Santa Fe Steakhouse & Cantina

Very good, and classy, but you will pay top-dollar. The portions are generous. I liked the piano music, as well. Dinner for 2 with drinks, dessert, and appetizers was $200 plus tip. You will need to wear something nice. This is not casual dining nor is it for children.

Heard so many great stories about this steakhouse & finally an honor to be seated at such a world class restaurant! The atmosphere was phenomenal, the service was fantastic & the food was more than words can describe! Our server was on point with his presentation & cadence. If you’re a first timer just let them know. Order a drink and browse the menu & they’ll take it from there. I recommend the ribeye cooked rare+. Started off with crab cakes followed by the lobster bisque. Then a wedge salad with avocado & feta drizzle w balsamic v. Had a couple of beef wellingtons rolls with thin crisp pan seared onions & Aioli sauce The ribeye came with a Wellington twice baked potato that was unbelievable! You will never have a better meal 🥘

Absolutely beautiful seating areas, from the outside area surrounded by a living wall of beautiful greenery to the cozy and elegant formal dining area. Our server was fantastic and the food was recently priced and really good. The mini beef Wellington appetizer was amazing, so make sure you try it. Plenty to share

Loved every appetizer ordered to include the calamari, beef wellington, and escargo. Particularly enjoyed the escargo served in a delicious creamy wine sauce with crispy bread. My main entre was the Filet Oscar which is served with asparagus. My filet was perfectly medium rare and I enjoyed every bite. Service is outstanding! My friends ordered the lamb which was also tender and cooked to perfection! Beautiful plate presentation.

I didn't order any food. I just stopped in for some drinks. The service was excellent. Steve was great to talk to and recommend so.e great drinks. Live music was awesome. I definitely will be back!

Sante Fe is our favorite restaurant. 10/10 for food, service and atmosphere. The live piano is perfect for a date night.

I don’t come here often. When we do, we know to expect a large check at the end. However, we’ve never left disappointed. The ambiance is calm and relaxing. The tables were somewhat cramped together. I came with a large group of friends. Our server was very attentive. He made sure I was content with my special unique cocktail order. I especially loved the pianist music softly playing in the background. Our food was great.

We came to celebrate my daughter's birthday 🎂 🥳 Everything we ordered tasted great and food temperature was perfect. Honesty no complaints on anything. Service was amazing and the atmosphere was comfortable and nice. Great restaurant for any occasion.

What went well? Everything! Funny thing was that our reservation wasn't actually recorded-so we ended up in the cantina. It was meant to be. We had the best waitress! Shary was like our sister from another mother and we instantly bonded. Every course was made to perfection and all her recommendations turned out to be exactly what we wanted. We enjoyed all the presentations and can't wait to return!!

I don't come here often. When we do, we know to expect a large check at the end. However, we've never left disappointed. The ambiance is calm and relaxing. The tables were somewhat cramped together. I came with a large group of friends. Our server was very attentive. He made sure I was content with my special unique cocktail order. I especially loved the pianist music softly playing in the background. Our food was great.

Steak and twice baked potatoes were delicious. Great service, very attentive. Bartender did a great job on my drink as well. Whenever I'm back in the area, I'll be stopping by.

Amazing experience! Restaurant was recommended by my coworkers. We went on a Monday night for a late dinner and were able to get a table without a reservation. However, I would recommend making one for weekends or peak times. Chloe was our server, and she was excellent. They offer happy hour all night on Mondays. Deals on cocktails and wine. I ordered the filet Oscar. It has pieces of crabmeat on top. It was a high-quality filet cooked right to my liking. They had a piano player, too, which made the ambiance nice. There is outdoor seating as well, which was super nice.

Recommended by Joe from Wyndham hotel...and he was right. IN THE CANTINA--Got there perfect timing for happy hour and it was outrageous! Chimichurri tenderloin tips--off the charts (I had 2) The empanadas --perfect! Pork belly--outrageous. Reduced drinks and food apps. (see menu posted) I believe its probably important to get here early--4:30 or so... A hidden upscale gem with very decent happy hour prices and great food.

