The Alley Cantina

The Alley Cantina. Historic Taos Gem Full of Flavor & Charm 🌮🎶 Finally made it to the legendary Alley Cantina, tucked right in the heart of Taos Plaza inside one of the town’s oldest and most authentic buildings believed to date back to the 1600s! From the moment you step through the archway, you feel the unique character of the place adobe walls, wooden beams, vintage photos and a cozy, lively atmosphere that perfectly captures Taos’ spirit. The food was excellent we had Fish & Chips (highly recommended!) and Soft Tacos with shredded beef, both flavorful and well-presented. Service was friendly and attentive and our server Sabrina made sure we had everything we needed. The house margarita was fresh, perfectly balanced and served with salt on the rim just right. 🍹 The restaurant is spacious and divided into different sections: a main dining area with a bar, a game room with a pool table, and a private side room perfect for families or small groups. Restrooms are located toward the back. They often host live music or events in the evenings, adding even more to the experience. Parking is paid along nearby streets or in several lots around Taos Plaza. 🌮 Don’t miss their Fish & Chips one of the best in town! 📍 Historic setting | Great vibes | Live music | Friendly service | Full bar

Lots of Mexican food options with portions big enough to share. Beer comes in cans or bottles. The bathrooms are pretty small. There are pool tables if you want to hang out and play. They’re open on Christmas Day too.

Once my food came out (appetizer came out same time entree did) The waitress didn't check on me until i was ready for the check. The fries were way too crisp. I wasn't carded for my margarita. However the drink was the best part of my visit here. I might suggest maybe engaging in conversation more often with those who are dining alone.

We we nt for lunch on a recommendation, and we were both very disappointed. My wife got the red pork chili and there was not a single piece of pork in it. We love pork chili and this was by far the worst. I had the chili relleno plate with both red and green sauce. Bland is the best I can about the plate. We winter in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas ( that's where we are heading to) so we are used to good Mexican food. Unfortunately this place does not match up! The 14 dollar margarita was not that good either!

Fun place for a late snack, staff seems friendly with the locals. They got live bands playing. Margaritas were delicious and nachos were served fresh and warm. The chicken cesar salad was outstanding. I was not very satisfied with the tacos though.

Will return. The Adobe architecture, also known as the Pueblo Style has a few sections, with a pool table. Our tour manager took us there. It sure doesn’t disappoint. Casual atmosphere. The drinks are fresh, food portion is large and yummy.

We went on an open mic night and the overall vibe was great. The atmosphere is cool with people playing pool and having a good time. The service was a 10/10! I sadly forgot our server’s name, but she was awesome: attentive, friendly, and really made the experience better. Food-wise (and I can only judge based on the nachos), they were honestly below average—probably the laziest nachos we’ve ever had, especially for the price. The nachos were soggy, the pulled pork was pretty bland, and the jalapeños seemed canned and cold. On the positive side, the portion was big. We also ordered a couple of micheladas, which were meh, nothing memorable. Overall, great place to hang out for the vibe, music, and service, but eat before getting there!

New Mexico flavored dishes and a good vibe with pool table for those interested. A nice chilli 🌶 kick to the food made it even better. The Alley Cantina is considered to be located in the oldest building in Taos, with some of the structure dating to the 16th century.

Strolling through Taos plaza... we saw a small alley way and decided to explore. At the end, two wooden doors which took you inside the Alley Cantina! What a great spot! This is where the locals hang out. Our bartender with her amazing English accent, a guy named John who was a regular and a few other folks who seemed to know their way around. Just enough lighting to make you feel right at home. A pool table for those looking to play a game. Music playing in the background but not loud enough to hear conversations all around. The food looked great but next time we will plan better. Many were picking up,their food to go so that says something. We will place this on our next visit for sure!

Ambiance: dark, dingy, feels like a hole in the wall. Food: Surprisingly good. Spicy. Tasty. Drinks: Quite strong. Great deal for happy hour. There were a few games: shuffle board and pool table. Note, the level of pool was well over my capability: a guy hit a masse shot around a ball, down half the table, to hit a combo in. Then repeated later, just to show that it wasn't luck. If you are looking for a place to do some serious drinking, go here for happy hour. Stay for dinner. You probably won't remember getting back to your hotel, but you'll have had a fun evening.

