Attentive service on a busy Saturday night. Sat indoors to avoid the rain and lucked out by having the x- bar guy as our waiter. Informed discussion of available wines - some not on the printed list. Very good food - steaks; beet salad; bisque. Minor quibble: why serve matchstick fries that can't be eaten with a fork?
(5)
Sharon F.
Disappointed...
(1)
Simon C.
Had a delightful lunch here in the very pleasant courtyard. Ally served us with just enough attention and lots of good humour. My partner had the pasta special - a perfect light linguini - and I had a lovey fresh chicken salad. All topped off with a cry good bottle of Sancerre. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)
Ivan V.
Chef Fernando Ruiz will tickle your taste buds at The Santa Cafe!!! I own The Reel Life here in Santa Fe, and when it comes to recommendations for my clients this place is at the TOP! The most amazing food I have put my lips around here in town.
(5)
Debbie T.
While in Santa Fe, I had the chance to sample quite a few restaurants, Compound, Restaurant Martin etc.... this little place stood out. Santa cafe is one of the best you can find. Had lunch here, the salads were great, margaritas creatively mixed, desserts delicious. For anyone visiting this is a must place to stop for a meal while you are browsing the art galleries or boutiques on canyon road.
(5)
Neal S.
Great Lunch. Nice trout with rice & veggies. Beautiful patio to enjoy lunch. Allie our server was delightful
(5)
Erica L.
I had a lovely dinner on the nicely shaded patio under a fancy tent with white Christmas lights. Both of my dishes were well executed, beautiful, elegant, and unique takes on standard dishes: arugula salad with a lightly breaded and fried disk of goat cheese, and grilled peaches; and lamb chops over a bed of dill and yoghurt dipped cucumber slices, and snap peas. It was a fabulous, refined dining experience. I'm a little surprised to see all the mediocre reviews, but perhaps I simply caught it on a great night. Prices are steep, at $20-35 for most entrees. The ribeye is quite large ( though thin) and the lamb is small considering the price. Still, I'd return for a special occasion. And finally, there appears to be a deep well covered over in glass on the floor inside which made me feel like I was above ancient roman ruins.
(4)
Bike Chaplain O.
Somewhat disappointing. A nice patio restaurant. The four of us mixed it up. One had a margarita, she did not like it. Too tart and tequila had an off taste. It was redone, not much better. The rest of the party had wine and an espresso martini which were good. For food, the curry chicken salad and bacon, lettuce and tomato was enjoyed. The lobster roll and pome frites, was not so good. At $20 you would expect better. The lobster roll, lacked lobster and flavor. The little bit of lobster, was small bits of leg meat. The potato sticks were very dry and off putting. It was sad. The dessert of chocolate mouse was very good. Our waitress, though sweet, seemed inattentive, she forgot to get our drinks, until after the meal was delivered. A roller coaster experience. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(3)
Samuel C.
Happy hour alert. Appetizers half off and $5 house wine. Nice patio. The calamari might be the best in town.
(4)
Nicholas N.
Still one oft favorite places to visit in Santa fe so much I miss this area. I need to head back.
(5)
Claudia C.
We were very disappointed in the service one evening this week. Our waiter was hurried, said he had to talk to the manager when we wanted to remove one item from our order. The ceviche was off and the chef was very kind, offered a replacement which was declined by our friend. The chef then said "dessert will be coming" but we were then charged for dessert. The waiter tossed the dessert menus on the table while two members of our party were still eating and brought the bill well before we were finished as if he could not wait for us to go away. All in all it was a most irritating experience.
(2)
Rachel B.
We had a dinner here to celebrate my moms 80th birthday. We worked with their private dining because we had a large party and wanted to have a smaller menu to ensure prompt service. While at first, it seemed like we would have decent choices and work for the two Celiac family members, it quickly devolved when Judith refused to make any changes to the appetizers and told us that those people could just not eat the appetizers. At $75/person that wasn't an option for us. She did accommodate us with a smaller, cheaper menu so will give credit for that but as we realized at the restaurant, the choices were cheap and not that great. Overall, the restaurant was a nice experience - beautiful patio seating. Beyond that, the service was weak and food only so-so. To begin with, instead of seating us all together as we had requested, they put us at two tables and combined when we requested. When we were seated, I asked the woman who sat us for a wine list and two orders of the calamari. She responded that she was not our server and therefore unable to help us. Not a great start. Later when we needed an extra set of silverware, she made a point to explain to my 80 year old mother that it was our fault for moving the tables around that we didn't have silverware. Proper response would be to just give us another set of silverware without comment. And perhaps the most glaring service issue was the actual birthday cake delivery. They served desserts to everyone at the table and five minutes later brought over my moms so we could sing happy birthday. Shouldn't the birthday girl be first? Would not recommend for group dining.
(2)
Wendy Z.
Used to w my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe until tonight ! Omg! The worst experience EVER! Bartender, Cody, beyond rude and bad attitude . Owner a complete out of control psychopath! Mitch the maitre'd who was just there Sunday is gone and best bartender, Tommy wasn't there. NIGHTMARE ! I wouldn't step foot in there to save my life!
(5)
Gerald F.
I've been eating here for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Last night the pasta/shrimp special and the swordfish special were outstanding. Service and atmosphere compliment the total dining experience.
(5)
Carter C.
Very sad. Recommended by a friend. Service was as bad as I've ever had. Waited for waitress to take drink orders, to bring drinks, to take order for food, got our main course after about an hour and a half. No appetizers. The food was ok, but almost anything would have tasted good after waiting so long. Tried to bring appetizers after we finished but I was so angry I wouldn't have enjoyed them. Very pleasant and a little apologetic but I am not appeased by waitress telling me the manager overbooked. Certainly not the place to go if you only have one night in Santa Fe.
(1)
steve d.
This is a review of a recent lunch. As noted the ambiance is very pleasant. We sat outside and took in the view of the downtown business diners and tourists. Service was efficient and unpretentious. The onion rings were fresh and ample and the ketchup very tasty. The salmon was just ok. The green salad with green goddess dressing, peas and lobster salad topping was also ok. The greens were crisp and flavorful, the dressing so so and the lobster did not taste bright sweet and fresh. This is our second lunch there in several months and both meals have been nothing special. By the way if you want nicely cooked salmon go to The Ranch House.
(3)
Michael C.
Ouch.... We were a bit early for our 7:30 reservation, so hostess offered a seat at the bar. Took maybe 5 minutes to be acknowledged by the tinder, and then another 10 minutes before drinks were served. Moreover she was talking out loud about the slam of orders, lack of support, and was generally grumpy. My date said 'hope this doesn't portend the evening'. We barely had time to sip when we were seated. We we're approaching quickly by the busser but were already halfway through our drinks when finally approached by the server. Without even looking at the table she asked can I get you something from the bar? 'No', we already have drinks. Meal finally came but MR steak was cooked MW, so had to go back. Other entree was terrible, so asked to replace it with an alternate. Second round of drinks never came. Bill was incorrect so had to be re-run. Ouch. Never going back (and we live in Santa Fe)
(1)
Napa G.
After a fun walk around canyon road, made my way to SantaCafe for lunch. Service and food top notch. The server was engaging and knowledgeable about the food. Great experience.
(5)
Gail K.
We have it two stars because the calamari with the lime sauce and the hamburger dinner was very good. But my husband had the Ribeye and he could not eat it. He ate only 10% then had the rest taken away. He said it was the worst Ribeye he ever had. $28 down the drain. The service was excellent. Excellent.
(2)
Clare M.
I've always loved eating at the bar. The patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a meal on a beautiful Santa Fe day. The food is always good but unfortunately, the menu hasn't changed in about 2 decades. Can we switch it up a bit, please? I will continue to go there and continue to enjoy it, but wish I'd be surprised more often by new items on the menu.
(4)
Sheba G.
Calamari and soft shell crab to start with a glass of sav blanc! Friendly staff & great service! Osso Bucco, ribeye, filet Minon, mashed potatoes, carrots and homemade pasta were all cooked to perfection! The 'AWARD WINNING" dessert was spectacular!
(5)
Bob H.
The Santacafe in Santa Fe, NM is well worth finding. It is in a residential neighborhood. The food and service were both excellent, as was the service. They had several specials in addition to the menu. They also have a full service bar and pour a good drink. The well in front of the bar is about 30 feet deep, well lit, and covered with plexiglass so you can see to the bottom. When the house was built in the mid-to-late 1800s this well was used for water. The water table has since dropped and the well stays dry. I would return to Santacafe and recommend it.
(4)
Lindsay N.
Food special was delicious! Very pretentious tho:( Calamari came room temp so I bet it was better hot. Tuna was amazing. St. Patty's Day special was unique and tasty. Green ravioli stuffed with corn beef and cabbage with a mustard sauce.
(4)
Peggy R.
We had a lovely lunch! There were 3 of us and we all had something different and each of us were very happy (it was a little while ago and I can't remember what we had just that we all enjoyed ourselves!).
(4)
Arun B.
I guess all good things must end -- or maybe our tastes have evolved but the restaurant hasn't? It had been a few years since last visit, but remember it very well and had it on my must list for a recent trip. Unfortunately, we both found the food pretty bland and, frankly, just trying a bit too hard to be interesting/innovative (the number of ingredients in each dish reminded us of a cooking challenge more than a high-end restaurant). The resulting food was just kind of a mess to eat, although the descriptions read well. Service was fine and friendly, but SUPER rushed. They clearly wanted to move you in and out. I'm not joking that our first plates took under 2 minutes from order to table (either pre-made or a sign). And they made a point of telling us twice that the kitchen would close soon (but had no problem taking an 8pm reservation). We barely had time for a round of drinks, wine, appetizer, main, dessert. It was a sprint, which what I expect for lunch not dinner. Prices also far too high for this quality of food. Glad we went as it is a well known spot in town, but I won't be going back on my next visit. All in all, it just felt dated and like it was coasting off the tourist trade. Steak was ok, brussells sprouts were undercooked, green chili mash fantastic. Quinoa relleno underseasoned and on the menu in 2004.
(2)
Richard T.
A long time favorite of ours, Santacafe seems to be in decline. It used to be creative with slight Southwest and Asian touches. My Chilli Relleno was tasteless and unseasoned; the pork oso bucco was a shabby stew; the salmon was overcooked and our server told the guest who ordered steak not to order rare, but that medium would be better because the meat was fatty. The wine I ordered was not available, and an aggressive employee pushed an Argentinian wine on us that tasted like fruit punch. Not in the same ballpark with the wine I ordered. Alas. Many fine things are fleeting.
(2)
D A P.
I was treated to dinner here by a long time resident. It's a beautiful restaurant with fancy food and excellent wine choices. Every thing is NM white. Inside, the restaurant consists of a few small rooms. Service was great too. When walking thru the bar to the restrooms, I walked on a glass floor that covers an old deep well. Strange feeling.
(4)
Steve B.
Great place for a "ladies lunch." The setting is the courtyard of the home of an early prominent citizen of Santa Fe. The waiters are charming and the menu has lots of salads and light dishes. It is a little pricey, but you'll enjoy the quiet ambiance.
(4)
Annie S.
We came here for dinner when we first moved to town. I really like the dining area but it is pretty quiet. I could not come here with my girlfriends! However, they had great service and good food. I agree with other Yelpers about the nice ambiance. It is very comfortable and not too snotty. I do want to hang out at the bar sometime since it was cute. This is American cuisine and you can get the typical pork chop, chicken, steak, etc.
(4)
Chris A.
I make a trip to Santa Fe every couple of years and have been to the Santacafe many times. The last visit got me thinking a little about how close it is to be a top notch restaurant, and how little things keep it more in the middle of the pack than it might otherwise deserve. A visit this week is a great example. The ambiance is amazing, one of the best patios in town. Huge. Quaint. Well-shaded. Heated in when necessary. The dining room is charming as well, but being outside is the place to be. The food is solid too, if not particularly imaginative. Our party of four enjoyed mussels, the signature shrimp dumplings, salads, and a host of entrees including a chicken dish (not at all unlike a piccata), grilled lamb, and vegetarian chili rellanos. Everything was well prepared and flavorful. So far so good. But little things hold it back. A very limited and unnecessarily expensive wine list that makes finding the right selections difficult. On this particular visit, it was challenging to find a rose -- and this in a climate and menu that begs for pink wine. But a dearth of selection. Light bodied reds, also perfect for the menu and climate, are in short supply, particularly at more moderate price points. The biggest issue, however is inconsistent service. On this most recent visit, our waiter was terse, arrogant, visibly irritated by the little inconveniences one in his position must endure on a daily basis (people still locked in conversation when he first arrives at the table, and not having made decisions - drinks, wine, food - on a schedule that mirrors his own), and generally inattentive. In a small city with a really credible food culture and, more so, at a restaurant that receives pretty consistently positive reviews, I have to say that I expect more. A really great dining experience requires that a restaurant deliver consistently solid performance with regard to its food, service and atmosphere. Hitting on one or two of the three just doesn't seem like quite enough for a place that generally receives such high praise.
Excellent spot for brunch or for a "power lunch". I had the omelet, which was delicious, and convinced the chef to throw a little green chile in for some New Mexican flavor. The onion ring stack is a must add.
(5)
Nancy M.
What's the rush!? I live in Santa Fe and enjoy having lunch and dinner outside during the summer. The last few times I have been there we have been rushed. At dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us to get our order in since the kitchen was small. It was not that crowded at 6:30? I hesitated to do this since at a previous lunch our food arrived prior to our drink order. Another time when we tried to pace our waiter who seemed irritated so we ordered app's and lunch at the same time and entrees arrived when we had not finished our appetizers. Crazy! It seems like they have a goal to turn as many tables as possible. If so, they will loose consistent customers like me. I want to go out to dinner and relax. Santacafe is not a diner!
(3)
Gwynedd D.
The Santacafe is a fave locale for Santa Fe residents, celebrities (who somehow eat there concealed in what must be a secret dining room) and visitors to this extraordinary city. However, it's possibly living on its reputation and the lunch crowd was definitely over-70, which despite that fact that I'm climbing up to that lofty age, is a sign to me of probably mediocre flavor in food. What happens to our taste buds as we get older? The main attraction here, to me, is the very pleasant courtyard with its Old World flavor and Santa Fe charm. We started with gazpacho with lime cream. The gazpacho had Thai bird chilis and was a tad spicy but it made you want to eat another, and another, then another spoonful. The lime cream? Why bother. It was a silly drizzle on the top and had absolutely no essence of lime. There was merely enough to look like a bird hit the soup, not enough to make a difference. I'd say, lay it on or leave it off. We then had salmon with zucchini risotto. The salmon was perfectly cooked but simply (not even) seasoned. The risotto was gritty, heavy, and the veg was overcooked and buried here and about the risotto in its cement-like mass. And there was too much of it. The dessert (creme brulee) was in too deep a ceramic dish, had a crust like a plate glass window and no subtlety of vanilla bean or any other flavoring. I've had this all over Europe and it's supposed to have a thin, ice-like crust that shatters with the tap of a spoon, and the texture should be lush but delicate. This was too much like a vanilla puddin' cup. The service was friendly but rushed. The entree was pushed onto the table as we were spooning up the last of the soup. Nothing says "eat up, folks, we want two seatings at lunch" like a rushed service. This isn't the Golden Corral. In short, ok food except for that inedible risotto but you get a delightful courtyard. So, you're paying for the ambience and you might get a good meal, too, once in a while.
(3)
Jennie B.
The food is A-OK. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner last week. From the steak, calamari (where the dipping sauce always makes the dish go from good to amazing), cutlet, mussels, stuffed poblano, etc. all were very well prepared and tasty. My beef comes with the seating and placement of our table. Everytime I go here, I think it's safe to say, since I go with a group that always includes my 5 year old kid, I get placed all the way in the back, in a corner, by the drink station, far-far-far-away from anything remotely interesting going on in the patio. Little does Santacafe know, that my child is THE BEST BEHAVED little girl, any restaurant has ever seen. However, this is the pattern for Santacafe. Next time, I will think twice about coming here with my kid. There are plenty of other restaurants in this town that are happy to seat a table of 5 in the middle of the action.
I ate here in October and have eaten in the past a couple of years ago. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Santa fe and this although ok is uninspired and the service polite but edge of arrogance. I had iceberg lettuce with green goddess and lobster salad. No care to the presentation, the lettuce not as cold or crisp as you would hope and the dressing nearly tasteless. My husbands salad was the same and the chicken dry and probably yesterday. It is a lovely setting, but in the same areas competition with much better food. The La Fonda restaurant is much better , pretty setting and consistently fresh and well prepared food. La casa Sena outdoor at lunch another pretty venue with consistently good lunch selections and both have better service. There are also terrific other places, but if you are visiting for the first time and another place to go these 2 and frankly the food trucks provide better food.
(3)
Nick S.
I'm starting to be over it here. It's about attitude, which seems a little arrogant. If you don't call for a reservation they will punish you, even with empty tables on the patio, and give you the worst table that is still "technically the patio". Btw, those preferred tables sat empty through our whole lunch. Maybe they should make themselves more available on Open Table, they obviously don't want to give up the buck for the convenience to the customer. Also, kitchen inflexible, my worst gripe. It's one thing to want something weird, but to take French fries from item A and put them on your item B instead of potato salad, seems a bit arrogant. The waiter"made it happen", but frankly the customer shouldn't be put thru the "ask". So now it's just another pricey outdoor, and nice one however, patio restaurant. They seem to cater to the Santa Fe elite, so they can have them instead of me. I can afford to eat anywhere, I believe that I'm ready for another patio choice.
(3)
Alison Bly S.
We've dined here every visit to Santa Fe, but it has been at least 10 years till our recent visit, so we weren't sure what to expect. We at there on our first night, which was a busy Saturday night, and we were disappointed to learn that the filet entree was sold out and that they had run out of their signature chile mashed potatoes--how that can happen, I don't understand! (We have their cookbook, and make this excellent yet simple dish ourselves all the time.) Still, the meal was up to the standard of past experiences. The welcome & initial service seemed a bit rushed, but the place was totally jam-packed. We decided to return for our final night, a Thursday, and it was a far more relaxed experience--and we got our chile mashed potatoes & filet after all!
(4)
Ellen M.
This was my first time here in ages and was not disappointed. Went for lunch with a friend. It was busy but pretty mellow. We both had the chicken salad which was delicious, the best I have ever had in a restaurant. It's a fairly large portion served on a bed of fresh spring lettuce with tomatoes and avocado slices. Very reasonably priced. The service was superb and even though we were there for almost 2 hours no one rushed us.
(5)
Adam Issac W.
I live in Santa Fe. This is the only restaurant in town with a bad attitude. I've been here 6 times for lunch and dinner. The food is overpriced; the service is miserable; and the entire staff is stuck up! Don't waste another dime here! I won't. Avoid at all cost!
Came here as the last stop on a Santa Fe Cooking School's restaurant walking tour. I am still dreaming about the lemon-coconut tarte! It was accompanied by a very nice champagne! The story around the well was very interesting. Three stars only because did not have a full meal here. Will definately come here next trip down.
(3)
Phil K.
This has been a long time favorite restaurant of mine in Santa Fe. Unfortunately the quality of food and service is inconsistent. My wife and I had dinner there with friends last week. Cocktails were a disappointment and so was dinner. The food was just okay--not the caliber of meals we had there during previous visits. Steaks were over cooked, salad was limp and lacked flavor, and side dishes tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. Desert was the highlight of the meal. Next time we plan a special night out we will more than likely try another local eatery.
Have been trying this establishment for the past three years and still can't see what the hype is about. The service was slow even for Santa Fe standards and lacked in customer service. The caprese salad was bland and lacked good acid notes. The mozzarella tasted like it had been soaked in water for a week. The beef tenderloin was soaked in some type of sweet liquid that distracted from its natural flavor. Trying to reinvent a classic dish with unrealistic flavors pretty much takes the classic out of it. The coffee ice cream dessert tasted like it had been in the freezer for a year. The only saving grace was the soft shell crap. I guess it was good only because it had to be served fresh. I think I am over trying to find good food in this establishment.
(2)
Jen G.
We really enjoyed dinner here. There is a lot of staff, so there is someone always refilling your water. They were also super friendly. The patio area was nice. But there were lots of flies, which made for an annoying 10 min when the flies were bothering us. We really liked the food. The spring rolls were good. I really liked the quinoa filled chile relleno. The sauce was really great. The chicken was surprising good, too. It had a ton of flavor. And the house made sorbets were great.
(4)
Jes Z.
I think the Santacafe Patio is a "must do" in Santa Fe. So relaxing...I was worried the place had gone downhill after my Christmas Day entree arrived, tough as a shoe insert instead of fish, but this week the place was redeemed in my mind. I had the "sherried chicken salad " for lunch, and had no idea that chicken salad could possibly taste this good?! HOLY Cow...(or coyote) what do they do to it? Some people think the place is a bit snotty ...and yes, I did see a well known actress on the patio with her obligatory African baby, but still, its a wonderful place to relax and have a quiet meal.
(4)
Garen M.
We had a wonderful dinner and excellent service here. Fairly pricey, but you have to pay for a quality meal with quality service.
(4)
Stephane M.
Real bad attitude. I get there at 2h05. I say good afternoon and some lady answer by a question ( are you looking for the restroom ?) then I say that I would like to have lunch and someone else is telling me that they don't serve after 2pm. Great way to stay away...
(1)
Susan L.
We were reluctant to go to Santacafe based on friends' experiences but their outdoor courtyard looked inviting so we bit the bullet, hoping for the best. The atmosphere can only be described as frenetic, glitzy, snobbish with a distinct "LA vibe". While waiting almost 15 minutes for drinks to arrive, we noticed other tables receiving complementary starters, "amuse bouche". We were not served any and later discovered they were only given to preferred guests by the the maitre d. This was an immediate turnoff. My chicken dish was at best mediocre while my husband's fish was good. Food-wise it was just very average. The bottom line is save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)
Zach N.
Consistently good New Mexican food. Blue corn pancakes are not to miss. Great happy hour specials. Pies and cakes to take home. Also a good selection of non Mexican dishes. Price could be a bit lower, but the location demands a premium.
(4)
Kathy M.
Been a fan of Santa Cafe since it opened. When we are in SF we always have a meal here. I have been away for about 8 years but we were in SF for Xmas 2012 and decided to have dinner. My family of 3 had a reservation and we arrived early on a Sat night. We were seated at the worst possible table: tucked into a room that should have 5 tables but has 7, my husband's back against a flimsy screen to keep the kitchen noises/lights at bay. Didn't work. I was seated so I could see the tired bus boy lurking and checking his phone in the doorway of the kitchen. Said bus boy spilled a tray of water and wine glasses, getting water over a patron's coat. The diner was actually gracious about it, but we noticed that more than half of the broken glass was left under foot. Thank God it was winter: if a woman with a sandals or open-toed shoes was sitting there, she'd be getting stitches. So we were pissed to be shunted into this ridiculous corner. It's not like we didn't have a reservation.... Appetizer was an Asian-influeced shrimp dumpling, which was delicious but cold. Wine was good but expensive! I had the steak and country mashed potatoes. Meh. This is where I first had wasabi mashed potatoes, and loved them. These new 'country' potatoes were boring. I am not sure I'd go back. Really nothing special anymore. Obviously, reading these reviews, it is hit or miss. I can't say enough about the exciting and delicious food at Cafe Pasquale in SF. It is hard to get into but much more satisfying, even if you have to share a table in its cramped one-room dining room. I still liked the Santa Cafe decor but, really, pushing in so many tables to little rooms is just annoying. We should've refused the table, but I had my 15-year-old with me and she was hungry. I spent my meal feeling irritated and worried the busy boy would spill coffee on me! Please, manager, don't let your place go downhill; do something now to reinstate the place to its former glory! I would like to enjoy my meal at Santa Cafe again!
(2)
Jim J.
Santacafe used to be our favorite SF restaurant. Until they tried to seat us on the patio in the rain. We had made reservations for 5:30 and arrived on time. The parking lot and restaurant were completely empty. They refused to seat us inside away from the rain. The hostess was extremely rude. We walked out and went across the street to Osteria Restaurant and had a wonderful meal with excellent service. They were happy to seat us even on a weekend with no reservation. So long, Santacafe. There are 200 good restaurants in SF.
(1)
Will F.
Sat at counter, intending to have complete dinner. Ordered appetizers - shrimp tempura with sweet/hot chile sauce and crab/scallop cake with chipotle Cream dressing. Crab was mealy - not fresh! Dressing more like mayo. Shrimp fresh, tempura batter not to heavy but sauce sweet like sugar yuch! Cut our losses and moved on
(2)
George W.
Excellent in every way. Try the chilli relents------it's the best
(5)
Heidi G.
Best in town. It's pricey, but SOOOO worth it. The food is amazing and the service is superb...like nothing in New Mexico. By far the best restaurant in town and for that matter, the entire state. Promise, you'll be impressed and you'll be back!
(5)
Katy B.
Great Atmosphere. Great Patio.They make their own bread,ketchups etc..., fresh and tasty... The staff was really friendly and professional.. will definitely be going back!
(4)
sarah b.
Excellent food, attentive service, with an understated elegant decor. This offers a great alternative to a lot of the Southwestern fare in Santa Fe. We ordered the shrimp appetizer(per our servers recommendation), lightly battered and flash fried with a hot asian sauce. Spinach salad with goat cheese with nice light sweet dressing, goat cheese, pomegranite and apple, and for entrees salmon with leek risotto, perfectly cooked and the stuffed pepper. We were pleased with everything down to the wine recommendations. And we LOVEd the children's pasta. We arrived early with our two-year old and did find it odd that we were seated in a small room right next to two other tables in a near-empty restaurant. And the restaurant is pretty quiet so not a great choice for very young children, but we were very pleased with the overall experience and would gladly return.
(4)
Julia F.
As a local, I was a little wary of this place because had heard it was expensive and I had seen some bad reviews online, but my boss took me there for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I was blown away. The food was some of the best I've ever had - you know, when it's so good you don't even care what you're eating. I also ordered desert (the chocolate mousse - I HIGHLY recommend it) and it looked so beautiful I almost didn't want to eat it. Very glad I did though, because it was exceptional. They even put a little birthday candle in it for me! The waiters were incredibly nice and were careful to give us time to talk and finish our food, and even wrapped up our leftover food for us (which I always think is a nice touch). The food was a little pricey, but I could only eat about half of my entree (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and half of my dessert, so I basically got two meals out of it. The restaurant if beautiful, clean, classy, and there's a huge well in the floor by the bar that has to be seen! You'll see what I'm talking about. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe, and I can't wait to return.
(5)
Lauren E.
The pros: - Very nice ambiance - We were seated right away - Delicious cream of potato and Swiss chard soup - Good bread - Very good Reuben sandwich - Had a great selection on the menu, which changes every few days The cons: - Our server was a bit off and unfriendly - The French fries with the Reuben would have been great if they were a bit less mushy - One of the "classic" items, the shitake and cactus spring rolls turned out to be disappointing. There were hardly any shitakes, and the rolls were very crispy. Not very appealing to the taste buds
(3)
Momo O.
DINING UNDER THE STARS. The patio area in this restaurant is so cute! At night, under the sparkly lights, you feel like you're dining directly under the stars. I had the calamari and salad here -- which were both VERY delicious.. salad was sophisticated with bacon wrapped asparagus, perfect home-made vinaigrette, and goat cheese. The calamari was fresh, crisp and the best part was the house dipping sauce -- super garlic-y and a little spicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back next since I was only in NM for vacation, but had a lovely time dining here.
(4)
F. P.
The food here is excellent quality and some of the dishes were stellar when we came here for dinner. Started off with the shiitake and cactus spring rolls with southwestern ponzu. The rolls were flaky but the flavor was a bit bland (prob because it was vegetarian and was missing the umami of meat-filled rolls). The arugula salad with red plums, beets and goat cheese was excellent. Fresh, light dish (which was a nice change from the hearty food I'd been eating ever since I got to New Mexico). But the standouts were the entrees. I had the roasted poblano chile relleno stuffed with 3-mushroom quinoa, which was out of this world! The relleno was placed on a plate surrounded by an orange chipotle cream sauce that was rich and coated the dish so nicely. I also had a couple of bites of the daily special, which was a pork chop dressed with a sweet fruit glaze and accompanied with autumn veggies (carrots, radish and turnips). Very juicy, a tad sweet, but perfectly cooked. There's a beautiful patio area that would have been great for lunch but not open for dinner (way too cold). Service was attentive and excellent. However, I didn't like the decor. Aside from the requisite Southwestern motif of a horse skull hung on a wall, there was literally not a single item on the bare white walls from any room I could see. Way too stark for me ... almost felt like they had just opened and didn't have time to decorate. But other than the (lack of) decor, I thought the experience here was great.
(4)
eli w.
This is my first review of SantaCafe on Yelp and it unfortunately isn't going to be a very good one. I have been going to SantaCafe for almost 20 years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in the world. And although I no longer live in Santa Fe, I make a point of going SEVERAL times on every trip home. While other restaurants have come and gone, SantaCafe has endured as one of the top restaurants in town - until now, I guess. I don't know what happened to SantaCafe since our last trip here this summer, but from the minute our friends were ignored by the dismissive hostesses, to the 15 minute wait for a drink in an almost empty bar, it just wasn't the same. Gone were the friendly faces, the great service, and the wait for even one seat at the bar. For on what should have been a busy holiday evening, SantaCafe was eerily quiet. The drinks did finally come, were good and served with a friendly smile. Sadly, however, this wasn't enough to keep us from deciding to leave - even though it was snowing and cold outside. So, we called another restaurant (I won't name them here, but they are another downtown Santa Fe institution) and they were not only friendly and welcoming when we told them of our experience, but happy to take a table of 4 without a reservation. Sorry SantaCafe, I hate to say it, but we won't be back for a while. If anyone at SantaCafe reads this... -Do something about your hostesses. Today. Seriously, the dismissive unfriendly duo at the door isn't the face you want to put forward. -I realize that it can be hard to be upbeat and attentive on a slow night, but wow. We were actually joking about the Best Service award on display while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited...
(2)
Chris B.
Was an amazing dinning experience. Wine 5* Food 5* Service 5* HIGHY recommend SantacaFe
(5)
Barb M.
Excellent dinner. Fillet mignon was good and the chile relleno was phenomenal. Service was attentive. Gage the waiter assistant was awesome. Nice outdoor porch seating. Best dinner in Santa Fe so far.
(4)
Zak M.
We went on a sleepy Wednesday night loaded with $200.00 in gift certificates (It was extremely generous for Santa Cafe to give us the gift certificates, they were won through a contest.). The service was decent and the food was good enough. We started off with the calamari, which was a little over done and a four chile flake sauce that was a little bland. If there were four chiles in the sauce, I could barely taste one. We also had the Shrimp & Spinach Dumplings with Tahini peanut sauce which also was okay. I feel like I could have gotten a more exciting dumpling at Jinja. I had the Ribeye Steak with Pommes Frites (shoe string fries) and a Chile Bearnaise sauce of some sort. The steak was decent, well cooked and enjoyable, the fries seemed a little stale and the chile bernaise sauce was a little lackluster in flavor. We had a bottle of Syrah wine and my friends had port after dinner. My friend had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on risotto which was what you'd expect from the dish, nothing too stellar. Another friend had the Fettucini Alfredo with a fancy type of mushrooms, which was rich and as good as good as other places around town. For desert we had a Chocolate mouse molded within a dense chocolate chip wall, which was both delicious and fun to eat. We also had coffee, which was very good quality and a type of chocolate lava cake desert, which was fine. The ambiance of the restaurant was simple, neat and romantic. The service was attentive, however the server wasn't as familiar with the selection of drinks as we would have liked. We asked the server if we could have a virgin pina colada and the server wasn't sure if they made them or not. The restaurant doesn't have a blender, so no frozen drinks were made. Seems like good information for a server to know, but I've made the same mistake as a server when I first started out, but this is a fine dinning establishment. The final bill came out to about $287.00 for three appetizers, four entrees, one bottle of wine, two ports, three deserts and four coffees. In conclusion, If I were loaded or my friends had a billion dollars in Gift Certificates, I might try Santa Cafe again, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed by anything in particular and if you're charging an arm and a leg, thats what your guest should receive. If you're looking for delicious consciously prepared food, made with a ton of heart try the Dish and Spoon on old Santa Fe trail. Not as fru fru, but lip smackingly good. That's where I'd take my girlfriend for a romantic date. You'd probably be more likely to get more bang for your buck there.
(3)
Craig E.
Good food (expensive), rude service. In my experience, this is an expensive place with servers and management that act as though they are doing you a favor by simply letting you in the door, much less giving you a pleasant dining experience. Bad service has happened twice (years apart) and I won't go back because it is obviously a chronic condition in this restaurant.
(2)
christine h.
Other then expensive (like most overpriced tourist focused restaurants here) the service was wonder and the food very good. The outdoor ambiance was nice with no loud over powering music. I ordered the steak and it was nothing special but my table mates we're extremely happy with the snapper and the portobello chili relleno.
(4)
Candace C.
Arrived early on Thursday and was seated in a front room. Two parties were seated directly to each side of us, despite plenty of room. I always wonder why restaurants do this!!! The calamari was nicely done, but the dipping sauce is a loser. I had the relleno - pretty good. My husband had the lamb chops and proclaimed them totally fabulous. Best of all was the chocolate mousse. Wine was very expensive . Service was adequate.
(3)
Heidi T.
Very comfortable setting, great food, reasonable prices, and EXCELLENT service!! The calamari appetizer is a must-eat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sauce is perfect for dipping.
(5)
Carlo A.
Being from San Francisco, I can almost picture myself in the Napa or Sonoma Valley sitting in this patio. It's a relaxing, refreshing space, and the food is comforting and delicious. Great wine selection, attentive service, and nice to see that it's mostly locals (both times we went) instead of all tourists. We loved it so much that we had to come back through Santa Fe on the way to ABQ airport from Taos just to have lunch here. Would love to try it for dinner and experience dining under the white lights of the patio.
(4)
Chris C.
Santacafe offers a nice balance of upscale cuisine with Santa Fe casual. We had a relaxing dinner under the stars in their courtyard on our first night in town. Some good food, a smooth wine and a light warm breeze were a great way to start our visit. On the whole, the food was very good (though we wished there were more vegetable options/accompaniments with our meals). Appetizers were solid. Our entrees were very good with one complaint - one member of our party asked for extra broccoli rabe in her dish and only got a single stalk. Dessert was divine here. I would go into specifics but the menu is seasonal and changes based on the chef and the available ingredients. The staff was very friendy. However, our waiter (nice as he was) was nowhere as helpful as the busser who was sweet, efficient and very attentive.
(4)
Andrew T.
Really appreciated the service, but it was trumped by the pork chop - perfect. Great atmosphere, might have been a little under dressed in jeans and collar. One of must haves when in Santa Fe.
(5)
Greg M.
Great patio seating. Lunch menu was very good - lots to choose from. Terrific green chili burger!
(4)
Slav Z.
Divine! The owner is a very nice guy. I could not help myself and complemented their lunch linguini special. Having been a demi chef in my late 20s in London, I know what it means when you work your a..in the kitchen and then quietly wait for the waiter to pop in and say: "they complimented your dish! The owner came out and offered us desserts on the house. My God! Was that heaven! it's been few weeks but if I remember correctly we had, among others: Trio of Housemade Sorbets, and Warm Chocolate Upside-down Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. Dont' you dare miss that place when in Santa Fe!
(5)
Frank G.
superb service, atmosphere, and food. it's a little on the expensive side, but the perfect place for a family or romance. even for a vegetarian.
(5)
Allison H.
Best meal I had in Santa, hands down. Seemed a bit stuffy when I walked in, but the food canceled it out. The outdoor seeting was nice but buggy, and prices were high.
(4)
J K.
This was the first place that we dined at during our visit. We had wanted to love the place but found the food a bit disappointing. I think that it just didn't have the moxie that we were looking for in Southwest cuisine. Its not a good thing when the only super positive thing that my boyfriend had to say was, "at least we didn't pay much for it". Hmmm... not exactly glowing recommendations.
(2)
Edward G.
The Santacafe has a beautiful al fresco dining area that should not be missed; however, be careful ordering from the menu. In fact, do not order the vegetarian chile relleno because it would be a huge disappoint for a vegetarian or anyone else for that matter. The fish entree was slightly overcooked, but otherwise good. This is not a restaurant worthy of fine dining prices. Sometimes the only thing that makes the food palatable is a martini before dinner.
(3)
Food C.
We have been to the Santacafe in the past & were impressed with their food & service. However, that was several years ago, so we decided to go back & give it a try. We were disappointed in the food. It was tasteless and lacked excitement. To start, we ordered the calamari with dipping sauce. The calamari breading had no flavor & the dipping sauce was tasteless. I ordered the greens with lemon & olive oil dressing. The greens were nice, however, there could have been some color or texture added, but it was a nice, bland looking salad - just greens. My husband said his main course tasted mostly of garlic & mine was just bland. On a good note, the service & atmosphere were good.
(2)
Cameron M.
Lovely restaurant with simple, well executed selections and good service. Salad Nicoise was excellent with perfectly prepared tuna.
(4)
Becky O.
Terrible. Service okay. Would not recommend, they have a wonderful patio but doesn't make up for their food. Other than that...smh.
(1)
Tony C.
Decent lunch spot though somewhat overpriced and only adequate service. Seemed to be a lot of power brokers and expense account wonks.
(3)
Meg G.
