Heard great things about The Compound. Hmmm, where do I start. As we entered the restaurant we noticed it was not full of patrons and quite a few empty tables. Wait, this is Indian Market weekend and our reservations were made on line with only 8:45 available. We called the restaurant direct and got a 7:30 seating. Great location, great vibe, ambience, service and it all stopped there. Ordered the Palisade Peach Salad. On the menu it was to come with the following: golden beets, goat cheese, spicy cashews, frisee and arugula, and basil vinaigrette. I guess 3 out of 6 counts as a salad. What we got was a plate of arugula, beets, and goat cheese. NO Vinagrette. Had to stop a waiter and ask for dressing. The salad was bone dry. Who is working the salad station and forgot to follow protocol? Next came the Lobster Tail and Scallop Lanterne. Again, tasteless, and served lukewarm. Salt and pepper saved this word laden fancy starter. The dessert could have made up for everything but yet my expectations were not met. I think this place needs a shakeup in the kitchen. You have everything going for it except the food. Come on guys, you can do a lot better. read more

Lobster salad was very bland. Service was excellent as was the ambiance. Wish I had ordered a different dish.

The chef has changed. Dale Kesler from the SantaCafe now heads the kitchen. The flavors and quality are outstanding. Service was wonderful. We will be regulars. read more

Without a doubt the most tasteful dining experience in Santa Fe! Perfect service, mind blowing creative gourmet dishes. Elegantly presented. Amazing desserts! My go-to for very special occasions! read more

Still great, went with a date for dinner on Sunday. The new chef, Dale Kessler, is excellent. I had lamb and she had halibut. Onion rings and chanterelle mushrooms for the table. Yum! read more

Such an amazing restaurant. A staple on every Santa Fe visit. Beautiful restaurant with a couple great patios. Food it top notch. We had the Corn Chowder, Onion Rings (a insiders fave), their legendary Chicken Schnitzel, Smoked Salmon Tartine and a delicious Crozes-Hermitage Blanc. Service is always top notch and they have one of the most extensive wine programs in New Mexico! Can't wait to go back! read more

The Compound Restaurant - New American Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Very posh ambiance. I went for lunch and had the rose' flight, heirloom tomato salad, chicken schnitzel, and coconut sorbet. Each was decent. The server was perfunctory and pleasant enough but with no real warmth. read more

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Lunch on a Monday, arrived at 12Noon. Surprised at the very small crowd, even when we left. Service was friendly but could have been more attentive. Food was excellent: the onion rings were the star. Perfect, I mean perfect. Reminded me of the onion rings at my favorite restaurant when I was a kid. Almost brought tears to my eyes, I'll admit. Pastrami sandwich was solid. Lobster salad was good. Friend absolutely raved about the mushrooms and polenta and ate every morsel. Enjoyed the patio but next time will likely try inside. Yes, I'll be back. read more

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Outstanding food, presentation, service and ambience. We had the corn soup, squash blossoms, chicken schnitzel, stacked salad, and peach upside down cake. Ignore the self-important people who left one star. Plus, ample parking. read more

The Compound Restaurant - Peach upside down cake - New American Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We had a fabulous dinner at The Compound when we were celebrating our anniversary in Santa Fe. The menu was fabulous, imaginative and executed to perfection. We are vegetarian and had numerous options. The food was delicious and the service was congenial and attentive. The decor of the restaurant is spare and elegant. Really special. And yes, get the onion rings! read more

The ambience! Very calming, romantic and cozy. We ordered from the fixed menu. Tomato salad was so fresh, tomatoes firm and sweet. The corn soup, savory, creamy yet light. The sea salt focaccia was warm and chewy on the inside with a light crust. So good. For entree, there was a choice of salmon or steak. We got the steak and it did not disappoint! It was well seared yet medium rare inside as we re l preferred. Definitely a must try. And finally an opera cake to finish. It's a little dome opera typed with chocolate mousse covered in chocolate ganache. Perfect to complete a meal. read more

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Recommended as the best burger in town, and lived up to the hype. Fresh and tasty food, dishes were simple and plain but high quality in the details. The atmosphere here was formal, stuffy and old; reservations needed. I would recommend sitting at the sunken bar which has a less stuffy atmosphere. read more

