The Owl Cafe

Came here a ton as a child, and recently went back as an adult. The place is timeless and hasnt changed at all. Their green chili cheeseburgers are out of this world good, and the staff is really great. Prices are great for the value. I will be back!

I can’t believe I’ve never written a review for the Owl Café. I’ve been going here since 2003 and try to go when I get to town. The place would be campy in the extreme if it hadn’t been here since pre-​Columbian times, when it was actually inside a real hollowed-​out giant owl carcass.
Okay, I don’t know how long the Owl has been here, and I understand this is actually the second location, but it is worth going just to absorb the ambiance of the giant concrete owl façade and the vintage interior. When you’re done with that, you can absorb a green chile cheeseburger and a malt and maybe some pie.
The first time I went to the Owl, I had been told I should try the green chili cheeseburger, so I ordered that and a malt. And I noticed they had TWO KINDS of chili dogs on the menu – one that was billed as «traditional» and one billed as «Texas.» Well, I love me some chili dogs, so I ordered one of each, figuring I was pretty hungry, and how big is a little chili dog anyway?
Turns out that each of these monsters was a ¼ pound dog split lengthwise and grilled, then emplaced on a split, toasted bun and covered with around a metric shit-​ton of either green chile or more traditional (to me – this was the «Texas» one) chili. And raw onions. And I seem to remember cheese too, but it has become hazy with the passage of time. I seem to recall fries, too. At any rate, it was an epic amount of food and it defeated me utterly. But it was all wonderful, even if I had to hibernate for a few days afterwards.

This place… amazing! Mommas, if you’re looking for a delicious, affordable, quick place to grab a bite, this is your place! We stopped while passing through and I am so highly impressed. Very clean, fun atmosphere. I had the California burger and it was simply amazing. Wonderful food at a great value. Especially the kids menu. You are hard pressed to find a kids meal less than $ 5 these days (sometimes more) but their kids meals are $ 4! And our waitress was fantastic, sweet and incredibly good to us. Way to go Owl Café… nail on the head!

So lucky to find this place.
I was going thru town and stayed at a hotel right next to this place.
It is what I would still call a diner. A really well run diner.
They give you a small bowl of beans and green chiles with crackers when you come in. I have never seen that before.
I went on the day they have the burgers on special. Had my first green chile cheeseburger and it came with home made potato chips. It was exceptional.
The place is clean, the staff is wonderful. The food is great.
If I lived here, this is where I would go for a burger.

My green chili cheeseburger and sweet potato fries were fantastic, as well as the vanilla green chili shake, good service and fun décor!
Of the five of us, we had great meals with the exception of one person who had the chicken strips and thought his meal was just Okay.

The Owl Cage has been around roughly forever. It’s the same owners as the Owl Bar down in San Antonio (NM). And the famous green chile cheese burgers are similar to the Bar, but not quite the same to me. Maybe it’s just the ambiance difference. Who knows. But they are still excellent. Actually, all the food at the Owl Café is excellent. It’s diner food the way it should be done in NM — simple, spicy and comforting. Tack on some really nice wait staff and milkshakes that’ll put you in a coma, and you’ve really got something.
My only complaint, but not enough to take off a star, is their beer selection. They have a couple of good beers, but very little of the local beers that are so wonderful in Albuquerque. I would like to see the owners reach out to the local breweries and carry a few more beers.
This is a fixture on the east side. Go!

Haven’t been anywhere else in this town – just passing through, and couldn’t find Los Pollos Hermanos.
Character is its strongest suit. Even though it was built in the early 90s, it feels much older (which could be how it’s reminiscent of the Bulldog Café in The Rocketeer). Still, it felt better going here than just stopping at Wendy’s.
The burger was about what you’d expect at a spot like this. Finish it off with a shake, a couple postcards, and a t-​shirt from a place that looks like it’s part of history, but is really a reflection of antiquated Americana.

Have a Sweet Red Chile Burger! They are delicious! Service is always great and the food is spectacular!

This place is hands down our favorite in ABQ. Their green chile has us hooked.
So far, the Taos Turkey has my heart but that isn’t saying much because I feel like I eat here weekly.
The staff is wonderful, it’s family friendly and affordable

