This place has so much potential which is why it's so disappointing that every time I go I end up…read morewondering why they don't do better. It's a beautiful place with a nice dining room and bar area. The menu has just enough to choose from that anyone should be able to pick something they would like. Nothing is too fussy and the prices are decent for a steakhouse in a small mountain town that depends a lot on tourism. I have been there for lunch, for dinner, by myself and with friends - probably over a dozen times over several years. Not once have I walked away feeling like I had a great experience. The service is usually decent but the servers always seem way more interested in chatting with each other or hanging out with other employees. On more than one occasion I've heard them complain about other customers or getting another table as more customers come in the door. The food is generally okay but nothing special. It's not a complicated menu but you can order the same thing more than once and who knows how it will show up to the table. Over or under cooked, way over seasoned or missing ingredients listed on the menu - this has happened to me several times. Walking into the restaurant you are rarely greeted by someone right away. It takes a while for anyone to notice you and then if someone does it's usually a busy server or someone who doesn't look like they work there. Today I was greeted by someone who was dressed like they were cleaning out their garage. Several times I've been seated at the only clean table in the room. By the time I've left, the tables have all been dirty and no one has touched them during my entire meal. A table was only cleaned if it was needed for someone else coming in. It's a really bad impression. Something needs to be done to isolate the kitchen from the front of the house. You can hear the kitchen staff yelling, cursing and playing loud heavy metal music throughout the dining room and bar. During meals I have learned a lot about the personal lives of the staff and not because I wanted to. All of these things are fixable. I keep going back because I'll hear that there is a new manager or a new chef but it seems like nothing ever really changes and it's a shame.

Huge holiday disappointment. Charged 7 people in my party full price for incomplete meals and poor…read morecustomer service. I had spoken with The Ranchers restaurant for several weeks prior to Thanksgiving 2025, setting up a reservation for a party of 12, and I even provided editing feedback on their menu graphic. The restaurant gave me the time slot for 2:30pm. I was so excited, as my family traveled from out of state to Ruidoso for Thanksgiving, and having everyone together to share a traditional family Thanksgiving meal was very important to us. The traditional Thanksgiving meal was publicly listed and is included in the photo: Upon arrival, the waitress informed us that they were out of Ham. Then, cranberries. Then, not enough pecan pie. I politely asked if they were going to provide a substitution for the items that were unavailable and they said no. So, I then asked if they were going to provide a discount from the rate, as they were failing to provide what was listed for the price. Once again, the manager told the waitress to tell me no. I said, that's really disappointing to hear and that's poor customer service. The waitress then said to me, "Well, we close in 30 minutes and it's been a busy day," as if it were MY fault that they ran out of food and insinuated we were late. I said, "No, that's an unacceptable response. I was given this time as a reservation weeks ago. There should have been enough food for my family. All these people didn't have reservations. It's not like we came 30 minutes before closing. And you shouldn't be charging full price for a meal that isn't complete." 7 people in my family ordered the traditional turkey meal. One didn't receive stuffing. Bread was late. No cranberry. No ham. Charged full price. I went back to the Facebook message where I had been communicating with the restaurant and they said the Manager would call me and offer compensation for the meals that were charged. He never called. Unethical. Inconsiderate. Taking advantage of people. Thumbs down.

Great salad bar and great selections of steaks and appetizers. Love the homemade soups!!read more

Just had Mother's Day Dinner here and it was terrible. Neither steak was cooked to order. Manager…read morebrought out the re-cook, no apologies and no sides. Apparently if you ask them to cook your order the way you order it you lose the sides. Didnt remove the used plates and the ice and water tastes like dirt. On top of that the creme brule was ice cold. Upon leaving smelled and saw the bus boy smoking weed on his break. Keep it classy Cattle Baron

Friendly Staff, a good Sunday after Church spot, yummy sushi & Mexican dishes…read more TV's for sports fans! Ladies bathroom has cute signs.

