Grill Caliente
2800 Sudderth Dr, Ruidoso, NM, 88345
Grill Caliente Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Ruidoso for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Ruidoso for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Ruidoso for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2800 Sudderth Dr
Ruidoso, NM, 88345 - Phone (575) 630-0224
- Website https://www.grillcaliente.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Terry C.
Wow! Great price and great lunch. My black beans were a bit salty and spicy in some bites and the hubbins bacon cheeseburger was demolished with the hand cut fries(YUM). Nice place for lunch, staff is quick and very friendly and I would recommend stopping here when your in town.
(5)Knawledge Y.
Good Service, Good Food, Nice View while eating, staff and manager were so friendly. Please get your liquor license so I can come have Bloody Mary next time. Overall, I would definitely come back any way; had a nice glass of Moscato and hubby had a Blue Moon.
(5)Ankita K.
Stopped here for lunch while road tripping through NM/TX. For a small little town (relatively), this joint did a great job catering to different taste pallets. The menu has plenty of vegetarian options! And really great tasting salsa!
(5)bertha s.
The nachos, the pork chop, and the chicken dinner was awesome. The staff was nice and everyone was nice. We would eat here again.
(5)Hectore F.
Was in town with my family and went for my dad's birthday. Had great service. I ordered pork tenderloin medallions medium rare and they were finer licking good. My wife had the salmon and was great too. Dad had the N.Y. Strip medium well andb said it was delicious. Overall great experience here. Highly recommend.
(4)Justin P.
A must eat when you are in Ruidoso. I had the Chicken Poblano. It was excellent. Perfect chile stuffed with a green chile and chicken mix. Amazing. My girlfriend had the chicken caesar salad. Also great. The service was outstanding as well. I will be back to this place whenever I visit Ruidoso.
(5)James H.
Very good food. We really enjoyed food, service and atmosphere. I recommend this place for lunch.
(5)Jeff J.
MUST VISIT!! Just had probably the best service ever...Thx Christian and the food was perfect. We traveled up from San Antonio, Texas and found the best restaurant in Ruidosa. The fried advocado and fish tacos were amazing. Ending with perfect dessert of Granny Smith apples and ice cream.
(5)Mark M.
Spring Break 2015,, We are from Texas, had the chicken taco's, tenderloin taco's, portobello stack, CG trio appetizer and fried green chili rings. Food is outstanding A+++ . Service was excellent, STOP and EAT and acclimate.
(5)Flint R.
My brother, nephew and I stopped in for dinner after a long day of skiing. I had the chicken poblano, which was very good (just not enough to fill up a hungry skier) while my brother and nephew each fit a burger and fries. They both give the burgers 5 stars and an extra thumbs up. My brother got the avacado spinach burger which he devoured in no time. My nephew got the New Mexican burger that was so good he could have eaten 2. The flavor of the meat was great, very juicy, and the fries were fantastic. The ambiance was ok, nothing fancy, and the wait staff was friendly and attentive. All in all, a great meal. We will be back.
(5)lillian m.
A wonderful Sunday night patio dinner with husband Jim and dog Reacher. Jim had a chicken taco. I had a fish mahi taco. Wonderful! The Caesar salad was enriched w avocado and sun dried tomatoes. Bueno! Reacher gives the fresh water and ice cubes in his dish five stars too! Owner Phil is a wonderful low key host. We will dine there again several more times this week!
(5)Steven V.
Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. Saw all the good reviews and decided to take my family here. Let me start by saying I am a New Mexican born and raised. So when we ordered the queso blanco I was unimpressed by the heat, it was somewhat tasty but I've had A LOT better quality of queso. Also tried the fried green chile peppers. I would give them 3 out of 5. Some heat to the peppers but others were very mild. Our entrees were the skillet chicken. My daughter had the grilled cheese. I was about to order the poblano chicken and our waiter said that was the only thing he probably didn't like. So I took his recommendation and went with the skillet. ( I wish I hadn't) very disappointed with the black char of everything that rested in the skillet. And may I note that I love when stuff is a little charred and blackened... But this was too much for even me. My pictures will tell you all you need to know. So overall food experience is a 2 out of 5. The service also a 2 out of 5. Our waiter dashed from our table before he even took my daughters order and no refills were offered at any point. Can't say we will be coming back to this restaurant but fortunately Ruidoso seems to have a nice variety of restaurants.
(2)Mara B.
Food was not as good as we had hoped. We were in vacation with a group of six. Our last night we wanted a nice dinner out. Grill caliente seemed to fit the bill. It's a very small place and service was slow. Most of the table ordered steaks while I ordered a salad. None of the steaks came out right. Everyone ordered steaks medium or medium rare and they came out almost well done. We would have complained but service was so dreadfully slow we didn't think anything would come out of complaining. My salad was ok except they drowned the poor thing in chipotle sauce much to my chagrin. Don't think we will visit this place again if we are in the area.
(2)Mark M.
This place is nearly deserving of 5 stars. Really extremely good and high quality all the way around but keep an open mind when you go to Caliente. I've never had Mexican/TexMex quite like it and it's a bit hard for me to describe other than to say my meal was top notch. Two things that jumped out that I liked about it is the ingredients used are fresher than is typical of Mexican restaurants and that freshness comes though as a strong proponent in the food and it also seems a bit healthier than typcial Mexican fare. I resisted giving it the full five stars for two reasons. One, while I apprecieted the lighter portioned lunch, it seemed the prices were still at dinner prices (though I didn't see the dinner menu so my guess is the dinner menu is a bit high for dinner). Second, I really do like have the chips and salsa while I wait on the meal. Here, that's an extra item to order which compounds the price issue. I'll definitely be back as I'm sure this will become my go-to restaurant when I was Mexican food in Ruidoso. NONE of the others in town come close.
(4)Tamara C.
This was an excellent dinner at a great price! We had the fried pepper rings, skillet chicken, and pork tenderloin medallions. They were all great. The Apples dessert was a great finish to a relaxed meal that was a surprising and refreshing find in the area!
