El Nido

The absolute best meal I've had in some time. The service is great and the food was superb! My mom sister and I enjoyed everything about it. We'll be back!

Amazing. We came here for our anniversary. My husband had the trout. It was very flavorful. I dont like fish, but this was amazing. I had the huli huli chicken. It was so moist and tasted great. The homemade desserts are amazing. We had the carrot cake and limoncello. We were treated like royalty by Melissa. Chef Ka'ai is definitely a master chef. Can't wait to come again!

This restaurant is split into two, an Italian side and then a sushi side which is where we went for dinner. The room was on the smaller side but was decorated beautifully, and well lit. We tried several appetizers, the seaweed salad, the miso soup, and the daily tempura platter. The seaweed salad was crunchy and salty with hints of sesame seed oil and the music soup was so very rich and savory with umamai overtones, both being some of the best I've had. The tempura was also there to play game as the vegetables were perfectly crisped with no excess oil at all and was extremely flaky and cooked perfectly but the platter changes so you better come back! We started with the Santa fe rolls which had some more tempura, avocado, cucumber and some other sauces, its reminiscent of a California roll if the California roll tried to triple cartwheel into a back-lit and scoring a 10 across the board. The tempura, even though it was inbetwixt suaces and other moist items retained its crispy factor and played beautifully with the other flavors with the supporting feature of the suaces too. Speaking of which the Wasabi here was made fresh, from what it tasted like, and was very flavorful beyond its normal heat factor! We then tried each of the kenpachi and sake, and the Hamachi and hotate all being nigir versions. The kenpachi(amberjak) was fatty and sublime and coupled with a restraining dip into the soy sauce and Wasabi sent it over the moon and the sake(salmon) had a wonderful texture to it to along with having a simple yet gorgeous flavor profile. The Hamachi was hands down some of the best yellow tail I've ever had the fortune of trying and am now a firm believer in them. The hotage(scallops) was one of my first few expierences with scallops and now ill be trying them in hopes they meet this standard, the rice one these did fall apart more where as every other one managed to stay together but hey, no negative points here. For desert we tried the basque burnt cheesecake and I had an espresso martini fully loaded, as its normally decaf and I'm not that kind of person, and while the diner liquor is a bit too much for how little you are getting, im very happy the same cant be said for thus martini as we definitely got its worth. The cake had a marvelous hard top and the interior was like a clod had gotten stuck with high shelf cream and a kiss from the chef in a blender and captured it in the cake, I regret not getting one each but the desert was comped for my birthday. The martini was delicious and dangerous as the taste of vodka was absent from my mouth yet all the wonderful flavors were being enhanced by this now warm and jolly glow I felt about me, just be careful if you are a lightweight or designated driver! All things considered id give this place a 9.5 out of ten and the only reason is that perfection is impossible but lordy loo is this place close, especially when we were expecting to pay 2 or 3 times the price we ACTUALLY paid! If you like sushi, want a fun environment, and get a gorgeous drive to and from, please visit El Nido! P.s. I hope we get to try the Italian side soon!

The grill grabbed my attention as I walked in the door, and I wasn't disappointed. The steak had the perfect amount of smokey flavor, not overwhelming, but a great accent to the whole plate. We also had the filet and empanadas, and the fact that empanadas are not the standard starch for a steak is a mistake the rest of the world is making.

Everything was delicious and excellent service. Thank you for your hard work. Happy Easter!

We sat at the Chef's table last night for dinner and it was THE BEST!!!! Marques and and the other chefs were so fun to talk to and watch, not to mention how amazing all of our food was! Absoulty perfect evening. Would 100% recommend, especially sitting at the Chef's table.

Really cute restaurant close to where we were staying. Nancy and Carlos took care of us and they were attentive and friendly.

El Nido restaurant has been around for decades. However, it was closed for awhile. It reopened not long ago and it was worth the wait. The service is very good. The food items and cocktails that I have sampled have all been very good. A bit pricey but worth it

Had drinks and apps. The apps were exceptional. The drinks perfect. Service and atmosphere were perfect. Definitely a place to go to again and again.

Had dinner with a dear friend before going to the opera to see Carmen.

Had a wonderful dinner on Mother’s Day. Fresh , delicious and creative food. Our server was knowledgeable and delightful. Friendly atmosphere, looking forward to returning!

The food was incredible, atmosphere perfect, their outside area so relaxing. The only thing stopping me from being there everyday is the price, which is more than reasonable for the quality

The second you walk into El Nido, you can smell the food cooking in their wood-fire ovens and it's mouthwatering. I was able to sample some of their salads, appetizers, mains, and desserts and everything I had was superb. Their menu has some creative flavor profiles and some more traditional preparations and you can't go wrong with either, because everything is prepared expertly. Plus, i had great service when i was there. I would eat here again in a heartbeat. It's not cheap, but for the quality you get, it is well worth it.

