Joseph’s Culinary Pub

This place is awesome. Full stop.
So my boyfriend and I went for Restaurant Week, with low expectations (we’ve been burned by RW in the past) and ended up being blown away.
It’s a cozy little place, with lots of wood, lowish ceilings and lighting, and a mediumish noise level. We got there early and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bartender was so lovely and charming (he’s the tall one with the glasses) that we gave up our table so we could eat at the bar. He was fantastic throughout the meal, pacing the delivery of our dishes perfectly and just generally being fun to chat with.
The wine list is thoughtfully constructed, right down to the apertifs. I had glass of Cinzano Bianco, which was a nice, sweet start, and a very generous pour. My boyfriend was totally thrilled to see Chimay white on draft.
And holt sh*t the food. Fluffy warm little buns to start with soft! not out of the fridge rock hard! tarragon chile butter. I immediately became more optimistic about the rest of the meal.
For appetizers, we had the lamb bone marrow and the pork belly. The lamb bone marrow was serve with a delicate, glossy sautee of shiitake mushrooms and an amazing creamy blue cheese. You would think the combo on crostini would be overly rich, but it was heavenly. And the pork belly was perfectly prepared, fried in a little cube and served with what I assume is housemade kimchi, a perfect lean, crunchy accompaniment, The kimchi itself I would have had all on its own, it was just the right amount of garlicky and spicy without being overwhelming.
The entrees were even better. First, darkly crusted roasted to perfection duck confit, with a crispy skin and super tender flesh, paired with a tart sour red cabbage — so classic, so well executed, so satisfying. Next, delicate but firm cod, cooked just to doneness and snuggled into a delicately crunchy potato shell for textural contrast, served with creamed leeks and lemon caper butter sauce. Again, excellent. And my personal favorite, a sous-​vide chicken roulade served on polenta and stuffed with chicken liver, with the skin pan-​seared golden brown perfection. This may be the best chicken I’ve ever had — supremely moist and deeply chicken-​y.
Dessert was a slice of cloud cake — essentially a huge wedge of meringue with caramel and vanilla sauces. Again, perfection, this time in light and airy form.
If you’re looking for a fancy dinner in Santa Fe, this should be your first stop. I can’t wait to go back.

We thoroughly enjoyed the food, many new variations & combinations (for us anyway) fabulous flavors. We loved the intimate ambiance and setting. Throw in the best waiter (David) we have had since we don’t know when. If you chose Geronimo’s or the Compound (our favorite to date) then you’ve made a subpar choice. As good as it gets !!!

I hate to write a bad review but service is so very important. I’m going to say straight away the food was pretty delicious but our waiter was horrible. The food saves this place from getting one star. Lynzie was our waiter last night. She did not check back after appetizer, main course, or dessert. I’ve been a waiter in the past for many years and so has my aunt who I was dining with. Isn’t it 2 bites or two minutes? Anyway, when we first arrived Lynzie asked if we would like to start with some bread while we wait for our appetizers, we said yes. Ten minutes later our appetizers arrived. I then asked to busser if we could get some bread and he brought it right out, it doesn’t seem that hard to grab a break basket, two rolls and some butter. So then we were waiting for our meal and Lynzie comes up and asks if we want more bread, we decline but my aunt still had almost a full roll on her plate she then takes the basket with the butter. My aunt wanted to finish her bread with butter so we have to ask for more butter. Lynzie proceeds to the back and brings back a used butter dish. Maybe it’s ours maybe it’s not… Then it came to dessert, my aunt ordered the 3 CITRUS sorbets. Mind you it doesn’t say on the menu what they are. Lynzie once again fails to impress by plopping down our plates with no explanation of what things are and walking away. Of course my aunt wanted to know what the sorbets were that she was eating. We flagged her down once again and she said «grapefruit, lemon, and I think peach» so wrong. It clearly says citrus on the menu. We are both very disappointing to have had such bad service when we were looking forward to this meal all week.

