
Cowgirl
A vibrant Santa Fe institution celebrating cowgirl culture with hearty BBQ, Tex-Mex, and lively entertainment.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

Cowgirl

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A vibrant Santa Fe institution celebrating cowgirl culture with hearty BBQ, Tex-Mex, and lively entertainment.
"Experience the upbeat Southwestern vibe, delicious BBQ, and great margaritas at this popular Santa Fe spot!"
Happy Hour Margaritas
Visit during happy hour for delicious and affordable margaritas, a popular choice for locals and visitors.
Share Generous Portions
Consider sharing dishes like the pulled pork platter, as portions are often generous.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
American, BBQ, Tex-Mex
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Upbeat Southwestern Ambiance & Live Music
Experience an authentic, colorful, and upbeat Southwestern vibe enhanced by live music, creating a lively dining experience.

Signature BBQ & Tex-Mex Specialties
Savor delicious Tex-Mex dishes and BBQ specialties like brisket nachos and pulled pork platters, a true taste of the region.

Margarita Trail Stop
Enjoy a wide selection of margaritas, a highlight for many visitors, perfect for happy hour or any evening.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Happy Hour Margaritas
Visit during happy hour for delicious and affordable margaritas, a popular choice for locals and visitors.
Share Generous Portions
Consider sharing dishes like the pulled pork platter, as portions are often generous.
Catch Live Entertainment
Check the schedule for live music or karaoke nights to enhance your dining experience.
Try Unique Regional Flavors
Explore unique regional comfort foods like cowgirl salad or beet soup for a taste of local specialties.
Tips
from all over the internet
Happy Hour Margaritas
Visit during happy hour for delicious and affordable margaritas, a popular choice for locals and visitors.
Share Generous Portions
Consider sharing dishes like the pulled pork platter, as portions are often generous.
Catch Live Entertainment
Check the schedule for live music or karaoke nights to enhance your dining experience.
Try Unique Regional Flavors
Explore unique regional comfort foods like cowgirl salad or beet soup for a taste of local specialties.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Cowgirl BBQ is celebrated for its lively, authentic Southwestern ambiance and generous portions of delicious Tex-Mex and BBQ. Diners praise the vibrant atmosphere, live music, and extensive margarita selection, making it a popular spot for both locals and tourists. However, some patrons have experienced inattentive service and incomplete takeout orders, with occasional complaints about food quality such as fatty brisket.
"Just stopped for some drinks during happy hour. Had the margarita which was quite good. There was live music (a woman with a guitar) which was nice and not too loud. Lots of shade on the patio which was really nice and the prices were great."
Chad Hauser
"Super fun and casual spot. Great variety of food and solid margaritas. We ate here with our 2 year old and he was a big fan of the corn dog.
The BBQ sampler platter was also a big hit.
Highly recommend the baked potato ice cream! Super fun!"
Chelsey Mendoza
"What a delightful place! We sat outside and had excellent food. The place is kitschy and fun. Very inclusive. It happened to be karaoke night, which was very entertaining."
Philippa Pham Hughes
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Many diners recommend the brisket nachos, pulled pork platters, and BBQ sampler for a taste of their signature smoked meats and Tex-Mex flavors.
Yes, Cowgirl BBQ often features live music, including blues, country, and rock, as well as karaoke nights, adding to the lively atmosphere.
The patio at Cowgirl BBQ is known to be dog-friendly, making it a great spot to enjoy a meal with your pet.
Happy hour early in the evening is popular for discounted margaritas. It can get crowded, especially during happy hour and live music events.
Yes, Cowgirl BBQ offers vegetarian and vegan options, with some reviewers specifically mentioning positive experiences with their vegan tofu dishes.
Yes, many reviewers note that the portion sizes are quite generous, making it a good idea to consider sharing dishes.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
Top Restaurants In Santa Fe New Mexico
A barbecue restaurant serving a range of regional American seasonal specials, Cowgirl is the place to go for delicious-tasting grilled meats, tender chicken pieces and some of the best Tex-Mex dishes in the state. Diners can choose between the branding-iron BBQ chicken, the twelve- hour-mesquite-smoked sliced-beef brisket, and the slow-cooked pork ribs basted with BBQ sauce, or go all out and get a BBQ sampler platter that includes all three. Aside from the barbecued goodies, a variety of burgers, sandwiches and quesadillas are also on the menu, as well as a range of tasty side dishes.
