Above: Behold the beauty of a burger at the Bibo Bar and Grill. Photograph by
Gabriella Marks.
Lured merely by the promise of a great green chile cheeseburger, we didn’t know that NM 279 north of Laguna Pueblo winds through an eroded mesa-canyon landscape worth the drive all by itself. That was just the first treat. The burger at the Bibo Bar and Grill crowned our day. “The cooks like to eat, so they know what people like,” says proprietor Edward Michael. He takes pride in the hangout’s handmade patties—a half pound of meat drooping over the edges of grilled buns—plus the whopping helping of chile, adding a piquant bite to the chargrilled flavor.
Long a local hangout, the place was originally a village mercantile and has since become a destination for weekend cruisers, including motorcyclists and the occasional peloton of bicyclists.
Michael added to the amenities by fixing up his family’s homestead across the street and offering it as a gracious Airbnb, albeit one that he calls “a bed-and-burger.” We’ll be back, for the food and for what Michael rightfully calls “a beautiful Sunday drive—green grass and fat cows.”
Bibo Bar and Grill
1175 State Rte 279
Paguate; 505-552-9428