Cafe Bien
400 Central Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102
Cafe Bien Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Albuquerque for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Albuquerque for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Albuquerque for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
400 Central Ave SW
Albuquerque, NM, 87102 - Phone (505) 738-2567
- Website https://cafebienabq.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 4:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Ryan M.
Absolutely amazing! I ordered a very large takeout breakfast order for a baby shower. The service was absolutely incredible and the food was even better! We ordered several of the breakfast burritos. They were not only HUGE but they were SO delicious! They use some real, authentic, and spicy green chile! Banana Split breakfast, cobbler, oatmeal, and especially the hotcakes were all absolutely fantastic! I cannot wait to try their dinner!
(5)Tally E.
I was immediately interested in the bacon and eggs and the biscuits and gravy. Our waitress informed us that they were out of both. Sigh. So I built my own omelet with bacon, onion, mushrooms, and avocado. The egg was overcooked, a bit dry and rubbery. The avocado was overripe and brown in spots. The service was good. The dining room was clean. The decor was a bit drab, but the big windows offer a fun view of downtown. I'm willing to try this place again given the great reviews, but I'm in no hurry.
(3)Lauren S.
This is a solid little breakfast joint. I had the breakfast burrito and it didn't disappoint. It was a generous portion with the classic fillings. The green chili wasn't spectacular but a solid attempt. I must admit that I prefer green chili that isn't thickened with corn starch and isn't seasoned with cumin, so I am definitely biased. I had a couple bites of my mother's waffles that were topped with some type of berry compote. It was very delicious! I forgot the name of the dish, but it is a breakfast option that contains pork belly --it looks so good. Unfortunately, they were out of the pork belly dish around noon, so I missed out on it. The people next to us were raving about it. Give this place a try! It is really cute and has some nice breakfast/lunch options.
(3)Amy O.
What a wonderful Cafe in downtown Albuquerque! The wait staff was very attentive and helpful. It was a beautiful day and we decided to eat on the patio. There are a nice set of trees to block the sun allowing for a great atmosphere. This new location has a lot of space, great patio area and room to grow! The portion sizes where the right size just enough to fill my appetite but not to much to make me feel like a sloth. I am a Southern Girl who likes a lot of gravy with my biscuits but this healthier version of biscuits and gravy was delicious. The eggs and bacon I highly recommend. The potato cake with green chili was a perfect blend for the palate. I honestly saved the pork belly in maple syrup with cayenne seasoning for last, plus I wasn't willing to share them with anyone! They reminded me of my grandmothers but with a modern twist!
(4)PJ G.
Service was awesome. I just finished the breakfast burrito with sausage. It was the best I have had yet in Albq. Slightly crisped outside of sausage and everything else cooked great. Coffee is good too.
(5)Rich B.
It was our first time here. Lunch on a Saturday. I heard about this place through my daughter, stating it was one of her favorite places to eat and also featured on 2KASA Style. I had the Taco Trio, with a chicken, beef and pork taco. The first thing I noticed was that the corn tortillas were grilled nicely, bringing out the flavor. Everything was flavored well. The salsa was exceptional. We will definitely be back. Maybe for breakfast, as that menu looked awesome.
(4)Chris O.
First time we went, one omelette off by one ingredient-- figured they were new and should be afforded a mistake or two. Food was good, service was great, setting was nice. Went again, one omelette perfect, one entirely off. Asked that they make me the omelette I requested, seemed they simply scooped out the wrong ingredients for their replacement. Unfortunately, second omelette also wrong by 2 of 3 ingredients. No toast with any of the omelettes like there was the first time. No proactive apologies or corrective measures taken. Coffee was godawful, undrinkable concoction. Will be quite a while before going back.
(2)Danielle S.
Love this place! Beautiful atmosphere - simple but unique. TVs on walls with optional bar seating. I ordered a salad called Seasonal Greens with grilled chicken and it was phenomenal. My co-workers ordered The Pastrami and Grilled Chicken Club and both loved their sandwiches. Each dish had a unique touch to it! Service was excellent! I'll definitely come back and try breakfast - the options looked amazing.
(5)Howie K.