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Absolutely amazing! We stopped in for lunch before a walking tour and it was the perfect choice. The lobster salad with the dressing was out of this world -- one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. Even the onion rings, which I couldn't have myself, smelled incredible, and my friend said they were fantastic. She also had the fried chicken salad and raved about how light and non-greasy the chicken was. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was so relaxed and chill -- exactly what you want for a midday meal. Highly recommend! read more

As a regular patron here, I have come to expect excellent food. Sadly, the recent, last two visits have been disappointing. The halibut was overcooked and dry, and the prix fixe steak had a huge amount of gristle (which could have been easily trimmed off before cooking. The thin peach slices in the peach salad were rock hard on both occasions. Doesn't the salad person know how to ripen fruit on a sunny window ledge? The tasteless peaches also appeared in the peach upside down cake, sadly. The corn succotash adorning the halibut was low on flavor with the corn lacking any sweetness or freshness. The service was excellent, the ambience lovely, it is just a shame the quality has become inconsistent. read more

This will sound silly but I'm okay with it; growing up in Santa Fe The Compound was famous. White glove back then. I never imagined being able to dine there. While it's business casual now, the service, food & drinks & ambience were absolutely everything I could have imagined. Maître d' was wonderfully attentive (if you like The Bear, you get the picture). I hope to go back someday in warmer weather because the patio looks amazing read more

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This was a big fat bust. Pretentious attitude and unflattering cuisine. The best thing was the onion rings. They were great. All of the dishes (fishes) were a terrible bore. I did not pick this one, thank goodness, but I had to give up Saison AND Geronimo to go with my group here. It SUCKS! read more

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I've eaten at the compound many times. I have a service dog who's very well trained. He's he's been with me at the compound many when we got there, the host said that we couldn't come in with the dog. I told her it was a Service dog then the manager came who is very rude and told us if we wanted to eat we had to eat outside and it was very hot. I know the owner of the compound and I asked to speak to him. He came down and he was very rude to me. I said I had a medical condition and I can't sit outside and he said he doesn't care about my medical condition. I have two choices either sit outside or leave I have never been treated like that by anybody unfortunately I had to stay there and eat cause I was with our friends, but I'm warning everybody if you go to the compound and you have a service dog you are not welcome, I was so upset, I could not eat read more

Ass no good I went here for graduation but it was a nightmare. The food was bland, service was rude, and the overall ambiance of the place was embarrassing. Never coming back read more

Three of us agreed: Presentation of entrees were aesthetically pleasing to the eye but offered nothing special for our palates. Ambience is elegant & minimalist with white tablecloths and large windows. Overall vibe is "Posh" but experienced no true artistry here. Finally we hoped the desserts might compensate some for our mediocre entrees... again they were lovely to look at but quite underwhelming in taste & mouth-feel profiles. Santa Fe has many other superior restaurants! read more

A truly exceptional restaurant. Everything from the food to the service was spot on and enjoyable. Each dish was a delight!

I've heard a lot about The Compound Restaurant. So glad that I had a chance to sample it for dinner. Service was a 10/10! They know how to do it right Salad 10/10 better than I had anticipated The Pork Tenderloin was an 8/10. Prepared exquisitely. Presentation off the chart. Flavor was lacking. One of the people in my party had the Wild Alaskan Halibut, I wish I had ordered that for dinner. A friend who had visited recently was talking about the Sea Bass and that would have been nice too. However, it wasn't a special on the week night I visited. One of the great things about The Compound Restaurant is the consistency of its menu. I look forward to a return visit to find some of the flavor that escaped my main course on the first visit. read more

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What a great time we had sitting in the Compound Bar having dinner and drinks. Make sure to have a reservation because the bar is very intimate and small but you definitely want to be sitting here. The drinks are great and so is the food!! read more

