The Artichoke Cafe

We were passing through town. Stopped for dinner. Great service. They had a parking lot so parking was easy. Didn't have a reservation and we were seated at the bar without any wait. Noemi served us. She was great help, had good recommendations and was still able to keep up with all her orders. I highly recommend eating here. Atmosphere is good. I would come again.

Good food. Pricey. Wait staff very nice/attentive. Male manager did not acknowledge nor approach our table. Watched him mingle with other guests. Metered parking only

The Artichoke Café has the formula. A highly desirable venue for creative, fresh, trendy food selections worthy of a James Beard nomination. The service is friendly, knowledgeable and dedicated to making your experience a pleasant one. This very clean restaurant has a Las Vegas vibe providing “just the right” level of volume to of music to allow for good conversation. The highly skilled bartender will expertly provide you with original house -inspired cocktials. A great choice for a dating couple or visiting with a number of friends. The entrees are pace-setting, service is happily provided, pricing is reasonable, all the checkboxes are checked…a real gem of a find !

The Managers were an absolute delight and helped me organize my wedding reception in one of their private rooms. They were very patient and executed every small request to the T. My husband and I are very grateful for the entire staff friendliness and hospitality. The food and drinks were super delicious and the prices are very fair as well. Highly recommend this establishment.

Unfortunately I didn’t have a great experience here. Maybe there are some good options on their incredibly limited lunch menu but the Caesar salad I ordered was disappointing. It was overdressed, made with wilted brown lettuce, and oddly included red cabbage. The fries were also a letdown. They were extremely salty and greasy so I sent them back. The replacement fries came out after the bill was already paid so they were boxed to go, but I ended up throwing them away because they were just as oily and unappetizing without the salt. Overall not worth it for me.

Decent food and service until the bill came. We were supposed to get happy hour drink prices and did not. We sent the bill back to fix and Toby ( our server ) only changed 1 glass of wine and two were ordered. Oops, a $ 9.00 mistake on one glass of wine! We weren't born yesterday, he wasn't fooling us. In addition, he had an angry attitude after he adjusted the bill which indicates to us that this "mistake" was intentional. We couldn't be bothered to have him change the bill again so we took it out of his tip. Very expensive for ok food and frozen fish. Will not be returning. Too bad because this place use to be good.

We returned to Artichoke Cafe after a 20-year absence and fond memories. Our order: Swiss Chard Shells, Green Chili Cheeseburger, Homemade Bread & Butter, Coke. Cost with tip: $46.00. KUDOs: Flavorful Swiss Chard Shells; looks small (5 stuffed shells) but very filling. Much more meat than bun on the cheeseburger. Green chili lends a new, interesting and enjoyable taste to the cheeseburger and slaw. Bread & Butter (sorry, no photo. Ate it too quickly.) Parking lot. Clean, well-lit. Server Demitria: helpful, attentive. CHALLENGEs. Would have liked to see more artichoke offerings on the menu.

We chose to sit at the bar vs 10-,minute wait... Our server upgraded our seats　provided excellent host & server service, made extra efforts across the board.. artichoke heart appetized us, poured our wine　decribed catch of the day　doublecheckrd everything & did a wonderful job as head bartender & server.. lots of tasty morsels & friendly atmosphere

The dishes are exquisite culinary creations, bursting with incredible flavor. The service is outstanding, and the ambiance is perfect. A business meeting was hosted here, and it was an excellent experience.

This was a great find on recent business trip. We often end up at Mexican places so this was a great and unique find. Wait staff was super friendly and attentive, gave great food recommendations, and made it a nice evening. The beef tenderloin was cooked perfect and the pork chop was the second fav at the table. Baked artichoke dip was good but so little chips and bread to dip in it, kinda disappointing.

I came for the fried artichoke and it wasn't even cooked properly. The salad was absolutely drenched in dressing and the tea was terrible too. The only thing I would recommend is the mashed potatoes and the apple crisp. The service was not that great. They didn't do anything after I told them the artichoke was not cooked well!!!! Also, never asked how I was doing! I would not go back nor recommend this place!