(5)David M.
Everything we have ever had here is good. We have never had a bad dish here and we have dined here about 8 times. It is a must for our family every time we are in Ruidoso.
(5)Walter S.
Well, my wife and step-daughter ate here twice and were blown away by the food and the friendly service. First, they are pet friendly, which meant we could take our dog. First night, we had the two chicken skillets (delicious, and with the green chili mashed potatoes), the vegetable stuffed poblanos. The next night, we thought initially we would try another restaurant, but eventually decided to go back and further explore the menu. We had two boss burgers and the pork medallions, both delicious. The service was good and extremely friendly both nights. Many of the customers were obvious regulars, and the entire atmosphere was relaxed and happy -- more like home than a restaurant. We were just thrilled both nights! I'm a real person, I write real reviews, and I stand by them. I have no ties to this business and was not asked to write a review. My name is Walter Stewart and I can be reached at 512-402-9522 to verify the veracity of the report. I typed this review with a purring cat walking on the keyboard, no mean feat!!!
(5)John C.
What a pleasant surprise! My wife & I, our 2 children, and my parents went in to eat here based off of the reviews I read on Yelp. We ordered 3 Chicken Skillets, 2 tacos, kid's chicken breast, a Boss Burger, as well as the 3-dip appetizer. For the first time, in a long time, NOONE had a complaint! My Chicken Skillet (with a kick....no doubt) had an amazing taste! Every time we come to Ruidoso we always bring our own groceries as dining is not something that we enjoy here. Grill Caliente is the only place that I have found, thus far, that I would absolutely recommend to anyone in the area. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Emily C.
I went here for a date. We were the only people in the restaurant, which was fine, it was early. He had the fish tacos and I had the boss burger. It was good. It was not amazing. I'd like to go back though because this place is quite good for Ruidoso. I do love some tacos and perhaps should have gone with those. Recommended!
(4)Bette C.
Went for lunch because of the Yelp reviews. We had the veggie taco, boss burger & chicken Caesar salad. All was delicious! So much so we returned for dinner. Dinner included New York strip(Devine) & Alaskan salmon. The sides were green chili mashed potatoes, fried Brussels sprouts(to die for) & grilled asparagus. So yummy!
(4)Mindy M.
If I could leave ZERO STARS I would! My mom & I wanted to have a nice dinner so we decided to try this place. We were promptly seated the same time as another couple. We sat there about 10 minutes & finally I asked for 2 waters. When the waitress came by she asked what we wanted & I said we have 2 waters on the way. She said "Ok, FINE" & stormed off. She came back & asked if we were ready to order & I said yes we're ready. She then proceeds to rudely try to take our order. I asked if there was something wrong & she goes off on me. We get up to leave & the man who sat us had the audacity to say we were impatient. I told him that had nothing to do with us leaving & the waitress was the rudest person I've ever come across. SAVE YOUR MONEY & DONT GO HERE!!! Ranchers is way better.
(1)Daniel K.
I was very impressed with Grill Caliente. It was an old gas station that was transformed into a mexican restaurant. I had the skillet chicken and it was excellent! You have to try the fried green chilies if you decide to come here. Friendly staff and fantastic food! A must have while visiting Ruidoso!!!
(5)Matt S.
I had the ribeye steak, which was cooked beautifully. served with grilled red peppers and slice of grilled pineapple, which were delicious abd the green chili mashed potatoes were off the hook! the only thing that struck me as strange was it wasnt served with any bread or dinner roll. (Maybe that's just a Texas thing) I asked the waiter, and he had a puzzled look on his face for a sec, then scored me a grilled ciabatta bun, which was awesome. all around good service and great food. I will be back!
(4)Ron G.
We brought our family expecting spicey TexMex food. Expensive for what you get and the food is trendy rather than TexMex. I'll pass this for Casa Blanca down the street.
(2)janette f.
Great customer service! We were traveling in from out of town and left our credit card and they mailed it to us. I visit ruidoso frequently and every time I drive into town I visit grill caliente. The food is always delicious and the service is wonderful! I love the fried green chili's for appetizer.
(4)Amanda D.
I'm giving Grill Caliente four stars because of the awesome atmosphere, their fresh, environmentally friendly meat choices, and the friendly service. The food alone did not blow me away; however, the overall experience was definitely something I enjoyed.
(4)L D.
So great! After having a bad meal at another place for lunch, this was wonderful! The food was fresh, the service was quick and attentive and the atmosphere was lovely.
(5)Jerry A.
Friendly knowledgable staff, great service. We had the chicken poblano and the portobello stack with chicken both were very good. Poblano had just the right amount of spice. Losses a star because we ordered the GC trio but we never received it and the soda cans are over priced.
(4)Jon L.
We ordered and thoroughly enjoyed the fried poblano/jalapeño dish. My wife had the chicken taco and I had the Mahi taco. There is an appetizer that includes: queso, guacamole, & salsa...it may have been the best I have ever had. We ended with peaches and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream The live music was A+. It was a great evening on the patio.
(4)Kelly C.
We went to this place to get breakfast but found out they didn't serve it but the host was kind enough to recommend somewhere for breakfast so we came back here for dinner. This place has to be the best restaurant in Ruidoso. We went here about 6 times after the first and the food/service was excellent every time. It's also lovely to be able to sit outside. The host and waitresses were super friendly too. I had the Caesar Salad and they give you plenty of chicken with it. It was very good. The other nights I got the boss burger. It was excellent! All of their food seems to have a little twist too. My boss burger had green chilis and they went perfect with it. Their mashed potato was great too, it's cooked in some kind of chili and is a bit spicy. Also had their southwest pork chop and it was cooked perfectly. Lastly I tried their salmon and it was delicious! Every plate on everyone's table looked good too. I wish they had a grill caliente near my house! If you like wine, they have a great selection and you can also ask your waiter/waitress what wine would go best with your dinner. If you plan to eat in Ruidoso, you have to come here! They are closed on Mondays though.
