read the room. He was BACKGROUND not performing his own private concert. Then a singer joined him and she was just as loud as he was! We were either talking at such a high level or we just didn't have the kind of conversation a family would like to have while at an event like this. The person bringing out our food had no idea who had what. He just set it down and we passed it to the right person. The prime rib was tepid, not hot as was the ham. The person who ordered the pasta had to ask the waiter TWICE where their meal was while everyone else was eating. Each time. all we heard were excuses. If they tout themselves as a fine dining restaurant whose prices were quite expensive, then one should expect a fine dining experience. They even forgot to add on the obligatory 20% tip, which if I had been in charge they never would have gotten that much. Our hosts did bring it to their attention and paid it. NEVER will go here again. Completely and thoroughly disappointed - shame on you for being okay with people in your place of business that are under par - from serves, back kitchen to entertainers. read more

We were excited about going to Rio Chama for Christmas Eve dinner. The first disappointment was finding out there was a limited Christmas Eve menu. We then waited close to 30 minutes for our drinks. Three of us ordered the prime rib (at $55 per plate), requesting medium well. Each arrived blood red, accompanied by cold potatoes. The fourth person in our party order the filet mignon (at $75), medium rare. It was delivered medium well. The service was poor at every stage. The four poorly prepared meals and four drinks came to nearly $400. Merry Christmas. read more

We had a party of six and were placed in a lovely private room. Food was very good and the service was excellent.

While visiting family in Los Alamos, we decided to give Rio Chama a try. I'm not sure what I was expecting but was surprised by how nice this place looked and felt. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and immediately taken to our table. They were a little slow so they only had one waiter on duty but she made sure to make us feel welcome and get our order taken quickly. We started with some calamari and the bread basket. The calamari included fried jalapeño slices which was nice because not everyone at our table liked calamari. The calamari was hot and crispy and the jalapeños were delicious. The bread was fresh baked and took a little longer to come out, but it was really good. For dinner we ordered the ribeye, bison short ribs, fried chicken, and a chop salad. Everything was really good except I wasn't a huge fan of the gravy on the chicken. Overall, I'd say this place was good and worth giving it a shot if you're in the area. Would be a great place to take your boss or clients for a fancy New Mexican steak dinner. read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - Braised Buffalo Short Ribs - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Disappointed and Dismayed at Rio Chama I've thought long and hard before leaving this review because I don't enjoy giving a 1-star rating--especially for an event that occurred on Christmas Eve. However, what happened at Rio Chama needs to be shared. My family and I were visiting Santa Fe from out of state and wanted to enjoy a special, upscale meal before heading to the Farolito Walk. We made a reservation weeks in advance via OpenTable, the restaurant's only booking method. We are a family of three--my wife, who is Asian; our mixed-race son; and myself, a white man. When my wife approached the hostess to check in, the first thing she was asked was whether it would be okay to sit at the counter. This caught us off guard, as we had specifically reserved a dining table. We politely asked for our reservation to be honored. The hostess stepped away to speak with her manager and returned, saying a table would be ready in five minutes. As we waited, another couple, both white, arrived. They were also told to wait. But to our astonishment, within minutes, they were escorted to a booth--a four-person booth, no less--despite being a party of two. When I questioned the hostess, she claimed there were no tables available for parties of three or more. This explanation felt both dismissive and insulting. Eventually, the manager arranged for us to sit at a two-person table with an additional chair squeezed in, clearly a hasty compromise. While he apologized, his excuses lacked sincerity and left us feeling undervalued and unwelcome. Our server was polite and attentive, and the food itself was acceptable, but the experience had already cast a shadow over the evening. Then came the final blow: the bill. Despite the poor treatment we received, there was no compensation or acknowledgment of their mishandling of the situation. Instead, we were hit with a mandatory 20% gratuity. Having worked as a manager in the food industry, I know mistakes happen. But when they do, you own up to them and offer some form of compensation--whether it's a discount, a complimentary item, or even just a genuine apology. That's basic hospitality. For Rio Chama to do none of this while enforcing a fixed gratuity felt like a slap in the face. To contrast, on our way back to the airport, we stopped at a Waffle House in Albuquerque. When they forgot to make my son's blueberry waffle, the waitress immediately apologized, comped our drinks, and even offered extra items to go. That's how you handle a mistake--with humility and care. Sadly, we left Rio Chama feeling not only disappointed but also discriminated against. This is not the kind of experience anyone should have, let alone on a special evening meant to celebrate the holiday season. read more

