The Bell Tower Bar

Will not return: the view is ok. This rooftop bar is on top of the La Fonda Hotel's Bell Tower, offers the panoramic view, which is somewhat ok. The 5-floor hotel is historical. One elevator is out of order and the other one is extremely slow. The guacamole is fresh but rather tasteless.

Want a Sunset Experience??? Just walking through La Fonda Hotel to the Bell Tower was a sacred photographic, and artistic/handycraft, pilgrimage through the 30's through the 50's! Every room and hallway were filled with ,visually, savory artifacts.

Roof top bar with amazing views and delicious cocktails. Jicama wrapped shrimp tacos were amazing!

This place is a tourist trap. The view is nice but there are plenty of nice rooftop places for a drink and appetizer; however, their prices are exuberant in comparison. Literally, the most expensive margaritas($24 ea) in town and the absolute worst chips and salsa. The chips are thick and not warmed as described and the salsa is worse than anything you can buy at a grocery store. Santa Fe has so many places with great salsa and reasonable drinks but this is not one of them. Tourist- beware!!!

The view is pretty cool as it is on a roof top. The food game is weak, especially for Santa Fe. Beers were served in a pint glass 2/3 full. Might go back, and if you’re a tourist you may like it. Truth is, it’s not even close to in the top tier in the City Different. I’ll likely spend my time and sheckels elsewhere next time.

We’ve visited the Bell Tower often in past years. Because it can fill up quickly today was our first visit there this year. Needless to say it was a bit of a disappointment. Service was extremely slow!! We ordered chips, salsa and guacamole, a drink from the bar and a soda. We were brought a cocktail we never order and the other drink had a hair on the rim salt. And everything is expensive $$$$$ 🙁

Arrived with high hopes—left with higher blood pressure. Waited so long, I aged a year and developed a deep understanding of patience. Finally got drinks, warm and watered-down, like the bartender cried into them. Unbelievably slow service, as if the staff was on a personal quest to ignore us. Loved the view—of other tables getting served while we contemplated starvation.

This is a fabulous place to watch the sunset. The view across the city is spectacular. The place was busy but we were seated quickly. Our order took a bit of time to arrive but not an unreasonable of time since a single bartender seemed to be handling the entire place. Drinks were excellent: Paloma and boulevardier. We also tried the charcuterie board, but pricey and a few more crackers would have been nice but was fresh and just enough.

The Bell Tower in Santa Fe offers the best view in the city. We went for a couple of drinks and enjoyed the sangria and local prosecco. The Bell Tower is a favorite among locals, and it's easy to see why. The combination of the stunning view and great drinks made for an unforgettable experience.

We kind of suspected that when we arrived, there would be no seats. But after we placed our name down on the waitlist, we were seated three minutes later and we had the best seat for the view of the sunset. *Warning: if you share the elevator with other groups, they will try to steal your position in the line. We were first in the elevator and last to get out. Two couples cut us but it was karma and they didn't get a table. We were a group of three so we were considered a "big party" which is why we got a table. The drinks were okay. They were a little strong for my liking. The food menu is small and the food are snacks. We ordered the charcuterie board and it was fun little snack to share among friends while waiting for the sunset. This is a little fun tourist thing to do when you're in Santa Fe. The views are gorgeous especially if you have a nice view where you can sit and watch. We thought it would be a waste of time but it ended up being a really fun and gorgeous experience.

Hard to find. Finally had to ask. Not enough shade. Cocky, aloof staff. Beautiful view made it worth it.

Fun beautiful place to watch the sunset. But the drinks lack consistency and they are not good. The only good thing is the view for this location. The food portions are small which is understood but this place feels like it's under staffed. The place was super crowded at for sunset and we had to ask for water like multiple times. I would say go to this place if you really want to watch the sunset but it's somewhat overhyped.

This is a really unique experience in Santa Fe. You probably need to get there around five to get a good seat, but nonetheless, they were very happy to accommodate us and we were able to get on the deck with a pretty good view at the sunset. The food was barfood, but not that great. The service was exceptionally slow and we were told they only had one person in the kitchen. The prices weren't too bad. And it is a nice experience and we probably just caught them on a bad day.

