Standing alone in its splendor on the Sandia Pueblo Reservation with the Sandia Mountains as a backdrop, the Sandia Resort and Casino offers extensive musical entertainment in addition to its casino and world-class restaurants. Directly in front of the resort is the open-air amphitheater, where concerts by well-known artists are held in the summer. Inside, top notch live bands enliven the main floor of the casino and play great dance music. This secluded bar and dance floor can get crowded and queues can form. So be there early on a Saturday night. Outside by the pool in summer there are sometimes steel barrels to fill the air. Located on the 9th floor, the Bien Shur Lounge offers breathtaking 360 degree views of the mountains to the east and the cityscape to the west. Pop and jazz bands play on the weekends and it’s easier to get a table here than downstairs. There is a bar menu here.

This cozy neighborhood bar has been a Nob Hill haunt for years and it’s no secret why: friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, long hours, good prices and a good selection of beers, spirits and pub grub. Great service and arguably the best burgers in Albuquerque!

Located in Rio Rancho, just north of Albuquerque, Turtle Mountain is well worth the drive. There’s always the brewery’s award-winning beers and many others from across the state, as well as national and international beers on tap. The food is almost as good as the beer and the variety of wood-fired pizzas will make it difficult to decide. Big screen TVs are usually tuned to show sports, including football, but it’s also a great spot for busy, loud conversations. TMBC is the end result of way too much dreaming (and drinking) on ​​the part of owner Nico Ortiz. With a student exchange to Germany at the age of 16, he began to devote his life to finding good beer. This brewpub is the culmination of over two decades of “market research” in hundreds of restaurants, bars, brewpubs, breweries, workshops and beer festivals around the world. The name “Turtle Mountain” derives from the Tewa name for Sandia Peak. Alfonso Ortiz (Nico’s late father) was born and raised in Oke Owingeh north of Espanola and is one of six Pueblos who speak Tewa. Nico’s father’s Native American name was “Oku Pin”, which means “Turtle Mountain”. Nico named it Turtle Mountain Brewing Company in homage to his father, who provided the inspiration and funding to open the pub.

Marble Brewery is a production brewery with an on-site tasting room and outdoor beer garden in downtown Albuquerque. Marble Brewery offers a range of seven house beers and a variety of seasonal beers on tap and in the bottle. The attached pub offers 10 beers on tap and a 12 meter long bar overlooking the brewery. Sandwich menu is available.

Split level local bar downtown, nice on the hipster way to dive. Pool tables, dim lighting, PBRs for $2. Free pool and Thursdays all beers and drinks are $2.75. Open Monday to Saturday until 2am and Sunday until midnight.

Kelly’s Brew Pub, housed in the historic Jones Motor Company, is a great meeting place in summer as the large terrace gives a very relaxing atmosphere and is popular with younger students and is always busy. An indoor sports bar and billiards spot, as well as a relaxing outdoor terrace – there’s everything, including an extensive menu. Find appetizers, wraps, burgers, sandwiches and more. You also have the large selection of locally brewed beers. You can even reserve to brew your own beer. Enjoy the old signage and decor preserved from the original building.

Relaxed, friendly bar where bikers sit alongside businessmen in suits. The bar menu is pretty standard, but the staff and bartenders are friendly and the beer selection is impressive. There are plenty of TVs showing sports, darts, pool tables, a smoking room, a nice wraparound bar (it’s actually long) and an outside patio.

If you like local dives this is the place. The seats are tattered, the floor is sticky and the music is live and loud. Performing some of the South West’s best live music, this is an eclectic mix of cowpunk and alternative. The crowd looks rough with lots of tattoos and piercings, but the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed.

The Apothecary Lounge is worth a visit for the view alone. Located on the rooftop of Hotel Parq Central, the Apothecary Lounge offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Sandia Mountains, downtown skyline and famous New Mexico sunsets from its heated patio. Inside, the bar gleams with vintage apothecary bottles. The cocktails served are Prohibition Zone, making this one of the trendiest speakeasys you’ll ever visit. Craft beers and fine wines are also served, and the menu items, while not cheap, are gourmet. Perfect for a date, and better if you can get a room downstairs so you don’t have to leave.

Voted Albuquerque’s Best Happy Hour Venue and Best Ladies Night Out three years running, and now Best Lounge and Best Bachelorette Party Location, this multi-venue bar is Albuquerque’s most elegant and exclusive nightclub. The QBar offers a piano lounge, an extensive wine list, a media and billiards room, and a number of intimate spaces for conversation and diverse entertainment. Great for an upscale night out on the town.