Tucked inside Inn of The Mountain Gods is a delightful surprise. More than just a steakhouse (but great steaks too) Wendell's gave us a fantastic meal. The smoked salmon had a thin salt and pepper crust that beautifully accentuated. The lobster and scallops with a lilt of dill butter and just the perfect sprinkling of sea salt were an excellent pairing. Sides and salad were not just afterthoughts but well prepared. As suiting the area, buffalo and elk are also available. The specialty cocktails were wonderful. And dont miss out on the array of desserts AND my personal favorite the Captain coffee. Top Compliments to their chef. The service is also 5 star. So friendly. The view with the lake and snow covered mountains with delicate piano music set the stage. Come enjoy. read more

Wendell's - Scallops with Lobster - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

I really enjoy this place. Bone marrow was delicious, as were the mushrooms and wagyu steak. Bread is always good! I got the prime rib and it was the toughest thing to cut and chew. Ordered a side of brussel sprouts but they were too burnt to eat. Waitress was very kind but absent most of the meal. Overall a good experience and nice man playin music, but I cannot recommend the prime rib or sprouts. read more

Wendell's - Bone marrow - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

Wendell's Lounge is nice. Beautiful view of sunset. Wed Wind Down is nice deal with music playing.

Okay. So we started eating before I could snap pictures! Everything was delicious. Our waiter was wonderful and they brought us a beautiful dessert for our anniversary. They had live guitar music and that atmosphere was lovely. read more

Wendell's - 6oz Filet Mignon - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

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Terrible service. Two waitresses showed their worst side. One of them got angry because we requested a change of table due to the AC. She was furious! The second one was mad at us for reminding her to bring utensils, napkins, a glass for our beer. The food took forever and was not cooked as we requested (steaks). We will definitely come back to this magic town but never again to this deplorable restaurant. And of course, the tip they got was based on their service, and attitude. read more

It was fabulous! They did an amazing job for their Thanksgiving event. I'm truly hoping this will be our new Thanksgiving tradition. The staff was really amazing. They were so kind and personable. The food was fresh and fantastic. I was so happy to see such a wide variety of things for everyone to enjoy. They were very methodical about seating everyone just right so everyone was comfortable. We had a quiet table with an amazing view. I was so touched to see how kind they were to a woman sitting alone next to us. read more

This place is amazing. I've been here a few times, this particular dinner happened to be my fourth time eating here. My boyfriend and I always make it a point to stop here at least once every time we come to Inn of the Mountain Gods. When I checked the Yelp reviews for Wendell's, I was surprised to say the least. Personally, I believe this place is well above it's current 3-star rating, and here's why: 1) Being from Vegas, I've seen a few casino steakhouses. Now this place isn't exactly Gordon Ramsay's Steak, but it's pretty darn close. I've had worse experiences at plenty of other Vegas steakhouses, and Wendell's does a great job in comparison in terms of ambiance, food, wine list, and attentiveness. 2) What Vegas doesn't have is the beautiful lakeside view with the rolling green mountains in the background. We were seated around 6:50pm and stayed well past sunset. There's something about the way the sun slowly melts behind the peaks of the surrounding mountains causes the sky to shift from a deep blue to a soft pink. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of seeing it with your own eyes. Absolutely something that everyone should experience before they kick the bucket. 3) The food was phenomenal. We began the night with a charcuterie board to complement our bottle of New Mexican Gruet wine. Served on a cutting board are the two things I love in life: cheese (brie, boursin, swiss) and deli meats (salami, smoked chorizo). There was also a selection of fruits and olives. Next for our main course, I had the lobster tail and scallops. The lobster tail was buttery and light, and the same could be said for the scallops. The scallops were lightly charred and had a beautiful salt crust that wasn't too overpowering, but accentuated the flavor of the scallop itself. My boyfriend had the 16oz prime rib served with horseradish cream and au jous on the side. He said the rosemary seasoning on the outside was strong, but it complemented the warm, juicy prime rib cooked to a medium rare. Save for two small pieces of fat, my boyfriend finished it all: a clear testament to how well it was cooked considering he can be a complete prime rib snob. I get that the prices may be a little high, but when comparing it to the prices that I'm used to in Vegas, it's completely reasonable. All in all, great food, reasonable prices, beautiful ambiance, and a great wait staff. There's a reason why I've made this my fourth time eating here, and I certainly won't make it my last. read more