Great service. Good food options. Good prices. Private event space. Well managed. - Strip

This is the first time we have been here. If I could rate this place a 10, I would. I ordered the filet, my brother had the tomahawk. For desert, we had the chocolate lava cake. Everything was pretty cooked and 100% life changing. The waiter was nice and very attentive with refilling drinks. The music was nice as the piano player was locked in and he was jamming to Mozart which was cool. Pictures attached to show that it was 10/10 !

Steakhouse We were in the McAllen area for a few days and met some colleagues for dinner. We were looking for something outside of the usual chain places and Santa Fe Steakhouse hit the nail squarely on the head. We had reservations during the week and we were glad we did as it got pretty full up after we got there. The location is very nicely done - looks like an old Spanish building and is somewhat rustic on the inside and the courtyard- you would do well by taking your significant other here. The waitstaff was excellent from start to finish - there enough to ensure you had everything you required. The menu is pretty comprehensive but the stars are the steaks and they are cooked perfectly to the degree of doneness requested. For those looking for a nice wine to accompany dinner, the wine list is also comprehensive enough that you should be able to find something well within your particular price point budget. Santa Fe also offers some private dining room options if you are in the need of that. All in all a very excellent place to experience a nice dinner, special occasion or not. Parking lot in front.

Been here twice, first experience was great and steak and service was amazing, second time really was only disappointing given the difference in both the steak and service being worse than the first. In a restaurant at this level and price range consistency should really be a point though and something I'd only take a star off for at something at this price range. The second time around our steaks came out a bit charred and sear was a little hard and really did ruin the beef taste of a good cut of meat

Spectacular evening. Our waitress Chloe was exceptional!! LOVE the decorations. Adds to the ambiance. Best patio in town.

The Beef Wellington appetizer alongside the escargot were very well prepared. The Orange Roughy was succulent great service and very classical.

My daughter and I had dinner here on Saturday and I must say that this place does not disappoint.....EVER! The food was incredibly delicious and the service was superb just like it always is.

Had company dinner here tonight and our dinner was delicious! The service was great and the ambiance was awesome.

Sin lugar a dudas es un excelente lugar, la calidad de la comida y el servicio son siempre excelentes.. También su bar con música en vivo es de mis favoritos Es el lugar perfecto para celebrar fechas importantes o llevar clientes

Great place for romantic dinner, I like seating in the bar area the ambience is nice.

Great steakhouse and cantina. Loved the live music and casual atmosphere in the cantina. Fillet was excellent and great cocktails.

This place is amazing. Period. Headed under cover TX Boss on recruiting trip to McAllen. As I've said... R U Kidding me? Phenomenal atmosphere (inside and outside), ambience, service, food, and more absorbent towels and napkins than anywhere else in the lower 48. Meat sweats!! Had to cool off a bit further south than Wilmington NC! Vamos Gatos!!

This was a magnificent steakhouse! My wife took me here for my 32nd birthday and let me tell you it did not disappoint! We had the tomahawk steak with the Mac and cheese and grilled asparagus. Everything was cooked to perfection and we couldn't be happier with the meal. The service as also impeccable- Julio was excellent and highly attentive! This is a must visit if you're in the valley! 10/10

Easily the best restaurant in McAllen. Meat is delicious, tuna tartar is to die for. Not exaggerating. Everything is great, from food, to ambient, to service. It is expensive, but really worth it. A nice place for celebrations and get-together with friends and family. Will keep repeating.

