Small portions of food. Small portions of bread if you ask for more than one basket of bread they charge you. If you ask for extra sauce on the side for any entree even though the pasta you get is dry , they charge you extra. Not worth it in my opinion. read more

The guy seemed so surprised we didn't have a reservation and proceeded to tell us how lucky we were when we got a table. They were out of carnivore wine. We ordered. Swordfish and veal piccata. The bread they brought was soft and would have been delic if warm. The Cesar salad came and was nothing to brag on. Our main dishes were brought out. The veal piccata looked like chicken and was rubbery. We weren't even sure if was veal! The swordfish with asparagus risotto was absolutely tasty! It melted in your mouth! It was absolutely delicious! Time for dessert they were out of chocolate torte... So the atmosphere was cool though inside an old house. Prices were reasonable. The food was hit and miss from what we had. Check it out and hope for the best! I would recommend the swordfish! read more

Michael J's - Swordfish with asparagus risotto - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

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I came to the restaurant not knowing it was reservation only, and was taken aback when the hostess told me initially they didn't have any openings when the whole restaurant was open because it was empty. After a few moments another hostess came up and told her they'd be able to squeeze us in I was in shock that everyone was in on this game of thinking they were busy. So if you really want to eat here ensure you make reservations. After being seated the server was nice and seemed very knowledgeable about the menu after telling us the specials. A couple complaints I have about the food is that I ordered breadsticks but it wasn't really breadsticks it was A breadsticks cut up into many pieces to make it seem like more breadsticks. They should really emphasize that on the menu. I also had a salad that wasn't anything special and was pretty basic the fanciest thing about it was they grounded black pepper on it. For my main course I had the lasagna which wasn't anything special. I hate to compare this place to Olive Garden but if you want the same type of mediocre Italian food at a cheaper price and with a much bigger menu skip this place and go to your neighborhood Olive Garden. Your wallet will thank you! Side note: I guess in order to keep this place as high class as possible they don't have a kids menu section so if you have a picky eater leave them at home. read more

High-quality attention to food preparation with top-notch, well-timed service by the waitstaff. Reservations HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED. We'd read that and made them a day beforehand, and compared to other Yelpers' posts, it made quite a bit of difference. The number of tables is not as small as one might believe based on Yelp reviews, but based on one nights' observation, it does seem that there is (for a seasonal tourist town) a robust local clientele who can fill tables year-round. Thus the need for reservations. It's not hard. Pick up the phone. Call. Done. We did it inside 30 seconds, a day beforehand. Ma femme went for the ravioli of the day (three cheese on this day) and they were superb and, yes, homemade. Blinded by the culinary aspirations reflected in the menu and specials, I retreated to a spaghetti bolognese and wasn't disappointed at all. Actually, I was ordered by ma femme to have it because, sharing. However, I'm not a fan of too much fennel. Fennel pollen instead in the sauce? She ordered a bruschetta; it was fantastic. On a bed of lightly-fried (? it couldn't have been heated in the oven as the bread was moist) bread slice, still warm, was placed room-temperature tomato, onion and basil. Garlic seemed to be deliberately understated, which we appreciated. It was such a contrast to similar dishes in the USA, where garlic and (!)baked cheese(!) are landed upon a slice of tomato-bread that one wonders what bruschetta is anymore in the land of the free. But this bruschetta was tasty as an appetizer without being overwrought, over-herbed, or cloying. It was a real appetizer because it made us hungry for more food. My appetizer was a Caprese salad, an old standard. In this case, the mozzarella was large and thick and fresh, and the tomatoes ripe. The basil leaves were Jurassic-park huge and very fresh. This was tasty and, again, served as a real appetizer to the entrees to come. Though not aficionados, we thought that the wine selection seemed very well-chosen in its compactness and range. We appreciated the attention paid to US wines that match Italian food; that doesn't always happen when some places prefer to focus on Italian wines that Americans may not have become used to. We were happy with our American choices, which is to say, we were happy with Michael J's selections. Service was particularly outstanding because the timing of plate delivery was excellent: we felt neither rushed nor delayed. Our server was competent on the menu, flexible with one request, and attentive, though not intrusive, throughout the meal. Tip 20%; they're worth it. read more