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Had to wait 30 min after getting seated for the server to tell us "shes going to be right with us"

This was our second time here and service was super. They have always been nice. The food was really good. We took our kids for the first time and they loved it. The only thing we made reservations for 7:30 and we didn't get sat down till after 8. read more

Got to the restaurant at 6:47 and got sat around 6:50. Not a long wait but after being sat the server took 20 minutes to greet us and take our drink orders. After 45 minutes our drinks finally got to the table. 20 minutes later our server took our food orders. 1 hour later our food finally got there. So all in all we got there at 6:47 and left around 9. Our server was inattentive and lacked customer service. She was very condescending. The food was also mediocre and overpriced. If I could I would give this restaurant zero stars. It was a horrible experience and the tip is already added. This server got a 20% tip for 5% service. read more

I truly do not even want to give them a star. Very disappointed. We had a reservation tonight for a party of 7. However, when we arrived they said we could not sit together. We have a large family and were celebrating our son's 21st birthday. I honestly can't believe since our Covid restrictions were just lifted in our state that we would have been welcomed. The kicker is we called ahead to make sure they could accommodate a party of 7. The acting manager and a very loud and rude waiter turned us away. All of this aside, we got a reservation for 7 within 10 minutes at another restaurant and the food and service were amazing! read more

Wendell's - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

Yucca root salad was great, if small, and the people at my table recommend the filet over the ribeye. Brussels sprouts had good flavor but were over salted. We were all disappointed by the chocolate lava cake -- nothing was particularly lava about it, and multiple people described the texture as grainy. read more

Great view, amazing food and fabulous service. The crème brule is perfect and the lobster Mac is heavenly.

Great place for a very nice dinner. Our waiter was very courteous and attentive. We had steaks and baked potatoes. The steaks were cooked perfectly and the lobster was melt in your mouth delicious. We had crème brûlée for dessert for the perfect ending. The live music was an extremely talented guitarist who really knew how to set the mood. Overall an outstanding experience. Don't miss out on dining here when you visit the Inn of the Mountain Gods! read more

Wendell's - Filet mignon and Lobster with a salt crusted baked potato - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

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The worst experience I've had at a restaurant. Server messed up our order which we couldn't eat for religious reasoning. Never came back with the sub and food came out extremely well done. Gabriel is the worst! Manager came over and gave the fake apology without offering anything for our time. Compensation should have been given for our time. read more

We went to Dinner on a weekend, the view from the restaurant beautiful, and they had live music. Food was good I got a Filet mignon . The side of tomatoes with Feta and balsamic Vinegar was delicious too . There was a short wait even though we had made reservations . It takes around 5-10 minutes to find parking and walk to the restaurant read more

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Customer Service- Very polite, courteous and helpful with our needs. -5 stars Food- Delicious! I love the exotic food! Guinea Fowl, Buffalo Steak and Elk Tenderloin are my three favorites. The cheesecake is to die for. - 5 stars Price- Not cheap $$$ but the exotic food is totally worth the price. -5 stars read more

Phenomenal service. Amazing food. This was the best steakhouse I've been to yet! Our server was who made the experience amazing. I don't remember his name because I'm a terrible person, but he had some pretty grey hair and a smile that radiated through his mask. Will look for him upon our return. read more

Wendell's - Window side table - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

Service was amazing. And the atmosphere of the restaurant is very nice. We came on a night with a very nice guitarist playing who was phenomenal. But onto the food. I got the pan seared duck, and it was literally the best thing I've ever eaten at a restaurant My wife got the prime rib. It was cooked perfectly. The aus ju had so much flavor Overall was the most amazing dining experience I've had in years read more