(5)Daniel S.
So me and my family are here on a ski trip and we were looking for somewhere good to eat. We saw Caliente Grill on the YELP list and saw all the good ratings that people gave it so we decided to give it a shot. It definitely lived up to its high ratings. I thought the food was superb! We started with a couple apetizers: fried pepper rings (an assortment of different peppers) served with chipotle ranch! Very mild and very good, perfect to share with the family. Also had chips and queso. The queso had an interesting texture but still REALLY good. Main entree was great too. I had the Chicken Poblano and man was it tasty! Chicken was a bit spicy but I like spicy so i enjoyed it! Prices were reasonable. Some pricey options but nothing crazy. Overall great experience! Staff and service was way above par, hats off to them! Will definitely come back! They also left us Andes mints with the check which was a plus.
(5)N. L.
LOVE this place, being that me and my husband were doing the vegan thing for a while, it was really nice to find a place that we could still order some really good food!! I got the stuffed poblano and my husband got the mushroom tacos that he still raves about!! And the salsa is some of the best I've ever had!! My husband asked if we could get a little to-go cup to take it with us, he couldn't bare leaving it!! We will most definitely be returning to this place!!!
(5)Lily M.
Ordered the classic burger and bacon was burned, burger was dry and the fries were all cold. When we got our drinks we weren't expecting to pay $2.25 for an aluminum canned soda. Think I'll go eat dinner somewhere else. It's WAY over prices for what you get.
(2)Joey S.
The best restaurant in Ruidoso. We dined twice while there recently for lunch and dinner. We had a group of 15 for dinner, and the service and food did not suffer one bit. Speedy and professional. Good steaks, Salmon, Burgers, Nachos, Tacos, and Salads. There appears to be one waiter/waitress for the entire place, so we expected it to be slow, however it was not. Nice wine list with some interesting wines. Outdoor dining includes a patio in the front and the back, as well as the interior dining room. If you want a hole in the wall place for down and dirty mexican food, go elsewhere. However if you want a "finer dining" experience I don't think you can find a better place in Ruidoso NM than this. The menu is extensive and we enjoyed almost everything. We didn't care for the mahi tacos or the salsa salad, however. Just a small note to future diners, but we really liked everything else. Perhaps you will enjoy those, too.
(4)Emily N.
Intimate place for a lunch with my husband. We both ordered burgers, him the Boss and I the mushroom/Swiss. Both were excellently cooked and I especially liked the ciabatta bun my burger was on! The fries are very thinly sliced and just the perfect amount of crunch and softness! My favorite thing had to be our server... She was attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back!
(5)Justin A.
Amazing! We came twice during our stay. Service was above and beyond. Fries are to die for. The boss burger and fries were the best I've had in a very long time. The waitress was very helpful and suggested many great things to do. Definitely recommend!
(5)Ashley R.
I had the skillet chicken and it was awesome!! Also must try the fried green chilies for an appetizer!! Service was excellent
(5)Kate O.
LOVED this place!! We went for lunch and at outside at their cute and quaint bistro deck. We could see the lovely snow-capped mountains in the distance, while we were drenched in sunshine and warmth. The service was great, the food was amazing--I had the New Mexico Philly and my other half had the chicken Caesar salad sandwich. We loved both. Just an altogether great lunch, great vibes, and wonderful time.
(4)Wendy T.
A wonderful meal. Awesome green chile mashed potatoes- chopped green chile served inside a roasted chile. The roasted veggie salad was served with a spicy vinegrette that was, almost, too spicy, but never too much. The salmon was cooked to perfection. Our waiter was great, and always remembered an extra plate for us to share the meal. It was raining, so we were seated in the basement, which was clearly under construction... No windows and a bit too cool. The ambiance would have been better upstairs. Hard to say if the patio would have been better, as the traffic on Sudderth can be very loud.
(5)Ashley A.
Super cute place!! Great wines, great chips and queso!! Wonderful hamburgers!! Can't wait to come back!
(4)Joe V.
Fantastic everything! We have eaten here multiple times and are blown away by the food quality every time. We will definitely be back to try all the other foods on the menu. Thanks Caliente Grill!
(5)Randy S.
Fried stuffed abaca do (grilled veggies), salmon wild caught in Alaska grilled with touch of olive oil, seasoning. Medium. Served with green chile mashers but I got fried Brussels sprouts instead. Had Stella and blue moon beers with dinner
(4)Gavin B.
The skillet chicken has a wonderful flavor. It comes with green chili mashed potatoes and grilled peppers...excellent. I had the boss burger with cheddar cheese and applewood bacon, another fine choice. Overall, a great experience with very friendly staff. We will definitely be back.
(5)Deedee G.
While in Ruidoso to celebrate Mom's 70th birthday, we looked online for a place to eat. Grill Caliente had excellent reviews. For an appetizer Me Mom and Aunt shared the stuffed avocado. It was wonderful. The breading was not too heavy, and the avocado maintained its texture even after being deep-fried. For my meal I ordered one Veggie taco and one Mahi taco. The vegetables were perfect, not under or overcooked. The pineapple chipotle glazed fish was incredible. My Mom and Aunt had the filet and said it was cooked exactly as requested and seasoned just enough to bring out the flavor of the beef. The green chili mashed potatoes were the best they have ever tasted. We also had the organic sauteed spinach, it was a bit too oily for me, but my Mom and Aunt enjoyed it. As my Aunt said, the meal was so satisfying there was no room for desert. We all felt that the presentation was wonderful, the restaurant itself was well decorated and the Botero print in the restroom was our favorite. Our waitress was top-notch. She was attentive without being overwhelming, friendly without being phony. The food, ambiance and service made for a perfect celebration dinner. We will return to Gill Caliente when in Ruidoso.
(5)Ganni L.