One of the best meals we've had in a long time - Wonderful atmosphere, great and friendly service - Superb food / I had orange roughy over angel hair pasta with Mediterranean sauce, my husband had veal Parmesan - and we shared the chocolate mouse cake for dessert . We will come back - Word of advice- Make reservations ! read more

The only thing to reccomend at this restaurant is the food. It isn't bad Italian for eastern New Mexico. HOWEVER... the management is completely subpar. We had to call for a reservation because their deck has limited seating. We did this and specifically requested the deck. Upon arrival, we are told that our reservation is in the full sun. They managed to wrangle the umbrellas to barely block the sun for our table. Another party showed up and the staff moved the umbrella again only to us and another table back in the sun. They clearly have no plan to make that patio comfortable. They have another deck that is not in the sun. When we called, good customer service would have been to let us know that we would sitting in full sun. They did not do that. Next, we found a bug in the olive oil on the table, when we told the waitress she said oh yuck and carried it away. They also served greens that was clearly old and shriveled. When the manager was confronted she told us there was no bug and the greens were fresh, essentially saying we are liars. In business, THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT! Be warned that you might have a crappy experience by patronizing this establishment. read more

Wonderful atmosphere and delectable food. The service was warm and attentive. Definitely call for reservations. Highly recommend. Nice wine list. read more

Best Italian Restaurant in Lincoln County! Eggplant Parmagiana is exquisite. The host and waitstaff are friendly, helpful and quick. Chef is terrific! And now thy serve wine and beer. My new favorite restaurant read more

Michael J's - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

This place was not great. I know inflation is raging, but the portions were still very small. Left hungry and unsatisfied.

We were visiting Ruidoso and someone recommended Micheal J's to us. I am very glad we stopped in a gave it a try. Chad was our server/bartender and was amazing- so down to earth and timely with our service. I had the chicken parmigiana and my husband had the veal parmigiana- both were amazing. I would give this restaurant a five star but Micheal (the owner) was incredibly rude with the reservation and seating process. If you can get by the five minutes of rudeness, this place is a must for a trip to Ruidoso. read more

Was turned away because I didn't have a reservation( even though it is not a requirement on website or anything for that matter). Servers were standing around gossiping so clearly it wasnt busy not to mention I counted atleast 8 empty tables. Also the smug remark the host gave us, makes me happy I didn't spend a dime here. read more

Fantastic food and service. We got the chicken piccata and chicken parmesan and they were both great! Highly recommend!

We had a 6:15 "reservation", and we sat down at 6:50. The hostess wasn't rude, but she wasn't pleasant either. When we sat down, they didn't have any silverware. After about 5 minutes we had a pleasant young lady come and ask us what we wanted. We ordered a bottle of wine, and when she brought it out, it was a Merlot, and not the Pinot we ordered. I'm going to blame that on the bar tender. We ordered our entire meal at once, since we didn't know how long it might take to order our entre if we didn't do so while we had the chance. They brought our appetizer promptly, and after a few minutes here came our entre. They forgot the salad. Didn't even offer to bring it after the fact. We were asked if we wanted to see the desert menu, and at that point I thought they might offer one for free since they left off our salad, but nope. So, we politely declined, and left as soon as possible. There was no sign of anyone in charge, and the service showed. We have had good service and food there in the past, but they have slipped big time. It will take a act of God for me to go back. read more

