Carlsbad Tavern Menu (2025 Update)
Carlsbad Tavern, a veteran-owned establishment, offers a diverse menu of New Mexican cuisine. The restaurant provides a unique dining experience, with options for vegan and vegetarian diners. From the flavorful Carlsbad Tacos to the spicy Crab Cakes, their appetizers are a must-try. The Tortilla Soup and Green Chile Stew are perfect choices for soup lovers. The Filet Salad and Tesuque Chicken Salad offer a refreshing twist on traditional salads. Customers rave about the attentive service and vibrant atmosphere, making it a favorite spot for happy hour. The outdoor seating, covered patio, and eclectic decor add to the charm of this hidden gem. With a variety of options like drive-thru, private dining, and full bar service, Carlsbad Tavern caters to all preferences. Don't miss out on their renowned happy hour specials and flavorful dishes that keep customers coming back for more.
Appetizers
Carlsbad Tacos
3 soft tacos served with pico de gallo, cheese, guacamole and cup of beans.
Spicy Crab Cakes
New Mexico-styled cakes drizzled with sour cream, served with lemon-pepper tossed mixed greens and a side of habanero aioli.
Chicken Quesadilla
Green chile chicken and jalapeno jack cheese melted in a flour tortilla served with 2 homemade salsas.
New Mexican Potstickers
Chicken, minced peppers and Anaheim chilies served with sweet corn-cream sauce.
Skillet Nachos
Spicy chips Topped with black beans, chipotle ground beef, three cheese sauce, fire roasted jalapenos, pico de gallo and sour cream
Chips and 2 Salsas
Spiced chips with fresh tomatillo and red salsas.
Green Chile Corn Queso Dip
Roasted Hatch green chile, corn, jalapeno jack cheese and cream cheese. Served with spicy chips.
Carne Adovada Mac & Cheese Bowl
Green chile, mix peppers and corn in a rich jalapeno cheese sauce, topped with our famous carne adovada.
Tortilla Soup
Chicken, tomato and onions in a spicy chile broth, garnished with sour cream, cheddar and tortilla strips.
Green Chile Stew
Roasted pork, green chilies, potatoes, carrots and roasted corn.
Soups
Salads
Filet Salad
Medium-grilled certified Angus beef filet mignon on a bed of mixed greens with roasted avocado corn salsa, jalapeno bacon, sliced avocado, tomatoes and served with chipotle ranch dressing.
Tesuque Chicken Salad
Tortilla-encrusted chicken breast thinly pounded and tossed with spicy chipotle lime vinaigrette, spinach, mixed greens, jalapeno bacon, corn, tomatoes and topped with tortilla strips.
Chicken Chopped Salad
Adobo chimayo chicken, pumpkin seeds, roasted corn, wild rice, sundried cherries, and queso fresco tossed with mixed greens and chipotle ranch.
Caverns Chicken Salad Dinner
Chicken marinated in lime and cilantro, then tossed with mixed greens, tomatoes, black beans, corn, 2 cheeses with jalapeno ranch. Topped with a drizzle of red chile prickly pear BBQ and tortilla strips.
House Salad
Mixed greens topped with cheddar and jack cheeses and diced tomato. Served with jalapeno ranch dressing.
Red Chile Chimichanga
Your choice of carne adovada, Hatch green chile chicken or machaca with onions and red chile sauce, rolled in a flour tortilla with pepper jack cheese. Topped with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. Served with rice and black beans.
Carne Adovada Plate
Slow roasted pork, simmered in red chile, topped with cheddar and jack cheese. Served with a flour tortilla. Served with rice and black beans.
Stacked Enchiladas
One layer of carne adovada and one layer of Hatch green chile chicken topped with our red chile sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo and a fried egg. Served with rice and black beans.
Green Chile Burrito
Choice of grilled chicken, carne adovada, machaca or vegetable. Rolled in a flour tortilla with jalapeno jack and topped with Hatch green chile sauce. Served with rice and black beans.
