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    The Matador

    4.0 (162 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Matador Photos

    THE MATADOR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Loud
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - The Matador

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    Karla, the awesome attack bartender.
    Rick S.

    Santa Fe is known for its awesome cultural attractions, food, weather, and many other qualities. And yet there's times when you don't necessarily seek a superlative experience. Perhaps you desire some earthiness, a bit of grunge even. The Matador fills the bill. This basement dive bar effuses those characteristics and then some. Even the underground location adds to its charm. Although the address lists a San Francisco Street location, the entrance is a bit hard to find off of Galisteo Street across from Evangelo's (another fun bar to visit). Head down the concrete stairs and enter into a cozy and compact space. The decor won't win any awards but you'll feel at home with the friendly bartenders and heavy pours. Karla is our favorite and is wise beyond her young years. This is an awesome joint to cap an evening of revels in Santa Fe. Highly recommended.

    Vampires rendition of me from 1880's Old West Taos, back when things were really wild...
    Simone L.

    It's the only Neo-Punk destination in Santa Fe New Mexico ! Bring your Cash and Attitude, but leave your Credit Cards & Pretense at home ~ !

    Earl the bartender
    Jilynn K.

    Loved the bar. Ive taken many trips to Santa Fe and finally made it in. Had a great time then stubbled home

    Stone stairs to fun
    Jess X.

    Not the bar downtown Santa Fe wants, but the Bar that downtown Santa Fe NEEDS!!! The Matador is a alternative grungy underground bar, open until 02:00am. That's like an undiscovered African 10 karat blood diamond in the land of geriatric Native American flute playing music. It's cash only my friends. Just look for the inconspicuous stone stairwell illuminated by a red light and come down. A bar to just be real and have free fun. Kick off those bejeweled cowboy boots and that southwestern patterned poncho and come have some grungy, raw fun!

    a glass of gingleton next to a bottle of gingleton
    Jeff P.

    As dive as you can get! I was town for a few days and luckily found this place on an evening stroll. When you find the address look down, it is below street level, follow the nasty looking concrete steps down! And settle in for a healthy pour, classic movie on the one TV and loud music.

    One bad ass gin & tonic and one wicked strong bourbon & coke served in SUGAR SHAKER containers.
    Brooke K.

    This is freaking cool place!!!! I'd say the other word if I thought it would pass the censors. If you can handle a loud, punk, underground bar, this is the place for you! I know when we walked in tonight the patrons and bartender thought to themselves we were preppy, out-of-place, old fogies. Little did they know that we were going to spend the entire night here. We may look a certain way, but we appreciate the art on the walls, the classic dive atmosphere and the STRONG drinks! FYI... CASH ONLY

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    7 months ago

    Loved the vibes here, very divey. The bartenders were super awesome as well.. will definitely return when back in Santa Fe.

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    Just the best place . No attitude all real place . The staff is unpretentious and super friendly . The energy there is eclectic.

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    3 years ago

    We were allowed in originally, but we were kicked out and not AT ALL allowed back in in since we had a drink in our hand upon arrival.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Cesar F.

    Cesar F.

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    3 years ago

    Love this bar!! Great music, awesome bartender. Really can't say enough about it. Finest of the fine, old school punk rock bars!

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    4 years ago

    1/15/22 - CASH only. Hidden dive bar that has cool bartenders. Threw some darts, didn't catch any hearts. Nice spot to hang

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    3 years ago

    Interesting late night bar in Santa Fe . Would I return yes underground hard to find but it does have a certain vibe

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    7 years ago

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    Page 1 of 5

    The Matador Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Matador

    Is this country Music?

    Sometimes country, sometimes punk, mostly rockabilly and punk

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    Review Highlights - The Matador

    . My and my friend immersed ourselves into the sea of patrons and had a seriously good time with punk rockers and Pueblos alike

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    The Dragon Room Bar

    The Dragon Room Bar

    4.0
    (102 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    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.

    What a lovely hidden gem in Santa Fe! My boyfriend and I checked this place out on a quiet Sunday…read morenight & loved the ambience and decor. Every touch is well thought-out and beautiful! We were surprised to learn the bar has been closed a few months for renovations, and we are some of the first to wander in before their soft re-opening Tuesday (5/5). Our bartender was very kind & attentive, and the cocktails were wonderful! Will definitely be coming back next time we're in town!