This is our new favorite place for a casual dinner. It is New Mexican style food...full of green chilies, black beans, and cheeses. You can find great healthy meals to great, indulgent food. Wine list is good. On our last trip we ate here twice...for lunch and dinner. So good!
(4)Ricky T.
Great food, great service! The jalapeño sourdough bread on the spinach avacado burger is the best thing I have ever tasted, and the fried pepper rings are awesome too! I highly recommend this place.
(5)Peggy R.
We ate here last night, we were in town visiting family and were a party of 7. Our service was wonderful and the food was very good, fresh and hot when delivered. We started with 2 appetizers, the trio of dips, salsa (excellent), guacamole (fabulous) and queso (not heated all the way through and my only real complaint) and the fried green chile, pablano and jalapeno chili's. A very good start to our meal. I had 2 tacos, the beef and the mushroom, both were excellent! If I could have eaten them, I would have ordered all 4 kinds. Others in our party had the park chop with chipolte sauce (very tasty, cooked well but could have been a little more tender), both chicken dinners (no complaints here :)) and a hamburger (which was great). We had Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake and Grilled Peaches with ice cream for dessert ... both were good but I wouldn't go just for the dessert but will definitely return for the food!
(4)Joy S.
We had a lovely dinner on the patio. The wait staff was extremely attentive, the atmosphere was superb, and the food was excellent. We were expecting run of the mill Mexican food but were happily surprised by the unique choices available. We will absolutely come back soon.
(5)Conrad A.
Nice atmosphere. Great service. I had the pork medallion tenderloins. They were awesome.
(5)Barb L.
I heard this was a great place from a couple people, so perhaps my expectations we're too high. The service was marginal. The waitress took our order without writing anything down, and made several errors . On my order, she forgot to bring the salsa I asked for, and when I reminded her, she said she would get it right away. Instead she went to another table and took their order, then gave another table their check, then irresistible to another table. We tried to get her attention without any luck. A customer across the room noticed our attempts, so stopped her as she went by and pointed her in our direction. She asked what we needed, then said that the salsa hadn`t been ready. Really?? There were six at our table, and none of us were really pleased with our meals. The beef tenderloin tacos were the best of what we ate.
(2)Maris M.
We stumbled upon this gem last year while we were in town. Our party of 9 ( 5 kids!) were seated in the basement dining which was very nice. The food was amazing, service top-notch and we'll be going again tonight :) .
(5)Alexandra N.
Went here for dinner and liked it. I had a burger with avocado, chipotle mayo and a jalapeno bun. Food arrived hot and the burger was filling. They also come served with my favorite type of thin-cut fries (steak fries = ick). Meant to order some of the chili rings but forgot. Oh well. High quality burger and very filling so I was unable to finish the fries.
(4)Jaret B.
This place was pretty good. I had a hamburger. It was pretty god for a burger. The service was excellent. They had some cool stuff on the menu and it looked like a lot of healthy options. They also had Stella on tap, which was a treat.
(4)Hameed A.
I would have given this place 4 stars but little fixable details kept it at this mediocre rating. Friend green chile app was good but only lukewarm in temp which got it greasy. It's really puzzling why they provide a homemade chipotle ranch dip with this dish (very good) , yet give ballpark- like mayo packets with your burger? The fries with my burger were barely warm and woulda been so much better had they been served fresh. Overall an ok experience that could have been much more
(3)Jessica W.
Wonderful place to share a romantic evening or fun time with friends! If you are in town for only a few days like we were, this place is a must!! The atmosphere is modern, the menu is reasonable, and the service was awesome. My husband and I tried the steak and salmon... Delicious!!
(5)Michael G.
I have dined at Grill Caliente twice now and both times I was thoroughly impressed. The service is great (and reading through the previous comments I can say that they must have improved because there is not a drink that goes unfilled or an empty plate left on our table). The food is very good. I highly recommend "The GC" which has the best beef that I've had in New Mexico! Please give this quaint place a try, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. It is nice to see a small intimate place like this one that has great food and service!
(5)Jeff P.
We started with chips, queso, guacamole and salsa, which was about average. The waitress brought us the wrong bottle of wine but was quick to remedy her error. I had the filet and my wife had the ribeye. The beef was tender and juicy. The steaks really saved this restaurant. The sides were delicious too. We had the fried brussel sprouts and grilled asparagus. For dessert, we had their brownie, which was disappointing because it was room temperature and hard. We would go again simply because the main course was great and the atmosphere was pleasant. On a busy weekend, reservations are recommended.
(4)Andrew K.
I'm from TX, but this was still the best salsa I've ever had. I had the Swiss mushroom burger and my girlfriend had the mahi mahi tacos, both were great.
(5)Jason B.
I have been coming to Ruidoso for 40 years and this is the best dining experience I have ever had here. Tacos as an appetizer were great. Wife and I split the ribeye for dinner and it was spectacular. Best steak I have ever had in NM. Staff was very nice and helpful. Wine steward was knowledgable. Decent small wine list. Met the owner and thanked him for the wonderful meal. We will be back.
(5)Staley H.
Great menu and the food is delicious. The steaks are well cooked and the chicken dishes are excellently seasoned. We had a party of 15 and everyone was very satisfied with their food. The service was not great but the restaurant was crowded and we were a large party. This may be the best restaurant in town.
(5)Amber M.
Our waiter was not good at all. There were only 6 people in there not including us and she was cleaning tables and taking everyone's order but hadn't even gotten our drink order. Then she told me the taco would fill me up and that it was big. When I got the taco I was like wtf. It was so small, I have no idea how she thought it was going to fill me up, and then on top of that it was 4.50 for that little shit. Service sucked but food was good but too expensive. My friend had the mushroom burger and it had wine but they put too much win on it that the bun got soggy!!
(1)Lindy M.
Great fried green peppers and delicious tacos. Nice atmosphere and patio.
(5)Judy G.