The Compound Restaurant - sunken bar is a must ! - New American Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We went to The Compound for an event in Santa Fe. As a vegetarian dishes can be tricky I'm sure. Our waitress rushed out of the gate and asked what we wanted for dinner as soon as we were seated. We didn't even look at the menu or put in our drink order yet. She then argued with me that no vegetarian options were available and it was a set menu, which was not true because 2 of us were vegetarian. She finally came back and said I could get the corn chowder soup as my appetizer, the risotto as my main course and I ordered the peaches and cream for dessert. All in all I would rate the food a 5 out of 10. The soup was good, the risotto was a little too al dente for my liking with way too much onion in it and for the dessert it was literally 4 bites. It would have been phenomenal with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a crumble on top to give it some dimension. My husband had the tuna tartare, the beef tenderloin and the opera cake. All in all, it would be a one time visit. read more

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Great staple in the city of Santa Fe. Ambience inside and out is so inviting. Great bar if you like to socialize. Two story restaurant provides for great date night venue or seating for larger parties. Recently was nominated for the prestigious James Beard award so we made reservations weeks in advance of our dinner. Staff was great. In advance reached out to us to ensure everyone in our party would not have issue with going up/down stairs to second floor table. This attention to detail was a prelude to a great dining experience. Great cocktails and extensive wine list helped to start evening well. Highly recommend the onion rings for an appetizer. By far the best onion rings I have had in my life. Lightly battered purple onions provided perfect consistency of onion to batter ratio. For dinner ordered the grilled black angus beef tenderloin. Served with grilled broccolini, red onion marmalade paired perfectly with the beef. Beef was perfectly cooked (medium) . Overall, great restaurant well deserving of a James Beard award nomination. read more

The Compound Restaurant - Grilled Natural Reserve Black Angus Beef Tenderloin served with broccolini, red onion marmalade, sauce verte beurre rouge - New American Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

There was absolutely nothing I could complain about. Great service, great food, great atmosphere.

The Compound is where Santa Fe's old money goes to lunch like it's the twentieth century: Meals are leisurely here -- no one's worried about going back to work because they're either independently wealthy or comfortably retired. (Given the prices on the menu and the fact that the clientele's median age is well into the bracket that receives Social Security, it's usually both.) Like most restaurants in Santa Fe, the walls are covered in artwork. Unlike most restaurants in Santa Fe, this art is not for sale, so the art is actually good. A meal at The Compound is like dining in a small art museum. The food is refined, elegant, but not overly fussy -- one of the most beloved items are their delicious onion rings, which are simple but perfectly executed and worth every calorie. The most famous dish is the chicken schnitzel, a huge disc of breaded, fried chicken breast served with lemon juice and capers in the traditional Austrian style. Like those onion rings, it was both simple and perfect. I had the quail dish, with a boneless quail stuffed with a pork and pistachio sausage served on a bed on grits and greens, topped with a fresh fig. The quail was cooked perfectly, and the sausage was succulent, not overseasoned. The greens still had crispness, and, most importantly, the grits were the exact right texture, creamy and silky. My grits-loving Louisiana mother would have no complaints. The only misstep: The carrots were slightly undercooked. We were far too sated for dessert at our lunch -- maybe the one time I passed on dessert in Santa Fe. Maybe I indulged in too much of their delicious warm bread with soft butter. Service was gracious. It was a wonderful meal at a wonderful restaurant. The Compound really deserves all the plaudits it receives, and if one can only go to one high-end restaurant in Santa Fe, it should be The Compound. read more

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Just dress up and get ready for a gourmet meal Great Bar Great Salad Great Fish And...the desert is excellent Pricey but worth it I am a regular read more