The hominy as a side of my enchiladas was as surprising as good. Everybody who had it the same side still talks about how good it was. The enchiladas were ok. My drink, a tequila and cucumber cocktail, wasn't...I couldn't drink it. It was strong and it didn't taste good. The service was good; and sitting in the patio was very pleasant.

Smells like piss and puke when you walk in. I walked right back out so can't say much about the service or food.

Full Bar - Pom Pom Margarita A+ Staff is awesome! Chicken wings are great! Definitely recommend this fun place! Only 1 TV @ bar

The chips, salsa, and guacamole left a lot to be desired. The main dish, chicken enchiladas, were also lacking with not much flavor. The bad flavor was really highlighted by the subpar service as well. Not to mention the general lack of cleanliness. Aside from the fact that my table was just sticky everywhere, the spider that scampered across it didn't seem to mind.

The green chili cheese fries are absolutely fantastic. They have no meat, and plenty of cheese. Our server Sabrina was fantastic. The burger my husband ordered was actually cooked to medium, not overcooked. They are very accommodating, and I would absolutely come here again.

happy hour half price drinks every day, including weekends, from 5:00-7:00 margarita drinks are small and mostly ice but they got the job done!!!! frito pie was excellent, as were the enchiladas. the outdoor area is very nice and it was a pleasant evening I will definitely come back to this place

I've been here several times. It deserves 5 stars for being the only place in town opened late. Taos shuts down early but god bless the ally for staying open until midnight. Most places shut down at 8. The menu has a vast range from bad food to exceptional. It just depends on what you get. I've had a bad meal here, and the best meal in taos. We've always had great service here. Wish I could shout out our waitress but she was excellent with dealing with our annoying group. Any edit we wanted she had no problem with. This visit I got the pretzel, tortilla soup and fish and chips. Substituted the chips for onion rings. Y'all the onion rings are amazing. Not the best fried fish I've had, but really good. The tortilla soup was top notch. Bottom line you can't come to taos without visiting the alley. It is the cultural spot for food for the town.

In Taos and looking for a locals bar and grill and this one came up. Just off the square down a short alley. We had walked by there on several other trips to Taos but never bothered to go in. Great place with good food. I had the tamale pork plate smothered in green sauce, beans, posole! Fantastic. Green sauce was New Mexico spicy so be prepared. Wife had soft chicken tacos which were large and equally delicious. Margarita was well made....waitress was second day on the job and did a great job. Plenty of seating inside with a nice outdoor area as well.. next time in Taos we will be there. Lots of locals in the bar...

Good food and atmosphere. Shuffle board table. Good drinks and service. Good location

The Cantina is a fun cozy joint tucked in behind stores on the Taos plaza, off one of the brick walkways threading through downtown. The building has a small courtyard for outdoor dining, with a bar and table area for indoor service. There's also a shuffleboard and a pool table (always busy) if you're in the mood for games. I have not eaten here yet but drinks are good and they have a couple of my favorite Deep Eddy vodka flavors (ruby red and sweet tea) that are put to good use in their craft drinks. You can often enjoy live music here as well, with open mike night at least once weekly. Nice place to kick back when visiting Taos and you don't feel like spending a fortune on a drink. Recommended.

The best happy hour likely in the world! Every cocktail was better than the last. Right off the plaza. Friendly folks at the bar.

The service was great. The ambiance was great. But I had probably the worst Caesar salad I've ever had and I've had them from Fairbanks to Oaxaca. I ordered Caesar with chicken and received no chicken. I had to reorder it and so was late, dry and over charred. There were big chunks of romaine hearts that were hard to eat and all of the lettuce looked to have been cut earlier and was tinged with brown and the dressing was not good. It didn't taste like true Caesar dressing and tasted stale. Not to mention the croutons were so hard they were difficult to bite into. The NY cheesecake was delicious and the decaf coffee was very good. Friend had relleno said was good but exceedingly hot. Next time I'm in town I'll pass on Alley Cantina and stick with the ones I know are better.

Loved this place! Has a super cool interior by the bar where the ceiling is open and has an indoor/outdoor vibe. Our bartender was from the UK, conversational, and fun. We didn't catch her name. Popped in for some margaritas and ended up ordering wings and onion rings. Would definitely recommend to anyone! Great little local spot. :)

We arrived on a Sunday, on a bus of 45 tourists. That is overwhelming for a cozy, local cantina. Staff was polite and professional. Food was delish! Our only experience in Taos. It was a good one!

