The Artichoke Cafe

If it was not for the abysmal customer service, this would be five stars. The food was phenomenal (I had the Berkshire pork chop with corn purée, brussels sprouts, apples, bacon, and marsala-​pineapple beurre blanc), but each person in our party was charged twice. When the manager was contacted, we were told we have to dispute it through each of our credit card companies, despite the fact that it was clearly a restaurant error. Regardless of the great food, I will not go back.

We had a great meal, Rack of Lamb and Filet! Chris O’Donnell (not to be confused with the actor) was an exceptional food server providing great insight/​description with all menu items.

I had a lovely lunch here today. It was very good. I had the quinoa & vegetables with grilled salmon. It was pretty good, though next time I will order it with extra arugula and my salmon rare. My server Greg was very attentive and knowledgable about the menu. Over all thumbs up!

I think this place got its popularity when Albuquerque had fewer choices in fine dining, but with Elaine’s and soon Jennifer James down the street, it will have to up its game to compete. I came here to try it out, got Ruby Red Trout and my fiancé got the Duck. The trout was overlooked and the Brussels sprouts were soggy. The duck’s flavor was good but the skin was also soggy. The service was off too, the waitress didn’t know anything about the food and stuck to monosyllabic communication. Likely not coming back with the other great fine dining options in the area.

Very disappointing. Went here for Easter Brunch and the food was bleh. With above average prices, I wouldn’t go back.

This place is eclectic. I speak of menu not atmosphere. I asked my cousin Lisa «how was the shepherds pie?» She said «excellent! I’m going to have it when I come back». Menu is bizarre which makes it so funky. Fish & chips (basa), soup du jour (pictured), Kale quinoa salad, crepes du jour (wow), lamb salad, well… I posted the rest of the menu. Service very good too and small but decent wine list.

A very romantic evening in this boutique restaurant, the artichoke is divine. Our best experience here in Albuquerque with a Great staff that prepares and serves food very well.
They know how to take care of the customer.
The duck is perfectly done, ravioli to die for, and the chocolate tort was scrumptious.
Enjoy!

I went here for a 10 year work anniversary lunch and I couldn’t have been more impressed by the food and the service. My only disappointment was in myself because I’ve lived here for 8 years and took all this time to dine here. The service was on point. What was most endearing was that he didn’t balk at my ‘what’s your recommendation’ questions and gave me direct answers with no huff or puff. We went off the lunch menu but I had a cucumber margarita (or 3), and they were smooth and ‘refreshing’ as promised. My steak was cooked to perfection and smothered in butter with perfectly golden french fries to soak up the steak sauce that the steak was already cooked in (YUM!). Not only will I go back but I see what all the hype is about. It’s pricey but if you’re down with OPP, you should know me and stop by this fine dining establishment. The only thing that was not my favorite was the dessert. It was a red chile pecan pie. It was really an overcooked regular pecan pie. My advice: skip the dessert and spend on the apps and main course (and a drink if you can).

One of the Q’s premier lunch spots with flawless service and delectable hearty cuisine will make me come back indeed, although it had been years so glad to have gotten reacquainted with a staple lunch spot in the EDO area, it was the perfect venue for my womens luncheon they went above & beyond service and even allowed me to bring in a sweet treat.
Thanks Artichoke for the amazing & first rate service!

TAC is excellent — a nice, friendly, upscale place with terrific service and very creative 4-​star food. The wine list and bar are solid, and the specialty cocktails are outstanding. Definitely recommend putting TAC on your list for a nice dinner in downtown.
The cocktail menu is quite unique — I had a vodka, cucumber, and chili creation that was wonderful. Not overdone, but full of nice flavors. They’re not cheap — $ 9 to $ 12 each — but worth it.
Appetizers and salads do no disappoint… poutine fries with duck confit and hatch chiles (nice!); fresh salad with Maytag blue cheese and walnuts (yum!)
Entrees looked very nice, if maybe a bit pricey: $ 34 for chicken and $ 39 for scallops. We opted to just go with apps and salads.
If there was one disappointment for The Artichoke Café, it was — sadly — the artichoke!
They serve both steamed and fried; we went with the steamed. The sauces were nice, but honestly the choke wasn’t up to par. Something about the steaming water tasted almost fishy, and there was very little meat on the leaves. (In full disclosure, I’m from Northern California, and we do our own chokes at home… so the bar is set very, very high…)
Definitely worth it for a nice dinner. The bar is beautiful, and the service was top-​notch!