The food is just awful here. We only eat here if we have a free casino voucher. That's how bad it is. Often we just go to the buffet and pay for the couple behind us. However today we had 40$ in vouchers and thought "Wendell's is sooo beautiful. Views astonishing. Let's splurge on brunch!" Ack. I'd rather have eaten the buffet. I ordered eggs Benedict. They were well done. Yolks hard. We also asked for hash browns crispy. Neither of had them crispy. No biggy. But the eggs ARE a biggy with eggs Benedict. So I sent them back. 18 min later (hubby almost done with his food) my new plate comes. Yolks are runny!! So are the whites. Gooey egg whites. Blech. Raw eggs. No bueno. But hey I was gonna deal but the new hash browns were swimming in grease. Tons of it. I tried to pick up a spoon to take a pick and they were so greasy they were like mashed potatoes. This place is gorgeous. And up scale. And could be sooo much more. On a Saturday at 9:30 am there are only 4 tables seated. Hello. That speaks volume. Dinners hit or miss too and very expensive. This is where our vacation home is so we've eaten it all and we just couldn't recommend this place even though I would love too. It's just. Bad. They got the second star for decent coffee and a great view. Our waitress was condescending in that she said "oh first to well now too raw? How did you want them?" Rolled eyes. I said poached. Poached is cooked whites runny yolk. She should really already know this. Manager did give us a voucher for another breakfast in the future which was nice but not sure I'll use read more

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Excellent food and service! Kory was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, service was prompt and Kory's recommended elk filet was super! View from our table at sunset was spectacular! read more

I would like to thank the hostess to give my family and I a last minute reservation. You must make a reservation. The restaurant is really nice decorate and the atmosphere is Excellent. My kids order the Filet Mignon amd I ordered the salmon.... The service is slow, waitress never offer us another drink, and we had to look for her to refill the ice teas and sodas . After about an hour after we arrive (5pm) this great class guitar gentlemen start it to play a great number of classical songs from rock to jazz in a beautiful tone it was AMAZING. My 12 yr old says that it has been the best steak and macaroni and cheese , he had ever eat. My Salmon it was delicious it was served with a huge bake potato. at the end my kids ordered the chocolate fusion cake with vanilla ice cream, they devore the dessert saying that it was perfect. Prices are not cheap but the quality of the food is worth it. Next time I will make sure to do a reservation thumbs up ! read more

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Last night's experience at Wendell's was even less than one star worthy. The filet was cold, dry and tasteless and the whipped potatoes were also cold. I asked for the manager and some young guy in a hat and apron appeared (looked like a dishwasher) and was truly indifferent to my concerns over the lack of quality of our meal. We spend thousands yearly at the resort but won't be returning to this restaurant. read more

Wendell's is definitely a favorite...unbelievable food and great service (we usually request Joe) the elk is amazing and the prime rib is great...pomegranate martinis and their wine list are both fantastic. read more

We arrived at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino to late to be able to enjoy the view, but maybe at breakfast we will see it. Our waiter, Alex, was charming and personable. He apologized that they were out of some items of the menu, because they had been so busy during the holidays. He did not need to apologize, but we appreciated the gesture. My wife had sides, the beef steak tomatoes and mac and cheese. My stepson and I had the Lincoln County Elk tenderloin, flash seared with a blackberry cognac reduction. How often do you see local elk on the menu? Served at exactly the right temperature of medium rare, the elk was tender and delicious. It came with fresh mashed potatoes. We savored it. What can be better than the fine and considerate service we received from Alex, and excellent ingredients prepared skillfully? read more

Went here for dinner for my friends Bach party and we had a reservation for 15 people. The service was very slow considering it was a Sunday night and there were only about 4 other tables in the restaurant. Some of the food was good, the other food was bland and some of it came out cold. It's a little pricey for the quality of food and service we received. read more

Well they got one more star this time than my last review 3 years ago.... that's not saying much if you ask me. I only upped the stars as our server, I think her name was Tanya, was attentive. Almost too much so but she did try. Bottom line Wendell's has no idea what they are doing and their prices are SKY high for the quality of food they put out. I will give them one but of praise. The food looked good coming out of the kitchen. But the quality of their products and the taste and flavor of their food is non existent. For example we started with a Caesar salad and a bowl of the tortilla soup. The salad had no visible anchovy yet you can tell they used anchovies paste as you could smell the "fishy" smell of the paste. The chicken tortilla soup was beautiful when it hit the table but it lacked flavor oh and CHICKEN. Moving on to the food. Hubby had the Sea Bass, which as our server delivered the fish you could smell the entree coming from the kitchen. When fish has a fish smell that's not good! I had the shrimp and crab cocktail, which was huge, but the shrimp were almost raw and under cooked. I can keep going....my friend had a ribeye which was tough and a terrible cut and had no seasoning. We all agreed the best paste of the meal was the company we kept. I can't say I will ever be going back here again even if I am invited and it's free! Terrible meals here. That part they are consistent with!! read more

