Restaurant Martin

We dined at Restaurant Martin (RM) this week during our annual trip to Santa Fe, NM. Our first dinner this trip, and what a treat. All the staff are amazing... friendly, attentive, but not intrusive. Seleste was our waitress, and she did a GREAT job! Thank you Seleste! The restaurant is cool and cozy, with dining areas and tables spaced so each table has a bit of privacy. They place a little business card on your table with the server's name and a little bio... very nice.The food and drinks were exquisite! We started with a couple of cocktails, Lavender Haze and Tequila Twilight... both were delicious! The bread served is $3/person, but well worth it. Awesome thyme butter on the side, and there is a hot rock in the bread bowl to keep the bread warm! For the appetizer, we shared the asparagus and prosciutto salad... sublimely good! Our entrees were the chef seafood special, barramundi, and the prime beef tenderloin. Per our usual practice, we each ate 1/2 of our entree and we swapped plates. The fish was expertly prepared and the steak perfectly grilled. Both dishes were on point! We shared the soft chocolate-espresso pave for dessert, heaven on a plate! A bottle of Veuve Clicquot rounded out the dinner, dunked in an ice bath, and was as good as ever. The restaurant's wine list is extensive, something for everyone, both Old World and New. Highly recommend Restaurant Martin, 5 Stars across the board!

Oh dear, where do I start? How about being ignored for 10 minutes? Finally, a "manager" took our drink order. We were celebrating our 38th anniversary and most high end restaurants will offer a complimentary glass of bubbly. Not this place. The interior of the restaurant is very dated. Posters of nothing on plain white walls. We were seated in "Siberia", the room with extremely high booth backs. We could see the folks across from us and that's all - oh, unless you consider the ridiculous lights running horizontally on the bar (where no one was sitting). Why should they, it's tucked into a closet. I'd never sit in there, ever! I digress.When our server/bartender finally arrived with our martinis, they were just OK. This establishment uses local distillers only, so us Grey Goose lovers were disappointed.My wife and I always share, we ordered the short rib starter. Probably just reading the words made you think about how delicious short ribs can be. Not this place. I would almost bet grandma's estate these were prefab from one of the big food suppliers. Our next course was the Scottish salmon. What a joke. The only thing Scottish were the words on the frozen fish box, again from a big food supply house. Another reviewer said the food was nothing more than what one might get at a country club. That was being generous. No inspiration, imagination, or flavor. Now one might expect a wee dessert sample on a plate with Happy Anniversary scrolled in chocolate. Forget about it in this place. No one, specially the chef could not have been bothered. Just another drudgery in the "coal mine". I understand the EC/owner has been around for forty years, well dear sir, give it up. You've had your day in the sun. Or! Let someone help you with updating your restaurant, menu, and flavors. Get rid of the aluminum framed front doors as a minimum!

BLUF: Restaurant Martin offers a higher-end continental experience, but fails to deliver for the price point. My impression was that Restaurant Martin is resting on a reputation it earned years ago and persists because of an upscale facade (and bland delivery) that appeals to Santa Fe's older demographic. I felt that the cocktails were very average for restaurant near old town Santa Fe--really nothing special despite the higher end price tag (nearly $20 for most cocktails) The food was really just okay. I thought the plating was dated and fussy. The sort of stuff you'd see in the mid 2000's. Things tasted okay, but I felt like the flavours and ingredients were like run-down country club food. Service was a bit weird, there was some awkward back and forth between the server and a couple members of our party. Honestly not something I really place much weight on and could've just been a fluke. Lastly, if you are going to visit, avoid the booths inside--I found them cramped and uncomfortable.

After reading my review, you'll see I was unhappy about being charged $24 for bread without a heads-up. That was some time ago. You may want to inquire in advance to see if they still have a bread charge, especially if it is something you'd also be unhappy about.