Appetizer was great but the fish was WAY overcooked. Risotto didn't have much taste. The Filet was cooked nicely but not a great piece of meat. The waitress seemed to have better things to do than wait on us but the support staff was the best thing about our experience. The manager was apologetic and said he wish he knew that the meal was not up to par but without the waitress checking in on you, how is he suppose to know. Many better restaurants in Santa Fe than this.
(2)
Gregg S.
A friend recommended and it did not disappoint. The poblano stuffed with quinoa was excellent and I am not a quinoa fan. No ones meal disappointed and I look forward to returning.
(4)
Jeff W.
Santacafe is a 4 star restaurant with issues. Hence, my controversial 3 star rating. I have never in my life had food served so frighteningly fast in a high-end restaurant. Nor in anything short of a sub shop.The place was packed when we came, yet we were sat down almost instantly. Nice. Then the water guy and the waiter came by within 2 minutes tops. Great service. Then we started to see a pattern. Our drinks came in 2 minutes. How did they do that with 150 people in this place? But then our appetizers came in 2 minutes. OK, I'm hungry. I can deal with it. Are these people on Meth? Then before our appetizers were done, our entrees came. How he f#$@ did they do that? It was weird. Naturally it was incredibly tacky. I looked at Jessy and asked if we had been here 10 minutes yet. We weren't sure! We were gasping at this point. We stared at the entrees, and Jessy was smart enough to tell our server it was strange. He was a pro and immediately removed them and told us we would have new entrees whenever we were ready. Nice recovery. How about the food? The Calamari with Chile Dipping Sauce was crisp, actually large for $6, and good. The Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls were very good but with a strikingly Proletariat Olive Garden presentation. What's with the large hunk of red lettuce? Could we try some more interesting greens or skip them? The uninteresting and scattered bread basket was also thrown at us; but then the Santacafe M.O. is speed I guess. The Roasted Poblano Relleno with Quinoa was very good; not as interesting as I might have hoped. But the highly recommended Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Also the servings here are large, but am I the only person here who is _not_ from Texas? Clearly Santacafe can do better. You don't go to a high-end restaurant and order $34 entrees to be rushed out in 45 minutes. Because the place was on steroids, I don't think we were some freak random case. Slow down guys, put a little more attention into the food [given the price], and put a little more attention into your customers. You have a nice restaurant. Focus.
(3)
Mia S.
I came here for a light lunch, and it was great. We sat outdoors, on a nice summer day with a breeze. The waiter was awesome and made some great conversation. Our food took a while to come, but still worth the wait. I had a great salad, and soup, while my husband and sister had something else that they loved as well. Sorry its been a while since i've been there, but I remember it being a delicious place. I would visit this place again when I'm in the area.
(4)
Dan P.
After dining here maybe 6 times over 25 years, I have to say that the birthday dinner here in December was one one of the most "undistinguished" I've had anywhere in a long time. With all the great places to dine in Santa Fe, you can cross this one off your list. I'm sorry to lose one of my favorite restaurants, but I guess nothing lasts forever. Except, of course, Cafe Pasquals. Goodbye Santa Cafe.
(2)
Randy B.
The most consistent quintessential Santa Fe restaurant.
(5)
Brc P.
This has been a favorite of ours for years. Lunch or dinner, consistently excellent. A high end restaurant but always real value for the price. Lovely for special occasions or just a welcoming place when you're hungry. In season the courtyard garden is shaded and out of the wind. The bar is a good location for a quicker meal. Servers always seem to be able to offer good suggestions and the wine list is a winner.
(5)
Dana K.
A cute dining area- it felt somewhat like someone's wedding complete with white tent and white lights. However, they were out of the pinot noir special and weren't able to recommend a comparable bottle. Bummer. The food was decent, but in my opinion overly priced. I had a confusing cold avocado yogurt soup which reminded me of guacamole. I'd skip it and go to Whole Foods instead to buy your own dinner.
(3)
Mrs M.
Vastly over-rated, and extremely noisy due to Santacafe's bad acoustics. I had a chicken echilada for lunch there once that made me nostalgic for Taco Bell. Now that they have a new chef and a different menu, there's nothing that represents Santa Fe except "red chile onion rings with Judy's catsup". And you might count the burger on which they throw a little green chile. That's as "Santa Fe" style as it gets here. Otherwise, what the lunch menu features is "chipotle" cream added to East Coast and Italian style foods. Anyone who knows Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico cuisine is aware of the fact that jalapenos and chipotles (smoked jalapenos) are Texan and Mexican--not native. And oh, what a pompous description of the place on their web-site. I did have an unforgettable experience there, at one of the many dinners I've suffered at their hands: an inedible, gristly ribeye steak , accompanied by cardboard "cornbread". Why do people accept this sort of rubbish at such high prices? And why is such a pretentious restaurant representing itself with an illiterate on-line menu, which is missing punctuation and misspelling "gorgonzola"? I know I'll be dragged to Santacafe again by well-meaning friends who follow fashion blindly, but really, folks--there's no THERE there!
(2)
Jane G.
Many times, during our annual April trek to Santa Fe, we've enjoyed lunch on the patio or dinner in the dining room at Santa Cafe. This trip, after raving about it to our friends, we arrived for lunch on a cool enough day to want to sit in the sun. Although there were a number of empty tables in the sun, the hostess insisted that we had to sit in the shade. So, we moved on to Zia Diner, where we lunched differently but equally well...on the patio...in the sunshine.
(2)
Jordan N.
Located a couple blocks from the Plaza this restaurant exceed all my hopes for a romantic dinner for two. The outdoor garden was adorable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Everything they recommended was fabulous. And they have a great pre-theater!
(5)
laurie c.
One of the best meals we had on our trip. Although more higher end, it is worth every penny. We ate at the bar (hence our earlier post of visiting and being so relaxed and forgetting to make reservations) and for at-the-bar dining, it was one of the best! We enjoyed the crowd, the food was AMAZING and the wines were also delicious. I would actually classify this as moderately priced--the value you get with food, service, decor is a steal!
(5)
N V.
The first time I ate at SantaCafe it was the new restaurant in town, struggling to get recognition when Coyote Cafe was the darling of the food press. It was great then. In the nearly annual trips to Santa Fe in the intervening 20-something years all but two or three included a trip to SantaCafe. It's still a great meal in a simple, inviting space. Yesterday's visit was the most recent in a long line of good experiences. It's Labor Day weekend, but surprisingly not the mob scene this town can be on summer weekends. That meant a little of the pressure was off of our server and the kitchen and we benefited. Our server was friendly and timely, and incredibly patient with the chili-adverse couple next door. The calamari are a long standing favorite, the arugula salad with grilled peaches a new and wonderful addition, and the rib-eye well prepared (though lacking in the chili-rub seasoning of years past.). The green chili brioche is mouth-wateringly delicious. (I've tried for years to recreate it.) The desserts here have long been worth every calorie. The coffee bean ice cream with piñon crisp and cajeta was just as good as we had hoped. My one criticism: As wonderful as the food is, as many years as I've been going here, as glad as I am to see old favorites on the menu, a little innovation and updating of the menu would go a long way to refreshing a Santa Fe institution. SantaCafe has earned too many laurels to be resting on them.
(4)
John D.
The stuffed chili is outrageously good - very nice atmosphere and bar area.
(4)
Jenny K.
While I can't speak for their daily menu, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving day meal at Santacafe. Portions were generous and considering it was Prix fixe, they offered a lot of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We both enjoyed our wine and every item we tasted and loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I would definitely come back to Santacafe.
(5)
Suburban R.
an oasis of a restaurant near the plaza. incidentally, this used to be ming tsai's kitchen back when... attentive waitstaff serving a decent burger, fried calamari, brunch. i have not eaten here for dinner. i've in one or two occasions experienced snootiness from hostess-- honey plueezeee, i say!. but i understand that she's practicing for the day she arrives in NYC or her lesser cousin, LA ;-)... doubt she'll ever make it there... i prefer to dine in that room off of the entrance overlooking the garden and covered patio [even though they pack the seating and tables ]. regardless, it has a nice soothing light, rendering the the earthen walls of adobe light as clouds. and for a decent inexpensive lunch, santacafe is the old reliable.
(4)
Christie B.
White table linens covered with paper toppers and supplied with crayons, this little treasure in the heart of Santa Fe served a delicious Spinach Nicose with seared Ahi Tuna. Delectable. Lots of local folks, as it's off the beaten path and a little tricky to find; right next to Sotheby's Realty, appropriately. A nice respite and good place to get in out of the snowy and cold day. Coffee was delicious, too.
(4)
Jessy B.
Okay, read jeffrey's review for what happened to us. And then just up the stars to 4. Yes, delivering the entrees to the table before we finished our appetizers is tacky for this level of restaurant. Yes, we did feel incredibly rushed until I called over the waiter and begged him to slow down. and yes, they can do better. But that is what stops them from being a 5 star restaurant. The waiter recovered and comped an appetizer, removed our food immediately and brought us a whole new dinner when we were ready. So, lighten up jeffrey!!! Would I recommend the place - absolutely. But go to La Boca first...
(4)
Amy L.
It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The patio outside where we ate was really nice too. I had the fillet and it pretty much melted in my mouth. I also ordered a side of the green chile mashed potatoes that were fabulous! They had the best green chile bread too! Our waiter was very helpful with the wine list too and recommended the Pinot Gris which now might be my favorite wine! I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Santa Fe!
(5)
Amy E.
We've visited Santa Fe many times over the years, and Santacafe has always been one of our favorite stops. On our most recent trip, we brought my sister, a first-time visitor to Santa Fe. We couldn't wait to take her to Santacafe. From the moment we stepped into the courtyard, this restaurant seemed like a completely different place. It was certainly not the same place we last visited four years ago. The service was TERRIBLE. Apparently, the waitstaff could not figure out who was responsible for our table. We had three different waiters, each of whom seemed to think that our table was someone else's responsibility. We waited half an hour for our drinks after asking for them three times. We finally saw someone with a tray carrying our beverages, only to watch her take them to another table! Our appetizer never arrived. When we pointed out these problems to our waiter, he just walked away, zombie-like! He never apologized. If one person had said they were sorry for neglecting us, we would have accepted their apology gracefully, but no one on the staff seemed to care at all. The food has really gone downhill, too. Everything was bland-- not the high-end food we remembered. We will NEVER go back to this place. It's a shame, because it used to be one of our top choices in town. Next time, we'll skip Santacafe and head over to La Boca instead!
(2)
Morgan E.
I have eaten at the Santa Cafe several times, often with large groups. The service is always impeccable and the food is always good. I can understand why someone might think it is overpriced for the quality - but I have always gone there for lunch and the value for the lunch menu is very very good. I eat lunch here every time I come to town.
(4)
Dolores H.
I thought this place was delicious. The calamari was so good that I almost ordered a second batch. This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and she hyped it up a lot. I have to say I was not at all disappointed in the food. The atmosphere really captures the rustic Santa Fe style with upscale touches. The only downfall is that there are 2 unisex bathrooms and there are always people literally waiting for you to finish like at a gas station...it seems they could use to fix that.
(4)
Debbie T.
While in Santa Fe, I had the chance to sample quite a few restaurants, Compound, Restaurant Martin etc.... this little place stood out. Santa cafe is one of the best you can find. Had lunch here, the salads were great, margaritas creatively mixed, desserts delicious. For anyone visiting this is a must place to stop for a meal while you are browsing the art galleries or boutiques on canyon road.
(5)
Neal S.
Great Lunch. Nice trout with rice & veggies. Beautiful patio to enjoy lunch. Allie our server was delightful
(5)
Wendy Z.
Used to w my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe until tonight ! Omg! The worst experience EVER! Bartender, Cody, beyond rude and bad attitude . Owner a complete out of control psychopath! Mitch the maitre'd who was just there Sunday is gone and best bartender, Tommy wasn't there. NIGHTMARE ! I wouldn't step foot in there to save my life!
(5)
Gerald F.
I've been eating here for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Last night the pasta/shrimp special and the swordfish special were outstanding. Service and atmosphere compliment the total dining experience.
(5)
Jennifer C.
I visit Santa Fe a few times a year and have been to Santacafe a few times. Yesterday I recommended we eat there for dinner and oh my, what a let down and frankly a little embarrassing. Two of us ordered the rib eye dinner with Pomme frites. The steak was very thin, very fatty and grisly. The Pomme frites were thin straws and extremely greasy. A bad meal. And now I'm subject to teasing from my dinner companions on my poor choice.
(2)
Arbor D.
Attentive service on a busy Saturday night. Sat indoors to avoid the rain and lucked out by having the x- bar guy as our waiter. Informed discussion of available wines - some not on the printed list. Very good food - steaks; beet salad; bisque. Minor quibble: why serve matchstick fries that can't be eaten with a fork?
(5)
Sharon F.
Disappointed...
(1)
Simon C.
Had a delightful lunch here in the very pleasant courtyard. Ally served us with just enough attention and lots of good humour. My partner had the pasta special - a perfect light linguini - and I had a lovey fresh chicken salad. All topped off with a cry good bottle of Sancerre. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)
Ivan V.
Chef Fernando Ruiz will tickle your taste buds at The Santa Cafe!!! I own The Reel Life here in Santa Fe, and when it comes to recommendations for my clients this place is at the TOP! The most amazing food I have put my lips around here in town.
(5)
Erica L.
I had a lovely dinner on the nicely shaded patio under a fancy tent with white Christmas lights. Both of my dishes were well executed, beautiful, elegant, and unique takes on standard dishes: arugula salad with a lightly breaded and fried disk of goat cheese, and grilled peaches; and lamb chops over a bed of dill and yoghurt dipped cucumber slices, and snap peas. It was a fabulous, refined dining experience. I'm a little surprised to see all the mediocre reviews, but perhaps I simply caught it on a great night. Prices are steep, at $20-35 for most entrees. The ribeye is quite large ( though thin) and the lamb is small considering the price. Still, I'd return for a special occasion. And finally, there appears to be a deep well covered over in glass on the floor inside which made me feel like I was above ancient roman ruins.
(4)
Bike Chaplain O.
Somewhat disappointing. A nice patio restaurant. The four of us mixed it up. One had a margarita, she did not like it. Too tart and tequila had an off taste. It was redone, not much better. The rest of the party had wine and an espresso martini which were good. For food, the curry chicken salad and bacon, lettuce and tomato was enjoyed. The lobster roll and pome frites, was not so good. At $20 you would expect better. The lobster roll, lacked lobster and flavor. The little bit of lobster, was small bits of leg meat. The potato sticks were very dry and off putting. It was sad. The dessert of chocolate mouse was very good. Our waitress, though sweet, seemed inattentive, she forgot to get our drinks, until after the meal was delivered. A roller coaster experience. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(3)
Samuel C.
Happy hour alert. Appetizers half off and $5 house wine. Nice patio. The calamari might be the best in town.
(4)
Rachel B.
We had a dinner here to celebrate my moms 80th birthday. We worked with their private dining because we had a large party and wanted to have a smaller menu to ensure prompt service. While at first, it seemed like we would have decent choices and work for the two Celiac family members, it quickly devolved when Judith refused to make any changes to the appetizers and told us that those people could just not eat the appetizers. At $75/person that wasn't an option for us. She did accommodate us with a smaller, cheaper menu so will give credit for that but as we realized at the restaurant, the choices were cheap and not that great. Overall, the restaurant was a nice experience - beautiful patio seating. Beyond that, the service was weak and food only so-so. To begin with, instead of seating us all together as we had requested, they put us at two tables and combined when we requested. When we were seated, I asked the woman who sat us for a wine list and two orders of the calamari. She responded that she was not our server and therefore unable to help us. Not a great start. Later when we needed an extra set of silverware, she made a point to explain to my 80 year old mother that it was our fault for moving the tables around that we didn't have silverware. Proper response would be to just give us another set of silverware without comment. And perhaps the most glaring service issue was the actual birthday cake delivery. They served desserts to everyone at the table and five minutes later brought over my moms so we could sing happy birthday. Shouldn't the birthday girl be first? Would not recommend for group dining.
(2)
Carter C.
Very sad. Recommended by a friend. Service was as bad as I've ever had. Waited for waitress to take drink orders, to bring drinks, to take order for food, got our main course after about an hour and a half. No appetizers. The food was ok, but almost anything would have tasted good after waiting so long. Tried to bring appetizers after we finished but I was so angry I wouldn't have enjoyed them. Very pleasant and a little apologetic but I am not appeased by waitress telling me the manager overbooked. Certainly not the place to go if you only have one night in Santa Fe.
(1)
Michael C.
Ouch.... We were a bit early for our 7:30 reservation, so hostess offered a seat at the bar. Took maybe 5 minutes to be acknowledged by the tinder, and then another 10 minutes before drinks were served. Moreover she was talking out loud about the slam of orders, lack of support, and was generally grumpy. My date said 'hope this doesn't portend the evening'. We barely had time to sip when we were seated. We we're approaching quickly by the busser but were already halfway through our drinks when finally approached by the server. Without even looking at the table she asked can I get you something from the bar? 'No', we already have drinks. Meal finally came but MR steak was cooked MW, so had to go back. Other entree was terrible, so asked to replace it with an alternate. Second round of drinks never came. Bill was incorrect so had to be re-run. Ouch. Never going back (and we live in Santa Fe)
(1)
Napa G.
After a fun walk around canyon road, made my way to SantaCafe for lunch. Service and food top notch. The server was engaging and knowledgeable about the food. Great experience.
(5)
Gail K.
We have it two stars because the calamari with the lime sauce and the hamburger dinner was very good. But my husband had the Ribeye and he could not eat it. He ate only 10% then had the rest taken away. He said it was the worst Ribeye he ever had. $28 down the drain. The service was excellent. Excellent.
(2)
Clare M.
I've always loved eating at the bar. The patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a meal on a beautiful Santa Fe day. The food is always good but unfortunately, the menu hasn't changed in about 2 decades. Can we switch it up a bit, please? I will continue to go there and continue to enjoy it, but wish I'd be surprised more often by new items on the menu.
(4)
Bob H.
The Santacafe in Santa Fe, NM is well worth finding. It is in a residential neighborhood. The food and service were both excellent, as was the service. They had several specials in addition to the menu. They also have a full service bar and pour a good drink. The well in front of the bar is about 30 feet deep, well lit, and covered with plexiglass so you can see to the bottom. When the house was built in the mid-to-late 1800s this well was used for water. The water table has since dropped and the well stays dry. I would return to Santacafe and recommend it.
(4)
Sheba G.
Calamari and soft shell crab to start with a glass of sav blanc! Friendly staff & great service! Osso Bucco, ribeye, filet Minon, mashed potatoes, carrots and homemade pasta were all cooked to perfection! The 'AWARD WINNING" dessert was spectacular!
(5)
Lindsay N.
Food special was delicious! Very pretentious tho:( Calamari came room temp so I bet it was better hot. Tuna was amazing. St. Patty's Day special was unique and tasty. Green ravioli stuffed with corn beef and cabbage with a mustard sauce.
(4)
Peggy R.
We had a lovely lunch! There were 3 of us and we all had something different and each of us were very happy (it was a little while ago and I can't remember what we had just that we all enjoyed ourselves!).
(4)
Nicholas N.
Still one oft favorite places to visit in Santa fe so much I miss this area. I need to head back.
(5)
Arun B.
I guess all good things must end -- or maybe our tastes have evolved but the restaurant hasn't? It had been a few years since last visit, but remember it very well and had it on my must list for a recent trip. Unfortunately, we both found the food pretty bland and, frankly, just trying a bit too hard to be interesting/innovative (the number of ingredients in each dish reminded us of a cooking challenge more than a high-end restaurant). The resulting food was just kind of a mess to eat, although the descriptions read well. Service was fine and friendly, but SUPER rushed. They clearly wanted to move you in and out. I'm not joking that our first plates took under 2 minutes from order to table (either pre-made or a sign). And they made a point of telling us twice that the kitchen would close soon (but had no problem taking an 8pm reservation). We barely had time for a round of drinks, wine, appetizer, main, dessert. It was a sprint, which what I expect for lunch not dinner. Prices also far too high for this quality of food. Glad we went as it is a well known spot in town, but I won't be going back on my next visit. All in all, it just felt dated and like it was coasting off the tourist trade. Steak was ok, brussells sprouts were undercooked, green chili mash fantastic. Quinoa relleno underseasoned and on the menu in 2004.
(2)
Richard T.
A long time favorite of ours, Santacafe seems to be in decline. It used to be creative with slight Southwest and Asian touches. My Chilli Relleno was tasteless and unseasoned; the pork oso bucco was a shabby stew; the salmon was overcooked and our server told the guest who ordered steak not to order rare, but that medium would be better because the meat was fatty. The wine I ordered was not available, and an aggressive employee pushed an Argentinian wine on us that tasted like fruit punch. Not in the same ballpark with the wine I ordered. Alas. Many fine things are fleeting.
(2)
D A P.
I was treated to dinner here by a long time resident. It's a beautiful restaurant with fancy food and excellent wine choices. Every thing is NM white. Inside, the restaurant consists of a few small rooms. Service was great too. When walking thru the bar to the restrooms, I walked on a glass floor that covers an old deep well. Strange feeling.
(4)
Steve B.
Great place for a "ladies lunch." The setting is the courtyard of the home of an early prominent citizen of Santa Fe. The waiters are charming and the menu has lots of salads and light dishes. It is a little pricey, but you'll enjoy the quiet ambiance.
(4)
Chris A.
I make a trip to Santa Fe every couple of years and have been to the Santacafe many times. The last visit got me thinking a little about how close it is to be a top notch restaurant, and how little things keep it more in the middle of the pack than it might otherwise deserve. A visit this week is a great example. The ambiance is amazing, one of the best patios in town. Huge. Quaint. Well-shaded. Heated in when necessary. The dining room is charming as well, but being outside is the place to be. The food is solid too, if not particularly imaginative. Our party of four enjoyed mussels, the signature shrimp dumplings, salads, and a host of entrees including a chicken dish (not at all unlike a piccata), grilled lamb, and vegetarian chili rellanos. Everything was well prepared and flavorful. So far so good. But little things hold it back. A very limited and unnecessarily expensive wine list that makes finding the right selections difficult. On this particular visit, it was challenging to find a rose -- and this in a climate and menu that begs for pink wine. But a dearth of selection. Light bodied reds, also perfect for the menu and climate, are in short supply, particularly at more moderate price points. The biggest issue, however is inconsistent service. On this most recent visit, our waiter was terse, arrogant, visibly irritated by the little inconveniences one in his position must endure on a daily basis (people still locked in conversation when he first arrives at the table, and not having made decisions - drinks, wine, food - on a schedule that mirrors his own), and generally inattentive. In a small city with a really credible food culture and, more so, at a restaurant that receives pretty consistently positive reviews, I have to say that I expect more. A really great dining experience requires that a restaurant deliver consistently solid performance with regard to its food, service and atmosphere. Hitting on one or two of the three just doesn't seem like quite enough for a place that generally receives such high praise.
(3)
Claudia C.
We were very disappointed in the service one evening this week. Our waiter was hurried, said he had to talk to the manager when we wanted to remove one item from our order. The ceviche was off and the chef was very kind, offered a replacement which was declined by our friend. The chef then said "dessert will be coming" but we were then charged for dessert. The waiter tossed the dessert menus on the table while two members of our party were still eating and brought the bill well before we were finished as if he could not wait for us to go away. All in all it was a most irritating experience.
Excellent spot for brunch or for a "power lunch". I had the omelet, which was delicious, and convinced the chef to throw a little green chile in for some New Mexican flavor. The onion ring stack is a must add.
(5)
Gwynedd D.
The Santacafe is a fave locale for Santa Fe residents, celebrities (who somehow eat there concealed in what must be a secret dining room) and visitors to this extraordinary city. However, it's possibly living on its reputation and the lunch crowd was definitely over-70, which despite that fact that I'm climbing up to that lofty age, is a sign to me of probably mediocre flavor in food. What happens to our taste buds as we get older? The main attraction here, to me, is the very pleasant courtyard with its Old World flavor and Santa Fe charm. We started with gazpacho with lime cream. The gazpacho had Thai bird chilis and was a tad spicy but it made you want to eat another, and another, then another spoonful. The lime cream? Why bother. It was a silly drizzle on the top and had absolutely no essence of lime. There was merely enough to look like a bird hit the soup, not enough to make a difference. I'd say, lay it on or leave it off. We then had salmon with zucchini risotto. The salmon was perfectly cooked but simply (not even) seasoned. The risotto was gritty, heavy, and the veg was overcooked and buried here and about the risotto in its cement-like mass. And there was too much of it. The dessert (creme brulee) was in too deep a ceramic dish, had a crust like a plate glass window and no subtlety of vanilla bean or any other flavoring. I've had this all over Europe and it's supposed to have a thin, ice-like crust that shatters with the tap of a spoon, and the texture should be lush but delicate. This was too much like a vanilla puddin' cup. The service was friendly but rushed. The entree was pushed onto the table as we were spooning up the last of the soup. Nothing says "eat up, folks, we want two seatings at lunch" like a rushed service. This isn't the Golden Corral. In short, ok food except for that inedible risotto but you get a delightful courtyard. So, you're paying for the ambience and you might get a good meal, too, once in a while.
(3)
Jennie B.
The food is A-OK. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner last week. From the steak, calamari (where the dipping sauce always makes the dish go from good to amazing), cutlet, mussels, stuffed poblano, etc. all were very well prepared and tasty. My beef comes with the seating and placement of our table. Everytime I go here, I think it's safe to say, since I go with a group that always includes my 5 year old kid, I get placed all the way in the back, in a corner, by the drink station, far-far-far-away from anything remotely interesting going on in the patio. Little does Santacafe know, that my child is THE BEST BEHAVED little girl, any restaurant has ever seen. However, this is the pattern for Santacafe. Next time, I will think twice about coming here with my kid. There are plenty of other restaurants in this town that are happy to seat a table of 5 in the middle of the action.
What's the rush!? I live in Santa Fe and enjoy having lunch and dinner outside during the summer. The last few times I have been there we have been rushed. At dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us to get our order in since the kitchen was small. It was not that crowded at 6:30? I hesitated to do this since at a previous lunch our food arrived prior to our drink order. Another time when we tried to pace our waiter who seemed irritated so we ordered app's and lunch at the same time and entrees arrived when we had not finished our appetizers. Crazy! It seems like they have a goal to turn as many tables as possible. If so, they will loose consistent customers like me. I want to go out to dinner and relax. Santacafe is not a diner!
(3)
Linda R.
I ate here in October and have eaten in the past a couple of years ago. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Santa fe and this although ok is uninspired and the service polite but edge of arrogance. I had iceberg lettuce with green goddess and lobster salad. No care to the presentation, the lettuce not as cold or crisp as you would hope and the dressing nearly tasteless. My husbands salad was the same and the chicken dry and probably yesterday. It is a lovely setting, but in the same areas competition with much better food. The La Fonda restaurant is much better , pretty setting and consistently fresh and well prepared food. La casa Sena outdoor at lunch another pretty venue with consistently good lunch selections and both have better service. There are also terrific other places, but if you are visiting for the first time and another place to go these 2 and frankly the food trucks provide better food.
(3)
Nick S.
I'm starting to be over it here. It's about attitude, which seems a little arrogant. If you don't call for a reservation they will punish you, even with empty tables on the patio, and give you the worst table that is still "technically the patio". Btw, those preferred tables sat empty through our whole lunch. Maybe they should make themselves more available on Open Table, they obviously don't want to give up the buck for the convenience to the customer. Also, kitchen inflexible, my worst gripe. It's one thing to want something weird, but to take French fries from item A and put them on your item B instead of potato salad, seems a bit arrogant. The waiter"made it happen", but frankly the customer shouldn't be put thru the "ask". So now it's just another pricey outdoor, and nice one however, patio restaurant. They seem to cater to the Santa Fe elite, so they can have them instead of me. I can afford to eat anywhere, I believe that I'm ready for another patio choice.
(3)
Alison Bly S.
We've dined here every visit to Santa Fe, but it has been at least 10 years till our recent visit, so we weren't sure what to expect. We at there on our first night, which was a busy Saturday night, and we were disappointed to learn that the filet entree was sold out and that they had run out of their signature chile mashed potatoes--how that can happen, I don't understand! (We have their cookbook, and make this excellent yet simple dish ourselves all the time.) Still, the meal was up to the standard of past experiences. The welcome & initial service seemed a bit rushed, but the place was totally jam-packed. We decided to return for our final night, a Thursday, and it was a far more relaxed experience--and we got our chile mashed potatoes & filet after all!
(4)
Ellen M.
This was my first time here in ages and was not disappointed. Went for lunch with a friend. It was busy but pretty mellow. We both had the chicken salad which was delicious, the best I have ever had in a restaurant. It's a fairly large portion served on a bed of fresh spring lettuce with tomatoes and avocado slices. Very reasonably priced. The service was superb and even though we were there for almost 2 hours no one rushed us.
(5)
Adam Issac W.
I live in Santa Fe. This is the only restaurant in town with a bad attitude. I've been here 6 times for lunch and dinner. The food is overpriced; the service is miserable; and the entire staff is stuck up! Don't waste another dime here! I won't. Avoid at all cost!
(1)
steve d.
This is a review of a recent lunch. As noted the ambiance is very pleasant. We sat outside and took in the view of the downtown business diners and tourists. Service was efficient and unpretentious. The onion rings were fresh and ample and the ketchup very tasty. The salmon was just ok. The green salad with green goddess dressing, peas and lobster salad topping was also ok. The greens were crisp and flavorful, the dressing so so and the lobster did not taste bright sweet and fresh. This is our second lunch there in several months and both meals have been nothing special. By the way if you want nicely cooked salmon go to The Ranch House.
Came here as the last stop on a Santa Fe Cooking School's restaurant walking tour. I am still dreaming about the lemon-coconut tarte! It was accompanied by a very nice champagne! The story around the well was very interesting. Three stars only because did not have a full meal here. Will definately come here next trip down.
(3)
Phil K.
This has been a long time favorite restaurant of mine in Santa Fe. Unfortunately the quality of food and service is inconsistent. My wife and I had dinner there with friends last week. Cocktails were a disappointment and so was dinner. The food was just okay--not the caliber of meals we had there during previous visits. Steaks were over cooked, salad was limp and lacked flavor, and side dishes tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. Desert was the highlight of the meal. Next time we plan a special night out we will more than likely try another local eatery.
We came here for dinner when we first moved to town. I really like the dining area but it is pretty quiet. I could not come here with my girlfriends! However, they had great service and good food. I agree with other Yelpers about the nice ambiance. It is very comfortable and not too snotty. I do want to hang out at the bar sometime since it was cute. This is American cuisine and you can get the typical pork chop, chicken, steak, etc.
(4)
Pam L.
Have been trying this establishment for the past three years and still can't see what the hype is about. The service was slow even for Santa Fe standards and lacked in customer service. The caprese salad was bland and lacked good acid notes. The mozzarella tasted like it had been soaked in water for a week. The beef tenderloin was soaked in some type of sweet liquid that distracted from its natural flavor. Trying to reinvent a classic dish with unrealistic flavors pretty much takes the classic out of it. The coffee ice cream dessert tasted like it had been in the freezer for a year. The only saving grace was the soft shell crap. I guess it was good only because it had to be served fresh. I think I am over trying to find good food in this establishment.
(2)
Jen G.
We really enjoyed dinner here. There is a lot of staff, so there is someone always refilling your water. They were also super friendly. The patio area was nice. But there were lots of flies, which made for an annoying 10 min when the flies were bothering us. We really liked the food. The spring rolls were good. I really liked the quinoa filled chile relleno. The sauce was really great. The chicken was surprising good, too. It had a ton of flavor. And the house made sorbets were great.
(4)
Jes Z.
I think the Santacafe Patio is a "must do" in Santa Fe. So relaxing...I was worried the place had gone downhill after my Christmas Day entree arrived, tough as a shoe insert instead of fish, but this week the place was redeemed in my mind. I had the "sherried chicken salad " for lunch, and had no idea that chicken salad could possibly taste this good?! HOLY Cow...(or coyote) what do they do to it? Some people think the place is a bit snotty ...and yes, I did see a well known actress on the patio with her obligatory African baby, but still, its a wonderful place to relax and have a quiet meal.
(4)
Garen M.
We had a wonderful dinner and excellent service here. Fairly pricey, but you have to pay for a quality meal with quality service.
(4)
Stephane M.
Real bad attitude. I get there at 2h05. I say good afternoon and some lady answer by a question ( are you looking for the restroom ?) then I say that I would like to have lunch and someone else is telling me that they don't serve after 2pm. Great way to stay away...
(1)
Kathy M.
Been a fan of Santa Cafe since it opened. When we are in SF we always have a meal here. I have been away for about 8 years but we were in SF for Xmas 2012 and decided to have dinner. My family of 3 had a reservation and we arrived early on a Sat night. We were seated at the worst possible table: tucked into a room that should have 5 tables but has 7, my husband's back against a flimsy screen to keep the kitchen noises/lights at bay. Didn't work. I was seated so I could see the tired bus boy lurking and checking his phone in the doorway of the kitchen. Said bus boy spilled a tray of water and wine glasses, getting water over a patron's coat. The diner was actually gracious about it, but we noticed that more than half of the broken glass was left under foot. Thank God it was winter: if a woman with a sandals or open-toed shoes was sitting there, she'd be getting stitches. So we were pissed to be shunted into this ridiculous corner. It's not like we didn't have a reservation.... Appetizer was an Asian-influeced shrimp dumpling, which was delicious but cold. Wine was good but expensive! I had the steak and country mashed potatoes. Meh. This is where I first had wasabi mashed potatoes, and loved them. These new 'country' potatoes were boring. I am not sure I'd go back. Really nothing special anymore. Obviously, reading these reviews, it is hit or miss. I can't say enough about the exciting and delicious food at Cafe Pasquale in SF. It is hard to get into but much more satisfying, even if you have to share a table in its cramped one-room dining room. I still liked the Santa Cafe decor but, really, pushing in so many tables to little rooms is just annoying. We should've refused the table, but I had my 15-year-old with me and she was hungry. I spent my meal feeling irritated and worried the busy boy would spill coffee on me! Please, manager, don't let your place go downhill; do something now to reinstate the place to its former glory! I would like to enjoy my meal at Santa Cafe again!
(2)
Jim J.
Santacafe used to be our favorite SF restaurant. Until they tried to seat us on the patio in the rain. We had made reservations for 5:30 and arrived on time. The parking lot and restaurant were completely empty. They refused to seat us inside away from the rain. The hostess was extremely rude. We walked out and went across the street to Osteria Restaurant and had a wonderful meal with excellent service. They were happy to seat us even on a weekend with no reservation. So long, Santacafe. There are 200 good restaurants in SF.
(1)
Will F.
Sat at counter, intending to have complete dinner. Ordered appetizers - shrimp tempura with sweet/hot chile sauce and crab/scallop cake with chipotle Cream dressing. Crab was mealy - not fresh! Dressing more like mayo. Shrimp fresh, tempura batter not to heavy but sauce sweet like sugar yuch! Cut our losses and moved on
(2)
George W.
Excellent in every way. Try the chilli relents------it's the best
(5)
Heidi G.
Best in town. It's pricey, but SOOOO worth it. The food is amazing and the service is superb...like nothing in New Mexico. By far the best restaurant in town and for that matter, the entire state. Promise, you'll be impressed and you'll be back!
(5)
Katy B.
Great Atmosphere. Great Patio.They make their own bread,ketchups etc..., fresh and tasty... The staff was really friendly and professional.. will definitely be going back!
(4)
Susan L.
We were reluctant to go to Santacafe based on friends' experiences but their outdoor courtyard looked inviting so we bit the bullet, hoping for the best. The atmosphere can only be described as frenetic, glitzy, snobbish with a distinct "LA vibe". While waiting almost 15 minutes for drinks to arrive, we noticed other tables receiving complementary starters, "amuse bouche". We were not served any and later discovered they were only given to preferred guests by the the maitre d. This was an immediate turnoff. My chicken dish was at best mediocre while my husband's fish was good. Food-wise it was just very average. The bottom line is save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)
Zach N.
Consistently good New Mexican food. Blue corn pancakes are not to miss. Great happy hour specials. Pies and cakes to take home. Also a good selection of non Mexican dishes. Price could be a bit lower, but the location demands a premium.
(4)
sarah b.
Excellent food, attentive service, with an understated elegant decor. This offers a great alternative to a lot of the Southwestern fare in Santa Fe. We ordered the shrimp appetizer(per our servers recommendation), lightly battered and flash fried with a hot asian sauce. Spinach salad with goat cheese with nice light sweet dressing, goat cheese, pomegranite and apple, and for entrees salmon with leek risotto, perfectly cooked and the stuffed pepper. We were pleased with everything down to the wine recommendations. And we LOVEd the children's pasta. We arrived early with our two-year old and did find it odd that we were seated in a small room right next to two other tables in a near-empty restaurant. And the restaurant is pretty quiet so not a great choice for very young children, but we were very pleased with the overall experience and would gladly return.
(4)
Julia F.
As a local, I was a little wary of this place because had heard it was expensive and I had seen some bad reviews online, but my boss took me there for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I was blown away. The food was some of the best I've ever had - you know, when it's so good you don't even care what you're eating. I also ordered desert (the chocolate mousse - I HIGHLY recommend it) and it looked so beautiful I almost didn't want to eat it. Very glad I did though, because it was exceptional. They even put a little birthday candle in it for me! The waiters were incredibly nice and were careful to give us time to talk and finish our food, and even wrapped up our leftover food for us (which I always think is a nice touch). The food was a little pricey, but I could only eat about half of my entree (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and half of my dessert, so I basically got two meals out of it. The restaurant if beautiful, clean, classy, and there's a huge well in the floor by the bar that has to be seen! You'll see what I'm talking about. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe, and I can't wait to return.