The husband wanted steak for a celebration. When I yelped' it, Outback Steakhouse and Rio Chama came up. Natural choice to go with the local place with great reviews. I called at 6 and they were able to get us in for 7:45. Really impressed with the atmosphere, they had live music playing and it was peaceful. Really enjoyed my prime rib, as well. One of the better prime rib dishes I've had. Also great service! read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - One of the entrances - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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The food was the best thing going here. And that was so very average. Service was severely lacking - our waitress was the bartender and we had to wait for any and all table service to be rushed in between her duties behind the bar. No host at the host stand when we came in - waited around to be seated. The ambiance was the worst part - it was like a sad dinner theater from the 70's. Sad decor, sad staff, sadly decorated. It was actually depressing. One and done, won't be back. read more

We went on a Friday evening and the place was virtually deserted. No liquor license for an unknown reason, not a problem for us non drinkers, but probably a reason no one was there. Waiters were uninformed as to reasons. Dinner was fine but vibe was missing. read more

We dined in the bar to celebrate a birthday. The waitress was extremely slow and unfocused. Our drinks finally arrived but she spilled my glass of wine on one of us. There was no offer to compensate. I ordered the burger without a bun. It came on a cheeseboard by itself - terrible presentation, not just of my meal but everyone's. I spoke with the wait person and there was no improvement in her service. The people that work there have no knowledge of food service. Very expensive for what you get. Terrible experience! I will never go back. read more

Disappointing. In the past, everything was very good. However, this meal was mediocre at best. The salmon was dry; the "airline" chicken was so over cooked that it couldn't be cut (it was sent back & a new dish prepared); the steak was not tender; & only the truffle fries were good. The wine tasted cheap. Service was attentive & pleasant, & the restaurant atmosphere was nice. Parking was difficult, as it's small. We parked across the street in the government lot. The price was exorbitant for what we ordered. It's a shame; we will not return. read more

The prime ribeye steaks, elk, and pork chop were overly charred/burnt. The steak was served rare instead of medium rare. The bone-in pork chop was very small and a little tough. The wait staff slow, irritable, got the order incorrect a couple of times and was irritated to have to take things back. Our waitress didn't box up the leftovers. It was not the gracious experience or expertise we expected for the price. read more

There are few times in my life that I could say that a visit to a restaurant was a full experience in itself. Sunday night, Fathers Day in the presidential room. Doug Montgomery was the entertainer. Excellent choice! Fun, very talented artist! Drinks: I had Como la Flor, as usual. This drink is delicate just like the flower floating on top of it. I chose Heirloom tomatoes as a main dish after stuffing my face with fondue. From music, to service, to choices in food and drinks, ambiance, decor, this place is simply perfect. read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - Como la flor - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Best food and entertainment Sunday, and Monday nights I highly recommend filet mignon . Doug Montgomery is amazing. He can play country, jazz, classical, and pop music! If you've never heard Doug Montgomery play the piano, you definitely need to come to Rio Ckama and hear him play! The best part is being able to enjoy a wonderful dinner and listen to live music! You will not be disappointed I read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - Doug Montgomery - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We want to applaud our server, Dan and host, Emmanuelle for making our evening so warm, friendly and welcoming. My husband and I agree that the people make the experience. They made us feel good, happy and enjoying our time spent, both were very thoughtful and accommodating. The wine was really nice (Dan didn't mind giving me tastes so I would know), the food was very good as well but for an improvement the burger could be a little thicker for the price. Rio Chama used to be synonymous for the best meat, still good. Wedge salad very tasty, as well. Top-notch blue cheese. We liked these guys and our meal, thank you both for making our evening so sweet! PBH - former Head Pro/GM for Pebble Beach MCH - former Host/Floor Mgr. for Clint Eastwood read more

Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse - Big Sur! - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Food was good. Prime rib was rare but recooked immediately and brought back fresh and perfect on a new plate with new asparagus and new potatoes. The béarnaise sauce was perfection! Whipped horseradish cream was soooo delicious. We had appetizer of onion rings accompanied with 2 unique sauces. Service from Caesar our kind and sincere waiter was 5 star! He took excellent care of us and surprised us with a delicious dessert. It was a bread type pudding with very very good molten chocolate warm underneath and a caramel sauce like no other. Thank you Caesar for making my evening so special and perfect. Definitely ask for Caesar as your server. read more