January 2022: Nice to see indoor dining is back. My hotdog with red chili was 100% spot on. Best dog anywhere IMO. The onion rings and coconut chicken tenders were delicious, but a bit greasy. Our waitress Quincy was always right on time, did a great job. I hope she sticks around. Remember to tip heavy during Covid if you get even decent service, heavier if it's good and cheerful like Quincy. They had a jazz singer with a keyboardist and string bass player. Singer was pretty good. The others were excellent. Overall I give them a 7, quite enjoyable.

I'd give it 5 stars because the band Katy P and the business were SO FREAKING GOOD but it's a dive bar so drinks were okay. Based on the previous reviews this place seems like a super chill place with pool table and shuffle board but we came on a Saturday night close to 10pm, they had a $10 cover and the place was packed. Rightfully so with the live music entertainment. Highlight of our stay in Taos. If you like to dance, sing along and watch some great musicians, try coming here and hopefully Katy P and the business are playing that night. Will be back next time I'm in town.

The Alley is the Alley. It's THE quintessential dive bar of Taos, NM. Having lived in Taos at different times in my life I have had more experiences here than I probably should have. I have to give 4 stars because the bathroom.... Forget it.. ladies, don't go. Guys, well feel free to use automatic weapons in the bathroom because our fellow "gentleman" have no aim after 2100. Otherwise, look for Aaron behind the bar. He is a really laid back dude who been there for years and will take good care of you. Cheers!

Super cute restaurant with a lot of history! Prickly pear margarita was really good! Not too sweet. Chile relleno was amazing and loved the posole that came with it. Chips, salsa, queso, guac, were all great staters. Great service. Repeat customer for years.

Ordered the quesadillas thinking they would be safe. They came out looking like a Mexican pizza. It had so many jalapeños on it It was not edible. The meat was gray. I asked the waitress to take one plate of quesadillas off because we couldn't even eat it.. She was incredibly snotty and rude . She said she would take it off. She said she would take it off and it came back and said never mind I can't take it off. Argued with me and refused to remove the food we could t eat. The place is gross and horrible customer service.

There's not much I can say about this place, other than "NO." Host had to check to see if they had a table for the two of us. He did squeeze us into a room that held three tables, all empty, other tables empty, too We had a view of the back of the musicians performing, echoed loudly in the room. Waited nearly 15 minutes. No server at all. Dropped menus off with host on the way out. Cannot comment on the food, didn't even see any, not even water.

An avid traveler, I usually avoid restaurants near heavily trafficked tourist sites. Best to drop back a few streets from the center of the action for a local cafe. I've spent the past 6 weeks on a hunt for the tastiest, spiciest green and red chili in northern New Mexico. Villages, food trucks, you name it.

We were so hungry l, waited for an hour. When we get the food, it looked good but it tasted disgusting!!! No salt, flavor, nothing!! Worst food I ever tried in my whole life

We stopped in for lunch (on a Monday when many other restaurants are closed) and had a nice experience. Friendly, courteous and attentive staff. Food was served quickly and was quite flavorful. We were a bit put off by all the warnings on the menu about the New Mexican food they serve being spicy (presumably they've had complaints from those with mild palates before) so we ordered Christmas sauce on the side. Neither was particularly spicy, with the green being the milder of the two. The prickly pear margarita was fantastic. Much deeper and richer in flavor than they often are. We ordered the chile rellenos and the tamales. Both were good. We also liked the beans but found the posole (hominy) pretty bland.

*THIS IS WHERE THE PARTY'S AT!* You provide the party tho.. Some music in the air, looks like there's Karaoke and a band sometimes. This is where you come for dranks and some bar food Super chill place Kewl people Plenty of free parking (after 5pm) in the plaza Have fun but drink responsibly

Wow! Great place. Had a bean burrito with pozole. The bean burrito was filled with seasoned whole pintos, not a bunch of fillers and the posole was simply seasoned without pork. Super tasty for this vegan. The chips and salsa was great. Not a water down salsa but a true salsa with ground red peppers and seasoning really refreshing. I would eat here once a week if I lived in Santa Fe.