Good food, service needs some sharpening. Delivered appetizer after our meal was COMPLETE. Tacos good but need some sides for $10; Philly cheese was not traditional shaved/sliced beef- looked more like fajita steak; chicken poblano was good-add rice and serve less black beans. Very polite young man repeatedly filled water/drinks.
(3)Linda T.
Great, great food & awesome service! Ask for Trey.
(5)Denise I.
We decided to try this restaurant as most others were closed and I'm glad we did. The appetizer of fried stuffed avocado was wonderful and then we had the the tapas tacos. The tenderloin taco and mahi tacos were great. Our server was very attentive and quick at getting everything we needed. The wine list looked like it had some great choices and we will be going back before we leave Ruidoso.
(5)Whitney B.
Service here is amazing. Ate here with 2 children and we were well taken care of. Food is good. We really liked the fried peppers and grilled chile mashed potatoes.
(4)Sean L.
Fast service, great food, very affordable prices, and not too crowded. Try the queso burger with green chili.
(5)Honest A.
My family and I ate at Caliente Grill last Sunday. I think it was their third day to be open to the public. The food was delicious/fresh/beautiful. I was so impressed. Good work, Caliente!! I would make the outside area more attractive for those who choose to sit out of doors.
(5)Amy K.
Excellent choice for dining when in Ruidoso! Wines by the glass, very reasonable and plenty of options . Meal can be salads or small plates or dinner entrees. We NEVER eat deep fried anything, but hey, we're in New Mexico & this place has a fried green chilis appetizer, had to try it. YUM! Husband ordered the portobello stack with chicken; strips of juicy portobello mushrooms and grilled chicken served over fresh spinach leaves, de-lish. I ordered chicken poblano, shredded chicken in a grilled poblano chili, side of good black beans with chopped tomato and shredded cheese on top. We had to try 2 sides, the organic sautéed spinach, which was in a yummy citrus marinade, and the green chili mashed potatoes. I'm generally not a mashed potatoes fan, but these were very tasty, with pieces of the NM green chilies throughout. Server Christian was delightful. We didn't expect such a great meal!
(5)Howie K.
Considering the hamburger is such an incredibly versatile icon of American fare, I think it's rather astonishing that most places play the composition so safe. My neighbors do, too. The vast majority of the time, when I'm presented with burger options, they're some rendition on the ol' cheese and bacon variety, a little barbecue sauce here, green chile there. And toppings are just the tip of the iceberg lettuce, as far as I'm concerned. The patty is the ultimate canvas. Mix in spices, flavorings, alternative meats or compose your own veggie masterpiece, and you've transformed this staple into an experience. I guess it's been a while since my last visit to Ruidoso, because I could swear this place was a French bistro not so long ago. No matter, me likes the new digs. It came up on the top of my Yelp search for nearby restaurants and I popped in for a sammie to go. I ordered the blue cheese stuffer out of pure nostalgia; when I was a kid, this was the way my dad got adventurous with ground beef, he stuffed it full of stinky cheese and we clawed at the bastard with a fork. It was one of my favorite meals (that's not saying much, honestly) and Grill Caliente made a mockery of the dish. As I drove, juices rolled off my chin and wrist, splashing on denim jeans, grease that would later appear mysterious and profane to the gas station attendant in Socorro. But no matter. The fries were actually the stars of the show, here, delightful stringy spuds that demanded my full attention. I was very, very good to go from Ruidoso, and the next time I visit I'm staying for the full meal jacket.
(4)Matthew J.
I really don't know how this place is currently sitting at 4.5 stars. Due to the high rating, I was convinced to come here for dinner, but quickly grew to become a very unpleasing first time customer. I was with a party of five, the waitress was very rude and sarcastic to us at the very beginning as we ordered drinks. Blamed the fact of being a newly hire for our wrong beverage order instead of just apologizing, but now on to the real kicker... their food. Three of us ordered burgers (Queso, Blue Cheese-Stuffer and their house), I had the stuffer. Two went for the Cesar sandwich. One ordered a side of asparagus and it wasn't until the food was served the message was delivered of being out of stock, so now side was even given or replaced. Queso has nothing but cheese as a topping and definitely say in the window to create the freshly served soggy buns. The overall taste... Well that's the thing, there was no taste. You could tell zero passion came out of that kitchen, meat was not seasoned, everything cooked well done. So between that and crunching on overlooked fries. We all were just eager to leave, and surely won't be returning. If my service was anything like their normal routine, I wouldn't recommend this to a dog.
(1)Lurine F.
Let's see, where too start with this review this place is As small gem in Ruidoso NM:) my boyfriend and I had finally finished exploring the downtown when yelp lead us to this gem I decided to have the fish and steak tacos!! Delish! Awesome service! The guacamole was really good as well I will say this place was a little pricey I am not sure why but it was. The atmosphere did seem a step below upscale, so perhaps that's why they upped the prices? Good food food food good atmosphere!!
(4)Ms N.
This place was recommended by locals. We tried several places per the locals recommendation and this place was the only place that fell short on taste, customer service and setting. Taste - ordered the salmon and it was dry and over cooked, and over salted. The black beans were flavorless but the saving grace was the mashed potatoes only an amateur can mess up mashed potatoes. Customer Service - all I wanted was grilled chicken without the extra heat from the chili peppers and our server couldn't offer that, so disappointing. I would think as a tourist part of town a server would be happy to explain the menu and options but it actually seem to bother her.... Basic questions like "is the grilled chicken really spices? What would you recommend?" Setting- we sat on the patio the weather was beautiful the view of the town was perfect only down fall was the infestation of flies! Between fighting the flies for the first bite of food and the buzzing drifting in and out my ears I definitely got a great arm workout swatting away flies from my drink, food, face, arm and friend's plate.
(2)Richard L.
Great food, great wine and an even better patio! After my experience in the past few days with restaurants in Ruidoso, this stands out as a shining star.
(5)Roscelle S.
