Decent place to dress elegantly. I enjoyed the New Years menu, making the reservation was very easy and an elegant atmosphere! The coconut shrimp was my favorite! read more

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We made a reservation for tonight, 17 Aug to celebrate our Anniversary. We get there. All dressed up, to a closed restaurant. The casino ppl called the restaurant who said that they didn't have the staff so they just didn't open. UNACCEPTABLE!! They could have called or emailed to let us know read more

I've been to a few fine dining restaurants in my day. The Crown Room seriously has their act together and really does it right. One thing I hate at fine dining establishments is the air of snootiness that you often get. The whole, nose in the air, casual disdain or even smug superiority is anything from annoying to downright insulting. I got none of that at The Crown Room. From the manager, the bartender to the wait staff, they couldn't have been more friendly if they tried. I got the impression, more than once, that they genuinely cared if we had a good time and had everything we needed. Not just to get a good tip or whatever, but a genuine care. Very cool. You expect the food at a fine dining restaurant to be good, and The Crown Room doesn't disappoint here either. The Maryland jumbo lump crab appetizer was generous and perfectly seasoned. The spinach salad with bacon-wrapped scallops was perfectly proportioned, elegant and delicious. After that came the palate-cleanser of a very light sorbet with Dom Perignon - wow. My entree of sea bass was perfectly cooked and moist. The black truffle mashed potatoes were slightly overly salty, but otherwise wonderful. And then, of course, desert. Bananas foster flambeed table side over vanilla ice cream. Wow! Of course the enormous carrot cake and black forest cake looked amazing! The bar has one of the best scotch collections I have seen. Not that they have a thousand varieties, but they do have a very nice selection of rare and exclusive brands. It's all about quality over quantity when it come to that and they do not disappoint. Scotch not your drink? No problem. They have a full bar and a number of nice, local beers as well. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the fact that they made a concerted effort to carry a number of local NM beers, wines and alcohols. Beyond that, their wine list is extremely impressive, and rivals restaurants that I have been to in Napa that have awards from Wine Spectator. Nice. The location is odd for ABQ. Sure, in Vegas you can find the most amazing restaurants in casinos, but that's not really true here. The Crown Room changes that. Don't let that throw you. Of course the free valet parking doesn't suck either. As you probably have already guessed, this place is not cheap. That being said, it's certainly not the most expensive place I have been either. For most of us, this will be a special occasion kind of place. There are a few of those here in Albuquerque, but The Crown Room is definitely a worthy addition to that elite, upper crust of restaurants here. read more

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Great ambiance, high price for the quality. Don't get me wrong, their ingredients were excellent and they have great recipes, but they just seem to overcook the proteins. The largest scallop of the appetizers our family ordered was amazing, the rest were chewy due to overcooking. The chateaubriand was just a bit undersize for the price and the thick parts were lovely... but other parts were overdone. Seriously, no part of a steak should be grey/brown all the way through if the customer ordered medium rare. That being said, even though it was overcooked, the cut was high quality and the flavor was great. What made it even better was the variety of sauces. We had four to choose from. The mushroom sauce was solid, typical French fare. The red chile sauce was subtle and tasty. The peppercorn wine sauce was the best I've ever had, with nuanced and subtle flavor and sweetness instead of the overbearing sweet most places serve. Skip the au Poivre sauce or better yet, get it without mustard because it's the best of the sauces without the overbearing mustard. The au gratin potatoes included sweet potatoes, which was a lovely change from the typical dish. I loved it, but go in expecting the difference. Asparagus was cut properly to avoid woody parts, cooked properly and not overly garlicy. The carrots were the best cooked carrots I've ever eaten and I'm a foodie with decades of experience. My favorite was the Bok Choy which was surprisingly good; well cooked, well seasoned; and presented beautifully. Service was excellent, just a little slow, but very friendly and accurate, I'm nit picking on the speed. They should tell you that certain dishes include asparagus so that you don't order additional sides of it unless you really want a lot. Would recommend, just ask for one or tow temperatures below what you typically do; they can always add more heat. read more

Had lunch here. Food was bland service was subpar. My utensils and glass was dirty. It was our second time giving it a chance but definitely the last. read more

Came here for Mother's Day and wasn't impressed at all. Especially for the price. The only thing I did enjoy was my drink. I got the prime rib which they didn't allow to be cooked med rare, which honestly when I get prime rib I've never had it any other way than red/med-rare/rare. It was on the dryer side and the potatoes on the side weren't to my liking. The offered an omelet cooked your way, bacon,sausage, some kind of dish, fruit, salad and desserts in a small form of a buffet style. And a mimosa for only the mother's. $50 a person for that. I could have had better at the Sandia buffet honestly. And they tried charging my son who is 4 $50 for his plate too. Which was chicken fingers and fries. The waiter did correct it but still charged us $15 for his meal. Let's just say I won't eat here again. read more

