Antiquity Restaurant — Restaurant in Albuquerque

On our quest for a spot worthy enough to wear a “Pretty Velvet Dress” in celebration of my love’s birthday, we stumbled upon the quaint yet enchanting Restaurant Antiquity. Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exterior nestled within Old Town Albuquerque—behind that modest sign and weathered screen door lies a culinary experience that will leave both your tummies and hearts full.

The entrance is just steps away from the grill which fills the air with the intoxicating scent of charcoal-grilled steaks. After a quick check on our reservation, the host led us to an intimate nook sprinkled with birthday confetti—a sweet touch that set the tone for our celebration.

While waiting for our server, we checked out the wine menu, settling on the Montecillo Bodega Centenaria Crianza—a perfect blend of dry and off-dry. Soon after, our server James arrived and wowed us with his presentation of the specials. We decided to kick things off with the Beef Carpaccio, freshly cut tenderloin served with lemons, capers, and Parmesan.

Next up, clam chowder for me and a spectacular upgraded salad recommendation by James, for my love. I often joke that, “Salad offends me because it eats the food my food eats.” This salad was a game-changer—spinach, strawberries, apples, mandarin oranges, dried cherries, bacon, candied pecans, and a star-worthy pear vinaigrette. My love said it was the best salad she has ever eaten. I felt a bit guilty for eating so much of it, but she was just happy I finally ate something green!

Mid-salad, inspired by my obsession with Gordon Ramsay, I bravely ventured into uncharted territory and asked James for a single scallop. The man delivered, presenting the plumpest scallop in the kitchen, accompanied by a citrus jalapeno cream sauce. It was a buttery revelation.

The main courses were a challenge—huge portions of perfectly cooked proteins, simple veggies, and potatoes au gratin with a spicy Hatch Green Chili sauce. My love tapped out early, boxing up her Pork Normande, but I tackled my NY Strip with gusto.

Once our plates had been cleared, my towel was thrown, and the food coma began to set in. Undaunted, James appeared to tempt us with the dessert menu. We were skeptical until he described the seasonal homemade peppermint cheesecake. It was impossible to say no. Armed with coffee, we enjoyed every moment of the fluffy, vibrant cheesecake drizzled with chocolate and topped with crushed peppermint. It was nothing short of wonderful.

With a final bill just under $200 before gratuity, Restaurant Antiquity proved to be much more than dinner—it was an experience. Every element, from joyful knowledgeable servers to the vibrant passion evident in each dish, contributed to an unparalleled dining experience. In the realm of upscale dining, Restaurant Antiquity is a place to fall in love with your person and the food in Old Town...

If you have yet to indulge yourself at Antiquity, you should, you deserve it. Ask for Eric; he is killing it and will treat you like the Kings and Queens you are. The man is phenomenal at his job and you can't go wrong with his recommendations.

Seriously, the deliciously creamy and tart Key Lime pie was probably the least impressive part of our meal, yet it was fabulous.

Beef Carpaccio; some of the best filet I have had yet, thinly sliced and topped with fresh, crispy greens and fried capers. Incredible.

An astounding Ribeye, medium rare and worth the wait, and a side of braised and lightly charcoal smoked vegetables(still cannot believe you can make a carrot taste this good), all coupled with roasted potatoes with a mildly seasoned chipotle cream sauce.

Petunia's lamb medallions were huge and on point: I tasted them, oh man, just killing it.

You get the option to upgrade the side salad to what I have to call a work of art. Butter leaf lettuce, mixed greens, perfectly ripened berries, pastry-wrapped and fried Brie all topped with crispy bacon and a pear dressing that would make an old shoe taste wonderful, if you ate old shoea. I don't recommend the shoe, but don't miss out on this salad.

My baby had an Italian moscato, again, recommended by Eric. She said it was lovely. I don't normally like sweet sparkling wines, but one taste and you could tell it was something special. Sweet, but naturally sweet, not any added sugar to give it a syrup feel; light and yummy. The locally brewed Elevated IPA I ordered was spectacular.

Still, the star of the meal, and the reason we will go back again and again, is the service. The staff is attentive, fun, professional and knowledgeable, and just elevated the experience for us to make tonight, our 11th anniversary, one we will be talking about for years to come.

A little about the place; it is in Old Town Albuquerque and is teeeee-ninecy. 14 tables, so be prepared to make a reservation: we got in on a Thursday thanks to a cancellation and had the last booth in the back, which was perfect. You can tell this building has been around for awhile; brick floors, lots of old wood, you walk through the grill to get to the seating. If you are expecting fancy, forget it, but it felt classy AF, and the staff makes this place feel like you just walked into Oz's own favorite dining establishment.

I really want to thank the folks at Antiquity again for making our night so special. Eric,...

I never thought I'd be writing a Google review bashing Antiquity. I've been several times. I proposed to my wife and we celebrated our first anniversary here. We had just assumed that this would be our anniversary tradition from now on. However, after spending the last week and a half trying to make a reservation for our upcoming anniversary, that's changing.

First of all, they don't take reservations on their website, and they aren't associated with Open Table. Their website states that reservations are only accepted by phone. OK, fine. No big deal, right? WRONG. We tried for a week and a half to get them to answer their phone. Regardless of the day or time of day, you'll get either a busy signal or nobody will answer. They haven't "invested" in voicemail. Now a week out from our anniversary, we finally messaged them on Facebook. The person who responded said that they can't take reservations through FB (fine, that's made clear on the website) and that our only option is to call. They acknowledged that it can be difficult to get through but offered this sage advice: "Just keep trying. You might get lucky."

Might get lucky?! Are you serious? The food, service and atmosphere at Antiquity is exceptional, but nowhere near the level that justifies that sort of arrogance--if there even is such a level. I've dined at some of the best restaurants in the WORLD and have never experienced such arrogance as this, even from restaurants that might have earned the right to be this arrogant. After eating at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in Chelsea twice, I can tell you that neither time was I told that I had to be "lucky" to even attempt to make a reservation. Not to actually get one...but to even have the privilege of asking them for their availability!

What the heck happened there since last November??

Get over yourselves, Antiquity. This sort of nonsense might pass in Abq at the moment, but the tide is changing fast. The bar is rising quickly in the Abq dining scene, with one Michelin Star-worthy contender entering the mix every six months. If you think you can treat your clientele this way and get away with it because they just can't find a better alternative, you need to take a daytrip back to reality.

A [Former]...