I Finally decided to review this place because I finally came during happy hour and not when I was trying to cram in with the masses late night. Servers seem more friendly than I remember, also could have something to do with the hour. A Fresh batch of servers just arrived for tonight's shifts. Not only are the servers nicer early in the evening but the food is good too. My husband and I started with the quesadilla de la casa and added the chipotle pulled pork. Phenomenal little appetizer. Then I asked the waitress to help me decide between the jerk chicken platter and the butternut squash casserole. She recommended the squash and it came with a side salad, so I added the jerk chicken breast. I am really glad I ended up with both because they were so good! Now I know they have made some improvements because the last time I tried the jerk chicken, it was charred and the flavor was unrecognizable as jerk seasoning. This time the jerk chicken was moist and smokey and delicious. My husband had the scallops. It was a very generous portion and he didn't have any problems clearing the plate. There are pint specials everyday and the Thursday Deschutes Porter for $3 was very tasty. I was pleasantly surprised that my overall experience was positive. Personally, I hope it stays consistent but I'm not counting on it. However, I won't avoid Cowgirl BBQ anymore because the food was so good. Say what?
(3)
Lisa M.
Worst brisket I think I've ever had but the place is really cute and it's a really fun setting with an outdoor band.
(3)
Jennifer M.
This place is fun but there's not enough space between tables, the staff is running around and I saw a server/busboy SMELL someone's food AT the table!! I don't know if I would go back again.
(3)
Todd S.
Horrible experience. A very unfriendly security guard "greets" customers at the front door. Only 2 unisex bathrooms in the entire restaurant. Wait staff is not friendly. And they are adamant about limiting customers to 3 drinks each, no matter how sober you are. They claim it is some form of a city ordinance, but no other establishment in Santa Fe seems to know about (or adhere to) it.
(1)
Dona K.
I was invited here by a friend one evening. I show up and there is a cheesy band playing who need to fire their sound guy. The bar is crowded with hippie burn outs, guys with bad side burns,creepy local types, and trustafarians. Normally I would find this motley crue to be very entertaining and would settle in for some people watching but it reeks so badly of sweat, sour beer, and rank patchouli that I need to go outside and get some air. Once outside i am approached by random harmless drunks who are feeling sociable. Except for one brassy chick who eyes me suspiciously, insisting that she "knows me from somewhere, but she can't remember" but is SURE she had a problem with me. I have never met this woman in my life. She glowers at me through a haze of bad cocktail breath and smoldering American Spirits. She comically hangs on her friends in order to remain on her feet. I did have an interesting conversation with a woman who was an artist. Drinky the drunk girl also had issues with this and repeatedly tried to butt into the conversation. Very strange. I say goodnight to my friend and was out of there. This place is so nasty i can't believe people eat here. The whole experience was just depressing.
(2)
Ron B.
It was late. I needed something to eat, since it seems every Indian restaurant in this town closes before they say they will. I ran across Cowgirl since it was close to our hotel. Had the pulled pork sandwich since they were all out of yak. It's hard to find gluten-free buns anywhere, so appreciated that they had it. I know it's what they're known for (pulled pork) and it didn't really change my life, but it was late, I was hungry and served its purpose. The karaoke I walked in on and atmosphere was pretty good and the sort of place that would be good for taking a group of out of towners at more civil hours than the late night; as it's cool without being standoffish or too out of the ordinary.
(3)
Susan L.
Hard to believe, but I'm updating this review because my family and I ate at the Cowgirl last night for the first time since my husband and I contracted food poisoning there two years ago. I figured, hey - lightning won't strike twice. And my eight year old son was up all last night vomiting. Could be a bizarre coincidence, I guess, but our Cowgirl days are most definitely over.
(1)
Mike O.
I hit up Cowgirl BBQ for lunch. A few other attendees at the conference raved about it, but I was underwhelmed. I got the sampler of brisket, ribs and chicken. The first two were slightly underdone, but ok. The chicken was pretty good. The sides were fine. My BBQ is much better, but I'm biased.
(2)
Neenah B.
great burgers and atmosphere! GREAT for kids, which is hard to find in Santa Fe. They even have a playground.
(4)
Alan P.
Very disappointed . I was told it was gluten free but many items on menu are deep fried with same oil. Told chef is gluten free as well as his children, I was told I would be fine. They have no idea if you are celiac. Avoid
(1)
Cath M.
My mission since arriving in ABQ was to load up on BBQ and the BFF suggested this place when we were walking around town in Santa Fe. Good call indeed! We came in around 2ish ... middle of the day crowd and it was still semi-packed. Decor: really Western... lots of women in cowgirl outfits. Pretty eclectic. Food: I didn't try my group's food yet again but here's what I got: - BBQ Mesquite-smoked Baby Back Ribs (slow-cooked pork ribs basted with BBQ sauce served with BBQ beans, cole slaw and potato salad Bunkhouse Brisket) but I substituted the cole slaw and potato salad with Mexican Red rice and fries with a side of corn tortillas. = DELICIOUS! The baby back ribs were off the bones... literally finger licking good! The fries were nicely seasoned... the rice just completed it for me! I'm Filipina so I eat bbq with rice and I was in heaven! The bbq sauce was just right... not overwhelming strong and it was just the right amount basted in the ribs. Friendly server... and will probably drag the BBF here next time I'm in town! Price: decent for the amount of portion they give you! I'm from the Bay Area so we don't have a lot of BBQ places so I'm deprived. This might not be the best but for me that day... this was it. It definitely satisfied the craving and for that... five stars indeed.
(5)
Kelsey M.
We had a lot of fun playing pool here! Unfortunately, there is no music playing unless someone puts $ in the juke box, so that was a bit of a bummer.
(4)
Daniel D.
We were recommended by a cab driver while on vacation in New Mexico and we are now forever in his debt. After a long walk to Cowgirl we were greeted by nice picnic style tables in their outdoor seating area. My girlfriend and I obviously opted for that seating and were immediately greeted by an enthusiastic waiter. While waiting for our beers, we noticed doe local New Mexicans shooting pool in the billiards room, which made us feel like we were in a cool local spot. I will cut to the chase here and get to the important thing. We have tried nachos all over the country (its our thing) and we have not come across nachos like Cowgirl's. The cheeses were melted perfectly with equal distribution, the chips were not too hard, olives were added which most places do not add, jalapeños were served on the side in case you aren't a fan (which my girlfriend isn't) and a dollop of sour cream to top it off. Bottom line is if you do anything in New Mexico, go to Cowgirl BBQ for some beers and those infamous nachos!
(5)
Josh E.
First I would like to say Im a huge bbq fan , but I think they should drop the bbq in their name and just call it "Cowgirl". I had the beef brisket and it tasted like shredded beef mixed with some weird bbq sauce. I couldnt tell if it was smoked or just slathered in sauce. The service was below average. We were constantly looking around for our waitress. Although while we were waiting we were quite entertained by the lack of professionalism from the staff. Instead of tending to the customers needs they felt it was more important to wrestle and play grab ass amongst themselves in front of everyone. Nothing stood out as unique or even above average to me. The food was just okay. We won't go back I'm sure of that.
(2)
Allegra D.
Not the best I've had in Santa Fe, but not terrible. I got the chicken wings and truffle fries. The wings were quite spicy and tasty, though the truffle fries didn't taste terribly different from the normal fries. But the food was cheap and the ambiance was fun! There was a very funny band playing and the servers were very accommodation of the fact that we had to run and catch a movie. Plus, I got a lot of puppy therapy in on the courtyard! :)
(3)
Carmen Y.
Me and the hubby were there for early dinner at 5:00 p.m. midweek. The place was empty. Lots of servers. We ordered the roasted garlic appetizer. It came with melted cheese, a green salsa and toast. It was ok, but the garlic was messy to eat and a bit tasteless. He had the ribs, although tender, not too meaty and a small serving. I had the brisket, it was just ok. It came with what tasted like packaged potato salad. The accompanying beans were bland. Husband wanted to try the chiles rellenos, too spicy for me but the flavor was good. They came with black beans and rice, both were quite tasteless. Even the iced tea was weak. I should have picked another restaurant.
(2)
Frank M.
Wow! I ordered the mother of all green Chile cheese burgers! It was amazing. I have to rate this burger as One of the best green Chile cheese burgers I've ever had! The fries were seasoned with truffle oil! Yummy. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Lauren M.
This place was interesting. They were very busy on the Friday evening we went there, and we had a bit of a musical chairs situation, before getting seated. First, they offered to seat us outside. They have heating lamps, but it was just way too cold out for that (heat rises, so having heat lamps about 7 feet high really doesn't help a lot). So they told us we could go sit in the pool/bar area- except there were no seats available. We waited in there for a bit, but after a few minutes of dodging pool cues, I opted to just wait outside in the cold. I should mention that it was a perfectly nice crowd in the pool room, and no one acted annoyed at all- I just felt like everywhere I stood, I was interrupting someone's game, and I felt bad. We were seated a few minutes later, where we waited for quite a while to be greeted, then waited again for 2 people's choice award-winning green chile burgers. I'd say the burgers earned the stars. They were excellent, though I removed the 2 giant slabs of Brie. I really can't imagine what they were doing there in the first place. Good quality meat, nice flavor, perfectly prepared, and nicely spicy chile. The fries, too, were very good- seasoned, I think with garlic. The hostesses and servers were nice and seemed to be trying their best, but the place was just too packed. They need some kind of improvement to their system- the way things are now, there's nowhere to wait without either being cold or being in the way. And folks waiting to give their names to the hostess have to line up next to/stand over the patio tables, where people are eating. It's just awkward. I will say that their patio area is probably very nice in warmer weather. The food is very good, but the issues with service made this a less than optimal experience.
(3)
Emily J.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Fun laid back vibe (we were outside) and a great blues band was playing. We got nachos as an appetizer and really liked them. We did have a busboy drop salsa on the ground which landed on my husband, our nachos, and on me and were a little disappointed at how little they seemed to acknowledge it (we even had to ask for napkins). My husband got the jerk chicken and found it overcooked. I got mahi mahi tacos which the fish was seasoned well but a pretty small portion. Small palm sized tortillas and tiny amounts (one taco worth ...in my humble opinion) of all the extras. However the vibe was fun so we would go back.
(4)
John A.
Not worth the bucks!..I ordered the "bunkhouse brisket"- there is nothing special with this joint...Meat is well-done like cardboard...coleslaw sucks...potato salad that comes with the meal was like a Walmart bought salad yuck..the guy servers were so unprofessional-uncourteous-the bald guy and the lazy guy who wears a cap was rude..-condiments containers was filthy dirty..glass used for beers was dirty....i wonder who are on the back-of-the-house in this joint.. I wasn't really expecting this.. There are just making money out of the NAME - not because of the food and certainly the service....worst restaurant experience in NM.
(1)
Matthew J.
Management and/or ownership are comfortable lying to the public. They promoted their New Year's Eve band Broomdust Caravan as "No Cover". When we arrived, a $10 cover was charged to all. Attempts to discuss our concerns with the managers on duty were met with offers to fill our glasses "all the way" at midnight. Bartenders are nice, very helpful and do not appear to be involved with deceiving the public in order to make a few bucks.
(1)
James L.
Hello Yelpers! This will be my first "official" review. The Cowgirl BBQ gets two stars from me. I give two stars for the tap menu, the service, and the unexpected kid "play palace" which is located outside in the back. If you have little ones, it is pretty good out there and I suggest you take advantage. They have a chalk board, an activity park, and other items to mess around with while you are waiting for your food. I also enjoy the overall atmosphere it presents. Let us face facts though: if you feature "BBQ" in the name of your restaurant, I expect the BBQ to be treated with respect. My wife and I last visited six years ago and I am sad to say the food quality was not what I remember. I ordered the brisket again. The toasted bread was served under the brisket and sauce which made it a bit flaccid. I prefer to have a nice crispy piece of toasted bread to slap a helping of tender brisket and slaw on and go to town! While the smoke and sauce were good, I found myself chewing and chewing on every bite. For a brisket, that isn't good. Thankfully I had a good IPA available to help wash it all down. I do hope the Cowgirl BBQ is able to find its way back to a respectable treatment of the brisket. j.
(2)
Mark M.
The wait staff was inattentive, and the bbq was mediocre at best. The sauce was the only part of the meal that had flavor, and it was verrrrry sweet. I had the bbq sampler with ribs, chicken, and brisket. The brisket was pretty ok, but everything else was bland. I will say the portions are big and the prices were fair.
(3)
Robin W.
Went there last night for dinner. Service was excellent. Our waiter circle places on our map to visit the next day. We both had the Mother Green Chile burger and it was excellent. Good beer on tap, great atmosphere. I highly recommend you check this place out
(5)
Kevin M.
I liked the atmosphere and they had a great beer menu. The food, however was not special. We had the BBQ sampler and the sweet potato fries. Nothing to write home about. Service was good. I like that they have live music but the band that played when we were there were lousy and very loud. You could do worse but I don't recommend it.
(3)
Jedi M.
The "Mother" and some local microbrews, my tummy was happy. Only complaint was the bun could have been a bit more substantial, kind of disintegrated half way through. Good selection of beer and the green chili was not over the top hot. Servers we pleasant, and knowledgeable about the beer. Wanted to sit at the bar but that was crowded, get there early if you want to do that. So I was kind of put in the back room alone. I would for sure go back to try one of those game burgers, but go early to be able sit at the bar and chat with folks.
(4)
Tom S.
Gotta admit, when we first sat down (almost instantly, by the way, on a Saturday night, no less), and read some of the earlier reviews, I was nervous. But man, Cowgirl's is The happenin' place I'm Santa Fe. Sittin' on the veranda to witness some very eclectic folks.The variety of margaritas is great. The service was outstanding. And u ain't died and gone to heaven 'till you've had the mother of all green chile cheeseburgers. The variety of beers was great, the ribs had a nice spice to them, even while they fell off the bone...I'll be back anytime.
(4)
Shane B.
Hey straight up this is our favorite place to have dined here in Santa Fe and we have had some seriously outstanding meals at many restaurants all around town. Now look, it's a juke joint, local-yokel-hook-up and have a good time kinda feel and you know, it's a BBQ place k? So why the hell are a couple vegetarian rock and roll types doing stuffing their faces and havin a great time here? Weeeelll.... On a Friday night in late February this place was kickin with all kinds of energy and they have an outstanding selection of vegetarian courses. I shit you not :D And it helps that servers, guys and gals alike, have a sexy friendliness and seem to enjoy what they do. Anyway so... We had Cabeza de Ajo for an app. A head of roasted garlic, melted cheese, chile sauce served with crostini... We spared nary a clove nor dripping... Delish baby. For entree Christy had Arugula salad dressed in house vinaigrette with warm goat cheese and jerk tofu.. Magic. We absolutely loved it. MIGHT be our favorite dish so far. But that praise is not meant to denigrate the outstanding butternut squash casserole with organic wild greens that I was served. You know- squash casserole.. Yer thinking heavy stick to your ribs blood-clotter... Nuh uh... Light and tasty, squash cooked to perfection ... Man alright... Scrum-dilly-icious. K? And people, oh my good culinarily advanced people let me tell you about a little slice of devilish heaven called the flourless red chile chocolate cake... It's served warm you know, with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of dulce de leche with hot chocolate fudge sauce drizzled about ... I say unto you... Ooo la laaAaa . One of the best desserts I've ever had bar none. Woof! Hey man get over there to Cowgirl right now or later but don't let it pass you by.
(5)
Alfonso E.
I guess theryre okay at what they do. I've not been super impressed. But they're ok. I've had several dishes there, never been disappointed,
(3)
John Jah F.
This place has a very creative menu, a wonderful staff and a very unique setting. I visit the Cowgirl every time I'm in SantaFe and bring all of my DC friends here when they fly in. The brisket is very tender and matches great with the green chili Mac & cheese. Lots of vegetarian items too if you swing that way.
(5)
Rich A.
I chose this place based on some suggestions on another website. I have to say the live entertainment made the trip worth it. I had the brisket sand which was really tasty. The draw back of the place is the servers. I waited 10 minutes before a server approached and then when one did he was so unfriendly Then I proceeded to watch a whole bunch of waiter and waitresses just hang out talking to each other they seemed indifferent to customers. I won't go back. There are other places that have just as good food and a staff that is interested in their customers service
(3)
Steve N.
Ribs were mediocre, fries dry & cold. The 12 hr brisket was way too chewy for 12hrs in a smoker.
(2)
Rick M.
great staff but soso BBQ had the bbq combo plate. great place for a drink and listen to good entertain
(3)
Betta L.
Really friendly and helpful wait staff and bartenders, DELICIOUS food, awesome selection of beer. I'm a vegetarian and they had plenty of options for me. Also, they have live music sometimes.
(4)
Patron X.
Not real barbecue. The patio is cute. The cowgirl theme is cheesy but fun. The service was fast and friendly. The beer selection was great, its main redeeming grace, but the food was terrible. It's a tourist place, and New Mexico isn't known for barbecue, so I felt like my low expectations were going to be hard to fall short of. It was like cafeteria food. Chips and guac is usually a safe starter, particularly in NM, but these were crappy packaged chips, not even restaurant style, and the guac was bland. The brisket was neither very tender nor did it have any kind of char on it. The sauce was boring, not sweet, not spicy, not vinegary, not smoky, not flavorful or distinct in any way, just seemed like something they buy by the gallon from a restaurant supplier. The toast was just a sad soggy piece of thick packaged white bread under a puddle of yucky sauce. The beans were boring. The slaw was boring. The potato salad was boring. Nothing tasted smoked, homemade, or distinct in any way. I ate exactly enough to satiate my hunger but the food wasn't worth eating for anything more than just sustenance. If they have any decent appetizers then I might go back for beers sometime, but if you're looking for BBQ, this isn't the place.
(2)
Amanda T.
After a long drive to Santa Fe we were hungry. We called a couple of the restaurants Denver Yelpers had suggested but couldn't get reservations. So we called the Cowgirl and they said at that time they could seat us right away. We arrived and it was crowded, but not packed. We ordered the Green Chili Cheese fries, a burger for Brent N. and brisket sandwich for myself. Our fries was a huge plate of fries topped with green chili and smothered with cheese. They were tasty and spicy. Brent enjoyed his burger and my brisket sandwich decent, the BBQ sauce was a bit sweeter than I usually like, but there wasn't anything left behind! One star off for service. Our server was nice, but not very attentive and made a couple of errors. Our timing was perfect, because as we were leaving there was a big crowd waiting to be seated. With reasonably priced, tasty food this is certainly a place I would return to when I'm in Santa Fe.
(4)
Steve B.
This was the most fun we had eating in Santa Fe. The food was classic BarBQ with game added. The staff was all wonderful. We called for a reservation and let them know that we were coming for the group that played on Friday through Sunday evening. They also had live music at lunch. Prices were very reasonable for the amount of food and fun. We will definitely return the next time we are in Santa Fe.
(5)
William B.
Tired of the over-priced, tourist traps of downtown Santa Fe? Do yourself a favor and come here for a night. The place is big, hopping, and cheerful. On a Friday night with no reservation we still got a table in 15 minutes or so. The bar is full of locals, and has tasty local beers on tap for four dollars each. The State Pen Porter was good, but the Monk's Ale was even better-- good enough that I may have to figure out how to score some from two states away. Then there's the food: We had chicken wings, a buffalo burger (with fries), and a Caesar salad (with jerk chicken). It was nothing fancy, but everything was just Really Good. The fries seemed to be made with real potatoes. The chicken wings were spicy and satisfying. The burger was a well-cooked patty of quality meat on a real bun. Even the salad was somehow a little bit fresher and a little bit better than you'd think from the looks of the place. There are plenty of seasonal offerings on the menu, and I'd feel comfortable ordering almost any of them. I'm not quite sure what is going on here-- maybe a chef with an unusual sense of pride in his work has mysteriously ended up in the kitchen of this place-- but you owe yourself a visit. Stunned by how well our luck had turned out so far, we actually listened when our waitress made the case for dessert. Despite a long-held prejudice against restaurant-generated flourless chocolate cakes, we ordered the Cowgirl BBQ's version, allegedly laced with red chile. Sure enough, we were impressed again. Anybody competent can make a dense, chocolatey, fudgey brownie (though you would be alarmed at how many restaurants apparently don't employ competent people to perform this task). Anybody with a little taste can accompany this with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. But the addition of red chile was pure genius. Sweet, rich, chocolate still dominates your palate, but after each bite (which you will savor), a tiny hint of heat warms the back of your mouth. The last little shock came when the bill arrived-- I glanced at the total for our drinks, appetizer, entrees, and dessert, and for a second thought I must somehow be looking at only *half* the total. My wife and I debated afterwards what to compare this restaurant to. The best comparison I can think of, for DC-area-denizens, is Ray's The Steaks. I'm not saying it's the best meal I've ever had, but it is one of the most satisfying combinations of food, service, and price I have had in a long time. It is truly unfair that it is so rare. If I lived in Santa Fe, I would go every week.
(5)
Amy H.
I am a big fan of BBQ, I eat a lot of it wherever I go. I had hoped this could be my local go-to BBQ place but I will never go back and never again give this place my money. I have had better BBQ at chili's, yes the resaurant chain. Short version: dried out ribs and brisket. No smokey flavor. Not enough fat. Slathered in sauce. Measly portions. (Seriously, 6 pieces of brisket for an order? Only 7 ribs?!) ridiculous. This was the ANTONYM of what BBQ should be. Poor form. This place us resting on its laurels. Don't go. Much better places to use your $.
(1)
Samuel C.
The brisket and burgers are good. The best part about the Cowgirl is the kid's corral outside in the summer. You can have lunch and a margarita and watch the kiddies run around and play. On weekends, there is usually some kind of blues/country/rock band playing.
(4)
Amanda D.
Large, hearty portion Great atmosphere Opens late Great service We stumbled in here after an uneventful search for food. Cowgirl welcomed us with warmth and good food and drink. What more can you ask for?
(4)
Jared J.
Had the green chili chicken, tasted great, good dark chocolate beer for 5.50.
(4)
Mark F.
A Yee Haw good time. The atmosphere is great, the bar a roaring good time and the patio certainly worth kicking back on but the brisket, is not my favorites. Other meats are a-ok. Potato salad was bland. No mustard kick but the cole slaw was good. The Bunkhouse Brisket was so so. Covered in sauce, it was hard to get a real bead on it but I can tell you it's rubbery and dry. It did pull apart easily but what's the point if I have to chew and chew? The Wings of Fire had a great chili burn that kept on burn'n and even the Wingdings offered a nice kick. French fries are thin and cooked in a dirty grease so they have fantastic flavor. The BBQ on a Bun was dripping with sauce. I'll pass. Parking was tough with, as far as I can tell, only street parking. I'll visit again but be sure I'll order very carefully to make sure sauce is on the side so I can taste the meat. Don't miss the live music.
(3)
Skelly K.
Wow this place sucks! When you microwave a perfectly great steak, you are doomed!
(1)
Becca R.
I feel like I wasted the opportunity of a good meal while on vacation in Santa Fe by eating here. The service was polite, but so slow, and we had to ask for EVERYTHING- including refills. The food was definitely a par below all of the other restaurants we had tried over the weekend. It was pretty tasteless and I struggled to finish even though I was hungry. Also the dining room was freezing and the bathroom was pretty gross. Though I liked the idea of this place and all the cowgirl historical photos, I won't be back here. There are too many awesome restaurants to waste my time eating here.
(1)
Ron G.
Greeter lacking customer service skills. 45 minute wait for dinner but learned from another customer about immediate sitting at their picnic tables. No one available to wipe down table or give us menus. Served me my hot bowl of chili but forgot my wife's salad so the chili was sent back. Charged my credit card with someone else's bill. Food and drink was ok but stay away from this joint. And guess what they don't care.
(1)
Aisha L.
Cowgirl has the best happy Hour!!! Seriously. How can you beat 4.5 Frozen Margs and two for one appies. Whenever I come home I always hit up Cowgirl! and Monday nights is Karaoke which is super fun Happy Hour is between 3-6 and they have great drink specials. I always get the Nachos with extra jalepenos. The Nachos are awesome. A pile of blue corn chips, cheese, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and you can add chicken or steak if you would like. Also I get the sweet potato Fries with a honey mustard dipping sauce, and then my frozen marg with a salted rim. This is truly the best way to spend an afternoon in Santa Fe. :)
(5)
AL C.
My husband, daughter, and I spend about a month here in Santa Fe every other summer. We arrived a couple of days ago and went to the Cowgirl for lunch yesterday, because my daughter wanted ribs. My husband's burger was okay, my tacos were okay, BUT my daughter's ribs were clearly previous night's BBQ that had been sauced and microwaved. They were dried out, and cold, and the sauce was clinging to them like some kind of leftover gravy. Even the fries that came with her ribs looked bad. I live in a tourist town in So Cal (Laguna Beach) and I know that restaurants that live on gimmicks get tired; you have to service the locals and stay on top of your game if you want to survive. This restaurant is very very tired and clearly isn't that nice to tourists. No offers for refills on the drinks, very slow service even though there was hardly anyone in the room, I had to wait and ask for the bill, this place is living on its bar (lots of people drinking at Thursday lunch), its location and its past glory Go to the The Ranch House if you want actual good BBQ. They appear to be the new Josh's, there is no "atmosphere" (they are way out on Cristos in a mall rather than on Guadalupe street), and they are working on the kinks in the service -- but the food is good and there is no attitude and you don't have to put up with the ridiculous clothes the staff at the Cowgirl are wearing. Honestly, black fishnets with cutoff jean shorts and those stupid cowgirl hats (even on some of the waiters)? As one reviewer said, way too much Hooters atmosphere for my tastes.
(2)
Amy L.
We heard about the famed baked potato ice cream, so we stopped by. The ice cream itself was very cool in concept and appeal, but it's not the tastiest ice cream. $5 with a military discount was worth it though!
(2)
Nick S.
Just okay, service was shaky, but rallied near the end. I had a boring lunch choice, only because I wasn't very hungry, but my salad portion was puny. I liked the vibe and its a fun place...and that might trump what I'm taking about. I'd go again though.
(3)
Will F.
Food, drinks and service were all top-notch! Our server Melissa really left a great impression with her positive attitude, willingness to help us with drink and food options, and just being available when we needed her. She didn't even blink an eye when we needed to switch tables b/c the wind kicked up a lot! The prices are great for both the food and drinks. I had the famous green chili burger which was incredible! Cooked to perfection and omg what a generous portion size. I didn't try any of the BBQ but it smelled amazing and other diners seemed to be enjoying theirs. The ambiance was also a lot of fun and the staff was great from start to finish. After having some other really poor dining experiences in town, cowgirls was a refreshing reminder of how pleasant a good restaurant can be, I hope others take note.
(5)
Claire C.
So disappointing. The food was mediocre, the service poor and the atmosphere uncomfortable. Definitely one to skip.
(1)
Eric K.
We went to the Cowgirl BBQ because we read about it in some travel books and a Rachael Ray cookbook, otherwise, we might never have found it on our own. (It's on the edge of the downtown area.) Upon arrival, the outside seating area looked awesome. It was big and surrounded by three walls. Unfortunately, it was 40 degrees outside, so indoors was our only option. We sat indoors in the same room as the fireplace. Ahhh... The decor was definitely "cowgirl." Photos of famous and not-so-famous cowgirls and glitter affixed to the wall paint. The menu was pretty extensive for dinner -- apps, salads, chili, quesadillas, BBQ, steak, chicken, seafood, comfort food, burgers, sandwiches, and -- of course -- Mexican and New Mexican choices. I ordered the Game Burger. What's a Game Burger, you ask? Why, it's basically an extra large burger made from elk, buffalo, and venison smothered (seriously smothered) in cheese and green chiles and served without a bun. It was out of this world. The burger was cooked medium (my choice), was juicy, and very full of flavor. Add the creamy cheese and spicy chiles and...WOW. Thankfully, it comes with a small "Cowgirl" salad on the side to balance out the meal. I'd definitely order it again. The prices can be a little higher here than other casual restaurants in town, but there are cheaper items on the menu (like the Game Burger for $12.95).
I came here with a co-worker for dinner tonight while on a business trip. After seeing the colorful flyers in front shouting "award winning BBQ in Santa Fe" we decided to give it a try. The place certainly holds true to its name. It was teeming with waitresses who were dressed as "cowgirls" which seemed a bit gimmicky to me. The following items were ordered: BBQ Combo Platter Guac and chips Chicken Wings (Jerk sauce styled) Tortilla Burger Everything ordered tasted average... however, the BBQ combo platter was very disappointing. Every piece of meat on the dish was dry which included the chicken, brisket, and ribs. Sure..the meat was smothered by sauce, but that doesn't hide the fact that everything was overcooked (-3 stars)! Decently cooked BBQ meat should be able stand on its own without any sauce whatsoever, a fact the restaurant seemed to forget. If you are in town.. I highly recommend some of the North Mexican cuisine establishments as an alternative.
(2)
Melanie R.
We were in Santa Fe for a week in April 2014 - Cowgirl was the only place we went back to several times over. We were there both on weekend and weekday nights. We felt so welcomed and comfortable here. We sat at the bar our first night Tiffany was welcoming, funny and an all around great person. Met several locals here that night also all were very nice. We also came here for lunch one day another great time great meal! this time we met Barry - he showed us around the entire place much bigger than it looks. We didn't have any issues with tables being too close and we sat both inside and outside one day too. The wait staff were very attentive, food - was Yumm, great beer selection also but Tiffany the bartender was the one that made us become repeat customers that trip! Just last week my husband after a bad day at work just came home and said "I wish we were at the Cowgirl again". So glad we tried the place and we will be back our next trip.
(5)
P G.
We went on a whim and were pleasantly pleased. We had a scallop dinner on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. It was a great presentation and tasted delicious. So we give the food an A but the service a D. Our waiter was rude, seemed to be bothered working and not helpful on recommending menu options as he was a vegetarian that only drinks water or whiskey. But when you work at a restaurant you should know the menu for the guests. So the food good the service needs some serious attention.
(4)
Raven M.
It started off Rocky. The hostess seated us without really paying us attention, then left after handing the menus over... after 5 minutes and no greet from a server: My father: "Do we have a server?" Hostess: "Um... Lemme see if I can get you one." My father: (with a smile) "Well I hope you can, otherwise we can't eat! " Hostess: "Okay." Weird! But when we finally did get a server, the wonderful and attentive Jose Luis, we ordered and began to feast! We initially came here just because the Classic Margaritas are so damn good. And they DO live up to the hype. Literally Perfect. My fiance, who is not a big tequila drinker opted for the Frozen Weed on the Mountain Margarita which has a vodka float. It was awesome. but the true Kick Ass Margarita is the Mezcalita. I love it strong, and after enjoying the classic I wanted it. I Loved Loved this Margarita. I wish I could make it. Cabeza de Ajo (Head of Garlic) : OH MY GOD. This is a cannot miss out on appetizer. *see picture* It was literally gone within a minute or two. The garlic, the bruchetta, the cheese... Mmmmmm. Our entrees included the Whiskey Pork Chops, the BBQ sampler platter- neither of which were to die for like our appetizer, but did have some great flavour. Get the Baked Potato Ice Cream, and if you want to be surprised, don't look at my pictures ;)
(4)
Kari W.
I really liked Cowgirl BBQ. I had butternut squash casserole which is AWESOME! Not heavy. Yummy layer of cartelized onions. It comes with a nice salad. Hubby had sampler. The meat was all very good, but the sauce was very bland...no kick at all. Would like to go back to try other items.
(4)
Johnny T.
Yes, Rachael Ray led me here. Go ahead, get it all out... laugh, if you must. But, after you finishing laughing, get ready to eat both crow and amazing food because before you can bleat "YUMM-O," you will be falling down at the altar of Cowgirl BBQ. You simply *have* to eat here when you come to Santa Fe. It's famous, so plan on coming for lunch so you don't have to deal with a dinner crowd. Sit outside on the deck and enjoy the great, wide blue skies. It will also give you the chance to clearly ogle the waitstaff. Wow. Pure hotness. At the risk of sounding like a pig, I have to rehab my image by saying that the ogling is equal-opportunity. Granted, some look better in cowgirl(boy) hats and jeans than others but odds are no matter what trips your switch, you'll like what you see. You're welcome. Blue dot firmly emboldened on your Google-mapped house icon, you need to start eating. Ask if there are any specials going on. I downed a frosty pint of Fat Tire for a mere $3. I kept 'em coming, too. Specials!! But, as good as a cold beer on a warm day is and as much as I kept rubber-necking the staff, I couldn't take my eyes or belly off of my plate. To begin with, order the green chile cheddar fries. Get used to green chiles in/on everything you eat in Santa Fe but there's a reason for that. They're [redacted] delicious! Now, combine fresh-cut, thick fries with melted cheddar cheese with those green chiles. Now, imagine a Texas-sized portion coming at you. This. This is how you start your meal. You may need help to get it all down, however. Even I, only child extraordinaire, had a tough time eating everything on my plate. Oh, but I loved trying. Not realizing how much food I had coming, I ordered a burger with black beans and slaw. A burger at a BBQ joint? Yep. Because this was a YAK burger. YAK! I don't even know what a yak is, but I needed to eat it. Served on a kaiser with jack cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and mushrooms, I enjoyed every bite of my protein, even as I struggled to take it all down. My first meal in Santa Fe was an unmitigated success. Trying to keep my sex-ay on with grease on my face, a belly to rival the pre-birthed Octo-mom and a belt that screamed for relief... not as successful. Oh well. The vacation had just begun. There would be time for that. ;) "Oh, NO he di'int!"
(4)
Kevin P.
Another great reference to me from a friend who attended the University of New Mexico. The Cowgirl has a great selection of entrees and also drinks and the best dessert in the land, and it looks like.... a baked potato! The service was also cool enough to pose with my stuffed friend poopie the fish. Check out the picks and you just might see them! Yay! Enjoy!
(4)
Maria O.
Good steaks, big outside sitting space, live music.
(4)
Vanessa M.
We went to Cowgirl BBQ after doing the Santa Fe Century bike ride. We were hungry, tired and just wanted to plop into a booth to be fed. We were sat right away but it took a while for the waiter to take our order. We had to ask our waiter twice for just about everything; soda, corn bread, check etc... The food was good, the rellenos were awesome, the prices were fair, the patio was great.
(4)
Annie P.
After hearing such great things, we were really excited to try this place on a weekend visit to Santa Fe. It was awful. My friend and I each got the pulled pork sandwich, and we both agreed that it was flavorless. There wasn't much seasoning or barbecue sauce, and neither of us finished the meal, despite being hungry from a long drive. But the worst part, hands down was the service. We'd been there about 5 minutes before it became painfully obvious that 4 of the tables around us were VERY unhappy and had been waiting for a long time to get service. We only saw the waitress three times, to take our order, drop the check, and bring the check back. She was absolutely terrible. No refills, no checking in on us, nothing. As someone who has worked in food service, there is a way to be busy and behind, but convey to your customers that you're sorry for the delay and that there is a reason you're running around. This girl made absolutely no attempt to apologize or even act like she cared about our business or making our meal enjoyable. As we finished our meal and new tables came in, no one in the entire restaurant looked happy. I think this restaurant needs to seriously evaluate their employees and the customer service they provide, otherwise they're going to lose a lot of their business.
(1)
Tiffany H.
Lovely happening place on a Friday evening. Live music and great jerk chicken dish!
(4)
Diane S.
Cowgirl had great casual food and a fun bar. The prices were really reasonable and with a play area for the kids and music for the grown-ups everybody had fun. We had a great time playing pool and listening to the jukebox too.
(4)
Mark Y.
This was a mediocre dining experience. The food was ok, but nothing special. The place was noisy. The waitress was polite but not motivated. The topper was there was an automatic 18 percent gratuity added for a party of two. I suggest picking from many other excellent restaurants in the Santa Fe area and skipping this one!
(2)
Shah S.
Stopped for drinks ended up having dinner. My wife and I have different opinions of this place. Overall she thought it was just OK, I really liked the food and atmosphere. If you like Chile made with BBQ brisket, this is your place. BTW, all the appetizers are half price at happy hours and the margaritas are strong & good.
(4)
Gwen C.
After reading that Cowgirls was awarded the best green chilli cheeseburger in Santa Fe, we decided we needed to give it a try. On a Sunday afternoon it was very busy, but we were seated immediately. We ordered the 'Mother' burger well done, and to our disappointment, it came back medium rare. We asked for it to be cooked to our order, and it came back close to the same, with the same bun, and the hamburger was crumbled. The garlic truffle fries were also under done, and underwhelming. To top it all off, the ale I ordered was warm. Try one of the many other restaurants in the area to try a green chilli burger.
(1)
Betty M.
Great location! So much fun for kids & adults! The food is good and so is the service.
(4)
Angie H.
Of all the places I ate while on vacation in New Mexico, this was my least favorite. We order an appetizer of fiery nachos and they arrived about 60 seconds before our meals. I find that a little irritating. The hubby got chili rellenos and said that they were good, but not very hot, even with the red chili sauce. I got the jambalaya with crab cakes. The crab cakes were good, but the cripsy crust got really soggy with the sauce that had been added. It took a long time to get our check after the meal, even thought they weren't very busy.
(3)
Ricky M.
Awesome little place, always has live music, good drinks, and great food would recommend if you want to try something other than Mexican food in Santa Fe
(4)
Ted R.
Food was not good. Coke was flat and fries were stale and only slightly warm, like they had been setting under a warmer for a couple of days. Burgers were medium as requested but dry. Not sure how they did that. There were interesting odors that would come and go. Not sure what that was either. Service was fine.
(1)
Belinda M.
What do you expect? fine dining? give me a break. this place suits me so fine. They have awesome vegetarian options (collard greens, green chili fries, veg chili-frito pie, okra.. on and on..) i was in heaven, wasn't looking for a culinary adventure, just honest yummy food. and they deliver. and let me tell you about the drinks and music. I love this place. They bring in some great acts that gravitate naturally to Santa Fe- all genres of soul full yummy tunes.. i danced my booty off. and if you ask the bartender for a good margarita... she puts the love in it and the flavors pop. the beer list is pretty impressive and the list of tequilas will have you on your knees.. The staff all seem to love their jobs and they are all very attentive. i cannot wait to find myself here again. love it
(5)
Jimmy G.
This place is a joke. It's not BBQ AT ALL. great place to watch your food go cold on the service window while the servers hang out. It took three requests to get a coffee refill. The food I got was undercooked (raw in the middle). And god forbid you should have the nerve to have it fixed. My date asked for sour cream and by the time we got it we were waiting for the check. And yeah. That sour cream cost a buck. In fact I don't recommend Asking for your order to be fixed. Just eat whatever they give you and thank them. And service is so slow that chef Ramsey would die of old age waiting for his bland mediocre cold food served with attitude. As a Santa Fean, this place is an embarrassment. If you're looking for good BBQ in the Fe, go across the street. It's the best q in northern NM.
(1)
Lou P.
There is a lot of good food in Santa Fe; but after 3 days of eating awesome New Mexican food (Thanks, Yelp!) we wanted to do something different. This was just the ticket. Great service,mdespite being jammed and good, regular food. We never figured out how a mostly Aussie waitstaff fits in with "Cowgirl" or even "BBQ", but we gawky enjoyed our visit.
(5)
Gloria O.
while i was vacationing here I met up with some family members & we decided to try something other than mexican while i was visiting. This was a tad disappointing - service was good and we were seated quickly; i had the chicken as well as one other member of our group - it was DRY and tasted as if the bar b que sauce was poured over the chicken in hopes of adding some moisture to it! One member of our party found a hair in her chicken and even though we know that this can happen it put a whole damper on the evening. management did credit our bill for the price of that meal so again the service was very good. If I go back to Santa Fe I will not go back to this restaurant
(2)
John J.
Stopped here last weekend on recommendation by staff at Santa Fe School of Cooking. A home run! The Octoberfest menu had a fan green chili and corn soup, out of this world portabello ravioli; my wife had their pulled pork sandwich that the best ever experienced by her. Live music and outdoor seating a great bonus!
(4)
Chase D.
WOW! Trust the reviews on here that bash this place. My friend and I came in and I was excited to come to this place. After my meal...I was excited to leave and never return. He had been there once before and had the nachos, which he carried on about. I had a rare Yak Burger with mushrooms, onions, and swiss. Now the concept sounds good on paper. The execution was like someones foot farted in my mouth. The meat was a gummy chewy dry taste. Everything was cold. His nachos that he has ordered for a second time were built upside down (They went black beans, chips, some withered shreds of veggies...a clump of black olives and a clump of jalpenos...side of sour cream and a side of guac). The frys were cold and beyond crunchy. Our waitress was the worlds greatest magician with only two tables in her section, I swear I saw bigfoot more than her. Beer was cheap...can't complain about that. It took 45 mins until the great "Waitress the Magnificent" appeared in front of us to take the check. Staff was cute...but...not a saving grace. The band was really good. Overall though...I think Santa Fe needs to cut me a check for eating here.
(1)
Jennifer C.
Admittedly, the food in Santa Fe generally doesn't impress me. After a couple of fails we landed here because more than one person had recommended it. Lots of "awards" on the walls and we obviously weren't going to spend like we did at El Farol...promising. Service was fine. Friendly Aussie smiles bringing me my beer. The food was not good. Apparently they specialize in New Orleans food (totally my bad that I didn't realize this before coming) and I'm from New Orleans. It wasn't close. That was a roux? Try five shades darker, love. Then it might have some flavor. My husband had a flavorless yak burger. Not really a recipe flaw, it's a bland meat. It's possible we just ordered the wrong things. I won't be going back to find out.
(2)
Andrew N.
Loud, bad service and dried out food that had obviously sat under a heat lamp for too long. If you just want a beer and some live music it might be ok.
(1)
Lyn P.
This is one of those places that you go for atmosphere. It's pretty much a shrine to the cowgirls of the southwest. Not a bad thing, really. The walls are filled with memorabilia and is a treat if you dig those types of things (which I do.) Then there's the food. I can't speak to the BBQ aspect of the menu as we went for brunch. We did have an appetizer that was really good - the roasted garlic which comes with queso. I had hash for breakfast. It didn't really come out as I expected as the potatoes were large cut red potatoes. I actually like my hash to have smaller bits of potatoes in them. On top of the hash was two poached eggs with a hollandaise. The hollandaise had a kick to it, which was good. My hash came with tortillas, so I pretty much made breakfast burritos. Service was a bit off. I would have liked another Shiner with my brunch, but our server never made it back during our meal to ask if I needed another one. Later, he apologized for the slow service, which was appreciated, but doesn't make up for it. All in all, this place is good, not great. I will be back again to give some other menu items a spin the next time I am in Santa Fe.
(3)
Maggie Y.
We told the server we couldn't eat gluten. He confirmed w/ the kitchen that, the sauce had no gluten, then when he brought the dish, which is the bbq mix plate, it was all served on top of white bread, which I didn't notice till i ate quite a bit of the food. It makes me very upset because gluten or any severe food allergy can be life threatening and this establishment didn't bother to train their server or their kitchen about people having food allergy issues. Plus, the brisket was dry, so was the chicken, the ribs were tender. Overall not great bbq, the staff seems nice enough, but please please please spend some time to train everyone about food allergen exposures!
(1)
Alan B.
Amazing pulled pork BBQ. and the fried cheese curds were great too. One of the best on-draft beer lineups, as well.
(5)
Dana D.
I really enjoyed my meal here- I got the fri to pie which is literally a snack size bag of fritos with chilli on top. I thought it was delicious and a perfect portion. The price was great too. My husband on the other hand unfortunately did not enjoy his meal. He got the Mac n cheese with green chille. Sadly it was mostly green chille and it ruined it for him bc that was all he could taste. It was soupy so it wasn't like he could scrape it off. The place itself is super cute if somewhat kitschy. Lots of photos and old signs etc. there is an outdoor area and a poolroom which is where we ended up eating because the wait for the restaurant area was too long. Overall I would recommend this place. Maybe ask a lot of questions before deciding on your order though!
(4)
Alexandra Z.
So what if it is a bit touristy? The tourists know what they are talking about! I love the environment, and the live music. The place is huge, with so many interesting rooms. Service is alright, but some of the best BBQ I have ever had! And the tres leches cake? Best in Santa Fe! They also have some other great desserts, not to mention jumbo-sized drinks!
(5)
Howie E.
As a person with a disability I travel with a service dog. Today when stopping for breakfast I was denied entry in to this restaurant. I tried to explain the law and still was denied. Only until I explained I was going to turn the restaurant into the a.d.a. Did they offer to seat me. She kept saying they don't allow dogs in the back and she was sorry to be a "hard ass". My service dog and i have stayed in 5 star hotels, flown at least 50 times, attended the opera, eaten in 5 star restaurants. He goes everywhere I go, and in the past two years we have only been denied access twice. So sad when establishments don't know the laws. The dog had a vest on and is well behaved. This review is based on my experience, not the food.
(1)
Brian B.
I arrived at Cowgirl's on a Tuesday night around 7pm. The atmosphere was cool. Very Southwestern feel. Just what one would expect. We were greeted by many of the waitresses upon entering the restaurant. We were then asked what we wanted to drink. I went with a Porter which was very tasty...I loved the roasted flavor. Dark beer is my thing. One of my friends ordered the same Porter and really enjoyed it. For dinner, I ordered a Filet Mignon burrito. I am not one for very hot food, but wanted to have a Southwestern meal my first time in New Mexico, so I went with the "Christmas" (green and red chiles) on my plate. Our food came out roughly 10 minutes after ordering and it had looked really good. My burrito was cooked well and the peppers added a significant amount of heat to the platter. I got through it all and enjoyed my meal. One of my friends ordered the Chic-o-licious Mac and Cheese, which came with the biggest baked potato I had ever seen! He had no complaints. I decided I needed something else to drink so I went with the Mangorita after looking at the many margarita choices on the drink menu. Mango also happens to be my favorite fruit, which factored into the decision juuust slightly. This was sort of frozen with pureed mango. My friend went with Horny Toad Margarita and said it tasted like a normal margarita. My only gripe here were the overweight "Cowgirls"/waitresses. Only one looked like she took care of herself. Our waitress, on the other hand, practically spilled her boobs onto my plate every time she came over. They were all over the place. No reason to try to market this place that way. I enjoyed dinner here and would certainly go back for some eats. Check out their Cajun menu, as it will be gone by April of 2010. The Jambalaya my friend had was really good and he ordered it with scallops.
(3)
Em. T.
I drank beer, which I guess you can't mess up, and ordered a side of wings which were, in a word, fantastic! Seriously, these guys know how to make 'em hot, and they're not afraid to do so. On a hot summer day, beer and wings were the perfect combination: Eat until I can barely feel my mouth, cool things off with a swig of beer, repeat. Haven't been here for a full meal, but for a midday snack, Cowgirl BBQ really hit the spot. I loved the ambiance, as well, We relaxed in a shady spot on the patio and enjoyed the weather. I can't help but think Cowgirl BBQ would be a fixture in my life if I lived in Santa Fe.
(4)
Christine S.
For our girls trip to Santa Fe, we happened to catch a Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels show all about Santa Fe....Well, what do you know, she came here to this place and it looked cute. So we did the same.... We planned on coming here for just a quick lunch, but after a few kick-ass margaritas, we stayed for over 4 hours! Their food is great. Not fancy stuff but if you have a craving for Frito-Pie, then get your tushie here! The menu has a Tex-Mex Flair to it. Great variety. Great BBQ. But honestly what kept us here for so long is the outdoor seating area. The service is very great. These people really seem to be having a great time here. If you happen to be walking through Santa Fe and want to take a load off, then come here, sit down, have a margarita and enjoy! Did I mention that they make pies too?
(5)
Jesseca T.
2.5 stars Went here last night for the first time at 6:45pm Agree that service is slow but it appears that it's due to them being understaffed, and to seating their waiters in different sections of the restaurant instead of grouping them in one section. I also saw them double seat a waitress in our section, which is a hostess no-no (if you have the option to spread out the seatings it's preferable but sometimes you are out of tables in other places...). My waiter was certainly trying very hard and was an experienced waiter, but he seemed like he was in the weeds the whole time. A good hostess might be able to fix this problem. Now to get to the fun part, we really ate well here! Caesar salad- perfectly dressed, nicely flavored- this is a good Caesar done the right way Sesame crusted Tuna on bed of wasabi mashed potatoes- wow this was a very generous app for $9! This could have been my meal with a small salad. It was cooked rare with a ponzu sauce which kinda buried the wasabi flavor in the mashers Catfish fingers with jalapeno mayo - fresh- these were done right Hubby had chili relleno smothered in crawfish etouffee- they were VERY generous with the crawfish plus it came with rice and beans- he said he'd order it again, it was great! Had two Horny Toad margs- that's a nice drink but but they were short stubby little glasses filled with ice...hrm Hurricane- awful, way too much alcohol in it to taste good - sent it back and they were so nice about it, they didn't charge for it or make me feel bad or anything- - Super Cosmo (or some name like that) - $9.50 (! That's San Jose prices !) , but I have to say that t, it was a cocktail that was done right, smooth drinking - so two out of three drinks turned out well, that's good- fresh lime used here- Total bill $87 - that's a little steep, I felt, for the ambiance and level of attention we received - maybe when summer's here and we can sit outside it will be nicer but we were on the covered porch with a buffet set up RIGHT behind my chair and two sloppy drunk and loud women in the booth near us- I'd do drinks and apps here in a second but think twice about dinner again- $87 can buy some pretty good food in this town and there's a lot more options out there that we haven't tried yet ...maybe I should stick to takeout from this place-
(2)
Amanda W.
Good service despite being uber busy, decent burger. Great music and porch. My dad said his philly cheesesteak was incredible and did said her chili rellenos were delish. Cool place and great ambiance. We will come back the next time we pass through santa fe.
(4)
Morgan W.
This was my first stop on a long weekend in Santa Fe. Thankfully the rest of my trip was better. I will say this, the place is unique and the clientele is cool and their patio is lovely at night. And the menu looked really good and exciting. But that's where the good experience kind of stopped cold and headed downhill quickly. The food offenses were numerous: My mojito was watered down to the point of undrinkability. My frito pie, while having a creative presentation, was covered in chili so watery that by the time it arrived the corn chips had soaked up so much liquid that I was mostly left with chili and cornmeal mush at the bottom. I also got the yak burger, which had potential but lacked follow through. The meat is gamey, more than bison, and also a bit sweeter. It would have benefited from some type of aromatic herbs to balance out and enhance the gamey flavor. Serving a somewhat exotic meat in the same manner as a regular beef burger, which made it taste kind of gross, is not a good idea. Both friends dining with us were vegetarian so they opted for what was listed as a Boca Burger but was some type of cheap generic soy burger. The only thing saving this review was that somehow my husband struck gold with his orders. He got the mangorita which was a layered drink of pureed mango and frozen marg and it was delicious. For his entree he got the whiskey pork chops. The pork was tender, well cooked, well seasoned, and the sides were generous and also delicious. The only offense on that was the menu says it comes with collards but instead he got a mess of corn which was apparently their vegetable of the day (corn? really?). So he had to order the collards separate, and then request after the check came and they be comped because, well, DUH. Such a bummer for our first night in town. Luckily every meal after that was a step up.
(2)
Krista F.
There are too many other restaurants in Santa Fe for you to eat at before I would fool with the Cowgirl BBQ as a dinner option. If you were just going for drinks and apps, that is one thing, but the bbq isn't that good. If you are going to have "BBQ" as part of your name, you better rock at it. Their sauce didn't have a lot of flavor and was just slopped on half of a chicken I could have found roasted at Costco. In addition to having an overwhelming helping of their "special BBQ sauce" all over my plate, they serve the sides right on the same plate. I mean, I get it, who doesn't love a little extra sauce with their baked beans, but I don't know a lot of folks who enjoy bbq coleslaw and bbq potato salad? If you look at their menu, they are trying to be too many things to too many people. Here's the internal conversation I envision took place when creating this menu: "Oh, have the BBQ. It's what we're known for, I mean look, it's right there in our name... "But, but, don't forget we do NewMex and TexMex too because we kind of have to, you know, being in Santa Fe, NM and all." "No? How about Comfort Food? Wait, we also do Steaks. Big Fat Steaks...AND FISH." "Or, of course, you could just have a garden burger, sir." I will hand it to them. They do have some really good margaritas. You will need those to get down with the honky tonk 80's band music vibrating through most of the restaurant. I won't comment too much on the service because our waitress seemed like a real ditz. She completely and totally vanished after taking our dinner orders. But, the other staff members really seemed to be busting their tails. I, in good conscience, could recommend Cowgirl BBQ for apps, margaritas and a little pool playing, but I would venture elsewhere for a serious dinner.
(2)
Sasha B.
Before I begin ripping this place apart I just want to say I can see why people are rating this place super high - there are NO restaurants in Santa Fe that are open during normal hours (Tia Sophia's closed on Sundays even though they are known for their brunch?? C'mon!!!!!) This place seems to be the last resort for everyone. Here's a little about our experience. We had to wait sometime for a table (expected...since again...nothing else is open) and finally were asked if we'd mind to sit next the band. We agreed but then quickly realized that when they meant "next to" the band what they really meant was head shoved inside drum while being hit in the back with a guitar. Yes. THAT close. However, we're young and totally down to enjoy some live music while dining. We ordered the chicken wings, the bbq ribs, and the pulled pork sandwich. Where do I begin...how about beginning with the dish that a bbq place should specialize in - ribs. And before I get into laying down the smack down I would like to mention that I rarely turn food away, leave food on the plate, or stop eating after a first bite. I am also the biggest fan of ribs and will eat them even if they are just ok. Now onto the dish - I took a few bites and realized that these were the worst ribs I have ever tried. YUCK! I left the plate where it was and spent the rest of the evening drinking my beer and trying to enjoy the horrible music played by the band. The other dishes were waaaay below average. We left the restaurant super disappointed. The crowd is an interesting assortment of old folks, super wasted gays (loves it!), fake cowboys, drunk middle-aged women dressed in leopard, full-eyed tourists, and local drunks lost on their way home. The only reason to visit this establishment is to have a drink and people watch.
(1)
Arthur M.
The burgers are big and good. The natural and the yak. The sweet potato fries are good. The mud pie is good, with perfect crunch to ice cream ratio.
(5)
H C.
Really fun atmosphere! Live music! It's a really hip & trendy place to hang out by the plaza. The food was fantastic! We made a reservation & good thing we did because the place was packed! They give you very large portions... Unfortunately we were too full to eat the famous ice cream burrito!
(4)
Ceon H.
What can I say.. Ya gotta love that place! Aside from being one of the few places in town where you can enjoy playing billiards they always have a decent rotation of local and out of town musicians that come thru there. Food and drinks are good too!
(4)
Christine P.
Great pulled pork sandwich and fries, great burger, live music which was a bonus, good atmosphere. Really reasonably priced for Santa Fe, one of the cheapest meals we have had here since I moved here and definatly top quality. I even ate the coleslaw and I am not usually a fan of it! Great find, great atmosphere.
(5)
Nicole H.
Four of us were in Santa Fe last week for a Girl's Weekend, and stopped by Cowgirl BBQ for a light lunch. We were seated on the patio in a nice shaded area, and our waitress was efficient and attentive. We had the Texas cavier (chips and bean dip) which was okay, and each got a salad-which were all good! However, we had a bit of an issue with the margaritas....originally we all ordered margaritas with their "specialty" Mezcal...GROSS! We were trying to decide whether it tasted more like someone smoking in our mouths or licking a thrift store floor...no one could get past a couple of sips. Apparently this stuff is very popular with some, but it must be an aquired taste. Our waitress was wonderful about it though-she immediately said we would not be charged with that round and brought us a round of Hi-Ho Silver Margaritas, which were okay. The decor and atmosphere here was fun, I would return, but now know to avoid the Mezcal.
(3)
Timothy N.
Cowgirl is a Santa Fe original. I believe I have eaten there everytime I have been in town going back to probably since the early to mid 80's. My two grown children remember going there and in particular the stories of their famous of the Baked Ice Cream Potato. My sister who has live in and around Santa Fe for nearly 40 years actually ate all the food on her plate, Pan Seared Sea Scallops.
(4)
Joseph D.
A wide variety of food items, all delicious (or sound delicious). Good for dates and small groups. They have outdoor seating and is ideal for bar activities (less for casual dining). They have a lot of organic/local produce and meat. I thought the quality was excellent. I'd recommend the sweet potato fries. I didn't have the chance to try any of their bar offerings, so I can't say if they have anything good... I have heard that the margaritas are not worth the price though... (but that's grapevine talk). It's noisy.
(4)
Michael E.
The Cowgirl had an awesome atmosphere...think cozy, soft lights, local hangout and then throw in live music. The night we went, Coles Walen was playing acoustic/country and it was the perfect setting. Even our kids were sitting on the ground right in front of her while she played. The restaurant also has a children's play area, which was a definite plus. Rather than trying to entertain the kids waiting for our food with crayons and conversation, they played outside leaving time for my wife and me to talk. We ordered two barbecue sampler platters between us all and split it. One was regular and one with little to no sauce. After saying how well the atmosphere was, I hate saying how bad the food we had was. The sauce was almost too thick (think gravy that has been sitting out for a while and gotten thick...how it thickly lays on your food) and the flavor was nothing to brag about. In addition, the amount of food in comparison to the price was not good. I understand it was barbecue, but the price still should have been lowered a couple dollars per platter to seem fair to me. We only had the barbecue platter so I cannot speak for the rest of the menu. I would return to the Cowgirl only for the atmosphere, to have a drink and watch a good musician play. The food was not good enough for a second visit from me to the restaurant portion.
(3)
Sarah H.
BEWARE: SERVERS ADD UNAUTHORIZED TIP I came here when I was traveling through Santa Fe. It's one of the few places open late. The atmosphere was lively, but very touristy. The food was okay at best- diner food. I've had better bbq. Not only was the waitress rude, but she forgot to bring us our beer and condiments. She also seemed high on the job. No joke. I left her a really small tip and held onto my receipt because I just had a feeling that she would add more to the tip. A couple of months later, I was cleaning through my receipts and went online to check that the bill was right. It turns out that she added more to the tip and I was charged more than what was on my receipt. Not only did i have 1) one of the worst dining experiences 2) now I have to deal with contacting the manager and my bank to sort it out. Although it wasn't a substantial amount, it was the principle that mattered. This is the kind of place that gets alot of tourist passing through, so be weary of what gets charged on your account later.
(1)
Chris T.
Good service, decent food and drink. I liked other nearby places more, that's all.
(3)
Alisson S.
THE CHEF IS A GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY GUY! They have hard cider on tap. There are multiple delicious g-free options on the menu- just ask! I'm not going to lie though, I get the Seared Tuna over Wasabi Mashed Potatoes every single time I go to Cowgirl for food. It's a huge steak of tuna at a very low price (and it is delicious!) Also- for a good time, get there around 8pm on a Monday night and watch the locals in rare form: karaoke night! It's good fun, everyone sings along and the drinks are affordable. What more could you ask for??? How about a gorgeous patio area to enjoy your dinner on during the warmer months? What about a pool hall right there on the premises? What about real friendly staff and servers? It's all there. The Cowgirl is a great place to eat, drink and play.
(5)
Jill B.
Cute place. Good burgers and ribs. Don't eat salsa unless you like canned tomatoes and no seasoning .
(3)
Mike M.
Decent food, nice outdoors atmosphere. Service is pretty good, but I didn't get asked if I'd like my water refilled, even though it was empty during the last part of the meal. I had the prime rub sandwich and it was very good - served with horseradish sauce and au jus. The portion size was good. The fries and cole slaw were great!
(4)
Jared T.
Had the Turkey Ruben. Meat was a little Luke warm. My wife had the ribs and really enjoyed them. Service was timely and friendly. I would recommend it.
(3)
Katie Z.
Live music was fun! Fun drinks and atmosphere, good BBQ- southwestern style, not my favorite, but A-OK.
(3)
Robert C.
Happy Hour 30 October 2012 - A = Excellent, C = Mediocre, E = Awful Food B Service B+ Ambience B Value for Money A Three of us went for Happy Hour. Sat outside. Two frozen margueritas and a beer. Two for one appetizers - nachos and guacamole. Total $20 before tip. Waitress, Erin, friendly and good. Recommended.
(4)
Stephen B.
They have a kid corral, and a kids menu! My sons enjoyed it immensely, and didn't want to go. William was charming a girl his age. Check out the pictures on yelp, the last one shows a slide. The mother of two girls sat next to my boys and in the end she complimented my boys for playing well. A parent always loves to hear god things about their children. They have a fine beer selection, many beers on tap. Ribs are getting less and less easy to fall off the vegetarian wagon, but this did not really have a vegetarian option, outside quesadillas and boca burger. I got ribs. Dad got the mixed BBQ platter, and my mother got BBQ chicken tacos. My eldest liked the BBQ ribs. My youngest got a sandwich, which he almost dumped on the ground, I got it in a last minute save. He liked my BBQ meat, and I ate his sandwich. They liked the fries. The waitress was solicitous, and there when we needed her. When I was looking for a bathroom for my son, they were kind to show me one of the many bathrooms in the joint. It was a lovely atmosphere, with many different rooms, that were not for children, so I think the place would appeal to many. Coming back a year later, the food was still good. Unfortunately it rained, so the kiddie corral wasn't of any use, but my kids are a year older, and could sit and eat better. We sat on the patio and it was nice to be almost outside. I liked to watch the waitresses and waiters flirt with each other, made me with I was younger.
(4)
J C.
Shew fly, shew! The patio is cute and great for kids, but there were far too many flies swarming around buckets next to the service stand out there. I couldn't believe it- so gross! Stopped by for a last-minute quick dinner, and left feeling confused by the high ratings. Maybe it's a local respite from the other fine dining options in the area, but my item was definitely the least satisfying on the table: The "Summer Harvest Salad" was equivalent to something anyone could have thrown together in a kitchen in under a minute. It consisted of bagged greens with jarred roasted peppers and asparagus and the "shaved fennel" was really just three or four chopped pieces of the stalk. To be fair, the fries did look good...
(2)
Mark N.
This bar and restaurant is almost always rather lively. They serve a pretty good variety of somewhat "Western" American, New Mexican, or Mexican food; and often have some temporary offerings which will be something random like cajun food... Some of these temporary offerings can be pretty good. In general I don't think the food is fantastic, but this is a good place to hang out, sometimes there are good live bands and people will dance in the tiny area available for that next to the bar. I lived nearby for 4 years (until quite recently) and went here many times because it is always reasonably lively and the menu is diverse enough most people can find something they like. A very random mix of folks hang out here, a truly diverse crowd. A popular hang out with locals for sure.
(4)
John K.
Really good brisket! My wife enjoyed the salmon and I had a good margarita made with mescal.Good sides, scalloped potatoes stand out in my mind as well as pinto beans.I was amused by the previous comments on the waitresses. It was Halloween and everyone had costumes on .Our waiter was some kind of super hero .I was not appalled by his sluttiness or sexiness or much of anything.We had fun.
(3)
matt s.
Pretty good not transcendent. Fun vibe. A huge fight broke out, massive, the guy got thrown to the street, but I missed the whole thing in the bathroom. A hokey 80s cover band was playing, and I correctly predicted a song ("White Wedding"). They had a potato ice cream thingy for dessert and New Mexico wine and I left happy. One of the few places open late too.
(4)
Steve H.
We love going to the Cowgirl and always take our out-of-town visitors there for the good food and fun entertainment. We have never had any complaints about the service and we credit the manager, Cesar, with making each visit a fun experience. The BBQ is very good, but don't hesitate to try the scallops or salmon with bourbon sauce. The Cowgirl's much more then a BBQ restaurant and I highly recommend it.
(5)
Zenith c.
Horrible service so we left. We asked the hostess if it was possible to be out in 30 minutes she said it depends on what u order, so we sat down ready to order. We waited 15 minutes with no service, we left went to the Zia dinner across the street.
(1)
Mary S.
Delicious food. Pleasant surprise w a Texas flair. My husband ordered the yak burger and I had black angus burger. Both were cooked perfectly with side of fries and bland cole slaw. Service friendly. Beer cold yet waitress took my first beer before it was empty to serve second round. We would eat here again only because we like burgers. The cowgirl servers and hostess were cute. Most staff hung out at host stand. Seeing as it ws a slow Monday might who could blame them?
(4)
Clare M.
Hot damn I love me some Cowgirl patio in the summertime. The food kinda sucks, but it is an awesome outdoor patio for drinks and yam fries. If you are starving the frito pie is doable and surprisingly, the catfish isn't that bad. Want desert, the ice cream baked potato. Don't ask, just eat it. Great frozen Mangoritas! They have a lot of live music which is usually the same 4 or 5 locals who rotate between Cowgirl, El Paseo and El Farol, but tune it out and get plastered with some friends and enjoy the fresh smell of the air. One bummer, no dogs on the patio. Not even kittens. I tried bringing my cat once and they wouldn't let me. Then again, I've never been to a dining establishment that allowed cats.
(5)
Joseph C.
Went to meet someone for a business lunch. Since I hadn't met this person before I didn't know what he looked like. Because I was looking around the host "Kevin" was instantly mad at me. He remained mad, rude and snappy towards us the entire visit. Poor representation, ruined the flow of what should have been a successful business lunch. I recommend choosing another venue for professional engagements!!
(1)
Lucy G.
we only went to the bar, and it gets one star for being open at 10:30 on a Sunday night two days before Christmas. Beer was decently priced (to me it's SUPER cheap but I've been living in LA). There wasn't much of a crowd, but it was surprisingly full for the odd time we chose to go drinking. The people who were there were friendly, and our bartender was adorable. The website says they close at 11 on Sundays, but we didn't end up leaving till 11:30 and in that short space of an hour made several new friends.
(4)
Jared G.
We ordered the following: Brisket, Green Chile Mac-n-Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries with honey walnut mayo (awesome), country fried chicken and squash gratin. The BBQ was very good- traditional slow cooked Texas style with a spicy sauce. The Green Chile mac, although a throwback to the old college days of tossing a spoon of Bueno into a box of Kraft, was excellent, and the squash gratin was very good. If you're looking for good eats, good beers, reasonable price and some solid out-of-town music, this is great place. For a fine dining and culinary adventure, go somewhere else.
(4)
tania c.
A nice place to eat, but seating gets a little limited in the cool weather. Obviously you can't sit outside, and the seats "up front" that are anywhere near the door get a little intense. There are heaters about the tables, but those just kind of cooked us until someone opened the door and then it was freezing again. Make a reservation and sit on the far inside whenever it's crazy outside. To the food: my husband had the Game Burger and he loved it. It wasn't quite what I had expected, since it's more of just a patty of meat without the bread etc... but he was quiet happy with it. I had the chicken fajitas. The chicken was delicious and the meal seemed like a decent proportion, though I ran out of tortillas and had to pay for extras. Somewhat of a rowdy atmosphere, it's a fun little hangout when you want something casual but yummy.
(4)
Johnny B.
We were in Santa Fe for Fiesta and stopped at the Cowgirl. We ordered their award winning green chili cheeseburgers with a side of fries cooked in truffle oil. Our server, Brian Dickerson, provided outstanding service. I had a local draft IPA that was excellent (following Brian's advice). There was live music on the patio providing a very festive atmosphere. These guys know how to do a great burger using local ingredients.
(5)
Rebecca P.
My boyfriend and I visited here for the margaritas first and foremost and then for the BBQ. I don't eat BBQ (being meat-based and gluten-ness) but my boyfriend can't help himself around some good beef brisket. We were both satisfied! I had a margarita worth writing about. It didn't have the sickeningly sweet 'sweet n sour' mix so commonly used in place of fresh lime juice. Instead the margarita had real lime juice and yummy tequila. So the margaritas are a win! My boyfriend enjoyed his beef brisket and I loved my guacamole and chips. The guacamole is served in a tortilla chip bowl - brilliant. It is avocado-y and absolutely perfect. The chips are crisp and not greasy. My chili was okay. I felt like they relied on the chili powder for flavor a little too much. I would definitely go back for happy hour margaritas and guacamole.
(3)
Orland R.
Very good, nice environment & live entertainment. Food was good, drinks were great..
(3)
Daniel B.
Whenever we come to Santa Fe, The Cowgirl BBQ is our first port of call. There are more elegant and well- known (i.e.: expensive) restaurants in this town, but for sheer FUN, few beat the Cowgirl. The BBQ chicken dinner and anything with a hamburger attached will put you in a fine mood for days, The prices are fair and the food tasty and abundant, Comfort Cowgirl food doesn't get any better than this!
(5)
Kimberly N.
The food, typical BBQ/pub type, was pretty good. I had the brisket sandwich; the flavor was right, but it could have been a bit saucier. The atmosphere is casual, young, and comfortable--a good place to take a group of friends for drinks and appetizers. They have a heated outdoor area that is lit by lantern lights, and the decor is, you guessed it, cowgirl themed (as are the waitresses). That having been said... it was the previous reviews of these cowgirl waitresses almost deterred me from eating here. Having experienced the poor service will deter me from eating here in the future. They have karaoke and specials... if I lived here I'd be a regular, but I don't and I won't.
(3)
George M.
We went there for dinner, the atmosphere was fantastic on a Friday evening...not a quite place but a very fun indeed. All the food was cooked and seasoned perfectly, we ordered the vegetarian squash casserole and the BBQ Brisket...the margaritas from the bar were an awesome combination. If you are looking for a fun place to enjoy dinner with a few friends, this is a must dine place if you visit Santa Fe, NM.
(4)
Stephen R.
This place is pretty cool. Definitely Santa Fe if you know what I mean. First of all, the establishment itself and its decor are fantastic. Unmistakeably Santa Fe in there. The food is pretty good too, though not spectacular. I had the Carne Asada tacos which were nice, but the tortillas they were assembled with began to fail structurally which meant I could not eat them as one would normally eat a taco. Beware the Salsa Diablo! It definitely has a high habanero content. There were a few disappointments that almost had me clicking 3 stars though: - One restroom for both genders and it was in pretty bad shape. - SLOW service, and not even particularly friendly in our case. - There was a kid (like, 10 years old tops) selling bracelets in the bar area, and no one seemed to care. I'm not concerned that a minor is in a bar, but I was annoyed to have someone trying to sell me crap during my meal. Anyway, it's worth a look because it really is an enjoyable place to dine or grab a beer.
(4)
Mary M.
Fun place to eat, hang out, listen to music. The extensive selection means that New Mex food fans can eat with comfort-food fans & Cajun food fans, and no one is disappointed. Plusses - great drinks, entertaining decor. Minus - one (maybe two - no one could find the second) bathroom. Recommended: Sweet 'tater Fries, Burgers, Butternut Squash Casserole, Cajun Relleno*, Fried Okra* *the Cajun dishes were 'specials' and may not be available all year
(4)
Shean H.
Not impressed. Over priced and cramped. Brisket was good, pork was dry. Service was good, but two meals an appetizer and 4 very weak drinks shouldn't cost $80
(2)
My Pet Yeti R.
Hit up this place while passing through Santa Fe. I proceeded to eat BBQ and rough up the liver... I do remember some hippie brah telling his counter part how "New Mexico is the only other place he'll come to outside of Alaska".... I laughed... oh, how I laughed... Then I drank some more... Oh, I remember the BBQ being pretty good... probably good enough to lure the moon-beamer down from the the tundra...
(4)
Laura S.
Had a great lunch. Recommend the fried fried chicken. Music was good. Service was good.
(4)
Sarah P.
I was visiting Santa Fe with family and we happened to be celebrating my daughter's 1st birthday. I selected Cowgirl BBQ because I found it on a web site for family friendly restaurants. I called to make reservations two weeks in advance to ensure we could be seated (we had six adults, four children and an infant). I asked the individual taking our reservations if we could bring in a birthday cake and was told they would charge us $2/plate. I did not take the birthday cake. I called back the day before our planned dinner only to find that our reservation had not been made. RAH! They were able to accomodate us...because we wanted a 4:30 dinner time...which was helpful. We asked to be seated near the play area which is right outside their bar area. It was a rainy the day we arrived and a little cold. We asked if it was possible to be seated inside as a result and they were able to accomodate. YEAH! Again, I think it helped that we were eating so early. I ordered the BBQ brisket with coleslaw and beans side. The BBQ sauce was wonderfully spicy, but the brisket was so-so. I would have prefered they gave more of the BBQ sauce because it made the dish. The restaurant itself is a novelty, but there are plenty of restaurants I would like to try in Santa Fe before I head back to Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)
Jyenny B.
My friend wanted to try this place, I did not. We went Friday at 6pm and although it was crowded and there was a wait for an outside table, we were seated inside without a wait, but in a crummy location. So when a better table in the main bar area opened up a few minutes later my friend asked if we could move. The waitress was cool about the table change and even cooler when my friend dropped her sticky mango margarita on the way over to the other table. The waitress brought another without charge. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the quesadilla and opted to add the grilled onions. Turned out to be much better than expected. To drink, I started out with a Horny Toad marg which comes in handy if you'd like to breath fire, so I quickly switched to beer. Bonus, my favorite beer was cheap and the waitress kept 'em comin'. They have live music every night, but we left before the band came on. All in all, it was better than I expected but it was still a damn country bar. Did I mention I don't do country?
(3)
William C.
RUDE WILL NOT CATER TO THOSE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY!! We went here because they offered a great place for kids to play while we eat. That part was great. This restaurant however WILL NOT CATER TO PEOPLE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGEY PATIENTS. The manager would not allow me to order off the kids menu even though our bar tab was exceeding $100. Showed the official card from the surgeon however manager would not budge. It's hard enough to ask for this, since it is embarrassing. But it is utterly humiliating to have a manager treat you so poorly in public. The staff was mostly very slow and not knowledgeable about the menu. Then let's talk about the sub par quality food. The Chili was bland and watered down. The Frito pie was soggy, had no flavor and the weak runny no flavor chili over it. The other food we had was sub par as well. We won't be coming to this restaurant ever again if we are Santa Fe. The manager should be relieved of his duty.
(1)
Gregg L.
Sat next to a lady on the flight out here and she told us not to miss this place, and we agree! Great BBQ, great beer and great service. Fun photos, nuff said, don't miss it! (awesome salad too)
(5)
Emily A.
This just might be my most favorite restaurant ever. I only ate there once but it just sticks in my mind because it had everything I was looking for in a restaurant - good food, cold beer, nice wait staff and the best outdoor eating area ever. It was a huge patio area shaded by a big old oak tree. Or some kinda tree. In any event, it was cool in the shade, and at night there were laterns in the tree, just so blurging romantic. A shame I was there by myself, but still I was really happy. So I use this place as a reference point for all other restaurants. I'm still searching for something better...but for now, this is it. Food - 5 really good bbq (altho ribs at Sparks cookoff unbeatable) Service - 5 Value - 4, ok, could be chaeper, but then it would just be even more crowded Ambiance - 5+ just the best patio ever.
(5)
Suzanne P.
Great food, great ladies, great beer. That is all. Oh and a great patio.
(4)
Christopher L.
Sweet potato fries were ok Chips and guac was ok
(3)
Shad A.
What an awesome menu. My favorite is the chicken short stack. Vegetarian spicy collard greens are the best of the west.
(5)
YK F.
Didn't expect this in Santa Fe, NM. Went there for late dinner and I quite like it. Cowgirl made me realized that Santa Fe can also be an exciting city besides the quiet art scene on Canyon St. They serve ordinary American and Mexican food, that is, you can't get away from burgers or burritos. The tacos were okay, but I really liked the mushroom burger that my girlfriend ordered. It was nice to spend an evening there with a Margarita in your hand, enjoying the music and looking at drunk people flirting with the waitresses. :P Parking is great because they have a huge lot across the street. Love it!
(4)
Jamie H.
Came here on a Thursday night with my mother and brother, we got in right away it wasn't too busy, so that was nice. The outside was really cute, and it was a bit chilly but we wanted to sit outside so we got a booth near the building and it was comfortable. My mom got the quasadillia, which was good, but it had a TON of black beans on it. So, we scraped nearly all of them off. My brother and I split the ribs, they were fall of the bone tender and the sauce was great. It also came with cole slaw and potato salad. Potato salad was kind of bland, but mixed with the cole slaw and the BBQ sauce it was good. For the appetizer we got the cheese & garlic with bread, it was excellent. The garlic spread very nicely on the bread, but the bread was very crumbly. All in all the food was very good and the atmosphere was very casual and fun.
(4)
Amy O.
Recently vacationed in NM and this place was highly recommended. Turns out this is one of the only restaurants in the area that is both affordable and has a lot of character. We went for a visit for dinner and were very happy with our jambalaya and catfish dishes. The fried shrimp appetizer was amazing and our waiter was very helpful and cool. We weren't thrilled about any other place in the area so we returned the following day for lunch. Our food was great again and they were having a Bluegrass Brunch and the band was great and added a lot of ambiance to our meal. The place is cozy enough that you could hear the music throughout and if you prefer dining outside, they have this great patio outside as well. I love the way the place is decorated; vintage cowgirl posters and photos throughout the place and they even have a tiny gift shop if you want to purchase some baby T's, bumper-stickers and other paraphernalia. Oh! And even though the place is fairly small, they have THREE women's rooms! That's why this place gets 5 stars.
(5)
Rachael K.
Yelp, you have failed me! The tuna appetizer is fantastic! But our entrees (jerk chicken and BBQ platter) were just meh. The sides that came with the jerk chicken were mediocre, the black beans tasted like plain black beans dumped out of a can and washed. The rice looked great but didn't taste very good. We came here because I wanted to have a vegetable side, I was hoping for broccoli or green beans, but their veggie of the day was corn. Maybe it's just me, but if you are only going to have one veggie option that's not the veggie to pick. I also hated how the waitresses were dressed. I wondered what kind of dance they had to do to pull up their pants in the morning. They weren't sleezy but it was just tight enough that it made me feel like I was in hooters and not a cute little bbq place. Just be sure to order the tuna appetizer if you come here!
(2)
Greg L.
I've been to Cowgirl BBQ twice now (once in 2010 and once in 2012) and both times it was great (both food and service). I recommend the Game Burger!
(4)
Melvin B.
In my opinion, this place really isn't all that great. It's decent, but I've definitely had better, much better on the east coast. So what did I order? Well, how about the "BBQ Mesquite-Smoked Baby Back Ribs($17)" and the "Chicken Wang Dangs($8)." Fairly typical BBQ house food that any true BBQ house should be able to make with ease. So, how was it? Okay. It was a half slab of ribs with a spoonful of bbq baked beans, some cole slaw, and instead of a potato salad, I got fries. The ribs were on the dry side, a tad tough. It also wasn't the most flavorful ribs I have had (even Famous Dave's on the east coast is better). The wings were also on the dry side and their ranch dipping sauce was watery not thick enough to really coat the chickens. No carrots nor celery sticks with it either. Though I did not order any beers, I did see that they were somewhat on the expensive side. . . say about $4-5 for the generic everyday domestic beers. This place is not too far of a walk from the Plaza. Took me about 15 minutes to walk there at a brisk leisurely pace from the La Fonda hotel. Very walkable.
(2)
A B.
A+ for atmosphere, service and live music A+ for margaritas B+ for fish tacos
(4)
Reylynne W.
For a Tuesday night this placed was packed, although it was St. Patrick's' Day so I'm assuming everyone was out celebrating. It was about a 10-15 minute wait however, got seated before the 10 minutes was up. I cannot say for sure if I like this place. It was my first time here. However, I was with someone who had been here before. We were both attending the same workshop ended up coming here since all the other restaurants were more than a 20 minute wait The place looked interesting with all it's decorations. The room we sat in had glitter mixed with the paint on the walls. For a small place it seemed like they used every inch of space they had. The pictures, decorations all were very interesting to look at. Since it was busy it took a while to place our order. I ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich with coleslaw and fries. I have to say that I had better. The BBQ beef sandwich was huge, but the meat inside was not hot off the stove. More like it's been sitting for a while and cooled. The fries were covered in salt and I could all but eat one. The coleslaw seemed to be missing an ingredient that I could not detect. The lady that I was with order chili beans said it was really good. I'm giving this place 2 stars just the fact that it was a busy night. And that if I do go back to Santa Fe I will give this place another try.
(2)
Kevin M.
Fun atmosphere. Interesting Santa Fe local crowd.... Add heavy food, cold French fries, too sweet BBQ sauce, inconsistent service, loud music and it all works somehow.
(3)
Scarlett H.
LOVE. We've eaten there twice in the past week and I could go there again right now if it wasn't after hours. Awesome food, great service. Can't say enough good things!
(5)
Ali M.
My Favorite Place to Eat in Santa Fe!!! A place where meat lovers and vegetarians can dine in harmony. They actually cater to both (as opposed to catering for one and having half-assed attempts at food for the other). The food is wonderful, the prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere is lots of fun.
(5)
Jason H.
My Yelp friends failed er on this one (4+ stars?)... Food was barely mediocre, tried the vaunted pulled pork sand, blah at best. Maybe need to come at night and have some drinks for a better opinion. But all on all, there are WAY better joints to eat on this town, go elsewhere
(1)
Nick L.
For Food I'd go somewhere else. I got the BBQ sampler and it must have been sitting all day long before being plated. Dry, flavorless and just not worth it.
(1)
Nina P.
TO DIE FOR BRISKET! GO HERE WHEN IN SANTA FE! We visited with guests when we lived there and let me tell you the BBQ is memorable! The brisket was great! It's one of those meals I'll always remember! The decor is western crazy! But seriously the food is great!
(5)
Michael S.
Cool place indoor and outdoor but service and drinks were not that great
(2)
KJ S.
We came in on a tip from a local friend and I am glad we did. We sat at the back bar where Molly took excellent care of us without- I might add, a fake good attitude. She was a genuinely delightful hostess/bartender... We started with French onion soup that was some of the best we have ever had (and we always get it wherever we are). My fiance had an excellent salad with yellow beets, shaved fennel and goat cheese Marconi almonds and asparagus with a lemon vinagerette... Very light and delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwhich perfectly smoked on a FRESH wheat kaiser roll with "diablo sauce" for a buck more as recommended by the food network... (on the show Heat Seekers) Holy Pig. It was killer! Served w fresh cut fries and cold slaw... I am from Alabama... BBQ central and I was very impressed. The vibe was homey and comfortable too w an eclectic clientel. On a side note... I asked "Molly" our hostess to explain the green and red chili sauce thing in this area of the country that is such a part of the culinary culture... She not only explained it, she told us of this amazing green chili enchilda dish we HAD to try cooking at home and proceeded to write the entire lengthy recipe down on paper for us. Gotta love people who just enjoy there day and sharing it w others. Was really fun. Will probably go back and try the "yak burger" before we go home next week. Thats right. Yak.
(4)
Kali W.
I lived in this dirty shithole apartment down the street from The Cowgirl for awhile in 2007, and went here quite often. I mostly went in to drink a Guinness or a hard cider, and I think it goes without saying that those were good, because beer is good. I don't remember what day $2 or $3 Pabst Blue Ribbon pints was, but I can assure you I was there on that day and spent $15 contributing to that loss of memory. Last July, some friends and I spent a long, hot day eating psychedelic drugs, throwing rocks at other rocks, and hunting for bats in Diablo Canyon and came here afterwards to re-nourish ourselves with red meat and heavy beer, and the burger I had was equisite, under the circumstances. I also like the baked potato with cheese and green chile, salsa and sour cream. I got that a few times and it was standard and decent. I knew some of the folks that worked here and they gave me some spicy barbeque buffalo wings once - not something I'd usually order - and those were nothing short of delectable. If they had Mortal Kombat in the arcade, I doubt I would have ever left New Mexico. Minus one star for not having Mortal Kombat. Oh - a side note - the parking lot right next to the Cowgirl is famous for car robberies. A friend got his truck window broken and his camera stolen one night, and I heard of a few other incidents. Santa Fe is, after all, #2 burglary capital of the US.
(4)
Leahi M.
It's a really great place to sit down at when it's not busy, unfortunately the food is very inconsistent. I hate to say it because I love everyone that works here now...so I don't like complaining...but I've had some really great meals here and some really bad ones too. I like the simple mac n cheese, which should be hard to mess up...but when they give me clumpy, burnt mac n cheese I get sad. I can't really return it because I'm usually at work when I sit down to eat it and can't leave...so I end up just drinking a lot of water to curb my hunger...
(3)
Heather D.
We were looking for something open late, as the town seems to roll up around 9. We stumbled upon this place and I was thrilled to find out they had a frito boat. I had a great 'adult' hot chocolate, and a fantastic salad along with the frito boat. While the staff took a while to notice and seat us, once they did, they were very friendly and attentive. I'd definitely go back when in the area again.
(4)
Julia F.
The only reason I didn't give this one star is because people seem to really like this place, so I must be missing something. Service is horrible. I worked there for a while, and it was obvious the waitresses were totally overwhelmed, which is why they don't get to your table until you've been there for 20 minutes and sometimes forget things. Despite the fact that this place claims to be a BBQ restaurant, their BBQ is probably the worst thing on the menu. If you want to eat there, the appetizers are probably your best bet. Sweet potato fries. Also, hamburgers are always safe/good for any restaurant if you're not sure about what to get. For breakfast, any of the new mexican dishes are pretty good. Mostly, people go there for the drinks, the bar, and the music/karaoke. It is kind of fun to hang out on the patio with friends, but I'm always too frustrated with the service to really enjoy it. The customers are really nice though, and that was the only thing that ever made that job tolerable. Good luck.
(2)
Amy W.
Went to the Cowgirl twice on our recent honeymoon and had the best time -- first time just for margaritas and Frito pie at the bar -- perfect! -- and the second time for dinner -- I had the awesome butternut squash scalloped potatoes and my husband had the bbq chicken -- both great. Staff is friendly and unpretensh and everyone is having a good time -- good food at a great price -- fun vibe -- no complaints!
(5)
P Lynn P.
We walked in around 4:30 - past at least two empty tables and the hostess was fairly abrupt with us - she saw that there were two of us and grabbed two menus and marched off. We followed her to a small room where she showed us to a small table right in the corner that hadn't been set yet. She left to get place settings so we went back to the front desk and asked if there was another table and the young man there said no. We asked about the empty tables and he said they were being saved; he did not offer for us to wait for table either. We felt that they catered to a younger crowd and did not particularly want our business so we left.
(1)
David R.
We went here after seeing the good reviews, but it even surpassed the great reviews I had seen. Our party included 3 adults and 3 kids under 8 years old. For families with children, this is one of the best places to eat at given their very kid friendly outdoor area in the back. As shown in the picture I included, it contains a simple jungle gym with a slide, but what makes it great is that the area is enclosed and allows the adults to eat at their leisure while the kids get their energy out on the jungle gym as they please. In addition to that, the food what great. What more could you ask for if your eating out with your kids and want a great meal. A definite 5 star for families with kids.
(5)
Anthony Q.
Great food and service. What else do you need when you're dining out? Did I say the food was great, I meant it's awesome. Not a bad margarita either.
(5)
Tracy M.
Cowgirls was the dining lowlight of our New Mexico trip. The place is probably a good place to go have some drinks on the patio, they had the Bus Tapes as their band tonight. The food and service however, definitely were pretty significant minuses. We split the guacamole and the smoked prime rib sandwich. The margarita and Hefeweizen were better than the food :) The food was just okay and the waitress seemed as if she had 1000 other things she'd rather be doing.
(2)
Dee H.
Visited here during my trip to Santa Fe three years ago because I heard "this is where all the young people hang out." It's not really my cup of tea. A live band was playing when I went, but since this is a small bar there was no room to dance to the music. And I'm used to places on the East Coast that are smoke-free, so I couldn't tolerate the cigarette smoke right in my face in here. There were some interesting people there---some older guy who gave me his email address (which I "misplaced"), and a drunken guy and his lesbian friend (the latter attended school in my hometown, which was cool). If I were back in the area and the place were smoke-free, then maybe I'd come back. ETA: I've been informed by a Yelper that places in Santa Fe have been smoke-free since '07, which is a breath of fresh air (pun intended) for me. Now I have a reason to come back if I'm ever back in the area.
(2)
Jeanette H.
We are big fans of the Cowgirl. We go for the food, but often stick around for the fun entertainment. For a BBQ place, the Cowgirl has some surprising menu choices that are so delicious! I especially recommend the scallops served on a yummy bed of garlic mashed potatoes, but another favorite of mine is the mountain meatloaf with gravy over chipotle mashed potatoes topped with caramelized onions! I have seen some complaints about the service in other reviews, but we have been going to the Cowgirl since 2008 and I don't think that is the norm. Cesar, one of the managers, always greets us when we arrive, and he usually stops by our table to check on us at least once during our meal. On a number of occasions we have even seen Chef Patrick making the rounds to make sure all guests are enjoying themselves. Because it is such a popular place you need to be able to adjust your expectations when every single table is full. If you only have 30 minutes for a meal you should go elsewhere.
(4)
David B.
I'm not going to get into the finer points of whether BBQ cooked west of the Appalachians is really BBQ. This is neither the time, nor the place. I'm just going to say that the meat product that I ate, which came from a variety of creatures, and was skillfully prepared, seasoned and served, pleased my pallette greatly. On a subsequent (lighter) visit. I had something that we can all agree was a hamburger, and it was really good, too.
(4)
Jenny K.
Yummy food. Great atmosphere and it's open late. How can you beat that? I had the mac and cheese with green chile sauce, husband had the fajitas and we shared nachos and quite a few margaritas. Everything was great and I'd definitely recommend this place.
(4)
Kelly C.
Was in desperate need for a family fun dinner spot for New Year's in Santa Fe this year. We settled on Cowgirl BBQ as the spot, and it worked out well. We were sat in the large back room which turned out to be very private and cozy, enabling us to have a comfortable conversation before the curtain closed on 2008. When you have 7 people in your clan, it's hard to please everyone, but Cowgirl BBQ's simple but diverse menu and funky atmosphere seemed to do the trick. Good selection of burgers, sandwiches, BBQ plates, salads, fish, tex-mex entrees - really you name it. And the casual, quirky atmosphere helped everyone relax....in addition to some decent margaritas. I had the Hi-ho Silver which was smooth and well-balanced with tequila and fresh lime juice. For my meal, I tried to order the smoked turkey pot pie, but they were already out, so I went with a pulled-pork sandwich which came with fries and coleslaw. Good flavor, and very filling. For starters we all shared a family style green salad which contained a ton of veggies, and the duck confit salad which was surprisingly good. Dessert was definitely creative - we had heard about the infamous baked potato (ice cream served in the shape of a potato, rolled in chocolate powder with whipped cream and pistachios on top) which we all enjoyed. We also split a tres leche cake which was a bit dry for me. While there was a band and a lively crowd playing in the front room we opted to walk home and chillax for the actual ball-dropping moment, although it was nice to have an option if we wanted to stay and get down with some more margaritas and eclectic band. Overall, while it wasn't the absolute best BBQ I've had, it was just right for our group in terms of variety, atmosphere and price.