The Best Food in Santa Fe. Perfection. Eloquent and elegant. Dale and Joe?! Come on! I’ve been dubiously holding off on this review… now 19 meals in. Every meal has been scintillating with parties of 25 to 2. Each meal is more innovative and brilliant than the last. This is improvisational jazz as food. Every lamb dish is the finest treatment I’ve ever had. This is a complete re-​invention of New Mexican cuisine. Congrats team!

Joseph’s appears to show glimmers of potential, but the execution of the meals and service fall a little short.
Our dinner got off to a bad start. We arrived in the small waiting area with a different party of guests and waited… and waited… and waited… before we were helped by someone to get us seated. 10 minutes of standing there and being told by a waiter that someone would be there soon to help us. It’s a small restaurant so it’s awkward for everyone there for about 9 – 10 people to be waiting at the front door just staring around. In the end, we got seated by a two top right by the door. Great. The waitstaff was otherwise pleasant and we had no other issues with the service.
For our starter, we ordered a lobster and foie gras mousse with citrus foam. This was a tough dish to finish though it was just served in a shot glass. While the concept was fascinating, in execution, the flavors just did not work for us. The foie gras was overpowering and the lobster flavor got lost. The foam helped, but it didn’t go so well with the dish. We did our best to eat as much as we could, but even someone like me who hates wasting food had to put up the white flag. For our main, we ordered the grilled lamb chops with brussel sprouts. The lamb chop was the right temperature and tasty, as were the sprouts, but the caramelized goat cheese crust was a bit much. The other main, the seabass with vegetables and sweet potato purée was weird combo. Alone, each of the elements were good, but together, the texture and flavors made for strange bedfellows.
It could be that we went on an off night or didn’t order the right dishes, but we were a little disappointed with our experience at Joseph’s. I’m sure it’s a fine establishment, but we probably will not be frequenting Joseph’s in the future.

Our party of six enjoyed a wonderful birthday celebration. Service was attentive but not hovering and staff happily accommodated our desire to share dishes. I particularly liked the duck confit and the frissee and sweet potato salad. Appetizer portions were huge, and one could make a meal with just a couple of the starters.

Rabbit lasagna… Hardy, and delicious-​order it!
Lamb bone marrow… With melted Brie… mmmm
Enchiladas from the bar menu… Yum!
Butterscotch and sea salt pudding– excellent!
Great late night fare with a wonderful ambience.

Just tried this place for the first time tonight, and I have to say … wow! this is really good.
Ever since several of our long-​time Santa Fe favorites went out of business (including Azur, the previous occupant of this location, which was great while it lasted), we’ve been searching for the next great restaurant to replace them. Joseph’s jumps to the top of my list of best new restaurants (okay, maybe not that new — it’s been around for a couple of years — but it’s new to me. Now I’m sorry I somehow overlooked this place all this time). The atmosphere is pleasantly warm and cozy, in a Santa Fe kind of way. The service is excellent, and the food is fantastic.
I had the Tuna Tartare appetizer, a generous pile of sashimi tuna on top of a wonderfully spiced peppery sauce, and the Rabbit Bolognese Lasagna, which was deliciously rich, meaty, and flavorful (and I had to laugh at the little toast bunny ears they garnished it with).
Great selection of microbrew beers, too. I had the Philosophizer ale, which is a very nice, mild flavored light ale that was a great complement to my food.
We topped it all off with the bitter-​sweet chocolate cake, deliciously moist and plenty big enough to share.
Great job, Joe! (We got to meet him, Joseph himself, owner and head chef, as we were leaving. Seems like a nice guy, and definitely has hit his stride as a restauranteur.)
All in all, a great meal. Definitely will be coming back.