Please don’t read too much into the 4-​star rating, in reality I think it’s really a 5. It’s just that I’m a tightwad in that regard and try saving the 5-​star ratings for «Out of this world» experiences. All in all though, this place rocked!
Sunday early afternoon and we were able to sit right away. Which as many of you church goers know, that’s restaurant rush hour for most breakfast type joints, i.e. IHOP and so on. So we were pleasantly surprised.
Old school diner type place with a diner type feel… minus the 50s nostalgia overload thank goodness! Some places go overboard with that décor. This had the diner feel and it was simple, bright and had a good vibe to it.
So since this place was listed on the New Mexico Green Chili Cheeseburger Trail, obviously that’s what I had known I was ordering upon my entrance. We were greeted right away by our server and she pointed out the classic green chili cheeseburger on the menu and I was set. My wife ordered the California cheeseburger as she’s a big avocado fan. And frankly, my 7-year-old’s choice really isn’t relevant is it? I mean, are chicken fingers, or anything off of the children’s menu worthy? I think not!
So out comes my famous green chili cheeseburger and she sure looks like a winner, with fries, of course. I do ask for a side of mayo, «so shoot me!» I apply liberally and dive in! Big burger, hand-​made fresh patty and naturally it’s juicy! The way it is supposed to be! In fact, it’s so moist and juicy it has a hard time staying intact and begins to fall apart a bit as I’m eating it. No worries, when diving into such succulent delicacies such as these, one does not worry about eating in a tidy fashion! It rocked! Need I say more? Ok, I will! It rocked my socks off… in true diner lingo!
It had the perfect amount of green chilies on it, the perfect balance of seasoned meat, the perfect moist consistency and I cannot think of one improvement needed! It was awesome and so were the fries. Oh, I should clarify, I ordered cheddar instead of American cheese, my preference.
Now my wife, mind you, cannot put away burgers like I can, so she light-​weighted out and could not finish her California burger. Naturally, being the good guy that I am, I obliged and helped her out. It was a bit dry and just bland. Of course, this was directly following my beauty of a burger, so disappointment was bound to occur, as it did. She commented as well though that she was a bit disappointed and conceded that she should have ordered the green chili cheeseburger as well. So, lesson learned right? Hopefully she’ll never be that foolish again.
Oh, I should also write that my wife ordered a shake and it was pretty damn good as well. Not my preferred flavor (banana split), nevertheless, very good! Thick and smooth and one shake feeds a football team damn near.
People, go there! You will NOT be disappointed!

Loved the food! My party had (and greatly enjoyed) the green chile cheeseburger, the albuquerque patty melt, the Mazatian turkey sandwhich, and the kiddo had the Mac n cheese wedges. The adults ended up eating the Mac n cheese wedges, they were so good and what a guilty pleasure! (but apparently TOO good for the finicky toddler who only wants plain Kraft). Loved the sweet potato fries with the sweet chili dipping sauce — what a funky good combo that is! The potato chips were also good and clearly homemade. Of course you stay for dessert and you won’t be sorry! Shakes and sundaes are awesome.
I love diners and 50s nostalgia, and the atmosphere here is great. They back it all up with great food too. Thumbs up!

Love this place. Situated right off the interstate, if you’re driving through ABQ and looking for fast, friendly food, this is your stop.
You can’t miss the building — shaped like an owl, it’s got a large patio out front — mostly covered in canvas tarps for shade and protection. Inside it’s a traditional diner décor, with a bar situated in the middle and booths along the sides. When I say ‘traditional diner’ vibe I mean exactly that — faux-​marble table and countertops with chrome accents and neon lighting.
Service has always been great — fast and attentive with plenty of smiles. Starts a day off right with smiles and a big pot of coffee.
As for the food, it’s a mix of classic greasy spoon stuff and New Mexican flavors. Breakfast can be regular American eggs n sausage n pancakes or you can go with a big fat breakfast burrito with all the green chile you can stomach. Lunch is the same — I prefer my burgers with green chili on them, and it’s worth a try.
Prices are great. My last visit was less than $ 10 for breakfast and coffee. I sat there for nearly two hours killing time and was never once hurried along, which is why it’s such a great stop if you’re driving long distances or even just getting started for the day. Check it out!

Seated fast, even on a Saturday evening, fast service. Got the chicken enchilada, Joe got the Taco plate. We both agree chicken is the best! Marinated, slow simmered. Homemade beans with a hint of smoked pork — must be delicious lard. Enchiladas were packed with chicken, smothered in sauce, with just a light sprinkle of cheese– no dairy to mess up your chile delight.
The red sauce is delightfully sweet chile flavor and then the green one comes in with a punch.
Wine, beer and milkshakes…

Well I forgot my phone at lunch yesterday, so I have no pictures to post. I won’t forget it next time I go (so I guess that means the Owl Café rates a return visit). It has a really neat diner feel to it and the staff were very friendly. I liked that they brought out some pinto beans and crackers for a little appetizer/​snack, they were quite tasty. I ordered the frito pie and it was quite a big portion. It was really good and like the chili that topped it. Our food was brought out quickly and we were able to get back to work within an hour.
Now that I discussed the food and service, here is my one issue. The place seemed a bit dirty due to some clutter in the back near the kitchen. I wish I would have had my phone for a picture of it! UGGHHH. A good cleaning would bump this up to a 4 star rating.

