300 Burro Ave.
Cloudcroft, NM
Dave’s Cafe
Dave’s Cafe is a very popular local restaurant in downtown Cloudcroft, specializing in burgers and sandwiches. I heard that it is in a new building that replaced the old one that was destroyed by the devastating downtown fire of December 2010. It did look fairly new, although rustic, in keeping with the casual culture of this mountain tourist town.
When I see a mob of tourists I think almost immediately about it being a tourist trap. This was not the case with Dave’s, though, either with the food or the prices. The staff was scrambling to keep up with the orders and the restrooms were stressed by the demand for them, but I was there on a weekend when a long line at Mad Jack’s made it look like it would be a terribly long wait (Mad Jack’s is a highly acclaimed barbecue restaurant).
Salads
Salad
My Salad came with the meal as a substitute for fries, and I was very happy with this one that had fresh greens and several types of lettuce. There was enough cheese for added flavor, but it wasn’t loaded with cheese.
Burgers
Green chile cheeseburger
When I saw a Green Chile Cheeseburger on the menu I was hoping it would be better than ones I have had in El Paso, and that it would be more like the iconic New Mexico “GCC.” I was surprised by the fact that it exceeded my expectation, and was one of the best I have ever had. After all, if Mad Jack’s is known as one of the best barbecue places in the Southwest, why can’t Cloudcroft also lay claim to one of the best GCC’s? The above photo shows the amount of green chile in the sandwich, and I think many places make the mistake of not doing it like Dave’s. Also the flavor was top notch. as were the other components including the meat, cheese, and bun.
Other Comments
The restaurant is somewhat of a bar atmosphere but family friendly (not noisy). From on-line reviews it seems that the green chile cheeseburger is the most popular item with customers, but other dishes get good write-ups as well I think this place knows what it is doing when it comes to food.
RATING: 23
Cuisine: American
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily
Accessible: N/A
Smoking: No
Alcohol: Beer & Wine
Most Recent Visit: Oct. 28, 2023
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Green Chile Cheeseburger, Salad
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Green Chile Cheeseburger |
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Salad |