Agave Lounge - Santa Fe

The food was good; we had the salmon, which we enjoyed. The wine selection was decent, but they were out of what I ordered, so I had to settle for my backup choice. Our server was knowledgeable, but it felt like he was trying to audition for a stand-up comedy gig. Perhaps we just tend to attract that type of person. Overall, the experience was fine but not exceptional. There are better restaurants to try in Santa Fe.

This restaurant is decent. The atmosphere is similar to that of an upscale IHOP or Village. They offer specials that aren’t listed on the menu, but our waiter didn’t inform us about them because he didn’t check the book. The dinner menu featured only five entrées. However, there was one outstanding waiter named David who had a great ability to make us laugh and enhance our experience. Unfortunately, that level of service was not present a few days later.

The only standout dish at this restaurant is the burger, which is huge and quite satisfying. However, we also tried the breakfast, and I wasn't fond of the mint they added to the fruit bowl.

We was just looking for a casual stroll in the city and a light snack with a cocktail. It took 15 minutes for a server to approach our table. When he finally did, he didn’t even know what a gimlet was. After some back-and-forth, he went to consult the bartender (who had not offered any assistance). When we asked about ordering, we were told that a server would be with us shortly, which turned out to be another 10-15 minutes. Eventually, a long-time employee arrived to take our order, despite me having written down “gimlet” for the previous server. The drink then took an eternity to prepare. When I finally noticed that the bartender had put it up and seemingly left, I went to check on our order. The bartender seemed bewildered by our wait and said, "Good, okay," without much accountability. Given that there were only two people at the bar, she easily could have delivered our drinks in the time we waited. On a positive note, the food was actually quite good. We were pleasantly surprised that despite the server's earlier confusion, our order included the gimlet. If diners have the patience to endure the long wait for their food and drinks, they will be delighted by the flatbread and patatas bravas. As frequent visitors to the city, we spend a considerable amount of money during our outings. I'm uncertain when or if we will return to a Heritage property again, especially with experiences like this. It is clear that significant investment in management and training is needed to ensure a better service experience moving forward.

For our first visit, my partner and I shared the sweet citrus salmon and a flourless chocolate lava cake. Both dishes were absolutely fantastic! We can't wait to return and try more items on the menu. Food: 5/5.