My wife and I tried Santa Fe for the first time last night and we fail to see what the hype is about. This restaurant fell short on many levels. First there is smoking outside that you have to walk through to get inside...be cautious if you are sensitive to tobacco smoke. The entry door is held open for guests to come and go which allows that smoke to enter the dine-in section so the entire place has an odor of stale cigarettes....think ashtray. Second the place appears to have been here for quite some time and shows the wear and tear...not in a good way...just a little old and beat up. Third, Santa Fe is high on pretense and low on delivery. There is an air of haughtiness displayed by the staff that frankly is never welcomed. A good dining experience needs none of this. Fourth, our food. I ordered the filet and my wife ordered the prime rib. Both arrived cold. We overheard a table of 4 served just before us having the same issue with food temperatures. This fact alone is reason enough to avoid Santa Fe...food service is a serious business and off temps can be dangerous. The baked potato my wife ordered was so off temp the butter would not melt. That being said, my filet was somehow burnt on the outside even though I ordered it rare. My wife's prime rib was far far beyond medium as stated. Both entrees were substandard at any restaurant and the prices are ridiculously high. Difficult to understand why. Everything is a la carte at Santa Fe so be warned. Price gouging warning. We obviously didn't finish our food, nor did we send it back...given others were having the same temperature issue. We had no faith that the results would be better. This place seems to have lost its way. It has obviously been a favorite in McAllen for a long time...but seems to be a victim of its own hype, losing sight of what made it that way...truly superior food. In my humble opinion you should pass on Santa Fe...its feels like an aging rock star that should have stopped touring years ago. There are many places to get a better steak, many at half the price. And, you won't have to tolerate people putting on airs....unless that's what you enjoy. Santa Fe. You should have been so much better. *Edit for Owners response" Thank you for taking the time to respond to my honest review. The lack of attention you paid to most everything I said exhibits the same lack of attention to detail I observed in your restaurant. Be better.

My husband and I decided to take our son here to celebrate his promotion. When I booked the reservation, I notated it was for a celebration. I thought this place was like a Perry's Steakhouse or Morton's Steakhouse. This restaurant wasn't like that at all. The server never asked us what we were celebrating. He wasn't very attentive at all. He never even asked me if I needed a refill. He became very talkative after we paid. The food wasn't all that good either. My husband ordered the T-Bone, my son ordered the Ribeye, and I had the Filet. The steaks tasted like something you would get at a local diner. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Food was really good Service was great We sat near the piano and it was lovely, definitely go for a romantic dinner

A high end steakhouse on the border. The food was very good, except the wagyu was not exceptional. It was rated as A5 but what I have had in the past was far more superior. The service could have been better, keeping water glasses full, taking dishes off the table too quick, and had to ask for things more than once. The restaurant has utilized all the space for seating, to the point that you are close to others but not invading their space. Highly recommend the rib eye steaks.

Service was great, food delicious! When a large party is seated in the middle, it's hard to enjoy when you're in the corner with the piano blasting right next to you so that could have been a better experience as far as seating. This is a place you go to when you're feeling fancy and ready to spend some money once in a blue moon because prices are high! They have steak for $100!! They charge $4 for like 2 ounces of diced bacon. Other than that, I enjoyed my food and my service. I am reluctant in coming back just due to the price point because there are so many other great steak places for half the price however from tasting the meat and the way that it was flavored, I do taste quality. Try it out!

I don't mean it lightly when I say that spending my evening here was one of the most fantastic dining experiences I've had. Our waiter, Chris, was kind and attentive to our every need, even though our table was outside his normal section. The food was among the best I've ever eaten (the Tuna Tartare and Mesa Chicken made for a filling and tasty meal). This was the best possible venue for my girlfriend and I to celebrate our 1 year anniversary since the staff made our evening wonderfully fun and special. I would highly recommend coming if you're given the chance!

Ask for Qualtemo or Noel. Awesome service from these fellas. Also, Noel KNOWS his wines

My special go to place. Best place to celebrate a birthday or possibly an anniversary. Any special occasion there's steaks are great and service in this type of restaurant is always good.

Been to Santa Fe many times. My wife and I decided to have dinner last night to celebrate my birthday. She ordered rack of lamb, which she was pleased with, and ordered a New York strip. Cost, $45.00. I certainly expected better. It was so chewy I ate only half. Maybe Beck's the places was packed. Who knows but I'll think twice before returning.

The food is very good, but they allow people to come in their restaurant and bother you at your table to buy roses. I brought a large party and was paying the entire tab. I even request we not be bother with that kind of stuff and yet some lady still came by to try and sell us flowers. This is extremely tacky for a high end restaurant. You lose one star for that and another star because when mentioning that I didn't like that lady doing that to a a manager, she acted like I was silly for complaining. But I specifically asked.

