409 Central NW244-1820
Best Of Burque 2012:
These good people dole out drinks with admirable efficiency on busy nights and maintain an ever-eclectic music playlist to further lubricate pool-table-side socializing. All this while being uniformly nice to look at.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Tractor Brewing Company Tap Room3) O’Niell’s Pub
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Dive Bar
313 Gold SW247-2878 burtstikilounge.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
Cozy booths, kitschy lighting, floors awash with mystery liquid, $2 PBRs, stiff cocktails, a friendly-but-no-frills staff and free music blaring until the wee hours five nights a week: Dive right in.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Anodyne3) Joe’s Place (inside Carraro’s Pizza)
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Swanky Bar
3009 Central NE254-9462 zincabq.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
It’s not always easy to find a place that successfully combines class with comfort. Zinc pulls it off with ease thanks to a casual atmosphere, free live music, and a bevy of great cocktails and local brews.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Apothecary Lounge (inside Hotel Parq Central)3) Jazzbah
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Gay Bar
420 Central SW842-8870 effexnightclub.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
This large, multistory dance club has filled a void in the once decidedly hetero Downtown entertainment district. It’s also filled the shirtless-muscle-bound-man-mixing-cocktails void.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Albuquerque Social Club3) Evolution Nightclub (formerly Exhale)
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Rock Bar
618 Central SW764-8887 launchpadrocks.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
No Burque bar rocks harder (or with more space-themed decor and poster art) than the Launchpad. Afloat with budget-friendly libations, this venerable Downtown venue plays host to the musically famous, infamous and up-and-coming.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Burt’s Tiki Lounge3) Low Spirits
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Cocktails
409 Central NW244-1820
Best Of Burque 2012:
The Anodyne is a second story Downtown hideaway decked in dark wood and pool tables. The feel is vintage-eclectic and masculine, making it a perfect place to order drinks like a Tom Collins or Manhattan. Anodyne mixes them with well-honed skill.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Jazzbah3) Apothecary Lounge (inside Hotel Parq Central)
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Brewpub
111 Marble NW243-2739 marblebrewery.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
Locals across strata of class, culture and occupation have embraced these guys from Day One, and they continue to rake in national accolades. ( Draft magazine named one of Marble’s many specialty beers a Top Brew of 2010.)
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Tractor Brewing Company3) Tie: La Cumbre Brewing Company, Kelly’s Brew Pub
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Sports Bar
1414 Central SE242-7111 coachessportsgrill.net
Best Of Burque 2012:
Jersey-clad worshippers of the pigskin huddle around tables for action-packed broadcasts on dozens of screens. An attentive wait staff serves up surprisingly good hot wings and green chile roast beef dips. Just another Sunday at Coaches.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Uptown Sports Bar and Grill3) Fox and Hound
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Bar For Dancing
420 Central SW842-8870 effexnightclub.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
Booty-shakers often despair that Downtown is more famous for street brawls than dance music. LGBT-powered Effex may turn (and bump, and grind) that reputation around.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) The Dirty Bourbon Dance Hall and Saloon3) Blackbird Buvette
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Happy Hour
3009 Central NE254-9462 zincabq.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
Burqueños spend their happiest hours—and afternoon intermezzos—at Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro. With sophisticated twists on bar food staples (e.g., red chile tuna sliders), and drink specials like the $2 “brown bag” wine pour, it’s a truly fine place to observe the end of a work day.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Seasons Rotisserie & Grill3) Tie: Nob Hill Bar & Grill, O’Niell’s, Savoy Wine Bar and Grill
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Karaoke
7400 Lomas NE268-4371
Best Of Burque 2012:
Time-travel decor (circa late ’70s), a supportive DJ (“Breathe, honey!”) and a bartender who takes the mic behind the bar to sing while he’s pouring your beer: Oh hell yes.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Retro’s Bar3) Punky’s Place (inside Silva Lanes)
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Bar Decor
313 Gold SW247-2878 burtstikilounge.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
If Jimmy Buffett ran a bar within the hull of a pirate ship, it would look like the interior of Burt’s. Walls decked in nautical miscellany will make you forget you’re drying out in landlocked desertville in no time.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Anodyne3) Two Fools Tavern
Best Of Burque 2012: Best Hookah Lounge
106 Vassar SE265-9116 terrenehookah.com
Best Of Burque 2012:
The age-old ritual of water pipe puffing is alive and well in Albuquerque. This UNM-area chillspot keeps the hookahs perfectly clean and the shisha selection succulent.
Best Of Burque 2012:
2) Hookah Kings 3) Hookah Star
