Old Town and the Rio Grande

This neighborhood doesn’t offer much in the way of nightlife but there are a few exceptions.

First is the rooftop patio at Seasons (2031 Mountain Rd. NW, 505/766-5100, 4 p.m.–midnight daily), where there’s live jazz on weekends and happy hour 4–6:30 p.m. and 9–10 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Q Bar (800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 505/843-6300, 4 p.m.–1 a.m. daily) in the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town is a swank little lounge filled with low couches and little nooks for sipping sweet and deadly cocktails. As Albuquerque’s most dimly lit nondive bar, it seems to inspire decadent behavior among those who don’t normally indulge; there’s also a VIP room—possibly the only one in the city.

Just over the west side of the river at Alameda, Elliott’s (10200 Corrales Rd. NW, 505/898-5555, 11 a.m.–2 a.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–midnight Sun.) is the only bar of any note near Los Ranchos [1] and Corrales [1]. It’s tucked in a strip mall, but that’s easy to forget on the huge back patio overlooking river-fed greenery; a good chunk of the regulars are staff and patrons of the highly lauded Star Tattoo in the same complex, which means an eclectic jukebox, generous beer specials, and plenty to feast your eyes on, and if that doesn’t satisfy, there’s decent bar food too. Weekends see occasional costume dance parties, such as a hip-hop luau.