You gotta love a place that has a camera poised on the kitchen, streaming to the dining room. I've worked my share of restaurants and let me tell you, the shit that goes on in the back, it's not safe to air to the general public. Cooks, as a species, are in the back for a reason. They're not sociable people, and they don't like the general public. "Ballistic" is a term most likely invented for this subset. In the heat of battle, pans and obscenities are often hurled with oblivion. At Cafe Bien, there's a flat screen next to the menu that broadcasts the activities in the room where your food is prepared. Ballsy, for sure. And smart. Ernesto Duran, the main man behind these dishes, is obviously attempting to change the game, and in my estimation he's succeeding. Streamlined and professional, this tiny eatery tucked in an office complex away from the street is somewhat spectacular. The dude cooks the way I do at home (please don't let this remark chase you away), in that he uses unorthodox ingredients in otherwise familiar dishes and he creates magic. The cheesesteak sammy is on sourdough with gouda, it's incredible. Throw some raw tuna on that Ceasar. Breakfast all day, yeah, that's how I roll. Mix it up, scratch it, there's a live DJ set happening on these plates and the beats are unique. So here's my worry: can they survive? Based on the casualty rate of new businesses downtown, odds are certainly against them. It would be a great shame to see this place go. Like Adieux Cafe, this is a lunch spot that the suits downtown should be raving about. Which is why you use Yelp, right? Get over to these digs and grab a bite. You won't be disappointed, and while you're at it, check out the bathrooms. Serial. They're the love child of a gym and a night club, without the grime.
(4)Jeff M.
New location is great. Come check it out, the service is a little sluggish, but not "bad." They got us in and out in an hour, which is pretty important to the downtown working class. The food is pretty good, but the breakfasts look incredible. Ernesto is going to be the next great thing in Albuquerque plus watching the streaming webcam of the kitchen is an awesome gimmick!!
(5)Audrey J.
Just had lunch here with a friend and am still apparently on my salad tour of Albuquerque. I ordered the Chef Salad and it was was ahhhhmazing. Yes, the egg was hard poached to perfection (the menu says "eggs" but there was only one), the croutons had a great crunchy but not hard texture (obviously house-made), the cherry tomatoes were ripe and the deli ham was deli ham, but the real standout? The herb vinaigrette. Great googly moogly. I could have ordered it by the shot. I consider myself quite the salad dressing connoisseur as I make my own at home, but I am not afraid to say that this is the best salad dressing I have had in my entire life. Next time, I'm getting breakfast (and will probably get the side salad just so I can have this dressing again).
(4)Zack A.
Wow is all I can say! We had the poached eggs, green chili pancake, maple pork bellies and amazing waffles! Would highly recommend this place if in downtown Albuquerque!
(5)Rebecca T.
Breakfast burrito was AMAZING! Generous size, stuffed with plenty of tender potatoes, eggs, cheese, and chorizo. Yes...the chorizo was hot, oily, salty goodness. So good... :P Only downside was that service was slow. Took a while to get our food and check. Definitely want to come back, though. For another breakfast burrito, and perhaps one of their dessert parfaits. Bien fait, Café Bien! :)
(4)Jon O.
Had breakfast here twice and the food was good both times. I can't say that it was amazing but the service was excellent and warranted five stars. I found the food well cooked and seasoned I would return if I ever come here again.
(5)Paul G.
Downtown foodie here. First time at Cafe Bien. Awesome breakfast burrito! Great urban cafe with a thoughtful level of music. Can't wait to try the rest of the menu. Great friendly service from Nico. Downtown rocks!
(5)Brian C.
Amazing staff with a creative and delicious menu! A wonderful option for Sunday brunch with indoor and patio dining. Terrific local business on the rise with tons of passion for the restaurant and its customers. ¡Viva café bien!
(5)Have On A.
Still a family fav! Super yummy everything! Come check out their new location! It's in the corner of Central and 4th st Downtown. Congrats Cafe' Bein!
(5)Charity T.
So well done, and with so much love and passion. Chef Ernesto Duran really pours thought, creativity, and passion into everything he does. The Bacon and Eggs dish is fantastic. Poached eggs and hollandaise made to order, pork belly, toasted brioche, and green chile potato pancakes are definitely a must!
(5)Myron C.
This place is absolutely the best breakfast food around if you are looking for vegan options. The vegan hash is incredible. Added on a side of fresh fruit and really great green tea. Great location with outdoor seating. Friendly people and service with a smile:)
(5)Annie J.