Started the meal out great with an appetizer and drink. However, upon further examining my ravioli- there was a hair hidden underneath a rather large slice of garlic. The staff and manager made is really awkward and weird for my boyfriend and I. Ican't say that I'd ever recommend, nor will I want to eat at The Artichoke Cafe again.

This place was amazing, It's so trendy and cute. The food was amazing along side the service. Parking can be struggle depending what time of the day you arrive. When I'm back in NM I will definitely be back

The peppercorn beef tenderloin I had here was honestly a life changing meal and something I think about frequently since we left Albuquerque. We hopped in here on a Saturday evening and were seated by the bar since they didn't have any tables and we hadn't made a reservation. This ultimately was kind of fun because the bar ambiance was cool and chic. Food was awesome as I mentioned earlier. We started with the steak tartare which was really tasty. Service was quick and helpful. I would love to get that beef peppercorn recipe one day, it is to die for.

Wonderful birthday experience! Food fantastic, service good and the ambience comfortable

The food tastes awesome. Prices were great. The dip was the best along side the pork chop special. The service was good but could be better on our order. I would 100% recommend this restaurant

We chose Artichoke Cafe following our daughters surprise engagement at the old Albuquerque High courtyard. They did a phenomenal job making the evening special and memorable.

This little Abq staple is a must try! We got the beef tenderloin and mussels for entrees, and both were amazing. Flavors are good and the quality is excellent. Dessert was also amazing with a pistachio gelato and espresso chocolate drizzle, and our drinks were strong and good. Only gripe about the evening was super slow service. Our waiter was amazing and took great care of us, but he was definitely pulled in many directions that night! I recommend making a reservation for weekend dinners.

Came for a work dinner, been here once before. Tried the pappardelle (spelling?) which is prepared differently nightly, this time with duck - so delicious. Succulent duck, did not skimp on it, perfectly prepared with the sauce, I'd highly recommend it. It was quite filling, perhaps even enough to share with someone. Desserts are quite good, even for someone who doesn't particularly love dessert. Their creme brulee was amazing - with cardamom, crisped the top perfectly, have to kind of "crack" the top layer, well made. I'd get that again. Mango sorbet also delicious, least favorite was the chocolate but it was pretty good, with a pistachio foam on top and I believe raspberry compote. Pretty dense and decadent, just not my preference. Excellent service - one of the best places to keep water filled despite a relatively small glass. Sounds small, but this is no small feat keeping water filled. Our waiter was excellent, patient, we had a weird situation with work only paying for so much but he was very good about it. They do charge an automatic 20% gratuity for large parties which he definitely earned. Also, a 3% charge, this weird new thing places are doing to supposedly support their employees. I get it and support it, but part of me wonders if every business actually gives this back to the employees or not. I digress. For the price, I'm not sure I'd come back regularly but for special occasions I'd consider coming back here.

I had the best Caesar salad I've tasted. The artichoke dip is devine(I liked all the veggies given to dip). My stepdad loved his ravioli. The atmosphere is sophisticated and warm. Our server was Ariana and she was top notch.

This was my and my husband's first time eating dinner at Artichoke Cafe. Every single thing we ordered was delicious, and the service was excellent. They also have a lovely wine selection, along with great cocktails. I can definitely see us returning in the future. I also really like the intimate ambiance.

Outstanding service and the food is an excellent fusion of culinary genius with New Mexico flare! Bravo

We got a gift certificate as a Christmas present. The drinks and food were great. We got the Desert del Sol Mojito, burrata and mortadella, prime NY strip, and beef tenderloin. The drink was refreshing! The appetizer was refreshing as well, but I felt like they gave us so much burrata for two tiny pieces of bread. The NY strip was slightly over cooked. Sirloin was perfect! Although we did enjoy the dinner we had, I just feel like we didn't enjoy enough to spend another 150 dollars. The service was great, and the atmosphere is very casual for how expensive the place is.

Artichoke Cafe' is an iconic eatery in Albuquerque, and deserves its icon status. Dined last night with 3 other family members. We lean toward eating vegan when possible, and if not, vegetarian. So with a little "bending" we had several delightful dishes. French onion soup: masterful rendering of this traditional dish. Asparagus with parmesan shavings, cooked perfectly. Colorful, a little crunch. French fries: of course fries are done in various shapes. Here, they are cut thin. Very flavorful and a little crunch too. Sides of mayo and ketchup with the fries. Enjoyable salad. The breads and butter: interesting and flavorful. The sorbets of mango and or raspberry were excellent. Love the ambiance here. Friendly, nice natural light in evening, subdued lighting after sun goes down. Wait staff was superb: friendly, knowledgeable and jovial. Finally: they still have a paper menu! I love those!