My girlfriend and I made a reservation here because we wanted to have a nice dinner together. We were seated right away then asked to move after a couple of minutes for a party of 8 that "claimed" to have made a reservation, which did not bother us. What did bother us was watching as other parties came and were seated and served while no one came to our table, let alone made eye contact. After 15 minutes we decided to walk. To add salt to the wound, the front hostess (and I presume owner as well) chased after us stating that she had seen us sitting there and that she was going to promptly send someone our way - she had passed by our table 4 times before, never having said a word. I'd love to critique the food, but unfortunately the service drew us out. read more

My wife & I enjoyed an excellent dinner here last evening. Our waiter, Johnny, provided awesome service. My wife loved the lasagne while I feasted on veal marsala. I would rank this as one of our favorite Italian meals & highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Looked forward to a date night out all day and a chef prepared meal. My experience was disappointing to say the least. We watched everyone around us get served their meals even though we ordered before them. Apparently something went wrong with the preparation of my salmon and they had to cook another meal for me which caused us to wait quite a while. When my salmon came out it ended up being raw. I'm not a fan of sushi . With the reputation of this establishment this would be wothout Question a chance for management to comp our meal . They comped a desert and basically said come again and remind us that your experience was unsatisfactory and we will take care of you. NOT likely to see us again read more

This place was amazing! I ordered the lasagna and my wife had the alfredo with shrimp and mushrooms. Both were absolutely delicious! The lasagna was like a cloud and melted in your mouth. I was told by my wife that the shrimp was perfect as well as her alfredo. The moscato was so clean and smooth. Willman's I think it was called. It's a fine dining establishment. You are supposed to have reservations, but we didn't know that and they seated us in the bar area anyway. Our waiter was the bar tender and I thought he was being disrespectful at first. An older gent who originally sounded like he thought I didn't have money. But then the more we talked I realized that he was just being nice and making suggestions out of kindness. I wanted the whole bottle of wine and he kept saying to buy it elsewhere and save a buck. Just a misunderstanding on my part I guess. My only complaint was the table being by the restrooms. I don't like that places always have to get that last table in and it's usually by the restrooms. Just stop it...you won't make that much less without that table. The cost was great! We paid like $48.00 for our dinners and my glass of wine. Great food and a lower price than I would have guessed. I left him $15.00 as a tip but I wanted to leave $25.00 in case he thought of me as cheap. My wife carries the cards and I have my cash. So she covered the ticket, which always looks bad and I pay cash for tips. She didn't want me paying that much as a tip so I didn't. read more

Service was prompt and food was delicious. Awesome experience. Definitely recommend. Thanks Jonathan and staff! read more

Michael J's - Shrimp and Ricotta Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

Great environment! Reservations are recommended for good reason, fine running machine... very fresh ingredients Clams and The Salmon appetizers were awesome. Be sure and get some bread to dip in clam sauce/broth. 4/5 of our party got specials and were rewarded Seafood Ravioli, Bone in Pork Chop, and Veal dishes. Glad our hosts took us and if you book early out on the deck it is awesome on a July evening. On my list for next trip!!!! read more

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This is a long review because I believe people deserve it. If you are a true foodie...DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!!! I wish I wasn't so tired this Saturday night and took pictures of our food but it was beyond awful! I must preface that I married into a New York Italian family and so Italian food is my thing. This was by far the worst Italian food I ever had even for places like Olive Garden etc. who bastardize Italian food. First up the 1st course which came with our meal...minestrone soup. It was so flooded with oregano, I could barely see red tomato used in it, and it lacked in the basics that minestrone offers like white beans and well tons of veggies. What I did get besides TONS of oregano (I am not joking about the tons of oregano) was oil and salt. Next up we ordered garlic bread...I got a thinly sliced FRENCH baguette with again either an imitation olive oil or canola oil drenched slices with Parmesan cheese sprinkled across a toasted FRENCH BAGUETTE. Next up I ordered the Alfredo and my husband order the Veal Parmesan. Mind you true Alfredo is cheese and egg...what I got was fettuccini pasta floating in a ton of watered down cream sauce with tons of garlic and no cheese. This dish's sauce should cling to int and should be watery. My husband who should have receive a thing scallopini style veal breaded with sauce got a thick pork chop style over cooked veal chop with well the same style sauce as the minestrone soup. Finally DON'T order the butter cake...OMG I am a baker and I have never seen such an atrocity! This cake looked like it came from a supermarket chain commercial bakery and it tasted like it too. It was dense, chewy, and all the ingredients separated in your mouth like they were uncooked! Nothing Italian about this dessert. It was too sweet for any real Italian desserts. If you are from places where Italian food is made by chain restaurants or if your like eating salty Campbell soup and Prego or Raghu pasta sauce in a jar or Italian microwave dinners this is just fine. I paid well over $100 dollars for this meal and I would say it is 3 stars not 2 for price. To the chef....study and learn your food before you make it and charge these kinds of ridiculous prices. I wish I could have given this less than 1 star! Truly I do. read more

