Santa Fe Restaurants

Bobcat Bite

Fodorite Reviews

Average Rating:  

Bobcat Bite Review

It'll take you 15 easy minutes from Downtown to drive to this tiny roadhouse southeast of town—and it's worth it. Folks drive a lot farther for Bobcat Bite's steaks and chops ($17) but come especially for one thing: the juiciest burgers in the area. Locals prefer them topped with cheese and green chiles. Only early dinners are available (and no dessert is served), as the place closes by 8 most nights; you'll want to arrive early to get a seat.

    Restaurant Details

  • Reservations not accepted.
  • No credit cards.
  • Closed Sun. and Mon. (also closed Tues. in winter).

Fodorite Reviews

Average Rating:  
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    Sweet owners, great food

    This is simple food done right. The owner, Bonnie, is the sweetest, nicest lady around....even when they are so overwhelmed that you can't move in this tiny restaurant. I grew up and have lived in santa Fe my entire life and this place is just like it was when I was a kid. In fact, my kids got stickers from cactus while playing out front waiting for a table just like I did when I was their age. I eat at all the places along this corridor, and with the exception of one, all are very good, including Steaksmith and Real Burger. I won't name the other but locals will know.

    by rioperro, 2/10/09
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    Great burger find.

    I watched a program that feature Bon Appetit Best places to get Burgers, Pizza, breakfast etc. This was their place to get a great burger. We spent four days in Santa Fe and decided to give it a try. They were right and I am not much of a meat eater. The meat was what made it along with the green chili topping. You gotta have a grilled jalepeno on the side. Great burgers in a funky atmosphere in the middle of no where.

    by sunsetski, 11/15/08
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    The Best Burger ever

    I love this little place, which is about 5 miles east of the I-25 Pecos off-ramp. The (10 oz.) green-chile cheeseburger is flat-out the best hamburger I have ever eaten. The reason is that the meat is the best. It can be ordered about 9 ways—if you want it medium-rare, you will get it medium rare. The fries are also excellent.

    It is a small, old-timey place and one should call in advance to ensure it will be open. Not infrequently we have been seated at a table with others due to the size of the establishment and the number of diners. Bobcat Bite is well worth a special trip for hamburger and meat lovers.

    by lobo59, 4/13/08
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    A Place Out of Time

    Bobcat Bite is a unique place to eat. Having never heard of it before, I was delighted when I moved to Santa Fe and my mortgage broker took me to her "secret" place to eat. The green-chile cheeseburger was simply the best burger I have ever had. That was 5 years ago and I have gone to Bobcat several times a month since then. The owners are among the kindest people I have ever met and the service and food have been consistently great and always worth the wait. This is emphatically >not< the place to go with a whiny or restless child; the place is TINY and always crowded. It is rare to wait less than an hour for a meal (winter waits tend to be shorter than this; summer waits often 90 minutes or more) but if you want a great rib-eye steak or probably the best hamburger you will ever taste, and you are a kind person with patience and no other agenda other than to enjoy the day, this is the place for you. Those who belong here know it; those who don't, thank you for making room for us!

    by jcav606, 9/27/07
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    Terrible Service

    We had an extremely poor experience here two weeks ago today on a Friday at noon. We live half the year in Santa Fe and this was our first time at this restaurant, having heard good things about the food. When you arrive you put your name on a board and they go in turn to seat you. There was one name ahead of ours and that party was called. A waitress then skipped us ( 3 adults and a 3 year old) and seated a man whose party had not yet arrived. When we said something the waitress tried to get the man to leave the table but he would not, even though the people he was waiting for were not yet there. The waitress did not seem to care. We waited another 10 minutes for a table (the place is very small) and then one hour for the food to arrive. This has to be the very worst service in Santa Fe. The burgers were very good but certainly not worth almost an hour and a half wait. The wait would have been bad even if we did not have our 3 year old grandson with us. You are much better off going to Harry's Roadhouse which is 2 miles away and closer to town. The food and atmosphere is better and the place is friendlier. We will never go back to Bobcat Bites.

    by jlafla, 9/14/07
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    outstanding!!

    Juicy big burger. green chili slices a bit mild. wonderful cole slaw - nice and vingary, no gooey mayo. this place is a real find, but is very small and long waits were common.

    by greatdanes, 6/28/07
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    Great burger and great atmosphere.

    Not your standard burger & fries joint. The place itself is very old, very small, and loaded with minimalist charm. The staff is extremely friendly & the burgers are the best I've ever had. Don't go expecting a typical greasy burger, these things are ground fresh and have a unique flavor that comes from the cast-iron grill. More than a burger. One of my favorite spots in all of Santa Fe.

    by gonzo911, 6/23/07

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