This used to be one of my favorites. The past three times I've been here it's been the same menu. September, December, and February. I remember a time when I thought the chef was fairly inventive. Not so much anymore. We came for restaurant week. I had the tuna appetizer which was good. Small but good. I then had the steak which was cooked well (med rare) but was dry. It had a little sauce underneath but not enough on there. It came with a matchbox square of potato that was dry and small and flavorless. At Xmas this was my favorite thing on the plate and I had a nice size serving of it. Then I got the chocolate molten cake with ice cream which was wonderful. If I go back with friends this is all I'll get. Dessert! It's disappointing as it's expensive and I don't feel it's special anymore. I feel it's totally catering to the tourists who won't be back. Now, will your locals be back?

Restaurant Martin in Santa Fe offers an exquisite dining experience, with the most beautiful back patio imaginable. The ambiance is perfect for a memorable meal, whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply enjoying a night out. The food is truly five-star and never disappoints, with every dish crafted to perfection.However, the service leaves much to be desired. Despite the exceptional quality of the food and the enchanting atmosphere, the staff can be dismissive and condescending. For instance, we were questioned when we chose not to order a first course and again when we declined a second glass of wine. I'm also a stickler for when I say thank you to someone who is clearing a plate or taking a glass from the table, and my thank you is not acknowledged. It seems as though the staff views the customer as an inconvenience rather than a priority.In summary, while the food and setting are top-notch, Restaurant Martin would greatly benefit from improving its approach to customer service. If they could address these issues, it would be a flawless dining experience.

Restaurant Martin was a delightful stop on my road trip. It was a much needed moment of comfort. The food was delicious, the staff were friendly, and the atmosphere was very calm and relaxing.The flavor combinations of their dishes here felt both familiar and new all at the same time. I highly recommend giving this spot a try if you want a nice cozy date night, or just want to have something a bit fancier to eat than a normal night out.

What a good day it was to eat here! We sat outside on the patio and the weather was perfect! Our server was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. We went on a Saturday night and it was mostly full! The food was delicious and so pretty to look at! I almost felt bad just for eating it. I know Sante Fe has a lot of good restaurants but I would come back here. Although I might try another place before I do.

Wonderful place ... goBe aware our waiter was not a good listener at dessert time ... see my tip for this place. I'm not a fan of deconstructed dessert presentations . (Carrot cake could look like a cake and I've never seen an opera 'cake' with a big red thing on it (delish) with a white lump upon it (delish but name it something else) My partners for the eve loved the pork belly app and the squash soup! Beet salad ? (More dressing ... but adequate and pretty). The chicken and lamb was very very delish ... but then dessert. The opera cake inspired dessert was a hit, lesser so Apple thing (another deconstructed dessert form) I tried ... really... to just get choco ice cream ... it was no to be. As I design my meal from dessert back to app, this was a drag. I'd go again in a heartbeat but will be careful in ordering in case the waiter misunderstands. GO!

We had passed this restaurant MANY times. It is very unassuming from the street. I had heard about the many accolades of the chef... but it didn't beckon...A friend came to town for her birthday & chose for us to eat there... she reserved the patio. We walked into a tiny restaurant & then were guided thru one of the smallest bars I've ever seen...Then it opened up onto a LARGE, GORGEOUS patio! WOW! There is a lovely converted 3 car garage area & many other tables around the backyard of this delightful house-restaurant.There were 8 of us & we sampled as much as possible from the menu.Some highlights:Beet SaladButternut Squash/Apple BisquePan Seared Scottish SalmonDuck Breast (locally sourced)To my delight, the Vegetarian Tasting Plate was AMAZING! I missed NONE of the flavor & color that I saw in my fellow diners' plates! I am NOT a strict vegetarian, but I do try to eat less meat and, so often, vegetarian/vegan entrees feel like they were added at the last minute & without much thought -- NOT HERE! THANK YOU! WELL DONE!!!I will ALWAYS order the Tasting Plate -- to see what Chef has in store for my taste buds.Will DEFINITELY be back!