(4)
Rich R.
The drinks were hideously watered down, the table tops sticky, the catfish over-cooked. These deficiencies were partially compensated for by the tasty sauce and texture of the calamari, and the honest decency of the tres leches cake. Were I to return here, BBQ would be the order of the day. The patio looks like a place for those who wish to see and be seen.
(2)
Caroline W.
Horrible service!! They were rude and drinks were awful...food was disgusting.
(1)
Andrew C.
Usually I'd go for the brisket at a barbecue place, but this particular day I was feeling like eating a little healthier and wasn't too hungry, so I opted for the buffalo burger. And boy was it delicious! Sweet, juicy, and lean like Buffalo should be. Cooked just right. Staff was friendly and everyone else enjoyed their food too.
(4)
Lisa P.
DO NOT MISS! Probably the most surprising and fabulous meal we had in our 2-day adventure.
(5)
Erich V.
I love being outside at twilight on a warm night and The Cowgirl lets me do this while eating good food.
(4)
Brian D.
Sadly the Cowgirl has declined rather precipitously in the last 6months. I am regularly in Santa Fe and will stop in the cowgirl when I am craving beef. Sadly the last time I went I made the mistake of ordering a burger. The burger I got was raw on the inside. Clearly the individual cooking the product has no idea how to properly cook beef. As I heard from the bartender Tiffany, she was unable to communicate with the cooking staff as speaking English as well properly preparing food weren't among the staffs' skills. When they took the burger back , they simply threw it on the grill to brown where I had taken a bite. When I looked at the burger it remained raw inside. Needless to say I didn't eat it. One of the people I was with, asked to speak with the manager who then couldn't be bothered to come speak with us. I left shortly thereafter. I am see a number of Cowgirl employees are writing positive reviews (Aisha you shouldn't hostess and write positive reviews!). Definitely avoid this place unless food poisoning is on the menu.
(1)
Jackie A.
A good solid place to eat. Really good BBQ... not the best I've had but way better than what I expected. The game burger was delicious. It would have been better if it wasn't covered in New Mexican shit juice- aka green chile. Just playing... green chile is alright I just wish Santa Fe-ans didn't think it was like God's second son. We ate a baked potato made out of ice cream. That was the best part. Good job Cowgirl!
(4)
Khaleelah J.
Thank God this place is open past 7 on a Sunday. After a long day of hiking through the mountains, we NEEDED food ASAP...and most places were closed. Cowgirl BBQ came through with AMAZING fast service and good food. If you're looking for a culinary delight that will blow your mind, go elsewhere, but this place served a solid BBQ sandwich (for a little twist, try the green chile strips- they are only $1.00 more and are GREAT on anything) and margarita within 20 minutes...great live music, too!
(4)
Sam A.
Now EVERYONE in the city of Santa Fe KNOWS that the service at the cowgirl is the worst on the planet, but I just want to point out just how terrible it is... Tonight, five of us showed up for dinner at about 9:30, finally got our order in to the kitchen by about 10:30pm... had to return 3 drinks, and had every single meal messed up to the point that even with our to-go orders (where we'd eaten half the food already), we actually ended up with doggie bags from other tables! OUCH!
(1)
JR S.
Very good fresh-cut fries and collard greens. Mediocre brisket. Awful service. Our food arrived before our drinks. That shouldn't happen. We sat on the patio, but no one knew how to turn on the heat lamp.
(2)
Jill C.
The ambiance was fun and funky but the food was really heavy and disappointing. Much better eats to be had in Santa Fe.
(2)
Mim B.
I went here my first night in Santa Fe. I was coming from the east coast, and people, if you grew up and live at sea level, having a beer at 7k feet is an experience. The beer I had, the state pen porter, was very tasty and to me extremely reasonably priced. (For reference, I grew up in NY and live in the DC metro area for now.) It felt like 3! My quesadilla, filled with cheese, green chile strips, tomatoes, and onions was tasty if a bit hard to eat. It came with beans, and the fact that Cowgirl shows their beans so much love is huge. The texture was tender but not out of a can, and they were delicious. I love beans, but where I live they're usually an afterthought - someone cracks open a can and sprinkles some over whatever you ordered. My bf ordered the bison burger. It was cooked perfectly, juicy, tender, and exploding with meaty flavor. That night, my bf and I split their baked potato ice cream, which is a great sight gag. And hey, vanilla ice cream rolled in cocoa with whipped cream and fudge sauce is never a losing combination. :) We went back our last night in Santa Fe to try their BBQ. The combo platter was like the size of my head, and everything on it was delicious. The brisket was kind of dry, but again, tasty. And it came with more of those beans. I completely ignored the potato salad and cole slaw which were lackluster and bland. My bf ordered the Horny Toad margarita, and it was a very well-mixed drink. You could taste the tequila, and there was enough sweet, sour, and coldness to make it really refreshing without being too sweet. We finished off the night with a piece of tres leches cake, although in retrospect I have no idea how we managed to eat even more. :) And that was sweet, with bits of what I think were almonds studding the cake, served with not-out-of-a-can whipped cream (!). Overall, Cowgirl is (to me, a born and bred NYer) totally kitschy and silly but... real. Because it's, well, in NM. Like the dudes wandering around with huge beards looking like lumberjacks aren't some idiot hipsters from Brooklyn trying to be ironic, and I totally loved it. The people watching here is superb. Thumbs up for the BBQ, the DIY quesadilla, the Horny Toad margarita, the buffalo burger, and OMG the beans. :)
(4)
Richard M.
Went there about a year ago and was never served, ended up leaving after 30 minutes without even a waiter coming to ask us what we would like to drink.
(1)
C. M.
I went here to have a nice meal in relative anomynity and enjoy some local bbq. I got a table right across from the bar next to a wall, perfect for a single diner. My server came by quickly and was friendly and helpful. I had a house margarita and ordered the bbq sandwich and splurged on the sweet potato fries. The margarita was a solid pour but not exceptional. Based on other reviews I was expecting more but was still enjoyable. Food arrived in a decent amount of time and the bbq was very good. They are long on sauce and solid on spice-not overbearing but tangy and enough kick to get your attention. The fries were a bit of a dissapointment. They were not particularly hot and did not have as much sweet taste as I was hoping. The dipping sauce was interesting and a different approach with cinnamon (I think). My server came over a couple of times during my meal to check on me and suggested a local beer as a second drink (Santa Fe Stout, much better). Prices were reasonable and the quantities were above average. A word about the clientele- this appeared (to me) to be a local's hangout. I did not see many "tourists" there, which to me is a plus. I would go back but probably skip the sweet potato fries. Enjoy!
(3)
K. P.
First of all - diners, don't take yourselves too seriously! I think they're doing something right at Cowgirl. I've been to the NYC location numerous times and was curious about the original restaurant in Santa Fe. I ask you this: when did good food and fun become mutually exclusive? I'm glad Cowgirl isn't of that ilk. I really enjoyed their locally sourced meat and produce (Taos yak burger - yes, please!), great margaritas (their mezcalita is the best specialty margarita in Santa Fe in my opinion) and felt totally at ease with its low key, somewhat tongue-in-cheek Western vibe. Service was friendly and on point. For the price-point the food was very good and many menu items are surprisingly well thought out (plenty of vegetarian options, too). And yes, their frozen margaritas (don't pretend you're too good for them) are legendary...and cheap! Bottom line: Cowgirl is a unique dining/drinking option in Santa Fe definitely worth checking out.
(4)
Carrie B.
Excellent- even for a vegetarian! I ordered a salad off of the seasonal menu and opted to add jerk tofu to it. YUMMY. Great margarita. Great way to end a day in Santa Fe.
(4)
Evangeline O.
At first glance, you might find an old boring place. But once you enter inside and get served by their friendly waiters, you will change your mind! This place is so awesome! The quality of their servings are satisfying! Their display in the menu will keep you drooling! Their service is satisfying. The food is great. To sum it up, i'll give you 5 stars!
(5)
Jace G.
I went back here after the pleasant experience before (see below). Well I think that the previous experience was tainted by sitting outside on a nice day. This time we sat inside. Maybe that allowed us to focus more on our food. Easiest way to describe the food: cheap diner food. It was warm and filled our bellies, but I wouldn't go back or recommend it to anyone.
(2)
Patrick C.
Outstanding food. Had the ribs and mud pie. Both were delicious.
(4)
heather g.
Service was great, food servings were huge, price was right! The cowgirl bbq was an unexpected find for 2 vegetarians from Texas! We highly recommend stopping in and staying for a game of pool in the adjoining bar.
(5)
Rob W.
Good service. Accommodated our party of 6 with 2 kids easily. Food was great. The chile with Frito Lays chips I thought was a joke until we ordered it and tried it. Such a good chile flavor with brisket and ground beef. Superb. I had the BBQ sampler plate which was way too much for me but was fantastic in terms of flavor (ribs, brisket and chicken were wonderful). I will definitely return.
(4)
Lars L.
Great ribs and scallops, tuna app was huge. A transplant from the NYC Hall of Fame, and even better as you can eat outside in the beautiful evening air and commiserate with the friendly locals.
(4)
Katelin H.
From one *spicehead* to another, I invite you to saddle up at the Cowgirl. Dern near the best BBQ I've had this side of the Mississippi. A whole mess of meats: ribs, brisket, chick, and beasties of all varieties! Plumb fell outta my seat when I tasted dem baked banes. So, if you're in the area, and ya got yerself a hankerin for some of the sauciest spice smackdab in the middle of the desert, hightail it to Cowgirls. Take a load off, Chap. Pull yourself up that thar cheer and setchursef down for a spell. Shootfire way to clean out the system. A few werds of advace: Don't go if yer so poor you'd hafta borrow money to buy water to cry with. And ya wanna drank somethin'? No doubles, Partner. It's the law, shore nuff. All that bein' said, grab yer bippy, mosey on down to one of the finest establishments to hoot and holler in the most Santa of the Fe's. Zackly what my wern out, tired ole bones needed. No yella-bellies need apply. Go on now... git!
(5)
Heather M.
Excellent bartenders and drinks(especially margaritas). Great music. Yummy affordable food! This is by far my favorite bar in Santa Fe!
(5)
Randy B.
The most consistently fun best food in Santa Fe!
(5)
David S.
Cowgirl BBQ is a good place. I'll tell you this, I have not had any of the food, which looks pretty good and some of the others reviews say that it is. I will have to try it one day. This is a good place for music, pool, the decent country/classic rock/etc. jukebox and beers. They also have a full bar here. The staff, decked out in cowgirl/cowboy-type outfits which is a nice touch, treat patrons with respect and are attentive. Cowgirl BBQ probably ranks as my favorite watering hole in Santa Fe.
(3)
James F.
I love this little cantina in Santa Fe. Cheap strong drinks and a great outdoor deck! I was lucky enough to see some amazing music while I was here, and ended up hiring the band to play at my wedding! Next time I am in town I will defiantly come back to the Cowgirl and get a little rowdy.
(5)
Stacy S.
Best Bbq I have ever had,.... Great recommendation
(5)
Kirk H.
The absolute best Green Chili Burger ever! The Mother! Great beer selection of local brews. The truffle fries rock! Great service.
(5)
John N.
Very dog friendly on the patio, but don't put your pooch on a chair, please. Erratic service, but worth the wait. Bustling all day. Make a reservation if you want to be seated promptly. Lively ambience. Surprising quantity and good quality of fish and seafood dishes. I had blackened fish sandwich on rye with slaw. Delicious, and I don't particularly like slaw or rye with my fish. My wife had salmon tacos with beans and rice, which she devoured. Will return to try additional fish entrees.
(4)
Lindsey M.
Santa Fe staple when I come into town. The baked potato ice cream is where it's at. I had the brisket with mashed potatoes and slaw. Standard BBQ food made better by Cowgirl's environment. Friendly weight staff with fun outfits and a great patio. Each room has a different vibe to offer, all fun.
(4)
Shannon Z.
Worst service I have ever encountered (thank you Pablo) & mediocre food. The worst potato salad, I don't even know how you can mess that up?! Skip! Gluten free options were not truly gluten free (avoid if you have celiacs/allergy). I left very feeling very ill and disappointed. All the BBQ sauce has gluten, the fries have gluten, there are no main dishes on the menu that are gluten free. The waitstaff has no respect for food allergies or customers requests.
This place gets 3 stars for having a pet friendly patio. Otherwise, their drinks are adequate but overpriced, and their food is sub-par.
(3)
Chris P.
Sure it's a Santa Fe landmark, but the food and drink speaks volumes. A must have is the baked potato ice cream dessert, and the smoke pulled pork is seriously done right. They have a great beer selection, and the atmosphere is pretty cool. If you want to give yourself a heart attack, go for the nachos. After that, I felt like I couldn't eat for a week. If the aim is to be Texas size, you won't be disappointed. The burgers kill it too. You really can't order anything bad here. The beer tap rotation is excellent because of the good emphasis on New Mexico brewed offerings. As someone from the Seattle area where beer is HUGE, I can't say enough good stuff and praises for New Mexico beer and breweries.
(5)
Kathryn M.
YUM! Everything I had was amazingly delicious. Did not realize you could make food taste like this until I went here. Simply a must-go if you're in Santa Fe. Live music was great too! Warm, homey ambiance. Just so great.
(5)
Kristie A.
My favorite stop in New Mexico!!! Everything is good and the beer selection is amazing!!! It's hard to choose between the BBQ and Southwest menu so order both!!!!
(5)
Quinn A.
I drove up here from ABQ for nothing. I called ahead to make sure they have patio seating and if yes, do you allow dogs. The woman on the phone said yes, so I said, see you in an hour! Now I'm here and there is a reserved sign on every table. They say nothing will be available until one o'clock. What the hell? You didn't know this when I called an hour ago? See ya at the Zia!
(1)
Anthony J.
Santa Fe, Local, N.M. Shop and Staff We went for dinner on Saturday expecting a long wait, however we got a table as soon as we walked in. We were very lucky. A very popular place to eat, and for good reason. The outdoor seating was completely full. The staff had a very professional manner, and yet we could joke with him as well. Of course the theme is western style, and it was great to see everyone had a western uniform on. Food and Experience Wow! Everything was great! To start we shared the asparagus and goat cheese salad. That was a flavor combination hard to describe. We both got the Meatlofe for dinner, and the service was fast and great. I would tell everyone who needs that good home cooking meal to head to this place.
(4)
Jessica P.
SO GOOD! Been visiting in Santa Fe for the past few days, and was very impressed. Our server was very accommodating and sweet, staff was very helpful in moving us to another table when it began to rain, food was delicious! If I'm ever back in Santa Fe, I will definitely be back here!
(4)
Vert F.
Ouah-Oh, after being walking all around Santa Fe for my work, I finally found one place to have lunch on a Mexican time... 3:43pm. Which is also during the happy hour! I went for the Frozen Margarita 100% agave which is rare, and you feel the difference. The Little Sirloin was perfect with the Terra Andina Malbec and I left the place more than happy. I'll come back if another trip brings me here
(4)
Wendy C.
My pulled pork sandwich was seriously good! My husband's fish tacos not so much :/ service was excellent... Maybe it's important to remember: When you are eating at a BBQ restaurant it's probably a good idea to order BBQ!! Check out the picture I posted of my sandwich..
(4)
Christine F.
Delicious barbecue. Great patio outside. We had the baked potato dessert. Nothing like it!
(5)
Debbie N.
Went for lunch to taste the bbq. Perhaps we're spoiled because we're from the South, but were disappointed a bit in the sauce. Brisket wasn't as tender as I'm used to. Portion size was great and they accommodated our requests for swapping out the usual fry side with greens for me and jalapeño cornbread for my husband. Excellent server - good beer and iced tea (I'm sometimes amazed that places can screw up iced tea!). Free internet, which we took advantage of because the service at our condo was horrible. Sat outside so don't know what the inside ambiance is like.
(3)
Steven D.
Very busy place, so obviously very good. I had a steak and it was cooked to perfection (medium rare), wish I had a picture but I was hungry and it was too late when I thought about taking one. Baked potatoes was also great and mixed veggies. DEFINITELY recommend cowgirls to anyone in Sante fe!
Everything looks delicious here. I had the mother of all green chilly burger and I highly recommended! One of the best burgers I had so far. The service was good and they have a huge list of local beers on tap. We where leaving when the live music kick in. You can seat outside too. Really nice original local restaurant.
(4)
Patricia J.
Not only barbeque... Patrick is a great chef. The quality of food is a steal for the price in Santa Fe. The service, great. Entertainment fabulous. The crowd? Unforgettable. See you there! Thanks Cowgirl.
(5)
Bike Chaplain O.
Poor is the operative word in every way. How does a restaurant go from 4 stars to 2 stars to now a 1 star? We ask for water with lemons. The water takes 15 minutes and the lemons take another 10 minutes to arrive. The burgers (two) were both dry and tasteless. The fries were soggy and limp. We told our waiter, who did nothing. I ordered the natural burger and my friend ordered the cowgirl burger. Both "fowl" tasting. Stay away until new waiters, cooks and management are hired and old staff sent to work for/destroy their competition.Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(1)
Krista M.
The gourmet grilled cheese was amazing. The caramelized onions were delicious. The cole slaw left something to be desired but overall the food was fantastic.
(4)
Maricarmen P.
Solid, a great place, really yummy food and very friendly laid back service... really. laid. back... We had their buffalo burger, delicious and perfectly cooked to a medium term woth pretty tasty truffled fries. We also had the Cabeza de Ajo app, a roasted garlic head with green chile and cheese, served with bruschetta toast, really surprisingly satisfying. We also had a delicious arugula goat cheese salad, and crawfish ettoufee with jambalaya, flavors were spot on (i lived in louisiana and this is exactly how that is supposed to tastes like, well done!) We were seated in the back which is a family area with open playground for kids (awesome) and has a community table, unfortunately it was a little away from the way for the waiter who had a mild case of amnesia. Were not really in a hurry so we didn't mind... the family that was sitting right beside us at the community table couldn't take it and left, not sure if they were not happy with the community table seating or the slow service or something... it was definitely something, they were annoying and we were glad they were gone... community table is truly like a box of cjocolates, you never know what you are going to get LOL ...oh well!
(4)
Ginger J.
We come here ever time we come to Sante Fe. Usually the food is great and the live music is super fun. This time the food was lousy. We had the tacos which were really disappointing! There are tons of other great places to eat in Sante Fe!
(2)
Kayla S.
The house margarita was no Bueno! To sweet! I had to order more tequila and water it down! Luckily the bartender offered to make us his specialty which was great! They need to put that on the menu instead! We had the ribs which were tasty however they cover them in a lil to much bbq sauce but everything it was paired with was also yum. All around we enjoyed the experience. It was really busy so that's a plus! They have a great play area if you have kids! The staff was very friendly and I thought there outfits were cute lol.
We were only in Santa Fe a few days, and were interested to see what was going on in the area. After finding out that this place had live music every sunday afternoon we knew we had to try it. We arrived pretty early near the beginning of the live music (about noon probably). The restaurant itself was very busy and we were going to wait for a table. We got a drink at the bar while we were waiting which turned out to be the best decision we could have made. That is where the music was going on, so we just asked to stay up there and eat at the bar. The atmosphere was so fun. Everyone was very warm and welcoming, and it was awesome to have the music going on as well. The beer selection was extremely extensive. This was wonderful to see for us Oklahomans who live in the state of stupid liquor laws and limited beers. We ordered beers from different New Mexican Breweries and they were excellent. I ordered the Yak Meatloaf. It was not at all gamey and was served with a gigantic helping of chipotle mashed potatoes. The sauce was made with Stout and had a BBQ type of vibe. My boyfriend got the BBQ platter which had all different kinds of BBQ items. Both dishes were WONDERFUL. Our bartender/server, I believe her name was Tiffany (?), was amazing. It was incredibly crowded and busy and she kept her cool and had a positive attitude all afternoon. Props to her! Definitely check out Cowgirl especially when there is live music going on!
(5)
Jay P.
Almost always get the cowgirl burger for $10 and it's one of the best around. Great selection of beers with nightly specials, lots of whiskey and tequila. Good for live music and killin time with friends playin pool.
(5)
Mr M.
Probably the first BBQ I have had in New Mexico. The joint is awesome, and staff is friendly, but it's no Lockhart BBQ (Texas), and frankly, Dickie's probably has it beat. Oh, the menu is huge! To begin with, we were eating between normal meal hours. We are on vacation, so we eat at odd times, usually avoiding crowds. It was around 3pm as I recall. We sat on the patio and they allowed us to bring our dog, who is well behaved and other than being a dog, doesn't bother anybody. I ordered a Sampler platter which consist of ribs (meh), brisket ( a bit better than "meh"), and chicken (best of 3). Sides are just "OK", but beans are not served hot, slaw is not "cold" and potato salad is just "in between". For that matter the meat was not really hot either. This is the first strike for me. Foods that should be hot need to be served hot, likewise for cold foods. As for the individual meats, the brisket was tender, but not flavorful. The ribs were covered in a thick sauce- again, not much flavor to the meat, I cant detect under all that sauce what the wood is- mesquite, hickory, pecan...? there was so much sauce it was difficult to eat with your hands, you need a LOT of napkins. Honestly, I was disappointed. I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it exist. My wife ordered Yak meatloaf, and the Yak is supposedly "local". It was better WAY than the BBQ I had. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and garnished with a couple of onion rings. Honestly, the meatloaf tasted great- like a very good steak. It had a coarse grind, slightly chewy like a New York Strip. I would order that in a heartbeat. My star rating is based on the fact that this is a "BBQ" place- has BBQ in the name, and the BBQ is ordinary at best. I say this as a fan Texas BBQ spots like Lockhart (Lockhart, Plano and Dallas), Angelo's in Ft Worth, City Market in Giddings, Louie Mueller In Taylor, and frankly, Rudy's, which is a gas station BBQ joint and is all over the state. I honestly feel bad going so low, because I know they likely have many things on the menu that are great. The Yak meatloaf was great. But the sign doesn't say "Cowgirl Meatloaf" (or whatever else is really great here). will I try again? Of course, but not the BBQ. I hear the chili relleno is good. Maybe then can make a good CFS? I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it is here.
(2)
Robert G.
Monday afternoon, all we wanted were drinks and chips / guacamole. They were fine, but the service was abysmal. Won't return.
(3)
Nicole M.
Live music on Saturdays! Yummy BBQ food, I recommend the BBQ sandwich with the spicy sauce. There are heaters in case it gets chilly so I recommend sitting outside, better atmosphere. I had the Cowgirl Agave Margarita and added strawberry flavor. It was delicious. There is also a billiards hall.
(3)
Camille H.
I really enjoyed this BBQ place when I went to NM to visit a friend in Santa Fe. I have been looking for half way decent BBQ since I moved out west and have not had great luck in that department. This place was huge! And it had a cute playground out back for kids to play in. The food was great, I had a BBQ chicken dish, potato salad, fries.. a very delicious margarita as well. The kids loved it, they couldn't wait to get outside to play. And us mommy's loved it where we could sit at the table and finish our margaritas and food and watch them have a blast.
(4)
Jocelyn B.
Smokiest flavors I've ever tasted. I begged the waiter to either sell me the bbq sauce or give me the recipe. Sadly, no such luck. Great beer flight, too. Fun, delicious, incredibly filling spot. After that dinner, all I can do is lay very still. Santa Fe, you've outdone yourself with the yums.
(4)
Sam G.
I came for the wings and stayed for the pulled pork. All around, this was a good experience. It's comfy, has the essential Southwest feel, the staff was nice, and the food was delicious. I sat at the bar, which had a ton of beers on tap, and ordered the wings of fire. Excellent! They were hot, but not gut-busting. Being hungry still, I then ordered the spicy version of the pulled pork sandwich. Again, good stuff. As a tourist with time for only one meal in Santa Fe, I'm glad I gave this place my money and time.
(4)
Jonathan D.
We got seated incredibly fast on July 4th. We had our choice of indoor or patio seating. Our server was friendly and attentive. BBQ beef brisket sandwich was melt-one-your-mouth delicious. With cole slaw and scalloped potatoes (which I substituted for fries) as sides, it really filled me up.
(4)
Rick C.
Great place and great food. Travling through, and someone at the hotel suggested Cowgirl. We're glad we came. The facility is...interesting. Very DIY buildings and additions. Good size outdoor patio. I was surprised by the variety on the menu. It was a little more than you'd expect from a place like this. The wait staff seemed excellent. Our waiter was great - I wish I would have caught her name - but friendly and the right amount of attentive. The food came quickly. The portions were large and good quality components. I had the BBQ sampler, and it is enough for any two people. Now, if you can put the food away, it'll take care of you. I left a lot on my plate and still needed to be carted off in a wheelbarrel. The BBQ was a good, smokey and spicy (prolly a bit much for the wimpy folks). My coworker was impressed by the beer selection (I don't drink and couldn't tell you anything abut it - no impact on me). I'm starting to look forward to my next trip here. I'll be coming back. After all, I gotta try the karaoke.
(4)
Mark G.
I've been to this restaurant twice and both times the food was not that great. I don't know if it's because it's downtown or if they think their food is worth the cost but it was rather expensive too. On top of that, the service was pretty bad as well. Our server (both times) took forever to even come ask us what we wanted to drink. Mind you these where not very busy nights. And the second, and last time, I went the server was very rude to us. Don't know if this was because they where too busy to be bothered for a refill on a drink or if there was something else going on. Either way, not a good way to act towards a paying customer.
(1)
Matt K.
Great mainstay of Santa Fe on Guadalupe - their Chili Rellenos were some of the best I've experienced, and according to my cajun-sensitive brother, their gumbo was *lip-smacking* good. Hate to say it to you "Benny's" fans in Denver, but Cowgirl has yours beat. Got the rellenos "Christmas Tree", definitely prefer the red chili over green - but both were very tasty. Cowgirl BBQ is a fun place to chill, great place to people watch, and overall fun place to hang out when in SF. (5+ times a year).
(4)
Susanna W.
J & I "randomly" chose Cowgirl BBQ (one of the highest rated & most popular restaurants in the Santa Fe area on Yelp) to have lunch at our first full day in NM. AMBIANCE: We sat in the courtyard at one of the communal picnic benches (in a shaded spot). The courtyard is very cute, and has a super relaxing vibe. SERVICE: Super friendly. Different staff members came by to check on us, and our main server made sure we were well taken care of. FOOD: - Mother of all burgers: One of the best burgers I've had in a while. The beef was perfectly seasoned, great texture (a medium grind), and cooked to a nice medium (bordering med-rare). Add on the brie (fancy!), green chile (is there anything that DOESN'T have green chile on it in NM?), and other accoutrements, and you have a delicious, hefty meal. The fries that came with the burger were only ok-- they were slightly soggy. - Green chile nachos with beef brisket: Holy. The portion size is generous, and I could only have a few bites before waving the white flag. Really good, though I wished I had asked for less cheese (blasphemy?) and the sour cream on the side. OVERALL: One of our best meals while in NM. I thought that the green chile was pretty thoughtfully combined with the items we chose, so that it was harmonious rather than an absent-minded add on. I'd dine here again.
(4)
Cinnamongirl 6.
Had dinner tonight with my family. Our food was delish! We ate inside, but there was plenty of seating, outside on the patio. The kids had fajitas, my husband enjoyed his burger and I had the blue corn chicken stack. No complaints about the food although it was pretty standard fare. We did sit there for five minutes without a peep. My husband is not one to let things go so he went to the hostess girls and told them that we needed waters, menus and our waiter...stat! After that, everything went great. Our waiter was delightful, funny even. Our drinks were great. My margarita was even on the strong side. Not that I mind that! The atmosphere is fun and it's just a sweet, kitschy little joint.
(4)
K P.
I was looking for something good to eat and wanted to absorb more New Mexico culture so I gave Cowgirl's a try. I was not disappointed. The service was excellent, and not too kitschy. The food was very good. I loved the flavor of the barbecue ribs. My son ordered the sampler of craft beers. That was fun and they were all high quality beers, not the stuff that isn't selling. We sat on the patio until it rained, but that didn't spoil a thing. We had a memorable and truly enjoyable experience!
(5)
Forrest B.
I have never wrote a review but felt obligated after an an awful experience: On our honeymoon, we were asked to leave because we had "glassy eyes." We were waiting for a table and music to start and could not find a place to sit. My wife dropped her jacket and that was reason why we were asked to leave.. What a joke. Go here if you would like to be embarrassed and treated awful.
(1)
Jody P.
Excellent food, good music and attentive service. Nice combination. A very well stocked bar with a great beer selection and a not to shabby whiskey selection as well :) The most important thing for me when going to a new place is how well they handle my wife's dairy allergy. The Cowgirl did a great job and the Server even remembered when we ordered an after dinner drink that normally has whipped cream on it. The drink came sans the dairy component and it was still great. Ok, the food. The "Mother of all Green Chile Cheeseburgers" was wonderful. Don't know if it was the best I've ever had but it was pretty damn close. The rest of my party also enjoyed their meals too... Will be making the Cowgirl a regular stop when we go into town!
(4)
Raider J.
BBQ was very average. The fries were excellent, ribs and chicken were decent, the beef brisket was dry and overcooked and the service sucked!
(3)
Barry S.
Wonderful brisket sandwich and fries. The BBQ sauce was to die for. Rich and smokey. My partner had a very fresh gazpacho. Definitely recommend for lunch.
(4)
Jared S.
Definitely the place to get your meat fix. In Santa Fe for business, I came to trusty yelp for some recommendations, and this is one of the most rated places around, and very highly rated at that. I got the BBQ platter and all of it was great, but nothing really special in my opinion honestly. And I'm from NY so you'd think great BBQ would be obvious considering you don't really get it there. My coworker had the t-bone and was happy, and ended with the homemade cherry pie that he enjoyed. The only faux pas - both interested in local micro brews, we ordered the Santa Fe Pale Ale (or something like that). The waiter came back a few minutes later, "Oh, I'm so sorry, we actually just replaced the Pale Ale on our menu with Pacifico. Would you like that instead?" Are you kidding me? That's like saying, "Sorry, no Sam Adams, would you like a Milwaukee's Best instead?" Um, no.
(4)
Kate G.
Naturally I found the Railroad district and Cowgirl BBQ the night before I left Santa Fe. And now the city make much more sense to me.
(4)
Katie H.
We didn't eat here, but the beer was tasty, the entertainment was good (there was a band and cd release party that night) and the staff was super friendly. We stopped in for a beer and the owner/manager chatted with us about where we were from and then invited us to come back for dinner and have a free beer. We stopped back in later for the beer and ended up hanging out for about 2 hours in the pool area, drinking beers, dancing to the tunes on the limited juke box and chatting with some locals.
(4)
Dean W.
First dessert: we had never heard of an ice-cream-baked-potato before. Well, it was YUMMY! Imagine if you will, a log of vanilla ice cream rolled in powdered chocolate (so it looks like a potato). The top is split open, whip cream (i.e. sour cream) is filled into the split, green coated nuts (in place of onions), and a slab of frosting top it all off. The decor and atmosphere are fun. The servers are all decked out as cowboys or cowgirls. All in all we enjoyed it.
(4)
Jessica M.
While visiting Santa Fe, I specifically requested a visit to Cowgirls based on all of the great Yelp reviews. I was not disappointed. At the time, I was dealing with some crazy sinus reactions to the elevation and opted for the spicy jerked chicken in hopes of finding a remedy. The jerk sauce wasn't exactly authentic, but it was a delicious blend of tangy and spicy flavors so I won't complain. Plus, the serving was huge! Two whole chicken breasts with beans and rice. One person in our party was a vegetarian and allergic to several foods, but was still able to find a nice number of options to pick from. The sweet potato fries were very unique, served with chopped nuts, green onions and a sweet dressing, yet still very yummy! It was a very busy night, but service was friendly and reliable. This place is definitely a gem for Santa Fe!
(5)
Drew C.
Dive + Decent BBQ + Outdoor Drinking = success.
(4)
Sam P.
Would definitely go back. Food is good, altho, I have to say that the best thing we had there was the epazole chili/soup. Fun atmosphere. Good mix of locals and tourists.
(4)
Mike P.
This is a trendy BBQ place near the busy Railyard shopping complex. The atmosphere and decor are great and they have a nice patio. The menu is a mix of barbecue, sandwiches, and other American fare. The food is good, but not great. The barbecue isn't memorable, not surprising since Santa Fe doesn't have any sort of BBQ tradition. The restaurant has been featured on a number of travel TV shows and its close to a passenger rail stop, so its often full of tourists.
(3)
Mirai S.
A bar, restaurant, and club all in one! The food was nothing special, but a very fun place indeed.
(3)
Kathleen K.
So the 6 of us piled in here on a Friday night around 9:00. It was packed, which we thought a good sign. This is a BBQ joint so the BBQ menu items are the best to order. The beef brisket sandwich was delicious. The BBQ Sampler also. I had the pulled pork sandwich, which had a tasty chipotle BBQ sauce. The folks in the bar appeared to be enjoying themselves and we liked seeing all the cowgirl pictures. Nothing fancy but a very nice meal at a reasonable price.
(4)
huong n.
the food was good and the ambiance was excellent. i am giving it 3 stars because the service was unbelievably bad. i did not expect this kind of inattentive service and complete obliviousness from a place like this. the waitress got our drinks promptly but she forgot to put in our appetizer and dinner. she came back to ask us about how we were doing on our meals which we had not gotten yet (more than 40 mins have passed since we ordered). she didn't apologize; just went on pretending that things were ok. we felt too generous for giving her a tip. my fish taco and mojito were great. the live band was pretty fun and complimented the atmosphere well.
(3)
Hiker Chicka e.
I've been here only once (with a large party) and these guys do a mean green chile burger. Everyone in my party loved the food, but hey it's Santa Fe, which is definitely well known for their great dining options. Oh.. yeah.. if you are into that kinda thing, the meals are served by waitresses dressed as cowgirls. And they do a song/dance to go with it.
(4)
Steve E.
Very good. Busy during tourist season.
(5)
Richard W.
We go to Santa Fe each year, and every visit we go to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Good value, loads of character, full of locals. If there's a wait, you can sit out in the garden and soak up the atmosphere. Good food, kid friendly, we'll keep coming back. Just wish we had this in Denver.
(5)
Og B.
i am giving this place 5 stars because it is the ONLY place i have been able to go in santa fe and play a game of pool with strangers. the service is great and usually adorable. i love cowgirls and i love billiards. i also dont mind the juke box filled with ani and blues. oh lesbians... food is good. lots of flat screens with sports. same jam bandy music. always people dancing and a mixed crowd.
(5)
Josh O.
Mmmmm. I had the Bunkhouse Brisket, Jessi M. got the Jerked Chicken, and my mom got the butternut squash casserole. Delicious. Good prices. Fun place. Plus I got to see the king of all mullets (sadly I couldn't figure out a way to discreetly take a picture). My only complaint was that the room they seated us in was hellishly hot. It must have been 80+ in there. Fortunately the food was good enough to distract me from that, so I'm still giving them all five stars. Plus, $2 PBRs. $1 on Tuesday. If I didn't live thousands of miles away, I'd be there all the time.
(5)
Julie A.
$1 PBR's. GOOD food. a BBQ joint that has a ton of vegetarian dishes?! The 2 friends I were with ate meat, and a lot of it. They are BBQ aficionados they say and they gave this place a rave review. I had a vegetarian sampler plate and say this place gets the two thumbs up. totally laid back for both lunch or dinner, cheap prices, and super fast and friendly servers make it an all around perfect place to come to. I'm a sucker for the western decor, even if I was in New Mexico. This place is a must!
(5)
Mark G.
Had two good meals here, and it was wonderful sitting on the patio in the October sun. One star is for the patio. Several choices of local beer help, too. Of ten dishes ordered, three were great, none were terrible, but a few were not worth the effort. The BBQ brisket was really good, and the BBQ brisket hash with chili-spiked eggs Benedict sauce was outstanding, especially since it's tough to make Hollandaise that stays perfectly smooth, outside in the sun and the cool air. On the flip side, the nachos were pretty lame, like someone said before (beans and olives and jalapenos dumped on chips just doesn't gel, ya know?) Buffalo wings were also unremarkable. Which is surprising. If you can do a great eggs Benedict, why are nachos a challenge? Would return happily, though.
(4)
Jess M.
As it turns out, in the sleepy little town of Santa Fe there aren't too many mid-week late night options for eats. And let me just clarify that by late night I mean establishments that actually serve food past 9pm! Cowgirl was one of the only ones my cohorts and I could find, and I'm certainly glad we stumbled upon it. The margs were solid, they had a fine beer selection and we did a pretty phenomenal job of licking our plates when all was said and done. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet potato fries and the heavenly dipping sauce it came with, the chili was great and the BBQ was solid although nothing to write home about. Funky decor, fun atmosphere and if the weather had been a tad warmer sitting outside would have topped it off.
(4)
MyBabyLove R.
Santa Fe restaurants can be very pricy as a tribute to the great past time of overbilling tourists, but not this spankin' little joint one block south of the Santa Fe River on South Guadalupe. I had a very nice dinner of baby back ribs on the patio, enjoying the mediocre service from our server who was wearing a beat up cowgirl hat, and nice lookin' cowgirl boots. yeee haw! There is quite a great beer selection here to choose from, and if you also like authentic southwest food you shouldn't be disappointed. Apparently there's a Cowgirl Hall of Fame in NYC, so I will check that out next time I'm back there. I happened upon this restaurant in July, so there weren't many college students from St. John's here getting wasted for no gol darn good reason. The music seemed western-like and fun, and I hear they do have good live music here, although there was no pedal steel,drums, or crooning whilst I was shovelin' my grub. You may have a wait at a place like this, so be assertive and let the wait staff know that you definitely are reviewing them on yelp.com . :)
(4)
John M.
This is a cool place to hang with the locals at tourist watch. They've got a nice cozy bar and good food.
(4)
JJ M.
Ate here on a Sunday after driving from Childress TX. The baby-back ribs where moist, fall off the bone tender and the BBQ sauce was yummy sweet. Hubby had Chili Reano and was totally satisfied. Potato salad was delicious and so was the rice. Baked beans so so but they never have been my thing. House margarita was the only let down...small and tart..not close to the best by any means. Would eat here again in a heartbeat.
(4)
thomas n.
Fun, cool and inexpensive. Great mix of regulars(from local artists to cowboys and cowgirls) and those of us just passing through town. Hanging on the deck during happy hour is the way to go on an afternoon in Santa Fe.
(5)
Bill E.
Pretty good place to drink, an ok place to eat..... the kitsch is what is it, probably worth stopping in
(3)
Who W.
The setting and costumes may be a bit over the top, but you weren't expecting to find a hidden hole-in-the-wall bbq joint in downtown Santa Fe were you? The beef sandwich was solid, a nice smoky sauce with a tomato base, fries were fine, and the patio seating was nice. Solid 3 stars.
(3)
A S.
A fun place to sit out on the front patio in the summer sun in Santa Fe... to watch locals imbibe and overimbibe. Fun little nooks and crannies in the old adobe architecture, a favorite is the little room with the pool table, tucked out of the way. Lots of live music, I prefer the drinks over dining here.
(4)
Sarah W.
This is a great place, with a lot of thoughtful food and a wonderful atmosphere. We have been going pretty regularly for about ten years, and have never had a bad meal. A few times, we have had extraordinary meals. They go out of their way to create an affordable, delicious and nutritious kids menu, which we appreciate very much. I mean, who puts salmon on their kids menu? Cowgirl BBQ, that's who! (And it's delicious)
(4)
Happy J.
Only country-themed bar where they play jazz music. I was there on a Sunday evening and, I think, there was a live jazz band playing. A good selection of beers, which made the meal that much more enjoyable for me. Not having too much creativity, I had the "cowgirl" burger - cheeseburger with fries. It was really good, although it came out more well-done than medium as I had requested. The server was terrific; didn't get her name. I would definitely come back here again to try some of their other signature dishes.
(4)
Daniel S.
the atmosphere was fun. wish we were there with friends. i had the bunkhouse brisket. the meat was very tender, nice texture, but when I scraped the sauce off to taste the 12 hour mesquite...nothing! the sauce was the flavor. wasn't bad, but I was looking for more taste in the meat. my wife had the BBQ beef on a bun. since this was shredded, the meat and sauce developed differently. much better total taste. ladies, the fly bags don't work! but it kept me wondering 'what the heck' until the food arrived.
(4)
David R.
Had the pulled pork today it was so good and spicy tonight my tummy is kicking but it was worth it !!! there was a live band and give aways it was a good afternoon
(5)
Carol G.
Delicious smoked chicken nachos. Really fun & kitchy atmosphere. Good beer. We debated eating there twice but were only in Santa Fe for three nights and wanted to try some of the other culinary delights that the town has on offer. The place was a rabbit warren of rooms kind of strung together Victorian-style, which is fine, except that it created a pretty small, closed space for the band stage.
(4)
A K.
Good food, casual setting, good service. Despite the long wait, you can hang out in the pool room or at the bar.
(4)
Brett M.
Great BBQ and a lot of fun to have drinks. The atmosphere is more Western than "New Mexico". If you want BBQ and some fun, this is the place to go.
(3)
Johnny D.
We ate bfast here and it was soooo good! Great service too!
(5)
Dot K.
after seeing rachel ray on her little trip to santa fe with a stop at this place - we had to try it... called around 6pm on sunday night for 6:15pm dinner in the boot in the patio. not a problem. we ordered cabeja de ajo (a good size roasted garlic, with melted cheese, tomatillo salsa served with baguette) for appetizer and i had the beef brisket and my boyfriend had the BBQ combo platter... let's just say we had enough food for about 4 people - 4 of my food loving friends (you know who you are...) - their BBQ sauce was so good - tangy, spicy, bold - so good. we were so full, we didn't get to try the famous baked potato ice cream dessert... but they do serve you drinks (like soda and ice tea) in a big cup - like the ones you used to see at pizza hut. and the staff are so nice here too. * we didn't get to try their alcoholic beverages - but looked like they have tons of beer on tap and bottle - and they have $2 PBR tuesdays!
(5)
Christina B.
I never have a good experience at the Cowgirl. I am local to Santa Fe and have frequented the Cowgirl many times and every single time it is a fiasco. The customer service is terrible. The servers frequently forget to bring food out, mistake your order, and take a very long time. The bartender who seems to be there has a very bad attitude, is slow and also mistakes orders, and has been outright rude to me and other customers. If this was an isolated incident, perhaps I would let it slide. But it's not. Other people I know have had similar negative experiences. With so many other dinner options and BBQ options in Santa Fe now, and many better music options too (2nd Street Brewery, Santa Fe Brewery), I avoid the Cowgirl.
(1)
Sergio S.
The food was o.k. here, but I mainly liked the ambiance of the place. Has a good time vibe, and a good time was had by all. The interior is very glittery. Strange, but I dig it.
(4)
Corey M.
My wife and I just stopped in for drinks in the afternoon. We only had margaritas, chips, and guacamole, but we loved it. Great, cheap happy hour drinks, friendly servers, and shaded outdoor seating.
(4)
Lee T.
I remember this place well, this is where the 5 shots minimum rule was conceived. This place is great for tequila, margarita, laid back environment and great times. I didn't get to try any foods because I had no appetite. Santa Fe is at least 6000 feet above sea level, I just wasn't used to the small altitude anomalies. I am sure the food's great, and I'll definitely go back to this place.
(5)
Jake M.
The chef has Celiac and one of the owner's daughters is gluten sensitive so the kitchen and waitstaff were VERY good about knowing what was in everything. The BBQ and Jerk sauces were gluten free and fantastic. Everything was very good though how hot things were was not always accurately labeled. We had a fantastic time. A few notes though. This place has the reputation of being child-friendly and I would not say it is. My kids had a great time but that was because we hit it off with the owner and his family. At night, this is a loud and rowdy place (I went there without my kids another time to drink so don't think this was just because we were there on New Years Eve). Also, we had reservations and were first seated in the bar area in front of a door to an outside area where people were smoking. When we asked for a different table because it was freezing and loud and smoky, the waitress was a TOTAL BITCH. I had to go to the hostess and complain strongly. We were then moved to an appropriate place. But it was still on the way to the pool room and my ten year old had something odd said to him by an obviously intoxicated person. So, no, NOT kid-friendly for dinner. Our second wait person was quite good, though I think our having clearly bonded with the owner during our meal helped assure good service. All in all, fantastic food and a great relief to those with gluten and dairy limitations. But loud. [UPDATE] We had a second dinner a few nights later. This time we were brought immediately to a dining room far from both the bar and the pool hall with other families. Our waitress was the nasty one from our first night. She clearly recognized us and was on her very best behavior. The food was again fantastic. So I would modify my statement about the restaurant not being kid-friendly. As long as it isn't New Years Eve and are not seated anywhere near the bar (which was still quite loud the second night, particularly after the live music started).
(4)
Megan M.
Went here for an Obama debate party while in Santa Fe and staying in a place with no TV. Hooray - we were able to watch the debate, eat yummy New Mexican food, and drink margaritas, all at the same time! We had the best darn chile rellanos I have ever had the pleasure to gorge myself on. Margaritas were not too sweet and none too skimpy with the tequila. Guacamole was just okay; hubby's is better. Service was a little slow and grumpy, but I think it was due to the fact that the place was overwhelmed with half-drunk Democrats on a usually-sleepy Tuesday night.
(4)
abby z.
What have I been doing during my long absence from Yelp, you ask? Well, many things, but the important one for the purposes of this review is: drinking. The bar scene in Santa Fe is almost absurdly pitiful, but there are a few good watering holes out there. For all that it is a tourist trap and the cowgirl/cowboy costumes work better on some of the waitstaff than others, the Cowgirl Bar and Grill is one of them. On the pricey side, but the drinks are good, the menu is varied and they have karaoke on Monday nights, if that is your thing.
(4)
Jonah N.
Went here on a slow weeknight with a couple of friends. The bartender was very nice. Good bar food, decent selection of beers. No, jukebox though. Would definitely go again.
(4)
CoMO Q.
The crowd is varied, the staff is friendly, and they have nightly events like bands and djs. I came here twice when I was in town, but I didn't come here to eat, just have drinks and hang out with friends. They have pool tables in a separate building off the patio and another building that houses a small arcade. Funny enough both nights we came here there were celebrities hanging out. I'm not sure if that's a normal occurrence or not, but it sure made things more interesting. You can dine and hangout both indoors or outdoors and they also have a play area for kids in the back. It really has it all!
(5)
Driving J.
Fast and friendly staff and service. We had a work party of 20 and the waiter got all of our drinks and food order correct. The food and atmosphere was also great. I couldn't chose 1 meat so I had the BBQ sampler platter. It had BBQ ribs, chicken and brisket. I licked the plate and my hands clean. This place is delish. I highly recommend!
(5)
ruairidh c.
decent bar. 4 pool tables at a dollar a rack - way too expensive but they are almost always in use. one pinball machine - the simpsons pinball party, in horrible condition, but working enough to have fun playing it. if you can top the grand champion score, kudos to you. horrible jukebox.
(3)
Ben R.
I've gotta say, if Santa Fe has one thing going for it, it is the restaurants. I mean, they know how to make food taste good. Maybe it's living in the high desert, and looking at horny toads all day, or maybe it's just that they are close to Mexico. I don't care, all I know is that it's good. Cowgirl BBQ is no exception. Service is super-friendly (thanks James!), the atmosphere is fun, and very New Mexican, quirky and southwestern inspired. We were all kind of bummed at the fact that they won't serve a "double" rum & coke, but hey, whatever. The food was amazing, especially their sides of potato salad, and coleslaw. The BBQ was perfect, I got the sampler platter, which had ribs, brisket and chicken, all of which were excellent. I would go back to this place in a heartbeat...This seemed like one of the only places in all of Santa Fe that attracted young people. Besides that weird little park by the creek where all the tweens hang out.
(4)
Daniel C.
One of our favorites in Santa Fe, and a fun place to bring people that visit SFe. Great casual local ambience and the menu is diverse, with very tasty options all over the placed. I like the wait-staff and with the chaotic crowds, I have to tip my (cowboy) hat to them. Their BBQ ribs are tender and flavorful, their nachos are a great way to start the meal, and they do an excellent job with New Mexican foods as well. Only once during a visit with there a small issue, and they took care of the dish immediately and made it up to us. Oh, their margaritas are pretty awesome too.
(4)
S M.
My hubby and I stopped in Santa Fe in our trip, and we were just looking for an appealing place were to get a bite. We passed by Cowgirl BBQ and it was by far the busiest , but we kept looking just to see what else was to choose from. We ended up going back, and we were so happy for it!! I ordered a salmon dish they had and it was fantastic. My hubby ordered his favorite blue cheese burger and he was pleased as well. The service was good, and the staff extremely friendly! They had tvs there too, so we decided to go back the next day to watch the world cup. This time I ordered just an appetizer, the seared sesame crusted tuna that was really good too. This time we sat at the bar, and Christian was our server.. he was amazing. We watched my country's game and we went back for the third time the following day to watch USA. We were super happy, every day we experienced the food and service in different times of the day and all 3 were fantastic. If you are up for some fun while having a bite, then this is your place!
(5)
Max M.
A favorite Santa Fe spot serving a mix of American and New Mexican food, Cowgirl is a fun and mellow place, perfect for lunch and dinner when you're tired of the pretentious mango-infused new mexican hybrid dishes from the expensive Canyon Rd restaurants. On Tuesdays they have $6 chile rellenos and $1 PBRs!
(4)
Robyn E.
UPDATE 11/25/06-- Went here with my folks last month. It felt kind of naughty to leave the half-vegan household of my sister and bro-in-law and run off to a BBQ joint for lunch. I had the Frito Pie (seriously, folks) with the option of vegetarian chili. Meh, not so much on the chili. It was too tomatoey and soupy, but not gross tasting [later on the waitress said the regular chili was really good--darn! wish she'd recommended it to me in the first place]. My classy dish was presented in elegant "bag open" style, with sides of shredded cheddar cheese, real sour cream, and freshly sliced jalapenos. HUGE fountain sodas. My pops got the green chile (NOT CHILI) french fries and they were pretty darn good. Addition of my jalapenos added the right amount of heat for him. Mom had a cheeseburger which she promptly declared "best one I've had in a while." We sat outside on their (newer to us) covered and insulated porch. At first it was way too hot next to the wall heater, but our waitress was happy to tweak it to our liking--nice customer service touch. Place wasn't too busy when we were there, and overall the service was attentive and courteous. I'd recommend it if you're in town and want some tasty grub. SPECIAL NOTE: there are now A LOT of vegetarian options on the menu, clearly displayed by the "V" symbol. Niiiice. *---*---* old review follows *--*--* YUM--if you eat meat. NOT SO MUCH--if you are vegetarian. DON'T EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING HERE TO EAT--if you are vegan. I've had the burgers, long while back. Tasty. Fun atmosphere. But you kind of have to walk through/past the bar to get to restaurant seating. Bad planning.
(4)
Sarah M.
I don't understand the high stars. Maybe it's because we came at lunch? Maybe it's because we discovered we don't like New Mexican chile? I don't know. I ordered a margarita, which was decent, my friend had a bloody mary, which was the worst bloody mary I've ever had, I don't know how he sucked it down. We got the guac and chips, good, but needed salt. I ordered the blue corn tortilla smoked chicken stack. It was ok, better than what my friend had. He had the frito pie where they serve in the bag, which my friend said he didn't want (he just wanted it in a bowl) but they didn't understand this request and still gave him the bag. The chile was devoid of any flavor. We had to add lots of salt (maybe they don't season anything here?) There were chunks of beef and ground beef which was a little weird. The fritos were soggy. Our waiter was weird and kept staring at us like we were from a different country, maybe California is a different country to them? The decor is cute, and if it was warm (it was 32 when we were here) the outside would be a fun place to sit and drink and it looks like they have live music at nights. Overall not a great experience. Wish Rachael hadn't recommended this place for $40 a day!
(3)
Lisa R.
Very casual atmosphere. Love the live music and outdoor seating in back with a mini-playground. Perfect for families with kids during the day. Great BBQ, burgers, fries, etc. But if you are looking for healthy cuisine, this will not be a favorite.
(4)
Sara M.
This was one of my favorite places in Santa Fe. We were with about 15 people and the service was great. We had margarita's and guacamole to start and both were excellent. For dinner I tried one of their specialties- BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE. It was really good. It gets loud and crowded here, but that makes if even more fun.
(4)
Michelle S.
This is for locals and visitors alike, bust out the cowboy/cowgirl hats and checkered shirts. Two of us had the ribs, they fell off the bone. Nice. They are known for the "bake potato" ice cream dessert. It's vanilla ice cream with hersheys choc. syurp and powdered choc. it's a bit much for what they say it is. There was a wait to sit outside so we sat inside. The service is super casual, not super attentive, although the outside servers looked like they were having more fun. Recommended, esp if you're staying at the hotel Santa Fe.
(4)
Maura P.
really good BBQ ribs great whiskey pork chop good quesadillas the game burger is enormous love the black-eyed peas salsa so much we make it at home now!
(4)
Scott B.
Went here based on my 23 year old sons advice. He has eaten here after snowboarding before and raves about the burgers, especially the Mother with the green chili. So of course that's what I got. Burger was under cooked based on my medium request, and the green tomatoes were too big. Otherwise it had a great taste and the combination of green chili and Brie was unique. The bowl of Texas chili has great flavor and brisket, it is worth the price. Don't expect much from the ambiance, it is a Cowgirl bar after all.
(3)
Meg O.
I've been to the Cowgirl twice, and I think it's fantastic. A thorough beer list featuring local brew, a sturdy selection of tequilas, and a reasonably priced menu of burgers and BBQ, with veggie options. My BBQ connoisseur friend from Louisville was impressed. We sat on their sweet patio and enjoyed the blue grass. On Saturday afternoons from 1-4 there is a blue grass open jam session. We heard a couple who have been playing together since 1973; others jumped in, and soon there were some great tunes going, as well as delectable folklore. I've been told that there is a bluegrass-ish brunch as well. Our service was a little slow at first, but then again our tables had just been set up. While I didn't consume any food at the restaurant, I did attend a party out in Madrid later that was catered by Cowgirl, and man, their brisket and cornbread are fine! I am definitely looking forward to returning soon, especially for the bluegrass.
(4)
Larry T.
$2 Tecates=4 stars
(4)
E K.
Don't come for the food. Come for the gorgeous outdoor seating and free live music. Grab a table, order some drinks (and more drinks), and relax. 5 stars for the ambiance, 2 stars for the food (my veggie burger came cold and falling a part), 5 stars for the service, 5 stars for the drink selection and $3 drink specials I also love that they support local and up-and-coming artists. A trip to to bathroom had me pass a wall lined with fliers of upcoming bands, making me wish I was local so I could frequent Cowgirl more often. Oh, and they also have a playground/play area for kids in the back! Impressive!
(4)
tim r.
Great draft selection and good food. I went here twice in my week long Santa Fe stay. Both times I ordered the special plantain tamale. The flavor from the plantain was amazing. Sweet and banana-y. The red chile was spicy and the obligatory rice and beans filled out the meal and mixed well with the chicken and cornmeal. My girlfriend got the grilled cheese and added green chile strips. When in New Mexico you should always add green chile to everything you order and they added a nice kick to the great grilled cheese. Second time she got the pulled pork with the extra spicy sauce. Wasn't her favorite pulled pork ever but a strong showing. It was a good sandwich.
(5)
Benjamin P.
Great food and Amazing atmosphere. I'd go back here in a heartbeat. I rarely get to write a review of place I just love to hang out it. We spent a Sunday afternoon eating bbq and drinking amazing NM beers while listening to fantastic music. I had the bbq sampler that was a HUGE and reasonably priced way to try several things they make. I tried some of the yak meatloaf that was also great. Our server was the bartender, who was very friendly and helpful. She seemed way calm for the amount of things being asked of her, and was quick to offer a sample when I asked about beers.
(4)
Anthony R.
Had a great time last time I went. Didn't get any food, but played pool for a few hours and had a few drinks on a slow night. The server, Chris, was very personable and made it quit a pleasant experience. I like friendly people with personality, he is a keeper.
(5)
Adrienne G.
I thought they had the best chicken wings in Santa Fe. But I had them one night with a few friends and we all had the worst food poisoning!!!
(2)
Pat T.
Stopped in for a late lunch at the Cowgirl on our way back to Tucson from Colorado Springs. We very much enjoyed the relaxed setting of the patio. My son and husband had dinner here several months ago and raved about it. Sadly, this time we found our Mother of all Green Chile burgers to be on the dry side, the fries were soggy and the meal just not overly scrumptious at all. Certainly a big disappointment from what we had hoped and longed for. Our son did think his Yak Meat Loaf had great flavor but felt it too was a bit over cooked on the outer edges. Hope it was just a off day for the Cowgirl. Not sure we will be stopping in again for a meal next time through.
(2)
John O.
I cannot vouch for the food here, but the beer specials are incredible. I came here on a Sunday afternoon because one of the rides for the Santa Fe Beer, Bike, and Brew Festival was having an after party here. The outdoor patio is very cool and a great place to listen to music and sip on some microbrew from New Mexico. I thought the selection of beer on tap was varied and thoughtfully selected. I ordered a pint of La Cumbre for $3 on a Sunday afternoon. Great deal. You gotta see if the Santa Fe Chilis Dixie Jazz Band is playing at this place. If they are, it's a great place to have a chill afternoon and listen to a great dixieland jazz band. No cover. Tip well though! Enjoy.
(4)
JoAnn F.
Not a fancy place. But Clean place good food. Great service. Centrally located. Would recommend it definitely
(4)
Nic M.
This place was alright. They have a monstrous chili burger that I would every day if I could. The trip here was made worth it by that burger. The margaritas are really good and they are half price during happy hour ($4). Cons: the service was horrible. They take forever to get to the table so I'm sitting there hungry for too long. We went twice and both our servers were uninterested and mean. Go for the burger but don't expect a fantastic time, just a good time.
(3)
S C.
A great place for tourists that are looking for Nm BBQ. Nice interior acceptable food. Outdoor court for summer, fireplaces for the winter. Good for families and friends. Stop by after ski sante fe.
(3)
Lucia N.
Burgers (meat and veggie) are cooked to perfection and topped with creative condiments. Jolly atmosphere. Best veggie burger I've had.
(4)
Wendy H.
OK so I'm pretty easy going on my restaurant experiences. Advice - skip this place - I'm really not sure why anyone would make a reservation for this place - the food was greasy and the service sucked!!! obviously the bad reviews are not stopping their business which is too bad because maybe then they would want to improve their customer service! Lots of great restaurants and patios in Santa Fe - I am sitting at the Coyote Bar and its great - a rooftop patio and service is top notch!! walk down the street and give a great restaurant the business!! SKIP THIS PLACE
(1)
G W.
Great location, awesome selection of craft beers and good food. I had the house wings and the 'mother burger' both of which were awesome. The burger even won 3rd place in the state. The patio was pretty small outside but if you get good weather it's worth waiting for, especially on a Saturday or Sunday night as there's live music after 8pm.
(4)
Ashley N.
Do not understand the hype. Mediocre food, dirty tables. Slow service. We got the sampler meat platter - the brisket is supposed to be top notch. I've had way better at a chain in CO.
So giving three stars only because the hostess was amazing. Good beer selection. Don't order a Moscow mule no copper mugs they should not offer them. Server was not great waited for about 10 minutes to be greeted. Got the Cowgirl Salad watery dressing. BBQ sampler terrible. The sauce was thick and too tangy. Over cooked meat, bland potato salad and not worth the price. However the redeeming quality was that they had live local music each night. The Hooligans rocked. Drink and dance. Don't eat.
(3)
Alexandra M.
Good hours, big portion of really yummy bbq plus classic Southwestern fare. We came quite late for dinner, and it was crowded-- live music but it was quite loud. Lots of hipsters too-- who knew?
(4)
Fancypants J.
Maybe I just liked this place because it reminded me of something you'd see in Austin where my friend Mr Charles lives. Glitter and old photos on the walls, funky layout, tons of people late at night (which is nice because it seemed to me that Santa Fe shuts down at around 6 pm). Husband and I both had a scallop dish that came with mash and salad in the center, as well as a non traditional poutine made with a cheddar beer sauce in lieu of gravy. Everything was really good. If we are here again we would probably try the BBQ. Love that it was open late.
(4)
Chris M.
We were looking for a green chile burger close to the plaza and decided to try this. Great place with great atmosphere and a courtyard patio where you can have your pet join you. Had the Mother of all Green Chile Burgers. Perfectly cooked and all the ingredients worked well together. Green chiles had a nice heat to them. The truffle fries were good and my wife enjoyed her salad. Great beer selection and the other diner's food all looked good.
(4)
Mary F.
Really like this place. The food and service is great. Good selection of vegetarian items and mighty delicious! I just keep coming back.
(4)
Rev J.
Super country & casual... Live bands, kiddos play area, super fun. Yeeeha!!! I love this place... It's definitely become a new fave hangout when I'm in Sante Fe. Their food is delish, big portions, and oh so tasty. Friendly people, live band, and the staff is an absolute joy.
(5)
Eric And Jennifer R.
I've only been here for lunch meetings. They have good fast service. The food is excellent. The decor reminds me of a diner crossed with Wild West. There is a cozy outdoor patio in front of the restaurant. I love their salmon taco with a side of grilled asparagus, Harvest salad and arugula salad. All these dishes have asparagus. It's very good. I recommend this place for lunch and meetings. My collegeaus have been here for dinner with live music and love it.
(4)
Hannah H.
Whoa there, Cowgirl! I've had excellent BBQ in my life and for a place that advertises BBQ in its name, I expect it to be decent, even in New Mexico. I tried both the pulled pork sandwich, which tasted more like a cafeteria produced sloppy-Joe, and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were good, but lukewarm. The Tres Leches was enjoyable and the right size for sharing. The margaritas were also good but expensive considering their small size. I should know by now that if I want an enjoyable meal in Santa Fe, I have to order something with green chile. Every surrounding table had the giant green chile burger. It looked awesome and appeared to be the house specialty, NOT the BBQ. If I return, here is what I will do: Sit outside on the patio, skip the margarita and choose a craft beer, (They have a decent selection) order the Green Chile Burger, and enjoy quality people watching.
(3)
Gary A.
Nothing fancy here. Tourists and locals alike come here for decent food & a long list of regional micro brews. Prices are quite reasonable. My brisket sandwich came with fresh cut fries & coleslaw for $9.50. My double white belgian style pint was $5.50. When I lived here this was a favorite.
(4)
Max G.
Delicious food. Great service. We went for dinner. I had The Mother of All Chili Cheeseburgers. My wife had chicken fajitas. The chili cheeseburger was big, juicy and stuffed with all sorts of good things: chili, cheese, bacon, tomatoes and beef. It came with truffle fries. They have a great selection of beers on draught. Many I had never tried. Overall, a very good experience. We would definitely return.
(4)
Nat S.
This is a cool restaurant- no doubt. The last time we were here, I feel like the bartender ignored me. I was on the corner of the bar, which can be a bit hard to see around albeit. You ignored me twice- you could check in after shift change to see if I/ we wanted /needed anything. He checked in with all the males around me(besides my boyfriend)- getting them refills. The girl who waited on us first, was way more personable, and gave great service. The man who took over, took forever to come over , and never introduced himself. He never asked if we wanted food, even though I had a menu out! He served all the males around me besides my boyfriend who still had a beer. He did this twice. All the boys around me were offered drinks. I have been a sever for a long time, and this is a gross over site, and seems sexist. For the love of god, try to sell me stuff. Don't you want higher cheque totals? I kind of wanted food, but with your gross neglect, I barely stayed for a second beverage. Still they have live music almost every night of the week. The food is good, and the beer selection fairly wide. If that dude is bar tending I may seek out another server. Tip- when you are the next bartender on. Go around and say hi, -and introduce yourself to all the people at the bar. Make yourself personable, try to sell them more product(with respect to the liquor laws). If you take a bit of time, acting like you care, then you will get higher tips from the customers who care. I would not be saying anything, but I was literally ignored while everyone else around was checked in with. If you are hitting the end of the bar with service, do yourself,f and everyone else a favor and do a thorough job.
(3)
Art H.
Cowgirl has been on the Santa Fe scene for some time; a well established clientele fills the indoor/outdoor space. It was a fab crowd too - a woman was announcing to her table mates about the last, uh, oral interlude she had with a recent date, loud enough that the four of us had to stop our conversation long enough to hear how it all, ah, came out. But I digress. The food was overall a bit disappointing. Nothing was awful, but not the 4 star rating either. It was just A-OK. The salmon in the soft taco #1 was way to big of a piece to eat by hand, while almost nonexistent in taco #2. The beef salad was fine, again, nothing to rave about. The local beers on tap were great. I'd love to say more, but Oral woman had the most to say. So I'll stop now.
(3)
Romeo N.
Bison Burger was great and are waiter was extremely helpful. Great selection of beer!
(4)
Celeste K.
Make sure you get the bbq, cause the tacos tasted like it anyway.
(3)
Chris T.
I ordered the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and it was smoky, juicy, and really good. I also added the diablo salsa with habaneros to spice it up a little more. The place was really busy for a Monday night but there was plenty of help and service was fast. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Our waiter, however, seemed a little uppity and wasn't too enthusiastic about answering questions about the menu. Seemed odd coming from a man wearing a cowboy hat with both ears pierced. To be expected in Santa Fe I guess.
(3)
Lilly C.
Having lived in New Mexico for more than a dozen years now, we've learned our lesson long ago that the Cowgirl is a tourist stable and not to be indulged on the weekends if one is to expect quality service and a satisfying meal. Nevertheless, on this occasion, my husband and I met our coworkers there to celebrate the end of a long grueling job and take in the lively atmosphere on the patio. We ordered one round of beer along with our dinner and a round of shots to toast each other on a job well done. We were happy and tired. Another coworker arrived about 15 minutes later and ordered a second round of drinks. At this point, the server stuttered and announced that there would be a hold on the drinks for the moment. We were confused, was the bar experiencing a malfunction? Were they out of tequila? At this point the manager marches over to the table and tells us "We are going to hold off serving your drinks for the time being, let you all get some food in you and soak up some of that tequila." Excuse me? I suppose the toasting and boisterous conversation of seven over-40-year-old adults (who had just finished their final 13-hour day with one of the worst bosses in history) was deemed too drunken by this establishment and therefore a call to action was subscribed to our table. What a poetic finale to a terrible job that this restaurant had decided to cut us all off after one round of drinks like we were a bunch of teenagers. Some of us began guffawing and calling her bluff but the management was adamant. We stared at each other across the table in amazement..our tired faces, burned by the sun from working outdoors from the caldera to the pecos wilderness-I guess we looked drunk wished we were drunk but that was not the point. Most of us lived within walking distance and had given this place thousands of dollars in business over the years and now we were being judged and it was just too much. I noticed that several others have had the same experience here, and probably because the heat is on and liability is a top priority at the cowgirl but the food is mediocre as well. My bratwurst plate arrived and it was still pink on the inside. They obliged me by serving me another plate but it was still undercooked. The fries were cold and stale You wait long enough to get a table and when you do the establishment judges your sobriety, serves you your food and scoots you out the door. They are trying to seat a turnstile of incoming patrons and administering a drink minimum that insults and accuses people of being over the limit. This place has live music and a cool interior and this catchy theme but its a scam. You will never see the same people working there after a few months because they treat their employees badly: I know because I worked there for a minute but that is a whole other outrageous story that I will not divulge here. The Cowgirl is the last place I would go in this town. There are plenty of options more deserving of your hard earned dollars.
(1)
Elsie F.
First Off, their craft beer list did not accurately depict what they actually had. The first 3 beers I had requested were not available. So I had to settle for one. Mediocre food at best. We shared a Caesar salad, frito pie, green chile burger, and BBQ sampler. Not exciting at all, and hardly any flavor on the burger for a green chili burger. We left most of it behind.
(2)
Peter S.
Very good chili and my partner had the ribs. Lemonade was a bit watery. Lots of fun photos of cowgirls on the walls.
(4)
Robin B.
After visiting this place over the years, we had the most interesting interaction with a wait staff to date. Initially, the wait person was personable and friendly and took our order. That was pretty much the last we saw of him. Someone else brought our food (after we could see it sitting in the kitchen for a LONG time). He never checked on us, despite the fact he walked by us repeatedly. We had to flag him down to order dessert. Again, someone else brought it to us after it, too, sat for a very LONG time. We then went and asked for a manager to voice our displeasure. A few minutes later, our wait person appeared and said he was told we had complained and he wanted to know why. We explained that he has been ignoring us. No apology, no explanation, just defiance and outright rudeness. The food is NOT THAT good to put up with this sort of behavior. The fact that the manager would go and tell him and he would then come up and demand an explanation is something we have never experienced before. There are SO many other great places in Santa Fe, that this one is not worth your time! Ignore the hype and the accolades on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.......
(1)
Meghan T.
Sis & I visited Santa Fe for the holidays, and upon check-in at our hotel, Cowgirl was suggested to us. As it turns out, a nomadic music making family, The Hollands, was playing some good ol' bluegrass tunes that evening. Being a nomad myself, I run into them from time to time on the road, and it's always a down home good time. We headed over for some good music and really got the whole sha*bang! We sat down to an amazingly beautiful organic Harvest salad and the best burger we have ever eaten. The Counter in LA is home to a phenomenal and personalized burger, but I must say Cowgirl makes a MIGHTY FINE one of their own. The "Mother" gets the Gold Star for burgers. And the truffle fries set it off just right. There were many things on the menu that sounded tasty and tempting, but the burgers are so large we split one and it did us just right. If we lived nearby, we'd probably be in to sample the other fare they offer like butternut squash casserole & mac'n'cheese, But since we don't, I'll bet we'll just order the Mother every time. If it ain't broke... After our meal, we sipped great warm winter drinks from the specials menu as we listened to The Hollands sing and strum and storytell and drum. It was a beautiful evening!
(5)
Blake C.
What a amazing restaurant. Great atmosphere great service. The food is some of the best in town at the most reasonable price. And very kid friendly they make you feel right at home.
(5)
Stephanie G.
I was pleasantly surprised that a BBQ joint would actually offer vegetarian items other than bread and salad. I had the butternut squash casserole. TO DIE FOR. I'm trying to duplicate the recipe to have it at home!! Huge patio for outdoor seating WITH heat lamps!
(5)
Chris W.
Really nice atmosphere!!! I order the chili rellenos, Christmas( red and green chili) with black beans and rice. Food was hot when it was served and a big portion!! The red one had a really great flavor. The green was great flavor and heat. They both were stuff with plenty of cheese. The beans were a good compliment to the rice and it all come together very well. Would high recommend to anyone in the Sante Fe area
(4)
Sarai L.
We came with a big party (tons of kids), they were awesome and put us in an empty back room because they weren't too busy, yet. It took us a while to order, and since there was so many of us we just ended up ordering a couple big things to share. We got two of the loaded nachos, both the chicken and steak fajitas, the BBQ sampler and a kids Mac and cheese and a kids brisket sandwich. The nachos came out first, which was great since we were so hungry. And they were AMAZING. Everything was super good. I would definitely go back. I know if ever in Santa Fe I have. Place to count on. The also has live music playing in the other room. :)
(5)
Korrie B.
Had a disappointing dinner here. My friend and I shared the quesadilla and the green chili cheeseburger. The quesadilla was pretty good, but the cheeseburger was greasy and too much all one flavor...no contrasts. The biggest surprise of the night was that I found that I really liked pickled jalepnos! The atmosphere was VERY loud and we were seated right next to a door where the back kept hauling stuff in and out. Couldn't wait to leave.
(1)
Steve V.
We ate here on a Weds night between the Indian Market and Zozobra celebration weekends at about 7:30 and the place was packed. No reservations, but we got right in. Parking: They don't have their own parking lot and the street parking is minimal, but after working hours everyone seems to sneak into the business/govt building lot behind the restaurant. At least no one was being ticketed! Try this at other times at your own risk! Service: since it was packed we expected the service to be slow, but was just the opposite. We were seated immediately and waited only a minute before we got the menus and had our drink orders taken. In less than 5 minutes we had our drinks and our server was taking our orders. Much to our utter amazement, we had our orders in less than 3 minutes - the FASTEST we have had anywhere. The whole staff was in overdrive from the prime dinner hours and the adrenaline hadn't worn off yet. The server was never pushy, checked back several times to see how we were doing and didn't ask about desert until it was obvious we had finished our meal. The food: I had the combo plate (brisket, chicken and ribs) and my wife had the brisket. We both agreed that unless you got a portion of the brisket that had a little fat in it, it was overly dry- tasty but needed an extra of the provided sauce served on the side to make it a 5/10. My chicken was good 7/10 (well cooked but could have had a more smoky taste to be true BBQ) and the ribs were excellent 10/10. As others have said I would have preferred that there wasn't so much sauce on the chicken so it didn't run into the slaw. The beans were typical BBQ but tasted just like the BBQ sauce; little light on the bacon and stronger on the spices with just a tiny bit of heat. After a week's worth of overly hot Southwestern food in town that was made hot to cover a lack of otherwise bland dishes, this was a welcome change. I had the peach/blueberry cobbler 8/10 and my wife had a chocolate fudge/coffee thing that was huge and according to her tasted great 10/10. If we were to be in town again we definitely go back, but later in the evening when a packed house didn't make it soooo noisy. The live band was good too.
(4)
Lena L.
This was my first trip to Cowgirls yesterday! I had heard loads about it and finally made it up since the weather was so gorgeous. I was with a party of four. First off, it's a cute place. Pretty adorable. Free parking two doors down on the weekends. This place has a great atmosphere. There was a live band who were pretty great. We sat near the backdoor in the room with the band and the server was immediately there. The menu has a lot of food- lots of different styles. When we went, there was a Cajun special going. So far, so good. I got a Margarita- not bad, fairly strong. Didn't taste like a mix. The rest got beers- some local, one major brand. Good drink selection. Bad part: I kept having to ask for a glass of water and got it probably 10-15 minutes later. He kept forgetting. I had a drink, so I was not dying of thirst, it was just a bit annoying. We got the okra starter. It seemed to be a tiny bit underdone, but the breading was nice and the sauce with it was yummy. An extra 30 seconds in the fryer would have been nice though, but since it still tasted good, it really was not worth the effort. I ordered the Turkey Reuben and I have some major problems with it. First off, Reubens are Reubens because of the sauerkraut and the sauce. I could not detect any sauerkraut. This makes me sad, because that is the point of ordering a Reuben to me. There has to at least be enough to taste! I dissected the sandwich and sound a few tiny pieces on the bottom. Disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was still really good. The bread, especially, was delicious. But it was just a good turkey sandwich. It was not a Reuben. Reuben-lovers beware. The french fries were really tasty. I didn't need to add any salt or even use a dipping sauce. Yum. The coleslaw was kinda boring. Just your typical store bought kind. One friend got the Heuvos Rancheros. The chile was pretty good. No real heat (although it calls itself spicy), but nice flavor. Was not the best Heuvos, but it was good enough. I don't think that any of us would pay for that Heuvos again (how does a restaurant in New Mexico just make "okay" heuvos?). Lots of places can do it much better, including myself in my own kitchen. Another got a burger, medium rare. It was cooked perfectly and was great. The fries, again, were awesome. Burgers they seem to do well. The Jambalaya that was on special was the other dish on the table. My friend seemed unimpressed. I tried it and it was pretty bland. Some salt and a very, very generous portion of hot sauce made it good, but it is a shame that we had to completely season it ourselves. Everything in it was cooked well, however. I would definitely not pay for the blandness though. It did have a cute factor- they bring the cornbread shaped like a cactus. When a tiny piece of bread is the best part of the dish, there is a problem. Overall, high and low points. Food was okay. It ranged from 1/5 to 4/5. Service was 3/5. Atmosphere was 5/5. Drinks and drink selection was 4/5. I'd go back for a drink and maybe some food. Maybe.
(3)
Kristen C.
The food was just okay, and the service was unfortunately quite poor. Both our order and our bill were wrong, repeatedly. I never ever check a bill, but I just had a sense based on all the other errors. I liked the atmosphere, and we may have just caught a server on a very bad day. The overall feel was fun and relaxed. No concessions were made for the multiple errors.
(3)
Kate G.
Simply wonderful. We had a late bite to eat (9 pm) on a Friday. We waited about 10 minutes for a table; got a drink at the bar while we waited. Orgasmic beer was good, hoppy cider was not. For appetizer, got Chile rellenos with goat cheese and pomegranate seeds (so delicious, crunchy outside with a melt in your mouth inside.) For dinner, we got bison burger & squash casserole with salad, both of which were excellent. On recommendation from our waiter, we got the mud pie - frozen ice cream with good fudge and whipped cream layer. All in all, a very filling & tasty meal.
(4)
Terry W.
This is our favorite place to head for a good time and really good food! Reservations made for last night. We were seated right next to the kitchen door. Not good. We all ordered different menu items and had very different experiences. My favorite, if not the Cowgirl Burger, is the Country Fried Chicken! Last night it was the worst ever. Frozen breaded piece of cardboard, 2 Tbs. of gravy on really good potatoes! The pulled pork was so dry we had them bring extra sauce and the scallops were tiny and dry. Sunday night problems? Tired staff? The one order of the "Cowgirl Burger" came out beautifully cooked to temp, juicy and delicious! Sorry Cowgirl, we will come back!
(2)
Kathy M.
Ok, so I did not have the BBQ that Cowgirl is apparently so well known for. We did not sit in the outdoor area or stay for the entertainment. But that is no excuse for the very bad quality of the food. We started with chips and salsa; the chips were good but the salsa was tasteless and no amount of salt could make it edible. I wanted something lighter than BBQ so chose the Arugula Salad and added on grilled salmon. What I got was a large plate of arugula greens with a few very overdone pieces of grilled asparagus. The warm goat cheese was this weird deep fried mound of goat cheese and the salad dressing was also completely tasteless. The salmon was dry and overdone. My husband had a burger with Monterey jack cheese, which he said was very good but the "hand cut fries" it came with looked and tasted like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for longer than they should have. The craft beer I ordered wasn't even satisfying because it wasn't very cold. I see no reason to go to this restaurant unless you are VERY hard up for atmosphere in Santa Fe.
(1)
John B.
My sister recommended this place because of the kiddie corral which was effective for my niece. Honestly I really enjoyed what I had which was the mother of all Green Chile Burgers. It was just a damn goo burger in typical New Mexico Style with the best fries I tasted on my journey. If you are looking for a good burger in Santa Fe I recommend this burger. I am including a description with my photos.
(4)
Melanie H.
The ambiance was fun, our first server was a very nice girl. Food was yummy but a little slow and sloppy, what do you expect from a bbq joint. My grandmas boyfriend hated his bbq sandwich he said the meat was too tough. Second server was a bearded guy who was too in my face. I would consider going again.
(4)
Robert R.
Cheap truffle oil on your fries doesn't make you Bobby Flay. Totally ruined your green chile cheeseburger. Shake Foundation puts you to shame!
(1)
Jenifer P.
I came to Cowgirl BBQ twice in one day, once with the family to eat and again at night to drink and play pool. We came with three kids under five and requested a table in the play area. They have a really nice play structure and fun activities for the kids outdoors. The area was already booked so we sat inside but the kids were still able to play in the play area until the food came. I ordered the World Famous Green Chile Burger and I was not disappointed! It was delicious with melting green chili cheese and a bacon/beef patty. The truffle fries were a little to be desired but still good. We came back later without the kids to enjoy the pool area. They have about five different sections of the restaurant: a patio, a bar, two dining rooms and a play area. The pool area was fun with a digital jukebox, five pool tables, and a waiter. The waiter reserves your pool table for you and also takes your drink/food orders. The prices were decent and the atmosphere is fun. There were some people in there who were pretty serious about pool and then there were others who like us were just there to have a good time. Overall I would come back to this place for both the food and the drinks. It is a fun place and since we were there on a Saturday night they had a live band playing. The place is a bit cramped, it seems like an old house or two converted to a restaurant but it's got a certain charm.
(4)
Ryan R.
Typical bbq environment. I had the "mother" burger which was the best burger I have ever had. Loaded with tender beef Bree cheese and green chilies. Wow makes my mouth water. The fries were also awesome. After dinner we had the the MUD pie which I highly recommend. Parking was a bit hectic but the food more then makes up for it.
(5)
Cyndi C.
Sadly disappointed! We recently moved to the Santa Fe area and we had driven past Cowgirl BBQ a number of times and we couldn't wait to go there to eat, tonight was the night, we had a guest in from out of town and we took her there after spending the day in Taos. We arrived just after 6, we were told there would be a 30 min wait, no problem, we thought it must be worth is since there were so many people there...NOPE When the host sat us she said they were out of menu's, 5 minutes later the waiters came to see if we wanted drinks we ordered but it took 20 minutes to get two beers and a soda, she did stop back and said she was still waiting to get the drinks for us. We still didn't have menu's finally we noticed someone that was waiting in line had a menu, so we went to the host area and got out menus. The waitress came back and took our order, we waited almost AN HOUR to get our food. No kidding the person that had been in line when we got menus said across from us, they placed their order and had their food before we got out drinks, I ordered the Mac & Cheese thinking it was going to be deliciously creamy....it should have been on the kids menu, it was like mac & cheese from a box with a ton of cheddar cheese melted on it. The other people that was with me ordered the Butternut Squash, and Chicken fried steak with greens and they both loved it. ONE OTHER THING the restrooms are Co-shared, I went in as a man was just coming out, I took one look and walked out, he had peed all over the toilet seat, yet another disappointment! Needless to say I don't know if I would go back!
(1)
Klean L.
Cowboy saloon atmosphere with budding artists providing entertainment. Can see this being a go to place for happy hours, causal dinner parties or nightcaps. Good food and service, menu seemed too big but surprised with quality used with sig dishes. Servings are unnecessarily big. Kitchen knows what they are doing but having to please too many in low season holds them back. Will be back! 3.5-4 stars
(3)
David J.
Poor location, not close to plaza, poor dining room, poor service, very poor food, we left most of ours and went somewhere else to eat, do not understand the positive reviews, they cannot be for the food and ambiance
(1)
Lyric K.
The MOTHER! It's the best burger in town. . . and the "Girl" uses local meats, hormone and antibiotic free - good stuff from right here in New Mexico. The Mother burger comes complete with green chili, brie, and heirloom tomatoes. The Girl's fries and wings are among the best in town. And the bar makes a mean mixed drink, a great tequila pour, and plenty of beers to suit your tastebuds. The game burger and the yak meatloaf are 2 other faves - right now the only place in town to get game meats. Not a huge fan of their BBQ, even though that is what they're "famous" for. And their seasonal menu always has something fun like fried okra or rabbit and rattlesnake brats.
(4)
Jake N.
I had the Mother of all Cheesburgers. It was awesome. 5 star food! All the way. Sat here listening to a band on the patio. Until the manager lady says we are cut off!?!?! 4 drink maximum. Bitch paaaalllleeeaaaassseee!
(2)
Ginni K.
We had the brisket plate dinner. Hands down the best brisket we have ever had. Tasty sauce without the heat. Enjoyed the flan for desert. Very tasty. Definitely worth the wait.
(5)
Teresa L.
Boooooo. We had not graced this restaurant since our honeymoon 6 years ago, and man...things have changed. We loved the kiddie area in the back, and were it not for that feature the Cowgirl would've only earned one star. The brisket was extremely tough. Felt like it was either cooked too fast or too hot, or both. Did not pull apart easily and was very chewy. Neither my husband nor I enjoyed it, at all. The BBQ sauce as ok...tomatoey and a bit spicy. The sides (potato salad, coke slaw, and beans) were bland and characterless. I added salt and mustard to the potato salad, which helped it immensely. Sadly, we won't be giving this place another chance. There are far too many good restaurants nearby to gamble on the Cowgirl again.
(2)
Paula F.
I wish I could give it NO stars... This bar has a four drink maximum... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ... Avoid this place if you can actually drink
(1)
Judy L.
I eaten here MANY times, but I'm stuck on, infatuated with, their fish tacos. I love NM, but it's hard to find fish & the SW taste of Mexico in very many restaurants. Here, they do it well. the best fish, their soft taco, slaw & pico de gallo. I don't understand why there are fewer than 3 places to eat fish in this State, besides my own house, but Cowgirls is where I head for the best of both flavors of Mexico & fish!
(4)
Shawn B.
Came here with the wife tonight and we were very happy. Live music, amazing smoked ribs, and great customer service. It was raining and cold tonight, so we were seated inside next to a nice warm fireplace. Ambiance is warm and inviting. Oh, yes, the margaritas are amazing! And a great beer collection. So, yes, everything was perfect and we will be coming back.
(5)
Dawn O.
A bar with a play area for the kids...What a concept. Super casual, service is lackadaisical, but a great scene, fun cocktail menu, raucous and fun place to take all age groups.
(3)
Brittany T.
Not really a bbq restaurant. It's basically a tourist location with a few bbq options. Staff was friendly but after reading the menu I quickly realized that this place does not specialize in bbq. Once I realized that, I noticed that there was no smell in the place. That was a red flag for me...every great bbq joint has the sweet smell of smoked meat and sauce in the air. I looked around and wasn't very impressed with the food around the room. My husband and I decided we would rather eat someone else so we just got an order of chicken wings (usually a safe bet). As the wings were brought to our table I noticed how the dressing sloshed around in the bowl. The dressing was disgusting. I think it was supposed to by some sort of ranch dressing but it was lacking any flavor and was a little sweet. I don't know if that's a southern style but it was unimpressive, bland, and watery. I asked for a side of blue cheese (which I usually prefer anyway) and was so irritated when I was served another watery bowl of dressing. It was obvious that someone actually adds water to the dressings. The wings were not terrible but also a little dry. A few pieces where mostly soggy chicken skin which is just mean they weren't cooked at the right temperature. The buffalo sauce was a little watery too so after the first bit the flavor was gone. I would not recommend this place if you are looking for good bbq. Follow your nose...you'll find something else in the area!!
(1)
Stan L.
Ate supper here on Tuesday night. I was disappointed in our overall experience. I had a simple pulled pork sandwich with fries. My bun was soaked and not usable. I ate the meat without a bun, which was better for me. I had to ask for more BBQ sauce, because it lacked flavor. The fries were just average. Sarah had a chili stuffed baked potato. She said it was ok, but had too much chili for her? Our service was slower then the business warranted. My least favorite so far this week
(3)
Michelle T.
So, on our latest trip to Santa Fe we decided to eat at Cowgirl once again. Not so enthralled this time. The winter seasonal menu just didn't live up to the "cinco de mayo" one. Beef ravioli? At a bbq place in New Mexico...really? Anyway, my husband went for the chili which he thought was ok. To be fair, I wasn't all that hungry since we had a huge lunch at the Shed so, I decided on a Harvest Salad that sounded good on paper (anything with beets, goat cheese and marcona almonds sounds good!) but, the flavors didn't really work. May have been the lemon basil vinaigrette but I'm not sure, something just seemed to be missing. Doesn't help that we were seated on the temporarily enclosed patio with a heat lamp directly over us so we either fried with the lamp on, or froze with it off every time the front door opened. Oh well. Guess if they have the good menu items next time we'll give it another try.
(2)
Moua L.
This place is awesome! They can accommodate everyone here. This time around, I brought a baby and found out that there was a nice kids play area in the back that I never knew about. We ate some nice BBQ sampler bits and had endless Margaritas. We were at a private event, so we had unlimited drink tickets to use. I tried not to go overboard though, as far as I remembered. I also remembered the walk back to our hotel on the plaza was quite humorous with lots of laughs. Always a great time at Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)
Susan J.
I was in Santa Fe for a two month artist residency and found myself returning to Cowgirl again and again for the tasty freshly prepared food, the great service from the charming staff, and an entertaining atmosphere filled with local characters as well as some of us tourists. There is indoor and outdoor seating for dining, a bar, a pool room and frequent live music outside. The first time I came here I sampled the chicken fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes and spicy collard greens. I live in the southwest Virginia, home to this kind of cuisine and this was the best version I have eaten anywhere. I also give thumbs up to the burgers, the ribs, the guacamole, the green chili cheese fries, and the mac and cheese. Cowgirl has a good variety of beers on tap and decent margaritas. Ask about the specials. Our group at the residency center really loved this place.
(5)
Mark K.
Meh. Not bad, but felt like a chain place. I've had better BBQ back home in michigan which isn't really known for BBQ. Good margaritas and they do have live music which is a good bonus.
(3)
Dani Y.
Live music and outdoor seating (heated) make for a fantastic ambiance. The good is solid and they make the frozen margaritas strong. Service overall is fantastic (I'll admit I had to ask my waiter twice if I could order and he wasn't very attentive, but everyone else who worked here seemed great). Worth a visit if you're looking for a restaurant with local flavor.
(4)
Jeremy G.
This place is great for families. The backyard has an enclosed climbing area and slide. Our kids played before and after lunch, giving the adults a leisurely lunch. I recommend the Green Chili Burger. NOTE: There is parking in the back.
I drove up here from ABQ for nothing. I called ahead to make sure they have patio seating and if yes, do you allow dogs. The woman on the phone said yes, so I said, see you in an hour! Now I'm here and there is a reserved sign on every table. They say nothing will be available until one o'clock. What the hell? You didn't know this when I called an hour ago? See ya at the Zia!
(1)
Anthony J.
Santa Fe, Local, N.M. Shop and Staff We went for dinner on Saturday expecting a long wait, however we got a table as soon as we walked in. We were very lucky. A very popular place to eat, and for good reason. The outdoor seating was completely full. The staff had a very professional manner, and yet we could joke with him as well. Of course the theme is western style, and it was great to see everyone had a western uniform on. Food and Experience Wow! Everything was great! To start we shared the asparagus and goat cheese salad. That was a flavor combination hard to describe. We both got the Meatlofe for dinner, and the service was fast and great. I would tell everyone who needs that good home cooking meal to head to this place.
(4)
Jessica P.
SO GOOD! Been visiting in Santa Fe for the past few days, and was very impressed. Our server was very accommodating and sweet, staff was very helpful in moving us to another table when it began to rain, food was delicious! If I'm ever back in Santa Fe, I will definitely be back here!
(4)
Vert F.
Ouah-Oh, after being walking all around Santa Fe for my work, I finally found one place to have lunch on a Mexican time... 3:43pm. Which is also during the happy hour! I went for the Frozen Margarita 100% agave which is rare, and you feel the difference. The Little Sirloin was perfect with the Terra Andina Malbec and I left the place more than happy. I'll come back if another trip brings me here
(4)
Wendy C.