Went to this place bec of yelp reviews Nd helpers you don't disappoint. Ordered: - fried green chile rings-- OMG, these are the bomb! The batter is light and crispy but not oily at all. Holds the rings perfectly. Yum! Thank goodness hubby ordered a large size. - southwest pork chop- perfectly cooked, I can see the grill marks and taste them as well. The chop was seasoned properly and the roasted sauce on top-- yum! Let's not mention the green chile mashed potatoes. - blackened chicken - wow wow wow! The chicken was do flavorful and the side of roasted peppers matched very well with the green chile mashed potatoes Service, a little slow. Had to ask for drink refills but food is great. Small portions but great.
(4)Sandy N.
The burgers are delicous. The fried chili peppers are yummy for appetizer especially with the dipping sauce. The Nacho Black Beans was just too much beans - I did not really like how it was smothered with beans and barely any cheese or chips and it was lacking more flavor. I tried their apple burbon dessert and it was good and diff with the cheese on it. lol
(3)Matthew M.
Fantastic food and great experience. Our kids had the grilled cheese and loved it. It was actually one of the best grilled cheeses we've ever had. My wife had the chicken tender tacos and loved them. The grilled portabello burger was amazing as well. We'll be back again soon!
(5)Zuir S.
Found this place thanks to Yelp, we had burgers and they were delicious! We were glad we stopped by and the service was very friendly. Highly recommended if you are visiting Ruidoso
(5)Karen F.
Great service and the pepper fries were absolutely fabulous! Deck a little noisy on a Saturday but perfect for a late lunch early supper. Had the Southwest Cesar with Chicken and was just right. Four plus stars.
(5)S. M.
Accidentally stumbled upon this restaurant after stopping at Starbucks for a beverage. Decided to have lunch, and was happy I did! The chili strip appetizer was delicious. A very crisp yet light breading and good sauce for dipping. Small portion was still generous for 2-3 people. My burger was tasty, well seasoned, and the jalapeño brioche bun was absolutely delicious. Crisp yet soft, a real treat. The server was attentive and knowledgeable. The patio was comfortable. Do not hesitate to try this restaurant for lunch!
(5)Marsha W.
Romantic atmosphere for a night out. Menu has a good selection of dishes including some local New Mexico inspired plates. I ordered the Salmon with green chili mash potatoes and it was delicious! The salmon was fresh and a generous portion. The service was adequate and some of the waitresses were new. Food arrived promptly. Would highly recommend although it is a little on the pricey side. Dinner for 2 approximately 65.00 without alcohol
(4)Kim W.
As a vegan I came here looking for healthy plant based food. I ordered a trio of three tacos, the veggie, black bean and mushroom. The black bean was fantastic, it had perfect flavor and not a ton oil. The mushroom taco was incredibly greasy and the mushrooms and onions were so burnt that they just tasted like a fire place. The veggi taco was mediocre, it was also incredibly greasy but tasted decent. The service here was nice and quick. I would not label it as my favorite restaurant but I will come back and order the black bean tacos.
(3)Jessica W.
Amazing service! Great wine list and prices for the wine! Chile rings were outstanding! And the salads are super appetizing! Highly recommend stopping in for a bite!
(5)Jocelyn T.
Everything was perfect! Great service and delicious food. Two of us dined for under $50! Two beers, appetizer, two meals, and dessert. The tacos were on point! I'm from a taco town and I'd say their mahi and mushroom tacos would give Austin a run for their money. My companion ordered the chicken skillet dinner. The chicken was so flavorful! And the mash was great with the studded peppers. Eat here! We loved it. The best dining experience we've had in New Mexico during our visit.
(5)Jules P.
Great service and yummy food! This spot is now on our to-do list whenever we're in town.
(4)Melissa E.
Although my 10 year old was tramatized by the portrait of the naked woman in the ladies' room, this restaraunt is filled with nice original art. The food was filled with flavor. Try the mahi mahi tacos are a superb light option for my calorie counting friends. I took a bite of the green chile mashed potatoes. I'd definitely recomend those. The server recommended her favorite glass of La Crema Pinot Noir and it satisfied me for sure. Nice place for a nice meal. Prepare ahead and make reservations.
(5)Pete S.
Just wow! We came here based on the reviews and we weren't disappointed. We had a GC burger, green chili, pepper jack cheese and grilled onions. It was super. We also had the chicken poblano. It was shredded chicken & green chili stuffed into a poblano pepper. Oh yum. The staff was very friendly and the store was clean. We would go back again.
(4)Robert B.
Don't come here expecting Tex Mex or standard Mexican food. More of a northern New Mexico flavorings with twists. Original, fresh, and fun. Ordered appetizer: green chile rings. Delicious, crispy, recommended. Very delicious. The chipotle ranch is nice and perfect. Ordered the boss burger: bacon, cheese, green chiles, massive! Recommended. Bacon was crispy. Fries were delicious. Ordered the vegetable stuffed poblano Relleno: really light, moderate portion, great presentation. The roasted vegetables were spiced nicely. Very light and delicious. Ordered nachos: think different. Presentation is excellent. Black beans, light cheese, tomatillo sauce, and chipotle sauce. Slight sweetness intermixed with various spices. Enough for two people. Very different, very delicious. Never had any nachos quite like these before. The iced tea was strong and clean. Service was great, price moderate. Don't serve any chips and dip up front, which was nice for a change. Didn't gorge out on chips before the meal arrived.
(5)Nicole O.
Cute place in the heart of Ruidoso. We went for dinner and I really enjoyed the menu, services and wine/beer list. The place is very rustic inside and they have an outdoor patio. Try the tacos and fried green chile. Yummy!
(4)Laurie B.
We stopped in for a quick burger and it was great. Cooked the way we asked and hospitable server. We had the grilled peaches and ice cream for dessert and it was good as well.
(5)Gigi D.
Love this place! Great vegetarian selections. Staff is very knowledgeable about the menu. Highly recommend the Tacos and do yourself a favor and try the Brussels Sprouts! Service is great.