Horrible service and zero concern. We had reservations at 6:15 and got sat at 6:45. Drink orders were brought but took 30 minutes to come take our dinner order. We then got our salad and we didnt have our food for over 45 more minutes. No one came to ask if we wanted another drink. So we left. We will not be back to Wendells or The Inn! Ever again! They are racists. read more

Wendell's rings the bells when it comes to swanky food in Ruidoso area. Located at the inn of the mountain good casino and resort. Wendell's is their premier fancy restaurant featuring great views and food choices not normally seen in the surrounding area. My girlfriend and I where seated right away, at first we where given the option of a table by the lake but we opted for a booth so we could sit on the same side and share our meals, also we considered the view would be gone as the sun came down. Or waiter was super prompt and friendly. Probably the best customer service while at the resort. He took his time introducing himself and gave us a decent amount of time to look over the menu but always came back to make sure we where being taken care of. His suggestions where spot on and never left us feeling like we weren't VIPs. Awesome service for this experience The seating is intimate, typical candle light dinner. We where seated with complimentary still water and the seating is super comfortable. It does feel as if you do sit a bit lower than usual though so be prepared. We ordered the she crab soup which was velvety and smooth with nice little chunks of crab and the crab wontons which was the special of the day. Both appetizers where an awesome possum way to star the meal. As far as the main course we got the elk and the prime rib king cut. The elk was suggested by our server and was super delicious and rare a slightly sweet and a bit of a game taste letting you know you aren't eating something regular. The prime rib though was somewhat bland even with the crab sauce on top. The Marbling ratio was also more on the more fat side but was still good just a bit under seasoned. The free bread was good served warm. Drinks came steady. They do have done special house drinks. By the end of the meal we where stuffed. But if it's your birthday they offer a free dessert. So save some room Overall if your willing to shell out a few extra Lincoln's and Washington's then Wendell's would not be a bad choice. If your looking for something private and something a little bit out of the woods (literally!) than then this place is your jam. Also it is one of the few places in the area which offers up elk. Great for special occasions and to show your loved one you care. Just make sure to cone with a big stomach, some extra time and a few extra beans and you'll enjoy your time at this small but great restaurant read more

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We were staying at the Inn of the Mountain Gods for my birthday weekend and thought we must try Wendell's, we read about all the mixed reviews and were first hesitant in dining but thought we are going to give it a try, and so glad we did! We had the most precious & endearing server by the name of Patty, she promptly greeted us when we sat down and told us she was expecting us for my birthday dinner and said she was there to make it as memorable as she could, so getting treated like "Royalty" and made to feel like a "Queen" is always the best ;) We ordered a Petite Filet & New York all steaks were cooked to perfection, incredible taste that just melted in your mouth, vegetables & baked potato to compliment were delightful. Not sure what the cost was but when you had the most amazing evening it's Priceless or should I say I am.....LOL :) The ambiance is relaxing & romantic to compliment the amazing view we had by the window. having the best server who was extremely attentive and absolutely adorable and really made sure are glasses were full and was willing to bring us anything extra that we needed! They even allowed us to bring in a custom cake and present it to us and cut it with no charge. Now that's outstanding service at its finest! Wendell's created a beautiful & memorable birthday that will always be remembered read more