This was our first time at Artichoke Café. After appearing from the back, the friendly hostess verified our reservation and walked us over to our table.
As we sat down we received a basket of bread with a side of butter. I was surprised that it had three types of bread. It was all really good! Munching on all this bread made us pretty thirsty so after about 10 min or so we had to wave down a gentlemen, who turned out being our waiter, just to order drinks.
For starters I got the french onion soup. It was flavorful and had plenty of cheese, just the way I like it! For my entrée I ordered the «crêpe of the day» which was filled with grilled chicken and calabasitas, topped with jalapeño avocado sauce. It came with a side of grilled veggies (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, snap peas, & asparagus) and a side salad. The crêpe was ok but the filling was VERY under seasoned. It was disappointing. I would not get this plate again.
On the bright-​side my girlfriend ordered the chicken sandwich which was DELICIOUS!
It was chicken, eggplant, and garnish all in a ciabatta roll. The sandwich plate came with a side of your choice (salad/​fries). She picked the ceasar salad. We agreed that we’d both be getting this next time!
Overall it was a great experience in a great environment. We’ll be going back for sure!

This is the best restaurant in ABQ for dinner. Great food. Impeccable wine list and detailed service.
Hubby was deciding where to take me for dinner for my bday. After looking around and asking friends. Artichoke was the number 1 pick.
Pricy yes. Worth it yes.
The calamari was crisp and floating on top of a savory tomato based sauce.
I had the humbolt fog ravioli. Creamy pillows of heaven with soft slivers of sundries tomato and fennel Hubby had the scallops which were in a pancetta broth (?).
We had a lovely bottle of white Bordeaux and finished with the light cookies for dessert.
We wish out waiter was friendlier (busboy was more approachable) waiter never told us his name and we were taken aback that he never attempted to refill our wine glasses. We poured ourselves. A bit odd. Plus he was the only waiter that’s shirt was not buttoned all the way up and tie not fully knotted. He seemed a bit sloppy in comparison to the rest of the staff.
Other than that. We love love love this place
Looking forward to our return

This place was very good. The food was excellent. We went on a cold night and it was a little chilly in the restaurant however it was not the end of the world.
We had dinner and the food was priced fairly. I liked that the parking lot had an attendant to watch the car.
I would go back again the next time I need a place to eat in ABQ.

Made a reservation for my mother’s birthday a week ahead. Still had to wait and hour and thirty minutes to be seated though the hostess kept insisting we would be seated at 15 minutes intervals. Would have just left if they didn’t lie to us. Repeatedly.
Tried to take it all in stride and enjoy our pricey meal. The kitchen was out of two dishes we tried to order and all the desserts. The food was mediocre at best and so so expensive.
Returned one last time for date night and ordered the scallops. They were gritty and still had particles of sand in them. Horrible food for high prices. Terrible service and restaurant management.

Took wife and fam here for my wife’s bday. Love the steamed artichoke. But the food and service was unfortunately down hill after that.
Scallops were gritty, burnt and over cooked. Steak requested medium for my 12 year old son was on the blue side of rare. How does a cook screw up the execution of a simple steak and scallop execution? This is cooking 101 stuff.
Ok fine, sometimes thing go wrong. And these things are correctable but the service was absent.
Our appetizer plates were not cleared before the dinner came out a full 45 mins after ordering. Once served our waiter never returned to ask about our meal until the rest of us were done eating. Once we complained another 45 mins passed before the manager came.
And how do they not notice that my wife is opening presents on what is clearly her birthday?
I love to pay for restaurants and tip well. First time in my life I stiffed the waiter on the tip.
Avoid this restaurant until they hire better cooks and waitstaff.

First time — probably only time as I don’t live here… everything was great. Bread was awesome — kinda a sketchy part of town — some homeless dude stared me down through the window… Kinda scary

For a fancy dinner for two, this restaurant is very elegant, very cozy, and very intimate. Not stuffy in a way that makes us «normals» feel out of place, but just enough you knew you were in for a good evening.
You’re going to pay a pretty penny for their food, but it was worth it. Our server was very helpful in offering food suggestions and proper wine pairings.
It’s smart of them to have a lady with a pre-​cut bread walk around and distribute slices… I’m sure that saves them a lot over time, but it was a little disappointing to only have her come around once.
Our food was cooked perfectly, and it tasted well worth the price we were paying.
Overall, a good experience!