Not a place I'd visit again for dining. Perhaps their cantina experience. Pros: -Dessert -Wine Selection -Ambiance/Decor -Food was decent. I ordered a filet and it was good. However, someone else in our party ordered a ribeye but they sent it back for being undercooked. Granted, I myself have a hard time reading reviews on cooked meat preferences. It really depends on the person but I would say, the meat was pretty rare given they asked for medium. Cons: -Service: Hostess was rude. I was surprising my Mom for her birthday (from out of state) and the Host was very annoyed and short in responses. Positive intent... there could've been a previous interaction that played into her annoyance but, it shouldn't be an excuse to treat all customers the same. A host is the first face a guest sees when they walk into a restaurant, and a great host or hostess can set the tone for a wonderful dining experience. To the contrary, this host set the tone for an unpleasant dining experience. -Not a place I'd recommend for large groups (4+). It seems to be more of an inconvenience to them. We even had a reservation a month in advance. Overall giving them a 3. This seems like a great place for a date night.

Super disappointed I didn't get to try this place. It came highly recommended from colleagues. I am in town this week for work and decided I would sit in the cantina section since I was dining alone. The Bartender approached and was cold and didn't make any eye contact when he "greeted" me. His words when he walked up were "Can I help you", there was no "Welcome in"or "How's it going" - just very cold. I started to order my drink but if this was the beginning of my interaction there's no telling how the rest of the experience would go and quite frankly that ruined the experience for me. So I don't know how the food tastes which is unfortunate but I hear it's great. Maybe my expectations are high when it comes to customer service but that bartender did not seem like he wanted to be there.

Excellent experience! Great food and service from the hostesses and excellent servers

Excellent service and delicious food my favorite was the tuna steak and the cheese tray was nice starter. The outdoor is gorgeous and the Sauvignon bland was crisp

Our daughter chose this place for her birthday. Everyone was very happy with their meal, as the food was soooo lovely! Service was impeccable. Ambiance is divine! Surely will return for another great dining experience!!

Santa Fe's was one of the first restaurants we went to when we moved to the area just over 20 years ago. Have been going 3-4x/yr since - it has long been one of our favorites. Went last Wednesday night for wife's bday. Steaks were good, drinks were good, but that's about it. $10 potato was undercooked and completely cold by the time I could get the fixings for it brought to the table. Was never able to get the attention of the waitress for another drink. Finally gave up and went to the bar. I blame the GM for our concerns, not the young lady who was serving us - she had 4 tables in the main dining area, an unknown number in the private dining area, and at least one table in the bar on the other side of the courtyard. I don't expect everything to be perfect when we go out for an expensive meal, but for $200 for two people, it should be a LOT closer to perfect than last Wednesday night. I'll be giving Sante Fe's one more chance given our history of going there. But the last few times have been lacking, and if it happens again, I'm done.

A great night with an outdoor ambience. I sat inside near the piano which played without being overbearing. I order their cheese plate, a glass of Malbec and the filet Francesco. Everything was on point and without delay or error. This made for truly wonderful experience that I'll never forget.

Dinner here has always been lovely and the chefs never disappoint. Great atmosphere and ambiance. Aside from the food, the cocktails are very enjoyable...although you can never go wrong with a glass of wine. We really enjoy dining outside during the fall and winter months.

