Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina

My wife and I, along with another couple, found ourselves in Santa Fe recently, and our first stop for dinner was the Coyote Café & Rooftop Cantina. I must say, it's a very polished establishment. Clean as a whistle, and the staff were quite professional. We were seated promptly, and our meals arrived in a timely fashion. I opted for the Elk Tenderloin, and it was, without a doubt, the highlight of the evening. Cooked to perfection, tender, and the accompanying sauce was superb. A truly well-executed dish. I also ordered a side of the mac and cheese, which was decent enough, though I found the thick-cut bacon to be a bit overwhelming. It seemed unnecessary, frankly. My wife, on the other hand, had the scallops and absolutely raved about them. She declared them some of the best she'd ever had. Our friends were equally pleased with their meals. It's certainly an upscale restaurant, and the prices reflect that. However, for a special occasion, I believe it's worth the splurge. If you're looking for a refined dining experience in Santa Fe, I'd certainly recommend giving the Coyote Café a try.

We had a great experience dining here while in Santa Fe! My wife and I both had the Elk Tenderloin and it was one of the best cuts of meat we have ever had. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and so tender. The cocktails are also delicious, with the Gentleman’s Vice being my favorite.

Ordered the Baja fish and the steak tacos. Loved the pineapple salsa and habanero cream on the fish tacos—-paired amazingly with lime and cojita cheese. The caramelized onions on the steak tacos were notably delicious. Overall very fragrant and appetizing plates with an interesting view on the deck to go along with. Good attentive service as well. Would come back again!

I have booked their private dining area downstairs many times over the last year and unfortunately each time more and more issues arise, although last year all rentals went seamless. The location is beautiful, the restaurant itself is gorgeous, I would dine there with a smaller group in the future but not a group rental. The food was great and always is, compliments to your incredible kitchen team.

We had the pleasure of dining here last night. Our family of three sat at the counter and watched the chefs whip up amazing dish after amazing dish. Paris was our server and he continued to surprise us with suggestions and conversation throughout dinner. One of our best meals ever as a family.

We had a great lunch. The idea was to order more food, but we ate all of everything.. We took the train to Santa Fe so we won't be back immediately, but we will return for sure. The food, service, and atmosphere we are exceptional, and we haven't even tried the Cotote Cafe yet. Everything was perfect.

One of the best restaurants ever! Way way way above average. The menu is ever changing. They’ve got food & service down. Unpretentious but glamorous. Kathy & Annette are my favorite servers. Do not miss this amazing restaurant. EDIT: just want to say, in response to some reviews, that Coyote Cafe and Coyote Rooftop Cantina are two totally separate businesses, and until less than a year ago had two different owners. The Cafe that I reviewed is upscale, open only for dinner, and an absolute delight (pricey, but tots worth it). The Rooftop Cantina is just that, a great casual place on the roof above the cafe. It’s open for casual lunch & dinner, and is noisy & fun & tables are close. There’re zippered plastic walls & heaters when the weather turns cold b/c it outdoors!

Duck mole and elk tenderloin were amazing. Cornbread with honey butter are seriously understated and could be a meal within itself. Mussels posole was extremely flavorful. The entire meal hit on the entire floor profile sweet, salty and savory. Empanadas for dessert is a cool, tasty twist.

We stopped by the rooftop cantina for a quick happy hour before dinner. The prickly pear margarita ($12) was sweet and refreshing and the Griddle Corn Cakes ($28) with shrimp were so flavorful and delightful. The vibes are fun and the music is bumping. A wonderful experience all around :)

I love Coyote Cafe ! Honestly has been tradition to have my dad's birthday dinner here. We also just pop in randomly throughout the year. The menu changes with seasons and I love the flavors they always put out! Tonight we order pasta, lobster, scallops, shrimp, soup, bread and delicious drinks. We got hot toddy's, espresso martinis and a Cosmo! The customer service was superb! Our gal was on it with all our questions and even giving dad a candle. It was a night to remember.