(5)
Lauren E.
The pros: - Very nice ambiance - We were seated right away - Delicious cream of potato and Swiss chard soup - Good bread - Very good Reuben sandwich - Had a great selection on the menu, which changes every few days The cons: - Our server was a bit off and unfriendly - The French fries with the Reuben would have been great if they were a bit less mushy - One of the "classic" items, the shitake and cactus spring rolls turned out to be disappointing. There were hardly any shitakes, and the rolls were very crispy. Not very appealing to the taste buds
(3)
Momo O.
DINING UNDER THE STARS. The patio area in this restaurant is so cute! At night, under the sparkly lights, you feel like you're dining directly under the stars. I had the calamari and salad here -- which were both VERY delicious.. salad was sophisticated with bacon wrapped asparagus, perfect home-made vinaigrette, and goat cheese. The calamari was fresh, crisp and the best part was the house dipping sauce -- super garlic-y and a little spicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back next since I was only in NM for vacation, but had a lovely time dining here.
(4)
Candace C.
Arrived early on Thursday and was seated in a front room. Two parties were seated directly to each side of us, despite plenty of room. I always wonder why restaurants do this!!! The calamari was nicely done, but the dipping sauce is a loser. I had the relleno - pretty good. My husband had the lamb chops and proclaimed them totally fabulous. Best of all was the chocolate mousse. Wine was very expensive . Service was adequate.
(3)
Heidi T.
Very comfortable setting, great food, reasonable prices, and EXCELLENT service!! The calamari appetizer is a must-eat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sauce is perfect for dipping.
(5)
F. P.
The food here is excellent quality and some of the dishes were stellar when we came here for dinner. Started off with the shiitake and cactus spring rolls with southwestern ponzu. The rolls were flaky but the flavor was a bit bland (prob because it was vegetarian and was missing the umami of meat-filled rolls). The arugula salad with red plums, beets and goat cheese was excellent. Fresh, light dish (which was a nice change from the hearty food I'd been eating ever since I got to New Mexico). But the standouts were the entrees. I had the roasted poblano chile relleno stuffed with 3-mushroom quinoa, which was out of this world! The relleno was placed on a plate surrounded by an orange chipotle cream sauce that was rich and coated the dish so nicely. I also had a couple of bites of the daily special, which was a pork chop dressed with a sweet fruit glaze and accompanied with autumn veggies (carrots, radish and turnips). Very juicy, a tad sweet, but perfectly cooked. There's a beautiful patio area that would have been great for lunch but not open for dinner (way too cold). Service was attentive and excellent. However, I didn't like the decor. Aside from the requisite Southwestern motif of a horse skull hung on a wall, there was literally not a single item on the bare white walls from any room I could see. Way too stark for me ... almost felt like they had just opened and didn't have time to decorate. But other than the (lack of) decor, I thought the experience here was great.
(4)
eli w.
This is my first review of SantaCafe on Yelp and it unfortunately isn't going to be a very good one. I have been going to SantaCafe for almost 20 years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in the world. And although I no longer live in Santa Fe, I make a point of going SEVERAL times on every trip home. While other restaurants have come and gone, SantaCafe has endured as one of the top restaurants in town - until now, I guess. I don't know what happened to SantaCafe since our last trip here this summer, but from the minute our friends were ignored by the dismissive hostesses, to the 15 minute wait for a drink in an almost empty bar, it just wasn't the same. Gone were the friendly faces, the great service, and the wait for even one seat at the bar. For on what should have been a busy holiday evening, SantaCafe was eerily quiet. The drinks did finally come, were good and served with a friendly smile. Sadly, however, this wasn't enough to keep us from deciding to leave - even though it was snowing and cold outside. So, we called another restaurant (I won't name them here, but they are another downtown Santa Fe institution) and they were not only friendly and welcoming when we told them of our experience, but happy to take a table of 4 without a reservation. Sorry SantaCafe, I hate to say it, but we won't be back for a while. If anyone at SantaCafe reads this... -Do something about your hostesses. Today. Seriously, the dismissive unfriendly duo at the door isn't the face you want to put forward. -I realize that it can be hard to be upbeat and attentive on a slow night, but wow. We were actually joking about the Best Service award on display while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited...
(2)
Chris B.
Was an amazing dinning experience. Wine 5* Food 5* Service 5* HIGHY recommend SantacaFe
(5)
Barb M.
Excellent dinner. Fillet mignon was good and the chile relleno was phenomenal. Service was attentive. Gage the waiter assistant was awesome. Nice outdoor porch seating. Best dinner in Santa Fe so far.
(4)
Zak M.
We went on a sleepy Wednesday night loaded with $200.00 in gift certificates (It was extremely generous for Santa Cafe to give us the gift certificates, they were won through a contest.). The service was decent and the food was good enough. We started off with the calamari, which was a little over done and a four chile flake sauce that was a little bland. If there were four chiles in the sauce, I could barely taste one. We also had the Shrimp & Spinach Dumplings with Tahini peanut sauce which also was okay. I feel like I could have gotten a more exciting dumpling at Jinja. I had the Ribeye Steak with Pommes Frites (shoe string fries) and a Chile Bearnaise sauce of some sort. The steak was decent, well cooked and enjoyable, the fries seemed a little stale and the chile bernaise sauce was a little lackluster in flavor. We had a bottle of Syrah wine and my friends had port after dinner. My friend had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on risotto which was what you'd expect from the dish, nothing too stellar. Another friend had the Fettucini Alfredo with a fancy type of mushrooms, which was rich and as good as good as other places around town. For desert we had a Chocolate mouse molded within a dense chocolate chip wall, which was both delicious and fun to eat. We also had coffee, which was very good quality and a type of chocolate lava cake desert, which was fine. The ambiance of the restaurant was simple, neat and romantic. The service was attentive, however the server wasn't as familiar with the selection of drinks as we would have liked. We asked the server if we could have a virgin pina colada and the server wasn't sure if they made them or not. The restaurant doesn't have a blender, so no frozen drinks were made. Seems like good information for a server to know, but I've made the same mistake as a server when I first started out, but this is a fine dinning establishment. The final bill came out to about $287.00 for three appetizers, four entrees, one bottle of wine, two ports, three deserts and four coffees. In conclusion, If I were loaded or my friends had a billion dollars in Gift Certificates, I might try Santa Cafe again, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed by anything in particular and if you're charging an arm and a leg, thats what your guest should receive. If you're looking for delicious consciously prepared food, made with a ton of heart try the Dish and Spoon on old Santa Fe trail. Not as fru fru, but lip smackingly good. That's where I'd take my girlfriend for a romantic date. You'd probably be more likely to get more bang for your buck there.
(3)
Craig E.
Good food (expensive), rude service. In my experience, this is an expensive place with servers and management that act as though they are doing you a favor by simply letting you in the door, much less giving you a pleasant dining experience. Bad service has happened twice (years apart) and I won't go back because it is obviously a chronic condition in this restaurant.
(2)
christine h.
Other then expensive (like most overpriced tourist focused restaurants here) the service was wonder and the food very good. The outdoor ambiance was nice with no loud over powering music. I ordered the steak and it was nothing special but my table mates we're extremely happy with the snapper and the portobello chili relleno.
(4)
Carlo A.
Being from San Francisco, I can almost picture myself in the Napa or Sonoma Valley sitting in this patio. It's a relaxing, refreshing space, and the food is comforting and delicious. Great wine selection, attentive service, and nice to see that it's mostly locals (both times we went) instead of all tourists. We loved it so much that we had to come back through Santa Fe on the way to ABQ airport from Taos just to have lunch here. Would love to try it for dinner and experience dining under the white lights of the patio.
(4)
Chris C.
Santacafe offers a nice balance of upscale cuisine with Santa Fe casual. We had a relaxing dinner under the stars in their courtyard on our first night in town. Some good food, a smooth wine and a light warm breeze were a great way to start our visit. On the whole, the food was very good (though we wished there were more vegetable options/accompaniments with our meals). Appetizers were solid. Our entrees were very good with one complaint - one member of our party asked for extra broccoli rabe in her dish and only got a single stalk. Dessert was divine here. I would go into specifics but the menu is seasonal and changes based on the chef and the available ingredients. The staff was very friendy. However, our waiter (nice as he was) was nowhere as helpful as the busser who was sweet, efficient and very attentive.
(4)
Andrew T.
Really appreciated the service, but it was trumped by the pork chop - perfect. Great atmosphere, might have been a little under dressed in jeans and collar. One of must haves when in Santa Fe.
(5)
Greg M.
Great patio seating. Lunch menu was very good - lots to choose from. Terrific green chili burger!
(4)
Slav Z.
Divine! The owner is a very nice guy. I could not help myself and complemented their lunch linguini special. Having been a demi chef in my late 20s in London, I know what it means when you work your a..in the kitchen and then quietly wait for the waiter to pop in and say: "they complimented your dish! The owner came out and offered us desserts on the house. My God! Was that heaven! it's been few weeks but if I remember correctly we had, among others: Trio of Housemade Sorbets, and Warm Chocolate Upside-down Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. Dont' you dare miss that place when in Santa Fe!
(5)
Frank G.
superb service, atmosphere, and food. it's a little on the expensive side, but the perfect place for a family or romance. even for a vegetarian.
(5)
Allison H.
Best meal I had in Santa, hands down. Seemed a bit stuffy when I walked in, but the food canceled it out. The outdoor seeting was nice but buggy, and prices were high.
(4)
J K.
This was the first place that we dined at during our visit. We had wanted to love the place but found the food a bit disappointing. I think that it just didn't have the moxie that we were looking for in Southwest cuisine. Its not a good thing when the only super positive thing that my boyfriend had to say was, "at least we didn't pay much for it". Hmmm... not exactly glowing recommendations.
(2)
Edward G.
The Santacafe has a beautiful al fresco dining area that should not be missed; however, be careful ordering from the menu. In fact, do not order the vegetarian chile relleno because it would be a huge disappoint for a vegetarian or anyone else for that matter. The fish entree was slightly overcooked, but otherwise good. This is not a restaurant worthy of fine dining prices. Sometimes the only thing that makes the food palatable is a martini before dinner.
(3)
Food C.
We have been to the Santacafe in the past & were impressed with their food & service. However, that was several years ago, so we decided to go back & give it a try. We were disappointed in the food. It was tasteless and lacked excitement. To start, we ordered the calamari with dipping sauce. The calamari breading had no flavor & the dipping sauce was tasteless. I ordered the greens with lemon & olive oil dressing. The greens were nice, however, there could have been some color or texture added, but it was a nice, bland looking salad - just greens. My husband said his main course tasted mostly of garlic & mine was just bland. On a good note, the service & atmosphere were good.
(2)
Cameron M.
Lovely restaurant with simple, well executed selections and good service. Salad Nicoise was excellent with perfectly prepared tuna.
(4)
Becky O.
Terrible. Service okay. Would not recommend, they have a wonderful patio but doesn't make up for their food. Other than that...smh.
(1)
Tony C.
Decent lunch spot though somewhat overpriced and only adequate service. Seemed to be a lot of power brokers and expense account wonks.
(3)
Meg G.
Appetizer was great but the fish was WAY overcooked. Risotto didn't have much taste. The Filet was cooked nicely but not a great piece of meat. The waitress seemed to have better things to do than wait on us but the support staff was the best thing about our experience. The manager was apologetic and said he wish he knew that the meal was not up to par but without the waitress checking in on you, how is he suppose to know. Many better restaurants in Santa Fe than this.
(2)
Gregg S.
A friend recommended and it did not disappoint. The poblano stuffed with quinoa was excellent and I am not a quinoa fan. No ones meal disappointed and I look forward to returning.
(4)
Dana K.
A cute dining area- it felt somewhat like someone's wedding complete with white tent and white lights. However, they were out of the pinot noir special and weren't able to recommend a comparable bottle. Bummer. The food was decent, but in my opinion overly priced. I had a confusing cold avocado yogurt soup which reminded me of guacamole. I'd skip it and go to Whole Foods instead to buy your own dinner.
(3)
John D.
The stuffed chili is outrageously good - very nice atmosphere and bar area.
(4)
Jeff W.
Santacafe is a 4 star restaurant with issues. Hence, my controversial 3 star rating. I have never in my life had food served so frighteningly fast in a high-end restaurant. Nor in anything short of a sub shop.The place was packed when we came, yet we were sat down almost instantly. Nice. Then the water guy and the waiter came by within 2 minutes tops. Great service. Then we started to see a pattern. Our drinks came in 2 minutes. How did they do that with 150 people in this place? But then our appetizers came in 2 minutes. OK, I'm hungry. I can deal with it. Are these people on Meth? Then before our appetizers were done, our entrees came. How he f#$@ did they do that? It was weird. Naturally it was incredibly tacky. I looked at Jessy and asked if we had been here 10 minutes yet. We weren't sure! We were gasping at this point. We stared at the entrees, and Jessy was smart enough to tell our server it was strange. He was a pro and immediately removed them and told us we would have new entrees whenever we were ready. Nice recovery. How about the food? The Calamari with Chile Dipping Sauce was crisp, actually large for $6, and good. The Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls were very good but with a strikingly Proletariat Olive Garden presentation. What's with the large hunk of red lettuce? Could we try some more interesting greens or skip them? The uninteresting and scattered bread basket was also thrown at us; but then the Santacafe M.O. is speed I guess. The Roasted Poblano Relleno with Quinoa was very good; not as interesting as I might have hoped. But the highly recommended Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Also the servings here are large, but am I the only person here who is _not_ from Texas? Clearly Santacafe can do better. You don't go to a high-end restaurant and order $34 entrees to be rushed out in 45 minutes. Because the place was on steroids, I don't think we were some freak random case. Slow down guys, put a little more attention into the food [given the price], and put a little more attention into your customers. You have a nice restaurant. Focus.
(3)
Mia S.
I came here for a light lunch, and it was great. We sat outdoors, on a nice summer day with a breeze. The waiter was awesome and made some great conversation. Our food took a while to come, but still worth the wait. I had a great salad, and soup, while my husband and sister had something else that they loved as well. Sorry its been a while since i've been there, but I remember it being a delicious place. I would visit this place again when I'm in the area.
(4)
Dan P.
After dining here maybe 6 times over 25 years, I have to say that the birthday dinner here in December was one one of the most "undistinguished" I've had anywhere in a long time. With all the great places to dine in Santa Fe, you can cross this one off your list. I'm sorry to lose one of my favorite restaurants, but I guess nothing lasts forever. Except, of course, Cafe Pasquals. Goodbye Santa Cafe.
(2)
Randy B.
The most consistent quintessential Santa Fe restaurant.
(5)
Brc P.
This has been a favorite of ours for years. Lunch or dinner, consistently excellent. A high end restaurant but always real value for the price. Lovely for special occasions or just a welcoming place when you're hungry. In season the courtyard garden is shaded and out of the wind. The bar is a good location for a quicker meal. Servers always seem to be able to offer good suggestions and the wine list is a winner.
(5)
Mrs M.
Vastly over-rated, and extremely noisy due to Santacafe's bad acoustics. I had a chicken echilada for lunch there once that made me nostalgic for Taco Bell. Now that they have a new chef and a different menu, there's nothing that represents Santa Fe except "red chile onion rings with Judy's catsup". And you might count the burger on which they throw a little green chile. That's as "Santa Fe" style as it gets here. Otherwise, what the lunch menu features is "chipotle" cream added to East Coast and Italian style foods. Anyone who knows Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico cuisine is aware of the fact that jalapenos and chipotles (smoked jalapenos) are Texan and Mexican--not native. And oh, what a pompous description of the place on their web-site. I did have an unforgettable experience there, at one of the many dinners I've suffered at their hands: an inedible, gristly ribeye steak , accompanied by cardboard "cornbread". Why do people accept this sort of rubbish at such high prices? And why is such a pretentious restaurant representing itself with an illiterate on-line menu, which is missing punctuation and misspelling "gorgonzola"? I know I'll be dragged to Santacafe again by well-meaning friends who follow fashion blindly, but really, folks--there's no THERE there!
(2)
Jane G.
Many times, during our annual April trek to Santa Fe, we've enjoyed lunch on the patio or dinner in the dining room at Santa Cafe. This trip, after raving about it to our friends, we arrived for lunch on a cool enough day to want to sit in the sun. Although there were a number of empty tables in the sun, the hostess insisted that we had to sit in the shade. So, we moved on to Zia Diner, where we lunched differently but equally well...on the patio...in the sunshine.
(2)
Jordan N.
Located a couple blocks from the Plaza this restaurant exceed all my hopes for a romantic dinner for two. The outdoor garden was adorable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Everything they recommended was fabulous. And they have a great pre-theater!
(5)
N V.
The first time I ate at SantaCafe it was the new restaurant in town, struggling to get recognition when Coyote Cafe was the darling of the food press. It was great then. In the nearly annual trips to Santa Fe in the intervening 20-something years all but two or three included a trip to SantaCafe. It's still a great meal in a simple, inviting space. Yesterday's visit was the most recent in a long line of good experiences. It's Labor Day weekend, but surprisingly not the mob scene this town can be on summer weekends. That meant a little of the pressure was off of our server and the kitchen and we benefited. Our server was friendly and timely, and incredibly patient with the chili-adverse couple next door. The calamari are a long standing favorite, the arugula salad with grilled peaches a new and wonderful addition, and the rib-eye well prepared (though lacking in the chili-rub seasoning of years past.). The green chili brioche is mouth-wateringly delicious. (I've tried for years to recreate it.) The desserts here have long been worth every calorie. The coffee bean ice cream with piñon crisp and cajeta was just as good as we had hoped. My one criticism: As wonderful as the food is, as many years as I've been going here, as glad as I am to see old favorites on the menu, a little innovation and updating of the menu would go a long way to refreshing a Santa Fe institution. SantaCafe has earned too many laurels to be resting on them.
(4)
Jenny K.
While I can't speak for their daily menu, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving day meal at Santacafe. Portions were generous and considering it was Prix fixe, they offered a lot of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We both enjoyed our wine and every item we tasted and loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I would definitely come back to Santacafe.
(5)
Suburban R.
an oasis of a restaurant near the plaza. incidentally, this used to be ming tsai's kitchen back when... attentive waitstaff serving a decent burger, fried calamari, brunch. i have not eaten here for dinner. i've in one or two occasions experienced snootiness from hostess-- honey plueezeee, i say!. but i understand that she's practicing for the day she arrives in NYC or her lesser cousin, LA ;-)... doubt she'll ever make it there... i prefer to dine in that room off of the entrance overlooking the garden and covered patio [even though they pack the seating and tables ]. regardless, it has a nice soothing light, rendering the the earthen walls of adobe light as clouds. and for a decent inexpensive lunch, santacafe is the old reliable.
(4)
Christie B.
White table linens covered with paper toppers and supplied with crayons, this little treasure in the heart of Santa Fe served a delicious Spinach Nicose with seared Ahi Tuna. Delectable. Lots of local folks, as it's off the beaten path and a little tricky to find; right next to Sotheby's Realty, appropriately. A nice respite and good place to get in out of the snowy and cold day. Coffee was delicious, too.
(4)
laurie c.
One of the best meals we had on our trip. Although more higher end, it is worth every penny. We ate at the bar (hence our earlier post of visiting and being so relaxed and forgetting to make reservations) and for at-the-bar dining, it was one of the best! We enjoyed the crowd, the food was AMAZING and the wines were also delicious. I would actually classify this as moderately priced--the value you get with food, service, decor is a steal!
(5)
Jessy B.
Okay, read jeffrey's review for what happened to us. And then just up the stars to 4. Yes, delivering the entrees to the table before we finished our appetizers is tacky for this level of restaurant. Yes, we did feel incredibly rushed until I called over the waiter and begged him to slow down. and yes, they can do better. But that is what stops them from being a 5 star restaurant. The waiter recovered and comped an appetizer, removed our food immediately and brought us a whole new dinner when we were ready. So, lighten up jeffrey!!! Would I recommend the place - absolutely. But go to La Boca first...
(4)
Amy L.
It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The patio outside where we ate was really nice too. I had the fillet and it pretty much melted in my mouth. I also ordered a side of the green chile mashed potatoes that were fabulous! They had the best green chile bread too! Our waiter was very helpful with the wine list too and recommended the Pinot Gris which now might be my favorite wine! I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Santa Fe!
(5)
Amy E.
We've visited Santa Fe many times over the years, and Santacafe has always been one of our favorite stops. On our most recent trip, we brought my sister, a first-time visitor to Santa Fe. We couldn't wait to take her to Santacafe. From the moment we stepped into the courtyard, this restaurant seemed like a completely different place. It was certainly not the same place we last visited four years ago. The service was TERRIBLE. Apparently, the waitstaff could not figure out who was responsible for our table. We had three different waiters, each of whom seemed to think that our table was someone else's responsibility. We waited half an hour for our drinks after asking for them three times. We finally saw someone with a tray carrying our beverages, only to watch her take them to another table! Our appetizer never arrived. When we pointed out these problems to our waiter, he just walked away, zombie-like! He never apologized. If one person had said they were sorry for neglecting us, we would have accepted their apology gracefully, but no one on the staff seemed to care at all. The food has really gone downhill, too. Everything was bland-- not the high-end food we remembered. We will NEVER go back to this place. It's a shame, because it used to be one of our top choices in town. Next time, we'll skip Santacafe and head over to La Boca instead!
(2)
Morgan E.
I have eaten at the Santa Cafe several times, often with large groups. The service is always impeccable and the food is always good. I can understand why someone might think it is overpriced for the quality - but I have always gone there for lunch and the value for the lunch menu is very very good. I eat lunch here every time I come to town.
(4)
Dolores H.
I thought this place was delicious. The calamari was so good that I almost ordered a second batch. This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and she hyped it up a lot. I have to say I was not at all disappointed in the food. The atmosphere really captures the rustic Santa Fe style with upscale touches. The only downfall is that there are 2 unisex bathrooms and there are always people literally waiting for you to finish like at a gas station...it seems they could use to fix that.
(4)
John D.
The stuffed chili is outrageously good - very nice atmosphere and bar area.
(4)
Linda R.
I ate here in October and have eaten in the past a couple of years ago. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Santa fe and this although ok is uninspired and the service polite but edge of arrogance. I had iceberg lettuce with green goddess and lobster salad. No care to the presentation, the lettuce not as cold or crisp as you would hope and the dressing nearly tasteless. My husbands salad was the same and the chicken dry and probably yesterday. It is a lovely setting, but in the same areas competition with much better food. The La Fonda restaurant is much better , pretty setting and consistently fresh and well prepared food. La casa Sena outdoor at lunch another pretty venue with consistently good lunch selections and both have better service. There are also terrific other places, but if you are visiting for the first time and another place to go these 2 and frankly the food trucks provide better food.
(3)
Debbie T.
While in Santa Fe, I had the chance to sample quite a few restaurants, Compound, Restaurant Martin etc.... this little place stood out. Santa cafe is one of the best you can find. Had lunch here, the salads were great, margaritas creatively mixed, desserts delicious. For anyone visiting this is a must place to stop for a meal while you are browsing the art galleries or boutiques on canyon road.
(5)
Neal S.
Great Lunch. Nice trout with rice & veggies. Beautiful patio to enjoy lunch. Allie our server was delightful
(5)
Erica L.
I had a lovely dinner on the nicely shaded patio under a fancy tent with white Christmas lights. Both of my dishes were well executed, beautiful, elegant, and unique takes on standard dishes: arugula salad with a lightly breaded and fried disk of goat cheese, and grilled peaches; and lamb chops over a bed of dill and yoghurt dipped cucumber slices, and snap peas. It was a fabulous, refined dining experience. I'm a little surprised to see all the mediocre reviews, but perhaps I simply caught it on a great night. Prices are steep, at $20-35 for most entrees. The ribeye is quite large ( though thin) and the lamb is small considering the price. Still, I'd return for a special occasion. And finally, there appears to be a deep well covered over in glass on the floor inside which made me feel like I was above ancient roman ruins.
(4)
Bike Chaplain O.
Somewhat disappointing. A nice patio restaurant. The four of us mixed it up. One had a margarita, she did not like it. Too tart and tequila had an off taste. It was redone, not much better. The rest of the party had wine and an espresso martini which were good. For food, the curry chicken salad and bacon, lettuce and tomato was enjoyed. The lobster roll and pome frites, was not so good. At $20 you would expect better. The lobster roll, lacked lobster and flavor. The little bit of lobster, was small bits of leg meat. The potato sticks were very dry and off putting. It was sad. The dessert of chocolate mouse was very good. Our waitress, though sweet, seemed inattentive, she forgot to get our drinks, until after the meal was delivered. A roller coaster experience. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(3)
Samuel C.
Happy hour alert. Appetizers half off and $5 house wine. Nice patio. The calamari might be the best in town.
(4)
Nicholas N.
Still one oft favorite places to visit in Santa fe so much I miss this area. I need to head back.
(5)
Claudia C.
We were very disappointed in the service one evening this week. Our waiter was hurried, said he had to talk to the manager when we wanted to remove one item from our order. The ceviche was off and the chef was very kind, offered a replacement which was declined by our friend. The chef then said "dessert will be coming" but we were then charged for dessert. The waiter tossed the dessert menus on the table while two members of our party were still eating and brought the bill well before we were finished as if he could not wait for us to go away. All in all it was a most irritating experience.
(2)
Gerald F.
I've been eating here for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Last night the pasta/shrimp special and the swordfish special were outstanding. Service and atmosphere compliment the total dining experience.
(5)
Gwynedd D.
The Santacafe is a fave locale for Santa Fe residents, celebrities (who somehow eat there concealed in what must be a secret dining room) and visitors to this extraordinary city. However, it's possibly living on its reputation and the lunch crowd was definitely over-70, which despite that fact that I'm climbing up to that lofty age, is a sign to me of probably mediocre flavor in food. What happens to our taste buds as we get older? The main attraction here, to me, is the very pleasant courtyard with its Old World flavor and Santa Fe charm. We started with gazpacho with lime cream. The gazpacho had Thai bird chilis and was a tad spicy but it made you want to eat another, and another, then another spoonful. The lime cream? Why bother. It was a silly drizzle on the top and had absolutely no essence of lime. There was merely enough to look like a bird hit the soup, not enough to make a difference. I'd say, lay it on or leave it off. We then had salmon with zucchini risotto. The salmon was perfectly cooked but simply (not even) seasoned. The risotto was gritty, heavy, and the veg was overcooked and buried here and about the risotto in its cement-like mass. And there was too much of it. The dessert (creme brulee) was in too deep a ceramic dish, had a crust like a plate glass window and no subtlety of vanilla bean or any other flavoring. I've had this all over Europe and it's supposed to have a thin, ice-like crust that shatters with the tap of a spoon, and the texture should be lush but delicate. This was too much like a vanilla puddin' cup. The service was friendly but rushed. The entree was pushed onto the table as we were spooning up the last of the soup. Nothing says "eat up, folks, we want two seatings at lunch" like a rushed service. This isn't the Golden Corral. In short, ok food except for that inedible risotto but you get a delightful courtyard. So, you're paying for the ambience and you might get a good meal, too, once in a while.
(3)
Jennie B.
The food is A-OK. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner last week. From the steak, calamari (where the dipping sauce always makes the dish go from good to amazing), cutlet, mussels, stuffed poblano, etc. all were very well prepared and tasty. My beef comes with the seating and placement of our table. Everytime I go here, I think it's safe to say, since I go with a group that always includes my 5 year old kid, I get placed all the way in the back, in a corner, by the drink station, far-far-far-away from anything remotely interesting going on in the patio. Little does Santacafe know, that my child is THE BEST BEHAVED little girl, any restaurant has ever seen. However, this is the pattern for Santacafe. Next time, I will think twice about coming here with my kid. There are plenty of other restaurants in this town that are happy to seat a table of 5 in the middle of the action.
I visit Santa Fe a few times a year and have been to Santacafe a few times. Yesterday I recommended we eat there for dinner and oh my, what a let down and frankly a little embarrassing. Two of us ordered the rib eye dinner with Pomme frites. The steak was very thin, very fatty and grisly. The Pomme frites were thin straws and extremely greasy. A bad meal. And now I'm subject to teasing from my dinner companions on my poor choice.
(2)
Arbor D.
Attentive service on a busy Saturday night. Sat indoors to avoid the rain and lucked out by having the x- bar guy as our waiter. Informed discussion of available wines - some not on the printed list. Very good food - steaks; beet salad; bisque. Minor quibble: why serve matchstick fries that can't be eaten with a fork?
(5)
Sharon F.
Disappointed...
(1)
Simon C.
Had a delightful lunch here in the very pleasant courtyard. Ally served us with just enough attention and lots of good humour. My partner had the pasta special - a perfect light linguini - and I had a lovey fresh chicken salad. All topped off with a cry good bottle of Sancerre. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)
Ivan V.
Chef Fernando Ruiz will tickle your taste buds at The Santa Cafe!!! I own The Reel Life here in Santa Fe, and when it comes to recommendations for my clients this place is at the TOP! The most amazing food I have put my lips around here in town.
(5)
Rachel B.
We had a dinner here to celebrate my moms 80th birthday. We worked with their private dining because we had a large party and wanted to have a smaller menu to ensure prompt service. While at first, it seemed like we would have decent choices and work for the two Celiac family members, it quickly devolved when Judith refused to make any changes to the appetizers and told us that those people could just not eat the appetizers. At $75/person that wasn't an option for us. She did accommodate us with a smaller, cheaper menu so will give credit for that but as we realized at the restaurant, the choices were cheap and not that great. Overall, the restaurant was a nice experience - beautiful patio seating. Beyond that, the service was weak and food only so-so. To begin with, instead of seating us all together as we had requested, they put us at two tables and combined when we requested. When we were seated, I asked the woman who sat us for a wine list and two orders of the calamari. She responded that she was not our server and therefore unable to help us. Not a great start. Later when we needed an extra set of silverware, she made a point to explain to my 80 year old mother that it was our fault for moving the tables around that we didn't have silverware. Proper response would be to just give us another set of silverware without comment. And perhaps the most glaring service issue was the actual birthday cake delivery. They served desserts to everyone at the table and five minutes later brought over my moms so we could sing happy birthday. Shouldn't the birthday girl be first? Would not recommend for group dining.
(2)
Wendy Z.
Used to w my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe until tonight ! Omg! The worst experience EVER! Bartender, Cody, beyond rude and bad attitude . Owner a complete out of control psychopath! Mitch the maitre'd who was just there Sunday is gone and best bartender, Tommy wasn't there. NIGHTMARE ! I wouldn't step foot in there to save my life!
(5)
Carter C.
Very sad. Recommended by a friend. Service was as bad as I've ever had. Waited for waitress to take drink orders, to bring drinks, to take order for food, got our main course after about an hour and a half. No appetizers. The food was ok, but almost anything would have tasted good after waiting so long. Tried to bring appetizers after we finished but I was so angry I wouldn't have enjoyed them. Very pleasant and a little apologetic but I am not appeased by waitress telling me the manager overbooked. Certainly not the place to go if you only have one night in Santa Fe.
(1)
Ellen M.
This was my first time here in ages and was not disappointed. Went for lunch with a friend. It was busy but pretty mellow. We both had the chicken salad which was delicious, the best I have ever had in a restaurant. It's a fairly large portion served on a bed of fresh spring lettuce with tomatoes and avocado slices. Very reasonably priced. The service was superb and even though we were there for almost 2 hours no one rushed us.
(5)
Michael C.
Ouch.... We were a bit early for our 7:30 reservation, so hostess offered a seat at the bar. Took maybe 5 minutes to be acknowledged by the tinder, and then another 10 minutes before drinks were served. Moreover she was talking out loud about the slam of orders, lack of support, and was generally grumpy. My date said 'hope this doesn't portend the evening'. We barely had time to sip when we were seated. We we're approaching quickly by the busser but were already halfway through our drinks when finally approached by the server. Without even looking at the table she asked can I get you something from the bar? 'No', we already have drinks. Meal finally came but MR steak was cooked MW, so had to go back. Other entree was terrible, so asked to replace it with an alternate. Second round of drinks never came. Bill was incorrect so had to be re-run. Ouch. Never going back (and we live in Santa Fe)
(1)
Napa G.
After a fun walk around canyon road, made my way to SantaCafe for lunch. Service and food top notch. The server was engaging and knowledgeable about the food. Great experience.
(5)
Gail K.
We have it two stars because the calamari with the lime sauce and the hamburger dinner was very good. But my husband had the Ribeye and he could not eat it. He ate only 10% then had the rest taken away. He said it was the worst Ribeye he ever had. $28 down the drain. The service was excellent. Excellent.
(2)
Clare M.
I've always loved eating at the bar. The patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a meal on a beautiful Santa Fe day. The food is always good but unfortunately, the menu hasn't changed in about 2 decades. Can we switch it up a bit, please? I will continue to go there and continue to enjoy it, but wish I'd be surprised more often by new items on the menu.
(4)
Lindsay N.
Food special was delicious! Very pretentious tho:( Calamari came room temp so I bet it was better hot. Tuna was amazing. St. Patty's Day special was unique and tasty. Green ravioli stuffed with corn beef and cabbage with a mustard sauce.
(4)
Peggy R.
We had a lovely lunch! There were 3 of us and we all had something different and each of us were very happy (it was a little while ago and I can't remember what we had just that we all enjoyed ourselves!).
(4)
Arun B.
I guess all good things must end -- or maybe our tastes have evolved but the restaurant hasn't? It had been a few years since last visit, but remember it very well and had it on my must list for a recent trip. Unfortunately, we both found the food pretty bland and, frankly, just trying a bit too hard to be interesting/innovative (the number of ingredients in each dish reminded us of a cooking challenge more than a high-end restaurant). The resulting food was just kind of a mess to eat, although the descriptions read well. Service was fine and friendly, but SUPER rushed. They clearly wanted to move you in and out. I'm not joking that our first plates took under 2 minutes from order to table (either pre-made or a sign). And they made a point of telling us twice that the kitchen would close soon (but had no problem taking an 8pm reservation). We barely had time for a round of drinks, wine, appetizer, main, dessert. It was a sprint, which what I expect for lunch not dinner. Prices also far too high for this quality of food. Glad we went as it is a well known spot in town, but I won't be going back on my next visit. All in all, it just felt dated and like it was coasting off the tourist trade. Steak was ok, brussells sprouts were undercooked, green chili mash fantastic. Quinoa relleno underseasoned and on the menu in 2004.
(2)
Richard T.
A long time favorite of ours, Santacafe seems to be in decline. It used to be creative with slight Southwest and Asian touches. My Chilli Relleno was tasteless and unseasoned; the pork oso bucco was a shabby stew; the salmon was overcooked and our server told the guest who ordered steak not to order rare, but that medium would be better because the meat was fatty. The wine I ordered was not available, and an aggressive employee pushed an Argentinian wine on us that tasted like fruit punch. Not in the same ballpark with the wine I ordered. Alas. Many fine things are fleeting.
(2)
D A P.
I was treated to dinner here by a long time resident. It's a beautiful restaurant with fancy food and excellent wine choices. Every thing is NM white. Inside, the restaurant consists of a few small rooms. Service was great too. When walking thru the bar to the restrooms, I walked on a glass floor that covers an old deep well. Strange feeling.
(4)
Steve B.
Great place for a "ladies lunch." The setting is the courtyard of the home of an early prominent citizen of Santa Fe. The waiters are charming and the menu has lots of salads and light dishes. It is a little pricey, but you'll enjoy the quiet ambiance.
Excellent spot for brunch or for a "power lunch". I had the omelet, which was delicious, and convinced the chef to throw a little green chile in for some New Mexican flavor. The onion ring stack is a must add.
(5)
Chris A.
I make a trip to Santa Fe every couple of years and have been to the Santacafe many times. The last visit got me thinking a little about how close it is to be a top notch restaurant, and how little things keep it more in the middle of the pack than it might otherwise deserve. A visit this week is a great example. The ambiance is amazing, one of the best patios in town. Huge. Quaint. Well-shaded. Heated in when necessary. The dining room is charming as well, but being outside is the place to be. The food is solid too, if not particularly imaginative. Our party of four enjoyed mussels, the signature shrimp dumplings, salads, and a host of entrees including a chicken dish (not at all unlike a piccata), grilled lamb, and vegetarian chili rellanos. Everything was well prepared and flavorful. So far so good. But little things hold it back. A very limited and unnecessarily expensive wine list that makes finding the right selections difficult. On this particular visit, it was challenging to find a rose -- and this in a climate and menu that begs for pink wine. But a dearth of selection. Light bodied reds, also perfect for the menu and climate, are in short supply, particularly at more moderate price points. The biggest issue, however is inconsistent service. On this most recent visit, our waiter was terse, arrogant, visibly irritated by the little inconveniences one in his position must endure on a daily basis (people still locked in conversation when he first arrives at the table, and not having made decisions - drinks, wine, food - on a schedule that mirrors his own), and generally inattentive. In a small city with a really credible food culture and, more so, at a restaurant that receives pretty consistently positive reviews, I have to say that I expect more. A really great dining experience requires that a restaurant deliver consistently solid performance with regard to its food, service and atmosphere. Hitting on one or two of the three just doesn't seem like quite enough for a place that generally receives such high praise.
(3)
Bob H.