I'm town for balloon festival. Looked good on Yelp. Orders aricini and roasted beets salad. Delicious. Aricini bite size. Risotto inside. Beets were so good. With faro. Great place.

Always amazing food and service. It's beautiful inside and one of the consistently best places in Albuquerque.

Kind of a cool, business casual place located in the downtown area. Not much on the outside, but definitely well thought out interior. We started with the Duck Rillettes appetizers. Then ordered the Bone in Pork Chop and the Half Chicken for an entree. The pork chop was tender & delicious. Likewise the chicken was delicious and the aji amarillo definitely added to the flavor. We topped it off with the peach crisp ala mode and enjoyed a freshly baked serving ( this one's made to order) over all an excellent meal and great waitstaff. I will add that this is not food served in a hurry. We were there about 90 mins, no hurry, no rush. A place For great food and good conversation.

Lovely little place with options that cost more than needed. Service is super great too. They're so nice there and I love them! Worth a visit for a nice dinner or drink. :) yummy! Also what ever happened to the artichoke themselves??

I honestly never come here for lunch or dinner. I mean. Not normally. But REGULARLY come to the bar for a light dinner, wine, and cocktails. Tonight we got 4 appetizers and a bottle of gamay and I could not have been happier. We were lured in with a mussel and white wine cream sauce special. Completely rich and fresh and wonderful. Every single time we come here, we get the saffron arancini - sort of an Italian rice ball, served with chunky fresh marinara. Also, they have a rotating liver pâté that is so good. It has changed over the years but always delicious. Oh! There is currently beef carpaccio on the menu. I assure you that if rare beef makes you queasy, you need to give it a chance. Paper thin with fermented vegetables on top. It was salty and full of umami. Seriously. I've had just about every single thing on the menu over the years. It's all delicious, all the time. And just because you're sitting in the bar area, doesn't mean you won't get top notch service.

A great quite little restaurant with parking on what otherwise is a busy street. Although the service was great and the restaurant was clean and inviting, the food was mediocre at best. I can say that they do have a decent wine selection. As the area continues to get more and more restaurants, I will probably opt to try something new before heading back here.

The food was very good, the service was great, friendly people. So why the one star? Artichoke committed restaurant cardinal sin number one in my book. If you are going to surprise me with a ridiculous "service charge" of 3% on my bill, at least put that info on the menu, OR have the waitperson tell us about it up front so we can walk out. Nothing on the menu, not a word from the waitress. Also, the waitress told us about the market price fish special. And then shuts up! I guess we're supposed to guess the market price??? This amateur hour act totally wrecked the experience for me. I prefer to patronize establishments that value their employees - and pay them. This is not about the money, it's a matter of principle and respect for your customers. If you expect ME to pay your employees because you don't want to, please let me know that in advance. Next time I drop $300 on dinner, it's not going to be at Artichoke. PS: If they had simply raised their prices, I not only would not have known that, but if I did, I would have been OK with that. Surprise charges magically appearing on your bill in the hope that you won't notice the charge they're clearly attempting to keep secret, are NOT OK.

We had a reservation for 4 people for dinner @ 7:00 pm last night and arrived at 6:45 We were seated just beyond the hostess station behind a sheer curtain and in the heaviest traffic area. It was celebration for my 82nd birthday and mother's day combined. My wife asked the hostess if they could help us celebrate my birthday with something special -she never got back to us and we left without any recognition of the request. We have only been to your restaurant a couple times prior and had been seated in the upper section in a much less traffic and noise area and enjoyed our dinners. The evening was far less than we expected and I'm sorry I made the reservation=we spent $442 and left with a sour taste for your Cafe. rghomsher@aol.com 505 710 8727

Amazing spot!! Very unique dishes, friendly staff and cute vibe. One of the best meals I've had.

