Dave's High Desert Grill

We are always searching for breakfast and brunch spots on our vacation and this place was AWESOME when we visited Albuquerque. We had a Sunday Funday brunch here, the mimosas were very refreshing and the food was very filling! We sat outside and the staff was great about opening the umbrellas to shield us from the sun - the inside of the restaurant had beautiful floor to ceiling windows. Our server was really nice, he had a lot of great suggestions and steered us in the right direction. I had the avocado toast - delicious fluffy scrambled eggs on a buttery and crispy slice of toast. My boyfriend and I shared the Whiskey Banana Walnut Pancakes and holy smokes were they delicious. If you like sweet treats I would definitely suggest this - but it was very very filling so be prepared!

Take out on Saturday, Jan. 4 11:00. Since it was takeout we had minimal interaction with the wait staff but she was pleasant and friendly. The ambiance is ok, more like a lounge/bar. I've been to Dave's valley grill. The food was so good, so I had high expectations for this restaurant. I was disappointed. I got the ham and asparagus Benedict. My SO got the breakfast burrito with sausage and green chile. The Benedict:1. The asparagus was nothing but woody stems. I tried one and could barely chew it. Some were the very bottom of the stalk, brown and woody. 2. There was an incredible amount of oil. (See the picture).3. Everything was bland! Are they cooking for old folks watching their salt intake?4. One egg was on the verge of medium. I would not order this again. The Sunny Side Up restaurant has a better Benedict. My SO said the burrito was ok. We know what that means; it was edible but that's all. The green chile had a good flavor but why so chincy with it? He had to search for it. The sauage was a link sauage and he said that was OK too. He did not like the potatoes, he said they had an oil flavor he didn't like. He would not order it again. So, given the food did not even come close to expectations, I would not return. Too bad, we liked the valley grill and I was excited because this location is much closer to us. Maybe breakfast isn't their thing but how difficult is it making a good burrito? The Benedict not being good I can understand, it's hit or miss on this meal and it can be moderately good and I will be happy.Two meals (neither we would order again) was over $30 not including tip. Definitely not worth it. Two stars cause the server was great otherwise one star for food.

Guys....ok. So the food was really less than good. A solid 2 stars maybe. But the service is what really sunk it for me. I called in an order, came to the store and waiting for 45 minutes. Then, the front of house informed me that they never actually pushed the "order" button for my order. So after waiting an extra 20 minutes, the food came out. Tbh for the price, I was hoping for a bit of a tighter service. I know this is a local favorite, but it really stunk for us. Sorry.

Great brunch place. I loved their whiskey pancakes and my wife enjoyed her avocado toast. Plus, did I mention the friendly waitress. Will come again.

I love the variety of food choices. Dave takes the time to think out his menu and we are returning customers for that reason. Also my husband and father-in-law cannot get enough of the pancakes!

Actual:4.5 stars. Not quite sure how I stumbled on Dave's while scrolling through Yelp, but I'm very glad I did. I was caught by the rave reviews of the braised short ribs. My mouth watered immediately. Our family of four decided it would be the dining spot for a birthday dinner. Because of travel needs, we had a late lunch, or early dinner. That put us there during happy hour. The happy hour menu was tempting, and very reasonably priced, but we had our eyes on other meals. Our order included the braised ribs with mashed red potatoes and broccoli, fish tacos with onion rings, rib eye poutine, and a grilled cheese and ham sandwich with fries. While waiting for the order, it was easy to relax and view the regional artwork. Overall it was an appealing experience. As others have reported, the braised beef was fantastic. Cooked to fall apart tenderness it paired well with the red wine brown gravy. The red mashed were ok, and the gravy elevated them. My preference would be for a creamier potato. The broccoli was steamed perfectly but had no seasoning. Oh and it included a field greens salad we shared that had a very tasty ranch dressing. The ribeye poutine looked great as well and it took a serious hit at the meal with the other half boxed and taken home for another meal. The fish tacos also received high marks. They disappeared so quickly I can't give you a description. They were reportedly packed with huge fillets of delicious fish and a very well done pico. The onion rings were panko breaded instead of battered. They were reportedly again ok, but not something any of us would order again. YMMVThe ham and cheese was good. I would estimate between 4 and 6 oz of ham slab in that sandwich and lots of melty cheddar on grilled Texas toast. The French fries were also reportedly good. The waitress was personable and service overall was excellent. Because it was a birthday, we were offered a free dessert that sounded wonderful, but declined it since we had cake waiting at home. I was also happy that we enjoyed all of this for under $100, including a 25% tip. Note, paying cash will save you another 3.5%. Why did I drop the 1/2 star? Only because of some of the sides. Will we eat there again? You know it! While I love our New Mexico dishes and restaurants, I enjoyed what to me touched on meals I grew up eating. The Americana vibe of the beef ribs alone puts this on our return list.

I do think the food quality with amazing prices is hard to beat. Once again, I selected the beef short ribs dinner with two sides, soup or salad, and a cheddar green chili biscuit! That 5-hour roasted beef just falls apart and is so juicy. I'm typically a steak person, but despite having steak on the menu, this hits the spot for me for beef. Love it! I selected the green chili stew--always amazing and served in a big bowl. The biscuit is warm and comes out with butter on the side. There are several sides to choose from; nice selection. My husband got the Hawaiian burger cooked to how he asked with a piece of ham and a huge grilled pineapple on top. Lettuce and perhaps other things bc a were on there...I didn't look carefully. My husband could hardly get him mouth on it as it stood so tall when put together. He said it was delicious. I wish we had room for dessert since their desserts are wonderful--not this time! I never go away hungry or dissatisfied here. Very friendly wait staff! I sat in a booth. The cushioning that used to be there has worn down. I could feel wood frame underneath me, and I sunk further than I remembered. Hoping that these seat cushions get fixed. Husband said the same on his side. I've sat in that booth before, and it wasn't like that in the distant past. I guess it's a good sign the booth gets a lot of use!

Our first time here and everything was delicious! Pancakes, burgers, avocado toast and the breakfast bowl were all amazing! We also ordered Bavarian Pretzel which was huge and yummy! Can't wait to come back and try some other menu items!

In a time when we must realize that some local businesses may have a different view on our directions, but the consequences for brashness.

Delicious food in an appealing environment at a great location with excellent staff.My party of three ordered brunch. My daughter ordered French toast. My wife ordered the smoked salmon scramble and I had ham, eggs, skillet potatoes and griddle cakes.Our meals were served piping hot and delicious by amazing server. We will definitely be frequently returning guests to this gem on the Northside of Albuquerque near Academy. Yum!!