The Santacafe in Santa Fe, NM is well worth finding. It is in a residential neighborhood. The food and service were both excellent, as was the service. They had several specials in addition to the menu. They also have a full service bar and pour a good drink. The well in front of the bar is about 30 feet deep, well lit, and covered with plexiglass so you can see to the bottom. When the house was built in the mid-to-late 1800s this well was used for water. The water table has since dropped and the well stays dry. I would return to Santacafe and recommend it.
(4)
Sheba G.
Calamari and soft shell crab to start with a glass of sav blanc! Friendly staff & great service! Osso Bucco, ribeye, filet Minon, mashed potatoes, carrots and homemade pasta were all cooked to perfection! The 'AWARD WINNING" dessert was spectacular!
(5)
Nancy M.
What's the rush!? I live in Santa Fe and enjoy having lunch and dinner outside during the summer. The last few times I have been there we have been rushed. At dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us to get our order in since the kitchen was small. It was not that crowded at 6:30? I hesitated to do this since at a previous lunch our food arrived prior to our drink order. Another time when we tried to pace our waiter who seemed irritated so we ordered app's and lunch at the same time and entrees arrived when we had not finished our appetizers. Crazy! It seems like they have a goal to turn as many tables as possible. If so, they will loose consistent customers like me. I want to go out to dinner and relax. Santacafe is not a diner!
(3)
Chris C.
Santacafe offers a nice balance of upscale cuisine with Santa Fe casual. We had a relaxing dinner under the stars in their courtyard on our first night in town. Some good food, a smooth wine and a light warm breeze were a great way to start our visit. On the whole, the food was very good (though we wished there were more vegetable options/accompaniments with our meals). Appetizers were solid. Our entrees were very good with one complaint - one member of our party asked for extra broccoli rabe in her dish and only got a single stalk. Dessert was divine here. I would go into specifics but the menu is seasonal and changes based on the chef and the available ingredients. The staff was very friendy. However, our waiter (nice as he was) was nowhere as helpful as the busser who was sweet, efficient and very attentive.
(4)
Andrew T.
Really appreciated the service, but it was trumped by the pork chop - perfect. Great atmosphere, might have been a little under dressed in jeans and collar. One of must haves when in Santa Fe.
(5)
Greg M.
Great patio seating. Lunch menu was very good - lots to choose from. Terrific green chili burger!
(4)
Slav Z.
Divine! The owner is a very nice guy. I could not help myself and complemented their lunch linguini special. Having been a demi chef in my late 20s in London, I know what it means when you work your a..in the kitchen and then quietly wait for the waiter to pop in and say: "they complimented your dish! The owner came out and offered us desserts on the house. My God! Was that heaven! it's been few weeks but if I remember correctly we had, among others: Trio of Housemade Sorbets, and Warm Chocolate Upside-down Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. Dont' you dare miss that place when in Santa Fe!
(5)
Frank G.
superb service, atmosphere, and food. it's a little on the expensive side, but the perfect place for a family or romance. even for a vegetarian.
(5)
Allison H.
Best meal I had in Santa, hands down. Seemed a bit stuffy when I walked in, but the food canceled it out. The outdoor seeting was nice but buggy, and prices were high.
(4)
J K.
This was the first place that we dined at during our visit. We had wanted to love the place but found the food a bit disappointing. I think that it just didn't have the moxie that we were looking for in Southwest cuisine. Its not a good thing when the only super positive thing that my boyfriend had to say was, "at least we didn't pay much for it". Hmmm... not exactly glowing recommendations.
(2)
Edward G.
The Santacafe has a beautiful al fresco dining area that should not be missed; however, be careful ordering from the menu. In fact, do not order the vegetarian chile relleno because it would be a huge disappoint for a vegetarian or anyone else for that matter. The fish entree was slightly overcooked, but otherwise good. This is not a restaurant worthy of fine dining prices. Sometimes the only thing that makes the food palatable is a martini before dinner.
(3)
Adam Issac W.
I live in Santa Fe. This is the only restaurant in town with a bad attitude. I've been here 6 times for lunch and dinner. The food is overpriced; the service is miserable; and the entire staff is stuck up! Don't waste another dime here! I won't. Avoid at all cost!
(1)
steve d.
This is a review of a recent lunch. As noted the ambiance is very pleasant. We sat outside and took in the view of the downtown business diners and tourists. Service was efficient and unpretentious. The onion rings were fresh and ample and the ketchup very tasty. The salmon was just ok. The green salad with green goddess dressing, peas and lobster salad topping was also ok. The greens were crisp and flavorful, the dressing so so and the lobster did not taste bright sweet and fresh. This is our second lunch there in several months and both meals have been nothing special. By the way if you want nicely cooked salmon go to The Ranch House.
(3)
Nick S.
I'm starting to be over it here. It's about attitude, which seems a little arrogant. If you don't call for a reservation they will punish you, even with empty tables on the patio, and give you the worst table that is still "technically the patio". Btw, those preferred tables sat empty through our whole lunch. Maybe they should make themselves more available on Open Table, they obviously don't want to give up the buck for the convenience to the customer. Also, kitchen inflexible, my worst gripe. It's one thing to want something weird, but to take French fries from item A and put them on your item B instead of potato salad, seems a bit arrogant. The waiter"made it happen", but frankly the customer shouldn't be put thru the "ask". So now it's just another pricey outdoor, and nice one however, patio restaurant. They seem to cater to the Santa Fe elite, so they can have them instead of me. I can afford to eat anywhere, I believe that I'm ready for another patio choice.
(3)
Alison Bly S.
We've dined here every visit to Santa Fe, but it has been at least 10 years till our recent visit, so we weren't sure what to expect. We at there on our first night, which was a busy Saturday night, and we were disappointed to learn that the filet entree was sold out and that they had run out of their signature chile mashed potatoes--how that can happen, I don't understand! (We have their cookbook, and make this excellent yet simple dish ourselves all the time.) Still, the meal was up to the standard of past experiences. The welcome & initial service seemed a bit rushed, but the place was totally jam-packed. We decided to return for our final night, a Thursday, and it was a far more relaxed experience--and we got our chile mashed potatoes & filet after all!
Came here as the last stop on a Santa Fe Cooking School's restaurant walking tour. I am still dreaming about the lemon-coconut tarte! It was accompanied by a very nice champagne! The story around the well was very interesting. Three stars only because did not have a full meal here. Will definately come here next trip down.
(3)
Phil K.
This has been a long time favorite restaurant of mine in Santa Fe. Unfortunately the quality of food and service is inconsistent. My wife and I had dinner there with friends last week. Cocktails were a disappointment and so was dinner. The food was just okay--not the caliber of meals we had there during previous visits. Steaks were over cooked, salad was limp and lacked flavor, and side dishes tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. Desert was the highlight of the meal. Next time we plan a special night out we will more than likely try another local eatery.
(3)
Jes Z.
I think the Santacafe Patio is a "must do" in Santa Fe. So relaxing...I was worried the place had gone downhill after my Christmas Day entree arrived, tough as a shoe insert instead of fish, but this week the place was redeemed in my mind. I had the "sherried chicken salad " for lunch, and had no idea that chicken salad could possibly taste this good?! HOLY Cow...(or coyote) what do they do to it? Some people think the place is a bit snotty ...and yes, I did see a well known actress on the patio with her obligatory African baby, but still, its a wonderful place to relax and have a quiet meal.
We came here for dinner when we first moved to town. I really like the dining area but it is pretty quiet. I could not come here with my girlfriends! However, they had great service and good food. I agree with other Yelpers about the nice ambiance. It is very comfortable and not too snotty. I do want to hang out at the bar sometime since it was cute. This is American cuisine and you can get the typical pork chop, chicken, steak, etc.
(4)
Pam L.
Have been trying this establishment for the past three years and still can't see what the hype is about. The service was slow even for Santa Fe standards and lacked in customer service. The caprese salad was bland and lacked good acid notes. The mozzarella tasted like it had been soaked in water for a week. The beef tenderloin was soaked in some type of sweet liquid that distracted from its natural flavor. Trying to reinvent a classic dish with unrealistic flavors pretty much takes the classic out of it. The coffee ice cream dessert tasted like it had been in the freezer for a year. The only saving grace was the soft shell crap. I guess it was good only because it had to be served fresh. I think I am over trying to find good food in this establishment.
(2)
Jen G.
We really enjoyed dinner here. There is a lot of staff, so there is someone always refilling your water. They were also super friendly. The patio area was nice. But there were lots of flies, which made for an annoying 10 min when the flies were bothering us. We really liked the food. The spring rolls were good. I really liked the quinoa filled chile relleno. The sauce was really great. The chicken was surprising good, too. It had a ton of flavor. And the house made sorbets were great.
(4)
Garen M.
We had a wonderful dinner and excellent service here. Fairly pricey, but you have to pay for a quality meal with quality service.
(4)
Stephane M.
Real bad attitude. I get there at 2h05. I say good afternoon and some lady answer by a question ( are you looking for the restroom ?) then I say that I would like to have lunch and someone else is telling me that they don't serve after 2pm. Great way to stay away...
(1)
Katy B.
Great Atmosphere. Great Patio.They make their own bread,ketchups etc..., fresh and tasty... The staff was really friendly and professional.. will definitely be going back!
(4)
Susan L.
We were reluctant to go to Santacafe based on friends' experiences but their outdoor courtyard looked inviting so we bit the bullet, hoping for the best. The atmosphere can only be described as frenetic, glitzy, snobbish with a distinct "LA vibe". While waiting almost 15 minutes for drinks to arrive, we noticed other tables receiving complementary starters, "amuse bouche". We were not served any and later discovered they were only given to preferred guests by the the maitre d. This was an immediate turnoff. My chicken dish was at best mediocre while my husband's fish was good. Food-wise it was just very average. The bottom line is save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)
Zach N.
Consistently good New Mexican food. Blue corn pancakes are not to miss. Great happy hour specials. Pies and cakes to take home. Also a good selection of non Mexican dishes. Price could be a bit lower, but the location demands a premium.
(4)
Gregg S.
A friend recommended and it did not disappoint. The poblano stuffed with quinoa was excellent and I am not a quinoa fan. No ones meal disappointed and I look forward to returning.
(4)
Dana K.
A cute dining area- it felt somewhat like someone's wedding complete with white tent and white lights. However, they were out of the pinot noir special and weren't able to recommend a comparable bottle. Bummer. The food was decent, but in my opinion overly priced. I had a confusing cold avocado yogurt soup which reminded me of guacamole. I'd skip it and go to Whole Foods instead to buy your own dinner.
(3)
Jenny K.
While I can't speak for their daily menu, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving day meal at Santacafe. Portions were generous and considering it was Prix fixe, they offered a lot of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We both enjoyed our wine and every item we tasted and loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I would definitely come back to Santacafe.
(5)
Kathy M.
Been a fan of Santa Cafe since it opened. When we are in SF we always have a meal here. I have been away for about 8 years but we were in SF for Xmas 2012 and decided to have dinner. My family of 3 had a reservation and we arrived early on a Sat night. We were seated at the worst possible table: tucked into a room that should have 5 tables but has 7, my husband's back against a flimsy screen to keep the kitchen noises/lights at bay. Didn't work. I was seated so I could see the tired bus boy lurking and checking his phone in the doorway of the kitchen. Said bus boy spilled a tray of water and wine glasses, getting water over a patron's coat. The diner was actually gracious about it, but we noticed that more than half of the broken glass was left under foot. Thank God it was winter: if a woman with a sandals or open-toed shoes was sitting there, she'd be getting stitches. So we were pissed to be shunted into this ridiculous corner. It's not like we didn't have a reservation.... Appetizer was an Asian-influeced shrimp dumpling, which was delicious but cold. Wine was good but expensive! I had the steak and country mashed potatoes. Meh. This is where I first had wasabi mashed potatoes, and loved them. These new 'country' potatoes were boring. I am not sure I'd go back. Really nothing special anymore. Obviously, reading these reviews, it is hit or miss. I can't say enough about the exciting and delicious food at Cafe Pasquale in SF. It is hard to get into but much more satisfying, even if you have to share a table in its cramped one-room dining room. I still liked the Santa Cafe decor but, really, pushing in so many tables to little rooms is just annoying. We should've refused the table, but I had my 15-year-old with me and she was hungry. I spent my meal feeling irritated and worried the busy boy would spill coffee on me! Please, manager, don't let your place go downhill; do something now to reinstate the place to its former glory! I would like to enjoy my meal at Santa Cafe again!
(2)
Jim J.
Santacafe used to be our favorite SF restaurant. Until they tried to seat us on the patio in the rain. We had made reservations for 5:30 and arrived on time. The parking lot and restaurant were completely empty. They refused to seat us inside away from the rain. The hostess was extremely rude. We walked out and went across the street to Osteria Restaurant and had a wonderful meal with excellent service. They were happy to seat us even on a weekend with no reservation. So long, Santacafe. There are 200 good restaurants in SF.
(1)
Will F.
Sat at counter, intending to have complete dinner. Ordered appetizers - shrimp tempura with sweet/hot chile sauce and crab/scallop cake with chipotle Cream dressing. Crab was mealy - not fresh! Dressing more like mayo. Shrimp fresh, tempura batter not to heavy but sauce sweet like sugar yuch! Cut our losses and moved on
(2)
George W.
Excellent in every way. Try the chilli relents------it's the best
(5)
Heidi G.
Best in town. It's pricey, but SOOOO worth it. The food is amazing and the service is superb...like nothing in New Mexico. By far the best restaurant in town and for that matter, the entire state. Promise, you'll be impressed and you'll be back!
(5)
sarah b.
Excellent food, attentive service, with an understated elegant decor. This offers a great alternative to a lot of the Southwestern fare in Santa Fe. We ordered the shrimp appetizer(per our servers recommendation), lightly battered and flash fried with a hot asian sauce. Spinach salad with goat cheese with nice light sweet dressing, goat cheese, pomegranite and apple, and for entrees salmon with leek risotto, perfectly cooked and the stuffed pepper. We were pleased with everything down to the wine recommendations. And we LOVEd the children's pasta. We arrived early with our two-year old and did find it odd that we were seated in a small room right next to two other tables in a near-empty restaurant. And the restaurant is pretty quiet so not a great choice for very young children, but we were very pleased with the overall experience and would gladly return.
(4)
Julia F.
As a local, I was a little wary of this place because had heard it was expensive and I had seen some bad reviews online, but my boss took me there for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I was blown away. The food was some of the best I've ever had - you know, when it's so good you don't even care what you're eating. I also ordered desert (the chocolate mousse - I HIGHLY recommend it) and it looked so beautiful I almost didn't want to eat it. Very glad I did though, because it was exceptional. They even put a little birthday candle in it for me! The waiters were incredibly nice and were careful to give us time to talk and finish our food, and even wrapped up our leftover food for us (which I always think is a nice touch). The food was a little pricey, but I could only eat about half of my entree (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and half of my dessert, so I basically got two meals out of it. The restaurant if beautiful, clean, classy, and there's a huge well in the floor by the bar that has to be seen! You'll see what I'm talking about. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe, and I can't wait to return.
(5)
Lauren E.
The pros: - Very nice ambiance - We were seated right away - Delicious cream of potato and Swiss chard soup - Good bread - Very good Reuben sandwich - Had a great selection on the menu, which changes every few days The cons: - Our server was a bit off and unfriendly - The French fries with the Reuben would have been great if they were a bit less mushy - One of the "classic" items, the shitake and cactus spring rolls turned out to be disappointing. There were hardly any shitakes, and the rolls were very crispy. Not very appealing to the taste buds
(3)
Momo O.
DINING UNDER THE STARS. The patio area in this restaurant is so cute! At night, under the sparkly lights, you feel like you're dining directly under the stars. I had the calamari and salad here -- which were both VERY delicious.. salad was sophisticated with bacon wrapped asparagus, perfect home-made vinaigrette, and goat cheese. The calamari was fresh, crisp and the best part was the house dipping sauce -- super garlic-y and a little spicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back next since I was only in NM for vacation, but had a lovely time dining here.
(4)
F. P.
The food here is excellent quality and some of the dishes were stellar when we came here for dinner. Started off with the shiitake and cactus spring rolls with southwestern ponzu. The rolls were flaky but the flavor was a bit bland (prob because it was vegetarian and was missing the umami of meat-filled rolls). The arugula salad with red plums, beets and goat cheese was excellent. Fresh, light dish (which was a nice change from the hearty food I'd been eating ever since I got to New Mexico). But the standouts were the entrees. I had the roasted poblano chile relleno stuffed with 3-mushroom quinoa, which was out of this world! The relleno was placed on a plate surrounded by an orange chipotle cream sauce that was rich and coated the dish so nicely. I also had a couple of bites of the daily special, which was a pork chop dressed with a sweet fruit glaze and accompanied with autumn veggies (carrots, radish and turnips). Very juicy, a tad sweet, but perfectly cooked. There's a beautiful patio area that would have been great for lunch but not open for dinner (way too cold). Service was attentive and excellent. However, I didn't like the decor. Aside from the requisite Southwestern motif of a horse skull hung on a wall, there was literally not a single item on the bare white walls from any room I could see. Way too stark for me ... almost felt like they had just opened and didn't have time to decorate. But other than the (lack of) decor, I thought the experience here was great.
(4)
Food C.
We have been to the Santacafe in the past & were impressed with their food & service. However, that was several years ago, so we decided to go back & give it a try. We were disappointed in the food. It was tasteless and lacked excitement. To start, we ordered the calamari with dipping sauce. The calamari breading had no flavor & the dipping sauce was tasteless. I ordered the greens with lemon & olive oil dressing. The greens were nice, however, there could have been some color or texture added, but it was a nice, bland looking salad - just greens. My husband said his main course tasted mostly of garlic & mine was just bland. On a good note, the service & atmosphere were good.
(2)
Cameron M.
Lovely restaurant with simple, well executed selections and good service. Salad Nicoise was excellent with perfectly prepared tuna.
(4)
Becky O.
Terrible. Service okay. Would not recommend, they have a wonderful patio but doesn't make up for their food. Other than that...smh.
(1)
Tony C.
Decent lunch spot though somewhat overpriced and only adequate service. Seemed to be a lot of power brokers and expense account wonks.
(3)
Meg G.
Appetizer was great but the fish was WAY overcooked. Risotto didn't have much taste. The Filet was cooked nicely but not a great piece of meat. The waitress seemed to have better things to do than wait on us but the support staff was the best thing about our experience. The manager was apologetic and said he wish he knew that the meal was not up to par but without the waitress checking in on you, how is he suppose to know. Many better restaurants in Santa Fe than this.
(2)
Zak M.
We went on a sleepy Wednesday night loaded with $200.00 in gift certificates (It was extremely generous for Santa Cafe to give us the gift certificates, they were won through a contest.). The service was decent and the food was good enough. We started off with the calamari, which was a little over done and a four chile flake sauce that was a little bland. If there were four chiles in the sauce, I could barely taste one. We also had the Shrimp & Spinach Dumplings with Tahini peanut sauce which also was okay. I feel like I could have gotten a more exciting dumpling at Jinja. I had the Ribeye Steak with Pommes Frites (shoe string fries) and a Chile Bearnaise sauce of some sort. The steak was decent, well cooked and enjoyable, the fries seemed a little stale and the chile bernaise sauce was a little lackluster in flavor. We had a bottle of Syrah wine and my friends had port after dinner. My friend had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on risotto which was what you'd expect from the dish, nothing too stellar. Another friend had the Fettucini Alfredo with a fancy type of mushrooms, which was rich and as good as good as other places around town. For desert we had a Chocolate mouse molded within a dense chocolate chip wall, which was both delicious and fun to eat. We also had coffee, which was very good quality and a type of chocolate lava cake desert, which was fine. The ambiance of the restaurant was simple, neat and romantic. The service was attentive, however the server wasn't as familiar with the selection of drinks as we would have liked. We asked the server if we could have a virgin pina colada and the server wasn't sure if they made them or not. The restaurant doesn't have a blender, so no frozen drinks were made. Seems like good information for a server to know, but I've made the same mistake as a server when I first started out, but this is a fine dinning establishment. The final bill came out to about $287.00 for three appetizers, four entrees, one bottle of wine, two ports, three deserts and four coffees. In conclusion, If I were loaded or my friends had a billion dollars in Gift Certificates, I might try Santa Cafe again, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed by anything in particular and if you're charging an arm and a leg, thats what your guest should receive. If you're looking for delicious consciously prepared food, made with a ton of heart try the Dish and Spoon on old Santa Fe trail. Not as fru fru, but lip smackingly good. That's where I'd take my girlfriend for a romantic date. You'd probably be more likely to get more bang for your buck there.
(3)
Craig E.
Good food (expensive), rude service. In my experience, this is an expensive place with servers and management that act as though they are doing you a favor by simply letting you in the door, much less giving you a pleasant dining experience. Bad service has happened twice (years apart) and I won't go back because it is obviously a chronic condition in this restaurant.
(2)
christine h.
Other then expensive (like most overpriced tourist focused restaurants here) the service was wonder and the food very good. The outdoor ambiance was nice with no loud over powering music. I ordered the steak and it was nothing special but my table mates we're extremely happy with the snapper and the portobello chili relleno.
(4)
eli w.
This is my first review of SantaCafe on Yelp and it unfortunately isn't going to be a very good one. I have been going to SantaCafe for almost 20 years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in the world. And although I no longer live in Santa Fe, I make a point of going SEVERAL times on every trip home. While other restaurants have come and gone, SantaCafe has endured as one of the top restaurants in town - until now, I guess. I don't know what happened to SantaCafe since our last trip here this summer, but from the minute our friends were ignored by the dismissive hostesses, to the 15 minute wait for a drink in an almost empty bar, it just wasn't the same. Gone were the friendly faces, the great service, and the wait for even one seat at the bar. For on what should have been a busy holiday evening, SantaCafe was eerily quiet. The drinks did finally come, were good and served with a friendly smile. Sadly, however, this wasn't enough to keep us from deciding to leave - even though it was snowing and cold outside. So, we called another restaurant (I won't name them here, but they are another downtown Santa Fe institution) and they were not only friendly and welcoming when we told them of our experience, but happy to take a table of 4 without a reservation. Sorry SantaCafe, I hate to say it, but we won't be back for a while. If anyone at SantaCafe reads this... -Do something about your hostesses. Today. Seriously, the dismissive unfriendly duo at the door isn't the face you want to put forward. -I realize that it can be hard to be upbeat and attentive on a slow night, but wow. We were actually joking about the Best Service award on display while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited...
(2)
Chris B.
Was an amazing dinning experience. Wine 5* Food 5* Service 5* HIGHY recommend SantacaFe
(5)
Barb M.
Excellent dinner. Fillet mignon was good and the chile relleno was phenomenal. Service was attentive. Gage the waiter assistant was awesome. Nice outdoor porch seating. Best dinner in Santa Fe so far.
(4)
Candace C.
Arrived early on Thursday and was seated in a front room. Two parties were seated directly to each side of us, despite plenty of room. I always wonder why restaurants do this!!! The calamari was nicely done, but the dipping sauce is a loser. I had the relleno - pretty good. My husband had the lamb chops and proclaimed them totally fabulous. Best of all was the chocolate mousse. Wine was very expensive . Service was adequate.
(3)
Heidi T.
Very comfortable setting, great food, reasonable prices, and EXCELLENT service!! The calamari appetizer is a must-eat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sauce is perfect for dipping.
(5)
Carlo A.
Being from San Francisco, I can almost picture myself in the Napa or Sonoma Valley sitting in this patio. It's a relaxing, refreshing space, and the food is comforting and delicious. Great wine selection, attentive service, and nice to see that it's mostly locals (both times we went) instead of all tourists. We loved it so much that we had to come back through Santa Fe on the way to ABQ airport from Taos just to have lunch here. Would love to try it for dinner and experience dining under the white lights of the patio.
(4)
Jeff W.
Santacafe is a 4 star restaurant with issues. Hence, my controversial 3 star rating. I have never in my life had food served so frighteningly fast in a high-end restaurant. Nor in anything short of a sub shop.The place was packed when we came, yet we were sat down almost instantly. Nice. Then the water guy and the waiter came by within 2 minutes tops. Great service. Then we started to see a pattern. Our drinks came in 2 minutes. How did they do that with 150 people in this place? But then our appetizers came in 2 minutes. OK, I'm hungry. I can deal with it. Are these people on Meth? Then before our appetizers were done, our entrees came. How he f#$@ did they do that? It was weird. Naturally it was incredibly tacky. I looked at Jessy and asked if we had been here 10 minutes yet. We weren't sure! We were gasping at this point. We stared at the entrees, and Jessy was smart enough to tell our server it was strange. He was a pro and immediately removed them and told us we would have new entrees whenever we were ready. Nice recovery. How about the food? The Calamari with Chile Dipping Sauce was crisp, actually large for $6, and good. The Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls were very good but with a strikingly Proletariat Olive Garden presentation. What's with the large hunk of red lettuce? Could we try some more interesting greens or skip them? The uninteresting and scattered bread basket was also thrown at us; but then the Santacafe M.O. is speed I guess. The Roasted Poblano Relleno with Quinoa was very good; not as interesting as I might have hoped. But the highly recommended Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Also the servings here are large, but am I the only person here who is _not_ from Texas? Clearly Santacafe can do better. You don't go to a high-end restaurant and order $34 entrees to be rushed out in 45 minutes. Because the place was on steroids, I don't think we were some freak random case. Slow down guys, put a little more attention into the food [given the price], and put a little more attention into your customers. You have a nice restaurant. Focus.
(3)
Mia S.
I came here for a light lunch, and it was great. We sat outdoors, on a nice summer day with a breeze. The waiter was awesome and made some great conversation. Our food took a while to come, but still worth the wait. I had a great salad, and soup, while my husband and sister had something else that they loved as well. Sorry its been a while since i've been there, but I remember it being a delicious place. I would visit this place again when I'm in the area.
(4)
Dan P.
After dining here maybe 6 times over 25 years, I have to say that the birthday dinner here in December was one one of the most "undistinguished" I've had anywhere in a long time. With all the great places to dine in Santa Fe, you can cross this one off your list. I'm sorry to lose one of my favorite restaurants, but I guess nothing lasts forever. Except, of course, Cafe Pasquals. Goodbye Santa Cafe.
(2)
Randy B.
The most consistent quintessential Santa Fe restaurant.
(5)
Brc P.
This has been a favorite of ours for years. Lunch or dinner, consistently excellent. A high end restaurant but always real value for the price. Lovely for special occasions or just a welcoming place when you're hungry. In season the courtyard garden is shaded and out of the wind. The bar is a good location for a quicker meal. Servers always seem to be able to offer good suggestions and the wine list is a winner.
(5)
Mrs M.
Vastly over-rated, and extremely noisy due to Santacafe's bad acoustics. I had a chicken echilada for lunch there once that made me nostalgic for Taco Bell. Now that they have a new chef and a different menu, there's nothing that represents Santa Fe except "red chile onion rings with Judy's catsup". And you might count the burger on which they throw a little green chile. That's as "Santa Fe" style as it gets here. Otherwise, what the lunch menu features is "chipotle" cream added to East Coast and Italian style foods. Anyone who knows Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico cuisine is aware of the fact that jalapenos and chipotles (smoked jalapenos) are Texan and Mexican--not native. And oh, what a pompous description of the place on their web-site. I did have an unforgettable experience there, at one of the many dinners I've suffered at their hands: an inedible, gristly ribeye steak , accompanied by cardboard "cornbread". Why do people accept this sort of rubbish at such high prices? And why is such a pretentious restaurant representing itself with an illiterate on-line menu, which is missing punctuation and misspelling "gorgonzola"? I know I'll be dragged to Santacafe again by well-meaning friends who follow fashion blindly, but really, folks--there's no THERE there!
(2)
Jane G.
Many times, during our annual April trek to Santa Fe, we've enjoyed lunch on the patio or dinner in the dining room at Santa Cafe. This trip, after raving about it to our friends, we arrived for lunch on a cool enough day to want to sit in the sun. Although there were a number of empty tables in the sun, the hostess insisted that we had to sit in the shade. So, we moved on to Zia Diner, where we lunched differently but equally well...on the patio...in the sunshine.
(2)
Jordan N.
Located a couple blocks from the Plaza this restaurant exceed all my hopes for a romantic dinner for two. The outdoor garden was adorable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Everything they recommended was fabulous. And they have a great pre-theater!
(5)
N V.
The first time I ate at SantaCafe it was the new restaurant in town, struggling to get recognition when Coyote Cafe was the darling of the food press. It was great then. In the nearly annual trips to Santa Fe in the intervening 20-something years all but two or three included a trip to SantaCafe. It's still a great meal in a simple, inviting space. Yesterday's visit was the most recent in a long line of good experiences. It's Labor Day weekend, but surprisingly not the mob scene this town can be on summer weekends. That meant a little of the pressure was off of our server and the kitchen and we benefited. Our server was friendly and timely, and incredibly patient with the chili-adverse couple next door. The calamari are a long standing favorite, the arugula salad with grilled peaches a new and wonderful addition, and the rib-eye well prepared (though lacking in the chili-rub seasoning of years past.). The green chili brioche is mouth-wateringly delicious. (I've tried for years to recreate it.) The desserts here have long been worth every calorie. The coffee bean ice cream with piñon crisp and cajeta was just as good as we had hoped. My one criticism: As wonderful as the food is, as many years as I've been going here, as glad as I am to see old favorites on the menu, a little innovation and updating of the menu would go a long way to refreshing a Santa Fe institution. SantaCafe has earned too many laurels to be resting on them.
(4)
Suburban R.
an oasis of a restaurant near the plaza. incidentally, this used to be ming tsai's kitchen back when... attentive waitstaff serving a decent burger, fried calamari, brunch. i have not eaten here for dinner. i've in one or two occasions experienced snootiness from hostess-- honey plueezeee, i say!. but i understand that she's practicing for the day she arrives in NYC or her lesser cousin, LA ;-)... doubt she'll ever make it there... i prefer to dine in that room off of the entrance overlooking the garden and covered patio [even though they pack the seating and tables ]. regardless, it has a nice soothing light, rendering the the earthen walls of adobe light as clouds. and for a decent inexpensive lunch, santacafe is the old reliable.
(4)
Christie B.
White table linens covered with paper toppers and supplied with crayons, this little treasure in the heart of Santa Fe served a delicious Spinach Nicose with seared Ahi Tuna. Delectable. Lots of local folks, as it's off the beaten path and a little tricky to find; right next to Sotheby's Realty, appropriately. A nice respite and good place to get in out of the snowy and cold day. Coffee was delicious, too.
(4)
laurie c.
One of the best meals we had on our trip. Although more higher end, it is worth every penny. We ate at the bar (hence our earlier post of visiting and being so relaxed and forgetting to make reservations) and for at-the-bar dining, it was one of the best! We enjoyed the crowd, the food was AMAZING and the wines were also delicious. I would actually classify this as moderately priced--the value you get with food, service, decor is a steal!
(5)
Jessy B.
Okay, read jeffrey's review for what happened to us. And then just up the stars to 4. Yes, delivering the entrees to the table before we finished our appetizers is tacky for this level of restaurant. Yes, we did feel incredibly rushed until I called over the waiter and begged him to slow down. and yes, they can do better. But that is what stops them from being a 5 star restaurant. The waiter recovered and comped an appetizer, removed our food immediately and brought us a whole new dinner when we were ready. So, lighten up jeffrey!!! Would I recommend the place - absolutely. But go to La Boca first...
(4)
Amy L.
It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The patio outside where we ate was really nice too. I had the fillet and it pretty much melted in my mouth. I also ordered a side of the green chile mashed potatoes that were fabulous! They had the best green chile bread too! Our waiter was very helpful with the wine list too and recommended the Pinot Gris which now might be my favorite wine! I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Santa Fe!
(5)
Amy E.
We've visited Santa Fe many times over the years, and Santacafe has always been one of our favorite stops. On our most recent trip, we brought my sister, a first-time visitor to Santa Fe. We couldn't wait to take her to Santacafe. From the moment we stepped into the courtyard, this restaurant seemed like a completely different place. It was certainly not the same place we last visited four years ago. The service was TERRIBLE. Apparently, the waitstaff could not figure out who was responsible for our table. We had three different waiters, each of whom seemed to think that our table was someone else's responsibility. We waited half an hour for our drinks after asking for them three times. We finally saw someone with a tray carrying our beverages, only to watch her take them to another table! Our appetizer never arrived. When we pointed out these problems to our waiter, he just walked away, zombie-like! He never apologized. If one person had said they were sorry for neglecting us, we would have accepted their apology gracefully, but no one on the staff seemed to care at all. The food has really gone downhill, too. Everything was bland-- not the high-end food we remembered. We will NEVER go back to this place. It's a shame, because it used to be one of our top choices in town. Next time, we'll skip Santacafe and head over to La Boca instead!
(2)
Morgan E.
I have eaten at the Santa Cafe several times, often with large groups. The service is always impeccable and the food is always good. I can understand why someone might think it is overpriced for the quality - but I have always gone there for lunch and the value for the lunch menu is very very good. I eat lunch here every time I come to town.
(4)
Dolores H.
I thought this place was delicious. The calamari was so good that I almost ordered a second batch. This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and she hyped it up a lot. I have to say I was not at all disappointed in the food. The atmosphere really captures the rustic Santa Fe style with upscale touches. The only downfall is that there are 2 unisex bathrooms and there are always people literally waiting for you to finish like at a gas station...it seems they could use to fix that.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Arbor D.
Attentive service on a busy Saturday night. Sat indoors to avoid the rain and lucked out by having the x- bar guy as our waiter. Informed discussion of available wines - some not on the printed list. Very good food - steaks; beet salad; bisque. Minor quibble: why serve matchstick fries that can't be eaten with a fork?
(5)Sharon F.
Disappointed...
(1)Simon C.
Had a delightful lunch here in the very pleasant courtyard. Ally served us with just enough attention and lots of good humour. My partner had the pasta special - a perfect light linguini - and I had a lovey fresh chicken salad. All topped off with a cry good bottle of Sancerre. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)Ivan V.
Chef Fernando Ruiz will tickle your taste buds at The Santa Cafe!!! I own The Reel Life here in Santa Fe, and when it comes to recommendations for my clients this place is at the TOP! The most amazing food I have put my lips around here in town.
(5)Debbie T.
While in Santa Fe, I had the chance to sample quite a few restaurants, Compound, Restaurant Martin etc.... this little place stood out. Santa cafe is one of the best you can find. Had lunch here, the salads were great, margaritas creatively mixed, desserts delicious. For anyone visiting this is a must place to stop for a meal while you are browsing the art galleries or boutiques on canyon road.
(5)Neal S.
Great Lunch. Nice trout with rice & veggies. Beautiful patio to enjoy lunch. Allie our server was delightful
(5)Erica L.
I had a lovely dinner on the nicely shaded patio under a fancy tent with white Christmas lights. Both of my dishes were well executed, beautiful, elegant, and unique takes on standard dishes: arugula salad with a lightly breaded and fried disk of goat cheese, and grilled peaches; and lamb chops over a bed of dill and yoghurt dipped cucumber slices, and snap peas. It was a fabulous, refined dining experience. I'm a little surprised to see all the mediocre reviews, but perhaps I simply caught it on a great night. Prices are steep, at $20-35 for most entrees. The ribeye is quite large ( though thin) and the lamb is small considering the price. Still, I'd return for a special occasion. And finally, there appears to be a deep well covered over in glass on the floor inside which made me feel like I was above ancient roman ruins.
(4)Bike Chaplain O.
Somewhat disappointing. A nice patio restaurant. The four of us mixed it up. One had a margarita, she did not like it. Too tart and tequila had an off taste. It was redone, not much better. The rest of the party had wine and an espresso martini which were good. For food, the curry chicken salad and bacon, lettuce and tomato was enjoyed. The lobster roll and pome frites, was not so good. At $20 you would expect better. The lobster roll, lacked lobster and flavor. The little bit of lobster, was small bits of leg meat. The potato sticks were very dry and off putting. It was sad. The dessert of chocolate mouse was very good. Our waitress, though sweet, seemed inattentive, she forgot to get our drinks, until after the meal was delivered. A roller coaster experience. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(3)Samuel C.
Happy hour alert. Appetizers half off and $5 house wine. Nice patio. The calamari might be the best in town.
(4)Nicholas N.
Still one oft favorite places to visit in Santa fe so much I miss this area. I need to head back.
(5)Claudia C.
We were very disappointed in the service one evening this week. Our waiter was hurried, said he had to talk to the manager when we wanted to remove one item from our order. The ceviche was off and the chef was very kind, offered a replacement which was declined by our friend. The chef then said "dessert will be coming" but we were then charged for dessert. The waiter tossed the dessert menus on the table while two members of our party were still eating and brought the bill well before we were finished as if he could not wait for us to go away. All in all it was a most irritating experience.
(2)Rachel B.
We had a dinner here to celebrate my moms 80th birthday. We worked with their private dining because we had a large party and wanted to have a smaller menu to ensure prompt service. While at first, it seemed like we would have decent choices and work for the two Celiac family members, it quickly devolved when Judith refused to make any changes to the appetizers and told us that those people could just not eat the appetizers. At $75/person that wasn't an option for us. She did accommodate us with a smaller, cheaper menu so will give credit for that but as we realized at the restaurant, the choices were cheap and not that great. Overall, the restaurant was a nice experience - beautiful patio seating. Beyond that, the service was weak and food only so-so. To begin with, instead of seating us all together as we had requested, they put us at two tables and combined when we requested. When we were seated, I asked the woman who sat us for a wine list and two orders of the calamari. She responded that she was not our server and therefore unable to help us. Not a great start. Later when we needed an extra set of silverware, she made a point to explain to my 80 year old mother that it was our fault for moving the tables around that we didn't have silverware. Proper response would be to just give us another set of silverware without comment. And perhaps the most glaring service issue was the actual birthday cake delivery. They served desserts to everyone at the table and five minutes later brought over my moms so we could sing happy birthday. Shouldn't the birthday girl be first? Would not recommend for group dining.