Cafe Bien has a lot of potential, which is exhibited in their menu and how it's presented at the table. Like many casual, local restaurants, you wait in line to order, then sit down and have your meal delivered to your table. They clearly are having fun. Many examples abound. Instead of offering up a free basket of tortilla chips and salsa when you sit down, they offer up whole, flat, fried tortillas, which diners then break up and dip in a blended pico de gallo. Their Green Chile Stew seems to have more spices than what one usually finds in this traditional New Mexican stew, and it still has the usual punch to it, too. If you order the cup instead of the bowl, it's a generous bowl size. Their bowl must be tremendous and for the truly hearty eater or for those wishing to share. They have a mix of cuisines here offering up New Mexican dishes along with, perhaps, more American cuisine. Their Grilled Chicken Club is nicely grilled and has a tasty mix of chicken, bacon, pepper jack cheese, guacamole and sprouts. It comes on a green chile cheddar bagel, which is mighty fine. They have a Fish & Chips made with blackened cod and shoestring French Fries. It comes with the usual accoutrements, catsup, vinegar, tartar sauce and lemon slices. The punch comes with the Sriracha sauce for added dipping pleasure. I haven't seen this before, so it's a nice creative touch, which goes along with keeping this dish hot and spicy, New Mexican style. They serve breakfast all day long, and have a solid selection, all with a creative touch, offered here. I tried their Vegan Hash, which was decent with it's mix of grilled asparagus, potatoes, leeks and tomatoes, along with cubed tofu. It's nicely spiced, but there was something about this dish which seemed a little lacking. For one, there didn't seem to be any Soy Rizo or green chile, which are highlighted on the menu. In this particular serving, there was a lot of asparagus, making it the main ingredient. I really could have done without that much. I love me some asparagus, but not that much. The addition of Soy Rizo, green chile, plus a wider variety of veggies would have brought a spark to this dish. The tofu didn't seem grilled, but was fine. Though grilling it would be tasty. Their other breakfast dishes are certainly ones to try, or at least, long to try. Though their Bacon & Eggs dish sounds pretty basic, it's anything but basic featuring brioche, poached eggs, pork belly, hollandaise sauce and a green chile potato pancake. The green chile potato pancake, alone, sounds like something to not be missed. They have several sweet, decadent dishes for breakfast, including their Crèpe Trio is made with vanilla, brown sugar,chocolate crèpes, warm salted pecans, crème anglaise and strawberry jam, while their Waffle is topped with a fresh berry compote and mascarpone cheese and a brown butter maple syrup. Their hotcakes are made with a molasses pancake batter (who wouldn't want to try this?) and is topped with honey-roasted walnuts, fresh bananas, peanut butter and maple syrup. And they have another truly hedonistic breakfast dish, the Breakfast Banana Split. It's made with bananas, mascarpone cheese, seasonal fruit compote, candied pineapple, chocolate syrup and assorted nuts. What a way to start your day, though breakfast is served throughout the day. Sign me up! I'll try one of each and deal with the diabetes later. If you're pressed for time, be sure to check out many of their dishes prepared in under 10 minutes, which they denote with a blue clock. They are Downtown and thinking of their Downtown business clientele. Once they get settled in, hopefully they will consider staying open well beyond 4 p.m., so those who live Downtown -- and who most definitely long for creative dinners -- can share in the fun, too. Cafe Bien is still working out the kinks, but it's definitely worth trying.
(4)todd s.
Great smothered burritos and steak and eggs. Chef does the small details that make this place a winner. Steak comes with leeks, cippolinis, sweet peppers, jalapeños etc. Quality ingredients. Keep up the good work.
(5)Leslie A.
The service was very friendly and attentive. My eggs were perfectly poached (which is a big deal for me). They were ok with replacing my bacon and eggs meal with avocado instead of bacon, it comes with a brioche, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, and a green chile potato pancake. I love the smaller serving sizes! The only thing I didn't like we're the 2 tvs playing cable TV, very distracting, but I did like the TV that had a feed from the kitchen. They are moving soon, I'm excited to try their new location!
(5)Kathy T.
Bacon and eggs like you've never had it before! The bacon was a carmelized pork belly and the eggs were perfectly poached. The grilled hash browns were filled with scallions. The toast was grilled perfectly. Delish!
(5)Mat L.
A must in Albuquerque. Food is delicious and staff/owners take huge pride in their restaurant and food. Breakfast was delicious....chive biscuits and gravy + omelette + breakfast parfait......filling, but fresh. We will definitely be back for lunch/dinner or catering.
(5)Lezlee L.
Something amazing happened today....I ordered breakfast for lunch. Although this may not seem amazing, trust me it is because I hate breakfast food. However, their bacon and egg dish sounded so good that I couldn't pass it up, and I was not disappointed. Each element of the meal was thoughtfully crafted and delicious! It included green Chile pancakes, poached eggs with House made hollandaise sauce, brioche, and pork belly. So yummy!
(5)David R.
Great spot for breakfast bacon and egg dish is the best I have ever had.
(5)Shawna S.
Best bacon and eggs I've had in a long time. The eggs were perfectly poached and the hollandaise sauce consistency was perfecto. All was tasty
(4)Larry G.