(5)Betsy S.
Came for dinner with a good friend of mine and weren't very impressed. We ordered the stuffed avocado for an appetizer and wished we would've gotten the chili strips instead (there's literally one HALF of an avocado for the one appetizer). I ordered the Southwestern Cesar Salad with NO chicken and it was more sweet than spicy. I did find a chicken bone on my second bite and if I was vegetarian I probably would've been pretty upset. The salad itself was ok. My friend ordered the Grilled Cheese and her experience was ok as well. Soft fries and soft sandwich. Our waiter also never asked how anything was. Our experience was nothing to brag about.
(3)Me-chelle S.
Amazing all around! Can't wait to go back. Service, cleanliness, lighting and ambiance, promptness, variety, presentation of food, taste and quantity of food, and price...all 5 stars. There is a uniqueness to the food, but not so unique you're branching out too much. You can try something more adventurous, but there are safe choices as well, such as salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. The ONLY thing i wish would have been different is that the soda had been fresh from a fountain. They do offer canned soda. But I love fresh bubbles.
(5)Adam Z.
My steak was one of the best I ever had. Barely any fat in it. My daughter's burger was top notch. And: if you go there your only option is hand cut fries. Do not bother getting anything else. These were amazing !!!!
(4)Ronald W.
Located in midtown, Grill Caliente serves up some delicious American food with a New Mexican twist. The fried green chile rings are a great appetizer. The GC burger and GC GC (green chile grilled cheese) are good filling choices at any time. Dinner entrées are a bit on the pricey side and $2.25 for a can of soda is a bit ridiculous. Overall a great meal but expect to pay for it.
(4)Paul V.
3 stars in Houston, 4 stars for Ruidoso. Even though we have a house in Ruidoso for over 30 years, this was out first time at Grill Caliente. First up we ordered the Fried Green Chilie rings. Outstanding app, do not miss! The rings are lighted breaded (like a tempora style) and fried. They were not greasy and the acompanying sauce was delicious. Even the non-fans of green chilie ate quite a few! We ordered 2 "The Boss" hamburgers and a Ceasar Salad Sandwich, with a side of grilled Hatch Green Chilies (do you see a pattern here?). The burgers were cooked perfectly (medium and not dried out) and very tasty. The bun was a jalepeno sourdough bun. In all a great meal with a total bill of $47.80. I left a generous cash tip and felt full all day!
(4)Cheri G.
Great front and back patio, great tacos, great food, and super nice people! Service can be slow however.
(4)Michael P.
Great meal. Salmon was great, burger was great, nachos were great, and so was the wine! Excellent choice, you won't regret it.
(5)Sassy D.
We have been to this restaurant many times and it is always great. The food is so fresh and unique. We have recommended Grill Caliente to friends & family. Its wonderful for lunch or dinner. We especially like their dishes that have green chilis in them. Be prepared...they are a popular place that has a small indoor seating area. Chose your time wisely when visiting or you may have a wait. Recently we went for lunch on a Thursday & had no wait. But I would fully expect a lengthy wait on Sat @ 7pm.
(5)Alison S.
I've been here three times, the first in April 2014, then around the end of May 2014 and again in October 2014. Each time it was a good experience. Their food is their own unique take on New Mexican, so if you're looking for bland, chain TexMex, go somewhere else. Their prices are very reasonable. I've had the fried, stuffed avocado appetizer, the pepper ring appetizer, and the stuffed chicken poblano entree, twice. All were great. I had the Spinach-Avocado burger, but I didn't like it as much. It's more of a wine bar drink wise, but they have a small selection of bottled craft beer. The waitstaff was friendly, but I noticed that there's usually just one waitress, even when it's busy, so sometimes it can get kind of slow, which is hardly her fault.
(5)Jason J.
I had the skillet chicken which packed a kick as everyone has said previously the mashed potatoes were excellent as was the service. There isnt a whole lot to look at in this restaurant by that i mean there is no personality. Overall I would give it 3.5 stars and would eat there again.
(3)Kristi H.
I had the veggie stuffed poblano. Very good! Homemade fries are great. My husband had the New Mexican burger & really liked it. Friendly waitstaff & gorgeous weather on the outdoor patio made this a fantastic lunch stop! For dessert, I ordered a seasonal grilled apple on ice cream with a whiskey glaze. Do NOT miss this when you visit!
(5)Rick G.
Great dinner in Ruidoso and prices were reasonable. I had the stuffed poblano chile with chicken and wife had the chicken breast with chile. Chile mashers were very tasty. Very good and unique. There was a mix up on our order and wife didn't get the veg. salad that was listed. however, they brought out a separate salad and all was well. A great place.
(4)Nicholas F.
Not sure why this place has 4.5 stars. Food was undercooked and we had pork.... Charged waaaay to much for a can of coke. The people were very nice and im sure they have a lot of local friends and that may explain the 4.5 stars. Overall the restaraunt is pricey and not worth the price. I don't mind spending money on food just not bad food. Keep driving
(2)David G.
My second time here, and both times were fun and delicious! Tonight I had the Skillet Chicken - Spicy Hot but FULL of FLaVoR!!! I highly recommend it, the dish comes with grilled Peppers and Onions with creamy mashed potatoes. If you enjoy an explosion of flavors with a zing - you've got to eat here!
(5)Beverly K.
Breaded, stuffed avocado as an appetizer. Skillet chicken with green chili mashed potatoes was excellent!
(5)Maria J.
Southwest pork chop great. Southwest Caesar salad really good. Fajita chicken entree not good.
(4)Tim P.
Great service and food! We had read some of the reviews before going to the restaurant and it exceeded our expectations. Would definitely go back and recommend it to everyone.
(5)Amy K.