(2)Wendy Z.
Used to w my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe until tonight ! Omg! The worst experience EVER! Bartender, Cody, beyond rude and bad attitude . Owner a complete out of control psychopath! Mitch the maitre'd who was just there Sunday is gone and best bartender, Tommy wasn't there. NIGHTMARE ! I wouldn't step foot in there to save my life!
(5)Gerald F.
I've been eating here for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Last night the pasta/shrimp special and the swordfish special were outstanding. Service and atmosphere compliment the total dining experience.
(5)Carter C.
Very sad. Recommended by a friend. Service was as bad as I've ever had. Waited for waitress to take drink orders, to bring drinks, to take order for food, got our main course after about an hour and a half. No appetizers. The food was ok, but almost anything would have tasted good after waiting so long. Tried to bring appetizers after we finished but I was so angry I wouldn't have enjoyed them. Very pleasant and a little apologetic but I am not appeased by waitress telling me the manager overbooked. Certainly not the place to go if you only have one night in Santa Fe.
(1)steve d.
This is a review of a recent lunch. As noted the ambiance is very pleasant. We sat outside and took in the view of the downtown business diners and tourists. Service was efficient and unpretentious. The onion rings were fresh and ample and the ketchup very tasty. The salmon was just ok. The green salad with green goddess dressing, peas and lobster salad topping was also ok. The greens were crisp and flavorful, the dressing so so and the lobster did not taste bright sweet and fresh. This is our second lunch there in several months and both meals have been nothing special. By the way if you want nicely cooked salmon go to The Ranch House.
(3)Michael C.
Ouch.... We were a bit early for our 7:30 reservation, so hostess offered a seat at the bar. Took maybe 5 minutes to be acknowledged by the tinder, and then another 10 minutes before drinks were served. Moreover she was talking out loud about the slam of orders, lack of support, and was generally grumpy. My date said 'hope this doesn't portend the evening'. We barely had time to sip when we were seated. We we're approaching quickly by the busser but were already halfway through our drinks when finally approached by the server. Without even looking at the table she asked can I get you something from the bar? 'No', we already have drinks. Meal finally came but MR steak was cooked MW, so had to go back. Other entree was terrible, so asked to replace it with an alternate. Second round of drinks never came. Bill was incorrect so had to be re-run. Ouch. Never going back (and we live in Santa Fe)
(1)Napa G.
After a fun walk around canyon road, made my way to SantaCafe for lunch. Service and food top notch. The server was engaging and knowledgeable about the food. Great experience.
(5)Gail K.
We have it two stars because the calamari with the lime sauce and the hamburger dinner was very good. But my husband had the Ribeye and he could not eat it. He ate only 10% then had the rest taken away. He said it was the worst Ribeye he ever had. $28 down the drain. The service was excellent. Excellent.
(2)Clare M.
I've always loved eating at the bar. The patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a meal on a beautiful Santa Fe day. The food is always good but unfortunately, the menu hasn't changed in about 2 decades. Can we switch it up a bit, please? I will continue to go there and continue to enjoy it, but wish I'd be surprised more often by new items on the menu.
(4)Sheba G.
Calamari and soft shell crab to start with a glass of sav blanc! Friendly staff & great service! Osso Bucco, ribeye, filet Minon, mashed potatoes, carrots and homemade pasta were all cooked to perfection! The 'AWARD WINNING" dessert was spectacular!
(5)Bob H.
The Santacafe in Santa Fe, NM is well worth finding. It is in a residential neighborhood. The food and service were both excellent, as was the service. They had several specials in addition to the menu. They also have a full service bar and pour a good drink. The well in front of the bar is about 30 feet deep, well lit, and covered with plexiglass so you can see to the bottom. When the house was built in the mid-to-late 1800s this well was used for water. The water table has since dropped and the well stays dry. I would return to Santacafe and recommend it.
(4)Lindsay N.
Food special was delicious! Very pretentious tho:( Calamari came room temp so I bet it was better hot. Tuna was amazing. St. Patty's Day special was unique and tasty. Green ravioli stuffed with corn beef and cabbage with a mustard sauce.
(4)Peggy R.
We had a lovely lunch! There were 3 of us and we all had something different and each of us were very happy (it was a little while ago and I can't remember what we had just that we all enjoyed ourselves!).
(4)Arun B.
I guess all good things must end -- or maybe our tastes have evolved but the restaurant hasn't? It had been a few years since last visit, but remember it very well and had it on my must list for a recent trip. Unfortunately, we both found the food pretty bland and, frankly, just trying a bit too hard to be interesting/innovative (the number of ingredients in each dish reminded us of a cooking challenge more than a high-end restaurant). The resulting food was just kind of a mess to eat, although the descriptions read well. Service was fine and friendly, but SUPER rushed. They clearly wanted to move you in and out. I'm not joking that our first plates took under 2 minutes from order to table (either pre-made or a sign). And they made a point of telling us twice that the kitchen would close soon (but had no problem taking an 8pm reservation). We barely had time for a round of drinks, wine, appetizer, main, dessert. It was a sprint, which what I expect for lunch not dinner. Prices also far too high for this quality of food. Glad we went as it is a well known spot in town, but I won't be going back on my next visit. All in all, it just felt dated and like it was coasting off the tourist trade. Steak was ok, brussells sprouts were undercooked, green chili mash fantastic. Quinoa relleno underseasoned and on the menu in 2004.
(2)Richard T.
A long time favorite of ours, Santacafe seems to be in decline. It used to be creative with slight Southwest and Asian touches. My Chilli Relleno was tasteless and unseasoned; the pork oso bucco was a shabby stew; the salmon was overcooked and our server told the guest who ordered steak not to order rare, but that medium would be better because the meat was fatty. The wine I ordered was not available, and an aggressive employee pushed an Argentinian wine on us that tasted like fruit punch. Not in the same ballpark with the wine I ordered. Alas. Many fine things are fleeting.
(2)D A P.
I was treated to dinner here by a long time resident. It's a beautiful restaurant with fancy food and excellent wine choices. Every thing is NM white. Inside, the restaurant consists of a few small rooms. Service was great too. When walking thru the bar to the restrooms, I walked on a glass floor that covers an old deep well. Strange feeling.
(4)Steve B.
Great place for a "ladies lunch." The setting is the courtyard of the home of an early prominent citizen of Santa Fe. The waiters are charming and the menu has lots of salads and light dishes. It is a little pricey, but you'll enjoy the quiet ambiance.
(4)Annie S.
We came here for dinner when we first moved to town. I really like the dining area but it is pretty quiet. I could not come here with my girlfriends! However, they had great service and good food. I agree with other Yelpers about the nice ambiance. It is very comfortable and not too snotty. I do want to hang out at the bar sometime since it was cute. This is American cuisine and you can get the typical pork chop, chicken, steak, etc.
(4)Chris A.
I make a trip to Santa Fe every couple of years and have been to the Santacafe many times. The last visit got me thinking a little about how close it is to be a top notch restaurant, and how little things keep it more in the middle of the pack than it might otherwise deserve. A visit this week is a great example. The ambiance is amazing, one of the best patios in town. Huge. Quaint. Well-shaded. Heated in when necessary. The dining room is charming as well, but being outside is the place to be. The food is solid too, if not particularly imaginative. Our party of four enjoyed mussels, the signature shrimp dumplings, salads, and a host of entrees including a chicken dish (not at all unlike a piccata), grilled lamb, and vegetarian chili rellanos. Everything was well prepared and flavorful. So far so good. But little things hold it back. A very limited and unnecessarily expensive wine list that makes finding the right selections difficult. On this particular visit, it was challenging to find a rose -- and this in a climate and menu that begs for pink wine. But a dearth of selection. Light bodied reds, also perfect for the menu and climate, are in short supply, particularly at more moderate price points. The biggest issue, however is inconsistent service. On this most recent visit, our waiter was terse, arrogant, visibly irritated by the little inconveniences one in his position must endure on a daily basis (people still locked in conversation when he first arrives at the table, and not having made decisions - drinks, wine, food - on a schedule that mirrors his own), and generally inattentive. In a small city with a really credible food culture and, more so, at a restaurant that receives pretty consistently positive reviews, I have to say that I expect more. A really great dining experience requires that a restaurant deliver consistently solid performance with regard to its food, service and atmosphere. Hitting on one or two of the three just doesn't seem like quite enough for a place that generally receives such high praise.
(3)Madi M.
I have dined at Santacafé for years, and back in Santa Fé have been there twice in the last week. The calamari has no equal anywhere ... divine sauce. The chili relleno is as delicious as it is unusual and the lamb chops are always perfect. A finish with their chocolate mousse makes a perfect close. Wait staff excellent even during week. May be my all time favorite restaurant because it is so consistently excellent in all domains. Always makes a festive evening
(5)Mark C.
Excellent spot for brunch or for a "power lunch". I had the omelet, which was delicious, and convinced the chef to throw a little green chile in for some New Mexican flavor. The onion ring stack is a must add.
(5)Nancy M.
What's the rush!? I live in Santa Fe and enjoy having lunch and dinner outside during the summer. The last few times I have been there we have been rushed. At dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us to get our order in since the kitchen was small. It was not that crowded at 6:30? I hesitated to do this since at a previous lunch our food arrived prior to our drink order. Another time when we tried to pace our waiter who seemed irritated so we ordered app's and lunch at the same time and entrees arrived when we had not finished our appetizers. Crazy! It seems like they have a goal to turn as many tables as possible. If so, they will loose consistent customers like me. I want to go out to dinner and relax. Santacafe is not a diner!
(3)Gwynedd D.
The Santacafe is a fave locale for Santa Fe residents, celebrities (who somehow eat there concealed in what must be a secret dining room) and visitors to this extraordinary city. However, it's possibly living on its reputation and the lunch crowd was definitely over-70, which despite that fact that I'm climbing up to that lofty age, is a sign to me of probably mediocre flavor in food. What happens to our taste buds as we get older? The main attraction here, to me, is the very pleasant courtyard with its Old World flavor and Santa Fe charm. We started with gazpacho with lime cream. The gazpacho had Thai bird chilis and was a tad spicy but it made you want to eat another, and another, then another spoonful. The lime cream? Why bother. It was a silly drizzle on the top and had absolutely no essence of lime. There was merely enough to look like a bird hit the soup, not enough to make a difference. I'd say, lay it on or leave it off. We then had salmon with zucchini risotto. The salmon was perfectly cooked but simply (not even) seasoned. The risotto was gritty, heavy, and the veg was overcooked and buried here and about the risotto in its cement-like mass. And there was too much of it. The dessert (creme brulee) was in too deep a ceramic dish, had a crust like a plate glass window and no subtlety of vanilla bean or any other flavoring. I've had this all over Europe and it's supposed to have a thin, ice-like crust that shatters with the tap of a spoon, and the texture should be lush but delicate. This was too much like a vanilla puddin' cup. The service was friendly but rushed. The entree was pushed onto the table as we were spooning up the last of the soup. Nothing says "eat up, folks, we want two seatings at lunch" like a rushed service. This isn't the Golden Corral. In short, ok food except for that inedible risotto but you get a delightful courtyard. So, you're paying for the ambience and you might get a good meal, too, once in a while.
(3)Jennie B.
The food is A-OK. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner last week. From the steak, calamari (where the dipping sauce always makes the dish go from good to amazing), cutlet, mussels, stuffed poblano, etc. all were very well prepared and tasty. My beef comes with the seating and placement of our table. Everytime I go here, I think it's safe to say, since I go with a group that always includes my 5 year old kid, I get placed all the way in the back, in a corner, by the drink station, far-far-far-away from anything remotely interesting going on in the patio. Little does Santacafe know, that my child is THE BEST BEHAVED little girl, any restaurant has ever seen. However, this is the pattern for Santacafe. Next time, I will think twice about coming here with my kid. There are plenty of other restaurants in this town that are happy to seat a table of 5 in the middle of the action.
(3)Debra R.
I came back two nights later and had the delicious grilled Seabass with sautéed spinach. I substituted the jalapeno mashed potatoes for the polenta, and they were divine. What a lovely dining experience.
(5)Linda R.
I ate here in October and have eaten in the past a couple of years ago. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Santa fe and this although ok is uninspired and the service polite but edge of arrogance. I had iceberg lettuce with green goddess and lobster salad. No care to the presentation, the lettuce not as cold or crisp as you would hope and the dressing nearly tasteless. My husbands salad was the same and the chicken dry and probably yesterday. It is a lovely setting, but in the same areas competition with much better food. The La Fonda restaurant is much better , pretty setting and consistently fresh and well prepared food. La casa Sena outdoor at lunch another pretty venue with consistently good lunch selections and both have better service. There are also terrific other places, but if you are visiting for the first time and another place to go these 2 and frankly the food trucks provide better food.
(3)Nick S.
I'm starting to be over it here. It's about attitude, which seems a little arrogant. If you don't call for a reservation they will punish you, even with empty tables on the patio, and give you the worst table that is still "technically the patio". Btw, those preferred tables sat empty through our whole lunch. Maybe they should make themselves more available on Open Table, they obviously don't want to give up the buck for the convenience to the customer. Also, kitchen inflexible, my worst gripe. It's one thing to want something weird, but to take French fries from item A and put them on your item B instead of potato salad, seems a bit arrogant. The waiter"made it happen", but frankly the customer shouldn't be put thru the "ask". So now it's just another pricey outdoor, and nice one however, patio restaurant. They seem to cater to the Santa Fe elite, so they can have them instead of me. I can afford to eat anywhere, I believe that I'm ready for another patio choice.
(3)Alison Bly S.
We've dined here every visit to Santa Fe, but it has been at least 10 years till our recent visit, so we weren't sure what to expect. We at there on our first night, which was a busy Saturday night, and we were disappointed to learn that the filet entree was sold out and that they had run out of their signature chile mashed potatoes--how that can happen, I don't understand! (We have their cookbook, and make this excellent yet simple dish ourselves all the time.) Still, the meal was up to the standard of past experiences. The welcome & initial service seemed a bit rushed, but the place was totally jam-packed. We decided to return for our final night, a Thursday, and it was a far more relaxed experience--and we got our chile mashed potatoes & filet after all!
(4)Ellen M.
This was my first time here in ages and was not disappointed. Went for lunch with a friend. It was busy but pretty mellow. We both had the chicken salad which was delicious, the best I have ever had in a restaurant. It's a fairly large portion served on a bed of fresh spring lettuce with tomatoes and avocado slices. Very reasonably priced. The service was superb and even though we were there for almost 2 hours no one rushed us.
(5)Adam Issac W.
I live in Santa Fe. This is the only restaurant in town with a bad attitude. I've been here 6 times for lunch and dinner. The food is overpriced; the service is miserable; and the entire staff is stuck up! Don't waste another dime here! I won't. Avoid at all cost!
(1)david h.
Disclaimer - I'm not a huge fan of southwestern fare. Then why do you eat it? (You may ask). Well, for the same reason Forrest Gump compared life to a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. The calamari is excellent. The dumplings and spring rolls were good. My chicken enchiladas were pure New Mexico, southwestern same old, same old. That is to say average. The desserts were off the chain. Creme brûlée labeled "best ever" be more than one person at the table. They said they were famous for their desserts and I can see why. The service was, for the most part excellent. The rooms are small and they may put the tables too close together. We had to rearrange our seating after a water boy banged the back of my wife's chair for the third time trying to squeeze between chairs. That being said, our waiter was excellent. The atmosphere is spartan. You expect a lot more from a place with this kind of acclaim. There is also a pretty pervasive snob factor throughout. I'd give it a slightly upturned face.
(3)Rosemarie F.
Came here as the last stop on a Santa Fe Cooking School's restaurant walking tour. I am still dreaming about the lemon-coconut tarte! It was accompanied by a very nice champagne! The story around the well was very interesting. Three stars only because did not have a full meal here. Will definately come here next trip down.
(3)Phil K.
This has been a long time favorite restaurant of mine in Santa Fe. Unfortunately the quality of food and service is inconsistent. My wife and I had dinner there with friends last week. Cocktails were a disappointment and so was dinner. The food was just okay--not the caliber of meals we had there during previous visits. Steaks were over cooked, salad was limp and lacked flavor, and side dishes tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. Desert was the highlight of the meal. Next time we plan a special night out we will more than likely try another local eatery.
(3)David T.
First, I love the space. Simple New Mexico style - stark in almost a Georgia O'Keeffe style. Some find it too simple but I'd move in in a heartbeat. I've been coming here for more years than I care to count. An artist/waiter/actor friend of mine worked there just after they opened and we visited often. Still try to make it back when I'm in town. This is not New Mexican cuisine. A few chile accents here and there but this is more like the Compound than Maria's. They change the menu seasonally (including prices - lol) so the dishes I'm going to mention may or may not be available currently. Shared the Wild Gulf Tempura with red chile sweet and sour sauce - $14.50. My all time favorite appetizer - lord it's delish. Followed with Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops w/ Thyme Demi - Glace, Crispy Polenta, Sautéed Asparagus, Arugula & Ancho Chili Pesto -- $33.00. Normally I skip dessert but they make all their pastries and ice cream/sorbets in house. So, decision time - Madagascar Vanilla Creme Brûlée or Coffee Bean Ice Cream w/ Piñon Crisp & "Cajeta" (Goat's Milk) Caramel. Spacing on the price but around $10 as I recall. Very nice, if somewhat pricy, wine list. Enjoyed a lovely Pinot that paired beautifully with the Lamb. Star off is like most restaurants of its ilk in Santa Fe it is overpriced - you can easily drop $100 a head and while it is a good restaurant this is not NYC or San Francisco dining - just priced like it.
(4)Pam L.
Have been trying this establishment for the past three years and still can't see what the hype is about. The service was slow even for Santa Fe standards and lacked in customer service. The caprese salad was bland and lacked good acid notes. The mozzarella tasted like it had been soaked in water for a week. The beef tenderloin was soaked in some type of sweet liquid that distracted from its natural flavor. Trying to reinvent a classic dish with unrealistic flavors pretty much takes the classic out of it. The coffee ice cream dessert tasted like it had been in the freezer for a year. The only saving grace was the soft shell crap. I guess it was good only because it had to be served fresh. I think I am over trying to find good food in this establishment.
(2)Jen G.
We really enjoyed dinner here. There is a lot of staff, so there is someone always refilling your water. They were also super friendly. The patio area was nice. But there were lots of flies, which made for an annoying 10 min when the flies were bothering us. We really liked the food. The spring rolls were good. I really liked the quinoa filled chile relleno. The sauce was really great. The chicken was surprising good, too. It had a ton of flavor. And the house made sorbets were great.
(4)Jes Z.
I think the Santacafe Patio is a "must do" in Santa Fe. So relaxing...I was worried the place had gone downhill after my Christmas Day entree arrived, tough as a shoe insert instead of fish, but this week the place was redeemed in my mind. I had the "sherried chicken salad " for lunch, and had no idea that chicken salad could possibly taste this good?! HOLY Cow...(or coyote) what do they do to it? Some people think the place is a bit snotty ...and yes, I did see a well known actress on the patio with her obligatory African baby, but still, its a wonderful place to relax and have a quiet meal.
(4)Garen M.
We had a wonderful dinner and excellent service here. Fairly pricey, but you have to pay for a quality meal with quality service.
(4)Stephane M.
Real bad attitude. I get there at 2h05. I say good afternoon and some lady answer by a question ( are you looking for the restroom ?) then I say that I would like to have lunch and someone else is telling me that they don't serve after 2pm. Great way to stay away...
(1)Susan L.
We were reluctant to go to Santacafe based on friends' experiences but their outdoor courtyard looked inviting so we bit the bullet, hoping for the best. The atmosphere can only be described as frenetic, glitzy, snobbish with a distinct "LA vibe". While waiting almost 15 minutes for drinks to arrive, we noticed other tables receiving complementary starters, "amuse bouche". We were not served any and later discovered they were only given to preferred guests by the the maitre d. This was an immediate turnoff. My chicken dish was at best mediocre while my husband's fish was good. Food-wise it was just very average. The bottom line is save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)Zach N.
Consistently good New Mexican food. Blue corn pancakes are not to miss. Great happy hour specials. Pies and cakes to take home. Also a good selection of non Mexican dishes. Price could be a bit lower, but the location demands a premium.
(4)Kathy M.
Been a fan of Santa Cafe since it opened. When we are in SF we always have a meal here. I have been away for about 8 years but we were in SF for Xmas 2012 and decided to have dinner. My family of 3 had a reservation and we arrived early on a Sat night. We were seated at the worst possible table: tucked into a room that should have 5 tables but has 7, my husband's back against a flimsy screen to keep the kitchen noises/lights at bay. Didn't work. I was seated so I could see the tired bus boy lurking and checking his phone in the doorway of the kitchen. Said bus boy spilled a tray of water and wine glasses, getting water over a patron's coat. The diner was actually gracious about it, but we noticed that more than half of the broken glass was left under foot. Thank God it was winter: if a woman with a sandals or open-toed shoes was sitting there, she'd be getting stitches. So we were pissed to be shunted into this ridiculous corner. It's not like we didn't have a reservation.... Appetizer was an Asian-influeced shrimp dumpling, which was delicious but cold. Wine was good but expensive! I had the steak and country mashed potatoes. Meh. This is where I first had wasabi mashed potatoes, and loved them. These new 'country' potatoes were boring. I am not sure I'd go back. Really nothing special anymore. Obviously, reading these reviews, it is hit or miss. I can't say enough about the exciting and delicious food at Cafe Pasquale in SF. It is hard to get into but much more satisfying, even if you have to share a table in its cramped one-room dining room. I still liked the Santa Cafe decor but, really, pushing in so many tables to little rooms is just annoying. We should've refused the table, but I had my 15-year-old with me and she was hungry. I spent my meal feeling irritated and worried the busy boy would spill coffee on me! Please, manager, don't let your place go downhill; do something now to reinstate the place to its former glory! I would like to enjoy my meal at Santa Cafe again!
(2)Jim J.
Santacafe used to be our favorite SF restaurant. Until they tried to seat us on the patio in the rain. We had made reservations for 5:30 and arrived on time. The parking lot and restaurant were completely empty. They refused to seat us inside away from the rain. The hostess was extremely rude. We walked out and went across the street to Osteria Restaurant and had a wonderful meal with excellent service. They were happy to seat us even on a weekend with no reservation. So long, Santacafe. There are 200 good restaurants in SF.
(1)Will F.
Sat at counter, intending to have complete dinner. Ordered appetizers - shrimp tempura with sweet/hot chile sauce and crab/scallop cake with chipotle Cream dressing. Crab was mealy - not fresh! Dressing more like mayo. Shrimp fresh, tempura batter not to heavy but sauce sweet like sugar yuch! Cut our losses and moved on
(2)George W.
Excellent in every way. Try the chilli relents------it's the best
(5)Heidi G.
Best in town. It's pricey, but SOOOO worth it. The food is amazing and the service is superb...like nothing in New Mexico. By far the best restaurant in town and for that matter, the entire state. Promise, you'll be impressed and you'll be back!
(5)Katy B.
Great Atmosphere. Great Patio.They make their own bread,ketchups etc..., fresh and tasty... The staff was really friendly and professional.. will definitely be going back!
(4)sarah b.
Excellent food, attentive service, with an understated elegant decor. This offers a great alternative to a lot of the Southwestern fare in Santa Fe. We ordered the shrimp appetizer(per our servers recommendation), lightly battered and flash fried with a hot asian sauce. Spinach salad with goat cheese with nice light sweet dressing, goat cheese, pomegranite and apple, and for entrees salmon with leek risotto, perfectly cooked and the stuffed pepper. We were pleased with everything down to the wine recommendations. And we LOVEd the children's pasta. We arrived early with our two-year old and did find it odd that we were seated in a small room right next to two other tables in a near-empty restaurant. And the restaurant is pretty quiet so not a great choice for very young children, but we were very pleased with the overall experience and would gladly return.
(4)Julia F.
As a local, I was a little wary of this place because had heard it was expensive and I had seen some bad reviews online, but my boss took me there for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I was blown away. The food was some of the best I've ever had - you know, when it's so good you don't even care what you're eating. I also ordered desert (the chocolate mousse - I HIGHLY recommend it) and it looked so beautiful I almost didn't want to eat it. Very glad I did though, because it was exceptional. They even put a little birthday candle in it for me! The waiters were incredibly nice and were careful to give us time to talk and finish our food, and even wrapped up our leftover food for us (which I always think is a nice touch). The food was a little pricey, but I could only eat about half of my entree (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and half of my dessert, so I basically got two meals out of it. The restaurant if beautiful, clean, classy, and there's a huge well in the floor by the bar that has to be seen! You'll see what I'm talking about. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe, and I can't wait to return.
(5)Lauren E.
The pros: - Very nice ambiance - We were seated right away - Delicious cream of potato and Swiss chard soup - Good bread - Very good Reuben sandwich - Had a great selection on the menu, which changes every few days The cons: - Our server was a bit off and unfriendly - The French fries with the Reuben would have been great if they were a bit less mushy - One of the "classic" items, the shitake and cactus spring rolls turned out to be disappointing. There were hardly any shitakes, and the rolls were very crispy. Not very appealing to the taste buds
(3)Momo O.
DINING UNDER THE STARS. The patio area in this restaurant is so cute! At night, under the sparkly lights, you feel like you're dining directly under the stars. I had the calamari and salad here -- which were both VERY delicious.. salad was sophisticated with bacon wrapped asparagus, perfect home-made vinaigrette, and goat cheese. The calamari was fresh, crisp and the best part was the house dipping sauce -- super garlic-y and a little spicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back next since I was only in NM for vacation, but had a lovely time dining here.
(4)F. P.
The food here is excellent quality and some of the dishes were stellar when we came here for dinner. Started off with the shiitake and cactus spring rolls with southwestern ponzu. The rolls were flaky but the flavor was a bit bland (prob because it was vegetarian and was missing the umami of meat-filled rolls). The arugula salad with red plums, beets and goat cheese was excellent. Fresh, light dish (which was a nice change from the hearty food I'd been eating ever since I got to New Mexico). But the standouts were the entrees. I had the roasted poblano chile relleno stuffed with 3-mushroom quinoa, which was out of this world! The relleno was placed on a plate surrounded by an orange chipotle cream sauce that was rich and coated the dish so nicely. I also had a couple of bites of the daily special, which was a pork chop dressed with a sweet fruit glaze and accompanied with autumn veggies (carrots, radish and turnips). Very juicy, a tad sweet, but perfectly cooked. There's a beautiful patio area that would have been great for lunch but not open for dinner (way too cold). Service was attentive and excellent. However, I didn't like the decor. Aside from the requisite Southwestern motif of a horse skull hung on a wall, there was literally not a single item on the bare white walls from any room I could see. Way too stark for me ... almost felt like they had just opened and didn't have time to decorate. But other than the (lack of) decor, I thought the experience here was great.
(4)eli w.
This is my first review of SantaCafe on Yelp and it unfortunately isn't going to be a very good one. I have been going to SantaCafe for almost 20 years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in the world. And although I no longer live in Santa Fe, I make a point of going SEVERAL times on every trip home. While other restaurants have come and gone, SantaCafe has endured as one of the top restaurants in town - until now, I guess. I don't know what happened to SantaCafe since our last trip here this summer, but from the minute our friends were ignored by the dismissive hostesses, to the 15 minute wait for a drink in an almost empty bar, it just wasn't the same. Gone were the friendly faces, the great service, and the wait for even one seat at the bar. For on what should have been a busy holiday evening, SantaCafe was eerily quiet. The drinks did finally come, were good and served with a friendly smile. Sadly, however, this wasn't enough to keep us from deciding to leave - even though it was snowing and cold outside. So, we called another restaurant (I won't name them here, but they are another downtown Santa Fe institution) and they were not only friendly and welcoming when we told them of our experience, but happy to take a table of 4 without a reservation. Sorry SantaCafe, I hate to say it, but we won't be back for a while. If anyone at SantaCafe reads this... -Do something about your hostesses. Today. Seriously, the dismissive unfriendly duo at the door isn't the face you want to put forward. -I realize that it can be hard to be upbeat and attentive on a slow night, but wow. We were actually joking about the Best Service award on display while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited...
(2)Chris B.
Was an amazing dinning experience. Wine 5* Food 5* Service 5* HIGHY recommend SantacaFe
(5)Barb M.
Excellent dinner. Fillet mignon was good and the chile relleno was phenomenal. Service was attentive. Gage the waiter assistant was awesome. Nice outdoor porch seating. Best dinner in Santa Fe so far.
(4)Zak M.
We went on a sleepy Wednesday night loaded with $200.00 in gift certificates (It was extremely generous for Santa Cafe to give us the gift certificates, they were won through a contest.). The service was decent and the food was good enough. We started off with the calamari, which was a little over done and a four chile flake sauce that was a little bland. If there were four chiles in the sauce, I could barely taste one. We also had the Shrimp & Spinach Dumplings with Tahini peanut sauce which also was okay. I feel like I could have gotten a more exciting dumpling at Jinja. I had the Ribeye Steak with Pommes Frites (shoe string fries) and a Chile Bearnaise sauce of some sort. The steak was decent, well cooked and enjoyable, the fries seemed a little stale and the chile bernaise sauce was a little lackluster in flavor. We had a bottle of Syrah wine and my friends had port after dinner. My friend had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on risotto which was what you'd expect from the dish, nothing too stellar. Another friend had the Fettucini Alfredo with a fancy type of mushrooms, which was rich and as good as good as other places around town. For desert we had a Chocolate mouse molded within a dense chocolate chip wall, which was both delicious and fun to eat. We also had coffee, which was very good quality and a type of chocolate lava cake desert, which was fine. The ambiance of the restaurant was simple, neat and romantic. The service was attentive, however the server wasn't as familiar with the selection of drinks as we would have liked. We asked the server if we could have a virgin pina colada and the server wasn't sure if they made them or not. The restaurant doesn't have a blender, so no frozen drinks were made. Seems like good information for a server to know, but I've made the same mistake as a server when I first started out, but this is a fine dinning establishment. The final bill came out to about $287.00 for three appetizers, four entrees, one bottle of wine, two ports, three deserts and four coffees. In conclusion, If I were loaded or my friends had a billion dollars in Gift Certificates, I might try Santa Cafe again, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed by anything in particular and if you're charging an arm and a leg, thats what your guest should receive. If you're looking for delicious consciously prepared food, made with a ton of heart try the Dish and Spoon on old Santa Fe trail. Not as fru fru, but lip smackingly good. That's where I'd take my girlfriend for a romantic date. You'd probably be more likely to get more bang for your buck there.
(3)Craig E.
Good food (expensive), rude service. In my experience, this is an expensive place with servers and management that act as though they are doing you a favor by simply letting you in the door, much less giving you a pleasant dining experience. Bad service has happened twice (years apart) and I won't go back because it is obviously a chronic condition in this restaurant.
(2)christine h.
Other then expensive (like most overpriced tourist focused restaurants here) the service was wonder and the food very good. The outdoor ambiance was nice with no loud over powering music. I ordered the steak and it was nothing special but my table mates we're extremely happy with the snapper and the portobello chili relleno.
(4)Candace C.
Arrived early on Thursday and was seated in a front room. Two parties were seated directly to each side of us, despite plenty of room. I always wonder why restaurants do this!!! The calamari was nicely done, but the dipping sauce is a loser. I had the relleno - pretty good. My husband had the lamb chops and proclaimed them totally fabulous. Best of all was the chocolate mousse. Wine was very expensive . Service was adequate.
(3)Heidi T.
Very comfortable setting, great food, reasonable prices, and EXCELLENT service!! The calamari appetizer is a must-eat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sauce is perfect for dipping.
(5)Carlo A.
Being from San Francisco, I can almost picture myself in the Napa or Sonoma Valley sitting in this patio. It's a relaxing, refreshing space, and the food is comforting and delicious. Great wine selection, attentive service, and nice to see that it's mostly locals (both times we went) instead of all tourists. We loved it so much that we had to come back through Santa Fe on the way to ABQ airport from Taos just to have lunch here. Would love to try it for dinner and experience dining under the white lights of the patio.
(4)Chris C.
Santacafe offers a nice balance of upscale cuisine with Santa Fe casual. We had a relaxing dinner under the stars in their courtyard on our first night in town. Some good food, a smooth wine and a light warm breeze were a great way to start our visit. On the whole, the food was very good (though we wished there were more vegetable options/accompaniments with our meals). Appetizers were solid. Our entrees were very good with one complaint - one member of our party asked for extra broccoli rabe in her dish and only got a single stalk. Dessert was divine here. I would go into specifics but the menu is seasonal and changes based on the chef and the available ingredients. The staff was very friendy. However, our waiter (nice as he was) was nowhere as helpful as the busser who was sweet, efficient and very attentive.
(4)Andrew T.
Really appreciated the service, but it was trumped by the pork chop - perfect. Great atmosphere, might have been a little under dressed in jeans and collar. One of must haves when in Santa Fe.
(5)Greg M.
Great patio seating. Lunch menu was very good - lots to choose from. Terrific green chili burger!
(4)Slav Z.
Divine! The owner is a very nice guy. I could not help myself and complemented their lunch linguini special. Having been a demi chef in my late 20s in London, I know what it means when you work your a..in the kitchen and then quietly wait for the waiter to pop in and say: "they complimented your dish! The owner came out and offered us desserts on the house. My God! Was that heaven! it's been few weeks but if I remember correctly we had, among others: Trio of Housemade Sorbets, and Warm Chocolate Upside-down Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. Dont' you dare miss that place when in Santa Fe!
(5)Frank G.
superb service, atmosphere, and food. it's a little on the expensive side, but the perfect place for a family or romance. even for a vegetarian.
(5)Allison H.
Best meal I had in Santa, hands down. Seemed a bit stuffy when I walked in, but the food canceled it out. The outdoor seeting was nice but buggy, and prices were high.
(4)J K.
This was the first place that we dined at during our visit. We had wanted to love the place but found the food a bit disappointing. I think that it just didn't have the moxie that we were looking for in Southwest cuisine. Its not a good thing when the only super positive thing that my boyfriend had to say was, "at least we didn't pay much for it". Hmmm... not exactly glowing recommendations.
(2)Edward G.
The Santacafe has a beautiful al fresco dining area that should not be missed; however, be careful ordering from the menu. In fact, do not order the vegetarian chile relleno because it would be a huge disappoint for a vegetarian or anyone else for that matter. The fish entree was slightly overcooked, but otherwise good. This is not a restaurant worthy of fine dining prices. Sometimes the only thing that makes the food palatable is a martini before dinner.
(3)Food C.
We have been to the Santacafe in the past & were impressed with their food & service. However, that was several years ago, so we decided to go back & give it a try. We were disappointed in the food. It was tasteless and lacked excitement. To start, we ordered the calamari with dipping sauce. The calamari breading had no flavor & the dipping sauce was tasteless. I ordered the greens with lemon & olive oil dressing. The greens were nice, however, there could have been some color or texture added, but it was a nice, bland looking salad - just greens. My husband said his main course tasted mostly of garlic & mine was just bland. On a good note, the service & atmosphere were good.
(2)Cameron M.
Lovely restaurant with simple, well executed selections and good service. Salad Nicoise was excellent with perfectly prepared tuna.
(4)Becky O.
Terrible. Service okay. Would not recommend, they have a wonderful patio but doesn't make up for their food. Other than that...smh.
(1)Tony C.
Decent lunch spot though somewhat overpriced and only adequate service. Seemed to be a lot of power brokers and expense account wonks.
(3)Meg G.
Appetizer was great but the fish was WAY overcooked. Risotto didn't have much taste. The Filet was cooked nicely but not a great piece of meat. The waitress seemed to have better things to do than wait on us but the support staff was the best thing about our experience. The manager was apologetic and said he wish he knew that the meal was not up to par but without the waitress checking in on you, how is he suppose to know. Many better restaurants in Santa Fe than this.
(2)Gregg S.
A friend recommended and it did not disappoint. The poblano stuffed with quinoa was excellent and I am not a quinoa fan. No ones meal disappointed and I look forward to returning.
(4)Jeff W.
Santacafe is a 4 star restaurant with issues. Hence, my controversial 3 star rating. I have never in my life had food served so frighteningly fast in a high-end restaurant. Nor in anything short of a sub shop.The place was packed when we came, yet we were sat down almost instantly. Nice. Then the water guy and the waiter came by within 2 minutes tops. Great service. Then we started to see a pattern. Our drinks came in 2 minutes. How did they do that with 150 people in this place? But then our appetizers came in 2 minutes. OK, I'm hungry. I can deal with it. Are these people on Meth? Then before our appetizers were done, our entrees came. How he f#$@ did they do that? It was weird. Naturally it was incredibly tacky. I looked at Jessy and asked if we had been here 10 minutes yet. We weren't sure! We were gasping at this point. We stared at the entrees, and Jessy was smart enough to tell our server it was strange. He was a pro and immediately removed them and told us we would have new entrees whenever we were ready. Nice recovery. How about the food? The Calamari with Chile Dipping Sauce was crisp, actually large for $6, and good. The Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls were very good but with a strikingly Proletariat Olive Garden presentation. What's with the large hunk of red lettuce? Could we try some more interesting greens or skip them? The uninteresting and scattered bread basket was also thrown at us; but then the Santacafe M.O. is speed I guess. The Roasted Poblano Relleno with Quinoa was very good; not as interesting as I might have hoped. But the highly recommended Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Also the servings here are large, but am I the only person here who is _not_ from Texas? Clearly Santacafe can do better. You don't go to a high-end restaurant and order $34 entrees to be rushed out in 45 minutes. Because the place was on steroids, I don't think we were some freak random case. Slow down guys, put a little more attention into the food [given the price], and put a little more attention into your customers. You have a nice restaurant. Focus.