The Crown Room - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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This was not our first visit. Our first visit was night and day to the last. When we went, we felt as though we were in a larger city. The food was spectacular. And the service, incredible. Flash forward to present day. The service was good. Our waitress was nice and apologetic. Our filet mignon was overcooked, and the enchiladas it was layered over were cold. After two more failed attempts to get the filet cooked properly, we gave up. We would have been better off going somewhere else. read more

Had a wonderful Valentine's Day dinner tonight. Everything was wonderful from the homemade breads to the Brie to the salad to steak and linguine. The dessert was chocolate covered strawberries and a red velvet crusted cheesecake For two! Yum! All was delicious and the service and atmosphere was great! The Crown Room is definitely a hidden gem in Albuquerque for sure! read more

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My buddy wanted to Gamble, but also wanted a beer. We drove to several breweries and restaurants in our area around 7pm to discover them all completely packed and parking great distances just to walk in and wait to get a seat just didn't seem worth it. We even went as far as Isleta Casino to find no parking at all even by the resort and fun connection center. By the time we hit the dirt we said the long walk to probably not get the machines we wanted didn't seem worth it. So as a last resort we gave The Downs Casino a try. Parking was pretty full but we managed to find a space. I needed to use the restroom and we saw the food court area so my buddy went on a search for beer as I headed to the restroom near there. I found this place by accident. I saw the door and the sign having no idea what was behind it, and well my curiosity got the best of me so I opened it to see a bar. I called my buddy and we drank there. We're not too familiar with this casino because our first visit didn't leave us with a good impression. This restaurant and bar was a neat surprise. Honestly it was pretty nice and gave an upscale vibe. We just wanted a beer so we sat at the bar and it was a site for sore eyes. I wished they offered beer on tap instead of bottled and had more of an array of beers. Our server was a nice gentleman that gave us the run down and treated us well. If we come back to the Downs we will probably come back. Supposedly there's another place on the other side but guess we'll have to explore the next time we're in the area, but we won't forget this neat little gem. read more

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To describe the service as "good" would not do the experience justice. Basically we were ushered through a sequence of savory environments with seamless transitions. I will use the word "talented" to describe the staff. For cocktails, I highly recommend the manhattan at the Crown Room. It is currently the best I've had. The dominant tone is a fine 6 year bourbon with an elevated bitters and a gourmet port soaked cherry. However, good ingredients are useless without a keen talent to shake it properly. There were no broken ice shards or the watered down flavor you get from over zealous shakers. It was perfectly mixed. The berries a la mode in Chambord flambe is prepared table side with 18 inch high flames. The taste is incredible and I am compelled to return for more. (Bananas Foster is also flamed tableside. You'll not want to miss the show (because they don't bake the cake tableside...). The filet mignon is served with a terrific au poivre cognac which lends a heightened tannin on the palate. The steak was prepared to the correct temperature and had a fine texture. This was paired with a surprising Malbec. I think of Malbec as a monochromatic blending wine due to its role in the Bordeux regional. This dominant tone emerges as a molasses or chocolate due to the oak. This tone is what matched so well with the Cognac bark on the steak. The surprise was that the Malbec was quite robust on its own and had a terrific balance of bright fruity tones On the subject of main courses, I also had a sample of the bass which was exquisite. I do believe I felt a tinge of jealousy because the bass was possibly the better tasting. However, comparing a steak to a fish is no more futile that an apple to an orange. (oranges are better!) I discovered truffle oil this evening. I love how it adds such a terrific complexity to the buttery saltiness of the mashed potatoes. Certainly a highlight that I recommend. I will be seeking truffle oil in the future as a point of attraction. In context, the prices may be daunting in the paradigm of Albuquerque, and for this reason I encourage people who want the best economics for a fine dining experience to look out for tasting events where you can get double course meals with wine matches for a price on par with the regular menu. read more

