The Copper Lounge

Taco Tuesday for sure, nice 50 cent tacos. They have other deals there, too and the food is good. The Green Chile Fries is probably the secret gem on the menu. For a little while the salsa got too bland. But, it’s been spicy and flavorful consistently now for months.

Taco Tuesday! The red chile is good, spicy/​HOT! I will be back. They have specials on the patio like local Marble red.

Spent a week in Albuquerque right by this place and went past it everyday thinking it was just a package store. When I stopped in the store and saw the lounge and outdoor bar I decided I have to come in once. I was not disappointed. Beer was cheap, bartender was nice, and the sapodillas that were recommended were awesome and only $ 6.00. Call me pleasantly surprised and satisfied.

Taco Tuesday. This is a nice bar. It isn’t very big, but has a good vibe to it. Drinks were good. On Tuesdays you can get tacos for 50 cents. They aren’t the best tacos, but they are worth their 50 cents. I would definitely come back with friends to grab some drinks, but not sure about food.

I go to the Copper Lounge frequently because of its location and ambience. Most of the food is good but the service is sketchy. I really wish the owner would train their severs so I don’t have to train them myself. I’ll continue to go in hopes they someday figure out what good service is.
In particular, get a Lobo schedule and put extra help on for those days!

I want to take the Copper Lounge, fly it across the country, and place it in Baltimore, but alas, it is in Albuquerque. A trip to ABQ isn’t complete for me without a visit to The Copper Lounge, which happened to be my fiancé’s favorite watering hole in college.
I was immediately drawn to the ambience here — it’s dark, cool, spacious, divey. We’ve always had quick service and our waitress has always made good beer suggestions. I am a particular fan of the cocktails, but the 2.50 drafts on Wednesdays and Fridays make this a great place for beer too!
The food here is good too, though it isn’t why we come. The Copper Lounge is just a really great local place to hang out and grab some drinks with friends. Sometimes those places are more difficult to find than they should be!

Late ’60’s…I’m thinking it is the setting for an opening bar fight in Rudolfo Anaya’s «fictional» history of an era in his book «AlbuRquerque» (sic). It featured a drawing of a Jack on its sign. In any event, my mental health team working in one of the barrios, would often meet up for a team meeting/​luncheon. Just up the street was another dive on the SW corner named Okie’s. It’s wooden floor oozed the aroma of years of beer spillage such that minors were not allowed in under any circumstances!!!

We got up to the door and the door had gross fingerprints. I normally walk away from places like this cause if they can’t wipe down a door can they wipe down a counter?
But I was starving so we got in. They had sent good beer specials. We started with the red and blue fries and good freaking god they were totally worth it. So good. I also got the Mediterranean Pizza and that was super good. I’ll be back the next time I come to New Mexico.

This is the place you go to get 50 cent tacos and happy hour beer. Well that is the reason I go. The place does have a cool atmosphere but the food is nothing to write a novel about. They are good olé tacos, what do you want. The service can be a little slow on these busy tacos night but that is understandable. I wish I could comment more on their other offerings but so far this is the usual for us. I did have appetizer plate with all the fried goodies but as you know they are frozen. So meh on that… In the end go for the TACOS! you will not regret it!

Venues like the Copper Lounge are perfect for ghost tales. I wonder if the staff have any. Mysterious incidents of glasses flying off racks or weird rattles in the night after the place has closed doors, such are the stories of dark, fabled haunts of this sort. Previous to the Lounge this place was Jack’s, a historic dive that offered really cheap beer and cocktail options and invited a plethora of demographics, from workin’ Joes to University students. Back in the day I witnessed plenty of wild nights in those quarters, including more than a few true bar brawls; Copper Lounge squashed those good ol’ days a long time ago, that’s a good thing, but I’m bettin’ some souls remain trapped in these walls.
An interesting note: the owners are apparently Greek orthodox, which explains the Greek salad (I LOVED it) the gyro sandwich options. The rest is bar food, exceptionally well-​prepared, very flavorful. The ancestry also explains why they’re closed on Sundays. Overall, the place remains a classic dive: no windows (save the enclosed patio, which should open over the summer), booths, a dank feel, regulars saddling up to the wide bar. I recently came to eat during lunch, and as a longtime waiter I have to state this: the bartender (a woman) was insanely good. I think it was a Tuesday, the girl was so talented, she handled the rush with style, smarts and serious efficiency. She did the work of three or four people. I just marveled.
If you’re an olde school Burqueño, you’ll appreciate this note found on their website:
«The Chalamidas’ have been in the bar business since 1970. Their first endeavor was with Jerry’s Lounge on Menaul, NE. Next came Mori’s Lounge on Lomas and 4^th which became an institution with the downtown crowd. Many deals were closed and stories told at Mori’s. Closing Mori’s down represented an end of an era and was certainly mourned as a place for meeting friends, great food and good drinks at a fair price.»
Note that «stories were told» at Mori’s. That’s where the ghosts come in, here at Copper.

If they feel like the night is going to be slow, they’ll sometimes tell you that they’re closing when you walk in.
Good spot to cool off in the afternoon, though.

Forever indebted, to a friend who recommended this restaurant when I moved into the neighborhood. Have since been so impressed with the staff, food and atmosphere that I’ve become a very regular patron. Originally located Downtown, it has been a favorite haunt of local makers and shakers for eons. Since relocating near the University, it has also become a popular gathering place for students.
The bartenders, servers and chef are exceptionally friendly and proficient. They know most customers by name and they’re always glad you came.
The menu is surprisingly varied with everything from salads and steaks to sandwiches and inexpensive daily specials. 50 cent taco night comes highly recommended. They are delighted to prepare any entrée ‘your way’ and ‘half orders’ are frequently available. Their corned beef and cabbage on St P Day is un-​excelled anywhere in town. You won’t be disappointed with the beer selection, including Guinness and locally brewed favorites on tap. Recommended: Chef Salad, Rib Eye Steak, Paddy-​melt and New England Clam Chowder on Fridays.
This is also a congenial, comfortable place to sip a brew and peruse your newspaper, catch up on Facebook or watch sporting events. (Come early for Lobo games!)