One our way up to the rooftop Cantina, we stopped at the cafe. Somehow the hostess succeeded in giving off a snooty attitude while pointing us up to the Cantina. I can only imagine the waiters. With that said, did look very nice. The rooftop Cantina seemed to hold really great possibilities. Unfortunately, service was very lackluster. We couldn't help wonder if this was our server's first day, but then give him some training! Hmm, no happy hour. We went there for happy hour. Thought there was happy hour. Nope. Ok, probably our mistake. Chips and salsa were pretty expensive. The salsa was quite tasty, a nice smoked flavor. No heat, but delicious. Though the Cantina seems like it could be fun, and the Cafe seems nice, life is too short to have bad service.

So this review is just for the Rooftop Cantina. They have a different menu for the fancier indoor Coyote Cafe(that seems to be open only for dinner). The ambiance at this Coyote Rooftop Cantina restaurant is fun because you're eating at the top of the building. It's all shaded so that's great. They also have a fancy restaurant inside which offers upscale New Mexican food that I would like to try because the menu looks intriguing. As for the roof top restaurant it was good but not great. The service was great - everyone was friendly and we hit seated quickly and got our food quickly. The food was a solid 3 out of 5 stars (I'm from Southern California where there's TONS of amazing Mexican food so I can be picky). My fish tacos were ok. Good but nothing out of the ordinary. I tried my friends chicken green chile enchiladas and I didn't like it at all. 1 out of 5 stars. The salsa tasted bitter to me and in my small piece she let me sample I got 3 bones. They said they had a new chicken supplier so hopefully they'll get that sorted out. The cornbread that came with the enchiladas was tasty. Overall I'd try the indoor fancier Coyote Cafe version at this location but probably not return to the rooftop.

Sat at the chef's table/bar. Ordered up a series of small plates. All delicious. The fun was in the experience of watching the chefs interact and create side by side. Served with orange rose, which I quite liked.

The BEST restaurant in Santa Fe. The service is amazing and very friendly. The food, I don't even know where to start. We came for thanksgiving dinner and we were not disappointed at all. Each dish was perfectly crafty and full of flavor. I will forever be raving about the Elk Tenderloin. The environment is open and beautiful as I am a huge Chihuly art fan I was pleasantly endowed with the chandelier.

The food and drinks are amazing! The restaurant is in the heart of Santa Fe. This review is based on a Saturday afternoon on the rooftop. You pass through the indoor restaurant to get to the outdoor. The inside part of the restaurant looked great. I headed up to the rooftop. I was seated quickly. Great people watching if you sit on the edge of the outside of the upstairs restaurant. Margaritas were amazing! I recommend the Fish Tacos. Chips and salsa- FYI. They are not free/ or part of the meal. $8. The atmosphere is fun and loud! The only reason I gave the restaurant a 4 star was because the waiter was a little slow with his service and I ordered a side of black beans but never got them. Amazing delicious food and drinks. I WILL GO BACK! Parking. Difficult! Limited metered street parking and parking structure. Prepare to walk. But Santa Fe is all about parking.

Coyote Cafe has turned into a fast casual restaurant, missing all of the signature trademarks that made it such a well-loved restaurant in Santa Fe for many years. The food was good, no longer great -- the service awful -- rushed. We arrived on a cold, snowy night. There were few tables occupied. We were greeted and immediately seated at a table away from the main dining room. I ordered one of their signature cocktails -- it was served immediately. ..and then we ordered appetizers and entrees. I might have had a sip or two of my cocktail, when all of the food was delivered at once -- appetizers and entrees. Why couldn't Clifford, our server, or the kitchen space out our meal? By the time we ate the appetizer, the entrees were cold. All told, from arrival time to cashing out the bill, we spent a total of 34 minutes in Coyote Grill. I had expected a much more relaxed experience.

A very popular downtown Santa Fe rooftop spot that's attached to a fancier indoor dining experience, the Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina (rooftop part) is a great way to experience the town. The views are nice, alternative "city" views and what you'd dream of if your destination was downtown Santa Fe! Take in the buildings around you, peep the sunset, and people watch! Service is great for a very popular (especially on the weekend) spot. It can get crowded, and if you sit at the perimeter counter (around the outside of the rooftop, like bar seating), you'll have your server approach you from the back, so be prepared for that! If it's windy, I recommend avoiding sitting at the perimeter counter seating, the wind blows over all the food and drinks, not so great. But if it's just cold, (or hot) they have solutions for that, plus you can wear more (or less!) and solve the temperature issue yourself! Food is ok, the trio dip was good, but we needed a second serving of chips to finish the dips. I had the frito pie, which was just as it sounds... nothing special, a step up from Sonic, but it was tasty. Next time I'd probably get something more signature for the area, coming from Texas, I have some high expectations for Latin-American inspired foods (TexMex anyone?). Would definitely come back, though! The ambiance and vibe of the rooftop is a great way to end a day with friends and a casual and fun feel. If you want more fancy/upscale, eating inside looks more promising for that.

