New Mexico Dive Bar Guide

Sacreligious to some, this particular dive bar review site posits that the best Mexican food in the country can be found in Colorado and New Mexico, two states with a firm grasp on the absolute majesty of the green chile. Thankfully, New Mexico shares an equally tight bond with dive bars, the sheer expansiveness of the state a unique backdrop that has created equally unique dive bar destinations statewide.

Silva’s Saloon is one of the oldest bars in the state and a perfect example of the best dive bars New Mexico has to offer. Located in Bernalilo, Silva’s benefits from a location about halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the ideal stop off to take in the sheer density of the bar’s liquor-filled shelving. 

Santa Fe is home to both striking downtown architecture and a strong set of dive bars, the classic recommendation among them The Matador. Covered in bold colors and well-worn currency, El Matador is exactly the kind of dive you’d expect to find in New Mexico and that is high praise. On the other end of the state, El Patio Bar in Mesilla strikes a similar visual chord but does so with significantly less population density, making it more an outpost than an urban hotbed.

There are no doubt countless other dive bars to catalog and we are well on our way to doing so. In the meantime, our recommendations on the best dive bars in New Mexico can be found below.