Several local brews on tap. $ 4 a pop. The waitress tonight seemed indifferent to the fact that anybody was in her section. Twenty minutes after we told her we were done, we still had to flag her down and ask her for the bill. The place definitely has a divey vibe and would certainly be at least a three star if the service had been better. I was rather surprised that there were so many people there on a Tuesday evening, made it difficult for conversation at our table.

This bar is one of my favorite bars in ABQ. It was dark, quiet enough to talk to your friends and have good conversations, unlike others you have to scream across the table to say something.
Beer selection was good, was not expensive at all. I was only here for drinks with my friends so i don’t know about their food, but will sure update my review once I come back and try their food.
Dress code was pretty much whatever… lol, I liked how friendly and attentive the waitress was. Over all, it was a great experience.

My dining experience here made it into the top 5 worst. It was just a mess of a night there. First, I was surprised at how dark it was. We needed to use our cell phones to help us read the menus. It was our server’s 3^rd shift there, but she did really well with all things considered. I finally decided I wanted a pizza. The server informed me that the cook walked out that day and broke the pizza maker on the way. The manager was taking over the cooking and was overwhelmed. I picked a second option, which was a mistake. I should have skipped food completely. Everyone at our table got their food at different times. Mine came an hour later and everyone else was finished eating. I told the serve that I thought this was ridiculous having to wait to so long. She talked to her manger and they gave me my food for free, which was very kind of them. (I was debating giving them 2 stars for this.) But I don’t think I will ever go back there, and their restrooms were not clean. The servers were friendly and I felt bad that they were having a stressful night.
I’m sure on any other night they would be a 2 or 3 star place. It was clearly not their best night, but that was the night that I experience it.

One of my favorites — It’s the quintessential dive. It’s a dark quiet place to get a drink. The dress code is as casual as jeans and tees while the demeanor is more Mad Men while the music is mostly 90’s Alt Rock. If you like the Sister Bar, or Anodyne, but you want something a little smaller and more intimate, this bar will serve you nicely.
They always have drink specials after 7pm, but Wednesday nights are the nights to go hang with the UNM crowd as their beers are all under 3 bucks. Their Friday 5 dollar gin martini’s are great for the Roger Stirling Three Martini Lunch, too.

I haven’t come here to drink, so there’ll be a review in the future that talks about the tap and bottle selection (and possibly the package store connected), but for now we’ll talk food.
I went in for lunch and made my way through near darkness to find a colleague at a table in the back. This could be a place out of Sons of Anarchy, I’ll have to check.
A waitress quickly took our food and drink orders and the food came out in a matter of ten minutes. I ordered a patty melt with swiss cheese and the obligatory green chile and my buddy ordered the taco salad.
I can’t speak to the taste of the taco salad, but it looked pretty good and my boy devoured it despite the fact that the shell was the size of pot and stuffed to the brim with all types of things.
As for my burger (I mean, patty melt), I appreciated the buttered and toasted rye bread it came out on and the onion rings on the side. The burger was fair taste wise — although the green chile was clearly of the canned variety — but was somewhat of a let down because it was overcooked. I asked for a medium and this was easily well-​done.
Overall, the place seemed perfect for future meetings of the political sort, and I’m sure I’ll be back to try the bar, but this place really isn’t anything special as far as I can tell.
Oh wait, I lie. There is one thing, I saw some pretty enticing happy hour specials as I walked in. That’s what I’ll be back for.

We were visiting from out-​of-​town and visited this bar (that used to be Jack’s Lounge) and it was great! We went in the left hand side and there were really comfy booths, a great menu. Pleasant staff. Just overall a great place which was compounded by the fact that it had Modus Hoperandi on tap. Yum. Awesome.

There are actually TWO Copper Lounges in the same place, right next door to one another.
They share a name, an entrance and a bathroom, but have separate bars with different beers on tap in each one — and whichever side you choose, you cannot be served booze from the other side’s bar.
For example, if your party has chosen to sit in the dark and divey lefthand side (surprisingly, the nonsmoking area), then Marble IPA is not available. In the pleasant patio area, Marble flows freely; but, should the urge for a Sierra Nevada strike, you’ll have to haul your drunk ass through the double doors and get it yourself.
How’s the food? Two words: canned salsa.
But, whatever. Copper Lounge is an instant classic to which I am destined to return — and not just because i had two tabs running and left my card behind.

This place is a decent place to go if you’re not that ambitious. They have a sizable beer selection and obviously a full bar. It’s certainly not a sports bar, although it does have a few flat screen TV usually set to ESPN. The décor inside is nice and dark, which is how a bar should be. They also have a sizable food menu for a bar. The nachos were tired looking and boring. But, on the other hand, the chile-​cheese fries were pretty tasty, which surprised me because they looked pretty uninspired. Plus, the menu mentions the fries being «beer-​battered», when in reality they are Sysco-​brand frozen potato sticks dipped in hot oil. But, again, these were tasty and a hit. The menu is a mix of standard bar fare but also includes a number of salads (avoid these, unless you LOVE iceberg lettuce and cheap deli meats), plus they have a Ribeye.
I’m not sure if I would actually come here for a full on meal. The wife and I were meeting friends here, so we decided to grab a quick bite while waiting. Probably won’t do that again. But, we will probably keep it on the list of locations to be used when getting wasted in a dark, windowless bar is required.