So close to a great experience, but The Compound is just lacking in a few key aspects - I think if they just tightened up these few things, they could qualify easily as a 5 star experience! Firstly, the food was excellent. I can see why they were recently nominated for the James Beard Foundation's Excellent Restaurant for this reason. Chef Weston Ludeke and team did a great job on all our dishes. For starters, we ordered the cold cucumber soup, melon and prosciutto, heirloom tomato salad, onion rings (AMAZING), and lobster and bay scallop. All were thoughtful, well plated, and delicious. For mains, we ordered the halibut, the half chicken, and 2 orders of the pork chop. The halibut and chicken both had excellent browning, and all the mains were cooked to tender perfection, and very well seasoned. The food was markedly better this visit than our previous visit, so the new Executive Chef is definitely making a big impact in our opinion. For areas of improvement, I think the main area I have constructive feedback on is the FOH (front of house) experience. Our server was excellent - very warm, friendly, helpful, responsive, but not overbearing. A+ for him. However, the food runners were another story. They couldn't keep track of who had sparkling vs still water at our table, which honestly isn't a big deal at all, except they would talk and gesture over our heads to other runners/bussers to try to figure it out. At a "normal" restaurant I honestly wouldn't have even noticed, but at a fine dining restaurant with a $10 charge per bottle of water, this is a bit of a gaffe. My cold cucumber soup was poured table-side - this is the other hilarious experience where the lack of finesse on the part of the food runners was especially evident. They place the beautifully composed bowl with dollops of sauce and little shaped balls of melon carefully in front of me, but then the food runner takes the bottle of soup and dumps the soup pretty aggressively and unceremoniously into the bowl over everything. I've dined at several Michelin star restaurants that serve soup table-side, they pour in a circular motion and in a purposeful and non-noisy way (no "glug glug" sound to be found lol). If you're going to pour so carelessly and aggressively, please don't even bother with pouring table-side - I honestly wouldn't have noticed if the soup was brought out already poured! The soup was DELICIOUS, but this type of careless presentation at the finish line was hilarious. I saw the GM, Rodolphe, make the rounds to warmly greet all the other tables dining at the same time as us. However, I saw his eyes glance over our table multiple times, and he clearly deemed us "unimportant" - he didn't even smile or acknowledge our presence. Again, at a non fine dining restaurant we wouldn't have cared at all - but it does suck to be the only table to be passed over, it was noticeable to me and honestly pretty rude. A small note about the desserts - I agree with other reviewers who noted that the opera cake lacked intensity. The other gaffe was that we ordered the Peach Tart based on both the server's rec, and the description - the menu clearly stated that there was a frangipane element as well as a Pâte Sucrée crust. However, when it was brought out - it was just peach compote in a ramekin dish with some crumbles and ice cream on top? As a baker, I was really excited to try their frangipane and the Pâte Sucrée crust (things I generally am too lazy to make myself) - so the fact that they brought out what was clearly NOT a peach tart with no explanation (if they ran out, or perhaps made a last minute substitution, we would have been totally fine with it! Just communicate with us please!) was disappointing. The pastry program could use some tweaking for sure. Lastly, when I made the reservation, the restaurant asked if we were celebrating any special occasion. I marked down that it was my birthday! When we arrived, the host said "Whose birthday are we celebrating?" and I answered "Mine!" with a grin! Then.... nothing. There was zero acknowledgement of my birthday. I have seen other photos of desserts at The Compound having "Happy Birthday!" or "Happy Anniversary!" written on plates, so I know this is a thing they do. But for me, they didn't even verbally acknowledge my birthday, let alone write it on a plate, or comp a dessert etc. If you're not going to bother to do anything with it, maybe don't ask if it's a special occasion? Definitely made me feel a bit sad. I think my husband and I were the only ones to notice all these "lacking" elements. My parents loved the attentive service of our server, and the food, so they were happy. We definitely didn't make a fuss at all, and were an easy-going table who tipped big (we always do). The only reason I want to point out these aspects is because I really feel like The Compound could be as excellent as they purport to be! The things they fall short on are easily actionable. read more

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A visit to Santa Fe combined with a birthday celebration! The Compound got several accolades for wine lists and cuisine...we better try it! The reservations were set, for the birthday lady, and we made it a date. Parking areas were packed in, but we found a spot without waiting too long. The Hostess and manager greeted us at the door.... Such a nice touch and a pleasure to meet you both! A table upstairs awaits (please tell the reservationist if you have anyone with physical limitations!) in the private dining room. Our server, Javy, and henchmen, were on the ball. Our glasses never went empty as well as our bellies. Outstanding service staff, in the house! The food...oh, the food! The Tuna Tartare, the Risotto Nightly special, Crab Louie, and other starters---phenomenal! Entrees like Duck, Grass-fed Beef, Elk, Pork Tenderloin, Halibut, and others--all perfectly cooked and plated for our party of five! The desserts... Chocolate Opera Cake, Peach Cheese Pie (Toasted pine nuts!) and some sorbets, as well as coffees and after dinner drinks (Grand Marnier and other brandies/cognacs) were a great way to finish the evening. Special events like birthdays were meant for this place and vice versa. Absolutely a wonderful dining experience! Strongly recommend this place as they are accommodating in every way. This is one of my highlights of the trip. Call, make reservations, and enjoy the experience. Well done, Chef and staff! read more