My pulled pork sandwich was seriously good! My husband's fish tacos not so much :/ service was excellent... Maybe it's important to remember: When you are eating at a BBQ restaurant it's probably a good idea to order BBQ!! Check out the picture I posted of my sandwich..
(4)
Christine F.
Delicious barbecue. Great patio outside. We had the baked potato dessert. Nothing like it!
(5)
Debbie N.
Went for lunch to taste the bbq. Perhaps we're spoiled because we're from the South, but were disappointed a bit in the sauce. Brisket wasn't as tender as I'm used to. Portion size was great and they accommodated our requests for swapping out the usual fry side with greens for me and jalapeño cornbread for my husband. Excellent server - good beer and iced tea (I'm sometimes amazed that places can screw up iced tea!). Free internet, which we took advantage of because the service at our condo was horrible. Sat outside so don't know what the inside ambiance is like.
(3)
Steven D.
Very busy place, so obviously very good. I had a steak and it was cooked to perfection (medium rare), wish I had a picture but I was hungry and it was too late when I thought about taking one. Baked potatoes was also great and mixed veggies. DEFINITELY recommend cowgirls to anyone in Sante fe!
Everything looks delicious here. I had the mother of all green chilly burger and I highly recommended! One of the best burgers I had so far. The service was good and they have a huge list of local beers on tap. We where leaving when the live music kick in. You can seat outside too. Really nice original local restaurant.
(4)
Kirk H.
The absolute best Green Chili Burger ever! The Mother! Great beer selection of local brews. The truffle fries rock! Great service.
(5)
John N.
Very dog friendly on the patio, but don't put your pooch on a chair, please. Erratic service, but worth the wait. Bustling all day. Make a reservation if you want to be seated promptly. Lively ambience. Surprising quantity and good quality of fish and seafood dishes. I had blackened fish sandwich on rye with slaw. Delicious, and I don't particularly like slaw or rye with my fish. My wife had salmon tacos with beans and rice, which she devoured. Will return to try additional fish entrees.
(4)
Patricia J.
Not only barbeque... Patrick is a great chef. The quality of food is a steal for the price in Santa Fe. The service, great. Entertainment fabulous. The crowd? Unforgettable. See you there! Thanks Cowgirl.
(5)
Bike Chaplain O.
Poor is the operative word in every way. How does a restaurant go from 4 stars to 2 stars to now a 1 star? We ask for water with lemons. The water takes 15 minutes and the lemons take another 10 minutes to arrive. The burgers (two) were both dry and tasteless. The fries were soggy and limp. We told our waiter, who did nothing. I ordered the natural burger and my friend ordered the cowgirl burger. Both "fowl" tasting. Stay away until new waiters, cooks and management are hired and old staff sent to work for/destroy their competition.Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(1)
Krista M.
The gourmet grilled cheese was amazing. The caramelized onions were delicious. The cole slaw left something to be desired but overall the food was fantastic.
(4)
Maricarmen P.
Solid, a great place, really yummy food and very friendly laid back service... really. laid. back... We had their buffalo burger, delicious and perfectly cooked to a medium term woth pretty tasty truffled fries. We also had the Cabeza de Ajo app, a roasted garlic head with green chile and cheese, served with bruschetta toast, really surprisingly satisfying. We also had a delicious arugula goat cheese salad, and crawfish ettoufee with jambalaya, flavors were spot on (i lived in louisiana and this is exactly how that is supposed to tastes like, well done!) We were seated in the back which is a family area with open playground for kids (awesome) and has a community table, unfortunately it was a little away from the way for the waiter who had a mild case of amnesia. Were not really in a hurry so we didn't mind... the family that was sitting right beside us at the community table couldn't take it and left, not sure if they were not happy with the community table seating or the slow service or something... it was definitely something, they were annoying and we were glad they were gone... community table is truly like a box of cjocolates, you never know what you are going to get LOL ...oh well!
(4)
Ginger J.
We come here ever time we come to Sante Fe. Usually the food is great and the live music is super fun. This time the food was lousy. We had the tacos which were really disappointing! There are tons of other great places to eat in Sante Fe!
(2)
Camille H.
I really enjoyed this BBQ place when I went to NM to visit a friend in Santa Fe. I have been looking for half way decent BBQ since I moved out west and have not had great luck in that department. This place was huge! And it had a cute playground out back for kids to play in. The food was great, I had a BBQ chicken dish, potato salad, fries.. a very delicious margarita as well. The kids loved it, they couldn't wait to get outside to play. And us mommy's loved it where we could sit at the table and finish our margaritas and food and watch them have a blast.
We were only in Santa Fe a few days, and were interested to see what was going on in the area. After finding out that this place had live music every sunday afternoon we knew we had to try it. We arrived pretty early near the beginning of the live music (about noon probably). The restaurant itself was very busy and we were going to wait for a table. We got a drink at the bar while we were waiting which turned out to be the best decision we could have made. That is where the music was going on, so we just asked to stay up there and eat at the bar. The atmosphere was so fun. Everyone was very warm and welcoming, and it was awesome to have the music going on as well. The beer selection was extremely extensive. This was wonderful to see for us Oklahomans who live in the state of stupid liquor laws and limited beers. We ordered beers from different New Mexican Breweries and they were excellent. I ordered the Yak Meatloaf. It was not at all gamey and was served with a gigantic helping of chipotle mashed potatoes. The sauce was made with Stout and had a BBQ type of vibe. My boyfriend got the BBQ platter which had all different kinds of BBQ items. Both dishes were WONDERFUL. Our bartender/server, I believe her name was Tiffany (?), was amazing. It was incredibly crowded and busy and she kept her cool and had a positive attitude all afternoon. Props to her! Definitely check out Cowgirl especially when there is live music going on!
(5)
Jay P.
Almost always get the cowgirl burger for $10 and it's one of the best around. Great selection of beers with nightly specials, lots of whiskey and tequila. Good for live music and killin time with friends playin pool.
(5)
Mr M.
Probably the first BBQ I have had in New Mexico. The joint is awesome, and staff is friendly, but it's no Lockhart BBQ (Texas), and frankly, Dickie's probably has it beat. Oh, the menu is huge! To begin with, we were eating between normal meal hours. We are on vacation, so we eat at odd times, usually avoiding crowds. It was around 3pm as I recall. We sat on the patio and they allowed us to bring our dog, who is well behaved and other than being a dog, doesn't bother anybody. I ordered a Sampler platter which consist of ribs (meh), brisket ( a bit better than "meh"), and chicken (best of 3). Sides are just "OK", but beans are not served hot, slaw is not "cold" and potato salad is just "in between". For that matter the meat was not really hot either. This is the first strike for me. Foods that should be hot need to be served hot, likewise for cold foods. As for the individual meats, the brisket was tender, but not flavorful. The ribs were covered in a thick sauce- again, not much flavor to the meat, I cant detect under all that sauce what the wood is- mesquite, hickory, pecan...? there was so much sauce it was difficult to eat with your hands, you need a LOT of napkins. Honestly, I was disappointed. I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it exist. My wife ordered Yak meatloaf, and the Yak is supposedly "local". It was better WAY than the BBQ I had. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and garnished with a couple of onion rings. Honestly, the meatloaf tasted great- like a very good steak. It had a coarse grind, slightly chewy like a New York Strip. I would order that in a heartbeat. My star rating is based on the fact that this is a "BBQ" place- has BBQ in the name, and the BBQ is ordinary at best. I say this as a fan Texas BBQ spots like Lockhart (Lockhart, Plano and Dallas), Angelo's in Ft Worth, City Market in Giddings, Louie Mueller In Taylor, and frankly, Rudy's, which is a gas station BBQ joint and is all over the state. I honestly feel bad going so low, because I know they likely have many things on the menu that are great. The Yak meatloaf was great. But the sign doesn't say "Cowgirl Meatloaf" (or whatever else is really great here). will I try again? Of course, but not the BBQ. I hear the chili relleno is good. Maybe then can make a good CFS? I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it is here.
(2)
Robert G.
Monday afternoon, all we wanted were drinks and chips / guacamole. They were fine, but the service was abysmal. Won't return.
(3)
Nicole M.
Live music on Saturdays! Yummy BBQ food, I recommend the BBQ sandwich with the spicy sauce. There are heaters in case it gets chilly so I recommend sitting outside, better atmosphere. I had the Cowgirl Agave Margarita and added strawberry flavor. It was delicious. There is also a billiards hall.
(3)
Kayla S.
The house margarita was no Bueno! To sweet! I had to order more tequila and water it down! Luckily the bartender offered to make us his specialty which was great! They need to put that on the menu instead! We had the ribs which were tasty however they cover them in a lil to much bbq sauce but everything it was paired with was also yum. All around we enjoyed the experience. It was really busy so that's a plus! They have a great play area if you have kids! The staff was very friendly and I thought there outfits were cute lol.
(4)
Jocelyn B.
Smokiest flavors I've ever tasted. I begged the waiter to either sell me the bbq sauce or give me the recipe. Sadly, no such luck. Great beer flight, too. Fun, delicious, incredibly filling spot. After that dinner, all I can do is lay very still. Santa Fe, you've outdone yourself with the yums.
(4)
Sam G.
I came for the wings and stayed for the pulled pork. All around, this was a good experience. It's comfy, has the essential Southwest feel, the staff was nice, and the food was delicious. I sat at the bar, which had a ton of beers on tap, and ordered the wings of fire. Excellent! They were hot, but not gut-busting. Being hungry still, I then ordered the spicy version of the pulled pork sandwich. Again, good stuff. As a tourist with time for only one meal in Santa Fe, I'm glad I gave this place my money and time.
(4)
Jonathan D.
We got seated incredibly fast on July 4th. We had our choice of indoor or patio seating. Our server was friendly and attentive. BBQ beef brisket sandwich was melt-one-your-mouth delicious. With cole slaw and scalloped potatoes (which I substituted for fries) as sides, it really filled me up.
(4)
Rick C.
Great place and great food. Travling through, and someone at the hotel suggested Cowgirl. We're glad we came. The facility is...interesting. Very DIY buildings and additions. Good size outdoor patio. I was surprised by the variety on the menu. It was a little more than you'd expect from a place like this. The wait staff seemed excellent. Our waiter was great - I wish I would have caught her name - but friendly and the right amount of attentive. The food came quickly. The portions were large and good quality components. I had the BBQ sampler, and it is enough for any two people. Now, if you can put the food away, it'll take care of you. I left a lot on my plate and still needed to be carted off in a wheelbarrel. The BBQ was a good, smokey and spicy (prolly a bit much for the wimpy folks). My coworker was impressed by the beer selection (I don't drink and couldn't tell you anything abut it - no impact on me). I'm starting to look forward to my next trip here. I'll be coming back. After all, I gotta try the karaoke.
(4)
Anthony R.
Had a great time last time I went. Didn't get any food, but played pool for a few hours and had a few drinks on a slow night. The server, Chris, was very personable and made it quit a pleasant experience. I like friendly people with personality, he is a keeper.
(5)
Adrienne G.
I thought they had the best chicken wings in Santa Fe. But I had them one night with a few friends and we all had the worst food poisoning!!!
(2)
Susanna W.
J & I "randomly" chose Cowgirl BBQ (one of the highest rated & most popular restaurants in the Santa Fe area on Yelp) to have lunch at our first full day in NM. AMBIANCE: We sat in the courtyard at one of the communal picnic benches (in a shaded spot). The courtyard is very cute, and has a super relaxing vibe. SERVICE: Super friendly. Different staff members came by to check on us, and our main server made sure we were well taken care of. FOOD: - Mother of all burgers: One of the best burgers I've had in a while. The beef was perfectly seasoned, great texture (a medium grind), and cooked to a nice medium (bordering med-rare). Add on the brie (fancy!), green chile (is there anything that DOESN'T have green chile on it in NM?), and other accoutrements, and you have a delicious, hefty meal. The fries that came with the burger were only ok-- they were slightly soggy. - Green chile nachos with beef brisket: Holy. The portion size is generous, and I could only have a few bites before waving the white flag. Really good, though I wished I had asked for less cheese (blasphemy?) and the sour cream on the side. OVERALL: One of our best meals while in NM. I thought that the green chile was pretty thoughtfully combined with the items we chose, so that it was harmonious rather than an absent-minded add on. I'd dine here again.
(4)
Cinnamongirl 6.
Had dinner tonight with my family. Our food was delish! We ate inside, but there was plenty of seating, outside on the patio. The kids had fajitas, my husband enjoyed his burger and I had the blue corn chicken stack. No complaints about the food although it was pretty standard fare. We did sit there for five minutes without a peep. My husband is not one to let things go so he went to the hostess girls and told them that we needed waters, menus and our waiter...stat! After that, everything went great. Our waiter was delightful, funny even. Our drinks were great. My margarita was even on the strong side. Not that I mind that! The atmosphere is fun and it's just a sweet, kitschy little joint.
(4)
K P.
I was looking for something good to eat and wanted to absorb more New Mexico culture so I gave Cowgirl's a try. I was not disappointed. The service was excellent, and not too kitschy. The food was very good. I loved the flavor of the barbecue ribs. My son ordered the sampler of craft beers. That was fun and they were all high quality beers, not the stuff that isn't selling. We sat on the patio until it rained, but that didn't spoil a thing. We had a memorable and truly enjoyable experience!
(5)
Forrest B.
I have never wrote a review but felt obligated after an an awful experience: On our honeymoon, we were asked to leave because we had "glassy eyes." We were waiting for a table and music to start and could not find a place to sit. My wife dropped her jacket and that was reason why we were asked to leave.. What a joke. Go here if you would like to be embarrassed and treated awful.
(1)
Jody P.
Excellent food, good music and attentive service. Nice combination. A very well stocked bar with a great beer selection and a not to shabby whiskey selection as well :) The most important thing for me when going to a new place is how well they handle my wife's dairy allergy. The Cowgirl did a great job and the Server even remembered when we ordered an after dinner drink that normally has whipped cream on it. The drink came sans the dairy component and it was still great. Ok, the food. The "Mother of all Green Chile Cheeseburgers" was wonderful. Don't know if it was the best I've ever had but it was pretty damn close. The rest of my party also enjoyed their meals too... Will be making the Cowgirl a regular stop when we go into town!
(4)
E K.
Don't come for the food. Come for the gorgeous outdoor seating and free live music. Grab a table, order some drinks (and more drinks), and relax. 5 stars for the ambiance, 2 stars for the food (my veggie burger came cold and falling a part), 5 stars for the service, 5 stars for the drink selection and $3 drink specials I also love that they support local and up-and-coming artists. A trip to to bathroom had me pass a wall lined with fliers of upcoming bands, making me wish I was local so I could frequent Cowgirl more often. Oh, and they also have a playground/play area for kids in the back! Impressive!
(4)
tim r.
Great draft selection and good food. I went here twice in my week long Santa Fe stay. Both times I ordered the special plantain tamale. The flavor from the plantain was amazing. Sweet and banana-y. The red chile was spicy and the obligatory rice and beans filled out the meal and mixed well with the chicken and cornmeal. My girlfriend got the grilled cheese and added green chile strips. When in New Mexico you should always add green chile to everything you order and they added a nice kick to the great grilled cheese. Second time she got the pulled pork with the extra spicy sauce. Wasn't her favorite pulled pork ever but a strong showing. It was a good sandwich.
(5)
Benjamin P.
Great food and Amazing atmosphere. I'd go back here in a heartbeat. I rarely get to write a review of place I just love to hang out it. We spent a Sunday afternoon eating bbq and drinking amazing NM beers while listening to fantastic music. I had the bbq sampler that was a HUGE and reasonably priced way to try several things they make. I tried some of the yak meatloaf that was also great. Our server was the bartender, who was very friendly and helpful. She seemed way calm for the amount of things being asked of her, and was quick to offer a sample when I asked about beers.
(4)
Scott B.
Went here based on my 23 year old sons advice. He has eaten here after snowboarding before and raves about the burgers, especially the Mother with the green chili. So of course that's what I got. Burger was under cooked based on my medium request, and the green tomatoes were too big. Otherwise it had a great taste and the combination of green chili and Brie was unique. The bowl of Texas chili has great flavor and brisket, it is worth the price. Don't expect much from the ambiance, it is a Cowgirl bar after all.
(3)
Pat T.
Stopped in for a late lunch at the Cowgirl on our way back to Tucson from Colorado Springs. We very much enjoyed the relaxed setting of the patio. My son and husband had dinner here several months ago and raved about it. Sadly, this time we found our Mother of all Green Chile burgers to be on the dry side, the fries were soggy and the meal just not overly scrumptious at all. Certainly a big disappointment from what we had hoped and longed for. Our son did think his Yak Meat Loaf had great flavor but felt it too was a bit over cooked on the outer edges. Hope it was just a off day for the Cowgirl. Not sure we will be stopping in again for a meal next time through.
(2)
John O.
I cannot vouch for the food here, but the beer specials are incredible. I came here on a Sunday afternoon because one of the rides for the Santa Fe Beer, Bike, and Brew Festival was having an after party here. The outdoor patio is very cool and a great place to listen to music and sip on some microbrew from New Mexico. I thought the selection of beer on tap was varied and thoughtfully selected. I ordered a pint of La Cumbre for $3 on a Sunday afternoon. Great deal. You gotta see if the Santa Fe Chilis Dixie Jazz Band is playing at this place. If they are, it's a great place to have a chill afternoon and listen to a great dixieland jazz band. No cover. Tip well though! Enjoy.
(4)
JoAnn F.
Not a fancy place. But Clean place good food. Great service. Centrally located. Would recommend it definitely
(4)
Nic M.
This place was alright. They have a monstrous chili burger that I would every day if I could. The trip here was made worth it by that burger. The margaritas are really good and they are half price during happy hour ($4). Cons: the service was horrible. They take forever to get to the table so I'm sitting there hungry for too long. We went twice and both our servers were uninterested and mean. Go for the burger but don't expect a fantastic time, just a good time.
(3)
S C.
A great place for tourists that are looking for Nm BBQ. Nice interior acceptable food. Outdoor court for summer, fireplaces for the winter. Good for families and friends. Stop by after ski sante fe.
(3)
Lucia N.
Burgers (meat and veggie) are cooked to perfection and topped with creative condiments. Jolly atmosphere. Best veggie burger I've had.
(4)
Wendy H.
OK so I'm pretty easy going on my restaurant experiences. Advice - skip this place - I'm really not sure why anyone would make a reservation for this place - the food was greasy and the service sucked!!! obviously the bad reviews are not stopping their business which is too bad because maybe then they would want to improve their customer service! Lots of great restaurants and patios in Santa Fe - I am sitting at the Coyote Bar and its great - a rooftop patio and service is top notch!! walk down the street and give a great restaurant the business!! SKIP THIS PLACE
(1)
G W.
Great location, awesome selection of craft beers and good food. I had the house wings and the 'mother burger' both of which were awesome. The burger even won 3rd place in the state. The patio was pretty small outside but if you get good weather it's worth waiting for, especially on a Saturday or Sunday night as there's live music after 8pm.
(4)
Ashley N.
Do not understand the hype. Mediocre food, dirty tables. Slow service. We got the sampler meat platter - the brisket is supposed to be top notch. I've had way better at a chain in CO.
So giving three stars only because the hostess was amazing. Good beer selection. Don't order a Moscow mule no copper mugs they should not offer them. Server was not great waited for about 10 minutes to be greeted. Got the Cowgirl Salad watery dressing. BBQ sampler terrible. The sauce was thick and too tangy. Over cooked meat, bland potato salad and not worth the price. However the redeeming quality was that they had live local music each night. The Hooligans rocked. Drink and dance. Don't eat.
(3)
Lindsey M.
Santa Fe staple when I come into town. The baked potato ice cream is where it's at. I had the brisket with mashed potatoes and slaw. Standard BBQ food made better by Cowgirl's environment. Friendly weight staff with fun outfits and a great patio. Each room has a different vibe to offer, all fun.
(4)
Shannon Z.
Worst service I have ever encountered (thank you Pablo) & mediocre food. The worst potato salad, I don't even know how you can mess that up?! Skip! Gluten free options were not truly gluten free (avoid if you have celiacs/allergy). I left very feeling very ill and disappointed. All the BBQ sauce has gluten, the fries have gluten, there are no main dishes on the menu that are gluten free. The waitstaff has no respect for food allergies or customers requests.
(1)
Jake N.
I had the Mother of all Cheesburgers. It was awesome. 5 star food! All the way. Sat here listening to a band on the patio. Until the manager lady says we are cut off!?!?! 4 drink maximum. Bitch paaaalllleeeaaaassseee!
(2)
Ginni K.
We had the brisket plate dinner. Hands down the best brisket we have ever had. Tasty sauce without the heat. Enjoyed the flan for desert. Very tasty. Definitely worth the wait.
This place gets 3 stars for having a pet friendly patio. Otherwise, their drinks are adequate but overpriced, and their food is sub-par.
(3)
Chris P.
Sure it's a Santa Fe landmark, but the food and drink speaks volumes. A must have is the baked potato ice cream dessert, and the smoke pulled pork is seriously done right. They have a great beer selection, and the atmosphere is pretty cool. If you want to give yourself a heart attack, go for the nachos. After that, I felt like I couldn't eat for a week. If the aim is to be Texas size, you won't be disappointed. The burgers kill it too. You really can't order anything bad here. The beer tap rotation is excellent because of the good emphasis on New Mexico brewed offerings. As someone from the Seattle area where beer is HUGE, I can't say enough good stuff and praises for New Mexico beer and breweries.
(5)
Kathryn M.
YUM! Everything I had was amazingly delicious. Did not realize you could make food taste like this until I went here. Simply a must-go if you're in Santa Fe. Live music was great too! Warm, homey ambiance. Just so great.
(5)
Kristie A.
My favorite stop in New Mexico!!! Everything is good and the beer selection is amazing!!! It's hard to choose between the BBQ and Southwest menu so order both!!!!
(5)
Art H.
Cowgirl has been on the Santa Fe scene for some time; a well established clientele fills the indoor/outdoor space. It was a fab crowd too - a woman was announcing to her table mates about the last, uh, oral interlude she had with a recent date, loud enough that the four of us had to stop our conversation long enough to hear how it all, ah, came out. But I digress. The food was overall a bit disappointing. Nothing was awful, but not the 4 star rating either. It was just A-OK. The salmon in the soft taco #1 was way to big of a piece to eat by hand, while almost nonexistent in taco #2. The beef salad was fine, again, nothing to rave about. The local beers on tap were great. I'd love to say more, but Oral woman had the most to say. So I'll stop now.
(3)
Romeo N.
Bison Burger was great and are waiter was extremely helpful. Great selection of beer!
(4)
Celeste K.
Make sure you get the bbq, cause the tacos tasted like it anyway.
(3)
Chris T.
I ordered the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and it was smoky, juicy, and really good. I also added the diablo salsa with habaneros to spice it up a little more. The place was really busy for a Monday night but there was plenty of help and service was fast. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Our waiter, however, seemed a little uppity and wasn't too enthusiastic about answering questions about the menu. Seemed odd coming from a man wearing a cowboy hat with both ears pierced. To be expected in Santa Fe I guess.
(3)
Robin B.
After visiting this place over the years, we had the most interesting interaction with a wait staff to date. Initially, the wait person was personable and friendly and took our order. That was pretty much the last we saw of him. Someone else brought our food (after we could see it sitting in the kitchen for a LONG time). He never checked on us, despite the fact he walked by us repeatedly. We had to flag him down to order dessert. Again, someone else brought it to us after it, too, sat for a very LONG time. We then went and asked for a manager to voice our displeasure. A few minutes later, our wait person appeared and said he was told we had complained and he wanted to know why. We explained that he has been ignoring us. No apology, no explanation, just defiance and outright rudeness. The food is NOT THAT good to put up with this sort of behavior. The fact that the manager would go and tell him and he would then come up and demand an explanation is something we have never experienced before. There are SO many other great places in Santa Fe, that this one is not worth your time! Ignore the hype and the accolades on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.......
(1)
Korrie B.
Had a disappointing dinner here. My friend and I shared the quesadilla and the green chili cheeseburger. The quesadilla was pretty good, but the cheeseburger was greasy and too much all one flavor...no contrasts. The biggest surprise of the night was that I found that I really liked pickled jalepnos! The atmosphere was VERY loud and we were seated right next to a door where the back kept hauling stuff in and out. Couldn't wait to leave.
(1)
Lilly C.
Having lived in New Mexico for more than a dozen years now, we've learned our lesson long ago that the Cowgirl is a tourist stable and not to be indulged on the weekends if one is to expect quality service and a satisfying meal. Nevertheless, on this occasion, my husband and I met our coworkers there to celebrate the end of a long grueling job and take in the lively atmosphere on the patio. We ordered one round of beer along with our dinner and a round of shots to toast each other on a job well done. We were happy and tired. Another coworker arrived about 15 minutes later and ordered a second round of drinks. At this point, the server stuttered and announced that there would be a hold on the drinks for the moment. We were confused, was the bar experiencing a malfunction? Were they out of tequila? At this point the manager marches over to the table and tells us "We are going to hold off serving your drinks for the time being, let you all get some food in you and soak up some of that tequila." Excuse me? I suppose the toasting and boisterous conversation of seven over-40-year-old adults (who had just finished their final 13-hour day with one of the worst bosses in history) was deemed too drunken by this establishment and therefore a call to action was subscribed to our table. What a poetic finale to a terrible job that this restaurant had decided to cut us all off after one round of drinks like we were a bunch of teenagers. Some of us began guffawing and calling her bluff but the management was adamant. We stared at each other across the table in amazement..our tired faces, burned by the sun from working outdoors from the caldera to the pecos wilderness-I guess we looked drunk wished we were drunk but that was not the point. Most of us lived within walking distance and had given this place thousands of dollars in business over the years and now we were being judged and it was just too much. I noticed that several others have had the same experience here, and probably because the heat is on and liability is a top priority at the cowgirl but the food is mediocre as well. My bratwurst plate arrived and it was still pink on the inside. They obliged me by serving me another plate but it was still undercooked. The fries were cold and stale You wait long enough to get a table and when you do the establishment judges your sobriety, serves you your food and scoots you out the door. They are trying to seat a turnstile of incoming patrons and administering a drink minimum that insults and accuses people of being over the limit. This place has live music and a cool interior and this catchy theme but its a scam. You will never see the same people working there after a few months because they treat their employees badly: I know because I worked there for a minute but that is a whole other outrageous story that I will not divulge here. The Cowgirl is the last place I would go in this town. There are plenty of options more deserving of your hard earned dollars.
(1)
Sarai L.
We came with a big party (tons of kids), they were awesome and put us in an empty back room because they weren't too busy, yet. It took us a while to order, and since there was so many of us we just ended up ordering a couple big things to share. We got two of the loaded nachos, both the chicken and steak fajitas, the BBQ sampler and a kids Mac and cheese and a kids brisket sandwich. The nachos came out first, which was great since we were so hungry. And they were AMAZING. Everything was super good. I would definitely go back. I know if ever in Santa Fe I have. Place to count on. The also has live music playing in the other room. :)
(5)
Meghan T.
Sis & I visited Santa Fe for the holidays, and upon check-in at our hotel, Cowgirl was suggested to us. As it turns out, a nomadic music making family, The Hollands, was playing some good ol' bluegrass tunes that evening. Being a nomad myself, I run into them from time to time on the road, and it's always a down home good time. We headed over for some good music and really got the whole sha*bang! We sat down to an amazingly beautiful organic Harvest salad and the best burger we have ever eaten. The Counter in LA is home to a phenomenal and personalized burger, but I must say Cowgirl makes a MIGHTY FINE one of their own. The "Mother" gets the Gold Star for burgers. And the truffle fries set it off just right. There were many things on the menu that sounded tasty and tempting, but the burgers are so large we split one and it did us just right. If we lived nearby, we'd probably be in to sample the other fare they offer like butternut squash casserole & mac'n'cheese, But since we don't, I'll bet we'll just order the Mother every time. If it ain't broke... After our meal, we sipped great warm winter drinks from the specials menu as we listened to The Hollands sing and strum and storytell and drum. It was a beautiful evening!
(5)
Blake C.
What a amazing restaurant. Great atmosphere great service. The food is some of the best in town at the most reasonable price. And very kid friendly they make you feel right at home.
(5)
Stephanie G.
I was pleasantly surprised that a BBQ joint would actually offer vegetarian items other than bread and salad. I had the butternut squash casserole. TO DIE FOR. I'm trying to duplicate the recipe to have it at home!! Huge patio for outdoor seating WITH heat lamps!
(5)
Chris W.
Really nice atmosphere!!! I order the chili rellenos, Christmas( red and green chili) with black beans and rice. Food was hot when it was served and a big portion!! The red one had a really great flavor. The green was great flavor and heat. They both were stuff with plenty of cheese. The beans were a good compliment to the rice and it all come together very well. Would high recommend to anyone in the Sante Fe area
(4)
Elsie F.
First Off, their craft beer list did not accurately depict what they actually had. The first 3 beers I had requested were not available. So I had to settle for one. Mediocre food at best. We shared a Caesar salad, frito pie, green chile burger, and BBQ sampler. Not exciting at all, and hardly any flavor on the burger for a green chili burger. We left most of it behind.
(2)
Peter S.
Very good chili and my partner had the ribs. Lemonade was a bit watery. Lots of fun photos of cowgirls on the walls.
(4)
Steve V.
We ate here on a Weds night between the Indian Market and Zozobra celebration weekends at about 7:30 and the place was packed. No reservations, but we got right in. Parking: They don't have their own parking lot and the street parking is minimal, but after working hours everyone seems to sneak into the business/govt building lot behind the restaurant. At least no one was being ticketed! Try this at other times at your own risk! Service: since it was packed we expected the service to be slow, but was just the opposite. We were seated immediately and waited only a minute before we got the menus and had our drink orders taken. In less than 5 minutes we had our drinks and our server was taking our orders. Much to our utter amazement, we had our orders in less than 3 minutes - the FASTEST we have had anywhere. The whole staff was in overdrive from the prime dinner hours and the adrenaline hadn't worn off yet. The server was never pushy, checked back several times to see how we were doing and didn't ask about desert until it was obvious we had finished our meal. The food: I had the combo plate (brisket, chicken and ribs) and my wife had the brisket. We both agreed that unless you got a portion of the brisket that had a little fat in it, it was overly dry- tasty but needed an extra of the provided sauce served on the side to make it a 5/10. My chicken was good 7/10 (well cooked but could have had a more smoky taste to be true BBQ) and the ribs were excellent 10/10. As others have said I would have preferred that there wasn't so much sauce on the chicken so it didn't run into the slaw. The beans were typical BBQ but tasted just like the BBQ sauce; little light on the bacon and stronger on the spices with just a tiny bit of heat. After a week's worth of overly hot Southwestern food in town that was made hot to cover a lack of otherwise bland dishes, this was a welcome change. I had the peach/blueberry cobbler 8/10 and my wife had a chocolate fudge/coffee thing that was huge and according to her tasted great 10/10. If we were to be in town again we definitely go back, but later in the evening when a packed house didn't make it soooo noisy. The live band was good too.
(4)
Kate G.
Simply wonderful. We had a late bite to eat (9 pm) on a Friday. We waited about 10 minutes for a table; got a drink at the bar while we waited. Orgasmic beer was good, hoppy cider was not. For appetizer, got Chile rellenos with goat cheese and pomegranate seeds (so delicious, crunchy outside with a melt in your mouth inside.) For dinner, we got bison burger & squash casserole with salad, both of which were excellent. On recommendation from our waiter, we got the mud pie - frozen ice cream with good fudge and whipped cream layer. All in all, a very filling & tasty meal.
(4)
Terry W.
This is our favorite place to head for a good time and really good food! Reservations made for last night. We were seated right next to the kitchen door. Not good. We all ordered different menu items and had very different experiences. My favorite, if not the Cowgirl Burger, is the Country Fried Chicken! Last night it was the worst ever. Frozen breaded piece of cardboard, 2 Tbs. of gravy on really good potatoes! The pulled pork was so dry we had them bring extra sauce and the scallops were tiny and dry. Sunday night problems? Tired staff? The one order of the "Cowgirl Burger" came out beautifully cooked to temp, juicy and delicious! Sorry Cowgirl, we will come back!
(2)
Lena L.
This was my first trip to Cowgirls yesterday! I had heard loads about it and finally made it up since the weather was so gorgeous. I was with a party of four. First off, it's a cute place. Pretty adorable. Free parking two doors down on the weekends. This place has a great atmosphere. There was a live band who were pretty great. We sat near the backdoor in the room with the band and the server was immediately there. The menu has a lot of food- lots of different styles. When we went, there was a Cajun special going. So far, so good. I got a Margarita- not bad, fairly strong. Didn't taste like a mix. The rest got beers- some local, one major brand. Good drink selection. Bad part: I kept having to ask for a glass of water and got it probably 10-15 minutes later. He kept forgetting. I had a drink, so I was not dying of thirst, it was just a bit annoying. We got the okra starter. It seemed to be a tiny bit underdone, but the breading was nice and the sauce with it was yummy. An extra 30 seconds in the fryer would have been nice though, but since it still tasted good, it really was not worth the effort. I ordered the Turkey Reuben and I have some major problems with it. First off, Reubens are Reubens because of the sauerkraut and the sauce. I could not detect any sauerkraut. This makes me sad, because that is the point of ordering a Reuben to me. There has to at least be enough to taste! I dissected the sandwich and sound a few tiny pieces on the bottom. Disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was still really good. The bread, especially, was delicious. But it was just a good turkey sandwich. It was not a Reuben. Reuben-lovers beware. The french fries were really tasty. I didn't need to add any salt or even use a dipping sauce. Yum. The coleslaw was kinda boring. Just your typical store bought kind. One friend got the Heuvos Rancheros. The chile was pretty good. No real heat (although it calls itself spicy), but nice flavor. Was not the best Heuvos, but it was good enough. I don't think that any of us would pay for that Heuvos again (how does a restaurant in New Mexico just make "okay" heuvos?). Lots of places can do it much better, including myself in my own kitchen. Another got a burger, medium rare. It was cooked perfectly and was great. The fries, again, were awesome. Burgers they seem to do well. The Jambalaya that was on special was the other dish on the table. My friend seemed unimpressed. I tried it and it was pretty bland. Some salt and a very, very generous portion of hot sauce made it good, but it is a shame that we had to completely season it ourselves. Everything in it was cooked well, however. I would definitely not pay for the blandness though. It did have a cute factor- they bring the cornbread shaped like a cactus. When a tiny piece of bread is the best part of the dish, there is a problem. Overall, high and low points. Food was okay. It ranged from 1/5 to 4/5. Service was 3/5. Atmosphere was 5/5. Drinks and drink selection was 4/5. I'd go back for a drink and maybe some food. Maybe.
(3)
Kristen C.
The food was just okay, and the service was unfortunately quite poor. Both our order and our bill were wrong, repeatedly. I never ever check a bill, but I just had a sense based on all the other errors. I liked the atmosphere, and we may have just caught a server on a very bad day. The overall feel was fun and relaxed. No concessions were made for the multiple errors.
(3)
Kathy M.
Ok, so I did not have the BBQ that Cowgirl is apparently so well known for. We did not sit in the outdoor area or stay for the entertainment. But that is no excuse for the very bad quality of the food. We started with chips and salsa; the chips were good but the salsa was tasteless and no amount of salt could make it edible. I wanted something lighter than BBQ so chose the Arugula Salad and added on grilled salmon. What I got was a large plate of arugula greens with a few very overdone pieces of grilled asparagus. The warm goat cheese was this weird deep fried mound of goat cheese and the salad dressing was also completely tasteless. The salmon was dry and overdone. My husband had a burger with Monterey jack cheese, which he said was very good but the "hand cut fries" it came with looked and tasted like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for longer than they should have. The craft beer I ordered wasn't even satisfying because it wasn't very cold. I see no reason to go to this restaurant unless you are VERY hard up for atmosphere in Santa Fe.
(1)
Jenifer P.
I came to Cowgirl BBQ twice in one day, once with the family to eat and again at night to drink and play pool. We came with three kids under five and requested a table in the play area. They have a really nice play structure and fun activities for the kids outdoors. The area was already booked so we sat inside but the kids were still able to play in the play area until the food came. I ordered the World Famous Green Chile Burger and I was not disappointed! It was delicious with melting green chili cheese and a bacon/beef patty. The truffle fries were a little to be desired but still good. We came back later without the kids to enjoy the pool area. They have about five different sections of the restaurant: a patio, a bar, two dining rooms and a play area. The pool area was fun with a digital jukebox, five pool tables, and a waiter. The waiter reserves your pool table for you and also takes your drink/food orders. The prices were decent and the atmosphere is fun. There were some people in there who were pretty serious about pool and then there were others who like us were just there to have a good time. Overall I would come back to this place for both the food and the drinks. It is a fun place and since we were there on a Saturday night they had a live band playing. The place is a bit cramped, it seems like an old house or two converted to a restaurant but it's got a certain charm.
(4)
Ryan R.
Typical bbq environment. I had the "mother" burger which was the best burger I have ever had. Loaded with tender beef Bree cheese and green chilies. Wow makes my mouth water. The fries were also awesome. After dinner we had the the MUD pie which I highly recommend. Parking was a bit hectic but the food more then makes up for it.
(5)
Lyric K.
The MOTHER! It's the best burger in town. . . and the "Girl" uses local meats, hormone and antibiotic free - good stuff from right here in New Mexico. The Mother burger comes complete with green chili, brie, and heirloom tomatoes. The Girl's fries and wings are among the best in town. And the bar makes a mean mixed drink, a great tequila pour, and plenty of beers to suit your tastebuds. The game burger and the yak meatloaf are 2 other faves - right now the only place in town to get game meats. Not a huge fan of their BBQ, even though that is what they're "famous" for. And their seasonal menu always has something fun like fried okra or rabbit and rattlesnake brats.
(4)
Cyndi C.
Sadly disappointed! We recently moved to the Santa Fe area and we had driven past Cowgirl BBQ a number of times and we couldn't wait to go there to eat, tonight was the night, we had a guest in from out of town and we took her there after spending the day in Taos. We arrived just after 6, we were told there would be a 30 min wait, no problem, we thought it must be worth is since there were so many people there...NOPE When the host sat us she said they were out of menu's, 5 minutes later the waiters came to see if we wanted drinks we ordered but it took 20 minutes to get two beers and a soda, she did stop back and said she was still waiting to get the drinks for us. We still didn't have menu's finally we noticed someone that was waiting in line had a menu, so we went to the host area and got out menus. The waitress came back and took our order, we waited almost AN HOUR to get our food. No kidding the person that had been in line when we got menus said across from us, they placed their order and had their food before we got out drinks, I ordered the Mac & Cheese thinking it was going to be deliciously creamy....it should have been on the kids menu, it was like mac & cheese from a box with a ton of cheddar cheese melted on it. The other people that was with me ordered the Butternut Squash, and Chicken fried steak with greens and they both loved it. ONE OTHER THING the restrooms are Co-shared, I went in as a man was just coming out, I took one look and walked out, he had peed all over the toilet seat, yet another disappointment! Needless to say I don't know if I would go back!
(1)
John B.
My sister recommended this place because of the kiddie corral which was effective for my niece. Honestly I really enjoyed what I had which was the mother of all Green Chile Burgers. It was just a damn goo burger in typical New Mexico Style with the best fries I tasted on my journey. If you are looking for a good burger in Santa Fe I recommend this burger. I am including a description with my photos.
(4)
Melanie H.
The ambiance was fun, our first server was a very nice girl. Food was yummy but a little slow and sloppy, what do you expect from a bbq joint. My grandmas boyfriend hated his bbq sandwich he said the meat was too tough. Second server was a bearded guy who was too in my face. I would consider going again.
(4)
Robert R.
Cheap truffle oil on your fries doesn't make you Bobby Flay. Totally ruined your green chile cheeseburger. Shake Foundation puts you to shame!
(1)
Klean L.
Cowboy saloon atmosphere with budding artists providing entertainment. Can see this being a go to place for happy hours, causal dinner parties or nightcaps. Good food and service, menu seemed too big but surprised with quality used with sig dishes. Servings are unnecessarily big. Kitchen knows what they are doing but having to please too many in low season holds them back. Will be back! 3.5-4 stars
(3)
David J.
Poor location, not close to plaza, poor dining room, poor service, very poor food, we left most of ours and went somewhere else to eat, do not understand the positive reviews, they cannot be for the food and ambiance
(1)
Teresa L.
Boooooo. We had not graced this restaurant since our honeymoon 6 years ago, and man...things have changed. We loved the kiddie area in the back, and were it not for that feature the Cowgirl would've only earned one star. The brisket was extremely tough. Felt like it was either cooked too fast or too hot, or both. Did not pull apart easily and was very chewy. Neither my husband nor I enjoyed it, at all. The BBQ sauce as ok...tomatoey and a bit spicy. The sides (potato salad, coke slaw, and beans) were bland and characterless. I added salt and mustard to the potato salad, which helped it immensely. Sadly, we won't be giving this place another chance. There are far too many good restaurants nearby to gamble on the Cowgirl again.
(2)
Paula F.
I wish I could give it NO stars... This bar has a four drink maximum... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ... Avoid this place if you can actually drink
(1)
Judy L.
I eaten here MANY times, but I'm stuck on, infatuated with, their fish tacos. I love NM, but it's hard to find fish & the SW taste of Mexico in very many restaurants. Here, they do it well. the best fish, their soft taco, slaw & pico de gallo. I don't understand why there are fewer than 3 places to eat fish in this State, besides my own house, but Cowgirls is where I head for the best of both flavors of Mexico & fish!
(4)
Shawn B.
Came here with the wife tonight and we were very happy. Live music, amazing smoked ribs, and great customer service. It was raining and cold tonight, so we were seated inside next to a nice warm fireplace. Ambiance is warm and inviting. Oh, yes, the margaritas are amazing! And a great beer collection. So, yes, everything was perfect and we will be coming back.
(5)
Dawn O.
A bar with a play area for the kids...What a concept. Super casual, service is lackadaisical, but a great scene, fun cocktail menu, raucous and fun place to take all age groups.
(3)
Moua L.
This place is awesome! They can accommodate everyone here. This time around, I brought a baby and found out that there was a nice kids play area in the back that I never knew about. We ate some nice BBQ sampler bits and had endless Margaritas. We were at a private event, so we had unlimited drink tickets to use. I tried not to go overboard though, as far as I remembered. I also remembered the walk back to our hotel on the plaza was quite humorous with lots of laughs. Always a great time at Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)
Jennifer M.
This place is fun but there's not enough space between tables, the staff is running around and I saw a server/busboy SMELL someone's food AT the table!! I don't know if I would go back again.
(3)
Todd S.
Horrible experience. A very unfriendly security guard "greets" customers at the front door. Only 2 unisex bathrooms in the entire restaurant. Wait staff is not friendly. And they are adamant about limiting customers to 3 drinks each, no matter how sober you are. They claim it is some form of a city ordinance, but no other establishment in Santa Fe seems to know about (or adhere to) it.
(1)
Brittany T.
Not really a bbq restaurant. It's basically a tourist location with a few bbq options. Staff was friendly but after reading the menu I quickly realized that this place does not specialize in bbq. Once I realized that, I noticed that there was no smell in the place. That was a red flag for me...every great bbq joint has the sweet smell of smoked meat and sauce in the air. I looked around and wasn't very impressed with the food around the room. My husband and I decided we would rather eat someone else so we just got an order of chicken wings (usually a safe bet). As the wings were brought to our table I noticed how the dressing sloshed around in the bowl. The dressing was disgusting. I think it was supposed to by some sort of ranch dressing but it was lacking any flavor and was a little sweet. I don't know if that's a southern style but it was unimpressive, bland, and watery. I asked for a side of blue cheese (which I usually prefer anyway) and was so irritated when I was served another watery bowl of dressing. It was obvious that someone actually adds water to the dressings. The wings were not terrible but also a little dry. A few pieces where mostly soggy chicken skin which is just mean they weren't cooked at the right temperature. The buffalo sauce was a little watery too so after the first bit the flavor was gone. I would not recommend this place if you are looking for good bbq. Follow your nose...you'll find something else in the area!!
(1)
Stan L.
Ate supper here on Tuesday night. I was disappointed in our overall experience. I had a simple pulled pork sandwich with fries. My bun was soaked and not usable. I ate the meat without a bun, which was better for me. I had to ask for more BBQ sauce, because it lacked flavor. The fries were just average. Sarah had a chili stuffed baked potato. She said it was ok, but had too much chili for her? Our service was slower then the business warranted. My least favorite so far this week
(3)
Michelle T.
So, on our latest trip to Santa Fe we decided to eat at Cowgirl once again. Not so enthralled this time. The winter seasonal menu just didn't live up to the "cinco de mayo" one. Beef ravioli? At a bbq place in New Mexico...really? Anyway, my husband went for the chili which he thought was ok. To be fair, I wasn't all that hungry since we had a huge lunch at the Shed so, I decided on a Harvest Salad that sounded good on paper (anything with beets, goat cheese and marcona almonds sounds good!) but, the flavors didn't really work. May have been the lemon basil vinaigrette but I'm not sure, something just seemed to be missing. Doesn't help that we were seated on the temporarily enclosed patio with a heat lamp directly over us so we either fried with the lamp on, or froze with it off every time the front door opened. Oh well. Guess if they have the good menu items next time we'll give it another try.
(2)
Stacy S.
Best Bbq I have ever had,.... Great recommendation
(5)
Susan J.
I was in Santa Fe for a two month artist residency and found myself returning to Cowgirl again and again for the tasty freshly prepared food, the great service from the charming staff, and an entertaining atmosphere filled with local characters as well as some of us tourists. There is indoor and outdoor seating for dining, a bar, a pool room and frequent live music outside. The first time I came here I sampled the chicken fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes and spicy collard greens. I live in the southwest Virginia, home to this kind of cuisine and this was the best version I have eaten anywhere. I also give thumbs up to the burgers, the ribs, the guacamole, the green chili cheese fries, and the mac and cheese. Cowgirl has a good variety of beers on tap and decent margaritas. Ask about the specials. Our group at the residency center really loved this place.
(5)
Mark K.
Meh. Not bad, but felt like a chain place. I've had better BBQ back home in michigan which isn't really known for BBQ. Good margaritas and they do have live music which is a good bonus.
(3)
Dani Y.
Live music and outdoor seating (heated) make for a fantastic ambiance. The good is solid and they make the frozen margaritas strong. Service overall is fantastic (I'll admit I had to ask my waiter twice if I could order and he wasn't very attentive, but everyone else who worked here seemed great). Worth a visit if you're looking for a restaurant with local flavor.
(4)
Jeremy G.
This place is great for families. The backyard has an enclosed climbing area and slide. Our kids played before and after lunch, giving the adults a leisurely lunch. I recommend the Green Chili Burger. NOTE: There is parking in the back.
(5)
Danielle M.
I Finally decided to review this place because I finally came during happy hour and not when I was trying to cram in with the masses late night. Servers seem more friendly than I remember, also could have something to do with the hour. A Fresh batch of servers just arrived for tonight's shifts. Not only are the servers nicer early in the evening but the food is good too. My husband and I started with the quesadilla de la casa and added the chipotle pulled pork. Phenomenal little appetizer. Then I asked the waitress to help me decide between the jerk chicken platter and the butternut squash casserole. She recommended the squash and it came with a side salad, so I added the jerk chicken breast. I am really glad I ended up with both because they were so good! Now I know they have made some improvements because the last time I tried the jerk chicken, it was charred and the flavor was unrecognizable as jerk seasoning. This time the jerk chicken was moist and smokey and delicious. My husband had the scallops. It was a very generous portion and he didn't have any problems clearing the plate. There are pint specials everyday and the Thursday Deschutes Porter for $3 was very tasty. I was pleasantly surprised that my overall experience was positive. Personally, I hope it stays consistent but I'm not counting on it. However, I won't avoid Cowgirl BBQ anymore because the food was so good. Say what?
(3)
Lisa M.
Worst brisket I think I've ever had but the place is really cute and it's a really fun setting with an outdoor band.
(3)
Dona K.
I was invited here by a friend one evening. I show up and there is a cheesy band playing who need to fire their sound guy. The bar is crowded with hippie burn outs, guys with bad side burns,creepy local types, and trustafarians. Normally I would find this motley crue to be very entertaining and would settle in for some people watching but it reeks so badly of sweat, sour beer, and rank patchouli that I need to go outside and get some air. Once outside i am approached by random harmless drunks who are feeling sociable. Except for one brassy chick who eyes me suspiciously, insisting that she "knows me from somewhere, but she can't remember" but is SURE she had a problem with me. I have never met this woman in my life. She glowers at me through a haze of bad cocktail breath and smoldering American Spirits. She comically hangs on her friends in order to remain on her feet. I did have an interesting conversation with a woman who was an artist. Drinky the drunk girl also had issues with this and repeatedly tried to butt into the conversation. Very strange. I say goodnight to my friend and was out of there. This place is so nasty i can't believe people eat here. The whole experience was just depressing.
(2)
Alexandra M.
Good hours, big portion of really yummy bbq plus classic Southwestern fare. We came quite late for dinner, and it was crowded-- live music but it was quite loud. Lots of hipsters too-- who knew?
(4)
Fancypants J.
Maybe I just liked this place because it reminded me of something you'd see in Austin where my friend Mr Charles lives. Glitter and old photos on the walls, funky layout, tons of people late at night (which is nice because it seemed to me that Santa Fe shuts down at around 6 pm). Husband and I both had a scallop dish that came with mash and salad in the center, as well as a non traditional poutine made with a cheddar beer sauce in lieu of gravy. Everything was really good. If we are here again we would probably try the BBQ. Love that it was open late.
(4)
Chris M.
We were looking for a green chile burger close to the plaza and decided to try this. Great place with great atmosphere and a courtyard patio where you can have your pet join you. Had the Mother of all Green Chile Burgers. Perfectly cooked and all the ingredients worked well together. Green chiles had a nice heat to them. The truffle fries were good and my wife enjoyed her salad. Great beer selection and the other diner's food all looked good.
(4)
Mary F.
Really like this place. The food and service is great. Good selection of vegetarian items and mighty delicious! I just keep coming back.
(4)
Rev J.
Super country & casual... Live bands, kiddos play area, super fun. Yeeeha!!! I love this place... It's definitely become a new fave hangout when I'm in Sante Fe. Their food is delish, big portions, and oh so tasty. Friendly people, live band, and the staff is an absolute joy.
(5)
Eric And Jennifer R.
I've only been here for lunch meetings. They have good fast service. The food is excellent. The decor reminds me of a diner crossed with Wild West. There is a cozy outdoor patio in front of the restaurant. I love their salmon taco with a side of grilled asparagus, Harvest salad and arugula salad. All these dishes have asparagus. It's very good. I recommend this place for lunch and meetings. My collegeaus have been here for dinner with live music and love it.
(4)
Hannah H.
Whoa there, Cowgirl! I've had excellent BBQ in my life and for a place that advertises BBQ in its name, I expect it to be decent, even in New Mexico. I tried both the pulled pork sandwich, which tasted more like a cafeteria produced sloppy-Joe, and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were good, but lukewarm. The Tres Leches was enjoyable and the right size for sharing. The margaritas were also good but expensive considering their small size. I should know by now that if I want an enjoyable meal in Santa Fe, I have to order something with green chile. Every surrounding table had the giant green chile burger. It looked awesome and appeared to be the house specialty, NOT the BBQ. If I return, here is what I will do: Sit outside on the patio, skip the margarita and choose a craft beer, (They have a decent selection) order the Green Chile Burger, and enjoy quality people watching.
(3)
Gary A.
Nothing fancy here. Tourists and locals alike come here for decent food & a long list of regional micro brews. Prices are quite reasonable. My brisket sandwich came with fresh cut fries & coleslaw for $9.50. My double white belgian style pint was $5.50. When I lived here this was a favorite.
(4)
Max G.
Delicious food. Great service. We went for dinner. I had The Mother of All Chili Cheeseburgers. My wife had chicken fajitas. The chili cheeseburger was big, juicy and stuffed with all sorts of good things: chili, cheese, bacon, tomatoes and beef. It came with truffle fries. They have a great selection of beers on draught. Many I had never tried. Overall, a very good experience. We would definitely return.
(4)
Carmen Y.
Me and the hubby were there for early dinner at 5:00 p.m. midweek. The place was empty. Lots of servers. We ordered the roasted garlic appetizer. It came with melted cheese, a green salsa and toast. It was ok, but the garlic was messy to eat and a bit tasteless. He had the ribs, although tender, not too meaty and a small serving. I had the brisket, it was just ok. It came with what tasted like packaged potato salad. The accompanying beans were bland. Husband wanted to try the chiles rellenos, too spicy for me but the flavor was good. They came with black beans and rice, both were quite tasteless. Even the iced tea was weak. I should have picked another restaurant.
(2)
Frank M.
Wow! I ordered the mother of all green Chile cheese burgers! It was amazing. I have to rate this burger as One of the best green Chile cheese burgers I've ever had! The fries were seasoned with truffle oil! Yummy. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Nat S.
This is a cool restaurant- no doubt. The last time we were here, I feel like the bartender ignored me. I was on the corner of the bar, which can be a bit hard to see around albeit. You ignored me twice- you could check in after shift change to see if I/ we wanted /needed anything. He checked in with all the males around me(besides my boyfriend)- getting them refills. The girl who waited on us first, was way more personable, and gave great service. The man who took over, took forever to come over , and never introduced himself. He never asked if we wanted food, even though I had a menu out! He served all the males around me besides my boyfriend who still had a beer. He did this twice. All the boys around me were offered drinks. I have been a sever for a long time, and this is a gross over site, and seems sexist. For the love of god, try to sell me stuff. Don't you want higher cheque totals? I kind of wanted food, but with your gross neglect, I barely stayed for a second beverage. Still they have live music almost every night of the week. The food is good, and the beer selection fairly wide. If that dude is bar tending I may seek out another server. Tip- when you are the next bartender on. Go around and say hi, -and introduce yourself to all the people at the bar. Make yourself personable, try to sell them more product(with respect to the liquor laws). If you take a bit of time, acting like you care, then you will get higher tips from the customers who care. I would not be saying anything, but I was literally ignored while everyone else around was checked in with. If you are hitting the end of the bar with service, do yourself,f and everyone else a favor and do a thorough job.
(3)
Mike O.
I hit up Cowgirl BBQ for lunch. A few other attendees at the conference raved about it, but I was underwhelmed. I got the sampler of brisket, ribs and chicken. The first two were slightly underdone, but ok. The chicken was pretty good. The sides were fine. My BBQ is much better, but I'm biased.
(2)
Neenah B.
great burgers and atmosphere! GREAT for kids, which is hard to find in Santa Fe. They even have a playground.
(4)
Alan P.
Very disappointed . I was told it was gluten free but many items on menu are deep fried with same oil. Told chef is gluten free as well as his children, I was told I would be fine. They have no idea if you are celiac. Avoid
(1)
Allegra D.
Not the best I've had in Santa Fe, but not terrible. I got the chicken wings and truffle fries. The wings were quite spicy and tasty, though the truffle fries didn't taste terribly different from the normal fries. But the food was cheap and the ambiance was fun! There was a very funny band playing and the servers were very accommodation of the fact that we had to run and catch a movie. Plus, I got a lot of puppy therapy in on the courtyard! :)
(3)
Cath M.
My mission since arriving in ABQ was to load up on BBQ and the BFF suggested this place when we were walking around town in Santa Fe. Good call indeed! We came in around 2ish ... middle of the day crowd and it was still semi-packed. Decor: really Western... lots of women in cowgirl outfits. Pretty eclectic. Food: I didn't try my group's food yet again but here's what I got: - BBQ Mesquite-smoked Baby Back Ribs (slow-cooked pork ribs basted with BBQ sauce served with BBQ beans, cole slaw and potato salad Bunkhouse Brisket) but I substituted the cole slaw and potato salad with Mexican Red rice and fries with a side of corn tortillas. = DELICIOUS! The baby back ribs were off the bones... literally finger licking good! The fries were nicely seasoned... the rice just completed it for me! I'm Filipina so I eat bbq with rice and I was in heaven! The bbq sauce was just right... not overwhelming strong and it was just the right amount basted in the ribs. Friendly server... and will probably drag the BBF here next time I'm in town! Price: decent for the amount of portion they give you! I'm from the Bay Area so we don't have a lot of BBQ places so I'm deprived. This might not be the best but for me that day... this was it. It definitely satisfied the craving and for that... five stars indeed.
(5)
Kelsey M.
We had a lot of fun playing pool here! Unfortunately, there is no music playing unless someone puts $ in the juke box, so that was a bit of a bummer.
(4)
Daniel D.
We were recommended by a cab driver while on vacation in New Mexico and we are now forever in his debt. After a long walk to Cowgirl we were greeted by nice picnic style tables in their outdoor seating area. My girlfriend and I obviously opted for that seating and were immediately greeted by an enthusiastic waiter. While waiting for our beers, we noticed doe local New Mexicans shooting pool in the billiards room, which made us feel like we were in a cool local spot. I will cut to the chase here and get to the important thing. We have tried nachos all over the country (its our thing) and we have not come across nachos like Cowgirl's. The cheeses were melted perfectly with equal distribution, the chips were not too hard, olives were added which most places do not add, jalapeños were served on the side in case you aren't a fan (which my girlfriend isn't) and a dollop of sour cream to top it off. Bottom line is if you do anything in New Mexico, go to Cowgirl BBQ for some beers and those infamous nachos!
(5)
Josh E.
First I would like to say Im a huge bbq fan , but I think they should drop the bbq in their name and just call it "Cowgirl". I had the beef brisket and it tasted like shredded beef mixed with some weird bbq sauce. I couldnt tell if it was smoked or just slathered in sauce. The service was below average. We were constantly looking around for our waitress. Although while we were waiting we were quite entertained by the lack of professionalism from the staff. Instead of tending to the customers needs they felt it was more important to wrestle and play grab ass amongst themselves in front of everyone. Nothing stood out as unique or even above average to me. The food was just okay. We won't go back I'm sure of that.
(2)
Lauren M.
This place was interesting. They were very busy on the Friday evening we went there, and we had a bit of a musical chairs situation, before getting seated. First, they offered to seat us outside. They have heating lamps, but it was just way too cold out for that (heat rises, so having heat lamps about 7 feet high really doesn't help a lot). So they told us we could go sit in the pool/bar area- except there were no seats available. We waited in there for a bit, but after a few minutes of dodging pool cues, I opted to just wait outside in the cold. I should mention that it was a perfectly nice crowd in the pool room, and no one acted annoyed at all- I just felt like everywhere I stood, I was interrupting someone's game, and I felt bad. We were seated a few minutes later, where we waited for quite a while to be greeted, then waited again for 2 people's choice award-winning green chile burgers. I'd say the burgers earned the stars. They were excellent, though I removed the 2 giant slabs of Brie. I really can't imagine what they were doing there in the first place. Good quality meat, nice flavor, perfectly prepared, and nicely spicy chile. The fries, too, were very good- seasoned, I think with garlic. The hostesses and servers were nice and seemed to be trying their best, but the place was just too packed. They need some kind of improvement to their system- the way things are now, there's nowhere to wait without either being cold or being in the way. And folks waiting to give their names to the hostess have to line up next to/stand over the patio tables, where people are eating. It's just awkward. I will say that their patio area is probably very nice in warmer weather. The food is very good, but the issues with service made this a less than optimal experience.
(3)
Emily J.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Fun laid back vibe (we were outside) and a great blues band was playing. We got nachos as an appetizer and really liked them. We did have a busboy drop salsa on the ground which landed on my husband, our nachos, and on me and were a little disappointed at how little they seemed to acknowledge it (we even had to ask for napkins). My husband got the jerk chicken and found it overcooked. I got mahi mahi tacos which the fish was seasoned well but a pretty small portion. Small palm sized tortillas and tiny amounts (one taco worth ...in my humble opinion) of all the extras. However the vibe was fun so we would go back.
(4)
John A.
Not worth the bucks!..I ordered the "bunkhouse brisket"- there is nothing special with this joint...Meat is well-done like cardboard...coleslaw sucks...potato salad that comes with the meal was like a Walmart bought salad yuck..the guy servers were so unprofessional-uncourteous-the bald guy and the lazy guy who wears a cap was rude..-condiments containers was filthy dirty..glass used for beers was dirty....i wonder who are on the back-of-the-house in this joint.. I wasn't really expecting this.. There are just making money out of the NAME - not because of the food and certainly the service....worst restaurant experience in NM.
(1)
Matthew J.
Management and/or ownership are comfortable lying to the public. They promoted their New Year's Eve band Broomdust Caravan as "No Cover". When we arrived, a $10 cover was charged to all. Attempts to discuss our concerns with the managers on duty were met with offers to fill our glasses "all the way" at midnight. Bartenders are nice, very helpful and do not appear to be involved with deceiving the public in order to make a few bucks.
(1)
James L.
Hello Yelpers! This will be my first "official" review. The Cowgirl BBQ gets two stars from me. I give two stars for the tap menu, the service, and the unexpected kid "play palace" which is located outside in the back. If you have little ones, it is pretty good out there and I suggest you take advantage. They have a chalk board, an activity park, and other items to mess around with while you are waiting for your food. I also enjoy the overall atmosphere it presents. Let us face facts though: if you feature "BBQ" in the name of your restaurant, I expect the BBQ to be treated with respect. My wife and I last visited six years ago and I am sad to say the food quality was not what I remember. I ordered the brisket again. The toasted bread was served under the brisket and sauce which made it a bit flaccid. I prefer to have a nice crispy piece of toasted bread to slap a helping of tender brisket and slaw on and go to town! While the smoke and sauce were good, I found myself chewing and chewing on every bite. For a brisket, that isn't good. Thankfully I had a good IPA available to help wash it all down. I do hope the Cowgirl BBQ is able to find its way back to a respectable treatment of the brisket. j.
(2)
Mark M.
The wait staff was inattentive, and the bbq was mediocre at best. The sauce was the only part of the meal that had flavor, and it was verrrrry sweet. I had the bbq sampler with ribs, chicken, and brisket. The brisket was pretty ok, but everything else was bland. I will say the portions are big and the prices were fair.
(3)
Robin W.
Went there last night for dinner. Service was excellent. Our waiter circle places on our map to visit the next day. We both had the Mother Green Chile burger and it was excellent. Good beer on tap, great atmosphere. I highly recommend you check this place out
(5)
Kevin M.
I liked the atmosphere and they had a great beer menu. The food, however was not special. We had the BBQ sampler and the sweet potato fries. Nothing to write home about. Service was good. I like that they have live music but the band that played when we were there were lousy and very loud. You could do worse but I don't recommend it.
(3)
Jedi M.
The "Mother" and some local microbrews, my tummy was happy. Only complaint was the bun could have been a bit more substantial, kind of disintegrated half way through. Good selection of beer and the green chili was not over the top hot. Servers we pleasant, and knowledgeable about the beer. Wanted to sit at the bar but that was crowded, get there early if you want to do that. So I was kind of put in the back room alone. I would for sure go back to try one of those game burgers, but go early to be able sit at the bar and chat with folks.
(4)
Tom S.
Gotta admit, when we first sat down (almost instantly, by the way, on a Saturday night, no less), and read some of the earlier reviews, I was nervous. But man, Cowgirl's is The happenin' place I'm Santa Fe. Sittin' on the veranda to witness some very eclectic folks.The variety of margaritas is great. The service was outstanding. And u ain't died and gone to heaven 'till you've had the mother of all green chile cheeseburgers. The variety of beers was great, the ribs had a nice spice to them, even while they fell off the bone...I'll be back anytime.
(4)
Shane B.
Hey straight up this is our favorite place to have dined here in Santa Fe and we have had some seriously outstanding meals at many restaurants all around town. Now look, it's a juke joint, local-yokel-hook-up and have a good time kinda feel and you know, it's a BBQ place k? So why the hell are a couple vegetarian rock and roll types doing stuffing their faces and havin a great time here? Weeeelll.... On a Friday night in late February this place was kickin with all kinds of energy and they have an outstanding selection of vegetarian courses. I shit you not :D And it helps that servers, guys and gals alike, have a sexy friendliness and seem to enjoy what they do. Anyway so... We had Cabeza de Ajo for an app. A head of roasted garlic, melted cheese, chile sauce served with crostini... We spared nary a clove nor dripping... Delish baby. For entree Christy had Arugula salad dressed in house vinaigrette with warm goat cheese and jerk tofu.. Magic. We absolutely loved it. MIGHT be our favorite dish so far. But that praise is not meant to denigrate the outstanding butternut squash casserole with organic wild greens that I was served. You know- squash casserole.. Yer thinking heavy stick to your ribs blood-clotter... Nuh uh... Light and tasty, squash cooked to perfection ... Man alright... Scrum-dilly-icious. K? And people, oh my good culinarily advanced people let me tell you about a little slice of devilish heaven called the flourless red chile chocolate cake... It's served warm you know, with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of dulce de leche with hot chocolate fudge sauce drizzled about ... I say unto you... Ooo la laaAaa . One of the best desserts I've ever had bar none. Woof! Hey man get over there to Cowgirl right now or later but don't let it pass you by.
(5)
Alfonso E.
I guess theryre okay at what they do. I've not been super impressed. But they're ok. I've had several dishes there, never been disappointed,
(3)
John Jah F.
This place has a very creative menu, a wonderful staff and a very unique setting. I visit the Cowgirl every time I'm in SantaFe and bring all of my DC friends here when they fly in. The brisket is very tender and matches great with the green chili Mac & cheese. Lots of vegetarian items too if you swing that way.
(5)
Rich A.
I chose this place based on some suggestions on another website. I have to say the live entertainment made the trip worth it. I had the brisket sand which was really tasty. The draw back of the place is the servers. I waited 10 minutes before a server approached and then when one did he was so unfriendly Then I proceeded to watch a whole bunch of waiter and waitresses just hang out talking to each other they seemed indifferent to customers. I won't go back. There are other places that have just as good food and a staff that is interested in their customers service
(3)
Steve N.
Ribs were mediocre, fries dry & cold. The 12 hr brisket was way too chewy for 12hrs in a smoker.
(2)
Rick M.
great staff but soso BBQ had the bbq combo plate. great place for a drink and listen to good entertain
(3)
Betta L.
Really friendly and helpful wait staff and bartenders, DELICIOUS food, awesome selection of beer. I'm a vegetarian and they had plenty of options for me. Also, they have live music sometimes.
(4)
Patron X.
Not real barbecue. The patio is cute. The cowgirl theme is cheesy but fun. The service was fast and friendly. The beer selection was great, its main redeeming grace, but the food was terrible. It's a tourist place, and New Mexico isn't known for barbecue, so I felt like my low expectations were going to be hard to fall short of. It was like cafeteria food. Chips and guac is usually a safe starter, particularly in NM, but these were crappy packaged chips, not even restaurant style, and the guac was bland. The brisket was neither very tender nor did it have any kind of char on it. The sauce was boring, not sweet, not spicy, not vinegary, not smoky, not flavorful or distinct in any way, just seemed like something they buy by the gallon from a restaurant supplier. The toast was just a sad soggy piece of thick packaged white bread under a puddle of yucky sauce. The beans were boring. The slaw was boring. The potato salad was boring. Nothing tasted smoked, homemade, or distinct in any way. I ate exactly enough to satiate my hunger but the food wasn't worth eating for anything more than just sustenance. If they have any decent appetizers then I might go back for beers sometime, but if you're looking for BBQ, this isn't the place.
(2)
Amanda T.
After a long drive to Santa Fe we were hungry. We called a couple of the restaurants Denver Yelpers had suggested but couldn't get reservations. So we called the Cowgirl and they said at that time they could seat us right away. We arrived and it was crowded, but not packed. We ordered the Green Chili Cheese fries, a burger for Brent N. and brisket sandwich for myself. Our fries was a huge plate of fries topped with green chili and smothered with cheese. They were tasty and spicy. Brent enjoyed his burger and my brisket sandwich decent, the BBQ sauce was a bit sweeter than I usually like, but there wasn't anything left behind! One star off for service. Our server was nice, but not very attentive and made a couple of errors. Our timing was perfect, because as we were leaving there was a big crowd waiting to be seated. With reasonably priced, tasty food this is certainly a place I would return to when I'm in Santa Fe.
(4)
Steve B.
This was the most fun we had eating in Santa Fe. The food was classic BarBQ with game added. The staff was all wonderful. We called for a reservation and let them know that we were coming for the group that played on Friday through Sunday evening. They also had live music at lunch. Prices were very reasonable for the amount of food and fun. We will definitely return the next time we are in Santa Fe.
(5)
William B.
Tired of the over-priced, tourist traps of downtown Santa Fe? Do yourself a favor and come here for a night. The place is big, hopping, and cheerful. On a Friday night with no reservation we still got a table in 15 minutes or so. The bar is full of locals, and has tasty local beers on tap for four dollars each. The State Pen Porter was good, but the Monk's Ale was even better-- good enough that I may have to figure out how to score some from two states away. Then there's the food: We had chicken wings, a buffalo burger (with fries), and a Caesar salad (with jerk chicken). It was nothing fancy, but everything was just Really Good. The fries seemed to be made with real potatoes. The chicken wings were spicy and satisfying. The burger was a well-cooked patty of quality meat on a real bun. Even the salad was somehow a little bit fresher and a little bit better than you'd think from the looks of the place. There are plenty of seasonal offerings on the menu, and I'd feel comfortable ordering almost any of them. I'm not quite sure what is going on here-- maybe a chef with an unusual sense of pride in his work has mysteriously ended up in the kitchen of this place-- but you owe yourself a visit. Stunned by how well our luck had turned out so far, we actually listened when our waitress made the case for dessert. Despite a long-held prejudice against restaurant-generated flourless chocolate cakes, we ordered the Cowgirl BBQ's version, allegedly laced with red chile. Sure enough, we were impressed again. Anybody competent can make a dense, chocolatey, fudgey brownie (though you would be alarmed at how many restaurants apparently don't employ competent people to perform this task). Anybody with a little taste can accompany this with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. But the addition of red chile was pure genius. Sweet, rich, chocolate still dominates your palate, but after each bite (which you will savor), a tiny hint of heat warms the back of your mouth. The last little shock came when the bill arrived-- I glanced at the total for our drinks, appetizer, entrees, and dessert, and for a second thought I must somehow be looking at only *half* the total. My wife and I debated afterwards what to compare this restaurant to. The best comparison I can think of, for DC-area-denizens, is Ray's The Steaks. I'm not saying it's the best meal I've ever had, but it is one of the most satisfying combinations of food, service, and price I have had in a long time. It is truly unfair that it is so rare. If I lived in Santa Fe, I would go every week.
(5)
Amy H.
I am a big fan of BBQ, I eat a lot of it wherever I go. I had hoped this could be my local go-to BBQ place but I will never go back and never again give this place my money. I have had better BBQ at chili's, yes the resaurant chain. Short version: dried out ribs and brisket. No smokey flavor. Not enough fat. Slathered in sauce. Measly portions. (Seriously, 6 pieces of brisket for an order? Only 7 ribs?!) ridiculous. This was the ANTONYM of what BBQ should be. Poor form. This place us resting on its laurels. Don't go. Much better places to use your $.
(1)
Samuel C.
The brisket and burgers are good. The best part about the Cowgirl is the kid's corral outside in the summer. You can have lunch and a margarita and watch the kiddies run around and play. On weekends, there is usually some kind of blues/country/rock band playing.
(4)
Amanda D.
Large, hearty portion Great atmosphere Opens late Great service We stumbled in here after an uneventful search for food. Cowgirl welcomed us with warmth and good food and drink. What more can you ask for?
(4)
Jared J.
Had the green chili chicken, tasted great, good dark chocolate beer for 5.50.
(4)
Mark F.
A Yee Haw good time. The atmosphere is great, the bar a roaring good time and the patio certainly worth kicking back on but the brisket, is not my favorites. Other meats are a-ok. Potato salad was bland. No mustard kick but the cole slaw was good. The Bunkhouse Brisket was so so. Covered in sauce, it was hard to get a real bead on it but I can tell you it's rubbery and dry. It did pull apart easily but what's the point if I have to chew and chew? The Wings of Fire had a great chili burn that kept on burn'n and even the Wingdings offered a nice kick. French fries are thin and cooked in a dirty grease so they have fantastic flavor. The BBQ on a Bun was dripping with sauce. I'll pass. Parking was tough with, as far as I can tell, only street parking. I'll visit again but be sure I'll order very carefully to make sure sauce is on the side so I can taste the meat. Don't miss the live music.
(3)
Skelly K.
Wow this place sucks! When you microwave a perfectly great steak, you are doomed!
(1)
Becca R.
I feel like I wasted the opportunity of a good meal while on vacation in Santa Fe by eating here. The service was polite, but so slow, and we had to ask for EVERYTHING- including refills. The food was definitely a par below all of the other restaurants we had tried over the weekend. It was pretty tasteless and I struggled to finish even though I was hungry. Also the dining room was freezing and the bathroom was pretty gross. Though I liked the idea of this place and all the cowgirl historical photos, I won't be back here. There are too many awesome restaurants to waste my time eating here.
(1)
Ron G.
Greeter lacking customer service skills. 45 minute wait for dinner but learned from another customer about immediate sitting at their picnic tables. No one available to wipe down table or give us menus. Served me my hot bowl of chili but forgot my wife's salad so the chili was sent back. Charged my credit card with someone else's bill. Food and drink was ok but stay away from this joint. And guess what they don't care.
(1)
Nick S.
Just okay, service was shaky, but rallied near the end. I had a boring lunch choice, only because I wasn't very hungry, but my salad portion was puny. I liked the vibe and its a fun place...and that might trump what I'm taking about. I'd go again though.
(3)
AL C.
My husband, daughter, and I spend about a month here in Santa Fe every other summer. We arrived a couple of days ago and went to the Cowgirl for lunch yesterday, because my daughter wanted ribs. My husband's burger was okay, my tacos were okay, BUT my daughter's ribs were clearly previous night's BBQ that had been sauced and microwaved. They were dried out, and cold, and the sauce was clinging to them like some kind of leftover gravy. Even the fries that came with her ribs looked bad. I live in a tourist town in So Cal (Laguna Beach) and I know that restaurants that live on gimmicks get tired; you have to service the locals and stay on top of your game if you want to survive. This restaurant is very very tired and clearly isn't that nice to tourists. No offers for refills on the drinks, very slow service even though there was hardly anyone in the room, I had to wait and ask for the bill, this place is living on its bar (lots of people drinking at Thursday lunch), its location and its past glory Go to the The Ranch House if you want actual good BBQ. They appear to be the new Josh's, there is no "atmosphere" (they are way out on Cristos in a mall rather than on Guadalupe street), and they are working on the kinks in the service -- but the food is good and there is no attitude and you don't have to put up with the ridiculous clothes the staff at the Cowgirl are wearing. Honestly, black fishnets with cutoff jean shorts and those stupid cowgirl hats (even on some of the waiters)? As one reviewer said, way too much Hooters atmosphere for my tastes.
(2)
Mark Y.
This was a mediocre dining experience. The food was ok, but nothing special. The place was noisy. The waitress was polite but not motivated. The topper was there was an automatic 18 percent gratuity added for a party of two. I suggest picking from many other excellent restaurants in the Santa Fe area and skipping this one!
(2)
Shah S.
Stopped for drinks ended up having dinner. My wife and I have different opinions of this place. Overall she thought it was just OK, I really liked the food and atmosphere. If you like Chile made with BBQ brisket, this is your place. BTW, all the appetizers are half price at happy hours and the margaritas are strong & good.
(4)
Gwen C.
After reading that Cowgirls was awarded the best green chilli cheeseburger in Santa Fe, we decided we needed to give it a try. On a Sunday afternoon it was very busy, but we were seated immediately. We ordered the 'Mother' burger well done, and to our disappointment, it came back medium rare. We asked for it to be cooked to our order, and it came back close to the same, with the same bun, and the hamburger was crumbled. The garlic truffle fries were also under done, and underwhelming. To top it all off, the ale I ordered was warm. Try one of the many other restaurants in the area to try a green chilli burger.
(1)
Betty M.
Great location! So much fun for kids & adults! The food is good and so is the service.
(4)
Angie H.
Of all the places I ate while on vacation in New Mexico, this was my least favorite. We order an appetizer of fiery nachos and they arrived about 60 seconds before our meals. I find that a little irritating. The hubby got chili rellenos and said that they were good, but not very hot, even with the red chili sauce. I got the jambalaya with crab cakes. The crab cakes were good, but the cripsy crust got really soggy with the sauce that had been added. It took a long time to get our check after the meal, even thought they weren't very busy.
(3)
Ricky M.
Awesome little place, always has live music, good drinks, and great food would recommend if you want to try something other than Mexican food in Santa Fe
(4)
Ted R.
Food was not good. Coke was flat and fries were stale and only slightly warm, like they had been setting under a warmer for a couple of days. Burgers were medium as requested but dry. Not sure how they did that. There were interesting odors that would come and go. Not sure what that was either. Service was fine.
(1)
Belinda M.
What do you expect? fine dining? give me a break. this place suits me so fine. They have awesome vegetarian options (collard greens, green chili fries, veg chili-frito pie, okra.. on and on..) i was in heaven, wasn't looking for a culinary adventure, just honest yummy food. and they deliver. and let me tell you about the drinks and music. I love this place. They bring in some great acts that gravitate naturally to Santa Fe- all genres of soul full yummy tunes.. i danced my booty off. and if you ask the bartender for a good margarita... she puts the love in it and the flavors pop. the beer list is pretty impressive and the list of tequilas will have you on your knees.. The staff all seem to love their jobs and they are all very attentive. i cannot wait to find myself here again. love it
(5)
Jimmy G.
This place is a joke. It's not BBQ AT ALL. great place to watch your food go cold on the service window while the servers hang out. It took three requests to get a coffee refill. The food I got was undercooked (raw in the middle). And god forbid you should have the nerve to have it fixed. My date asked for sour cream and by the time we got it we were waiting for the check. And yeah. That sour cream cost a buck. In fact I don't recommend Asking for your order to be fixed. Just eat whatever they give you and thank them. And service is so slow that chef Ramsey would die of old age waiting for his bland mediocre cold food served with attitude. As a Santa Fean, this place is an embarrassment. If you're looking for good BBQ in the Fe, go across the street. It's the best q in northern NM.
(1)
Lou P.
There is a lot of good food in Santa Fe; but after 3 days of eating awesome New Mexican food (Thanks, Yelp!) we wanted to do something different. This was just the ticket. Great service,mdespite being jammed and good, regular food. We never figured out how a mostly Aussie waitstaff fits in with "Cowgirl" or even "BBQ", but we gawky enjoyed our visit.
(5)
Gloria O.
while i was vacationing here I met up with some family members & we decided to try something other than mexican while i was visiting. This was a tad disappointing - service was good and we were seated quickly; i had the chicken as well as one other member of our group - it was DRY and tasted as if the bar b que sauce was poured over the chicken in hopes of adding some moisture to it! One member of our party found a hair in her chicken and even though we know that this can happen it put a whole damper on the evening. management did credit our bill for the price of that meal so again the service was very good. If I go back to Santa Fe I will not go back to this restaurant
(2)
John J.
Stopped here last weekend on recommendation by staff at Santa Fe School of Cooking. A home run! The Octoberfest menu had a fan green chili and corn soup, out of this world portabello ravioli; my wife had their pulled pork sandwich that the best ever experienced by her. Live music and outdoor seating a great bonus!
(4)
Chase D.
WOW! Trust the reviews on here that bash this place. My friend and I came in and I was excited to come to this place. After my meal...I was excited to leave and never return. He had been there once before and had the nachos, which he carried on about. I had a rare Yak Burger with mushrooms, onions, and swiss. Now the concept sounds good on paper. The execution was like someones foot farted in my mouth. The meat was a gummy chewy dry taste. Everything was cold. His nachos that he has ordered for a second time were built upside down (They went black beans, chips, some withered shreds of veggies...a clump of black olives and a clump of jalpenos...side of sour cream and a side of guac). The frys were cold and beyond crunchy. Our waitress was the worlds greatest magician with only two tables in her section, I swear I saw bigfoot more than her. Beer was cheap...can't complain about that. It took 45 mins until the great "Waitress the Magnificent" appeared in front of us to take the check. Staff was cute...but...not a saving grace. The band was really good. Overall though...I think Santa Fe needs to cut me a check for eating here.
(1)
Jennifer C.
Admittedly, the food in Santa Fe generally doesn't impress me. After a couple of fails we landed here because more than one person had recommended it. Lots of "awards" on the walls and we obviously weren't going to spend like we did at El Farol...promising. Service was fine. Friendly Aussie smiles bringing me my beer. The food was not good. Apparently they specialize in New Orleans food (totally my bad that I didn't realize this before coming) and I'm from New Orleans. It wasn't close. That was a roux? Try five shades darker, love. Then it might have some flavor. My husband had a flavorless yak burger. Not really a recipe flaw, it's a bland meat. It's possible we just ordered the wrong things. I won't be going back to find out.
(2)
Andrew N.
Loud, bad service and dried out food that had obviously sat under a heat lamp for too long. If you just want a beer and some live music it might be ok.
(1)
Lyn P.
This is one of those places that you go for atmosphere. It's pretty much a shrine to the cowgirls of the southwest. Not a bad thing, really. The walls are filled with memorabilia and is a treat if you dig those types of things (which I do.) Then there's the food. I can't speak to the BBQ aspect of the menu as we went for brunch. We did have an appetizer that was really good - the roasted garlic which comes with queso. I had hash for breakfast. It didn't really come out as I expected as the potatoes were large cut red potatoes. I actually like my hash to have smaller bits of potatoes in them. On top of the hash was two poached eggs with a hollandaise. The hollandaise had a kick to it, which was good. My hash came with tortillas, so I pretty much made breakfast burritos. Service was a bit off. I would have liked another Shiner with my brunch, but our server never made it back during our meal to ask if I needed another one. Later, he apologized for the slow service, which was appreciated, but doesn't make up for it. All in all, this place is good, not great. I will be back again to give some other menu items a spin the next time I am in Santa Fe.
(3)
Maggie Y.
We told the server we couldn't eat gluten. He confirmed w/ the kitchen that, the sauce had no gluten, then when he brought the dish, which is the bbq mix plate, it was all served on top of white bread, which I didn't notice till i ate quite a bit of the food. It makes me very upset because gluten or any severe food allergy can be life threatening and this establishment didn't bother to train their server or their kitchen about people having food allergy issues. Plus, the brisket was dry, so was the chicken, the ribs were tender. Overall not great bbq, the staff seems nice enough, but please please please spend some time to train everyone about food allergen exposures!
(1)
Alan B.
Amazing pulled pork BBQ. and the fried cheese curds were great too. One of the best on-draft beer lineups, as well.
(5)
Dana D.
I really enjoyed my meal here- I got the fri to pie which is literally a snack size bag of fritos with chilli on top. I thought it was delicious and a perfect portion. The price was great too. My husband on the other hand unfortunately did not enjoy his meal. He got the Mac n cheese with green chille. Sadly it was mostly green chille and it ruined it for him bc that was all he could taste. It was soupy so it wasn't like he could scrape it off. The place itself is super cute if somewhat kitschy. Lots of photos and old signs etc. there is an outdoor area and a poolroom which is where we ended up eating because the wait for the restaurant area was too long. Overall I would recommend this place. Maybe ask a lot of questions before deciding on your order though!
(4)
Howie E.
As a person with a disability I travel with a service dog. Today when stopping for breakfast I was denied entry in to this restaurant. I tried to explain the law and still was denied. Only until I explained I was going to turn the restaurant into the a.d.a. Did they offer to seat me. She kept saying they don't allow dogs in the back and she was sorry to be a "hard ass". My service dog and i have stayed in 5 star hotels, flown at least 50 times, attended the opera, eaten in 5 star restaurants. He goes everywhere I go, and in the past two years we have only been denied access twice. So sad when establishments don't know the laws. The dog had a vest on and is well behaved. This review is based on my experience, not the food.
(1)
Arthur M.
The burgers are big and good. The natural and the yak. The sweet potato fries are good. The mud pie is good, with perfect crunch to ice cream ratio.
(5)
H C.
Really fun atmosphere! Live music! It's a really hip & trendy place to hang out by the plaza. The food was fantastic! We made a reservation & good thing we did because the place was packed! They give you very large portions... Unfortunately we were too full to eat the famous ice cream burrito!
(4)
Ceon H.
What can I say.. Ya gotta love that place! Aside from being one of the few places in town where you can enjoy playing billiards they always have a decent rotation of local and out of town musicians that come thru there. Food and drinks are good too!
(4)
Brian B.
I arrived at Cowgirl's on a Tuesday night around 7pm. The atmosphere was cool. Very Southwestern feel. Just what one would expect. We were greeted by many of the waitresses upon entering the restaurant. We were then asked what we wanted to drink. I went with a Porter which was very tasty...I loved the roasted flavor. Dark beer is my thing. One of my friends ordered the same Porter and really enjoyed it. For dinner, I ordered a Filet Mignon burrito. I am not one for very hot food, but wanted to have a Southwestern meal my first time in New Mexico, so I went with the "Christmas" (green and red chiles) on my plate. Our food came out roughly 10 minutes after ordering and it had looked really good. My burrito was cooked well and the peppers added a significant amount of heat to the platter. I got through it all and enjoyed my meal. One of my friends ordered the Chic-o-licious Mac and Cheese, which came with the biggest baked potato I had ever seen! He had no complaints. I decided I needed something else to drink so I went with the Mangorita after looking at the many margarita choices on the drink menu. Mango also happens to be my favorite fruit, which factored into the decision juuust slightly. This was sort of frozen with pureed mango. My friend went with Horny Toad Margarita and said it tasted like a normal margarita. My only gripe here were the overweight "Cowgirls"/waitresses. Only one looked like she took care of herself. Our waitress, on the other hand, practically spilled her boobs onto my plate every time she came over. They were all over the place. No reason to try to market this place that way. I enjoyed dinner here and would certainly go back for some eats. Check out their Cajun menu, as it will be gone by April of 2010. The Jambalaya my friend had was really good and he ordered it with scallops.
(3)
Sasha B.
Before I begin ripping this place apart I just want to say I can see why people are rating this place super high - there are NO restaurants in Santa Fe that are open during normal hours (Tia Sophia's closed on Sundays even though they are known for their brunch?? C'mon!!!!!) This place seems to be the last resort for everyone. Here's a little about our experience. We had to wait sometime for a table (expected...since again...nothing else is open) and finally were asked if we'd mind to sit next the band. We agreed but then quickly realized that when they meant "next to" the band what they really meant was head shoved inside drum while being hit in the back with a guitar. Yes. THAT close. However, we're young and totally down to enjoy some live music while dining. We ordered the chicken wings, the bbq ribs, and the pulled pork sandwich. Where do I begin...how about beginning with the dish that a bbq place should specialize in - ribs. And before I get into laying down the smack down I would like to mention that I rarely turn food away, leave food on the plate, or stop eating after a first bite. I am also the biggest fan of ribs and will eat them even if they are just ok. Now onto the dish - I took a few bites and realized that these were the worst ribs I have ever tried. YUCK! I left the plate where it was and spent the rest of the evening drinking my beer and trying to enjoy the horrible music played by the band. The other dishes were waaaay below average. We left the restaurant super disappointed. The crowd is an interesting assortment of old folks, super wasted gays (loves it!), fake cowboys, drunk middle-aged women dressed in leopard, full-eyed tourists, and local drunks lost on their way home. The only reason to visit this establishment is to have a drink and people watch.
(1)
Nicole H.
Four of us were in Santa Fe last week for a Girl's Weekend, and stopped by Cowgirl BBQ for a light lunch. We were seated on the patio in a nice shaded area, and our waitress was efficient and attentive. We had the Texas cavier (chips and bean dip) which was okay, and each got a salad-which were all good! However, we had a bit of an issue with the margaritas....originally we all ordered margaritas with their "specialty" Mezcal...GROSS! We were trying to decide whether it tasted more like someone smoking in our mouths or licking a thrift store floor...no one could get past a couple of sips. Apparently this stuff is very popular with some, but it must be an aquired taste. Our waitress was wonderful about it though-she immediately said we would not be charged with that round and brought us a round of Hi-Ho Silver Margaritas, which were okay. The decor and atmosphere here was fun, I would return, but now know to avoid the Mezcal.
(3)
Timothy N.
Cowgirl is a Santa Fe original. I believe I have eaten there everytime I have been in town going back to probably since the early to mid 80's. My two grown children remember going there and in particular the stories of their famous of the Baked Ice Cream Potato. My sister who has live in and around Santa Fe for nearly 40 years actually ate all the food on her plate, Pan Seared Sea Scallops.
(4)
Joseph D.
A wide variety of food items, all delicious (or sound delicious). Good for dates and small groups. They have outdoor seating and is ideal for bar activities (less for casual dining). They have a lot of organic/local produce and meat. I thought the quality was excellent. I'd recommend the sweet potato fries. I didn't have the chance to try any of their bar offerings, so I can't say if they have anything good... I have heard that the margaritas are not worth the price though... (but that's grapevine talk). It's noisy.
(4)
Michael E.
The Cowgirl had an awesome atmosphere...think cozy, soft lights, local hangout and then throw in live music. The night we went, Coles Walen was playing acoustic/country and it was the perfect setting. Even our kids were sitting on the ground right in front of her while she played. The restaurant also has a children's play area, which was a definite plus. Rather than trying to entertain the kids waiting for our food with crayons and conversation, they played outside leaving time for my wife and me to talk. We ordered two barbecue sampler platters between us all and split it. One was regular and one with little to no sauce. After saying how well the atmosphere was, I hate saying how bad the food we had was. The sauce was almost too thick (think gravy that has been sitting out for a while and gotten thick...how it thickly lays on your food) and the flavor was nothing to brag about. In addition, the amount of food in comparison to the price was not good. I understand it was barbecue, but the price still should have been lowered a couple dollars per platter to seem fair to me. We only had the barbecue platter so I cannot speak for the rest of the menu. I would return to the Cowgirl only for the atmosphere, to have a drink and watch a good musician play. The food was not good enough for a second visit from me to the restaurant portion.
(3)
Christine P.
Great pulled pork sandwich and fries, great burger, live music which was a bonus, good atmosphere. Really reasonably priced for Santa Fe, one of the cheapest meals we have had here since I moved here and definatly top quality. I even ate the coleslaw and I am not usually a fan of it! Great find, great atmosphere.
(5)
Sarah H.
