So lucky to find this place. I was going thru town and stayed at a hotel right next to this place. It is what I would still call a diner. A really well run diner. They give you a small bowl of beans and green chiles with crackers when you come in. I have never seen that before. I went on the day they have the burgers on special. Had my first green chile cheeseburger and it came with home made potato chips. It was exceptional. The place is clean, the staff is wonderful. The food is great. If I lived here, this is where I would go for a burger. read more

Every time I come to Albuqueque, I gotta go to the Owl! Barely got to say hi to Granny before we were out the door ordering some green chilli cheese fries! Delicious! read more

The Owl Cafe - Chicken and Beef enchiladas were to die for!! - Diners Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Loved the food! My party had (and greatly enjoyed) the green chile cheeseburger, the albuquerque patty melt, the Mazatian turkey sandwhich, and the kiddo had the Mac n cheese wedges. The adults ended up eating the Mac n cheese wedges, they were so good and what a guilty pleasure! ( but apparently TOO good for the finicky toddler who only wants plain Kraft). Loved the sweet potato fries with the sweet chili dipping sauce - what a funky good combo that is! The potato chips were also good and clearly homemade. Of course you stay for dessert and you won't be sorry! Shakes and sundaes are awesome. I love diners and 50s nostalgia, and the atmosphere here is great. They back it all up with great food too. Thumbs up! read more

Pretty good mom and pop restaurant definitely worth the visit but could use some upgrades on the inside of the restaurant it's kinda dated but food and service was pretty good. read more

It's a diner, not a spot to get authentic juicy burgers with green chili. These burgers were over cooked and thin. The chili had some kick. Breakfast another matter. Nice portions. Potatoes and eggs were good. Disappointed that corn beef was deli sliced and chopped (no flavor). We would have preferred and enjoyed it much better if it was homemade. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain read more

Love this place. Situated right off the interstate, if you're driving through ABQ and looking for fast, friendly food, this is your stop. You can't miss the building - shaped like an owl, it's got a large patio out front - mostly covered in canvas tarps for shade and protection. Inside it's a traditional diner decor, with a bar situated in the middle and booths along the sides. When I say 'traditional diner' vibe I mean exactly that - faux-marble table and countertops with chrome accents and neon lighting. Service has always been great - fast and attentive with plenty of smiles. Starts a day off right with smiles and a big pot of coffee. As for the food, it's a mix of classic greasy spoon stuff and New Mexican flavors. Breakfast can be regular American eggs n sausage n pancakes or you can go with a big fat breakfast burrito with all the green chile you can stomach. Lunch is the same - I prefer my burgers with green chili on them, and it's worth a try. Prices are great. My last visit was less than $10 for breakfast and coffee. I sat there for nearly two hours killing time and was never once hurried along, which is why it's such a great stop if you're driving long distances or even just getting started for the day. Check it out! read more

The Owl Cafe is hard to miss from the street with its distinctive, well, Owl-shaped building. It's hard to forget, though, because of the milkshakes. They offer a range of handmade milkshakes with very interesting flavors - not just the standards - and they are excellent. Your milkshake will go well with one of their gourmet burgers. Several of these aren't really on buns, perhaps challenging the definition of a burger, but they are wonderful. I recommend the Ranch Burger, which comes in a tortilla looking a lot more like a taco. The restaurant itself is very much an old fashioned diner, ringed by booths with coathooks and built around a breakfast bar and partially open kitchen. The feeling is very casual and nostalgic. If you're looking for a burger and a classic diner experience, definitely try the owl Cafe. read more

Always on our stop list when traveling! I mean the food is always fantastic, the wait staff is phenomenal. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Doesnt matter what you order... Its all great!! Its like taking a step back in time when diners took pride in their food, service and giving their all. This is a must stop... you will not be disappointed! read more