Plan Your Next Romantic Getaway to Santa Fe
Fun-loving couples who don’t mind if things get a little raucous will want to head straight to Cowgirl, a popular barbecue joint—and another stop on the Margarita Trail. While at first glance it may look like a kitschy ode to the Old West (waiters don cowboy hats and boots), Cowgirl isn’t playing. The beloved eatery takes its beverage menu just as seriously as it does its smoked meats, and it features a range of different rooms to suit all types of patrons.
Nightlife in Santa Fe
This rollicking barbecue, burger, and Southwestern soul food joint is one of the most popular places in town for live blues, country, rock, folk, and even karaoke. The bar is friendly and reasonable drink prices provide bang for your buck. The kids' patio out back keeps little ones entertained, and the fun pool hall and central outdoor patio can get wild as the night gets late.
How to Plan a Ski Trip to Santa Fe
A local favorite near the city's Railyard Arts District, Cowgirl BBQ embodies everything Santa Fe is about. Much like the town, the atmosphere inside is colorful and unpretentious, which is also evident through the reasonably priced menu of regional comfort food, Tex-Mex classics, and Cajun cuisine.
The Best Bars to Drink at in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Check out the rocking, hip and popular Cowgirl, a melding of Texas BBQ and New Mexico flavors and Old West style. Early evening, there’s happy hour including cheap, tasty margaritas. At night, patrons kick up their heels to live music.
Which Santa Fe restaurant should I try this time?
The three that come to mind are Harry's Roadhouse, Tomasita's and Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Any comments on these?. I probably won't make it to all three so give me some revues!
Red or Green-New Mexico's Food Scene Was on Fire in 2019
For his secret ingredient Chef Patrick Lambert of Cowgirl BBQ brought jerk spices, Chef Renee Fox of Arable chose hard apple cider and Chef Xavier Grenet of L’Olivier brought the house down with his choice of sweet breads. Judging the event held at the Coyote Cafe’s kitchen were scintillating four-time James Beard award-winning cookbook author Cheryl Alters Jamison and two-time New Mexico Chef of the Year Martin Rios. Despite not plating his buere blanc sauce, Chef Lambert won the first round with a wildly creative creation featuring green apple sweetbreads with Jamaican mop sauce and crispy tostones.
Best Santa Fe Patio Dining
Located in the heart of Santa Fe's Guadalupe district, Cowgirl BBQ is a beloved local institution known for its vibrant atmosphere and hearty Southwestern fare. The expansive patio is a summertime favorite, offering a welcoming space for both locals and visitors to enjoy live music, eclectic art, and a diverse menu that includes regional American cuisine with a twist. Whether you're indulging in their award-winning BBQ, famous Texas Chili, or sipping on a margarita, Cowgirl BBQ provides a quintessential Santa Fe dining experience.
Santa Fe’s Pooch-Friendly Patios - SantaFe.com
The Cowgirl is a popular pooch-watching spot, where there’s always a crowd and great live music. This iconic Santa Fe patio is the perfect place to relax and sip on a signature margarita as you peruse the menu, with plenty of options to consider, from thick, juicy burgers and bodacious BBQ to steaks, Chuckwagon Chili, Bourbon Salmon, fish and chips and more. Your dog might like to taste the Yak Meatloaf, made with stout and molasses demi-glace; or perhaps the Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich, Buffalo Burger or Smoked Turkey Reuben.
Best of Santa Fe 2024: Arts & Entertainment
Anyone who has ever spent a magical evening kicking back Shiners and reveling in a little karaoke can tell you precisely why the good ol’ Cowgirl tops this list—and that’s a pretty regular night over there. “It all comes down to gratitude,” owner Patrick Lambert says. “We are so grateful for the continued support after 31 years.” Find a full bar of spirits, margaritas both frozen and not, plus oodles of beers, regular specials and happy hour times alongside a seemingly never-ending cavalcade of bands, solo artists and more.
Clear the Table and the Floor: Dinner and Music in Santa Fe
You may not be a cowgirl, but Cowgirl Santa Fe knows you’re hankerin’ for some Wild West fun with your food. This palace of BBQ (not to worry, salad-eaters and vegetarians, Chef Patrick Lambert has you covered) serves up mighty portions along with a showcase of local musicians. Enjoy a frosty frozen margarita at a 5 pm happy hour on Fridays, kick back on Saturday afternoon with Dixieland and a mint julep, or rock out at 8 pm with some of Santa Fe’s best talent.
Gay Bars in Santa Fe - Everything Gay in Santa Fe
Other great bets include the rollicking Cowgirl (319 S. Guadalupe St., 505-982-2565), a rambling barbecue and New Mexican food restaurant and bar with live music most nights and a charming patio; and Harry’s Roadhouse (Old Las Vegas Hwy., 1 mi south of the Old Pecos Trail, 505-989-4629), a hugely popular locals’ hangout on the southeastern outskirts of town, where you’ll find outstanding and affordable food, super margaritas, and an eclectic, fun-loving crowd.