BEWARE: SERVERS ADD UNAUTHORIZED TIP I came here when I was traveling through Santa Fe. It's one of the few places open late. The atmosphere was lively, but very touristy. The food was okay at best- diner food. I've had better bbq. Not only was the waitress rude, but she forgot to bring us our beer and condiments. She also seemed high on the job. No joke. I left her a really small tip and held onto my receipt because I just had a feeling that she would add more to the tip. A couple of months later, I was cleaning through my receipts and went online to check that the bill was right. It turns out that she added more to the tip and I was charged more than what was on my receipt. Not only did i have 1) one of the worst dining experiences 2) now I have to deal with contacting the manager and my bank to sort it out. Although it wasn't a substantial amount, it was the principle that mattered. This is the kind of place that gets alot of tourist passing through, so be weary of what gets charged on your account later.
(1)
Chris T.
Good service, decent food and drink. I liked other nearby places more, that's all.
(3)
Alisson S.
THE CHEF IS A GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY GUY! They have hard cider on tap. There are multiple delicious g-free options on the menu- just ask! I'm not going to lie though, I get the Seared Tuna over Wasabi Mashed Potatoes every single time I go to Cowgirl for food. It's a huge steak of tuna at a very low price (and it is delicious!) Also- for a good time, get there around 8pm on a Monday night and watch the locals in rare form: karaoke night! It's good fun, everyone sings along and the drinks are affordable. What more could you ask for??? How about a gorgeous patio area to enjoy your dinner on during the warmer months? What about a pool hall right there on the premises? What about real friendly staff and servers? It's all there. The Cowgirl is a great place to eat, drink and play.
(5)
Jill B.
Cute place. Good burgers and ribs. Don't eat salsa unless you like canned tomatoes and no seasoning .
(3)
Mike M.
Decent food, nice outdoors atmosphere. Service is pretty good, but I didn't get asked if I'd like my water refilled, even though it was empty during the last part of the meal. I had the prime rub sandwich and it was very good - served with horseradish sauce and au jus. The portion size was good. The fries and cole slaw were great!
(4)
Jared T.
Had the Turkey Ruben. Meat was a little Luke warm. My wife had the ribs and really enjoyed them. Service was timely and friendly. I would recommend it.
(3)
Katie Z.
Live music was fun! Fun drinks and atmosphere, good BBQ- southwestern style, not my favorite, but A-OK.
(3)
Robert C.
Happy Hour 30 October 2012 - A = Excellent, C = Mediocre, E = Awful Food B Service B+ Ambience B Value for Money A Three of us went for Happy Hour. Sat outside. Two frozen margueritas and a beer. Two for one appetizers - nachos and guacamole. Total $20 before tip. Waitress, Erin, friendly and good. Recommended.
(4)
Stephen B.
They have a kid corral, and a kids menu! My sons enjoyed it immensely, and didn't want to go. William was charming a girl his age. Check out the pictures on yelp, the last one shows a slide. The mother of two girls sat next to my boys and in the end she complimented my boys for playing well. A parent always loves to hear god things about their children. They have a fine beer selection, many beers on tap. Ribs are getting less and less easy to fall off the vegetarian wagon, but this did not really have a vegetarian option, outside quesadillas and boca burger. I got ribs. Dad got the mixed BBQ platter, and my mother got BBQ chicken tacos. My eldest liked the BBQ ribs. My youngest got a sandwich, which he almost dumped on the ground, I got it in a last minute save. He liked my BBQ meat, and I ate his sandwich. They liked the fries. The waitress was solicitous, and there when we needed her. When I was looking for a bathroom for my son, they were kind to show me one of the many bathrooms in the joint. It was a lovely atmosphere, with many different rooms, that were not for children, so I think the place would appeal to many. Coming back a year later, the food was still good. Unfortunately it rained, so the kiddie corral wasn't of any use, but my kids are a year older, and could sit and eat better. We sat on the patio and it was nice to be almost outside. I liked to watch the waitresses and waiters flirt with each other, made me with I was younger.
(4)
J C.
Shew fly, shew! The patio is cute and great for kids, but there were far too many flies swarming around buckets next to the service stand out there. I couldn't believe it- so gross! Stopped by for a last-minute quick dinner, and left feeling confused by the high ratings. Maybe it's a local respite from the other fine dining options in the area, but my item was definitely the least satisfying on the table: The "Summer Harvest Salad" was equivalent to something anyone could have thrown together in a kitchen in under a minute. It consisted of bagged greens with jarred roasted peppers and asparagus and the "shaved fennel" was really just three or four chopped pieces of the stalk. To be fair, the fries did look good...
(2)
Mark N.
This bar and restaurant is almost always rather lively. They serve a pretty good variety of somewhat "Western" American, New Mexican, or Mexican food; and often have some temporary offerings which will be something random like cajun food... Some of these temporary offerings can be pretty good. In general I don't think the food is fantastic, but this is a good place to hang out, sometimes there are good live bands and people will dance in the tiny area available for that next to the bar. I lived nearby for 4 years (until quite recently) and went here many times because it is always reasonably lively and the menu is diverse enough most people can find something they like. A very random mix of folks hang out here, a truly diverse crowd. A popular hang out with locals for sure.
(4)
John K.
Really good brisket! My wife enjoyed the salmon and I had a good margarita made with mescal.Good sides, scalloped potatoes stand out in my mind as well as pinto beans.I was amused by the previous comments on the waitresses. It was Halloween and everyone had costumes on .Our waiter was some kind of super hero .I was not appalled by his sluttiness or sexiness or much of anything.We had fun.
(3)
matt s.
Pretty good not transcendent. Fun vibe. A huge fight broke out, massive, the guy got thrown to the street, but I missed the whole thing in the bathroom. A hokey 80s cover band was playing, and I correctly predicted a song ("White Wedding"). They had a potato ice cream thingy for dessert and New Mexico wine and I left happy. One of the few places open late too.
(4)
Steve H.
We love going to the Cowgirl and always take our out-of-town visitors there for the good food and fun entertainment. We have never had any complaints about the service and we credit the manager, Cesar, with making each visit a fun experience. The BBQ is very good, but don't hesitate to try the scallops or salmon with bourbon sauce. The Cowgirl's much more then a BBQ restaurant and I highly recommend it.
(5)
Zenith c.
Horrible service so we left. We asked the hostess if it was possible to be out in 30 minutes she said it depends on what u order, so we sat down ready to order. We waited 15 minutes with no service, we left went to the Zia dinner across the street.
(1)
Mary S.
Delicious food. Pleasant surprise w a Texas flair. My husband ordered the yak burger and I had black angus burger. Both were cooked perfectly with side of fries and bland cole slaw. Service friendly. Beer cold yet waitress took my first beer before it was empty to serve second round. We would eat here again only because we like burgers. The cowgirl servers and hostess were cute. Most staff hung out at host stand. Seeing as it ws a slow Monday might who could blame them?
(4)
Clare M.
Hot damn I love me some Cowgirl patio in the summertime. The food kinda sucks, but it is an awesome outdoor patio for drinks and yam fries. If you are starving the frito pie is doable and surprisingly, the catfish isn't that bad. Want desert, the ice cream baked potato. Don't ask, just eat it. Great frozen Mangoritas! They have a lot of live music which is usually the same 4 or 5 locals who rotate between Cowgirl, El Paseo and El Farol, but tune it out and get plastered with some friends and enjoy the fresh smell of the air. One bummer, no dogs on the patio. Not even kittens. I tried bringing my cat once and they wouldn't let me. Then again, I've never been to a dining establishment that allowed cats.
(5)
Joseph C.
Went to meet someone for a business lunch. Since I hadn't met this person before I didn't know what he looked like. Because I was looking around the host "Kevin" was instantly mad at me. He remained mad, rude and snappy towards us the entire visit. Poor representation, ruined the flow of what should have been a successful business lunch. I recommend choosing another venue for professional engagements!!
(1)
Lucy G.
we only went to the bar, and it gets one star for being open at 10:30 on a Sunday night two days before Christmas. Beer was decently priced (to me it's SUPER cheap but I've been living in LA). There wasn't much of a crowd, but it was surprisingly full for the odd time we chose to go drinking. The people who were there were friendly, and our bartender was adorable. The website says they close at 11 on Sundays, but we didn't end up leaving till 11:30 and in that short space of an hour made several new friends.
(4)
Jared G.
We ordered the following: Brisket, Green Chile Mac-n-Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries with honey walnut mayo (awesome), country fried chicken and squash gratin. The BBQ was very good- traditional slow cooked Texas style with a spicy sauce. The Green Chile mac, although a throwback to the old college days of tossing a spoon of Bueno into a box of Kraft, was excellent, and the squash gratin was very good. If you're looking for good eats, good beers, reasonable price and some solid out-of-town music, this is great place. For a fine dining and culinary adventure, go somewhere else.
(4)
tania c.
A nice place to eat, but seating gets a little limited in the cool weather. Obviously you can't sit outside, and the seats "up front" that are anywhere near the door get a little intense. There are heaters about the tables, but those just kind of cooked us until someone opened the door and then it was freezing again. Make a reservation and sit on the far inside whenever it's crazy outside. To the food: my husband had the Game Burger and he loved it. It wasn't quite what I had expected, since it's more of just a patty of meat without the bread etc... but he was quiet happy with it. I had the chicken fajitas. The chicken was delicious and the meal seemed like a decent proportion, though I ran out of tortillas and had to pay for extras. Somewhat of a rowdy atmosphere, it's a fun little hangout when you want something casual but yummy.
(4)
Johnny B.
We were in Santa Fe for Fiesta and stopped at the Cowgirl. We ordered their award winning green chili cheeseburgers with a side of fries cooked in truffle oil. Our server, Brian Dickerson, provided outstanding service. I had a local draft IPA that was excellent (following Brian's advice). There was live music on the patio providing a very festive atmosphere. These guys know how to do a great burger using local ingredients.
(5)
Rebecca P.
My boyfriend and I visited here for the margaritas first and foremost and then for the BBQ. I don't eat BBQ (being meat-based and gluten-ness) but my boyfriend can't help himself around some good beef brisket. We were both satisfied! I had a margarita worth writing about. It didn't have the sickeningly sweet 'sweet n sour' mix so commonly used in place of fresh lime juice. Instead the margarita had real lime juice and yummy tequila. So the margaritas are a win! My boyfriend enjoyed his beef brisket and I loved my guacamole and chips. The guacamole is served in a tortilla chip bowl - brilliant. It is avocado-y and absolutely perfect. The chips are crisp and not greasy. My chili was okay. I felt like they relied on the chili powder for flavor a little too much. I would definitely go back for happy hour margaritas and guacamole.
(3)
Orland R.
Very good, nice environment & live entertainment. Food was good, drinks were great..
(3)
Daniel B.
Whenever we come to Santa Fe, The Cowgirl BBQ is our first port of call. There are more elegant and well- known (i.e.: expensive) restaurants in this town, but for sheer FUN, few beat the Cowgirl. The BBQ chicken dinner and anything with a hamburger attached will put you in a fine mood for days, The prices are fair and the food tasty and abundant, Comfort Cowgirl food doesn't get any better than this!
(5)
Kimberly N.
The food, typical BBQ/pub type, was pretty good. I had the brisket sandwich; the flavor was right, but it could have been a bit saucier. The atmosphere is casual, young, and comfortable--a good place to take a group of friends for drinks and appetizers. They have a heated outdoor area that is lit by lantern lights, and the decor is, you guessed it, cowgirl themed (as are the waitresses). That having been said... it was the previous reviews of these cowgirl waitresses almost deterred me from eating here. Having experienced the poor service will deter me from eating here in the future. They have karaoke and specials... if I lived here I'd be a regular, but I don't and I won't.
(3)
George M.
We went there for dinner, the atmosphere was fantastic on a Friday evening...not a quite place but a very fun indeed. All the food was cooked and seasoned perfectly, we ordered the vegetarian squash casserole and the BBQ Brisket...the margaritas from the bar were an awesome combination. If you are looking for a fun place to enjoy dinner with a few friends, this is a must dine place if you visit Santa Fe, NM.
(4)
Stephen R.
This place is pretty cool. Definitely Santa Fe if you know what I mean. First of all, the establishment itself and its decor are fantastic. Unmistakeably Santa Fe in there. The food is pretty good too, though not spectacular. I had the Carne Asada tacos which were nice, but the tortillas they were assembled with began to fail structurally which meant I could not eat them as one would normally eat a taco. Beware the Salsa Diablo! It definitely has a high habanero content. There were a few disappointments that almost had me clicking 3 stars though: - One restroom for both genders and it was in pretty bad shape. - SLOW service, and not even particularly friendly in our case. - There was a kid (like, 10 years old tops) selling bracelets in the bar area, and no one seemed to care. I'm not concerned that a minor is in a bar, but I was annoyed to have someone trying to sell me crap during my meal. Anyway, it's worth a look because it really is an enjoyable place to dine or grab a beer.
(4)
Mary M.
Fun place to eat, hang out, listen to music. The extensive selection means that New Mex food fans can eat with comfort-food fans & Cajun food fans, and no one is disappointed. Plusses - great drinks, entertaining decor. Minus - one (maybe two - no one could find the second) bathroom. Recommended: Sweet 'tater Fries, Burgers, Butternut Squash Casserole, Cajun Relleno*, Fried Okra* *the Cajun dishes were 'specials' and may not be available all year
(4)
Shean H.
Not impressed. Over priced and cramped. Brisket was good, pork was dry. Service was good, but two meals an appetizer and 4 very weak drinks shouldn't cost $80
(2)
My Pet Yeti R.
Hit up this place while passing through Santa Fe. I proceeded to eat BBQ and rough up the liver... I do remember some hippie brah telling his counter part how "New Mexico is the only other place he'll come to outside of Alaska".... I laughed... oh, how I laughed... Then I drank some more... Oh, I remember the BBQ being pretty good... probably good enough to lure the moon-beamer down from the the tundra...
(4)
Laura S.
Had a great lunch. Recommend the fried fried chicken. Music was good. Service was good.
(4)
Sarah P.
I was visiting Santa Fe with family and we happened to be celebrating my daughter's 1st birthday. I selected Cowgirl BBQ because I found it on a web site for family friendly restaurants. I called to make reservations two weeks in advance to ensure we could be seated (we had six adults, four children and an infant). I asked the individual taking our reservations if we could bring in a birthday cake and was told they would charge us $2/plate. I did not take the birthday cake. I called back the day before our planned dinner only to find that our reservation had not been made. RAH! They were able to accomodate us...because we wanted a 4:30 dinner time...which was helpful. We asked to be seated near the play area which is right outside their bar area. It was a rainy the day we arrived and a little cold. We asked if it was possible to be seated inside as a result and they were able to accomodate. YEAH! Again, I think it helped that we were eating so early. I ordered the BBQ brisket with coleslaw and beans side. The BBQ sauce was wonderfully spicy, but the brisket was so-so. I would have prefered they gave more of the BBQ sauce because it made the dish. The restaurant itself is a novelty, but there are plenty of restaurants I would like to try in Santa Fe before I head back to Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)
Jyenny B.
My friend wanted to try this place, I did not. We went Friday at 6pm and although it was crowded and there was a wait for an outside table, we were seated inside without a wait, but in a crummy location. So when a better table in the main bar area opened up a few minutes later my friend asked if we could move. The waitress was cool about the table change and even cooler when my friend dropped her sticky mango margarita on the way over to the other table. The waitress brought another without charge. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the quesadilla and opted to add the grilled onions. Turned out to be much better than expected. To drink, I started out with a Horny Toad marg which comes in handy if you'd like to breath fire, so I quickly switched to beer. Bonus, my favorite beer was cheap and the waitress kept 'em comin'. They have live music every night, but we left before the band came on. All in all, it was better than I expected but it was still a damn country bar. Did I mention I don't do country?
(3)
William C.
RUDE WILL NOT CATER TO THOSE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY!! We went here because they offered a great place for kids to play while we eat. That part was great. This restaurant however WILL NOT CATER TO PEOPLE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGEY PATIENTS. The manager would not allow me to order off the kids menu even though our bar tab was exceeding $100. Showed the official card from the surgeon however manager would not budge. It's hard enough to ask for this, since it is embarrassing. But it is utterly humiliating to have a manager treat you so poorly in public. The staff was mostly very slow and not knowledgeable about the menu. Then let's talk about the sub par quality food. The Chili was bland and watered down. The Frito pie was soggy, had no flavor and the weak runny no flavor chili over it. The other food we had was sub par as well. We won't be coming to this restaurant ever again if we are Santa Fe. The manager should be relieved of his duty.
(1)
Gregg L.
Sat next to a lady on the flight out here and she told us not to miss this place, and we agree! Great BBQ, great beer and great service. Fun photos, nuff said, don't miss it! (awesome salad too)
(5)
Emily A.
This just might be my most favorite restaurant ever. I only ate there once but it just sticks in my mind because it had everything I was looking for in a restaurant - good food, cold beer, nice wait staff and the best outdoor eating area ever. It was a huge patio area shaded by a big old oak tree. Or some kinda tree. In any event, it was cool in the shade, and at night there were laterns in the tree, just so blurging romantic. A shame I was there by myself, but still I was really happy. So I use this place as a reference point for all other restaurants. I'm still searching for something better...but for now, this is it. Food - 5 really good bbq (altho ribs at Sparks cookoff unbeatable) Service - 5 Value - 4, ok, could be chaeper, but then it would just be even more crowded Ambiance - 5+ just the best patio ever.
(5)
Suzanne P.
Great food, great ladies, great beer. That is all. Oh and a great patio.
(4)
Christopher L.
Sweet potato fries were ok Chips and guac was ok
(3)
Shad A.
What an awesome menu. My favorite is the chicken short stack. Vegetarian spicy collard greens are the best of the west.
(5)
YK F.
Didn't expect this in Santa Fe, NM. Went there for late dinner and I quite like it. Cowgirl made me realized that Santa Fe can also be an exciting city besides the quiet art scene on Canyon St. They serve ordinary American and Mexican food, that is, you can't get away from burgers or burritos. The tacos were okay, but I really liked the mushroom burger that my girlfriend ordered. It was nice to spend an evening there with a Margarita in your hand, enjoying the music and looking at drunk people flirting with the waitresses. :P Parking is great because they have a huge lot across the street. Love it!
(4)
Em. T.
I drank beer, which I guess you can't mess up, and ordered a side of wings which were, in a word, fantastic! Seriously, these guys know how to make 'em hot, and they're not afraid to do so. On a hot summer day, beer and wings were the perfect combination: Eat until I can barely feel my mouth, cool things off with a swig of beer, repeat. Haven't been here for a full meal, but for a midday snack, Cowgirl BBQ really hit the spot. I loved the ambiance, as well, We relaxed in a shady spot on the patio and enjoyed the weather. I can't help but think Cowgirl BBQ would be a fixture in my life if I lived in Santa Fe.
(4)
Christine S.
For our girls trip to Santa Fe, we happened to catch a Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels show all about Santa Fe....Well, what do you know, she came here to this place and it looked cute. So we did the same.... We planned on coming here for just a quick lunch, but after a few kick-ass margaritas, we stayed for over 4 hours! Their food is great. Not fancy stuff but if you have a craving for Frito-Pie, then get your tushie here! The menu has a Tex-Mex Flair to it. Great variety. Great BBQ. But honestly what kept us here for so long is the outdoor seating area. The service is very great. These people really seem to be having a great time here. If you happen to be walking through Santa Fe and want to take a load off, then come here, sit down, have a margarita and enjoy! Did I mention that they make pies too?
(5)
Morgan W.
This was my first stop on a long weekend in Santa Fe. Thankfully the rest of my trip was better. I will say this, the place is unique and the clientele is cool and their patio is lovely at night. And the menu looked really good and exciting. But that's where the good experience kind of stopped cold and headed downhill quickly. The food offenses were numerous: My mojito was watered down to the point of undrinkability. My frito pie, while having a creative presentation, was covered in chili so watery that by the time it arrived the corn chips had soaked up so much liquid that I was mostly left with chili and cornmeal mush at the bottom. I also got the yak burger, which had potential but lacked follow through. The meat is gamey, more than bison, and also a bit sweeter. It would have benefited from some type of aromatic herbs to balance out and enhance the gamey flavor. Serving a somewhat exotic meat in the same manner as a regular beef burger, which made it taste kind of gross, is not a good idea. Both friends dining with us were vegetarian so they opted for what was listed as a Boca Burger but was some type of cheap generic soy burger. The only thing saving this review was that somehow my husband struck gold with his orders. He got the mangorita which was a layered drink of pureed mango and frozen marg and it was delicious. For his entree he got the whiskey pork chops. The pork was tender, well cooked, well seasoned, and the sides were generous and also delicious. The only offense on that was the menu says it comes with collards but instead he got a mess of corn which was apparently their vegetable of the day (corn? really?). So he had to order the collards separate, and then request after the check came and they be comped because, well, DUH. Such a bummer for our first night in town. Luckily every meal after that was a step up.
(2)
Jesseca T.
2.5 stars Went here last night for the first time at 6:45pm Agree that service is slow but it appears that it's due to them being understaffed, and to seating their waiters in different sections of the restaurant instead of grouping them in one section. I also saw them double seat a waitress in our section, which is a hostess no-no (if you have the option to spread out the seatings it's preferable but sometimes you are out of tables in other places...). My waiter was certainly trying very hard and was an experienced waiter, but he seemed like he was in the weeds the whole time. A good hostess might be able to fix this problem. Now to get to the fun part, we really ate well here! Caesar salad- perfectly dressed, nicely flavored- this is a good Caesar done the right way Sesame crusted Tuna on bed of wasabi mashed potatoes- wow this was a very generous app for $9! This could have been my meal with a small salad. It was cooked rare with a ponzu sauce which kinda buried the wasabi flavor in the mashers Catfish fingers with jalapeno mayo - fresh- these were done right Hubby had chili relleno smothered in crawfish etouffee- they were VERY generous with the crawfish plus it came with rice and beans- he said he'd order it again, it was great! Had two Horny Toad margs- that's a nice drink but but they were short stubby little glasses filled with ice...hrm Hurricane- awful, way too much alcohol in it to taste good - sent it back and they were so nice about it, they didn't charge for it or make me feel bad or anything- - Super Cosmo (or some name like that) - $9.50 (! That's San Jose prices !) , but I have to say that t, it was a cocktail that was done right, smooth drinking - so two out of three drinks turned out well, that's good- fresh lime used here- Total bill $87 - that's a little steep, I felt, for the ambiance and level of attention we received - maybe when summer's here and we can sit outside it will be nicer but we were on the covered porch with a buffet set up RIGHT behind my chair and two sloppy drunk and loud women in the booth near us- I'd do drinks and apps here in a second but think twice about dinner again- $87 can buy some pretty good food in this town and there's a lot more options out there that we haven't tried yet ...maybe I should stick to takeout from this place-
(2)
Amanda W.
Good service despite being uber busy, decent burger. Great music and porch. My dad said his philly cheesesteak was incredible and did said her chili rellenos were delish. Cool place and great ambiance. We will come back the next time we pass through santa fe.
(4)
Alexandra Z.
So what if it is a bit touristy? The tourists know what they are talking about! I love the environment, and the live music. The place is huge, with so many interesting rooms. Service is alright, but some of the best BBQ I have ever had! And the tres leches cake? Best in Santa Fe! They also have some other great desserts, not to mention jumbo-sized drinks!
(5)
Krista F.
There are too many other restaurants in Santa Fe for you to eat at before I would fool with the Cowgirl BBQ as a dinner option. If you were just going for drinks and apps, that is one thing, but the bbq isn't that good. If you are going to have "BBQ" as part of your name, you better rock at it. Their sauce didn't have a lot of flavor and was just slopped on half of a chicken I could have found roasted at Costco. In addition to having an overwhelming helping of their "special BBQ sauce" all over my plate, they serve the sides right on the same plate. I mean, I get it, who doesn't love a little extra sauce with their baked beans, but I don't know a lot of folks who enjoy bbq coleslaw and bbq potato salad? If you look at their menu, they are trying to be too many things to too many people. Here's the internal conversation I envision took place when creating this menu: "Oh, have the BBQ. It's what we're known for, I mean look, it's right there in our name... "But, but, don't forget we do NewMex and TexMex too because we kind of have to, you know, being in Santa Fe, NM and all." "No? How about Comfort Food? Wait, we also do Steaks. Big Fat Steaks...AND FISH." "Or, of course, you could just have a garden burger, sir." I will hand it to them. They do have some really good margaritas. You will need those to get down with the honky tonk 80's band music vibrating through most of the restaurant. I won't comment too much on the service because our waitress seemed like a real ditz. She completely and totally vanished after taking our dinner orders. But, the other staff members really seemed to be busting their tails. I, in good conscience, could recommend Cowgirl BBQ for apps, margaritas and a little pool playing, but I would venture elsewhere for a serious dinner.
(2)
Jason H.
My Yelp friends failed er on this one (4+ stars?)... Food was barely mediocre, tried the vaunted pulled pork sand, blah at best. Maybe need to come at night and have some drinks for a better opinion. But all on all, there are WAY better joints to eat on this town, go elsewhere
(1)
Nick L.
For Food I'd go somewhere else. I got the BBQ sampler and it must have been sitting all day long before being plated. Dry, flavorless and just not worth it.
(1)
Nina P.
TO DIE FOR BRISKET! GO HERE WHEN IN SANTA FE! We visited with guests when we lived there and let me tell you the BBQ is memorable! The brisket was great! It's one of those meals I'll always remember! The decor is western crazy! But seriously the food is great!
(5)
Michael S.
Cool place indoor and outdoor but service and drinks were not that great
(2)
Heather D.
We were looking for something open late, as the town seems to roll up around 9. We stumbled upon this place and I was thrilled to find out they had a frito boat. I had a great 'adult' hot chocolate, and a fantastic salad along with the frito boat. While the staff took a while to notice and seat us, once they did, they were very friendly and attentive. I'd definitely go back when in the area again.
(4)
KJ S.
We came in on a tip from a local friend and I am glad we did. We sat at the back bar where Molly took excellent care of us without- I might add, a fake good attitude. She was a genuinely delightful hostess/bartender... We started with French onion soup that was some of the best we have ever had (and we always get it wherever we are). My fiance had an excellent salad with yellow beets, shaved fennel and goat cheese Marconi almonds and asparagus with a lemon vinagerette... Very light and delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwhich perfectly smoked on a FRESH wheat kaiser roll with "diablo sauce" for a buck more as recommended by the food network... (on the show Heat Seekers) Holy Pig. It was killer! Served w fresh cut fries and cold slaw... I am from Alabama... BBQ central and I was very impressed. The vibe was homey and comfortable too w an eclectic clientel. On a side note... I asked "Molly" our hostess to explain the green and red chili sauce thing in this area of the country that is such a part of the culinary culture... She not only explained it, she told us of this amazing green chili enchilda dish we HAD to try cooking at home and proceeded to write the entire lengthy recipe down on paper for us. Gotta love people who just enjoy there day and sharing it w others. Was really fun. Will probably go back and try the "yak burger" before we go home next week. Thats right. Yak.
(4)
Kali W.
I lived in this dirty shithole apartment down the street from The Cowgirl for awhile in 2007, and went here quite often. I mostly went in to drink a Guinness or a hard cider, and I think it goes without saying that those were good, because beer is good. I don't remember what day $2 or $3 Pabst Blue Ribbon pints was, but I can assure you I was there on that day and spent $15 contributing to that loss of memory. Last July, some friends and I spent a long, hot day eating psychedelic drugs, throwing rocks at other rocks, and hunting for bats in Diablo Canyon and came here afterwards to re-nourish ourselves with red meat and heavy beer, and the burger I had was equisite, under the circumstances. I also like the baked potato with cheese and green chile, salsa and sour cream. I got that a few times and it was standard and decent. I knew some of the folks that worked here and they gave me some spicy barbeque buffalo wings once - not something I'd usually order - and those were nothing short of delectable. If they had Mortal Kombat in the arcade, I doubt I would have ever left New Mexico. Minus one star for not having Mortal Kombat. Oh - a side note - the parking lot right next to the Cowgirl is famous for car robberies. A friend got his truck window broken and his camera stolen one night, and I heard of a few other incidents. Santa Fe is, after all, #2 burglary capital of the US.
(4)
Leahi M.
It's a really great place to sit down at when it's not busy, unfortunately the food is very inconsistent. I hate to say it because I love everyone that works here now...so I don't like complaining...but I've had some really great meals here and some really bad ones too. I like the simple mac n cheese, which should be hard to mess up...but when they give me clumpy, burnt mac n cheese I get sad. I can't really return it because I'm usually at work when I sit down to eat it and can't leave...so I end up just drinking a lot of water to curb my hunger...
(3)
Julia F.
The only reason I didn't give this one star is because people seem to really like this place, so I must be missing something. Service is horrible. I worked there for a while, and it was obvious the waitresses were totally overwhelmed, which is why they don't get to your table until you've been there for 20 minutes and sometimes forget things. Despite the fact that this place claims to be a BBQ restaurant, their BBQ is probably the worst thing on the menu. If you want to eat there, the appetizers are probably your best bet. Sweet potato fries. Also, hamburgers are always safe/good for any restaurant if you're not sure about what to get. For breakfast, any of the new mexican dishes are pretty good. Mostly, people go there for the drinks, the bar, and the music/karaoke. It is kind of fun to hang out on the patio with friends, but I'm always too frustrated with the service to really enjoy it. The customers are really nice though, and that was the only thing that ever made that job tolerable. Good luck.
(2)
Amy W.
Went to the Cowgirl twice on our recent honeymoon and had the best time -- first time just for margaritas and Frito pie at the bar -- perfect! -- and the second time for dinner -- I had the awesome butternut squash scalloped potatoes and my husband had the bbq chicken -- both great. Staff is friendly and unpretensh and everyone is having a good time -- good food at a great price -- fun vibe -- no complaints!
(5)
P Lynn P.
We walked in around 4:30 - past at least two empty tables and the hostess was fairly abrupt with us - she saw that there were two of us and grabbed two menus and marched off. We followed her to a small room where she showed us to a small table right in the corner that hadn't been set yet. She left to get place settings so we went back to the front desk and asked if there was another table and the young man there said no. We asked about the empty tables and he said they were being saved; he did not offer for us to wait for table either. We felt that they catered to a younger crowd and did not particularly want our business so we left.
(1)
David R.
We went here after seeing the good reviews, but it even surpassed the great reviews I had seen. Our party included 3 adults and 3 kids under 8 years old. For families with children, this is one of the best places to eat at given their very kid friendly outdoor area in the back. As shown in the picture I included, it contains a simple jungle gym with a slide, but what makes it great is that the area is enclosed and allows the adults to eat at their leisure while the kids get their energy out on the jungle gym as they please. In addition to that, the food what great. What more could you ask for if your eating out with your kids and want a great meal. A definite 5 star for families with kids.
(5)
Anthony Q.
Great food and service. What else do you need when you're dining out? Did I say the food was great, I meant it's awesome. Not a bad margarita either.
(5)
Tracy M.
Cowgirls was the dining lowlight of our New Mexico trip. The place is probably a good place to go have some drinks on the patio, they had the Bus Tapes as their band tonight. The food and service however, definitely were pretty significant minuses. We split the guacamole and the smoked prime rib sandwich. The margarita and Hefeweizen were better than the food :) The food was just okay and the waitress seemed as if she had 1000 other things she'd rather be doing.
(2)
Dee H.
Visited here during my trip to Santa Fe three years ago because I heard "this is where all the young people hang out." It's not really my cup of tea. A live band was playing when I went, but since this is a small bar there was no room to dance to the music. And I'm used to places on the East Coast that are smoke-free, so I couldn't tolerate the cigarette smoke right in my face in here. There were some interesting people there---some older guy who gave me his email address (which I "misplaced"), and a drunken guy and his lesbian friend (the latter attended school in my hometown, which was cool). If I were back in the area and the place were smoke-free, then maybe I'd come back. ETA: I've been informed by a Yelper that places in Santa Fe have been smoke-free since '07, which is a breath of fresh air (pun intended) for me. Now I have a reason to come back if I'm ever back in the area.
(2)
Jeanette H.
We are big fans of the Cowgirl. We go for the food, but often stick around for the fun entertainment. For a BBQ place, the Cowgirl has some surprising menu choices that are so delicious! I especially recommend the scallops served on a yummy bed of garlic mashed potatoes, but another favorite of mine is the mountain meatloaf with gravy over chipotle mashed potatoes topped with caramelized onions! I have seen some complaints about the service in other reviews, but we have been going to the Cowgirl since 2008 and I don't think that is the norm. Cesar, one of the managers, always greets us when we arrive, and he usually stops by our table to check on us at least once during our meal. On a number of occasions we have even seen Chef Patrick making the rounds to make sure all guests are enjoying themselves. Because it is such a popular place you need to be able to adjust your expectations when every single table is full. If you only have 30 minutes for a meal you should go elsewhere.
(4)
Lisa P.
DO NOT MISS! Probably the most surprising and fabulous meal we had in our 2-day adventure.
(5)
Erich V.
I love being outside at twilight on a warm night and The Cowgirl lets me do this while eating good food.
(4)
JR S.
Very good fresh-cut fries and collard greens. Mediocre brisket. Awful service. Our food arrived before our drinks. That shouldn't happen. We sat on the patio, but no one knew how to turn on the heat lamp.
(2)
Jill C.
The ambiance was fun and funky but the food was really heavy and disappointing. Much better eats to be had in Santa Fe.
(2)
Kelly C.
Was in desperate need for a family fun dinner spot for New Year's in Santa Fe this year. We settled on Cowgirl BBQ as the spot, and it worked out well. We were sat in the large back room which turned out to be very private and cozy, enabling us to have a comfortable conversation before the curtain closed on 2008. When you have 7 people in your clan, it's hard to please everyone, but Cowgirl BBQ's simple but diverse menu and funky atmosphere seemed to do the trick. Good selection of burgers, sandwiches, BBQ plates, salads, fish, tex-mex entrees - really you name it. And the casual, quirky atmosphere helped everyone relax....in addition to some decent margaritas. I had the Hi-ho Silver which was smooth and well-balanced with tequila and fresh lime juice. For my meal, I tried to order the smoked turkey pot pie, but they were already out, so I went with a pulled-pork sandwich which came with fries and coleslaw. Good flavor, and very filling. For starters we all shared a family style green salad which contained a ton of veggies, and the duck confit salad which was surprisingly good. Dessert was definitely creative - we had heard about the infamous baked potato (ice cream served in the shape of a potato, rolled in chocolate powder with whipped cream and pistachios on top) which we all enjoyed. We also split a tres leche cake which was a bit dry for me. While there was a band and a lively crowd playing in the front room we opted to walk home and chillax for the actual ball-dropping moment, although it was nice to have an option if we wanted to stay and get down with some more margaritas and eclectic band. Overall, while it wasn't the absolute best BBQ I've had, it was just right for our group in terms of variety, atmosphere and price.
(4)
Rich R.
The drinks were hideously watered down, the table tops sticky, the catfish over-cooked. These deficiencies were partially compensated for by the tasty sauce and texture of the calamari, and the honest decency of the tres leches cake. Were I to return here, BBQ would be the order of the day. The patio looks like a place for those who wish to see and be seen.
(2)
Caroline W.
Horrible service!! They were rude and drinks were awful...food was disgusting.
(1)
Andrew C.
Usually I'd go for the brisket at a barbecue place, but this particular day I was feeling like eating a little healthier and wasn't too hungry, so I opted for the buffalo burger. And boy was it delicious! Sweet, juicy, and lean like Buffalo should be. Cooked just right. Staff was friendly and everyone else enjoyed their food too.
(4)
Hiker Chicka e.
I've been here only once (with a large party) and these guys do a mean green chile burger. Everyone in my party loved the food, but hey it's Santa Fe, which is definitely well known for their great dining options. Oh.. yeah.. if you are into that kinda thing, the meals are served by waitresses dressed as cowgirls. And they do a song/dance to go with it.
(4)
Steve E.
Very good. Busy during tourist season.
(5)
Brian D.
Sadly the Cowgirl has declined rather precipitously in the last 6months. I am regularly in Santa Fe and will stop in the cowgirl when I am craving beef. Sadly the last time I went I made the mistake of ordering a burger. The burger I got was raw on the inside. Clearly the individual cooking the product has no idea how to properly cook beef. As I heard from the bartender Tiffany, she was unable to communicate with the cooking staff as speaking English as well properly preparing food weren't among the staffs' skills. When they took the burger back , they simply threw it on the grill to brown where I had taken a bite. When I looked at the burger it remained raw inside. Needless to say I didn't eat it. One of the people I was with, asked to speak with the manager who then couldn't be bothered to come speak with us. I left shortly thereafter. I am see a number of Cowgirl employees are writing positive reviews (Aisha you shouldn't hostess and write positive reviews!). Definitely avoid this place unless food poisoning is on the menu.
(1)
Jackie A.
A good solid place to eat. Really good BBQ... not the best I've had but way better than what I expected. The game burger was delicious. It would have been better if it wasn't covered in New Mexican shit juice- aka green chile. Just playing... green chile is alright I just wish Santa Fe-ans didn't think it was like God's second son. We ate a baked potato made out of ice cream. That was the best part. Good job Cowgirl!
(4)
Khaleelah J.
Thank God this place is open past 7 on a Sunday. After a long day of hiking through the mountains, we NEEDED food ASAP...and most places were closed. Cowgirl BBQ came through with AMAZING fast service and good food. If you're looking for a culinary delight that will blow your mind, go elsewhere, but this place served a solid BBQ sandwich (for a little twist, try the green chile strips- they are only $1.00 more and are GREAT on anything) and margarita within 20 minutes...great live music, too!
(4)
Sam A.
Now EVERYONE in the city of Santa Fe KNOWS that the service at the cowgirl is the worst on the planet, but I just want to point out just how terrible it is... Tonight, five of us showed up for dinner at about 9:30, finally got our order in to the kitchen by about 10:30pm... had to return 3 drinks, and had every single meal messed up to the point that even with our to-go orders (where we'd eaten half the food already), we actually ended up with doggie bags from other tables! OUCH!
(1)
David B.
I'm not going to get into the finer points of whether BBQ cooked west of the Appalachians is really BBQ. This is neither the time, nor the place. I'm just going to say that the meat product that I ate, which came from a variety of creatures, and was skillfully prepared, seasoned and served, pleased my pallette greatly. On a subsequent (lighter) visit. I had something that we can all agree was a hamburger, and it was really good, too.
(4)
Jenny K.
Yummy food. Great atmosphere and it's open late. How can you beat that? I had the mac and cheese with green chile sauce, husband had the fajitas and we shared nachos and quite a few margaritas. Everything was great and I'd definitely recommend this place.
(4)
Mim B.
I went here my first night in Santa Fe. I was coming from the east coast, and people, if you grew up and live at sea level, having a beer at 7k feet is an experience. The beer I had, the state pen porter, was very tasty and to me extremely reasonably priced. (For reference, I grew up in NY and live in the DC metro area for now.) It felt like 3! My quesadilla, filled with cheese, green chile strips, tomatoes, and onions was tasty if a bit hard to eat. It came with beans, and the fact that Cowgirl shows their beans so much love is huge. The texture was tender but not out of a can, and they were delicious. I love beans, but where I live they're usually an afterthought - someone cracks open a can and sprinkles some over whatever you ordered. My bf ordered the bison burger. It was cooked perfectly, juicy, tender, and exploding with meaty flavor. That night, my bf and I split their baked potato ice cream, which is a great sight gag. And hey, vanilla ice cream rolled in cocoa with whipped cream and fudge sauce is never a losing combination. :) We went back our last night in Santa Fe to try their BBQ. The combo platter was like the size of my head, and everything on it was delicious. The brisket was kind of dry, but again, tasty. And it came with more of those beans. I completely ignored the potato salad and cole slaw which were lackluster and bland. My bf ordered the Horny Toad margarita, and it was a very well-mixed drink. You could taste the tequila, and there was enough sweet, sour, and coldness to make it really refreshing without being too sweet. We finished off the night with a piece of tres leches cake, although in retrospect I have no idea how we managed to eat even more. :) And that was sweet, with bits of what I think were almonds studding the cake, served with not-out-of-a-can whipped cream (!). Overall, Cowgirl is (to me, a born and bred NYer) totally kitschy and silly but... real. Because it's, well, in NM. Like the dudes wandering around with huge beards looking like lumberjacks aren't some idiot hipsters from Brooklyn trying to be ironic, and I totally loved it. The people watching here is superb. Thumbs up for the BBQ, the DIY quesadilla, the Horny Toad margarita, the buffalo burger, and OMG the beans. :)
(4)
Richard M.
Went there about a year ago and was never served, ended up leaving after 30 minutes without even a waiter coming to ask us what we would like to drink.
(1)
C. M.
I went here to have a nice meal in relative anomynity and enjoy some local bbq. I got a table right across from the bar next to a wall, perfect for a single diner. My server came by quickly and was friendly and helpful. I had a house margarita and ordered the bbq sandwich and splurged on the sweet potato fries. The margarita was a solid pour but not exceptional. Based on other reviews I was expecting more but was still enjoyable. Food arrived in a decent amount of time and the bbq was very good. They are long on sauce and solid on spice-not overbearing but tangy and enough kick to get your attention. The fries were a bit of a dissapointment. They were not particularly hot and did not have as much sweet taste as I was hoping. The dipping sauce was interesting and a different approach with cinnamon (I think). My server came over a couple of times during my meal to check on me and suggested a local beer as a second drink (Santa Fe Stout, much better). Prices were reasonable and the quantities were above average. A word about the clientele- this appeared (to me) to be a local's hangout. I did not see many "tourists" there, which to me is a plus. I would go back but probably skip the sweet potato fries. Enjoy!
(3)
K. P.
First of all - diners, don't take yourselves too seriously! I think they're doing something right at Cowgirl. I've been to the NYC location numerous times and was curious about the original restaurant in Santa Fe. I ask you this: when did good food and fun become mutually exclusive? I'm glad Cowgirl isn't of that ilk. I really enjoyed their locally sourced meat and produce (Taos yak burger - yes, please!), great margaritas (their mezcalita is the best specialty margarita in Santa Fe in my opinion) and felt totally at ease with its low key, somewhat tongue-in-cheek Western vibe. Service was friendly and on point. For the price-point the food was very good and many menu items are surprisingly well thought out (plenty of vegetarian options, too). And yes, their frozen margaritas (don't pretend you're too good for them) are legendary...and cheap! Bottom line: Cowgirl is a unique dining/drinking option in Santa Fe definitely worth checking out.
(4)
Carrie B.
Excellent- even for a vegetarian! I ordered a salad off of the seasonal menu and opted to add jerk tofu to it. YUMMY. Great margarita. Great way to end a day in Santa Fe.
(4)
Evangeline O.
At first glance, you might find an old boring place. But once you enter inside and get served by their friendly waiters, you will change your mind! This place is so awesome! The quality of their servings are satisfying! Their display in the menu will keep you drooling! Their service is satisfying. The food is great. To sum it up, i'll give you 5 stars!
(5)
Jace G.
I went back here after the pleasant experience before (see below). Well I think that the previous experience was tainted by sitting outside on a nice day. This time we sat inside. Maybe that allowed us to focus more on our food. Easiest way to describe the food: cheap diner food. It was warm and filled our bellies, but I wouldn't go back or recommend it to anyone.
(2)
Patrick C.
Outstanding food. Had the ribs and mud pie. Both were delicious.
(4)
heather g.
Service was great, food servings were huge, price was right! The cowgirl bbq was an unexpected find for 2 vegetarians from Texas! We highly recommend stopping in and staying for a game of pool in the adjoining bar.
(5)
Rob W.
Good service. Accommodated our party of 6 with 2 kids easily. Food was great. The chile with Frito Lays chips I thought was a joke until we ordered it and tried it. Such a good chile flavor with brisket and ground beef. Superb. I had the BBQ sampler plate which was way too much for me but was fantastic in terms of flavor (ribs, brisket and chicken were wonderful). I will definitely return.
(4)
Lars L.
Great ribs and scallops, tuna app was huge. A transplant from the NYC Hall of Fame, and even better as you can eat outside in the beautiful evening air and commiserate with the friendly locals.
(4)
Katelin H.
From one *spicehead* to another, I invite you to saddle up at the Cowgirl. Dern near the best BBQ I've had this side of the Mississippi. A whole mess of meats: ribs, brisket, chick, and beasties of all varieties! Plumb fell outta my seat when I tasted dem baked banes. So, if you're in the area, and ya got yerself a hankerin for some of the sauciest spice smackdab in the middle of the desert, hightail it to Cowgirls. Take a load off, Chap. Pull yourself up that thar cheer and setchursef down for a spell. Shootfire way to clean out the system. A few werds of advace: Don't go if yer so poor you'd hafta borrow money to buy water to cry with. And ya wanna drank somethin'? No doubles, Partner. It's the law, shore nuff. All that bein' said, grab yer bippy, mosey on down to one of the finest establishments to hoot and holler in the most Santa of the Fe's. Zackly what my wern out, tired ole bones needed. No yella-bellies need apply. Go on now... git!
(5)
Heather M.
Excellent bartenders and drinks(especially margaritas). Great music. Yummy affordable food! This is by far my favorite bar in Santa Fe!
(5)
Randy B.
The most consistently fun best food in Santa Fe!
(5)
David S.
Cowgirl BBQ is a good place. I'll tell you this, I have not had any of the food, which looks pretty good and some of the others reviews say that it is. I will have to try it one day. This is a good place for music, pool, the decent country/classic rock/etc. jukebox and beers. They also have a full bar here. The staff, decked out in cowgirl/cowboy-type outfits which is a nice touch, treat patrons with respect and are attentive. Cowgirl BBQ probably ranks as my favorite watering hole in Santa Fe.
(3)
James F.
I love this little cantina in Santa Fe. Cheap strong drinks and a great outdoor deck! I was lucky enough to see some amazing music while I was here, and ended up hiring the band to play at my wedding! Next time I am in town I will defiantly come back to the Cowgirl and get a little rowdy.
(5)
Raider J.
BBQ was very average. The fries were excellent, ribs and chicken were decent, the beef brisket was dry and overcooked and the service sucked!
(3)
Barry S.
Wonderful brisket sandwich and fries. The BBQ sauce was to die for. Rich and smokey. My partner had a very fresh gazpacho. Definitely recommend for lunch.
(4)
Dean W.
First dessert: we had never heard of an ice-cream-baked-potato before. Well, it was YUMMY! Imagine if you will, a log of vanilla ice cream rolled in powdered chocolate (so it looks like a potato). The top is split open, whip cream (i.e. sour cream) is filled into the split, green coated nuts (in place of onions), and a slab of frosting top it all off. The decor and atmosphere are fun. The servers are all decked out as cowboys or cowgirls. All in all we enjoyed it.
(4)
Jared S.
Definitely the place to get your meat fix. In Santa Fe for business, I came to trusty yelp for some recommendations, and this is one of the most rated places around, and very highly rated at that. I got the BBQ platter and all of it was great, but nothing really special in my opinion honestly. And I'm from NY so you'd think great BBQ would be obvious considering you don't really get it there. My coworker had the t-bone and was happy, and ended with the homemade cherry pie that he enjoyed. The only faux pas - both interested in local micro brews, we ordered the Santa Fe Pale Ale (or something like that). The waiter came back a few minutes later, "Oh, I'm so sorry, we actually just replaced the Pale Ale on our menu with Pacifico. Would you like that instead?" Are you kidding me? That's like saying, "Sorry, no Sam Adams, would you like a Milwaukee's Best instead?" Um, no.
(4)
Kate G.
Naturally I found the Railroad district and Cowgirl BBQ the night before I left Santa Fe. And now the city make much more sense to me.
(4)
Katie H.
We didn't eat here, but the beer was tasty, the entertainment was good (there was a band and cd release party that night) and the staff was super friendly. We stopped in for a beer and the owner/manager chatted with us about where we were from and then invited us to come back for dinner and have a free beer. We stopped back in later for the beer and ended up hanging out for about 2 hours in the pool area, drinking beers, dancing to the tunes on the limited juke box and chatting with some locals.
(4)
Mark G.
I've been to this restaurant twice and both times the food was not that great. I don't know if it's because it's downtown or if they think their food is worth the cost but it was rather expensive too. On top of that, the service was pretty bad as well. Our server (both times) took forever to even come ask us what we wanted to drink. Mind you these where not very busy nights. And the second, and last time, I went the server was very rude to us. Don't know if this was because they where too busy to be bothered for a refill on a drink or if there was something else going on. Either way, not a good way to act towards a paying customer.
(1)
Matt K.
Great mainstay of Santa Fe on Guadalupe - their Chili Rellenos were some of the best I've experienced, and according to my cajun-sensitive brother, their gumbo was *lip-smacking* good. Hate to say it to you "Benny's" fans in Denver, but Cowgirl has yours beat. Got the rellenos "Christmas Tree", definitely prefer the red chili over green - but both were very tasty. Cowgirl BBQ is a fun place to chill, great place to people watch, and overall fun place to hang out when in SF. (5+ times a year).
(4)
Jamie H.
Came here on a Thursday night with my mother and brother, we got in right away it wasn't too busy, so that was nice. The outside was really cute, and it was a bit chilly but we wanted to sit outside so we got a booth near the building and it was comfortable. My mom got the quasadillia, which was good, but it had a TON of black beans on it. So, we scraped nearly all of them off. My brother and I split the ribs, they were fall of the bone tender and the sauce was great. It also came with cole slaw and potato salad. Potato salad was kind of bland, but mixed with the cole slaw and the BBQ sauce it was good. For the appetizer we got the cheese & garlic with bread, it was excellent. The garlic spread very nicely on the bread, but the bread was very crumbly. All in all the food was very good and the atmosphere was very casual and fun.
(4)
Amy O.
Recently vacationed in NM and this place was highly recommended. Turns out this is one of the only restaurants in the area that is both affordable and has a lot of character. We went for a visit for dinner and were very happy with our jambalaya and catfish dishes. The fried shrimp appetizer was amazing and our waiter was very helpful and cool. We weren't thrilled about any other place in the area so we returned the following day for lunch. Our food was great again and they were having a Bluegrass Brunch and the band was great and added a lot of ambiance to our meal. The place is cozy enough that you could hear the music throughout and if you prefer dining outside, they have this great patio outside as well. I love the way the place is decorated; vintage cowgirl posters and photos throughout the place and they even have a tiny gift shop if you want to purchase some baby T's, bumper-stickers and other paraphernalia. Oh! And even though the place is fairly small, they have THREE women's rooms! That's why this place gets 5 stars.
(5)
Rachael K.
Yelp, you have failed me! The tuna appetizer is fantastic! But our entrees (jerk chicken and BBQ platter) were just meh. The sides that came with the jerk chicken were mediocre, the black beans tasted like plain black beans dumped out of a can and washed. The rice looked great but didn't taste very good. We came here because I wanted to have a vegetable side, I was hoping for broccoli or green beans, but their veggie of the day was corn. Maybe it's just me, but if you are only going to have one veggie option that's not the veggie to pick. I also hated how the waitresses were dressed. I wondered what kind of dance they had to do to pull up their pants in the morning. They weren't sleezy but it was just tight enough that it made me feel like I was in hooters and not a cute little bbq place. Just be sure to order the tuna appetizer if you come here!
(2)
Greg L.
I've been to Cowgirl BBQ twice now (once in 2010 and once in 2012) and both times it was great (both food and service). I recommend the Game Burger!
(4)
Melvin B.
In my opinion, this place really isn't all that great. It's decent, but I've definitely had better, much better on the east coast. So what did I order? Well, how about the "BBQ Mesquite-Smoked Baby Back Ribs($17)" and the "Chicken Wang Dangs($8)." Fairly typical BBQ house food that any true BBQ house should be able to make with ease. So, how was it? Okay. It was a half slab of ribs with a spoonful of bbq baked beans, some cole slaw, and instead of a potato salad, I got fries. The ribs were on the dry side, a tad tough. It also wasn't the most flavorful ribs I have had (even Famous Dave's on the east coast is better). The wings were also on the dry side and their ranch dipping sauce was watery not thick enough to really coat the chickens. No carrots nor celery sticks with it either. Though I did not order any beers, I did see that they were somewhat on the expensive side. . . say about $4-5 for the generic everyday domestic beers. This place is not too far of a walk from the Plaza. Took me about 15 minutes to walk there at a brisk leisurely pace from the La Fonda hotel. Very walkable.
(2)
A B.
A+ for atmosphere, service and live music A+ for margaritas B+ for fish tacos
(4)
Reylynne W.
For a Tuesday night this placed was packed, although it was St. Patrick's' Day so I'm assuming everyone was out celebrating. It was about a 10-15 minute wait however, got seated before the 10 minutes was up. I cannot say for sure if I like this place. It was my first time here. However, I was with someone who had been here before. We were both attending the same workshop ended up coming here since all the other restaurants were more than a 20 minute wait The place looked interesting with all it's decorations. The room we sat in had glitter mixed with the paint on the walls. For a small place it seemed like they used every inch of space they had. The pictures, decorations all were very interesting to look at. Since it was busy it took a while to place our order. I ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich with coleslaw and fries. I have to say that I had better. The BBQ beef sandwich was huge, but the meat inside was not hot off the stove. More like it's been sitting for a while and cooled. The fries were covered in salt and I could all but eat one. The coleslaw seemed to be missing an ingredient that I could not detect. The lady that I was with order chili beans said it was really good. I'm giving this place 2 stars just the fact that it was a busy night. And that if I do go back to Santa Fe I will give this place another try.
(2)
Kevin M.
Fun atmosphere. Interesting Santa Fe local crowd.... Add heavy food, cold French fries, too sweet BBQ sauce, inconsistent service, loud music and it all works somehow.
(3)
Scarlett H.
LOVE. We've eaten there twice in the past week and I could go there again right now if it wasn't after hours. Awesome food, great service. Can't say enough good things!
(5)
Ali M.
My Favorite Place to Eat in Santa Fe!!! A place where meat lovers and vegetarians can dine in harmony. They actually cater to both (as opposed to catering for one and having half-assed attempts at food for the other). The food is wonderful, the prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere is lots of fun.
(5)
Jessica M.
While visiting Santa Fe, I specifically requested a visit to Cowgirls based on all of the great Yelp reviews. I was not disappointed. At the time, I was dealing with some crazy sinus reactions to the elevation and opted for the spicy jerked chicken in hopes of finding a remedy. The jerk sauce wasn't exactly authentic, but it was a delicious blend of tangy and spicy flavors so I won't complain. Plus, the serving was huge! Two whole chicken breasts with beans and rice. One person in our party was a vegetarian and allergic to several foods, but was still able to find a nice number of options to pick from. The sweet potato fries were very unique, served with chopped nuts, green onions and a sweet dressing, yet still very yummy! It was a very busy night, but service was friendly and reliable. This place is definitely a gem for Santa Fe!
(5)
Drew C.
Dive + Decent BBQ + Outdoor Drinking = success.
(4)
Sam P.
Would definitely go back. Food is good, altho, I have to say that the best thing we had there was the epazole chili/soup. Fun atmosphere. Good mix of locals and tourists.
(4)
Mike P.
This is a trendy BBQ place near the busy Railyard shopping complex. The atmosphere and decor are great and they have a nice patio. The menu is a mix of barbecue, sandwiches, and other American fare. The food is good, but not great. The barbecue isn't memorable, not surprising since Santa Fe doesn't have any sort of BBQ tradition. The restaurant has been featured on a number of travel TV shows and its close to a passenger rail stop, so its often full of tourists.
(3)
Mirai S.
A bar, restaurant, and club all in one! The food was nothing special, but a very fun place indeed.
(3)
Kathleen K.
So the 6 of us piled in here on a Friday night around 9:00. It was packed, which we thought a good sign. This is a BBQ joint so the BBQ menu items are the best to order. The beef brisket sandwich was delicious. The BBQ Sampler also. I had the pulled pork sandwich, which had a tasty chipotle BBQ sauce. The folks in the bar appeared to be enjoying themselves and we liked seeing all the cowgirl pictures. Nothing fancy but a very nice meal at a reasonable price.
(4)
huong n.
the food was good and the ambiance was excellent. i am giving it 3 stars because the service was unbelievably bad. i did not expect this kind of inattentive service and complete obliviousness from a place like this. the waitress got our drinks promptly but she forgot to put in our appetizer and dinner. she came back to ask us about how we were doing on our meals which we had not gotten yet (more than 40 mins have passed since we ordered). she didn't apologize; just went on pretending that things were ok. we felt too generous for giving her a tip. my fish taco and mojito were great. the live band was pretty fun and complimented the atmosphere well.
(3)
Richard W.
We go to Santa Fe each year, and every visit we go to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Good value, loads of character, full of locals. If there's a wait, you can sit out in the garden and soak up the atmosphere. Good food, kid friendly, we'll keep coming back. Just wish we had this in Denver.
(5)
Og B.
i am giving this place 5 stars because it is the ONLY place i have been able to go in santa fe and play a game of pool with strangers. the service is great and usually adorable. i love cowgirls and i love billiards. i also dont mind the juke box filled with ani and blues. oh lesbians... food is good. lots of flat screens with sports. same jam bandy music. always people dancing and a mixed crowd.
It was late. I needed something to eat, since it seems every Indian restaurant in this town closes before they say they will. I ran across Cowgirl since it was close to our hotel. Had the pulled pork sandwich since they were all out of yak. It's hard to find gluten-free buns anywhere, so appreciated that they had it. I know it's what they're known for (pulled pork) and it didn't really change my life, but it was late, I was hungry and served its purpose. The karaoke I walked in on and atmosphere was pretty good and the sort of place that would be good for taking a group of out of towners at more civil hours than the late night; as it's cool without being standoffish or too out of the ordinary.
(3)
Susan L.
Hard to believe, but I'm updating this review because my family and I ate at the Cowgirl last night for the first time since my husband and I contracted food poisoning there two years ago. I figured, hey - lightning won't strike twice. And my eight year old son was up all last night vomiting. Could be a bizarre coincidence, I guess, but our Cowgirl days are most definitely over.
(1)
Amy L.
We heard about the famed baked potato ice cream, so we stopped by. The ice cream itself was very cool in concept and appeal, but it's not the tastiest ice cream. $5 with a military discount was worth it though!
(2)
Will F.
Food, drinks and service were all top-notch! Our server Melissa really left a great impression with her positive attitude, willingness to help us with drink and food options, and just being available when we needed her. She didn't even blink an eye when we needed to switch tables b/c the wind kicked up a lot! The prices are great for both the food and drinks. I had the famous green chili burger which was incredible! Cooked to perfection and omg what a generous portion size. I didn't try any of the BBQ but it smelled amazing and other diners seemed to be enjoying theirs. The ambiance was also a lot of fun and the staff was great from start to finish. After having some other really poor dining experiences in town, cowgirls was a refreshing reminder of how pleasant a good restaurant can be, I hope others take note.
(5)
Aisha L.
Cowgirl has the best happy Hour!!! Seriously. How can you beat 4.5 Frozen Margs and two for one appies. Whenever I come home I always hit up Cowgirl! and Monday nights is Karaoke which is super fun Happy Hour is between 3-6 and they have great drink specials. I always get the Nachos with extra jalepenos. The Nachos are awesome. A pile of blue corn chips, cheese, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and you can add chicken or steak if you would like. Also I get the sweet potato Fries with a honey mustard dipping sauce, and then my frozen marg with a salted rim. This is truly the best way to spend an afternoon in Santa Fe. :)
(5)
Claire C.
So disappointing. The food was mediocre, the service poor and the atmosphere uncomfortable. Definitely one to skip.
(1)
Eric K.
We went to the Cowgirl BBQ because we read about it in some travel books and a Rachael Ray cookbook, otherwise, we might never have found it on our own. (It's on the edge of the downtown area.) Upon arrival, the outside seating area looked awesome. It was big and surrounded by three walls. Unfortunately, it was 40 degrees outside, so indoors was our only option. We sat indoors in the same room as the fireplace. Ahhh... The decor was definitely "cowgirl." Photos of famous and not-so-famous cowgirls and glitter affixed to the wall paint. The menu was pretty extensive for dinner -- apps, salads, chili, quesadillas, BBQ, steak, chicken, seafood, comfort food, burgers, sandwiches, and -- of course -- Mexican and New Mexican choices. I ordered the Game Burger. What's a Game Burger, you ask? Why, it's basically an extra large burger made from elk, buffalo, and venison smothered (seriously smothered) in cheese and green chiles and served without a bun. It was out of this world. The burger was cooked medium (my choice), was juicy, and very full of flavor. Add the creamy cheese and spicy chiles and...WOW. Thankfully, it comes with a small "Cowgirl" salad on the side to balance out the meal. I'd definitely order it again. The prices can be a little higher here than other casual restaurants in town, but there are cheaper items on the menu (like the Game Burger for $12.95).
I came here with a co-worker for dinner tonight while on a business trip. After seeing the colorful flyers in front shouting "award winning BBQ in Santa Fe" we decided to give it a try. The place certainly holds true to its name. It was teeming with waitresses who were dressed as "cowgirls" which seemed a bit gimmicky to me. The following items were ordered: BBQ Combo Platter Guac and chips Chicken Wings (Jerk sauce styled) Tortilla Burger Everything ordered tasted average... however, the BBQ combo platter was very disappointing. Every piece of meat on the dish was dry which included the chicken, brisket, and ribs. Sure..the meat was smothered by sauce, but that doesn't hide the fact that everything was overcooked (-3 stars)! Decently cooked BBQ meat should be able stand on its own without any sauce whatsoever, a fact the restaurant seemed to forget. If you are in town.. I highly recommend some of the North Mexican cuisine establishments as an alternative.
(2)
Melanie R.
We were in Santa Fe for a week in April 2014 - Cowgirl was the only place we went back to several times over. We were there both on weekend and weekday nights. We felt so welcomed and comfortable here. We sat at the bar our first night Tiffany was welcoming, funny and an all around great person. Met several locals here that night also all were very nice. We also came here for lunch one day another great time great meal! this time we met Barry - he showed us around the entire place much bigger than it looks. We didn't have any issues with tables being too close and we sat both inside and outside one day too. The wait staff were very attentive, food - was Yumm, great beer selection also but Tiffany the bartender was the one that made us become repeat customers that trip! Just last week my husband after a bad day at work just came home and said "I wish we were at the Cowgirl again". So glad we tried the place and we will be back our next trip.
(5)
P G.
We went on a whim and were pleasantly pleased. We had a scallop dinner on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. It was a great presentation and tasted delicious. So we give the food an A but the service a D. Our waiter was rude, seemed to be bothered working and not helpful on recommending menu options as he was a vegetarian that only drinks water or whiskey. But when you work at a restaurant you should know the menu for the guests. So the food good the service needs some serious attention.
(4)
Raven M.
It started off Rocky. The hostess seated us without really paying us attention, then left after handing the menus over... after 5 minutes and no greet from a server: My father: "Do we have a server?" Hostess: "Um... Lemme see if I can get you one." My father: (with a smile) "Well I hope you can, otherwise we can't eat! " Hostess: "Okay." Weird! But when we finally did get a server, the wonderful and attentive Jose Luis, we ordered and began to feast! We initially came here just because the Classic Margaritas are so damn good. And they DO live up to the hype. Literally Perfect. My fiance, who is not a big tequila drinker opted for the Frozen Weed on the Mountain Margarita which has a vodka float. It was awesome. but the true Kick Ass Margarita is the Mezcalita. I love it strong, and after enjoying the classic I wanted it. I Loved Loved this Margarita. I wish I could make it. Cabeza de Ajo (Head of Garlic) : OH MY GOD. This is a cannot miss out on appetizer. *see picture* It was literally gone within a minute or two. The garlic, the bruchetta, the cheese... Mmmmmm. Our entrees included the Whiskey Pork Chops, the BBQ sampler platter- neither of which were to die for like our appetizer, but did have some great flavour. Get the Baked Potato Ice Cream, and if you want to be surprised, don't look at my pictures ;)
(4)
Kari W.
I really liked Cowgirl BBQ. I had butternut squash casserole which is AWESOME! Not heavy. Yummy layer of cartelized onions. It comes with a nice salad. Hubby had sampler. The meat was all very good, but the sauce was very bland...no kick at all. Would like to go back to try other items.
(4)
Annie P.
After hearing such great things, we were really excited to try this place on a weekend visit to Santa Fe. It was awful. My friend and I each got the pulled pork sandwich, and we both agreed that it was flavorless. There wasn't much seasoning or barbecue sauce, and neither of us finished the meal, despite being hungry from a long drive. But the worst part, hands down was the service. We'd been there about 5 minutes before it became painfully obvious that 4 of the tables around us were VERY unhappy and had been waiting for a long time to get service. We only saw the waitress three times, to take our order, drop the check, and bring the check back. She was absolutely terrible. No refills, no checking in on us, nothing. As someone who has worked in food service, there is a way to be busy and behind, but convey to your customers that you're sorry for the delay and that there is a reason you're running around. This girl made absolutely no attempt to apologize or even act like she cared about our business or making our meal enjoyable. As we finished our meal and new tables came in, no one in the entire restaurant looked happy. I think this restaurant needs to seriously evaluate their employees and the customer service they provide, otherwise they're going to lose a lot of their business.
(1)
Tiffany H.
Lovely happening place on a Friday evening. Live music and great jerk chicken dish!
(4)
Diane S.
Cowgirl had great casual food and a fun bar. The prices were really reasonable and with a play area for the kids and music for the grown-ups everybody had fun. We had a great time playing pool and listening to the jukebox too.
(4)
Johnny T.
Yes, Rachael Ray led me here. Go ahead, get it all out... laugh, if you must. But, after you finishing laughing, get ready to eat both crow and amazing food because before you can bleat "YUMM-O," you will be falling down at the altar of Cowgirl BBQ. You simply *have* to eat here when you come to Santa Fe. It's famous, so plan on coming for lunch so you don't have to deal with a dinner crowd. Sit outside on the deck and enjoy the great, wide blue skies. It will also give you the chance to clearly ogle the waitstaff. Wow. Pure hotness. At the risk of sounding like a pig, I have to rehab my image by saying that the ogling is equal-opportunity. Granted, some look better in cowgirl(boy) hats and jeans than others but odds are no matter what trips your switch, you'll like what you see. You're welcome. Blue dot firmly emboldened on your Google-mapped house icon, you need to start eating. Ask if there are any specials going on. I downed a frosty pint of Fat Tire for a mere $3. I kept 'em coming, too. Specials!! But, as good as a cold beer on a warm day is and as much as I kept rubber-necking the staff, I couldn't take my eyes or belly off of my plate. To begin with, order the green chile cheddar fries. Get used to green chiles in/on everything you eat in Santa Fe but there's a reason for that. They're [redacted] delicious! Now, combine fresh-cut, thick fries with melted cheddar cheese with those green chiles. Now, imagine a Texas-sized portion coming at you. This. This is how you start your meal. You may need help to get it all down, however. Even I, only child extraordinaire, had a tough time eating everything on my plate. Oh, but I loved trying. Not realizing how much food I had coming, I ordered a burger with black beans and slaw. A burger at a BBQ joint? Yep. Because this was a YAK burger. YAK! I don't even know what a yak is, but I needed to eat it. Served on a kaiser with jack cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and mushrooms, I enjoyed every bite of my protein, even as I struggled to take it all down. My first meal in Santa Fe was an unmitigated success. Trying to keep my sex-ay on with grease on my face, a belly to rival the pre-birthed Octo-mom and a belt that screamed for relief... not as successful. Oh well. The vacation had just begun. There would be time for that. ;) "Oh, NO he di'int!"
(4)
Kevin P.
Another great reference to me from a friend who attended the University of New Mexico. The Cowgirl has a great selection of entrees and also drinks and the best dessert in the land, and it looks like.... a baked potato! The service was also cool enough to pose with my stuffed friend poopie the fish. Check out the picks and you just might see them! Yay! Enjoy!
(4)
Maria O.
Good steaks, big outside sitting space, live music.
(4)
Vanessa M.
We went to Cowgirl BBQ after doing the Santa Fe Century bike ride. We were hungry, tired and just wanted to plop into a booth to be fed. We were sat right away but it took a while for the waiter to take our order. We had to ask our waiter twice for just about everything; soda, corn bread, check etc... The food was good, the rellenos were awesome, the prices were fair, the patio was great.
(4)
Josh O.
Mmmmm. I had the Bunkhouse Brisket, Jessi M. got the Jerked Chicken, and my mom got the butternut squash casserole. Delicious. Good prices. Fun place. Plus I got to see the king of all mullets (sadly I couldn't figure out a way to discreetly take a picture). My only complaint was that the room they seated us in was hellishly hot. It must have been 80+ in there. Fortunately the food was good enough to distract me from that, so I'm still giving them all five stars. Plus, $2 PBRs. $1 on Tuesday. If I didn't live thousands of miles away, I'd be there all the time.
(5)
Julie A.
$1 PBR's. GOOD food. a BBQ joint that has a ton of vegetarian dishes?! The 2 friends I were with ate meat, and a lot of it. They are BBQ aficionados they say and they gave this place a rave review. I had a vegetarian sampler plate and say this place gets the two thumbs up. totally laid back for both lunch or dinner, cheap prices, and super fast and friendly servers make it an all around perfect place to come to. I'm a sucker for the western decor, even if I was in New Mexico. This place is a must!
(5)
Mark G.
Had two good meals here, and it was wonderful sitting on the patio in the October sun. One star is for the patio. Several choices of local beer help, too. Of ten dishes ordered, three were great, none were terrible, but a few were not worth the effort. The BBQ brisket was really good, and the BBQ brisket hash with chili-spiked eggs Benedict sauce was outstanding, especially since it's tough to make Hollandaise that stays perfectly smooth, outside in the sun and the cool air. On the flip side, the nachos were pretty lame, like someone said before (beans and olives and jalapenos dumped on chips just doesn't gel, ya know?) Buffalo wings were also unremarkable. Which is surprising. If you can do a great eggs Benedict, why are nachos a challenge? Would return happily, though.
(4)
Jess M.
As it turns out, in the sleepy little town of Santa Fe there aren't too many mid-week late night options for eats. And let me just clarify that by late night I mean establishments that actually serve food past 9pm! Cowgirl was one of the only ones my cohorts and I could find, and I'm certainly glad we stumbled upon it. The margs were solid, they had a fine beer selection and we did a pretty phenomenal job of licking our plates when all was said and done. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet potato fries and the heavenly dipping sauce it came with, the chili was great and the BBQ was solid although nothing to write home about. Funky decor, fun atmosphere and if the weather had been a tad warmer sitting outside would have topped it off.
(4)
MyBabyLove R.
Santa Fe restaurants can be very pricy as a tribute to the great past time of overbilling tourists, but not this spankin' little joint one block south of the Santa Fe River on South Guadalupe. I had a very nice dinner of baby back ribs on the patio, enjoying the mediocre service from our server who was wearing a beat up cowgirl hat, and nice lookin' cowgirl boots. yeee haw! There is quite a great beer selection here to choose from, and if you also like authentic southwest food you shouldn't be disappointed. Apparently there's a Cowgirl Hall of Fame in NYC, so I will check that out next time I'm back there. I happened upon this restaurant in July, so there weren't many college students from St. John's here getting wasted for no gol darn good reason. The music seemed western-like and fun, and I hear they do have good live music here, although there was no pedal steel,drums, or crooning whilst I was shovelin' my grub. You may have a wait at a place like this, so be assertive and let the wait staff know that you definitely are reviewing them on yelp.com . :)
(4)
John M.
This is a cool place to hang with the locals at tourist watch. They've got a nice cozy bar and good food.
(4)
JJ M.
Ate here on a Sunday after driving from Childress TX. The baby-back ribs where moist, fall off the bone tender and the BBQ sauce was yummy sweet. Hubby had Chili Reano and was totally satisfied. Potato salad was delicious and so was the rice. Baked beans so so but they never have been my thing. House margarita was the only let down...small and tart..not close to the best by any means. Would eat here again in a heartbeat.
(4)
thomas n.
Fun, cool and inexpensive. Great mix of regulars(from local artists to cowboys and cowgirls) and those of us just passing through town. Hanging on the deck during happy hour is the way to go on an afternoon in Santa Fe.
(5)
Bill E.
Pretty good place to drink, an ok place to eat..... the kitsch is what is it, probably worth stopping in
(3)
Who W.
The setting and costumes may be a bit over the top, but you weren't expecting to find a hidden hole-in-the-wall bbq joint in downtown Santa Fe were you? The beef sandwich was solid, a nice smoky sauce with a tomato base, fries were fine, and the patio seating was nice. Solid 3 stars.
(3)
A S.
A fun place to sit out on the front patio in the summer sun in Santa Fe... to watch locals imbibe and overimbibe. Fun little nooks and crannies in the old adobe architecture, a favorite is the little room with the pool table, tucked out of the way. Lots of live music, I prefer the drinks over dining here.
(4)
Sarah W.
This is a great place, with a lot of thoughtful food and a wonderful atmosphere. We have been going pretty regularly for about ten years, and have never had a bad meal. A few times, we have had extraordinary meals. They go out of their way to create an affordable, delicious and nutritious kids menu, which we appreciate very much. I mean, who puts salmon on their kids menu? Cowgirl BBQ, that's who! (And it's delicious)
(4)
Happy J.
Only country-themed bar where they play jazz music. I was there on a Sunday evening and, I think, there was a live jazz band playing. A good selection of beers, which made the meal that much more enjoyable for me. Not having too much creativity, I had the "cowgirl" burger - cheeseburger with fries. It was really good, although it came out more well-done than medium as I had requested. The server was terrific; didn't get her name. I would definitely come back here again to try some of their other signature dishes.
(4)
Daniel S.
the atmosphere was fun. wish we were there with friends. i had the bunkhouse brisket. the meat was very tender, nice texture, but when I scraped the sauce off to taste the 12 hour mesquite...nothing! the sauce was the flavor. wasn't bad, but I was looking for more taste in the meat. my wife had the BBQ beef on a bun. since this was shredded, the meat and sauce developed differently. much better total taste. ladies, the fly bags don't work! but it kept me wondering 'what the heck' until the food arrived.
(4)
David R.
Had the pulled pork today it was so good and spicy tonight my tummy is kicking but it was worth it !!! there was a live band and give aways it was a good afternoon
(5)
Carol G.
Delicious smoked chicken nachos. Really fun & kitchy atmosphere. Good beer. We debated eating there twice but were only in Santa Fe for three nights and wanted to try some of the other culinary delights that the town has on offer. The place was a rabbit warren of rooms kind of strung together Victorian-style, which is fine, except that it created a pretty small, closed space for the band stage.
(4)
A K.
Good food, casual setting, good service. Despite the long wait, you can hang out in the pool room or at the bar.
(4)
Brett M.
Great BBQ and a lot of fun to have drinks. The atmosphere is more Western than "New Mexico". If you want BBQ and some fun, this is the place to go.
(3)
Johnny D.
We ate bfast here and it was soooo good! Great service too!
(5)
Dot K.
after seeing rachel ray on her little trip to santa fe with a stop at this place - we had to try it... called around 6pm on sunday night for 6:15pm dinner in the boot in the patio. not a problem. we ordered cabeja de ajo (a good size roasted garlic, with melted cheese, tomatillo salsa served with baguette) for appetizer and i had the beef brisket and my boyfriend had the BBQ combo platter... let's just say we had enough food for about 4 people - 4 of my food loving friends (you know who you are...) - their BBQ sauce was so good - tangy, spicy, bold - so good. we were so full, we didn't get to try the famous baked potato ice cream dessert... but they do serve you drinks (like soda and ice tea) in a big cup - like the ones you used to see at pizza hut. and the staff are so nice here too. * we didn't get to try their alcoholic beverages - but looked like they have tons of beer on tap and bottle - and they have $2 PBR tuesdays!
(5)
Christina B.
I never have a good experience at the Cowgirl. I am local to Santa Fe and have frequented the Cowgirl many times and every single time it is a fiasco. The customer service is terrible. The servers frequently forget to bring food out, mistake your order, and take a very long time. The bartender who seems to be there has a very bad attitude, is slow and also mistakes orders, and has been outright rude to me and other customers. If this was an isolated incident, perhaps I would let it slide. But it's not. Other people I know have had similar negative experiences. With so many other dinner options and BBQ options in Santa Fe now, and many better music options too (2nd Street Brewery, Santa Fe Brewery), I avoid the Cowgirl.
(1)
Sergio S.
The food was o.k. here, but I mainly liked the ambiance of the place. Has a good time vibe, and a good time was had by all. The interior is very glittery. Strange, but I dig it.
(4)
Corey M.
My wife and I just stopped in for drinks in the afternoon. We only had margaritas, chips, and guacamole, but we loved it. Great, cheap happy hour drinks, friendly servers, and shaded outdoor seating.
(4)
Lee T.
I remember this place well, this is where the 5 shots minimum rule was conceived. This place is great for tequila, margarita, laid back environment and great times. I didn't get to try any foods because I had no appetite. Santa Fe is at least 6000 feet above sea level, I just wasn't used to the small altitude anomalies. I am sure the food's great, and I'll definitely go back to this place.
(5)
Robyn E.
UPDATE 11/25/06-- Went here with my folks last month. It felt kind of naughty to leave the half-vegan household of my sister and bro-in-law and run off to a BBQ joint for lunch. I had the Frito Pie (seriously, folks) with the option of vegetarian chili. Meh, not so much on the chili. It was too tomatoey and soupy, but not gross tasting [later on the waitress said the regular chili was really good--darn! wish she'd recommended it to me in the first place]. My classy dish was presented in elegant "bag open" style, with sides of shredded cheddar cheese, real sour cream, and freshly sliced jalapenos. HUGE fountain sodas. My pops got the green chile (NOT CHILI) french fries and they were pretty darn good. Addition of my jalapenos added the right amount of heat for him. Mom had a cheeseburger which she promptly declared "best one I've had in a while." We sat outside on their (newer to us) covered and insulated porch. At first it was way too hot next to the wall heater, but our waitress was happy to tweak it to our liking--nice customer service touch. Place wasn't too busy when we were there, and overall the service was attentive and courteous. I'd recommend it if you're in town and want some tasty grub. SPECIAL NOTE: there are now A LOT of vegetarian options on the menu, clearly displayed by the "V" symbol. Niiiice. *---*---* old review follows *--*--* YUM--if you eat meat. NOT SO MUCH--if you are vegetarian. DON'T EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING HERE TO EAT--if you are vegan. I've had the burgers, long while back. Tasty. Fun atmosphere. But you kind of have to walk through/past the bar to get to restaurant seating. Bad planning.
(4)
Jake M.
The chef has Celiac and one of the owner's daughters is gluten sensitive so the kitchen and waitstaff were VERY good about knowing what was in everything. The BBQ and Jerk sauces were gluten free and fantastic. Everything was very good though how hot things were was not always accurately labeled. We had a fantastic time. A few notes though. This place has the reputation of being child-friendly and I would not say it is. My kids had a great time but that was because we hit it off with the owner and his family. At night, this is a loud and rowdy place (I went there without my kids another time to drink so don't think this was just because we were there on New Years Eve). Also, we had reservations and were first seated in the bar area in front of a door to an outside area where people were smoking. When we asked for a different table because it was freezing and loud and smoky, the waitress was a TOTAL BITCH. I had to go to the hostess and complain strongly. We were then moved to an appropriate place. But it was still on the way to the pool room and my ten year old had something odd said to him by an obviously intoxicated person. So, no, NOT kid-friendly for dinner. Our second wait person was quite good, though I think our having clearly bonded with the owner during our meal helped assure good service. All in all, fantastic food and a great relief to those with gluten and dairy limitations. But loud. [UPDATE] We had a second dinner a few nights later. This time we were brought immediately to a dining room far from both the bar and the pool hall with other families. Our waitress was the nasty one from our first night. She clearly recognized us and was on her very best behavior. The food was again fantastic. So I would modify my statement about the restaurant not being kid-friendly. As long as it isn't New Years Eve and are not seated anywhere near the bar (which was still quite loud the second night, particularly after the live music started).
(4)
Megan M.
Went here for an Obama debate party while in Santa Fe and staying in a place with no TV. Hooray - we were able to watch the debate, eat yummy New Mexican food, and drink margaritas, all at the same time! We had the best darn chile rellanos I have ever had the pleasure to gorge myself on. Margaritas were not too sweet and none too skimpy with the tequila. Guacamole was just okay; hubby's is better. Service was a little slow and grumpy, but I think it was due to the fact that the place was overwhelmed with half-drunk Democrats on a usually-sleepy Tuesday night.
(4)
abby z.
What have I been doing during my long absence from Yelp, you ask? Well, many things, but the important one for the purposes of this review is: drinking. The bar scene in Santa Fe is almost absurdly pitiful, but there are a few good watering holes out there. For all that it is a tourist trap and the cowgirl/cowboy costumes work better on some of the waitstaff than others, the Cowgirl Bar and Grill is one of them. On the pricey side, but the drinks are good, the menu is varied and they have karaoke on Monday nights, if that is your thing.
(4)
Jonah N.
Went here on a slow weeknight with a couple of friends. The bartender was very nice. Good bar food, decent selection of beers. No, jukebox though. Would definitely go again.
(4)
Sarah M.
I don't understand the high stars. Maybe it's because we came at lunch? Maybe it's because we discovered we don't like New Mexican chile? I don't know. I ordered a margarita, which was decent, my friend had a bloody mary, which was the worst bloody mary I've ever had, I don't know how he sucked it down. We got the guac and chips, good, but needed salt. I ordered the blue corn tortilla smoked chicken stack. It was ok, better than what my friend had. He had the frito pie where they serve in the bag, which my friend said he didn't want (he just wanted it in a bowl) but they didn't understand this request and still gave him the bag. The chile was devoid of any flavor. We had to add lots of salt (maybe they don't season anything here?) There were chunks of beef and ground beef which was a little weird. The fritos were soggy. Our waiter was weird and kept staring at us like we were from a different country, maybe California is a different country to them? The decor is cute, and if it was warm (it was 32 when we were here) the outside would be a fun place to sit and drink and it looks like they have live music at nights. Overall not a great experience. Wish Rachael hadn't recommended this place for $40 a day!
(3)
Lisa R.
Very casual atmosphere. Love the live music and outdoor seating in back with a mini-playground. Perfect for families with kids during the day. Great BBQ, burgers, fries, etc. But if you are looking for healthy cuisine, this will not be a favorite.
(4)
Sara M.
This was one of my favorite places in Santa Fe. We were with about 15 people and the service was great. We had margarita's and guacamole to start and both were excellent. For dinner I tried one of their specialties- BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE. It was really good. It gets loud and crowded here, but that makes if even more fun.
(4)
Michelle S.
This is for locals and visitors alike, bust out the cowboy/cowgirl hats and checkered shirts. Two of us had the ribs, they fell off the bone. Nice. They are known for the "bake potato" ice cream dessert. It's vanilla ice cream with hersheys choc. syurp and powdered choc. it's a bit much for what they say it is. There was a wait to sit outside so we sat inside. The service is super casual, not super attentive, although the outside servers looked like they were having more fun. Recommended, esp if you're staying at the hotel Santa Fe.
(4)
Maura P.
really good BBQ ribs great whiskey pork chop good quesadillas the game burger is enormous love the black-eyed peas salsa so much we make it at home now!
(4)
Daniel C.
One of our favorites in Santa Fe, and a fun place to bring people that visit SFe. Great casual local ambience and the menu is diverse, with very tasty options all over the placed. I like the wait-staff and with the chaotic crowds, I have to tip my (cowboy) hat to them. Their BBQ ribs are tender and flavorful, their nachos are a great way to start the meal, and they do an excellent job with New Mexican foods as well. Only once during a visit with there a small issue, and they took care of the dish immediately and made it up to us. Oh, their margaritas are pretty awesome too.
(4)
Meg O.
I've been to the Cowgirl twice, and I think it's fantastic. A thorough beer list featuring local brew, a sturdy selection of tequilas, and a reasonably priced menu of burgers and BBQ, with veggie options. My BBQ connoisseur friend from Louisville was impressed. We sat on their sweet patio and enjoyed the blue grass. On Saturday afternoons from 1-4 there is a blue grass open jam session. We heard a couple who have been playing together since 1973; others jumped in, and soon there were some great tunes going, as well as delectable folklore. I've been told that there is a bluegrass-ish brunch as well. Our service was a little slow at first, but then again our tables had just been set up. While I didn't consume any food at the restaurant, I did attend a party out in Madrid later that was catered by Cowgirl, and man, their brisket and cornbread are fine! I am definitely looking forward to returning soon, especially for the bluegrass.
(4)
Larry T.
$2 Tecates=4 stars
(4)
CoMO Q.
The crowd is varied, the staff is friendly, and they have nightly events like bands and djs. I came here twice when I was in town, but I didn't come here to eat, just have drinks and hang out with friends. They have pool tables in a separate building off the patio and another building that houses a small arcade. Funny enough both nights we came here there were celebrities hanging out. I'm not sure if that's a normal occurrence or not, but it sure made things more interesting. You can dine and hangout both indoors or outdoors and they also have a play area for kids in the back. It really has it all!
(5)
Driving J.
Fast and friendly staff and service. We had a work party of 20 and the waiter got all of our drinks and food order correct. The food and atmosphere was also great. I couldn't chose 1 meat so I had the BBQ sampler platter. It had BBQ ribs, chicken and brisket. I licked the plate and my hands clean. This place is delish. I highly recommend!
(5)
ruairidh c.
decent bar. 4 pool tables at a dollar a rack - way too expensive but they are almost always in use. one pinball machine - the simpsons pinball party, in horrible condition, but working enough to have fun playing it. if you can top the grand champion score, kudos to you. horrible jukebox.
(3)
Ben R.
I've gotta say, if Santa Fe has one thing going for it, it is the restaurants. I mean, they know how to make food taste good. Maybe it's living in the high desert, and looking at horny toads all day, or maybe it's just that they are close to Mexico. I don't care, all I know is that it's good. Cowgirl BBQ is no exception. Service is super-friendly (thanks James!), the atmosphere is fun, and very New Mexican, quirky and southwestern inspired. We were all kind of bummed at the fact that they won't serve a "double" rum & coke, but hey, whatever. The food was amazing, especially their sides of potato salad, and coleslaw. The BBQ was perfect, I got the sampler platter, which had ribs, brisket and chicken, all of which were excellent. I would go back to this place in a heartbeat...This seemed like one of the only places in all of Santa Fe that attracted young people. Besides that weird little park by the creek where all the tweens hang out.
(4)
S M.
My hubby and I stopped in Santa Fe in our trip, and we were just looking for an appealing place were to get a bite. We passed by Cowgirl BBQ and it was by far the busiest , but we kept looking just to see what else was to choose from. We ended up going back, and we were so happy for it!! I ordered a salmon dish they had and it was fantastic. My hubby ordered his favorite blue cheese burger and he was pleased as well. The service was good, and the staff extremely friendly! They had tvs there too, so we decided to go back the next day to watch the world cup. This time I ordered just an appetizer, the seared sesame crusted tuna that was really good too. This time we sat at the bar, and Christian was our server.. he was amazing. We watched my country's game and we went back for the third time the following day to watch USA. We were super happy, every day we experienced the food and service in different times of the day and all 3 were fantastic. If you are up for some fun while having a bite, then this is your place!
(5)
Max M.
A favorite Santa Fe spot serving a mix of American and New Mexican food, Cowgirl is a fun and mellow place, perfect for lunch and dinner when you're tired of the pretentious mango-infused new mexican hybrid dishes from the expensive Canyon Rd restaurants. On Tuesdays they have $6 chile rellenos and $1 PBRs!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Drive-Thru : No Caters : Yes
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Danielle M.
I Finally decided to review this place because I finally came during happy hour and not when I was trying to cram in with the masses late night. Servers seem more friendly than I remember, also could have something to do with the hour. A Fresh batch of servers just arrived for tonight's shifts. Not only are the servers nicer early in the evening but the food is good too. My husband and I started with the quesadilla de la casa and added the chipotle pulled pork. Phenomenal little appetizer. Then I asked the waitress to help me decide between the jerk chicken platter and the butternut squash casserole. She recommended the squash and it came with a side salad, so I added the jerk chicken breast. I am really glad I ended up with both because they were so good! Now I know they have made some improvements because the last time I tried the jerk chicken, it was charred and the flavor was unrecognizable as jerk seasoning. This time the jerk chicken was moist and smokey and delicious. My husband had the scallops. It was a very generous portion and he didn't have any problems clearing the plate. There are pint specials everyday and the Thursday Deschutes Porter for $3 was very tasty. I was pleasantly surprised that my overall experience was positive. Personally, I hope it stays consistent but I'm not counting on it. However, I won't avoid Cowgirl BBQ anymore because the food was so good. Say what?
(3)Lisa M.
Worst brisket I think I've ever had but the place is really cute and it's a really fun setting with an outdoor band.
(3)Jennifer M.
This place is fun but there's not enough space between tables, the staff is running around and I saw a server/busboy SMELL someone's food AT the table!! I don't know if I would go back again.
(3)Todd S.
Horrible experience. A very unfriendly security guard "greets" customers at the front door. Only 2 unisex bathrooms in the entire restaurant. Wait staff is not friendly. And they are adamant about limiting customers to 3 drinks each, no matter how sober you are. They claim it is some form of a city ordinance, but no other establishment in Santa Fe seems to know about (or adhere to) it.
(1)Dona K.
I was invited here by a friend one evening. I show up and there is a cheesy band playing who need to fire their sound guy. The bar is crowded with hippie burn outs, guys with bad side burns,creepy local types, and trustafarians. Normally I would find this motley crue to be very entertaining and would settle in for some people watching but it reeks so badly of sweat, sour beer, and rank patchouli that I need to go outside and get some air. Once outside i am approached by random harmless drunks who are feeling sociable. Except for one brassy chick who eyes me suspiciously, insisting that she "knows me from somewhere, but she can't remember" but is SURE she had a problem with me. I have never met this woman in my life. She glowers at me through a haze of bad cocktail breath and smoldering American Spirits. She comically hangs on her friends in order to remain on her feet. I did have an interesting conversation with a woman who was an artist. Drinky the drunk girl also had issues with this and repeatedly tried to butt into the conversation. Very strange. I say goodnight to my friend and was out of there. This place is so nasty i can't believe people eat here. The whole experience was just depressing.
(2)Ron B.
It was late. I needed something to eat, since it seems every Indian restaurant in this town closes before they say they will. I ran across Cowgirl since it was close to our hotel. Had the pulled pork sandwich since they were all out of yak. It's hard to find gluten-free buns anywhere, so appreciated that they had it. I know it's what they're known for (pulled pork) and it didn't really change my life, but it was late, I was hungry and served its purpose. The karaoke I walked in on and atmosphere was pretty good and the sort of place that would be good for taking a group of out of towners at more civil hours than the late night; as it's cool without being standoffish or too out of the ordinary.
(3)Susan L.