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Insanely amazing. I was fortunate to visit The Crown Room for a Yelp Elite event. I'm very glad that I RSVP'd! First, the bad. This place is going to have an uphill battle overcoming its location. The Crown Room is a beautiful, small venue located inside of the newly renovated Downs Race Track Casino on Louisiana & Central. It's not a good neighborhood, and that may be an issue for some that drives them to drive elsewhere. It you can make it into the parking lot, and I suggest that you give it a go, you'll find prompt valet for the casino and restaurants and a short walk over to The Crown Room. You enter into a dark lobby and small, well stocked (very well stocked) bar. The dining room is very small - maybe 15 tables, tops. Reservations, from what I understand, are absolutely required. From the bar, I tried a sample of a Manhattan and a Mint Julep, both made with whiskeys from Taos. They were both great. The Manhattan was made with a port wine cherry and elevated vermouth which made for a deep, richer Manhattan. I have no point of comparison for the Mint Julep, but is was fresh and sweet, which is what I think they should be? The bartender knows to stir a Manhattan and shake a martini, which I definitely appreciate. Absolutely everything on the menu was incredible. First, a Maryland lump crap appetizer. Fresh and tasty, very standard. The oysters with pancetta were beautiful and incredibly tasty. The salad was a work of art: spinach wrapped in a ribbon of cucumber along with some bacon-wrapped scallops. Perfection. I'm getting hungry again... Before dinner, a palette cleanser sorbet topped with a teasing amount of Dom Perignon. Dinner - there are insufficient positive adjectives to describe this course. I ordered sea bass. It was moist, flaky, and buttery. The sear was perfect. It was served with this half tomato that was cut fancily and filled with some sort of creamy spread - I'm not sure why. And the tomato was reminiscent of something from the 1950s, but I think that was purposeful. My asparagus side dish was crisp, garlicky, and delicious. I tried the black truffle mashed potatoes - words cannot do the potatoes justice, so I won't try. Just order them and enjoy. I was fortunate enough to try both the filet and the veal. The filet was a perfect medium and was probably easy to cut with a fork. I'm not familiar with veal, but the presentation of it was top notch and others said it was spot-on. For dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed the carrot cake. The black forest cake was equally moist and flavorful. Berries with chambord and bananas foster were both prepared tableside, complete with flambe! Drive over to The Crown Room for a special dinner - anniversary, birthday, graduation. Expect to spend at least a couple of hours working through all of the courses. This place won't disappoint! read more

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I went back with my husband for our 5 year anniversary recently. It was still the fine dining experience that I remember. The bad: Our table cloth was slightly dirty. I didn't care much since my silverware was clean...but that's not cool in a place like the Crown Room. I pay attention to stuff like that at high dollar places...and so should they. The french onion soup was way too salty. It almost tasted concentrated. It may have been sitting in a pot all day...who knows. But it tasted like I needed to add some H20 to it. While the filet mignon was good, the bacon on the outside wasn't cooked very well. The good: The place is a good deal. They don't skimp on the food and while expensive, the prices are not outrageous. There's no skimping on the portions. Our server was very good! It was a true intimate dining experience. He had perfect timing. Nothing felt rushed or too slow. We wanted a little of the alligator appetizer and a little of the calamari, so our server/the kitchen made that happen. They gave us a bit of both! The alligator was awesome. Crispy fried alligator-y goodness. My salad was good. My seafood dish was very good...lots of clams, muscles, lobster, and shrimp. They didn't skimp on the good stuff. My hub's filet mignon was good. Tasty and perfectly cooked. The verdict: an all around wonderful meal..worth the splurge!! read more

Stunning dining room! You would never know this little gem was tucked around behind the cigarette-stinking, noisy casino! I had a steak with 3-cheese potatoes augratin . It also came with a nice helping of perfectly cooked and seasoned vegetables. My steak was cooked exactly medium rare, nice grill marks and was tender with just the right amount of fat. My husband had the Cajun shrimp pasta, it was so so. The sauce was tomatoey and lacked any real spiciness. Service was friendly and the dining room was pretty slow. To start, I ordered a sazarac. This is a cocktail that I've ordered many times and have made many times more so I feel like an expert when I say, this was absolutely NOT a sazarac. It was bourbon mixed with enough absynth to turn it green! No citrus peel and no Peychauds bitters!?! For dessert we decided to have the flambé cherries with vanilla bean ice cream. Good call! This was a pricey meal and mostly worth it. I'll try again the next time we have something to celebrate and maybe go with wine instead of a cocktail.. In summary: beautiful place, great food with a few adjustments the service could meet the high bar set by the chef! read more

Is it expensive? Yes it is. Is it inside a casino? Yes it is. Is it still worth your while to come here? Yes it is. With its throwback 60's decor, and thrones for seats, The Crown Room is a place as much about the experience as the food. Every aspect of The Crown Room is designed to make you feel like the royalty the name implies. The food is excellent (try the calamari, you'll forget you're in New Mexico), but there are plenty of other places to go if you're just looking for food. The Crown Room is somewhere you go for the fine dining experience, and it pulls it off with aplomb. The menu, to be sure, is somewhat unadventurous, but will appeal to baby boomers or those seeking a more "traditional" fine dining menu. read more

I wish i could give this a 5 star. I will give it a 2. As we walked through the door the bartender yells out to Us. "Steve?" Steve answers "Yes" he says do you need a wine list and walks off. We had the restraunt to our selves for about 20 min. We dined for 2 hrs. The bartender/greeter/server was running with his head cut off! Another couple sat As well. Our server acted as if he had a packed restaurant. The service was terrible. The food was good! I would have said Great but the steak was cold. I tried to order crab claws but the Chef didn't make any today then ordered bananas foster and they didn't have bananas. They did give us Cherrie Jubilee for free. The chef came out and cooked it in front of us and the brown sugar wasn't cooked down. 4 cocktails 1 steak dinner with an added scallop salad and added grilled salmon. $80 I will not be returning read more

