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

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

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

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

The one bartender is really great. They all are but one (K-manager) did not want to make a drink I…read moretypically get. I've been here a few times and they remembered my order which is nice. I usually would get a margarita, as soon as I sat down at the bar, she said no margaritas today. Not even a hello etc. They make them from scratch so I don't know what the problem was.... I understand it was busy, and I can wait, but that just was a bit offsetting and disappointing. There has been two times she's forgot about my drink, she apologized but I just don't feel too welcome at times. The food is great, I only came for the summer for an internship and this is where I liked to come, but had started to try other places considering. A day or two after the other bartender, I forgot her name she was sweet, made the margarita and said there should have been no reason it wasn't made for me that day. I still enjoyed going there, the margaritas are great the food is as well. I will go back, but I'd appreciate a little more less of being ignored, just because I'm by myself or not a male. Regardless I'll be back sometime for the food and it is a nice cute place. And shout out to the bartender and other staff.

Stopped in today on Father's Day for lunch as we're staying in town for the night. Not many options…read moreon a weekend in Los Alamos, so options were limited. We made the wrong choice. There were 10 tables occupied around 1:00 and all but 3 tables were eating their food, but we still waited 25 minutes to order after we got our drinks. I had to ask the young man hosting to find our appetizer and waitress after 20 minutes. 3 of us had fries with our entrees and they were soggy, greasy, and so salty that none of us ate them. Our son who loves cheeseburgers said his tasted funny, our daughters chicken nuggets tasted like the fish my wife ordered, and my Rueben was dry and chewy because the meat was reheated on a flattop instead of steamed like it should be. No one in the kitchen seems to have a clue how things should be done in a restaurant. I could go on, but what's the point. The only thing I'll remember about this place was bad food and the $100 we threw in the garbage. If I had the chance to have a redo, I'd go down the street and eat at Sonic, and Sonic sucks.

What a great find thanks to Yelp! Upstairs from Lambert's is this great bar lounge. It's mellow and…read morecomfortable and plays the best music. The service is excellent and knowledgeable. Cocktails are world class and they have a great selection of food from appetizers to full entrees.

A nice little spot to chill and have a few bites to eat, and drinks. Good atmosphere and…read moreinteresting, creative dishes.

We are in Taos for 1 night and wanted a drink after dinner. Stopped here sat outside and no one…read morespoke to us for 20 min then we gave our drink order and then another 20 min and it was not crowded! We chose to leave

Great cocktails and charcuterie. We hit this place late afternoon before their evening business…read morepicked up. Great place to just relax enjoy a drink and talk with friends.

We stopped in for a snack and two drinks. They had live music, he was actually very…read moretalented-dressed nice and played originals plus a few we knew! Nice experience. I ordered an old fashion 3 outta 5 stars, girl next door was 5 outta 5. Service was great! If you're in the area, drop in! Very relaxed atmosphere.

Passing town and was in the mood for some great live music. Turned to Yelp and guided me to this…read moreplace. Luckily we arrived before Greg Dileo started to perform. He reminded me of Bob Dylan singing, strumming the guitar and the harmonica. Samantha and Rachelle took care of us with wonderful service. Highly recommend this hidden gem

* Came here for cocktails only and was not disappointed *…read moredelicious cocktails * Amazingly priced * The bartender puts time into his craft in making sure the drinks are awesome * Super friendly and attentive service * Cool space * Wine and spirit tasting options * Small plates menu available *Indoor and outdoor space

This is such an awesome wine bar in the heart of Santa Fe on the corner of Guadalupe and San…read moreFrancisco St. Shout-out to Evan who served us both times we visited the shop around happy hour time. The first time we came, we had a delicious cheese & charcuterie plate with all the fixins, including a spicy jam I asked to take to-go when we were done. Evan thoughtfully topped it off and put it in a small container. Wines were delicious--the hubs and I each ordered a flight, he a "refreshing whites" flight and I a mix n match situation (also whites, but with bubbly selections as well). The grandparents got their drinks by the glass and the kiddo was happy to have water and snacks. The ambiance is cool, both literally and figuratively....it was so pleasant to come in from the summer heat into this stylish and AC'd spot featuring local artists' work on the walls, and the hand soap in the bathroom also felt artisan and special. Individual hand towels to dry off hands after washing as well. The second time we came in it was just my husband and myself, and Evan gave us the royal treatment once again. There were other patrons and he graced every party with the same attentiveness and expertise. We each ordered a flight, and when Evan was knowledgeably explaining the wines we selected, it made me crave and decide to ask for a glass of bubbly. He went above and beyond to bring us a sampling of bubbles on the house! What?! Definitely will be back if we are ever in the area again and we highly recommend this place. Thank you, Evan, and Vara tasting room!

What a lovely spot! Came here for drinks and this place was beautiful and every detail was well…read morethought out and executed. Such a charming setting with prompt friendly service and yummy drinks. Drinks were on the pricier side but were good and worth it. Ambiance is a must!

The Dragon Room Bar was truly memorable. Although there's no reservation for an impromptu birthday…read moregathering of 8, we found a large round table not long after we arrived. We had been few years back for our anniversary and ever since then we had wanted to go back. The waiter did his best to gather extra chairs and we were able to all fit at the round table. To my amazement, we had found a spot for the night to celebrate my birthday. The waiter asked what we had wanted to start with besides water for everyone. We got a bottle of red wine started and some margaritas along with a manhattan. Then afterwards couple of fish tacos and some carne asada arrived. We had great drinks and tasty food. Everything is delicious and so much great fun vibes. A definite memorable birthday to remember at this small but fantastic bar. Here's to coming back to the Dragon Room bar sooner.

Very cool spot! True speakeasy with a needed password, hidden downstairs and through a cooler vault…read moredoor. Service and cocktails were on! Once your eyes adjust you'll see how intimate it is.

Awesome speakeasy in Albuquerque. The staff was extremely friendly and nice and the vibe was so…read morecool. Walk thru a liquor store and enter thru the freezer for a cocktail adventure. The drinks were all very well made and the selection of hard liquor was excellent. The bartender was super nice and very good about selection and attended to us as well as she could given she was the only one. The drinks were excellent at her suggestions and and would love to come back to try the rest and the collection.

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

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