Blue Corn Enchiladas
2 cheese enchiladas, 1 stuffed with chicken and 1 stuffed with rock shrimp. Topped with Hatch green chile sauce. Served with rice and black beans.
Chile Rellenos
Roasted Anaheim chilies stuffed with roasted pork and jalapeno jack cheese. Topped with Hatch green chile sauce. Served with rice and black beans.
Enchantment Platter
Carne adovada burrito, chicken enchilada and chile relleno. Served with red and Hatch green chile sauce with a sopapilla. Served with rice and black beans.
Prime Rib Burrito
Ancho Chile rubbed Certified Angus Beef prime rib, sauteed onions, mushrooms, pepper jack cheese and red chile au jus. Topped with homemade picante sauce and horseradish cream drizzle.
Green Chile Trail
Burgers and Specials
Cheeseburger
Cheddar cheese served with tomato and lettuce on a kaiser bun. 1/2 lb. lean ground beef grilled over pecan wood.
Green Chile Cheeseburger
Served open face on toasted sourdough topped with green chile sauce and cheddar cheese. 1/2 lb. lean ground beef grilled over pecan wood.
Southwest Patty Melt
Served with grilled red onions, cheddar cheese and spicy Thousand Island dressing on grilled sourdough. 1/2 lb. lean ground beef grilled over pecan wood.
Ruben's Chicken Fried Chicken
Buttermilk marinated chicken breast on sourdough bread. Topped with chorizo gravy. Served with green chile mashed potatoes and salad.
Habanero Cheeseburger
Lots of feshly ground habanero chile, mixed with lean ground beef, grilled and topped with melted jalapeno jack cheese. Served with fries and salad.
Scorpion Burger
Grilled lean ground beef blended with Carolina reaper, Habanero and ghost pepper chiles. Topped with scorpion salt and ghost-pepper cheese, served with fries and salad
Santa Fe Club Wrap
Roasted chicken, jalapeno bacon, lettuce, pico de gallo and chipotle mayonnaise rolled in a flour tortilla, with jack and cheddar cheese on top.
Ancho Prime Rib Wrap
Ancho encrusted Certified Angus Beef roasted prime rib, peppers, onions, lettuce and chipotle horseradish mayo.
N.Y. Carne Asada
Chile-rubbed 12-ounce certified Angus beef N.Y. Steak grilled, topped with a mushroom cholula sauce and served on a bed of black beans. Served with a cheese quesadilla and roasted corn & avocado salsa.
Chimayo Chicken
Marinated in chipotle, garlic oil and herbs, grilled chicken breast, topped with 3 chile cream sauce, served over a bed of wild rice and julienne vegetables.
Osso Bucco
Pork shank slow roasted with serranos, garlic, onion and leeks then finished off with an apple chipotle glaze. Served with green chile mashed potatoes and calabacitas
Ribeye
Chili-rubbed 16-ounce certified Angus beef steak, served with guajillo chili BBQ sauce and a honey tomatillo cilantro sauce. Topped with portobello mixed pepper relish.
Cowboy Meatloaf
Ground veal, pork and chuck mixed with jalapeno bacon, smoked Gouda, roasted onion, garlic and Hatch green chile then finished with red chile prickly pear BBQ. Served with green chile mashed potatoes and calabacitas
Filet Mignon
7-ounce Gold Canyon Premium Angus Beef filet grilled on pecan wood, topped with chile mushroom sauce on a bed of black beans. Served with calabacitas.
Sierra Sirloin
Top Sirloin stuffed with roasted chilies, peppers, cilantro, pepper jack cheese and garlic. Served with a spicy red wine sauce, green chile mashed potatoes and calabacitas.
Chipotle Stroganoff Chicken Pasta
Grilled chicken, mushrooms, onions, cilantro and spicy chipotle. Tossed with penne pasta.
Dinner Entrees
Fresh Catch Creations
Maine Lobster Enchiladas
2 enchiladas stuffed with Maine lobster, jalapenos, cilantro and pepper jack cheese. Served with a 3 chile cream sauce, asparagus and rice and black beans. Topped with grilled asparagus.