Let's start off that I really wanted to like it here and I was excited to go here. I ordered chiles rellenos, mistakes and misunderstandings all across the board. On the menu the description says nothing about meat. I do not eat beef. The plate arrives it looks beautiful two chiles golden brown covered in green chili sauce, lettuce and tomatoes ontop rice on the side and beans on the other. I cut through a crisp end and take a bite perfect, delicious I take a second bite that bite was different and full of ground beef. Yikes. confused I went to grab a nearby menu and read it again and again searching for beef. (Apparently it was in the chile sauce) The servers were quick to get the meat plate replaced with a meat free one, although I'm not sure why all four got involved... The second plate came out not nearly as pretty as the last probably due to a rush of replacement. The peppers were soggy and soaked, I like spicy but the sauce that was a replacement sauce was so spicy I couldn't eat more than a few bites. The poblanos also were not cleaned out, each bite had dozens of seeds. I know some places leave them in, but phew too many seeds for me. My experience may be impaired to my specific food desires, I just wanted this review to be posted as a guideline for non meat eaters. I plan on coming back in the future it is a cute place , I'll just order something else... read more

The Owl Cafe - Your order may appear meat free but beware! Some of the chills have beef - Diners Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I drive by this place several times a week and had always got a kick out of the fun shape of the building. Once I managed to make it inside I was pleasantly surprised. Inside is nice and light with a quaint dinner set up. The wait staff were nice and friendly. They bring pinto beans and green chile with saltines as an appetizer, sort of like chips and salsa. A bit unusual but tasty overall. I ordered the green chile cheeseburger, which was juicy with nice spicy green chile on top. If you are looking for gourmet burgers you won't find it here. What you will get is a no nonsense plate of food that hits the spot at a very reasonable price. The onion rings on the side were also nice and crispy with generous portions. Overall a good place for a quick and tasty meal. read more

It's a family favorite when we want shakes and burgers. Great greasy burgers and of course you need to have green chile cheese fries. I've normally just had the green chile cheeseburger or a plain cheeseburger. But they serve different options on the burgers or even sandwiches. It's a must try local restaurant. read more

Fun place. They had the heat cranked up on a cold, blustery, wet evening, and we settled in to a booth and enjoyed the laid-back service. Ordered a couple of Sam Adams and the guacamole and chips. Guac was tasty, but served a bit too cold. Chips were yummy and served hot. Turned out we didn't actually need an appetizer, though -- the portions were sizable and my dinner came with guac on the side and chips. Oh, well -- we'll know for next time. I ordered the veggie quesadilla with green chile -- delicious! Lots of fresh veggies, yummy salsa, just a touch of cheese and delicious whole pinto beans. This is what I call a veggie quesadilla. Best I've had. Companion ordered the green chile (beef) burrito. Huge portion, served with rice and beans. He couldn't eat it all, but said it was amazing. We split a small piece of forgettable coconut pie (more like cool whip pie). We hadn't eaten all day and so ordered a ton of food, but if I came back I'd just stick to the main dishes and the nice cold beer. Good stuff, fun place, nice service, and reasonable prices. read more

We've been talking about checking this place out for a while and we finally did the other day. I got the veggie quesadillas and my husband got the green chili burger. We also got a cookie monster milkshake. Shake was super yummy. The rest of the food was yummy but not amazing. If we're in the area again we'd probably just order a shake and fries next time. read more

I dont particularly like diners but I enjoyed the owl cafe. Ambiance is good, servers are nice, t-shirts are great. Food is good (not amazing) and servings are large. read more

Meh... Burgers are nothing special. The meat is ground too much, and mine was very dry. The cook presses the patty flat on the flattop, pressing all the justices out. Maybe the cook just had a bad night. The fries were good. They are cooked fresh (I think) and not soggy. Our waitress was excellent. She was friendly and attentive. I may come back and try something else on the menu. read more

Not really my favorite ABQ establishment to purposefully go to. The seating is uncomfortable, the staff is just shy of rude, it's loud, and the food isn't truly remarkable. It's definitely gimmicky, and so I'm sure some people love it, but it's just not for me. The shakes are delicious, though. read more

