Hello Carlsbad Caverns visitors! Okay goofballs, this is business page is not for reviews of the national park or the visitor's center. It's for the trading company. When you exit the caverns through the elevators, you are led to a bookstore with limited gift items. I appreciate the books and a few other goods they sell there, but if you want a larger variety... exit the bookstore. Take a left and the Carlsbad Caverns Trading gift shop and grill are past the informational displays at the end of the building! The same trading company supposedly has an "Underground Lunchroom" plus a smaller gift shop, but I haven't seen it open in recent years. There is some cool stuff here. T-shirts. Hoodies. Gemstones & rocks. Jewelry. Koozies. Nicer items than what the bookstore sells. But as my 9 & 10-year-olds learned inflation did not skip over this desert bat country. Seems they got a bit stingy when it's THEIR money to spend. Lol. There's also a cafe/grill. I convinced my daughters that there was better food with less background noise at a place I wanted to hit in town. That became true. The two employees working on 4/27/2024 were so patient and pleasant to be around. Not like some of the customers! Some of the same visitors really wrecked the kid's toy section. Other goods were short in supply - hence my lower rating, but hey if you're going to have the place short-staffed on the busiest day of the week then it's fairly easy to see where the priorities are. read more

Carlsbad Caverns Trading - In the gift shop. 4/27/2024 - Bookstores Near Me - Carlsbad, New Mexico

Great Gift Shop, bought all the car decals. Restaurant has good food. Friendly Staff. read more

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The caves were great, but Pat and the green chile stew were even better. Highly recommend the guided tours in addition to the self guided

Carlsbad Caverns is one of the largest caves in the world. Not only that, but it's spectacularly beautiful. Everywhere you look there are stalagmites, stalagtites, curtains and other cool cave formations. The Big Room is massive - you walk over a mile in just this one room in the cave! It's truly incredible. Definitely worth checking out. There's even a cafeteria down there so you can eat inside the cave (sure to be a hit with the kids). As good as it is, I have to point out that you have to plan in advance; you need to book a reservation ahead of time and that unlike other national parks, you can't just show up and see it. Even with a reservation, you still have to wait in line when you get there for a ticket. The elevator took us straight to the heart of the Big Room and there was no wait for it. As great as the Big Room was, I thought the self guided tour was a little long. Still, this is a great place to see and is definitely worth checking out. read more

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we had an amazing experience - followed by a delicious pork quesadilla. that was suggest by Frankie at the restaurant. great customer service and suggestions on food options read more

Such a great NP! The visitors center is located about 15 minutes into the first NP sign. There are two bookstores/gift shops. They have passport stamps located in the bookstore to the right hand side. Restrooms are just outside the entrance. We made a reservation to get into line prior to our arrival. The line was super long when we arrived but took about 15 minutes to get through. Of course it was free with our annual national park pass! We opted for the elevator ride up and back due to time constraints. The park ranger gave us a brief into to the rules of the Big Room. At the base there are restrooms, a small cafe and seating area. They have very few souvenirs but they do have a mailbox for postcards. read more

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Good food, great customer service, and they're open on a major holiday. Pat did a fantastic job of helping to fix a mistake on our order and we are thankful for his great customer service. read more

This place is breathtaking! If it's not on your bucket list, it's time to add it! I've never seen anything like it before. There are two options for entry, walking down or taking the elevator. If you're able to walk, I would recommend that option because it's quite stunning. Yes, there are bats and yes, they do smell.. but only in the beginning. I would say the first 10 minutes of your adventure. Make sure to wear comfy shoes! Most people walk down and take the elevator out, but that wasn't an option for us since the elevator was broken, so we had to walk up.. which was quite a trek. So definitely make sure you've got those comfy shoes on. If you're in the area or even if you make a special trip here - it'll be well worth it! read more

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A trip to the Southwest wouldn't be complete without Frito pie. Here, you also choose your meat and heat. We got the carnitas with Christmas chile and it was the perfect guilty pleasure after our adventure in the lower cave. Big enough for the two of us to share. The only hot food vendor in the park. Cafeteria service. read more