Pretty neat dinner feel. It has a big outside and inside. The service is kinda slow so if you come make sure you have some time. The waitress was a doll though, and I would defiantly come back. You can’t beat the prices for the amount of food you get .
The green chili burger should be a definite purchase. It has a little kick to it. The fries where kinda potato-​y but I’m from Wisconsin so we deep fry the crap out of everything. The ranch tastes legit, get some of that for sure. May I also suggest the chunky monkey shake :) They also gave us a sample of the beans and green chili, not to shabby.

Word on the street has it that the Owl Café (San Antonio location) was the creator of the green chile cheeseburger. I saw that they had a restaurant in Albuquerque and I knew that I had to try it out. We drove down here tonight for some dinner.
We walked in and were seated at a booth (the booths are a bit tight if you are a large man like myself). We got a high chair for my kid and browsed over the menu. I decided to go with a green chile cheeseburger in the style I have gone with the last few days… meat, cheese, green chile and that’s it. I got fries with my burger and I also ordered a «New Mexico» milkshake (chocolate ice cream with red chili). My wife and mother in law also went with green chile cheeseburgers. My wife got a «Holy Grail» milkshake (peanut butter ice cream and Oreo cookies) to drink. While you wait for your food, they give you an appetizer dish of pinto beans and green chile along with some crackers to snack on.
Our shakes came out first. They hook it up in a nice tall glass plus they give you almost another ½ serving in the metal shake container. I took a sip of my shake and was extremely pleased! It had a great chocolate flavor, was smooth enough to drink through the straw, and the added sprinkle of chili gave a nice kick in the back of the throat after you swallowed. It was fantastic! I really enjoyed it! My wife loved her shake too!
The burgers came out shortly after that. These burgers are 6 ounces of pure goodness! The meat is very moist and flavored with what tasted like some Worcestershire sauce. It had a little tangy flavor to it. The cheese was just a slice of American cheese, kind of plain, but it worked. The green chiles were fantastic! They packed a punch and were pretty hot! All 3 of us enjoyed our burgers immensely and I would have to say, this was the best green chile cheeseburger yet! I even asked the waitress how they make their burgers but she would not give up the secret. Whatever blend of meat they make them with and however they make them, keep on keeping on! It was pretty much a perfect burger! The fries that came with it were plentiful and they tasted pretty good!
Overall, for 3 burgers, an order of fries and 2 milkshakes, the bill was only a tad over $ 30.00! The vibe of the place was cool, our waitress was really sweet, and the burgers flat out rocked! It was my most enjoyable meal yet in the great state of New Mexico!

Fun.
The Owl Café is an old Route 66 type diner. Very busy. Busy is a good sign though.
Our server was very friendly and had a huge smile.
I ordered and oj we my breakfast and then asked if it was fresh squeezed. It’s not and I didn’t really care.
I ordered a breakfast burrito which I was able to customize. Although the server seemed concerned about putting an over medium egg on a burrito they still did it.
Mmm delish.
There were 2 of us — 2 entrees, 2 beverages etc. Our total was under $ 20. I thought that was reasonable.

I like this diner because it’s friendly and quick. Service is always
for the food, they have New Mexican food to traditional breakfast and even a good salad. They serve you a little dish of beans with saltine crackers… don’t know if that’s a New Mexican thing or their original thing… Yet.
The pancakes are huge and very fluffy, chicken salad was very tasty and satisfying. I had a veggie omelet with fruits that was also delicious and not greasy.
This is in our new neighborhood go to restaurant for a casual dining.

Apparently Albuquerque is known for its green chilies and you can’t come to Albuquerque without having a green chili burger and this is where I got to get my fix.
The restaurant itself is cute; it has a 1950’s diner motif with lots of seating indoors and out. We opted to sit outside because it was really cold inside the restaurant and it was a nice day. We were seated and no one came to check on us for about 5 mins, when our drink orders were finally taken the waitress also brought out an appetizer I guess of beans with green chilies on top and a few crackers, it was interesting but good.
I ordered the green chili cheeseburger with fries that seemed to take forever to get but once it did it was ok, it was literally a cheeseburger and chile on the side, so nothing special.
Maybe there’s other items on their menu that’s really good but if I’m ever in Albuquerque again this wouldn’t be my first place to eat.
Also, the service was slow and irritating to say the least.

I am officially a fan of The Owl Café! I came here with for lunch today with some co-​workers and absolutely loved it! I wasn’t sure what to get, but several of them told me that this place is known for their green chili cheeseburger and I should go with that… so I did and was very happy!
The burger was juicy and cooked perfectly and the green chili added just the right amount of kick to the burger. The fries were good, although I usually like my a bit more crispy, but they were still tasty.
Our server was super sweet and very attentive. She had a great attitude and took awesome care of us! She even offered to give us all separate checks which was great considering there were 12 of us at a table. She definitely earned her generous tip. This place will be a staple when I come back and visit and hopefully I’ll save room for dessert because those milkshakes looked amazing!