Authenticity is hard to pull off; and if it’s possible to be authentic right down to the smell, then Anodyne is pulling it off. In a good way, of course. Maybe it’s the well-worn vintage sofas in the lounge area. They look like your grandma’s old couches that appear in countless photos of your family’s Christmas parties. Over the lounge is a large skylight adorned with lots of hanging plants. In fact, there are hanging plants everywhere and it just part of the psych-lounge feel of the whole place. There is a large window on the south side of the building that overlooks central where you can see John the busker jamming away on his little Vox amp downstairs. There are bookshelves full of old and dusty thesauri. Sweet. The custom-made tables at the booths look like they belong at a museum of retro-nostalgic art. The exposed brick walls remind you that you are in a historic building in Downtown Albuquerque. There are plenty of tables, chairs, and a lot of comfortable seating in the well-decorated booths… but… try getting a booth late on a Saturday night…
You can’t.
Anodyne also has the most pool tables out of all the pool halls in the Downtown/Nob Hill area but make sure you get there early because… try getting a table late on a busy Saturday night…
You can’t.
Early bird gets the worm at Anodyne.
Pool tables are full, seating and booths are also full. Bar is even full. The bartenders are quick, kind, and attentive and keep the line at the bar moving relatively quickly. The wait is 12 minutes in line at midnight on a Saturday night and that is after waiting outside for 15 minutes because of fire code! They reach full capacity on the weekend regularly so business is clearly rolling. What keeps people coming back? I believe it is the easy attitude of this place. The door-guys and bartenders are friendly, the décor follows a cohesive, relaxing theme; and the music is always groovy. Nothing but chill vibes at this place. You will never feel like you had to chase down an uninterested bartender just for a beer. The door guys will welcome you at the door and they will thank you when you leave. This is a palpable contrast from their downstairs neighbor. Everything about this establishment tells me that someone poured their personality, interests, and values into their business and it is apparent through every aspect of Anodyne. I haven’t met the owner but I imagine he or she is a groovy, creative, and passionate person who values his or her customers. Grab a booth, play some pool, or just chill at the lounge for a good time at Anodyne.
Since it is difficult to capture the ambiance on a crowded night, I took the pictures on a saturday afternoon. Incredibly, this place looks even more amazing during the day.