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    The Dragon Room Bar
    Chuhily glass sculpture hanging from ceiling

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    Chuhily glass sculpture hanging from ceiling
    Secreto Lounge

    Secreto Lounge

    3.5
    (220 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    The drinks here were solid. But the service started out terrible, so not sure I would return. I…read morewould more likely go to Tonic (reviewed separately) for cocktails. When I arrived, I originally wanted to visit the restaurant, which was closed for the week due to a family emergency. So I presented to the open seating bar. Was ignored a long time. Got up to go to the bar and someone else stole my table. Took a long time to be acknowledged by the bar tender and finally made an order. Took quite a while to get it. Things got better when a bar seat opened up and I moved to the bar. But keep in mind, a different bar tender pretty much took over and kept my drinks flowing. That first bar tender could not hang, demonstrating poor time management skills and appeared to be moving slowly. The second bar tender, I think his name is Hector, really turned things around for me. I visited Secreto (another hotel based outfit, in the Hotel St. Francis) because they are supposed to be a "cocktail experience," boasting "garden to glass" cocktails. Dark wood and southwestern palate for decor. I had: Smoked sage margarita: flagship drink, smoked washed premium margarita (super herbal) Ghost ranch reverie: Tequila with peach, apricot shrub, lemon, seltzer, smoked rosemary (light, not too sweet, an "homage to the passionate artists of the southwest) Madonna of the Mesa: tequila blanco, pomegranate, mouth herbs, lemon, rose water (soft and balanced) Secret garden: basil infused gin gimlet with lime and chomilre infused honey. "Botanical crispiness meets honeyed serenity." I liked the basil, but the honey wasn't my thing. But a good cocktail. Again, drinks were good. On a Thursday afternoon, it was initially crowded and the initial service was terrible. But Hector saved the day.

    We thoroughly enjoyed spending an hour here prior to dinner…read more 'The cocktails were inventive (lots of smoke and infusions) and the surroundings were pleasant. We sat on the veranda out front and it was the perfect spot for watching the world go by. Recommended cocktails; Smoked Sage Margarita, Secret Garden and the Secreto Old Fashioned.

    Photos
    Secreto Lounge
    Signage
    Signage
    Secreto Lounge

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    Tonic

    Tonic

    3.4
    (125 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    I had two cocktail bars on my "must visit" list for Santa Fe. One was Secreto, the other was…read moreTonic. I reviewed Secreto separately. And while their cocktails were good, the service was lackluster and it was loud and crowded. Granted I visited Tonic a little later in the evening, but it was low lit, quiet, not crowded, and playing jazz. The bartender was SUPER attentive, but in a positive way. He really seemed to care that we were comfortable. In fact, most of the negative reviews complain that it was low lit and quiet and only one bartender. I found these things the most attractive. They focus on craft cocktails with seasonal ingredients. I visited late in the night after other stops at Secreto and Coyote Cafe, so I was flagging a bit. I can't even remember what I ordered, but both cocktails were great. Very herbal and complex. They have herbal cocktails, savory cocktails, spicy too. I also love how some of their cocktails have little romance novels or stories to go along with them as a way to describe their flavors/mood.

    We didn't even get the chance to sit down or spend our money here. We showed up with a party of 9…read moreand were stopped at the door before we could even step inside. A staff member asked our group size, said she needed to check with the bartender, and then a male employee came up and said he was the bartender. He told us they couldn't accommodate a party of nine and also refused to let us split into smaller groups. The way it was handled made it worse--he was condescending and hit us with, "I don't make the rules, I just enforce them," with zero effort to offer alternatives or show any basic customer service. I've never experienced a place turn away a group that's clearly ready to spend money, especially on drinks. Turning away out-of-town guests like that without even trying to work with us is a pretty bad look. Definitely not a great first impression.

    Photos
    Margarita
    Margarita
    Gin drink
    Gin drink
    Tonic

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    Mary's Bar

    Mary's Bar

    3.0
    (8 reviews)
    20.2 mi

    One review and I my because we found it. Place looked abandoned and so did the town. It was…read moreliterally a ghost town and would creep you out at night. Not sure why it doesn't say "permanently closed".