Hard to believe, but I'm updating this review because my family and I ate at the Cowgirl last night for the first time since my husband and I contracted food poisoning there two years ago. I figured, hey - lightning won't strike twice. And my eight year old son was up all last night vomiting. Could be a bizarre coincidence, I guess, but our Cowgirl days are most definitely over.
(1)Mike O.
I hit up Cowgirl BBQ for lunch. A few other attendees at the conference raved about it, but I was underwhelmed. I got the sampler of brisket, ribs and chicken. The first two were slightly underdone, but ok. The chicken was pretty good. The sides were fine. My BBQ is much better, but I'm biased.
(2)Neenah B.
great burgers and atmosphere! GREAT for kids, which is hard to find in Santa Fe. They even have a playground.
(4)Alan P.
Very disappointed . I was told it was gluten free but many items on menu are deep fried with same oil. Told chef is gluten free as well as his children, I was told I would be fine. They have no idea if you are celiac. Avoid
(1)Cath M.
My mission since arriving in ABQ was to load up on BBQ and the BFF suggested this place when we were walking around town in Santa Fe. Good call indeed! We came in around 2ish ... middle of the day crowd and it was still semi-packed. Decor: really Western... lots of women in cowgirl outfits. Pretty eclectic. Food: I didn't try my group's food yet again but here's what I got: - BBQ Mesquite-smoked Baby Back Ribs (slow-cooked pork ribs basted with BBQ sauce served with BBQ beans, cole slaw and potato salad Bunkhouse Brisket) but I substituted the cole slaw and potato salad with Mexican Red rice and fries with a side of corn tortillas. = DELICIOUS! The baby back ribs were off the bones... literally finger licking good! The fries were nicely seasoned... the rice just completed it for me! I'm Filipina so I eat bbq with rice and I was in heaven! The bbq sauce was just right... not overwhelming strong and it was just the right amount basted in the ribs. Friendly server... and will probably drag the BBF here next time I'm in town! Price: decent for the amount of portion they give you! I'm from the Bay Area so we don't have a lot of BBQ places so I'm deprived. This might not be the best but for me that day... this was it. It definitely satisfied the craving and for that... five stars indeed.
(5)Kelsey M.
We had a lot of fun playing pool here! Unfortunately, there is no music playing unless someone puts $ in the juke box, so that was a bit of a bummer.
(4)Daniel D.
We were recommended by a cab driver while on vacation in New Mexico and we are now forever in his debt. After a long walk to Cowgirl we were greeted by nice picnic style tables in their outdoor seating area. My girlfriend and I obviously opted for that seating and were immediately greeted by an enthusiastic waiter. While waiting for our beers, we noticed doe local New Mexicans shooting pool in the billiards room, which made us feel like we were in a cool local spot. I will cut to the chase here and get to the important thing. We have tried nachos all over the country (its our thing) and we have not come across nachos like Cowgirl's. The cheeses were melted perfectly with equal distribution, the chips were not too hard, olives were added which most places do not add, jalapeños were served on the side in case you aren't a fan (which my girlfriend isn't) and a dollop of sour cream to top it off. Bottom line is if you do anything in New Mexico, go to Cowgirl BBQ for some beers and those infamous nachos!
(5)Josh E.
First I would like to say Im a huge bbq fan , but I think they should drop the bbq in their name and just call it "Cowgirl". I had the beef brisket and it tasted like shredded beef mixed with some weird bbq sauce. I couldnt tell if it was smoked or just slathered in sauce. The service was below average. We were constantly looking around for our waitress. Although while we were waiting we were quite entertained by the lack of professionalism from the staff. Instead of tending to the customers needs they felt it was more important to wrestle and play grab ass amongst themselves in front of everyone. Nothing stood out as unique or even above average to me. The food was just okay. We won't go back I'm sure of that.
(2)Allegra D.
Not the best I've had in Santa Fe, but not terrible. I got the chicken wings and truffle fries. The wings were quite spicy and tasty, though the truffle fries didn't taste terribly different from the normal fries. But the food was cheap and the ambiance was fun! There was a very funny band playing and the servers were very accommodation of the fact that we had to run and catch a movie. Plus, I got a lot of puppy therapy in on the courtyard! :)
(3)Carmen Y.
Me and the hubby were there for early dinner at 5:00 p.m. midweek. The place was empty. Lots of servers. We ordered the roasted garlic appetizer. It came with melted cheese, a green salsa and toast. It was ok, but the garlic was messy to eat and a bit tasteless. He had the ribs, although tender, not too meaty and a small serving. I had the brisket, it was just ok. It came with what tasted like packaged potato salad. The accompanying beans were bland. Husband wanted to try the chiles rellenos, too spicy for me but the flavor was good. They came with black beans and rice, both were quite tasteless. Even the iced tea was weak. I should have picked another restaurant.
(2)Frank M.
Wow! I ordered the mother of all green Chile cheese burgers! It was amazing. I have to rate this burger as One of the best green Chile cheese burgers I've ever had! The fries were seasoned with truffle oil! Yummy. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Lauren M.
This place was interesting. They were very busy on the Friday evening we went there, and we had a bit of a musical chairs situation, before getting seated. First, they offered to seat us outside. They have heating lamps, but it was just way too cold out for that (heat rises, so having heat lamps about 7 feet high really doesn't help a lot). So they told us we could go sit in the pool/bar area- except there were no seats available. We waited in there for a bit, but after a few minutes of dodging pool cues, I opted to just wait outside in the cold. I should mention that it was a perfectly nice crowd in the pool room, and no one acted annoyed at all- I just felt like everywhere I stood, I was interrupting someone's game, and I felt bad. We were seated a few minutes later, where we waited for quite a while to be greeted, then waited again for 2 people's choice award-winning green chile burgers. I'd say the burgers earned the stars. They were excellent, though I removed the 2 giant slabs of Brie. I really can't imagine what they were doing there in the first place. Good quality meat, nice flavor, perfectly prepared, and nicely spicy chile. The fries, too, were very good- seasoned, I think with garlic. The hostesses and servers were nice and seemed to be trying their best, but the place was just too packed. They need some kind of improvement to their system- the way things are now, there's nowhere to wait without either being cold or being in the way. And folks waiting to give their names to the hostess have to line up next to/stand over the patio tables, where people are eating. It's just awkward. I will say that their patio area is probably very nice in warmer weather. The food is very good, but the issues with service made this a less than optimal experience.
(3)Emily J.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Fun laid back vibe (we were outside) and a great blues band was playing. We got nachos as an appetizer and really liked them. We did have a busboy drop salsa on the ground which landed on my husband, our nachos, and on me and were a little disappointed at how little they seemed to acknowledge it (we even had to ask for napkins). My husband got the jerk chicken and found it overcooked. I got mahi mahi tacos which the fish was seasoned well but a pretty small portion. Small palm sized tortillas and tiny amounts (one taco worth ...in my humble opinion) of all the extras. However the vibe was fun so we would go back.
(4)John A.
Not worth the bucks!..I ordered the "bunkhouse brisket"- there is nothing special with this joint...Meat is well-done like cardboard...coleslaw sucks...potato salad that comes with the meal was like a Walmart bought salad yuck..the guy servers were so unprofessional-uncourteous-the bald guy and the lazy guy who wears a cap was rude..-condiments containers was filthy dirty..glass used for beers was dirty....i wonder who are on the back-of-the-house in this joint.. I wasn't really expecting this.. There are just making money out of the NAME - not because of the food and certainly the service....worst restaurant experience in NM.
(1)Matthew J.
Management and/or ownership are comfortable lying to the public. They promoted their New Year's Eve band Broomdust Caravan as "No Cover". When we arrived, a $10 cover was charged to all. Attempts to discuss our concerns with the managers on duty were met with offers to fill our glasses "all the way" at midnight. Bartenders are nice, very helpful and do not appear to be involved with deceiving the public in order to make a few bucks.
(1)James L.
Hello Yelpers! This will be my first "official" review. The Cowgirl BBQ gets two stars from me. I give two stars for the tap menu, the service, and the unexpected kid "play palace" which is located outside in the back. If you have little ones, it is pretty good out there and I suggest you take advantage. They have a chalk board, an activity park, and other items to mess around with while you are waiting for your food. I also enjoy the overall atmosphere it presents. Let us face facts though: if you feature "BBQ" in the name of your restaurant, I expect the BBQ to be treated with respect. My wife and I last visited six years ago and I am sad to say the food quality was not what I remember. I ordered the brisket again. The toasted bread was served under the brisket and sauce which made it a bit flaccid. I prefer to have a nice crispy piece of toasted bread to slap a helping of tender brisket and slaw on and go to town! While the smoke and sauce were good, I found myself chewing and chewing on every bite. For a brisket, that isn't good. Thankfully I had a good IPA available to help wash it all down. I do hope the Cowgirl BBQ is able to find its way back to a respectable treatment of the brisket. j.
(2)Mark M.
The wait staff was inattentive, and the bbq was mediocre at best. The sauce was the only part of the meal that had flavor, and it was verrrrry sweet. I had the bbq sampler with ribs, chicken, and brisket. The brisket was pretty ok, but everything else was bland. I will say the portions are big and the prices were fair.
(3)Robin W.
Went there last night for dinner. Service was excellent. Our waiter circle places on our map to visit the next day. We both had the Mother Green Chile burger and it was excellent. Good beer on tap, great atmosphere. I highly recommend you check this place out
(5)Kevin M.
I liked the atmosphere and they had a great beer menu. The food, however was not special. We had the BBQ sampler and the sweet potato fries. Nothing to write home about. Service was good. I like that they have live music but the band that played when we were there were lousy and very loud. You could do worse but I don't recommend it.
(3)Jedi M.
The "Mother" and some local microbrews, my tummy was happy. Only complaint was the bun could have been a bit more substantial, kind of disintegrated half way through. Good selection of beer and the green chili was not over the top hot. Servers we pleasant, and knowledgeable about the beer. Wanted to sit at the bar but that was crowded, get there early if you want to do that. So I was kind of put in the back room alone. I would for sure go back to try one of those game burgers, but go early to be able sit at the bar and chat with folks.
(4)Tom S.
Gotta admit, when we first sat down (almost instantly, by the way, on a Saturday night, no less), and read some of the earlier reviews, I was nervous. But man, Cowgirl's is The happenin' place I'm Santa Fe. Sittin' on the veranda to witness some very eclectic folks.The variety of margaritas is great. The service was outstanding. And u ain't died and gone to heaven 'till you've had the mother of all green chile cheeseburgers. The variety of beers was great, the ribs had a nice spice to them, even while they fell off the bone...I'll be back anytime.
(4)Shane B.
Hey straight up this is our favorite place to have dined here in Santa Fe and we have had some seriously outstanding meals at many restaurants all around town. Now look, it's a juke joint, local-yokel-hook-up and have a good time kinda feel and you know, it's a BBQ place k? So why the hell are a couple vegetarian rock and roll types doing stuffing their faces and havin a great time here? Weeeelll.... On a Friday night in late February this place was kickin with all kinds of energy and they have an outstanding selection of vegetarian courses. I shit you not :D And it helps that servers, guys and gals alike, have a sexy friendliness and seem to enjoy what they do. Anyway so... We had Cabeza de Ajo for an app. A head of roasted garlic, melted cheese, chile sauce served with crostini... We spared nary a clove nor dripping... Delish baby. For entree Christy had Arugula salad dressed in house vinaigrette with warm goat cheese and jerk tofu.. Magic. We absolutely loved it. MIGHT be our favorite dish so far. But that praise is not meant to denigrate the outstanding butternut squash casserole with organic wild greens that I was served. You know- squash casserole.. Yer thinking heavy stick to your ribs blood-clotter... Nuh uh... Light and tasty, squash cooked to perfection ... Man alright... Scrum-dilly-icious. K? And people, oh my good culinarily advanced people let me tell you about a little slice of devilish heaven called the flourless red chile chocolate cake... It's served warm you know, with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of dulce de leche with hot chocolate fudge sauce drizzled about ... I say unto you... Ooo la laaAaa . One of the best desserts I've ever had bar none. Woof! Hey man get over there to Cowgirl right now or later but don't let it pass you by.
(5)Alfonso E.
I guess theryre okay at what they do. I've not been super impressed. But they're ok. I've had several dishes there, never been disappointed,
(3)John Jah F.
This place has a very creative menu, a wonderful staff and a very unique setting. I visit the Cowgirl every time I'm in SantaFe and bring all of my DC friends here when they fly in. The brisket is very tender and matches great with the green chili Mac & cheese. Lots of vegetarian items too if you swing that way.
(5)Rich A.
I chose this place based on some suggestions on another website. I have to say the live entertainment made the trip worth it. I had the brisket sand which was really tasty. The draw back of the place is the servers. I waited 10 minutes before a server approached and then when one did he was so unfriendly Then I proceeded to watch a whole bunch of waiter and waitresses just hang out talking to each other they seemed indifferent to customers. I won't go back. There are other places that have just as good food and a staff that is interested in their customers service
(3)Steve N.
Ribs were mediocre, fries dry & cold. The 12 hr brisket was way too chewy for 12hrs in a smoker.
(2)Rick M.
great staff but soso BBQ had the bbq combo plate. great place for a drink and listen to good entertain
(3)Betta L.
Really friendly and helpful wait staff and bartenders, DELICIOUS food, awesome selection of beer. I'm a vegetarian and they had plenty of options for me. Also, they have live music sometimes.
(4)Patron X.
Not real barbecue. The patio is cute. The cowgirl theme is cheesy but fun. The service was fast and friendly. The beer selection was great, its main redeeming grace, but the food was terrible. It's a tourist place, and New Mexico isn't known for barbecue, so I felt like my low expectations were going to be hard to fall short of. It was like cafeteria food. Chips and guac is usually a safe starter, particularly in NM, but these were crappy packaged chips, not even restaurant style, and the guac was bland. The brisket was neither very tender nor did it have any kind of char on it. The sauce was boring, not sweet, not spicy, not vinegary, not smoky, not flavorful or distinct in any way, just seemed like something they buy by the gallon from a restaurant supplier. The toast was just a sad soggy piece of thick packaged white bread under a puddle of yucky sauce. The beans were boring. The slaw was boring. The potato salad was boring. Nothing tasted smoked, homemade, or distinct in any way. I ate exactly enough to satiate my hunger but the food wasn't worth eating for anything more than just sustenance. If they have any decent appetizers then I might go back for beers sometime, but if you're looking for BBQ, this isn't the place.
(2)Amanda T.
After a long drive to Santa Fe we were hungry. We called a couple of the restaurants Denver Yelpers had suggested but couldn't get reservations. So we called the Cowgirl and they said at that time they could seat us right away. We arrived and it was crowded, but not packed. We ordered the Green Chili Cheese fries, a burger for Brent N. and brisket sandwich for myself. Our fries was a huge plate of fries topped with green chili and smothered with cheese. They were tasty and spicy. Brent enjoyed his burger and my brisket sandwich decent, the BBQ sauce was a bit sweeter than I usually like, but there wasn't anything left behind! One star off for service. Our server was nice, but not very attentive and made a couple of errors. Our timing was perfect, because as we were leaving there was a big crowd waiting to be seated. With reasonably priced, tasty food this is certainly a place I would return to when I'm in Santa Fe.
(4)Steve B.
This was the most fun we had eating in Santa Fe. The food was classic BarBQ with game added. The staff was all wonderful. We called for a reservation and let them know that we were coming for the group that played on Friday through Sunday evening. They also had live music at lunch. Prices were very reasonable for the amount of food and fun. We will definitely return the next time we are in Santa Fe.
(5)William B.
Tired of the over-priced, tourist traps of downtown Santa Fe? Do yourself a favor and come here for a night. The place is big, hopping, and cheerful. On a Friday night with no reservation we still got a table in 15 minutes or so. The bar is full of locals, and has tasty local beers on tap for four dollars each. The State Pen Porter was good, but the Monk's Ale was even better-- good enough that I may have to figure out how to score some from two states away. Then there's the food: We had chicken wings, a buffalo burger (with fries), and a Caesar salad (with jerk chicken). It was nothing fancy, but everything was just Really Good. The fries seemed to be made with real potatoes. The chicken wings were spicy and satisfying. The burger was a well-cooked patty of quality meat on a real bun. Even the salad was somehow a little bit fresher and a little bit better than you'd think from the looks of the place. There are plenty of seasonal offerings on the menu, and I'd feel comfortable ordering almost any of them. I'm not quite sure what is going on here-- maybe a chef with an unusual sense of pride in his work has mysteriously ended up in the kitchen of this place-- but you owe yourself a visit. Stunned by how well our luck had turned out so far, we actually listened when our waitress made the case for dessert. Despite a long-held prejudice against restaurant-generated flourless chocolate cakes, we ordered the Cowgirl BBQ's version, allegedly laced with red chile. Sure enough, we were impressed again. Anybody competent can make a dense, chocolatey, fudgey brownie (though you would be alarmed at how many restaurants apparently don't employ competent people to perform this task). Anybody with a little taste can accompany this with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. But the addition of red chile was pure genius. Sweet, rich, chocolate still dominates your palate, but after each bite (which you will savor), a tiny hint of heat warms the back of your mouth. The last little shock came when the bill arrived-- I glanced at the total for our drinks, appetizer, entrees, and dessert, and for a second thought I must somehow be looking at only *half* the total. My wife and I debated afterwards what to compare this restaurant to. The best comparison I can think of, for DC-area-denizens, is Ray's The Steaks. I'm not saying it's the best meal I've ever had, but it is one of the most satisfying combinations of food, service, and price I have had in a long time. It is truly unfair that it is so rare. If I lived in Santa Fe, I would go every week.
(5)Amy H.
I am a big fan of BBQ, I eat a lot of it wherever I go. I had hoped this could be my local go-to BBQ place but I will never go back and never again give this place my money. I have had better BBQ at chili's, yes the resaurant chain. Short version: dried out ribs and brisket. No smokey flavor. Not enough fat. Slathered in sauce. Measly portions. (Seriously, 6 pieces of brisket for an order? Only 7 ribs?!) ridiculous. This was the ANTONYM of what BBQ should be. Poor form. This place us resting on its laurels. Don't go. Much better places to use your $.
(1)Samuel C.
The brisket and burgers are good. The best part about the Cowgirl is the kid's corral outside in the summer. You can have lunch and a margarita and watch the kiddies run around and play. On weekends, there is usually some kind of blues/country/rock band playing.
(4)Amanda D.
Large, hearty portion Great atmosphere Opens late Great service We stumbled in here after an uneventful search for food. Cowgirl welcomed us with warmth and good food and drink. What more can you ask for?
(4)Jared J.
Had the green chili chicken, tasted great, good dark chocolate beer for 5.50.
(4)Mark F.
A Yee Haw good time. The atmosphere is great, the bar a roaring good time and the patio certainly worth kicking back on but the brisket, is not my favorites. Other meats are a-ok. Potato salad was bland. No mustard kick but the cole slaw was good. The Bunkhouse Brisket was so so. Covered in sauce, it was hard to get a real bead on it but I can tell you it's rubbery and dry. It did pull apart easily but what's the point if I have to chew and chew? The Wings of Fire had a great chili burn that kept on burn'n and even the Wingdings offered a nice kick. French fries are thin and cooked in a dirty grease so they have fantastic flavor. The BBQ on a Bun was dripping with sauce. I'll pass. Parking was tough with, as far as I can tell, only street parking. I'll visit again but be sure I'll order very carefully to make sure sauce is on the side so I can taste the meat. Don't miss the live music.
(3)Skelly K.
Wow this place sucks! When you microwave a perfectly great steak, you are doomed!
(1)Becca R.
I feel like I wasted the opportunity of a good meal while on vacation in Santa Fe by eating here. The service was polite, but so slow, and we had to ask for EVERYTHING- including refills. The food was definitely a par below all of the other restaurants we had tried over the weekend. It was pretty tasteless and I struggled to finish even though I was hungry. Also the dining room was freezing and the bathroom was pretty gross. Though I liked the idea of this place and all the cowgirl historical photos, I won't be back here. There are too many awesome restaurants to waste my time eating here.
(1)Ron G.
Greeter lacking customer service skills. 45 minute wait for dinner but learned from another customer about immediate sitting at their picnic tables. No one available to wipe down table or give us menus. Served me my hot bowl of chili but forgot my wife's salad so the chili was sent back. Charged my credit card with someone else's bill. Food and drink was ok but stay away from this joint. And guess what they don't care.
(1)Aisha L.
Cowgirl has the best happy Hour!!! Seriously. How can you beat 4.5 Frozen Margs and two for one appies. Whenever I come home I always hit up Cowgirl! and Monday nights is Karaoke which is super fun Happy Hour is between 3-6 and they have great drink specials. I always get the Nachos with extra jalepenos. The Nachos are awesome. A pile of blue corn chips, cheese, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and you can add chicken or steak if you would like. Also I get the sweet potato Fries with a honey mustard dipping sauce, and then my frozen marg with a salted rim. This is truly the best way to spend an afternoon in Santa Fe. :)
(5)AL C.
My husband, daughter, and I spend about a month here in Santa Fe every other summer. We arrived a couple of days ago and went to the Cowgirl for lunch yesterday, because my daughter wanted ribs. My husband's burger was okay, my tacos were okay, BUT my daughter's ribs were clearly previous night's BBQ that had been sauced and microwaved. They were dried out, and cold, and the sauce was clinging to them like some kind of leftover gravy. Even the fries that came with her ribs looked bad. I live in a tourist town in So Cal (Laguna Beach) and I know that restaurants that live on gimmicks get tired; you have to service the locals and stay on top of your game if you want to survive. This restaurant is very very tired and clearly isn't that nice to tourists. No offers for refills on the drinks, very slow service even though there was hardly anyone in the room, I had to wait and ask for the bill, this place is living on its bar (lots of people drinking at Thursday lunch), its location and its past glory Go to the The Ranch House if you want actual good BBQ. They appear to be the new Josh's, there is no "atmosphere" (they are way out on Cristos in a mall rather than on Guadalupe street), and they are working on the kinks in the service -- but the food is good and there is no attitude and you don't have to put up with the ridiculous clothes the staff at the Cowgirl are wearing. Honestly, black fishnets with cutoff jean shorts and those stupid cowgirl hats (even on some of the waiters)? As one reviewer said, way too much Hooters atmosphere for my tastes.
(2)Amy L.
We heard about the famed baked potato ice cream, so we stopped by. The ice cream itself was very cool in concept and appeal, but it's not the tastiest ice cream. $5 with a military discount was worth it though!
(2)Nick S.
Just okay, service was shaky, but rallied near the end. I had a boring lunch choice, only because I wasn't very hungry, but my salad portion was puny. I liked the vibe and its a fun place...and that might trump what I'm taking about. I'd go again though.
(3)Will F.
Food, drinks and service were all top-notch! Our server Melissa really left a great impression with her positive attitude, willingness to help us with drink and food options, and just being available when we needed her. She didn't even blink an eye when we needed to switch tables b/c the wind kicked up a lot! The prices are great for both the food and drinks. I had the famous green chili burger which was incredible! Cooked to perfection and omg what a generous portion size. I didn't try any of the BBQ but it smelled amazing and other diners seemed to be enjoying theirs. The ambiance was also a lot of fun and the staff was great from start to finish. After having some other really poor dining experiences in town, cowgirls was a refreshing reminder of how pleasant a good restaurant can be, I hope others take note.
(5)Claire C.
So disappointing. The food was mediocre, the service poor and the atmosphere uncomfortable. Definitely one to skip.
(1)Eric K.
We went to the Cowgirl BBQ because we read about it in some travel books and a Rachael Ray cookbook, otherwise, we might never have found it on our own. (It's on the edge of the downtown area.) Upon arrival, the outside seating area looked awesome. It was big and surrounded by three walls. Unfortunately, it was 40 degrees outside, so indoors was our only option. We sat indoors in the same room as the fireplace. Ahhh... The decor was definitely "cowgirl." Photos of famous and not-so-famous cowgirls and glitter affixed to the wall paint. The menu was pretty extensive for dinner -- apps, salads, chili, quesadillas, BBQ, steak, chicken, seafood, comfort food, burgers, sandwiches, and -- of course -- Mexican and New Mexican choices. I ordered the Game Burger. What's a Game Burger, you ask? Why, it's basically an extra large burger made from elk, buffalo, and venison smothered (seriously smothered) in cheese and green chiles and served without a bun. It was out of this world. The burger was cooked medium (my choice), was juicy, and very full of flavor. Add the creamy cheese and spicy chiles and...WOW. Thankfully, it comes with a small "Cowgirl" salad on the side to balance out the meal. I'd definitely order it again. The prices can be a little higher here than other casual restaurants in town, but there are cheaper items on the menu (like the Game Burger for $12.95).
(5)Kurt B.
Salad was real good but main entrée was just average. 3 of us at the table all thought the same. Cowgirl OVERCHARGED my VISA $5. I had to call VISA to reverse the $5 overcharge. The charge was for 3 drinks at the bar. Bartender is committing fraud on VISA receipts! So, I cannot recommend a place where thieves take my hard earned money. I do not live in Santa Fe, but if I did, I would return to show them my receipt and the VISA charge and ask them what they would do about it!
(2)Patrick K.
I came here with a co-worker for dinner tonight while on a business trip. After seeing the colorful flyers in front shouting "award winning BBQ in Santa Fe" we decided to give it a try. The place certainly holds true to its name. It was teeming with waitresses who were dressed as "cowgirls" which seemed a bit gimmicky to me. The following items were ordered: BBQ Combo Platter Guac and chips Chicken Wings (Jerk sauce styled) Tortilla Burger Everything ordered tasted average... however, the BBQ combo platter was very disappointing. Every piece of meat on the dish was dry which included the chicken, brisket, and ribs. Sure..the meat was smothered by sauce, but that doesn't hide the fact that everything was overcooked (-3 stars)! Decently cooked BBQ meat should be able stand on its own without any sauce whatsoever, a fact the restaurant seemed to forget. If you are in town.. I highly recommend some of the North Mexican cuisine establishments as an alternative.
(2)Melanie R.
We were in Santa Fe for a week in April 2014 - Cowgirl was the only place we went back to several times over. We were there both on weekend and weekday nights. We felt so welcomed and comfortable here. We sat at the bar our first night Tiffany was welcoming, funny and an all around great person. Met several locals here that night also all were very nice. We also came here for lunch one day another great time great meal! this time we met Barry - he showed us around the entire place much bigger than it looks. We didn't have any issues with tables being too close and we sat both inside and outside one day too. The wait staff were very attentive, food - was Yumm, great beer selection also but Tiffany the bartender was the one that made us become repeat customers that trip! Just last week my husband after a bad day at work just came home and said "I wish we were at the Cowgirl again". So glad we tried the place and we will be back our next trip.
(5)P G.
We went on a whim and were pleasantly pleased. We had a scallop dinner on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. It was a great presentation and tasted delicious. So we give the food an A but the service a D. Our waiter was rude, seemed to be bothered working and not helpful on recommending menu options as he was a vegetarian that only drinks water or whiskey. But when you work at a restaurant you should know the menu for the guests. So the food good the service needs some serious attention.
(4)Raven M.
It started off Rocky. The hostess seated us without really paying us attention, then left after handing the menus over... after 5 minutes and no greet from a server: My father: "Do we have a server?" Hostess: "Um... Lemme see if I can get you one." My father: (with a smile) "Well I hope you can, otherwise we can't eat! " Hostess: "Okay." Weird! But when we finally did get a server, the wonderful and attentive Jose Luis, we ordered and began to feast! We initially came here just because the Classic Margaritas are so damn good. And they DO live up to the hype. Literally Perfect. My fiance, who is not a big tequila drinker opted for the Frozen Weed on the Mountain Margarita which has a vodka float. It was awesome. but the true Kick Ass Margarita is the Mezcalita. I love it strong, and after enjoying the classic I wanted it. I Loved Loved this Margarita. I wish I could make it. Cabeza de Ajo (Head of Garlic) : OH MY GOD. This is a cannot miss out on appetizer. *see picture* It was literally gone within a minute or two. The garlic, the bruchetta, the cheese... Mmmmmm. Our entrees included the Whiskey Pork Chops, the BBQ sampler platter- neither of which were to die for like our appetizer, but did have some great flavour. Get the Baked Potato Ice Cream, and if you want to be surprised, don't look at my pictures ;)
(4)Kari W.
I really liked Cowgirl BBQ. I had butternut squash casserole which is AWESOME! Not heavy. Yummy layer of cartelized onions. It comes with a nice salad. Hubby had sampler. The meat was all very good, but the sauce was very bland...no kick at all. Would like to go back to try other items.
(4)Johnny T.
Yes, Rachael Ray led me here. Go ahead, get it all out... laugh, if you must. But, after you finishing laughing, get ready to eat both crow and amazing food because before you can bleat "YUMM-O," you will be falling down at the altar of Cowgirl BBQ. You simply *have* to eat here when you come to Santa Fe. It's famous, so plan on coming for lunch so you don't have to deal with a dinner crowd. Sit outside on the deck and enjoy the great, wide blue skies. It will also give you the chance to clearly ogle the waitstaff. Wow. Pure hotness. At the risk of sounding like a pig, I have to rehab my image by saying that the ogling is equal-opportunity. Granted, some look better in cowgirl(boy) hats and jeans than others but odds are no matter what trips your switch, you'll like what you see. You're welcome. Blue dot firmly emboldened on your Google-mapped house icon, you need to start eating. Ask if there are any specials going on. I downed a frosty pint of Fat Tire for a mere $3. I kept 'em coming, too. Specials!! But, as good as a cold beer on a warm day is and as much as I kept rubber-necking the staff, I couldn't take my eyes or belly off of my plate. To begin with, order the green chile cheddar fries. Get used to green chiles in/on everything you eat in Santa Fe but there's a reason for that. They're [redacted] delicious! Now, combine fresh-cut, thick fries with melted cheddar cheese with those green chiles. Now, imagine a Texas-sized portion coming at you. This. This is how you start your meal. You may need help to get it all down, however. Even I, only child extraordinaire, had a tough time eating everything on my plate. Oh, but I loved trying. Not realizing how much food I had coming, I ordered a burger with black beans and slaw. A burger at a BBQ joint? Yep. Because this was a YAK burger. YAK! I don't even know what a yak is, but I needed to eat it. Served on a kaiser with jack cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and mushrooms, I enjoyed every bite of my protein, even as I struggled to take it all down. My first meal in Santa Fe was an unmitigated success. Trying to keep my sex-ay on with grease on my face, a belly to rival the pre-birthed Octo-mom and a belt that screamed for relief... not as successful. Oh well. The vacation had just begun. There would be time for that. ;) "Oh, NO he di'int!"
(4)Kevin P.
Another great reference to me from a friend who attended the University of New Mexico. The Cowgirl has a great selection of entrees and also drinks and the best dessert in the land, and it looks like.... a baked potato! The service was also cool enough to pose with my stuffed friend poopie the fish. Check out the picks and you just might see them! Yay! Enjoy!
(4)Maria O.
Good steaks, big outside sitting space, live music.
(4)Vanessa M.
We went to Cowgirl BBQ after doing the Santa Fe Century bike ride. We were hungry, tired and just wanted to plop into a booth to be fed. We were sat right away but it took a while for the waiter to take our order. We had to ask our waiter twice for just about everything; soda, corn bread, check etc... The food was good, the rellenos were awesome, the prices were fair, the patio was great.
(4)Annie P.
After hearing such great things, we were really excited to try this place on a weekend visit to Santa Fe. It was awful. My friend and I each got the pulled pork sandwich, and we both agreed that it was flavorless. There wasn't much seasoning or barbecue sauce, and neither of us finished the meal, despite being hungry from a long drive. But the worst part, hands down was the service. We'd been there about 5 minutes before it became painfully obvious that 4 of the tables around us were VERY unhappy and had been waiting for a long time to get service. We only saw the waitress three times, to take our order, drop the check, and bring the check back. She was absolutely terrible. No refills, no checking in on us, nothing. As someone who has worked in food service, there is a way to be busy and behind, but convey to your customers that you're sorry for the delay and that there is a reason you're running around. This girl made absolutely no attempt to apologize or even act like she cared about our business or making our meal enjoyable. As we finished our meal and new tables came in, no one in the entire restaurant looked happy. I think this restaurant needs to seriously evaluate their employees and the customer service they provide, otherwise they're going to lose a lot of their business.
(1)Tiffany H.
Lovely happening place on a Friday evening. Live music and great jerk chicken dish!
(4)Diane S.
Cowgirl had great casual food and a fun bar. The prices were really reasonable and with a play area for the kids and music for the grown-ups everybody had fun. We had a great time playing pool and listening to the jukebox too.
(4)Mark Y.
This was a mediocre dining experience. The food was ok, but nothing special. The place was noisy. The waitress was polite but not motivated. The topper was there was an automatic 18 percent gratuity added for a party of two. I suggest picking from many other excellent restaurants in the Santa Fe area and skipping this one!
(2)Shah S.
Stopped for drinks ended up having dinner. My wife and I have different opinions of this place. Overall she thought it was just OK, I really liked the food and atmosphere. If you like Chile made with BBQ brisket, this is your place. BTW, all the appetizers are half price at happy hours and the margaritas are strong & good.
(4)Gwen C.
After reading that Cowgirls was awarded the best green chilli cheeseburger in Santa Fe, we decided we needed to give it a try. On a Sunday afternoon it was very busy, but we were seated immediately. We ordered the 'Mother' burger well done, and to our disappointment, it came back medium rare. We asked for it to be cooked to our order, and it came back close to the same, with the same bun, and the hamburger was crumbled. The garlic truffle fries were also under done, and underwhelming. To top it all off, the ale I ordered was warm. Try one of the many other restaurants in the area to try a green chilli burger.
(1)Betty M.
Great location! So much fun for kids & adults! The food is good and so is the service.
(4)Angie H.
Of all the places I ate while on vacation in New Mexico, this was my least favorite. We order an appetizer of fiery nachos and they arrived about 60 seconds before our meals. I find that a little irritating. The hubby got chili rellenos and said that they were good, but not very hot, even with the red chili sauce. I got the jambalaya with crab cakes. The crab cakes were good, but the cripsy crust got really soggy with the sauce that had been added. It took a long time to get our check after the meal, even thought they weren't very busy.
(3)Ricky M.
Awesome little place, always has live music, good drinks, and great food would recommend if you want to try something other than Mexican food in Santa Fe
(4)Ted R.
Food was not good. Coke was flat and fries were stale and only slightly warm, like they had been setting under a warmer for a couple of days. Burgers were medium as requested but dry. Not sure how they did that. There were interesting odors that would come and go. Not sure what that was either. Service was fine.
(1)Belinda M.
What do you expect? fine dining? give me a break. this place suits me so fine. They have awesome vegetarian options (collard greens, green chili fries, veg chili-frito pie, okra.. on and on..) i was in heaven, wasn't looking for a culinary adventure, just honest yummy food. and they deliver. and let me tell you about the drinks and music. I love this place. They bring in some great acts that gravitate naturally to Santa Fe- all genres of soul full yummy tunes.. i danced my booty off. and if you ask the bartender for a good margarita... she puts the love in it and the flavors pop. the beer list is pretty impressive and the list of tequilas will have you on your knees.. The staff all seem to love their jobs and they are all very attentive. i cannot wait to find myself here again. love it
(5)Jimmy G.
This place is a joke. It's not BBQ AT ALL. great place to watch your food go cold on the service window while the servers hang out. It took three requests to get a coffee refill. The food I got was undercooked (raw in the middle). And god forbid you should have the nerve to have it fixed. My date asked for sour cream and by the time we got it we were waiting for the check. And yeah. That sour cream cost a buck. In fact I don't recommend Asking for your order to be fixed. Just eat whatever they give you and thank them. And service is so slow that chef Ramsey would die of old age waiting for his bland mediocre cold food served with attitude. As a Santa Fean, this place is an embarrassment. If you're looking for good BBQ in the Fe, go across the street. It's the best q in northern NM.
(1)Lou P.
There is a lot of good food in Santa Fe; but after 3 days of eating awesome New Mexican food (Thanks, Yelp!) we wanted to do something different. This was just the ticket. Great service,mdespite being jammed and good, regular food. We never figured out how a mostly Aussie waitstaff fits in with "Cowgirl" or even "BBQ", but we gawky enjoyed our visit.
(5)Gloria O.
while i was vacationing here I met up with some family members & we decided to try something other than mexican while i was visiting. This was a tad disappointing - service was good and we were seated quickly; i had the chicken as well as one other member of our group - it was DRY and tasted as if the bar b que sauce was poured over the chicken in hopes of adding some moisture to it! One member of our party found a hair in her chicken and even though we know that this can happen it put a whole damper on the evening. management did credit our bill for the price of that meal so again the service was very good. If I go back to Santa Fe I will not go back to this restaurant
(2)John J.
Stopped here last weekend on recommendation by staff at Santa Fe School of Cooking. A home run! The Octoberfest menu had a fan green chili and corn soup, out of this world portabello ravioli; my wife had their pulled pork sandwich that the best ever experienced by her. Live music and outdoor seating a great bonus!
(4)Chase D.
WOW! Trust the reviews on here that bash this place. My friend and I came in and I was excited to come to this place. After my meal...I was excited to leave and never return. He had been there once before and had the nachos, which he carried on about. I had a rare Yak Burger with mushrooms, onions, and swiss. Now the concept sounds good on paper. The execution was like someones foot farted in my mouth. The meat was a gummy chewy dry taste. Everything was cold. His nachos that he has ordered for a second time were built upside down (They went black beans, chips, some withered shreds of veggies...a clump of black olives and a clump of jalpenos...side of sour cream and a side of guac). The frys were cold and beyond crunchy. Our waitress was the worlds greatest magician with only two tables in her section, I swear I saw bigfoot more than her. Beer was cheap...can't complain about that. It took 45 mins until the great "Waitress the Magnificent" appeared in front of us to take the check. Staff was cute...but...not a saving grace. The band was really good. Overall though...I think Santa Fe needs to cut me a check for eating here.
(1)Jennifer C.
Admittedly, the food in Santa Fe generally doesn't impress me. After a couple of fails we landed here because more than one person had recommended it. Lots of "awards" on the walls and we obviously weren't going to spend like we did at El Farol...promising. Service was fine. Friendly Aussie smiles bringing me my beer. The food was not good. Apparently they specialize in New Orleans food (totally my bad that I didn't realize this before coming) and I'm from New Orleans. It wasn't close. That was a roux? Try five shades darker, love. Then it might have some flavor. My husband had a flavorless yak burger. Not really a recipe flaw, it's a bland meat. It's possible we just ordered the wrong things. I won't be going back to find out.
(2)Andrew N.
Loud, bad service and dried out food that had obviously sat under a heat lamp for too long. If you just want a beer and some live music it might be ok.
(1)Lyn P.
This is one of those places that you go for atmosphere. It's pretty much a shrine to the cowgirls of the southwest. Not a bad thing, really. The walls are filled with memorabilia and is a treat if you dig those types of things (which I do.) Then there's the food. I can't speak to the BBQ aspect of the menu as we went for brunch. We did have an appetizer that was really good - the roasted garlic which comes with queso. I had hash for breakfast. It didn't really come out as I expected as the potatoes were large cut red potatoes. I actually like my hash to have smaller bits of potatoes in them. On top of the hash was two poached eggs with a hollandaise. The hollandaise had a kick to it, which was good. My hash came with tortillas, so I pretty much made breakfast burritos. Service was a bit off. I would have liked another Shiner with my brunch, but our server never made it back during our meal to ask if I needed another one. Later, he apologized for the slow service, which was appreciated, but doesn't make up for it. All in all, this place is good, not great. I will be back again to give some other menu items a spin the next time I am in Santa Fe.
(3)Maggie Y.
We told the server we couldn't eat gluten. He confirmed w/ the kitchen that, the sauce had no gluten, then when he brought the dish, which is the bbq mix plate, it was all served on top of white bread, which I didn't notice till i ate quite a bit of the food. It makes me very upset because gluten or any severe food allergy can be life threatening and this establishment didn't bother to train their server or their kitchen about people having food allergy issues. Plus, the brisket was dry, so was the chicken, the ribs were tender. Overall not great bbq, the staff seems nice enough, but please please please spend some time to train everyone about food allergen exposures!
(1)Alan B.
Amazing pulled pork BBQ. and the fried cheese curds were great too. One of the best on-draft beer lineups, as well.
(5)Dana D.
I really enjoyed my meal here- I got the fri to pie which is literally a snack size bag of fritos with chilli on top. I thought it was delicious and a perfect portion. The price was great too. My husband on the other hand unfortunately did not enjoy his meal. He got the Mac n cheese with green chille. Sadly it was mostly green chille and it ruined it for him bc that was all he could taste. It was soupy so it wasn't like he could scrape it off. The place itself is super cute if somewhat kitschy. Lots of photos and old signs etc. there is an outdoor area and a poolroom which is where we ended up eating because the wait for the restaurant area was too long. Overall I would recommend this place. Maybe ask a lot of questions before deciding on your order though!
(4)Alexandra Z.
So what if it is a bit touristy? The tourists know what they are talking about! I love the environment, and the live music. The place is huge, with so many interesting rooms. Service is alright, but some of the best BBQ I have ever had! And the tres leches cake? Best in Santa Fe! They also have some other great desserts, not to mention jumbo-sized drinks!
(5)Howie E.
As a person with a disability I travel with a service dog. Today when stopping for breakfast I was denied entry in to this restaurant. I tried to explain the law and still was denied. Only until I explained I was going to turn the restaurant into the a.d.a. Did they offer to seat me. She kept saying they don't allow dogs in the back and she was sorry to be a "hard ass". My service dog and i have stayed in 5 star hotels, flown at least 50 times, attended the opera, eaten in 5 star restaurants. He goes everywhere I go, and in the past two years we have only been denied access twice. So sad when establishments don't know the laws. The dog had a vest on and is well behaved. This review is based on my experience, not the food.
(1)Brian B.
I arrived at Cowgirl's on a Tuesday night around 7pm. The atmosphere was cool. Very Southwestern feel. Just what one would expect. We were greeted by many of the waitresses upon entering the restaurant. We were then asked what we wanted to drink. I went with a Porter which was very tasty...I loved the roasted flavor. Dark beer is my thing. One of my friends ordered the same Porter and really enjoyed it. For dinner, I ordered a Filet Mignon burrito. I am not one for very hot food, but wanted to have a Southwestern meal my first time in New Mexico, so I went with the "Christmas" (green and red chiles) on my plate. Our food came out roughly 10 minutes after ordering and it had looked really good. My burrito was cooked well and the peppers added a significant amount of heat to the platter. I got through it all and enjoyed my meal. One of my friends ordered the Chic-o-licious Mac and Cheese, which came with the biggest baked potato I had ever seen! He had no complaints. I decided I needed something else to drink so I went with the Mangorita after looking at the many margarita choices on the drink menu. Mango also happens to be my favorite fruit, which factored into the decision juuust slightly. This was sort of frozen with pureed mango. My friend went with Horny Toad Margarita and said it tasted like a normal margarita. My only gripe here were the overweight "Cowgirls"/waitresses. Only one looked like she took care of herself. Our waitress, on the other hand, practically spilled her boobs onto my plate every time she came over. They were all over the place. No reason to try to market this place that way. I enjoyed dinner here and would certainly go back for some eats. Check out their Cajun menu, as it will be gone by April of 2010. The Jambalaya my friend had was really good and he ordered it with scallops.
(3)Em. T.
I drank beer, which I guess you can't mess up, and ordered a side of wings which were, in a word, fantastic! Seriously, these guys know how to make 'em hot, and they're not afraid to do so. On a hot summer day, beer and wings were the perfect combination: Eat until I can barely feel my mouth, cool things off with a swig of beer, repeat. Haven't been here for a full meal, but for a midday snack, Cowgirl BBQ really hit the spot. I loved the ambiance, as well, We relaxed in a shady spot on the patio and enjoyed the weather. I can't help but think Cowgirl BBQ would be a fixture in my life if I lived in Santa Fe.
(4)Christine S.
For our girls trip to Santa Fe, we happened to catch a Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels show all about Santa Fe....Well, what do you know, she came here to this place and it looked cute. So we did the same.... We planned on coming here for just a quick lunch, but after a few kick-ass margaritas, we stayed for over 4 hours! Their food is great. Not fancy stuff but if you have a craving for Frito-Pie, then get your tushie here! The menu has a Tex-Mex Flair to it. Great variety. Great BBQ. But honestly what kept us here for so long is the outdoor seating area. The service is very great. These people really seem to be having a great time here. If you happen to be walking through Santa Fe and want to take a load off, then come here, sit down, have a margarita and enjoy! Did I mention that they make pies too?
(5)Jesseca T.
2.5 stars Went here last night for the first time at 6:45pm Agree that service is slow but it appears that it's due to them being understaffed, and to seating their waiters in different sections of the restaurant instead of grouping them in one section. I also saw them double seat a waitress in our section, which is a hostess no-no (if you have the option to spread out the seatings it's preferable but sometimes you are out of tables in other places...). My waiter was certainly trying very hard and was an experienced waiter, but he seemed like he was in the weeds the whole time. A good hostess might be able to fix this problem. Now to get to the fun part, we really ate well here! Caesar salad- perfectly dressed, nicely flavored- this is a good Caesar done the right way Sesame crusted Tuna on bed of wasabi mashed potatoes- wow this was a very generous app for $9! This could have been my meal with a small salad. It was cooked rare with a ponzu sauce which kinda buried the wasabi flavor in the mashers Catfish fingers with jalapeno mayo - fresh- these were done right Hubby had chili relleno smothered in crawfish etouffee- they were VERY generous with the crawfish plus it came with rice and beans- he said he'd order it again, it was great! Had two Horny Toad margs- that's a nice drink but but they were short stubby little glasses filled with ice...hrm Hurricane- awful, way too much alcohol in it to taste good - sent it back and they were so nice about it, they didn't charge for it or make me feel bad or anything- - Super Cosmo (or some name like that) - $9.50 (! That's San Jose prices !) , but I have to say that t, it was a cocktail that was done right, smooth drinking - so two out of three drinks turned out well, that's good- fresh lime used here- Total bill $87 - that's a little steep, I felt, for the ambiance and level of attention we received - maybe when summer's here and we can sit outside it will be nicer but we were on the covered porch with a buffet set up RIGHT behind my chair and two sloppy drunk and loud women in the booth near us- I'd do drinks and apps here in a second but think twice about dinner again- $87 can buy some pretty good food in this town and there's a lot more options out there that we haven't tried yet ...maybe I should stick to takeout from this place-
(2)Amanda W.
Good service despite being uber busy, decent burger. Great music and porch. My dad said his philly cheesesteak was incredible and did said her chili rellenos were delish. Cool place and great ambiance. We will come back the next time we pass through santa fe.
(4)Morgan W.
This was my first stop on a long weekend in Santa Fe. Thankfully the rest of my trip was better. I will say this, the place is unique and the clientele is cool and their patio is lovely at night. And the menu looked really good and exciting. But that's where the good experience kind of stopped cold and headed downhill quickly. The food offenses were numerous: My mojito was watered down to the point of undrinkability. My frito pie, while having a creative presentation, was covered in chili so watery that by the time it arrived the corn chips had soaked up so much liquid that I was mostly left with chili and cornmeal mush at the bottom. I also got the yak burger, which had potential but lacked follow through. The meat is gamey, more than bison, and also a bit sweeter. It would have benefited from some type of aromatic herbs to balance out and enhance the gamey flavor. Serving a somewhat exotic meat in the same manner as a regular beef burger, which made it taste kind of gross, is not a good idea. Both friends dining with us were vegetarian so they opted for what was listed as a Boca Burger but was some type of cheap generic soy burger. The only thing saving this review was that somehow my husband struck gold with his orders. He got the mangorita which was a layered drink of pureed mango and frozen marg and it was delicious. For his entree he got the whiskey pork chops. The pork was tender, well cooked, well seasoned, and the sides were generous and also delicious. The only offense on that was the menu says it comes with collards but instead he got a mess of corn which was apparently their vegetable of the day (corn? really?). So he had to order the collards separate, and then request after the check came and they be comped because, well, DUH. Such a bummer for our first night in town. Luckily every meal after that was a step up.
(2)Krista F.
There are too many other restaurants in Santa Fe for you to eat at before I would fool with the Cowgirl BBQ as a dinner option. If you were just going for drinks and apps, that is one thing, but the bbq isn't that good. If you are going to have "BBQ" as part of your name, you better rock at it. Their sauce didn't have a lot of flavor and was just slopped on half of a chicken I could have found roasted at Costco. In addition to having an overwhelming helping of their "special BBQ sauce" all over my plate, they serve the sides right on the same plate. I mean, I get it, who doesn't love a little extra sauce with their baked beans, but I don't know a lot of folks who enjoy bbq coleslaw and bbq potato salad? If you look at their menu, they are trying to be too many things to too many people. Here's the internal conversation I envision took place when creating this menu: "Oh, have the BBQ. It's what we're known for, I mean look, it's right there in our name... "But, but, don't forget we do NewMex and TexMex too because we kind of have to, you know, being in Santa Fe, NM and all." "No? How about Comfort Food? Wait, we also do Steaks. Big Fat Steaks...AND FISH." "Or, of course, you could just have a garden burger, sir." I will hand it to them. They do have some really good margaritas. You will need those to get down with the honky tonk 80's band music vibrating through most of the restaurant. I won't comment too much on the service because our waitress seemed like a real ditz. She completely and totally vanished after taking our dinner orders. But, the other staff members really seemed to be busting their tails. I, in good conscience, could recommend Cowgirl BBQ for apps, margaritas and a little pool playing, but I would venture elsewhere for a serious dinner.
(2)Sasha B.
Before I begin ripping this place apart I just want to say I can see why people are rating this place super high - there are NO restaurants in Santa Fe that are open during normal hours (Tia Sophia's closed on Sundays even though they are known for their brunch?? C'mon!!!!!) This place seems to be the last resort for everyone. Here's a little about our experience. We had to wait sometime for a table (expected...since again...nothing else is open) and finally were asked if we'd mind to sit next the band. We agreed but then quickly realized that when they meant "next to" the band what they really meant was head shoved inside drum while being hit in the back with a guitar. Yes. THAT close. However, we're young and totally down to enjoy some live music while dining. We ordered the chicken wings, the bbq ribs, and the pulled pork sandwich. Where do I begin...how about beginning with the dish that a bbq place should specialize in - ribs. And before I get into laying down the smack down I would like to mention that I rarely turn food away, leave food on the plate, or stop eating after a first bite. I am also the biggest fan of ribs and will eat them even if they are just ok. Now onto the dish - I took a few bites and realized that these were the worst ribs I have ever tried. YUCK! I left the plate where it was and spent the rest of the evening drinking my beer and trying to enjoy the horrible music played by the band. The other dishes were waaaay below average. We left the restaurant super disappointed. The crowd is an interesting assortment of old folks, super wasted gays (loves it!), fake cowboys, drunk middle-aged women dressed in leopard, full-eyed tourists, and local drunks lost on their way home. The only reason to visit this establishment is to have a drink and people watch.
(1)Arthur M.
The burgers are big and good. The natural and the yak. The sweet potato fries are good. The mud pie is good, with perfect crunch to ice cream ratio.
(5)H C.
Really fun atmosphere! Live music! It's a really hip & trendy place to hang out by the plaza. The food was fantastic! We made a reservation & good thing we did because the place was packed! They give you very large portions... Unfortunately we were too full to eat the famous ice cream burrito!
(4)Ceon H.
What can I say.. Ya gotta love that place! Aside from being one of the few places in town where you can enjoy playing billiards they always have a decent rotation of local and out of town musicians that come thru there. Food and drinks are good too!
(4)Christine P.
Great pulled pork sandwich and fries, great burger, live music which was a bonus, good atmosphere. Really reasonably priced for Santa Fe, one of the cheapest meals we have had here since I moved here and definatly top quality. I even ate the coleslaw and I am not usually a fan of it! Great find, great atmosphere.
(5)Nicole H.
Four of us were in Santa Fe last week for a Girl's Weekend, and stopped by Cowgirl BBQ for a light lunch. We were seated on the patio in a nice shaded area, and our waitress was efficient and attentive. We had the Texas cavier (chips and bean dip) which was okay, and each got a salad-which were all good! However, we had a bit of an issue with the margaritas....originally we all ordered margaritas with their "specialty" Mezcal...GROSS! We were trying to decide whether it tasted more like someone smoking in our mouths or licking a thrift store floor...no one could get past a couple of sips. Apparently this stuff is very popular with some, but it must be an aquired taste. Our waitress was wonderful about it though-she immediately said we would not be charged with that round and brought us a round of Hi-Ho Silver Margaritas, which were okay. The decor and atmosphere here was fun, I would return, but now know to avoid the Mezcal.
(3)Timothy N.
Cowgirl is a Santa Fe original. I believe I have eaten there everytime I have been in town going back to probably since the early to mid 80's. My two grown children remember going there and in particular the stories of their famous of the Baked Ice Cream Potato. My sister who has live in and around Santa Fe for nearly 40 years actually ate all the food on her plate, Pan Seared Sea Scallops.
(4)Joseph D.
A wide variety of food items, all delicious (or sound delicious). Good for dates and small groups. They have outdoor seating and is ideal for bar activities (less for casual dining). They have a lot of organic/local produce and meat. I thought the quality was excellent. I'd recommend the sweet potato fries. I didn't have the chance to try any of their bar offerings, so I can't say if they have anything good... I have heard that the margaritas are not worth the price though... (but that's grapevine talk). It's noisy.
(4)Michael E.
The Cowgirl had an awesome atmosphere...think cozy, soft lights, local hangout and then throw in live music. The night we went, Coles Walen was playing acoustic/country and it was the perfect setting. Even our kids were sitting on the ground right in front of her while she played. The restaurant also has a children's play area, which was a definite plus. Rather than trying to entertain the kids waiting for our food with crayons and conversation, they played outside leaving time for my wife and me to talk. We ordered two barbecue sampler platters between us all and split it. One was regular and one with little to no sauce. After saying how well the atmosphere was, I hate saying how bad the food we had was. The sauce was almost too thick (think gravy that has been sitting out for a while and gotten thick...how it thickly lays on your food) and the flavor was nothing to brag about. In addition, the amount of food in comparison to the price was not good. I understand it was barbecue, but the price still should have been lowered a couple dollars per platter to seem fair to me. We only had the barbecue platter so I cannot speak for the rest of the menu. I would return to the Cowgirl only for the atmosphere, to have a drink and watch a good musician play. The food was not good enough for a second visit from me to the restaurant portion.
(3)Sarah H.
BEWARE: SERVERS ADD UNAUTHORIZED TIP I came here when I was traveling through Santa Fe. It's one of the few places open late. The atmosphere was lively, but very touristy. The food was okay at best- diner food. I've had better bbq. Not only was the waitress rude, but she forgot to bring us our beer and condiments. She also seemed high on the job. No joke. I left her a really small tip and held onto my receipt because I just had a feeling that she would add more to the tip. A couple of months later, I was cleaning through my receipts and went online to check that the bill was right. It turns out that she added more to the tip and I was charged more than what was on my receipt. Not only did i have 1) one of the worst dining experiences 2) now I have to deal with contacting the manager and my bank to sort it out. Although it wasn't a substantial amount, it was the principle that mattered. This is the kind of place that gets alot of tourist passing through, so be weary of what gets charged on your account later.
(1)Chris T.
Good service, decent food and drink. I liked other nearby places more, that's all.
(3)Alisson S.
THE CHEF IS A GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY GUY! They have hard cider on tap. There are multiple delicious g-free options on the menu- just ask! I'm not going to lie though, I get the Seared Tuna over Wasabi Mashed Potatoes every single time I go to Cowgirl for food. It's a huge steak of tuna at a very low price (and it is delicious!) Also- for a good time, get there around 8pm on a Monday night and watch the locals in rare form: karaoke night! It's good fun, everyone sings along and the drinks are affordable. What more could you ask for??? How about a gorgeous patio area to enjoy your dinner on during the warmer months? What about a pool hall right there on the premises? What about real friendly staff and servers? It's all there. The Cowgirl is a great place to eat, drink and play.
(5)Jill B.
Cute place. Good burgers and ribs. Don't eat salsa unless you like canned tomatoes and no seasoning .
(3)Mike M.
Decent food, nice outdoors atmosphere. Service is pretty good, but I didn't get asked if I'd like my water refilled, even though it was empty during the last part of the meal. I had the prime rub sandwich and it was very good - served with horseradish sauce and au jus. The portion size was good. The fries and cole slaw were great!
(4)Jared T.
Had the Turkey Ruben. Meat was a little Luke warm. My wife had the ribs and really enjoyed them. Service was timely and friendly. I would recommend it.
(3)Katie Z.
Live music was fun! Fun drinks and atmosphere, good BBQ- southwestern style, not my favorite, but A-OK.
(3)Robert C.
Happy Hour 30 October 2012 - A = Excellent, C = Mediocre, E = Awful Food B Service B+ Ambience B Value for Money A Three of us went for Happy Hour. Sat outside. Two frozen margueritas and a beer. Two for one appetizers - nachos and guacamole. Total $20 before tip. Waitress, Erin, friendly and good. Recommended.
(4)Stephen B.
They have a kid corral, and a kids menu! My sons enjoyed it immensely, and didn't want to go. William was charming a girl his age. Check out the pictures on yelp, the last one shows a slide. The mother of two girls sat next to my boys and in the end she complimented my boys for playing well. A parent always loves to hear god things about their children. They have a fine beer selection, many beers on tap. Ribs are getting less and less easy to fall off the vegetarian wagon, but this did not really have a vegetarian option, outside quesadillas and boca burger. I got ribs. Dad got the mixed BBQ platter, and my mother got BBQ chicken tacos. My eldest liked the BBQ ribs. My youngest got a sandwich, which he almost dumped on the ground, I got it in a last minute save. He liked my BBQ meat, and I ate his sandwich. They liked the fries. The waitress was solicitous, and there when we needed her. When I was looking for a bathroom for my son, they were kind to show me one of the many bathrooms in the joint. It was a lovely atmosphere, with many different rooms, that were not for children, so I think the place would appeal to many. Coming back a year later, the food was still good. Unfortunately it rained, so the kiddie corral wasn't of any use, but my kids are a year older, and could sit and eat better. We sat on the patio and it was nice to be almost outside. I liked to watch the waitresses and waiters flirt with each other, made me with I was younger.
(4)J C.
Shew fly, shew! The patio is cute and great for kids, but there were far too many flies swarming around buckets next to the service stand out there. I couldn't believe it- so gross! Stopped by for a last-minute quick dinner, and left feeling confused by the high ratings. Maybe it's a local respite from the other fine dining options in the area, but my item was definitely the least satisfying on the table: The "Summer Harvest Salad" was equivalent to something anyone could have thrown together in a kitchen in under a minute. It consisted of bagged greens with jarred roasted peppers and asparagus and the "shaved fennel" was really just three or four chopped pieces of the stalk. To be fair, the fries did look good...
(2)Mark N.
This bar and restaurant is almost always rather lively. They serve a pretty good variety of somewhat "Western" American, New Mexican, or Mexican food; and often have some temporary offerings which will be something random like cajun food... Some of these temporary offerings can be pretty good. In general I don't think the food is fantastic, but this is a good place to hang out, sometimes there are good live bands and people will dance in the tiny area available for that next to the bar. I lived nearby for 4 years (until quite recently) and went here many times because it is always reasonably lively and the menu is diverse enough most people can find something they like. A very random mix of folks hang out here, a truly diverse crowd. A popular hang out with locals for sure.
(4)John K.
Really good brisket! My wife enjoyed the salmon and I had a good margarita made with mescal.Good sides, scalloped potatoes stand out in my mind as well as pinto beans.I was amused by the previous comments on the waitresses. It was Halloween and everyone had costumes on .Our waiter was some kind of super hero .I was not appalled by his sluttiness or sexiness or much of anything.We had fun.
(3)matt s.
Pretty good not transcendent. Fun vibe. A huge fight broke out, massive, the guy got thrown to the street, but I missed the whole thing in the bathroom. A hokey 80s cover band was playing, and I correctly predicted a song ("White Wedding"). They had a potato ice cream thingy for dessert and New Mexico wine and I left happy. One of the few places open late too.
(4)Steve H.
We love going to the Cowgirl and always take our out-of-town visitors there for the good food and fun entertainment. We have never had any complaints about the service and we credit the manager, Cesar, with making each visit a fun experience. The BBQ is very good, but don't hesitate to try the scallops or salmon with bourbon sauce. The Cowgirl's much more then a BBQ restaurant and I highly recommend it.
(5)Zenith c.
Horrible service so we left. We asked the hostess if it was possible to be out in 30 minutes she said it depends on what u order, so we sat down ready to order. We waited 15 minutes with no service, we left went to the Zia dinner across the street.
(1)Mary S.
Delicious food. Pleasant surprise w a Texas flair. My husband ordered the yak burger and I had black angus burger. Both were cooked perfectly with side of fries and bland cole slaw. Service friendly. Beer cold yet waitress took my first beer before it was empty to serve second round. We would eat here again only because we like burgers. The cowgirl servers and hostess were cute. Most staff hung out at host stand. Seeing as it ws a slow Monday might who could blame them?
(4)Clare M.
Hot damn I love me some Cowgirl patio in the summertime. The food kinda sucks, but it is an awesome outdoor patio for drinks and yam fries. If you are starving the frito pie is doable and surprisingly, the catfish isn't that bad. Want desert, the ice cream baked potato. Don't ask, just eat it. Great frozen Mangoritas! They have a lot of live music which is usually the same 4 or 5 locals who rotate between Cowgirl, El Paseo and El Farol, but tune it out and get plastered with some friends and enjoy the fresh smell of the air. One bummer, no dogs on the patio. Not even kittens. I tried bringing my cat once and they wouldn't let me. Then again, I've never been to a dining establishment that allowed cats.
(5)Joseph C.
Went to meet someone for a business lunch. Since I hadn't met this person before I didn't know what he looked like. Because I was looking around the host "Kevin" was instantly mad at me. He remained mad, rude and snappy towards us the entire visit. Poor representation, ruined the flow of what should have been a successful business lunch. I recommend choosing another venue for professional engagements!!
(1)Lucy G.
we only went to the bar, and it gets one star for being open at 10:30 on a Sunday night two days before Christmas. Beer was decently priced (to me it's SUPER cheap but I've been living in LA). There wasn't much of a crowd, but it was surprisingly full for the odd time we chose to go drinking. The people who were there were friendly, and our bartender was adorable. The website says they close at 11 on Sundays, but we didn't end up leaving till 11:30 and in that short space of an hour made several new friends.
(4)Jared G.
We ordered the following: Brisket, Green Chile Mac-n-Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries with honey walnut mayo (awesome), country fried chicken and squash gratin. The BBQ was very good- traditional slow cooked Texas style with a spicy sauce. The Green Chile mac, although a throwback to the old college days of tossing a spoon of Bueno into a box of Kraft, was excellent, and the squash gratin was very good. If you're looking for good eats, good beers, reasonable price and some solid out-of-town music, this is great place. For a fine dining and culinary adventure, go somewhere else.
(4)tania c.
A nice place to eat, but seating gets a little limited in the cool weather. Obviously you can't sit outside, and the seats "up front" that are anywhere near the door get a little intense. There are heaters about the tables, but those just kind of cooked us until someone opened the door and then it was freezing again. Make a reservation and sit on the far inside whenever it's crazy outside. To the food: my husband had the Game Burger and he loved it. It wasn't quite what I had expected, since it's more of just a patty of meat without the bread etc... but he was quiet happy with it. I had the chicken fajitas. The chicken was delicious and the meal seemed like a decent proportion, though I ran out of tortillas and had to pay for extras. Somewhat of a rowdy atmosphere, it's a fun little hangout when you want something casual but yummy.
(4)Johnny B.
We were in Santa Fe for Fiesta and stopped at the Cowgirl. We ordered their award winning green chili cheeseburgers with a side of fries cooked in truffle oil. Our server, Brian Dickerson, provided outstanding service. I had a local draft IPA that was excellent (following Brian's advice). There was live music on the patio providing a very festive atmosphere. These guys know how to do a great burger using local ingredients.
(5)Rebecca P.
My boyfriend and I visited here for the margaritas first and foremost and then for the BBQ. I don't eat BBQ (being meat-based and gluten-ness) but my boyfriend can't help himself around some good beef brisket. We were both satisfied! I had a margarita worth writing about. It didn't have the sickeningly sweet 'sweet n sour' mix so commonly used in place of fresh lime juice. Instead the margarita had real lime juice and yummy tequila. So the margaritas are a win! My boyfriend enjoyed his beef brisket and I loved my guacamole and chips. The guacamole is served in a tortilla chip bowl - brilliant. It is avocado-y and absolutely perfect. The chips are crisp and not greasy. My chili was okay. I felt like they relied on the chili powder for flavor a little too much. I would definitely go back for happy hour margaritas and guacamole.
(3)Orland R.
Very good, nice environment & live entertainment. Food was good, drinks were great..
(3)Daniel B.
Whenever we come to Santa Fe, The Cowgirl BBQ is our first port of call. There are more elegant and well- known (i.e.: expensive) restaurants in this town, but for sheer FUN, few beat the Cowgirl. The BBQ chicken dinner and anything with a hamburger attached will put you in a fine mood for days, The prices are fair and the food tasty and abundant, Comfort Cowgirl food doesn't get any better than this!
(5)Kimberly N.
The food, typical BBQ/pub type, was pretty good. I had the brisket sandwich; the flavor was right, but it could have been a bit saucier. The atmosphere is casual, young, and comfortable--a good place to take a group of friends for drinks and appetizers. They have a heated outdoor area that is lit by lantern lights, and the decor is, you guessed it, cowgirl themed (as are the waitresses). That having been said... it was the previous reviews of these cowgirl waitresses almost deterred me from eating here. Having experienced the poor service will deter me from eating here in the future. They have karaoke and specials... if I lived here I'd be a regular, but I don't and I won't.
(3)George M.
We went there for dinner, the atmosphere was fantastic on a Friday evening...not a quite place but a very fun indeed. All the food was cooked and seasoned perfectly, we ordered the vegetarian squash casserole and the BBQ Brisket...the margaritas from the bar were an awesome combination. If you are looking for a fun place to enjoy dinner with a few friends, this is a must dine place if you visit Santa Fe, NM.
(4)Stephen R.
This place is pretty cool. Definitely Santa Fe if you know what I mean. First of all, the establishment itself and its decor are fantastic. Unmistakeably Santa Fe in there. The food is pretty good too, though not spectacular. I had the Carne Asada tacos which were nice, but the tortillas they were assembled with began to fail structurally which meant I could not eat them as one would normally eat a taco. Beware the Salsa Diablo! It definitely has a high habanero content. There were a few disappointments that almost had me clicking 3 stars though: - One restroom for both genders and it was in pretty bad shape. - SLOW service, and not even particularly friendly in our case. - There was a kid (like, 10 years old tops) selling bracelets in the bar area, and no one seemed to care. I'm not concerned that a minor is in a bar, but I was annoyed to have someone trying to sell me crap during my meal. Anyway, it's worth a look because it really is an enjoyable place to dine or grab a beer.
(4)Mary M.
Fun place to eat, hang out, listen to music. The extensive selection means that New Mex food fans can eat with comfort-food fans & Cajun food fans, and no one is disappointed. Plusses - great drinks, entertaining decor. Minus - one (maybe two - no one could find the second) bathroom. Recommended: Sweet 'tater Fries, Burgers, Butternut Squash Casserole, Cajun Relleno*, Fried Okra* *the Cajun dishes were 'specials' and may not be available all year
(4)Shean H.
Not impressed. Over priced and cramped. Brisket was good, pork was dry. Service was good, but two meals an appetizer and 4 very weak drinks shouldn't cost $80
(2)My Pet Yeti R.
Hit up this place while passing through Santa Fe. I proceeded to eat BBQ and rough up the liver... I do remember some hippie brah telling his counter part how "New Mexico is the only other place he'll come to outside of Alaska".... I laughed... oh, how I laughed... Then I drank some more... Oh, I remember the BBQ being pretty good... probably good enough to lure the moon-beamer down from the the tundra...
(4)Laura S.
Had a great lunch. Recommend the fried fried chicken. Music was good. Service was good.
(4)Sarah P.
I was visiting Santa Fe with family and we happened to be celebrating my daughter's 1st birthday. I selected Cowgirl BBQ because I found it on a web site for family friendly restaurants. I called to make reservations two weeks in advance to ensure we could be seated (we had six adults, four children and an infant). I asked the individual taking our reservations if we could bring in a birthday cake and was told they would charge us $2/plate. I did not take the birthday cake. I called back the day before our planned dinner only to find that our reservation had not been made. RAH! They were able to accomodate us...because we wanted a 4:30 dinner time...which was helpful. We asked to be seated near the play area which is right outside their bar area. It was a rainy the day we arrived and a little cold. We asked if it was possible to be seated inside as a result and they were able to accomodate. YEAH! Again, I think it helped that we were eating so early. I ordered the BBQ brisket with coleslaw and beans side. The BBQ sauce was wonderfully spicy, but the brisket was so-so. I would have prefered they gave more of the BBQ sauce because it made the dish. The restaurant itself is a novelty, but there are plenty of restaurants I would like to try in Santa Fe before I head back to Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)Jyenny B.
My friend wanted to try this place, I did not. We went Friday at 6pm and although it was crowded and there was a wait for an outside table, we were seated inside without a wait, but in a crummy location. So when a better table in the main bar area opened up a few minutes later my friend asked if we could move. The waitress was cool about the table change and even cooler when my friend dropped her sticky mango margarita on the way over to the other table. The waitress brought another without charge. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the quesadilla and opted to add the grilled onions. Turned out to be much better than expected. To drink, I started out with a Horny Toad marg which comes in handy if you'd like to breath fire, so I quickly switched to beer. Bonus, my favorite beer was cheap and the waitress kept 'em comin'. They have live music every night, but we left before the band came on. All in all, it was better than I expected but it was still a damn country bar. Did I mention I don't do country?
(3)William C.
RUDE WILL NOT CATER TO THOSE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY!! We went here because they offered a great place for kids to play while we eat. That part was great. This restaurant however WILL NOT CATER TO PEOPLE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGEY PATIENTS. The manager would not allow me to order off the kids menu even though our bar tab was exceeding $100. Showed the official card from the surgeon however manager would not budge. It's hard enough to ask for this, since it is embarrassing. But it is utterly humiliating to have a manager treat you so poorly in public. The staff was mostly very slow and not knowledgeable about the menu. Then let's talk about the sub par quality food. The Chili was bland and watered down. The Frito pie was soggy, had no flavor and the weak runny no flavor chili over it. The other food we had was sub par as well. We won't be coming to this restaurant ever again if we are Santa Fe. The manager should be relieved of his duty.
(1)Gregg L.
Sat next to a lady on the flight out here and she told us not to miss this place, and we agree! Great BBQ, great beer and great service. Fun photos, nuff said, don't miss it! (awesome salad too)
(5)Emily A.
This just might be my most favorite restaurant ever. I only ate there once but it just sticks in my mind because it had everything I was looking for in a restaurant - good food, cold beer, nice wait staff and the best outdoor eating area ever. It was a huge patio area shaded by a big old oak tree. Or some kinda tree. In any event, it was cool in the shade, and at night there were laterns in the tree, just so blurging romantic. A shame I was there by myself, but still I was really happy. So I use this place as a reference point for all other restaurants. I'm still searching for something better...but for now, this is it. Food - 5 really good bbq (altho ribs at Sparks cookoff unbeatable) Service - 5 Value - 4, ok, could be chaeper, but then it would just be even more crowded Ambiance - 5+ just the best patio ever.
(5)Suzanne P.
Great food, great ladies, great beer. That is all. Oh and a great patio.
(4)Christopher L.
Sweet potato fries were ok Chips and guac was ok
(3)Shad A.
What an awesome menu. My favorite is the chicken short stack. Vegetarian spicy collard greens are the best of the west.
(5)YK F.
Didn't expect this in Santa Fe, NM. Went there for late dinner and I quite like it. Cowgirl made me realized that Santa Fe can also be an exciting city besides the quiet art scene on Canyon St. They serve ordinary American and Mexican food, that is, you can't get away from burgers or burritos. The tacos were okay, but I really liked the mushroom burger that my girlfriend ordered. It was nice to spend an evening there with a Margarita in your hand, enjoying the music and looking at drunk people flirting with the waitresses. :P Parking is great because they have a huge lot across the street. Love it!
(4)Jamie H.
Came here on a Thursday night with my mother and brother, we got in right away it wasn't too busy, so that was nice. The outside was really cute, and it was a bit chilly but we wanted to sit outside so we got a booth near the building and it was comfortable. My mom got the quasadillia, which was good, but it had a TON of black beans on it. So, we scraped nearly all of them off. My brother and I split the ribs, they were fall of the bone tender and the sauce was great. It also came with cole slaw and potato salad. Potato salad was kind of bland, but mixed with the cole slaw and the BBQ sauce it was good. For the appetizer we got the cheese & garlic with bread, it was excellent. The garlic spread very nicely on the bread, but the bread was very crumbly. All in all the food was very good and the atmosphere was very casual and fun.
(4)Amy O.
Recently vacationed in NM and this place was highly recommended. Turns out this is one of the only restaurants in the area that is both affordable and has a lot of character. We went for a visit for dinner and were very happy with our jambalaya and catfish dishes. The fried shrimp appetizer was amazing and our waiter was very helpful and cool. We weren't thrilled about any other place in the area so we returned the following day for lunch. Our food was great again and they were having a Bluegrass Brunch and the band was great and added a lot of ambiance to our meal. The place is cozy enough that you could hear the music throughout and if you prefer dining outside, they have this great patio outside as well. I love the way the place is decorated; vintage cowgirl posters and photos throughout the place and they even have a tiny gift shop if you want to purchase some baby T's, bumper-stickers and other paraphernalia. Oh! And even though the place is fairly small, they have THREE women's rooms! That's why this place gets 5 stars.
(5)Rachael K.
Yelp, you have failed me! The tuna appetizer is fantastic! But our entrees (jerk chicken and BBQ platter) were just meh. The sides that came with the jerk chicken were mediocre, the black beans tasted like plain black beans dumped out of a can and washed. The rice looked great but didn't taste very good. We came here because I wanted to have a vegetable side, I was hoping for broccoli or green beans, but their veggie of the day was corn. Maybe it's just me, but if you are only going to have one veggie option that's not the veggie to pick. I also hated how the waitresses were dressed. I wondered what kind of dance they had to do to pull up their pants in the morning. They weren't sleezy but it was just tight enough that it made me feel like I was in hooters and not a cute little bbq place. Just be sure to order the tuna appetizer if you come here!
(2)Greg L.
I've been to Cowgirl BBQ twice now (once in 2010 and once in 2012) and both times it was great (both food and service). I recommend the Game Burger!
(4)Melvin B.
In my opinion, this place really isn't all that great. It's decent, but I've definitely had better, much better on the east coast. So what did I order? Well, how about the "BBQ Mesquite-Smoked Baby Back Ribs($17)" and the "Chicken Wang Dangs($8)." Fairly typical BBQ house food that any true BBQ house should be able to make with ease. So, how was it? Okay. It was a half slab of ribs with a spoonful of bbq baked beans, some cole slaw, and instead of a potato salad, I got fries. The ribs were on the dry side, a tad tough. It also wasn't the most flavorful ribs I have had (even Famous Dave's on the east coast is better). The wings were also on the dry side and their ranch dipping sauce was watery not thick enough to really coat the chickens. No carrots nor celery sticks with it either. Though I did not order any beers, I did see that they were somewhat on the expensive side. . . say about $4-5 for the generic everyday domestic beers. This place is not too far of a walk from the Plaza. Took me about 15 minutes to walk there at a brisk leisurely pace from the La Fonda hotel. Very walkable.
(2)A B.
A+ for atmosphere, service and live music A+ for margaritas B+ for fish tacos
(4)Reylynne W.
For a Tuesday night this placed was packed, although it was St. Patrick's' Day so I'm assuming everyone was out celebrating. It was about a 10-15 minute wait however, got seated before the 10 minutes was up. I cannot say for sure if I like this place. It was my first time here. However, I was with someone who had been here before. We were both attending the same workshop ended up coming here since all the other restaurants were more than a 20 minute wait The place looked interesting with all it's decorations. The room we sat in had glitter mixed with the paint on the walls. For a small place it seemed like they used every inch of space they had. The pictures, decorations all were very interesting to look at. Since it was busy it took a while to place our order. I ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich with coleslaw and fries. I have to say that I had better. The BBQ beef sandwich was huge, but the meat inside was not hot off the stove. More like it's been sitting for a while and cooled. The fries were covered in salt and I could all but eat one. The coleslaw seemed to be missing an ingredient that I could not detect. The lady that I was with order chili beans said it was really good. I'm giving this place 2 stars just the fact that it was a busy night. And that if I do go back to Santa Fe I will give this place another try.
(2)Kevin M.
Fun atmosphere. Interesting Santa Fe local crowd.... Add heavy food, cold French fries, too sweet BBQ sauce, inconsistent service, loud music and it all works somehow.
(3)Scarlett H.
LOVE. We've eaten there twice in the past week and I could go there again right now if it wasn't after hours. Awesome food, great service. Can't say enough good things!
(5)Ali M.
My Favorite Place to Eat in Santa Fe!!! A place where meat lovers and vegetarians can dine in harmony. They actually cater to both (as opposed to catering for one and having half-assed attempts at food for the other). The food is wonderful, the prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere is lots of fun.
(5)Jason H.
My Yelp friends failed er on this one (4+ stars?)... Food was barely mediocre, tried the vaunted pulled pork sand, blah at best. Maybe need to come at night and have some drinks for a better opinion. But all on all, there are WAY better joints to eat on this town, go elsewhere
(1)Nick L.
For Food I'd go somewhere else. I got the BBQ sampler and it must have been sitting all day long before being plated. Dry, flavorless and just not worth it.
(1)Nina P.
TO DIE FOR BRISKET! GO HERE WHEN IN SANTA FE! We visited with guests when we lived there and let me tell you the BBQ is memorable! The brisket was great! It's one of those meals I'll always remember! The decor is western crazy! But seriously the food is great!
(5)Michael S.
Cool place indoor and outdoor but service and drinks were not that great
(2)KJ S.
We came in on a tip from a local friend and I am glad we did. We sat at the back bar where Molly took excellent care of us without- I might add, a fake good attitude. She was a genuinely delightful hostess/bartender... We started with French onion soup that was some of the best we have ever had (and we always get it wherever we are). My fiance had an excellent salad with yellow beets, shaved fennel and goat cheese Marconi almonds and asparagus with a lemon vinagerette... Very light and delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwhich perfectly smoked on a FRESH wheat kaiser roll with "diablo sauce" for a buck more as recommended by the food network... (on the show Heat Seekers) Holy Pig. It was killer! Served w fresh cut fries and cold slaw... I am from Alabama... BBQ central and I was very impressed. The vibe was homey and comfortable too w an eclectic clientel. On a side note... I asked "Molly" our hostess to explain the green and red chili sauce thing in this area of the country that is such a part of the culinary culture... She not only explained it, she told us of this amazing green chili enchilda dish we HAD to try cooking at home and proceeded to write the entire lengthy recipe down on paper for us. Gotta love people who just enjoy there day and sharing it w others. Was really fun. Will probably go back and try the "yak burger" before we go home next week. Thats right. Yak.
(4)Kali W.
I lived in this dirty shithole apartment down the street from The Cowgirl for awhile in 2007, and went here quite often. I mostly went in to drink a Guinness or a hard cider, and I think it goes without saying that those were good, because beer is good. I don't remember what day $2 or $3 Pabst Blue Ribbon pints was, but I can assure you I was there on that day and spent $15 contributing to that loss of memory. Last July, some friends and I spent a long, hot day eating psychedelic drugs, throwing rocks at other rocks, and hunting for bats in Diablo Canyon and came here afterwards to re-nourish ourselves with red meat and heavy beer, and the burger I had was equisite, under the circumstances. I also like the baked potato with cheese and green chile, salsa and sour cream. I got that a few times and it was standard and decent. I knew some of the folks that worked here and they gave me some spicy barbeque buffalo wings once - not something I'd usually order - and those were nothing short of delectable. If they had Mortal Kombat in the arcade, I doubt I would have ever left New Mexico. Minus one star for not having Mortal Kombat. Oh - a side note - the parking lot right next to the Cowgirl is famous for car robberies. A friend got his truck window broken and his camera stolen one night, and I heard of a few other incidents. Santa Fe is, after all, #2 burglary capital of the US.
(4)Leahi M.
It's a really great place to sit down at when it's not busy, unfortunately the food is very inconsistent. I hate to say it because I love everyone that works here now...so I don't like complaining...but I've had some really great meals here and some really bad ones too. I like the simple mac n cheese, which should be hard to mess up...but when they give me clumpy, burnt mac n cheese I get sad. I can't really return it because I'm usually at work when I sit down to eat it and can't leave...so I end up just drinking a lot of water to curb my hunger...
(3)Heather D.
We were looking for something open late, as the town seems to roll up around 9. We stumbled upon this place and I was thrilled to find out they had a frito boat. I had a great 'adult' hot chocolate, and a fantastic salad along with the frito boat. While the staff took a while to notice and seat us, once they did, they were very friendly and attentive. I'd definitely go back when in the area again.
(4)Julia F.
The only reason I didn't give this one star is because people seem to really like this place, so I must be missing something. Service is horrible. I worked there for a while, and it was obvious the waitresses were totally overwhelmed, which is why they don't get to your table until you've been there for 20 minutes and sometimes forget things. Despite the fact that this place claims to be a BBQ restaurant, their BBQ is probably the worst thing on the menu. If you want to eat there, the appetizers are probably your best bet. Sweet potato fries. Also, hamburgers are always safe/good for any restaurant if you're not sure about what to get. For breakfast, any of the new mexican dishes are pretty good. Mostly, people go there for the drinks, the bar, and the music/karaoke. It is kind of fun to hang out on the patio with friends, but I'm always too frustrated with the service to really enjoy it. The customers are really nice though, and that was the only thing that ever made that job tolerable. Good luck.
(2)Amy W.
Went to the Cowgirl twice on our recent honeymoon and had the best time -- first time just for margaritas and Frito pie at the bar -- perfect! -- and the second time for dinner -- I had the awesome butternut squash scalloped potatoes and my husband had the bbq chicken -- both great. Staff is friendly and unpretensh and everyone is having a good time -- good food at a great price -- fun vibe -- no complaints!
(5)P Lynn P.
We walked in around 4:30 - past at least two empty tables and the hostess was fairly abrupt with us - she saw that there were two of us and grabbed two menus and marched off. We followed her to a small room where she showed us to a small table right in the corner that hadn't been set yet. She left to get place settings so we went back to the front desk and asked if there was another table and the young man there said no. We asked about the empty tables and he said they were being saved; he did not offer for us to wait for table either. We felt that they catered to a younger crowd and did not particularly want our business so we left.
(1)David R.
We went here after seeing the good reviews, but it even surpassed the great reviews I had seen. Our party included 3 adults and 3 kids under 8 years old. For families with children, this is one of the best places to eat at given their very kid friendly outdoor area in the back. As shown in the picture I included, it contains a simple jungle gym with a slide, but what makes it great is that the area is enclosed and allows the adults to eat at their leisure while the kids get their energy out on the jungle gym as they please. In addition to that, the food what great. What more could you ask for if your eating out with your kids and want a great meal. A definite 5 star for families with kids.
(5)Anthony Q.
Great food and service. What else do you need when you're dining out? Did I say the food was great, I meant it's awesome. Not a bad margarita either.
(5)Tracy M.
Cowgirls was the dining lowlight of our New Mexico trip. The place is probably a good place to go have some drinks on the patio, they had the Bus Tapes as their band tonight. The food and service however, definitely were pretty significant minuses. We split the guacamole and the smoked prime rib sandwich. The margarita and Hefeweizen were better than the food :) The food was just okay and the waitress seemed as if she had 1000 other things she'd rather be doing.
(2)Dee H.
Visited here during my trip to Santa Fe three years ago because I heard "this is where all the young people hang out." It's not really my cup of tea. A live band was playing when I went, but since this is a small bar there was no room to dance to the music. And I'm used to places on the East Coast that are smoke-free, so I couldn't tolerate the cigarette smoke right in my face in here. There were some interesting people there---some older guy who gave me his email address (which I "misplaced"), and a drunken guy and his lesbian friend (the latter attended school in my hometown, which was cool). If I were back in the area and the place were smoke-free, then maybe I'd come back. ETA: I've been informed by a Yelper that places in Santa Fe have been smoke-free since '07, which is a breath of fresh air (pun intended) for me. Now I have a reason to come back if I'm ever back in the area.
(2)Jeanette H.
We are big fans of the Cowgirl. We go for the food, but often stick around for the fun entertainment. For a BBQ place, the Cowgirl has some surprising menu choices that are so delicious! I especially recommend the scallops served on a yummy bed of garlic mashed potatoes, but another favorite of mine is the mountain meatloaf with gravy over chipotle mashed potatoes topped with caramelized onions! I have seen some complaints about the service in other reviews, but we have been going to the Cowgirl since 2008 and I don't think that is the norm. Cesar, one of the managers, always greets us when we arrive, and he usually stops by our table to check on us at least once during our meal. On a number of occasions we have even seen Chef Patrick making the rounds to make sure all guests are enjoying themselves. Because it is such a popular place you need to be able to adjust your expectations when every single table is full. If you only have 30 minutes for a meal you should go elsewhere.
(4)David B.
I'm not going to get into the finer points of whether BBQ cooked west of the Appalachians is really BBQ. This is neither the time, nor the place. I'm just going to say that the meat product that I ate, which came from a variety of creatures, and was skillfully prepared, seasoned and served, pleased my pallette greatly. On a subsequent (lighter) visit. I had something that we can all agree was a hamburger, and it was really good, too.
(4)Jenny K.
Yummy food. Great atmosphere and it's open late. How can you beat that? I had the mac and cheese with green chile sauce, husband had the fajitas and we shared nachos and quite a few margaritas. Everything was great and I'd definitely recommend this place.
(4)Kelly C.
Was in desperate need for a family fun dinner spot for New Year's in Santa Fe this year. We settled on Cowgirl BBQ as the spot, and it worked out well. We were sat in the large back room which turned out to be very private and cozy, enabling us to have a comfortable conversation before the curtain closed on 2008. When you have 7 people in your clan, it's hard to please everyone, but Cowgirl BBQ's simple but diverse menu and funky atmosphere seemed to do the trick. Good selection of burgers, sandwiches, BBQ plates, salads, fish, tex-mex entrees - really you name it. And the casual, quirky atmosphere helped everyone relax....in addition to some decent margaritas. I had the Hi-ho Silver which was smooth and well-balanced with tequila and fresh lime juice. For my meal, I tried to order the smoked turkey pot pie, but they were already out, so I went with a pulled-pork sandwich which came with fries and coleslaw. Good flavor, and very filling. For starters we all shared a family style green salad which contained a ton of veggies, and the duck confit salad which was surprisingly good. Dessert was definitely creative - we had heard about the infamous baked potato (ice cream served in the shape of a potato, rolled in chocolate powder with whipped cream and pistachios on top) which we all enjoyed. We also split a tres leche cake which was a bit dry for me. While there was a band and a lively crowd playing in the front room we opted to walk home and chillax for the actual ball-dropping moment, although it was nice to have an option if we wanted to stay and get down with some more margaritas and eclectic band. Overall, while it wasn't the absolute best BBQ I've had, it was just right for our group in terms of variety, atmosphere and price.
(4)Rich R.
The drinks were hideously watered down, the table tops sticky, the catfish over-cooked. These deficiencies were partially compensated for by the tasty sauce and texture of the calamari, and the honest decency of the tres leches cake. Were I to return here, BBQ would be the order of the day. The patio looks like a place for those who wish to see and be seen.
(2)Caroline W.
Horrible service!! They were rude and drinks were awful...food was disgusting.
(1)Andrew C.
Usually I'd go for the brisket at a barbecue place, but this particular day I was feeling like eating a little healthier and wasn't too hungry, so I opted for the buffalo burger. And boy was it delicious! Sweet, juicy, and lean like Buffalo should be. Cooked just right. Staff was friendly and everyone else enjoyed their food too.
(4)Lisa P.
DO NOT MISS! Probably the most surprising and fabulous meal we had in our 2-day adventure.
(5)Erich V.
I love being outside at twilight on a warm night and The Cowgirl lets me do this while eating good food.
(4)Brian D.
Sadly the Cowgirl has declined rather precipitously in the last 6months. I am regularly in Santa Fe and will stop in the cowgirl when I am craving beef. Sadly the last time I went I made the mistake of ordering a burger. The burger I got was raw on the inside. Clearly the individual cooking the product has no idea how to properly cook beef. As I heard from the bartender Tiffany, she was unable to communicate with the cooking staff as speaking English as well properly preparing food weren't among the staffs' skills. When they took the burger back , they simply threw it on the grill to brown where I had taken a bite. When I looked at the burger it remained raw inside. Needless to say I didn't eat it. One of the people I was with, asked to speak with the manager who then couldn't be bothered to come speak with us. I left shortly thereafter. I am see a number of Cowgirl employees are writing positive reviews (Aisha you shouldn't hostess and write positive reviews!). Definitely avoid this place unless food poisoning is on the menu.
(1)Jackie A.
A good solid place to eat. Really good BBQ... not the best I've had but way better than what I expected. The game burger was delicious. It would have been better if it wasn't covered in New Mexican shit juice- aka green chile. Just playing... green chile is alright I just wish Santa Fe-ans didn't think it was like God's second son. We ate a baked potato made out of ice cream. That was the best part. Good job Cowgirl!
(4)Khaleelah J.
Thank God this place is open past 7 on a Sunday. After a long day of hiking through the mountains, we NEEDED food ASAP...and most places were closed. Cowgirl BBQ came through with AMAZING fast service and good food. If you're looking for a culinary delight that will blow your mind, go elsewhere, but this place served a solid BBQ sandwich (for a little twist, try the green chile strips- they are only $1.00 more and are GREAT on anything) and margarita within 20 minutes...great live music, too!
(4)Sam A.
Now EVERYONE in the city of Santa Fe KNOWS that the service at the cowgirl is the worst on the planet, but I just want to point out just how terrible it is... Tonight, five of us showed up for dinner at about 9:30, finally got our order in to the kitchen by about 10:30pm... had to return 3 drinks, and had every single meal messed up to the point that even with our to-go orders (where we'd eaten half the food already), we actually ended up with doggie bags from other tables! OUCH!
(1)JR S.