Amazing New Mexican food. Loved everything about it. Fun environment and cool historical place. The chile rellenos are the best I have ever had.

Well ... This is a unique review, THANK YOU to the owner who generously guided me through the backroads or Taos quite safely and efficiently. Hot Summer day. Busy crowded construction congested Taos...I stopped at Smiths for only a bottle of George's Casamigos Reposada ... and found myself all geared up sweltering in the summer heat. The owner (sorry, missed his name) was doing some personal shopping at Smiths and was kind enough to lead me through town safely - the "back way." Thanks so much sir - can't wait to visit your business.

The food was perfect! We had the fried mushrooms, green chile burger, and fish & chips! Everything was fresh, made in-house and not frozen which was awesome and surprising! If you're visiting Taos, stop here!!

Good food, great ambience! Service is a little slow. But not bad for a Sunday brunch.

Lovely restaurant, and the oldest building in Taos! The dining area was in the patio of the building, so there was an open skylight which was really cool. The best part is that they have amazing margaritas! The prickly pear margarita (slush or iced) is the best!!! The tamales are a must and the enchilada was a second runner up. We got fried onion rings as an appetizer, but they were too breaded and thick for our liking. I would also recommend skipping the fries to get another side since the fries were too thin and oily.

The food was super delicious! I had the Spicy Green Chile BLAT Wrap. My friend had the Chile rellenos. We were both impressed with the food. Service was pretty good, but they would ask if you needed anything and never bring it. They were busy. The decor was fun and we were there on karaoke night. Place seemed to be pretty popular. The food was definitely worth going back for!

Great service, food was very good, nice ambiance . Happy hour drinks very good. Would come back for happy hour.

Service was slow but food was good. However, after I got home and checked my credit card statement, I found they had increased the tip from what I left (20%) to 25%. The difference isn't much but it is the principle of the action. Talked to owner twice but he never made it right. They said it was an honest mistake of just hitting the wrong key, but.....Suggest leaving the tip in cash so it is less likely to be altered. Thus, the 2 star rating.

Great food good vibes and a fun atmosphere. Margaritas could be a little better but the food makes up for it

The food was greatbut my Dr Pepper was flat service was awesome according to the menus caboose the bathroom walls are over 400 years old the alley leading up to it is pretty cool

Had lunch on the patio this week. The worst meal I've had, possibly ever. First of all the waiters were having to step over a giant ant pile devouring a piece of red candy. Literally hundreds of ants. Disgusting. This was early in the day and no staff made an effort to remove the ant pile. The table wobbled so badly glasses were in danger of falling off the table with any slight move from the 4 of us. The salsa was not good, overwhelming garlic. Entrees included shredded beef nachos, chile relleno, and a grilled chicken Caesar salad. Granted the bar was set low for the salad at a Mexican focused restaurant but I have a young daughter that just happens to love Caesar salad. All the ingredients looked were stale. Shredded beef and grilled chicken were lukewarm and stringy dry. No telling how old the ingredients were. The rellenos looked as if they were prepared the day before. I requested the sauce on the side. It was served in a ramekin and had developed a skin over the top of the sauce. No one finished their meals, probably best. This is a dusty, stale and possibly infested tourist trap and should be avoided.

This was actually Christmas day, we could not find a place too eat lunch. It was very busy, and had to wait for a table. When we got seated, the host apologized for the long wait. Food was good for us seven weary travellers. I enjoyed a bowl of chilli and a local beer from Santa Fe. The people were friendly and food came out quickly!