A special place to enjoy beautiful Santa Fe Sunset.... A roof top gem-- We visited during Fiesta and only waited 15 min to be seated. Staff is very nice-- Brandon is efficient and fun... the food was very nice... we had three small plates.. all excellent. We sat where there were two love seats facing a fire pit.. two nice couples sat with us.... learned a ton about the area.. If if get chilly - the Bar provides blankets... How nice is that??? Spectacular location and a perfect ending to a day of exploring Santa Fe... Also especially loved Chapel Loretto... There is something very powerful about Santa Fe.... you can feel it... So much rich history.

We can see the city and beautiful sunset with drinks. Service is fast. Preferable place to wind down the day.

Awesome views of the mountain range and Santa Fe. The staff was super attentive and friendly. Apps were tasty and drinks were great.

Great spot for watching the sunset. Excellent drinks. Good service. I suggest getting there early!

The views at sunset are fabulous! In fact, the views are phenomenal all day long and it's easier to get a spot at odd hours. The food has been really delicious, but the menu is very limited. I guess if you're doing something right, don't mess with too many options! I love chatting with locals and visitors to the Santa Fe area - the city has such a warm friendliness and I've met many lovely people and had fabulous conversations at the Bell Tower Bar. In my opinion, it is a must see - including walking through the La Fonda hotel lobby! - for any visit to Santa Fe

The view is fantastic! The service is beyond horrible! I would avoid it at all costs... Or bring your own drinks and food. From the bar tender, to the servers, to the manager.... Nothing good. Food average, and overpriced. The Silver Coin margarita was very good... Overpriced.

Brought my mom here for margaritas, and her margarita glass was filthy. We asked and they make her a new one, but did not even apologize. Margaritas are overpriced for how they serve them, in cheap plastic cups. If her cup was that dirty, it means they reuse them--so gross! As long as I'm alive, I will not recommend this bar to anyone.

Drive to a mountain overlook and bring your drink. Wish I had checked this site before going. Comments are correct drinks are expensive and do not contain much alcohol For the price! The good seats are along the railing. My husband and I were seated at one of the sofas With a fire pit. There was no view where we were seated. A couple left from the railing seats and I moved there To be told that we could not move that there is a waitlist. Yes there is a waitlist but they look to see what seats are available Before seating anyone. We were not going to occupy four seats! We had ordered drinks already or we would have left. I ordered A frozen margarita as listed on the menu and the waitress stated drinks only on the rocks. Do not list as frozen if you Cannot serve frozen! The sunset view was just ok. You mostly see the rooftops of surrounding buildings. Left disappointed in the drinks, And view. I do not recommend. One star because the waitresses were hustling. Need to have a couple more and additional bartender For the crowd.

We arrived here right at sunset to watch the sunset and enjoy a drink at the beginning of the hour last evening in Santa Fe. The service was kind but we didn't interact with them very much as we only ordered one round of drinks before the rooftop closed. The rooftop close is approximately one hour after the sunsets but last call seems to be right at sunset. I was craving a margarita and I seemed to be having bad luck with bad margaritas around town so I asked for a recommendation and I specifically said that I did not want a sweet margarita. Unfortunately the margarita was way too sweet for me. I would definitely come back and give it another shot since I didn't spend too much time here but the views were gorgeous!

Ok ok I might be biased because this bar got me drunk after one margarita on a Sunday afternoon! But I have to admit it was one of the best margaritas I've ever had and I wish I could've stolen the mug (please don't, they don't have too many left I heard when I tried to buy it). The Mana margarita is not cheap but for a lightweight like me the altitude mixed with that one big mug full of goodness was enough to have the most relaxing two hours ever. Thank you Bell Tower!

A place open only for sunset cocktails needs a competent seating staff. You won't find that here. After an hour of being told they were waiting for a table for five to open, they had no answer when I pointed out that there were no tables with five chairs and asked why they hadn't added a chair to a table for four. They said they intended to seat us, which I believe, but they couldn't see their way through this simplest issue. Once seated, my whiskey sour was mostly ice and tasted like lemonade. Appetizers were meh. The view was good but not enough to compensate. I would not return for the world.

