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    Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue

    4.8 (426 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque, Sandwiches
    Closed Closed

    Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue Photos

    MAD JACK'S MOUNTAINTOP BARBECUE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue

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    No line!! Thursday 12:30.
    Pete S.

    Cant believe it! NO line at Mad Jacks. Thursday at 12:30. Wow! This is the best bbq ever. We had a 1.88lb Dino rib, could cut it with a fork, brisket, green chile sausage and great baked beans. All was so good. We have been coming here for years. As usual the store was clean and the staff was super friendly.

    12/13/25
    Christa M.

    Visited around 3pm on Saturday and they'd sold out of most meat. Only had chicken, turkey and chopped brisket. Opted for chopped brisket sandwiches. The Chili the Kid is chopped brisket with green hatch chilis on the best sourdough bun you'll ever eat. Got the Twisted Brisket sandwich which is chopped brisket, sausage and jack cheese on best sourdough bun you'll ever eat. We are Texans, so very picky on BBQ...this place is legit delicious. Great smoky brisket, served with large slices of dill pickles, white onion and pickled jalapenos. Do yourself a favor, get the sandwich...that bun, boy oh boy, that bun!

    Amber D.

    An absolute must stop if passing through Cloudcroft! Was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype but definitely the best bbq I've had in a long time. If going on a weekend get there early. We waited 1.5 hours and got there a half hour before they opened. The service was great and staff was extremely friendly. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Patio is dog friendly. Typical bbq style decor.

    Rebekah H.

    Mad Jack's is a wonderful destination in Cloudcroft. We got in line a few minutes before they opened at 11 am and they took our order right at 1 pm. It's nice that there are benches for seating while waiting in line. We read other reviews so we knew this place was popular and that there is normally a line when choosing to eat here. The service is top notch. Everyone we spoke with was friendly and helpful. The employees are passionate about their craft and work well together to create a fantastic experience for customers. We tried a few sandwiches, a Dino beef rib, and the sides of mac & cheese and potato salad. Everything was delicious and we took some leftovers home.

    Blackberry cobbler
    Destiny L.

    Worth the detour and worth the line, Mad Jack's is one of my all-time favorite barbecue spots. You are guaranteed to wait, but the staff is so friendly and so excited about what they do by the end of it, you won't even be thinking about how long you waited. We got there around noon on Sunday and waited probably about 45 minutes in line. They run out of things throughout the day and they announced it as they do but when we got there, only one thing was out. By the time we got to the head of the line, there were a handful of things, but I got everything I wanted so I can't complain. I got the turkey sandwich with green chile and it was absolutely amazing. One of my all-time top sandwiches probably. I also got a side of sour cream, potato salad, and a blackberry cobbler. The cobbler was so good and so was the potato salad. Again, I don't think you can go wrong with anything here and the service is so friendly.

    Forgot to take pics of food. Enjoy G. Fieri with a massive hawg instead. M.Jacks has merch! Pick up a hoodie! - A man with light-colored hair and a beard holds a large sandwich made of bread, sausage, and hot dog buns in a dimly lit indoor setting.
    Zachary S.

    If you're anywhere near Cloudcroft, Mad Jack's Mountain Top BBQ is an absolute must. Real Texas barbecue on a snowy mountain in New Mexico, cooked by true Texas pit masters--that alone makes it unique, but the food pushes it into legendary territory. The staff is friendly and genuinely engaging, and Mad Jack himself was there when we visited, serving up some of the best barbecue I've ever had. The flavors are bold, rich, and exactly what good Texas BBQ is supposed to taste like. We ordered the brisket sandwich, ribs, mac and cheese, and potato salad. The highlights were easily the brisket and ribs. The brisket sandwich was the best I've ever had--perfect bark, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and incredible flavor. The ribs? They're absolutely in my top three of all time. I'm a rib guy, so deciding whether they're #1, #2, or #3 is impossible... but they're unquestionably elite. The location itself is beautiful--a rustic, cozy BBQ joint perched on a snowy mountain top. There will be a line, and it'll be long, but it's worth every minute. Just be sure to get there early because, as all great barbecue places do, they sell out. Mad Jack's is the real deal. I'll be back every chance I get.

    Hank P.

    What a great surprise to find a place like this in the little town of Cloudcroft! We didn't finish our hike until late, so we didn't get to the restaurant until after 2:00. Unfortunately by that time they were out of everything except for chopped beef sandwiches. Fortunately they were the best beef sandwiches we've ever had, without a doubt. The meat was tender and juicy, the peppers and onions gave a great kick and the bun was toasty and buttered. A PERFECT sandwich. The owner was there walking around and talking to everyone, making sure that we were taken care of. If we ever make it back to Cloudcroft, we'll absolutely stop here again.