We were starting to get the hang of not overeating by the time we got to Joseph’s, so we made a meal of appetizers. Hubby had the red chile, potato and beef stew, which was amazing! So flavorful, not hot, and tender beef. Then crisped eggplant with tahini lentil purée (appetizer size), delicious. That meant he could have the duck fat fries:) So good.
I had an incredible salad of mixed greens with gorgonzola dolce, dried cherries, bacon & green chile vinaigrette (!) with a perfectly poached egg on top! I was already in heaven, and then my single lamb chop («appetizer» portion), perfectly cooked and charred, and brussels sprouts with burnt orange and preserved lemon butter arrived. OMG the best lamb chop I’ve ever had, including my own, and great sprouts.
I was so happy, I had forgotten all the reviews I’d read about the butterscotch pudding, but had to have it. It was just as wonderful as everyone said, but I made myself take half back to the hotel to have the next day. What a treat!
The atmosphere and service were great, good wine, just a lovely evening.

Okay, so this place was much fancier than I was expecting for my night in Santa Fe. It’s not cheap, but the food is really good.
We had: duck fat fries, salad, beer (some local brews on tap), burger and lam rack. The food was really good.
The food was all good. The best part though, was that we had this lovely waitress who was so sweet and kind to us and even gave us macaroons and a list of the best things to see in Santa Fe for our one day there. She was just the best part.
Then we had the butterscotch caramel pudding with sea salt and OMG MY LIFE CHANGED,
I can’t even. Have it.

We went for a birthday celebration and were utterly blown away on all aspects of the experience. The ambiance, the service, the Spanish Malbec wine, the exquisite menu, the presentation of all appetizers and entrees and the diverse flavors of all plates. There were few items that we did not try, so needless to say, this place is my new favorite in Santa Fe (red chile stew, lamb chops and caramel pudding among the favorites). Chef Joseph gets my vote for the James Beard award, well done!!!

What a fantastic place. Apparently it’s been there for 2 years and I hadn’t heard of it. They serve beer and wine only but both lists are exquisite. The food was also killer. Ahi tartare app. Loved it! Complex and unique. Apparently, the chef, Joseph, connoisseur of the local lamb so I got the lamb chops which is not my normal go to but it was amazing!

Outstanding meal just last night. Enchiladas were mind blowing; best I’ve had. And so was the eggplant appetizer. Joseph does a remarkable job melding a variety of culinary influences to come up with something uniquely his own.
Great desserts too.

Great atmosphere and lovely décor. Nice quaint location. The service was top notch. Knowledgable about the food, wine, and pairings. We started with the Duck Fat Fries and Polenta Fries, both of which were delicious. The main courses were beautifully plated, ample portions and prepared to perfection. Topping off the meal was a scrumptious Tres Leaches cake that is the best we have had. Highly recommend this restaurant for a date, family event or special occasion.

We heard about Joseph’s from the NY Times 36 hours series. So excited to go– and glad we did. The service was absolutely amazing and the best I’ve had in a long time. Our waitress was very kind and attentive, and it made our experience here amazing. The environment is fabulous– intimate, dark, and lively. I am not a foodie– but I understand the food was exquisite. Our favorite was the lamb bone marrow, and it’s simple, but I loved the butter that came with the bread. Would absolutely recommend for a date night or celebratory dinner!

This place is cute — my kind of restaurant. Small, intimate, good bar seating, friendly staff, low-​lit, and perfect for a late night cocktail and dessert. I regret not coming here earlier in my Santa Fe trip as it would have been a fantastic dinner.
So, if you you want the best chocolate cake of your life, be sure to get the chocolate bistro cake. The small amount of time spent at Joseph’s was enough to make me a huge fan.

I went here for the first time a little over a year ago. I ordered the duck, the people I was with ordered rabbit lasagna, the ribs and steak. Although everything was delicious the duck confit blew everything away. The outside is so perfectly crispy and the inside is deliciously moist and falls off the bone.
We were all raving about how incredible the dish was and the chef came out to tell us the long process he goes through to marinade and cook the duck leg. I’ve been here close to a dozen times since I’ve been unable to order anything else! It’s just perfect in my mind.
Do yourself a favor and order the butterscotch pudding with caramel sauce sea salt to share for dessert.