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On a local recommendation, my sweetie and I were lucky to get a reservation at The Compound on short notice. It was suggested to us to consider dining at the bar, as it is an intimate setting. The bar area seats 12 diners, and the bartender works in a recessed area. The surrounding diners can watch the mixologist's work continuously. His hands and arms shake, stir, and pour drinks for the dining room, patio, and bar. The bartender also takes orders from the diners around the bar. Our appetizers of seasonal morel mushrooms in a delicious sauce with side bread and Colossal shrimp served over a bed of red sauce spaghetti came to the table quickly. The Halibut entree and Beef tenderloin were prepared perfectly. The dessert of a Hazelnut Butterfinger ice cream was a not-too-sweet confection to top off a delicious meal. So, why only three stars? Dining at the bar had a drawback. The bartender was overly busy. We received our appetizers and waited a long time for our entree orders to be taken. By the time our meals came it was 6:40. Having been told earlier the next seating was at 7 pm we felt rushed to enjoy our entree and dessert. Though the food at the Compound is excellent the service at the bar was a disappointment. Having the bartender mix drinks for the entire restaurant and bar area was too hectic on our visit to properly serve the bar area as well. On a future visit we will choose to be seated in the dining room. read more

The Compound Restaurant - Wild morel mushroom appetizer. Outstanding. - New American Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

I agree with other reviews that the ambience here is wonderful. As soon as you walk in there is no doubt that you are in a high class joint. The steak medallion I had was probably the most tender cut of beef I have had in a long time, and was just full of flavor. The onion rings were great, and the quantity was such that our party of three was unable able to finish them. So why only a three star review? It's all about the pricing unfortunately. Even my parents, who have dined here periodically and rarely flinch at the cost of a nice meal made a comment about the increase in pricing. Business appeared to be slow when we arrived at six in the evening, which begs the question of whether people were eating there less due to the pricing or if they increased their pricing due to people eating out less. At any rate for three entrees, one appetizer and two glasses of champagne the end tab ran at $250, for a total of $300 with tip, which definitely puts this place into the category of somewhere I'ld take my wife on our anniversary but certainly not for a weekly or even monthly meal. I get that everything is more expensive now with inflation but it kind of kills your business when the cost of the meal starts approaching a monthly car payment. read more

Fantatic restaurant! Winner of the James Beard award. Chef just turned over the reins to a new chef 6 months ago. Wouldn't have known. Every course had several unique combinations. The restaurant is on Canyon road on the expensive art area. Ironically the restaurant was started befort it became an art mecca. For the first course my wife got the vichy soisse. It was on the original menu 22 years ago. See the picture. I got the lobster and scallop. You need to read the menu and see the pictures to learn the details. For dinner we both got the halibut. Please read the menu. For dessert i got the chocolate coffee mousse cake any my wife got the pear dessert. Go there! read more

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Great drinks , snappy service, and Santa Fe sabrosa!!!!!Leave your attitude at the door and enjoy your meal . You are eating in a historic restaurant on the Santa Fe River and in a beautiful place ;) read more

This restaurant is everything that you read in the positive reviews. The ambience, the food, and the service are all first class. The compound absolutely has got to be among the top three restaurants in an especially outstanding group of Santa Fe eating establishments. It really doesn't matter what you order off the menu, it's going to be outstanding and the service is impeccable. This was a great experience. read more

Justifiably famous. The charming interior designed by Alexander Girard (the angled booth seating is unique and comfortable), the charming staff... And the superb food! Came here for lunch. First comes the fresh bread and butter--yum! Next, the onion ring tower (lightly battered, almost like tempura). I had the house-made pastrami sandwich--toothsome, tender, with Beer-Braised Sweet Onions Horseradish- Mustard Mayonnaise, house made chips and coke slaw. My friend had the edge salad with Bleu cheese and bacon. Dessert was heavenly Molton chocolate cake with blood orange sorbet. The staff is so nice, they don't rush you. This is a very special place for a memorable meal! TIP: Reservations are a must! read more

