Great atmosphere and service. Food is excellent. Bone in ribeye best on island
Really, really good spot! Food is fantastic and the seating at the chefs table is where you should go. He’s very eager to give feedback and recommendations on the food.
We ate here last night and each of us had one of the best meals of our trip! Everything is flavorful and not just spicy but has actual flavor. Only complaint is that the tables need to be bigger to accommodate more plates. They do have a gluten free menu which is so helpful, would be nice to see more vegetarian gluten free options. The fajitas should come with beans and rice like everywhere else. Salmon should also come with beans. Service was great.
Only Mexican restaurant I’ve seen that uses PEANUT oil. San Miguel’s is close by and uses Vegetable/Soy for those who have nut allergies. Staff was at least knowledgeable about the peanut oil use, though, which is better than most places.
We’ve visited Santa Fe Grill a number of times over the years. Unfortunately as the menu has been down-sized the quality has fallen as well. Grouper touted as “best on the island” was topped with a strangely off-putting parmesan goop that was as thick as the fish (think red sawdust paste). Fittingly, the previously frozen parmesan goop, topped grouper ensemble sat on a bed of corn, zucchini and red pepper also neatly defrosted. Remember those unseasoned, chopped veggie medleys from the freezer? My spouse’s fish tacos were a bland mixture stuffed into freshly microwaved, perfectly white flour tortillas. What a pity. The atmosphere is very nice, but the food has taken a turn for the worse.
The painted desert sky soup was very beautiful and tasty. I do recommend. My fave at Santa Fe is their crab cakes, but they aren’t always on the menu. :(the queso is the best on the island. Chimichangas and burritos are huge and also very tasty. Of course, we will return.
My wife and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary and looking for a nice place for dinner. Since her favorite type of food is Mexican food, we searched for a place on the island that served that type of cuisine in a casual, comfortable setting. We hit our target with Santa Fe Cafe.The restaurant interior is tastefully decorated with a Southwestern theme. There is indoor and outdoor seating as well as downstairs and upstairs. We were seated at a nice table for two and were quickly greeted by our server who took our drink order. She was friendly and attentive throughout our meal.To start off, we ordered Chili Con Queso and a Santa Fe Salad. The salad was delicious, what I would call a taco salad, consisting of greens, beans, ground beef, and cheese with a cilantro dressing. The cheese dip (the main element in the Chili Con Queso) was warm, creamy, and oh, so good! The salsa that also accompanied the appetizer was mild with the taste of fresh tomatoes and cilantro.For dinner my wife ordered the Outrageous Chimichanga. The tortilla was packed full of beef, chicken, and lots of other good stuff, then fried to a golden brown. It was then topped with a nice dollop of guacamole and placed upon red and green chile sauces. She loved it!There was nothing on the menu that I would not have enjoyed, but I decided upon the Filet and Shrimp Enchilada. The filet mignon had a pleasant mesquite flavor and was perfectly cooked. The enchilada was stuffed with plump grilled shrimp and cheese and topped with a tasty sauce. And the garlic mashed potatoes were silky smooth and flavorful. The meal was outstanding!We left the restaurant completely satisfied with the experience. The atmosphere was pleasant, the food was excellent, and the service was very good. We eagerly look forward to a return visit to this great Southwestern establishment!
Excellent food. Excellent experience. Highly recommended
Went for dinner on a Saturday night. Sat upstairs in the cantina, under cover during rain. It was a very pleasant and intimate space (with one exception described below).We had an awesome server, Adam, and most of our food was delicious. But here's why I can't give it more than three stars...I can't eat gluten. I picked this restaurant because they have a gluten-sensitive menu. When I made the reservation, there was an option to note that someone in the party had a gluten sensitivity. When we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess confirmed that I have a gluten sensitivity and she gave me the gluten-sensitive menu when she seated us. By that point, I was really impressed by the awareness and attention to my dietary restriction. However, that's where the attention to my gluten sensitivity ended. We ordered all the appetizers included on the gluten-sensitive menu - shrimp cocktail, ceviche, guacamole, and queso fundido. And THREE of them were served with a wedge of fried FLOUR tortilla sticking out of them. None of the dishes needed a wedge of flour tortilla. It was just a garnish. So why include it in items ordered from the gluten-sensitive menu? Really, why include it at all?Additionally, I was disappointed that items on their regular menu, such as tacos, didn't have a corn tortilla option...such an easy change that would make more things accessible for people who can't eat gluten. Plus, why would an upscale Mexican restaurant not have corn tortillas in general?Last, there was another waiter upstairs who was very loud. He was a know-it-all and he was constantly micromanaging our waiter. At one point he was telling our waiter something about the HVAC system, and he walked right up behind someone in our party, speaking loudly over our table and pointing his arm over her head. It was like he had no consideration for the guest experience.Food highlights: Pork tenderloin with Mexican rice subbed for sweet potato fries, chocolate mousse, ceviche, shrimp cocktail, paloma margarita.
Nonchalant service and unnecessary processed shortcuts on the food. The queso tasted like velvetta and canned Rotel tomatoes. The guacamole on the fajita plate was definitely pre-made processed guacamole, not fresh avocados. The chips and tortillas were pre packaged, not house made.