Family-Friendly Dining in Santa Fe
For a taste of the Wild West with a family-friendly twist, head to Cowgirl BBQ in the historic Guadalupe District. This lively restaurant serves up hearty comfort food favorites like burgers, ribs, and mac ‘n’ cheese, as well as a selection of Tex-Mex specialties. Kids will love the playful Western decor and the chance to explore the outdoor patio, while parents can relax with a cold beer or signature cocktail from the bar.
In addition to serving great barbecue and regional cuisine, the Cowgirl is one of the best music bars in the city. The nightly live entertainment ranges from top local bands to national touring musicians with the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Patsy Montana among the previous performers. Its superb margaritas and cocktails, dozen craft beers on tap, and sunny patio make this laidback place a local favourite.
Santa Fe Unveils 'Margarita Trail' — Here's Where to Stop and Sip
If you’re a fan of comfort food with Northern New Mexico flair, Cowgirl is the place to be. The vibrant restaurant, which celebrates — you guessed it — the lore of the American cowgirl is also home to a billiard parlor and a popular outdoor patio. Of course, Cowgirl’s founders also have their cocktail priorities straight: a full page of the menu is dedicated to margaritas and other tequila options.
48 Hours in Santa Fe (As Recommended by a Local)
The list of recommendations is endless, but several places you’re guaranteed an excellent meal include: The Pantry, Tecolote, or Palacio Cafe for breakfast; Tune-Up, Cowgirl (get their green chile cheeseburger), Caffe Greco, or Shohko for lunch; and La Choza, The Shed, El Farol, Paloma, or Cafe Pasqual’s for dinner. For an uber-special night out, try Sazon, the Compound, or Geronimo.
Santa Fe's Best Eats, Drinks, and Doings
Cowgirl BBQ: The line frequently extending from the front door of this touristy-yet-fun spot near downtown can be intimidating but you'll want to stand in it. The food is surprisingly creative and it has more veggie options than any BBQ I have ever been to. Family-friendly with a crowded bar (day and night) they also often have live music and their patio is prime on a warm day.
New Mexican dining in Santa Fe
Head ’em up, move ’em out… Whether you are riding into the sunrise or sunset, The Cowgirl Cafe goes all the way from breakfast to dinner in a fun, cowboy-inspired motif. For breakfast, the local favorite, Migas, or the breakfast burrito is ample fuel for any day. For lunch or dinner, the Buffalo burger with green Chile or the BBQ brisket will get your thoughts of the range.
The Best Margaritas in Santa Fe, New Mexico - Official Rankings
And I probably shouldn’t have—who knows where a more classic margarita would have landed (I’ll have to try next time!) but I went with the signature blend. This margarita has organic Dulce Vida Reposado, Grand Marnier, half a fresh-squeezed orange juice, half a fresh-squeezed lime, and a touch of sweet/sour. And came with a red chile salt rim.
Breaking Bread: Group-Friendly Restaurants in Santa Fe
Head to Cowgirl BBQ. It's a western bar straight out of western casting. The walls are lined with cowgirl memorabilia and you'll often see working cowgirls and boys bellied up to the bar. Show up with up to 15 of your nearest and dearest friends and they can seat you fairly quickly (except for Friday and Saturday nights in season).
Best Restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fans of barbecue will love Cowgirl, situated in the hipster Guadalupe district of the city. The whole family will love the tasty barbecue, and kids will appreciate the huge playground, before and after lunch or dinner. If you come after 9:00 p.m., you can also enjoy live entertainment from local talent and touring musicians.
Three Days In Santa Fe - Itinerary Ideas - Santa Fe Selection
If you prefer to go more casual, relax at any one of our favorite dining joints, such as The Cowgirl, where there is usually a live band in the evenings, or Del Charro Saloon, Café Sonder, The Teahouse, or Santa Fe Bar & Grill. Check more recommendations in our Restaurants Category for a style that suits your cravings.
Live Music-Where The Locals Go-Free
The Cowgirl—This is one of the city’s top live music haunts and it’s a magnet for locals and an attraction for tourists. Live music most of the week. Local music lovers love the Sunday brunch which always features popular local musicians like Lucy Barna, the Sugar Mountain Neil Young band, Joe West and so many more.