I visited Coyote cafe at the invitation to join a group for dinner. We had a marvelous time, supplemented by excellent food. Amidst the conversation, I loved the Mexican White prawn appetizer and the Elk Tenderloin entree was among the best elk I've ever had. Excellent wine, good food and vibrant conversation...who could ask for more?

excellent lunch today. hub had the Cubano and really enjoyed it. I had the tempura shrimp and they were excellent. our server, Thomas, did a great job.

I really enjoyed the environment, drinks and the duck quesadilla I had. However everyone else at the table couldn't eat their food. The Al pastor tacos were so over cooked, they were too chewy to eat. Everything else lacked flavor. While the server was nice, he did not come back after the food arrived. I would go back for drinks on the rooftop but probably would not recommend eating there.

Everything about dinner tonight was amazing and special. The wine list is really impressive, sommelier super friendly. In general. The service was fantastic and our sister and all bus people were great. We ordered the pork belly tacos as an appetizer which were good. The highlight was the ribeye steak. One of the best steaks we've had. For dessert we had a glass of port and delicious banana cream pie. Definitely one of the best restaurants in the area. Will definitely come back. Everything on the menu looks delicious and the corn bread they bring you table side is also fantastic with whipped butter. Highly recommend

It's a whole process getting up to the rooftop cantina (or atleast it was for us), but once you're there, all the formalities of the restaurant below melt away. It's a total vibe. While it's a tight squeeze moving around in the restaurant, from the crackling fire to the blaring music and incredible amount of color packed into one place, even so, this place is so fun and full of energy! While the queso wasn't my favorite, and everything else was typical, Their prawn and corn cake dish is in the top tier of dishes I tried in Sante Fe! For that alone, I'll certainly seek this spot out every time I'm in Sante Fe! Can't wait to try more!

thus review is for the Cantina. Gets crowded quickly and music is loud. Margaritas were great, $11 each. The chip trio is a lot of chips and dips. Frito pie was different, had lettuce and more beans than beef or Fritos. it was also cool, not warm. The green chili enchiladas were good, but had a lot of cheese. popular place. service was good

This is simply a place you can't be crabby at! The environment is so fun and upbeat and the food and drinks were great! I will say the house margarita was a little too sugary for me but otherwise it was great. We had a chip dip trip to start and all three dips were gone and it was only two of us. I had the chicken Cobb salad and my husband had the fish tacos. Man those tacos were to die for! It was extremely busy when we got there and I was very impressed with how quickly the servers, and cooks got out the food and drinks! The managers were all hands on deck making sure to run drinks and food while the servers were busy elsewhere. Hands down a place I will bring family and friends when back in town!

We two had dinner on the rooftop, and were very satisfied. FOOD: 4.0 - Chopped Salad with Shrimp: 4.5 - Cobb Salad: 3.5 MARGARITA: 4.0 - Turquoise (house) Margarita: 4.0 - Japanese Margarita: 4.5. Smooth! SERVICE: 3.5. Prompt and accomadating. AMBIANCE: 3.5. Comfortable. Music playing at bearable volume that did not impede conversation.

If you are looking for some really good drinks with a super relaxed (feel like vacation), local vibe... this is your place. The Norteno Margarita made with Hatch Green Chile infused tequila is must try If you like little bit of spice.

I feel fortunate to have experienced this dinner largely due to our incredible waiter. The Elk Tenderloin was fabulous as was the shrimp appetizer. My wife wasn't as fortunate, the ravioli is an absolute miss as was her banana cream pie. Lovely environment.

A great spot for a group for drinks and chips. They have heaters which is nice since it's chilly in Santa Fe! The drinks were delicious and it's good for groups.