Place deserves a star and a half but certainly not 2. All that I can think of is meh. The service was terrible, the manager unhelpful. How can you mess up 1 candle on top of a piece of cake? Jesus Christ, I ate there 4 days ago and having a difficult time remembering what I ate… Salmon was gross, beans? Tuna didn’t taste fresh… I made the mistake of ordering two appetizers, one as an app and other as dinner… I explained this to the waiter, both came out as apps.
Expensive for what it is… Santa Fe deserves better.

Ate here last night for my girlfriend’s birthday. First of all: wow. We are road tripping across the country and literally came in off the road (called ahead 5 hours for a reservation), and immediately felt like we had walked into a bistro in Paris, except it was Pueblo style. The atmosphere was bright and inviting, and best of all our fresh-​off-​the-​road attire was perfect for the casual environment and décor. Felt right at home.
After starting with a stellar Willamette Valley Pinot, we indulged in the cauliflower appetizer, crispy and fantastic, and the savory trifle with lobster panna cotta and foie gras. With the trifle, the chef recommends digging the spoon to the bottom and getting all the layers in one bite… I screwed this up the first bite and didn’t get the full effect. But when I hit the bottom of the glass the second time, it was a power punch of flavor. It was one of those dishes that’s so perfectly balanced, every ingredient is necessary and leaving just one out ruins it. I’m glad to say I eventually ate it right and loved it.
For my main, I had the duck breast medallions. It was an expertly crafted seasonal dish, garnished with pomegranate, autumn rice, crunchy onion and a hint of citrus. All the flavors were powerful and in combination with the meat – perfectly seared, I might add – the dish was amazing. My girlfriend had the cod which was accompanied with olive tapenade and a heavenly sauce. The one caveat with the fish is that it didn’t taste 100% fresh. But that probably makes sense given that it was a Sunday. Not holding it against them.
Our dessert was the butterscotch with salted caramel pudding. We scarfed it down. It came with fresh-​baked orange and chocolate ganache macarons which, if I may be so bold, were better than those from Ladurée in Paris, which sealed the deal for me.
Our waiter, Jesse, was friendly and helpful, very responsive and engaging, and took good care of me and my girlfriend on her birthday which we both appreciated after a long day on the road. We had a great experience with the service.
I should note – only because I want these guys to be successful and they are well on their way – that despite the food being fantastic, it has some catching up to do in terms of global culinary standards. I would focus on bringing out a distinct personality in each of the dishes, ideally around a central theme or influence, as right now the dishes seem to lack a dominant flavor identity.
Because of our great experience with the service, lovely dining experience, and perfectly satisfied palates, this is an easy 5.
Keep up the good work!

Joe (I feel like I can call him that, since we’re on such good terms) knows what he’s doing.
I didn’t know what a culinary pub was, but if this is indicative of all of them, I’m down with the designation. Apparently it means a restaurant where the service is fantastic, the bread is phenomenal, and the composed plates so gorgeous that I was ever-​so-​slightly saddened the lighting was too romantic to capture it [without disturbing fellow diners with a flash].
Now, I’m a person who often appreciates simplicity in my meals, and to be clear, this is not simple food…
My salt-​cured duck confit was served with a sweet potato caramel glaze, over radicchio and lentils with a date and pancetta salad.
Likewise, her honey and cardamom-​dusted phyllo napoleon was layered with brussels sprout leaves, local goat cheese, crispy Italian ham, a root vegetable sautee and a sherry wine sauce complemented by a carrot ginger foam.
…But it is delicious food, and that’s far more important. It does make me tired just listing out all the ingredients, so I doubt I’m going to be recreating that duck anytime soon.
Joseph’s serves the sort of dishes where the price tag is justified because you could never put together this many components at home, and if you tried, it’s highly unlikely you’d be able to balance them as well as Joe does.
But that’s why we go out to eat, isn’t it?