Set amongst all the alien-adorned shops and storefronts up and down Main Street Roswell, New Mexico is a gourmet counter-service diner not to be missed. Big D’s Downtown Dive rides the nationwide trend of high-end diner food, and if you’re into that sort of thing (like us), they absolutely deliver. But unlike a lot of those so-called upscale diners, Big D’s also delivers on price.

Burgers such as the “Breakfast” (on an onion bagel, topped with fried egg, pecan smoked bacon, jalapeño jelly, aged cheddar) and the Tomahawk (Native American fry bread, red chile, aged cheddar, shredded iceberg, black beak pico de gallo, and guacamole) offer premium ingredients carefully put orchestrated into a symphony of flavor.

If fried potatoes are your poison, check out the Thanksgiving Fries (sweet potato fries with sweet whiskey bitter, cinnamon and pecan smoked bacon) or the Monster Fries (autumn roast green chile, yellow cheese, pecan smoked bacon, classic sauce). A variety of inventive specialties, sides, soups and desserts round out the menu.

The big winners for us were the Big Kahuna burger — a beef patty with teriyaki glazed grilled pineapple, a slice of spam, white cheese, cilantro and spicy jalapeño dressing — and the Crispy Monte Cristo — honey ham, smoked turkey, and white cheese, deep fried in a beignet better and sprinkled with powdered sugar, served with homemade warm raspberry jam for dipping.

A la carte entrées are in the $5 – $9 range. Our only quibble — skip the regular fries in favor of one of the other side specialties or a second entree to share.

Big D’s is open 11–8 Monday through Thursday, and 11–9 Friday and Saturday as of this writing, and they’re closed on Sundays.  There is a limited parking lot, and street parking is your best bet for larger vehicles and RVs.

Big D’s Downtown Dive

Average tab (not including drinks or tip): $11
Hours (as of 2/5/18): 11–8 Monday thru Thursday, 11–9 Friday and Saturday, closed on Sundays.
Web: facebook.com/bigdsdowntowndive
(575) 627-0776
505 N Main St (70.11 mi)
Roswell, New Mexico 88201