Very good fresh-cut fries and collard greens. Mediocre brisket. Awful service. Our food arrived before our drinks. That shouldn't happen. We sat on the patio, but no one knew how to turn on the heat lamp.
(2)Jill C.
The ambiance was fun and funky but the food was really heavy and disappointing. Much better eats to be had in Santa Fe.
(2)Mim B.
I went here my first night in Santa Fe. I was coming from the east coast, and people, if you grew up and live at sea level, having a beer at 7k feet is an experience. The beer I had, the state pen porter, was very tasty and to me extremely reasonably priced. (For reference, I grew up in NY and live in the DC metro area for now.) It felt like 3! My quesadilla, filled with cheese, green chile strips, tomatoes, and onions was tasty if a bit hard to eat. It came with beans, and the fact that Cowgirl shows their beans so much love is huge. The texture was tender but not out of a can, and they were delicious. I love beans, but where I live they're usually an afterthought - someone cracks open a can and sprinkles some over whatever you ordered. My bf ordered the bison burger. It was cooked perfectly, juicy, tender, and exploding with meaty flavor. That night, my bf and I split their baked potato ice cream, which is a great sight gag. And hey, vanilla ice cream rolled in cocoa with whipped cream and fudge sauce is never a losing combination. :) We went back our last night in Santa Fe to try their BBQ. The combo platter was like the size of my head, and everything on it was delicious. The brisket was kind of dry, but again, tasty. And it came with more of those beans. I completely ignored the potato salad and cole slaw which were lackluster and bland. My bf ordered the Horny Toad margarita, and it was a very well-mixed drink. You could taste the tequila, and there was enough sweet, sour, and coldness to make it really refreshing without being too sweet. We finished off the night with a piece of tres leches cake, although in retrospect I have no idea how we managed to eat even more. :) And that was sweet, with bits of what I think were almonds studding the cake, served with not-out-of-a-can whipped cream (!). Overall, Cowgirl is (to me, a born and bred NYer) totally kitschy and silly but... real. Because it's, well, in NM. Like the dudes wandering around with huge beards looking like lumberjacks aren't some idiot hipsters from Brooklyn trying to be ironic, and I totally loved it. The people watching here is superb. Thumbs up for the BBQ, the DIY quesadilla, the Horny Toad margarita, the buffalo burger, and OMG the beans. :)
(4)Richard M.
Went there about a year ago and was never served, ended up leaving after 30 minutes without even a waiter coming to ask us what we would like to drink.
(1)C. M.
I went here to have a nice meal in relative anomynity and enjoy some local bbq. I got a table right across from the bar next to a wall, perfect for a single diner. My server came by quickly and was friendly and helpful. I had a house margarita and ordered the bbq sandwich and splurged on the sweet potato fries. The margarita was a solid pour but not exceptional. Based on other reviews I was expecting more but was still enjoyable. Food arrived in a decent amount of time and the bbq was very good. They are long on sauce and solid on spice-not overbearing but tangy and enough kick to get your attention. The fries were a bit of a dissapointment. They were not particularly hot and did not have as much sweet taste as I was hoping. The dipping sauce was interesting and a different approach with cinnamon (I think). My server came over a couple of times during my meal to check on me and suggested a local beer as a second drink (Santa Fe Stout, much better). Prices were reasonable and the quantities were above average. A word about the clientele- this appeared (to me) to be a local's hangout. I did not see many "tourists" there, which to me is a plus. I would go back but probably skip the sweet potato fries. Enjoy!
(3)K. P.
First of all - diners, don't take yourselves too seriously! I think they're doing something right at Cowgirl. I've been to the NYC location numerous times and was curious about the original restaurant in Santa Fe. I ask you this: when did good food and fun become mutually exclusive? I'm glad Cowgirl isn't of that ilk. I really enjoyed their locally sourced meat and produce (Taos yak burger - yes, please!), great margaritas (their mezcalita is the best specialty margarita in Santa Fe in my opinion) and felt totally at ease with its low key, somewhat tongue-in-cheek Western vibe. Service was friendly and on point. For the price-point the food was very good and many menu items are surprisingly well thought out (plenty of vegetarian options, too). And yes, their frozen margaritas (don't pretend you're too good for them) are legendary...and cheap! Bottom line: Cowgirl is a unique dining/drinking option in Santa Fe definitely worth checking out.
(4)Carrie B.
Excellent- even for a vegetarian! I ordered a salad off of the seasonal menu and opted to add jerk tofu to it. YUMMY. Great margarita. Great way to end a day in Santa Fe.
(4)Evangeline O.
At first glance, you might find an old boring place. But once you enter inside and get served by their friendly waiters, you will change your mind! This place is so awesome! The quality of their servings are satisfying! Their display in the menu will keep you drooling! Their service is satisfying. The food is great. To sum it up, i'll give you 5 stars!
(5)Jace G.
I went back here after the pleasant experience before (see below). Well I think that the previous experience was tainted by sitting outside on a nice day. This time we sat inside. Maybe that allowed us to focus more on our food. Easiest way to describe the food: cheap diner food. It was warm and filled our bellies, but I wouldn't go back or recommend it to anyone.
(2)Patrick C.
Outstanding food. Had the ribs and mud pie. Both were delicious.
(4)heather g.
Service was great, food servings were huge, price was right! The cowgirl bbq was an unexpected find for 2 vegetarians from Texas! We highly recommend stopping in and staying for a game of pool in the adjoining bar.
(5)Rob W.
Good service. Accommodated our party of 6 with 2 kids easily. Food was great. The chile with Frito Lays chips I thought was a joke until we ordered it and tried it. Such a good chile flavor with brisket and ground beef. Superb. I had the BBQ sampler plate which was way too much for me but was fantastic in terms of flavor (ribs, brisket and chicken were wonderful). I will definitely return.
(4)Lars L.
Great ribs and scallops, tuna app was huge. A transplant from the NYC Hall of Fame, and even better as you can eat outside in the beautiful evening air and commiserate with the friendly locals.
(4)Katelin H.
From one *spicehead* to another, I invite you to saddle up at the Cowgirl. Dern near the best BBQ I've had this side of the Mississippi. A whole mess of meats: ribs, brisket, chick, and beasties of all varieties! Plumb fell outta my seat when I tasted dem baked banes. So, if you're in the area, and ya got yerself a hankerin for some of the sauciest spice smackdab in the middle of the desert, hightail it to Cowgirls. Take a load off, Chap. Pull yourself up that thar cheer and setchursef down for a spell. Shootfire way to clean out the system. A few werds of advace: Don't go if yer so poor you'd hafta borrow money to buy water to cry with. And ya wanna drank somethin'? No doubles, Partner. It's the law, shore nuff. All that bein' said, grab yer bippy, mosey on down to one of the finest establishments to hoot and holler in the most Santa of the Fe's. Zackly what my wern out, tired ole bones needed. No yella-bellies need apply. Go on now... git!
(5)Heather M.
Excellent bartenders and drinks(especially margaritas). Great music. Yummy affordable food! This is by far my favorite bar in Santa Fe!
(5)Randy B.
The most consistently fun best food in Santa Fe!
(5)David S.
Cowgirl BBQ is a good place. I'll tell you this, I have not had any of the food, which looks pretty good and some of the others reviews say that it is. I will have to try it one day. This is a good place for music, pool, the decent country/classic rock/etc. jukebox and beers. They also have a full bar here. The staff, decked out in cowgirl/cowboy-type outfits which is a nice touch, treat patrons with respect and are attentive. Cowgirl BBQ probably ranks as my favorite watering hole in Santa Fe.
(3)James F.
I love this little cantina in Santa Fe. Cheap strong drinks and a great outdoor deck! I was lucky enough to see some amazing music while I was here, and ended up hiring the band to play at my wedding! Next time I am in town I will defiantly come back to the Cowgirl and get a little rowdy.
(5)Stacy S.
Best Bbq I have ever had,.... Great recommendation
(5)Kirk H.
The absolute best Green Chili Burger ever! The Mother! Great beer selection of local brews. The truffle fries rock! Great service.
(5)John N.
Very dog friendly on the patio, but don't put your pooch on a chair, please. Erratic service, but worth the wait. Bustling all day. Make a reservation if you want to be seated promptly. Lively ambience. Surprising quantity and good quality of fish and seafood dishes. I had blackened fish sandwich on rye with slaw. Delicious, and I don't particularly like slaw or rye with my fish. My wife had salmon tacos with beans and rice, which she devoured. Will return to try additional fish entrees.
(4)Lindsey M.
Santa Fe staple when I come into town. The baked potato ice cream is where it's at. I had the brisket with mashed potatoes and slaw. Standard BBQ food made better by Cowgirl's environment. Friendly weight staff with fun outfits and a great patio. Each room has a different vibe to offer, all fun.
(4)Shannon Z.
Worst service I have ever encountered (thank you Pablo) & mediocre food. The worst potato salad, I don't even know how you can mess that up?! Skip! Gluten free options were not truly gluten free (avoid if you have celiacs/allergy). I left very feeling very ill and disappointed. All the BBQ sauce has gluten, the fries have gluten, there are no main dishes on the menu that are gluten free. The waitstaff has no respect for food allergies or customers requests.
(1)Whitnee R.
I was pretty eager to try this place after a few recommendations, but once I found out that it was a BBQ joint serving up vegetarian dishes, I was all in. Seriously, what's cooler than getting to satisfy my fiancé's BBQ needs AND not having to surrender to a side of coleslaw for lunch? Nothing, yelpers. The answer is nothing. I excitedly planned out my meal before I arrived and decided on the jerk tofu. When we arrived, the atmosphere was little sleepy because we missed the lunch crowd, but there was definitely a friendly vibe about the place. (I recommend sitting on their front patio as it is a more lively spot with better views.) Upon ordering, I was disheartened when I found out that they actually didn't have any tofu dishes. Not sure why it was listed on the menu, but disappointing to say the least. I settled for a vegetarian Frito pie (a classic favorite of mine). It arrived in a bag, trailer park-style, which I can always get down with. Unfortunately, the good stopped there. The chili was extremely chunky, Fritos were soggy, and it all just tasted like a heaping serving of tomato sauce. I was missing that spicy kick, the cheesy top layer, and that crunch of the Fritos that make it a top notch dish in the realm of comfort food. Our server was also tending bar and was pretty aloof. With Cowgirl's reputation and its effort to serve up some veg BBQ, I'm willing to give it another shot - but I just can't give it a pass for that take on a Santa Fe staple. Gonna seek out my Frito pies elsewhere, but keeping the door open for any menu changes down the line.
(3)Carmen S.
This place gets 3 stars for having a pet friendly patio. Otherwise, their drinks are adequate but overpriced, and their food is sub-par.
(3)Chris P.
Sure it's a Santa Fe landmark, but the food and drink speaks volumes. A must have is the baked potato ice cream dessert, and the smoke pulled pork is seriously done right. They have a great beer selection, and the atmosphere is pretty cool. If you want to give yourself a heart attack, go for the nachos. After that, I felt like I couldn't eat for a week. If the aim is to be Texas size, you won't be disappointed. The burgers kill it too. You really can't order anything bad here. The beer tap rotation is excellent because of the good emphasis on New Mexico brewed offerings. As someone from the Seattle area where beer is HUGE, I can't say enough good stuff and praises for New Mexico beer and breweries.
(5)Kathryn M.
YUM! Everything I had was amazingly delicious. Did not realize you could make food taste like this until I went here. Simply a must-go if you're in Santa Fe. Live music was great too! Warm, homey ambiance. Just so great.
(5)Kristie A.
My favorite stop in New Mexico!!! Everything is good and the beer selection is amazing!!! It's hard to choose between the BBQ and Southwest menu so order both!!!!
(5)Quinn A.
I drove up here from ABQ for nothing. I called ahead to make sure they have patio seating and if yes, do you allow dogs. The woman on the phone said yes, so I said, see you in an hour! Now I'm here and there is a reserved sign on every table. They say nothing will be available until one o'clock. What the hell? You didn't know this when I called an hour ago? See ya at the Zia!
(1)Anthony J.
Santa Fe, Local, N.M. Shop and Staff We went for dinner on Saturday expecting a long wait, however we got a table as soon as we walked in. We were very lucky. A very popular place to eat, and for good reason. The outdoor seating was completely full. The staff had a very professional manner, and yet we could joke with him as well. Of course the theme is western style, and it was great to see everyone had a western uniform on. Food and Experience Wow! Everything was great! To start we shared the asparagus and goat cheese salad. That was a flavor combination hard to describe. We both got the Meatlofe for dinner, and the service was fast and great. I would tell everyone who needs that good home cooking meal to head to this place.
(4)Jessica P.
SO GOOD! Been visiting in Santa Fe for the past few days, and was very impressed. Our server was very accommodating and sweet, staff was very helpful in moving us to another table when it began to rain, food was delicious! If I'm ever back in Santa Fe, I will definitely be back here!
(4)Vert F.
Ouah-Oh, after being walking all around Santa Fe for my work, I finally found one place to have lunch on a Mexican time... 3:43pm. Which is also during the happy hour! I went for the Frozen Margarita 100% agave which is rare, and you feel the difference. The Little Sirloin was perfect with the Terra Andina Malbec and I left the place more than happy. I'll come back if another trip brings me here
(4)Wendy C.
My pulled pork sandwich was seriously good! My husband's fish tacos not so much :/ service was excellent... Maybe it's important to remember: When you are eating at a BBQ restaurant it's probably a good idea to order BBQ!! Check out the picture I posted of my sandwich..
(4)Christine F.
Delicious barbecue. Great patio outside. We had the baked potato dessert. Nothing like it!
(5)Debbie N.
Went for lunch to taste the bbq. Perhaps we're spoiled because we're from the South, but were disappointed a bit in the sauce. Brisket wasn't as tender as I'm used to. Portion size was great and they accommodated our requests for swapping out the usual fry side with greens for me and jalapeño cornbread for my husband. Excellent server - good beer and iced tea (I'm sometimes amazed that places can screw up iced tea!). Free internet, which we took advantage of because the service at our condo was horrible. Sat outside so don't know what the inside ambiance is like.
(3)Steven D.
Very busy place, so obviously very good. I had a steak and it was cooked to perfection (medium rare), wish I had a picture but I was hungry and it was too late when I thought about taking one. Baked potatoes was also great and mixed veggies. DEFINITELY recommend cowgirls to anyone in Sante fe!
(4)José C.
Everything looks delicious here. I had the mother of all green chilly burger and I highly recommended! One of the best burgers I had so far. The service was good and they have a huge list of local beers on tap. We where leaving when the live music kick in. You can seat outside too. Really nice original local restaurant.
(4)Patricia J.
Not only barbeque... Patrick is a great chef. The quality of food is a steal for the price in Santa Fe. The service, great. Entertainment fabulous. The crowd? Unforgettable. See you there! Thanks Cowgirl.
(5)Bike Chaplain O.
Poor is the operative word in every way. How does a restaurant go from 4 stars to 2 stars to now a 1 star? We ask for water with lemons. The water takes 15 minutes and the lemons take another 10 minutes to arrive. The burgers (two) were both dry and tasteless. The fries were soggy and limp. We told our waiter, who did nothing. I ordered the natural burger and my friend ordered the cowgirl burger. Both "fowl" tasting. Stay away until new waiters, cooks and management are hired and old staff sent to work for/destroy their competition.Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(1)Krista M.
The gourmet grilled cheese was amazing. The caramelized onions were delicious. The cole slaw left something to be desired but overall the food was fantastic.
(4)Maricarmen P.
Solid, a great place, really yummy food and very friendly laid back service... really. laid. back... We had their buffalo burger, delicious and perfectly cooked to a medium term woth pretty tasty truffled fries. We also had the Cabeza de Ajo app, a roasted garlic head with green chile and cheese, served with bruschetta toast, really surprisingly satisfying. We also had a delicious arugula goat cheese salad, and crawfish ettoufee with jambalaya, flavors were spot on (i lived in louisiana and this is exactly how that is supposed to tastes like, well done!) We were seated in the back which is a family area with open playground for kids (awesome) and has a community table, unfortunately it was a little away from the way for the waiter who had a mild case of amnesia. Were not really in a hurry so we didn't mind... the family that was sitting right beside us at the community table couldn't take it and left, not sure if they were not happy with the community table seating or the slow service or something... it was definitely something, they were annoying and we were glad they were gone... community table is truly like a box of cjocolates, you never know what you are going to get LOL ...oh well!
(4)Ginger J.
We come here ever time we come to Sante Fe. Usually the food is great and the live music is super fun. This time the food was lousy. We had the tacos which were really disappointing! There are tons of other great places to eat in Sante Fe!
(2)Kayla S.
The house margarita was no Bueno! To sweet! I had to order more tequila and water it down! Luckily the bartender offered to make us his specialty which was great! They need to put that on the menu instead! We had the ribs which were tasty however they cover them in a lil to much bbq sauce but everything it was paired with was also yum. All around we enjoyed the experience. It was really busy so that's a plus! They have a great play area if you have kids! The staff was very friendly and I thought there outfits were cute lol.
(4)Kevin M.
Wow. Adult son and I were here 2 years ago and liked is so much that we went back the next night! Cut to tonight: Bad. Overpriced. Lousy service. For starters we had the "5 pepper nachos", as seen in the Wall Street Journal. That should have been a warning sign. What would the WSJ know from southwestern food? About 7 tortilla chips that were totally soaked through soggy, a massive pile of chopped onion, an even massiver pile of black olives, slathered with something called "Diablo sauce". The sauce had no heat and was sickly sweet. Fine for tourists, I guess. Not fine at all for a native New Mexican. I then had fajitas. 12 strips of poorly seasoned steak (yes, I counted) with about 4 cups of sautéed onion, red and yellow bell peppers. 3 stale 6" flour tortillas, cold and unseasoned rice and black beans. Son said his buffalo burger (as in bison meat) was just OK. The server was inattentive and badly in need of a charisma transplant. Implant, even. She had no personality at all, and we were ignored at first. We had been fishing all day, and just wanted water to start. I thought no she pegged us as cheap. Then, son ordered a margarita and I ordered the 4 beer sampler. Then she got to be a little, but only a little more attentive. This is a far inferior Cowgirl than the one we went to 2 years ago, even though it is the same restaurant! Oh, and the total bill for I mixed drink, one beer sampler, one app and two entrees was $75. We will be looking for somewhere else tomorrow.
(1)Alayna D.
We were only in Santa Fe a few days, and were interested to see what was going on in the area. After finding out that this place had live music every sunday afternoon we knew we had to try it. We arrived pretty early near the beginning of the live music (about noon probably). The restaurant itself was very busy and we were going to wait for a table. We got a drink at the bar while we were waiting which turned out to be the best decision we could have made. That is where the music was going on, so we just asked to stay up there and eat at the bar. The atmosphere was so fun. Everyone was very warm and welcoming, and it was awesome to have the music going on as well. The beer selection was extremely extensive. This was wonderful to see for us Oklahomans who live in the state of stupid liquor laws and limited beers. We ordered beers from different New Mexican Breweries and they were excellent. I ordered the Yak Meatloaf. It was not at all gamey and was served with a gigantic helping of chipotle mashed potatoes. The sauce was made with Stout and had a BBQ type of vibe. My boyfriend got the BBQ platter which had all different kinds of BBQ items. Both dishes were WONDERFUL. Our bartender/server, I believe her name was Tiffany (?), was amazing. It was incredibly crowded and busy and she kept her cool and had a positive attitude all afternoon. Props to her! Definitely check out Cowgirl especially when there is live music going on!
(5)Jay P.
Almost always get the cowgirl burger for $10 and it's one of the best around. Great selection of beers with nightly specials, lots of whiskey and tequila. Good for live music and killin time with friends playin pool.
(5)Mr M.
Probably the first BBQ I have had in New Mexico. The joint is awesome, and staff is friendly, but it's no Lockhart BBQ (Texas), and frankly, Dickie's probably has it beat. Oh, the menu is huge! To begin with, we were eating between normal meal hours. We are on vacation, so we eat at odd times, usually avoiding crowds. It was around 3pm as I recall. We sat on the patio and they allowed us to bring our dog, who is well behaved and other than being a dog, doesn't bother anybody. I ordered a Sampler platter which consist of ribs (meh), brisket ( a bit better than "meh"), and chicken (best of 3). Sides are just "OK", but beans are not served hot, slaw is not "cold" and potato salad is just "in between". For that matter the meat was not really hot either. This is the first strike for me. Foods that should be hot need to be served hot, likewise for cold foods. As for the individual meats, the brisket was tender, but not flavorful. The ribs were covered in a thick sauce- again, not much flavor to the meat, I cant detect under all that sauce what the wood is- mesquite, hickory, pecan...? there was so much sauce it was difficult to eat with your hands, you need a LOT of napkins. Honestly, I was disappointed. I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it exist. My wife ordered Yak meatloaf, and the Yak is supposedly "local". It was better WAY than the BBQ I had. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and garnished with a couple of onion rings. Honestly, the meatloaf tasted great- like a very good steak. It had a coarse grind, slightly chewy like a New York Strip. I would order that in a heartbeat. My star rating is based on the fact that this is a "BBQ" place- has BBQ in the name, and the BBQ is ordinary at best. I say this as a fan Texas BBQ spots like Lockhart (Lockhart, Plano and Dallas), Angelo's in Ft Worth, City Market in Giddings, Louie Mueller In Taylor, and frankly, Rudy's, which is a gas station BBQ joint and is all over the state. I honestly feel bad going so low, because I know they likely have many things on the menu that are great. The Yak meatloaf was great. But the sign doesn't say "Cowgirl Meatloaf" (or whatever else is really great here). will I try again? Of course, but not the BBQ. I hear the chili relleno is good. Maybe then can make a good CFS? I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it is here.
(2)Robert G.
Monday afternoon, all we wanted were drinks and chips / guacamole. They were fine, but the service was abysmal. Won't return.
(3)Nicole M.
Live music on Saturdays! Yummy BBQ food, I recommend the BBQ sandwich with the spicy sauce. There are heaters in case it gets chilly so I recommend sitting outside, better atmosphere. I had the Cowgirl Agave Margarita and added strawberry flavor. It was delicious. There is also a billiards hall.
(3)Camille H.
I really enjoyed this BBQ place when I went to NM to visit a friend in Santa Fe. I have been looking for half way decent BBQ since I moved out west and have not had great luck in that department. This place was huge! And it had a cute playground out back for kids to play in. The food was great, I had a BBQ chicken dish, potato salad, fries.. a very delicious margarita as well. The kids loved it, they couldn't wait to get outside to play. And us mommy's loved it where we could sit at the table and finish our margaritas and food and watch them have a blast.
(4)Jocelyn B.
Smokiest flavors I've ever tasted. I begged the waiter to either sell me the bbq sauce or give me the recipe. Sadly, no such luck. Great beer flight, too. Fun, delicious, incredibly filling spot. After that dinner, all I can do is lay very still. Santa Fe, you've outdone yourself with the yums.
(4)Sam G.
I came for the wings and stayed for the pulled pork. All around, this was a good experience. It's comfy, has the essential Southwest feel, the staff was nice, and the food was delicious. I sat at the bar, which had a ton of beers on tap, and ordered the wings of fire. Excellent! They were hot, but not gut-busting. Being hungry still, I then ordered the spicy version of the pulled pork sandwich. Again, good stuff. As a tourist with time for only one meal in Santa Fe, I'm glad I gave this place my money and time.
(4)Jonathan D.
We got seated incredibly fast on July 4th. We had our choice of indoor or patio seating. Our server was friendly and attentive. BBQ beef brisket sandwich was melt-one-your-mouth delicious. With cole slaw and scalloped potatoes (which I substituted for fries) as sides, it really filled me up.
(4)Rick C.
Great place and great food. Travling through, and someone at the hotel suggested Cowgirl. We're glad we came. The facility is...interesting. Very DIY buildings and additions. Good size outdoor patio. I was surprised by the variety on the menu. It was a little more than you'd expect from a place like this. The wait staff seemed excellent. Our waiter was great - I wish I would have caught her name - but friendly and the right amount of attentive. The food came quickly. The portions were large and good quality components. I had the BBQ sampler, and it is enough for any two people. Now, if you can put the food away, it'll take care of you. I left a lot on my plate and still needed to be carted off in a wheelbarrel. The BBQ was a good, smokey and spicy (prolly a bit much for the wimpy folks). My coworker was impressed by the beer selection (I don't drink and couldn't tell you anything abut it - no impact on me). I'm starting to look forward to my next trip here. I'll be coming back. After all, I gotta try the karaoke.
(4)Mark G.
I've been to this restaurant twice and both times the food was not that great. I don't know if it's because it's downtown or if they think their food is worth the cost but it was rather expensive too. On top of that, the service was pretty bad as well. Our server (both times) took forever to even come ask us what we wanted to drink. Mind you these where not very busy nights. And the second, and last time, I went the server was very rude to us. Don't know if this was because they where too busy to be bothered for a refill on a drink or if there was something else going on. Either way, not a good way to act towards a paying customer.
(1)Matt K.
Great mainstay of Santa Fe on Guadalupe - their Chili Rellenos were some of the best I've experienced, and according to my cajun-sensitive brother, their gumbo was *lip-smacking* good. Hate to say it to you "Benny's" fans in Denver, but Cowgirl has yours beat. Got the rellenos "Christmas Tree", definitely prefer the red chili over green - but both were very tasty. Cowgirl BBQ is a fun place to chill, great place to people watch, and overall fun place to hang out when in SF. (5+ times a year).
(4)Susanna W.
J & I "randomly" chose Cowgirl BBQ (one of the highest rated & most popular restaurants in the Santa Fe area on Yelp) to have lunch at our first full day in NM. AMBIANCE: We sat in the courtyard at one of the communal picnic benches (in a shaded spot). The courtyard is very cute, and has a super relaxing vibe. SERVICE: Super friendly. Different staff members came by to check on us, and our main server made sure we were well taken care of. FOOD: - Mother of all burgers: One of the best burgers I've had in a while. The beef was perfectly seasoned, great texture (a medium grind), and cooked to a nice medium (bordering med-rare). Add on the brie (fancy!), green chile (is there anything that DOESN'T have green chile on it in NM?), and other accoutrements, and you have a delicious, hefty meal. The fries that came with the burger were only ok-- they were slightly soggy. - Green chile nachos with beef brisket: Holy. The portion size is generous, and I could only have a few bites before waving the white flag. Really good, though I wished I had asked for less cheese (blasphemy?) and the sour cream on the side. OVERALL: One of our best meals while in NM. I thought that the green chile was pretty thoughtfully combined with the items we chose, so that it was harmonious rather than an absent-minded add on. I'd dine here again.
(4)Cinnamongirl 6.
Had dinner tonight with my family. Our food was delish! We ate inside, but there was plenty of seating, outside on the patio. The kids had fajitas, my husband enjoyed his burger and I had the blue corn chicken stack. No complaints about the food although it was pretty standard fare. We did sit there for five minutes without a peep. My husband is not one to let things go so he went to the hostess girls and told them that we needed waters, menus and our waiter...stat! After that, everything went great. Our waiter was delightful, funny even. Our drinks were great. My margarita was even on the strong side. Not that I mind that! The atmosphere is fun and it's just a sweet, kitschy little joint.
(4)K P.
I was looking for something good to eat and wanted to absorb more New Mexico culture so I gave Cowgirl's a try. I was not disappointed. The service was excellent, and not too kitschy. The food was very good. I loved the flavor of the barbecue ribs. My son ordered the sampler of craft beers. That was fun and they were all high quality beers, not the stuff that isn't selling. We sat on the patio until it rained, but that didn't spoil a thing. We had a memorable and truly enjoyable experience!
(5)Forrest B.
I have never wrote a review but felt obligated after an an awful experience: On our honeymoon, we were asked to leave because we had "glassy eyes." We were waiting for a table and music to start and could not find a place to sit. My wife dropped her jacket and that was reason why we were asked to leave.. What a joke. Go here if you would like to be embarrassed and treated awful.
(1)Jody P.
Excellent food, good music and attentive service. Nice combination. A very well stocked bar with a great beer selection and a not to shabby whiskey selection as well :) The most important thing for me when going to a new place is how well they handle my wife's dairy allergy. The Cowgirl did a great job and the Server even remembered when we ordered an after dinner drink that normally has whipped cream on it. The drink came sans the dairy component and it was still great. Ok, the food. The "Mother of all Green Chile Cheeseburgers" was wonderful. Don't know if it was the best I've ever had but it was pretty damn close. The rest of my party also enjoyed their meals too... Will be making the Cowgirl a regular stop when we go into town!
(4)Raider J.
BBQ was very average. The fries were excellent, ribs and chicken were decent, the beef brisket was dry and overcooked and the service sucked!
(3)Barry S.
Wonderful brisket sandwich and fries. The BBQ sauce was to die for. Rich and smokey. My partner had a very fresh gazpacho. Definitely recommend for lunch.
(4)Jared S.
Definitely the place to get your meat fix. In Santa Fe for business, I came to trusty yelp for some recommendations, and this is one of the most rated places around, and very highly rated at that. I got the BBQ platter and all of it was great, but nothing really special in my opinion honestly. And I'm from NY so you'd think great BBQ would be obvious considering you don't really get it there. My coworker had the t-bone and was happy, and ended with the homemade cherry pie that he enjoyed. The only faux pas - both interested in local micro brews, we ordered the Santa Fe Pale Ale (or something like that). The waiter came back a few minutes later, "Oh, I'm so sorry, we actually just replaced the Pale Ale on our menu with Pacifico. Would you like that instead?" Are you kidding me? That's like saying, "Sorry, no Sam Adams, would you like a Milwaukee's Best instead?" Um, no.
(4)Kate G.
Naturally I found the Railroad district and Cowgirl BBQ the night before I left Santa Fe. And now the city make much more sense to me.
(4)Katie H.
We didn't eat here, but the beer was tasty, the entertainment was good (there was a band and cd release party that night) and the staff was super friendly. We stopped in for a beer and the owner/manager chatted with us about where we were from and then invited us to come back for dinner and have a free beer. We stopped back in later for the beer and ended up hanging out for about 2 hours in the pool area, drinking beers, dancing to the tunes on the limited juke box and chatting with some locals.
(4)Dean W.
First dessert: we had never heard of an ice-cream-baked-potato before. Well, it was YUMMY! Imagine if you will, a log of vanilla ice cream rolled in powdered chocolate (so it looks like a potato). The top is split open, whip cream (i.e. sour cream) is filled into the split, green coated nuts (in place of onions), and a slab of frosting top it all off. The decor and atmosphere are fun. The servers are all decked out as cowboys or cowgirls. All in all we enjoyed it.
(4)Jessica M.
While visiting Santa Fe, I specifically requested a visit to Cowgirls based on all of the great Yelp reviews. I was not disappointed. At the time, I was dealing with some crazy sinus reactions to the elevation and opted for the spicy jerked chicken in hopes of finding a remedy. The jerk sauce wasn't exactly authentic, but it was a delicious blend of tangy and spicy flavors so I won't complain. Plus, the serving was huge! Two whole chicken breasts with beans and rice. One person in our party was a vegetarian and allergic to several foods, but was still able to find a nice number of options to pick from. The sweet potato fries were very unique, served with chopped nuts, green onions and a sweet dressing, yet still very yummy! It was a very busy night, but service was friendly and reliable. This place is definitely a gem for Santa Fe!
(5)Drew C.
Dive + Decent BBQ + Outdoor Drinking = success.
(4)Sam P.
Would definitely go back. Food is good, altho, I have to say that the best thing we had there was the epazole chili/soup. Fun atmosphere. Good mix of locals and tourists.
(4)Mike P.
This is a trendy BBQ place near the busy Railyard shopping complex. The atmosphere and decor are great and they have a nice patio. The menu is a mix of barbecue, sandwiches, and other American fare. The food is good, but not great. The barbecue isn't memorable, not surprising since Santa Fe doesn't have any sort of BBQ tradition. The restaurant has been featured on a number of travel TV shows and its close to a passenger rail stop, so its often full of tourists.
(3)Mirai S.
A bar, restaurant, and club all in one! The food was nothing special, but a very fun place indeed.
(3)Kathleen K.
So the 6 of us piled in here on a Friday night around 9:00. It was packed, which we thought a good sign. This is a BBQ joint so the BBQ menu items are the best to order. The beef brisket sandwich was delicious. The BBQ Sampler also. I had the pulled pork sandwich, which had a tasty chipotle BBQ sauce. The folks in the bar appeared to be enjoying themselves and we liked seeing all the cowgirl pictures. Nothing fancy but a very nice meal at a reasonable price.
(4)huong n.
the food was good and the ambiance was excellent. i am giving it 3 stars because the service was unbelievably bad. i did not expect this kind of inattentive service and complete obliviousness from a place like this. the waitress got our drinks promptly but she forgot to put in our appetizer and dinner. she came back to ask us about how we were doing on our meals which we had not gotten yet (more than 40 mins have passed since we ordered). she didn't apologize; just went on pretending that things were ok. we felt too generous for giving her a tip. my fish taco and mojito were great. the live band was pretty fun and complimented the atmosphere well.
(3)Hiker Chicka e.
I've been here only once (with a large party) and these guys do a mean green chile burger. Everyone in my party loved the food, but hey it's Santa Fe, which is definitely well known for their great dining options. Oh.. yeah.. if you are into that kinda thing, the meals are served by waitresses dressed as cowgirls. And they do a song/dance to go with it.
(4)Steve E.
Very good. Busy during tourist season.
(5)Richard W.
We go to Santa Fe each year, and every visit we go to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Good value, loads of character, full of locals. If there's a wait, you can sit out in the garden and soak up the atmosphere. Good food, kid friendly, we'll keep coming back. Just wish we had this in Denver.
(5)Og B.
i am giving this place 5 stars because it is the ONLY place i have been able to go in santa fe and play a game of pool with strangers. the service is great and usually adorable. i love cowgirls and i love billiards. i also dont mind the juke box filled with ani and blues. oh lesbians... food is good. lots of flat screens with sports. same jam bandy music. always people dancing and a mixed crowd.
(5)Josh O.
Mmmmm. I had the Bunkhouse Brisket, Jessi M. got the Jerked Chicken, and my mom got the butternut squash casserole. Delicious. Good prices. Fun place. Plus I got to see the king of all mullets (sadly I couldn't figure out a way to discreetly take a picture). My only complaint was that the room they seated us in was hellishly hot. It must have been 80+ in there. Fortunately the food was good enough to distract me from that, so I'm still giving them all five stars. Plus, $2 PBRs. $1 on Tuesday. If I didn't live thousands of miles away, I'd be there all the time.
(5)Julie A.
$1 PBR's. GOOD food. a BBQ joint that has a ton of vegetarian dishes?! The 2 friends I were with ate meat, and a lot of it. They are BBQ aficionados they say and they gave this place a rave review. I had a vegetarian sampler plate and say this place gets the two thumbs up. totally laid back for both lunch or dinner, cheap prices, and super fast and friendly servers make it an all around perfect place to come to. I'm a sucker for the western decor, even if I was in New Mexico. This place is a must!
(5)Mark G.
Had two good meals here, and it was wonderful sitting on the patio in the October sun. One star is for the patio. Several choices of local beer help, too. Of ten dishes ordered, three were great, none were terrible, but a few were not worth the effort. The BBQ brisket was really good, and the BBQ brisket hash with chili-spiked eggs Benedict sauce was outstanding, especially since it's tough to make Hollandaise that stays perfectly smooth, outside in the sun and the cool air. On the flip side, the nachos were pretty lame, like someone said before (beans and olives and jalapenos dumped on chips just doesn't gel, ya know?) Buffalo wings were also unremarkable. Which is surprising. If you can do a great eggs Benedict, why are nachos a challenge? Would return happily, though.
(4)Jess M.
As it turns out, in the sleepy little town of Santa Fe there aren't too many mid-week late night options for eats. And let me just clarify that by late night I mean establishments that actually serve food past 9pm! Cowgirl was one of the only ones my cohorts and I could find, and I'm certainly glad we stumbled upon it. The margs were solid, they had a fine beer selection and we did a pretty phenomenal job of licking our plates when all was said and done. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet potato fries and the heavenly dipping sauce it came with, the chili was great and the BBQ was solid although nothing to write home about. Funky decor, fun atmosphere and if the weather had been a tad warmer sitting outside would have topped it off.
(4)MyBabyLove R.
Santa Fe restaurants can be very pricy as a tribute to the great past time of overbilling tourists, but not this spankin' little joint one block south of the Santa Fe River on South Guadalupe. I had a very nice dinner of baby back ribs on the patio, enjoying the mediocre service from our server who was wearing a beat up cowgirl hat, and nice lookin' cowgirl boots. yeee haw! There is quite a great beer selection here to choose from, and if you also like authentic southwest food you shouldn't be disappointed. Apparently there's a Cowgirl Hall of Fame in NYC, so I will check that out next time I'm back there. I happened upon this restaurant in July, so there weren't many college students from St. John's here getting wasted for no gol darn good reason. The music seemed western-like and fun, and I hear they do have good live music here, although there was no pedal steel,drums, or crooning whilst I was shovelin' my grub. You may have a wait at a place like this, so be assertive and let the wait staff know that you definitely are reviewing them on yelp.com . :)
(4)John M.
This is a cool place to hang with the locals at tourist watch. They've got a nice cozy bar and good food.
(4)JJ M.
Ate here on a Sunday after driving from Childress TX. The baby-back ribs where moist, fall off the bone tender and the BBQ sauce was yummy sweet. Hubby had Chili Reano and was totally satisfied. Potato salad was delicious and so was the rice. Baked beans so so but they never have been my thing. House margarita was the only let down...small and tart..not close to the best by any means. Would eat here again in a heartbeat.
(4)thomas n.
Fun, cool and inexpensive. Great mix of regulars(from local artists to cowboys and cowgirls) and those of us just passing through town. Hanging on the deck during happy hour is the way to go on an afternoon in Santa Fe.
(5)Bill E.
Pretty good place to drink, an ok place to eat..... the kitsch is what is it, probably worth stopping in
(3)Who W.
The setting and costumes may be a bit over the top, but you weren't expecting to find a hidden hole-in-the-wall bbq joint in downtown Santa Fe were you? The beef sandwich was solid, a nice smoky sauce with a tomato base, fries were fine, and the patio seating was nice. Solid 3 stars.
(3)A S.
A fun place to sit out on the front patio in the summer sun in Santa Fe... to watch locals imbibe and overimbibe. Fun little nooks and crannies in the old adobe architecture, a favorite is the little room with the pool table, tucked out of the way. Lots of live music, I prefer the drinks over dining here.
(4)Sarah W.
This is a great place, with a lot of thoughtful food and a wonderful atmosphere. We have been going pretty regularly for about ten years, and have never had a bad meal. A few times, we have had extraordinary meals. They go out of their way to create an affordable, delicious and nutritious kids menu, which we appreciate very much. I mean, who puts salmon on their kids menu? Cowgirl BBQ, that's who! (And it's delicious)
(4)Happy J.
Only country-themed bar where they play jazz music. I was there on a Sunday evening and, I think, there was a live jazz band playing. A good selection of beers, which made the meal that much more enjoyable for me. Not having too much creativity, I had the "cowgirl" burger - cheeseburger with fries. It was really good, although it came out more well-done than medium as I had requested. The server was terrific; didn't get her name. I would definitely come back here again to try some of their other signature dishes.
(4)Daniel S.
the atmosphere was fun. wish we were there with friends. i had the bunkhouse brisket. the meat was very tender, nice texture, but when I scraped the sauce off to taste the 12 hour mesquite...nothing! the sauce was the flavor. wasn't bad, but I was looking for more taste in the meat. my wife had the BBQ beef on a bun. since this was shredded, the meat and sauce developed differently. much better total taste. ladies, the fly bags don't work! but it kept me wondering 'what the heck' until the food arrived.
(4)David R.
Had the pulled pork today it was so good and spicy tonight my tummy is kicking but it was worth it !!! there was a live band and give aways it was a good afternoon
(5)Carol G.
Delicious smoked chicken nachos. Really fun & kitchy atmosphere. Good beer. We debated eating there twice but were only in Santa Fe for three nights and wanted to try some of the other culinary delights that the town has on offer. The place was a rabbit warren of rooms kind of strung together Victorian-style, which is fine, except that it created a pretty small, closed space for the band stage.
(4)A K.
Good food, casual setting, good service. Despite the long wait, you can hang out in the pool room or at the bar.
(4)Brett M.
Great BBQ and a lot of fun to have drinks. The atmosphere is more Western than "New Mexico". If you want BBQ and some fun, this is the place to go.
(3)Johnny D.
We ate bfast here and it was soooo good! Great service too!
(5)Dot K.
after seeing rachel ray on her little trip to santa fe with a stop at this place - we had to try it... called around 6pm on sunday night for 6:15pm dinner in the boot in the patio. not a problem. we ordered cabeja de ajo (a good size roasted garlic, with melted cheese, tomatillo salsa served with baguette) for appetizer and i had the beef brisket and my boyfriend had the BBQ combo platter... let's just say we had enough food for about 4 people - 4 of my food loving friends (you know who you are...) - their BBQ sauce was so good - tangy, spicy, bold - so good. we were so full, we didn't get to try the famous baked potato ice cream dessert... but they do serve you drinks (like soda and ice tea) in a big cup - like the ones you used to see at pizza hut. and the staff are so nice here too. * we didn't get to try their alcoholic beverages - but looked like they have tons of beer on tap and bottle - and they have $2 PBR tuesdays!
(5)Christina B.
I never have a good experience at the Cowgirl. I am local to Santa Fe and have frequented the Cowgirl many times and every single time it is a fiasco. The customer service is terrible. The servers frequently forget to bring food out, mistake your order, and take a very long time. The bartender who seems to be there has a very bad attitude, is slow and also mistakes orders, and has been outright rude to me and other customers. If this was an isolated incident, perhaps I would let it slide. But it's not. Other people I know have had similar negative experiences. With so many other dinner options and BBQ options in Santa Fe now, and many better music options too (2nd Street Brewery, Santa Fe Brewery), I avoid the Cowgirl.
(1)Sergio S.
The food was o.k. here, but I mainly liked the ambiance of the place. Has a good time vibe, and a good time was had by all. The interior is very glittery. Strange, but I dig it.
(4)Corey M.
My wife and I just stopped in for drinks in the afternoon. We only had margaritas, chips, and guacamole, but we loved it. Great, cheap happy hour drinks, friendly servers, and shaded outdoor seating.
(4)Lee T.
I remember this place well, this is where the 5 shots minimum rule was conceived. This place is great for tequila, margarita, laid back environment and great times. I didn't get to try any foods because I had no appetite. Santa Fe is at least 6000 feet above sea level, I just wasn't used to the small altitude anomalies. I am sure the food's great, and I'll definitely go back to this place.
(5)Jake M.
The chef has Celiac and one of the owner's daughters is gluten sensitive so the kitchen and waitstaff were VERY good about knowing what was in everything. The BBQ and Jerk sauces were gluten free and fantastic. Everything was very good though how hot things were was not always accurately labeled. We had a fantastic time. A few notes though. This place has the reputation of being child-friendly and I would not say it is. My kids had a great time but that was because we hit it off with the owner and his family. At night, this is a loud and rowdy place (I went there without my kids another time to drink so don't think this was just because we were there on New Years Eve). Also, we had reservations and were first seated in the bar area in front of a door to an outside area where people were smoking. When we asked for a different table because it was freezing and loud and smoky, the waitress was a TOTAL BITCH. I had to go to the hostess and complain strongly. We were then moved to an appropriate place. But it was still on the way to the pool room and my ten year old had something odd said to him by an obviously intoxicated person. So, no, NOT kid-friendly for dinner. Our second wait person was quite good, though I think our having clearly bonded with the owner during our meal helped assure good service. All in all, fantastic food and a great relief to those with gluten and dairy limitations. But loud. [UPDATE] We had a second dinner a few nights later. This time we were brought immediately to a dining room far from both the bar and the pool hall with other families. Our waitress was the nasty one from our first night. She clearly recognized us and was on her very best behavior. The food was again fantastic. So I would modify my statement about the restaurant not being kid-friendly. As long as it isn't New Years Eve and are not seated anywhere near the bar (which was still quite loud the second night, particularly after the live music started).
(4)Megan M.
Went here for an Obama debate party while in Santa Fe and staying in a place with no TV. Hooray - we were able to watch the debate, eat yummy New Mexican food, and drink margaritas, all at the same time! We had the best darn chile rellanos I have ever had the pleasure to gorge myself on. Margaritas were not too sweet and none too skimpy with the tequila. Guacamole was just okay; hubby's is better. Service was a little slow and grumpy, but I think it was due to the fact that the place was overwhelmed with half-drunk Democrats on a usually-sleepy Tuesday night.
(4)abby z.
What have I been doing during my long absence from Yelp, you ask? Well, many things, but the important one for the purposes of this review is: drinking. The bar scene in Santa Fe is almost absurdly pitiful, but there are a few good watering holes out there. For all that it is a tourist trap and the cowgirl/cowboy costumes work better on some of the waitstaff than others, the Cowgirl Bar and Grill is one of them. On the pricey side, but the drinks are good, the menu is varied and they have karaoke on Monday nights, if that is your thing.
(4)Jonah N.
Went here on a slow weeknight with a couple of friends. The bartender was very nice. Good bar food, decent selection of beers. No, jukebox though. Would definitely go again.
(4)CoMO Q.
The crowd is varied, the staff is friendly, and they have nightly events like bands and djs. I came here twice when I was in town, but I didn't come here to eat, just have drinks and hang out with friends. They have pool tables in a separate building off the patio and another building that houses a small arcade. Funny enough both nights we came here there were celebrities hanging out. I'm not sure if that's a normal occurrence or not, but it sure made things more interesting. You can dine and hangout both indoors or outdoors and they also have a play area for kids in the back. It really has it all!
(5)Driving J.
Fast and friendly staff and service. We had a work party of 20 and the waiter got all of our drinks and food order correct. The food and atmosphere was also great. I couldn't chose 1 meat so I had the BBQ sampler platter. It had BBQ ribs, chicken and brisket. I licked the plate and my hands clean. This place is delish. I highly recommend!
(5)ruairidh c.
decent bar. 4 pool tables at a dollar a rack - way too expensive but they are almost always in use. one pinball machine - the simpsons pinball party, in horrible condition, but working enough to have fun playing it. if you can top the grand champion score, kudos to you. horrible jukebox.
(3)Ben R.
I've gotta say, if Santa Fe has one thing going for it, it is the restaurants. I mean, they know how to make food taste good. Maybe it's living in the high desert, and looking at horny toads all day, or maybe it's just that they are close to Mexico. I don't care, all I know is that it's good. Cowgirl BBQ is no exception. Service is super-friendly (thanks James!), the atmosphere is fun, and very New Mexican, quirky and southwestern inspired. We were all kind of bummed at the fact that they won't serve a "double" rum & coke, but hey, whatever. The food was amazing, especially their sides of potato salad, and coleslaw. The BBQ was perfect, I got the sampler platter, which had ribs, brisket and chicken, all of which were excellent. I would go back to this place in a heartbeat...This seemed like one of the only places in all of Santa Fe that attracted young people. Besides that weird little park by the creek where all the tweens hang out.
(4)Daniel C.
One of our favorites in Santa Fe, and a fun place to bring people that visit SFe. Great casual local ambience and the menu is diverse, with very tasty options all over the placed. I like the wait-staff and with the chaotic crowds, I have to tip my (cowboy) hat to them. Their BBQ ribs are tender and flavorful, their nachos are a great way to start the meal, and they do an excellent job with New Mexican foods as well. Only once during a visit with there a small issue, and they took care of the dish immediately and made it up to us. Oh, their margaritas are pretty awesome too.
(4)S M.
My hubby and I stopped in Santa Fe in our trip, and we were just looking for an appealing place were to get a bite. We passed by Cowgirl BBQ and it was by far the busiest , but we kept looking just to see what else was to choose from. We ended up going back, and we were so happy for it!! I ordered a salmon dish they had and it was fantastic. My hubby ordered his favorite blue cheese burger and he was pleased as well. The service was good, and the staff extremely friendly! They had tvs there too, so we decided to go back the next day to watch the world cup. This time I ordered just an appetizer, the seared sesame crusted tuna that was really good too. This time we sat at the bar, and Christian was our server.. he was amazing. We watched my country's game and we went back for the third time the following day to watch USA. We were super happy, every day we experienced the food and service in different times of the day and all 3 were fantastic. If you are up for some fun while having a bite, then this is your place!
(5)Max M.
A favorite Santa Fe spot serving a mix of American and New Mexican food, Cowgirl is a fun and mellow place, perfect for lunch and dinner when you're tired of the pretentious mango-infused new mexican hybrid dishes from the expensive Canyon Rd restaurants. On Tuesdays they have $6 chile rellenos and $1 PBRs!
(4)Robyn E.
UPDATE 11/25/06-- Went here with my folks last month. It felt kind of naughty to leave the half-vegan household of my sister and bro-in-law and run off to a BBQ joint for lunch. I had the Frito Pie (seriously, folks) with the option of vegetarian chili. Meh, not so much on the chili. It was too tomatoey and soupy, but not gross tasting [later on the waitress said the regular chili was really good--darn! wish she'd recommended it to me in the first place]. My classy dish was presented in elegant "bag open" style, with sides of shredded cheddar cheese, real sour cream, and freshly sliced jalapenos. HUGE fountain sodas. My pops got the green chile (NOT CHILI) french fries and they were pretty darn good. Addition of my jalapenos added the right amount of heat for him. Mom had a cheeseburger which she promptly declared "best one I've had in a while." We sat outside on their (newer to us) covered and insulated porch. At first it was way too hot next to the wall heater, but our waitress was happy to tweak it to our liking--nice customer service touch. Place wasn't too busy when we were there, and overall the service was attentive and courteous. I'd recommend it if you're in town and want some tasty grub. SPECIAL NOTE: there are now A LOT of vegetarian options on the menu, clearly displayed by the "V" symbol. Niiiice. *---*---* old review follows *--*--* YUM--if you eat meat. NOT SO MUCH--if you are vegetarian. DON'T EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING HERE TO EAT--if you are vegan. I've had the burgers, long while back. Tasty. Fun atmosphere. But you kind of have to walk through/past the bar to get to restaurant seating. Bad planning.
(4)Sarah M.
I don't understand the high stars. Maybe it's because we came at lunch? Maybe it's because we discovered we don't like New Mexican chile? I don't know. I ordered a margarita, which was decent, my friend had a bloody mary, which was the worst bloody mary I've ever had, I don't know how he sucked it down. We got the guac and chips, good, but needed salt. I ordered the blue corn tortilla smoked chicken stack. It was ok, better than what my friend had. He had the frito pie where they serve in the bag, which my friend said he didn't want (he just wanted it in a bowl) but they didn't understand this request and still gave him the bag. The chile was devoid of any flavor. We had to add lots of salt (maybe they don't season anything here?) There were chunks of beef and ground beef which was a little weird. The fritos were soggy. Our waiter was weird and kept staring at us like we were from a different country, maybe California is a different country to them? The decor is cute, and if it was warm (it was 32 when we were here) the outside would be a fun place to sit and drink and it looks like they have live music at nights. Overall not a great experience. Wish Rachael hadn't recommended this place for $40 a day!
(3)Lisa R.
Very casual atmosphere. Love the live music and outdoor seating in back with a mini-playground. Perfect for families with kids during the day. Great BBQ, burgers, fries, etc. But if you are looking for healthy cuisine, this will not be a favorite.
(4)Sara M.
This was one of my favorite places in Santa Fe. We were with about 15 people and the service was great. We had margarita's and guacamole to start and both were excellent. For dinner I tried one of their specialties- BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE. It was really good. It gets loud and crowded here, but that makes if even more fun.
(4)Michelle S.
This is for locals and visitors alike, bust out the cowboy/cowgirl hats and checkered shirts. Two of us had the ribs, they fell off the bone. Nice. They are known for the "bake potato" ice cream dessert. It's vanilla ice cream with hersheys choc. syurp and powdered choc. it's a bit much for what they say it is. There was a wait to sit outside so we sat inside. The service is super casual, not super attentive, although the outside servers looked like they were having more fun. Recommended, esp if you're staying at the hotel Santa Fe.
(4)Maura P.
really good BBQ ribs great whiskey pork chop good quesadillas the game burger is enormous love the black-eyed peas salsa so much we make it at home now!
(4)Scott B.
Went here based on my 23 year old sons advice. He has eaten here after snowboarding before and raves about the burgers, especially the Mother with the green chili. So of course that's what I got. Burger was under cooked based on my medium request, and the green tomatoes were too big. Otherwise it had a great taste and the combination of green chili and Brie was unique. The bowl of Texas chili has great flavor and brisket, it is worth the price. Don't expect much from the ambiance, it is a Cowgirl bar after all.
(3)Meg O.
I've been to the Cowgirl twice, and I think it's fantastic. A thorough beer list featuring local brew, a sturdy selection of tequilas, and a reasonably priced menu of burgers and BBQ, with veggie options. My BBQ connoisseur friend from Louisville was impressed. We sat on their sweet patio and enjoyed the blue grass. On Saturday afternoons from 1-4 there is a blue grass open jam session. We heard a couple who have been playing together since 1973; others jumped in, and soon there were some great tunes going, as well as delectable folklore. I've been told that there is a bluegrass-ish brunch as well. Our service was a little slow at first, but then again our tables had just been set up. While I didn't consume any food at the restaurant, I did attend a party out in Madrid later that was catered by Cowgirl, and man, their brisket and cornbread are fine! I am definitely looking forward to returning soon, especially for the bluegrass.
(4)Larry T.
$2 Tecates=4 stars
(4)E K.
Don't come for the food. Come for the gorgeous outdoor seating and free live music. Grab a table, order some drinks (and more drinks), and relax. 5 stars for the ambiance, 2 stars for the food (my veggie burger came cold and falling a part), 5 stars for the service, 5 stars for the drink selection and $3 drink specials I also love that they support local and up-and-coming artists. A trip to to bathroom had me pass a wall lined with fliers of upcoming bands, making me wish I was local so I could frequent Cowgirl more often. Oh, and they also have a playground/play area for kids in the back! Impressive!
(4)tim r.
Great draft selection and good food. I went here twice in my week long Santa Fe stay. Both times I ordered the special plantain tamale. The flavor from the plantain was amazing. Sweet and banana-y. The red chile was spicy and the obligatory rice and beans filled out the meal and mixed well with the chicken and cornmeal. My girlfriend got the grilled cheese and added green chile strips. When in New Mexico you should always add green chile to everything you order and they added a nice kick to the great grilled cheese. Second time she got the pulled pork with the extra spicy sauce. Wasn't her favorite pulled pork ever but a strong showing. It was a good sandwich.
(5)Benjamin P.
Great food and Amazing atmosphere. I'd go back here in a heartbeat. I rarely get to write a review of place I just love to hang out it. We spent a Sunday afternoon eating bbq and drinking amazing NM beers while listening to fantastic music. I had the bbq sampler that was a HUGE and reasonably priced way to try several things they make. I tried some of the yak meatloaf that was also great. Our server was the bartender, who was very friendly and helpful. She seemed way calm for the amount of things being asked of her, and was quick to offer a sample when I asked about beers.
(4)Anthony R.
Had a great time last time I went. Didn't get any food, but played pool for a few hours and had a few drinks on a slow night. The server, Chris, was very personable and made it quit a pleasant experience. I like friendly people with personality, he is a keeper.
(5)Adrienne G.
I thought they had the best chicken wings in Santa Fe. But I had them one night with a few friends and we all had the worst food poisoning!!!
(2)Pat T.
Stopped in for a late lunch at the Cowgirl on our way back to Tucson from Colorado Springs. We very much enjoyed the relaxed setting of the patio. My son and husband had dinner here several months ago and raved about it. Sadly, this time we found our Mother of all Green Chile burgers to be on the dry side, the fries were soggy and the meal just not overly scrumptious at all. Certainly a big disappointment from what we had hoped and longed for. Our son did think his Yak Meat Loaf had great flavor but felt it too was a bit over cooked on the outer edges. Hope it was just a off day for the Cowgirl. Not sure we will be stopping in again for a meal next time through.
(2)John O.
I cannot vouch for the food here, but the beer specials are incredible. I came here on a Sunday afternoon because one of the rides for the Santa Fe Beer, Bike, and Brew Festival was having an after party here. The outdoor patio is very cool and a great place to listen to music and sip on some microbrew from New Mexico. I thought the selection of beer on tap was varied and thoughtfully selected. I ordered a pint of La Cumbre for $3 on a Sunday afternoon. Great deal. You gotta see if the Santa Fe Chilis Dixie Jazz Band is playing at this place. If they are, it's a great place to have a chill afternoon and listen to a great dixieland jazz band. No cover. Tip well though! Enjoy.
(4)JoAnn F.
Not a fancy place. But Clean place good food. Great service. Centrally located. Would recommend it definitely
(4)Nic M.
This place was alright. They have a monstrous chili burger that I would every day if I could. The trip here was made worth it by that burger. The margaritas are really good and they are half price during happy hour ($4). Cons: the service was horrible. They take forever to get to the table so I'm sitting there hungry for too long. We went twice and both our servers were uninterested and mean. Go for the burger but don't expect a fantastic time, just a good time.
(3)S C.
A great place for tourists that are looking for Nm BBQ. Nice interior acceptable food. Outdoor court for summer, fireplaces for the winter. Good for families and friends. Stop by after ski sante fe.
(3)Lucia N.
Burgers (meat and veggie) are cooked to perfection and topped with creative condiments. Jolly atmosphere. Best veggie burger I've had.
(4)Wendy H.
OK so I'm pretty easy going on my restaurant experiences. Advice - skip this place - I'm really not sure why anyone would make a reservation for this place - the food was greasy and the service sucked!!! obviously the bad reviews are not stopping their business which is too bad because maybe then they would want to improve their customer service! Lots of great restaurants and patios in Santa Fe - I am sitting at the Coyote Bar and its great - a rooftop patio and service is top notch!! walk down the street and give a great restaurant the business!! SKIP THIS PLACE
(1)G W.
Great location, awesome selection of craft beers and good food. I had the house wings and the 'mother burger' both of which were awesome. The burger even won 3rd place in the state. The patio was pretty small outside but if you get good weather it's worth waiting for, especially on a Saturday or Sunday night as there's live music after 8pm.
(4)Ashley N.
Do not understand the hype. Mediocre food, dirty tables. Slow service. We got the sampler meat platter - the brisket is supposed to be top notch. I've had way better at a chain in CO.
(1)Denise A.
Cowgirls BarBQ, Santa Fe, NM: Listening to a live band --playing and singing some swinging western jazz. Sipping a cool drink waiting on one of the tastiest 'build your own' quesdeos around. Yes, there is bbq pulled pork in there, mingling in the sautéed veggies and cheese- toasted just right. Family atmosphere - shaded large front patio welcomes you straight in to entertainment and seating. Great afternoon!
(4)Morgan D.
So giving three stars only because the hostess was amazing. Good beer selection. Don't order a Moscow mule no copper mugs they should not offer them. Server was not great waited for about 10 minutes to be greeted. Got the Cowgirl Salad watery dressing. BBQ sampler terrible. The sauce was thick and too tangy. Over cooked meat, bland potato salad and not worth the price. However the redeeming quality was that they had live local music each night. The Hooligans rocked. Drink and dance. Don't eat.
(3)Alexandra M.
Good hours, big portion of really yummy bbq plus classic Southwestern fare. We came quite late for dinner, and it was crowded-- live music but it was quite loud. Lots of hipsters too-- who knew?
(4)Fancypants J.
Maybe I just liked this place because it reminded me of something you'd see in Austin where my friend Mr Charles lives. Glitter and old photos on the walls, funky layout, tons of people late at night (which is nice because it seemed to me that Santa Fe shuts down at around 6 pm). Husband and I both had a scallop dish that came with mash and salad in the center, as well as a non traditional poutine made with a cheddar beer sauce in lieu of gravy. Everything was really good. If we are here again we would probably try the BBQ. Love that it was open late.
(4)Chris M.
We were looking for a green chile burger close to the plaza and decided to try this. Great place with great atmosphere and a courtyard patio where you can have your pet join you. Had the Mother of all Green Chile Burgers. Perfectly cooked and all the ingredients worked well together. Green chiles had a nice heat to them. The truffle fries were good and my wife enjoyed her salad. Great beer selection and the other diner's food all looked good.
(4)Mary F.
Really like this place. The food and service is great. Good selection of vegetarian items and mighty delicious! I just keep coming back.
(4)Rev J.
Super country & casual... Live bands, kiddos play area, super fun. Yeeeha!!! I love this place... It's definitely become a new fave hangout when I'm in Sante Fe. Their food is delish, big portions, and oh so tasty. Friendly people, live band, and the staff is an absolute joy.
(5)Eric And Jennifer R.
I've only been here for lunch meetings. They have good fast service. The food is excellent. The decor reminds me of a diner crossed with Wild West. There is a cozy outdoor patio in front of the restaurant. I love their salmon taco with a side of grilled asparagus, Harvest salad and arugula salad. All these dishes have asparagus. It's very good. I recommend this place for lunch and meetings. My collegeaus have been here for dinner with live music and love it.
(4)Hannah H.
Whoa there, Cowgirl! I've had excellent BBQ in my life and for a place that advertises BBQ in its name, I expect it to be decent, even in New Mexico. I tried both the pulled pork sandwich, which tasted more like a cafeteria produced sloppy-Joe, and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were good, but lukewarm. The Tres Leches was enjoyable and the right size for sharing. The margaritas were also good but expensive considering their small size. I should know by now that if I want an enjoyable meal in Santa Fe, I have to order something with green chile. Every surrounding table had the giant green chile burger. It looked awesome and appeared to be the house specialty, NOT the BBQ. If I return, here is what I will do: Sit outside on the patio, skip the margarita and choose a craft beer, (They have a decent selection) order the Green Chile Burger, and enjoy quality people watching.
(3)Gary A.
Nothing fancy here. Tourists and locals alike come here for decent food & a long list of regional micro brews. Prices are quite reasonable. My brisket sandwich came with fresh cut fries & coleslaw for $9.50. My double white belgian style pint was $5.50. When I lived here this was a favorite.
(4)Max G.
Delicious food. Great service. We went for dinner. I had The Mother of All Chili Cheeseburgers. My wife had chicken fajitas. The chili cheeseburger was big, juicy and stuffed with all sorts of good things: chili, cheese, bacon, tomatoes and beef. It came with truffle fries. They have a great selection of beers on draught. Many I had never tried. Overall, a very good experience. We would definitely return.
(4)Nat S.
This is a cool restaurant- no doubt. The last time we were here, I feel like the bartender ignored me. I was on the corner of the bar, which can be a bit hard to see around albeit. You ignored me twice- you could check in after shift change to see if I/ we wanted /needed anything. He checked in with all the males around me(besides my boyfriend)- getting them refills. The girl who waited on us first, was way more personable, and gave great service. The man who took over, took forever to come over , and never introduced himself. He never asked if we wanted food, even though I had a menu out! He served all the males around me besides my boyfriend who still had a beer. He did this twice. All the boys around me were offered drinks. I have been a sever for a long time, and this is a gross over site, and seems sexist. For the love of god, try to sell me stuff. Don't you want higher cheque totals? I kind of wanted food, but with your gross neglect, I barely stayed for a second beverage. Still they have live music almost every night of the week. The food is good, and the beer selection fairly wide. If that dude is bar tending I may seek out another server. Tip- when you are the next bartender on. Go around and say hi, -and introduce yourself to all the people at the bar. Make yourself personable, try to sell them more product(with respect to the liquor laws). If you take a bit of time, acting like you care, then you will get higher tips from the customers who care. I would not be saying anything, but I was literally ignored while everyone else around was checked in with. If you are hitting the end of the bar with service, do yourself,f and everyone else a favor and do a thorough job.
(3)Art H.
Cowgirl has been on the Santa Fe scene for some time; a well established clientele fills the indoor/outdoor space. It was a fab crowd too - a woman was announcing to her table mates about the last, uh, oral interlude she had with a recent date, loud enough that the four of us had to stop our conversation long enough to hear how it all, ah, came out. But I digress. The food was overall a bit disappointing. Nothing was awful, but not the 4 star rating either. It was just A-OK. The salmon in the soft taco #1 was way to big of a piece to eat by hand, while almost nonexistent in taco #2. The beef salad was fine, again, nothing to rave about. The local beers on tap were great. I'd love to say more, but Oral woman had the most to say. So I'll stop now.
(3)Romeo N.
Bison Burger was great and are waiter was extremely helpful. Great selection of beer!
(4)Celeste K.
Make sure you get the bbq, cause the tacos tasted like it anyway.
(3)Chris T.
I ordered the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and it was smoky, juicy, and really good. I also added the diablo salsa with habaneros to spice it up a little more. The place was really busy for a Monday night but there was plenty of help and service was fast. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Our waiter, however, seemed a little uppity and wasn't too enthusiastic about answering questions about the menu. Seemed odd coming from a man wearing a cowboy hat with both ears pierced. To be expected in Santa Fe I guess.
(3)Lilly C.
Having lived in New Mexico for more than a dozen years now, we've learned our lesson long ago that the Cowgirl is a tourist stable and not to be indulged on the weekends if one is to expect quality service and a satisfying meal. Nevertheless, on this occasion, my husband and I met our coworkers there to celebrate the end of a long grueling job and take in the lively atmosphere on the patio. We ordered one round of beer along with our dinner and a round of shots to toast each other on a job well done. We were happy and tired. Another coworker arrived about 15 minutes later and ordered a second round of drinks. At this point, the server stuttered and announced that there would be a hold on the drinks for the moment. We were confused, was the bar experiencing a malfunction? Were they out of tequila? At this point the manager marches over to the table and tells us "We are going to hold off serving your drinks for the time being, let you all get some food in you and soak up some of that tequila." Excuse me? I suppose the toasting and boisterous conversation of seven over-40-year-old adults (who had just finished their final 13-hour day with one of the worst bosses in history) was deemed too drunken by this establishment and therefore a call to action was subscribed to our table. What a poetic finale to a terrible job that this restaurant had decided to cut us all off after one round of drinks like we were a bunch of teenagers. Some of us began guffawing and calling her bluff but the management was adamant. We stared at each other across the table in amazement..our tired faces, burned by the sun from working outdoors from the caldera to the pecos wilderness-I guess we looked drunk wished we were drunk but that was not the point. Most of us lived within walking distance and had given this place thousands of dollars in business over the years and now we were being judged and it was just too much. I noticed that several others have had the same experience here, and probably because the heat is on and liability is a top priority at the cowgirl but the food is mediocre as well. My bratwurst plate arrived and it was still pink on the inside. They obliged me by serving me another plate but it was still undercooked. The fries were cold and stale You wait long enough to get a table and when you do the establishment judges your sobriety, serves you your food and scoots you out the door. They are trying to seat a turnstile of incoming patrons and administering a drink minimum that insults and accuses people of being over the limit. This place has live music and a cool interior and this catchy theme but its a scam. You will never see the same people working there after a few months because they treat their employees badly: I know because I worked there for a minute but that is a whole other outrageous story that I will not divulge here. The Cowgirl is the last place I would go in this town. There are plenty of options more deserving of your hard earned dollars.
(1)Elsie F.
First Off, their craft beer list did not accurately depict what they actually had. The first 3 beers I had requested were not available. So I had to settle for one. Mediocre food at best. We shared a Caesar salad, frito pie, green chile burger, and BBQ sampler. Not exciting at all, and hardly any flavor on the burger for a green chili burger. We left most of it behind.
(2)Peter S.
Very good chili and my partner had the ribs. Lemonade was a bit watery. Lots of fun photos of cowgirls on the walls.
(4)Robin B.
After visiting this place over the years, we had the most interesting interaction with a wait staff to date. Initially, the wait person was personable and friendly and took our order. That was pretty much the last we saw of him. Someone else brought our food (after we could see it sitting in the kitchen for a LONG time). He never checked on us, despite the fact he walked by us repeatedly. We had to flag him down to order dessert. Again, someone else brought it to us after it, too, sat for a very LONG time. We then went and asked for a manager to voice our displeasure. A few minutes later, our wait person appeared and said he was told we had complained and he wanted to know why. We explained that he has been ignoring us. No apology, no explanation, just defiance and outright rudeness. The food is NOT THAT good to put up with this sort of behavior. The fact that the manager would go and tell him and he would then come up and demand an explanation is something we have never experienced before. There are SO many other great places in Santa Fe, that this one is not worth your time! Ignore the hype and the accolades on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.......
(1)Meghan T.
Sis & I visited Santa Fe for the holidays, and upon check-in at our hotel, Cowgirl was suggested to us. As it turns out, a nomadic music making family, The Hollands, was playing some good ol' bluegrass tunes that evening. Being a nomad myself, I run into them from time to time on the road, and it's always a down home good time. We headed over for some good music and really got the whole sha*bang! We sat down to an amazingly beautiful organic Harvest salad and the best burger we have ever eaten. The Counter in LA is home to a phenomenal and personalized burger, but I must say Cowgirl makes a MIGHTY FINE one of their own. The "Mother" gets the Gold Star for burgers. And the truffle fries set it off just right. There were many things on the menu that sounded tasty and tempting, but the burgers are so large we split one and it did us just right. If we lived nearby, we'd probably be in to sample the other fare they offer like butternut squash casserole & mac'n'cheese, But since we don't, I'll bet we'll just order the Mother every time. If it ain't broke... After our meal, we sipped great warm winter drinks from the specials menu as we listened to The Hollands sing and strum and storytell and drum. It was a beautiful evening!
(5)Blake C.
What a amazing restaurant. Great atmosphere great service. The food is some of the best in town at the most reasonable price. And very kid friendly they make you feel right at home.
(5)Stephanie G.
I was pleasantly surprised that a BBQ joint would actually offer vegetarian items other than bread and salad. I had the butternut squash casserole. TO DIE FOR. I'm trying to duplicate the recipe to have it at home!! Huge patio for outdoor seating WITH heat lamps!
(5)Chris W.
Really nice atmosphere!!! I order the chili rellenos, Christmas( red and green chili) with black beans and rice. Food was hot when it was served and a big portion!! The red one had a really great flavor. The green was great flavor and heat. They both were stuff with plenty of cheese. The beans were a good compliment to the rice and it all come together very well. Would high recommend to anyone in the Sante Fe area
(4)Sarai L.
We came with a big party (tons of kids), they were awesome and put us in an empty back room because they weren't too busy, yet. It took us a while to order, and since there was so many of us we just ended up ordering a couple big things to share. We got two of the loaded nachos, both the chicken and steak fajitas, the BBQ sampler and a kids Mac and cheese and a kids brisket sandwich. The nachos came out first, which was great since we were so hungry. And they were AMAZING. Everything was super good. I would definitely go back. I know if ever in Santa Fe I have. Place to count on. The also has live music playing in the other room. :)
(5)Korrie B.
Had a disappointing dinner here. My friend and I shared the quesadilla and the green chili cheeseburger. The quesadilla was pretty good, but the cheeseburger was greasy and too much all one flavor...no contrasts. The biggest surprise of the night was that I found that I really liked pickled jalepnos! The atmosphere was VERY loud and we were seated right next to a door where the back kept hauling stuff in and out. Couldn't wait to leave.
(1)Steve V.
We ate here on a Weds night between the Indian Market and Zozobra celebration weekends at about 7:30 and the place was packed. No reservations, but we got right in. Parking: They don't have their own parking lot and the street parking is minimal, but after working hours everyone seems to sneak into the business/govt building lot behind the restaurant. At least no one was being ticketed! Try this at other times at your own risk! Service: since it was packed we expected the service to be slow, but was just the opposite. We were seated immediately and waited only a minute before we got the menus and had our drink orders taken. In less than 5 minutes we had our drinks and our server was taking our orders. Much to our utter amazement, we had our orders in less than 3 minutes - the FASTEST we have had anywhere. The whole staff was in overdrive from the prime dinner hours and the adrenaline hadn't worn off yet. The server was never pushy, checked back several times to see how we were doing and didn't ask about desert until it was obvious we had finished our meal. The food: I had the combo plate (brisket, chicken and ribs) and my wife had the brisket. We both agreed that unless you got a portion of the brisket that had a little fat in it, it was overly dry- tasty but needed an extra of the provided sauce served on the side to make it a 5/10. My chicken was good 7/10 (well cooked but could have had a more smoky taste to be true BBQ) and the ribs were excellent 10/10. As others have said I would have preferred that there wasn't so much sauce on the chicken so it didn't run into the slaw. The beans were typical BBQ but tasted just like the BBQ sauce; little light on the bacon and stronger on the spices with just a tiny bit of heat. After a week's worth of overly hot Southwestern food in town that was made hot to cover a lack of otherwise bland dishes, this was a welcome change. I had the peach/blueberry cobbler 8/10 and my wife had a chocolate fudge/coffee thing that was huge and according to her tasted great 10/10. If we were to be in town again we definitely go back, but later in the evening when a packed house didn't make it soooo noisy. The live band was good too.
(4)Lena L.
This was my first trip to Cowgirls yesterday! I had heard loads about it and finally made it up since the weather was so gorgeous. I was with a party of four. First off, it's a cute place. Pretty adorable. Free parking two doors down on the weekends. This place has a great atmosphere. There was a live band who were pretty great. We sat near the backdoor in the room with the band and the server was immediately there. The menu has a lot of food- lots of different styles. When we went, there was a Cajun special going. So far, so good. I got a Margarita- not bad, fairly strong. Didn't taste like a mix. The rest got beers- some local, one major brand. Good drink selection. Bad part: I kept having to ask for a glass of water and got it probably 10-15 minutes later. He kept forgetting. I had a drink, so I was not dying of thirst, it was just a bit annoying. We got the okra starter. It seemed to be a tiny bit underdone, but the breading was nice and the sauce with it was yummy. An extra 30 seconds in the fryer would have been nice though, but since it still tasted good, it really was not worth the effort. I ordered the Turkey Reuben and I have some major problems with it. First off, Reubens are Reubens because of the sauerkraut and the sauce. I could not detect any sauerkraut. This makes me sad, because that is the point of ordering a Reuben to me. There has to at least be enough to taste! I dissected the sandwich and sound a few tiny pieces on the bottom. Disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was still really good. The bread, especially, was delicious. But it was just a good turkey sandwich. It was not a Reuben. Reuben-lovers beware. The french fries were really tasty. I didn't need to add any salt or even use a dipping sauce. Yum. The coleslaw was kinda boring. Just your typical store bought kind. One friend got the Heuvos Rancheros. The chile was pretty good. No real heat (although it calls itself spicy), but nice flavor. Was not the best Heuvos, but it was good enough. I don't think that any of us would pay for that Heuvos again (how does a restaurant in New Mexico just make "okay" heuvos?). Lots of places can do it much better, including myself in my own kitchen. Another got a burger, medium rare. It was cooked perfectly and was great. The fries, again, were awesome. Burgers they seem to do well. The Jambalaya that was on special was the other dish on the table. My friend seemed unimpressed. I tried it and it was pretty bland. Some salt and a very, very generous portion of hot sauce made it good, but it is a shame that we had to completely season it ourselves. Everything in it was cooked well, however. I would definitely not pay for the blandness though. It did have a cute factor- they bring the cornbread shaped like a cactus. When a tiny piece of bread is the best part of the dish, there is a problem. Overall, high and low points. Food was okay. It ranged from 1/5 to 4/5. Service was 3/5. Atmosphere was 5/5. Drinks and drink selection was 4/5. I'd go back for a drink and maybe some food. Maybe.
(3)Kristen C.
The food was just okay, and the service was unfortunately quite poor. Both our order and our bill were wrong, repeatedly. I never ever check a bill, but I just had a sense based on all the other errors. I liked the atmosphere, and we may have just caught a server on a very bad day. The overall feel was fun and relaxed. No concessions were made for the multiple errors.
(3)Kate G.
Simply wonderful. We had a late bite to eat (9 pm) on a Friday. We waited about 10 minutes for a table; got a drink at the bar while we waited. Orgasmic beer was good, hoppy cider was not. For appetizer, got Chile rellenos with goat cheese and pomegranate seeds (so delicious, crunchy outside with a melt in your mouth inside.) For dinner, we got bison burger & squash casserole with salad, both of which were excellent. On recommendation from our waiter, we got the mud pie - frozen ice cream with good fudge and whipped cream layer. All in all, a very filling & tasty meal.
(4)Terry W.
This is our favorite place to head for a good time and really good food! Reservations made for last night. We were seated right next to the kitchen door. Not good. We all ordered different menu items and had very different experiences. My favorite, if not the Cowgirl Burger, is the Country Fried Chicken! Last night it was the worst ever. Frozen breaded piece of cardboard, 2 Tbs. of gravy on really good potatoes! The pulled pork was so dry we had them bring extra sauce and the scallops were tiny and dry. Sunday night problems? Tired staff? The one order of the "Cowgirl Burger" came out beautifully cooked to temp, juicy and delicious! Sorry Cowgirl, we will come back!
(2)Kathy M.
Ok, so I did not have the BBQ that Cowgirl is apparently so well known for. We did not sit in the outdoor area or stay for the entertainment. But that is no excuse for the very bad quality of the food. We started with chips and salsa; the chips were good but the salsa was tasteless and no amount of salt could make it edible. I wanted something lighter than BBQ so chose the Arugula Salad and added on grilled salmon. What I got was a large plate of arugula greens with a few very overdone pieces of grilled asparagus. The warm goat cheese was this weird deep fried mound of goat cheese and the salad dressing was also completely tasteless. The salmon was dry and overdone. My husband had a burger with Monterey jack cheese, which he said was very good but the "hand cut fries" it came with looked and tasted like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for longer than they should have. The craft beer I ordered wasn't even satisfying because it wasn't very cold. I see no reason to go to this restaurant unless you are VERY hard up for atmosphere in Santa Fe.
(1)John B.
My sister recommended this place because of the kiddie corral which was effective for my niece. Honestly I really enjoyed what I had which was the mother of all Green Chile Burgers. It was just a damn goo burger in typical New Mexico Style with the best fries I tasted on my journey. If you are looking for a good burger in Santa Fe I recommend this burger. I am including a description with my photos.
(4)Melanie H.
The ambiance was fun, our first server was a very nice girl. Food was yummy but a little slow and sloppy, what do you expect from a bbq joint. My grandmas boyfriend hated his bbq sandwich he said the meat was too tough. Second server was a bearded guy who was too in my face. I would consider going again.
(4)Robert R.
Cheap truffle oil on your fries doesn't make you Bobby Flay. Totally ruined your green chile cheeseburger. Shake Foundation puts you to shame!
(1)Jenifer P.
I came to Cowgirl BBQ twice in one day, once with the family to eat and again at night to drink and play pool. We came with three kids under five and requested a table in the play area. They have a really nice play structure and fun activities for the kids outdoors. The area was already booked so we sat inside but the kids were still able to play in the play area until the food came. I ordered the World Famous Green Chile Burger and I was not disappointed! It was delicious with melting green chili cheese and a bacon/beef patty. The truffle fries were a little to be desired but still good. We came back later without the kids to enjoy the pool area. They have about five different sections of the restaurant: a patio, a bar, two dining rooms and a play area. The pool area was fun with a digital jukebox, five pool tables, and a waiter. The waiter reserves your pool table for you and also takes your drink/food orders. The prices were decent and the atmosphere is fun. There were some people in there who were pretty serious about pool and then there were others who like us were just there to have a good time. Overall I would come back to this place for both the food and the drinks. It is a fun place and since we were there on a Saturday night they had a live band playing. The place is a bit cramped, it seems like an old house or two converted to a restaurant but it's got a certain charm.
(4)Ryan R.
Typical bbq environment. I had the "mother" burger which was the best burger I have ever had. Loaded with tender beef Bree cheese and green chilies. Wow makes my mouth water. The fries were also awesome. After dinner we had the the MUD pie which I highly recommend. Parking was a bit hectic but the food more then makes up for it.
(5)Cyndi C.
Sadly disappointed! We recently moved to the Santa Fe area and we had driven past Cowgirl BBQ a number of times and we couldn't wait to go there to eat, tonight was the night, we had a guest in from out of town and we took her there after spending the day in Taos. We arrived just after 6, we were told there would be a 30 min wait, no problem, we thought it must be worth is since there were so many people there...NOPE When the host sat us she said they were out of menu's, 5 minutes later the waiters came to see if we wanted drinks we ordered but it took 20 minutes to get two beers and a soda, she did stop back and said she was still waiting to get the drinks for us. We still didn't have menu's finally we noticed someone that was waiting in line had a menu, so we went to the host area and got out menus. The waitress came back and took our order, we waited almost AN HOUR to get our food. No kidding the person that had been in line when we got menus said across from us, they placed their order and had their food before we got out drinks, I ordered the Mac & Cheese thinking it was going to be deliciously creamy....it should have been on the kids menu, it was like mac & cheese from a box with a ton of cheddar cheese melted on it. The other people that was with me ordered the Butternut Squash, and Chicken fried steak with greens and they both loved it. ONE OTHER THING the restrooms are Co-shared, I went in as a man was just coming out, I took one look and walked out, he had peed all over the toilet seat, yet another disappointment! Needless to say I don't know if I would go back!
(1)Klean L.
Cowboy saloon atmosphere with budding artists providing entertainment. Can see this being a go to place for happy hours, causal dinner parties or nightcaps. Good food and service, menu seemed too big but surprised with quality used with sig dishes. Servings are unnecessarily big. Kitchen knows what they are doing but having to please too many in low season holds them back. Will be back! 3.5-4 stars
(3)David J.
Poor location, not close to plaza, poor dining room, poor service, very poor food, we left most of ours and went somewhere else to eat, do not understand the positive reviews, they cannot be for the food and ambiance
(1)Lyric K.
The MOTHER! It's the best burger in town. . . and the "Girl" uses local meats, hormone and antibiotic free - good stuff from right here in New Mexico. The Mother burger comes complete with green chili, brie, and heirloom tomatoes. The Girl's fries and wings are among the best in town. And the bar makes a mean mixed drink, a great tequila pour, and plenty of beers to suit your tastebuds. The game burger and the yak meatloaf are 2 other faves - right now the only place in town to get game meats. Not a huge fan of their BBQ, even though that is what they're "famous" for. And their seasonal menu always has something fun like fried okra or rabbit and rattlesnake brats.
(4)Jake N.
I had the Mother of all Cheesburgers. It was awesome. 5 star food! All the way. Sat here listening to a band on the patio. Until the manager lady says we are cut off!?!?! 4 drink maximum. Bitch paaaalllleeeaaaassseee!
(2)Ginni K.
We had the brisket plate dinner. Hands down the best brisket we have ever had. Tasty sauce without the heat. Enjoyed the flan for desert. Very tasty. Definitely worth the wait.
(5)Teresa L.
Boooooo. We had not graced this restaurant since our honeymoon 6 years ago, and man...things have changed. We loved the kiddie area in the back, and were it not for that feature the Cowgirl would've only earned one star. The brisket was extremely tough. Felt like it was either cooked too fast or too hot, or both. Did not pull apart easily and was very chewy. Neither my husband nor I enjoyed it, at all. The BBQ sauce as ok...tomatoey and a bit spicy. The sides (potato salad, coke slaw, and beans) were bland and characterless. I added salt and mustard to the potato salad, which helped it immensely. Sadly, we won't be giving this place another chance. There are far too many good restaurants nearby to gamble on the Cowgirl again.
(2)Paula F.
I wish I could give it NO stars... This bar has a four drink maximum... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ... Avoid this place if you can actually drink
(1)Judy L.
I eaten here MANY times, but I'm stuck on, infatuated with, their fish tacos. I love NM, but it's hard to find fish & the SW taste of Mexico in very many restaurants. Here, they do it well. the best fish, their soft taco, slaw & pico de gallo. I don't understand why there are fewer than 3 places to eat fish in this State, besides my own house, but Cowgirls is where I head for the best of both flavors of Mexico & fish!
(4)Shawn B.
Came here with the wife tonight and we were very happy. Live music, amazing smoked ribs, and great customer service. It was raining and cold tonight, so we were seated inside next to a nice warm fireplace. Ambiance is warm and inviting. Oh, yes, the margaritas are amazing! And a great beer collection. So, yes, everything was perfect and we will be coming back.
(5)Dawn O.
A bar with a play area for the kids...What a concept. Super casual, service is lackadaisical, but a great scene, fun cocktail menu, raucous and fun place to take all age groups.
(3)Brittany T.
Not really a bbq restaurant. It's basically a tourist location with a few bbq options. Staff was friendly but after reading the menu I quickly realized that this place does not specialize in bbq. Once I realized that, I noticed that there was no smell in the place. That was a red flag for me...every great bbq joint has the sweet smell of smoked meat and sauce in the air. I looked around and wasn't very impressed with the food around the room. My husband and I decided we would rather eat someone else so we just got an order of chicken wings (usually a safe bet). As the wings were brought to our table I noticed how the dressing sloshed around in the bowl. The dressing was disgusting. I think it was supposed to by some sort of ranch dressing but it was lacking any flavor and was a little sweet. I don't know if that's a southern style but it was unimpressive, bland, and watery. I asked for a side of blue cheese (which I usually prefer anyway) and was so irritated when I was served another watery bowl of dressing. It was obvious that someone actually adds water to the dressings. The wings were not terrible but also a little dry. A few pieces where mostly soggy chicken skin which is just mean they weren't cooked at the right temperature. The buffalo sauce was a little watery too so after the first bit the flavor was gone. I would not recommend this place if you are looking for good bbq. Follow your nose...you'll find something else in the area!!
(1)Stan L.
Ate supper here on Tuesday night. I was disappointed in our overall experience. I had a simple pulled pork sandwich with fries. My bun was soaked and not usable. I ate the meat without a bun, which was better for me. I had to ask for more BBQ sauce, because it lacked flavor. The fries were just average. Sarah had a chili stuffed baked potato. She said it was ok, but had too much chili for her? Our service was slower then the business warranted. My least favorite so far this week
(3)Michelle T.
So, on our latest trip to Santa Fe we decided to eat at Cowgirl once again. Not so enthralled this time. The winter seasonal menu just didn't live up to the "cinco de mayo" one. Beef ravioli? At a bbq place in New Mexico...really? Anyway, my husband went for the chili which he thought was ok. To be fair, I wasn't all that hungry since we had a huge lunch at the Shed so, I decided on a Harvest Salad that sounded good on paper (anything with beets, goat cheese and marcona almonds sounds good!) but, the flavors didn't really work. May have been the lemon basil vinaigrette but I'm not sure, something just seemed to be missing. Doesn't help that we were seated on the temporarily enclosed patio with a heat lamp directly over us so we either fried with the lamp on, or froze with it off every time the front door opened. Oh well. Guess if they have the good menu items next time we'll give it another try.
(2)Moua L.
This place is awesome! They can accommodate everyone here. This time around, I brought a baby and found out that there was a nice kids play area in the back that I never knew about. We ate some nice BBQ sampler bits and had endless Margaritas. We were at a private event, so we had unlimited drink tickets to use. I tried not to go overboard though, as far as I remembered. I also remembered the walk back to our hotel on the plaza was quite humorous with lots of laughs. Always a great time at Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)Susan J.
I was in Santa Fe for a two month artist residency and found myself returning to Cowgirl again and again for the tasty freshly prepared food, the great service from the charming staff, and an entertaining atmosphere filled with local characters as well as some of us tourists. There is indoor and outdoor seating for dining, a bar, a pool room and frequent live music outside. The first time I came here I sampled the chicken fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes and spicy collard greens. I live in the southwest Virginia, home to this kind of cuisine and this was the best version I have eaten anywhere. I also give thumbs up to the burgers, the ribs, the guacamole, the green chili cheese fries, and the mac and cheese. Cowgirl has a good variety of beers on tap and decent margaritas. Ask about the specials. Our group at the residency center really loved this place.
(5)Mark K.
Meh. Not bad, but felt like a chain place. I've had better BBQ back home in michigan which isn't really known for BBQ. Good margaritas and they do have live music which is a good bonus.
(3)Dani Y.
Live music and outdoor seating (heated) make for a fantastic ambiance. The good is solid and they make the frozen margaritas strong. Service overall is fantastic (I'll admit I had to ask my waiter twice if I could order and he wasn't very attentive, but everyone else who worked here seemed great). Worth a visit if you're looking for a restaurant with local flavor.
(4)Jeremy G.
This place is great for families. The backyard has an enclosed climbing area and slide. Our kids played before and after lunch, giving the adults a leisurely lunch. I recommend the Green Chili Burger. NOTE: There is parking in the back.
(5)Rhys P.
The food was very good, the service was horrible. Received 2 of 3 drinks (and water). Had to ask for the third drink again. Then received the appetizer and one entrée at the same time. Once again had to ask the server for the second entrée. This was all on top of a 30 minute wait for a table, which isn't unusual except we saw 2 tables and an entire counter empty. There were at least 15 servers and several food runners. The restaurant is just not that big or that busy on a Thursday night at 7. If you must eat there, call ahead for "to-go".
(2)Quinn A.
I drove up here from ABQ for nothing. I called ahead to make sure they have patio seating and if yes, do you allow dogs. The woman on the phone said yes, so I said, see you in an hour! Now I'm here and there is a reserved sign on every table. They say nothing will be available until one o'clock. What the hell? You didn't know this when I called an hour ago? See ya at the Zia!
(1)Anthony J.
Santa Fe, Local, N.M. Shop and Staff We went for dinner on Saturday expecting a long wait, however we got a table as soon as we walked in. We were very lucky. A very popular place to eat, and for good reason. The outdoor seating was completely full. The staff had a very professional manner, and yet we could joke with him as well. Of course the theme is western style, and it was great to see everyone had a western uniform on. Food and Experience Wow! Everything was great! To start we shared the asparagus and goat cheese salad. That was a flavor combination hard to describe. We both got the Meatlofe for dinner, and the service was fast and great. I would tell everyone who needs that good home cooking meal to head to this place.
(4)Jessica P.
SO GOOD! Been visiting in Santa Fe for the past few days, and was very impressed. Our server was very accommodating and sweet, staff was very helpful in moving us to another table when it began to rain, food was delicious! If I'm ever back in Santa Fe, I will definitely be back here!
(4)Vert F.
Ouah-Oh, after being walking all around Santa Fe for my work, I finally found one place to have lunch on a Mexican time... 3:43pm. Which is also during the happy hour! I went for the Frozen Margarita 100% agave which is rare, and you feel the difference. The Little Sirloin was perfect with the Terra Andina Malbec and I left the place more than happy. I'll come back if another trip brings me here
(4)Wendy C.
My pulled pork sandwich was seriously good! My husband's fish tacos not so much :/ service was excellent... Maybe it's important to remember: When you are eating at a BBQ restaurant it's probably a good idea to order BBQ!! Check out the picture I posted of my sandwich..
