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    The Owl Cafe

    3.8 (748 reviews)
    ModerateDiners, American
    Closed 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    The Owl Cafe Photos

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    THE OWL CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Owl Cafe

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    Green chile chicken enchiladas and the green chile cheese burger in the background
    Edwin S.

    Took my team to lunch for jobs well done. Love the nostalgic atmosphere. The food is amazing. We had enchiladas, salad and the famous green chile cheese burger. Our waitress was attentive and efficient...greats service!

    "Garden Salad ". With no onions??

    To go order beans and green chili bowl and a garden salad. I noted in two different places no onions in the salad! Charged for a bowl of beans and a garden salad. What I got was a cups worth of beans and a cup worth of side salad with plenty of onions. I also ordered blue cheese dressing and got ranch

    The New Mexico shake
    Jim L.

    Super fun and relaxing 50s style diner with a great vibe, fantastic waitstaff, and delicious food! My buddy and I were seated right away when we walked in. We chose a booth (better lighting for food photos) and got our menu and drink order. My friend got the California cheeseburger and I asked the Owlchiladas. When the food order arrived, I knew this was a good choice. The enchiladas with green chili sauce. The food was fantastic and completely filled the plate. A super sized meal! We finished off with a milkshake for desert! They have a large list of delicious shakes! I picked the New Mexico, a blend of dark chocolate with zesty red chili. Cold, creamy, and sweet with just a hint of spice.

    Owl Breakfast Burrito
    Mia M.

    What a great way to kick off the new year! I had been to Owl Cafe once before with a group of seniors, and the staff was so nice and accommodating. The restaurant is accessible with a great menu for folks old and young! It has a cool old school dinner aesthetic with great swag for purchase. I returned yesterday for a nice New Year's Day brunch- no wait and the food came out quickly. We mistakenly ordered appetizers, they were delicious. The only mistake was the portion size was so large we were unable to even scratch the surface on completing them! The pickle pile was literally so big- you need at least a pickle loving family of 4 to be able to put a dent in them. My breakfast burrito was awesome, great beans and loaded with eggs. The burger was big and juicy, and the fries crispy. The shake had a bunch of large brownie chunks which I love! I'll definitely be back.

    Cheese burger and fries.
    Charlene S.

    Everything went well-food, service, 50's ambiance. The NM shake was the best shake I have ever had in my life. I have nothing negative to say about the Owl Cafe and I have been going there for 20 plus years.

    Cafe stools
    James M.

    We had lunch at the Owl Cafe (now Owl Bar & Cafe). Great nachos and enchiladas. Service was great. Like being in a way-back-machine, the place originated in 1945 in San Antonio, NM, as a burger joint for Manhattan Project scientists. In 1986, locals relocated it to Albuquerque's Eubank Blvd, keeping the green chile cheeseburger recipe and 1940s vibe. Iconic for Route 66 nostalgia.

    "Owl"licious Nachos
    Megan C.

    I haven't been here in years, but I was craving a chocolate malt so we stopped by on a Saturday for lunch. We were seated right away and our waitress was very friendly. We started with a half onion log which was crispy and delicious. My husband had the nachos and I had a Reuben. The nachos were good with lots of melty cheese. I liked my Reuben with fries, but I thought $18 was pretty steep price wise. My husband also got a soda and I had a chocolate malt at the end. Yum! All in all, this set is back $70 with a 20% tip.

    Achievement wall
    Keasha E.

    Classic dinner atmosphere, plenty of seating, service was quick and waitress was very friendly, the food was decent, made to order so it came out hot, we all decided the food overall could have used some seasoning but for the most part tasted good, the fries were good.

    Tuna melt with fries add on
    Angie K.

    I was reminded recently that the Owl had changed owners and a friend really wanted to make sure his favorite tuna melt was still the deliciousness that he remembered, so off we went. The service as always was amazing and the servers were super friendly. It's a cute little diner with a lot of fun merchandise with some owl-related puns. So also a good place to grab some souvenirs for visitors. They bring you some beans likely mixed with chile and some crackers as a tasty appetizer. I was thrilled to learn there was also a vegetarian version and it was absolutely delightful.I had to try the highly recommended tuna melt. Though I got mine with the side of fries. Normally it comes with chips and salsa so the fries are an add on. The sandwich did not disappoint! I will be back to try some more things.

