A little back, we noticed that Red Door Brewing had posted an advertisement for job openings at a new location out in Clovis, where the brewery already operated inside a bowling alley and an outdoor events space.

There was nothing more after that, but when I headed out to Clovis to see some extended family this weekend (one of my cousins is married to an Air Force officer stationed at Cannon), I was told that the new Red Door taproom was already open.

With some family in tow, we headed over to Bandolero Brewery for lunch on Saturday, and afterwards walked straight across the street to check out the new Red Door. The exterior is a throwback to when Clovis’ main street was a thriving place, and now places like Red Door and Bandolero are spearheading a revival.

Inside, the Red Door taproom is more spacious than you might think. There are several low and high-top tables, a bar on the west side, and a full kitchen behind that. All the Red Door favorites, both year-round and seasonal, are on tap, and there is also a cocktail menu.

The doors on the south side lead out to Levine’s Gardens, the aforementioned outdoor event space, with plenty of tables and a stage for local and traveling musicians. Much like Inside Out in downtown Albuquerque, it is essentially an old building with the roof removed, but the four walls remain to keep everyone nicely tucked inside.

My cousin said that the Red Door indoor taproom was a necessity, as Levine’s Gardens struggled to keep up with demand for food and beer on nights when it was packed, which she described as just about every weekend. Hey, there is only so much to do in a town the size of Clovis, especially with the Air Force base just to the west adding to the population of people, young and old, looking to get out of the house and enjoy themselves with a little food, drinks, and music.

With Bandolero still at the top of its game with its excellent food and beer directly across Main Street from Red Door, Clovis now has a sweet little beer scene right in the heart of town. If, for whatever reason, you find yourself out that way, make sure to stop by both places and have a little fun out on the plains. Just come hungry, because neither Red Door nor Bandolero knows the meaning of small portions.

Keep supporting local statewide!

— Stoutmeister