When you’re in Santa Fe, you want to have some fun. What’s better than spending a few drinking a few brews with your closest friends or a few strangers? You’ll have some laughs and learn a lot about daily life in the city. Here are four of the best bars in Santa Fe.
The Palace Restaurant and Saloon
Image via Flickr by richardswearinger
You have to love the incongruity of the name. Nothing sounds less regal than a saloon, right? Well, the name’s not an accident. When you visit this spot, you’ll be drinking in Santa Fe’s former red light district It was once the palace of Doña Gertrudis Barceló, the Gambling Queen of Santa Fe. You’re walking through history when you chug a beer here.
Better yet, you’re also embracing the best of Santa Fe nightlife. This restaurant plays live music five nights a week. The kitchen is also open until 1 a.m., keeping the party alive well into the night. Visiting The Palace is never a gamble.
Cowgirl Hall of Fame
If you don’t want to hang out at a bar with this name, you’re drinking wrong. The Cowgirl Hall of Fame is a classic New Mexican joint that has served drinks for several decades now. When you visit, a few things will happen.
First, you’ll order some of the most fattening food this side of Chipotle. Second, you’ll drink cowgirl whiskey until you can’t feel your face. Third, you’ll think that the bar band is way too loud until you’ve got a couple of drinks in you. Then, you’ll wish that you were sitting closer to a speaker. This place is like a refined dive bar in both theme and execution. You’ll have a blast.
The Den
The strange name may remind you of a dank basement, and that’s actually about right. The Den resides in the basement of the Coyote Café. It’s a dark cocktail lounge that’s hugely popular with millennials. This bar serves house specialties like the Senorita Margarita. You’ll know you have a buzz when you stop thinking about the lime foam coalescing on the glass. It’s gross but delicious.
You should also order the Gentleman’s Vice just to feel like a sinner for a while. It has a kick, but it’s also basically a Manhattan with a cherry finish. Finally, think about bringing a date to The Den. Due to the dark setting and ambience, it’s an oddly intimate setting for a romantic evening.
Secreto Lounge
By listing it here, the secret gets spoiled. That’s okay, though. You need to know about this phenomenal bar near the lobby of Hotel St. Francis. This area is also a great place to stay, even if you don’t want to spend the night at Hotel St. Francis. Check into a great Santa Fe hotel in the same neighborhood and stay local throughout your visit.
The drinks here are signature craft cocktails like the Smoked Sage Margarita and The Santa Fe Word. This bar is more upscale in nature than the others listed here, so dress appropriately. Otherwise, you might feel underdressed.
Santa Fe’s bar scene is remarkably good. These four options are the best of the bunch, but you’ll find plenty of others if you want to do a memorable bar crawl.
