Turquoise Desert

We decided to eat dinner at Turquoise Desert Tap Room in Rio Rancho, and it was an excellent choice! Upon arrival, we noticed a welcoming sign that said, "Seat Yourself," which created a relaxed atmosphere right away. The service started out a bit slow but improved significantly, making for a pleasant dining experience.I settled on the Turquoise Burger, and it was a true delight! This mouthwatering burger came piled high with creamy avocado, melted cheddar cheese, and a generous layer of maple bacon jam that added a sweet and savory twist. The garlic aioli provided a rich, tangy flavor, while crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomatoes completed this flavor-packed masterpiece. On the side, the sweet potato tots were a perfect accompaniment--crispy and golden on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside, making every bite irresistible.To wash it all down, I ordered the 1554 Black Lager. This beer was a fantastic choice! With its deep roasted malt flavors, it offered rich notes of chocolate and coffee, balanced by a smooth finish that made it incredibly enjoyable. Each sip was refreshing and paired perfectly with my delicious burger.I also loved the decor--each table was adorned with football emblems, adding to the lively and fun atmosphere of the Tap Room. Overall, Turquoise Desert Tap Room exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait to return for another delicious meal!

A local jewel. Great bar food. Beer and Coke products. Service a bit slow. Small Gender neutral Bathrooms. Strip center parking. $65 for three with water and 15% tip!

I'd been running around all day and just needed to sit for a little while. So I asked a friend if she had been and she said she loves it there.So I went. Sometimes I'm all about the vibe of the place. It had a good vibe. Bar was pretty much full but I found an empty spot. Lots of the tables were occupied, people chatting and having a good time. The food being delivered looked good too. People working in the kitchen were busy and collaborating. Staff was super friendly and helpful.I ordered a patty melt with onion rings (they were HUGE!!!) and tacos. Asked about the green cauliflower rice (it has cilantro) I don't like cilantro at all so I didn't order any with it. I had the tacos figured that was safe option since I wasn't super hungry. Everything was fresh and well prepared and good. I'll be back because I want to try their fish and chips. Plus this place is local. They're in enchanted hills near the newer defined fitness in that strip center.

In town for a long weekend visiting friends and we decided to try this tap room for dinner. Who am I to say "no" to a tap room?It was Friday evening and there was, surprisingly, no wait to be seated. It was pretty packed and there was a game of some kind being shown on the televisions (I can't tell you who was playing. Jim doesn't do sports).Our server met us pretty quickly and brought us water and took drink orders. I was definitely down for a flight and offered to set me up with a flight of her favorites, minus one because I specified I wanted at least one IPA. We were good with that.The flight (photos provided) was colourful and looked promising. Congo also approved. After we got our drinks apparently the place got slammed because the nice lady who was our server (whose name we didn't get) disappeared behind the bar to take care of drink orders.After about 10 minutes of waiting to place our food orders we decided to just flag down any person walking by. We didn't get his name, but he was able to get our food orders placed. My wife ordered a pretzel as an appetizer, I ordered the Nachos. I was surprised when he asked what kind of cheese I wanted, queso or shredded. I'm a queso-over-nachos kinda guy, but it's nice to have the option.Of the flight, 3 out of 4 were amazeballz. When she asked if I wanted to try the Winter Warmer I said "ok, I'll try something new". It was Santa Fe Brewing's Adobe Igloo. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. When I tasted it I....umm...didn't know what to make of it. It was malty, but had other tastes I couldn't pinpoint. Our friends tried it as well and it was met by a "huh" from all of us. The rest of the beers in the flight were good with a huge shout-out to the Turquoise Trail Cream Ale (which was recommended by our server). That one definitely gets Best In Show.The pretzel that wifey ordered was not your average ordinary hot pretzel. It was large and airy, not dark brown and dense. It tasted great, but it wasn't what you're used to. The beer cheese queso complimented it very nicely.My Congo Approved Nachos with beef were most excellent. The plate was heaping, and came with fresh serrano peppers. *High-Five* for the fresh serranos!The staff was constantly in motion keeping tables clean, drinks flowing, and food delivered. I wouldn't mind visiting again on a future trip to Albuquerque.

The food was excellent. the service was great. they have lots of TVs everywhere and a good beer list. Fun place

Had the day off so came in the middle of the day to check the place out. Service is not fast, maybe they plan it like that, but came and got my order. There is a tap on the wall, lots of well know beers from New Mexico. Inside is set up nicely, they show support for armed forces and New Mexico. The menu looks amazing. A total turn around from when I was here years ago.Music is playing, TVs have games, looks like a very inviting place. I ordered the fried pickles and the owner let me know they pickle their own pickles. Wow. The pickle had a little kick to it, but add in the spicy remo and you have an amazing fried pickle.... The heat!!Oh wow, they just brought the chimyo chili dog! Wow! Looks delicious.Two real beef dogs on toasted buns. Smothered in chili topped with grated cheese! The owner recommended the chili dogs and he was right!! Wow! I have to say try the place out. If you were here before and had a bad experience it has changed so much! Come try the place you will not be disappointed!!

UPDATE-- With a sad heart, I update this review. The last 3x my husband and I have gone to turquoise desert the service behind the counter was bad, not only lacking but eye rolling, yawning, and just not interested in taking our orders. DThere were only two other people sitting at the bar and it took us 10 minutes to flag down the gal behind the counter to order a beer. She was rude and distant. After I finish my beer, she never asked me if I wanted another one, or take our order. Her demeanor was terrible. Remember this, all tips start at zero and are earned. Sad for the owner; the face of the restaurant are the servers. We really like the owner and the food is good. I don't think his staff represents him. But we're going to give this establishment a break for a while. We eat out a lot.Hopefully the owner read this message and makes changes.

I ordered the chili cheese fries, but with chili con carne I steadily of the hatch chili peppers. The fries were soggy, even before the chili con carne and cheese were added. My daughter had a Turquoise Burger with lettuce and tomato and their works. The burger was okay, and she had the same problem with soggy fries too. They were cooked on the outside, but limp. I think this is from the cooking grease not being hot enough. The service was adequate and the iced tea was fine. It would be better if they added some flavored iced tea to their menu. There were 3 other tables with guests at lunch today, so the kitchen was not stressed with too many orders.The bakery associated with the restaurant was closed next door and we had been interested in checking them out. Maybe next time.

Best fried pickles I've ever had! The dish on the left is vegan wings (which were perfectly fried) and the right are the pickles. Ignore the one vegan wing I have in there. The batter is perfectly crispy and light and they make their own pickles. So delicious! I also ordered their fried shrimp basket. The shrimp was also cooked perfectly! It was cooked better than even most fine dining restaurants I've been to. They know how to do fried foods well! Their service was friendly and efficient. Never had to ask for a drink refill. They were on top of things! I can't wait to go back and get the fried pickles again and try another dish off of their menu.

Went there recently to watch my favorite NFL team play since they have NFL Ticket, huge plus! Other than that, service was not very good at all, well bartender Ashley.... I may not be a regular or a guy but I still exist! The redeeming factor was the fried pickle chips, freshly made and very tasty!