The best time I had in Santa Fe was probably at this restaurant. We were coming back from Bandalier in the midst of a heavy snowstorm, starving after a long day of hiking. The snow had hit suddenly and blanketed everything except for ten feet in front of us in white. Our original plan had been to eat before we got back into town, but the weather made that impossible. Being in Santa Fe, we were hungering for some Mexican food but weren't sure how to find our way to a more than memorable restraunt, and we were also a bit confused on the 'Mexican' versus 'New Mexican' cuisine distinction.
Maria's New Mexican Kitchen appeared almost out of nowhere, and we managed to slide our way into the parking lot. It was packed from the moment we made it in through the door, but the staff offered us free chips and salsa and access to the bar while we waited for a table. We managed to find a table near the fireplace in the waiting room and soon learned that Maria's was famous for its margaritas.
There had to be nearly 100 different types of margaritas on their menu, ranging from the $5.50 house margarita to a number of $30 and $40 margaritas. To start I tried the house margarita, which was the best I have had so far. It packed a punch but managed not to taste as though it did.
For dinner, I had a plate of tacos for about $12, and the sopapillas at the end were complementary. The service was excellent, and they had both a smoking and non-smoking room.