Our dining experience went from zero (apparently a bad day in the kitchen where we ate the day before) to hero when we went to the Alley Cantina at the Taos Plaza. "New Mexican " food is similar to, but has a distinct vibe from traditional Mexican food, the Mecca for such food being Santa Fe for us. The restaurants there set a very high bar, but the Alley Cantina clears that hurdle with space to spare. Built in the 16th century, the restaurant is housed in the oldest building in Taos; a significant part of the building is - yes - 500 years old. But the cuisine is current and top-notch. The day we were there was only the fourth day they had been open in 15 months. We had about a 15 minute wait to get a table in the narrow outdoor dining area. Our one disappointment was that they had run out of red chili sauce due to incredibly high demand. We ordered the "Buzz" Margarita, which was absolutely delicious, then the Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas and the Chili Relleno Platter. Each one came with two portions, so we got to try one of each. Even missing the red chili sauce, they were an explosion of flavor. I won't say we licked the plates clean, but they were pretty bare when we finished. But wait, there's more! My wife ordered the Brownie with extra ice cream, and I ordered the Flan. Sadly, they had also run out of ice cream, very disappointing, but they made it up to us. My Flan was very good, but they did something I e never seen before ... they put Pine Nuts on the top. Sheer genius! The slight tartness and mellow crunch it added blew my mind. Shout out also to the waitstaff, very attentive and pleasant even though they were totally swamped. Taos tip: many restaurants are closed on Sunday, so plan ahead! My opinion: this place deserves 5 Stars. We'll be back next time we are in Taos.

Out of towners visiting for the first time. Several food allergies at the table which would cause anaphylactic shock. When we asked if they could accommodate for the food allergies we were pretty much told by the manager that they couldn't be bothered. Mind you, we called several places in Taos before choosing Alley Cantina. The chef was very curt on the phone and we were told by the manager that he didn't even want to take the phone call. Odd, since the manager said only the chef knew what foods would trigger the allergies we warned them of. The manager pretty much chewed us out for asking the servers about the food allergies because they don't know anything about what foods contain which triggers. I would NOT recommend this place to anyone with food allergies. Here's hoping they don't put anyone in our party in the hospital... or worse.

We stumbled upon this place while visiting Taos. The man who took us to our table seemed pretty overwhelmed and unhappy, but our waitress was very nice. My dad was disappointed that they didn't have any beer on tap, and we felt the chips and salsa should have been complimentary like at most Mexican restaurants, especially since the chips we paid for were quite stale (and there was a dead spider in the bottom of our basket). The chili rellano, though, was the best one I had ever had had and made up for the chip situation. It was hit and crispy while softened under the Christmas chili sauce. I wish I could have more right now. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their entrees as well. The beans on the side were very good while we all left most of our pasole on the plate.

During a recent visit to Taos, we found many restaurants closed mid-week. We did discover the Alley Cantina to be open. This was a fortuitous discovery, as we wound up having the best meal of our trip here. They were pretty busy (as there wasn't much else open) and despite that, we were seated and served quite quickly. We were near the kitchen, and the usual drama in the kitchen served as ample entertainment. Our meals were delicious. We planned to come back the next evening, only to find that they, too, were closed. An expected surprise, we will return when we are next in town.

Well, it was a disappointing experience. The staff were friendly, the atmosphere was so-so (a typical, nondescript hole in the wall with nothing unique about it, other than being nearly impossible to find), but the food was just... bad. The fish on both our plates was burned, and my fries were made quite awhile before I walked in the door. If it were half the price I still would have done better to go to Long John Silver's. Don't bother finding it.

First time visit and it was ok. Other than the fact that the onion rings are made and battered there I was not overly impressed. The food was just ok. The service was so-so as the server seemed rushed. I asked for a beer they ran out of. Another person at our table asked for a margarita and was told the mixer broke today. My beer was served in a can which is ok but like a glass and had to go get it myself as the server was nowhere to be found. Food items went missing from our order as well.

Great little hidden dive/sports bar. Fun atmosphere and good drinks. Tucked away in the downtown shopping district.

Food is very bland and they go crazy with the cumin. Please step away from the cumin.

We stopped here based on recommendations all the way from Oklahoma! It is just off of the main plaza tucked away from the main shops and is a not-so-well-kept secret. It was busy but we were able to be sat right away in the middle of lunch hour on a week day. The margs were just what you need during a hot day and the food was authentic and Fresh. The salsa has a kick to it and the queso was creamy and packed full of flavor. Great New Mexico atmosphere with natural sunlight coming through and plants all around. It truly gives of the slow down and take it easy vibes where you just want to hang out for hours. It is a very welcoming place and everyone in service was so gracious and efficient. There's a pool table, tvs, and a nice large wooden bar. They also have patio seating with umbrellas to keep things cool and comfortable. I highly recommend for all of those passing through!

Hidden away in the plaza, this cute little bar has it all: Mexican treats, drinks, pool tables, TVs and friendly staff. I'd recommend as a fun pit stop during your evening or apres ski.