The Mine Shaft Tavern

Words and photos by Clarke Condé

East Mountain Living

Much has been said about the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid over the years, but those who have been there before know this place is worth revisiting. Locals know the stories (having crafted many of them themselves) filled with miners and ghosts, bikers and dogs, floods and fires. If you ask nicely, someone will likely share one with you at the bar. The Mine Shaft is as much a place for locals as it is a destination for visitors. It is not a Santa Fe mockup of what a bar in New Mexico should look like. The Mine Shaft Tavern is a real place.

The Mine Shaft is cool and dark. There is a well-earned patina of use that runs from the wooden floors to the bar top and back up onto the small indoor stage. On a hot day it is an oasis. On a cold day, Madrid’s hearth. The pool room by the door is classic and comfortable, with only one table but an invitation to linger for one more game. Outside and up the ramp the narrow hallway leads from the tavern to the cantina and the large patio space that overlooks the street. The space hosts bands during the warmer months, with comfortable tables and a relaxed atmosphere. A perfect spot to while away an afternoon on a vague pretense of keeping an eye out for friends that might be joining coming up the road.

As the story goes, the original bar was built in 1895 and burned down on Christmas Day in 1944. Rebuilt soon after and continuing to endure, the Mine Shaft can now add pandemic lockdowns to its list of challenges met as it stands ready for a spring filled with returning tourists and touring bands. Whether regulars or first-timers, visitors can always expect to find a cozy place to spend a cool afternoon. On the menu are good food, cold drinks and a bit of music.

The Food

To be clear, the Mine Shaft is a bar and they have bar food. Burgers made with local beef and assorted sandwiches are a mainstay, but they can rustle up a pretty decent salad or two as well, the one with Wagyu steak being of particular note. Maybe try the fried green chile as an appetizer if you are looking for adventure.

I went for the Mad Chile Burger which is offered in Angus, Wagyu, buffalo (the animal, not the spicy kind named after a city) and veggie varietals. Chile fans will not be disappointed with the flavor, while those out-of-towners should fear not, but rather embrace our state’s vegetable. If new to the thing this is a great place to start. The Mine Shaft’s Mad Chile Burger is an exemplar of a proper New Mexico green chile cheeseburger. 

The Mine Shaft claims to have the longest stand-up bar in New Mexico. I’m not sure if anyone has gone around the state measuring bars to substantiate that claim, but it seems plenty long to me. At least, there were no complaints when I was last there. 

The Drinks

They have cold beer (a dozen or so locals on tap, with domestics and imports in bottles) and fresh margaritas, some served, as expected, with green chile. Again, out-of-towners will soon catch on to the fact that New Mexicans put green chile pretty much anywhere they can, even cocktails. I went with what seemed most appropriate at the time, rye whiskey. 

Let me also say, you can expect exceptional service from the bartenders at the Mine Shaft. I once turned up on Derby Day several years ago with a bag full of mint from my garden and had the barkeep render me a first-rate mint julep just in time to catch the race from a barstool. It’s hard to go wrong with that.

The Music

It might seem at first glance that you are in for both kinds of music (Country and Western) at the Mine Shaft, but the live music lineup strays well beyond those confines. That said, whatever you find on stage when you visit, you are not going to be accosted by big amps and grinding noise. There will be someone playing songs, not just some guy yelling on stage, every weekend. 

When the place is band-free, you are more likely to hear Patsy Cline falling to pieces than the latest pop tune with a Nashville twist. They have done well to keep the music classic, relaxing and leaning towards the kind of Country music you could probably sing along to. I’ve not tried to do so myself, but I have seen it done.

In short, the Mine Shaft delivers as it appears without putting on airs. It is nothing fancy, but with no simple comfort not provided. Expect to leave wishing you had stayed longer and find yourself in the future making plans to return.