A great dinner while in town for Balloon Fest. The staff here was so friendly and helpful. We were there celebrating my Mom's birthday. They were nice but not over the top about things. Everything was very yummy, but the squash ravioli was fantastic. I'm still dreaming about it. The flourless chocolate cake was also a huge hit with everyone in my party. So glad we were able to enjoy such a lovely place.

Making reservations was very easy to do online. I enjoyed going to dinner here. The ambiance was very elegant and the food was delicious. The menu was very small which actually made for an easier time deciding what I wanted to eat. My favorite thing I ordered was the artichoke dip.

Server was excellent - friendly, helpful and attentive. The support team was awesome too. My water glass was never empty very long. The ambiance? Dimly lit, intimate and warm. Food was well prepared and well proportioned. I had the lamb shank with some roasted carrots. Definitely worth a try.

Food , drinks and ambiance is great highly recommend checking out this place when in the area.

We dined at Artichoke Cafe for dinner one day and I thought the food was pretty good. The ambiance inside of this restaurant kindda made me forget about the fact that I'm still in Albuquerque. It's somewhat fancy-ish and that is also reflected in the prices, too. We had a bit of appetizers, main dishes and dessert and thought everything all around was good. My partner also had wine as well. The one thing though was that the food portion size was definitely on a smaller side, especially for main dishes when price points are quite high (I personally think the appetizers are priced ok..given the ambiance, etc...but for main courses..it was a little steep given the small portion size!). Overall, fancy and probably more suitable for special occasions. The people there were nice and had good hospitality, too I think. I was waiting for a restroom in the main dining area and one of the waiter saw me and politely came up to me (probably saw me waiting for so long) and told me there were additional restrooms in the bar side as well. P.S. checking into Yelp gives you a pretty decent $15 discount off your entrees as well!

When an unexpected professional windfall came to pass, a very special someone suggested that we go out and celebrate together.  I was happy to accept his generous suggestion; he then made the smile on my face even bigger when he said he had the perfect venue in mind - The Artichoke Café.  It turned out to be an exemplary choice! Our food was nothing short of phenomenal; I particularly enjoyed the steak frites.  The dish was cooked perfectly with a lean, flavorful piece of meat and a small mountain of golden, crisp fries. Tip: I have no idea why they decide to call this place a café; it's anything but!  The venue is quiet and elegant; the service is exceptional and the napkins, tablecloths, and dishes are what you'd expect to find in a top-tier fine dining restaurant. This isn't a place to come when you're looking to dine on a budget, but given the quality of the food and the service, the prices are AOK.  We shared a bottle of wine, a salad, two entrées and two desserts, and the total damage was just under $175 - that would be a tough trick to pull off at a similar venue in San Francisco :-)

I was there in real life. Don't let the matrix get to you. And stop cooking with hotdogs water and it won't taste like it

We celebrated my birthday, and each of us had exceptionally great dinners. My beef tenderloin was perhaps the best meal that I've ever enjoyed. Three companions felt the same about the fish, pork chop, and chicken. All excellent. Great service as well. A go-to when in ABQ.

Just had dinner here this evening and it was so perfect. Our server Noemi was such a treasure! Not only was she familiar with the food menu but the drink menu as well. I very much enjoyed the service as much as I did the food and drink! From the first sip to the sorbet, was delicious! Thank you Artichoke Cafe and Noemi for a lovely evening! Noemi, you're brilliant and every bit of input was appreciated and matched to what we were looking for!

We were celebrating our last night in New Mexico and enjoyed our $300+ meal of onion soup, burrata and mortadella, baked artichoke & green chile dip,beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin duck pappardelle, panacotta, ice cream and chocolate gelato, plus two martinis and two glasses of wine. It's a darn shame to have to write a negative review, but these first and final impressions negated the great food: 1) First impression: When the waitress tells you what the special is, she should tell you the price! Not "I'll have to check." 2) Final impression: How dare you charge me 3% for the "back of house staff" without posting it on the menu or via said waitress? It was a delicious farewell family dinner and I had no intention of ruining our evening by questioning this shady tactic, but I feel compelled to say that as a result, we'll never return.

