Award-winning

Sazon

Name: Sazon
Address: 221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM, United States, 87501
Telephone: (505) 983-8604
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.8

4.8 (5591)

$50 and over

Latin American

221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 2, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 41 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Great for creative cocktails

Originally from Mexico City, Chef Fernando Olea, formerly Chef of Epazote, has been enthralling diners in Santa Fe since 1991. Chef Olea creates sophisticated flavors using Old Mexico’s indigenous and culinary traditions alongside ingredients from around the world. His menu is deliberately small, featuring fresh and locally sourced produce and meats when possible.

Nothing evokes the mystery of Mexican cuisine more than mole, a sauce of complex flavors that usually includes toasted and ground spices, seeds, nuts, chocolate and chile. Many mole recipes contain more than thirty ingredients and some recipes have five varieties of chile alone. Chef Olea is delighted to share his moles that include his "New Mexican Mole" that he created to commemorate Santa Fe’s 400 year anniversary in 2009.

Awarded the prestigious AAA 4 Diamond Award and ranked fourth in the country for fine dining by Trip Advisor, Chef Olea is honored to have won the 2022 james Beard Award, Best Chef: Southwest.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Latin American, Contemporary Mexican
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(505) 983-8604
Website
http://www.sazonsantafe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Fernando Olea
Private party facilities
We offer customized menus, experienced servers, extraordinary food, and our very own Chef Fernando Olea’s culinary expertise and flair. There can be nothing more perfectly paired! We use organic and sustainable products whenever possible. Our menu celebrates the varied and complex flavors of classic dishes from Mexico City, Oaxaca, Michoacán and Puebla. Chef Olea brings these classic dishes to life with modern and New World techniques thereby imprinting his own distinct signature, or Sazón, into each and every dish. Menu items change with each season and can be customized to fit your needs. We also are happy to embellish the menu with entertainment, florals, linens, and unique décor. For more information: Tel: 505-983-8604 or email: fernando@sazonsantafe.com

Location
221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Award-winning
1. James Beard Award 2022
Neighborhood
Santa Fe
Cross street
East Alameda Street & Water Street
Parking details
There is self- parking only, but most of the parking near the restaurant is metered. The meters have certain times when they are monitored and when they are not, so please read signs carefully.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine

Featured in

64 Albuquerque Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

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Popular dishes

Camaron-Tini$28.00
colossal white shrimp from Gulf of Mexico / light crispy batter / sweet Thai chili aioli
Xochimilco$18.00
huitlacoche: savory and earthy corn truffle over mini tortillas / native spices / queso fresco
Oaxaqueños$19.00
chapulines (baby grasshoppers) infused with olive oil / garlic citrus / chile de arbol / served over avocado on a corn tortilla
Azteca$19.00
yellow fin tuna crudité / avocado / cucumber / spicy tacuba sauce / crispy corn chips

Ensaladas

De la Casa$15.00
baby spinach / mango / cotija cheese / white onion / bacon / cilantro vinaigrette
Suzanna's Salad$25.00
mixed seasonal greens / avocado / mango / crispy quinoa strips / sautéed shrimp / ginger cilantro vinaigrette

Sopa

Sopa de Amor$18.00
Chef Olea's signature soup
Frijole Negro$15.00
silky black bean soup with bacon / jalapeño / white onion / epazote sour cream / crispy corn tortilla strips

Plato Fuerte

Barenjena$32.00
stuffed eggplant / zucchini / corn / tomato / gruyère cheese
Coyoacan$37.00
shrimp enchilada: creamy sauce of zucchini blossoms / asadero cheese
Popocatepetl$55.00
spicy black pepper crusted aged angus beef tenderloin / vegetable mélange / jasmine rice
Cholula$37.00
(Chef Olea's interpretation of Chile en Nogada) a tower of chile poblano / ground lamb, pork and beef / nuts / dried fruits / spices over a cold creamy walnut sauce / pomegranate seeds / balsamic jalapeño reduction
Atun$40.00
pan seared tuna / red cabbage / snow peas / mixed greens
Salmon$42.00
filet wrapped in filo dough / huitlacoche (corn truffle) / jasmine rice

What 5,591 people are saying

Sazon reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

New Mexico
Innovative
New Mexico
Most Booked
Santa Fe / Mountains
Best Overall
Santa Fe / Mountains
Best Ambiance
Santa Fe / Mountains
Innovative
Santa Fe / Mountains
Hot spot
Santa Fe / Mountains
Good for special occasions
Santa Fe / Mountains
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Sazón offers an exceptional dining experience in Santa Fe, featuring "outstanding" mole dishes and an "incredible" Chef's soup. The service is consistently "impeccable," and the vibrant ambiance enhances the "unique" and "artistic" cuisine. Frequent praise for the attentive staff and Chef Fernando Olea's personal touch makes every visit "special."