Not bad, place was EMPTY at 1PM on a Saturday. I give this place a 3 because the food was pretty good (expect for the "spicy chicken wrap" had regular chicken in it, had to ask for Tabasco to get any heat), Burger was good, chef salad was good and the Pastrami sandwich was good but it took over 30 minutes to get our food with 2 other customers in the place. hence the reason we didn't send back the wrap, we didn't want to wait another 10 minutes to eat.
(3)Jeffrey V.
Outstanding in every way. I've been in ABQ just about ten hours and wanted an incredible breakfast. I found it here. This is not a cowboy breakfast restaurant. It's also not a pretentious uppity cafe with tiny portions and huge prices. The dishes here are created for unique tastes with traditional ingredients. Nothing here is off the wall exotic, but the pairings are different than just popping two eggs over easy with some toast and jelly. There's time and places for hillbilly food and those places are fine in their own right. Cafe Bien wants to give you familiar food with a taste that you may have never thought off on your own. Don't let that put you off, come on in and ask questions if you're curios. The staff here is on a mission to ensure you have not only great food, but a great experience as well. Nico made breakfast all that much better with his kindness and expediency. How often have you had a server that's exudes pride of working in their restaurant? Nico will work to make sure your experience is awesome and he knows that he is on the front line of the cafes success.
(5)Val S.
We never ate. We walked in excited. There was one customer there seated. We waited and the went to the bar and my husband yelled "anyone here?" No one came or responded. We ended up leaving very disappointed
(1)Don B.
Welcome to the southwest corner of 4th & Central, Cafe Bien! Former space of Nick's Crossroads Cafe. Tried the vegan hash tonight, and it was excellent: breakfast potatoes with asparagus, green chile, soyrizo, and tofu. Just the right amount of spice, served in a breakfast skillet. Glad to see it has evening hours ('til 8pm) six days a week. Breakfast/lunch/soup/salad menu served all day. Can't wait to try the other items on the menu, including fish and chips.
(4)Rita S.
I went there for the second time today with two friends. The service was slow the first time, but perfect today. I enjoyed the peanut butter pancakes so much the first time that I ordered them again today. Heavenly! WAY too much for one person! My friends and I only had an hour for lunch, and service was very efficient today. Waitress very professional and quick. I will definitely go back--maybe a friend and I will share the pancakes and something else. If not, I will doubtless order the pancakes again all by myself! Also, one friend arrived late today and the waitress was great about rushing her salad.
(5)Colin P.
Just had quite possibly the best breakfast I've ever tasted. The Bacon and Eggs (brioche, poached eggs, pork belly, hollandaise and green chile potato pancake) is out of this world. Great service too. Everything was perfect. Visit this place for breakfast if you are ever in ABQ.
(5)Chris G.
This place....amazing would be an understatement, the red chili is better than my moms hands down. The burger juicy best in ABQ I will have dreams about. Get the burger with everything it's worth it. This is a gem hidden downtown, you will be happy you found it.
(5)Pedro C.
Disappointed. Chorizo was burned and fruit cup had "protein" (some sort of larvae). Expected better food based on reviews and rating.
(2)Gaston H.
After a generally unsuccessful brunch at another well known downtown café, a friend suggested that I should have gone to Café Bien instead of the one I had unfortunately chosen. As the friend obviously knows his way around the culinary arts, I was determined to visit Bien a.s.a.p. I've just returned from there and am grateful to the friend who recommended it. The impression I had upon first entering the restaurant is that it was clean, utilitarian, and a bit on the hip side. Its location across the street from the Kimo theatre lends itself to a good business trade from the professionals who walk from their offices nearby. The crowd was diverse: young business execs, secretaries, bicyclists and assorted jocks; all seemed to be comfortable and happy to be there. Our waitress was sweet, attractive, and when asked had some good suggestions for our meals. The winning order at the table was the taco trio (one each of pork, beef steak, and shrimp). The steak was of good quality; the shrimp tasted fresh, and the pork tangy. The order was accompanied by a bowl of green chili stew, nicely seasoned and still managed to be light. Another excellent choice was the cheese steak sandwich, served on French bread, accompanied by a large green salad; both were attractive to the eye and the taste buds. The least outstanding dish was the seasonal salad with overcooked, tasteless, grilled chicken breast. The salad was good; the salad dressing, excellent; the chicken, poor. We all had the mango tea which was refreshing. I would assume that most of the patrons have to get back to their offices and therefore do not time for dessert. The waitress was surprised when I asked what she had. She was enthusiastic about their cobblers (mixed berry, cinnamon, or cherry) which are prepared when ordered, thereby taking about 15 minutes to reach the table. We enjoyed the hot cherry cobbler, served with crème fresh and vanilla ice cream. It was good, but not great. A restaurant with a French name might do well to have some type of pastry for dessert. An acceptable napoleon could be put together easily with a little puff pastry, whipped cream, and berries. I watched the food being carried in and enjoyed at the other tables. I must say it all looked good, really good. The sandwiches looked particularly enticing, and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food. I particularly liked the menu, which I thought was cleverly inventive and diverse, and the attractive but not overly fussy presentation. It's a really good breakfast/lunch place, and I'll definitely be back. Se bien, mon ami.