Good Eats for Southwestern Students
For BBQ, Cowgirl BBQ located at 319 South Guadalupe St. is a local and tourist favorite, and is one of the few late night places to eat in Santa Fe. This place is fun, loud, has live music, and is one of Santa Fe’s nightlife spots. The food is good and moderately priced here and the desserts are pretty wonderful.
Top 5 Santa Fe Open-Air Bars
The mellow patio scene at Cowgirl BBQ (319 S. Guadalupe St., 505/982-2565, 11:30am-midnight Mon.-Thurs., 11am-1am Fri.-Sat., 11am-11:30pm Sun.) gets started early, with happy hour kicking off at 3pm and lasting till 6pm, with two-for-one apps and $4 margaritas. It’s good later, too, with live music many nights.
The Best Bars in Santa Fe by AFAR on
Live Music and Margaritas Check out the rocking, hip and popular Cowgirl, a melding of Texas BBQ and New Mexico flavors and Old West style. Early evening, there's happy hour including cheap, tasty margaritas. At night, patrons kick up their heels to live music. There's a big patio outside for plenty of sipping.
The 7 Best Places For Chicken Wings In New Mexico
For the finest in American comfort eats, you’re going to want to head straight for Santa Fe’s very own Cowgirl. Patio dining and kid-friendly spaces make this a great place to stop and refuel. Order a local beer from the taproom and settle in for a full meal of nothing but their world-class wings.
7 Great Places To Explore On The Santa Fe Margarita Trail
At Cowgirl BBQ you can try the Cowgirl Cadillac Margarita that is made of organic reposado tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh-squeezed orange and lime, and sweet and sour mix. This place has one of the best bars along the Santa Fe Margarita Trail and is a must for New Mexican comfort food.
These 10 Restaurants Serve the Best Wings in New Mexico
If you are a wings lover—especially of the hot kind—then the Wings of Fire are right up your alley. These bad boys are tossed in Salsa Diablo with chopped habaneros and served with much-needed blue cheese dressing and cooling celery. Cowgirl is at 319 South Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe.
Restaurants in Santa Fe
Good food in a fun and funky cafe atmosphere: low ceilings, lots of photographs of cowgirls and other western memorabilia covering the adobe walls, and something sparkly in the wall paint. There’s patio dining in warm weather. The service is good and the menu includes solid American…
Top Live Music and Concert Venues in Santa Fe, New Mexico
This Food Network favorite has been featured on four of that network’s shows!. That should tell you something about the food, which is mainly cowboy comfort food along with great BBQ. Besides live music and fantastic food, it also features patio seating and a playground for the kids.
Gay Santa Fe, New Mexico
Since 1993, Cowgirl has been running her part of town as a popular restaurant and nighttime hotspot. Here you will find people who wanted to promote the culture of the American cowgirl through the foods of the American West and Southwest, and they have certainly achieved these goals.
Nightlife in Santa Fe: Best Bars, Clubs, & More
Cowgirl Santa Fe: With live music every night of the week, there’s always something happening at the Cowgirl. National acts and local musicians of every genre—from rock to bluegrass—stop here. If you’re staying for dinner, the portions are large and the cocktails strong.
Bite Into Delicious Barbecue at These Restaurants in Santa Fe
Cowgirl BBQ is everything you would expect from a little Southwest restaurant. It is well known for its happy hours with live music and excellent BBQ. The menu features traditional barbecue favorites like ribs, pulled pork, chicken, or sausage.
Best Bars in Santa Fe
If you don’t want to hang out at a bar with this name, you’re drinking wrong. The Cowgirl Hall of Fame is a classic New Mexican joint that has served drinks for several decades now. When you visit, a few things will happen.
Spicy or Sweet? 6 Santa Fe Margarita Trail Recipes You'll Love
Live music, girls in cowboy hats and down-home mesquite-smoked BBQ: what more could you want?. Oh yes, add the Cowgirl Cadillac Margarita. Or as I did on another visit, imbibe with the Frida Kahlo tequila tasting flight.
Santa Fe Fun for Kids
Cowgirl BBQ has a great live music schedule, daily and seasonal specials, and a great happy hour. The thing that makes this a contributor favorite is the jungle gym they have for kids to play on.
Tasting tequila on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail
Tourists who forgot to pack their antacid pills can always opt for the Cowgirl Cadillac margarita at Cowgirl, an indoor-outdoor rib joint near Santa Fe's up-and-coming Railyard District.
Gluten-free – Santa Fe City Different Foodie
I was very excited about their online menu which featured gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan food. That was just so cool!. I figured that the in house menu would be the same.
Queer Travel Guide to Santa Fe, New Mexico
If you’re up for more of a party, Cowgirl offers BBQ as well as live music and a pool hall.
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit