I love their chipotle chicken it's extremely good, it's my go to order 100% recommended and the service there is amazing nice people and good vibes. read more

First word that comes to mind, WOW! My new favorite place to dine or just grab drinks, chat and people watch on the UWS. Apparently it has been around for years and I'm just learning about it. Seriously, everyone that helped us beginning to end was super nice and very friendly. Food was great and the drinks were amazing. Their specialty cocktail list is very impressive and they have won several awards for their margaritas. Might I recommend the "skinny margarita," known as The 71 Margarita, quite strong (no sweet and sour so extra tequila) and very refreshing. The outdoor dining set up is lovely and prefect for brunch, grabbing cocktails with friends or evening dinners outdoor this fall. Our food, again, was great. But, all the food that kept coming out around us looked amazing too, I cannot wait to go back and try more. Lastly, like I've said in past reviews, a lot can be said about one's salsa... I had two from here, both really delicious!! read more

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My friends and I had some time to kill before the movie, so decided to check this place out. We ordered the sliders as an appetizer, was perfectly cooked and tasty, the order had 3, just enough for each one of us to try. For my main I had ordered Al Carbon, three steak tacos with the side of rice and beans, tasted great with the green sauce that was brought on the side. I'd definitely come back to try other main dishes. read more

Santa Fe - Steak Tacos - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Fun atmosphere, especially if you would like Mexican atmosphere. Went on Cinco de Mayo and it was perfect. My soup was filling and my guacamole so delicious that I ordered more. I tried many dishes that my friends ordered and everything was delicious, felt like I was in my friend's grandma kitchen. The service was attentive and very fast. Location is very convenient if you would like to go to Lincoln center or be in Upper West Side. Highly recommend to go, you will be addicted read more

I went to this restaurant on a Saturday night around 7:30. We were a party of 6 and had a reservation. The restaurant doesn't have a dedicated hostess so we had to figure out who to speak to. When we were seated, we ordered a few apps that were really good. I ordered the salmon as my entree. The salmon was cooked well and had a nice crust. The sauce and garnish I could have done without however. The other dishes that were ordered were all very flavorful. In general, I do think that the food here is well priced, well portioned, and well executed. The ambiance is very family oriented. It is somewhat dummy lit and has a casual and comfortable feel to the restaurant. Would recommend. read more

Santa Fe - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Got the Birria tacos with consome and it was truly flavorless....both. I wasn't asked once how the food was and it was very overpriced for such mediocre food. The entire lunch was accompanied by loud, obnoxious, swearing kitchen staff which added to the completely strange atmosphere. I wouldn't go back, I'm a big fan of feeling like I'm not wasting money paying for eh service and honestly anyone can melt cheese and plop boiled beef on a tortilla. I was looking forward to authentic Mexican food and this screamed girl you're in the wrong part of town for that... read more

Dirty, disorganized, slow service restaurant. A GIANT COCKROACH appeared right next to my seat and they took off only our guac from the bill, which we couldn't eat anyway because we literally ran out of the restaurant. Also, the person I was with saw one of the servers trying to stomp something a few times, a couple of minutes before the cockroach climbed on top of a chair. So basically, they easily could have warned/prevented the horrible experience. Also, not only does it look like a bad diner that someone decorated with a few New Mexico "inspired" vases (borderline offensive) and the food is so underwhelming and overpriced, but the margaritas ($15-$18+ each --- you're basically paying $20 for a bad marg after tax & tip) we ordered were truly not margaritas. I am a bartender, so I would know. Just don't go. The place is a scam. read more

I took my significant other to Sante Fe this weekend for an anniversary and was not impressed, did not enjoy our lackluster food -- notable devoid of any specific flavors or presentation to speak of. It was a disappointing use of my anniversary budget. Given the wealth of restaurants and other delicious Mexican options on the upper west side I highly recommend skipping this establishment and opting for another. read more

Santa Fe has been around forever. In the early 2000s, we'd sometimes stop by when Pasha, Fiorello's, that awful pink sushi place across from Lincoln Center (Sushi-a-Go-Go?) were too crowded before Met Opera performances. Back then, Santa Fe was always a bit Tex Mex, not objectionable, but also not memorable. Little has changed in 20 years. At a recent meal, wait staff could not have been nicer. The food was fine. It fed us, nothing was overtly bad. But this isn't a place we'd go voluntarily without the limiting factors of hungry children and a large group A generous portion of steak fajitas came pleasantly rare, dramatically sizzling on a miniature cast iron pan (and I'm pretty sure unchanged in the last two decades). Salmon was a tad fishy, but pan fried with a pleasant crust, served over chipotle mashed potatoes, with spinach and a smokey tomato sauce (which tasted also of bell peppers, with a hint of heat). A special, "impossible empanadas," was supposed to've been made with fried masa -- but instead the wrapping was made of flour tortilla, which unfortunately made it inedible for its primary intended consumer. The filling was sweeter than what we prefer, but quite meat-like for those who enjoy that. A side of black beans was actually quite good, creamy, flavorful and maybe even a bit decadent. Staff were gracious to our large group, which included four children. Margaritas were strong. This certainly isn't the best food we could find in our neck of the woods for this price range, but it clearly makes the target demographic -- mostly older gringos and families with children -- happy enough. read more

This is my second fav Mexican restaurant within a block radius, but still really good. I typically get the fajitas - note the veggies are precooked so you can't ask for one to be removed. The enchiladas are also good- made with a mole sauce. read more

Is New York back? 71% - the amount of Manhattanites vaccinated from COVID-19 at the time of this review. 10 - the number of days since New York reopened at full capacity for restaurants. 13 - the amount of tables outside, in addition to now having full capacity inside. Seems like New York is back. So, why was there a 5% "COVID-19 surcharge" added to the bill pre-tip? Probably for the same reason this restaurant didn't provide chips/salsa like any other restaurant in a similar category. This restaurant thinks it's struggling because of the pandemic and is squeezing patrons at every opportunity. However, it's actually struggling because the food is bland, undercooked, and overpriced. I had such great hopes, too. The decor was cool, and the staff was nice. Very nice, actually. Alas, I felt so screwed from this dining experience that it helped me realize... yes, New York is back! read more

Almost 30 dollars for 3 tiny cheese enchiladas, weird white rice and way too sweet black beans. Cheese seemed to be cheddar and was not melted but rather was cold chunks of cheese in raw flour tortillas. All of the food was served barely warm so the kitchen does not seem to be temping food properly, never a good sign. There may have been other cheeses in the enchiladas but none of them were melted, none of them were Mexican cheeses and none had a satisfying cheese pull. Mole was cloyingly sweet and contained no hint of spice or of heat from chili peppers. Black beans were oddly and annoyingly sweet as well. I had the impression that sugar was being added to food instead of spices and chili peppers - this reminded me of the $1 dollar bargain nyc pizza slice with inexplicable sugar in the tomato sauce. Overall none of the food had the freshness and vitality that characterizes good Tex-Mex cuisine. So we paid a whole bunch of money for food that could have been had from an nyc food truck for a fraction of the price. The food was bland, cold, weirdly and cloyingly sweet and sad. Please stop making food like this. It's depressing for people to encounter. read more

This neighborhood place used to be good with friendly and smiling accomodating hostess and manager but unfortunately it didn't last , waiter became manager food became less then mediocre, it looks like nobody cares anymore about the customers or the service, staff rather chit chat with each other in Spanish, too bad I used to really like the original team read more

So, this happened!! Who thought you could find some good Mexican food in Manhattan? Well, look no further. Our service was really superior. We loved our waiter named Tito. He was attentive, thoughtful and made some really good recommendations. Further he even did some research with a coworker to give us some ideas on what to do next with our day/evening. One of my friends and the black bean and sweet potato burrito. It was very nearly a "when Harry met Sally" moment in the restaurant. Sorry for the cliché NYC reference, but it was a remarkable response. Another friend had the skirt steak with the fresh chimichurri. Their proprietary blend did not include any parsley, so I was skeptical, but my friend really loved it. And, so I tasted it. The garlic was amazing! Great job on this dish. Overall, the ambiance is nice. The service was great. The prices were very reasonable for Manhattan. Also, the bathroom was very clean. The only thing I took a star off for the chips, salsa and guacamole. The salsa was homemade for sure and delightful. A little light for my palate - could have been spicier for sure. However, I'm sure it reaches a wider audience that way. The chips were not special. In fact, they were likely from a bag. Finally, the guacamole was too smooth for me. I like mine just freshly chunked with no mushed up part - that's just me though. read more

My friend and I had a lovely dinner here. We shared guacamole which was delicious, and I had a wild mushroom quesadilla and a "famous" margarita. The quesadilla was fantastic, and the margarita was legit! This place is a fave of my friend's, it was my first time here. Great service, not too busy on a Friday early evening. read more

I was poorly treated by the staff and manager Laura when I was seated with my small 10 pound hypoallergenic service dog. Although I presented my paperwork for her service status. They were quite rude and were obviously unaware of the law protecting people with service animals. She sat quietly on my lap under the lip of the table. The lovely couple at the next table commented on her quiet, well trained behavior. I was embarrassed and quite upset but left at their request. I will report this incident to the proper authorities so other people with service animals don't experience this treatment. I am a physician and amazed at their ignorance of the law. Dr Caroline Duff read more