(3)Mia S.
I came here for a light lunch, and it was great. We sat outdoors, on a nice summer day with a breeze. The waiter was awesome and made some great conversation. Our food took a while to come, but still worth the wait. I had a great salad, and soup, while my husband and sister had something else that they loved as well. Sorry its been a while since i've been there, but I remember it being a delicious place. I would visit this place again when I'm in the area.
(4)Dan P.
After dining here maybe 6 times over 25 years, I have to say that the birthday dinner here in December was one one of the most "undistinguished" I've had anywhere in a long time. With all the great places to dine in Santa Fe, you can cross this one off your list. I'm sorry to lose one of my favorite restaurants, but I guess nothing lasts forever. Except, of course, Cafe Pasquals. Goodbye Santa Cafe.
(2)Randy B.
The most consistent quintessential Santa Fe restaurant.
(5)Brc P.
This has been a favorite of ours for years. Lunch or dinner, consistently excellent. A high end restaurant but always real value for the price. Lovely for special occasions or just a welcoming place when you're hungry. In season the courtyard garden is shaded and out of the wind. The bar is a good location for a quicker meal. Servers always seem to be able to offer good suggestions and the wine list is a winner.
(5)Dana K.
A cute dining area- it felt somewhat like someone's wedding complete with white tent and white lights. However, they were out of the pinot noir special and weren't able to recommend a comparable bottle. Bummer. The food was decent, but in my opinion overly priced. I had a confusing cold avocado yogurt soup which reminded me of guacamole. I'd skip it and go to Whole Foods instead to buy your own dinner.
(3)Mrs M.
Vastly over-rated, and extremely noisy due to Santacafe's bad acoustics. I had a chicken echilada for lunch there once that made me nostalgic for Taco Bell. Now that they have a new chef and a different menu, there's nothing that represents Santa Fe except "red chile onion rings with Judy's catsup". And you might count the burger on which they throw a little green chile. That's as "Santa Fe" style as it gets here. Otherwise, what the lunch menu features is "chipotle" cream added to East Coast and Italian style foods. Anyone who knows Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico cuisine is aware of the fact that jalapenos and chipotles (smoked jalapenos) are Texan and Mexican--not native. And oh, what a pompous description of the place on their web-site. I did have an unforgettable experience there, at one of the many dinners I've suffered at their hands: an inedible, gristly ribeye steak , accompanied by cardboard "cornbread". Why do people accept this sort of rubbish at such high prices? And why is such a pretentious restaurant representing itself with an illiterate on-line menu, which is missing punctuation and misspelling "gorgonzola"? I know I'll be dragged to Santacafe again by well-meaning friends who follow fashion blindly, but really, folks--there's no THERE there!
(2)Jane G.
Many times, during our annual April trek to Santa Fe, we've enjoyed lunch on the patio or dinner in the dining room at Santa Cafe. This trip, after raving about it to our friends, we arrived for lunch on a cool enough day to want to sit in the sun. Although there were a number of empty tables in the sun, the hostess insisted that we had to sit in the shade. So, we moved on to Zia Diner, where we lunched differently but equally well...on the patio...in the sunshine.
(2)Jordan N.
Located a couple blocks from the Plaza this restaurant exceed all my hopes for a romantic dinner for two. The outdoor garden was adorable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Everything they recommended was fabulous. And they have a great pre-theater!
(5)laurie c.
One of the best meals we had on our trip. Although more higher end, it is worth every penny. We ate at the bar (hence our earlier post of visiting and being so relaxed and forgetting to make reservations) and for at-the-bar dining, it was one of the best! We enjoyed the crowd, the food was AMAZING and the wines were also delicious. I would actually classify this as moderately priced--the value you get with food, service, decor is a steal!
(5)N V.
The first time I ate at SantaCafe it was the new restaurant in town, struggling to get recognition when Coyote Cafe was the darling of the food press. It was great then. In the nearly annual trips to Santa Fe in the intervening 20-something years all but two or three included a trip to SantaCafe. It's still a great meal in a simple, inviting space. Yesterday's visit was the most recent in a long line of good experiences. It's Labor Day weekend, but surprisingly not the mob scene this town can be on summer weekends. That meant a little of the pressure was off of our server and the kitchen and we benefited. Our server was friendly and timely, and incredibly patient with the chili-adverse couple next door. The calamari are a long standing favorite, the arugula salad with grilled peaches a new and wonderful addition, and the rib-eye well prepared (though lacking in the chili-rub seasoning of years past.). The green chili brioche is mouth-wateringly delicious. (I've tried for years to recreate it.) The desserts here have long been worth every calorie. The coffee bean ice cream with piñon crisp and cajeta was just as good as we had hoped. My one criticism: As wonderful as the food is, as many years as I've been going here, as glad as I am to see old favorites on the menu, a little innovation and updating of the menu would go a long way to refreshing a Santa Fe institution. SantaCafe has earned too many laurels to be resting on them.
(4)John D.
The stuffed chili is outrageously good - very nice atmosphere and bar area.
(4)Jenny K.
While I can't speak for their daily menu, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving day meal at Santacafe. Portions were generous and considering it was Prix fixe, they offered a lot of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We both enjoyed our wine and every item we tasted and loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I would definitely come back to Santacafe.
(5)Suburban R.
an oasis of a restaurant near the plaza. incidentally, this used to be ming tsai's kitchen back when... attentive waitstaff serving a decent burger, fried calamari, brunch. i have not eaten here for dinner. i've in one or two occasions experienced snootiness from hostess-- honey plueezeee, i say!. but i understand that she's practicing for the day she arrives in NYC or her lesser cousin, LA ;-)... doubt she'll ever make it there... i prefer to dine in that room off of the entrance overlooking the garden and covered patio [even though they pack the seating and tables ]. regardless, it has a nice soothing light, rendering the the earthen walls of adobe light as clouds. and for a decent inexpensive lunch, santacafe is the old reliable.
(4)Christie B.
White table linens covered with paper toppers and supplied with crayons, this little treasure in the heart of Santa Fe served a delicious Spinach Nicose with seared Ahi Tuna. Delectable. Lots of local folks, as it's off the beaten path and a little tricky to find; right next to Sotheby's Realty, appropriately. A nice respite and good place to get in out of the snowy and cold day. Coffee was delicious, too.
(4)Jessy B.
Okay, read jeffrey's review for what happened to us. And then just up the stars to 4. Yes, delivering the entrees to the table before we finished our appetizers is tacky for this level of restaurant. Yes, we did feel incredibly rushed until I called over the waiter and begged him to slow down. and yes, they can do better. But that is what stops them from being a 5 star restaurant. The waiter recovered and comped an appetizer, removed our food immediately and brought us a whole new dinner when we were ready. So, lighten up jeffrey!!! Would I recommend the place - absolutely. But go to La Boca first...
(4)Amy L.
It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The patio outside where we ate was really nice too. I had the fillet and it pretty much melted in my mouth. I also ordered a side of the green chile mashed potatoes that were fabulous! They had the best green chile bread too! Our waiter was very helpful with the wine list too and recommended the Pinot Gris which now might be my favorite wine! I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Santa Fe!
(5)Amy E.
We've visited Santa Fe many times over the years, and Santacafe has always been one of our favorite stops. On our most recent trip, we brought my sister, a first-time visitor to Santa Fe. We couldn't wait to take her to Santacafe. From the moment we stepped into the courtyard, this restaurant seemed like a completely different place. It was certainly not the same place we last visited four years ago. The service was TERRIBLE. Apparently, the waitstaff could not figure out who was responsible for our table. We had three different waiters, each of whom seemed to think that our table was someone else's responsibility. We waited half an hour for our drinks after asking for them three times. We finally saw someone with a tray carrying our beverages, only to watch her take them to another table! Our appetizer never arrived. When we pointed out these problems to our waiter, he just walked away, zombie-like! He never apologized. If one person had said they were sorry for neglecting us, we would have accepted their apology gracefully, but no one on the staff seemed to care at all. The food has really gone downhill, too. Everything was bland-- not the high-end food we remembered. We will NEVER go back to this place. It's a shame, because it used to be one of our top choices in town. Next time, we'll skip Santacafe and head over to La Boca instead!
(2)Morgan E.
I have eaten at the Santa Cafe several times, often with large groups. The service is always impeccable and the food is always good. I can understand why someone might think it is overpriced for the quality - but I have always gone there for lunch and the value for the lunch menu is very very good. I eat lunch here every time I come to town.
(4)Dolores H.
I thought this place was delicious. The calamari was so good that I almost ordered a second batch. This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and she hyped it up a lot. I have to say I was not at all disappointed in the food. The atmosphere really captures the rustic Santa Fe style with upscale touches. The only downfall is that there are 2 unisex bathrooms and there are always people literally waiting for you to finish like at a gas station...it seems they could use to fix that.
(4)Debbie T.
While in Santa Fe, I had the chance to sample quite a few restaurants, Compound, Restaurant Martin etc.... this little place stood out. Santa cafe is one of the best you can find. Had lunch here, the salads were great, margaritas creatively mixed, desserts delicious. For anyone visiting this is a must place to stop for a meal while you are browsing the art galleries or boutiques on canyon road.
(5)Neal S.
Great Lunch. Nice trout with rice & veggies. Beautiful patio to enjoy lunch. Allie our server was delightful
(5)Wendy Z.
Used to w my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe until tonight ! Omg! The worst experience EVER! Bartender, Cody, beyond rude and bad attitude . Owner a complete out of control psychopath! Mitch the maitre'd who was just there Sunday is gone and best bartender, Tommy wasn't there. NIGHTMARE ! I wouldn't step foot in there to save my life!
(5)Gerald F.
I've been eating here for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Last night the pasta/shrimp special and the swordfish special were outstanding. Service and atmosphere compliment the total dining experience.
(5)Jennifer C.
I visit Santa Fe a few times a year and have been to Santacafe a few times. Yesterday I recommended we eat there for dinner and oh my, what a let down and frankly a little embarrassing. Two of us ordered the rib eye dinner with Pomme frites. The steak was very thin, very fatty and grisly. The Pomme frites were thin straws and extremely greasy. A bad meal. And now I'm subject to teasing from my dinner companions on my poor choice.
(2)Arbor D.
Attentive service on a busy Saturday night. Sat indoors to avoid the rain and lucked out by having the x- bar guy as our waiter. Informed discussion of available wines - some not on the printed list. Very good food - steaks; beet salad; bisque. Minor quibble: why serve matchstick fries that can't be eaten with a fork?
(5)Sharon F.
Disappointed...
(1)Simon C.
Had a delightful lunch here in the very pleasant courtyard. Ally served us with just enough attention and lots of good humour. My partner had the pasta special - a perfect light linguini - and I had a lovey fresh chicken salad. All topped off with a cry good bottle of Sancerre. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)Ivan V.
Chef Fernando Ruiz will tickle your taste buds at The Santa Cafe!!! I own The Reel Life here in Santa Fe, and when it comes to recommendations for my clients this place is at the TOP! The most amazing food I have put my lips around here in town.
(5)Erica L.
I had a lovely dinner on the nicely shaded patio under a fancy tent with white Christmas lights. Both of my dishes were well executed, beautiful, elegant, and unique takes on standard dishes: arugula salad with a lightly breaded and fried disk of goat cheese, and grilled peaches; and lamb chops over a bed of dill and yoghurt dipped cucumber slices, and snap peas. It was a fabulous, refined dining experience. I'm a little surprised to see all the mediocre reviews, but perhaps I simply caught it on a great night. Prices are steep, at $20-35 for most entrees. The ribeye is quite large ( though thin) and the lamb is small considering the price. Still, I'd return for a special occasion. And finally, there appears to be a deep well covered over in glass on the floor inside which made me feel like I was above ancient roman ruins.
(4)Bike Chaplain O.
Somewhat disappointing. A nice patio restaurant. The four of us mixed it up. One had a margarita, she did not like it. Too tart and tequila had an off taste. It was redone, not much better. The rest of the party had wine and an espresso martini which were good. For food, the curry chicken salad and bacon, lettuce and tomato was enjoyed. The lobster roll and pome frites, was not so good. At $20 you would expect better. The lobster roll, lacked lobster and flavor. The little bit of lobster, was small bits of leg meat. The potato sticks were very dry and off putting. It was sad. The dessert of chocolate mouse was very good. Our waitress, though sweet, seemed inattentive, she forgot to get our drinks, until after the meal was delivered. A roller coaster experience. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(3)Samuel C.
Happy hour alert. Appetizers half off and $5 house wine. Nice patio. The calamari might be the best in town.
(4)Rachel B.
We had a dinner here to celebrate my moms 80th birthday. We worked with their private dining because we had a large party and wanted to have a smaller menu to ensure prompt service. While at first, it seemed like we would have decent choices and work for the two Celiac family members, it quickly devolved when Judith refused to make any changes to the appetizers and told us that those people could just not eat the appetizers. At $75/person that wasn't an option for us. She did accommodate us with a smaller, cheaper menu so will give credit for that but as we realized at the restaurant, the choices were cheap and not that great. Overall, the restaurant was a nice experience - beautiful patio seating. Beyond that, the service was weak and food only so-so. To begin with, instead of seating us all together as we had requested, they put us at two tables and combined when we requested. When we were seated, I asked the woman who sat us for a wine list and two orders of the calamari. She responded that she was not our server and therefore unable to help us. Not a great start. Later when we needed an extra set of silverware, she made a point to explain to my 80 year old mother that it was our fault for moving the tables around that we didn't have silverware. Proper response would be to just give us another set of silverware without comment. And perhaps the most glaring service issue was the actual birthday cake delivery. They served desserts to everyone at the table and five minutes later brought over my moms so we could sing happy birthday. Shouldn't the birthday girl be first? Would not recommend for group dining.
(2)Carter C.
Very sad. Recommended by a friend. Service was as bad as I've ever had. Waited for waitress to take drink orders, to bring drinks, to take order for food, got our main course after about an hour and a half. No appetizers. The food was ok, but almost anything would have tasted good after waiting so long. Tried to bring appetizers after we finished but I was so angry I wouldn't have enjoyed them. Very pleasant and a little apologetic but I am not appeased by waitress telling me the manager overbooked. Certainly not the place to go if you only have one night in Santa Fe.
(1)Michael C.
Ouch.... We were a bit early for our 7:30 reservation, so hostess offered a seat at the bar. Took maybe 5 minutes to be acknowledged by the tinder, and then another 10 minutes before drinks were served. Moreover she was talking out loud about the slam of orders, lack of support, and was generally grumpy. My date said 'hope this doesn't portend the evening'. We barely had time to sip when we were seated. We we're approaching quickly by the busser but were already halfway through our drinks when finally approached by the server. Without even looking at the table she asked can I get you something from the bar? 'No', we already have drinks. Meal finally came but MR steak was cooked MW, so had to go back. Other entree was terrible, so asked to replace it with an alternate. Second round of drinks never came. Bill was incorrect so had to be re-run. Ouch. Never going back (and we live in Santa Fe)
(1)Napa G.
After a fun walk around canyon road, made my way to SantaCafe for lunch. Service and food top notch. The server was engaging and knowledgeable about the food. Great experience.
(5)Gail K.
We have it two stars because the calamari with the lime sauce and the hamburger dinner was very good. But my husband had the Ribeye and he could not eat it. He ate only 10% then had the rest taken away. He said it was the worst Ribeye he ever had. $28 down the drain. The service was excellent. Excellent.
(2)Clare M.
I've always loved eating at the bar. The patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a meal on a beautiful Santa Fe day. The food is always good but unfortunately, the menu hasn't changed in about 2 decades. Can we switch it up a bit, please? I will continue to go there and continue to enjoy it, but wish I'd be surprised more often by new items on the menu.
(4)Bob H.
The Santacafe in Santa Fe, NM is well worth finding. It is in a residential neighborhood. The food and service were both excellent, as was the service. They had several specials in addition to the menu. They also have a full service bar and pour a good drink. The well in front of the bar is about 30 feet deep, well lit, and covered with plexiglass so you can see to the bottom. When the house was built in the mid-to-late 1800s this well was used for water. The water table has since dropped and the well stays dry. I would return to Santacafe and recommend it.
(4)Sheba G.
Calamari and soft shell crab to start with a glass of sav blanc! Friendly staff & great service! Osso Bucco, ribeye, filet Minon, mashed potatoes, carrots and homemade pasta were all cooked to perfection! The 'AWARD WINNING" dessert was spectacular!
(5)Lindsay N.
Food special was delicious! Very pretentious tho:( Calamari came room temp so I bet it was better hot. Tuna was amazing. St. Patty's Day special was unique and tasty. Green ravioli stuffed with corn beef and cabbage with a mustard sauce.
(4)Peggy R.
We had a lovely lunch! There were 3 of us and we all had something different and each of us were very happy (it was a little while ago and I can't remember what we had just that we all enjoyed ourselves!).
(4)Nicholas N.
Still one oft favorite places to visit in Santa fe so much I miss this area. I need to head back.
(5)Arun B.
I guess all good things must end -- or maybe our tastes have evolved but the restaurant hasn't? It had been a few years since last visit, but remember it very well and had it on my must list for a recent trip. Unfortunately, we both found the food pretty bland and, frankly, just trying a bit too hard to be interesting/innovative (the number of ingredients in each dish reminded us of a cooking challenge more than a high-end restaurant). The resulting food was just kind of a mess to eat, although the descriptions read well. Service was fine and friendly, but SUPER rushed. They clearly wanted to move you in and out. I'm not joking that our first plates took under 2 minutes from order to table (either pre-made or a sign). And they made a point of telling us twice that the kitchen would close soon (but had no problem taking an 8pm reservation). We barely had time for a round of drinks, wine, appetizer, main, dessert. It was a sprint, which what I expect for lunch not dinner. Prices also far too high for this quality of food. Glad we went as it is a well known spot in town, but I won't be going back on my next visit. All in all, it just felt dated and like it was coasting off the tourist trade. Steak was ok, brussells sprouts were undercooked, green chili mash fantastic. Quinoa relleno underseasoned and on the menu in 2004.
(2)Richard T.
A long time favorite of ours, Santacafe seems to be in decline. It used to be creative with slight Southwest and Asian touches. My Chilli Relleno was tasteless and unseasoned; the pork oso bucco was a shabby stew; the salmon was overcooked and our server told the guest who ordered steak not to order rare, but that medium would be better because the meat was fatty. The wine I ordered was not available, and an aggressive employee pushed an Argentinian wine on us that tasted like fruit punch. Not in the same ballpark with the wine I ordered. Alas. Many fine things are fleeting.
(2)D A P.
I was treated to dinner here by a long time resident. It's a beautiful restaurant with fancy food and excellent wine choices. Every thing is NM white. Inside, the restaurant consists of a few small rooms. Service was great too. When walking thru the bar to the restrooms, I walked on a glass floor that covers an old deep well. Strange feeling.
(4)Steve B.
Great place for a "ladies lunch." The setting is the courtyard of the home of an early prominent citizen of Santa Fe. The waiters are charming and the menu has lots of salads and light dishes. It is a little pricey, but you'll enjoy the quiet ambiance.
(4)Chris A.
I make a trip to Santa Fe every couple of years and have been to the Santacafe many times. The last visit got me thinking a little about how close it is to be a top notch restaurant, and how little things keep it more in the middle of the pack than it might otherwise deserve. A visit this week is a great example. The ambiance is amazing, one of the best patios in town. Huge. Quaint. Well-shaded. Heated in when necessary. The dining room is charming as well, but being outside is the place to be. The food is solid too, if not particularly imaginative. Our party of four enjoyed mussels, the signature shrimp dumplings, salads, and a host of entrees including a chicken dish (not at all unlike a piccata), grilled lamb, and vegetarian chili rellanos. Everything was well prepared and flavorful. So far so good. But little things hold it back. A very limited and unnecessarily expensive wine list that makes finding the right selections difficult. On this particular visit, it was challenging to find a rose -- and this in a climate and menu that begs for pink wine. But a dearth of selection. Light bodied reds, also perfect for the menu and climate, are in short supply, particularly at more moderate price points. The biggest issue, however is inconsistent service. On this most recent visit, our waiter was terse, arrogant, visibly irritated by the little inconveniences one in his position must endure on a daily basis (people still locked in conversation when he first arrives at the table, and not having made decisions - drinks, wine, food - on a schedule that mirrors his own), and generally inattentive. In a small city with a really credible food culture and, more so, at a restaurant that receives pretty consistently positive reviews, I have to say that I expect more. A really great dining experience requires that a restaurant deliver consistently solid performance with regard to its food, service and atmosphere. Hitting on one or two of the three just doesn't seem like quite enough for a place that generally receives such high praise.
(3)Claudia C.
We were very disappointed in the service one evening this week. Our waiter was hurried, said he had to talk to the manager when we wanted to remove one item from our order. The ceviche was off and the chef was very kind, offered a replacement which was declined by our friend. The chef then said "dessert will be coming" but we were then charged for dessert. The waiter tossed the dessert menus on the table while two members of our party were still eating and brought the bill well before we were finished as if he could not wait for us to go away. All in all it was a most irritating experience.
(2)Madi M.
I have dined at Santacafé for years, and back in Santa Fé have been there twice in the last week. The calamari has no equal anywhere ... divine sauce. The chili relleno is as delicious as it is unusual and the lamb chops are always perfect. A finish with their chocolate mousse makes a perfect close. Wait staff excellent even during week. May be my all time favorite restaurant because it is so consistently excellent in all domains. Always makes a festive evening
(5)Mark C.
Excellent spot for brunch or for a "power lunch". I had the omelet, which was delicious, and convinced the chef to throw a little green chile in for some New Mexican flavor. The onion ring stack is a must add.
(5)Gwynedd D.
The Santacafe is a fave locale for Santa Fe residents, celebrities (who somehow eat there concealed in what must be a secret dining room) and visitors to this extraordinary city. However, it's possibly living on its reputation and the lunch crowd was definitely over-70, which despite that fact that I'm climbing up to that lofty age, is a sign to me of probably mediocre flavor in food. What happens to our taste buds as we get older? The main attraction here, to me, is the very pleasant courtyard with its Old World flavor and Santa Fe charm. We started with gazpacho with lime cream. The gazpacho had Thai bird chilis and was a tad spicy but it made you want to eat another, and another, then another spoonful. The lime cream? Why bother. It was a silly drizzle on the top and had absolutely no essence of lime. There was merely enough to look like a bird hit the soup, not enough to make a difference. I'd say, lay it on or leave it off. We then had salmon with zucchini risotto. The salmon was perfectly cooked but simply (not even) seasoned. The risotto was gritty, heavy, and the veg was overcooked and buried here and about the risotto in its cement-like mass. And there was too much of it. The dessert (creme brulee) was in too deep a ceramic dish, had a crust like a plate glass window and no subtlety of vanilla bean or any other flavoring. I've had this all over Europe and it's supposed to have a thin, ice-like crust that shatters with the tap of a spoon, and the texture should be lush but delicate. This was too much like a vanilla puddin' cup. The service was friendly but rushed. The entree was pushed onto the table as we were spooning up the last of the soup. Nothing says "eat up, folks, we want two seatings at lunch" like a rushed service. This isn't the Golden Corral. In short, ok food except for that inedible risotto but you get a delightful courtyard. So, you're paying for the ambience and you might get a good meal, too, once in a while.
(3)Jennie B.
The food is A-OK. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner last week. From the steak, calamari (where the dipping sauce always makes the dish go from good to amazing), cutlet, mussels, stuffed poblano, etc. all were very well prepared and tasty. My beef comes with the seating and placement of our table. Everytime I go here, I think it's safe to say, since I go with a group that always includes my 5 year old kid, I get placed all the way in the back, in a corner, by the drink station, far-far-far-away from anything remotely interesting going on in the patio. Little does Santacafe know, that my child is THE BEST BEHAVED little girl, any restaurant has ever seen. However, this is the pattern for Santacafe. Next time, I will think twice about coming here with my kid. There are plenty of other restaurants in this town that are happy to seat a table of 5 in the middle of the action.
(3)Debra R.
I came back two nights later and had the delicious grilled Seabass with sautéed spinach. I substituted the jalapeno mashed potatoes for the polenta, and they were divine. What a lovely dining experience.
(5)Nancy M.
What's the rush!? I live in Santa Fe and enjoy having lunch and dinner outside during the summer. The last few times I have been there we have been rushed. At dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us to get our order in since the kitchen was small. It was not that crowded at 6:30? I hesitated to do this since at a previous lunch our food arrived prior to our drink order. Another time when we tried to pace our waiter who seemed irritated so we ordered app's and lunch at the same time and entrees arrived when we had not finished our appetizers. Crazy! It seems like they have a goal to turn as many tables as possible. If so, they will loose consistent customers like me. I want to go out to dinner and relax. Santacafe is not a diner!
(3)Linda R.
I ate here in October and have eaten in the past a couple of years ago. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Santa fe and this although ok is uninspired and the service polite but edge of arrogance. I had iceberg lettuce with green goddess and lobster salad. No care to the presentation, the lettuce not as cold or crisp as you would hope and the dressing nearly tasteless. My husbands salad was the same and the chicken dry and probably yesterday. It is a lovely setting, but in the same areas competition with much better food. The La Fonda restaurant is much better , pretty setting and consistently fresh and well prepared food. La casa Sena outdoor at lunch another pretty venue with consistently good lunch selections and both have better service. There are also terrific other places, but if you are visiting for the first time and another place to go these 2 and frankly the food trucks provide better food.
(3)Nick S.
I'm starting to be over it here. It's about attitude, which seems a little arrogant. If you don't call for a reservation they will punish you, even with empty tables on the patio, and give you the worst table that is still "technically the patio". Btw, those preferred tables sat empty through our whole lunch. Maybe they should make themselves more available on Open Table, they obviously don't want to give up the buck for the convenience to the customer. Also, kitchen inflexible, my worst gripe. It's one thing to want something weird, but to take French fries from item A and put them on your item B instead of potato salad, seems a bit arrogant. The waiter"made it happen", but frankly the customer shouldn't be put thru the "ask". So now it's just another pricey outdoor, and nice one however, patio restaurant. They seem to cater to the Santa Fe elite, so they can have them instead of me. I can afford to eat anywhere, I believe that I'm ready for another patio choice.
(3)Alison Bly S.
We've dined here every visit to Santa Fe, but it has been at least 10 years till our recent visit, so we weren't sure what to expect. We at there on our first night, which was a busy Saturday night, and we were disappointed to learn that the filet entree was sold out and that they had run out of their signature chile mashed potatoes--how that can happen, I don't understand! (We have their cookbook, and make this excellent yet simple dish ourselves all the time.) Still, the meal was up to the standard of past experiences. The welcome & initial service seemed a bit rushed, but the place was totally jam-packed. We decided to return for our final night, a Thursday, and it was a far more relaxed experience--and we got our chile mashed potatoes & filet after all!
(4)Ellen M.
This was my first time here in ages and was not disappointed. Went for lunch with a friend. It was busy but pretty mellow. We both had the chicken salad which was delicious, the best I have ever had in a restaurant. It's a fairly large portion served on a bed of fresh spring lettuce with tomatoes and avocado slices. Very reasonably priced. The service was superb and even though we were there for almost 2 hours no one rushed us.
(5)Adam Issac W.
I live in Santa Fe. This is the only restaurant in town with a bad attitude. I've been here 6 times for lunch and dinner. The food is overpriced; the service is miserable; and the entire staff is stuck up! Don't waste another dime here! I won't. Avoid at all cost!
(1)steve d.
This is a review of a recent lunch. As noted the ambiance is very pleasant. We sat outside and took in the view of the downtown business diners and tourists. Service was efficient and unpretentious. The onion rings were fresh and ample and the ketchup very tasty. The salmon was just ok. The green salad with green goddess dressing, peas and lobster salad topping was also ok. The greens were crisp and flavorful, the dressing so so and the lobster did not taste bright sweet and fresh. This is our second lunch there in several months and both meals have been nothing special. By the way if you want nicely cooked salmon go to The Ranch House.
(3)david h.
Disclaimer - I'm not a huge fan of southwestern fare. Then why do you eat it? (You may ask). Well, for the same reason Forrest Gump compared life to a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. The calamari is excellent. The dumplings and spring rolls were good. My chicken enchiladas were pure New Mexico, southwestern same old, same old. That is to say average. The desserts were off the chain. Creme brûlée labeled "best ever" be more than one person at the table. They said they were famous for their desserts and I can see why. The service was, for the most part excellent. The rooms are small and they may put the tables too close together. We had to rearrange our seating after a water boy banged the back of my wife's chair for the third time trying to squeeze between chairs. That being said, our waiter was excellent. The atmosphere is spartan. You expect a lot more from a place with this kind of acclaim. There is also a pretty pervasive snob factor throughout. I'd give it a slightly upturned face.
(3)Rosemarie F.
Came here as the last stop on a Santa Fe Cooking School's restaurant walking tour. I am still dreaming about the lemon-coconut tarte! It was accompanied by a very nice champagne! The story around the well was very interesting. Three stars only because did not have a full meal here. Will definately come here next trip down.
(3)Phil K.
This has been a long time favorite restaurant of mine in Santa Fe. Unfortunately the quality of food and service is inconsistent. My wife and I had dinner there with friends last week. Cocktails were a disappointment and so was dinner. The food was just okay--not the caliber of meals we had there during previous visits. Steaks were over cooked, salad was limp and lacked flavor, and side dishes tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. Desert was the highlight of the meal. Next time we plan a special night out we will more than likely try another local eatery.
(3)David T.
First, I love the space. Simple New Mexico style - stark in almost a Georgia O'Keeffe style. Some find it too simple but I'd move in in a heartbeat. I've been coming here for more years than I care to count. An artist/waiter/actor friend of mine worked there just after they opened and we visited often. Still try to make it back when I'm in town. This is not New Mexican cuisine. A few chile accents here and there but this is more like the Compound than Maria's. They change the menu seasonally (including prices - lol) so the dishes I'm going to mention may or may not be available currently. Shared the Wild Gulf Tempura with red chile sweet and sour sauce - $14.50. My all time favorite appetizer - lord it's delish. Followed with Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops w/ Thyme Demi - Glace, Crispy Polenta, Sautéed Asparagus, Arugula & Ancho Chili Pesto -- $33.00. Normally I skip dessert but they make all their pastries and ice cream/sorbets in house. So, decision time - Madagascar Vanilla Creme Brûlée or Coffee Bean Ice Cream w/ Piñon Crisp & "Cajeta" (Goat's Milk) Caramel. Spacing on the price but around $10 as I recall. Very nice, if somewhat pricy, wine list. Enjoyed a lovely Pinot that paired beautifully with the Lamb. Star off is like most restaurants of its ilk in Santa Fe it is overpriced - you can easily drop $100 a head and while it is a good restaurant this is not NYC or San Francisco dining - just priced like it.
(4)Annie S.
We came here for dinner when we first moved to town. I really like the dining area but it is pretty quiet. I could not come here with my girlfriends! However, they had great service and good food. I agree with other Yelpers about the nice ambiance. It is very comfortable and not too snotty. I do want to hang out at the bar sometime since it was cute. This is American cuisine and you can get the typical pork chop, chicken, steak, etc.
(4)Pam L.
Have been trying this establishment for the past three years and still can't see what the hype is about. The service was slow even for Santa Fe standards and lacked in customer service. The caprese salad was bland and lacked good acid notes. The mozzarella tasted like it had been soaked in water for a week. The beef tenderloin was soaked in some type of sweet liquid that distracted from its natural flavor. Trying to reinvent a classic dish with unrealistic flavors pretty much takes the classic out of it. The coffee ice cream dessert tasted like it had been in the freezer for a year. The only saving grace was the soft shell crap. I guess it was good only because it had to be served fresh. I think I am over trying to find good food in this establishment.
(2)Jen G.
We really enjoyed dinner here. There is a lot of staff, so there is someone always refilling your water. They were also super friendly. The patio area was nice. But there were lots of flies, which made for an annoying 10 min when the flies were bothering us. We really liked the food. The spring rolls were good. I really liked the quinoa filled chile relleno. The sauce was really great. The chicken was surprising good, too. It had a ton of flavor. And the house made sorbets were great.
(4)Jes Z.
I think the Santacafe Patio is a "must do" in Santa Fe. So relaxing...I was worried the place had gone downhill after my Christmas Day entree arrived, tough as a shoe insert instead of fish, but this week the place was redeemed in my mind. I had the "sherried chicken salad " for lunch, and had no idea that chicken salad could possibly taste this good?! HOLY Cow...(or coyote) what do they do to it? Some people think the place is a bit snotty ...and yes, I did see a well known actress on the patio with her obligatory African baby, but still, its a wonderful place to relax and have a quiet meal.
(4)Garen M.
We had a wonderful dinner and excellent service here. Fairly pricey, but you have to pay for a quality meal with quality service.
(4)Stephane M.
Real bad attitude. I get there at 2h05. I say good afternoon and some lady answer by a question ( are you looking for the restroom ?) then I say that I would like to have lunch and someone else is telling me that they don't serve after 2pm. Great way to stay away...
(1)Kathy M.
Been a fan of Santa Cafe since it opened. When we are in SF we always have a meal here. I have been away for about 8 years but we were in SF for Xmas 2012 and decided to have dinner. My family of 3 had a reservation and we arrived early on a Sat night. We were seated at the worst possible table: tucked into a room that should have 5 tables but has 7, my husband's back against a flimsy screen to keep the kitchen noises/lights at bay. Didn't work. I was seated so I could see the tired bus boy lurking and checking his phone in the doorway of the kitchen. Said bus boy spilled a tray of water and wine glasses, getting water over a patron's coat. The diner was actually gracious about it, but we noticed that more than half of the broken glass was left under foot. Thank God it was winter: if a woman with a sandals or open-toed shoes was sitting there, she'd be getting stitches. So we were pissed to be shunted into this ridiculous corner. It's not like we didn't have a reservation.... Appetizer was an Asian-influeced shrimp dumpling, which was delicious but cold. Wine was good but expensive! I had the steak and country mashed potatoes. Meh. This is where I first had wasabi mashed potatoes, and loved them. These new 'country' potatoes were boring. I am not sure I'd go back. Really nothing special anymore. Obviously, reading these reviews, it is hit or miss. I can't say enough about the exciting and delicious food at Cafe Pasquale in SF. It is hard to get into but much more satisfying, even if you have to share a table in its cramped one-room dining room. I still liked the Santa Cafe decor but, really, pushing in so many tables to little rooms is just annoying. We should've refused the table, but I had my 15-year-old with me and she was hungry. I spent my meal feeling irritated and worried the busy boy would spill coffee on me! Please, manager, don't let your place go downhill; do something now to reinstate the place to its former glory! I would like to enjoy my meal at Santa Cafe again!
(2)Jim J.
Santacafe used to be our favorite SF restaurant. Until they tried to seat us on the patio in the rain. We had made reservations for 5:30 and arrived on time. The parking lot and restaurant were completely empty. They refused to seat us inside away from the rain. The hostess was extremely rude. We walked out and went across the street to Osteria Restaurant and had a wonderful meal with excellent service. They were happy to seat us even on a weekend with no reservation. So long, Santacafe. There are 200 good restaurants in SF.
(1)Will F.
Sat at counter, intending to have complete dinner. Ordered appetizers - shrimp tempura with sweet/hot chile sauce and crab/scallop cake with chipotle Cream dressing. Crab was mealy - not fresh! Dressing more like mayo. Shrimp fresh, tempura batter not to heavy but sauce sweet like sugar yuch! Cut our losses and moved on
(2)George W.
Excellent in every way. Try the chilli relents------it's the best
(5)Heidi G.
Best in town. It's pricey, but SOOOO worth it. The food is amazing and the service is superb...like nothing in New Mexico. By far the best restaurant in town and for that matter, the entire state. Promise, you'll be impressed and you'll be back!
(5)Katy B.
Great Atmosphere. Great Patio.They make their own bread,ketchups etc..., fresh and tasty... The staff was really friendly and professional.. will definitely be going back!
(4)Susan L.
We were reluctant to go to Santacafe based on friends' experiences but their outdoor courtyard looked inviting so we bit the bullet, hoping for the best. The atmosphere can only be described as frenetic, glitzy, snobbish with a distinct "LA vibe". While waiting almost 15 minutes for drinks to arrive, we noticed other tables receiving complementary starters, "amuse bouche". We were not served any and later discovered they were only given to preferred guests by the the maitre d. This was an immediate turnoff. My chicken dish was at best mediocre while my husband's fish was good. Food-wise it was just very average. The bottom line is save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)Zach N.
Consistently good New Mexican food. Blue corn pancakes are not to miss. Great happy hour specials. Pies and cakes to take home. Also a good selection of non Mexican dishes. Price could be a bit lower, but the location demands a premium.
(4)sarah b.