Nice rooftop patio seating. The chairs were very comfortable for lounging. The views are OK, mainly the tops of the buildings below. Our first drink didn't taste like there was any alcohol in it. For $16.00 a pop, I expected something much more potent! Since it was a nice evening out, we ordered a second drink which was more on par with where it should be.

Great stop for a cocktail and snack before dinner. The views are great, but get here early for a good seat!

Only ok.... In a place like Santa Fe, if seems weird so many of their tables don't have full shade options (get umbrellas!!!). So we huddled in a corner of shade at our table and tried to enjoy a drink and appetizers but it was futile. We closed out quickly and left. There is a view overlooking the city that's fairly unimpressive (it's just a boring flat monotone scene), and no actual bell despite the name of the bar.

Bell Tower Bar is the perfect place to go for a sunset drink in downtown Santa Fe. Relaxing on the rooftop with a signature drink and sweet friends? Count me in! They only allow as many people into the bar as there are seats, so be aware that you will probably have to stand and wait for a while before they take you inside. Once there, you are seated at a specific area and are expected to stay sitting there. That being said, there really aren't any bad views, just make sure to take your sunglasses in case you're sitting in a really sunny section before the sun goes down. I had the blue margarita and it was the best margarita I've ever had. I don't actually like margaritas, but this one was great because the blue curaçao cut the tequila. Plus, who doesn't love an electric blue cocktail?? Just so you know, the bar pretty much only has tequila as far as hard liquors go. If you aren't a tequila person, they have a wine and beer menu. Additionally, they have a small food menu of tapas style plates and a few entrees. We didn't have a meal there, but we split the charcuterie board. It was pretty good, but I don't think I'd get it again. The service was a bit slow, but the employees were super friendly and helpful. Though they aren't the most time efficient, the blue margarita and the stunning view of Santa Fe and the mountains totally makes up for it. Bell Tower Bar was one of my favorite stops on my trip to Santa Fe, so definitely head there one evening before sunset for cocktails, photos, and lots of good memories.

We enjoyed it. We got lucky enough to sit during sunset. The host was very nice and explained a 30 min wait time. I felt bad for her cus so many people just could not understand how there was a wait. It's a rooftop lounge at sunset- come on people. Our server was VERY nice and efficient. Drinks were fine. Didn't order any or specialty drinks. Got the cheese plater and that was yum. The sun setting in the horizon was cool-don't blink. The rest of the view was bla. A bunch of rooftops with HVAC all over. If you can get in around sunset I say go for it.

Meh. 5 stars: view 4 stars: Spanish cheese board, clarified milk punch cocktail 2 stars: silver coin cocktail (mediocre for the price) 1 star: deviled eggs (tasted bland / like ones from a super market), vibe and attentiveness of our server, being out of multiple cocktails and beers on the menu but not knowing it until after our order was placed

Good news first: the hotel is wonderful, although we didn't stay there, but the inside main restaurant looks excellent. Secondly, I can personally verify that there is in fact a rooftop. After that, unfortunately, it gets a little thin. Long wait to get outside, the fact that standing and drinking is illegal apparently, low-quality drinks (well crafted on the menu, but poorly executed in reality) and vastly subpar service dominate a scene otherwise populated by tourists, more tourists, bonus tourists, and VFP (very fancy people, just ask). If starting your conversations with "where are you visiting from" and "has your drink gotten here yet" sounds good to you, this is your place. Also, "gosh, so much simple syrup". Otherwise, so many good options within 200 yards...

5 stars for the view. Rest doesn't matter. Beautiful view. Nice setup where most seats are along rail overlooking valley. Wine was generous pour. Salsas accompanying chips very tasty. Didn't get any other food.

You pay a premium for being on the rooftop. This little margarita was $20 to drink in the blazing, hot sun. Service was slow, with an overworked server who didn't even attempt to hide her dissatisfaction about me not drinking (I'm expecting).

We were eager to come have a drink and watch the sunset when we were not once BUT twice asked to move because 'there were people waiting' when they DO NOT take reservations. The hostess Leah literally laughed in my face when I told them they were super rude. I asked for the manager and HE was actually the one asking us to get up from our seats. This place is overrated! Extremely rude servers. Go see the sunset somewhere else!

