Kaktus Brewing Co

Wow! My friend took me here for the first time last night. I love the interior; I had been to that location before when it was Bailey’s on the Beach and I am glad they kept the décor. The beer was great and the servers were friendly. My friend introduced me to the owner, Dana, and I was quite impressed. He took the time to chat and make us feel right at home. He suggested just the right beer for me — Hellos — a lighter beer whit a full rich taste. We each ordered hot dogs — mine was Duck with cilantro — his was the Wild Boar. I have to admit that I was «playing it safe» with the duck as my other choices were Wild Boar, or Elk Cheddar & Jalapeño. (okay, they have an all beef dog as well but I wanted to try something different) The Duck Dog was amazing, I picked the bolillo roll and was not disappointed. It came perfectly toasted and the dog was amazing! I highly recommend Kaktus Brewing! Next time I’m there I think I will try the Elk and the Cherry Cider.
:-)

Staying at the KOA and they told us about the Kaktus Brewing Company. Funky outside but fun and the food was better than a more expensive pizza place that we tried in San Diego. Lots of choices for beer.

This is kind of a strange place. You drive pretty far out of Albuquerque and swear you’re going to the wrong place. Then you find it.
The atmosphere is homey and certainly a bit different than the other breweries in town. The food selection is interesting and some cool pizzas but the pizzas did not feel up to par.
I appreciated that they had a beer selection other than high-​hop beers (which I like but my wife prefers selection). They were pretty goof though.
I am sure we will eventually make it back out to Bernalillo to get some more beer, but in the meantime, I am more excited to check out their new place!

Grand opening of the Albuquerque taproom on new years eve? NAILED IT! I meant to up my rating before just because of the fact that the management reached out to me after the first experience. Not many businesses do that.
Without knowing what the evening would include, we went to the grand opening and were delighted to interact with a highly functioning, friendly and very attentive staff, free food and live entertainment. I will definitely be back to this tap room. I wish Kaktus the best of luck in the new location and hope to spend many more evenings there enjoying the good beer and food. Congrats you guys! You really got this grand opening thing, spot on! Glad we chose to celebrate the end of 2015 here!

This was a great stop! Yes, it is in a crazy weird place, but my maps app handled it just fine. The staff was friendly and accommodating. We shared a flight of 8, and found some be favorites. The ESB, the IPA, and the bock were outstanding. But, do not miss the absolutely amazing cherry cider.
We did not eat, but we are likely to be back for some of those very creative and delicious sounding pizzas with our next round of beer.

Pleasant surprise.
We pulled in road weary, arriving 9:30 PM, from Taos. We noticed the Kaktus Brewing Company poster at the KOA campground and after inquiring was told it was located within walking distance. Sure enough-​all you have to do is walk to the right side of the entrance and look for the Christmas lights. Open the gate that says BEER and follow the yellow arrows. Don’t worry, just keep walking
Then we came around the corner, heard the music, and saw the inviting patio.
After ordering the 1492 we were having a difficult time figuring out what else to order, and then we met Dana.
After, a couple of back and forth questions, he suggested the bison nachos. We opted for the patio seating. They offer free «beer cozy’s» (fleece blankets) which was nice because it was probably in the 30’s. The patio however, was toasty warm and we didn’t need them.
After a few minutes, Dana brought our food to us and everything tastes excellent.
As a side note, Dana (turns out he is one of the owners!) was nice enough to give us some excellent suggestions for our itinerary In Albuquerque the next day. He even went so far as to draw us a map!
We were able to get excellent coffee at «The Range» (separate review) and then drive in to old town via 423 and Rio Grande road-​much more enjoyable than I-​25 would have been!
Thanks again, Dana for your excellent food and service.

Love the beer and the pizza. It is a fun place to hang out on a date or with friends.

I ordered the spinach salad with goat cheese and an true Italian margarita pizza. I was thinking about the frito pie so he let me try a sample of it. Was good, but not what I was feeling for at the moment.
The salad was amazing. Don’t let the simplicity in the salads description think it’s not going to be great. I’m a «salad person» and I would order this salad again.
The pizza was amazing. Very simple, but packed with flavor. Would order this pizza again.
Overall: I would recommend this place to anyone I know and I would return

Do yourself a favor and make the drive to Kaktus; you’ll be glad you did. It’s easy to see why they have been rated one of the best NM craft breweries. Their beer is great, especially if you want more than to just hammer your taste buds with hops. The food is excellent too. But what makes this place truly special is the staff and happy customers as everyone is super friendly to regulars and first time patrons alike. The upbeat eclectic setting helps for sure. But what drives it all is the owner, Dana, who is often seen attending to even the smallest details. He not only makes you feel welcome, he actually values your feedback and inputs. As a result, this place, the beer, the food, the vibe, just keep getting better and better.