I have enjoyed my dining experiences in Santa Fe overall, but Coyote Cantina -- the more casual rooftop dining venture of Coyote Cafe -- has been a bit of a disappointment. The Cantina is now open year-round, but it's not exactly a great experience when it's tented up and under heat lamps that invariably make half the patrons too hot, and when they demand they be shut off, the other half complain it's too cold. The menu should be promising, but we had a lot of misses. The Rooftop Nachos was a grab-bag of missteps, like the dry, bland pulled pork; the movie multiplex nacho sauce that likely came from a can; the combination of red chile and black beans that tasted like mole; and the chips burnt from their time under the salamander. Mama Schutz' Frito Pie was just wrong: New Mexicans may think they invented Frito Pie, but this terrible version is proof they couldn't possibly have, being the one dish in the entire state not covered in cheese. Even my California friends trying the dish for the first time knew it was wrong. The Tempura Shrimp were very good, though my friend said the sauce on his Mexican Shrimp Cocktail was "too thick." Margaritas were okay but nothing great, far from the city's best. Service was good for the most part, but when a drink got knocked over -- in part because we were navigating around the too-small tables -- it was impossible to get any help because the two servers were engaged in lengthy conversations with other tables. Maybe Coyote Cafe was once a real mover and shaker in the Southwestern cuisine movement, but those days were long ago. The place is clearly stuck in the past; a visit there is a step into a George H. W. Bush-era time warp. Even in a sleepy, if busy, tourist town like Santa Fe, Coyote Cantina really needs to up its game. Right now, it's not a destination any visitor should have on their list.

We were in Santa Fe for a quick vacation. CC was recommended to us by a local. We amazingly got a reservations and were welcomed by their wonderful staff. Our experience at the Coyote Cafe far exceeded all of my expectations. We had 5 people on our party. The Owner seated us and took our drink orders. We felt pretty special. Cocktails are always first for us, I enjoyed an Aperol Spritz and the guys had the house crafted smokey Manhattan. Hey worth the show alone to order this one. A container of cornbread sticks and whipped butter appeared at our table and within minutes devoured, flagging staff to bring more. Next up, first course. Pumpkin soup on the menu, I'm all in. This bowl of yummy is poured tableside in a bowl beautifully studded with seed and nuts, delish! I was so busy slurping down my soup and inhaling breadsticks I didn't notice was everyone else had. I think... my bf had the rolled Caesar a unique preparation of the traditional salad. The menu has a nice assortment of entrees. I had the crispy branzino in with kaffir lime-coconut broth served over Forbidden Rice with pickled shemeji, mushrooms and shiso. Honestly, I would like a pool of sauce to swim in. This was outstanding. Other had the grilled rack of lamb, tenderloin and quail. Everyone said that their meals were great. Just when I thought I couldn't eat one more bit, someone ordered the pecan tart and the yuzu blueberry thingy... I'm not a big pecan tart person, but I had to try the yuzu thingy.... okay think lemon/blueberry biscuits with lemon curd ON STEROID. Wow.... box one for me to take home please. If in Santa Fe.... don't miss the Coyote Cafe. I also hear the roof top is great too.

This experience started off so well with their frito pie dish- FANTASTIC!! I would come back to have it everyday if I had more time in Santa Fe. Loved the trio of chips with salsa, queso and guacamole. Unfortunately we were sat well after our reservation and didn't received several of the items we ordered before we had to go. The two things we did receive was the fish taco- just ok and the Cuban sandwich which we split into eighths so the rest of the table didn't starve. That was good as well but with this kind of services....the best I can offer is 3 stars.

I've been to Coyote Cantina three times, and unfortunately, the experience has declined with each visit. The first time was during winter, with the plastic wall flaps down and heaters on inside. The ambiance was cozy, and the experience was excellent. We were warm, comfortable, and enjoyed everything. However, my second visit in spring 2023 was unremarkable. Nothing stood out in either direction, just an average meal. My third and most recent visit in summer 2024 was downright disappointing. The hostess accidentally spilled cold water on my husband, and I found a hair in my food. To top it off, the burger my husband ordered was overcooked to the point of being inedible. On the plus side, the service was fast, and the views of the street below are still quite pleasant. Overall, three stars for the decent service and atmosphere, but I wouldn't return again based on the recent experience.