This restaurant was suggested to us by some local folks. 2 friends and I were in your establishment on Friday July 23rd. for dinner. We decided to visit your restaurant due to the several suggestions that we had been given by people in the area. This is the email that I sent to the restaurant describing our experience. In our party, we ordered 2 of the 14oz. Ribeye's as well as 1 9oz. filet with sides consisting of Macaroni and Cheese and the twice baked potato with the Ribeye's and the Asparagus with the Filet. To say that I/we were disappointed is an understatement. 1st, the twice baked potato was much too heavy in pastry, and the size of the potato itself was pathetic. Most of the serving was puff pastry dough. The Asparagus was rather "mehhhh" and certainly was not of the quality that a restaurant that projects an image such as yours does should be pleased with serving. The Macaroni however was good. The steaks were an utter failure. The Ribeye's were disappointingly thin, and they were poorly cooked. Although both of the Ribeye's were ordered as rare, and they were on the inside, the outside was charred to the point that part (over half) of one of the steaks was not palatable. My Ribeye was not charred over as large an area, but probably 1/4 of the steak was charred to the point that it was not edible. And to make matters worse, when this deficiency was brought to the attention of our waiter (whose name I don't recall to be honest) he made no attempt to address the issue, nor did he make an attempt to bring out a a manager or someone in authority who could address the issue. His rhetoric essentially was along the lines of that how the steaks are cooked, and that's how they are supposed to taste. That attitude was both nonsensical from the perspective of your business, as well as demeaning to us as customers. The fact is that Saltgrass Steakhouse, Outback, Longhorn Steakhouse and a number of other "steak houses" would have provided for a much more enjoyable dining experience. I say all of that to say this. The experience that my friends and I had in your restaurant was beyond unacceptable from our points of view as consumers/customers in your establishment. This may be something that doesn't make that much difference to you, and that's fine. However, it isn't likely that I will ever patronize your establishment again nor would I suggest your restaurant to anyone else.

Great atmosphere, incredible food. The lobster bisque was the best I've ever had. Great menu choices, live entertainment, only improvement needed is the service. Extremely long wait times to get your food. Would have been 5 stars if we hadn't had to wait over an hour and a half to actually get our food.

First, let's talk about location, ambience, and features. This restaurant is located in a really weird nook next to the mall. From the outside, it looks really underwhelming and scraggy. But once you walk in, it's actually really nice. It's an excellent choice for a date, celebration, or special family dinner. The dining rooms are way too dark. A family member commented that it's to avoid a hair being found in the food but I digress... however, the piano music makes up for the excess darkness. The drinks are also fancy and taste delicious. They also allow for live music which I didn't personally enjoy. That being said, the BEST dining area is the middle space of outdoor seating. It's the most beautiful part of the restaurant with heating lamps and a fountain and stone floors. If you make a reservation, that's where you want to be. It's bright and quiet enough to see other people's faces and have a conversation. You get the background music and ambience of an enjoyable restaurant experience. Now for the food. The food was good. The steaks are a bit overpriced in my opinion, but the chef knows how to cook to your preference. Do NOT order anything above the medium option. This is not a Logan's people. But if you get a properly cooked steak at Logan's, you'd saved a considerable amount of money as compared to this steakhouse. You simply risk having a not properly prepared steak at a Logan's as compared to here. The lamb was properly cooked. It could have been a little more tender but it was cooked properly and tasted well. The mashed potatoes and veggie sides were delicious. The shrimp nuevo was also very well cooked and the shrimp were very large. Truly enjoyable. The calamari frito was uhm uhm uhm, chefs kiss. It had a flare of Asian flavors to it. Best dish of the night. Finally, let's talk about amenities. The bathrooms are cute. Clean, well maintained, interesting decor. Wait staff was fine. Nothing outstanding, nothing poor. Please make sure to tip your waitstaff between 18 and 25% at minimum. They're laboring through a pandemic and deserve it regardless of service. The parking was not great. The lot is not big enough for large trucks. If you're bad at parking (be honest with yourself), you're gonna have a hard time parking. I think they offer valet but like why? If you have a fancy car like a Tesla or Porsche, they'll let you park obnoxiously in the front of the entrance. However, they only open for dinner so the parking is not as bad as it could be if all the other side stores were also open at that time. But for accessibility considerations, I feel like parking and the dark rooms are an issue. Overall, I'd recommend this for maybe one or two very special occasions in a year. This isn't a restaurant I think you should make multiple trips simply because of the high cost and lighting/music. There are other options in the Valley with better lighting, amenities, cost that you can celebrate at. Make sure to dress up enough. I'm talking khakis and a collared shirt for men at min and nice blouses for women. No flip flops or crocs because the waitstaff will look you up and down.

what a great cozy warm atmosphere. service and food were amazing. Very impressed, highly recommended!!!!!