    Good lord, can't believe this gem has not been reviewed! Unless I missed it...!!!…read more If you are in the Santa Fe area, Mary's Bar is a MUST SEE. My motorcycle buddy took me here for an afternoon beer. We pulled up to the wooden, deserted-looking bar and I was like, uh, really?? But the sign said "ABIERTO", so my friend smiled, pushed the door open for me, and thus the adventure began. The bar is basically a large room full of stuff. Crap. Boxes. A covered pool table. Covered with cats. The actual bar was a small thing on the right side of the room. Also covered with cats. I love cats, so I was okay with this. :) A woman ambled out from the back, eyeing us warily (we were the only ones there), then got us our beer and water and sat behind the tiny bar to keep tabs on us. Once she started talking, man, we got some local stories that were pretty amazing. She turned out to be Mary's granddaughter; Mary (who just turned 95!!!) was in back taking a nap. My friend was disappointed Mary was not around, as apparently she is a real firecracker. It was Mary's parents who started the bar in the late 1800's (although I read it started as a general store) and it's still going... not strong, as the town of Cerrillos is pretty much a ghost town, but it's going. A must see if in the area. You won't be disappointed!

    Photos
    And there is Mary, August 20, 2009.  See more on my Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/en321/
    And there is Mary, August 20, 2009. See more on my Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/en321/
    Me, my host, his bike, and Mary's Bar.
    Me, my host, his bike, and Mary's Bar.
    Mary's Bar

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    Mine Shaft Tavern

    Mine Shaft Tavern

    4.1
    (389 reviews)
    22.9 mi
    $$

    In all fairness ..I live right up the road from this tavern…read more so I've left a lot of reviews But I'm gonna say their FISH and CHIPS are stellar !! served with malt vinegar Very crunchy beer battered Cod with excellent hand cut fries ! Tastes to me just like the pubs in Ireland and England Not a HUGE portion, but enough for me (the coleslaw is also delicious) I have a margarita on the side w this Weird eh ? Plus the music is to DIE FOR incredible We have played here ourselves a couple times but the music keeps getting better and better

    Almost 10 years later, Gayle and I enjoyed another Lunch in Madrid, fresh from landing at ABQ…read more This remains the Turquoise Trail and from there we would later stop in Los Cerrillos on our way to Santa Fe. They call these 2 places "ghost towns" which is a bit of a misnomer. I do think that Madrid and Virginia City Nevada have a similar abandoned mining town vibe that we both found charming. And with the exception of the Virginia City Hat Maker, Madrid has better art. We came in on a Friday and just before a weekend music festival was to begin with the Mine Shaft being a major participant. We missed all than, but wouldn't have minded a little early live music. We snagged a nice outdoor table on the deck and enjoyed 2 different types of delicious brisket, along with generous portion of fries. I had a local beer, while Gayle had wine. We took our time and really enjoyed our time here. Until next time....

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    Mine Shaft Tavern
    Birds
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    Medium, just as requested

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    Medium, just as requested
    Chimayo Chili Red Tavern

    Chimayo Chili Red Tavern

    5.0
    (2 reviews)
    21.8 mi

    Yelp says 5 stars = "Woohoo! "As good as it gets!" and that is true for Chili Rojo Tavern…read more.. because, in Chimayo, this is *all* you get! And, it is GOOD. Well, good if you enjoy dive bars. And who in their right mind doesn't?! First off, you will probably be greeted by the owner tending his bar -- Wilford Ortiz, an old Army vet with centuries-old roots in New Mexico. Wilford grew up in the Chimayo area and after serving in the military at Ft Bliss in El Paso, he bought the bar (I think from his father) and has made it a local "institution." Be prepared -- he will greet you with a big smile and what a smile it is!! He is quite a charming chap, and I think when he was younger, he may have had a talent for opening bottles with his bare teeth! It's a must-see. Hey -- You're traveling the backroads of NM... you're staying in Santa Fe, drive north to hit lunch at the Chimayo restaurant with all the tourists... you owe it to yourself (and definitely to Wilford, who's tryin' to run a business in this sleepy little town!) to visit Chili Rojo Tavern. Just a little further north of the restaurant, and then west on 76. He might charge you $2.50 for a can of Bud Light, the wood floor may be sagging a foot into the crawlspace below, but it will be the best roadside bar you visited in Northern NM... because frankly, I couldn't find any others. And, this is as "backroads" as it gets! This place made memories for us, and they are good ones. SALUD!

    For a town oozing with local flavor, this establishment takes top honor.. Wilfred serves a steady…read morestream of local take out business and the afternoon I was there, some nice cold Mexican beer and great conversation. The theme is a David Lynchian Havana paladare without the rice and beans.

    Photos
    The finest Bud Light money can buy
    The finest Bud Light money can buy
    A very heavy pool table.. must see

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    A very heavy pool table.. must see

    The Matador - divebars - Updated June 2026

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