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I've been to lots of four and five star restaurants but this place! We are avid travelers and did not expect this place to wow us. We were unexpectedly and gleefully surprised. I can't believe it got 3.5 stars on Yelp. This place deserves 5 stars despite it being in Albuquerque and in the international national district for that matter. The ambiance is perfect and the food is even better. The chef, Dennis, takes the time to come and make sure your dinner was perfect. He took special care of preparing every dish, from the appetizers to the desserts. Drinks were very good as well. No complaints from us. Service was perfect as well. This might be one of our new favorite places. Hope you all come to try this place out. It deserves the recognition. read more

Hidden gem in a casino. Very low key and excellent food. The tomato shrimp bisque is terrific. After the soup, the waiter brought out an excellent aperitif and splashed it with sparkling wine. The short ribs come as an enormous portion. I can't believe this restaurant isn't packed. The short ribs are the most tender that I've ever had. The chef came out and said it was a new item and wanted to know what I thought. He knocked it out of the park. read more

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Super close to 5 stars. Their food and service are totally 5 stars. I was wowed by all of my courses. The bartender and servers were amazing. So why am I giving this fine place 4 stars? The restaurant itself has a great atmosphere. However, the venue which holds it and the bathrooms aren't as elegant and fancy. Also it's really pricey. I wish they had a bar menu with a few options that are just as tasty but a little more affordable. Don't forget to dress up! read more

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Four stars is definitely good but since the Crown Room's opening a few years ago I think it's slipped a little. Overall our recent meal here was fine but sometimes the little things aren't right and when you are paying premium prices and expecting a superb experience you notice them. The service was great, all two of them. For a time we were the only diners with people coming in and deciding to turn around after a quick look. It was a Thursday night. I had fond memories of my previous experiences there so I ordered the Lobster Cocktail with full confidence. This $24 appetizer was overcooked and light on the Lobster. Not like before unfortunately. Little things like no fresh beer glass and an embarrassing pour overflowing with foam all over the place.The champagne they used for the sherbet palate cleanse was completely flat. The Special Halibut dish wasn't particularly noteworthy. On the positive side I really enjoyed my Bison New York Strip. You don't see that offered many places and considering how lean that cut of meat is the preparation was spot on and not overcooked. The Crown Room hasn't quite maintained the standards they showcased before and I hope they can regain them. read more

The Crown Room - Bison New York - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Well we went back, and probably won't again. Food was really lacking, drinks weren't great, and the place was empty. Service was good! But that was the bright spot to our meal. read more

Albuquerque struggles with fine dining establishments. I think we're just too casual to get the nuance required to truly be fine dining (perhaps the Ranchers Club is excepted). Valentine's Day 2019. Prix fixe menu. We arrived and the hostess took our coats and took us to our table. Then we waited longer than we should have for our server. She immediately asked us what we wanted to order which confused me because I thought they'd take a drink order first. She wanted to know which main course meal we wanted. We both ordered the steak Oscar medium rare. We ended up ordering a bottle of wine which was tastefully presented and served. Next, the server brought us a steamed artichoke with garlic aioli that was undercooked. We should've sent it back. Next was an arugula salad with cilantro (ick) and a "white balsamic vinaigrette". Two mayonnaise-based sauces in a row--not my cup of tea. Next came raspberry sorbets for each of us, presumably as a palate-cleanser. Fine, fine. Next came our steaks but they were overcooked and had to be remade. They brought the couple next to us their steaks which were probably ours that we sent back which were not cooked to what they ordered, either. They had a bit of back and forth with a couple of servers about this and I think they settled for theirs. It took a long time for our new steaks to be served. Eventually they came out and they were fine. Once again, a creamy sauce was served with it. The bacon-wrapped asparagus was quite tasty. The steak was tiny but tender and pretty good. It was probably about 3 ounces of cooked meat. It came with three shrimp that were fresh and delicious and three fingerling potatoes. Lastly, there was dessert which was a very soft mousse-like strawberry cheesecake, pink whipped cream and 3 miniature, overly fried or stale shortcakes. All in all, the food was fine but didn't quite meet the standards for fine dining. The environment: you have to walk through the smoky hall from the casino entrance to the restaurant entrance. Unfortunately, despite the doors to the restaurant, the smoke has permeated it. The decor is purposely 70s elegance but it's a little too sparse to ward off feeling like they just didn't quite make the fine-dining establishment target. So... I'm not inclined to go back. It was fine, but there are better places in Albuquerque. The Crown Room just misses the mark. read more

