Clancy's Irish Cantina

Review Details

I ran came across this unique Irish pub on a roadtrip through southern New Mexico. It's the most unique Irish pub I've come across on my travels. Clancy's somehow manages to incorporate both traditional Irish fare and New Mexican specialities and design elements into one restaurant. For a totally unique experience, be sure to give Clancy's a chance if you happen to be staying nearby or traveling through the southern New Mexico region.

Food

The menu at Clancy's is quite diverse, with both Irish and New Mexican food on the line up. They even offer a full sushi menu. At Clancy's, one person in your party can order traditional fish and chips, another Tempura shrimp rolls, and another blue corn enchiladas. Thus, making Clancy's a great choice if you are dining with a lot of picky eaters!

We tested out the fish and chips as well as a few sides. While it wasn't the top pub food we have ever tasted, it was good enough to warrant the detour. The menu could use a few more vegetarian options as choices were severely limited. They do offer a decent selection of gluten-free choices including GF fish and chips.

Clancy's offers all your favorite appetizers like mozzarella sticks, fried zucchini and mushrooms, mac and cheese bites, nachos, and chicken wings. For those looking for a lighter, healthier meal, various sandwiches and salads are on the lineup. They also offer a full range of Northern New Mexican specialties including Blue Corn enchiladas, Navajo tacos, Burritos, Chili Rellenos, and more. I love anything made with blue corn: I highly recommend trying out a dish made using this regional specialty while you can.

Service

Service was really good, with our waiter being friendly, attentive, and willing to make substitutions.

Atmosphere

The decor is really unique in that the pub incorporates both Irish and Southwestern style design elements into the overall theme. One would think that these 2 totally different cultures would clash, although surprisingly, the ending resulting decor is quite eccentric, in a good way. This is something I will probably never see again so it was a unique experience to say the least. With all the common chains becoming the norm today, I am always exciting to vist a restaurant that actually put some thought and effort into the design process. I loved the hanging red chilis.

Final Words

Clancy's is a unique local pub to check out if you happen to be traveling through the region. The diverse menu and unique decor make it worthy of a quick lunch stop. I am glad I stopped here during my roadtrip: I really loved the design and it was an entertaining break before more boring hours on the road. An irish pub with a southwestern twist: what a novel idea! Would I stop here again on another road trip? Definitely!