This is one of those neighborhood restaurants that make you feel like home. We've been coming here for weekend brunch for about 8 years. Food is delicious and makes me feel like I'm back home in the southwest. I was a bit worried they had closed due to CoVID but am happy they're open. I'm not sure where the bad reviews come from but I love their food. read more

Written by my daughter, AUDREY A. At Santa Fe you get your food very fast. I Love their steak fajitas and chips of course. I always go there for dinner and my family loves Santa Fe. My Dad really likes their chicken enchiladas and chipotle shrimp. My Mom loves the shrimp rolls and fajitas. All of the servers are really friendly, especially Alex, he's my favorite. I love Santa Fe that's why I give it five stars. Their outdoor seating is really inviting. They have heaters for the winter, they have decorations for the tables on the sidewalk, and their structure is decorated too. I think Santa Fe is the best restaurant that I've been to in a long time! read more

As far as I am concerned, this is the best Mexican restaurant in America. I am 38 years old, and I first went here around the time it opened, when I was 2 or 3 years old (which was when the old store opened for the first time at the old location, on 69th street, just a few blocks down). In the meantime, I have eaten here about 300 times (continuously, before and after the move). I would have achieved, unstoppable, "Duke" status at Santa Fe here on Yelp, decades ago, had Yelp existed in the 1980's. In the last 3 years I have lived away from New York for the longest time in my life (in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and in Chantilly, Virginia--near DC), and I have thus been to Santa Fe rarely. I have more than a few reviews of Mexican restaurants in the Washington area on this Yelp profile. And I mean the nice things I said about those restaurants. But, none of them can hold a candle to Santa Fe, indeed, I would give it 10 stars, if I could. It is not "authentic" Mexican, snobs say, which just means that its menu is Southwestern (U.S.) as its home region (the Southwestern United States *was* Mexico once, after all, and its people, and cuisine, is as "authentic" a region/cuisine as anything else). But they do that "Tex-Mex"/New Mexico style here better than anyone else I know (in Tempe, in Dallas, in Chicago, certainly in Washington . . . anywhere). I am not a drinker, so I have nothing to say about liquor, but the Enchiladas Suizas is my favorite Mexican dish in the world. Chimichangas, the shrimp, quesadillas, tortilla soup, fresh guacamole, and free chips are all beyond great too. One, small, criticism: Years ago, they had two great appetizers. 1) The "nacho pizza". 2) The (old version of) "the cheese-and-scallion quesadilla". I miss these old favorites SO, SO, SO much. They were the best appetizers ever. The replacements have just never been as good. The rest of the things on the menu still make this one of the best restaurants in all of the country, but, it would be even better if I could have my two old favorites back! read more

Santa Fe - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

I went here for the first time with some friends for a Sunday night dinner. I found the service staff to be friendly, attentive and offered good advice on the menu. The food was very good. We ate inside and they had plastic shields up to separate the tables. The bathrooms were very clean. If I could give them 4 1/2 stars I would. I wish I had taken pictures of the food, as the presentation was very good, but I was too busy eating and drinking. read more

Had a fairly poor experience with Yelp/GrubHub trying to order. Alex at Santa Fe couldn't have been more helpful in getting things straightened out. It's so rare to see that type of customer service. Kudos Santa Fe! I'll be back for sure. Oh yeah, the food is amazing. read more

Drinks good. most everything else awful service awful. food ordinary At best we pretty much had to tackle the waister to get the check. very sad read more

Delicious, highly recommend! The margaritas were absolutely astronomically amazingly fantastic. The service was AMAZING. Outdoor seating was fabulous and intimate. We felt like we were in our own little corner in the world. Will be returning soon! read more

Rule #1 - you cannot, cannot have a restaurant called Santa Fe without serving New Mexican green chile!! I realize the chef is from Mexico but being Mexican American and growing up in the region, green chile is a Mexican American staple. Even non-Mexican restaurants in New Mexico and Colorado have green chile. Please fix this ASAP! read more

Three years later, despite the various ups and downs of life, but my love for Santa Fe has remained constant. The BEST margaritas in all of New York, I dare you to find me a competition. And can't go wrong with any dish with steak. This place knows how to do steak right. Such a gem in UWS! read more

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It was pretty expensive for the size but it had a nice ambience and good staff. Churros were good but disappointing for the price!