The Owl Cafe - Carrot cake and ice cream. - Diners Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I came by for a late breakfast, only to learn that breakfast was no longer being served -- only to learn upon checking out that the specific breakfast I wanted is actually served all day. Apart from that... I am somewhat glad I got to try something I otherwise wouldn't have tried, entirely due to the breakfast debacle. The waitress was super-friendly and recommended the green chile cheeseburger, even bringing out a sample of green chile, beans, and rice. While I can go months between eating burgers and not miss them, I thought the food was perfectly fine. Nothing spectacular, but lots of it and at an affordable price. I also ordered a slice of pie to go, which was also meh. Ultimately, the Owl Cafe is like a Southwestern version of Denny's set to a 1950s theme. While it's nothing exciting, I am glad there's a place I can go for a decent burger at an affordable price. Next time, I may try a shake as those seemed to be my waitress' favorite thing on the menu. read more

Cute and kitschy diner with excellent milkshakes and great diner food. Service was fast and prices are great. Don't expect perfection-- that is not what diners are for. read more

Good food at a good price. We've been here a few times and this last occasion we weren't disappointed. I love the beans and green Chile at the beginning of the meal. We both ordered burgers, different varieties. My burger was quite messy and hard to eat but very tasty! Although we didn't order milkshakes on this occasion, I've had them before and they are delicious. If you're looking for a nice casual dining restaurant, you should definitely check this out! read more

OK... so we sought out the Owl Café based on a recommendation from a total stranger we met at a choir concert. Not even sure how the subject came up but when we mentioned that we were thinking about going to Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta he said he had been and said we needed to go and, while we were there, to go to Owl Café for a "great-big-juice-running-down-your-arm green chile cheeseburger". He was right about the Balloon Fiesta, but wrong about the Owl. It's a converted diner, complete with the 50's flip style, coin operated, table top jukebox thingys. Not sure if they were still operable... The meat in my green chile cheeseburger was unseasoned, had been smashed and cooked to death, making it dry and flavorless. The green chiles were drowned out by the pile of shredded lettuce making the burger six inches high. I was not impressed. My wife feared the green chiles may be too spicy for her so she asked the server if the sauce was spicy, to which the server replied, "well spicy is different to everyone". She ordered her (ground) beef enchiladas with the sauce on the side. The green chile "sauce" was so spicy that it even made me cough when I tasted it. I can handle heat, so I guess spicy in New Mexico is not for the faint of heart. The rice and beans in my wife's dish seemed to come from a box/can. The fries that came with my burger were good, but that's about the only thing that was. The moral of the story: It's OK to talk to strangers. Just don't listen to them. read more