Crab Stuffed Poblanos
2 poblano chiles stuffed with crab, peppers, onions and cilantro. Served with a 3 chile cream sauce and with rice and black beans.
Fish and Chips
Tempura-battered cod with jalapeno tartar served on the side. Served with beer-battered fries.
Las Cruces Platter
Crab-stuffed poblano, shrimp enchilada and lobster enchilada, topped with 3 chile cream sauce and Hatch red chile sauce. Served with rice and black beans.
Carl's Chicken Wings
Bone in chicken wings with your choice of raspberry chipotle, cholula garlic, black BBQ or the works. Served with bleu cheese dressing and jicama sticks.
Hababero Sliders
Served with ghost pepper cheese. Mini certified Angus beef burgers with fries.
Meatloaf Sliders
Grilled onions, BBQ sauce and ghost pepper cheese. Mini certified Angus beef burgers with fries.
Bat Sliders
Grilled onions and jalapeno jack cheese. Mini certified Angus beef burgers with fries.
Green Chile Chicken Quesadilla
Melted cheeses and 2 salsas.
Jalapeno Bacon Cheeseburger
Jalapeno Bacon, Tillamook Cheddar cheese served w/tomato and lettuce on a Kaiser bun
Cholula Burger
Half pound certified Angus beef burger marinated in cholula hot sauce. Served with jalapeno cheese, mushrooms, avocado salsa and fries.
Green Chile Cheese Crisp
Large tortilla with cheddar and jack cheeses, green chilies and diced tomato.
Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni tossed in secret green chile cheese sauce.
Street Tacos
Corn Tortilla, pico de gallo, cheese and Cilantro
Veggie Tostadas
four Mini Tostadas with black Beans, Lettuce, Avodado Tomatillo Salsa. Topped with Cotija Cheese And Salsa
Carne Asada Waffle Fries
Certified Angus beef with melted cheddar and jack cheeses on a bed of waffle fries, topped with cholula sauce and roasted avocado corn salsa.
Chips and Salsa
Spiced chips with homemade tomatillo and red tomato salsas.
Cowboy Burger
Prickly Pear BBQ, Jalapeno Bacon, Onion Ring, Tillamook cheddar Cheese. Served with Tomato and Lettuce on a kaiser Bun. Served with Fries
Late Night Menu
Side Orders
Green Chile Mashed Potatoes
Plate of Calabacitas
Cup of Homemade Gucamole
Rice and Black Beans
Beer-Battered Bat Fries
Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Kid's Cheeseburger
Served with choice of fries or house salad. For kids under 12 only please.
Kid's Chicken Tenders
Served with choice of fries or house salad. For kids under 12 only please.
Kid's Grilled Cheese
Served with choice of fries or house salad. For kids under 12 only please.
Kid's Folded Cheese Crisp
Served with choice of fries or house salad. For kids under 12 only please.
Kid's Korner
Desserts
Basket o' Sopas with Powdered Sugar and Honey
Caramel Flan
Chocolate Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
Key Lime Pie
Dulce de Leche Fried Ice Cream
Veggie Enchiladas
Spinach, roasted artichokes and mushrooms. Finished with a 3 chile cream sauce, asparagus and beans. Served with rice and black beans.
Fiesta Chicken Salad
Chipotle marinated chicken, corn, black beans, red bell peppers, cilantro and jalapenos, topped with cotija cheese over a bed of mixed greens. Tossed with a chipotle beet vinaigrette.
Calabacitas Tacos
Street style tacos served with fresh veggies (zucchini, peppers, carrots and beans) sauteed in guajillo oil. Served with a cup of beans topped with cheese
Red River Chicken
Grilled chicken breast with cilantro pesto, red chile, mushrooms and jalapeno jack cheese. Served on a tortilla with rice and black beans.
Smoky Southwest Burger
Locally sourced, handcrafted Nex Veg protein patty, served with guacamole, pepper jack cheese, tomato, spinach tossed with lemon pepper oil and chipotle mayonnaise, served with a house salad.