(4)Ryan T.
The best place for breakfast in Albuquerque hands down. The bacon and eggs, as plain as it sounds it's far from it. Hope this place becomes a mainstay.
(5)J S.
Visiting from LA and unaware of what is a good eat, we yelped this place and I just affirm, Cafe Bien is a complete Albuquerque gem. Hands down, the food, customer service and the downtown context makes this a Mecca for the client interested in the element of surprise. Try the breakfast burrito with steak, a completely melt in your mouth experience. Our kiddo is one picky eater and she ate all of kids breakfast without complaints. Thank you for adding to the quality of this amazing Southwestern experience.
(5)El W.
I ordered green chile stew thinking how does one mess this up?
(2)Kevin S.
Awesome café the lunch I had was fantastic green chili soup and the chicken club sandwich both very good. Going to try the breakfast next time I go in the staff was all friendly and nice.
(5)Kabee V.
First time here. Found it on Yelp. Decided to check it out. Was after the morning rush and right before lunch. Friendly service, food arrived shortly after order and was delicious. I had the bacon and eggs. Not veing a big breakfast person, I thought the portion was good for $10. I still didn't finish the meal because there was quite a bit of food on the plate. Place was close to my hotel and literally a 5 minute walk away. They serve breakfast all day and is decently priced. The atmosphere is nice, and me being a Michael Jackson fan, the music vibe was to my liking. You could have a good time and still have a nice conversation with your table mates. Would recommend people to give this place a try.
(4)Jarad B.
My wife and I are from out of town, and we were looking for a quick bite to eat. We stumbled into this Gem. We had black coffee with their to die for bacon and eggs and their mouth watering french toast with glazed apples and walnuts. The service was amazing. There are plenty of TVs and electrical outlets for those of you who work out of your office.
(5)Chris S.
They provided food for the cars and coffee this morning. The burritos were a big hit among the crowd. I also tried the croissant sandwich which was small but delish.
(4)Thor S.
Why isn't this place packed? Oh yeah it's downtown ABQ on a Tuesday morn. Well, no worries, no waiting, and no complaints. The food and the service are truly fantastic. Definitely worth coming back.
(5)James A.
Great Christmas style breakfast burrito. Close to train station and free coffee refills They moved to a better location But the service has fallen.
(4)Chris C.
My wife and I were on our way to our usual Gold Street Sunday breakfast place and it was packed. So, we meandered a little further down the street to Bien Cafe. OMG Chef Ernesto Duran can cook! My wife had "eggs and bacon" which was amazing. The eggs were perfectly poached, almost soufflé like. Sweet pork belly instead of bacon. An obviously home made hollandaise sauce. House made jelly, I mean who does that. A really creative potato pancake. Great coffee. I won't bore you with a description of my chive biscuit and gravy. Easily the best biscuit and gravy in town. The restaurant is somewhat hidden in a Gold Street courtyard. There are some tables in the courtyard and the interior is clean and modern. Chairs were very comfy and free WiFi. There is even a Kitchen cam view of the immaculate kitchen where Chef Duran works his magic. The hostess/ wait staff said Cafe Bien just recently opened for Breakfast which is why Yelp says the cafe is closed today. It's open, so get your foodie self down here now.
(5)Tochka R.
Creative menu of lots of breakfast items (available all day) and great sandwiches (e.g., the club sandwich is on a green chile bagel). Nice seating area and very friendly staff. The chef aims to please, so ask for how you want your food!
(4)Geoffrey Z.
Most breakfast lunch places are just really good comfort food. This place is much more. The flavors are complex, something you would find more in a sit down dinner place. The bacon literally melts in your mouth with a salty sweet maple flavor. The steak skillet had this amazing seasoned steak cooked medium rare (pretty surprised to find that in a skillet), the potatoes were nice and crisp, and the full size sundried tomatoes rounded out an amazing combination. Everything, eggs, steak, bacon, potatoes were cooked correctly. Also they have a closed circuit TV if your like me and want to know your food is cooked in a clean environment. Probably my new breakfast place. Also you can add bacon as a side to everything, which I would recommend, unless you're a vegetarian, but it could probably make you a meat eater again. It's that good.
(5)