Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse

One of our favorite restaurants and we had the worst meal last night we've had in Santa Fe in years! We usually eat there once every 8 to 10 days . The waitress told us resturant has a new chef, and the old chef took the menus with him. The green chili cheeseburger was the worst! How do you screw up a green chili cheeseburger in Santa Fe ? One of our guests had the coconut shrimp? I thought they were pieces of charcoal put on the plate by mistake ! I didn't know you could burn a shrimp that dark color brown ... it was so sad. It was almost funny, but it's not funny because this was used to be a great restaurant. Is there new ownership in Santa Fe ? The chef will not last! A bowl of chili , one green chili hamburger split two ways , burned coconut,shrimp, one glasses of wine 3 margaritas .... $200+ ... come on !!Very disappointing !

While visiting family in Los Alamos, we decided to give Rio Chama a try. I'm not sure what I was expecting but was surprised by how nice this place looked and felt. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and immediately taken to our table. They were a little slow so they only had one waiter on duty but she made sure to make us feel welcome and get our order taken quickly. We started with some calamari and the bread basket. The calamari included fried jalapeño slices which was nice because not everyone at our table liked calamari. The calamari was hot and crispy and the jalapeños were delicious. The bread was fresh baked and took a little longer to come out, but it was really good. For dinner we ordered the ribeye, bison short ribs, fried chicken, and a chop salad. Everything was really good except I wasn't a huge fan of the gravy on the chicken. Overall, I'd say this place was good and worth giving it a shot if you're in the area. Would be a great place to take your boss or clients for a fancy New Mexican steak dinner.

Fun fabulous place! Attended the friends 80th birthday party. There were about 70 women there and they did a great job of servicing us. The food was served buffet style and was absolutely delicious! They filet was cooked to perfection and the salmon was cooked wonderfully. There was also Caesar salad, mixed vegetables, and bread.The piano was an elegant touch and brought the crowd together with warmth and humor. The restaurant itself is large and has many rooms to dine or a larger room with a bar that was also well equipped.Overall a fun pick in sante fe with wonderful food!

The food was the best thing going here. And that was so very average.Service was severely lacking - our waitress was the bartender and we had to wait for any and all table service to be rushed in between her duties behind the bar. No host at the host stand when we came in - waited around to be seated.The ambiance was the worst part - it was like a sad dinner theater from the 70's. Sad decor, sad staff, sadly decorated. It was actually depressing.One and done, won't be back.

We went on a Friday evening and the place was virtually deserted. No liquor license for an unknown reason, not a problem for us non drinkers, but probably a reason no one was there. Waiters were uninformed as to reasons.Dinner was fine but vibe was missing.

Four of us went for dinner on a Monday night; it was pleasantly uncrowded and quiet as we were in the dining room instead of the bar where live-but excellent! -music was being played. We ordered an appetizer of onion rings, which I do not recommend. The rings looked as if an onion had been cut in half, pieces separated, then the too large pieces were breaded and fried. They were very awkward to eat, and totally unnecessary as dinner servings were huge. Two of us ordered side dishes. Again, unnecessary, as each plate, except for the Mexican platter, included sides. (The platter, of course, had rice and beans.) Two of us ordered the salmon and agreed it was probably the best we have ever eaten; tender, cooked to perfections with a wonderful rub and sauce. The salmon was served with delicious mushrooms, potato puffs and green beans. See? Side dishes are unnecessary. My husband's fillet mignon was melt-in-your-mouth tender. We didn't have room for dessert, but ordered it anyway. My chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce was rich, warm and delicious. I had to leave some behind. (Rats!) The cheesecake disappeared completely, as did the raspberry sorbet. The strawberry banana tart-with coconut-was delicious, but some "had" to be taken home as well. Breakfast food? Fruit and bread group? This was a dining experience to repeat!

I am sorry to report that Rio Chama was very disappointing. I ate at the bar and ordered salmon "black and blue" which, as any decent restaurant should know, is seared on the outside and rare or cooked ever so slightly on the inside. This is accomplished with a very hot pan on which the salmon is flipped from side to side. I was served salmon which was not at all served as requested. To make matters worse, the salmon came out when I was halfway through the salad appetizer. (This is an elementary-level, beginner mistake.) I suggested Rio Chama drop the "home away from home for locals and visitors alike" phrase from their advertisement. This is certainly not the "home" I would recommend or to which I would return.

Disappointed and Dismayed at Rio ChamaI've thought long and hard before leaving this review because I don't enjoy giving a 1-star rating--especially for an event that occurred on Christmas Eve. However, what happened at Rio Chama needs to be shared.My family and I were visiting Santa Fe from out of state and wanted to enjoy a special, upscale meal before heading to the Farolito Walk. We made a reservation weeks in advance via OpenTable, the restaurant's only booking method. We are a family of three--my wife, who is Asian; our mixed-race son; and myself, a white man.When my wife approached the hostess to check in, the first thing she was asked was whether it would be okay to sit at the counter. This caught us off guard, as we had specifically reserved a dining table. We politely asked for our reservation to be honored. The hostess stepped away to speak with her manager and returned, saying a table would be ready in five minutes.As we waited, another couple, both white, arrived. They were also told to wait. But to our astonishment, within minutes, they were escorted to a booth--a four-person booth, no less--despite being a party of two. When I questioned the hostess, she claimed there were no tables available for parties of three or more. This explanation felt both dismissive and insulting.Eventually, the manager arranged for us to sit at a two-person table with an additional chair squeezed in, clearly a hasty compromise. While he apologized, his excuses lacked sincerity and left us feeling undervalued and unwelcome.Our server was polite and attentive, and the food itself was acceptable, but the experience had already cast a shadow over the evening. Then came the final blow: the bill. Despite the poor treatment we received, there was no compensation or acknowledgment of their mishandling of the situation. Instead, we were hit with a mandatory 20% gratuity.Having worked as a manager in the food industry, I know mistakes happen. But when they do, you own up to them and offer some form of compensation--whether it's a discount, a complimentary item, or even just a genuine apology. That's basic hospitality. For Rio Chama to do none of this while enforcing a fixed gratuity felt like a slap in the face.To contrast, on our way back to the airport, we stopped at a Waffle House in Albuquerque. When they forgot to make my son's blueberry waffle, the waitress immediately apologized, comped our drinks, and even offered extra items to go. That's how you handle a mistake--with humility and care.Sadly, we left Rio Chama feeling not only disappointed but also discriminated against. This is not the kind of experience anyone should have, let alone on a special evening meant to celebrate the holiday season.

We went last Sunday my husband and my best friend. We had a wonderful time in the President Room. We went to see my favorite person Doug Montgomery. I went to see him with my friends at another place for my birthday. Five years later he is still so great. In the audience was Lindy Gold from Albuquerque who is a wonderful pianist to see Doug Montgomery. It was a wonderful experience. The food was amazing we had filet mignon and Prime rib. Both were perfection. Good wine and salads. I will come again to see Doug Montgomery I love to hear him. It was a bonus to come to Rio Chama Grill and the food was perfect. We will be back!

Are you from out of town? If you are, don't come here. Bartender didn't offer us an opportunity to order a second drink before the 9 pm cut-off even though it was before 9 pm when I tried to order a second glass. Enough said.