Ok so this place did not know of its kind of hidden but the service is great the food is delicious obviously the steak is great the appetizers r good and the ambience is very romantic it's a date night for me piano guy playing too give it a 10 the only thing is take your wallet pretty full it's pricey but we'll worth it

McAllen classic restaurant. Comfortable dining room, with very friendly wait staff. Recent experiences food quality has been consistently good. Can't go wrong at Santa Fe.

I've come to this restaurant several times Great steakhouse Lobster bisque 5 stars Rib eye steak 5 stars Desserts 4 stars but still very good Desserts need pizzaz- something is missing Cannot put my taste buds on it Restaurant is clean Service is very good

It was a Monday evening, I made reservations for my family & fiancé to have what I expected to be a nice Birthday dinner, and I did make sure to mention it was a "Birthday" being celebrated... The waiter we had was very impatient and rude from the start and made my mom feel bad for asking questions about her order before placing it. The food took way too long to come out and we wondered if our server was neglecting us on purpose. My father ended up having to speak to a manager about how we were being treated but the manager (short & stout man) did nothing. Didn't change our server, didn't offer to do anything himself just said he was sorry. The meal finally came out and it was subpar. We all felt like our server had even more of a cold shoulder to us after we spoke to a manager. After the meal everyone was a little uneasy, especially me- it was my Birthday! I made the reservation and mentioned we were celebrating the occasion and it felt like no one actually cared. I don't know what we could've done more.. after we all were finished with our meals and going to our cars my fiancé & mom stayed back to speak to the manager again on how disappointed they were with our experience. The manager did nothing again. Now, we're very friendly, understanding people and complaining is not something we're in the habit of doing. My family knew I had been looking forward to my birthday dinner. We were all placed in a very uncomfortable situation at Santa Fe because the service that Monday evening. In sum, I wouldn't recommend Santa Fe to anyone.

Loved! Loved! Loved! Had such a delightful evening enjoying a nice steak. The tuna tartare was delicious. Overall would give the atmosphere a 10. The only drawback was I wanted to sit outside and by the end of dinner many flies had gathered bringing the experience down. Would have just moved indoors.

The food & experience by far was the BEST!!!!!. The only thing was that YES! it did the give you an environment that you were you at a Mexican restaurant which throws you off as far as the ambiance vibe..... a little facelift to like a real western/native (indoor dining part ONLY) would be a plus boost to the restaurant. But overall the food, piano, service, was an all time great!!!! keep it up because this has by far won me over & will definitely add the restaurant to my rotation!!! Waaaay better than Saltgrass!!! GREAT JOB SANTA FE STEAKHOUSE!!!!!!

What!!! I had totally forgotten how amazing this place is. Why waste time going anywhere else! Everything about Santa Fe is top notch. The attention to detail and friendly staff is on point. Also, why do we go out? The food of course... it was delicious... bananas Foster anyone...piano playing in the background...so sights, sounds, tastes... it hits all the senses... P.S. That's only the dining room, they have an outside eating area that is absolutely beautiful, and the bar is amazing and sounds so fun. I guess we'll do that next time...

I heard from friends and noticed some yelp reviews that with few exceptions, everything here is pretty darn good. Based on a coworker recommendation, we stopped in for dinner. Subdued lighting, a talented fella playing tunes on the baby grand piano, and $3 for my dirrty martini - easily a few more bucks at any spendy steakhouse. So far so great! Starters: fried calamari. Yum. Light & crisp and not greasy. Chimichurri steak medallions...Superb. Smoked oysters, wrapped in bacon, and fried. So delightfully indulgent. I probably would've been ok with sharing apps, but we were here for fine quality steak. I thought it was weird they didn't have any bone-in steaks on the menu. Our waiter went though the off-menu features, including (but not limited to) a lobster bisque and a 20oz bone-in cowboy ribeye. You almost roped me in...until the $70 pricetag. Everyone's entrees came out in a timely fashion and was delicious all around. My 14 oz boneless ribeye was fantastic. Beautiful diamond grill marks and cooked just how I like it. No room for dessert this time since I was stuffed. Service was pleasant, prompt, and our table enjoyed every bite. Five shiny steak knives for Santa Fe.