Excellent food and service! Make reservations as it is a quaint old house. Pricing is average but the food is so worth it!!

Love this place. Start calling as soon as they open for reservations if the same day. Great staff better food

DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS MEAL!!!!! This is one of the most memorable meals of our lives. First...MAKE A RESERVATION!!! We got one of the last open reservations of the evening....2 spots at the bar. It was amazing. Huge fireplace right next to the bar. Made it so much nicer than we expected. Wine selection is great. Prices are so reasonable and the food....OMG the food! I intended to take pictures but dig into my dish as soon as it was in front of me. My fiancée had the lasagne (which is the house specialty). I've never known him to like red sauces but he devoured it. I had the chicken Marsala....now I make both of these meals at home so I rarely like things at a restaurant that I cook at home but these 2 dishes were incredible. I should've started with how good the salad and bread were but again I'm way too excited about the entrees . We will be back. There are so many other things we want to try. I can't stress enough to make a reservation you won't regret it! read more

Excellent service. Ambience was to die for! Great views. Great menu selections. We had the bacon wrapped shrimp as an app. Too die for! Flavors were bursting! Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken breast for my wife and rib eye for me. Medium plus rib eye was cooked perfect and melt in your mouth quality!!! Garlic mashed potatoes are the perfect accompaniment! Sauce noodles and chicken were all perfectly seasoned and best ever quality on the Alfredo!! We'll be back for sure!! Recommend this place for anyone and everyone coming to Ruidoso! read more

I celebrated my birthday here last night. Perfect choice! The atmosphere was great. The staff, very friendly and helpful. Our server was on top of things and took great care of us. The food here is delicious. I had the asparagus risotto with scallops. And was not disappointed. The wine list is descent and the desserts are worth trying. We will return on out next visit to Ruidoso. read more

Michael J's - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

So disappointed, and embarrassed for this establishment. We're from Lubbock and unfamiliar with Ruidoso. We walked in and were greeted, she told us to wait a moment. Another lady showed and was obviously disgusted. She stated they were out of tables, I said we could wait ? And then very Ruid in front of my wife and children said they were closing and we had to go. Why didn't you say that to start with? Very disappointed, my apologies for getting there so close to closing time. read more

OUTSTANDING home made lasagna! Of four of us I'm the only one who ordered it and everyone wished they had. Also had the caprese salad and garlic bread was fabulous. Be sure to make reservations!!! read more

Family approved! My family of seven had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner at Michael J's. The serving staff was exceptional and the food from the appetizers all the way to the dessert were delicious. The service was quick and our glasses were never empty. The food presentation was just as good as it tasted. The kids really enjoyed the Spaghetti Bolognese, Fettuccine Alfredo, and the Filet Mignon. The eggplant parmigiano was also delicious and a healthy portion. The shrimp ravioli was nestled in a lemon cream sauce that was very tasty and filling. If that weren't enough...we had to try out all three of their desserts that are house made (new York style cheese cake, tirimasu, and a chocolate torte). Yes, we ate a weeks worth of calories but definitely worth it. We will be coming back with our children again. What was nice is that we came down to our reservation from ski apache in our ski clothes...and we weren't snubbed out. We were welcomed and served very efficiently. Each dish costs between $15-$30, but worth every penny! Definitely make a reservation as we tried to get in the night before and it was booked. read more