    Amos S.

    So this place is amazing! I don't need to flood the fees with the lengthy type review, as everyone else already has. Bottom line up front: I'm a freaking Yelp Gold Elite. Just accept my word as Gold, and believe me when I say: EAT HERE! Mad Jack himself is often present and is such a great dude! They give military discount. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Recommend sitting outdoors if the weather is nice because it's beautiful up there. Listen again: EAT HERE. This Gold elite stood in line for an hour to get some brisket, Turkey, sausage, Mac-n-cheese... and id stand in line to do it again. When not racing motorcycles at the track, we often like to ride still, out in nature. Away from the city (because why have race bikes just to go stop light to stop light). And when we do ride, there is no better area that has corners that often can replicate the track, than Cloudcroft. Being that it's an hour away from my home in El Paso... we always stop at Mad Jacks to refuel. This place is great! Go try i

    Brisket, honey corn bread, Mac n cheese
    Crystal V.

    My my, where do I even begin. This review is well overdue but nonetheless, I feel like it's much needed. When we arrived to Mad Jack's, the line was to the end of the building. As we approached, we could smell the delicious aromas wafting through the mountain air. We waited online for about 1 hour which seemed to go by pretty quickly. The workers are so welcoming and the food was to die for! All of the meats were so flavorful and succulent! The brisket is some of the best I've ever had and the peach cobbler is the perfect ending to any meal here!

    Nellie F.

    A friend of mine from the East Coast was the first to recommend MJMB to me when she learned we were moving to Las Cruces, NM. It's only about an hour and 20 mins from our home. The Saturday after Thanksgiving seemed like a great day to make the trip out to Cloudcroft. Lots of friends here in Las Cruces recommended we get there by 10AM, which we did.... the restaurant opens at 11AM. There was already a good line formed by the time we got there an hour before opening. Everyone in line was nice and conversational so even though it was cold, the time went by quickly. The food is ordered and served cafeteria-style, so even though we were in line early, it wasn't until about 11:45am that we got to the front to place our order. Between the three of us, we ordered: Devine Swine (pulled pork sandwich), Dino bone (beef rib), Chopped Brisket sandwich, Green Chile Sausage, Corn bread, 1/2 pint beans, pint mac n cheese, side of pickles and Peach cobbler for dessert. Meats: Hands-down the best BBQ any of us had ever tasted. My husband is a born and raised Texan who loves his BBQ meats... and he confirmed! It was definitely worth the drive and the wait. The sausage was great, but the skin was a little difficult for a toddler/small child to manage. Corn bread and Mac and cheese are must-have sides! They are phenomenal! The beans, the can leave off the menu. Sad to say we ended up tossing what we didn't taste. Dessert: It was OK... but when we heated it up in the air fryer the next day?! It went from OK to DAYUM that's good! They have a good seating area outside, but it's so cold, nobody used it. The inside seating area is pretty small, but surprisingly the turnover of diners went pretty smoothly. Last but not least, I have to mention the people! So sweet!!! The lady who bakes stopped to chat with us and she's just the nicest. Mad Jack himself made every guest feel appreciated for coming to the restaurant. If you're ever even within 2 hours of Mad Jack's, I highly recommend making the trip to experience the food for yourself. We'll definitely be back again.

    Yotes A.

    Waiting in line this the early cool morning with fellow barbecue lovers getting whiffs of post oak smoke only heightened my excitement. People talking about brisket, their favorite places, and bragging about how long they've waited today and other times. With this atmosphere and excitement in the crowd, you'd think I was in a Texas Top 50 location. Actually I am 8,600 ft above sea level in the mountain of New Mexico hungrily queued for Mad Jack's. The restaurant looks like a cabin restaurant blending seamlessly into the beautiful surround area. The drive up & down through the Lincoln National Forrest was beautiful and I imagine normal people doing that drive without the sole goal of eating brisket. I can't imagine a mountain top bbq spot being more perfect. Both the brisket and the beef short rib were amazing. Talking to Jack and tasting myself, both are heavily seasoned. Reminded me of how old school bbq joints found in Lockhart are a bit more salty than the current craft bbq. A taste that I enjoyed especially with the beef rib. The moment my teeth sunk into the meat, a flash flood of juices rushed into my mouth. As I bit away, I could see moisture flowing out. I got both sausages, but I would rec the green chili one especially for bbq lovers. Its holds a diff flavor to highlight that I am actually in NM despite the food in front of me. Of the sides, the sour cream potato salad was perfect. Every time I felt the meat sweats coming on, I would take a spoonful and the tartness would help move more and more brisket into my belly. I legitimately was eating the Dino rib while driving all the way to the airport. Oh! Also I loved how they would wrap each meat individually in butcher paper similar to the Kruez or Smitty's experience truly showing how Mad Jack's was influenced by Lockhart. I forgot to try their sauce. The next time I get a chance to come out.