I have always enjoyed my visits to Artichoke Café through the years but this last time was not my best experience. Two of us ordered the chicken breast entrée and within a half hour to an hour of us finishing the meal we both started displaying symptoms of food poisoning. A third friend of mine also had some of my chicken and later that evening became just as ill. I did call the manager a few days later when I felt better to let them know what happened so it wouldn’t happen to someone else. The response I got from the gentleman on the phone was: «Well no one else got sick from the chicken», offered an apology and said he could relay a message to the owner to call me back. After a week of not hearing back I have come to the conclusion my health and business is not a concern to them.

Real cool, vibrant place. Great customer service with efficient serving.
Had the salmon which was cooked nicely, but thought the portion size was a little small. My friends has the beef serloin and the chicken both of which were perfect for one.
Reasonably priced, and honestly if so many people have rated this place so well — you can’t go wrong!

This was my first visit to Albuquerque and I can honestly say, «The Artichoke Café will not disappoint anyone’s expectations!» The menu has something for everyone and the atmosphere is modern and trendy. Started with drinks and appetizers, nice Pinot Noir to compliment dinner. Ordered the Beef Tenderloin, it was cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious. The service was outstanding, as good as any 5 star restaurant. Ended with the chocolate tort and cup of cappuccino, I could not have ended this meal any better. If I ever get back to Albuquerque, I will definitely dine at The Artichoke Café again.

Nice menu with a great wine list. Food was wonderful and service was excellent. We got lucky and parked right in front.

My dad took me here to celebrate my 39^th birthday on 9÷29÷15. We decided to try one of the weekly chef’s tasting menu’s they put together once a week on Tuesdays. That night it included a first course that had mortadella, pâté, pickles, peppers, cheese and some crispy baguette… DIVINE!!! I love a good pâté! The second course was Radiccihio Cesar Salad, which usually that is too bitter for me but this salad was delicious. The third/​main course of the evening was Steak Au Poivre with roasted new potatoes and spinach. Delicious! I loved the sauce on the steak and the potatoes were awesome! Finally for dessert we had a port poached pear, honey-​truffle ice cream and black pepper short bread. This was also very good! Not too sweet and just the right amount. Our service was awesome and everything was cooked to perfection. The management ensured everything was perfect and we will be coming again to try another tasting menu. Our four course meal was $ 35 a person.

Outstanding meal. Kale chevre ravioli was amazing. Great wine list and impeccable service made for a wonderful evening.

Our friends gave us a couple of places that we can meet up for dinner. Artichoke Café stood out with the screaming four stars on Unilocal and 159 reviews.
I knew it was a good choice the minute we walked in. It’s a very lovely place. Immediately noticeable was that they were manned by a highly trained group of staff. Evident by their very professional manner during our first meet.
I had their wonderful full rack of lamb. It didn’t disappoint. It was very tasty, tender and suffice to say I was instantly a fan!
We shared their wonderful deconstructed cheese and if you are in the mood for one drop by and try this with some red wine.
Between the four of us we all were very happy with our choices. Our friend who is a regular in this establishment made the right recommendation!
Free parking across the street. Or there’s plenty metered street parking.

This place is a must if you are in Albuquerque. The menu selections are always changing, and the drink list is extensive. I’ve always loved everything I’ve tried. It is near downtown but feels like it’s in a quiet street in a quaint small town. The service is always impeccable, even when we moved our reservations 2 times.

I give this place 5 stars. My boyfriend and I go because this place is just amazing! The food is fantastic and so are the drinks. The service has always been on point. The atmosphere is nice too. You have an open dining room with white table clothes or you have the bar area which is dark and romantic. The menu always has a wide range of options. Any one and everyone can find something on the menu to enjoy. I would absolutely recommend Artichoke Café.

This. Place. Is. UNREAL! My daughter and I were visiting from Sacramento CA to look at UNM. Found several good reviews on Unilocal for the Artichoke Café, so we decided to give it a try. Boy were we pleased.
I had the beef tenderloin w/​potatoes and wine reduction. It was so good. My daughter had the scallops, wow!
For desert I had the blood orange tart, daughter had the crème brule. They were both excellent, the crème brule wasn’t as good. Very minor quibble with the tart, the topping (meringue) was a bit too thick, and was very sweet. I’d say if the chef knocked off a bit of the thickness of the meringue, it would be perfect.
Please go here, it’s such a treat. I know when my wife and I return for visits, we’ll be dining here.