Living in ABQ, you accept a lack of fine dining. I love unpretentious food and don't need fru-fru. But on occasion, an event needs an up-scale meal (and its attendant prices). Usually, we hop up the road to Santa Fe. Still, some place closer would be welcome. I had hopes for the Crown Room. Well, except for the prices, it isn't upscale and there were many problems. Any true steakhouse will train its waiters to advise customers how to order doneness. When I said I wanted a "warm red center" the waiter had no idea what that meant. He suggested "medium." No. Medium is pink. So, I took the chance that, like a steakhouse such as Ruth's Cris, ordering "medium rare" would work. Sorta. The steak was a huge cut NY strip 2.5 inches thick. The center was darkish pink, (a bit overdone for me, but ok) and there was not too much gray rim, suggesting the steak was oven-finished (good). It tasted fine, not great, a bit over-seasoned. Texture didn't suggest prime (vs. choice). Worth $40? Uh... The "creamed spinach" was a puddle of liquidy béchamel in which swam sad strands of spinach, a ridiculous inversion of ingredients.(see photo) My companion ordered a sous vide lobster tail. It came out a piece of mush that she had to return. The second attempt was better, with a nicely firm tail that was lacking much flavor. Dessert was Bananas Foster, presented table-side. It's hard to mess up a dish of butter, sugar, bananas, and rum. Still, the chef did not adequately reduce the liquid. Instead of a silky syrup, it was the consistency of broth. There was a dessert tray with a variety of items, but amazingly, the waiter couldn't tell us what they all were. "I didn't have a chance to find out what that one was." (I should point out on a Saturday at 7:30 PM we were the only customers in the place - not sure what took up his time.) It hurts writing this, as the staff was friendly, accommodating, and meant well. But they seemed out of their league with a lack of experience, training, or evidence of front-house management. May have been a fluke bad night, but no plan to return. read more

The Crown Room - Soupy creamed spinach (see review) - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The crown room is a hidden gem. Although you must walk by a smokey casino floor, once you are inside the restaurant, it is like being transported to an upscale east coast establishment. The service is amazing and the chef even came out to check on us. I had the seafood cioppino and my girlfriend had the rack of lamb. Both were delicious and cooked to perfection. Don't let the location deter you, it is an experience that shouldn't be passed up! read more

The Crown Room - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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what a gem here in albuquerque. A lot of the reviews have touched upon everything I was feeling when I went here. 1) location: strange to say the least but that makes it even more special. I surprised my husband with an anniversary dinner here and he was really confused when we pulled into the Downs casino but super impressed when we walked into the doors of the Crown Room..great ambiance 2) awesome wine menu/ipad: I have seen ipad menus at restaurants, but not interactive ones. their wine menu organizes the wines by name/vintage /or region (you can choose) then you can click the wines to give you a description of them then EMAIL them to yourself so you dont forget what you drank. super cool! You can also see a menu of their cocktails on the ipad but this isnt as "interactive". 3) cocktails are great!! loved the manhattan and ordered 2... would like to come here on a friday after work and sit at the bar and have one! 4)the ups and extras: the relish tray is super old-school steakhouse but on a more contemporary level. (just like everything else in the restaurant in my opinion). The sorbet with Dom Perignon on it is over the top but i'm not complaining... 5)perfectly cooked food: the sea bass was amazing!! i have never had a piece of fish cooked so perfectly slightly crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. way to go chef. Our favorites of the evening were the Duck Rellano, the manhattan, and the sea bass. Everything about this place is all about classics... classic cocktails, classic steakhouse dishes, classic desserts.... BUT it's on a level that young adults can find attractive and enticing as well as the older crowd. yes it is expensive but you are getting more than food, you are getting an experience you won't get anywhere else in abq! read more

What a classy place in a decidedly un-classy part of town. I have nothing against casinos or race tracks in and of themselves, but Albuquerque Downs is not the nicest of venues. That being said, I was very surprised to find such a nice dining establishment located within. The Crown Room is all 1960s throwback style, executed in a way that's not nostalgic or cheesy. As befits the name, there are paintings of royalty on the wall, and the room is a rich red with gold accents. Big tables, big chairs; I felt special here not the least reason because it was almost entirely empty on a Saturday night. Felt like we had the place to ourselves. Service was outstanding. Our man explained the menu to us, had recommendations to offer, and was very attentive throughout the evening. The food was very good. Duck chile relleno? Yes, that was amazing. The seafood was very fresh, I had a crab cocktail to start and I could tell that it was not of the frozen, thawed, refrozen variety. Huge portions on the entrees. My osso bucco was perfectly done, and I could barely finish the thing. My date's filet mignon was cooked to order (medium rare), but I did not like the sauce that was drizzled on top of it. I'm a little old school: let the steak speak for itself. All in all, however, I can't complain about the food at all. The kitchen even surprised us with a relish plate to begin with, and a palate cleanser of sorbet topped with Dom Perignon. All in all, I can't recommend this place enough. Of course, with this type of experience comes a price tag to match, but the cost is well worth it. Put another way, I've paid more for less of an experience in some of Albuquerque's other fine dining establishments. read more