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We are so disappointed by our recent experience hosting an event at Rio Chama. We decided to host a post memorial service dinner this last weekend at a Rio Chama for my father. My mother arranged in well in advanced. Only a few days before the event they called to let her know they lost their liquor license. Not a huge deal for our type of event but we found out later they had known for sometime before telling us. When we arrived the restaurant was closed , the area we rented was not prepared and dark and many of our guests left thinking they got the location wrong. They had nobody to greet our guests. They didn't even prepare the patio we rented. We paid for passed food but they put it out lazily on a table , no service. When of our guests spilled a drink and went to clean it up they were told to stop because the restaurant didn't have napkins left!! Is this place going out of business? It felt like it'. The staff was rude. My mother called to share her experience and they barely offered an apology and the manager has not followed up. It was embarrassing to bring guests here. I do not recommend. They are clearly closing up shop. read more

I am sorry to report that Rio Chama was very disappointing. I ate at the bar and ordered salmon "black and blue" which, as any decent restaurant should know, is seared on the outside and rare or cooked ever so slightly on the inside. This is accomplished with a very hot pan on which the salmon is flipped from side to side. I was served salmon which was not at all served as requested. To make matters worse, the salmon came out when I was halfway through the salad appetizer. (This is an elementary-level, beginner mistake.) I suggested Rio Chama drop the "home away from home for locals and visitors alike" phrase from their advertisement. This is certainly not the "home" I would recommend or to which I would return. read more

Extremely disappointing meal. We have been coming here for years and the food and service have really deteriorated. We were 3 for dinner and everyone of us had something wrong brought out for our meal - from drinks to food. As for drinks, a gin and tonic with Bombay Sapphire was brought out as a gin martini and a dirty martini had no olive juice and was served in a cocktail glass (since when does a steakhouse not have martini glasses?). To make matters worse, when we got the bill, we saw that they charged EXTRA for blue cheese olives! I have been ordering dirty martinis for years and I have never been charged extra for olives! When we questioned the charge, we were told that this is their policy. Bad policy, bad customer service. As for the food, the crabcakes were disappointing - mostly filler, the side of truffle fries were forgotten by the waiter, we were charged for potato gratin ($13.00) which we never ordered, the entrees were delivered before the appetizers, and we were charged an extra $3 for substituting mac n cheese for potatoes after paying $55 for a prime rib entree! An 8 oz filet was $48 and was not cooked properly. A disaster all around and manager on duty was worthless. Never again. read more

Are you from out of town? If you are, don't come here. Bartender didn't offer us an opportunity to order a second drink before the 9 pm cut-off even though it was before 9 pm when I tried to order a second glass. Enough said. read more

My deepest regret regarding Rio Chama in Santa Fe is that I can only give an unfavorable review. My family visited this establishment on Sunday, 12/24/2023, on Christmas Eve for dinner. Upon entry, we were hassled multiple times by the staff, asking if we had a reservation. We did. AND we had paid for four guests in advance at $100/person two weeks prior. Mind you, the restaurant was near empty, so I can't imagine that a reservation would've made a difference. We were seated and placed our orders for the four course prix fixe dinner. The first course truffle mushroom tartlet was creamy and tasteless. The pastry itself was dry and required a knife to cut. The Caesar salad was great. Our filet mignon steaks were grossly over cooked and harder than leather to cut into. Honestly I wonder if they cut up some sirloins and shaped them into medallions to pass as filets. And then the pinnacle of the evening occurred at Rio Charma: we inquired about the two drink maximum policy, and were informed that we would not be served beyond two cocktails per person because Gerald Peters the owner has been repeatedly sued and was facing litigation for over service of alcohol leading to a number of DUIs, according to the General Manager Adam. The assistant General Manager (female) came to our table from the front desk area saying she saw us sharing drinks (from the other room??) and promptly confiscated three drinks from our table (which were NOT removed from our bill...) We asked to speak to Adam the General Manager. He came out and aggressively explained the policy, stating that he has had this conversation many times with his (now dwindling) clientele. He angrily expressed that he is cussed out everyday for this policy, but again why as paying customers do we need to hear this as part of our fine dining experience on Christmas Eve? Adam - I do not care if you have to offer this information personally to every client who walks through the door, but if you must, it should be handled delicately, respectfully, calmly, and with professionalism. One of the members of our party has visited your establishment for the past 20 years, yet the service and tone was completely disrespectful and inappropriate. I cannot imagine that this happened during an expensive holiday dinner. 2 hours and $700 later, we left hungry and irate that we were treated so poorly at a seemingly upscale prime steakhouse. 1 star - do not recommend. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. read more