I was told The Artichoke Café was a pretty special place, and was looking forward to going. Overall, I have to say it fell a bit short of expectations, considering the build up it received. I’ve given it 3 stars, but really, I’d say it’s more like a 2.5 (but not so bad as to be a «2»). My rating would be higher but for one reason only, which I’ll detail below.
First off, we didn’t have reservations, and the place was pretty crowded… nonetheless, we were seated immediately. The setting and décor were fine, but nothing spectacular. Besides, it’s supposed to be about the food, right?
Our server was on the spot and very helpful. Service throughout the meal was very good. The wine selection there is very good: good price and vintage range. The price of the food was a little on the high side, but I’ll go with it as this is regarded as one of the better restaurants in town.
My only disappointment for the evening? The food. It’s not that it was «bad»…it just wasn’t all that good. I had scallops, and was told by the waiter that was their signature dish (I was struggling between that and the pork chop). Candidly, I’ve had a lot better. They were pretty run-​of-​the-​mill and a little overcooked. My sides were so pedestrian, I honestly can’t remember what they were. One of our party had a filet and commented that it was very good: I ended up wishing I had ordered that or the pork chop. People had gone on about the bread, but frankly, it wasn’t anything exceptional, and they don’t give you much of it anyway. So, the food just wasn’t all that great… I was hoping for better.
A couple of other points. The place is exceptionally loud. I mean… damn: I have been in Chuck E Cheese’s that were more serene than this place. I spent the entire evening just smiling and nodding to whatever my dining companions were saying (so I hope it was good). If you’re looking for «romantic», «quiet» or if you want the ability to discuss things with business associates, you might want to look elsewhere. On the plus side, they got a guy in the parking lot across the street who helps get you parked and looks after your car, which I was told is a pretty good thing in that area… so, having him there was a nice touch.
I’d like to give the place a better write up. I absolutely intend to go back… and maybe after trying some other dishes there, I can give it a better review.

Pretty good for Albuquerque. Although I didn’t get my «check-​in» discount. I would definitely recommend choosing the daily specials. Nice environment and pleasant wait staff.

The first thing you need to know about the Artichoke Café is that they’ve essentially owned the fine dining crown of the Duke City for decades, for good reason. They’ve embraced the secret of restauranteur success: innovation. If you’re weighing best bets for a great meal in these parts, get a reservation at this joint. The location is ideal (10 minutes from the airport, smack dab betwixt downtown and Nob Hill), service shines. The menu? Dynamic. Some of the same ol’, like steak frites and French onion soup, and some fairly experimental options, like the Bánh Mi sammie I had for lunch the other day. It was too salty, I guess, but it was so damn fine. Who knew this place would concoct Vietnamese?
Speaking from the point of view of a longtime Burqueño, I can assure you, artisan food has struggled to find a footing in this town. This «café» (it ain’t) is a gem. Want to satisfy a carnivore? Easy. Vegetarian/​Vegan? They’re on it, just ask. It’s kinda like a Choose Your Own Adventure book from your childhood. Choose from the menu for a safe bet. Ask the kitchen to get creative, chances are the ride will be better, but you could run into a brick wall. In my experience, even the brick wall is worth it.
I suggest spending a few extra bucks for their selection of oh-​so-​European aperitifs prior to or following the meal. Make sure you park in the lot adjacent east, and don’t forget to tip the attendant.

The Ravioli was beet and artichoke. I expected a homemade pasta with those ingredients inside the pillow. I was sadly disappointed. The pasta was harder than it should have been and a stock cheese Ravioli with beets and artichokes and sauce on top. The sauce was flavorful.
The Pork Chop with Polenta was nice, my dinner partner said he would order that again.
The roasted garlic appetizer presentation was nice, but the garlic wasn’t very good, hard, and non spreadable. The bread with it was over toasted.
We had a pleasant waiter and the ambiance was nice. If I were a local I would give it another try, but from a frequent traveler I would definitely say it was overrated.

Meeting and eating here was an important familial bonding moment, considering both my sister and I live out of state, and we were visiting our mother, a vegetarian. This restaurant can serve great dishes beyond «just salads» for veggie consumers, so here was our jackpot.
Still being a meatatarian myself, I compromised and ordered the delicious Niçoise Salad with Tuna and Anchovies. What I liked most (and it might be predictable) were that artichoke hearts were part of it. Those are not always a given with this dish at certain restaurants, but they make perfect sense here! Also ordered a Marble Brewery Red Ale, pretty decent.
Our family bonding moment went on as we ate, and I’m all the better for it. As a side note, I was particularly enticed by the Grapefruit Sea Salt soap offered in the restroom — it leaves one’s hands feeling refreshed!
By the way, the cross street of Edith Blvd reminds me much of my former great neighbor and cook, Edie, who lived to be 97 years young. Her spirit lives on.