I would NOT RECOMMEND this place to my worst enemy!! I ordered shrimp ceviche and couldn't find…read moreany shrimp! Stated on menu that it Was mildly spicy and that was false! To add insult when I asked for extra saltines I got six packages of two each and was charged two dollars. When I complained to the owner he refused to make amens saying that Saltines are expensive! I will NEVER GO BACK!!!!

We went to Michael J's expecting a mediocre experience based on the reviews we'd seen, and left…read moreabsolutely puzzled that they're not higher rated. The interior was charming and surprisingly classy. The service was attentive and helpful, and the food was great. They were very accommodating of our two year old. We had low expectations and ended up wonderfully surprised with a nice dinner. We would absolutely return!

Our first time there and the service and food were excellent. We had the chicken piccata and the…read morelasagna. Our waitress, who was new, was extremely friendly, attentive and prompt. The atmosphere was pleasant and comfortable.

5 STARS the best in this town Food Price and…read moreservice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd thought they were closed....For the past THREE Years!?! So I drove around to the back to see if…read morethe restaurant had burned down, or WHAT? They'd forgotten to turn the "OPEN" sign on! Seriously! I advised illuminating the neon, and they quickly complied, leaving me wondering, How many $$$ they'd missed during the past 3 years!? Bottom line: Nothing has changed! Same plastic ware, same good food, same TV, and dog friendly deck.

Fast delivery, high quality, and friendly service are much appreciated by a traveler with little…read moretime to spare.

If you're in Ruidoso, New Mexico - make it a point to hit The Village Buttery on a Tuesday. The…read morePoblano Corn Chowder alone is worth the trip, but the freshly made sandwiches, salads, pastas, and quiche. We came with our family a group of 12 and the staff helped seating us together at tables on the patio. The weather was perfect for outdoor seating!

This was a special dinner in a town with many choices. The…read moreMeat loaf dinner was over the top good and i had the german schnitzel. They excellent and at a vg price We didn't have wine but they had many choices. We Should have have had a reservation. Our waiter Michael was very careful to insure our satisfaction. We Highly recommend and it was suggested to us from 3 others. They were right.

This place was a nice stop on the way out of white sands national park. The wine was decent…read moreespecially the white wine flight I had and the others they offer. The food was ok. My blackened salmon was a tad bit dry but still tender in some sections. My friends enjoyed the steak salad. The charcuterie board was also decent. The staff was very nice and attentive. The vibe was kind of like a booth seating at like a Denny's but fancier with wine. We had to wait for a good 15-20min even though there was ample seating in multiple areas of this large establishment. Overall good pit stop.

The food was incredible. Our server was also our chef and I was honestly super impressed by the…read morequality. Some of the best sushi I've had and the Japanese curry was amazing as well.

Drove an hour to Ruidoso to have some sushi which is located right next to all of the shops and…read morerestaurants in the cute touristy town. The cute little restaurant is located in a small little plaza and was quiet and quaint. I ordered my sushi roll and also noticed that they had ramen on the menu so I had to try it. My sushi roll was excellent. The ramen was good too but needed just a little bit more flavor for me. The presentation was great. And the service was phenomenal. The waitress was so friendly and attentive. I would definitely drive an hour to go back. They offer a chili oil that had great flavor as well. Stop by if you're in the area.

Do not be turned off by the antiquated looks and lack of ambience. I almost did. But I had already…read morebeen looking for a quick cafe style place to eat tacos and I decided to just get back off the car to give this one a try. They have a free chips bar with several salsas. The chips were fresh and the salsas were tasty! I ordered chilaquiles, he recommended the red ones. The salsa was delicious (a bit too hot, and I can take hot) the chilaquiles chips were freshly fried and they were crispy and chewy, perfect to my taste. I paired them with a pineapple agua fresca, and it was also made from real fruit and delicious. I was very glad I decided to give it a chance. The food was way better than average. Pretty much the the best Mexican food I've had in Ruidoso. It had real depth and real Mexican tones. Not just some guy making Mexican food, but someone that knows the true depth of Mexican flavors.

My to go order was prepared very quickly. The food is great and what youd expect for a mexican…read morerestaurant.