We decided to pop in here for a drink on our to the state fair last weekend. Despite being located in the Casino at the Downs, this fine dining restaurant is privately owned by the Wynns! We got there at around five and were the only people there but it was a blessing because we got five star treatment from the bartender Andrew who was able to walk us through their impressive bar menu, as well as tell us about the food. My husband started with a Sazerac--which with just a hint of absinthe, had a smooth, delicious taste (not too licorice-y). I opted for a martini, especially after I found out Tito's was their house vodka. Their bar is insane--they offer the infamous Remy Martin Louis XIII for $150 a shot. But, alas, Andrew says they have yet to crack the bottle! Not sure Albuquerque can handle the cost of $150/shot or the price of their menu--they have a $120 steak! Lets just say this is not a place to spend LESS money. We had four drinks and an appetizer for about $80, which was not that bad considering the house drinks were $7 each. The appetizer was delicious--I can honestly say I have never had anything quiet like the Chipotle Cherry Duck Chili Relleno. The perfect balance of spicy and sweet. We also tried the Tuscan-Wood Grilled Oyster, which came with crispy pancetta (pork belly) on top. Equally fancy AND delicious. All in all, we had a great time. Service is great, atmosphere is very romantic and if you can afford it--why not enjoy what is sure to be a wonderful fine dining experience! Or just hit up the bar like we did and walk over to the casino or race track! read more

Ever wonder what it would be like to sit down in the same restaurant as Mr. Draper? The atmosphere in this restaurant is very much of the rat pack age, subdued lighting, plush seating, dark browns, and gold trim. Excellent service from the staff, impeccably presented cocktails, and perfectly executed plates make this an excellent choice for an impressive dining experience. Bypass the casino atmosphere and head to one of the best fine dining offerings in this part of town. read more

This was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. This is how an elegant, fine dining restaurant should be. So many other restaurants claim to be "fine dining", but a lot of them fall short when compared to our experience at the Crown Room. My husband and I dined here for the first time last night, to celebrate our anniversary. He mentioned it was our anniversary when he made the reservation, and the first thing the hostess said when seating us was "Happy Anniversary". I like the fact that she had actually looked at what was on the reservation and remembered it as she was not reading from anything when we arrived to check in, but was expecting us, even though we were about 15 minutes early for our reservation. When an establishment pays attention to details like that, it matters. When we were seated, we were asked if we wanted wine and cocktail menus, and were brought those first. The wine list is quite impressive, with a good selection of different wines and champagnes for every price point, that ranged from very affordable to $500.00 bottles. We were given time to select what we wanted to drink before we were brought the dinner menus. I really liked this because both of us had time to get a good look at the wine list and we didn't feel rushed. We were also poured water and given a choice of lemon, lime, or cucumber garnish. We opted not to order an appetizer, but instead we each ordered a salad to start. My husband got the wedge salad, and I got the bacon wrapped scallop spinach salad. My salad was amazing! The scallops were cooked to perfection, very tender, and the bacon added a nice flavor. We were also brought fresh sliced bread and butter to enjoy. For dinner, my husband ordered the house special, the 14 oz. New York center cut, medium rare, and I ordered the 6 oz. petite Fillet Mingon, medium well. Each came with our choice of starch, so he opted for the potatoes au-gratin and I for the baked potato. Before our meals came out, we were brought a palate cleanser of lemon sorbet that was topped with champagne. They do ask if they can add the champagne first, so you can opt to have just the lemon sorbet by itself if you wish. But it was very refreshing and a nice little treat. When our steaks arrived, they were both cooked to perfection. The steaks here are chargrilled which gives them a wonderful flavor, but they are also served with a side of demi-glacé, so you can add the sauce if you wish, or just enjoy the steak by itself. My baked potato was cooked nicely, but it was huge and I could only manage to eat about half of it, although I did enjoy it. My husband also enjoyed the potatoes au-gratin, and he liked the mix of russet and sweet potatoes. For dessert, we ordered the bananas Foster, which is prepared table side. They flambé the bananas in a mixture of butter, brown sugar, rum and liqueur, and serve them over vanilla ice cream. It was very good. My husband actually liked it, and he doesn't like sweets much. In fact, I thought I was ordering it for myself because I was sure he wouldn't touch it, but it's a good thing he helped me eat it because I wouldn't have been able to finish it myself as its a rather large portion and meant to be shared. At the end of our meal, I was given a single red rose and again we were wished a happy anniversary. From start to finish, we were treated exceptionally well. We were well attended to, but never felt rushed or interrupted. The courses were timed well with not too much or too little time between them. The food was wonderful, and the overall decor was very classic. The jazz music playing in the background suited the atmosphere perfectly, and I noted hearing both classic artists like Frank Sinatra and contemporary artists like Michael Bublé. I love this style of music in general, so maybe I'm being a little biased there, but overall, I was completely won over and I can't wait to return. The only major downside is not a reflection on the Crown Room itself, but the fact that it is located within the casino at the Downs racetrack, of all places. It's not in the nicest area of town, and and night, there are some interesting characters that hang out at the casino. We had never been to this casino, and after dinner we tried to check out the lounge, but we didn't like the atmosphere, so we quickly left and went somewhere else. I can't quite figure out what a perfectly elegant restaurant like the Crown Room is doing in a place like this, except that perhaps that's part of its charm - a true diamond in the rough, so to speak. I'd absolutely go back for this little gem, but I have no desire to come here for any other reason. read more