This place is a MUST when visiting Ruidoso. The best restaurant in town, and some of the best Italian food you'll have paired with delightful, charismatic service. Reservations are strongly recommended, as tables are limited. We called ahead a month before our trip read more

Three times this trip alone! Excellent Chef, astonishing really how he can make his food come alive with the challenge of serving us poor Gluten Free folks! Best Veal Marsala ever, regardless of being GF, I wanted a spoon! Wine list, Wait Staff all exemplary. Loved hearing the live guitar, just beautiful, not to mention the Elk herd who joined in the music, read more

We stopped here last night and had a very delicious dinner! We got the garlic clams first, served in a yummy brine we wanted to soak up in the Italian bread they brought out. My husband had the chicken piccata which is his favorite dish and he said it was the best he had ever had! I agreed, I kind of wish I had ordered that too! I ordered the chicken Parmesan which had very fresh chunky sauce, all the ingredients well balanced but nothing super special there - just what you would expect and nothing more. For desert we shared a slice of their cheesecake - very traditional, small portion with a thick buttery crust and the cheesecake itself was not completely smooth but it gave it a homemade feel. Overall we had a great time! Loved the atmosphere and quick attentive service. read more

We tried to eat here but because of Covid restrictions, limited seating and we did not have reservations, we could not dine in. They were SUPER nice and allowed us to order takeout and even gave me the menu to take to my car and show my family. The food was very good, flavorful and great portions. I hope to go back and dine in one day in the future when we return to Ruidosa. read more

After driving all day to Ruidoso, we ended up at this place with seemingly good reviews. My mother and I were quite excited to enjoy some good Italian food. Upon our entry, the host man looked us up and down. After asking if we needed reservations, he rudely said "yes". My mother told him that we drove all day and he rudely replied "well, then you had all day to pick up the phone". I took my mother by the arm and said "let's go, this guy is a pie hole". Good hospitality dictates that you do your best to make accommodation. We were a party of 2, not like we had the rest of the family in the car. I wouldn't give this place a second chance. Went next door to the Rio Grand and we were welcomed with open arms!! read more

I loved these eggplants with meat sauce! It was super tasty. I just wish there were more eggplants! It was yum overall. read more

Michael J's - Eggplants with meat sauce. Super yum! - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

Great food & wine, just make sure you ask for Autumn.... & when you get here make sure you bypass the owner & go to his wife Susan...she's wonderful..... read more

Michael J's - Wow great food & wine....another celebration.... - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

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Service was great! Ordered the bruschetta and the seafood linguini and they were good. It wasn't as flavorful as I expected, but the ambiance and the vino made up for it read more

Michael J's - Italian Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

So amazing. Clams and veal piccata off the charts. cant believe it took me so long t go here. Intimate and the staff and owner are wonderful!!! read more

Horrible customer service. Turned us away on a not so busy night due to not having a reservation. Website States that reservations are recommended, not required. Change your wording on your website if you want to keep customers. Will never recommend this place due to the absolutely unprofessional and disgusting customer service. read more

Excellent service, tasty Italian cuisine. Their specialty, the lasagna, was very good with a very unique flavor which I can't figure out. My wife had the salmon and it was very flavorful and perfectly cooked. read more

This restaurant was AWESOME! We started with the garlic bread, had Cesar salad, and four different entrees. The fetticini Alfredo with shrimp was like heaven!! The 3 Cheese Ravioli with Alfredo & Marinara sauce was delicious. The Veal Parma was tender& full of cheesy goodness. The lasagne was perfect. For desert we had the cheesecake & chocolate torte! If you like red wine try the Syrrah from Sixth Sense in Lodi, CA! read more