Excellent food, attentive service, with an understated elegant decor. This offers a great alternative to a lot of the Southwestern fare in Santa Fe. We ordered the shrimp appetizer(per our servers recommendation), lightly battered and flash fried with a hot asian sauce. Spinach salad with goat cheese with nice light sweet dressing, goat cheese, pomegranite and apple, and for entrees salmon with leek risotto, perfectly cooked and the stuffed pepper. We were pleased with everything down to the wine recommendations. And we LOVEd the children's pasta. We arrived early with our two-year old and did find it odd that we were seated in a small room right next to two other tables in a near-empty restaurant. And the restaurant is pretty quiet so not a great choice for very young children, but we were very pleased with the overall experience and would gladly return.
(4)Julia F.
As a local, I was a little wary of this place because had heard it was expensive and I had seen some bad reviews online, but my boss took me there for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I was blown away. The food was some of the best I've ever had - you know, when it's so good you don't even care what you're eating. I also ordered desert (the chocolate mousse - I HIGHLY recommend it) and it looked so beautiful I almost didn't want to eat it. Very glad I did though, because it was exceptional. They even put a little birthday candle in it for me! The waiters were incredibly nice and were careful to give us time to talk and finish our food, and even wrapped up our leftover food for us (which I always think is a nice touch). The food was a little pricey, but I could only eat about half of my entree (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and half of my dessert, so I basically got two meals out of it. The restaurant if beautiful, clean, classy, and there's a huge well in the floor by the bar that has to be seen! You'll see what I'm talking about. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe, and I can't wait to return.
(5)Lauren E.
The pros: - Very nice ambiance - We were seated right away - Delicious cream of potato and Swiss chard soup - Good bread - Very good Reuben sandwich - Had a great selection on the menu, which changes every few days The cons: - Our server was a bit off and unfriendly - The French fries with the Reuben would have been great if they were a bit less mushy - One of the "classic" items, the shitake and cactus spring rolls turned out to be disappointing. There were hardly any shitakes, and the rolls were very crispy. Not very appealing to the taste buds
(3)Momo O.
DINING UNDER THE STARS. The patio area in this restaurant is so cute! At night, under the sparkly lights, you feel like you're dining directly under the stars. I had the calamari and salad here -- which were both VERY delicious.. salad was sophisticated with bacon wrapped asparagus, perfect home-made vinaigrette, and goat cheese. The calamari was fresh, crisp and the best part was the house dipping sauce -- super garlic-y and a little spicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back next since I was only in NM for vacation, but had a lovely time dining here.
(4)Candace C.
Arrived early on Thursday and was seated in a front room. Two parties were seated directly to each side of us, despite plenty of room. I always wonder why restaurants do this!!! The calamari was nicely done, but the dipping sauce is a loser. I had the relleno - pretty good. My husband had the lamb chops and proclaimed them totally fabulous. Best of all was the chocolate mousse. Wine was very expensive . Service was adequate.
(3)Heidi T.
Very comfortable setting, great food, reasonable prices, and EXCELLENT service!! The calamari appetizer is a must-eat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sauce is perfect for dipping.
(5)F. P.
The food here is excellent quality and some of the dishes were stellar when we came here for dinner. Started off with the shiitake and cactus spring rolls with southwestern ponzu. The rolls were flaky but the flavor was a bit bland (prob because it was vegetarian and was missing the umami of meat-filled rolls). The arugula salad with red plums, beets and goat cheese was excellent. Fresh, light dish (which was a nice change from the hearty food I'd been eating ever since I got to New Mexico). But the standouts were the entrees. I had the roasted poblano chile relleno stuffed with 3-mushroom quinoa, which was out of this world! The relleno was placed on a plate surrounded by an orange chipotle cream sauce that was rich and coated the dish so nicely. I also had a couple of bites of the daily special, which was a pork chop dressed with a sweet fruit glaze and accompanied with autumn veggies (carrots, radish and turnips). Very juicy, a tad sweet, but perfectly cooked. There's a beautiful patio area that would have been great for lunch but not open for dinner (way too cold). Service was attentive and excellent. However, I didn't like the decor. Aside from the requisite Southwestern motif of a horse skull hung on a wall, there was literally not a single item on the bare white walls from any room I could see. Way too stark for me ... almost felt like they had just opened and didn't have time to decorate. But other than the (lack of) decor, I thought the experience here was great.
(4)eli w.
This is my first review of SantaCafe on Yelp and it unfortunately isn't going to be a very good one. I have been going to SantaCafe for almost 20 years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in the world. And although I no longer live in Santa Fe, I make a point of going SEVERAL times on every trip home. While other restaurants have come and gone, SantaCafe has endured as one of the top restaurants in town - until now, I guess. I don't know what happened to SantaCafe since our last trip here this summer, but from the minute our friends were ignored by the dismissive hostesses, to the 15 minute wait for a drink in an almost empty bar, it just wasn't the same. Gone were the friendly faces, the great service, and the wait for even one seat at the bar. For on what should have been a busy holiday evening, SantaCafe was eerily quiet. The drinks did finally come, were good and served with a friendly smile. Sadly, however, this wasn't enough to keep us from deciding to leave - even though it was snowing and cold outside. So, we called another restaurant (I won't name them here, but they are another downtown Santa Fe institution) and they were not only friendly and welcoming when we told them of our experience, but happy to take a table of 4 without a reservation. Sorry SantaCafe, I hate to say it, but we won't be back for a while. If anyone at SantaCafe reads this... -Do something about your hostesses. Today. Seriously, the dismissive unfriendly duo at the door isn't the face you want to put forward. -I realize that it can be hard to be upbeat and attentive on a slow night, but wow. We were actually joking about the Best Service award on display while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited...
(2)Chris B.
Was an amazing dinning experience. Wine 5* Food 5* Service 5* HIGHY recommend SantacaFe
(5)Barb M.
Excellent dinner. Fillet mignon was good and the chile relleno was phenomenal. Service was attentive. Gage the waiter assistant was awesome. Nice outdoor porch seating. Best dinner in Santa Fe so far.
(4)Zak M.
We went on a sleepy Wednesday night loaded with $200.00 in gift certificates (It was extremely generous for Santa Cafe to give us the gift certificates, they were won through a contest.). The service was decent and the food was good enough. We started off with the calamari, which was a little over done and a four chile flake sauce that was a little bland. If there were four chiles in the sauce, I could barely taste one. We also had the Shrimp & Spinach Dumplings with Tahini peanut sauce which also was okay. I feel like I could have gotten a more exciting dumpling at Jinja. I had the Ribeye Steak with Pommes Frites (shoe string fries) and a Chile Bearnaise sauce of some sort. The steak was decent, well cooked and enjoyable, the fries seemed a little stale and the chile bernaise sauce was a little lackluster in flavor. We had a bottle of Syrah wine and my friends had port after dinner. My friend had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on risotto which was what you'd expect from the dish, nothing too stellar. Another friend had the Fettucini Alfredo with a fancy type of mushrooms, which was rich and as good as good as other places around town. For desert we had a Chocolate mouse molded within a dense chocolate chip wall, which was both delicious and fun to eat. We also had coffee, which was very good quality and a type of chocolate lava cake desert, which was fine. The ambiance of the restaurant was simple, neat and romantic. The service was attentive, however the server wasn't as familiar with the selection of drinks as we would have liked. We asked the server if we could have a virgin pina colada and the server wasn't sure if they made them or not. The restaurant doesn't have a blender, so no frozen drinks were made. Seems like good information for a server to know, but I've made the same mistake as a server when I first started out, but this is a fine dinning establishment. The final bill came out to about $287.00 for three appetizers, four entrees, one bottle of wine, two ports, three deserts and four coffees. In conclusion, If I were loaded or my friends had a billion dollars in Gift Certificates, I might try Santa Cafe again, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed by anything in particular and if you're charging an arm and a leg, thats what your guest should receive. If you're looking for delicious consciously prepared food, made with a ton of heart try the Dish and Spoon on old Santa Fe trail. Not as fru fru, but lip smackingly good. That's where I'd take my girlfriend for a romantic date. You'd probably be more likely to get more bang for your buck there.
(3)Craig E.
Good food (expensive), rude service. In my experience, this is an expensive place with servers and management that act as though they are doing you a favor by simply letting you in the door, much less giving you a pleasant dining experience. Bad service has happened twice (years apart) and I won't go back because it is obviously a chronic condition in this restaurant.
(2)christine h.
Other then expensive (like most overpriced tourist focused restaurants here) the service was wonder and the food very good. The outdoor ambiance was nice with no loud over powering music. I ordered the steak and it was nothing special but my table mates we're extremely happy with the snapper and the portobello chili relleno.
(4)Carlo A.
Being from San Francisco, I can almost picture myself in the Napa or Sonoma Valley sitting in this patio. It's a relaxing, refreshing space, and the food is comforting and delicious. Great wine selection, attentive service, and nice to see that it's mostly locals (both times we went) instead of all tourists. We loved it so much that we had to come back through Santa Fe on the way to ABQ airport from Taos just to have lunch here. Would love to try it for dinner and experience dining under the white lights of the patio.
(4)Chris C.
Santacafe offers a nice balance of upscale cuisine with Santa Fe casual. We had a relaxing dinner under the stars in their courtyard on our first night in town. Some good food, a smooth wine and a light warm breeze were a great way to start our visit. On the whole, the food was very good (though we wished there were more vegetable options/accompaniments with our meals). Appetizers were solid. Our entrees were very good with one complaint - one member of our party asked for extra broccoli rabe in her dish and only got a single stalk. Dessert was divine here. I would go into specifics but the menu is seasonal and changes based on the chef and the available ingredients. The staff was very friendy. However, our waiter (nice as he was) was nowhere as helpful as the busser who was sweet, efficient and very attentive.
(4)Andrew T.
Really appreciated the service, but it was trumped by the pork chop - perfect. Great atmosphere, might have been a little under dressed in jeans and collar. One of must haves when in Santa Fe.
(5)Greg M.
Great patio seating. Lunch menu was very good - lots to choose from. Terrific green chili burger!
(4)Slav Z.
Divine! The owner is a very nice guy. I could not help myself and complemented their lunch linguini special. Having been a demi chef in my late 20s in London, I know what it means when you work your a..in the kitchen and then quietly wait for the waiter to pop in and say: "they complimented your dish! The owner came out and offered us desserts on the house. My God! Was that heaven! it's been few weeks but if I remember correctly we had, among others: Trio of Housemade Sorbets, and Warm Chocolate Upside-down Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. Dont' you dare miss that place when in Santa Fe!
(5)Frank G.
superb service, atmosphere, and food. it's a little on the expensive side, but the perfect place for a family or romance. even for a vegetarian.
(5)Allison H.
Best meal I had in Santa, hands down. Seemed a bit stuffy when I walked in, but the food canceled it out. The outdoor seeting was nice but buggy, and prices were high.
(4)J K.
This was the first place that we dined at during our visit. We had wanted to love the place but found the food a bit disappointing. I think that it just didn't have the moxie that we were looking for in Southwest cuisine. Its not a good thing when the only super positive thing that my boyfriend had to say was, "at least we didn't pay much for it". Hmmm... not exactly glowing recommendations.
(2)Edward G.
The Santacafe has a beautiful al fresco dining area that should not be missed; however, be careful ordering from the menu. In fact, do not order the vegetarian chile relleno because it would be a huge disappoint for a vegetarian or anyone else for that matter. The fish entree was slightly overcooked, but otherwise good. This is not a restaurant worthy of fine dining prices. Sometimes the only thing that makes the food palatable is a martini before dinner.
(3)Food C.
We have been to the Santacafe in the past & were impressed with their food & service. However, that was several years ago, so we decided to go back & give it a try. We were disappointed in the food. It was tasteless and lacked excitement. To start, we ordered the calamari with dipping sauce. The calamari breading had no flavor & the dipping sauce was tasteless. I ordered the greens with lemon & olive oil dressing. The greens were nice, however, there could have been some color or texture added, but it was a nice, bland looking salad - just greens. My husband said his main course tasted mostly of garlic & mine was just bland. On a good note, the service & atmosphere were good.
(2)Cameron M.
Lovely restaurant with simple, well executed selections and good service. Salad Nicoise was excellent with perfectly prepared tuna.
(4)Becky O.
Terrible. Service okay. Would not recommend, they have a wonderful patio but doesn't make up for their food. Other than that...smh.
(1)Tony C.
Decent lunch spot though somewhat overpriced and only adequate service. Seemed to be a lot of power brokers and expense account wonks.
(3)Meg G.
Appetizer was great but the fish was WAY overcooked. Risotto didn't have much taste. The Filet was cooked nicely but not a great piece of meat. The waitress seemed to have better things to do than wait on us but the support staff was the best thing about our experience. The manager was apologetic and said he wish he knew that the meal was not up to par but without the waitress checking in on you, how is he suppose to know. Many better restaurants in Santa Fe than this.
(2)Gregg S.
A friend recommended and it did not disappoint. The poblano stuffed with quinoa was excellent and I am not a quinoa fan. No ones meal disappointed and I look forward to returning.
(4)Dana K.
A cute dining area- it felt somewhat like someone's wedding complete with white tent and white lights. However, they were out of the pinot noir special and weren't able to recommend a comparable bottle. Bummer. The food was decent, but in my opinion overly priced. I had a confusing cold avocado yogurt soup which reminded me of guacamole. I'd skip it and go to Whole Foods instead to buy your own dinner.
(3)John D.
The stuffed chili is outrageously good - very nice atmosphere and bar area.
(4)Jeff W.
Santacafe is a 4 star restaurant with issues. Hence, my controversial 3 star rating. I have never in my life had food served so frighteningly fast in a high-end restaurant. Nor in anything short of a sub shop.The place was packed when we came, yet we were sat down almost instantly. Nice. Then the water guy and the waiter came by within 2 minutes tops. Great service. Then we started to see a pattern. Our drinks came in 2 minutes. How did they do that with 150 people in this place? But then our appetizers came in 2 minutes. OK, I'm hungry. I can deal with it. Are these people on Meth? Then before our appetizers were done, our entrees came. How he f#$@ did they do that? It was weird. Naturally it was incredibly tacky. I looked at Jessy and asked if we had been here 10 minutes yet. We weren't sure! We were gasping at this point. We stared at the entrees, and Jessy was smart enough to tell our server it was strange. He was a pro and immediately removed them and told us we would have new entrees whenever we were ready. Nice recovery. How about the food? The Calamari with Chile Dipping Sauce was crisp, actually large for $6, and good. The Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls were very good but with a strikingly Proletariat Olive Garden presentation. What's with the large hunk of red lettuce? Could we try some more interesting greens or skip them? The uninteresting and scattered bread basket was also thrown at us; but then the Santacafe M.O. is speed I guess. The Roasted Poblano Relleno with Quinoa was very good; not as interesting as I might have hoped. But the highly recommended Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Also the servings here are large, but am I the only person here who is _not_ from Texas? Clearly Santacafe can do better. You don't go to a high-end restaurant and order $34 entrees to be rushed out in 45 minutes. Because the place was on steroids, I don't think we were some freak random case. Slow down guys, put a little more attention into the food [given the price], and put a little more attention into your customers. You have a nice restaurant. Focus.
(3)Mia S.
I came here for a light lunch, and it was great. We sat outdoors, on a nice summer day with a breeze. The waiter was awesome and made some great conversation. Our food took a while to come, but still worth the wait. I had a great salad, and soup, while my husband and sister had something else that they loved as well. Sorry its been a while since i've been there, but I remember it being a delicious place. I would visit this place again when I'm in the area.
(4)Dan P.
After dining here maybe 6 times over 25 years, I have to say that the birthday dinner here in December was one one of the most "undistinguished" I've had anywhere in a long time. With all the great places to dine in Santa Fe, you can cross this one off your list. I'm sorry to lose one of my favorite restaurants, but I guess nothing lasts forever. Except, of course, Cafe Pasquals. Goodbye Santa Cafe.
(2)Randy B.
The most consistent quintessential Santa Fe restaurant.
(5)Brc P.
This has been a favorite of ours for years. Lunch or dinner, consistently excellent. A high end restaurant but always real value for the price. Lovely for special occasions or just a welcoming place when you're hungry. In season the courtyard garden is shaded and out of the wind. The bar is a good location for a quicker meal. Servers always seem to be able to offer good suggestions and the wine list is a winner.
(5)Mrs M.
Vastly over-rated, and extremely noisy due to Santacafe's bad acoustics. I had a chicken echilada for lunch there once that made me nostalgic for Taco Bell. Now that they have a new chef and a different menu, there's nothing that represents Santa Fe except "red chile onion rings with Judy's catsup". And you might count the burger on which they throw a little green chile. That's as "Santa Fe" style as it gets here. Otherwise, what the lunch menu features is "chipotle" cream added to East Coast and Italian style foods. Anyone who knows Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico cuisine is aware of the fact that jalapenos and chipotles (smoked jalapenos) are Texan and Mexican--not native. And oh, what a pompous description of the place on their web-site. I did have an unforgettable experience there, at one of the many dinners I've suffered at their hands: an inedible, gristly ribeye steak , accompanied by cardboard "cornbread". Why do people accept this sort of rubbish at such high prices? And why is such a pretentious restaurant representing itself with an illiterate on-line menu, which is missing punctuation and misspelling "gorgonzola"? I know I'll be dragged to Santacafe again by well-meaning friends who follow fashion blindly, but really, folks--there's no THERE there!
(2)Jane G.
Many times, during our annual April trek to Santa Fe, we've enjoyed lunch on the patio or dinner in the dining room at Santa Cafe. This trip, after raving about it to our friends, we arrived for lunch on a cool enough day to want to sit in the sun. Although there were a number of empty tables in the sun, the hostess insisted that we had to sit in the shade. So, we moved on to Zia Diner, where we lunched differently but equally well...on the patio...in the sunshine.
(2)Jordan N.
Located a couple blocks from the Plaza this restaurant exceed all my hopes for a romantic dinner for two. The outdoor garden was adorable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Everything they recommended was fabulous. And they have a great pre-theater!
(5)N V.
The first time I ate at SantaCafe it was the new restaurant in town, struggling to get recognition when Coyote Cafe was the darling of the food press. It was great then. In the nearly annual trips to Santa Fe in the intervening 20-something years all but two or three included a trip to SantaCafe. It's still a great meal in a simple, inviting space. Yesterday's visit was the most recent in a long line of good experiences. It's Labor Day weekend, but surprisingly not the mob scene this town can be on summer weekends. That meant a little of the pressure was off of our server and the kitchen and we benefited. Our server was friendly and timely, and incredibly patient with the chili-adverse couple next door. The calamari are a long standing favorite, the arugula salad with grilled peaches a new and wonderful addition, and the rib-eye well prepared (though lacking in the chili-rub seasoning of years past.). The green chili brioche is mouth-wateringly delicious. (I've tried for years to recreate it.) The desserts here have long been worth every calorie. The coffee bean ice cream with piñon crisp and cajeta was just as good as we had hoped. My one criticism: As wonderful as the food is, as many years as I've been going here, as glad as I am to see old favorites on the menu, a little innovation and updating of the menu would go a long way to refreshing a Santa Fe institution. SantaCafe has earned too many laurels to be resting on them.
(4)Jenny K.
While I can't speak for their daily menu, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving day meal at Santacafe. Portions were generous and considering it was Prix fixe, they offered a lot of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We both enjoyed our wine and every item we tasted and loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I would definitely come back to Santacafe.
(5)Suburban R.
an oasis of a restaurant near the plaza. incidentally, this used to be ming tsai's kitchen back when... attentive waitstaff serving a decent burger, fried calamari, brunch. i have not eaten here for dinner. i've in one or two occasions experienced snootiness from hostess-- honey plueezeee, i say!. but i understand that she's practicing for the day she arrives in NYC or her lesser cousin, LA ;-)... doubt she'll ever make it there... i prefer to dine in that room off of the entrance overlooking the garden and covered patio [even though they pack the seating and tables ]. regardless, it has a nice soothing light, rendering the the earthen walls of adobe light as clouds. and for a decent inexpensive lunch, santacafe is the old reliable.
(4)Christie B.
White table linens covered with paper toppers and supplied with crayons, this little treasure in the heart of Santa Fe served a delicious Spinach Nicose with seared Ahi Tuna. Delectable. Lots of local folks, as it's off the beaten path and a little tricky to find; right next to Sotheby's Realty, appropriately. A nice respite and good place to get in out of the snowy and cold day. Coffee was delicious, too.
(4)laurie c.
One of the best meals we had on our trip. Although more higher end, it is worth every penny. We ate at the bar (hence our earlier post of visiting and being so relaxed and forgetting to make reservations) and for at-the-bar dining, it was one of the best! We enjoyed the crowd, the food was AMAZING and the wines were also delicious. I would actually classify this as moderately priced--the value you get with food, service, decor is a steal!
(5)Jessy B.
Okay, read jeffrey's review for what happened to us. And then just up the stars to 4. Yes, delivering the entrees to the table before we finished our appetizers is tacky for this level of restaurant. Yes, we did feel incredibly rushed until I called over the waiter and begged him to slow down. and yes, they can do better. But that is what stops them from being a 5 star restaurant. The waiter recovered and comped an appetizer, removed our food immediately and brought us a whole new dinner when we were ready. So, lighten up jeffrey!!! Would I recommend the place - absolutely. But go to La Boca first...
(4)Amy L.
It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The patio outside where we ate was really nice too. I had the fillet and it pretty much melted in my mouth. I also ordered a side of the green chile mashed potatoes that were fabulous! They had the best green chile bread too! Our waiter was very helpful with the wine list too and recommended the Pinot Gris which now might be my favorite wine! I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Santa Fe!
(5)Amy E.
We've visited Santa Fe many times over the years, and Santacafe has always been one of our favorite stops. On our most recent trip, we brought my sister, a first-time visitor to Santa Fe. We couldn't wait to take her to Santacafe. From the moment we stepped into the courtyard, this restaurant seemed like a completely different place. It was certainly not the same place we last visited four years ago. The service was TERRIBLE. Apparently, the waitstaff could not figure out who was responsible for our table. We had three different waiters, each of whom seemed to think that our table was someone else's responsibility. We waited half an hour for our drinks after asking for them three times. We finally saw someone with a tray carrying our beverages, only to watch her take them to another table! Our appetizer never arrived. When we pointed out these problems to our waiter, he just walked away, zombie-like! He never apologized. If one person had said they were sorry for neglecting us, we would have accepted their apology gracefully, but no one on the staff seemed to care at all. The food has really gone downhill, too. Everything was bland-- not the high-end food we remembered. We will NEVER go back to this place. It's a shame, because it used to be one of our top choices in town. Next time, we'll skip Santacafe and head over to La Boca instead!
(2)Morgan E.
I have eaten at the Santa Cafe several times, often with large groups. The service is always impeccable and the food is always good. I can understand why someone might think it is overpriced for the quality - but I have always gone there for lunch and the value for the lunch menu is very very good. I eat lunch here every time I come to town.
(4)Dolores H.
I thought this place was delicious. The calamari was so good that I almost ordered a second batch. This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and she hyped it up a lot. I have to say I was not at all disappointed in the food. The atmosphere really captures the rustic Santa Fe style with upscale touches. The only downfall is that there are 2 unisex bathrooms and there are always people literally waiting for you to finish like at a gas station...it seems they could use to fix that.
(4)John D.
The stuffed chili is outrageously good - very nice atmosphere and bar area.
(4)Linda R.
I ate here in October and have eaten in the past a couple of years ago. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Santa fe and this although ok is uninspired and the service polite but edge of arrogance. I had iceberg lettuce with green goddess and lobster salad. No care to the presentation, the lettuce not as cold or crisp as you would hope and the dressing nearly tasteless. My husbands salad was the same and the chicken dry and probably yesterday. It is a lovely setting, but in the same areas competition with much better food. The La Fonda restaurant is much better , pretty setting and consistently fresh and well prepared food. La casa Sena outdoor at lunch another pretty venue with consistently good lunch selections and both have better service. There are also terrific other places, but if you are visiting for the first time and another place to go these 2 and frankly the food trucks provide better food.
(3)Debbie T.
While in Santa Fe, I had the chance to sample quite a few restaurants, Compound, Restaurant Martin etc.... this little place stood out. Santa cafe is one of the best you can find. Had lunch here, the salads were great, margaritas creatively mixed, desserts delicious. For anyone visiting this is a must place to stop for a meal while you are browsing the art galleries or boutiques on canyon road.
(5)Neal S.
Great Lunch. Nice trout with rice & veggies. Beautiful patio to enjoy lunch. Allie our server was delightful
(5)Erica L.
I had a lovely dinner on the nicely shaded patio under a fancy tent with white Christmas lights. Both of my dishes were well executed, beautiful, elegant, and unique takes on standard dishes: arugula salad with a lightly breaded and fried disk of goat cheese, and grilled peaches; and lamb chops over a bed of dill and yoghurt dipped cucumber slices, and snap peas. It was a fabulous, refined dining experience. I'm a little surprised to see all the mediocre reviews, but perhaps I simply caught it on a great night. Prices are steep, at $20-35 for most entrees. The ribeye is quite large ( though thin) and the lamb is small considering the price. Still, I'd return for a special occasion. And finally, there appears to be a deep well covered over in glass on the floor inside which made me feel like I was above ancient roman ruins.
(4)Bike Chaplain O.
Somewhat disappointing. A nice patio restaurant. The four of us mixed it up. One had a margarita, she did not like it. Too tart and tequila had an off taste. It was redone, not much better. The rest of the party had wine and an espresso martini which were good. For food, the curry chicken salad and bacon, lettuce and tomato was enjoyed. The lobster roll and pome frites, was not so good. At $20 you would expect better. The lobster roll, lacked lobster and flavor. The little bit of lobster, was small bits of leg meat. The potato sticks were very dry and off putting. It was sad. The dessert of chocolate mouse was very good. Our waitress, though sweet, seemed inattentive, she forgot to get our drinks, until after the meal was delivered. A roller coaster experience. Thanks for reading. The Bike Chaplain
(3)Samuel C.
Happy hour alert. Appetizers half off and $5 house wine. Nice patio. The calamari might be the best in town.
(4)Nicholas N.
Still one oft favorite places to visit in Santa fe so much I miss this area. I need to head back.
(5)Claudia C.
We were very disappointed in the service one evening this week. Our waiter was hurried, said he had to talk to the manager when we wanted to remove one item from our order. The ceviche was off and the chef was very kind, offered a replacement which was declined by our friend. The chef then said "dessert will be coming" but we were then charged for dessert. The waiter tossed the dessert menus on the table while two members of our party were still eating and brought the bill well before we were finished as if he could not wait for us to go away. All in all it was a most irritating experience.
(2)Gerald F.
I've been eating here for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Last night the pasta/shrimp special and the swordfish special were outstanding. Service and atmosphere compliment the total dining experience.
(5)Gwynedd D.
The Santacafe is a fave locale for Santa Fe residents, celebrities (who somehow eat there concealed in what must be a secret dining room) and visitors to this extraordinary city. However, it's possibly living on its reputation and the lunch crowd was definitely over-70, which despite that fact that I'm climbing up to that lofty age, is a sign to me of probably mediocre flavor in food. What happens to our taste buds as we get older? The main attraction here, to me, is the very pleasant courtyard with its Old World flavor and Santa Fe charm. We started with gazpacho with lime cream. The gazpacho had Thai bird chilis and was a tad spicy but it made you want to eat another, and another, then another spoonful. The lime cream? Why bother. It was a silly drizzle on the top and had absolutely no essence of lime. There was merely enough to look like a bird hit the soup, not enough to make a difference. I'd say, lay it on or leave it off. We then had salmon with zucchini risotto. The salmon was perfectly cooked but simply (not even) seasoned. The risotto was gritty, heavy, and the veg was overcooked and buried here and about the risotto in its cement-like mass. And there was too much of it. The dessert (creme brulee) was in too deep a ceramic dish, had a crust like a plate glass window and no subtlety of vanilla bean or any other flavoring. I've had this all over Europe and it's supposed to have a thin, ice-like crust that shatters with the tap of a spoon, and the texture should be lush but delicate. This was too much like a vanilla puddin' cup. The service was friendly but rushed. The entree was pushed onto the table as we were spooning up the last of the soup. Nothing says "eat up, folks, we want two seatings at lunch" like a rushed service. This isn't the Golden Corral. In short, ok food except for that inedible risotto but you get a delightful courtyard. So, you're paying for the ambience and you might get a good meal, too, once in a while.
(3)Jennie B.
The food is A-OK. Everyone at the table enjoyed their dinner last week. From the steak, calamari (where the dipping sauce always makes the dish go from good to amazing), cutlet, mussels, stuffed poblano, etc. all were very well prepared and tasty. My beef comes with the seating and placement of our table. Everytime I go here, I think it's safe to say, since I go with a group that always includes my 5 year old kid, I get placed all the way in the back, in a corner, by the drink station, far-far-far-away from anything remotely interesting going on in the patio. Little does Santacafe know, that my child is THE BEST BEHAVED little girl, any restaurant has ever seen. However, this is the pattern for Santacafe. Next time, I will think twice about coming here with my kid. There are plenty of other restaurants in this town that are happy to seat a table of 5 in the middle of the action.
(3)Debra R.
I came back two nights later and had the delicious grilled Seabass with sautéed spinach. I substituted the jalapeno mashed potatoes for the polenta, and they were divine. What a lovely dining experience.
(5)Jennifer C.
I visit Santa Fe a few times a year and have been to Santacafe a few times. Yesterday I recommended we eat there for dinner and oh my, what a let down and frankly a little embarrassing. Two of us ordered the rib eye dinner with Pomme frites. The steak was very thin, very fatty and grisly. The Pomme frites were thin straws and extremely greasy. A bad meal. And now I'm subject to teasing from my dinner companions on my poor choice.
(2)Arbor D.
Attentive service on a busy Saturday night. Sat indoors to avoid the rain and lucked out by having the x- bar guy as our waiter. Informed discussion of available wines - some not on the printed list. Very good food - steaks; beet salad; bisque. Minor quibble: why serve matchstick fries that can't be eaten with a fork?
(5)Sharon F.
Disappointed...
(1)Simon C.
Had a delightful lunch here in the very pleasant courtyard. Ally served us with just enough attention and lots of good humour. My partner had the pasta special - a perfect light linguini - and I had a lovey fresh chicken salad. All topped off with a cry good bottle of Sancerre. Definitely worth a visit!
(4)Ivan V.
Chef Fernando Ruiz will tickle your taste buds at The Santa Cafe!!! I own The Reel Life here in Santa Fe, and when it comes to recommendations for my clients this place is at the TOP! The most amazing food I have put my lips around here in town.
(5)Rachel B.
We had a dinner here to celebrate my moms 80th birthday. We worked with their private dining because we had a large party and wanted to have a smaller menu to ensure prompt service. While at first, it seemed like we would have decent choices and work for the two Celiac family members, it quickly devolved when Judith refused to make any changes to the appetizers and told us that those people could just not eat the appetizers. At $75/person that wasn't an option for us. She did accommodate us with a smaller, cheaper menu so will give credit for that but as we realized at the restaurant, the choices were cheap and not that great. Overall, the restaurant was a nice experience - beautiful patio seating. Beyond that, the service was weak and food only so-so. To begin with, instead of seating us all together as we had requested, they put us at two tables and combined when we requested. When we were seated, I asked the woman who sat us for a wine list and two orders of the calamari. She responded that she was not our server and therefore unable to help us. Not a great start. Later when we needed an extra set of silverware, she made a point to explain to my 80 year old mother that it was our fault for moving the tables around that we didn't have silverware. Proper response would be to just give us another set of silverware without comment. And perhaps the most glaring service issue was the actual birthday cake delivery. They served desserts to everyone at the table and five minutes later brought over my moms so we could sing happy birthday. Shouldn't the birthday girl be first? Would not recommend for group dining.
(2)Wendy Z.
Used to w my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe until tonight ! Omg! The worst experience EVER! Bartender, Cody, beyond rude and bad attitude . Owner a complete out of control psychopath! Mitch the maitre'd who was just there Sunday is gone and best bartender, Tommy wasn't there. NIGHTMARE ! I wouldn't step foot in there to save my life!
(5)Carter C.
Very sad. Recommended by a friend. Service was as bad as I've ever had. Waited for waitress to take drink orders, to bring drinks, to take order for food, got our main course after about an hour and a half. No appetizers. The food was ok, but almost anything would have tasted good after waiting so long. Tried to bring appetizers after we finished but I was so angry I wouldn't have enjoyed them. Very pleasant and a little apologetic but I am not appeased by waitress telling me the manager overbooked. Certainly not the place to go if you only have one night in Santa Fe.
(1)Ellen M.
This was my first time here in ages and was not disappointed. Went for lunch with a friend. It was busy but pretty mellow. We both had the chicken salad which was delicious, the best I have ever had in a restaurant. It's a fairly large portion served on a bed of fresh spring lettuce with tomatoes and avocado slices. Very reasonably priced. The service was superb and even though we were there for almost 2 hours no one rushed us.
(5)Michael C.
Ouch.... We were a bit early for our 7:30 reservation, so hostess offered a seat at the bar. Took maybe 5 minutes to be acknowledged by the tinder, and then another 10 minutes before drinks were served. Moreover she was talking out loud about the slam of orders, lack of support, and was generally grumpy. My date said 'hope this doesn't portend the evening'. We barely had time to sip when we were seated. We we're approaching quickly by the busser but were already halfway through our drinks when finally approached by the server. Without even looking at the table she asked can I get you something from the bar? 'No', we already have drinks. Meal finally came but MR steak was cooked MW, so had to go back. Other entree was terrible, so asked to replace it with an alternate. Second round of drinks never came. Bill was incorrect so had to be re-run. Ouch. Never going back (and we live in Santa Fe)
(1)Napa G.
After a fun walk around canyon road, made my way to SantaCafe for lunch. Service and food top notch. The server was engaging and knowledgeable about the food. Great experience.
(5)Gail K.
We have it two stars because the calamari with the lime sauce and the hamburger dinner was very good. But my husband had the Ribeye and he could not eat it. He ate only 10% then had the rest taken away. He said it was the worst Ribeye he ever had. $28 down the drain. The service was excellent. Excellent.
(2)Clare M.
I've always loved eating at the bar. The patio is beautiful and a great place to enjoy a meal on a beautiful Santa Fe day. The food is always good but unfortunately, the menu hasn't changed in about 2 decades. Can we switch it up a bit, please? I will continue to go there and continue to enjoy it, but wish I'd be surprised more often by new items on the menu.
(4)Lindsay N.
Food special was delicious! Very pretentious tho:( Calamari came room temp so I bet it was better hot. Tuna was amazing. St. Patty's Day special was unique and tasty. Green ravioli stuffed with corn beef and cabbage with a mustard sauce.
(4)Peggy R.
We had a lovely lunch! There were 3 of us and we all had something different and each of us were very happy (it was a little while ago and I can't remember what we had just that we all enjoyed ourselves!).
(4)Arun B.
I guess all good things must end -- or maybe our tastes have evolved but the restaurant hasn't? It had been a few years since last visit, but remember it very well and had it on my must list for a recent trip. Unfortunately, we both found the food pretty bland and, frankly, just trying a bit too hard to be interesting/innovative (the number of ingredients in each dish reminded us of a cooking challenge more than a high-end restaurant). The resulting food was just kind of a mess to eat, although the descriptions read well. Service was fine and friendly, but SUPER rushed. They clearly wanted to move you in and out. I'm not joking that our first plates took under 2 minutes from order to table (either pre-made or a sign). And they made a point of telling us twice that the kitchen would close soon (but had no problem taking an 8pm reservation). We barely had time for a round of drinks, wine, appetizer, main, dessert. It was a sprint, which what I expect for lunch not dinner. Prices also far too high for this quality of food. Glad we went as it is a well known spot in town, but I won't be going back on my next visit. All in all, it just felt dated and like it was coasting off the tourist trade. Steak was ok, brussells sprouts were undercooked, green chili mash fantastic. Quinoa relleno underseasoned and on the menu in 2004.
(2)Richard T.
A long time favorite of ours, Santacafe seems to be in decline. It used to be creative with slight Southwest and Asian touches. My Chilli Relleno was tasteless and unseasoned; the pork oso bucco was a shabby stew; the salmon was overcooked and our server told the guest who ordered steak not to order rare, but that medium would be better because the meat was fatty. The wine I ordered was not available, and an aggressive employee pushed an Argentinian wine on us that tasted like fruit punch. Not in the same ballpark with the wine I ordered. Alas. Many fine things are fleeting.
(2)D A P.
I was treated to dinner here by a long time resident. It's a beautiful restaurant with fancy food and excellent wine choices. Every thing is NM white. Inside, the restaurant consists of a few small rooms. Service was great too. When walking thru the bar to the restrooms, I walked on a glass floor that covers an old deep well. Strange feeling.
(4)Steve B.
Great place for a "ladies lunch." The setting is the courtyard of the home of an early prominent citizen of Santa Fe. The waiters are charming and the menu has lots of salads and light dishes. It is a little pricey, but you'll enjoy the quiet ambiance.
(4)Madi M.
I have dined at Santacafé for years, and back in Santa Fé have been there twice in the last week. The calamari has no equal anywhere ... divine sauce. The chili relleno is as delicious as it is unusual and the lamb chops are always perfect. A finish with their chocolate mousse makes a perfect close. Wait staff excellent even during week. May be my all time favorite restaurant because it is so consistently excellent in all domains. Always makes a festive evening
(5)Mark C.