I was visiting Albuquerque for a conference with my colleagues and booked a table at the Artichoke cafe for dinner. They were very accommodating when I asked to increase the table size from 3 to 4 at the last moment. The service here was impeccable. Usually I don't notice service at a restaurant, but when I get great service then I start to take notes. One woman was always on hand to top up our water and take our plates away. Our server (named Symone I believe) was great at suggesting drinks and food. She was very personable and clearly had a great sense of humor. She ahelped push our group over the edge into getting dessert which we don't regret. The food and ambience were amazing. Appetizers were good for sharing and my steak was cooked perfectly. Our group decided this was the highlight of our trip to Albuquerque. Thank you for a great time! (As a side note, we decided to walk to the restaurant from our downtown hotel and the walk seemed a little sketchy for us, including walking through a dark pedestrian tunnel. We took an Uber back. Could have just been our one time experience but I don't think it would be a comfortable walk alone, especially at night.)

We had heard the Artichoke Cafe had great food and ambience! We were not disappointed. The atmosphere, service and variety of both food and libations was fantastic! Tenderloin and Marys' roasted chicken were perfectly done and delicious. Highly recommended!

Delicious food, friendly staff, nice wine selection. Honestly I wouldn't back just for the Artichoke Focaccia :)

I want to give a special shout out to Mike and Noemi. From the moment, I arrived to the restaurant, to the moment that I left, I felt extremely well cared for. Please, please, please get the artichoke dip. This is probably one of the best adaptations of artichoke dip that I have ever had in my life and I have had a lot of artichoke dip. I also think that it is commendable that the staff was able to gracefully adjust one of my orders without any confrontation or strife. They truly set the standard for customer service. The chef made it clear that he was really open to feedback--this place is above the rest. They also had non-alcoholic beverage options, which made me feel right at home. I would be remiss if I did not mention the crème brûlée, this dessert item was spot on. The vanilla tones were particularly delicious. They also nailed the temperature profile for the dessert item, which truly determines if you know how to make crème brûlée, artichoke Café knows how! Their menu is seasonal and based on what is locally available with a few staples, so come prepared to have a truly delicious dining experience. They also have a cool decor with local art on display.

My girlfriend and I went to Artichoke Cafe for a nice dinner. Appetizers were nice. Drinks were good. Then they brought out the main course. Before the waiter leaves my girlfriend moves a piece of the food on the plate and there's a pubic hair in the four cheese ravioli!! Moreover, it was hidden under a very large garlic slice. I tell the waiter no way and that we are done just bring the check. He tries to tell me that there's a "african American guy" who works in the kitchen and it's not a pubic hair. I don't understand what this has to do with race and I certainly don't understand why he would try to make it about that other than to try to shame us. A hair is a hair and if it looks like a pubic hair I don't think race matters one single bit. This isn't about race! If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a pubic hair! Then the waiter and manager were pompous a$$h0l3s, offered a very tepid sorry once, and did me the favor of removing most of the food. Gee, thanks. If I was the manager I would have been apologizing profusely and not making excuses. So, never going back there again.

Excellent food and great service, we really enjoyed our meal there! One of the best restaurants in ABQ!

Where do I start with this place. First I guess we could start with the negative if you want to even call it that. If you have a larger group the waiting area is rather small. However, when you make a reservation and you arrive early they will have you seated before one of your guests gets back from the restroom. There was a gentleman in a white shirt that stood out from the rest of the staff, I'm assuming he was part of the management team. He is very friendly and checks on the guests as much as the wait staff does. Now, the ambiance of the restaurant is very laid back, it's not to noisy that you can't have a conversation but not so quiet that you can hear a pin drop. The menu is very simple with a handful of options so you're not stuck on trying to decide. We ordered 3 starters for my group and they were all exemplary choices. The artichoke green chile dip was superb! The marinated olives were flawless in taste. The perfect mix of salt and savory. It ordered the peppercorn filet and my god... this filet was cooked exactly how I ordered it! Portion size was more than I expected on the main entree. I will say the sides seemed a bit skimped on. I decided on the smashed potatoes and the sautéed onions. I received 3 smashed red potatoes which seems to be the perfect quantity but the onions... I'm not sure I would make that a choice on the menu, just make it part of the dish and maybe offer a wedge salad or the roasted broccolini. I understand it's all about the pairing of the foods which Artichoke Cafe has on point. The horseradish sauce with the filet was a very nice touch. The smashed potato, perfect. The onions considered a side, not so much. Don't get me started on the desert... the vanilla crème brûlée was top notch with a cup drip decaf. Excellent! I try and explore different options when I come to Albuquerque and this one is definitely on my return list. Service 9/10, ambiance 9/10, food and presentation 8/10, taste of entrees??? MF 30/10! These guys are classy and top notch. Give them a shot. What's the password is an excellent drink choice too if I might add.