What a perfect spot! Service is impeccable and waitstaff is energetic and attentive. Food is outstanding! And all this at a soft open! Jimmy the manager is friendly and took great care of us. BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE SUNSET, hands down! This place is gonna be packed.

I've been to the bell tower for drinks twice, and while I had a great time with each stop in, the two experiences couldn't have been more different. The first time I went was around the Fourth of July. It was a beautiful summer evening, and the place was packed! Luckily my group was able to put a couple tables together under the covered part of the patio and had an incredible view as the sun set. The margaritas were good, but it was so busy there was barely enough space to walk to the bar. And because it was so busy, the wait staff was swamped and having the same struggles getting around that we were. I had the Bell Ringer margarita and it was delicious! The most recent time I went was for Labor Day. The weather was overcast and windy, and sitting in the same place as before we were berated by the wind. Luckily, they have blankets you can wrap up in and a couple tables that have fire pits (granted those were all taken). We had the El Campanario margarita and it was a pretty standard margarita. What stood out about it was the chili rimmed glass. I was a little disappointed because it was rimmed with just the powder- no salt! So to say it was hot is a bit of an understatement. Additionally, the powder didn't stay on the rim very well and slid down the glass as condensate formed, getting the chili powder all over my hands. The patio was practically empty because of the weather, but it's a hard view to beat. If the weather is nice and the place isn't too crowded, this is a great place to grab a drink and take in the beautiful Santa Fe views.

The Bell Tower Bar at La Fonda is a nice place to overlook Santa Fe and to enjoy the sunset at the end of an evening of exploring. It was a nice recap to our big day. I do think that the drinks are a bit over priced, so maybe go for just one if you are on a budget, but other than that we truly enjoyed our experience. For more on what to do while in Santa Fe, check out our blog. https://kasventures.org/2019/09/16/one-day-in-santa-fe/

This rooftop bar has delicious eats and delicious views. Great place for casual drinks and eats

Glad they were open during Covid! Food menu doesn't really exist. Only Queso, Chips and Salsa. Plan to eat before!

Maybe the best view in Santa Fe (picture doesn't do justice to it). Great day drinks and tasty nosh

Located on the rooftop of LaFonda Hotel this is an amazing place to watch the sunset. Tip: get there early to secure a seat. I ordered the Mana Margarita (which was specially made for the Margarita Trail). Super smooth and delicious!

Sorry to buck the trend but I can't recommend the Bell Tower. We love La Fonda's hotel lobby restaurant and lounge and wanted to love their rooftop bar. Nature came through with a terrific sunset. Unfortunately, neither the bar staff or the drinks were nearly as dazzling. We sat at the rail bar seats (best place to see the sunset btw). After ordering our drinks and some chips we waited about 30 minutes until the waitress came by and told us the bartender had been "ambushed." I guess that meant he was too busy to fix our drinks. When they did finally arrive after another 10 minutes or so, they were a disappointment. Now we expected pricey drinks ($16 for a margarita) but we also expected tequila to be in them. My drink was so weak that I ordered an extra shot of tequila and tossed it in change my Margarita from limeade to an alcoholic beverage. I do want to call out our waitress. She wanted to make things right and she ended up comping the extra shot. The bottleneck was definitely at the bar not with the wait staff. Here's the deal. The Bell Tower has a rush every night as people drift in to find a seat, order a drink and watch the beautiful Santa Fe sunsets. The bar is almost always full an hour before sunset and closes soon after each night to keep things quiet for guests on the same floor as the bar. So the question is why hasn't La Fonda, a most excellent hotel, figured out how to handle a predictable crowd at this bar? I think we all understand that the Bell Tower is primarily a venue that's all about the sunset view. However, I hope that the good folks at La Fonda work on making a respectable if not great drink, and getting it out to their patrons before the sun has set.

Fun place to get a panorama view of the city of Santa Fe. Lots of choices. I took off one star because they had no desserts on the menu. The hotel's other restaurant had desserts which easily could have been ordered and brought to the Bell Tower Bar.

Our group of 6 had trouble finding enough seating for our group. When ordering I specifically asked our server to split our checks. When it came time to leave I asked for the checks. Finally the server came with 1 check and forgot our conversation. It took quite some time to settle up. Weather at a Dive Bar or Bell Tower with $15.00 drinks, one should receive good service. This was NOT the case.