Carlsbad Caverns Trading - Frito pie - Bookstores Near Me - Carlsbad, New Mexico

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No trip to the Southwest would be complete without a visit to Carlsbad Caverns!! First discovered in 1898, this Cavern contains over 119 caves; most are walkable on self-guided trails, with a few others only accessible via Ranger-guided tours. Depending on how fast you walk or if you stop often to take photos, the self-guided trails can be as quick as 45 minutes or as long as 3-4 hours! TIP: Take your time down there, walk around and see as much as your can. Read the history of the caverns and all the different formations. If you're a photographer, then it's a fun challenge in order to get those perfect shots! TIP: Bring a light jacket, good hiking/walking shoes, a water bottle and some snacks. The underground temps are low 60's, but you might work up a thirst hiking up/down/around all the trails. The underground cafe isn't really a cafe anymore; most of anything food related has been moved to the cafe restaurant in the visitors center. read more

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I never knew there was a place you could hike 2.5 miles underground through a cavern/cave that is scary enormous. One of the best hikes I've ever had. read more

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had a super yummy beef sandwich at the restaurant and Pat was a great wealth of info!

This was our last stop on our road trip home from MT to AZ. This was a site to see, my wife and I have never been. Everything was amazing, something that needs to be seen if you get the chance. read more

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Inexpensive place to grab a simple lunch. Mexican food isn't that great. Recommend tapas like a side of vegetables, a quesadilla, or a simple pretzel. My 16-year-old got the pork tacos and wasn't impressed. I was shocked by the low prices for the food. Two beverages were almost as expensive as lunch. read more

Highly recommend. Depending on your pace, it will take 1.5 to 2 hrs. The walk is well maintained and lit enough you do not need a flashlight. Recommend going early in morning. As we left, it started to get crowded. read more

Carlsbad Caverns Trading - Bookstores Near Me - Carlsbad, New Mexico

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So glad to have a proper lunch since there's not much of a dining option in the Carlsbad / Guadalupe area. Had the beef burrito and it was quite okay. read more

Carlsbad Caverns Trading - Beef burrito - Bookstores Near Me - Carlsbad, New Mexico

This place is amazing. A must do if you've never been. They started using an online reservation system - we didn't know about this and by the time I read about it, we were already on our way. Fortunately, they had plenty of tickets since we were early. We also saved $100 because we didn't buy the tickets online. The staff member selling tickets said that since we had an elderly person in our group, we got tickets for all 7 of us (5 adults, 2 kids) for $35. Bring a jacket or you can buy one - it gets cold in the caves. You can also bring a flash light or buy one from the gift shop. read more

We had lunch at the restaurant I was pleasantly surprised The chief salad I has was very good and only $6 My friend had a taco salad and he enjoyed it Again only about $6 read more

I'm surprised by the poor reviews of the restaurant - maybe they've made some improvements since the other reviews were written? Maybe my standards for park concessions is so low that I'm far too easily impressed? Or maybe there's some confusion as to which food vending place is being reviewed? Just to clarify, as of 12/08, there are two places to get food at Carlsbad Caverns - one is a totally lame and limited snack bar actually located underground near the cave entrance - don't go there. The other is a cafeteria in the Visitor's Center on the surface that you have to walk through the gift shop to get to. My review is of the cafeteria in the Carlsbad Visitor's Center. The restaurant is a nice simple, clean space which serves food cafeteria style. You grab a tray, collect what you want, and pay at the cashiers. It had separate sections for cold sandwich ordering and prep, hot sandwich same (paninis, grilled burgers, quesadillas, etc.) and then a third section for hot restaurant-type food. You can also pick up other items from big cooler area - yogurt, fruit, salads, milk, etc. I appreciated the selection of healthy items so I could avoid the fights with the kids over wanting Cheetos and fries. I got the pork adovada stew over rice - it was really very good and they gave a huge serving. Spouse got grilled tilapia with steamed veggies and black beans on the side. By cafeteria steam-tray standards, it was really quite tasty. Normally I'm all for bringing my own food to parks since what's available is usually horrible, but I must say Carlsbad was a pleasant surprise. A few additional appreciative notes on the environmental front: there were signs everywhere stating that 90% of the food served was locally produced and/or organic, all the utensils were made from compostable corn-based plastic, and there were clear, helpful instructions on how to dispose of all waste to maximize recycling. Seriously, folks, I'm thinking the place must have been revamped and remodeled since the last reviews were written. Give it a try. read more