Lovely and tasty neighborhood gem- timely great chips and friendly service - and pleasant ambience

COME HERE FOR THE MARGS... They are probably one of the best MARGS I have ever had outside of Texas... As for everything else, this was probably one of the classier Mexican places (that wasn't overboard in terms of being expensive, ridiculousness, or being tacky. I like that the food didn't have an overly greasy/gross feeling in my stomach (as sometimes Mexican does). It was clean, flavorful, and filling (but not too much so). But it well flavored, bigger portions (but not Texas portions, and generally tasted fresh. Great occasions to go: 1. Rediscovering your life mentor 2. 4th date (never do Mexican too early) 3. When you have old people in town Why didn't this place get 5 stars. Menu could have been more creative. read more

This is a place to if you frequently say, "it's too spicy." I will make my Tex-Mex craving at home.

Very attractive restaurant with tables nicely spaced so you are not sitting on top of the people next to you. The food, when it finally came, was very good and interestingly prepared.....not the fast food type tex mex fare. It was too bad the service was sooooo slow. The waiter was quite attentive...just the kitchen could not keep up with the orders for a Saturday night. We will be back on a mid week night to see if the service is better since the food warrants a second chance. read more

I came in with a party of 6 and was seated right away. It was about 5:30 on a Saturday night. The service was excellent and the sangria was delicious (and had quit a kick). The chipotle chicken was top notch and my wife had fish tacos and a salad which she was quite impressed with. The kids enjoyed the food as well. Overall we had a great dining experience. read more

Santa Fe - The place looks small from the front. ... But there was a large dining room in back! - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Saw Admissions at LCT and came here for a drink and appetizer. All you need to know about this odd--which is to say, anachronistic--UWS Mexican just a few blocks from the 1/2/3 train, is that for 13 dollars you get an extremely strong classic margarita. By strong I mean you're fairly drunk after one on an empty stomach and do not need a second. Also it's delicious with just the right sweet/salty balance. I almost got adventurous with a cilantro-infused margarita and was happy I stuck with the original. They have two sizes (only a few bucks difference) and I recommend the large. The music is hilarious: Huey Lewis ("Happy To Be Stuck On You") and then the Arthur theme followed by a random Phil Collins tune. It's kind of dated decor and a very local crowd. But the steak quesadilla appetizer was far better than I expected it to be (particularly after the blah chips and mild salsa). And the chicken entree a few tables away looked delicious. Good service. Nice people. And really strong f*)()*)(* drinks for what on the UWS is a bargain. I will be back after workouts at 67th /Columbus. read more

great food, great service .....crazy expensive.. it was easily the most expensive lunch i've ever had

I came here for brunch with my husband. We weren't really sure at first if we wanted to try, then we thought, why not? It wasn't very busy (quite late for brunch, or even for lunch. Around 1:30pm). Salsa and chips were served immediately. It was nice. We ordered skirt steak and egg burrito and steak on tortas (? ). It taste good. I like how the restaurant wasn't too busy, the waiters were attentive but not in your face. Not sure why all the negative comments? Will definitely come here for dinner next time to see how it's like read more

Santa Fe - I like the devote. Very quiet during a late brunch hour. Few patrons are just sitting and reading - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

The Food is usually good. The steak is nice. Great Margaritas! The decor is a bit outdated. Service is pleasant. 3.5/5 read more

So happy Santa Fe has reopened! The margaritas, the Chipotle Chicken, the people - well, everything really!

The service was good, but the food was definitely not worth the price. I got the chicken quesadilla, and it was bland. The food and atmosphere didn't feel authentic at all. I've had food at Taco Bell better than this restaurant, which is pretty sad for Santa Fe. read more

Santa Fe - The blandest chicken quesadilla I have ever tasted - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

This place has consistently great food and service. The food quality is and always tastes healthy, without a ton of added ingredients or oil, etc. Love it!! Recommend the chicken fajitas read more

This had gotta be one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Literally the best margaritas, frozen or rocks. You get what you pay for here. My favorite dish is the enchiladas plate, but I'm always digging the specials. The chef is on point, if not out of his mind! The staff is real New York. Don't come on here with some bourgeois entitlement, and I guarantee you will get the most authentic and rewarding experience. Personality is what keeps a relationship going through the years, and apparently they've been doing it for over 40. Now I see why. read more

This place has so much potential from outside but a tad disappointing after walking out. This place advertises for the best frozen margaritas which we didn't try. We tried on the rocks instead and they were average and nothing special. Chips and salsa are served on the house. The quantity of salsa is little so we had to ask for a refill. The biggest disappointment came with guacamole. For the $11 price tag, we were offered small quantity of pre made guacamole. When asked that we prefer spicy, they brought hot sauce along with our guacamole. It was the first time I ever I didn't finish my guacamole. Corn on the cob was good - very cheese. I would have preferred if it had a little paprika on it to off set the sweet corn. For vegetarians, the options are limited but I was very pleased with my my wild mushroom quesadilla. The portion was just enough for one probably the best thing I ate for the night. read more

Santa Fe - Corn on the cob - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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