How best to describe the Owl Cafe?? hmmm..... Just freaking a-MAH-zing, that's how. First time, we were virgins traveling through the Southwest. Coming home from a trip to Sedona, Arizona, we had a one night stay in ABQ. Being the type of folk who do not make hotel reservations ahead of time, we cruised into town having NO idea where we would stay. Having no a/c in the car at the time (yay...August in New Mexico) I actually harassed a dude at a stop light to ask him where the hell we could find 'hotel row'...he told us Eubank. We settled on a Holiday Inn Express (a tad above our usual horror movie set motel) and noticed a convenience store nearby...COOL, we could procure some booze and proceed to said hotel room. Oh, wait...Albuquerque has some weird liquor laws, so we had to settle on beer. (WAH!) BUT..we noticed the most cool looking restaurant, The Owl, basically in the parking lot of the hotel. Proceeding to our room (greatest...pillows and bedding....EVAR!) we promised each other a brekkies at this establishment. A few Miller High Lifes and hours of sleep (okay, and a shower, DON'T JUDGE ME!) we made our way to The Owl. The Diner...God's gift to the weary traveler.. seriously. Cheesy photos of Z list celebs who had eatin there (Hellllooooo Chuck Woolery!) with very chill, casual staff. (SCORE!) Eggs perfectly done. Tons of bacon and hash browns and a bowl of green chile on the side.BIG biscuits...and I know from biscuits.... Service was great; everyone seemed to be genuinely happy to be there. You could tell there were regulars and tourists, which is the perfect mix. If the locals like it, you can't go wrong. (May I interject..the table next to us requested extra bacon...and we saw a PLATTER of bacon taken to said table. It is four years later and we are still talking about that plate of bacon) Fade, dissolve...we are thru ABQ again; just for lunch. Where to eat? THE OWL! I had a green chile REUBEN sandwich. Yes, you read that right. The world's greatest sandwich w/a SW twist. BF had green chile Cheeseburger, and guess what? They brought a dish of pinto beans with, ummm..green chiles (!) to hold us over while we waited for our meal. They were NOM! Waitress was just so cool, and we punch ourselves every day we can't remember her name (Melissa? Belinda?) She matched my BF's acerbic wit, no problem. YOU GO, MELINDA OR BELINDA!! I hope we will be back in Albuguerque, because I can't imagine the rest of my existence with out at least one more meal at The Owl.. (Are they hiring??) And I must mention, we saw the car wash from Breaking Bad (right down the street) I can die a happy woman. Thank you Owl. read more

Good old American food that is served in a 1950s diner style atmosphere. Sometimes the burgers are spot on, and sometimes you get it over cooked. Their shakes and malts are awesome. Can't help but we felt like we were being rushed through the meal so the waitress could turn the table and make more money. Service is adequate and food is hit or miss. read more

This is an old school cool diner meets New Mexican comfort food. Couldn't be nicer greeters and servers! Complimentary starter green chili and beans with crackers is a nice touch. The green chili cheeseburger is on point. Not the hottest nor the mildest. Just as it should be. Brings 'em back. Beyond the burgers they have a nice menu for the family. The Rueben was good and tasty. Recommended. Our crew liked the multitudes of shakes. Some flavor mix and matches are almost unimaginable. One involving caramel was not our favorite. Another involving peanut butter was. The location of the Owl Cafe is very convenient. Right next to the I-40 interstate. In all this is a solid, affordable, and fun choice. A regular in the rotation. Try the Owl. read more

Cheese & brown gravy fries save this institution good reputation. Good thing 'cause the green chile is ass-hot and will sting the roof of your mouth and take the taste away. Try the vanilla drink or an egg cream to return some flavor to your world. read more

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This place made me really sad because there were so many great reviews. I was really stocked to come by but there food is sub-par at best. There are also sloooooooowwwww. read more

the receptionist at the motel we were staying at recommened this place. The decor looks like a 50s diner. the waitresses were very nice and really "on it." while we were waiting they served us a little dish of beans and green chiles with crackers. they were really delicious!! and that means a lot from me since i normally don't eat beans. my husband and i both ordered the green chile hamburger and that was super great! it had a great spice and heat to it. would love to go there again!! read more

In addition to the hamburgers being bland and greasy, the owners of The Owl have reached a new low in Covidiocy. In defiance of the governor's mask mandate, when we visited at least, all the staff had mesh "masks" with little sparkles and rhinestones on them. If you think that this is "political" and not a public health issue, have at it. read more

The food here was good. I went with the Southwest Roast Beef. The water tasted disgusting. I had one sip and didn't touch it after that. It left a disgusting taste in the back of my throat for the next 10 minutes. I did enjoy my dinner, though I didn't eat the tortilla chips since they are what you can get from the grocery store. If you go, don't drink the water. But it is a decent place to stop and eat and right next to Hotel ave. read more

Decided to try this because it was walking distance from our hotel and didn't want to drive after being in the car for 11 hours! I know we are in NM but I found it weird to be given a bowl of beans with jalapeños when we sat down with 2 crackers. Food was fast and tasty and our server was sweet. If I was a local I probably would not return. They should stick to classic diner food. There are Mexican restaurants everywhere. French fries etc should be served with burgers and turkey sandwiches - not salsa and tortilla chips. read more