I was actually impressed by the food here. Anyone complaining has clearly never ate at a museum food court before. There was a variety of options and the pricing wasn't bad either. They also had the sense to divy up the lines into hot and cold foods so the lines move quickly. PLUS free refills on soda. WIN for a National Park food court. I just got a deli sandwich and potato salad, but the husband got some awesome chicken quesadillas and chips and salsa. The dining area itself is a tad small and could be problematic on a busy day, but we went during the off season in November so we were almost alone. This obviously isn't fine dining, but remember that long winding road to get here? Yeah... you aren't going anywhere for a 'quick' bite so you are pretty lucky for the variety they do have. read more

Carlsbad Caverns Trading - Deli sandwich with potato salad & chicken quesadilla with chips and salsa - Bookstores Near Me - Carlsbad, New Mexico

I was prepared to be disappointed, but instead was pleasantly surprised! It was pretty good. They recently went through a menu overhaul and it has served them well. The menu has a New Mexico flair and they use local produce like green Hatch chiles. I had a tostada with beans and rice and it was pretty tasty. If you don't like Mexican style food, they do have hot dogs, grilled cheese, salads and regular sandwiches. read more

The service was quite good and the food was worth what we paid for it. I would come back again. read more

Carlsbad Caverns Trading - Bookstores Near Me - Carlsbad, New Mexico

Far exceeded my expectations! At every turn , just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it does! I've seen a few things in my 64 years and this is in the top 3!! read more

The family and I all had a burger with fires. They were basic but the lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and onions were fresh. Good diner for a cheap price. read more

Man, the caves are great but the food they serve in this restaurant sucks big time. Please, NPS, do something about it. I ordered a burrito and the thing they got me was exactly a 99c burrito from Taco Bell with a chunk of 7-11's cheddar cheese on top. My girlfriend ordered a veggie burger with fries that were soggy and warm. There were flies all over and outside the restaurant, a bunch of bees, wasps and flies gathered waiting for the next victim. Terrible! I can't believe I'm the first I'm reviewing it! If you're going to the amazing caverns of Carlsbad, please bring your own food and eat outside, watching the amazing landscape of Southern New Mexico. read more

Not bad actually...they serve hot food here versus just cold sandwiches below in the caverns. I ordered their lunch plate - rice, beans, and beef tacos. The prices are really reasonable and the service is fast. If you have time - eat up here instead of the lunch room in the caverns. read more

this place is absolute FAIL! Its not really a "restaurant." More of a snack bar that sells average, or below average food to curb your cravings which have a tendency to be very obvious after a long hike to the bottom. Save your money and eat before hand, or pack some snacks in your back pack. Trust me, you'll be happier that way. read more

Pretty awful pork burrito. Very bland and lacking any sort of flavor or depth. The tortilla crusted tilapia was pretty decent, and honestly the only redeeming feature of the meal for us. read more

Avoid if you can. The food is pretty terrible and expensive. Eat before/after or bring a picnic and use the picnic tables.

Carlsbad Caverns natural beauty rates a 5+, but cafe employees and food service management practices rate a big zero (0). In small cafeteria next to gift shop, sign says you can buy hot food until 6:15 and cold, pre-packaged items until 7:00. They need to change the signs because the building closes at 7. In fact, at 6:40 the cash registers in the cafe were already closing (lady pulling cash drawer from the only register that had been open rudely told me she was closed and when I mentioned the sign that said open until 7 she sniped to go to the gift shop then. Then the gift shop employees seemed frustrated and confused at what to do with cafeteria items. Then sat down to rest and eat and cafe employees were sweeping and mopping, and banging chairs around, making it evident that we were in their way - all before 7 p.m. Change your signs to set customer expectations to match the reality of how you run this business. The small food area inside the underground caverns is much more fun and friendly. Again, Carlsbad Caverns natural beauty rates. 5+, but employee attitude and management of the food area next to the gift shop stinks. read more

This is a radically different (read - better) restaurant from what I grew up with here. So many of us locals don't go to the caverns much, but I did not know what a difference the new operator would make. First off, I've never seen paninis or organic/local food anywhere in town! Blew me away. The upstairs (above ground) restaurant is by far the superior of the two and where you want to eat if you're hungry. If you really want to say that you ate "750 feet below the surface" you can do it, but due to environmental concerns (so the staff said) they can't cook food down there anymore, so it's mostly sandwiches and coffee (not bad local coffee though). Also, the cave lunchroom is much smaller than I remember it - though eating by lantern light could be kind of cool . Definitely save your appetite for upstairs and enjoy the magnificent desert scenery. read more