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was great and service was even better- recommend the country fried steak with home fries. DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT A SLICE OF PIE

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    1 year ago

    Tried a variety of breakfast orders, love them all. Wonderful old days nostalgia too.

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    Fantastic food fantastic service from Megan C. Very dog friendly on the porch love this place!

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    10 months ago

    The food was great, and the service was impeccable! Our server was so kind. The diner feel is amazing, I feel like I time traveled to 1959!

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    3 years ago

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    6 months ago

    Great food and service. Love their breakfast menu. Request repainting the parking lot 2 years ago to allow for more parking. Thanks.

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    8 months ago

    This is the cutest diner with amazing food and large portions. The service was quick and the employees are so kind and helpful!

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    2 years ago

    Food okay, service okay, typical inexpensive food. You get to draw on the paper table cloth

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    Page 2 of 19

    Ask the Community - The Owl Cafe

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    Central Grill and Coffee House - Chilaquiles

    Central Grill and Coffee House

    4.5(1.3k reviews)
    7.9 miOld Town
    $$

    I absolutely love this place. I've been here a handful of times now, and every visit has been a…read moregood one. The kids are happy, I'm happy, and honestly, that's a successful breakfast in my book. The only downside is the limited seating. It's a smaller location, so it can fill up quickly, especially during the breakfast rush. If you happen to come during a really busy time, you may have to wait a bit to find a table. That said, I don't think it takes away from the experience you just have to time it right. We usually come for breakfast since they're open for breakfast and lunch, and this time I tried the Grande burrito. And let me tell you, "Grande" is not an exaggeration. That is a LOT of food. I got the bacon-smothered burrito with red chile, and it was delicious. Unfortunately, I could not finish it. I do wish there was something between the Grande and Junior because the Grande is a serious commitment, and I'm not sure the Junior would be enough. I'll have to try it next time and find out. My daughter ordered the steak sandwich, which comes with an Angus sirloin steak on Texas toast. It looked a little wild when it came out, but she ate it and said it was delicious, so apparently the presentation was just part of the experience. My son got the sausage, egg and cheese biscuits. He ate the whole thing, so clearly he approved. His only complaint was that the biscuit kept falling apart, but considering he's a little kid, I'm going to blame that one on the user rather than the biscuit. The staff has always been friendly during our visits. On this particular morning, a gentleman came around several times to refill our house coffee, which I always appreciate. Good service and a full coffee cup go a long way. And if you're into pastries and coffee, they have plenty of options. I've tried their blueberry muffin, and it is divine. They also have different baked scones, and I've had their lattes and macchiatos, which have all been really good. I still need to come back during the lunch hours because there are several things I want to try. The hot beef sundae caught my attention, and the Philly also looked really good. There are so many different options that I feel like I could keep coming back and ordering something different every time. This is definitely the kind of place where you can stop in, grab something really good, enjoy a little coffee, and get on with your morning. It's casual, welcoming, and consistently good. Limited seating is really my only complaint. Otherwise, I've been here multiple times and have yet to leave disappointed. Definitely a must-try!

    This is a go to for my partner and I, usually the owner is the one taking our order so you know…read morethey're very hands on and local! It does get very busy so prepare to find a table once you order. The food is always amazing! It has a diner setting but home cooked charm. Some highlights would be the biscuits and gravy, breakfast burrito (smothered), huevos rancheros, and their pancakes! Anything you pick, you can't go wrong. If parking fills up, they have an additional lot just east of the property! Albuquerque hospitality mixed with old town charm, stop in, get fed, and support local!

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    Casual breakfast

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    66 Diner

    66 Diner

    3.9(468 reviews)
    5.6 miMidtown/University
    $$

    Took my son and his friends here. We were seated quickly. The food tasted great there was a lot of…read moreoptions to pick from. Some of the boys got breakfast item some of them got burgers. My son said that his milkshake was the best he's ever had. I really enjoyed walking around and looking at the decor. There's plenty of seating and a room in the back that can hold probably 30+ people. The women's restroom smelled really bad and was stuffy and humid. I hope that was just a one off and there was a maintenance issue.