One of the nicest restaurants in the market district. We enjoyed our meal and our service was excellent. We wanted to try dessert but we got too full on our mains. We did get there a little early so we grabbed a margarita at the rooftop cantina before heading back down to the dining room.

Michael and I came here for dinner. It was wonderful as always. Michael had the Tellicherry Elk and loved it. I had the Divers Scallops, which were exquisite. We shared an appetizer, the Tempura Squash Blossoms -- also exquisite. He enjoyed the Banana Cream Pie. I had no room for dessert. Our server was Andy who has been there for four years and was absolutely wonderful. So was everyone else. We're coming back as part of a party of five this coming Thursday night. We're really looking forward to it!

My favorite chips, salsa and guacamole in all of Santa Fe! Duck quesadillas is a must try too. Tom is definitely an asset to this rooftop bar! Came back multiple times while visiting. Thanks again

We waited about 20 minutes after being seated for someone to come by and even give us some water. We finally ordered our food from the maitre'd because we were afraid we would never see our waiter who had promised to come by quite some time before, but had not. We were literally within a minute or two of walking out, having made the reservations about two weeks ago. The food was just OK. but to their credit, they tried to assuage us with some free vegetables, which we actually didn't want, but it was a nice gesture. The flourless chocolate cake we ordered was excellent and definitely the best part of the meal, but we still left feeling disappointed in the evening, meal and service. With the price of a nice restaurant meal today, you just want to enjoy the evening, and not feel as though you are a burden to the waitstaff.

Disappointing. We ate upstairs at the cantina. The service was ok but the food was pretty disappointing. We tried the Green Chili Enchiladas which sounded great. They were extremely bland. The beans had no flavor. The sweet cornbread was the only thing I liked on the plate. We also had the Mama Schutz' Frito Pie. Another disappointment. The dish was barely warm and the flavor was off. The Norteño margarita was extremely sour. Not a place I would ever recommend or return to.

I stopped by for a quick afternoon drink and had the Sangria along with a veggie tamale. The tamale was delicious and generous enough to share. The service was excellent, but the ambiance was just okay--the music selection was a bit too modern for my taste. I would prefer more traditional music.

Cool place. Nice bar tenders and good food. Stopped in for a nut brown ale and hot buttered rum(very good 5 star) and some meat and squash dish that 5 star. Only a 4 because I expected more out of the tortillas but over all great place

Great service & staff was awesome (Emilio) very nice young man love how he was coming by to take our dirty dishes away & he recommended the banana cream pie & the Manager was helping the servers by running desserts WOW great teamwork & we definitely be back. The waitress answered all my questions about the menu and she was so friendly too Kirsten thank you

Coyote cafe and rooftop cantina are 2 separate restaurants and vibes. Coyote cafe is more fine dining vs The Cantina was more casual. This review reflects the food at rooftop cantina. First off, our server/service was great! Everyone loved their food. 10/10 recommend!!

My visit to Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina in Santa Fe was a delightful experience. The tres leches dessert was a highlight, absolutely delicious. The ambience on the rooftop is fantastic, complemented by great music. I highly recommend it. Just keep in mind that parking can be a bit challenging; it's best to park in a nearby structure and take a short walk to access various restaurants in the area. Service was very good too!

Great vibes here! I just had a mojito so I can't comment on food. But people are having a great time here. When you walk by on the street you can hear this place bustling with chatter and music!

While most visit this spot for their classic take on elevated New Mexican dining in their gorgeous restaurant space, we found this spot to be a perfect location for a weekend rooftop happy hour. After making the trek up the stairs and around the corner, we enjoyed our margaritas with a view of the city, with the green chile marg being a particular stand out. A nice spot for a pre-dinner drink with a view.

Omg the nachos. I wish I could have tried more of their food, but I was stuffed after sharing the nachos with my sister. They were amazing and so so filling. The buttered rum was nice as well, but also filling. The staff was nice and quick, and I loved the cozy rooftop atmosphere. I would definitely recommend.