I used to come here a lot when I was living in the bay area.... However, I recently moved back home to New Mexico and have brought both friends and family here since then. I have always thought of the Bell Tower as a kind of indulgent place I would get strong drinks and have a fun time and a beautiful view. But last two times I've gone however have been less than satisfactory -- The drinks in my opinion are very weak and not worth the price point. This used to not be the case. I feel like I used to always go here and it would be somewhat a celebratory time. I went a couple days ago and was given frozen margaritas so frozen they could not be sipped. The mix was so sour it was almost hard to drink for two in the party. I asked a manager for a straw and had to ask another person after about ten minutes. Meaning... we couldn't sip our drinks as we waited on straws. I don't know -- again if you want to have subpar service, wait ten minutes to drink an extremely frozen margarita with little to no alcohol in it and pay $17-20 pre tip each drink, go right ahead! Sadly after over a decade of coming here, I said to my partner, "I don't think I'll be coming back" and he agreed.

Mid afternoon but no delight. Wait time for the shade was understandable, but wait time for server was more than 15 minutes. Wanted the 2 person Tiki Bar drink-but they were out (?) settled for something else. Staff was mostly aloof and Not very engaging. Table was so lopsided we almost spilled a drink. Staff never fixed it. Decided to take our appetite somewhere else.

Bell Tower is the link perfect place to watch the sunset in Santa Fe and have a drink. The atmosphere is so relaxed and the service is excellent. I was particularly impressed by the manager (Jimmy) who oversees everything at the Bell Tower. He is extremely pleasant and helped make our evening special!

Everything about this place is mediocre. From the view, to the drinks, to the service. Anyone with a vertical ID--don't even bother they will not serve you even if you are well above legal drinking age. This place is heavily ageist and will treat anyone under the age of 30 differently. They will not offer complementary water without you requesting but still want to pose as a high class establishment. They are anything but, don't waste your time.

The Bell Tower is the perfect place to catch the sunset in Santa Fe Great drinks and appetizers! Excellent service Love coming here

Drinks were great and service was ok... except for one lady was very rude to multiple surrounding guest around us which was uncomfortable. $15 for the most mediocre chips and salsa. $20 margs. Not worth it. View is great though. Just order a beer.

Hostess sat my group of 3 next to another group but didn't check if there were enough seats. I went to grab the available seat by us but was rudely screamed at by the racist group by us. No problem, we have trump lovers and racists here, nothing I'm not surprised by. The hostess probably shouldn't have sat us in the crowded corner and ensured there were enough seats for all of us. The waitress then served us the wrong drinks. They comped the drinks but never apologized. Honestly, for the pathetic service and the NY priced mediocre drinks, you're better off driving to a mountain top and serving yourself.

Great spot for a rooftop sunset cocktail! Margaritas are great to enjoy with the view

One of the only bars open in Santa Fe during Covid great view an OK drinks but at least they're open!

Drinks were really good. We tried the Nutella quesadilla and it was the best thing we had on our entire trip. The views were awesome.

Amazing views of Santa Fe from the rooftop bar! The wait service was not as great as the views, and my red wine came out really warm in a plastic cup, which was anticlimactic. We spent the rest of our visit trying to get our waitress' attention, boo. But we do want to give a shout out to the hostess. She was working her ass off to get everyone in - in a popular spot that is trying to make sure customers are social distanced, which we appreciated.

We had very specific advice to go here for: 1) the sunset and 2) the margaritas. And that advice is spot-on. The views were stunning, and the Santa Fe Trail margarita was one of the top 5 margaritas I've ever had. Some notes to make your own visit 5 stars: 1. Be patient - be prepared to wait for a table as everyone is trying to get in for those sunset views. Because it gets super packed, the wait service is also slow. 2. Everyone wants to stand in front of your table to take photos. It's a major tourist spot. If the patrons are courteous to you, be courteous back.

the drinks are insanely priced (+ tasty / - not strong) and service is *terribly* slow. but it's a great view! be prepared to wait, as it's first come first served. expect to wait longer for shade.