I have lived in Santa Fe a long time. It is the most wonderful city. However, there are only a handful of restaurants that you can depend on being excellent every single time. El Nido is one of the few. Last night we had a gathering of friends at El Nido to celebrate three birthdays. A table of seven can be very challenging for waiters to navigate. But our service was impeccable and the food was delicious. Everyone of us loved our meals and the drinks were wonderful. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough for a romantic occasion for two or a large group celebrating birthdays. Thank you Janine and your staff. You created an evening we will never forget!

I’m ashamed to admit that for the past 3 years I’ve lived less than a mile from El Nido but had never been - what a HUGE mistake! A friend and I ate a El Nido SU, the « secret » sushi bar off the main dining room… we are both horribly picky and even worse when together. AND, we had absolutely nothing bad to say! The fish is superbly fresh, the presentations are done with such care & attention to detail, the service is personable yet not intrusive and the room is splendid. I can not encourage you enough to GO!

Went during restaurant week. We went to the sushi side. Service was great and presentation was great. The flaming salmon baked roll was so fun. The sashimi was really good. The sushi rice was just alright. We really likedLiked the real wasabi. Sashimi tartar was good as well as the fried banana. Nothing extraordinary about those two dishes. I didn't know I would say this but the miso soup was the best I have ever had. The broth was so flavorful. The 3 sake sampler was really fun too.

If you love a well prepared steak this place is a must. The service is great and atmosphere is lovely. It’s a quick drive from Santa Fe and well worth it. Book a reservation ahead of time.

El Nido is a Santa Fe treasure—where rich flavors meet rustic charm. We started with the steak empanadas, which were perfectly crisp and packed with savory goodness. The wagyu burger was indulgent and expertly cooked, and the chicken schnitzel was golden, tender, and deeply satisfying. The space itself carries a warm, welcoming energy—no surprise given its storied past as one of the area’s most iconic gathering spots. Great food, thoughtful service, and a setting that subtly echoes its colorful history. A must-visit!

El Nido is a local gem. We recently celebrated my mom’s 80th birthday in this lovely space. Twenty guests had an amazing evening, thanks to John Paul. We had a special menu with an appetizer, 3 first course options, 4 second course options to include: beef, chicken, fish and vegetarian, and we were allowed to bring in a birthday cake. The food was delicious and beautifully plated, and the drinks were fabulous. The waitstaff was very kind and attentive, and the food was served in a perfectly timely manner. They were there to meet all the needs of our guests. The ambiance was perfect, and John Paul even provided flowers for the table. It was a memorable celebration. El Nido is a premier dinning experience.

It had been many years since I had visited El Nido, since we don't live in NM, but it still has the calm atmosphere and absolutely excellent food and service. It was worth the trip.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect from El Nido, but even if I had set expectations, they surely would have been exceeded thanks to the genuine interactions, chef’s efforts and spot-on wine pairings. The dining space is historic - warm, light and authentic. And we loved the attention paid to our overall experience - shout out to their manager, John Paul. Wishing them continued success!

I was hosting a business retreat dinner at El Nido when the power went out. The staff was so accommodating letting us know that they could serve salad and pizza without power. They seated us on the beautiful patio, we had incredible service by our server who was having fun with the situation and had some of the best pizza ever! It was such a fun evening that we’ll all remember and share. I can’t recommend El Nido highly enough!

Yesterday, we dined at El Nido. The service was truly excellent, and the drinks were well-crafted. We especially enjoyed a fig and pine nut pizza, which was absolutely delicious. For dessert, we had a delightful treat—and since we were celebrating a birthday, they kindly brought out a bit of bubbly to mark the occasion. Unfortunately, there were a few items from the menu that were unavailable, which was a slight disappointment. Nonetheless, it was overall a lovely experience.

Solid 4 star experience. The food was good, not great. The service was pretty good and the outside patio was nice.

Lovely dinner in a wonderful setting with attentive staff. Brian the new GM worked the room and is very pleasant as well. For the price point, I wish the food was slightly better, but it wasn’t bad by any means, we will be back. Oh, and their cocktails are on point as well.

the food at this place is amazing. i came here with my mom and stepdad for a birthday dinner. we had the empanadas and butternut learn soup for our starters. both were great. for my main, i had the short rib ragu with pappardelle. also great! the service is attentive, and the decor and environment are also charming and cozy. i highly recommend this place.