Excellent spot for brunch or for a "power lunch". I had the omelet, which was delicious, and convinced the chef to throw a little green chile in for some New Mexican flavor. The onion ring stack is a must add.
(5)Chris A.
I make a trip to Santa Fe every couple of years and have been to the Santacafe many times. The last visit got me thinking a little about how close it is to be a top notch restaurant, and how little things keep it more in the middle of the pack than it might otherwise deserve. A visit this week is a great example. The ambiance is amazing, one of the best patios in town. Huge. Quaint. Well-shaded. Heated in when necessary. The dining room is charming as well, but being outside is the place to be. The food is solid too, if not particularly imaginative. Our party of four enjoyed mussels, the signature shrimp dumplings, salads, and a host of entrees including a chicken dish (not at all unlike a piccata), grilled lamb, and vegetarian chili rellanos. Everything was well prepared and flavorful. So far so good. But little things hold it back. A very limited and unnecessarily expensive wine list that makes finding the right selections difficult. On this particular visit, it was challenging to find a rose -- and this in a climate and menu that begs for pink wine. But a dearth of selection. Light bodied reds, also perfect for the menu and climate, are in short supply, particularly at more moderate price points. The biggest issue, however is inconsistent service. On this most recent visit, our waiter was terse, arrogant, visibly irritated by the little inconveniences one in his position must endure on a daily basis (people still locked in conversation when he first arrives at the table, and not having made decisions - drinks, wine, food - on a schedule that mirrors his own), and generally inattentive. In a small city with a really credible food culture and, more so, at a restaurant that receives pretty consistently positive reviews, I have to say that I expect more. A really great dining experience requires that a restaurant deliver consistently solid performance with regard to its food, service and atmosphere. Hitting on one or two of the three just doesn't seem like quite enough for a place that generally receives such high praise.
(3)Bob H.
The Santacafe in Santa Fe, NM is well worth finding. It is in a residential neighborhood. The food and service were both excellent, as was the service. They had several specials in addition to the menu. They also have a full service bar and pour a good drink. The well in front of the bar is about 30 feet deep, well lit, and covered with plexiglass so you can see to the bottom. When the house was built in the mid-to-late 1800s this well was used for water. The water table has since dropped and the well stays dry. I would return to Santacafe and recommend it.
(4)Sheba G.
Calamari and soft shell crab to start with a glass of sav blanc! Friendly staff & great service! Osso Bucco, ribeye, filet Minon, mashed potatoes, carrots and homemade pasta were all cooked to perfection! The 'AWARD WINNING" dessert was spectacular!
(5)Nancy M.
What's the rush!? I live in Santa Fe and enjoy having lunch and dinner outside during the summer. The last few times I have been there we have been rushed. At dinner on Saturday, our waiter told us to get our order in since the kitchen was small. It was not that crowded at 6:30? I hesitated to do this since at a previous lunch our food arrived prior to our drink order. Another time when we tried to pace our waiter who seemed irritated so we ordered app's and lunch at the same time and entrees arrived when we had not finished our appetizers. Crazy! It seems like they have a goal to turn as many tables as possible. If so, they will loose consistent customers like me. I want to go out to dinner and relax. Santacafe is not a diner!
(3)Chris C.
Santacafe offers a nice balance of upscale cuisine with Santa Fe casual. We had a relaxing dinner under the stars in their courtyard on our first night in town. Some good food, a smooth wine and a light warm breeze were a great way to start our visit. On the whole, the food was very good (though we wished there were more vegetable options/accompaniments with our meals). Appetizers were solid. Our entrees were very good with one complaint - one member of our party asked for extra broccoli rabe in her dish and only got a single stalk. Dessert was divine here. I would go into specifics but the menu is seasonal and changes based on the chef and the available ingredients. The staff was very friendy. However, our waiter (nice as he was) was nowhere as helpful as the busser who was sweet, efficient and very attentive.
(4)Andrew T.
Really appreciated the service, but it was trumped by the pork chop - perfect. Great atmosphere, might have been a little under dressed in jeans and collar. One of must haves when in Santa Fe.
(5)Greg M.
Great patio seating. Lunch menu was very good - lots to choose from. Terrific green chili burger!
(4)Slav Z.
Divine! The owner is a very nice guy. I could not help myself and complemented their lunch linguini special. Having been a demi chef in my late 20s in London, I know what it means when you work your a..in the kitchen and then quietly wait for the waiter to pop in and say: "they complimented your dish! The owner came out and offered us desserts on the house. My God! Was that heaven! it's been few weeks but if I remember correctly we had, among others: Trio of Housemade Sorbets, and Warm Chocolate Upside-down Cake w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. Dont' you dare miss that place when in Santa Fe!
(5)Frank G.
superb service, atmosphere, and food. it's a little on the expensive side, but the perfect place for a family or romance. even for a vegetarian.
(5)Allison H.
Best meal I had in Santa, hands down. Seemed a bit stuffy when I walked in, but the food canceled it out. The outdoor seeting was nice but buggy, and prices were high.
(4)J K.
This was the first place that we dined at during our visit. We had wanted to love the place but found the food a bit disappointing. I think that it just didn't have the moxie that we were looking for in Southwest cuisine. Its not a good thing when the only super positive thing that my boyfriend had to say was, "at least we didn't pay much for it". Hmmm... not exactly glowing recommendations.
(2)Edward G.
The Santacafe has a beautiful al fresco dining area that should not be missed; however, be careful ordering from the menu. In fact, do not order the vegetarian chile relleno because it would be a huge disappoint for a vegetarian or anyone else for that matter. The fish entree was slightly overcooked, but otherwise good. This is not a restaurant worthy of fine dining prices. Sometimes the only thing that makes the food palatable is a martini before dinner.
(3)Adam Issac W.
I live in Santa Fe. This is the only restaurant in town with a bad attitude. I've been here 6 times for lunch and dinner. The food is overpriced; the service is miserable; and the entire staff is stuck up! Don't waste another dime here! I won't. Avoid at all cost!
(1)steve d.
This is a review of a recent lunch. As noted the ambiance is very pleasant. We sat outside and took in the view of the downtown business diners and tourists. Service was efficient and unpretentious. The onion rings were fresh and ample and the ketchup very tasty. The salmon was just ok. The green salad with green goddess dressing, peas and lobster salad topping was also ok. The greens were crisp and flavorful, the dressing so so and the lobster did not taste bright sweet and fresh. This is our second lunch there in several months and both meals have been nothing special. By the way if you want nicely cooked salmon go to The Ranch House.
(3)Nick S.
I'm starting to be over it here. It's about attitude, which seems a little arrogant. If you don't call for a reservation they will punish you, even with empty tables on the patio, and give you the worst table that is still "technically the patio". Btw, those preferred tables sat empty through our whole lunch. Maybe they should make themselves more available on Open Table, they obviously don't want to give up the buck for the convenience to the customer. Also, kitchen inflexible, my worst gripe. It's one thing to want something weird, but to take French fries from item A and put them on your item B instead of potato salad, seems a bit arrogant. The waiter"made it happen", but frankly the customer shouldn't be put thru the "ask". So now it's just another pricey outdoor, and nice one however, patio restaurant. They seem to cater to the Santa Fe elite, so they can have them instead of me. I can afford to eat anywhere, I believe that I'm ready for another patio choice.
(3)Alison Bly S.
We've dined here every visit to Santa Fe, but it has been at least 10 years till our recent visit, so we weren't sure what to expect. We at there on our first night, which was a busy Saturday night, and we were disappointed to learn that the filet entree was sold out and that they had run out of their signature chile mashed potatoes--how that can happen, I don't understand! (We have their cookbook, and make this excellent yet simple dish ourselves all the time.) Still, the meal was up to the standard of past experiences. The welcome & initial service seemed a bit rushed, but the place was totally jam-packed. We decided to return for our final night, a Thursday, and it was a far more relaxed experience--and we got our chile mashed potatoes & filet after all!
(4)david h.
Disclaimer - I'm not a huge fan of southwestern fare. Then why do you eat it? (You may ask). Well, for the same reason Forrest Gump compared life to a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. The calamari is excellent. The dumplings and spring rolls were good. My chicken enchiladas were pure New Mexico, southwestern same old, same old. That is to say average. The desserts were off the chain. Creme brûlée labeled "best ever" be more than one person at the table. They said they were famous for their desserts and I can see why. The service was, for the most part excellent. The rooms are small and they may put the tables too close together. We had to rearrange our seating after a water boy banged the back of my wife's chair for the third time trying to squeeze between chairs. That being said, our waiter was excellent. The atmosphere is spartan. You expect a lot more from a place with this kind of acclaim. There is also a pretty pervasive snob factor throughout. I'd give it a slightly upturned face.
(3)Rosemarie F.
Came here as the last stop on a Santa Fe Cooking School's restaurant walking tour. I am still dreaming about the lemon-coconut tarte! It was accompanied by a very nice champagne! The story around the well was very interesting. Three stars only because did not have a full meal here. Will definately come here next trip down.
(3)Phil K.
This has been a long time favorite restaurant of mine in Santa Fe. Unfortunately the quality of food and service is inconsistent. My wife and I had dinner there with friends last week. Cocktails were a disappointment and so was dinner. The food was just okay--not the caliber of meals we had there during previous visits. Steaks were over cooked, salad was limp and lacked flavor, and side dishes tasted like they had been prepared hours earlier. Desert was the highlight of the meal. Next time we plan a special night out we will more than likely try another local eatery.
(3)Jes Z.
I think the Santacafe Patio is a "must do" in Santa Fe. So relaxing...I was worried the place had gone downhill after my Christmas Day entree arrived, tough as a shoe insert instead of fish, but this week the place was redeemed in my mind. I had the "sherried chicken salad " for lunch, and had no idea that chicken salad could possibly taste this good?! HOLY Cow...(or coyote) what do they do to it? Some people think the place is a bit snotty ...and yes, I did see a well known actress on the patio with her obligatory African baby, but still, its a wonderful place to relax and have a quiet meal.
(4)David T.
First, I love the space. Simple New Mexico style - stark in almost a Georgia O'Keeffe style. Some find it too simple but I'd move in in a heartbeat. I've been coming here for more years than I care to count. An artist/waiter/actor friend of mine worked there just after they opened and we visited often. Still try to make it back when I'm in town. This is not New Mexican cuisine. A few chile accents here and there but this is more like the Compound than Maria's. They change the menu seasonally (including prices - lol) so the dishes I'm going to mention may or may not be available currently. Shared the Wild Gulf Tempura with red chile sweet and sour sauce - $14.50. My all time favorite appetizer - lord it's delish. Followed with Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops w/ Thyme Demi - Glace, Crispy Polenta, Sautéed Asparagus, Arugula & Ancho Chili Pesto -- $33.00. Normally I skip dessert but they make all their pastries and ice cream/sorbets in house. So, decision time - Madagascar Vanilla Creme Brûlée or Coffee Bean Ice Cream w/ Piñon Crisp & "Cajeta" (Goat's Milk) Caramel. Spacing on the price but around $10 as I recall. Very nice, if somewhat pricy, wine list. Enjoyed a lovely Pinot that paired beautifully with the Lamb. Star off is like most restaurants of its ilk in Santa Fe it is overpriced - you can easily drop $100 a head and while it is a good restaurant this is not NYC or San Francisco dining - just priced like it.
(4)Annie S.
We came here for dinner when we first moved to town. I really like the dining area but it is pretty quiet. I could not come here with my girlfriends! However, they had great service and good food. I agree with other Yelpers about the nice ambiance. It is very comfortable and not too snotty. I do want to hang out at the bar sometime since it was cute. This is American cuisine and you can get the typical pork chop, chicken, steak, etc.
(4)Pam L.
Have been trying this establishment for the past three years and still can't see what the hype is about. The service was slow even for Santa Fe standards and lacked in customer service. The caprese salad was bland and lacked good acid notes. The mozzarella tasted like it had been soaked in water for a week. The beef tenderloin was soaked in some type of sweet liquid that distracted from its natural flavor. Trying to reinvent a classic dish with unrealistic flavors pretty much takes the classic out of it. The coffee ice cream dessert tasted like it had been in the freezer for a year. The only saving grace was the soft shell crap. I guess it was good only because it had to be served fresh. I think I am over trying to find good food in this establishment.
(2)Jen G.
We really enjoyed dinner here. There is a lot of staff, so there is someone always refilling your water. They were also super friendly. The patio area was nice. But there were lots of flies, which made for an annoying 10 min when the flies were bothering us. We really liked the food. The spring rolls were good. I really liked the quinoa filled chile relleno. The sauce was really great. The chicken was surprising good, too. It had a ton of flavor. And the house made sorbets were great.
(4)Garen M.
We had a wonderful dinner and excellent service here. Fairly pricey, but you have to pay for a quality meal with quality service.
(4)Stephane M.
Real bad attitude. I get there at 2h05. I say good afternoon and some lady answer by a question ( are you looking for the restroom ?) then I say that I would like to have lunch and someone else is telling me that they don't serve after 2pm. Great way to stay away...
(1)Katy B.
Great Atmosphere. Great Patio.They make their own bread,ketchups etc..., fresh and tasty... The staff was really friendly and professional.. will definitely be going back!
(4)Susan L.
We were reluctant to go to Santacafe based on friends' experiences but their outdoor courtyard looked inviting so we bit the bullet, hoping for the best. The atmosphere can only be described as frenetic, glitzy, snobbish with a distinct "LA vibe". While waiting almost 15 minutes for drinks to arrive, we noticed other tables receiving complementary starters, "amuse bouche". We were not served any and later discovered they were only given to preferred guests by the the maitre d. This was an immediate turnoff. My chicken dish was at best mediocre while my husband's fish was good. Food-wise it was just very average. The bottom line is save your money and go elsewhere.
(2)Zach N.
Consistently good New Mexican food. Blue corn pancakes are not to miss. Great happy hour specials. Pies and cakes to take home. Also a good selection of non Mexican dishes. Price could be a bit lower, but the location demands a premium.
(4)Gregg S.
A friend recommended and it did not disappoint. The poblano stuffed with quinoa was excellent and I am not a quinoa fan. No ones meal disappointed and I look forward to returning.
(4)Dana K.
A cute dining area- it felt somewhat like someone's wedding complete with white tent and white lights. However, they were out of the pinot noir special and weren't able to recommend a comparable bottle. Bummer. The food was decent, but in my opinion overly priced. I had a confusing cold avocado yogurt soup which reminded me of guacamole. I'd skip it and go to Whole Foods instead to buy your own dinner.
(3)Jenny K.
While I can't speak for their daily menu, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful thanksgiving day meal at Santacafe. Portions were generous and considering it was Prix fixe, they offered a lot of choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. We both enjoyed our wine and every item we tasted and loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I would definitely come back to Santacafe.
(5)Kathy M.
Been a fan of Santa Cafe since it opened. When we are in SF we always have a meal here. I have been away for about 8 years but we were in SF for Xmas 2012 and decided to have dinner. My family of 3 had a reservation and we arrived early on a Sat night. We were seated at the worst possible table: tucked into a room that should have 5 tables but has 7, my husband's back against a flimsy screen to keep the kitchen noises/lights at bay. Didn't work. I was seated so I could see the tired bus boy lurking and checking his phone in the doorway of the kitchen. Said bus boy spilled a tray of water and wine glasses, getting water over a patron's coat. The diner was actually gracious about it, but we noticed that more than half of the broken glass was left under foot. Thank God it was winter: if a woman with a sandals or open-toed shoes was sitting there, she'd be getting stitches. So we were pissed to be shunted into this ridiculous corner. It's not like we didn't have a reservation.... Appetizer was an Asian-influeced shrimp dumpling, which was delicious but cold. Wine was good but expensive! I had the steak and country mashed potatoes. Meh. This is where I first had wasabi mashed potatoes, and loved them. These new 'country' potatoes were boring. I am not sure I'd go back. Really nothing special anymore. Obviously, reading these reviews, it is hit or miss. I can't say enough about the exciting and delicious food at Cafe Pasquale in SF. It is hard to get into but much more satisfying, even if you have to share a table in its cramped one-room dining room. I still liked the Santa Cafe decor but, really, pushing in so many tables to little rooms is just annoying. We should've refused the table, but I had my 15-year-old with me and she was hungry. I spent my meal feeling irritated and worried the busy boy would spill coffee on me! Please, manager, don't let your place go downhill; do something now to reinstate the place to its former glory! I would like to enjoy my meal at Santa Cafe again!
(2)Jim J.
Santacafe used to be our favorite SF restaurant. Until they tried to seat us on the patio in the rain. We had made reservations for 5:30 and arrived on time. The parking lot and restaurant were completely empty. They refused to seat us inside away from the rain. The hostess was extremely rude. We walked out and went across the street to Osteria Restaurant and had a wonderful meal with excellent service. They were happy to seat us even on a weekend with no reservation. So long, Santacafe. There are 200 good restaurants in SF.
(1)Will F.
Sat at counter, intending to have complete dinner. Ordered appetizers - shrimp tempura with sweet/hot chile sauce and crab/scallop cake with chipotle Cream dressing. Crab was mealy - not fresh! Dressing more like mayo. Shrimp fresh, tempura batter not to heavy but sauce sweet like sugar yuch! Cut our losses and moved on
(2)George W.
Excellent in every way. Try the chilli relents------it's the best
(5)Heidi G.
Best in town. It's pricey, but SOOOO worth it. The food is amazing and the service is superb...like nothing in New Mexico. By far the best restaurant in town and for that matter, the entire state. Promise, you'll be impressed and you'll be back!
(5)sarah b.
Excellent food, attentive service, with an understated elegant decor. This offers a great alternative to a lot of the Southwestern fare in Santa Fe. We ordered the shrimp appetizer(per our servers recommendation), lightly battered and flash fried with a hot asian sauce. Spinach salad with goat cheese with nice light sweet dressing, goat cheese, pomegranite and apple, and for entrees salmon with leek risotto, perfectly cooked and the stuffed pepper. We were pleased with everything down to the wine recommendations. And we LOVEd the children's pasta. We arrived early with our two-year old and did find it odd that we were seated in a small room right next to two other tables in a near-empty restaurant. And the restaurant is pretty quiet so not a great choice for very young children, but we were very pleased with the overall experience and would gladly return.
(4)Julia F.
As a local, I was a little wary of this place because had heard it was expensive and I had seen some bad reviews online, but my boss took me there for lunch to celebrate my birthday and I was blown away. The food was some of the best I've ever had - you know, when it's so good you don't even care what you're eating. I also ordered desert (the chocolate mousse - I HIGHLY recommend it) and it looked so beautiful I almost didn't want to eat it. Very glad I did though, because it was exceptional. They even put a little birthday candle in it for me! The waiters were incredibly nice and were careful to give us time to talk and finish our food, and even wrapped up our leftover food for us (which I always think is a nice touch). The food was a little pricey, but I could only eat about half of my entree (Roasted Chicken Pot Pie) and half of my dessert, so I basically got two meals out of it. The restaurant if beautiful, clean, classy, and there's a huge well in the floor by the bar that has to be seen! You'll see what I'm talking about. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe, and I can't wait to return.
(5)Lauren E.
The pros: - Very nice ambiance - We were seated right away - Delicious cream of potato and Swiss chard soup - Good bread - Very good Reuben sandwich - Had a great selection on the menu, which changes every few days The cons: - Our server was a bit off and unfriendly - The French fries with the Reuben would have been great if they were a bit less mushy - One of the "classic" items, the shitake and cactus spring rolls turned out to be disappointing. There were hardly any shitakes, and the rolls were very crispy. Not very appealing to the taste buds
(3)Momo O.
DINING UNDER THE STARS. The patio area in this restaurant is so cute! At night, under the sparkly lights, you feel like you're dining directly under the stars. I had the calamari and salad here -- which were both VERY delicious.. salad was sophisticated with bacon wrapped asparagus, perfect home-made vinaigrette, and goat cheese. The calamari was fresh, crisp and the best part was the house dipping sauce -- super garlic-y and a little spicy. I'm not sure when I'll be back next since I was only in NM for vacation, but had a lovely time dining here.
(4)F. P.
The food here is excellent quality and some of the dishes were stellar when we came here for dinner. Started off with the shiitake and cactus spring rolls with southwestern ponzu. The rolls were flaky but the flavor was a bit bland (prob because it was vegetarian and was missing the umami of meat-filled rolls). The arugula salad with red plums, beets and goat cheese was excellent. Fresh, light dish (which was a nice change from the hearty food I'd been eating ever since I got to New Mexico). But the standouts were the entrees. I had the roasted poblano chile relleno stuffed with 3-mushroom quinoa, which was out of this world! The relleno was placed on a plate surrounded by an orange chipotle cream sauce that was rich and coated the dish so nicely. I also had a couple of bites of the daily special, which was a pork chop dressed with a sweet fruit glaze and accompanied with autumn veggies (carrots, radish and turnips). Very juicy, a tad sweet, but perfectly cooked. There's a beautiful patio area that would have been great for lunch but not open for dinner (way too cold). Service was attentive and excellent. However, I didn't like the decor. Aside from the requisite Southwestern motif of a horse skull hung on a wall, there was literally not a single item on the bare white walls from any room I could see. Way too stark for me ... almost felt like they had just opened and didn't have time to decorate. But other than the (lack of) decor, I thought the experience here was great.
(4)Food C.
We have been to the Santacafe in the past & were impressed with their food & service. However, that was several years ago, so we decided to go back & give it a try. We were disappointed in the food. It was tasteless and lacked excitement. To start, we ordered the calamari with dipping sauce. The calamari breading had no flavor & the dipping sauce was tasteless. I ordered the greens with lemon & olive oil dressing. The greens were nice, however, there could have been some color or texture added, but it was a nice, bland looking salad - just greens. My husband said his main course tasted mostly of garlic & mine was just bland. On a good note, the service & atmosphere were good.
(2)Cameron M.
Lovely restaurant with simple, well executed selections and good service. Salad Nicoise was excellent with perfectly prepared tuna.
(4)Becky O.
Terrible. Service okay. Would not recommend, they have a wonderful patio but doesn't make up for their food. Other than that...smh.
(1)Tony C.
Decent lunch spot though somewhat overpriced and only adequate service. Seemed to be a lot of power brokers and expense account wonks.
(3)Meg G.
Appetizer was great but the fish was WAY overcooked. Risotto didn't have much taste. The Filet was cooked nicely but not a great piece of meat. The waitress seemed to have better things to do than wait on us but the support staff was the best thing about our experience. The manager was apologetic and said he wish he knew that the meal was not up to par but without the waitress checking in on you, how is he suppose to know. Many better restaurants in Santa Fe than this.
(2)Zak M.
We went on a sleepy Wednesday night loaded with $200.00 in gift certificates (It was extremely generous for Santa Cafe to give us the gift certificates, they were won through a contest.). The service was decent and the food was good enough. We started off with the calamari, which was a little over done and a four chile flake sauce that was a little bland. If there were four chiles in the sauce, I could barely taste one. We also had the Shrimp & Spinach Dumplings with Tahini peanut sauce which also was okay. I feel like I could have gotten a more exciting dumpling at Jinja. I had the Ribeye Steak with Pommes Frites (shoe string fries) and a Chile Bearnaise sauce of some sort. The steak was decent, well cooked and enjoyable, the fries seemed a little stale and the chile bernaise sauce was a little lackluster in flavor. We had a bottle of Syrah wine and my friends had port after dinner. My friend had the Grilled Atlantic Salmon served on risotto which was what you'd expect from the dish, nothing too stellar. Another friend had the Fettucini Alfredo with a fancy type of mushrooms, which was rich and as good as good as other places around town. For desert we had a Chocolate mouse molded within a dense chocolate chip wall, which was both delicious and fun to eat. We also had coffee, which was very good quality and a type of chocolate lava cake desert, which was fine. The ambiance of the restaurant was simple, neat and romantic. The service was attentive, however the server wasn't as familiar with the selection of drinks as we would have liked. We asked the server if we could have a virgin pina colada and the server wasn't sure if they made them or not. The restaurant doesn't have a blender, so no frozen drinks were made. Seems like good information for a server to know, but I've made the same mistake as a server when I first started out, but this is a fine dinning establishment. The final bill came out to about $287.00 for three appetizers, four entrees, one bottle of wine, two ports, three deserts and four coffees. In conclusion, If I were loaded or my friends had a billion dollars in Gift Certificates, I might try Santa Cafe again, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed by anything in particular and if you're charging an arm and a leg, thats what your guest should receive. If you're looking for delicious consciously prepared food, made with a ton of heart try the Dish and Spoon on old Santa Fe trail. Not as fru fru, but lip smackingly good. That's where I'd take my girlfriend for a romantic date. You'd probably be more likely to get more bang for your buck there.
(3)Craig E.
Good food (expensive), rude service. In my experience, this is an expensive place with servers and management that act as though they are doing you a favor by simply letting you in the door, much less giving you a pleasant dining experience. Bad service has happened twice (years apart) and I won't go back because it is obviously a chronic condition in this restaurant.
(2)christine h.
Other then expensive (like most overpriced tourist focused restaurants here) the service was wonder and the food very good. The outdoor ambiance was nice with no loud over powering music. I ordered the steak and it was nothing special but my table mates we're extremely happy with the snapper and the portobello chili relleno.
(4)eli w.
This is my first review of SantaCafe on Yelp and it unfortunately isn't going to be a very good one. I have been going to SantaCafe for almost 20 years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in the world. And although I no longer live in Santa Fe, I make a point of going SEVERAL times on every trip home. While other restaurants have come and gone, SantaCafe has endured as one of the top restaurants in town - until now, I guess. I don't know what happened to SantaCafe since our last trip here this summer, but from the minute our friends were ignored by the dismissive hostesses, to the 15 minute wait for a drink in an almost empty bar, it just wasn't the same. Gone were the friendly faces, the great service, and the wait for even one seat at the bar. For on what should have been a busy holiday evening, SantaCafe was eerily quiet. The drinks did finally come, were good and served with a friendly smile. Sadly, however, this wasn't enough to keep us from deciding to leave - even though it was snowing and cold outside. So, we called another restaurant (I won't name them here, but they are another downtown Santa Fe institution) and they were not only friendly and welcoming when we told them of our experience, but happy to take a table of 4 without a reservation. Sorry SantaCafe, I hate to say it, but we won't be back for a while. If anyone at SantaCafe reads this... -Do something about your hostesses. Today. Seriously, the dismissive unfriendly duo at the door isn't the face you want to put forward. -I realize that it can be hard to be upbeat and attentive on a slow night, but wow. We were actually joking about the Best Service award on display while we waited and waited and waited and waited and waited and waited...
(2)Chris B.
Was an amazing dinning experience. Wine 5* Food 5* Service 5* HIGHY recommend SantacaFe
(5)Barb M.
Excellent dinner. Fillet mignon was good and the chile relleno was phenomenal. Service was attentive. Gage the waiter assistant was awesome. Nice outdoor porch seating. Best dinner in Santa Fe so far.
(4)Candace C.
Arrived early on Thursday and was seated in a front room. Two parties were seated directly to each side of us, despite plenty of room. I always wonder why restaurants do this!!! The calamari was nicely done, but the dipping sauce is a loser. I had the relleno - pretty good. My husband had the lamb chops and proclaimed them totally fabulous. Best of all was the chocolate mousse. Wine was very expensive . Service was adequate.
(3)Heidi T.
Very comfortable setting, great food, reasonable prices, and EXCELLENT service!! The calamari appetizer is a must-eat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sauce is perfect for dipping.
(5)Carlo A.
Being from San Francisco, I can almost picture myself in the Napa or Sonoma Valley sitting in this patio. It's a relaxing, refreshing space, and the food is comforting and delicious. Great wine selection, attentive service, and nice to see that it's mostly locals (both times we went) instead of all tourists. We loved it so much that we had to come back through Santa Fe on the way to ABQ airport from Taos just to have lunch here. Would love to try it for dinner and experience dining under the white lights of the patio.
(4)Jeff W.
Santacafe is a 4 star restaurant with issues. Hence, my controversial 3 star rating. I have never in my life had food served so frighteningly fast in a high-end restaurant. Nor in anything short of a sub shop.The place was packed when we came, yet we were sat down almost instantly. Nice. Then the water guy and the waiter came by within 2 minutes tops. Great service. Then we started to see a pattern. Our drinks came in 2 minutes. How did they do that with 150 people in this place? But then our appetizers came in 2 minutes. OK, I'm hungry. I can deal with it. Are these people on Meth? Then before our appetizers were done, our entrees came. How he f#$@ did they do that? It was weird. Naturally it was incredibly tacky. I looked at Jessy and asked if we had been here 10 minutes yet. We weren't sure! We were gasping at this point. We stared at the entrees, and Jessy was smart enough to tell our server it was strange. He was a pro and immediately removed them and told us we would have new entrees whenever we were ready. Nice recovery. How about the food? The Calamari with Chile Dipping Sauce was crisp, actually large for $6, and good. The Shiitake & Cactus Spring Rolls were very good but with a strikingly Proletariat Olive Garden presentation. What's with the large hunk of red lettuce? Could we try some more interesting greens or skip them? The uninteresting and scattered bread basket was also thrown at us; but then the Santacafe M.O. is speed I guess. The Roasted Poblano Relleno with Quinoa was very good; not as interesting as I might have hoped. But the highly recommended Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Also the servings here are large, but am I the only person here who is _not_ from Texas? Clearly Santacafe can do better. You don't go to a high-end restaurant and order $34 entrees to be rushed out in 45 minutes. Because the place was on steroids, I don't think we were some freak random case. Slow down guys, put a little more attention into the food [given the price], and put a little more attention into your customers. You have a nice restaurant. Focus.
(3)Mia S.
I came here for a light lunch, and it was great. We sat outdoors, on a nice summer day with a breeze. The waiter was awesome and made some great conversation. Our food took a while to come, but still worth the wait. I had a great salad, and soup, while my husband and sister had something else that they loved as well. Sorry its been a while since i've been there, but I remember it being a delicious place. I would visit this place again when I'm in the area.
(4)Dan P.
After dining here maybe 6 times over 25 years, I have to say that the birthday dinner here in December was one one of the most "undistinguished" I've had anywhere in a long time. With all the great places to dine in Santa Fe, you can cross this one off your list. I'm sorry to lose one of my favorite restaurants, but I guess nothing lasts forever. Except, of course, Cafe Pasquals. Goodbye Santa Cafe.
(2)Randy B.
The most consistent quintessential Santa Fe restaurant.
(5)Brc P.
This has been a favorite of ours for years. Lunch or dinner, consistently excellent. A high end restaurant but always real value for the price. Lovely for special occasions or just a welcoming place when you're hungry. In season the courtyard garden is shaded and out of the wind. The bar is a good location for a quicker meal. Servers always seem to be able to offer good suggestions and the wine list is a winner.
(5)Mrs M.
Vastly over-rated, and extremely noisy due to Santacafe's bad acoustics. I had a chicken echilada for lunch there once that made me nostalgic for Taco Bell. Now that they have a new chef and a different menu, there's nothing that represents Santa Fe except "red chile onion rings with Judy's catsup". And you might count the burger on which they throw a little green chile. That's as "Santa Fe" style as it gets here. Otherwise, what the lunch menu features is "chipotle" cream added to East Coast and Italian style foods. Anyone who knows Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico cuisine is aware of the fact that jalapenos and chipotles (smoked jalapenos) are Texan and Mexican--not native. And oh, what a pompous description of the place on their web-site. I did have an unforgettable experience there, at one of the many dinners I've suffered at their hands: an inedible, gristly ribeye steak , accompanied by cardboard "cornbread". Why do people accept this sort of rubbish at such high prices? And why is such a pretentious restaurant representing itself with an illiterate on-line menu, which is missing punctuation and misspelling "gorgonzola"? I know I'll be dragged to Santacafe again by well-meaning friends who follow fashion blindly, but really, folks--there's no THERE there!
(2)Jane G.
Many times, during our annual April trek to Santa Fe, we've enjoyed lunch on the patio or dinner in the dining room at Santa Cafe. This trip, after raving about it to our friends, we arrived for lunch on a cool enough day to want to sit in the sun. Although there were a number of empty tables in the sun, the hostess insisted that we had to sit in the shade. So, we moved on to Zia Diner, where we lunched differently but equally well...on the patio...in the sunshine.
(2)Jordan N.
Located a couple blocks from the Plaza this restaurant exceed all my hopes for a romantic dinner for two. The outdoor garden was adorable. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Everything they recommended was fabulous. And they have a great pre-theater!
(5)N V.
The first time I ate at SantaCafe it was the new restaurant in town, struggling to get recognition when Coyote Cafe was the darling of the food press. It was great then. In the nearly annual trips to Santa Fe in the intervening 20-something years all but two or three included a trip to SantaCafe. It's still a great meal in a simple, inviting space. Yesterday's visit was the most recent in a long line of good experiences. It's Labor Day weekend, but surprisingly not the mob scene this town can be on summer weekends. That meant a little of the pressure was off of our server and the kitchen and we benefited. Our server was friendly and timely, and incredibly patient with the chili-adverse couple next door. The calamari are a long standing favorite, the arugula salad with grilled peaches a new and wonderful addition, and the rib-eye well prepared (though lacking in the chili-rub seasoning of years past.). The green chili brioche is mouth-wateringly delicious. (I've tried for years to recreate it.) The desserts here have long been worth every calorie. The coffee bean ice cream with piñon crisp and cajeta was just as good as we had hoped. My one criticism: As wonderful as the food is, as many years as I've been going here, as glad as I am to see old favorites on the menu, a little innovation and updating of the menu would go a long way to refreshing a Santa Fe institution. SantaCafe has earned too many laurels to be resting on them.
(4)Suburban R.
an oasis of a restaurant near the plaza. incidentally, this used to be ming tsai's kitchen back when... attentive waitstaff serving a decent burger, fried calamari, brunch. i have not eaten here for dinner. i've in one or two occasions experienced snootiness from hostess-- honey plueezeee, i say!. but i understand that she's practicing for the day she arrives in NYC or her lesser cousin, LA ;-)... doubt she'll ever make it there... i prefer to dine in that room off of the entrance overlooking the garden and covered patio [even though they pack the seating and tables ]. regardless, it has a nice soothing light, rendering the the earthen walls of adobe light as clouds. and for a decent inexpensive lunch, santacafe is the old reliable.
(4)Christie B.
White table linens covered with paper toppers and supplied with crayons, this little treasure in the heart of Santa Fe served a delicious Spinach Nicose with seared Ahi Tuna. Delectable. Lots of local folks, as it's off the beaten path and a little tricky to find; right next to Sotheby's Realty, appropriately. A nice respite and good place to get in out of the snowy and cold day. Coffee was delicious, too.
(4)laurie c.
One of the best meals we had on our trip. Although more higher end, it is worth every penny. We ate at the bar (hence our earlier post of visiting and being so relaxed and forgetting to make reservations) and for at-the-bar dining, it was one of the best! We enjoyed the crowd, the food was AMAZING and the wines were also delicious. I would actually classify this as moderately priced--the value you get with food, service, decor is a steal!
(5)Jessy B.
Okay, read jeffrey's review for what happened to us. And then just up the stars to 4. Yes, delivering the entrees to the table before we finished our appetizers is tacky for this level of restaurant. Yes, we did feel incredibly rushed until I called over the waiter and begged him to slow down. and yes, they can do better. But that is what stops them from being a 5 star restaurant. The waiter recovered and comped an appetizer, removed our food immediately and brought us a whole new dinner when we were ready. So, lighten up jeffrey!!! Would I recommend the place - absolutely. But go to La Boca first...
(4)Amy L.
It was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. The patio outside where we ate was really nice too. I had the fillet and it pretty much melted in my mouth. I also ordered a side of the green chile mashed potatoes that were fabulous! They had the best green chile bread too! Our waiter was very helpful with the wine list too and recommended the Pinot Gris which now might be my favorite wine! I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Santa Fe!
(5)Amy E.
We've visited Santa Fe many times over the years, and Santacafe has always been one of our favorite stops. On our most recent trip, we brought my sister, a first-time visitor to Santa Fe. We couldn't wait to take her to Santacafe. From the moment we stepped into the courtyard, this restaurant seemed like a completely different place. It was certainly not the same place we last visited four years ago. The service was TERRIBLE. Apparently, the waitstaff could not figure out who was responsible for our table. We had three different waiters, each of whom seemed to think that our table was someone else's responsibility. We waited half an hour for our drinks after asking for them three times. We finally saw someone with a tray carrying our beverages, only to watch her take them to another table! Our appetizer never arrived. When we pointed out these problems to our waiter, he just walked away, zombie-like! He never apologized. If one person had said they were sorry for neglecting us, we would have accepted their apology gracefully, but no one on the staff seemed to care at all. The food has really gone downhill, too. Everything was bland-- not the high-end food we remembered. We will NEVER go back to this place. It's a shame, because it used to be one of our top choices in town. Next time, we'll skip Santacafe and head over to La Boca instead!
(2)Morgan E.
I have eaten at the Santa Cafe several times, often with large groups. The service is always impeccable and the food is always good. I can understand why someone might think it is overpriced for the quality - but I have always gone there for lunch and the value for the lunch menu is very very good. I eat lunch here every time I come to town.
(4)Dolores H.
I thought this place was delicious. The calamari was so good that I almost ordered a second batch. This is my aunt's favorite restaurant in Santa Fe and she hyped it up a lot. I have to say I was not at all disappointed in the food. The atmosphere really captures the rustic Santa Fe style with upscale touches. The only downfall is that there are 2 unisex bathrooms and there are always people literally waiting for you to finish like at a gas station...it seems they could use to fix that.
(4)