5,591 Reviews

A
Alana VIP
Austin3 reviews
3.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Service is brilliantly choreographed. The chef’s presence is a lovely touch. Beautiful restaurant. Our waiter seemed a little vibes are off-ish..didn’t like any questions. Soup of love (trademark dish) is delicious, unique, and totally worth a try. Rice was horrendous. I don’t know if it was an off night or they dumped too much of salt/seasoning in it. I think it’s worth a try if only for the ambiance and a few dishes. This was the second time I’ve dined here.
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P
Philippe
New York City19 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had a wonderful experience at Sazon - everybody from the Chef to the manager came by our table to enquire about our experience. Our waitress Erica was terrific and very attentive to our needs. Loved the mole flavors from sweet to hot, great presentation and intro to the desired flavor for protein cooking. We both ordered soup as appetizer - very tasty and the chocolate crumbs added to the unexpected flavor. We chose lamb and the duck entrees with desired mole flavors, plate tasted as good as it looked. To finish we had the surprise cake with 3 different flavors which came through sequentially in our mouth, loved it ! Overall, a very nice surprise and Sazon exceeded our expectations !
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J
John
Las Vegas1 review
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food, superb service. When you go to Santa Fe, this is a place you must go to.
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M
Michael
New Mexico5 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We enjoyed our dinner very much. The atmosphere is appealing and tastefully done. Shortly after being seated you are given a sample of the mole sauces. You can add your favorite sauce to your entree. We enjoyed the octopus appetizer as well as the soup de amor(a specialty of the chef). I had the fish of the day which was halibut. It was perfectly prepared and served with mole sauce, rice and asparagus. My wife had the salmon which she loved as well. I highly recommend Sazón for the quality of the food and the chance to experience flavors and a unique style. We look forward to our next visit!
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L
Lorraine
Phoenix / Arizona6 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I enjoyed my meal at Sazon, but there were some issues with balancing the menu. Three of the listed appetizers were sold out by my reservation time of 7:45, which I acknowledge is the last serving of the night. It was hard to structure a good meal based on the remaining choices, however I still enjoyed it and had great service.
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L
Lisa VIP
New Mexico11 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We are Santa Feans and eat at Sazon maybe once or twice a year on special occassions. Love the place because the food is interesting, the scene is very central Mexican and the service superb. My halibut was not quite up to its usual standards last night. That is why I gave it less than a perfect score this time.
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R
Robin
New York City17 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent! Go! You won’t be sorry! A beautiful restaurant with great art on the walls of small, quiet rooms. The staff are terrific and enthusiastic, which really added to the fun of our dinner. The Chef is creative, pairing traditional Mexican moles and other flavors with contemporary world-wife ingredients and techniques. Food is beautifully presented. You start with a platter for the table of little bowls filled with the 6 different moles the chef makes, plus little corn tortillas so you can taste them all. The menu allows you to choose from a variety of dishes or pick your protein (fish of the day, duck breast, lamb chops, salmon, etc.) and your mole and leave the rest to the chef. I had a big halibut steak with the green mole, which was scrumptious (and good the next day, cold, for lunch, as I had to take a doggy bag home), and my husband had the duck breast with hot red chili sauce, also excellent. I noted on the reservation that we were celebrating my husband’s birthday and he received a birthday card signed by the chef, as well as a free dessert: fresh berries with crème fraiche with a candle. So nice! I asked for a quiet table and it actually was quit enough for 3 of us to converse in normal voices. It’s not cheap, but for a special night, it was well worth it.
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J
John VIP
Washington, D.C. Area21 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Sazon is the most beautiful restaurant in Santa Fe. Stunning art on the walls and an ambience that makes you feel you’ve gone somewhere outbid the ordinary. Service from Zaith was excellent and the food as always was first rate and different in a good way from other high end Santa Fe restaurants. Just a great experience.
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m
melanie
Palm Springs / Palm Desert Cities2 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We loved Sazon for its fantastic service and ambience . Our waiter Jordan was passionate about the food and very knowledgeable about it and everything else. Everyone was super friendly and restaurant is a fun lively dining experience. The moles are incredible, and you get educated about them immediately even if you don’t try one for your meal. I would definitely go there again because it was just plain fun!
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L
Larry
Chicago / Illinois3 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A lovely room, great staff and food and ambiance, our server was the best ever, the Chef's soup may be the best tasting thing I've ever tasted, don't hesitate to book a res! Oh, and try the Oaxacan Old Fashioned, fantastic!
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FAQs

Sazon is rated 4.8 stars by 5591 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 2, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 41 times today

221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. James Beard Award 2022
Cross street
East Alameda Street & Water Street
Neighborhood
Santa Fe
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Latin American, Contemporary Mexican
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
There is self- parking only, but most of the parking near the restaurant is metered. The meters have certain times when they are monitored and when they are not, so please read signs carefully.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Fernando Olea
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine

Website
http://www.sazonsantafe.com/
Phone number
(505) 983-8604
Private party facilities
We offer customized menus, experienced servers, extraordinary food, and our very own Chef Fernando Olea’s culinary expertise and flair. There can be nothing more perfectly paired! We use organic and sustainable products whenever possible. Our menu celebrates the varied and complex flavors of classic dishes from Mexico City, Oaxaca, Michoacán and Puebla. Chef Olea brings these classic dishes to life with modern and New World techniques thereby imprinting his own distinct signature, or Sazón, into each and every dish. Menu items change with each season and can be customized to fit your needs. We also are happy to embellish the menu with entertainment, florals, linens, and unique décor. For more information: Tel: 505-983-8604 or email: fernando@sazonsantafe.com

Featured in

64 Albuquerque Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Sazon

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

64 Albuquerque Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Sopa de Amor

Dulce Sinfonia

Chocolate Mexicana

Antojitos

Camaron-Tini$28.00

Xochimilco$18.00

Oaxaqueños$19.00

Azteca$19.00

Ensaladas

De la Casa$15.00

Suzanna's Salad$25.00

Sopa

Sopa de Amor$18.00

Frijole Negro$15.00

Plato Fuerte

Barenjena$32.00

Coyoacan$37.00

Popocatepetl$55.00

Cholula$37.00

Atun$40.00

Salmon$42.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Sazon restaurant rated?

Is Sazon currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

64 Albuquerque Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day