We went to the Cantina Rooftop and the Food delicious, drinks were tasty and environment was very vibrant

We visit Sante Fe several times a year and Coyote Cafe is always somewhere we choose to dine. It's guaranteed to be a great meal. Bella specifically stood out with exceptional customer service. It's clear that not only is she fantastic at what she does but she also truly cares about guests and their experience. Will definitely be back again. We also usually pop into the cantina for lunch or at least a snack and cocktails during the day. Adriana was great and we really appreciated her charismatic energy.

We stopped by Coyote's after a long day of shopping and before dinner, just to grab a cocktail before dinner. The Silver Coin margaritas were DA BOMB! What a fun place, hasn't changed a bit in 20+ years! Lively atmosphere, prompt service ... cannot comment on the food, as we just stopped by for drinks. Fun place, great vibe, packed a 4:30pm on a Friday. You want some fun, stop by here!

This review is for the Rooftop Cantina in particular. The baja fish tacos and salsa chips and guacamole are fresh and delicious. The people watching is my favorite at this cool rooftop patio. We sat along the edge and enjoyed the view while eating our snacks. The cocktails are very good as well. The servers were very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. I would love to visit this cantina in the evening and enjoy the rooftop views.

We decided to eat earlier so we did the rooftop bar. Great drinks and the tacos were delicious

Last night we had an Amazing and Delicious dinner at Coyote Cafe. Our waitress Kirsten was very knowledgeable and made our dining experience exceptional!! We had delicious mussels and Winter squash soup to start!! The Seared Diver Scallops were my favorite!! Cooked to perfection!! The Elk tenderloin was also Delicious!! The lobster tails were very good. The banana cream pie was excellent!!This is our first time visiting Santa Fe. This is definitely our Favorite restaurant. Thank you Quinn (owner) for everything!! We will definitely be back!! Make sure you make reservations.

This rooftop is full of incredible art and has a great view. I stopped in for a drink and snack, and both were good! The staff was a little overwhelmed as we came in during a rush. However, this is still a spot worth visiting in Santa Fe!

Fun spot to come in Santa Fe! My first visit was about 19 years ago, butbut we're back again and it did not disappoint. The Cantina was able to accommodate a large party. We enjoyed an appetizer (chips, salsa, guacamole & cheese)(yum!) and drinks on the rooftop. For dinner I ordered the Coyote Cobb salad. it was a good portion, topped with blue cheese crumbles, lots of bacon and chicken, with blue cheese dressing. It was very fresh & filling. Probably the highlight was the Tres leches cake that my grandson ordered. I would highly recommend it!

I have to say I had low expectations of a rooftop bar for sunset in Santa Fe on a night where the city felt flooded with tourists. Yelp assured me this was worth a stop and I have to say it was. I didn't have any food because I was stuffed from lunch but the margaritas are excellent, made with real ingredients, balanced, zingy, and refreshing. I loved my green Chile one and my friend loved her yuzu one. Service was friendly and attentive without being at all pushy or unkind about us only getting drinks. There may be a short wait.

This was recommended by many, so we decided to try it. We went to the rooftop cantina. It is basic bar food. We had the tempura shrimp served in individual glasses with sauce. The presentation was cute. We tried the mini chimis. They were good, but portion was small. The vegetarian tacos were ok. The service and food were ok, but it did not compare to some of the reviews or recommendations.

Great location with decent music and rooftop vibes. That's where the good ends. Totally understaffed and the food is so fake and awful. We didn't even stay for lunch because the apps were so bad. Chips trio is guac, salsa and "queso." The queso is most like microwaved Tostitos dip (see photos). The chips are so thick. Drinks took over 20 minutes to arrive and were watered down by the time we got them. Our waitress was trying to cover too many tables and was constantly forgetting things -- not her fault, again, the place is totally understaffed. We went on a Sunday afternoon, so maybe that was our mistake--maybe try a less busy day. Would not recommend otherwise. Go anywhere else.

The food, drinks, and the fantastic service! This place has been the highlight of our trip to Santa Fe. Vanessa, our hostess, was so excellent; she checked on us and made sure we had a wonderful experience; she had great recommendations and just made our experience even better with her positive energy. My husband tried almost all of their drinks under the cocktail menu, and I tried the norteño margarita and snowball frozen margarita, all amazing! Relaxed vibe, amazing people, beautiful place. Recommend 10000%