(4)Christine F.
Delicious barbecue. Great patio outside. We had the baked potato dessert. Nothing like it!
(5)Debbie N.
Went for lunch to taste the bbq. Perhaps we're spoiled because we're from the South, but were disappointed a bit in the sauce. Brisket wasn't as tender as I'm used to. Portion size was great and they accommodated our requests for swapping out the usual fry side with greens for me and jalapeño cornbread for my husband. Excellent server - good beer and iced tea (I'm sometimes amazed that places can screw up iced tea!). Free internet, which we took advantage of because the service at our condo was horrible. Sat outside so don't know what the inside ambiance is like.
(3)Steven D.
Very busy place, so obviously very good. I had a steak and it was cooked to perfection (medium rare), wish I had a picture but I was hungry and it was too late when I thought about taking one. Baked potatoes was also great and mixed veggies. DEFINITELY recommend cowgirls to anyone in Sante fe!
(4)José C.
Everything looks delicious here. I had the mother of all green chilly burger and I highly recommended! One of the best burgers I had so far. The service was good and they have a huge list of local beers on tap. We where leaving when the live music kick in. You can seat outside too. Really nice original local restaurant.
(4)Kirk H.
The absolute best Green Chili Burger ever! The Mother! Great beer selection of local brews. The truffle fries rock! Great service.
(5)John N.
Very dog friendly on the patio, but don't put your pooch on a chair, please. Erratic service, but worth the wait. Bustling all day. Make a reservation if you want to be seated promptly. Lively ambience. Surprising quantity and good quality of fish and seafood dishes. I had blackened fish sandwich on rye with slaw. Delicious, and I don't particularly like slaw or rye with my fish. My wife had salmon tacos with beans and rice, which she devoured. Will return to try additional fish entrees.
(4)Patricia J.
Not only barbeque... Patrick is a great chef. The quality of food is a steal for the price in Santa Fe. The service, great. Entertainment fabulous. The crowd? Unforgettable. See you there! Thanks Cowgirl.
(5)Bike Chaplain O.
Poor is the operative word in every way. How does a restaurant go from 4 stars to 2 stars to now a 1 star? We ask for water with lemons. The water takes 15 minutes and the lemons take another 10 minutes to arrive. The burgers (two) were both dry and tasteless. The fries were soggy and limp. We told our waiter, who did nothing. I ordered the natural burger and my friend ordered the cowgirl burger. Both "fowl" tasting. Stay away until new waiters, cooks and management are hired and old staff sent to work for/destroy their competition.Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(1)Krista M.
The gourmet grilled cheese was amazing. The caramelized onions were delicious. The cole slaw left something to be desired but overall the food was fantastic.
(4)Maricarmen P.
Solid, a great place, really yummy food and very friendly laid back service... really. laid. back... We had their buffalo burger, delicious and perfectly cooked to a medium term woth pretty tasty truffled fries. We also had the Cabeza de Ajo app, a roasted garlic head with green chile and cheese, served with bruschetta toast, really surprisingly satisfying. We also had a delicious arugula goat cheese salad, and crawfish ettoufee with jambalaya, flavors were spot on (i lived in louisiana and this is exactly how that is supposed to tastes like, well done!) We were seated in the back which is a family area with open playground for kids (awesome) and has a community table, unfortunately it was a little away from the way for the waiter who had a mild case of amnesia. Were not really in a hurry so we didn't mind... the family that was sitting right beside us at the community table couldn't take it and left, not sure if they were not happy with the community table seating or the slow service or something... it was definitely something, they were annoying and we were glad they were gone... community table is truly like a box of cjocolates, you never know what you are going to get LOL ...oh well!
(4)Ginger J.
We come here ever time we come to Sante Fe. Usually the food is great and the live music is super fun. This time the food was lousy. We had the tacos which were really disappointing! There are tons of other great places to eat in Sante Fe!
(2)Camille H.
I really enjoyed this BBQ place when I went to NM to visit a friend in Santa Fe. I have been looking for half way decent BBQ since I moved out west and have not had great luck in that department. This place was huge! And it had a cute playground out back for kids to play in. The food was great, I had a BBQ chicken dish, potato salad, fries.. a very delicious margarita as well. The kids loved it, they couldn't wait to get outside to play. And us mommy's loved it where we could sit at the table and finish our margaritas and food and watch them have a blast.
(4)Kevin M.
Wow. Adult son and I were here 2 years ago and liked is so much that we went back the next night! Cut to tonight: Bad. Overpriced. Lousy service. For starters we had the "5 pepper nachos", as seen in the Wall Street Journal. That should have been a warning sign. What would the WSJ know from southwestern food? About 7 tortilla chips that were totally soaked through soggy, a massive pile of chopped onion, an even massiver pile of black olives, slathered with something called "Diablo sauce". The sauce had no heat and was sickly sweet. Fine for tourists, I guess. Not fine at all for a native New Mexican. I then had fajitas. 12 strips of poorly seasoned steak (yes, I counted) with about 4 cups of sautéed onion, red and yellow bell peppers. 3 stale 6" flour tortillas, cold and unseasoned rice and black beans. Son said his buffalo burger (as in bison meat) was just OK. The server was inattentive and badly in need of a charisma transplant. Implant, even. She had no personality at all, and we were ignored at first. We had been fishing all day, and just wanted water to start. I thought no she pegged us as cheap. Then, son ordered a margarita and I ordered the 4 beer sampler. Then she got to be a little, but only a little more attentive. This is a far inferior Cowgirl than the one we went to 2 years ago, even though it is the same restaurant! Oh, and the total bill for I mixed drink, one beer sampler, one app and two entrees was $75. We will be looking for somewhere else tomorrow.
(1)Alayna D.
We were only in Santa Fe a few days, and were interested to see what was going on in the area. After finding out that this place had live music every sunday afternoon we knew we had to try it. We arrived pretty early near the beginning of the live music (about noon probably). The restaurant itself was very busy and we were going to wait for a table. We got a drink at the bar while we were waiting which turned out to be the best decision we could have made. That is where the music was going on, so we just asked to stay up there and eat at the bar. The atmosphere was so fun. Everyone was very warm and welcoming, and it was awesome to have the music going on as well. The beer selection was extremely extensive. This was wonderful to see for us Oklahomans who live in the state of stupid liquor laws and limited beers. We ordered beers from different New Mexican Breweries and they were excellent. I ordered the Yak Meatloaf. It was not at all gamey and was served with a gigantic helping of chipotle mashed potatoes. The sauce was made with Stout and had a BBQ type of vibe. My boyfriend got the BBQ platter which had all different kinds of BBQ items. Both dishes were WONDERFUL. Our bartender/server, I believe her name was Tiffany (?), was amazing. It was incredibly crowded and busy and she kept her cool and had a positive attitude all afternoon. Props to her! Definitely check out Cowgirl especially when there is live music going on!
(5)Jay P.
Almost always get the cowgirl burger for $10 and it's one of the best around. Great selection of beers with nightly specials, lots of whiskey and tequila. Good for live music and killin time with friends playin pool.
(5)Mr M.
Probably the first BBQ I have had in New Mexico. The joint is awesome, and staff is friendly, but it's no Lockhart BBQ (Texas), and frankly, Dickie's probably has it beat. Oh, the menu is huge! To begin with, we were eating between normal meal hours. We are on vacation, so we eat at odd times, usually avoiding crowds. It was around 3pm as I recall. We sat on the patio and they allowed us to bring our dog, who is well behaved and other than being a dog, doesn't bother anybody. I ordered a Sampler platter which consist of ribs (meh), brisket ( a bit better than "meh"), and chicken (best of 3). Sides are just "OK", but beans are not served hot, slaw is not "cold" and potato salad is just "in between". For that matter the meat was not really hot either. This is the first strike for me. Foods that should be hot need to be served hot, likewise for cold foods. As for the individual meats, the brisket was tender, but not flavorful. The ribs were covered in a thick sauce- again, not much flavor to the meat, I cant detect under all that sauce what the wood is- mesquite, hickory, pecan...? there was so much sauce it was difficult to eat with your hands, you need a LOT of napkins. Honestly, I was disappointed. I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it exist. My wife ordered Yak meatloaf, and the Yak is supposedly "local". It was better WAY than the BBQ I had. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and garnished with a couple of onion rings. Honestly, the meatloaf tasted great- like a very good steak. It had a coarse grind, slightly chewy like a New York Strip. I would order that in a heartbeat. My star rating is based on the fact that this is a "BBQ" place- has BBQ in the name, and the BBQ is ordinary at best. I say this as a fan Texas BBQ spots like Lockhart (Lockhart, Plano and Dallas), Angelo's in Ft Worth, City Market in Giddings, Louie Mueller In Taylor, and frankly, Rudy's, which is a gas station BBQ joint and is all over the state. I honestly feel bad going so low, because I know they likely have many things on the menu that are great. The Yak meatloaf was great. But the sign doesn't say "Cowgirl Meatloaf" (or whatever else is really great here). will I try again? Of course, but not the BBQ. I hear the chili relleno is good. Maybe then can make a good CFS? I will keep looking for good BBQ in New Mexico. I am sure it is here.
(2)Robert G.
Monday afternoon, all we wanted were drinks and chips / guacamole. They were fine, but the service was abysmal. Won't return.
(3)Nicole M.
Live music on Saturdays! Yummy BBQ food, I recommend the BBQ sandwich with the spicy sauce. There are heaters in case it gets chilly so I recommend sitting outside, better atmosphere. I had the Cowgirl Agave Margarita and added strawberry flavor. It was delicious. There is also a billiards hall.
(3)Kayla S.
The house margarita was no Bueno! To sweet! I had to order more tequila and water it down! Luckily the bartender offered to make us his specialty which was great! They need to put that on the menu instead! We had the ribs which were tasty however they cover them in a lil to much bbq sauce but everything it was paired with was also yum. All around we enjoyed the experience. It was really busy so that's a plus! They have a great play area if you have kids! The staff was very friendly and I thought there outfits were cute lol.
(4)Jocelyn B.
Smokiest flavors I've ever tasted. I begged the waiter to either sell me the bbq sauce or give me the recipe. Sadly, no such luck. Great beer flight, too. Fun, delicious, incredibly filling spot. After that dinner, all I can do is lay very still. Santa Fe, you've outdone yourself with the yums.
(4)Sam G.
I came for the wings and stayed for the pulled pork. All around, this was a good experience. It's comfy, has the essential Southwest feel, the staff was nice, and the food was delicious. I sat at the bar, which had a ton of beers on tap, and ordered the wings of fire. Excellent! They were hot, but not gut-busting. Being hungry still, I then ordered the spicy version of the pulled pork sandwich. Again, good stuff. As a tourist with time for only one meal in Santa Fe, I'm glad I gave this place my money and time.
(4)Jonathan D.
We got seated incredibly fast on July 4th. We had our choice of indoor or patio seating. Our server was friendly and attentive. BBQ beef brisket sandwich was melt-one-your-mouth delicious. With cole slaw and scalloped potatoes (which I substituted for fries) as sides, it really filled me up.
(4)Rick C.
Great place and great food. Travling through, and someone at the hotel suggested Cowgirl. We're glad we came. The facility is...interesting. Very DIY buildings and additions. Good size outdoor patio. I was surprised by the variety on the menu. It was a little more than you'd expect from a place like this. The wait staff seemed excellent. Our waiter was great - I wish I would have caught her name - but friendly and the right amount of attentive. The food came quickly. The portions were large and good quality components. I had the BBQ sampler, and it is enough for any two people. Now, if you can put the food away, it'll take care of you. I left a lot on my plate and still needed to be carted off in a wheelbarrel. The BBQ was a good, smokey and spicy (prolly a bit much for the wimpy folks). My coworker was impressed by the beer selection (I don't drink and couldn't tell you anything abut it - no impact on me). I'm starting to look forward to my next trip here. I'll be coming back. After all, I gotta try the karaoke.
(4)Anthony R.
Had a great time last time I went. Didn't get any food, but played pool for a few hours and had a few drinks on a slow night. The server, Chris, was very personable and made it quit a pleasant experience. I like friendly people with personality, he is a keeper.
(5)Adrienne G.
I thought they had the best chicken wings in Santa Fe. But I had them one night with a few friends and we all had the worst food poisoning!!!
(2)Susanna W.
J & I "randomly" chose Cowgirl BBQ (one of the highest rated & most popular restaurants in the Santa Fe area on Yelp) to have lunch at our first full day in NM. AMBIANCE: We sat in the courtyard at one of the communal picnic benches (in a shaded spot). The courtyard is very cute, and has a super relaxing vibe. SERVICE: Super friendly. Different staff members came by to check on us, and our main server made sure we were well taken care of. FOOD: - Mother of all burgers: One of the best burgers I've had in a while. The beef was perfectly seasoned, great texture (a medium grind), and cooked to a nice medium (bordering med-rare). Add on the brie (fancy!), green chile (is there anything that DOESN'T have green chile on it in NM?), and other accoutrements, and you have a delicious, hefty meal. The fries that came with the burger were only ok-- they were slightly soggy. - Green chile nachos with beef brisket: Holy. The portion size is generous, and I could only have a few bites before waving the white flag. Really good, though I wished I had asked for less cheese (blasphemy?) and the sour cream on the side. OVERALL: One of our best meals while in NM. I thought that the green chile was pretty thoughtfully combined with the items we chose, so that it was harmonious rather than an absent-minded add on. I'd dine here again.
(4)Cinnamongirl 6.
Had dinner tonight with my family. Our food was delish! We ate inside, but there was plenty of seating, outside on the patio. The kids had fajitas, my husband enjoyed his burger and I had the blue corn chicken stack. No complaints about the food although it was pretty standard fare. We did sit there for five minutes without a peep. My husband is not one to let things go so he went to the hostess girls and told them that we needed waters, menus and our waiter...stat! After that, everything went great. Our waiter was delightful, funny even. Our drinks were great. My margarita was even on the strong side. Not that I mind that! The atmosphere is fun and it's just a sweet, kitschy little joint.
(4)K P.
I was looking for something good to eat and wanted to absorb more New Mexico culture so I gave Cowgirl's a try. I was not disappointed. The service was excellent, and not too kitschy. The food was very good. I loved the flavor of the barbecue ribs. My son ordered the sampler of craft beers. That was fun and they were all high quality beers, not the stuff that isn't selling. We sat on the patio until it rained, but that didn't spoil a thing. We had a memorable and truly enjoyable experience!
(5)Forrest B.
I have never wrote a review but felt obligated after an an awful experience: On our honeymoon, we were asked to leave because we had "glassy eyes." We were waiting for a table and music to start and could not find a place to sit. My wife dropped her jacket and that was reason why we were asked to leave.. What a joke. Go here if you would like to be embarrassed and treated awful.
(1)Jody P.
Excellent food, good music and attentive service. Nice combination. A very well stocked bar with a great beer selection and a not to shabby whiskey selection as well :) The most important thing for me when going to a new place is how well they handle my wife's dairy allergy. The Cowgirl did a great job and the Server even remembered when we ordered an after dinner drink that normally has whipped cream on it. The drink came sans the dairy component and it was still great. Ok, the food. The "Mother of all Green Chile Cheeseburgers" was wonderful. Don't know if it was the best I've ever had but it was pretty damn close. The rest of my party also enjoyed their meals too... Will be making the Cowgirl a regular stop when we go into town!
(4)E K.
Don't come for the food. Come for the gorgeous outdoor seating and free live music. Grab a table, order some drinks (and more drinks), and relax. 5 stars for the ambiance, 2 stars for the food (my veggie burger came cold and falling a part), 5 stars for the service, 5 stars for the drink selection and $3 drink specials I also love that they support local and up-and-coming artists. A trip to to bathroom had me pass a wall lined with fliers of upcoming bands, making me wish I was local so I could frequent Cowgirl more often. Oh, and they also have a playground/play area for kids in the back! Impressive!
(4)tim r.
Great draft selection and good food. I went here twice in my week long Santa Fe stay. Both times I ordered the special plantain tamale. The flavor from the plantain was amazing. Sweet and banana-y. The red chile was spicy and the obligatory rice and beans filled out the meal and mixed well with the chicken and cornmeal. My girlfriend got the grilled cheese and added green chile strips. When in New Mexico you should always add green chile to everything you order and they added a nice kick to the great grilled cheese. Second time she got the pulled pork with the extra spicy sauce. Wasn't her favorite pulled pork ever but a strong showing. It was a good sandwich.
(5)Benjamin P.
Great food and Amazing atmosphere. I'd go back here in a heartbeat. I rarely get to write a review of place I just love to hang out it. We spent a Sunday afternoon eating bbq and drinking amazing NM beers while listening to fantastic music. I had the bbq sampler that was a HUGE and reasonably priced way to try several things they make. I tried some of the yak meatloaf that was also great. Our server was the bartender, who was very friendly and helpful. She seemed way calm for the amount of things being asked of her, and was quick to offer a sample when I asked about beers.
(4)Scott B.
Went here based on my 23 year old sons advice. He has eaten here after snowboarding before and raves about the burgers, especially the Mother with the green chili. So of course that's what I got. Burger was under cooked based on my medium request, and the green tomatoes were too big. Otherwise it had a great taste and the combination of green chili and Brie was unique. The bowl of Texas chili has great flavor and brisket, it is worth the price. Don't expect much from the ambiance, it is a Cowgirl bar after all.
(3)Pat T.
Stopped in for a late lunch at the Cowgirl on our way back to Tucson from Colorado Springs. We very much enjoyed the relaxed setting of the patio. My son and husband had dinner here several months ago and raved about it. Sadly, this time we found our Mother of all Green Chile burgers to be on the dry side, the fries were soggy and the meal just not overly scrumptious at all. Certainly a big disappointment from what we had hoped and longed for. Our son did think his Yak Meat Loaf had great flavor but felt it too was a bit over cooked on the outer edges. Hope it was just a off day for the Cowgirl. Not sure we will be stopping in again for a meal next time through.
(2)John O.
I cannot vouch for the food here, but the beer specials are incredible. I came here on a Sunday afternoon because one of the rides for the Santa Fe Beer, Bike, and Brew Festival was having an after party here. The outdoor patio is very cool and a great place to listen to music and sip on some microbrew from New Mexico. I thought the selection of beer on tap was varied and thoughtfully selected. I ordered a pint of La Cumbre for $3 on a Sunday afternoon. Great deal. You gotta see if the Santa Fe Chilis Dixie Jazz Band is playing at this place. If they are, it's a great place to have a chill afternoon and listen to a great dixieland jazz band. No cover. Tip well though! Enjoy.
(4)JoAnn F.
Not a fancy place. But Clean place good food. Great service. Centrally located. Would recommend it definitely
(4)Nic M.
This place was alright. They have a monstrous chili burger that I would every day if I could. The trip here was made worth it by that burger. The margaritas are really good and they are half price during happy hour ($4). Cons: the service was horrible. They take forever to get to the table so I'm sitting there hungry for too long. We went twice and both our servers were uninterested and mean. Go for the burger but don't expect a fantastic time, just a good time.
(3)S C.
A great place for tourists that are looking for Nm BBQ. Nice interior acceptable food. Outdoor court for summer, fireplaces for the winter. Good for families and friends. Stop by after ski sante fe.
(3)Lucia N.
Burgers (meat and veggie) are cooked to perfection and topped with creative condiments. Jolly atmosphere. Best veggie burger I've had.
(4)Wendy H.
OK so I'm pretty easy going on my restaurant experiences. Advice - skip this place - I'm really not sure why anyone would make a reservation for this place - the food was greasy and the service sucked!!! obviously the bad reviews are not stopping their business which is too bad because maybe then they would want to improve their customer service! Lots of great restaurants and patios in Santa Fe - I am sitting at the Coyote Bar and its great - a rooftop patio and service is top notch!! walk down the street and give a great restaurant the business!! SKIP THIS PLACE
(1)G W.
Great location, awesome selection of craft beers and good food. I had the house wings and the 'mother burger' both of which were awesome. The burger even won 3rd place in the state. The patio was pretty small outside but if you get good weather it's worth waiting for, especially on a Saturday or Sunday night as there's live music after 8pm.
(4)Ashley N.
Do not understand the hype. Mediocre food, dirty tables. Slow service. We got the sampler meat platter - the brisket is supposed to be top notch. I've had way better at a chain in CO.
(1)Denise A.
Cowgirls BarBQ, Santa Fe, NM: Listening to a live band --playing and singing some swinging western jazz. Sipping a cool drink waiting on one of the tastiest 'build your own' quesdeos around. Yes, there is bbq pulled pork in there, mingling in the sautéed veggies and cheese- toasted just right. Family atmosphere - shaded large front patio welcomes you straight in to entertainment and seating. Great afternoon!
(4)Morgan D.
So giving three stars only because the hostess was amazing. Good beer selection. Don't order a Moscow mule no copper mugs they should not offer them. Server was not great waited for about 10 minutes to be greeted. Got the Cowgirl Salad watery dressing. BBQ sampler terrible. The sauce was thick and too tangy. Over cooked meat, bland potato salad and not worth the price. However the redeeming quality was that they had live local music each night. The Hooligans rocked. Drink and dance. Don't eat.
(3)Lindsey M.
Santa Fe staple when I come into town. The baked potato ice cream is where it's at. I had the brisket with mashed potatoes and slaw. Standard BBQ food made better by Cowgirl's environment. Friendly weight staff with fun outfits and a great patio. Each room has a different vibe to offer, all fun.
(4)Shannon Z.
Worst service I have ever encountered (thank you Pablo) & mediocre food. The worst potato salad, I don't even know how you can mess that up?! Skip! Gluten free options were not truly gluten free (avoid if you have celiacs/allergy). I left very feeling very ill and disappointed. All the BBQ sauce has gluten, the fries have gluten, there are no main dishes on the menu that are gluten free. The waitstaff has no respect for food allergies or customers requests.
(1)Jake N.
I had the Mother of all Cheesburgers. It was awesome. 5 star food! All the way. Sat here listening to a band on the patio. Until the manager lady says we are cut off!?!?! 4 drink maximum. Bitch paaaalllleeeaaaassseee!
(2)Ginni K.
We had the brisket plate dinner. Hands down the best brisket we have ever had. Tasty sauce without the heat. Enjoyed the flan for desert. Very tasty. Definitely worth the wait.
(5)Whitnee R.
I was pretty eager to try this place after a few recommendations, but once I found out that it was a BBQ joint serving up vegetarian dishes, I was all in. Seriously, what's cooler than getting to satisfy my fiancé's BBQ needs AND not having to surrender to a side of coleslaw for lunch? Nothing, yelpers. The answer is nothing. I excitedly planned out my meal before I arrived and decided on the jerk tofu. When we arrived, the atmosphere was little sleepy because we missed the lunch crowd, but there was definitely a friendly vibe about the place. (I recommend sitting on their front patio as it is a more lively spot with better views.) Upon ordering, I was disheartened when I found out that they actually didn't have any tofu dishes. Not sure why it was listed on the menu, but disappointing to say the least. I settled for a vegetarian Frito pie (a classic favorite of mine). It arrived in a bag, trailer park-style, which I can always get down with. Unfortunately, the good stopped there. The chili was extremely chunky, Fritos were soggy, and it all just tasted like a heaping serving of tomato sauce. I was missing that spicy kick, the cheesy top layer, and that crunch of the Fritos that make it a top notch dish in the realm of comfort food. Our server was also tending bar and was pretty aloof. With Cowgirl's reputation and its effort to serve up some veg BBQ, I'm willing to give it another shot - but I just can't give it a pass for that take on a Santa Fe staple. Gonna seek out my Frito pies elsewhere, but keeping the door open for any menu changes down the line.
(3)Carmen S.
This place gets 3 stars for having a pet friendly patio. Otherwise, their drinks are adequate but overpriced, and their food is sub-par.
(3)Chris P.
Sure it's a Santa Fe landmark, but the food and drink speaks volumes. A must have is the baked potato ice cream dessert, and the smoke pulled pork is seriously done right. They have a great beer selection, and the atmosphere is pretty cool. If you want to give yourself a heart attack, go for the nachos. After that, I felt like I couldn't eat for a week. If the aim is to be Texas size, you won't be disappointed. The burgers kill it too. You really can't order anything bad here. The beer tap rotation is excellent because of the good emphasis on New Mexico brewed offerings. As someone from the Seattle area where beer is HUGE, I can't say enough good stuff and praises for New Mexico beer and breweries.
(5)Kathryn M.
YUM! Everything I had was amazingly delicious. Did not realize you could make food taste like this until I went here. Simply a must-go if you're in Santa Fe. Live music was great too! Warm, homey ambiance. Just so great.
(5)Kristie A.
My favorite stop in New Mexico!!! Everything is good and the beer selection is amazing!!! It's hard to choose between the BBQ and Southwest menu so order both!!!!
(5)Art H.
Cowgirl has been on the Santa Fe scene for some time; a well established clientele fills the indoor/outdoor space. It was a fab crowd too - a woman was announcing to her table mates about the last, uh, oral interlude she had with a recent date, loud enough that the four of us had to stop our conversation long enough to hear how it all, ah, came out. But I digress. The food was overall a bit disappointing. Nothing was awful, but not the 4 star rating either. It was just A-OK. The salmon in the soft taco #1 was way to big of a piece to eat by hand, while almost nonexistent in taco #2. The beef salad was fine, again, nothing to rave about. The local beers on tap were great. I'd love to say more, but Oral woman had the most to say. So I'll stop now.
(3)Romeo N.
Bison Burger was great and are waiter was extremely helpful. Great selection of beer!
(4)Celeste K.
Make sure you get the bbq, cause the tacos tasted like it anyway.
(3)Chris T.
I ordered the BBQ pulled pork sandwich and it was smoky, juicy, and really good. I also added the diablo salsa with habaneros to spice it up a little more. The place was really busy for a Monday night but there was plenty of help and service was fast. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Our waiter, however, seemed a little uppity and wasn't too enthusiastic about answering questions about the menu. Seemed odd coming from a man wearing a cowboy hat with both ears pierced. To be expected in Santa Fe I guess.
(3)Robin B.
After visiting this place over the years, we had the most interesting interaction with a wait staff to date. Initially, the wait person was personable and friendly and took our order. That was pretty much the last we saw of him. Someone else brought our food (after we could see it sitting in the kitchen for a LONG time). He never checked on us, despite the fact he walked by us repeatedly. We had to flag him down to order dessert. Again, someone else brought it to us after it, too, sat for a very LONG time. We then went and asked for a manager to voice our displeasure. A few minutes later, our wait person appeared and said he was told we had complained and he wanted to know why. We explained that he has been ignoring us. No apology, no explanation, just defiance and outright rudeness. The food is NOT THAT good to put up with this sort of behavior. The fact that the manager would go and tell him and he would then come up and demand an explanation is something we have never experienced before. There are SO many other great places in Santa Fe, that this one is not worth your time! Ignore the hype and the accolades on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.......
(1)Korrie B.
Had a disappointing dinner here. My friend and I shared the quesadilla and the green chili cheeseburger. The quesadilla was pretty good, but the cheeseburger was greasy and too much all one flavor...no contrasts. The biggest surprise of the night was that I found that I really liked pickled jalepnos! The atmosphere was VERY loud and we were seated right next to a door where the back kept hauling stuff in and out. Couldn't wait to leave.
(1)Lilly C.
Having lived in New Mexico for more than a dozen years now, we've learned our lesson long ago that the Cowgirl is a tourist stable and not to be indulged on the weekends if one is to expect quality service and a satisfying meal. Nevertheless, on this occasion, my husband and I met our coworkers there to celebrate the end of a long grueling job and take in the lively atmosphere on the patio. We ordered one round of beer along with our dinner and a round of shots to toast each other on a job well done. We were happy and tired. Another coworker arrived about 15 minutes later and ordered a second round of drinks. At this point, the server stuttered and announced that there would be a hold on the drinks for the moment. We were confused, was the bar experiencing a malfunction? Were they out of tequila? At this point the manager marches over to the table and tells us "We are going to hold off serving your drinks for the time being, let you all get some food in you and soak up some of that tequila." Excuse me? I suppose the toasting and boisterous conversation of seven over-40-year-old adults (who had just finished their final 13-hour day with one of the worst bosses in history) was deemed too drunken by this establishment and therefore a call to action was subscribed to our table. What a poetic finale to a terrible job that this restaurant had decided to cut us all off after one round of drinks like we were a bunch of teenagers. Some of us began guffawing and calling her bluff but the management was adamant. We stared at each other across the table in amazement..our tired faces, burned by the sun from working outdoors from the caldera to the pecos wilderness-I guess we looked drunk wished we were drunk but that was not the point. Most of us lived within walking distance and had given this place thousands of dollars in business over the years and now we were being judged and it was just too much. I noticed that several others have had the same experience here, and probably because the heat is on and liability is a top priority at the cowgirl but the food is mediocre as well. My bratwurst plate arrived and it was still pink on the inside. They obliged me by serving me another plate but it was still undercooked. The fries were cold and stale You wait long enough to get a table and when you do the establishment judges your sobriety, serves you your food and scoots you out the door. They are trying to seat a turnstile of incoming patrons and administering a drink minimum that insults and accuses people of being over the limit. This place has live music and a cool interior and this catchy theme but its a scam. You will never see the same people working there after a few months because they treat their employees badly: I know because I worked there for a minute but that is a whole other outrageous story that I will not divulge here. The Cowgirl is the last place I would go in this town. There are plenty of options more deserving of your hard earned dollars.
(1)Sarai L.
We came with a big party (tons of kids), they were awesome and put us in an empty back room because they weren't too busy, yet. It took us a while to order, and since there was so many of us we just ended up ordering a couple big things to share. We got two of the loaded nachos, both the chicken and steak fajitas, the BBQ sampler and a kids Mac and cheese and a kids brisket sandwich. The nachos came out first, which was great since we were so hungry. And they were AMAZING. Everything was super good. I would definitely go back. I know if ever in Santa Fe I have. Place to count on. The also has live music playing in the other room. :)
(5)Meghan T.
Sis & I visited Santa Fe for the holidays, and upon check-in at our hotel, Cowgirl was suggested to us. As it turns out, a nomadic music making family, The Hollands, was playing some good ol' bluegrass tunes that evening. Being a nomad myself, I run into them from time to time on the road, and it's always a down home good time. We headed over for some good music and really got the whole sha*bang! We sat down to an amazingly beautiful organic Harvest salad and the best burger we have ever eaten. The Counter in LA is home to a phenomenal and personalized burger, but I must say Cowgirl makes a MIGHTY FINE one of their own. The "Mother" gets the Gold Star for burgers. And the truffle fries set it off just right. There were many things on the menu that sounded tasty and tempting, but the burgers are so large we split one and it did us just right. If we lived nearby, we'd probably be in to sample the other fare they offer like butternut squash casserole & mac'n'cheese, But since we don't, I'll bet we'll just order the Mother every time. If it ain't broke... After our meal, we sipped great warm winter drinks from the specials menu as we listened to The Hollands sing and strum and storytell and drum. It was a beautiful evening!
(5)Blake C.
What a amazing restaurant. Great atmosphere great service. The food is some of the best in town at the most reasonable price. And very kid friendly they make you feel right at home.
(5)Stephanie G.
I was pleasantly surprised that a BBQ joint would actually offer vegetarian items other than bread and salad. I had the butternut squash casserole. TO DIE FOR. I'm trying to duplicate the recipe to have it at home!! Huge patio for outdoor seating WITH heat lamps!
(5)Chris W.
Really nice atmosphere!!! I order the chili rellenos, Christmas( red and green chili) with black beans and rice. Food was hot when it was served and a big portion!! The red one had a really great flavor. The green was great flavor and heat. They both were stuff with plenty of cheese. The beans were a good compliment to the rice and it all come together very well. Would high recommend to anyone in the Sante Fe area
(4)Elsie F.
First Off, their craft beer list did not accurately depict what they actually had. The first 3 beers I had requested were not available. So I had to settle for one. Mediocre food at best. We shared a Caesar salad, frito pie, green chile burger, and BBQ sampler. Not exciting at all, and hardly any flavor on the burger for a green chili burger. We left most of it behind.
(2)Peter S.
Very good chili and my partner had the ribs. Lemonade was a bit watery. Lots of fun photos of cowgirls on the walls.
(4)Steve V.
We ate here on a Weds night between the Indian Market and Zozobra celebration weekends at about 7:30 and the place was packed. No reservations, but we got right in. Parking: They don't have their own parking lot and the street parking is minimal, but after working hours everyone seems to sneak into the business/govt building lot behind the restaurant. At least no one was being ticketed! Try this at other times at your own risk! Service: since it was packed we expected the service to be slow, but was just the opposite. We were seated immediately and waited only a minute before we got the menus and had our drink orders taken. In less than 5 minutes we had our drinks and our server was taking our orders. Much to our utter amazement, we had our orders in less than 3 minutes - the FASTEST we have had anywhere. The whole staff was in overdrive from the prime dinner hours and the adrenaline hadn't worn off yet. The server was never pushy, checked back several times to see how we were doing and didn't ask about desert until it was obvious we had finished our meal. The food: I had the combo plate (brisket, chicken and ribs) and my wife had the brisket. We both agreed that unless you got a portion of the brisket that had a little fat in it, it was overly dry- tasty but needed an extra of the provided sauce served on the side to make it a 5/10. My chicken was good 7/10 (well cooked but could have had a more smoky taste to be true BBQ) and the ribs were excellent 10/10. As others have said I would have preferred that there wasn't so much sauce on the chicken so it didn't run into the slaw. The beans were typical BBQ but tasted just like the BBQ sauce; little light on the bacon and stronger on the spices with just a tiny bit of heat. After a week's worth of overly hot Southwestern food in town that was made hot to cover a lack of otherwise bland dishes, this was a welcome change. I had the peach/blueberry cobbler 8/10 and my wife had a chocolate fudge/coffee thing that was huge and according to her tasted great 10/10. If we were to be in town again we definitely go back, but later in the evening when a packed house didn't make it soooo noisy. The live band was good too.
(4)Kate G.
Simply wonderful. We had a late bite to eat (9 pm) on a Friday. We waited about 10 minutes for a table; got a drink at the bar while we waited. Orgasmic beer was good, hoppy cider was not. For appetizer, got Chile rellenos with goat cheese and pomegranate seeds (so delicious, crunchy outside with a melt in your mouth inside.) For dinner, we got bison burger & squash casserole with salad, both of which were excellent. On recommendation from our waiter, we got the mud pie - frozen ice cream with good fudge and whipped cream layer. All in all, a very filling & tasty meal.
(4)Terry W.
This is our favorite place to head for a good time and really good food! Reservations made for last night. We were seated right next to the kitchen door. Not good. We all ordered different menu items and had very different experiences. My favorite, if not the Cowgirl Burger, is the Country Fried Chicken! Last night it was the worst ever. Frozen breaded piece of cardboard, 2 Tbs. of gravy on really good potatoes! The pulled pork was so dry we had them bring extra sauce and the scallops were tiny and dry. Sunday night problems? Tired staff? The one order of the "Cowgirl Burger" came out beautifully cooked to temp, juicy and delicious! Sorry Cowgirl, we will come back!
(2)Lena L.
This was my first trip to Cowgirls yesterday! I had heard loads about it and finally made it up since the weather was so gorgeous. I was with a party of four. First off, it's a cute place. Pretty adorable. Free parking two doors down on the weekends. This place has a great atmosphere. There was a live band who were pretty great. We sat near the backdoor in the room with the band and the server was immediately there. The menu has a lot of food- lots of different styles. When we went, there was a Cajun special going. So far, so good. I got a Margarita- not bad, fairly strong. Didn't taste like a mix. The rest got beers- some local, one major brand. Good drink selection. Bad part: I kept having to ask for a glass of water and got it probably 10-15 minutes later. He kept forgetting. I had a drink, so I was not dying of thirst, it was just a bit annoying. We got the okra starter. It seemed to be a tiny bit underdone, but the breading was nice and the sauce with it was yummy. An extra 30 seconds in the fryer would have been nice though, but since it still tasted good, it really was not worth the effort. I ordered the Turkey Reuben and I have some major problems with it. First off, Reubens are Reubens because of the sauerkraut and the sauce. I could not detect any sauerkraut. This makes me sad, because that is the point of ordering a Reuben to me. There has to at least be enough to taste! I dissected the sandwich and sound a few tiny pieces on the bottom. Disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was still really good. The bread, especially, was delicious. But it was just a good turkey sandwich. It was not a Reuben. Reuben-lovers beware. The french fries were really tasty. I didn't need to add any salt or even use a dipping sauce. Yum. The coleslaw was kinda boring. Just your typical store bought kind. One friend got the Heuvos Rancheros. The chile was pretty good. No real heat (although it calls itself spicy), but nice flavor. Was not the best Heuvos, but it was good enough. I don't think that any of us would pay for that Heuvos again (how does a restaurant in New Mexico just make "okay" heuvos?). Lots of places can do it much better, including myself in my own kitchen. Another got a burger, medium rare. It was cooked perfectly and was great. The fries, again, were awesome. Burgers they seem to do well. The Jambalaya that was on special was the other dish on the table. My friend seemed unimpressed. I tried it and it was pretty bland. Some salt and a very, very generous portion of hot sauce made it good, but it is a shame that we had to completely season it ourselves. Everything in it was cooked well, however. I would definitely not pay for the blandness though. It did have a cute factor- they bring the cornbread shaped like a cactus. When a tiny piece of bread is the best part of the dish, there is a problem. Overall, high and low points. Food was okay. It ranged from 1/5 to 4/5. Service was 3/5. Atmosphere was 5/5. Drinks and drink selection was 4/5. I'd go back for a drink and maybe some food. Maybe.
(3)Kristen C.
The food was just okay, and the service was unfortunately quite poor. Both our order and our bill were wrong, repeatedly. I never ever check a bill, but I just had a sense based on all the other errors. I liked the atmosphere, and we may have just caught a server on a very bad day. The overall feel was fun and relaxed. No concessions were made for the multiple errors.
(3)Kathy M.
Ok, so I did not have the BBQ that Cowgirl is apparently so well known for. We did not sit in the outdoor area or stay for the entertainment. But that is no excuse for the very bad quality of the food. We started with chips and salsa; the chips were good but the salsa was tasteless and no amount of salt could make it edible. I wanted something lighter than BBQ so chose the Arugula Salad and added on grilled salmon. What I got was a large plate of arugula greens with a few very overdone pieces of grilled asparagus. The warm goat cheese was this weird deep fried mound of goat cheese and the salad dressing was also completely tasteless. The salmon was dry and overdone. My husband had a burger with Monterey jack cheese, which he said was very good but the "hand cut fries" it came with looked and tasted like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for longer than they should have. The craft beer I ordered wasn't even satisfying because it wasn't very cold. I see no reason to go to this restaurant unless you are VERY hard up for atmosphere in Santa Fe.
(1)Jenifer P.
I came to Cowgirl BBQ twice in one day, once with the family to eat and again at night to drink and play pool. We came with three kids under five and requested a table in the play area. They have a really nice play structure and fun activities for the kids outdoors. The area was already booked so we sat inside but the kids were still able to play in the play area until the food came. I ordered the World Famous Green Chile Burger and I was not disappointed! It was delicious with melting green chili cheese and a bacon/beef patty. The truffle fries were a little to be desired but still good. We came back later without the kids to enjoy the pool area. They have about five different sections of the restaurant: a patio, a bar, two dining rooms and a play area. The pool area was fun with a digital jukebox, five pool tables, and a waiter. The waiter reserves your pool table for you and also takes your drink/food orders. The prices were decent and the atmosphere is fun. There were some people in there who were pretty serious about pool and then there were others who like us were just there to have a good time. Overall I would come back to this place for both the food and the drinks. It is a fun place and since we were there on a Saturday night they had a live band playing. The place is a bit cramped, it seems like an old house or two converted to a restaurant but it's got a certain charm.
(4)Ryan R.
Typical bbq environment. I had the "mother" burger which was the best burger I have ever had. Loaded with tender beef Bree cheese and green chilies. Wow makes my mouth water. The fries were also awesome. After dinner we had the the MUD pie which I highly recommend. Parking was a bit hectic but the food more then makes up for it.
(5)Lyric K.
The MOTHER! It's the best burger in town. . . and the "Girl" uses local meats, hormone and antibiotic free - good stuff from right here in New Mexico. The Mother burger comes complete with green chili, brie, and heirloom tomatoes. The Girl's fries and wings are among the best in town. And the bar makes a mean mixed drink, a great tequila pour, and plenty of beers to suit your tastebuds. The game burger and the yak meatloaf are 2 other faves - right now the only place in town to get game meats. Not a huge fan of their BBQ, even though that is what they're "famous" for. And their seasonal menu always has something fun like fried okra or rabbit and rattlesnake brats.
(4)Cyndi C.
Sadly disappointed! We recently moved to the Santa Fe area and we had driven past Cowgirl BBQ a number of times and we couldn't wait to go there to eat, tonight was the night, we had a guest in from out of town and we took her there after spending the day in Taos. We arrived just after 6, we were told there would be a 30 min wait, no problem, we thought it must be worth is since there were so many people there...NOPE When the host sat us she said they were out of menu's, 5 minutes later the waiters came to see if we wanted drinks we ordered but it took 20 minutes to get two beers and a soda, she did stop back and said she was still waiting to get the drinks for us. We still didn't have menu's finally we noticed someone that was waiting in line had a menu, so we went to the host area and got out menus. The waitress came back and took our order, we waited almost AN HOUR to get our food. No kidding the person that had been in line when we got menus said across from us, they placed their order and had their food before we got out drinks, I ordered the Mac & Cheese thinking it was going to be deliciously creamy....it should have been on the kids menu, it was like mac & cheese from a box with a ton of cheddar cheese melted on it. The other people that was with me ordered the Butternut Squash, and Chicken fried steak with greens and they both loved it. ONE OTHER THING the restrooms are Co-shared, I went in as a man was just coming out, I took one look and walked out, he had peed all over the toilet seat, yet another disappointment! Needless to say I don't know if I would go back!
(1)John B.
My sister recommended this place because of the kiddie corral which was effective for my niece. Honestly I really enjoyed what I had which was the mother of all Green Chile Burgers. It was just a damn goo burger in typical New Mexico Style with the best fries I tasted on my journey. If you are looking for a good burger in Santa Fe I recommend this burger. I am including a description with my photos.
(4)Melanie H.
The ambiance was fun, our first server was a very nice girl. Food was yummy but a little slow and sloppy, what do you expect from a bbq joint. My grandmas boyfriend hated his bbq sandwich he said the meat was too tough. Second server was a bearded guy who was too in my face. I would consider going again.
(4)Robert R.
Cheap truffle oil on your fries doesn't make you Bobby Flay. Totally ruined your green chile cheeseburger. Shake Foundation puts you to shame!
(1)Klean L.
Cowboy saloon atmosphere with budding artists providing entertainment. Can see this being a go to place for happy hours, causal dinner parties or nightcaps. Good food and service, menu seemed too big but surprised with quality used with sig dishes. Servings are unnecessarily big. Kitchen knows what they are doing but having to please too many in low season holds them back. Will be back! 3.5-4 stars
(3)David J.
Poor location, not close to plaza, poor dining room, poor service, very poor food, we left most of ours and went somewhere else to eat, do not understand the positive reviews, they cannot be for the food and ambiance
(1)Teresa L.
Boooooo. We had not graced this restaurant since our honeymoon 6 years ago, and man...things have changed. We loved the kiddie area in the back, and were it not for that feature the Cowgirl would've only earned one star. The brisket was extremely tough. Felt like it was either cooked too fast or too hot, or both. Did not pull apart easily and was very chewy. Neither my husband nor I enjoyed it, at all. The BBQ sauce as ok...tomatoey and a bit spicy. The sides (potato salad, coke slaw, and beans) were bland and characterless. I added salt and mustard to the potato salad, which helped it immensely. Sadly, we won't be giving this place another chance. There are far too many good restaurants nearby to gamble on the Cowgirl again.
(2)Paula F.
I wish I could give it NO stars... This bar has a four drink maximum... ARE YOU KIDDING ME ... Avoid this place if you can actually drink
(1)Judy L.
I eaten here MANY times, but I'm stuck on, infatuated with, their fish tacos. I love NM, but it's hard to find fish & the SW taste of Mexico in very many restaurants. Here, they do it well. the best fish, their soft taco, slaw & pico de gallo. I don't understand why there are fewer than 3 places to eat fish in this State, besides my own house, but Cowgirls is where I head for the best of both flavors of Mexico & fish!
(4)Shawn B.
Came here with the wife tonight and we were very happy. Live music, amazing smoked ribs, and great customer service. It was raining and cold tonight, so we were seated inside next to a nice warm fireplace. Ambiance is warm and inviting. Oh, yes, the margaritas are amazing! And a great beer collection. So, yes, everything was perfect and we will be coming back.
(5)Dawn O.
A bar with a play area for the kids...What a concept. Super casual, service is lackadaisical, but a great scene, fun cocktail menu, raucous and fun place to take all age groups.
(3)Moua L.
This place is awesome! They can accommodate everyone here. This time around, I brought a baby and found out that there was a nice kids play area in the back that I never knew about. We ate some nice BBQ sampler bits and had endless Margaritas. We were at a private event, so we had unlimited drink tickets to use. I tried not to go overboard though, as far as I remembered. I also remembered the walk back to our hotel on the plaza was quite humorous with lots of laughs. Always a great time at Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)Jennifer M.
This place is fun but there's not enough space between tables, the staff is running around and I saw a server/busboy SMELL someone's food AT the table!! I don't know if I would go back again.
(3)Todd S.
Horrible experience. A very unfriendly security guard "greets" customers at the front door. Only 2 unisex bathrooms in the entire restaurant. Wait staff is not friendly. And they are adamant about limiting customers to 3 drinks each, no matter how sober you are. They claim it is some form of a city ordinance, but no other establishment in Santa Fe seems to know about (or adhere to) it.
(1)Brittany T.
Not really a bbq restaurant. It's basically a tourist location with a few bbq options. Staff was friendly but after reading the menu I quickly realized that this place does not specialize in bbq. Once I realized that, I noticed that there was no smell in the place. That was a red flag for me...every great bbq joint has the sweet smell of smoked meat and sauce in the air. I looked around and wasn't very impressed with the food around the room. My husband and I decided we would rather eat someone else so we just got an order of chicken wings (usually a safe bet). As the wings were brought to our table I noticed how the dressing sloshed around in the bowl. The dressing was disgusting. I think it was supposed to by some sort of ranch dressing but it was lacking any flavor and was a little sweet. I don't know if that's a southern style but it was unimpressive, bland, and watery. I asked for a side of blue cheese (which I usually prefer anyway) and was so irritated when I was served another watery bowl of dressing. It was obvious that someone actually adds water to the dressings. The wings were not terrible but also a little dry. A few pieces where mostly soggy chicken skin which is just mean they weren't cooked at the right temperature. The buffalo sauce was a little watery too so after the first bit the flavor was gone. I would not recommend this place if you are looking for good bbq. Follow your nose...you'll find something else in the area!!
(1)Stan L.
Ate supper here on Tuesday night. I was disappointed in our overall experience. I had a simple pulled pork sandwich with fries. My bun was soaked and not usable. I ate the meat without a bun, which was better for me. I had to ask for more BBQ sauce, because it lacked flavor. The fries were just average. Sarah had a chili stuffed baked potato. She said it was ok, but had too much chili for her? Our service was slower then the business warranted. My least favorite so far this week
(3)Michelle T.
So, on our latest trip to Santa Fe we decided to eat at Cowgirl once again. Not so enthralled this time. The winter seasonal menu just didn't live up to the "cinco de mayo" one. Beef ravioli? At a bbq place in New Mexico...really? Anyway, my husband went for the chili which he thought was ok. To be fair, I wasn't all that hungry since we had a huge lunch at the Shed so, I decided on a Harvest Salad that sounded good on paper (anything with beets, goat cheese and marcona almonds sounds good!) but, the flavors didn't really work. May have been the lemon basil vinaigrette but I'm not sure, something just seemed to be missing. Doesn't help that we were seated on the temporarily enclosed patio with a heat lamp directly over us so we either fried with the lamp on, or froze with it off every time the front door opened. Oh well. Guess if they have the good menu items next time we'll give it another try.
(2)Stacy S.
Best Bbq I have ever had,.... Great recommendation
(5)Susan J.
I was in Santa Fe for a two month artist residency and found myself returning to Cowgirl again and again for the tasty freshly prepared food, the great service from the charming staff, and an entertaining atmosphere filled with local characters as well as some of us tourists. There is indoor and outdoor seating for dining, a bar, a pool room and frequent live music outside. The first time I came here I sampled the chicken fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes and spicy collard greens. I live in the southwest Virginia, home to this kind of cuisine and this was the best version I have eaten anywhere. I also give thumbs up to the burgers, the ribs, the guacamole, the green chili cheese fries, and the mac and cheese. Cowgirl has a good variety of beers on tap and decent margaritas. Ask about the specials. Our group at the residency center really loved this place.
(5)Mark K.
Meh. Not bad, but felt like a chain place. I've had better BBQ back home in michigan which isn't really known for BBQ. Good margaritas and they do have live music which is a good bonus.
(3)Dani Y.
Live music and outdoor seating (heated) make for a fantastic ambiance. The good is solid and they make the frozen margaritas strong. Service overall is fantastic (I'll admit I had to ask my waiter twice if I could order and he wasn't very attentive, but everyone else who worked here seemed great). Worth a visit if you're looking for a restaurant with local flavor.
(4)Jeremy G.
This place is great for families. The backyard has an enclosed climbing area and slide. Our kids played before and after lunch, giving the adults a leisurely lunch. I recommend the Green Chili Burger. NOTE: There is parking in the back.
(5)Danielle M.
I Finally decided to review this place because I finally came during happy hour and not when I was trying to cram in with the masses late night. Servers seem more friendly than I remember, also could have something to do with the hour. A Fresh batch of servers just arrived for tonight's shifts. Not only are the servers nicer early in the evening but the food is good too. My husband and I started with the quesadilla de la casa and added the chipotle pulled pork. Phenomenal little appetizer. Then I asked the waitress to help me decide between the jerk chicken platter and the butternut squash casserole. She recommended the squash and it came with a side salad, so I added the jerk chicken breast. I am really glad I ended up with both because they were so good! Now I know they have made some improvements because the last time I tried the jerk chicken, it was charred and the flavor was unrecognizable as jerk seasoning. This time the jerk chicken was moist and smokey and delicious. My husband had the scallops. It was a very generous portion and he didn't have any problems clearing the plate. There are pint specials everyday and the Thursday Deschutes Porter for $3 was very tasty. I was pleasantly surprised that my overall experience was positive. Personally, I hope it stays consistent but I'm not counting on it. However, I won't avoid Cowgirl BBQ anymore because the food was so good. Say what?
(3)Lisa M.
Worst brisket I think I've ever had but the place is really cute and it's a really fun setting with an outdoor band.
(3)Dona K.
I was invited here by a friend one evening. I show up and there is a cheesy band playing who need to fire their sound guy. The bar is crowded with hippie burn outs, guys with bad side burns,creepy local types, and trustafarians. Normally I would find this motley crue to be very entertaining and would settle in for some people watching but it reeks so badly of sweat, sour beer, and rank patchouli that I need to go outside and get some air. Once outside i am approached by random harmless drunks who are feeling sociable. Except for one brassy chick who eyes me suspiciously, insisting that she "knows me from somewhere, but she can't remember" but is SURE she had a problem with me. I have never met this woman in my life. She glowers at me through a haze of bad cocktail breath and smoldering American Spirits. She comically hangs on her friends in order to remain on her feet. I did have an interesting conversation with a woman who was an artist. Drinky the drunk girl also had issues with this and repeatedly tried to butt into the conversation. Very strange. I say goodnight to my friend and was out of there. This place is so nasty i can't believe people eat here. The whole experience was just depressing.
(2)Alexandra M.
Good hours, big portion of really yummy bbq plus classic Southwestern fare. We came quite late for dinner, and it was crowded-- live music but it was quite loud. Lots of hipsters too-- who knew?
(4)Fancypants J.
Maybe I just liked this place because it reminded me of something you'd see in Austin where my friend Mr Charles lives. Glitter and old photos on the walls, funky layout, tons of people late at night (which is nice because it seemed to me that Santa Fe shuts down at around 6 pm). Husband and I both had a scallop dish that came with mash and salad in the center, as well as a non traditional poutine made with a cheddar beer sauce in lieu of gravy. Everything was really good. If we are here again we would probably try the BBQ. Love that it was open late.
(4)Chris M.
We were looking for a green chile burger close to the plaza and decided to try this. Great place with great atmosphere and a courtyard patio where you can have your pet join you. Had the Mother of all Green Chile Burgers. Perfectly cooked and all the ingredients worked well together. Green chiles had a nice heat to them. The truffle fries were good and my wife enjoyed her salad. Great beer selection and the other diner's food all looked good.
(4)Mary F.
Really like this place. The food and service is great. Good selection of vegetarian items and mighty delicious! I just keep coming back.
(4)Rev J.
Super country & casual... Live bands, kiddos play area, super fun. Yeeeha!!! I love this place... It's definitely become a new fave hangout when I'm in Sante Fe. Their food is delish, big portions, and oh so tasty. Friendly people, live band, and the staff is an absolute joy.
(5)Eric And Jennifer R.
I've only been here for lunch meetings. They have good fast service. The food is excellent. The decor reminds me of a diner crossed with Wild West. There is a cozy outdoor patio in front of the restaurant. I love their salmon taco with a side of grilled asparagus, Harvest salad and arugula salad. All these dishes have asparagus. It's very good. I recommend this place for lunch and meetings. My collegeaus have been here for dinner with live music and love it.
(4)Hannah H.
Whoa there, Cowgirl! I've had excellent BBQ in my life and for a place that advertises BBQ in its name, I expect it to be decent, even in New Mexico. I tried both the pulled pork sandwich, which tasted more like a cafeteria produced sloppy-Joe, and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were good, but lukewarm. The Tres Leches was enjoyable and the right size for sharing. The margaritas were also good but expensive considering their small size. I should know by now that if I want an enjoyable meal in Santa Fe, I have to order something with green chile. Every surrounding table had the giant green chile burger. It looked awesome and appeared to be the house specialty, NOT the BBQ. If I return, here is what I will do: Sit outside on the patio, skip the margarita and choose a craft beer, (They have a decent selection) order the Green Chile Burger, and enjoy quality people watching.
(3)Gary A.
Nothing fancy here. Tourists and locals alike come here for decent food & a long list of regional micro brews. Prices are quite reasonable. My brisket sandwich came with fresh cut fries & coleslaw for $9.50. My double white belgian style pint was $5.50. When I lived here this was a favorite.
(4)Max G.
Delicious food. Great service. We went for dinner. I had The Mother of All Chili Cheeseburgers. My wife had chicken fajitas. The chili cheeseburger was big, juicy and stuffed with all sorts of good things: chili, cheese, bacon, tomatoes and beef. It came with truffle fries. They have a great selection of beers on draught. Many I had never tried. Overall, a very good experience. We would definitely return.
(4)Carmen Y.
Me and the hubby were there for early dinner at 5:00 p.m. midweek. The place was empty. Lots of servers. We ordered the roasted garlic appetizer. It came with melted cheese, a green salsa and toast. It was ok, but the garlic was messy to eat and a bit tasteless. He had the ribs, although tender, not too meaty and a small serving. I had the brisket, it was just ok. It came with what tasted like packaged potato salad. The accompanying beans were bland. Husband wanted to try the chiles rellenos, too spicy for me but the flavor was good. They came with black beans and rice, both were quite tasteless. Even the iced tea was weak. I should have picked another restaurant.
(2)Frank M.
Wow! I ordered the mother of all green Chile cheese burgers! It was amazing. I have to rate this burger as One of the best green Chile cheese burgers I've ever had! The fries were seasoned with truffle oil! Yummy. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Nat S.
This is a cool restaurant- no doubt. The last time we were here, I feel like the bartender ignored me. I was on the corner of the bar, which can be a bit hard to see around albeit. You ignored me twice- you could check in after shift change to see if I/ we wanted /needed anything. He checked in with all the males around me(besides my boyfriend)- getting them refills. The girl who waited on us first, was way more personable, and gave great service. The man who took over, took forever to come over , and never introduced himself. He never asked if we wanted food, even though I had a menu out! He served all the males around me besides my boyfriend who still had a beer. He did this twice. All the boys around me were offered drinks. I have been a sever for a long time, and this is a gross over site, and seems sexist. For the love of god, try to sell me stuff. Don't you want higher cheque totals? I kind of wanted food, but with your gross neglect, I barely stayed for a second beverage. Still they have live music almost every night of the week. The food is good, and the beer selection fairly wide. If that dude is bar tending I may seek out another server. Tip- when you are the next bartender on. Go around and say hi, -and introduce yourself to all the people at the bar. Make yourself personable, try to sell them more product(with respect to the liquor laws). If you take a bit of time, acting like you care, then you will get higher tips from the customers who care. I would not be saying anything, but I was literally ignored while everyone else around was checked in with. If you are hitting the end of the bar with service, do yourself,f and everyone else a favor and do a thorough job.
(3)Mike O.
I hit up Cowgirl BBQ for lunch. A few other attendees at the conference raved about it, but I was underwhelmed. I got the sampler of brisket, ribs and chicken. The first two were slightly underdone, but ok. The chicken was pretty good. The sides were fine. My BBQ is much better, but I'm biased.
(2)Neenah B.
great burgers and atmosphere! GREAT for kids, which is hard to find in Santa Fe. They even have a playground.
(4)Alan P.
Very disappointed . I was told it was gluten free but many items on menu are deep fried with same oil. Told chef is gluten free as well as his children, I was told I would be fine. They have no idea if you are celiac. Avoid
(1)Allegra D.
Not the best I've had in Santa Fe, but not terrible. I got the chicken wings and truffle fries. The wings were quite spicy and tasty, though the truffle fries didn't taste terribly different from the normal fries. But the food was cheap and the ambiance was fun! There was a very funny band playing and the servers were very accommodation of the fact that we had to run and catch a movie. Plus, I got a lot of puppy therapy in on the courtyard! :)
(3)Cath M.
My mission since arriving in ABQ was to load up on BBQ and the BFF suggested this place when we were walking around town in Santa Fe. Good call indeed! We came in around 2ish ... middle of the day crowd and it was still semi-packed. Decor: really Western... lots of women in cowgirl outfits. Pretty eclectic. Food: I didn't try my group's food yet again but here's what I got: - BBQ Mesquite-smoked Baby Back Ribs (slow-cooked pork ribs basted with BBQ sauce served with BBQ beans, cole slaw and potato salad Bunkhouse Brisket) but I substituted the cole slaw and potato salad with Mexican Red rice and fries with a side of corn tortillas. = DELICIOUS! The baby back ribs were off the bones... literally finger licking good! The fries were nicely seasoned... the rice just completed it for me! I'm Filipina so I eat bbq with rice and I was in heaven! The bbq sauce was just right... not overwhelming strong and it was just the right amount basted in the ribs. Friendly server... and will probably drag the BBF here next time I'm in town! Price: decent for the amount of portion they give you! I'm from the Bay Area so we don't have a lot of BBQ places so I'm deprived. This might not be the best but for me that day... this was it. It definitely satisfied the craving and for that... five stars indeed.
(5)Kelsey M.
We had a lot of fun playing pool here! Unfortunately, there is no music playing unless someone puts $ in the juke box, so that was a bit of a bummer.
(4)Daniel D.
We were recommended by a cab driver while on vacation in New Mexico and we are now forever in his debt. After a long walk to Cowgirl we were greeted by nice picnic style tables in their outdoor seating area. My girlfriend and I obviously opted for that seating and were immediately greeted by an enthusiastic waiter. While waiting for our beers, we noticed doe local New Mexicans shooting pool in the billiards room, which made us feel like we were in a cool local spot. I will cut to the chase here and get to the important thing. We have tried nachos all over the country (its our thing) and we have not come across nachos like Cowgirl's. The cheeses were melted perfectly with equal distribution, the chips were not too hard, olives were added which most places do not add, jalapeños were served on the side in case you aren't a fan (which my girlfriend isn't) and a dollop of sour cream to top it off. Bottom line is if you do anything in New Mexico, go to Cowgirl BBQ for some beers and those infamous nachos!
(5)Josh E.
First I would like to say Im a huge bbq fan , but I think they should drop the bbq in their name and just call it "Cowgirl". I had the beef brisket and it tasted like shredded beef mixed with some weird bbq sauce. I couldnt tell if it was smoked or just slathered in sauce. The service was below average. We were constantly looking around for our waitress. Although while we were waiting we were quite entertained by the lack of professionalism from the staff. Instead of tending to the customers needs they felt it was more important to wrestle and play grab ass amongst themselves in front of everyone. Nothing stood out as unique or even above average to me. The food was just okay. We won't go back I'm sure of that.
(2)Lauren M.
This place was interesting. They were very busy on the Friday evening we went there, and we had a bit of a musical chairs situation, before getting seated. First, they offered to seat us outside. They have heating lamps, but it was just way too cold out for that (heat rises, so having heat lamps about 7 feet high really doesn't help a lot). So they told us we could go sit in the pool/bar area- except there were no seats available. We waited in there for a bit, but after a few minutes of dodging pool cues, I opted to just wait outside in the cold. I should mention that it was a perfectly nice crowd in the pool room, and no one acted annoyed at all- I just felt like everywhere I stood, I was interrupting someone's game, and I felt bad. We were seated a few minutes later, where we waited for quite a while to be greeted, then waited again for 2 people's choice award-winning green chile burgers. I'd say the burgers earned the stars. They were excellent, though I removed the 2 giant slabs of Brie. I really can't imagine what they were doing there in the first place. Good quality meat, nice flavor, perfectly prepared, and nicely spicy chile. The fries, too, were very good- seasoned, I think with garlic. The hostesses and servers were nice and seemed to be trying their best, but the place was just too packed. They need some kind of improvement to their system- the way things are now, there's nowhere to wait without either being cold or being in the way. And folks waiting to give their names to the hostess have to line up next to/stand over the patio tables, where people are eating. It's just awkward. I will say that their patio area is probably very nice in warmer weather. The food is very good, but the issues with service made this a less than optimal experience.
(3)Emily J.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Fun laid back vibe (we were outside) and a great blues band was playing. We got nachos as an appetizer and really liked them. We did have a busboy drop salsa on the ground which landed on my husband, our nachos, and on me and were a little disappointed at how little they seemed to acknowledge it (we even had to ask for napkins). My husband got the jerk chicken and found it overcooked. I got mahi mahi tacos which the fish was seasoned well but a pretty small portion. Small palm sized tortillas and tiny amounts (one taco worth ...in my humble opinion) of all the extras. However the vibe was fun so we would go back.
(4)John A.
Not worth the bucks!..I ordered the "bunkhouse brisket"- there is nothing special with this joint...Meat is well-done like cardboard...coleslaw sucks...potato salad that comes with the meal was like a Walmart bought salad yuck..the guy servers were so unprofessional-uncourteous-the bald guy and the lazy guy who wears a cap was rude..-condiments containers was filthy dirty..glass used for beers was dirty....i wonder who are on the back-of-the-house in this joint.. I wasn't really expecting this.. There are just making money out of the NAME - not because of the food and certainly the service....worst restaurant experience in NM.
(1)Matthew J.
Management and/or ownership are comfortable lying to the public. They promoted their New Year's Eve band Broomdust Caravan as "No Cover". When we arrived, a $10 cover was charged to all. Attempts to discuss our concerns with the managers on duty were met with offers to fill our glasses "all the way" at midnight. Bartenders are nice, very helpful and do not appear to be involved with deceiving the public in order to make a few bucks.
(1)James L.
Hello Yelpers! This will be my first "official" review. The Cowgirl BBQ gets two stars from me. I give two stars for the tap menu, the service, and the unexpected kid "play palace" which is located outside in the back. If you have little ones, it is pretty good out there and I suggest you take advantage. They have a chalk board, an activity park, and other items to mess around with while you are waiting for your food. I also enjoy the overall atmosphere it presents. Let us face facts though: if you feature "BBQ" in the name of your restaurant, I expect the BBQ to be treated with respect. My wife and I last visited six years ago and I am sad to say the food quality was not what I remember. I ordered the brisket again. The toasted bread was served under the brisket and sauce which made it a bit flaccid. I prefer to have a nice crispy piece of toasted bread to slap a helping of tender brisket and slaw on and go to town! While the smoke and sauce were good, I found myself chewing and chewing on every bite. For a brisket, that isn't good. Thankfully I had a good IPA available to help wash it all down. I do hope the Cowgirl BBQ is able to find its way back to a respectable treatment of the brisket. j.
(2)Mark M.
The wait staff was inattentive, and the bbq was mediocre at best. The sauce was the only part of the meal that had flavor, and it was verrrrry sweet. I had the bbq sampler with ribs, chicken, and brisket. The brisket was pretty ok, but everything else was bland. I will say the portions are big and the prices were fair.
(3)Robin W.
Went there last night for dinner. Service was excellent. Our waiter circle places on our map to visit the next day. We both had the Mother Green Chile burger and it was excellent. Good beer on tap, great atmosphere. I highly recommend you check this place out
(5)Kevin M.
I liked the atmosphere and they had a great beer menu. The food, however was not special. We had the BBQ sampler and the sweet potato fries. Nothing to write home about. Service was good. I like that they have live music but the band that played when we were there were lousy and very loud. You could do worse but I don't recommend it.
(3)Jedi M.
The "Mother" and some local microbrews, my tummy was happy. Only complaint was the bun could have been a bit more substantial, kind of disintegrated half way through. Good selection of beer and the green chili was not over the top hot. Servers we pleasant, and knowledgeable about the beer. Wanted to sit at the bar but that was crowded, get there early if you want to do that. So I was kind of put in the back room alone. I would for sure go back to try one of those game burgers, but go early to be able sit at the bar and chat with folks.
(4)Tom S.
Gotta admit, when we first sat down (almost instantly, by the way, on a Saturday night, no less), and read some of the earlier reviews, I was nervous. But man, Cowgirl's is The happenin' place I'm Santa Fe. Sittin' on the veranda to witness some very eclectic folks.The variety of margaritas is great. The service was outstanding. And u ain't died and gone to heaven 'till you've had the mother of all green chile cheeseburgers. The variety of beers was great, the ribs had a nice spice to them, even while they fell off the bone...I'll be back anytime.
(4)Shane B.
Hey straight up this is our favorite place to have dined here in Santa Fe and we have had some seriously outstanding meals at many restaurants all around town. Now look, it's a juke joint, local-yokel-hook-up and have a good time kinda feel and you know, it's a BBQ place k? So why the hell are a couple vegetarian rock and roll types doing stuffing their faces and havin a great time here? Weeeelll.... On a Friday night in late February this place was kickin with all kinds of energy and they have an outstanding selection of vegetarian courses. I shit you not :D And it helps that servers, guys and gals alike, have a sexy friendliness and seem to enjoy what they do. Anyway so... We had Cabeza de Ajo for an app. A head of roasted garlic, melted cheese, chile sauce served with crostini... We spared nary a clove nor dripping... Delish baby. For entree Christy had Arugula salad dressed in house vinaigrette with warm goat cheese and jerk tofu.. Magic. We absolutely loved it. MIGHT be our favorite dish so far. But that praise is not meant to denigrate the outstanding butternut squash casserole with organic wild greens that I was served. You know- squash casserole.. Yer thinking heavy stick to your ribs blood-clotter... Nuh uh... Light and tasty, squash cooked to perfection ... Man alright... Scrum-dilly-icious. K? And people, oh my good culinarily advanced people let me tell you about a little slice of devilish heaven called the flourless red chile chocolate cake... It's served warm you know, with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of dulce de leche with hot chocolate fudge sauce drizzled about ... I say unto you... Ooo la laaAaa . One of the best desserts I've ever had bar none. Woof! Hey man get over there to Cowgirl right now or later but don't let it pass you by.
(5)Alfonso E.
I guess theryre okay at what they do. I've not been super impressed. But they're ok. I've had several dishes there, never been disappointed,
(3)John Jah F.
This place has a very creative menu, a wonderful staff and a very unique setting. I visit the Cowgirl every time I'm in SantaFe and bring all of my DC friends here when they fly in. The brisket is very tender and matches great with the green chili Mac & cheese. Lots of vegetarian items too if you swing that way.
(5)Rich A.
I chose this place based on some suggestions on another website. I have to say the live entertainment made the trip worth it. I had the brisket sand which was really tasty. The draw back of the place is the servers. I waited 10 minutes before a server approached and then when one did he was so unfriendly Then I proceeded to watch a whole bunch of waiter and waitresses just hang out talking to each other they seemed indifferent to customers. I won't go back. There are other places that have just as good food and a staff that is interested in their customers service
(3)Steve N.
Ribs were mediocre, fries dry & cold. The 12 hr brisket was way too chewy for 12hrs in a smoker.
(2)Rick M.
great staff but soso BBQ had the bbq combo plate. great place for a drink and listen to good entertain
(3)Betta L.
Really friendly and helpful wait staff and bartenders, DELICIOUS food, awesome selection of beer. I'm a vegetarian and they had plenty of options for me. Also, they have live music sometimes.
(4)Patron X.
Not real barbecue. The patio is cute. The cowgirl theme is cheesy but fun. The service was fast and friendly. The beer selection was great, its main redeeming grace, but the food was terrible. It's a tourist place, and New Mexico isn't known for barbecue, so I felt like my low expectations were going to be hard to fall short of. It was like cafeteria food. Chips and guac is usually a safe starter, particularly in NM, but these were crappy packaged chips, not even restaurant style, and the guac was bland. The brisket was neither very tender nor did it have any kind of char on it. The sauce was boring, not sweet, not spicy, not vinegary, not smoky, not flavorful or distinct in any way, just seemed like something they buy by the gallon from a restaurant supplier. The toast was just a sad soggy piece of thick packaged white bread under a puddle of yucky sauce. The beans were boring. The slaw was boring. The potato salad was boring. Nothing tasted smoked, homemade, or distinct in any way. I ate exactly enough to satiate my hunger but the food wasn't worth eating for anything more than just sustenance. If they have any decent appetizers then I might go back for beers sometime, but if you're looking for BBQ, this isn't the place.
(2)Amanda T.
After a long drive to Santa Fe we were hungry. We called a couple of the restaurants Denver Yelpers had suggested but couldn't get reservations. So we called the Cowgirl and they said at that time they could seat us right away. We arrived and it was crowded, but not packed. We ordered the Green Chili Cheese fries, a burger for Brent N. and brisket sandwich for myself. Our fries was a huge plate of fries topped with green chili and smothered with cheese. They were tasty and spicy. Brent enjoyed his burger and my brisket sandwich decent, the BBQ sauce was a bit sweeter than I usually like, but there wasn't anything left behind! One star off for service. Our server was nice, but not very attentive and made a couple of errors. Our timing was perfect, because as we were leaving there was a big crowd waiting to be seated. With reasonably priced, tasty food this is certainly a place I would return to when I'm in Santa Fe.
(4)Steve B.
This was the most fun we had eating in Santa Fe. The food was classic BarBQ with game added. The staff was all wonderful. We called for a reservation and let them know that we were coming for the group that played on Friday through Sunday evening. They also had live music at lunch. Prices were very reasonable for the amount of food and fun. We will definitely return the next time we are in Santa Fe.
(5)William B.
Tired of the over-priced, tourist traps of downtown Santa Fe? Do yourself a favor and come here for a night. The place is big, hopping, and cheerful. On a Friday night with no reservation we still got a table in 15 minutes or so. The bar is full of locals, and has tasty local beers on tap for four dollars each. The State Pen Porter was good, but the Monk's Ale was even better-- good enough that I may have to figure out how to score some from two states away. Then there's the food: We had chicken wings, a buffalo burger (with fries), and a Caesar salad (with jerk chicken). It was nothing fancy, but everything was just Really Good. The fries seemed to be made with real potatoes. The chicken wings were spicy and satisfying. The burger was a well-cooked patty of quality meat on a real bun. Even the salad was somehow a little bit fresher and a little bit better than you'd think from the looks of the place. There are plenty of seasonal offerings on the menu, and I'd feel comfortable ordering almost any of them. I'm not quite sure what is going on here-- maybe a chef with an unusual sense of pride in his work has mysteriously ended up in the kitchen of this place-- but you owe yourself a visit. Stunned by how well our luck had turned out so far, we actually listened when our waitress made the case for dessert. Despite a long-held prejudice against restaurant-generated flourless chocolate cakes, we ordered the Cowgirl BBQ's version, allegedly laced with red chile. Sure enough, we were impressed again. Anybody competent can make a dense, chocolatey, fudgey brownie (though you would be alarmed at how many restaurants apparently don't employ competent people to perform this task). Anybody with a little taste can accompany this with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. But the addition of red chile was pure genius. Sweet, rich, chocolate still dominates your palate, but after each bite (which you will savor), a tiny hint of heat warms the back of your mouth. The last little shock came when the bill arrived-- I glanced at the total for our drinks, appetizer, entrees, and dessert, and for a second thought I must somehow be looking at only *half* the total. My wife and I debated afterwards what to compare this restaurant to. The best comparison I can think of, for DC-area-denizens, is Ray's The Steaks. I'm not saying it's the best meal I've ever had, but it is one of the most satisfying combinations of food, service, and price I have had in a long time. It is truly unfair that it is so rare. If I lived in Santa Fe, I would go every week.
(5)Amy H.
I am a big fan of BBQ, I eat a lot of it wherever I go. I had hoped this could be my local go-to BBQ place but I will never go back and never again give this place my money. I have had better BBQ at chili's, yes the resaurant chain. Short version: dried out ribs and brisket. No smokey flavor. Not enough fat. Slathered in sauce. Measly portions. (Seriously, 6 pieces of brisket for an order? Only 7 ribs?!) ridiculous. This was the ANTONYM of what BBQ should be. Poor form. This place us resting on its laurels. Don't go. Much better places to use your $.
(1)Samuel C.
The brisket and burgers are good. The best part about the Cowgirl is the kid's corral outside in the summer. You can have lunch and a margarita and watch the kiddies run around and play. On weekends, there is usually some kind of blues/country/rock band playing.
(4)Amanda D.
Large, hearty portion Great atmosphere Opens late Great service We stumbled in here after an uneventful search for food. Cowgirl welcomed us with warmth and good food and drink. What more can you ask for?
(4)Jared J.
Had the green chili chicken, tasted great, good dark chocolate beer for 5.50.
(4)Mark F.
A Yee Haw good time. The atmosphere is great, the bar a roaring good time and the patio certainly worth kicking back on but the brisket, is not my favorites. Other meats are a-ok. Potato salad was bland. No mustard kick but the cole slaw was good. The Bunkhouse Brisket was so so. Covered in sauce, it was hard to get a real bead on it but I can tell you it's rubbery and dry. It did pull apart easily but what's the point if I have to chew and chew? The Wings of Fire had a great chili burn that kept on burn'n and even the Wingdings offered a nice kick. French fries are thin and cooked in a dirty grease so they have fantastic flavor. The BBQ on a Bun was dripping with sauce. I'll pass. Parking was tough with, as far as I can tell, only street parking. I'll visit again but be sure I'll order very carefully to make sure sauce is on the side so I can taste the meat. Don't miss the live music.
(3)Skelly K.
Wow this place sucks! When you microwave a perfectly great steak, you are doomed!
(1)Becca R.
I feel like I wasted the opportunity of a good meal while on vacation in Santa Fe by eating here. The service was polite, but so slow, and we had to ask for EVERYTHING- including refills. The food was definitely a par below all of the other restaurants we had tried over the weekend. It was pretty tasteless and I struggled to finish even though I was hungry. Also the dining room was freezing and the bathroom was pretty gross. Though I liked the idea of this place and all the cowgirl historical photos, I won't be back here. There are too many awesome restaurants to waste my time eating here.
(1)Ron G.
Greeter lacking customer service skills. 45 minute wait for dinner but learned from another customer about immediate sitting at their picnic tables. No one available to wipe down table or give us menus. Served me my hot bowl of chili but forgot my wife's salad so the chili was sent back. Charged my credit card with someone else's bill. Food and drink was ok but stay away from this joint. And guess what they don't care.
(1)Nick S.
Just okay, service was shaky, but rallied near the end. I had a boring lunch choice, only because I wasn't very hungry, but my salad portion was puny. I liked the vibe and its a fun place...and that might trump what I'm taking about. I'd go again though.
(3)AL C.
My husband, daughter, and I spend about a month here in Santa Fe every other summer. We arrived a couple of days ago and went to the Cowgirl for lunch yesterday, because my daughter wanted ribs. My husband's burger was okay, my tacos were okay, BUT my daughter's ribs were clearly previous night's BBQ that had been sauced and microwaved. They were dried out, and cold, and the sauce was clinging to them like some kind of leftover gravy. Even the fries that came with her ribs looked bad. I live in a tourist town in So Cal (Laguna Beach) and I know that restaurants that live on gimmicks get tired; you have to service the locals and stay on top of your game if you want to survive. This restaurant is very very tired and clearly isn't that nice to tourists. No offers for refills on the drinks, very slow service even though there was hardly anyone in the room, I had to wait and ask for the bill, this place is living on its bar (lots of people drinking at Thursday lunch), its location and its past glory Go to the The Ranch House if you want actual good BBQ. They appear to be the new Josh's, there is no "atmosphere" (they are way out on Cristos in a mall rather than on Guadalupe street), and they are working on the kinks in the service -- but the food is good and there is no attitude and you don't have to put up with the ridiculous clothes the staff at the Cowgirl are wearing. Honestly, black fishnets with cutoff jean shorts and those stupid cowgirl hats (even on some of the waiters)? As one reviewer said, way too much Hooters atmosphere for my tastes.
(2)Mark Y.
This was a mediocre dining experience. The food was ok, but nothing special. The place was noisy. The waitress was polite but not motivated. The topper was there was an automatic 18 percent gratuity added for a party of two. I suggest picking from many other excellent restaurants in the Santa Fe area and skipping this one!
(2)Shah S.
Stopped for drinks ended up having dinner. My wife and I have different opinions of this place. Overall she thought it was just OK, I really liked the food and atmosphere. If you like Chile made with BBQ brisket, this is your place. BTW, all the appetizers are half price at happy hours and the margaritas are strong & good.
(4)Gwen C.
After reading that Cowgirls was awarded the best green chilli cheeseburger in Santa Fe, we decided we needed to give it a try. On a Sunday afternoon it was very busy, but we were seated immediately. We ordered the 'Mother' burger well done, and to our disappointment, it came back medium rare. We asked for it to be cooked to our order, and it came back close to the same, with the same bun, and the hamburger was crumbled. The garlic truffle fries were also under done, and underwhelming. To top it all off, the ale I ordered was warm. Try one of the many other restaurants in the area to try a green chilli burger.
(1)Betty M.
Great location! So much fun for kids & adults! The food is good and so is the service.
(4)Angie H.
Of all the places I ate while on vacation in New Mexico, this was my least favorite. We order an appetizer of fiery nachos and they arrived about 60 seconds before our meals. I find that a little irritating. The hubby got chili rellenos and said that they were good, but not very hot, even with the red chili sauce. I got the jambalaya with crab cakes. The crab cakes were good, but the cripsy crust got really soggy with the sauce that had been added. It took a long time to get our check after the meal, even thought they weren't very busy.
(3)Ricky M.
Awesome little place, always has live music, good drinks, and great food would recommend if you want to try something other than Mexican food in Santa Fe
(4)Ted R.
Food was not good. Coke was flat and fries were stale and only slightly warm, like they had been setting under a warmer for a couple of days. Burgers were medium as requested but dry. Not sure how they did that. There were interesting odors that would come and go. Not sure what that was either. Service was fine.
(1)Belinda M.
What do you expect? fine dining? give me a break. this place suits me so fine. They have awesome vegetarian options (collard greens, green chili fries, veg chili-frito pie, okra.. on and on..) i was in heaven, wasn't looking for a culinary adventure, just honest yummy food. and they deliver. and let me tell you about the drinks and music. I love this place. They bring in some great acts that gravitate naturally to Santa Fe- all genres of soul full yummy tunes.. i danced my booty off. and if you ask the bartender for a good margarita... she puts the love in it and the flavors pop. the beer list is pretty impressive and the list of tequilas will have you on your knees.. The staff all seem to love their jobs and they are all very attentive. i cannot wait to find myself here again. love it
(5)Jimmy G.
This place is a joke. It's not BBQ AT ALL. great place to watch your food go cold on the service window while the servers hang out. It took three requests to get a coffee refill. The food I got was undercooked (raw in the middle). And god forbid you should have the nerve to have it fixed. My date asked for sour cream and by the time we got it we were waiting for the check. And yeah. That sour cream cost a buck. In fact I don't recommend Asking for your order to be fixed. Just eat whatever they give you and thank them. And service is so slow that chef Ramsey would die of old age waiting for his bland mediocre cold food served with attitude. As a Santa Fean, this place is an embarrassment. If you're looking for good BBQ in the Fe, go across the street. It's the best q in northern NM.
(1)Lou P.
There is a lot of good food in Santa Fe; but after 3 days of eating awesome New Mexican food (Thanks, Yelp!) we wanted to do something different. This was just the ticket. Great service,mdespite being jammed and good, regular food. We never figured out how a mostly Aussie waitstaff fits in with "Cowgirl" or even "BBQ", but we gawky enjoyed our visit.
(5)Gloria O.
while i was vacationing here I met up with some family members & we decided to try something other than mexican while i was visiting. This was a tad disappointing - service was good and we were seated quickly; i had the chicken as well as one other member of our group - it was DRY and tasted as if the bar b que sauce was poured over the chicken in hopes of adding some moisture to it! One member of our party found a hair in her chicken and even though we know that this can happen it put a whole damper on the evening. management did credit our bill for the price of that meal so again the service was very good. If I go back to Santa Fe I will not go back to this restaurant
(2)John J.
Stopped here last weekend on recommendation by staff at Santa Fe School of Cooking. A home run! The Octoberfest menu had a fan green chili and corn soup, out of this world portabello ravioli; my wife had their pulled pork sandwich that the best ever experienced by her. Live music and outdoor seating a great bonus!
(4)Chase D.
WOW! Trust the reviews on here that bash this place. My friend and I came in and I was excited to come to this place. After my meal...I was excited to leave and never return. He had been there once before and had the nachos, which he carried on about. I had a rare Yak Burger with mushrooms, onions, and swiss. Now the concept sounds good on paper. The execution was like someones foot farted in my mouth. The meat was a gummy chewy dry taste. Everything was cold. His nachos that he has ordered for a second time were built upside down (They went black beans, chips, some withered shreds of veggies...a clump of black olives and a clump of jalpenos...side of sour cream and a side of guac). The frys were cold and beyond crunchy. Our waitress was the worlds greatest magician with only two tables in her section, I swear I saw bigfoot more than her. Beer was cheap...can't complain about that. It took 45 mins until the great "Waitress the Magnificent" appeared in front of us to take the check. Staff was cute...but...not a saving grace. The band was really good. Overall though...I think Santa Fe needs to cut me a check for eating here.
(1)Jennifer C.
Admittedly, the food in Santa Fe generally doesn't impress me. After a couple of fails we landed here because more than one person had recommended it. Lots of "awards" on the walls and we obviously weren't going to spend like we did at El Farol...promising. Service was fine. Friendly Aussie smiles bringing me my beer. The food was not good. Apparently they specialize in New Orleans food (totally my bad that I didn't realize this before coming) and I'm from New Orleans. It wasn't close. That was a roux? Try five shades darker, love. Then it might have some flavor. My husband had a flavorless yak burger. Not really a recipe flaw, it's a bland meat. It's possible we just ordered the wrong things. I won't be going back to find out.
(2)Andrew N.
Loud, bad service and dried out food that had obviously sat under a heat lamp for too long. If you just want a beer and some live music it might be ok.
(1)Lyn P.
This is one of those places that you go for atmosphere. It's pretty much a shrine to the cowgirls of the southwest. Not a bad thing, really. The walls are filled with memorabilia and is a treat if you dig those types of things (which I do.) Then there's the food. I can't speak to the BBQ aspect of the menu as we went for brunch. We did have an appetizer that was really good - the roasted garlic which comes with queso. I had hash for breakfast. It didn't really come out as I expected as the potatoes were large cut red potatoes. I actually like my hash to have smaller bits of potatoes in them. On top of the hash was two poached eggs with a hollandaise. The hollandaise had a kick to it, which was good. My hash came with tortillas, so I pretty much made breakfast burritos. Service was a bit off. I would have liked another Shiner with my brunch, but our server never made it back during our meal to ask if I needed another one. Later, he apologized for the slow service, which was appreciated, but doesn't make up for it. All in all, this place is good, not great. I will be back again to give some other menu items a spin the next time I am in Santa Fe.
(3)Maggie Y.
We told the server we couldn't eat gluten. He confirmed w/ the kitchen that, the sauce had no gluten, then when he brought the dish, which is the bbq mix plate, it was all served on top of white bread, which I didn't notice till i ate quite a bit of the food. It makes me very upset because gluten or any severe food allergy can be life threatening and this establishment didn't bother to train their server or their kitchen about people having food allergy issues. Plus, the brisket was dry, so was the chicken, the ribs were tender. Overall not great bbq, the staff seems nice enough, but please please please spend some time to train everyone about food allergen exposures!
(1)Alan B.
Amazing pulled pork BBQ. and the fried cheese curds were great too. One of the best on-draft beer lineups, as well.
(5)Dana D.
I really enjoyed my meal here- I got the fri to pie which is literally a snack size bag of fritos with chilli on top. I thought it was delicious and a perfect portion. The price was great too. My husband on the other hand unfortunately did not enjoy his meal. He got the Mac n cheese with green chille. Sadly it was mostly green chille and it ruined it for him bc that was all he could taste. It was soupy so it wasn't like he could scrape it off. The place itself is super cute if somewhat kitschy. Lots of photos and old signs etc. there is an outdoor area and a poolroom which is where we ended up eating because the wait for the restaurant area was too long. Overall I would recommend this place. Maybe ask a lot of questions before deciding on your order though!
(4)Howie E.
As a person with a disability I travel with a service dog. Today when stopping for breakfast I was denied entry in to this restaurant. I tried to explain the law and still was denied. Only until I explained I was going to turn the restaurant into the a.d.a. Did they offer to seat me. She kept saying they don't allow dogs in the back and she was sorry to be a "hard ass". My service dog and i have stayed in 5 star hotels, flown at least 50 times, attended the opera, eaten in 5 star restaurants. He goes everywhere I go, and in the past two years we have only been denied access twice. So sad when establishments don't know the laws. The dog had a vest on and is well behaved. This review is based on my experience, not the food.
(1)Arthur M.
The burgers are big and good. The natural and the yak. The sweet potato fries are good. The mud pie is good, with perfect crunch to ice cream ratio.
(5)H C.
Really fun atmosphere! Live music! It's a really hip & trendy place to hang out by the plaza. The food was fantastic! We made a reservation & good thing we did because the place was packed! They give you very large portions... Unfortunately we were too full to eat the famous ice cream burrito!
(4)Ceon H.
What can I say.. Ya gotta love that place! Aside from being one of the few places in town where you can enjoy playing billiards they always have a decent rotation of local and out of town musicians that come thru there. Food and drinks are good too!
(4)Brian B.
I arrived at Cowgirl's on a Tuesday night around 7pm. The atmosphere was cool. Very Southwestern feel. Just what one would expect. We were greeted by many of the waitresses upon entering the restaurant. We were then asked what we wanted to drink. I went with a Porter which was very tasty...I loved the roasted flavor. Dark beer is my thing. One of my friends ordered the same Porter and really enjoyed it. For dinner, I ordered a Filet Mignon burrito. I am not one for very hot food, but wanted to have a Southwestern meal my first time in New Mexico, so I went with the "Christmas" (green and red chiles) on my plate. Our food came out roughly 10 minutes after ordering and it had looked really good. My burrito was cooked well and the peppers added a significant amount of heat to the platter. I got through it all and enjoyed my meal. One of my friends ordered the Chic-o-licious Mac and Cheese, which came with the biggest baked potato I had ever seen! He had no complaints. I decided I needed something else to drink so I went with the Mangorita after looking at the many margarita choices on the drink menu. Mango also happens to be my favorite fruit, which factored into the decision juuust slightly. This was sort of frozen with pureed mango. My friend went with Horny Toad Margarita and said it tasted like a normal margarita. My only gripe here were the overweight "Cowgirls"/waitresses. Only one looked like she took care of herself. Our waitress, on the other hand, practically spilled her boobs onto my plate every time she came over. They were all over the place. No reason to try to market this place that way. I enjoyed dinner here and would certainly go back for some eats. Check out their Cajun menu, as it will be gone by April of 2010. The Jambalaya my friend had was really good and he ordered it with scallops.
(3)Sasha B.
Before I begin ripping this place apart I just want to say I can see why people are rating this place super high - there are NO restaurants in Santa Fe that are open during normal hours (Tia Sophia's closed on Sundays even though they are known for their brunch?? C'mon!!!!!) This place seems to be the last resort for everyone. Here's a little about our experience. We had to wait sometime for a table (expected...since again...nothing else is open) and finally were asked if we'd mind to sit next the band. We agreed but then quickly realized that when they meant "next to" the band what they really meant was head shoved inside drum while being hit in the back with a guitar. Yes. THAT close. However, we're young and totally down to enjoy some live music while dining. We ordered the chicken wings, the bbq ribs, and the pulled pork sandwich. Where do I begin...how about beginning with the dish that a bbq place should specialize in - ribs. And before I get into laying down the smack down I would like to mention that I rarely turn food away, leave food on the plate, or stop eating after a first bite. I am also the biggest fan of ribs and will eat them even if they are just ok. Now onto the dish - I took a few bites and realized that these were the worst ribs I have ever tried. YUCK! I left the plate where it was and spent the rest of the evening drinking my beer and trying to enjoy the horrible music played by the band. The other dishes were waaaay below average. We left the restaurant super disappointed. The crowd is an interesting assortment of old folks, super wasted gays (loves it!), fake cowboys, drunk middle-aged women dressed in leopard, full-eyed tourists, and local drunks lost on their way home. The only reason to visit this establishment is to have a drink and people watch.
(1)Nicole H.
Four of us were in Santa Fe last week for a Girl's Weekend, and stopped by Cowgirl BBQ for a light lunch. We were seated on the patio in a nice shaded area, and our waitress was efficient and attentive. We had the Texas cavier (chips and bean dip) which was okay, and each got a salad-which were all good! However, we had a bit of an issue with the margaritas....originally we all ordered margaritas with their "specialty" Mezcal...GROSS! We were trying to decide whether it tasted more like someone smoking in our mouths or licking a thrift store floor...no one could get past a couple of sips. Apparently this stuff is very popular with some, but it must be an aquired taste. Our waitress was wonderful about it though-she immediately said we would not be charged with that round and brought us a round of Hi-Ho Silver Margaritas, which were okay. The decor and atmosphere here was fun, I would return, but now know to avoid the Mezcal.