Holy cow, how did I not try this place sooner. Great beer, a surprisingly big food selection, and live music. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The brewery has an awesome small town feel to it! I loved this place and I will absolutely be back! The employees were extremely friendly!

My husband was just telling me about this place the other day and how he wanted to try it some time. Then he tried one of their beers at Summerfest (Honk), and they gave us a coupon for a free flight for two when we visited, so of course he wanted to go the very next day.
First of all, finding this place was an adventure. We live on the Westside of Albuquerque, just a few miles outside of Rio Rancho, but we aren’t real familiar with Bernalillo. I figured I’d just plug the address into the GPS navigation on my phone and it would take us right to it. Well, not so much. It led us to S Hill Rd, said to keep going, the location is on your right! Except there was nowhere to turn right. My phone tells me we have arrived, but we have not. Surely there must have been a turn that we missed, so we turn around on S Hill Rd and back track. Nothing. We turn around on S Hill Rd again, drive past the point my phone identifies as the location, and keep going until we can actually turn right. Now we’re in a residential neighborhood, we go around in a circle to get out of the neighborhood and find ourselves back on S Hill Rd, so we go back the opposite direction again, except I’m pretty sure that it was not the same stretch of road we were on before, because now we’re driving through a trailer park and all of a sudden, there’s a big sign with an arrow for Kaktus Brewing Co., and I know that wasn’t there before! I’m thinking that this place had better be worth all the trouble because it’s nearly impossible to find! But we made it.
So we walk in, and we are greeted immediately, but not given any direction on if we are supposed to seat ourselves or be seated, so we figured we would seat ourselves since we are not told otherwise. I was surprised at how small this place is. There are only a couple of tables, bar seating, and a few more tables out on the patio (I wouldn’t mind sitting out there on a sunny afternoon, but we chose to sit inside). We gave our server the coupon for the flight, which included one of each of their eight beers. Let me say right now, this place gets five stars from me for their beer, and I’m not a big beer drinker. I don’t like most beer and I am super picky about the beer I do like. I’m always up for trying new ones in hopes I will find something I like, but I’m lucky to find one or two I like at other breweries, if that. I tried all eight at Kaktus, and I liked five of them (my favorites were the Basil Lager and the Stout, but I also liked the Blonde, Brown, and Honk). So that’s a big deal for me. My husband is more of a beer drinker and he liked all of them.
While Kaktus does not have a full kitchen, the food they do offer is totally different than what you’ll find anywhere else, which I really like. My husband ordered the vegetarian Frito pie and an elk and jalapeño bratwurst, with curry sauce on a pretzel bun. I ordered the roots pizza with potato, leeks, and feta cheese. We both sampled each other’s food. The Frito pie, while good, was served in a small paper bowl and seemed small for the price ($ 5.50). The pizza was rather tasty, and the toppings had a flavor that complimented each other very well. I tried a bite of my hubby’s bratwurst and it was delicious. I might have to get one next time. They also had belly dancers when we were there, who were actually very good. Definitely an interesting choice of entertainment!
My main complaint would be that, while the staff was friendly, after we received our food, I felt like they became preoccupied with other tasks and patrons (possibly friends of the owner, not sure) and we were somewhat forgotten about. We had arrived around 7:00pm and the sign said they closed at 9:00pm, but it was a slow night and there were only a few other patrons, and it almost felt like we were lingering after hours and they were waiting for us to leave, even though it was still well before the posted closing time. It’s not like it was a far walk from our table to the bar to get up and ask the server behind the bar (who was busy folding dish towels) to order dessert (we wanted to try the cinnamon sugar pretzels), but it made me feel like we were being an inconvenience. I’m sure that wasn’t their intent, and I realize that because it’s such a small place its not really fair to compare them to a larger, fully staffed restaurant. Still, when it’s as empty as it was, I would expect more attentiveness. I originally considered giving a three star rating because of this, but with the quality of the beer and food, I felt it averaged out to a four star. Also, as first time customers, the complimentary flight was definitely appreciated. Overall, even with the minor annoyance regarding the service, it’s safe to say, we will be back. I just hope we can find it again!