This place has a huge menu, with a great variety of items to choose from. I couldn't tell exactly what kind of restaurant they were trying to be, perhaps just a diner, but the authentic Mexican food on the menu threw me for a loop. However, I ordered the tamales, and they were wonderful. The atmosphere was very laid back and our service was great. read more

Have again: the chocolate milk shake is delicious and large enough for two people. The onion loaf is quite good. However, I think the burgers, such as the bacon cheese burger is just ok. read more

On my trip to see my niece, her husband and my new great nephew, I happened to stay at a hotel right across the street from the Owl Cafe. What good luck, their breakfast was great. I had fryed eggs with their home fries and some of the best chorizo I ever ate. The service was superb. A very friendly staff. They have daily specials that looked very interesting. To bad, I only was there for two days. Next trip, I'd like to try one of those specials. read more

Maybe it was an off day. Our order was messed up. I asked for no cheese on the omelet due to allergies. The omelet came with cheese so another one was made. The second omelet was overcooked with a thick almost burnt crust. We had to leave for an appointment so I tried to scrape off the inside but left the restaurant feeling quesy. Another person's eggs tasted off and the bacon tasted off and cheap. Everything was bland and underseasoned. We were given a discount but still paid $30 for a substandard breakfast for three. read more

We stopped here for a couple of reasons: (1) it was after 9pm, and my options were kinda limited and (2) the Yelp gods told me to. So off we went. I wasn't all that hungry, so I had a BLTA (bacon-lettuce-tomato-avocado sandwich. They were a little cheap with the avocado, but more than generous enough with the bacon. I would have preferred an option other than wonder bread, but it seemed like a small detractor from an otherwise delicious sandwich. The potato chips served on the side were rather pathetic, so I made up for it by eating my son's french fries. My teenaged son had the green chili cheeseburger. It was monstrous, messy and delicious. It was so monstrous, in fact, that he didn't care that I ate a large portion of his fries. The waitstaff was friendly and efficient, and the wait time was minimal. It's definitely worth a stop if you're hungry. read more

WoW! iHonestly didn't think the chile omelets would have some heat, but they sure did! My mom ordered the green chile omelet, and iOrdered the red.... WOW! The green chile omelet was definitely hotter than the red! Now iKnow why New Mexico is known for their chile sauces! YuM!!! read more

The owl cafe is on our short list of places in Albuquerque to head to when we have a craving for the classic NM treat....the ever alluring...Green Chile Cheese Burger! The owl cafe gets it right. I love that you can order one without having to get a side of fries...that's right...save the calories for a MILKSHAKE! The last time we visited I ordered a red chile, chocolate and coffee shake that was awesome. They have a list of classics but I encourage you to alter to your tastes. Service at the counter was quick and efficient. We love the complimentary sample of pintos and green chile presented pre-ordering. If you are ever in San Antonio (or is it Antonito?) do your self a favor and try the owl cafe version there (original location or rebranding?)....super fun and you can get a cheap beer and salty service in a fun atmosphere. read more

We went on discount burger day and tried the coveted Owl Cafe burgers. My boyfriend had the green chili cheese burger, I had a bacon cheese burger. He said his was pretty good, but nothing legendary. I didn't really like mine. I have had better burgers other places. This was nothing to write home about. I'd like to go again and try a more traditional dish like enchiladas. I'm an equal opportunity eater. If they can prove they are as epic as their reputation, I'll gladly re-rate/review. read more

I'm a diner fanatic. Something about the comfort food and classic vibe. It's hard to find nowadays. Food is decent. Neat little spot.

All these year, in my backyard and never gave this place a chances, boy was I sorry. Outstanding in taste and service. read more

The Owl Cafe - Diners Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

There was a lady next to me who wouldn't stop nagging and the people she was with weren't much better. But the food and service was all around great my family was the problem. read more