    Here's a cleaned-up version that keeps your energy and voice:…read more Okay, so for the 66 Diner: we stopped here during our Route 66 road trip, which most of you know I've been taking very seriously. I've been hitting all the spots I can and being very strategic about the food stops. This place is nostalgic, historic, and right along the way in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It gives you all the old-school diner vibes immediately. I will say, all the young ladies working there were extremely nice, and the service was great. It definitely passes the vibes test. The burger tasted like that classic all-American diner burger. Not too greasy, but not trying to be some "beyond meat" situation either. Just good stuff. The fries were great, and very, very, very importantly: it passes the ranch test. We had a side salad with ranch, and the ranch tasted good on the salad and even better with the fries dipped in it. We also had the 66 Burger, which comes with green chiles. I had never had that on a burger before, but it was a really good twist and a nice local touch. Green chiles seem to be a big thing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, so it was cool to try that there. The onion rings were great too. If I hadn't been so full, and if it wasn't noon with eight more hours of driving ahead of us, I definitely would've gotten a shake too. All in all, absolutely great classic Route 66 vibes. It has all the nostalgia, great service, and great food. 10/10 recommend. Everyone should go.

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    66 Diner - Dining room. 66 Diner in Albuquerque

    Dining room. 66 Diner in Albuquerque

    66 Diner - Carrot cake

    Carrot cake

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    Frontier - Mexican Combo ($11) w/ Christmas enchiladas, rice, beans and a crunchy taco

    Frontier

    4.2(2.7k reviews)
    4.9 miMidtown/University
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    We stopped by Frontier Restaurant in Nob Hill for breakfast and had a great experience! I ordered…read moretwo eggs with hash browns and toast, along with an iced coffee. My husband had eggs, sausage, hash browns, and toast with an orange juice. Everything came out hot, fresh, and cooked perfectly. The eggs were just right, the hash browns had a nice crisp to them, and the portions were filling without being over the top. My iced coffee was also a great addition to breakfast. Frontier is such a classic Albuquerque spot with a casual, no-frills atmosphere and really good comfort food. We both really enjoyed our breakfast and would definitely come back!

    Te gusta! TBH, NM's…read morefood scene was underwhelming during my time there, and it was pretty disappointing to get food from the hearth that was more mediocre than the stuff we get on the East Coast. We ate from the border crossing past El Paso all the way to Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. And I'm sure we missed a ton of great places, but that being said, the places we did try... yikes! We rolled the dice on this place. At first I was like, "Great, another place that is going to give us a premade tortilla and some bland combination of stuff in the tortilla..." Now look... this is not a Michelin-starred place, nor is it Michelin-recommended. It's not going to be a spiritual experience. It's not going to make you think differently about a taco, an enchilada, or anything else on their massive menu. But this place has heart, soul, and there's a lot of hustle. The tortillas are made fresh, right there behind the counter (i.e., you can literally watch them crank them out), and that makes a ton of difference. The food is honest, without pretense: fast and affordable. The ambiance is equally without pretense -- college kids, working-class folks, families, academics... The food was simple, spartan, and honest. No frills. Not extraordinary, but above average for the context. There is an ASTOUNDING amount of variety on the menu, and the combinations are infinite. I very much enjoyed my meal, I very much enjoyed the people-watching, and I very much enjoyed the experience. This was perhaps the best meal I had in New Mexico -- the cheapest, and the most memorable. If this place was a beer, it would be one of those local lager/pilsners that is as cheap as a Pabst/Coors/Miller but punches up way past the pretentious IPA scene. Thanks Frontier.

    Photos
    Frontier - Interior

    Interior

    Frontier - Complimentary Sopapillas ($0)

    Complimentary Sopapillas ($0)

    Frontier - Mexican Combo ($11) w/ Christmas enchiladas, rice, beans and a crunchy taco

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    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen - Santa Fe Pancakes

    Vick's Vittles Country Kitchen

    4.2(431 reviews)
    1.3 miEastside
    $$

    Absolutely fantastic. Vacationing and we wanted to try the local food and Vick's did not…read moredisappoint. I had the huevos rancheros and it was delicious. My dad had a breakfast burrito smothered in red chili which simply does not exist where we are from and it was excellent. The service was great and the decor inside was nice and well thought out. I have been home from vacation for about a week now and already want to return for some of this awesome food!