    Menu
    Kristy A.

    Amazing! Best bbq I've ever had! Stood in line about an hour and so worth it! I suggest getting there early otherwise they could run out of food. Can't wait to eat it again. My husband got the brisket and said it was the best he ever had. I got the triple threat baked potato. We also got the brisket chili and man it was delicious

    Dinosaur rib
    Rachel R.

    Delicious!!!!! Brisket melts without a huge fat layer. Beef Dino rib was amazing. Bbq sauce wasn't too sweet. Mac and cheese and Cole slaw were amazing. I just loved my time. All employees were happy and chatty enjoyed being there. I really think the dining room employee stole the show. Very customer service forward. On top of everything. I serve , and noticing a guest is sitting at a table with a closed Mexican coke , and employee insists to walk to the bottle opener to open for the coke the guest is amazing

    The spread!!

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    Thank you!!

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    Thank you Fran! We hope you’ll visit us again someday!

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    Thank you Brent! We put a lot of love into what we do!

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    Page 1 of 11

    Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue

    Big Daddy's Diner - Half Cheese Curds/Half Fried Okra

    Big Daddy's Diner

    (258 reviews)

    $$

    We stopped here for a rest from the road. It's nifty little mountain café. We ordered a plate of…read morefries, coffee and pie. The fries were salty and delicious. The coffee was hot and the pie was sweet and silky. The service was excellent. The ambience was what you would expect to find in a small mountain town simple and warm.

    Big Daddy's was an unexpected surprise tonight. This town where big daddy's is located is an…read moreabsolute hidden gem! The whole feel to Cloudcroft is this cozy, dreaming resort, ski town. The businesses all put their heads together to create a magical place where there are everything from sundry stores to acute log cabin church, to strip malls that are decorated in a log cabin style, feeling with rustic signage, Christmas lights everywhere and they even adorn the driving path with lit snow snowflakes. One thing that made me laugh was there is a hardware store with 101 Dalmatians decorating it out front! So back to big daddy's, you walk in and it is a wonderful local feel to this place, rustic design, super friendly staff, the foods brought out quickly, and it was hot and fresh a huge menu of items to choose from!! There is plenty of parking and lots of space to sit, including a bar area. We ordered the fried pickles - they were outstanding! I had the triple chicken tacos soft and hard shell they were homemade tortillas and shells and just delicious! The French dip was also ordered to our table and was huge order with onion rings. Soooo tasty! 5 stars!

    Rio Grande Grill & Tap Room - Carrot cake

    Rio Grande Grill & Tap Room

    (468 reviews)

    $$

    Everything here was great. The service was awesome and they have a great selection of beer on tap…read morewhich we loved. They do not appear to serve liquor though so be prepared for that. The homemade salsa was fantastic. It was so garlicky and had a good kick thank you for seasoning your food! And the burger, that was a backyard, 4th of July type burger. It was great!

    First off, been here before, the food was good, the beer was better than most in El Paso. But I'll…read morenever go back here or recommend it to anyone coming to Ruidoso. Called inquiring about reservations, told it's first come first serve and I should expect about a 15-20 min wait. Showed up, 3 adults w/ 3 kids at 5:30. Was told I was the 2nd name behind an 11 top, and should be able to be seated in 5 min due to a few tables just waiting to be cleared upstairs. 20 mins later I watched them clear a 6 top at the front door downstairs, then split it so they could seat two tables of 4 who had shown up after my family. After waiting another 10 min I asked about how long we were looking at, the woman at the door told me she would go upstairs and check on the table, she returned to inform me that I was now looking at probably 20 min before we could be seated. We left... I don't know if the elderly woman working as a hostess at the door is an owner, a wife, family friend, or simply a pity hire due to her old age, but she has no business working customer service at a restaurant. She lied to me and several other groups about wait times, and seating availability only to double down several times about how soon we will be seated. She obviously has zero idea about how food service works, customer service relations, or kitchen service/food service times. Side note: an obviously drunk group of six made their way in during my wait, the bartender had no issue serving them, fingers crossed they weren't driving home, but I doubt anyone is that lucky.

    Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbecue - bbq - Updated May 2026

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