Four of us ate there recently and while the food was excellent the service was lacking. When our meals came there was no spoon for the soup and it took about ten minutes to get one. No one came back to ask how our meals were and twice I had to ask to have our waters filled. I also had to ask to have our finished plates cleared away even though someone had walked by three different times, seeing that we were finished. Our original server only took our order and delivered our check never checking on us the whole time. For the price of or dinner I would have expected top notch service and three of us having had restaurant work experience in the past were quite disappointed in that.

Went here for a date night, and it was quite lovely! Four starts just because it was EXPENSIVE, more so than expected.

The food was amazing and our waiter attentive and kind. We ordered wine by the glass in an effort to be responsible drivers and it seemed the bottle had been open for a while. Suspect most people may order bottles as the tables generally had 4 persons at them. Would recommend this restaurant highly!

Old stage coach stop but very modern inside. 15 minutes from Sante Fe. Enjoyed it a lot.

Nicely decorated. The food was good, but not that price levels of good. One of the male employees constantly looked mad, and I found him pretty unpleasant for that. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the halibut was really good.

Our last visit was the fifth time there. The first couple of times we had excellent meals. Since then we've noted a decline in food quality, enough so that we'll look for other options next time we want a nice night out.

Sent back a filet that wasn't cooked to order, waiter brought back a thin sirloin. He was professional and attentive, he took the sirloin back and offered some other options, I opted out however. Will go back, but not for a filet. The main dining room was stuffy, Will ask for bar or back patio next time.

I think the history of this place was interesting , the food was good. But I have to say as compared to the other restaurants in the area with the price point per plate it was not as good. When choosing how much I'd like to to pay for my meal and another place I will choose to elsewhere. I would like to try the sushi to determine that side of the restaurants quality.

Over priced menu. $40 for a $12” pizza and 2 iced teas?

I frequent Santa Fe, often, and a friend recommended this as a new place for us to try. They seem to enjoy. It was our last evening (Sunday) dining experience before we had to head home. It appeared that the host was the bartender, and the waiter was the only waiter in house that we could see. There was a younger person that seemed to be facilitating a lot, and seemed capable of being an excellent server. He was the one picking up the plates and refilling water, etc. Especially after having a great hike over the ski basin, and services at 10,000 waves. It kind of was a lesson mediocre experience, and food to end the day with.

I have no idea if the food is good. My entire party had finished their meal 20 minutes before, and there was no sign of my food coming any time soon, so I told them to just forget bringing mine so I could go home and eat some leftovers from another place. We were there an hour and a half, and I left hungry.

What an absolute DISAPPOINTMENT. I reserved a table for two, for a birthday. The good: the front house noticed my special request and left the note I asked for on the table, much appreciated. The dark beer on tap was great. The bad: literally everything else. Waiter never acknowledged the birthday, or asked if we were celebrating anything. The vibes inside are a dusty diner feel with 80's alternative music? Um what , lol... And in a restaurant asking about 30-40$ an entree every one whete jeans?? Okay? food is GROSSLY OVER PRICED for the quality. Burger bun was stale, and the "wagyu" burger I order tasted unseasoned. I could've gotten a better burger at a fast food joint. The $5 truffle fries were pre frozen with a small amount of cheese and no truffle oil (again, lol). My girlfriends chicken schnitzel was grossly over cooked and dry, and broccoli Rabe was made for the trash. We only ate what we could because we drove nearly an hour from Cerrillos. Again, for her birthday, nothing special? I've been a general Manger at restaurants and there was always a birthday incentive and surprise. When we were brought the check we were not asked how everything was (plates full of uneaten food). It was HORRIBLE. Also, with the special request made, and reservations with a nearly e.pty restaurant, we were sat by the dish station.. Will not be going back. Absolute waste of $132 for food that would be better from a fast food joint. Extreme let down

I had never been to El Nido, but came with my family for my dad and I’s birthday. I got a horrible bout of food poisoning afterwards (and on my actual birthday)…so be wary of the oysters and fish. I am almost positive that’s what caused it. Our waiter and a majority of the staff were super lovely and helpful. However, shortly after 9pm, a woman walked behind our table and very passively aggressively turned off one single electric candle in the window. This was after we had paid and while my dad was expressing gratitude for dinner and being with family and friends. I found this to be incredibly rude :-( and such a bummer to experience overall. Needless to say, my first time at El Nido was my last. I left the restaurant a voice message explaining the same and giving them a heads up in regards to some of their food items. I wouldn’t wish food poisoning on anyone! I understand being frustrated during close when customers are still in a restaurant, but there are better ways to communicate and politely ask us to finish up. Thank you.

New Year’s Eve meal was a bust! Will never go back for a “fixed priced meal” at El Nido. Very disappointing experience for somewhere we used to love to eat at on a regular basis.