Truly enjoyed our evening at the food and wine tasting dinner! Seven delicious courses paired with a great variety of wines. Valet parking was a breeze. We were met at the restaurant door by a very efficient hostess and our server, Monte, who was on top of things all evening. The food was wonderful and all courses were beautifully presented!! Salmon was cooked to perfection--sometimes hard to get it this perfect at a restaurant. I'm not normally a big fan of duck but the duck breast was fantastic! Service was impeccable! Very organized! Really appreciated Chef Tristan Rogers and his staff's hard work making this a most enjoyable evening for our party of eight!! read more

Absolutely Amazing!! Definitely in the running for the best restaurant in Albuquerque. Most people wanting a dinner of this caliber would not end up here simply because of its location. But let me say IT IS WORTH IT! Just park with valet and slum it for the 20 yards that you skirt the right side of the casino and enter the doors of a culinary delight. Start with a Moscow Mule from the highly trained bartender, move to your table and begin a delicious meal. Make sure to cap off your meal with dessert fire....Cherries Jubilee , Bananas Fosters, or one other I can't remember. Not to mention of course some delicious cakes, like a Red Velvet to tantalize your mouth. From a pallet cleanser topped with Dom, to the rose given to each lady upon leaving; and of course the near faultless food and service throughout, this is a true hidden Gem in ABQ. A MUST GO! Don't debate it, just make your reservations. read more

This is the equivalent of being in a private dining room in NYC. Beautiful dining experience, very move staff, good food, and a dessert carriage. Old school in upscale! read more

The Crown Room - A classic dessert carriage on ABQ! - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hit or miss but over all pretty mediocre. We went for thanksgiving and because of the price point I expected much more. First off, getting from the parking lot to the casino is a bit scary. I was a bit nervous about leaving my car because of the numerous sketchy people roaming around the parking area. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very nice with upscale chairs and a small intimate dining room. Our first course was a squash soup which I thought was ok if a bit under heated but everyone else at the table thought it was way to sweet. I agree, it could have been less sweet but I still thought it was good and a bit different. Next a pallet cleansing sorbet was served which was good and presented well. The main course was rack of lamb, turkey, confit, gratin potatoes and green beans. The presentation was first rate and beautiful. The lamb was perfection, balanced flavors and cooked perfectly. The turkey was listed as a confit. How something cooked with this technique could be dry is beyond me but it was. I think my biggest gripe is with the potato gratin. It was made with hash brown potatoes from restaurant supply. You know, the type you add water to and rehydrate before cooking. A meal that costs around 40 bucks a plate should not have rehydrated potatoes. Our desert was apple pie. I would bet money this pie was a frozen pie that was only baked in house. If it wasn't it tasted that way. The service managed to be both attentive and poor at the same time, which I didn't think was possible. This was managed with a different person stopping by our table and asking the same question as the person before but not coordinating with each other. Our soup was brought with no spoons which took a while to get. One of the people at my table ordered iced tea from three people before she finally got it and only after the main course had been served even though she ordered it when we first sat down. The table had bread plates set but no bread was ever presented. I ordered coffee with desert that was never brought to the table. I have been wanting to try this restaurant for some time now but, was not impressed. I can only hope it was because they were doing a thanksgiving menu rather than their normal menu. I would like the try this place again with their regular menu but I was so under impressed with this experience I'm not sure I will. read more