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I only give a five star if I cannot make a recommendation for improvement. Only real recommendation was a problem with flies in the eating area, on our food, landing on our glasses, etc. Flies seem to be a theme this vacation, everywhere we go, inside any building and outside. Pesky little buggers and I'm not sure any establishment can completely rid themselves of them. The view is excellent. One wall facing Sierra Blanca is solid glass. The view of the mountain and lake is superb. Just cannot be beat. We went at about 1 o'clock. Prices range from $8 - $12. Lunch and breakfast are served until 3pm. The waitress was good. My wife ordered Eggs Benedict. She said they were excellent so I had to taste them. The best I've ever had. Hollandaise sauce was perfect. Eggs were cooked to perfection. The English muffin was crispy but not chewy. The ham was generous and tender. The hash browns were cooked to perfection. My mom and I ordered Huevos Rancheros, Christmas style. Homemade corn tortilla covered with eggs cooked your style, and both red and green sauce layered between. Comes with black beans and hash browns. Simply delicious. The corn tortillas deserve special mention as they had a different texture. I've eaten a fair amount throughout my life. These were the thinnest I've ever seen. They were flexible and a bit tough, but in an interesting manner. Not sure how they were made so thin and strong. It was enjoyable. My step dad had a club sandwich. Huge sandwich with generous portion of thick crispy fries. He said it was delicious. We all drank water. They do something interesting in that a large modern style water container is placed on the table. It offers a nice presentation. Only difficulty was the transferring of water from the container to the drinking glass resulted in a large spillage. Non of us could seemingly refill our glasses without spilling water generously on the table. Wendell's for breakfast and lunch is recommended. read more

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Seriously one of the best steaks I have ever eaten. The prawns were cooked to perfection. The potatoes were also amazing. The salmon was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The waiter, Joe, was attentive, but not invasive. Everything was perfect! read more

My husband and I came in here in our first night staying at Inn of the mountain gods. It is a resteraunt which has lovely decor and vibe, and a great view of the mountain. We were really excited to try some of the unusual meat on the menu like Elk but we're told they were sold out of almost everything on a Sunday night! We had the crabcakes to start which were really good, and as most of the steak and red meat wasn't available my husband tried the scallops, which he enjoyed But said the lobster was chewy. I tried the Bison which was the most expensive dish on the menu, but I wanted to have something different. It was cooked perfectly and tasted great, as did the mashed potatoes. I had the French kiss cocktail to drink and which was really strong and I struggled to drink it. It's a real Shame that our experience wasn't as good as expensive expected because it could be a really great place. read more

Wendell's - Bison steak and cheddar mash - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

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3 stars is a stretch. Food is average and not worth the price being charged. However, have to consider location which gets the 3rd star. Tried hard to have a great experience, but the wobbly table, tough steak, and inattentive staff made us wishing we just went to a burger joint. read more

Wendells's lounge was HORRIBLE! Service was not worth it! They were unhappy and super rude!! I got my ticket tossed to me! spend your money at a mon and pop shop!!! read more

Wendell's is great! The view is amazing, the service was incredible, the food presentation was special and the taste was awesome! Chef Kasey served our food and our waiter John was attentive to helpful. read more

The service was good. The food was just ok, nothing I'd write home about. The star of my dining experience was the man playing the guitar. He made the whole visit worthy while! read more

This is one of the more up scale restaurants in the Ruidoso area and we've given it a try over the years but the last couple of times have beed very disappointing. The last trip was a disaster. My wife had ordered the scallops and they were inedible. I literally spit them out. The waiter was great and had them remade but they were just as bad. They were simply too old and the cook seemed to try to cover it with too much salt and spices. It didn't work. The waiter was again great and took the item off the bill so we went and got something to eat elsewhere. It's really too bad. The Inn has a nice pub but this restaurant is off our list. read more

I had the Native American raised Sirloin. It was Incredible. One of the best steaks I've had anywhere. And I'm a steak aficionado. Lavender Creme Brûlée was also top notch. As far as I can tell all the waitstaff are tribe members. They do a nice job and took pride in their establishment. read more

Wendell's - Steakhouses Near Me - Ruidoso, New Mexico

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This place has not recovered from the pandemic. It looks 1/2 open. The lounge doesn't seem to be open at all. We asked to be seated by the window but were told the staff needed to be rotated so they seated us as far from the window as possible by a hostess with a nose ring. At least she wasn't serving the food! Our server was a nice professional that took very good care of us. The food was just okay, but not worth the price. We've stayed at the hotel and dined here in the past. I hope they get it together again. read more