    1 star because you can't give 0. Used to be a great place to eat. Good food., great service, nice…read moreenvironment. Everything's changed. All new staff that clearly don't understand the restraunt business. Went in today for breakfast, seated in the back. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. Took longer than normal to get waited on. Placed our order, had to correct the waitress several time on our order. Waited quite awhile, long enough to need more coffee. None was coming so had to call out to another waitress to get more. Our waitress did come back to bring the coffee. Before she got there we were discussing the fact that the entire staff was new. She must have overheard us and took it as some kind of slight to her. Two minutes later the manager came over to inform us that we were being rude to her server and that she would be taking over our service. After some discussion my wife said, "this is ridiculous, guess we won't be coming here again" the manager said "well I'll cancel your order and you can leave now". We said we didnt want her to cancel our order and she just said have a nice day. So we left. Sooo not the Vicks Vittles of the past.

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    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner

    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner

    4.3(181 reviews)
    2.8 miInternational District
    $

    New Mexico may be the only place you get chips and salsa with breakfast, but I like it!…read more My dad and my niece come here often, and assured me that even though the neighborhood is super sketchy, the food is good. This place looks like the coffee shops I remember going to as a kid--labs rock walls and a counter with seats. Our server was super sweet and helpful, and came back often to see if we needed anything. I had a delicious carne adovada stuffed sopapilla. We also ordered French toast with eggs and bacon and a carne adovada omelet with hashbrowns and a pancake, and everyone enjoyed their very large breakfasts. This might be in a relatively unsavory part of town, but it's worth the visit for the good food and good service!

    Five stars for the wonderful waitress they have, with so much personality. Zero stars today for the…read morevery poor plate of tacos he/she served me. Boo to the cook. The taco meat had been sitting on the back burner most of the day. I walked in at 1:10 pm and they close at 2 pm. Horrible dried up ground beef. Can't believe I am paying for dried up tacos, and the cook served me just that, instead of making me fresh ground beef. Next the Spanish Rice was also very dry and cold. The cook could not at least get it warmed up, no because it was so dried up rice, warming it up would not work. Very nasty plate I was served. The beans were good, yet they were luke warm. The only thing that was fresh on my plate was the sopaipilla and the guacamole. Otherwise, what a freaking mess I was serviced. I guess I am done with Kap's. Sorry because you all have a wonderful up-front staff. There should be a restaurant rule, that they can't serve food that has been sitting around for more than a hour drying up that should not be served to their visitors.

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    Kap's Coffee Shop and Diner
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    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe - Churro waffle

    Sunnyside Up Breakfast and Lunch Cafe

    4.3(510 reviews)
    2.6 miUptown
    $$

    Hadn't eaten at Sunnyside Up for several years and wanted to give it another try for breakfast…read more We sat on the patio and still had excellent service. It was as if we were sitting inside. The waitstaff were attentive and professional. The food was excellent. We ordered breakfast and all food and drinks were flavorful and plentiful. I highly recommend this business and will definitely be bac

    We arrived shortly after 9 am and had a very brief wait for a table. The restaurant has a very…read moreclean and welcoming ambiance. Our server was there promptly as we were seated taking our drink order and finding out we were first timers, pointed out common favorites as suggestions. We shared a biscuit and gravy breakfast plate, which the restaurant was kind enough to split for us in the kitchen. The menu stated they used sausage gravy and photos from here on Yelp supported that; we however got gravy with zero sausage. It wasn't even a creamy country gravy. It was so thin. The taste was good but still disappointing. The potatoes were excellent. Well seasoned with crispy bits. The egg was perfect for us. Over easy order=whites solid with runny yolk. The egg was so good I ate most of it before I remembered to take a picture. The food I'd give 3.5 stars but the service pulled my rating up to 4. We do plan on returning for their amazing looking pancakes, waffle plates and or French toast. When we left the restaurant at 10:10 AM the waitlist had started. All benches by the entrance were full. A very popular restaurant!

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    The Owl Cafe - diners - Updated September 2026

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