I was super excited to try this place, but to be honest, everything was flat..... I sat in the bar and music is so loud people are yelling at each other, not the ambiance I expected, maybe from a dive bar, not one with this price point. The hostess was polite and sat me right away, however I then waited for quite a bit for someone else to come greet me. I was a little off put by this, but then again, people can get busy. So, I shall wait. If I have a cocktail, I don't mind waiting for anything. I finally ordered a glass of wine and then perused the menu. Butternut squash ravioli caught my attention, oh how I love the fall flavors. Once that arrived, it was covered in orange zest, which killed all of the savory brown butter and sage smell I was expecting. The flavors in the ravioli were good, but couldn't get the citrus out of my nose. That combination DOES NOT WORK! I have been trying to find this on a menu, grrrr Next came the fruit galette, recommended by the waiter, it was good, nothing that knocked my socks off. It was "just okay". Overall, I was kind of disappointed. Everyone had talked it up and I'm super easy to wait on, don't ask for anything, just roll with it, just didn't feel the vibes that I usually get with "fun dining". Just not a big fan...

This is a long overdue review for this cute restaurant that was in walking distance from our Airbnb. Our group loved everything we ordered from the pretty drinks to the delicious food. We ordered French onion soup, the house burger, the namesake artichoke with dip, the arancini appetizer, and a couple other things that I can no longer remember. We loved sitting outside near the leafy trees and people watching, and we really appreciated how the server honored the happy hour menu and pricing even though there were only five minutes left of HH.

I'm a sucker for Chicken Piccatta a comforting classic Italian dish, and when I heard Artichoke Cafe had it on their menu for #nmrestaurantweek I knew I had to check it out. Complimented with fingerling potatoe, spinach and Brussels sprouts, the chicken was crispy on the outside and very soft on the inside....... cooked to perfection.....my only gripe was give me MORE lemon, butter & capers, that's the magic sauce! The Veal Marsala was a little dry with no Marsala..... poorly executed dish as this another classic comforting dish that should have some sauce.... see photo. Both desserts we tried were forgettable, I'm sad as I'm always looking for a good sweet ending. Service was exceptional and attentive, ambiance has always been stellar. I just think kitchen needs to work on execution for flavoring with all dishes.

Really enjoy this local watering hole. The extravagant menu falls short on delivery. Lengthy waits, so-so servers and tepid entrees marooned with exorbitant prices diminishes the by gone appeal The manager is spot on, but for some reason the day after Thanksgiving brought a listless hostess and server which led to a two and a half hour dinner, and sup par enjoyment.

When my partner told me he made a reservation here for our 5 year anniversary, I was super excited - I've been wanting to try it for years. The French onion soup was very good, a tad salty for my taste. My pasta dish was just okay. My partner had the chicken and really enjoyed it. What was the biggest bummer of the night was the service. We rarely saw our server, and when we did, I felt a very condescending tone. To top it all off, he accidentally charged my partners card for a different table, over $200 & wasn't very bothered when we told him. They had to refund his card, which will take up to 3 days to go back to his account, and charge him again for the correct total. I'm not sure about you, but we don't normally have the funds to pay for TWO very nice dinners in one night. I won't be back, it was a huge bummer when I was so excited to begin with.

"A 3% surcharge is added to all checks to provide a sustainable wage for back of house employees. and a 20% service fee for 6 or more at your table." I was planning a birthday dinner for my husband when I saw this on their website. When is enough, enough? What in the heck does the menu price pay for??? I will not go here with when these fees exist.

So good... we forgot to take pictures!!!! The corn ravioli was out of this world. Nice vibe, nice service. Super chill dining experience close the Airport for good meal before or after travel.