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Our other fine dining-ish experience in Sant Fe was happily a success. We went here on a weekday when they weren't so busy so we were able to score excellent seats. Service was very friendly and we were digging the dstinctive architecture. But on to the food... Our favorite dishes were the quail, which was excellent, and the agnolotti. But all of the dishes were at least tasty. So why the four stars instead of five? Well in our opinion the food, the presentation, the menu itself were all a bit "tired", even though they were well executed. You ever get the feeling that you've had the same dish and the same taste like a million times before? Yeah like that. But still tasty food and a good experience. read more

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I always eat, and drink, in the bar! A cozy horseshoe shaped seating arrangement. The Compound changes their menu 4X a year, so check the menu for specials. I love all their steaks and chops, as I'm a carnivore! It's not an inexpensive place to eat, but once you eat there, you'll understand the pricing! If you want to sit in the bar, as I do, call a couple of days in advance! read more

I like going to The Compound for lunch and often have the pastrami sandwich. Today however, the sandwich's rye bread pieces were small and stale, as if it was the end of an older loaf. The pastrami was dry as well, perhaps if there had been more carmelized onions it would have helped. I was disappointed. On the plus side, our waiter was very good! read more

I will preface my review by saying I don't remember having written one that complains about a restaurant. This may be too long to be posted. But.... I hadn't been to the Compound for dinner for at least 5 years. Lunch, yes, dinner, no. This was meant to be a treat. I made reservations following the restaurant protocols as laid out on their phone message. When we arrived at the restaurant at 5:15, we were told they didn't have us on the list. We lingered a bit and the receptionist said we could have a table if we were able to finish by 7:00 PM. We were led to a table squished into a corner by a derelict-looking door. I don't know what was behind the door, but during our meals sewer gas smells wafted over the table. The restaurant had only one other occupied table. We finished by 7:00. No one appeared and the restaurant was still mostly empty by then but, I understand, reservations. When the menu came the waiter said they had just changed the summer menu - the one that was on line. I had looked at it beforehand and decided what I wanted for dinner. What I wanted was no longer available. The waiter claimed the new menu had been posted. It had not. I even checked the following day and it still had not. At this point I was not happy and so decided I didn't want to order any of their over-priced wine. The waiter may have seen his tip diminished (who knows?). He was fairly surly to me. The Compound serves soup with the garnish in the middle and then pours the "piping hot" broth around it. I ordered the celeriac soup. I went to the restroom to wash my hands. I passed the waitress coming with my soup. I said, "oh dear, that looks like my soup". She smiled and continued to my table. When I got back to the table, the broth was poured and the soup had cooled. A good restaurant would have taken the soup back to the kitchen, or, at the very least, waited until I was back to the table to pour the broth. Although it was more like a chilled soup, it turned out the soup was the best part of the meal. The pressed lobster and bay scallop patty was fishy tasting. The beurre blanc was fairly good. My companion decided to have dessert. The waiter described a dish that she ordered. When it came, I said that looks like an empanada. The waitress overheard, came, and said they had made a mistake. My companion had already finished most of the empanada by that time. Nonetheless, they brought out the proper dessert. She asked them to box it. I ordered herbal tea. They brought a "selection" of 3 bags. One was caffeinated, one was Twinings, the third was the stuff in the plastic mesh bag. I got the Twinings. They charged $7.00 for that tea bag. OK, complaints of the not quite 1%. However, the Compound is pretentious and presents itself as an up-scale restaurant. None of these actions were those of a class restaurant. It is expensive as well. I did grudgingly leave a 20% tip though I usually tip more. Incidentally, I love Counter Culture, Chocolate Maven, Geronimo for up-scale, and so on. I was thoroughly disappointed and want to vent about it. read more

This restaurant truly deserves it's reputation as one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe. The food was incredible. Our server - David - could not have been better. And the restaurant was completely accommodating regarding my seating requests. Try the onion rings - the best I've ever had! read more