Shockingly bad We were looking forward to trying something different, and boy did we get that. If your idea of fine dining consists of the following, then you are in for a treat. 1. Ordering a dry martini, and getting one that was at least half vermouth - I always wondered what that would be like. 2. A wait staff incapable of transferring a bar tab to your table tab - very complicated, I'm sure. 3. Ordering another round of drinks and waiting 30 minutes to get them - they clearly didn't want us to get intoxicated, very thoughtful. 4. Ordering an $80 bottle of wine, only to be told 20 minutes later they didn't have it. And then having the waitress suggest a $130 bottle instead. Again, very thoughtful of them, but a little out of the budget. 5. Passing on the silly formality of letting the person who ordered the wine, actually taste it first. Instead, just fill up everyone's glass right away. Definitely a time saver considering it took over 30 minutes to get wine on the table. 6. And certainly a more relaxed service style - like not replacing flatware between courses, and letting us ask for them after the food was already served, or refilling water glasses but placing them right by the edge of the table rather than above the plate. Good stuff. 7. And then dinner itself - the menu isn't large or particularly creative, which made your meal decision pretty easy. It was the same menu I'd imagine would have existed in Vegas back in the Sinatra days. I ordered a 12 oz bison steak, which was cooked to the right temperature, but only about 1oz of it was edible. The rest was bone and gristle. Three of my dining partners ordered seafood pasta with lobster, but the lobster was obviously old. It looked more like salmon than lobster and the fishy smell was almost overpowering. And the scallops were overcooked and rubbery. The waitress was very considerate though, and didn't even offer dessert. 8. They did nicely offer to split the checks, but that took 30 minutes as well, again making sure we were good and sober before we left. And another something different, just to keep us on our toes, one party received a check for one amount, but when the credit card slip was brought back for his signature, it was $9 higher than the original bill. That was fun too. So if all of those things sound like a fine dining experience, the Crown Room should be your first stop. For me personally, I won't be going back. read more

This place was excellent! The food..service was all amazing! Took a chance on it for our date night and by far was not disappointed! First time at casino, it is a nice hidden treasure, glad the casino decided to do these facelifts to it! read more

Ordered the calamari to start with a refreshing cocktail. This was followed by the house NY strip prepared perfectly! Cherries jubilee prepared table side finished off the Devine dinner! A must to try in Abq! Alexandria (our server) was the best! read more

The Crown Room - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Very satisfied, prices were reasonable for the quality of service and food. Wait staff and bartender were extremely friendly but not to friendly to where it's fake, food was top notch , atmosphere was nice and quiet. Everyone should check this place out is not very well known but it should be and will now be in our go to places for dinner read more

The Crown Room - Happy campers - New American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Shall we explore this? It's in a smokey Casino? It's 80's decor ... it try's to be a Las Vegas dining experience but our Valentines meal was " just okay". Upon entering the Casino I was approached by a guy who asked me if I wanted to buy DRUGS? That's a 1st??? Back to the dinner.... slow service and lots of generic bread ... once the 4 courses started rolling it was about a 50% miss for taste and flavor... all the while the "lounge lizards " doing BILL MURRAY ON SNL drowned out the mediocre meal . The highlight we hoped for was the dessert .... Ummmmm DISAPPOINTED - PARTY OF US... The " Whatever Cake" was dryer than the Mohave and about as rewarding as watching wasted calories pass us buy. FIlet was tolerable . It's not a epicurean fail.. but not a must do.. Many Many better places to bring you smiles ... Now where are the best dive diners here??? read more

Don't be fooled by the outside of this restaurant. I been here a few times now and I would recommend it 10 times over. Its my go-to place for special occasions. I came for the Valentine's day special and it was amazing. The chef came to every table and greeted everyone and made sure our food was up to our expectations. This place is definitely worth trying read more

Would have given them 4.5 stars if that was an option! This place is THE PLACE to go for a quite romantic night out with the hubby(: We went on a Thursday night and had the entire place to ourselves, talk about impeccable service! Our server, Naan, made us feel completely at home and relaxed enough to fill the dinning room with our conversation. Carl, the bartender mixed our drinks just perfectly and I would definitely recommend the peach Julep if you enjoy a fun spin on a good classic. The overall atmosphere was completely luxurious with plush chairs and fresh flowers on every table. Our favorite item of the night had to be the palate cleanser composed of tart raspberry sorbet and sparkling wine, simply delicious. Also mushroom, cognac Demi glacé that comes with the filet mignons is absolutely delicious and I would definitely recommend requesting extra on the side! The highlight of the night was getting to meet the chef who was a complete delight and even let us get a picture with him! We will definitely be returning on our next visit to Albuquerque, New Mexico! read more

This place has so much to learn. If you are going to charge $120 for chateaubriand, you don't smother it in Heinz Brown Gravy, you carve it at the table. There is no Palm, Ruth's Chris, Morton's, or other similar place in ABQ, so these guys have a chance to be big. Four people there on a Saturday night. This place doesn't appear to have any management that's run a high end operation. Cook staff wandering through the guest area with their badge lanyards dangling out of their back pocket. Don't know how to open a bottle of wine nor serve it properly. OK for Outback, not for a $100 pp tab. Won't be there long. Even if you want to splurge, try another place. read more