A little bit off the beaten track (literally and figuratively), but well worth the effort. The selection of beers is fantastic, the ambience is bizarre/​eclectic, and the service is extremely friendly.

Nice lunch stop on our way to Durango. Kinda of the off our route, but well worth the time. The elk, cheddar & jalapeño dog was really good. Hubby had some dog but added bison chili, yum!
Great service & dog friendly patio to boot! Patio is nice & shady.

Love this place that’s located off the beaten path. Unique menu consisting of bison, elk and more. And they now serve homemade pizzas that look and sound amazing! The beer selection is outstanding and includes two yummy ciders which were recommended to mix and it was delicious! And beginning this week they added Matheson Wine to the menu which I totally love !!! Thanks for feeding us today :)

Very urban. Nice grounds, unique food options with a relaxing atmosphere and fantastic service. Driving in is a little confusing at first. Definitely a «hole in the wall», very yummy!!! A best kept secret, needs to no longer be a secret!

In town for a family reunion my brother who lives in Rio Rancho said we had to go here. Ordered a couple of flights and enjoyed all the beers and all ordered a pint of our favorite. All the staff were very friendly and we enjoyed our visit. We didn’t order any food but when we came in several parties were eating the pizza which I have to say looked pretty good. I would definitely return if I have the opportunity again.

Just pulled into KOA and walked to Kaktus. Great Elk Sausage dog. I’m from S.E. TX. So spice is important to me and I’m very pleased. Great ambience and live 2 man band. Mellow. The maui we picked up on the way through Colorado helped.

The hideout immediately reminded me of Taos, without the commercialization. Happy blue hues. Wonky abstract furniture and nick knacks, hung haphazard from the air and scattered around the property, this was an artisan den. And so I parked the Corolla along a rickety, somehow ordered lot, and entered the grounds. Cool little patio, somewhat shaded, the tap room adjacent to the place where the magic happens: beer, sweet sweet beer.
Kaktus is a surprise in so many respects. For the most part these are European pours, generally British. This, in Bernalilo, an extension of Rio Rancho with the character of essentially nothing. What’s out here? Not much, save your only oasis before the drive to the Jemez and beyond. Kaktus is your watering hole. Come here for some serious artisan brews that won’t weigh ya down. ABVs (alcohol by volume) measure somewhere around six percent, pair this with basic protein plates and you have sustenance to get you on the road to nowhere.
Quoted from the online menu, I suggest the following lunch treat: the Meat Sampler:
Over 16 Oz’s of mixed meat including Duck, Elk, Beef and Boar. Beer Boiled and grilled to perfection. Served with a side of mustard, curry, chips, salsa and layered over a bed of sauerkraut.
Not bad. Pair this with the Porter or ESB, both are good.
Yo, you’re drinkin’ up a craft brew in Bernalillo, cheers! I love this place, I’m so glad it’s here. Finally, authentic suds in the boonies. Drink up and support local!

The ABQ beer scene just keeps getting better and better. Kaktus is a worthy addition. Probably the smallest place in town in terms of production, but definitely not the smallest in terms of heart. Because their production runs are smaller, they tend to turn over their beer selection faster than other places. That means that no matter how, often you go back, chances are there will be something new for you to try.
Also, their beers are very sessionable, by design. Their alcohol content is generally lower than the huge 9% ABV monsters in other places. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good «kick you in the ass» kind of beer. But sometimes, I want to have 3 or 4 without staggering out of the place and risking a DUI. Kaktus fits the bill.
There is a great outdoor seating area. And indoors, the décor is highly eclectic and cool. They are also big on sustainable electricity and other resources.
While I didn’t have any of their food, it all looks awesome. And the owner is super nice and very willing to customize. Very cool!
I’ll definitely be back!

thanks Andy! Did not even know this place existed til I saw your review…
tried a porter, very good, good lacing, light carmel tones, good color…
tried the knockwurst, spicy and filling…
also on the menu I wanted to try were buffalo frito pie, duck sausage and boar sausage…
this place could end up being a favorite watering hole as it is truly on my way home from work…
they will also have beers at RR Octoberfest…
patio looked super inviting, will bring my darts next time…