(3)Timothy N.
Cowgirl is a Santa Fe original. I believe I have eaten there everytime I have been in town going back to probably since the early to mid 80's. My two grown children remember going there and in particular the stories of their famous of the Baked Ice Cream Potato. My sister who has live in and around Santa Fe for nearly 40 years actually ate all the food on her plate, Pan Seared Sea Scallops.
(4)Joseph D.
A wide variety of food items, all delicious (or sound delicious). Good for dates and small groups. They have outdoor seating and is ideal for bar activities (less for casual dining). They have a lot of organic/local produce and meat. I thought the quality was excellent. I'd recommend the sweet potato fries. I didn't have the chance to try any of their bar offerings, so I can't say if they have anything good... I have heard that the margaritas are not worth the price though... (but that's grapevine talk). It's noisy.
(4)Michael E.
The Cowgirl had an awesome atmosphere...think cozy, soft lights, local hangout and then throw in live music. The night we went, Coles Walen was playing acoustic/country and it was the perfect setting. Even our kids were sitting on the ground right in front of her while she played. The restaurant also has a children's play area, which was a definite plus. Rather than trying to entertain the kids waiting for our food with crayons and conversation, they played outside leaving time for my wife and me to talk. We ordered two barbecue sampler platters between us all and split it. One was regular and one with little to no sauce. After saying how well the atmosphere was, I hate saying how bad the food we had was. The sauce was almost too thick (think gravy that has been sitting out for a while and gotten thick...how it thickly lays on your food) and the flavor was nothing to brag about. In addition, the amount of food in comparison to the price was not good. I understand it was barbecue, but the price still should have been lowered a couple dollars per platter to seem fair to me. We only had the barbecue platter so I cannot speak for the rest of the menu. I would return to the Cowgirl only for the atmosphere, to have a drink and watch a good musician play. The food was not good enough for a second visit from me to the restaurant portion.
(3)Christine P.
Great pulled pork sandwich and fries, great burger, live music which was a bonus, good atmosphere. Really reasonably priced for Santa Fe, one of the cheapest meals we have had here since I moved here and definatly top quality. I even ate the coleslaw and I am not usually a fan of it! Great find, great atmosphere.
(5)Sarah H.
BEWARE: SERVERS ADD UNAUTHORIZED TIP I came here when I was traveling through Santa Fe. It's one of the few places open late. The atmosphere was lively, but very touristy. The food was okay at best- diner food. I've had better bbq. Not only was the waitress rude, but she forgot to bring us our beer and condiments. She also seemed high on the job. No joke. I left her a really small tip and held onto my receipt because I just had a feeling that she would add more to the tip. A couple of months later, I was cleaning through my receipts and went online to check that the bill was right. It turns out that she added more to the tip and I was charged more than what was on my receipt. Not only did i have 1) one of the worst dining experiences 2) now I have to deal with contacting the manager and my bank to sort it out. Although it wasn't a substantial amount, it was the principle that mattered. This is the kind of place that gets alot of tourist passing through, so be weary of what gets charged on your account later.
(1)Chris T.
Good service, decent food and drink. I liked other nearby places more, that's all.
(3)Alisson S.
THE CHEF IS A GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY GUY! They have hard cider on tap. There are multiple delicious g-free options on the menu- just ask! I'm not going to lie though, I get the Seared Tuna over Wasabi Mashed Potatoes every single time I go to Cowgirl for food. It's a huge steak of tuna at a very low price (and it is delicious!) Also- for a good time, get there around 8pm on a Monday night and watch the locals in rare form: karaoke night! It's good fun, everyone sings along and the drinks are affordable. What more could you ask for??? How about a gorgeous patio area to enjoy your dinner on during the warmer months? What about a pool hall right there on the premises? What about real friendly staff and servers? It's all there. The Cowgirl is a great place to eat, drink and play.
(5)Jill B.
Cute place. Good burgers and ribs. Don't eat salsa unless you like canned tomatoes and no seasoning .
(3)Mike M.
Decent food, nice outdoors atmosphere. Service is pretty good, but I didn't get asked if I'd like my water refilled, even though it was empty during the last part of the meal. I had the prime rub sandwich and it was very good - served with horseradish sauce and au jus. The portion size was good. The fries and cole slaw were great!
(4)Jared T.
Had the Turkey Ruben. Meat was a little Luke warm. My wife had the ribs and really enjoyed them. Service was timely and friendly. I would recommend it.
(3)Katie Z.
Live music was fun! Fun drinks and atmosphere, good BBQ- southwestern style, not my favorite, but A-OK.
(3)Robert C.
Happy Hour 30 October 2012 - A = Excellent, C = Mediocre, E = Awful Food B Service B+ Ambience B Value for Money A Three of us went for Happy Hour. Sat outside. Two frozen margueritas and a beer. Two for one appetizers - nachos and guacamole. Total $20 before tip. Waitress, Erin, friendly and good. Recommended.
(4)Stephen B.
They have a kid corral, and a kids menu! My sons enjoyed it immensely, and didn't want to go. William was charming a girl his age. Check out the pictures on yelp, the last one shows a slide. The mother of two girls sat next to my boys and in the end she complimented my boys for playing well. A parent always loves to hear god things about their children. They have a fine beer selection, many beers on tap. Ribs are getting less and less easy to fall off the vegetarian wagon, but this did not really have a vegetarian option, outside quesadillas and boca burger. I got ribs. Dad got the mixed BBQ platter, and my mother got BBQ chicken tacos. My eldest liked the BBQ ribs. My youngest got a sandwich, which he almost dumped on the ground, I got it in a last minute save. He liked my BBQ meat, and I ate his sandwich. They liked the fries. The waitress was solicitous, and there when we needed her. When I was looking for a bathroom for my son, they were kind to show me one of the many bathrooms in the joint. It was a lovely atmosphere, with many different rooms, that were not for children, so I think the place would appeal to many. Coming back a year later, the food was still good. Unfortunately it rained, so the kiddie corral wasn't of any use, but my kids are a year older, and could sit and eat better. We sat on the patio and it was nice to be almost outside. I liked to watch the waitresses and waiters flirt with each other, made me with I was younger.
(4)J C.
Shew fly, shew! The patio is cute and great for kids, but there were far too many flies swarming around buckets next to the service stand out there. I couldn't believe it- so gross! Stopped by for a last-minute quick dinner, and left feeling confused by the high ratings. Maybe it's a local respite from the other fine dining options in the area, but my item was definitely the least satisfying on the table: The "Summer Harvest Salad" was equivalent to something anyone could have thrown together in a kitchen in under a minute. It consisted of bagged greens with jarred roasted peppers and asparagus and the "shaved fennel" was really just three or four chopped pieces of the stalk. To be fair, the fries did look good...
(2)Mark N.
This bar and restaurant is almost always rather lively. They serve a pretty good variety of somewhat "Western" American, New Mexican, or Mexican food; and often have some temporary offerings which will be something random like cajun food... Some of these temporary offerings can be pretty good. In general I don't think the food is fantastic, but this is a good place to hang out, sometimes there are good live bands and people will dance in the tiny area available for that next to the bar. I lived nearby for 4 years (until quite recently) and went here many times because it is always reasonably lively and the menu is diverse enough most people can find something they like. A very random mix of folks hang out here, a truly diverse crowd. A popular hang out with locals for sure.
(4)John K.
Really good brisket! My wife enjoyed the salmon and I had a good margarita made with mescal.Good sides, scalloped potatoes stand out in my mind as well as pinto beans.I was amused by the previous comments on the waitresses. It was Halloween and everyone had costumes on .Our waiter was some kind of super hero .I was not appalled by his sluttiness or sexiness or much of anything.We had fun.
(3)matt s.
Pretty good not transcendent. Fun vibe. A huge fight broke out, massive, the guy got thrown to the street, but I missed the whole thing in the bathroom. A hokey 80s cover band was playing, and I correctly predicted a song ("White Wedding"). They had a potato ice cream thingy for dessert and New Mexico wine and I left happy. One of the few places open late too.
(4)Steve H.
We love going to the Cowgirl and always take our out-of-town visitors there for the good food and fun entertainment. We have never had any complaints about the service and we credit the manager, Cesar, with making each visit a fun experience. The BBQ is very good, but don't hesitate to try the scallops or salmon with bourbon sauce. The Cowgirl's much more then a BBQ restaurant and I highly recommend it.
(5)Zenith c.
Horrible service so we left. We asked the hostess if it was possible to be out in 30 minutes she said it depends on what u order, so we sat down ready to order. We waited 15 minutes with no service, we left went to the Zia dinner across the street.
(1)Mary S.
Delicious food. Pleasant surprise w a Texas flair. My husband ordered the yak burger and I had black angus burger. Both were cooked perfectly with side of fries and bland cole slaw. Service friendly. Beer cold yet waitress took my first beer before it was empty to serve second round. We would eat here again only because we like burgers. The cowgirl servers and hostess were cute. Most staff hung out at host stand. Seeing as it ws a slow Monday might who could blame them?
(4)Clare M.
Hot damn I love me some Cowgirl patio in the summertime. The food kinda sucks, but it is an awesome outdoor patio for drinks and yam fries. If you are starving the frito pie is doable and surprisingly, the catfish isn't that bad. Want desert, the ice cream baked potato. Don't ask, just eat it. Great frozen Mangoritas! They have a lot of live music which is usually the same 4 or 5 locals who rotate between Cowgirl, El Paseo and El Farol, but tune it out and get plastered with some friends and enjoy the fresh smell of the air. One bummer, no dogs on the patio. Not even kittens. I tried bringing my cat once and they wouldn't let me. Then again, I've never been to a dining establishment that allowed cats.
(5)Joseph C.
Went to meet someone for a business lunch. Since I hadn't met this person before I didn't know what he looked like. Because I was looking around the host "Kevin" was instantly mad at me. He remained mad, rude and snappy towards us the entire visit. Poor representation, ruined the flow of what should have been a successful business lunch. I recommend choosing another venue for professional engagements!!
(1)Lucy G.
we only went to the bar, and it gets one star for being open at 10:30 on a Sunday night two days before Christmas. Beer was decently priced (to me it's SUPER cheap but I've been living in LA). There wasn't much of a crowd, but it was surprisingly full for the odd time we chose to go drinking. The people who were there were friendly, and our bartender was adorable. The website says they close at 11 on Sundays, but we didn't end up leaving till 11:30 and in that short space of an hour made several new friends.
(4)Jared G.
We ordered the following: Brisket, Green Chile Mac-n-Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries with honey walnut mayo (awesome), country fried chicken and squash gratin. The BBQ was very good- traditional slow cooked Texas style with a spicy sauce. The Green Chile mac, although a throwback to the old college days of tossing a spoon of Bueno into a box of Kraft, was excellent, and the squash gratin was very good. If you're looking for good eats, good beers, reasonable price and some solid out-of-town music, this is great place. For a fine dining and culinary adventure, go somewhere else.
(4)tania c.
A nice place to eat, but seating gets a little limited in the cool weather. Obviously you can't sit outside, and the seats "up front" that are anywhere near the door get a little intense. There are heaters about the tables, but those just kind of cooked us until someone opened the door and then it was freezing again. Make a reservation and sit on the far inside whenever it's crazy outside. To the food: my husband had the Game Burger and he loved it. It wasn't quite what I had expected, since it's more of just a patty of meat without the bread etc... but he was quiet happy with it. I had the chicken fajitas. The chicken was delicious and the meal seemed like a decent proportion, though I ran out of tortillas and had to pay for extras. Somewhat of a rowdy atmosphere, it's a fun little hangout when you want something casual but yummy.
(4)Johnny B.
We were in Santa Fe for Fiesta and stopped at the Cowgirl. We ordered their award winning green chili cheeseburgers with a side of fries cooked in truffle oil. Our server, Brian Dickerson, provided outstanding service. I had a local draft IPA that was excellent (following Brian's advice). There was live music on the patio providing a very festive atmosphere. These guys know how to do a great burger using local ingredients.
(5)Rebecca P.
My boyfriend and I visited here for the margaritas first and foremost and then for the BBQ. I don't eat BBQ (being meat-based and gluten-ness) but my boyfriend can't help himself around some good beef brisket. We were both satisfied! I had a margarita worth writing about. It didn't have the sickeningly sweet 'sweet n sour' mix so commonly used in place of fresh lime juice. Instead the margarita had real lime juice and yummy tequila. So the margaritas are a win! My boyfriend enjoyed his beef brisket and I loved my guacamole and chips. The guacamole is served in a tortilla chip bowl - brilliant. It is avocado-y and absolutely perfect. The chips are crisp and not greasy. My chili was okay. I felt like they relied on the chili powder for flavor a little too much. I would definitely go back for happy hour margaritas and guacamole.
(3)Orland R.
Very good, nice environment & live entertainment. Food was good, drinks were great..
(3)Daniel B.
Whenever we come to Santa Fe, The Cowgirl BBQ is our first port of call. There are more elegant and well- known (i.e.: expensive) restaurants in this town, but for sheer FUN, few beat the Cowgirl. The BBQ chicken dinner and anything with a hamburger attached will put you in a fine mood for days, The prices are fair and the food tasty and abundant, Comfort Cowgirl food doesn't get any better than this!
(5)Kimberly N.
The food, typical BBQ/pub type, was pretty good. I had the brisket sandwich; the flavor was right, but it could have been a bit saucier. The atmosphere is casual, young, and comfortable--a good place to take a group of friends for drinks and appetizers. They have a heated outdoor area that is lit by lantern lights, and the decor is, you guessed it, cowgirl themed (as are the waitresses). That having been said... it was the previous reviews of these cowgirl waitresses almost deterred me from eating here. Having experienced the poor service will deter me from eating here in the future. They have karaoke and specials... if I lived here I'd be a regular, but I don't and I won't.
(3)George M.
We went there for dinner, the atmosphere was fantastic on a Friday evening...not a quite place but a very fun indeed. All the food was cooked and seasoned perfectly, we ordered the vegetarian squash casserole and the BBQ Brisket...the margaritas from the bar were an awesome combination. If you are looking for a fun place to enjoy dinner with a few friends, this is a must dine place if you visit Santa Fe, NM.
(4)Stephen R.
This place is pretty cool. Definitely Santa Fe if you know what I mean. First of all, the establishment itself and its decor are fantastic. Unmistakeably Santa Fe in there. The food is pretty good too, though not spectacular. I had the Carne Asada tacos which were nice, but the tortillas they were assembled with began to fail structurally which meant I could not eat them as one would normally eat a taco. Beware the Salsa Diablo! It definitely has a high habanero content. There were a few disappointments that almost had me clicking 3 stars though: - One restroom for both genders and it was in pretty bad shape. - SLOW service, and not even particularly friendly in our case. - There was a kid (like, 10 years old tops) selling bracelets in the bar area, and no one seemed to care. I'm not concerned that a minor is in a bar, but I was annoyed to have someone trying to sell me crap during my meal. Anyway, it's worth a look because it really is an enjoyable place to dine or grab a beer.
(4)Mary M.
Fun place to eat, hang out, listen to music. The extensive selection means that New Mex food fans can eat with comfort-food fans & Cajun food fans, and no one is disappointed. Plusses - great drinks, entertaining decor. Minus - one (maybe two - no one could find the second) bathroom. Recommended: Sweet 'tater Fries, Burgers, Butternut Squash Casserole, Cajun Relleno*, Fried Okra* *the Cajun dishes were 'specials' and may not be available all year
(4)Shean H.
Not impressed. Over priced and cramped. Brisket was good, pork was dry. Service was good, but two meals an appetizer and 4 very weak drinks shouldn't cost $80
(2)My Pet Yeti R.
Hit up this place while passing through Santa Fe. I proceeded to eat BBQ and rough up the liver... I do remember some hippie brah telling his counter part how "New Mexico is the only other place he'll come to outside of Alaska".... I laughed... oh, how I laughed... Then I drank some more... Oh, I remember the BBQ being pretty good... probably good enough to lure the moon-beamer down from the the tundra...
(4)Laura S.
Had a great lunch. Recommend the fried fried chicken. Music was good. Service was good.
(4)Sarah P.
I was visiting Santa Fe with family and we happened to be celebrating my daughter's 1st birthday. I selected Cowgirl BBQ because I found it on a web site for family friendly restaurants. I called to make reservations two weeks in advance to ensure we could be seated (we had six adults, four children and an infant). I asked the individual taking our reservations if we could bring in a birthday cake and was told they would charge us $2/plate. I did not take the birthday cake. I called back the day before our planned dinner only to find that our reservation had not been made. RAH! They were able to accomodate us...because we wanted a 4:30 dinner time...which was helpful. We asked to be seated near the play area which is right outside their bar area. It was a rainy the day we arrived and a little cold. We asked if it was possible to be seated inside as a result and they were able to accomodate. YEAH! Again, I think it helped that we were eating so early. I ordered the BBQ brisket with coleslaw and beans side. The BBQ sauce was wonderfully spicy, but the brisket was so-so. I would have prefered they gave more of the BBQ sauce because it made the dish. The restaurant itself is a novelty, but there are plenty of restaurants I would like to try in Santa Fe before I head back to Cowgirl BBQ.
(4)Jyenny B.
My friend wanted to try this place, I did not. We went Friday at 6pm and although it was crowded and there was a wait for an outside table, we were seated inside without a wait, but in a crummy location. So when a better table in the main bar area opened up a few minutes later my friend asked if we could move. The waitress was cool about the table change and even cooler when my friend dropped her sticky mango margarita on the way over to the other table. The waitress brought another without charge. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the quesadilla and opted to add the grilled onions. Turned out to be much better than expected. To drink, I started out with a Horny Toad marg which comes in handy if you'd like to breath fire, so I quickly switched to beer. Bonus, my favorite beer was cheap and the waitress kept 'em comin'. They have live music every night, but we left before the band came on. All in all, it was better than I expected but it was still a damn country bar. Did I mention I don't do country?
(3)William C.
RUDE WILL NOT CATER TO THOSE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY!! We went here because they offered a great place for kids to play while we eat. That part was great. This restaurant however WILL NOT CATER TO PEOPLE WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGEY PATIENTS. The manager would not allow me to order off the kids menu even though our bar tab was exceeding $100. Showed the official card from the surgeon however manager would not budge. It's hard enough to ask for this, since it is embarrassing. But it is utterly humiliating to have a manager treat you so poorly in public. The staff was mostly very slow and not knowledgeable about the menu. Then let's talk about the sub par quality food. The Chili was bland and watered down. The Frito pie was soggy, had no flavor and the weak runny no flavor chili over it. The other food we had was sub par as well. We won't be coming to this restaurant ever again if we are Santa Fe. The manager should be relieved of his duty.
(1)Gregg L.
Sat next to a lady on the flight out here and she told us not to miss this place, and we agree! Great BBQ, great beer and great service. Fun photos, nuff said, don't miss it! (awesome salad too)
(5)Emily A.
This just might be my most favorite restaurant ever. I only ate there once but it just sticks in my mind because it had everything I was looking for in a restaurant - good food, cold beer, nice wait staff and the best outdoor eating area ever. It was a huge patio area shaded by a big old oak tree. Or some kinda tree. In any event, it was cool in the shade, and at night there were laterns in the tree, just so blurging romantic. A shame I was there by myself, but still I was really happy. So I use this place as a reference point for all other restaurants. I'm still searching for something better...but for now, this is it. Food - 5 really good bbq (altho ribs at Sparks cookoff unbeatable) Service - 5 Value - 4, ok, could be chaeper, but then it would just be even more crowded Ambiance - 5+ just the best patio ever.
(5)Suzanne P.
Great food, great ladies, great beer. That is all. Oh and a great patio.
(4)Christopher L.
Sweet potato fries were ok Chips and guac was ok
(3)Shad A.
What an awesome menu. My favorite is the chicken short stack. Vegetarian spicy collard greens are the best of the west.
(5)YK F.
Didn't expect this in Santa Fe, NM. Went there for late dinner and I quite like it. Cowgirl made me realized that Santa Fe can also be an exciting city besides the quiet art scene on Canyon St. They serve ordinary American and Mexican food, that is, you can't get away from burgers or burritos. The tacos were okay, but I really liked the mushroom burger that my girlfriend ordered. It was nice to spend an evening there with a Margarita in your hand, enjoying the music and looking at drunk people flirting with the waitresses. :P Parking is great because they have a huge lot across the street. Love it!
(4)Em. T.
I drank beer, which I guess you can't mess up, and ordered a side of wings which were, in a word, fantastic! Seriously, these guys know how to make 'em hot, and they're not afraid to do so. On a hot summer day, beer and wings were the perfect combination: Eat until I can barely feel my mouth, cool things off with a swig of beer, repeat. Haven't been here for a full meal, but for a midday snack, Cowgirl BBQ really hit the spot. I loved the ambiance, as well, We relaxed in a shady spot on the patio and enjoyed the weather. I can't help but think Cowgirl BBQ would be a fixture in my life if I lived in Santa Fe.
(4)Christine S.
For our girls trip to Santa Fe, we happened to catch a Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels show all about Santa Fe....Well, what do you know, she came here to this place and it looked cute. So we did the same.... We planned on coming here for just a quick lunch, but after a few kick-ass margaritas, we stayed for over 4 hours! Their food is great. Not fancy stuff but if you have a craving for Frito-Pie, then get your tushie here! The menu has a Tex-Mex Flair to it. Great variety. Great BBQ. But honestly what kept us here for so long is the outdoor seating area. The service is very great. These people really seem to be having a great time here. If you happen to be walking through Santa Fe and want to take a load off, then come here, sit down, have a margarita and enjoy! Did I mention that they make pies too?
(5)Morgan W.
This was my first stop on a long weekend in Santa Fe. Thankfully the rest of my trip was better. I will say this, the place is unique and the clientele is cool and their patio is lovely at night. And the menu looked really good and exciting. But that's where the good experience kind of stopped cold and headed downhill quickly. The food offenses were numerous: My mojito was watered down to the point of undrinkability. My frito pie, while having a creative presentation, was covered in chili so watery that by the time it arrived the corn chips had soaked up so much liquid that I was mostly left with chili and cornmeal mush at the bottom. I also got the yak burger, which had potential but lacked follow through. The meat is gamey, more than bison, and also a bit sweeter. It would have benefited from some type of aromatic herbs to balance out and enhance the gamey flavor. Serving a somewhat exotic meat in the same manner as a regular beef burger, which made it taste kind of gross, is not a good idea. Both friends dining with us were vegetarian so they opted for what was listed as a Boca Burger but was some type of cheap generic soy burger. The only thing saving this review was that somehow my husband struck gold with his orders. He got the mangorita which was a layered drink of pureed mango and frozen marg and it was delicious. For his entree he got the whiskey pork chops. The pork was tender, well cooked, well seasoned, and the sides were generous and also delicious. The only offense on that was the menu says it comes with collards but instead he got a mess of corn which was apparently their vegetable of the day (corn? really?). So he had to order the collards separate, and then request after the check came and they be comped because, well, DUH. Such a bummer for our first night in town. Luckily every meal after that was a step up.
(2)Jesseca T.
2.5 stars Went here last night for the first time at 6:45pm Agree that service is slow but it appears that it's due to them being understaffed, and to seating their waiters in different sections of the restaurant instead of grouping them in one section. I also saw them double seat a waitress in our section, which is a hostess no-no (if you have the option to spread out the seatings it's preferable but sometimes you are out of tables in other places...). My waiter was certainly trying very hard and was an experienced waiter, but he seemed like he was in the weeds the whole time. A good hostess might be able to fix this problem. Now to get to the fun part, we really ate well here! Caesar salad- perfectly dressed, nicely flavored- this is a good Caesar done the right way Sesame crusted Tuna on bed of wasabi mashed potatoes- wow this was a very generous app for $9! This could have been my meal with a small salad. It was cooked rare with a ponzu sauce which kinda buried the wasabi flavor in the mashers Catfish fingers with jalapeno mayo - fresh- these were done right Hubby had chili relleno smothered in crawfish etouffee- they were VERY generous with the crawfish plus it came with rice and beans- he said he'd order it again, it was great! Had two Horny Toad margs- that's a nice drink but but they were short stubby little glasses filled with ice...hrm Hurricane- awful, way too much alcohol in it to taste good - sent it back and they were so nice about it, they didn't charge for it or make me feel bad or anything- - Super Cosmo (or some name like that) - $9.50 (! That's San Jose prices !) , but I have to say that t, it was a cocktail that was done right, smooth drinking - so two out of three drinks turned out well, that's good- fresh lime used here- Total bill $87 - that's a little steep, I felt, for the ambiance and level of attention we received - maybe when summer's here and we can sit outside it will be nicer but we were on the covered porch with a buffet set up RIGHT behind my chair and two sloppy drunk and loud women in the booth near us- I'd do drinks and apps here in a second but think twice about dinner again- $87 can buy some pretty good food in this town and there's a lot more options out there that we haven't tried yet ...maybe I should stick to takeout from this place-
(2)Amanda W.
Good service despite being uber busy, decent burger. Great music and porch. My dad said his philly cheesesteak was incredible and did said her chili rellenos were delish. Cool place and great ambiance. We will come back the next time we pass through santa fe.
(4)Alexandra Z.
So what if it is a bit touristy? The tourists know what they are talking about! I love the environment, and the live music. The place is huge, with so many interesting rooms. Service is alright, but some of the best BBQ I have ever had! And the tres leches cake? Best in Santa Fe! They also have some other great desserts, not to mention jumbo-sized drinks!
(5)Krista F.
There are too many other restaurants in Santa Fe for you to eat at before I would fool with the Cowgirl BBQ as a dinner option. If you were just going for drinks and apps, that is one thing, but the bbq isn't that good. If you are going to have "BBQ" as part of your name, you better rock at it. Their sauce didn't have a lot of flavor and was just slopped on half of a chicken I could have found roasted at Costco. In addition to having an overwhelming helping of their "special BBQ sauce" all over my plate, they serve the sides right on the same plate. I mean, I get it, who doesn't love a little extra sauce with their baked beans, but I don't know a lot of folks who enjoy bbq coleslaw and bbq potato salad? If you look at their menu, they are trying to be too many things to too many people. Here's the internal conversation I envision took place when creating this menu: "Oh, have the BBQ. It's what we're known for, I mean look, it's right there in our name... "But, but, don't forget we do NewMex and TexMex too because we kind of have to, you know, being in Santa Fe, NM and all." "No? How about Comfort Food? Wait, we also do Steaks. Big Fat Steaks...AND FISH." "Or, of course, you could just have a garden burger, sir." I will hand it to them. They do have some really good margaritas. You will need those to get down with the honky tonk 80's band music vibrating through most of the restaurant. I won't comment too much on the service because our waitress seemed like a real ditz. She completely and totally vanished after taking our dinner orders. But, the other staff members really seemed to be busting their tails. I, in good conscience, could recommend Cowgirl BBQ for apps, margaritas and a little pool playing, but I would venture elsewhere for a serious dinner.
(2)Jason H.
My Yelp friends failed er on this one (4+ stars?)... Food was barely mediocre, tried the vaunted pulled pork sand, blah at best. Maybe need to come at night and have some drinks for a better opinion. But all on all, there are WAY better joints to eat on this town, go elsewhere
(1)Nick L.
For Food I'd go somewhere else. I got the BBQ sampler and it must have been sitting all day long before being plated. Dry, flavorless and just not worth it.
(1)Nina P.
TO DIE FOR BRISKET! GO HERE WHEN IN SANTA FE! We visited with guests when we lived there and let me tell you the BBQ is memorable! The brisket was great! It's one of those meals I'll always remember! The decor is western crazy! But seriously the food is great!
(5)Michael S.
Cool place indoor and outdoor but service and drinks were not that great
(2)Heather D.
We were looking for something open late, as the town seems to roll up around 9. We stumbled upon this place and I was thrilled to find out they had a frito boat. I had a great 'adult' hot chocolate, and a fantastic salad along with the frito boat. While the staff took a while to notice and seat us, once they did, they were very friendly and attentive. I'd definitely go back when in the area again.
(4)KJ S.
We came in on a tip from a local friend and I am glad we did. We sat at the back bar where Molly took excellent care of us without- I might add, a fake good attitude. She was a genuinely delightful hostess/bartender... We started with French onion soup that was some of the best we have ever had (and we always get it wherever we are). My fiance had an excellent salad with yellow beets, shaved fennel and goat cheese Marconi almonds and asparagus with a lemon vinagerette... Very light and delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwhich perfectly smoked on a FRESH wheat kaiser roll with "diablo sauce" for a buck more as recommended by the food network... (on the show Heat Seekers) Holy Pig. It was killer! Served w fresh cut fries and cold slaw... I am from Alabama... BBQ central and I was very impressed. The vibe was homey and comfortable too w an eclectic clientel. On a side note... I asked "Molly" our hostess to explain the green and red chili sauce thing in this area of the country that is such a part of the culinary culture... She not only explained it, she told us of this amazing green chili enchilda dish we HAD to try cooking at home and proceeded to write the entire lengthy recipe down on paper for us. Gotta love people who just enjoy there day and sharing it w others. Was really fun. Will probably go back and try the "yak burger" before we go home next week. Thats right. Yak.
(4)Kali W.
I lived in this dirty shithole apartment down the street from The Cowgirl for awhile in 2007, and went here quite often. I mostly went in to drink a Guinness or a hard cider, and I think it goes without saying that those were good, because beer is good. I don't remember what day $2 or $3 Pabst Blue Ribbon pints was, but I can assure you I was there on that day and spent $15 contributing to that loss of memory. Last July, some friends and I spent a long, hot day eating psychedelic drugs, throwing rocks at other rocks, and hunting for bats in Diablo Canyon and came here afterwards to re-nourish ourselves with red meat and heavy beer, and the burger I had was equisite, under the circumstances. I also like the baked potato with cheese and green chile, salsa and sour cream. I got that a few times and it was standard and decent. I knew some of the folks that worked here and they gave me some spicy barbeque buffalo wings once - not something I'd usually order - and those were nothing short of delectable. If they had Mortal Kombat in the arcade, I doubt I would have ever left New Mexico. Minus one star for not having Mortal Kombat. Oh - a side note - the parking lot right next to the Cowgirl is famous for car robberies. A friend got his truck window broken and his camera stolen one night, and I heard of a few other incidents. Santa Fe is, after all, #2 burglary capital of the US.
(4)Leahi M.
It's a really great place to sit down at when it's not busy, unfortunately the food is very inconsistent. I hate to say it because I love everyone that works here now...so I don't like complaining...but I've had some really great meals here and some really bad ones too. I like the simple mac n cheese, which should be hard to mess up...but when they give me clumpy, burnt mac n cheese I get sad. I can't really return it because I'm usually at work when I sit down to eat it and can't leave...so I end up just drinking a lot of water to curb my hunger...
(3)Julia F.
The only reason I didn't give this one star is because people seem to really like this place, so I must be missing something. Service is horrible. I worked there for a while, and it was obvious the waitresses were totally overwhelmed, which is why they don't get to your table until you've been there for 20 minutes and sometimes forget things. Despite the fact that this place claims to be a BBQ restaurant, their BBQ is probably the worst thing on the menu. If you want to eat there, the appetizers are probably your best bet. Sweet potato fries. Also, hamburgers are always safe/good for any restaurant if you're not sure about what to get. For breakfast, any of the new mexican dishes are pretty good. Mostly, people go there for the drinks, the bar, and the music/karaoke. It is kind of fun to hang out on the patio with friends, but I'm always too frustrated with the service to really enjoy it. The customers are really nice though, and that was the only thing that ever made that job tolerable. Good luck.
(2)Amy W.
Went to the Cowgirl twice on our recent honeymoon and had the best time -- first time just for margaritas and Frito pie at the bar -- perfect! -- and the second time for dinner -- I had the awesome butternut squash scalloped potatoes and my husband had the bbq chicken -- both great. Staff is friendly and unpretensh and everyone is having a good time -- good food at a great price -- fun vibe -- no complaints!
(5)P Lynn P.
We walked in around 4:30 - past at least two empty tables and the hostess was fairly abrupt with us - she saw that there were two of us and grabbed two menus and marched off. We followed her to a small room where she showed us to a small table right in the corner that hadn't been set yet. She left to get place settings so we went back to the front desk and asked if there was another table and the young man there said no. We asked about the empty tables and he said they were being saved; he did not offer for us to wait for table either. We felt that they catered to a younger crowd and did not particularly want our business so we left.
(1)David R.
We went here after seeing the good reviews, but it even surpassed the great reviews I had seen. Our party included 3 adults and 3 kids under 8 years old. For families with children, this is one of the best places to eat at given their very kid friendly outdoor area in the back. As shown in the picture I included, it contains a simple jungle gym with a slide, but what makes it great is that the area is enclosed and allows the adults to eat at their leisure while the kids get their energy out on the jungle gym as they please. In addition to that, the food what great. What more could you ask for if your eating out with your kids and want a great meal. A definite 5 star for families with kids.
(5)Anthony Q.
Great food and service. What else do you need when you're dining out? Did I say the food was great, I meant it's awesome. Not a bad margarita either.
(5)Tracy M.
Cowgirls was the dining lowlight of our New Mexico trip. The place is probably a good place to go have some drinks on the patio, they had the Bus Tapes as their band tonight. The food and service however, definitely were pretty significant minuses. We split the guacamole and the smoked prime rib sandwich. The margarita and Hefeweizen were better than the food :) The food was just okay and the waitress seemed as if she had 1000 other things she'd rather be doing.
(2)Dee H.
Visited here during my trip to Santa Fe three years ago because I heard "this is where all the young people hang out." It's not really my cup of tea. A live band was playing when I went, but since this is a small bar there was no room to dance to the music. And I'm used to places on the East Coast that are smoke-free, so I couldn't tolerate the cigarette smoke right in my face in here. There were some interesting people there---some older guy who gave me his email address (which I "misplaced"), and a drunken guy and his lesbian friend (the latter attended school in my hometown, which was cool). If I were back in the area and the place were smoke-free, then maybe I'd come back. ETA: I've been informed by a Yelper that places in Santa Fe have been smoke-free since '07, which is a breath of fresh air (pun intended) for me. Now I have a reason to come back if I'm ever back in the area.
(2)Jeanette H.
We are big fans of the Cowgirl. We go for the food, but often stick around for the fun entertainment. For a BBQ place, the Cowgirl has some surprising menu choices that are so delicious! I especially recommend the scallops served on a yummy bed of garlic mashed potatoes, but another favorite of mine is the mountain meatloaf with gravy over chipotle mashed potatoes topped with caramelized onions! I have seen some complaints about the service in other reviews, but we have been going to the Cowgirl since 2008 and I don't think that is the norm. Cesar, one of the managers, always greets us when we arrive, and he usually stops by our table to check on us at least once during our meal. On a number of occasions we have even seen Chef Patrick making the rounds to make sure all guests are enjoying themselves. Because it is such a popular place you need to be able to adjust your expectations when every single table is full. If you only have 30 minutes for a meal you should go elsewhere.
(4)Lisa P.
DO NOT MISS! Probably the most surprising and fabulous meal we had in our 2-day adventure.
(5)Erich V.
I love being outside at twilight on a warm night and The Cowgirl lets me do this while eating good food.
(4)JR S.
Very good fresh-cut fries and collard greens. Mediocre brisket. Awful service. Our food arrived before our drinks. That shouldn't happen. We sat on the patio, but no one knew how to turn on the heat lamp.
(2)Jill C.
The ambiance was fun and funky but the food was really heavy and disappointing. Much better eats to be had in Santa Fe.
(2)Kelly C.
Was in desperate need for a family fun dinner spot for New Year's in Santa Fe this year. We settled on Cowgirl BBQ as the spot, and it worked out well. We were sat in the large back room which turned out to be very private and cozy, enabling us to have a comfortable conversation before the curtain closed on 2008. When you have 7 people in your clan, it's hard to please everyone, but Cowgirl BBQ's simple but diverse menu and funky atmosphere seemed to do the trick. Good selection of burgers, sandwiches, BBQ plates, salads, fish, tex-mex entrees - really you name it. And the casual, quirky atmosphere helped everyone relax....in addition to some decent margaritas. I had the Hi-ho Silver which was smooth and well-balanced with tequila and fresh lime juice. For my meal, I tried to order the smoked turkey pot pie, but they were already out, so I went with a pulled-pork sandwich which came with fries and coleslaw. Good flavor, and very filling. For starters we all shared a family style green salad which contained a ton of veggies, and the duck confit salad which was surprisingly good. Dessert was definitely creative - we had heard about the infamous baked potato (ice cream served in the shape of a potato, rolled in chocolate powder with whipped cream and pistachios on top) which we all enjoyed. We also split a tres leche cake which was a bit dry for me. While there was a band and a lively crowd playing in the front room we opted to walk home and chillax for the actual ball-dropping moment, although it was nice to have an option if we wanted to stay and get down with some more margaritas and eclectic band. Overall, while it wasn't the absolute best BBQ I've had, it was just right for our group in terms of variety, atmosphere and price.
(4)Rich R.
The drinks were hideously watered down, the table tops sticky, the catfish over-cooked. These deficiencies were partially compensated for by the tasty sauce and texture of the calamari, and the honest decency of the tres leches cake. Were I to return here, BBQ would be the order of the day. The patio looks like a place for those who wish to see and be seen.
(2)Caroline W.
Horrible service!! They were rude and drinks were awful...food was disgusting.
(1)Andrew C.
Usually I'd go for the brisket at a barbecue place, but this particular day I was feeling like eating a little healthier and wasn't too hungry, so I opted for the buffalo burger. And boy was it delicious! Sweet, juicy, and lean like Buffalo should be. Cooked just right. Staff was friendly and everyone else enjoyed their food too.
(4)Hiker Chicka e.
I've been here only once (with a large party) and these guys do a mean green chile burger. Everyone in my party loved the food, but hey it's Santa Fe, which is definitely well known for their great dining options. Oh.. yeah.. if you are into that kinda thing, the meals are served by waitresses dressed as cowgirls. And they do a song/dance to go with it.
(4)Steve E.
Very good. Busy during tourist season.
(5)Brian D.
Sadly the Cowgirl has declined rather precipitously in the last 6months. I am regularly in Santa Fe and will stop in the cowgirl when I am craving beef. Sadly the last time I went I made the mistake of ordering a burger. The burger I got was raw on the inside. Clearly the individual cooking the product has no idea how to properly cook beef. As I heard from the bartender Tiffany, she was unable to communicate with the cooking staff as speaking English as well properly preparing food weren't among the staffs' skills. When they took the burger back , they simply threw it on the grill to brown where I had taken a bite. When I looked at the burger it remained raw inside. Needless to say I didn't eat it. One of the people I was with, asked to speak with the manager who then couldn't be bothered to come speak with us. I left shortly thereafter. I am see a number of Cowgirl employees are writing positive reviews (Aisha you shouldn't hostess and write positive reviews!). Definitely avoid this place unless food poisoning is on the menu.
(1)Jackie A.
A good solid place to eat. Really good BBQ... not the best I've had but way better than what I expected. The game burger was delicious. It would have been better if it wasn't covered in New Mexican shit juice- aka green chile. Just playing... green chile is alright I just wish Santa Fe-ans didn't think it was like God's second son. We ate a baked potato made out of ice cream. That was the best part. Good job Cowgirl!
(4)Khaleelah J.
Thank God this place is open past 7 on a Sunday. After a long day of hiking through the mountains, we NEEDED food ASAP...and most places were closed. Cowgirl BBQ came through with AMAZING fast service and good food. If you're looking for a culinary delight that will blow your mind, go elsewhere, but this place served a solid BBQ sandwich (for a little twist, try the green chile strips- they are only $1.00 more and are GREAT on anything) and margarita within 20 minutes...great live music, too!
(4)Sam A.
Now EVERYONE in the city of Santa Fe KNOWS that the service at the cowgirl is the worst on the planet, but I just want to point out just how terrible it is... Tonight, five of us showed up for dinner at about 9:30, finally got our order in to the kitchen by about 10:30pm... had to return 3 drinks, and had every single meal messed up to the point that even with our to-go orders (where we'd eaten half the food already), we actually ended up with doggie bags from other tables! OUCH!
(1)David B.
I'm not going to get into the finer points of whether BBQ cooked west of the Appalachians is really BBQ. This is neither the time, nor the place. I'm just going to say that the meat product that I ate, which came from a variety of creatures, and was skillfully prepared, seasoned and served, pleased my pallette greatly. On a subsequent (lighter) visit. I had something that we can all agree was a hamburger, and it was really good, too.
(4)Jenny K.
Yummy food. Great atmosphere and it's open late. How can you beat that? I had the mac and cheese with green chile sauce, husband had the fajitas and we shared nachos and quite a few margaritas. Everything was great and I'd definitely recommend this place.
(4)Mim B.
I went here my first night in Santa Fe. I was coming from the east coast, and people, if you grew up and live at sea level, having a beer at 7k feet is an experience. The beer I had, the state pen porter, was very tasty and to me extremely reasonably priced. (For reference, I grew up in NY and live in the DC metro area for now.) It felt like 3! My quesadilla, filled with cheese, green chile strips, tomatoes, and onions was tasty if a bit hard to eat. It came with beans, and the fact that Cowgirl shows their beans so much love is huge. The texture was tender but not out of a can, and they were delicious. I love beans, but where I live they're usually an afterthought - someone cracks open a can and sprinkles some over whatever you ordered. My bf ordered the bison burger. It was cooked perfectly, juicy, tender, and exploding with meaty flavor. That night, my bf and I split their baked potato ice cream, which is a great sight gag. And hey, vanilla ice cream rolled in cocoa with whipped cream and fudge sauce is never a losing combination. :) We went back our last night in Santa Fe to try their BBQ. The combo platter was like the size of my head, and everything on it was delicious. The brisket was kind of dry, but again, tasty. And it came with more of those beans. I completely ignored the potato salad and cole slaw which were lackluster and bland. My bf ordered the Horny Toad margarita, and it was a very well-mixed drink. You could taste the tequila, and there was enough sweet, sour, and coldness to make it really refreshing without being too sweet. We finished off the night with a piece of tres leches cake, although in retrospect I have no idea how we managed to eat even more. :) And that was sweet, with bits of what I think were almonds studding the cake, served with not-out-of-a-can whipped cream (!). Overall, Cowgirl is (to me, a born and bred NYer) totally kitschy and silly but... real. Because it's, well, in NM. Like the dudes wandering around with huge beards looking like lumberjacks aren't some idiot hipsters from Brooklyn trying to be ironic, and I totally loved it. The people watching here is superb. Thumbs up for the BBQ, the DIY quesadilla, the Horny Toad margarita, the buffalo burger, and OMG the beans. :)
(4)Richard M.
Went there about a year ago and was never served, ended up leaving after 30 minutes without even a waiter coming to ask us what we would like to drink.
(1)C. M.
I went here to have a nice meal in relative anomynity and enjoy some local bbq. I got a table right across from the bar next to a wall, perfect for a single diner. My server came by quickly and was friendly and helpful. I had a house margarita and ordered the bbq sandwich and splurged on the sweet potato fries. The margarita was a solid pour but not exceptional. Based on other reviews I was expecting more but was still enjoyable. Food arrived in a decent amount of time and the bbq was very good. They are long on sauce and solid on spice-not overbearing but tangy and enough kick to get your attention. The fries were a bit of a dissapointment. They were not particularly hot and did not have as much sweet taste as I was hoping. The dipping sauce was interesting and a different approach with cinnamon (I think). My server came over a couple of times during my meal to check on me and suggested a local beer as a second drink (Santa Fe Stout, much better). Prices were reasonable and the quantities were above average. A word about the clientele- this appeared (to me) to be a local's hangout. I did not see many "tourists" there, which to me is a plus. I would go back but probably skip the sweet potato fries. Enjoy!
(3)K. P.
First of all - diners, don't take yourselves too seriously! I think they're doing something right at Cowgirl. I've been to the NYC location numerous times and was curious about the original restaurant in Santa Fe. I ask you this: when did good food and fun become mutually exclusive? I'm glad Cowgirl isn't of that ilk. I really enjoyed their locally sourced meat and produce (Taos yak burger - yes, please!), great margaritas (their mezcalita is the best specialty margarita in Santa Fe in my opinion) and felt totally at ease with its low key, somewhat tongue-in-cheek Western vibe. Service was friendly and on point. For the price-point the food was very good and many menu items are surprisingly well thought out (plenty of vegetarian options, too). And yes, their frozen margaritas (don't pretend you're too good for them) are legendary...and cheap! Bottom line: Cowgirl is a unique dining/drinking option in Santa Fe definitely worth checking out.
(4)Carrie B.
Excellent- even for a vegetarian! I ordered a salad off of the seasonal menu and opted to add jerk tofu to it. YUMMY. Great margarita. Great way to end a day in Santa Fe.
(4)Evangeline O.
At first glance, you might find an old boring place. But once you enter inside and get served by their friendly waiters, you will change your mind! This place is so awesome! The quality of their servings are satisfying! Their display in the menu will keep you drooling! Their service is satisfying. The food is great. To sum it up, i'll give you 5 stars!
(5)Jace G.
I went back here after the pleasant experience before (see below). Well I think that the previous experience was tainted by sitting outside on a nice day. This time we sat inside. Maybe that allowed us to focus more on our food. Easiest way to describe the food: cheap diner food. It was warm and filled our bellies, but I wouldn't go back or recommend it to anyone.
(2)Patrick C.
Outstanding food. Had the ribs and mud pie. Both were delicious.
(4)heather g.
Service was great, food servings were huge, price was right! The cowgirl bbq was an unexpected find for 2 vegetarians from Texas! We highly recommend stopping in and staying for a game of pool in the adjoining bar.
(5)Rob W.
Good service. Accommodated our party of 6 with 2 kids easily. Food was great. The chile with Frito Lays chips I thought was a joke until we ordered it and tried it. Such a good chile flavor with brisket and ground beef. Superb. I had the BBQ sampler plate which was way too much for me but was fantastic in terms of flavor (ribs, brisket and chicken were wonderful). I will definitely return.
(4)Lars L.
Great ribs and scallops, tuna app was huge. A transplant from the NYC Hall of Fame, and even better as you can eat outside in the beautiful evening air and commiserate with the friendly locals.
(4)Katelin H.
From one *spicehead* to another, I invite you to saddle up at the Cowgirl. Dern near the best BBQ I've had this side of the Mississippi. A whole mess of meats: ribs, brisket, chick, and beasties of all varieties! Plumb fell outta my seat when I tasted dem baked banes. So, if you're in the area, and ya got yerself a hankerin for some of the sauciest spice smackdab in the middle of the desert, hightail it to Cowgirls. Take a load off, Chap. Pull yourself up that thar cheer and setchursef down for a spell. Shootfire way to clean out the system. A few werds of advace: Don't go if yer so poor you'd hafta borrow money to buy water to cry with. And ya wanna drank somethin'? No doubles, Partner. It's the law, shore nuff. All that bein' said, grab yer bippy, mosey on down to one of the finest establishments to hoot and holler in the most Santa of the Fe's. Zackly what my wern out, tired ole bones needed. No yella-bellies need apply. Go on now... git!
(5)Heather M.
Excellent bartenders and drinks(especially margaritas). Great music. Yummy affordable food! This is by far my favorite bar in Santa Fe!
(5)Randy B.
The most consistently fun best food in Santa Fe!
(5)David S.
Cowgirl BBQ is a good place. I'll tell you this, I have not had any of the food, which looks pretty good and some of the others reviews say that it is. I will have to try it one day. This is a good place for music, pool, the decent country/classic rock/etc. jukebox and beers. They also have a full bar here. The staff, decked out in cowgirl/cowboy-type outfits which is a nice touch, treat patrons with respect and are attentive. Cowgirl BBQ probably ranks as my favorite watering hole in Santa Fe.
(3)James F.
I love this little cantina in Santa Fe. Cheap strong drinks and a great outdoor deck! I was lucky enough to see some amazing music while I was here, and ended up hiring the band to play at my wedding! Next time I am in town I will defiantly come back to the Cowgirl and get a little rowdy.
(5)Raider J.
BBQ was very average. The fries were excellent, ribs and chicken were decent, the beef brisket was dry and overcooked and the service sucked!
(3)Barry S.
Wonderful brisket sandwich and fries. The BBQ sauce was to die for. Rich and smokey. My partner had a very fresh gazpacho. Definitely recommend for lunch.
(4)Dean W.
First dessert: we had never heard of an ice-cream-baked-potato before. Well, it was YUMMY! Imagine if you will, a log of vanilla ice cream rolled in powdered chocolate (so it looks like a potato). The top is split open, whip cream (i.e. sour cream) is filled into the split, green coated nuts (in place of onions), and a slab of frosting top it all off. The decor and atmosphere are fun. The servers are all decked out as cowboys or cowgirls. All in all we enjoyed it.
(4)Jared S.
Definitely the place to get your meat fix. In Santa Fe for business, I came to trusty yelp for some recommendations, and this is one of the most rated places around, and very highly rated at that. I got the BBQ platter and all of it was great, but nothing really special in my opinion honestly. And I'm from NY so you'd think great BBQ would be obvious considering you don't really get it there. My coworker had the t-bone and was happy, and ended with the homemade cherry pie that he enjoyed. The only faux pas - both interested in local micro brews, we ordered the Santa Fe Pale Ale (or something like that). The waiter came back a few minutes later, "Oh, I'm so sorry, we actually just replaced the Pale Ale on our menu with Pacifico. Would you like that instead?" Are you kidding me? That's like saying, "Sorry, no Sam Adams, would you like a Milwaukee's Best instead?" Um, no.
(4)Kate G.
Naturally I found the Railroad district and Cowgirl BBQ the night before I left Santa Fe. And now the city make much more sense to me.
(4)Katie H.
We didn't eat here, but the beer was tasty, the entertainment was good (there was a band and cd release party that night) and the staff was super friendly. We stopped in for a beer and the owner/manager chatted with us about where we were from and then invited us to come back for dinner and have a free beer. We stopped back in later for the beer and ended up hanging out for about 2 hours in the pool area, drinking beers, dancing to the tunes on the limited juke box and chatting with some locals.
(4)Mark G.
I've been to this restaurant twice and both times the food was not that great. I don't know if it's because it's downtown or if they think their food is worth the cost but it was rather expensive too. On top of that, the service was pretty bad as well. Our server (both times) took forever to even come ask us what we wanted to drink. Mind you these where not very busy nights. And the second, and last time, I went the server was very rude to us. Don't know if this was because they where too busy to be bothered for a refill on a drink or if there was something else going on. Either way, not a good way to act towards a paying customer.
(1)Matt K.
Great mainstay of Santa Fe on Guadalupe - their Chili Rellenos were some of the best I've experienced, and according to my cajun-sensitive brother, their gumbo was *lip-smacking* good. Hate to say it to you "Benny's" fans in Denver, but Cowgirl has yours beat. Got the rellenos "Christmas Tree", definitely prefer the red chili over green - but both were very tasty. Cowgirl BBQ is a fun place to chill, great place to people watch, and overall fun place to hang out when in SF. (5+ times a year).
(4)Jamie H.
Came here on a Thursday night with my mother and brother, we got in right away it wasn't too busy, so that was nice. The outside was really cute, and it was a bit chilly but we wanted to sit outside so we got a booth near the building and it was comfortable. My mom got the quasadillia, which was good, but it had a TON of black beans on it. So, we scraped nearly all of them off. My brother and I split the ribs, they were fall of the bone tender and the sauce was great. It also came with cole slaw and potato salad. Potato salad was kind of bland, but mixed with the cole slaw and the BBQ sauce it was good. For the appetizer we got the cheese & garlic with bread, it was excellent. The garlic spread very nicely on the bread, but the bread was very crumbly. All in all the food was very good and the atmosphere was very casual and fun.
(4)Amy O.
Recently vacationed in NM and this place was highly recommended. Turns out this is one of the only restaurants in the area that is both affordable and has a lot of character. We went for a visit for dinner and were very happy with our jambalaya and catfish dishes. The fried shrimp appetizer was amazing and our waiter was very helpful and cool. We weren't thrilled about any other place in the area so we returned the following day for lunch. Our food was great again and they were having a Bluegrass Brunch and the band was great and added a lot of ambiance to our meal. The place is cozy enough that you could hear the music throughout and if you prefer dining outside, they have this great patio outside as well. I love the way the place is decorated; vintage cowgirl posters and photos throughout the place and they even have a tiny gift shop if you want to purchase some baby T's, bumper-stickers and other paraphernalia. Oh! And even though the place is fairly small, they have THREE women's rooms! That's why this place gets 5 stars.
(5)Rachael K.
Yelp, you have failed me! The tuna appetizer is fantastic! But our entrees (jerk chicken and BBQ platter) were just meh. The sides that came with the jerk chicken were mediocre, the black beans tasted like plain black beans dumped out of a can and washed. The rice looked great but didn't taste very good. We came here because I wanted to have a vegetable side, I was hoping for broccoli or green beans, but their veggie of the day was corn. Maybe it's just me, but if you are only going to have one veggie option that's not the veggie to pick. I also hated how the waitresses were dressed. I wondered what kind of dance they had to do to pull up their pants in the morning. They weren't sleezy but it was just tight enough that it made me feel like I was in hooters and not a cute little bbq place. Just be sure to order the tuna appetizer if you come here!
(2)Greg L.
I've been to Cowgirl BBQ twice now (once in 2010 and once in 2012) and both times it was great (both food and service). I recommend the Game Burger!
(4)Melvin B.
In my opinion, this place really isn't all that great. It's decent, but I've definitely had better, much better on the east coast. So what did I order? Well, how about the "BBQ Mesquite-Smoked Baby Back Ribs($17)" and the "Chicken Wang Dangs($8)." Fairly typical BBQ house food that any true BBQ house should be able to make with ease. So, how was it? Okay. It was a half slab of ribs with a spoonful of bbq baked beans, some cole slaw, and instead of a potato salad, I got fries. The ribs were on the dry side, a tad tough. It also wasn't the most flavorful ribs I have had (even Famous Dave's on the east coast is better). The wings were also on the dry side and their ranch dipping sauce was watery not thick enough to really coat the chickens. No carrots nor celery sticks with it either. Though I did not order any beers, I did see that they were somewhat on the expensive side. . . say about $4-5 for the generic everyday domestic beers. This place is not too far of a walk from the Plaza. Took me about 15 minutes to walk there at a brisk leisurely pace from the La Fonda hotel. Very walkable.
(2)A B.
A+ for atmosphere, service and live music A+ for margaritas B+ for fish tacos
(4)Reylynne W.
For a Tuesday night this placed was packed, although it was St. Patrick's' Day so I'm assuming everyone was out celebrating. It was about a 10-15 minute wait however, got seated before the 10 minutes was up. I cannot say for sure if I like this place. It was my first time here. However, I was with someone who had been here before. We were both attending the same workshop ended up coming here since all the other restaurants were more than a 20 minute wait The place looked interesting with all it's decorations. The room we sat in had glitter mixed with the paint on the walls. For a small place it seemed like they used every inch of space they had. The pictures, decorations all were very interesting to look at. Since it was busy it took a while to place our order. I ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich with coleslaw and fries. I have to say that I had better. The BBQ beef sandwich was huge, but the meat inside was not hot off the stove. More like it's been sitting for a while and cooled. The fries were covered in salt and I could all but eat one. The coleslaw seemed to be missing an ingredient that I could not detect. The lady that I was with order chili beans said it was really good. I'm giving this place 2 stars just the fact that it was a busy night. And that if I do go back to Santa Fe I will give this place another try.
(2)Kevin M.
Fun atmosphere. Interesting Santa Fe local crowd.... Add heavy food, cold French fries, too sweet BBQ sauce, inconsistent service, loud music and it all works somehow.
(3)Scarlett H.
LOVE. We've eaten there twice in the past week and I could go there again right now if it wasn't after hours. Awesome food, great service. Can't say enough good things!
(5)Ali M.
My Favorite Place to Eat in Santa Fe!!! A place where meat lovers and vegetarians can dine in harmony. They actually cater to both (as opposed to catering for one and having half-assed attempts at food for the other). The food is wonderful, the prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere is lots of fun.
(5)Jessica M.
While visiting Santa Fe, I specifically requested a visit to Cowgirls based on all of the great Yelp reviews. I was not disappointed. At the time, I was dealing with some crazy sinus reactions to the elevation and opted for the spicy jerked chicken in hopes of finding a remedy. The jerk sauce wasn't exactly authentic, but it was a delicious blend of tangy and spicy flavors so I won't complain. Plus, the serving was huge! Two whole chicken breasts with beans and rice. One person in our party was a vegetarian and allergic to several foods, but was still able to find a nice number of options to pick from. The sweet potato fries were very unique, served with chopped nuts, green onions and a sweet dressing, yet still very yummy! It was a very busy night, but service was friendly and reliable. This place is definitely a gem for Santa Fe!
(5)Drew C.
Dive + Decent BBQ + Outdoor Drinking = success.
(4)Sam P.
Would definitely go back. Food is good, altho, I have to say that the best thing we had there was the epazole chili/soup. Fun atmosphere. Good mix of locals and tourists.
(4)Mike P.
This is a trendy BBQ place near the busy Railyard shopping complex. The atmosphere and decor are great and they have a nice patio. The menu is a mix of barbecue, sandwiches, and other American fare. The food is good, but not great. The barbecue isn't memorable, not surprising since Santa Fe doesn't have any sort of BBQ tradition. The restaurant has been featured on a number of travel TV shows and its close to a passenger rail stop, so its often full of tourists.
(3)Mirai S.
A bar, restaurant, and club all in one! The food was nothing special, but a very fun place indeed.
(3)Kathleen K.
So the 6 of us piled in here on a Friday night around 9:00. It was packed, which we thought a good sign. This is a BBQ joint so the BBQ menu items are the best to order. The beef brisket sandwich was delicious. The BBQ Sampler also. I had the pulled pork sandwich, which had a tasty chipotle BBQ sauce. The folks in the bar appeared to be enjoying themselves and we liked seeing all the cowgirl pictures. Nothing fancy but a very nice meal at a reasonable price.
(4)huong n.
the food was good and the ambiance was excellent. i am giving it 3 stars because the service was unbelievably bad. i did not expect this kind of inattentive service and complete obliviousness from a place like this. the waitress got our drinks promptly but she forgot to put in our appetizer and dinner. she came back to ask us about how we were doing on our meals which we had not gotten yet (more than 40 mins have passed since we ordered). she didn't apologize; just went on pretending that things were ok. we felt too generous for giving her a tip. my fish taco and mojito were great. the live band was pretty fun and complimented the atmosphere well.
(3)Richard W.
We go to Santa Fe each year, and every visit we go to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Good value, loads of character, full of locals. If there's a wait, you can sit out in the garden and soak up the atmosphere. Good food, kid friendly, we'll keep coming back. Just wish we had this in Denver.
(5)Og B.
i am giving this place 5 stars because it is the ONLY place i have been able to go in santa fe and play a game of pool with strangers. the service is great and usually adorable. i love cowgirls and i love billiards. i also dont mind the juke box filled with ani and blues. oh lesbians... food is good. lots of flat screens with sports. same jam bandy music. always people dancing and a mixed crowd.
(5)Rhys P.
The food was very good, the service was horrible. Received 2 of 3 drinks (and water). Had to ask for the third drink again. Then received the appetizer and one entrée at the same time. Once again had to ask the server for the second entrée. This was all on top of a 30 minute wait for a table, which isn't unusual except we saw 2 tables and an entire counter empty. There were at least 15 servers and several food runners. The restaurant is just not that big or that busy on a Thursday night at 7. If you must eat there, call ahead for "to-go".
(2)Ron B.
It was late. I needed something to eat, since it seems every Indian restaurant in this town closes before they say they will. I ran across Cowgirl since it was close to our hotel. Had the pulled pork sandwich since they were all out of yak. It's hard to find gluten-free buns anywhere, so appreciated that they had it. I know it's what they're known for (pulled pork) and it didn't really change my life, but it was late, I was hungry and served its purpose. The karaoke I walked in on and atmosphere was pretty good and the sort of place that would be good for taking a group of out of towners at more civil hours than the late night; as it's cool without being standoffish or too out of the ordinary.
(3)Susan L.
Hard to believe, but I'm updating this review because my family and I ate at the Cowgirl last night for the first time since my husband and I contracted food poisoning there two years ago. I figured, hey - lightning won't strike twice. And my eight year old son was up all last night vomiting. Could be a bizarre coincidence, I guess, but our Cowgirl days are most definitely over.
(1)Amy L.
We heard about the famed baked potato ice cream, so we stopped by. The ice cream itself was very cool in concept and appeal, but it's not the tastiest ice cream. $5 with a military discount was worth it though!
(2)Will F.
Food, drinks and service were all top-notch! Our server Melissa really left a great impression with her positive attitude, willingness to help us with drink and food options, and just being available when we needed her. She didn't even blink an eye when we needed to switch tables b/c the wind kicked up a lot! The prices are great for both the food and drinks. I had the famous green chili burger which was incredible! Cooked to perfection and omg what a generous portion size. I didn't try any of the BBQ but it smelled amazing and other diners seemed to be enjoying theirs. The ambiance was also a lot of fun and the staff was great from start to finish. After having some other really poor dining experiences in town, cowgirls was a refreshing reminder of how pleasant a good restaurant can be, I hope others take note.
(5)Aisha L.
Cowgirl has the best happy Hour!!! Seriously. How can you beat 4.5 Frozen Margs and two for one appies. Whenever I come home I always hit up Cowgirl! and Monday nights is Karaoke which is super fun Happy Hour is between 3-6 and they have great drink specials. I always get the Nachos with extra jalepenos. The Nachos are awesome. A pile of blue corn chips, cheese, beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and you can add chicken or steak if you would like. Also I get the sweet potato Fries with a honey mustard dipping sauce, and then my frozen marg with a salted rim. This is truly the best way to spend an afternoon in Santa Fe. :)
(5)Claire C.
So disappointing. The food was mediocre, the service poor and the atmosphere uncomfortable. Definitely one to skip.
(1)Eric K.
We went to the Cowgirl BBQ because we read about it in some travel books and a Rachael Ray cookbook, otherwise, we might never have found it on our own. (It's on the edge of the downtown area.) Upon arrival, the outside seating area looked awesome. It was big and surrounded by three walls. Unfortunately, it was 40 degrees outside, so indoors was our only option. We sat indoors in the same room as the fireplace. Ahhh... The decor was definitely "cowgirl." Photos of famous and not-so-famous cowgirls and glitter affixed to the wall paint. The menu was pretty extensive for dinner -- apps, salads, chili, quesadillas, BBQ, steak, chicken, seafood, comfort food, burgers, sandwiches, and -- of course -- Mexican and New Mexican choices. I ordered the Game Burger. What's a Game Burger, you ask? Why, it's basically an extra large burger made from elk, buffalo, and venison smothered (seriously smothered) in cheese and green chiles and served without a bun. It was out of this world. The burger was cooked medium (my choice), was juicy, and very full of flavor. Add the creamy cheese and spicy chiles and...WOW. Thankfully, it comes with a small "Cowgirl" salad on the side to balance out the meal. I'd definitely order it again. The prices can be a little higher here than other casual restaurants in town, but there are cheaper items on the menu (like the Game Burger for $12.95).
(5)Kurt B.
Salad was real good but main entrée was just average. 3 of us at the table all thought the same. Cowgirl OVERCHARGED my VISA $5. I had to call VISA to reverse the $5 overcharge. The charge was for 3 drinks at the bar. Bartender is committing fraud on VISA receipts! So, I cannot recommend a place where thieves take my hard earned money. I do not live in Santa Fe, but if I did, I would return to show them my receipt and the VISA charge and ask them what they would do about it!
(2)Patrick K.
I came here with a co-worker for dinner tonight while on a business trip. After seeing the colorful flyers in front shouting "award winning BBQ in Santa Fe" we decided to give it a try. The place certainly holds true to its name. It was teeming with waitresses who were dressed as "cowgirls" which seemed a bit gimmicky to me. The following items were ordered: BBQ Combo Platter Guac and chips Chicken Wings (Jerk sauce styled) Tortilla Burger Everything ordered tasted average... however, the BBQ combo platter was very disappointing. Every piece of meat on the dish was dry which included the chicken, brisket, and ribs. Sure..the meat was smothered by sauce, but that doesn't hide the fact that everything was overcooked (-3 stars)! Decently cooked BBQ meat should be able stand on its own without any sauce whatsoever, a fact the restaurant seemed to forget. If you are in town.. I highly recommend some of the North Mexican cuisine establishments as an alternative.
(2)Melanie R.
We were in Santa Fe for a week in April 2014 - Cowgirl was the only place we went back to several times over. We were there both on weekend and weekday nights. We felt so welcomed and comfortable here. We sat at the bar our first night Tiffany was welcoming, funny and an all around great person. Met several locals here that night also all were very nice. We also came here for lunch one day another great time great meal! this time we met Barry - he showed us around the entire place much bigger than it looks. We didn't have any issues with tables being too close and we sat both inside and outside one day too. The wait staff were very attentive, food - was Yumm, great beer selection also but Tiffany the bartender was the one that made us become repeat customers that trip! Just last week my husband after a bad day at work just came home and said "I wish we were at the Cowgirl again". So glad we tried the place and we will be back our next trip.
(5)P G.
We went on a whim and were pleasantly pleased. We had a scallop dinner on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. It was a great presentation and tasted delicious. So we give the food an A but the service a D. Our waiter was rude, seemed to be bothered working and not helpful on recommending menu options as he was a vegetarian that only drinks water or whiskey. But when you work at a restaurant you should know the menu for the guests. So the food good the service needs some serious attention.
(4)Raven M.
It started off Rocky. The hostess seated us without really paying us attention, then left after handing the menus over... after 5 minutes and no greet from a server: My father: "Do we have a server?" Hostess: "Um... Lemme see if I can get you one." My father: (with a smile) "Well I hope you can, otherwise we can't eat! " Hostess: "Okay." Weird! But when we finally did get a server, the wonderful and attentive Jose Luis, we ordered and began to feast! We initially came here just because the Classic Margaritas are so damn good. And they DO live up to the hype. Literally Perfect. My fiance, who is not a big tequila drinker opted for the Frozen Weed on the Mountain Margarita which has a vodka float. It was awesome. but the true Kick Ass Margarita is the Mezcalita. I love it strong, and after enjoying the classic I wanted it. I Loved Loved this Margarita. I wish I could make it. Cabeza de Ajo (Head of Garlic) : OH MY GOD. This is a cannot miss out on appetizer. *see picture* It was literally gone within a minute or two. The garlic, the bruchetta, the cheese... Mmmmmm. Our entrees included the Whiskey Pork Chops, the BBQ sampler platter- neither of which were to die for like our appetizer, but did have some great flavour. Get the Baked Potato Ice Cream, and if you want to be surprised, don't look at my pictures ;)
(4)Kari W.
I really liked Cowgirl BBQ. I had butternut squash casserole which is AWESOME! Not heavy. Yummy layer of cartelized onions. It comes with a nice salad. Hubby had sampler. The meat was all very good, but the sauce was very bland...no kick at all. Would like to go back to try other items.
(4)Annie P.
After hearing such great things, we were really excited to try this place on a weekend visit to Santa Fe. It was awful. My friend and I each got the pulled pork sandwich, and we both agreed that it was flavorless. There wasn't much seasoning or barbecue sauce, and neither of us finished the meal, despite being hungry from a long drive. But the worst part, hands down was the service. We'd been there about 5 minutes before it became painfully obvious that 4 of the tables around us were VERY unhappy and had been waiting for a long time to get service. We only saw the waitress three times, to take our order, drop the check, and bring the check back. She was absolutely terrible. No refills, no checking in on us, nothing. As someone who has worked in food service, there is a way to be busy and behind, but convey to your customers that you're sorry for the delay and that there is a reason you're running around. This girl made absolutely no attempt to apologize or even act like she cared about our business or making our meal enjoyable. As we finished our meal and new tables came in, no one in the entire restaurant looked happy. I think this restaurant needs to seriously evaluate their employees and the customer service they provide, otherwise they're going to lose a lot of their business.
(1)Tiffany H.
Lovely happening place on a Friday evening. Live music and great jerk chicken dish!
(4)Diane S.
Cowgirl had great casual food and a fun bar. The prices were really reasonable and with a play area for the kids and music for the grown-ups everybody had fun. We had a great time playing pool and listening to the jukebox too.
(4)Johnny T.
Yes, Rachael Ray led me here. Go ahead, get it all out... laugh, if you must. But, after you finishing laughing, get ready to eat both crow and amazing food because before you can bleat "YUMM-O," you will be falling down at the altar of Cowgirl BBQ. You simply *have* to eat here when you come to Santa Fe. It's famous, so plan on coming for lunch so you don't have to deal with a dinner crowd. Sit outside on the deck and enjoy the great, wide blue skies. It will also give you the chance to clearly ogle the waitstaff. Wow. Pure hotness. At the risk of sounding like a pig, I have to rehab my image by saying that the ogling is equal-opportunity. Granted, some look better in cowgirl(boy) hats and jeans than others but odds are no matter what trips your switch, you'll like what you see. You're welcome. Blue dot firmly emboldened on your Google-mapped house icon, you need to start eating. Ask if there are any specials going on. I downed a frosty pint of Fat Tire for a mere $3. I kept 'em coming, too. Specials!! But, as good as a cold beer on a warm day is and as much as I kept rubber-necking the staff, I couldn't take my eyes or belly off of my plate. To begin with, order the green chile cheddar fries. Get used to green chiles in/on everything you eat in Santa Fe but there's a reason for that. They're [redacted] delicious! Now, combine fresh-cut, thick fries with melted cheddar cheese with those green chiles. Now, imagine a Texas-sized portion coming at you. This. This is how you start your meal. You may need help to get it all down, however. Even I, only child extraordinaire, had a tough time eating everything on my plate. Oh, but I loved trying. Not realizing how much food I had coming, I ordered a burger with black beans and slaw. A burger at a BBQ joint? Yep. Because this was a YAK burger. YAK! I don't even know what a yak is, but I needed to eat it. Served on a kaiser with jack cheese, grilled onions, bacon, and mushrooms, I enjoyed every bite of my protein, even as I struggled to take it all down. My first meal in Santa Fe was an unmitigated success. Trying to keep my sex-ay on with grease on my face, a belly to rival the pre-birthed Octo-mom and a belt that screamed for relief... not as successful. Oh well. The vacation had just begun. There would be time for that. ;) "Oh, NO he di'int!"
(4)Kevin P.
Another great reference to me from a friend who attended the University of New Mexico. The Cowgirl has a great selection of entrees and also drinks and the best dessert in the land, and it looks like.... a baked potato! The service was also cool enough to pose with my stuffed friend poopie the fish. Check out the picks and you just might see them! Yay! Enjoy!
(4)Maria O.
Good steaks, big outside sitting space, live music.
(4)Vanessa M.
We went to Cowgirl BBQ after doing the Santa Fe Century bike ride. We were hungry, tired and just wanted to plop into a booth to be fed. We were sat right away but it took a while for the waiter to take our order. We had to ask our waiter twice for just about everything; soda, corn bread, check etc... The food was good, the rellenos were awesome, the prices were fair, the patio was great.
(4)Josh O.
Mmmmm. I had the Bunkhouse Brisket, Jessi M. got the Jerked Chicken, and my mom got the butternut squash casserole. Delicious. Good prices. Fun place. Plus I got to see the king of all mullets (sadly I couldn't figure out a way to discreetly take a picture). My only complaint was that the room they seated us in was hellishly hot. It must have been 80+ in there. Fortunately the food was good enough to distract me from that, so I'm still giving them all five stars. Plus, $2 PBRs. $1 on Tuesday. If I didn't live thousands of miles away, I'd be there all the time.
(5)Julie A.
$1 PBR's. GOOD food. a BBQ joint that has a ton of vegetarian dishes?! The 2 friends I were with ate meat, and a lot of it. They are BBQ aficionados they say and they gave this place a rave review. I had a vegetarian sampler plate and say this place gets the two thumbs up. totally laid back for both lunch or dinner, cheap prices, and super fast and friendly servers make it an all around perfect place to come to. I'm a sucker for the western decor, even if I was in New Mexico. This place is a must!
(5)Mark G.
Had two good meals here, and it was wonderful sitting on the patio in the October sun. One star is for the patio. Several choices of local beer help, too. Of ten dishes ordered, three were great, none were terrible, but a few were not worth the effort. The BBQ brisket was really good, and the BBQ brisket hash with chili-spiked eggs Benedict sauce was outstanding, especially since it's tough to make Hollandaise that stays perfectly smooth, outside in the sun and the cool air. On the flip side, the nachos were pretty lame, like someone said before (beans and olives and jalapenos dumped on chips just doesn't gel, ya know?) Buffalo wings were also unremarkable. Which is surprising. If you can do a great eggs Benedict, why are nachos a challenge? Would return happily, though.
(4)Jess M.
As it turns out, in the sleepy little town of Santa Fe there aren't too many mid-week late night options for eats. And let me just clarify that by late night I mean establishments that actually serve food past 9pm! Cowgirl was one of the only ones my cohorts and I could find, and I'm certainly glad we stumbled upon it. The margs were solid, they had a fine beer selection and we did a pretty phenomenal job of licking our plates when all was said and done. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet potato fries and the heavenly dipping sauce it came with, the chili was great and the BBQ was solid although nothing to write home about. Funky decor, fun atmosphere and if the weather had been a tad warmer sitting outside would have topped it off.
(4)MyBabyLove R.
Santa Fe restaurants can be very pricy as a tribute to the great past time of overbilling tourists, but not this spankin' little joint one block south of the Santa Fe River on South Guadalupe. I had a very nice dinner of baby back ribs on the patio, enjoying the mediocre service from our server who was wearing a beat up cowgirl hat, and nice lookin' cowgirl boots. yeee haw! There is quite a great beer selection here to choose from, and if you also like authentic southwest food you shouldn't be disappointed. Apparently there's a Cowgirl Hall of Fame in NYC, so I will check that out next time I'm back there. I happened upon this restaurant in July, so there weren't many college students from St. John's here getting wasted for no gol darn good reason. The music seemed western-like and fun, and I hear they do have good live music here, although there was no pedal steel,drums, or crooning whilst I was shovelin' my grub. You may have a wait at a place like this, so be assertive and let the wait staff know that you definitely are reviewing them on yelp.com . :)
(4)John M.
This is a cool place to hang with the locals at tourist watch. They've got a nice cozy bar and good food.
(4)JJ M.
Ate here on a Sunday after driving from Childress TX. The baby-back ribs where moist, fall off the bone tender and the BBQ sauce was yummy sweet. Hubby had Chili Reano and was totally satisfied. Potato salad was delicious and so was the rice. Baked beans so so but they never have been my thing. House margarita was the only let down...small and tart..not close to the best by any means. Would eat here again in a heartbeat.
(4)thomas n.
Fun, cool and inexpensive. Great mix of regulars(from local artists to cowboys and cowgirls) and those of us just passing through town. Hanging on the deck during happy hour is the way to go on an afternoon in Santa Fe.
(5)Bill E.
Pretty good place to drink, an ok place to eat..... the kitsch is what is it, probably worth stopping in
(3)Who W.
The setting and costumes may be a bit over the top, but you weren't expecting to find a hidden hole-in-the-wall bbq joint in downtown Santa Fe were you? The beef sandwich was solid, a nice smoky sauce with a tomato base, fries were fine, and the patio seating was nice. Solid 3 stars.
(3)A S.
A fun place to sit out on the front patio in the summer sun in Santa Fe... to watch locals imbibe and overimbibe. Fun little nooks and crannies in the old adobe architecture, a favorite is the little room with the pool table, tucked out of the way. Lots of live music, I prefer the drinks over dining here.
(4)Sarah W.
This is a great place, with a lot of thoughtful food and a wonderful atmosphere. We have been going pretty regularly for about ten years, and have never had a bad meal. A few times, we have had extraordinary meals. They go out of their way to create an affordable, delicious and nutritious kids menu, which we appreciate very much. I mean, who puts salmon on their kids menu? Cowgirl BBQ, that's who! (And it's delicious)
(4)Happy J.
Only country-themed bar where they play jazz music. I was there on a Sunday evening and, I think, there was a live jazz band playing. A good selection of beers, which made the meal that much more enjoyable for me. Not having too much creativity, I had the "cowgirl" burger - cheeseburger with fries. It was really good, although it came out more well-done than medium as I had requested. The server was terrific; didn't get her name. I would definitely come back here again to try some of their other signature dishes.
(4)Daniel S.
the atmosphere was fun. wish we were there with friends. i had the bunkhouse brisket. the meat was very tender, nice texture, but when I scraped the sauce off to taste the 12 hour mesquite...nothing! the sauce was the flavor. wasn't bad, but I was looking for more taste in the meat. my wife had the BBQ beef on a bun. since this was shredded, the meat and sauce developed differently. much better total taste. ladies, the fly bags don't work! but it kept me wondering 'what the heck' until the food arrived.
(4)David R.
Had the pulled pork today it was so good and spicy tonight my tummy is kicking but it was worth it !!! there was a live band and give aways it was a good afternoon
(5)Carol G.
Delicious smoked chicken nachos. Really fun & kitchy atmosphere. Good beer. We debated eating there twice but were only in Santa Fe for three nights and wanted to try some of the other culinary delights that the town has on offer. The place was a rabbit warren of rooms kind of strung together Victorian-style, which is fine, except that it created a pretty small, closed space for the band stage.
(4)A K.
Good food, casual setting, good service. Despite the long wait, you can hang out in the pool room or at the bar.
(4)Brett M.
Great BBQ and a lot of fun to have drinks. The atmosphere is more Western than "New Mexico". If you want BBQ and some fun, this is the place to go.
(3)Johnny D.
We ate bfast here and it was soooo good! Great service too!
(5)Dot K.
after seeing rachel ray on her little trip to santa fe with a stop at this place - we had to try it... called around 6pm on sunday night for 6:15pm dinner in the boot in the patio. not a problem. we ordered cabeja de ajo (a good size roasted garlic, with melted cheese, tomatillo salsa served with baguette) for appetizer and i had the beef brisket and my boyfriend had the BBQ combo platter... let's just say we had enough food for about 4 people - 4 of my food loving friends (you know who you are...) - their BBQ sauce was so good - tangy, spicy, bold - so good. we were so full, we didn't get to try the famous baked potato ice cream dessert... but they do serve you drinks (like soda and ice tea) in a big cup - like the ones you used to see at pizza hut. and the staff are so nice here too. * we didn't get to try their alcoholic beverages - but looked like they have tons of beer on tap and bottle - and they have $2 PBR tuesdays!
(5)Christina B.
I never have a good experience at the Cowgirl. I am local to Santa Fe and have frequented the Cowgirl many times and every single time it is a fiasco. The customer service is terrible. The servers frequently forget to bring food out, mistake your order, and take a very long time. The bartender who seems to be there has a very bad attitude, is slow and also mistakes orders, and has been outright rude to me and other customers. If this was an isolated incident, perhaps I would let it slide. But it's not. Other people I know have had similar negative experiences. With so many other dinner options and BBQ options in Santa Fe now, and many better music options too (2nd Street Brewery, Santa Fe Brewery), I avoid the Cowgirl.
(1)Sergio S.
The food was o.k. here, but I mainly liked the ambiance of the place. Has a good time vibe, and a good time was had by all. The interior is very glittery. Strange, but I dig it.
(4)Corey M.
My wife and I just stopped in for drinks in the afternoon. We only had margaritas, chips, and guacamole, but we loved it. Great, cheap happy hour drinks, friendly servers, and shaded outdoor seating.
(4)Lee T.
I remember this place well, this is where the 5 shots minimum rule was conceived. This place is great for tequila, margarita, laid back environment and great times. I didn't get to try any foods because I had no appetite. Santa Fe is at least 6000 feet above sea level, I just wasn't used to the small altitude anomalies. I am sure the food's great, and I'll definitely go back to this place.
(5)Robyn E.
UPDATE 11/25/06-- Went here with my folks last month. It felt kind of naughty to leave the half-vegan household of my sister and bro-in-law and run off to a BBQ joint for lunch. I had the Frito Pie (seriously, folks) with the option of vegetarian chili. Meh, not so much on the chili. It was too tomatoey and soupy, but not gross tasting [later on the waitress said the regular chili was really good--darn! wish she'd recommended it to me in the first place]. My classy dish was presented in elegant "bag open" style, with sides of shredded cheddar cheese, real sour cream, and freshly sliced jalapenos. HUGE fountain sodas. My pops got the green chile (NOT CHILI) french fries and they were pretty darn good. Addition of my jalapenos added the right amount of heat for him. Mom had a cheeseburger which she promptly declared "best one I've had in a while." We sat outside on their (newer to us) covered and insulated porch. At first it was way too hot next to the wall heater, but our waitress was happy to tweak it to our liking--nice customer service touch. Place wasn't too busy when we were there, and overall the service was attentive and courteous. I'd recommend it if you're in town and want some tasty grub. SPECIAL NOTE: there are now A LOT of vegetarian options on the menu, clearly displayed by the "V" symbol. Niiiice. *---*---* old review follows *--*--* YUM--if you eat meat. NOT SO MUCH--if you are vegetarian. DON'T EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING HERE TO EAT--if you are vegan. I've had the burgers, long while back. Tasty. Fun atmosphere. But you kind of have to walk through/past the bar to get to restaurant seating. Bad planning.
(4)Jake M.
The chef has Celiac and one of the owner's daughters is gluten sensitive so the kitchen and waitstaff were VERY good about knowing what was in everything. The BBQ and Jerk sauces were gluten free and fantastic. Everything was very good though how hot things were was not always accurately labeled. We had a fantastic time. A few notes though. This place has the reputation of being child-friendly and I would not say it is. My kids had a great time but that was because we hit it off with the owner and his family. At night, this is a loud and rowdy place (I went there without my kids another time to drink so don't think this was just because we were there on New Years Eve). Also, we had reservations and were first seated in the bar area in front of a door to an outside area where people were smoking. When we asked for a different table because it was freezing and loud and smoky, the waitress was a TOTAL BITCH. I had to go to the hostess and complain strongly. We were then moved to an appropriate place. But it was still on the way to the pool room and my ten year old had something odd said to him by an obviously intoxicated person. So, no, NOT kid-friendly for dinner. Our second wait person was quite good, though I think our having clearly bonded with the owner during our meal helped assure good service. All in all, fantastic food and a great relief to those with gluten and dairy limitations. But loud. [UPDATE] We had a second dinner a few nights later. This time we were brought immediately to a dining room far from both the bar and the pool hall with other families. Our waitress was the nasty one from our first night. She clearly recognized us and was on her very best behavior. The food was again fantastic. So I would modify my statement about the restaurant not being kid-friendly. As long as it isn't New Years Eve and are not seated anywhere near the bar (which was still quite loud the second night, particularly after the live music started).
(4)Megan M.
Went here for an Obama debate party while in Santa Fe and staying in a place with no TV. Hooray - we were able to watch the debate, eat yummy New Mexican food, and drink margaritas, all at the same time! We had the best darn chile rellanos I have ever had the pleasure to gorge myself on. Margaritas were not too sweet and none too skimpy with the tequila. Guacamole was just okay; hubby's is better. Service was a little slow and grumpy, but I think it was due to the fact that the place was overwhelmed with half-drunk Democrats on a usually-sleepy Tuesday night.
(4)abby z.
What have I been doing during my long absence from Yelp, you ask? Well, many things, but the important one for the purposes of this review is: drinking. The bar scene in Santa Fe is almost absurdly pitiful, but there are a few good watering holes out there. For all that it is a tourist trap and the cowgirl/cowboy costumes work better on some of the waitstaff than others, the Cowgirl Bar and Grill is one of them. On the pricey side, but the drinks are good, the menu is varied and they have karaoke on Monday nights, if that is your thing.
(4)Jonah N.
Went here on a slow weeknight with a couple of friends. The bartender was very nice. Good bar food, decent selection of beers. No, jukebox though. Would definitely go again.
(4)Sarah M.
I don't understand the high stars. Maybe it's because we came at lunch? Maybe it's because we discovered we don't like New Mexican chile? I don't know. I ordered a margarita, which was decent, my friend had a bloody mary, which was the worst bloody mary I've ever had, I don't know how he sucked it down. We got the guac and chips, good, but needed salt. I ordered the blue corn tortilla smoked chicken stack. It was ok, better than what my friend had. He had the frito pie where they serve in the bag, which my friend said he didn't want (he just wanted it in a bowl) but they didn't understand this request and still gave him the bag. The chile was devoid of any flavor. We had to add lots of salt (maybe they don't season anything here?) There were chunks of beef and ground beef which was a little weird. The fritos were soggy. Our waiter was weird and kept staring at us like we were from a different country, maybe California is a different country to them? The decor is cute, and if it was warm (it was 32 when we were here) the outside would be a fun place to sit and drink and it looks like they have live music at nights. Overall not a great experience. Wish Rachael hadn't recommended this place for $40 a day!
(3)Lisa R.
Very casual atmosphere. Love the live music and outdoor seating in back with a mini-playground. Perfect for families with kids during the day. Great BBQ, burgers, fries, etc. But if you are looking for healthy cuisine, this will not be a favorite.
(4)Sara M.
This was one of my favorite places in Santa Fe. We were with about 15 people and the service was great. We had margarita's and guacamole to start and both were excellent. For dinner I tried one of their specialties- BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE. It was really good. It gets loud and crowded here, but that makes if even more fun.
(4)Michelle S.
This is for locals and visitors alike, bust out the cowboy/cowgirl hats and checkered shirts. Two of us had the ribs, they fell off the bone. Nice. They are known for the "bake potato" ice cream dessert. It's vanilla ice cream with hersheys choc. syurp and powdered choc. it's a bit much for what they say it is. There was a wait to sit outside so we sat inside. The service is super casual, not super attentive, although the outside servers looked like they were having more fun. Recommended, esp if you're staying at the hotel Santa Fe.
(4)Maura P.
really good BBQ ribs great whiskey pork chop good quesadillas the game burger is enormous love the black-eyed peas salsa so much we make it at home now!
(4)Daniel C.
One of our favorites in Santa Fe, and a fun place to bring people that visit SFe. Great casual local ambience and the menu is diverse, with very tasty options all over the placed. I like the wait-staff and with the chaotic crowds, I have to tip my (cowboy) hat to them. Their BBQ ribs are tender and flavorful, their nachos are a great way to start the meal, and they do an excellent job with New Mexican foods as well. Only once during a visit with there a small issue, and they took care of the dish immediately and made it up to us. Oh, their margaritas are pretty awesome too.
(4)Meg O.
I've been to the Cowgirl twice, and I think it's fantastic. A thorough beer list featuring local brew, a sturdy selection of tequilas, and a reasonably priced menu of burgers and BBQ, with veggie options. My BBQ connoisseur friend from Louisville was impressed. We sat on their sweet patio and enjoyed the blue grass. On Saturday afternoons from 1-4 there is a blue grass open jam session. We heard a couple who have been playing together since 1973; others jumped in, and soon there were some great tunes going, as well as delectable folklore. I've been told that there is a bluegrass-ish brunch as well. Our service was a little slow at first, but then again our tables had just been set up. While I didn't consume any food at the restaurant, I did attend a party out in Madrid later that was catered by Cowgirl, and man, their brisket and cornbread are fine! I am definitely looking forward to returning soon, especially for the bluegrass.
(4)Larry T.
$2 Tecates=4 stars
(4)CoMO Q.
The crowd is varied, the staff is friendly, and they have nightly events like bands and djs. I came here twice when I was in town, but I didn't come here to eat, just have drinks and hang out with friends. They have pool tables in a separate building off the patio and another building that houses a small arcade. Funny enough both nights we came here there were celebrities hanging out. I'm not sure if that's a normal occurrence or not, but it sure made things more interesting. You can dine and hangout both indoors or outdoors and they also have a play area for kids in the back. It really has it all!
(5)Driving J.
Fast and friendly staff and service. We had a work party of 20 and the waiter got all of our drinks and food order correct. The food and atmosphere was also great. I couldn't chose 1 meat so I had the BBQ sampler platter. It had BBQ ribs, chicken and brisket. I licked the plate and my hands clean. This place is delish. I highly recommend!
(5)ruairidh c.
decent bar. 4 pool tables at a dollar a rack - way too expensive but they are almost always in use. one pinball machine - the simpsons pinball party, in horrible condition, but working enough to have fun playing it. if you can top the grand champion score, kudos to you. horrible jukebox.
(3)Ben R.
I've gotta say, if Santa Fe has one thing going for it, it is the restaurants. I mean, they know how to make food taste good. Maybe it's living in the high desert, and looking at horny toads all day, or maybe it's just that they are close to Mexico. I don't care, all I know is that it's good. Cowgirl BBQ is no exception. Service is super-friendly (thanks James!), the atmosphere is fun, and very New Mexican, quirky and southwestern inspired. We were all kind of bummed at the fact that they won't serve a "double" rum & coke, but hey, whatever. The food was amazing, especially their sides of potato salad, and coleslaw. The BBQ was perfect, I got the sampler platter, which had ribs, brisket and chicken, all of which were excellent. I would go back to this place in a heartbeat...This seemed like one of the only places in all of Santa Fe that attracted young people. Besides that weird little park by the creek where all the tweens hang out.
(4)S M.
My hubby and I stopped in Santa Fe in our trip, and we were just looking for an appealing place were to get a bite. We passed by Cowgirl BBQ and it was by far the busiest , but we kept looking just to see what else was to choose from. We ended up going back, and we were so happy for it!! I ordered a salmon dish they had and it was fantastic. My hubby ordered his favorite blue cheese burger and he was pleased as well. The service was good, and the staff extremely friendly! They had tvs there too, so we decided to go back the next day to watch the world cup. This time I ordered just an appetizer, the seared sesame crusted tuna that was really good too. This time we sat at the bar, and Christian was our server.. he was amazing. We watched my country's game and we went back for the third time the following day to watch USA. We were super happy, every day we experienced the food and service in different times of the day and all 3 were fantastic. If you are up for some fun while having a bite, then this is your place!
(5)Max M.
A favorite Santa Fe spot serving a mix of American and New Mexican food, Cowgirl is a fun and mellow place, perfect for lunch and dinner when you're tired of the pretentious mango-infused new mexican hybrid dishes from the expensive Canyon Rd restaurants. On Tuesdays they have $6 chile rellenos and $1 PBRs!
(4)