Excellent choice for dining when in Ruidoso! Wines by the glass, very reasonable and plenty of options . Meal can be salads or small plates or dinner entrees. We NEVER eat deep fried anything, but hey, we're in New Mexico & this place has a fried green chilis appetizer, had to try it. YUM! Husband ordered the portobello stack with chicken; strips of juicy portobello mushrooms and grilled chicken served over fresh spinach leaves, de-lish. I ordered chicken poblano, shredded chicken in a grilled poblano chili, side of good black beans with chopped tomato and shredded cheese on top. We had to try 2 sides, the organic sautéed spinach, which was in a yummy citrus marinade, and the green chili mashed potatoes. I'm generally not a mashed potatoes fan, but these were very tasty, with pieces of the NM green chilies throughout. Server Christian was delightful. We didn't expect such a great meal!
(5)Howie K.
Considering the hamburger is such an incredibly versatile icon of American fare, I think it's rather astonishing that most places play the composition so safe. My neighbors do, too. The vast majority of the time, when I'm presented with burger options, they're some rendition on the ol' cheese and bacon variety, a little barbecue sauce here, green chile there. And toppings are just the tip of the iceberg lettuce, as far as I'm concerned. The patty is the ultimate canvas. Mix in spices, flavorings, alternative meats or compose your own veggie masterpiece, and you've transformed this staple into an experience. I guess it's been a while since my last visit to Ruidoso, because I could swear this place was a French bistro not so long ago. No matter, me likes the new digs. It came up on the top of my Yelp search for nearby restaurants and I popped in for a sammie to go. I ordered the blue cheese stuffer out of pure nostalgia; when I was a kid, this was the way my dad got adventurous with ground beef, he stuffed it full of stinky cheese and we clawed at the bastard with a fork. It was one of my favorite meals (that's not saying much, honestly) and Grill Caliente made a mockery of the dish. As I drove, juices rolled off my chin and wrist, splashing on denim jeans, grease that would later appear mysterious and profane to the gas station attendant in Socorro. But no matter. The fries were actually the stars of the show, here, delightful stringy spuds that demanded my full attention. I was very, very good to go from Ruidoso, and the next time I visit I'm staying for the full meal jacket.
(4)Sandy N.
The burgers are delicous. The fried chili peppers are yummy for appetizer especially with the dipping sauce. The Nacho Black Beans was just too much beans - I did not really like how it was smothered with beans and barely any cheese or chips and it was lacking more flavor. I tried their apple burbon dessert and it was good and diff with the cheese on it. lol
(3)Matthew M.
Fantastic food and great experience. Our kids had the grilled cheese and loved it. It was actually one of the best grilled cheeses we've ever had. My wife had the chicken tender tacos and loved them. The grilled portabello burger was amazing as well. We'll be back again soon!
(5)Zuir S.
Found this place thanks to Yelp, we had burgers and they were delicious! We were glad we stopped by and the service was very friendly. Highly recommended if you are visiting Ruidoso
(5)Matthew J.
I really don't know how this place is currently sitting at 4.5 stars. Due to the high rating, I was convinced to come here for dinner, but quickly grew to become a very unpleasing first time customer. I was with a party of five, the waitress was very rude and sarcastic to us at the very beginning as we ordered drinks. Blamed the fact of being a newly hire for our wrong beverage order instead of just apologizing, but now on to the real kicker... their food. Three of us ordered burgers (Queso, Blue Cheese-Stuffer and their house), I had the stuffer. Two went for the Cesar sandwich. One ordered a side of asparagus and it wasn't until the food was served the message was delivered of being out of stock, so now side was even given or replaced. Queso has nothing but cheese as a topping and definitely say in the window to create the freshly served soggy buns. The overall taste... Well that's the thing, there was no taste. You could tell zero passion came out of that kitchen, meat was not seasoned, everything cooked well done. So between that and crunching on overlooked fries. We all were just eager to leave, and surely won't be returning. If my service was anything like their normal routine, I wouldn't recommend this to a dog.
(1)Ms N.
This place was recommended by locals. We tried several places per the locals recommendation and this place was the only place that fell short on taste, customer service and setting. Taste - ordered the salmon and it was dry and over cooked, and over salted. The black beans were flavorless but the saving grace was the mashed potatoes only an amateur can mess up mashed potatoes. Customer Service - all I wanted was grilled chicken without the extra heat from the chili peppers and our server couldn't offer that, so disappointing. I would think as a tourist part of town a server would be happy to explain the menu and options but it actually seem to bother her.... Basic questions like "is the grilled chicken really spices? What would you recommend?" Setting- we sat on the patio the weather was beautiful the view of the town was perfect only down fall was the infestation of flies! Between fighting the flies for the first bite of food and the buzzing drifting in and out my ears I definitely got a great arm workout swatting away flies from my drink, food, face, arm and friend's plate.
(2)Roscelle S.
Went to this place bec of yelp reviews Nd helpers you don't disappoint. Ordered: - fried green chile rings-- OMG, these are the bomb! The batter is light and crispy but not oily at all. Holds the rings perfectly. Yum! Thank goodness hubby ordered a large size. - southwest pork chop- perfectly cooked, I can see the grill marks and taste them as well. The chop was seasoned properly and the roasted sauce on top-- yum! Let's not mention the green chile mashed potatoes. - blackened chicken - wow wow wow! The chicken was do flavorful and the side of roasted peppers matched very well with the green chile mashed potatoes Service, a little slow. Had to ask for drink refills but food is great. Small portions but great.
(4)Richard L.
Great food, great wine and an even better patio! After my experience in the past few days with restaurants in Ruidoso, this stands out as a shining star.
(5)Lurine F.
Let's see, where too start with this review this place is As small gem in Ruidoso NM:) my boyfriend and I had finally finished exploring the downtown when yelp lead us to this gem I decided to have the fish and steak tacos!! Delish! Awesome service! The guacamole was really good as well I will say this place was a little pricey I am not sure why but it was. The atmosphere did seem a step below upscale, so perhaps that's why they upped the prices? Good food food food good atmosphere!!
(4)Karen F.
Great service and the pepper fries were absolutely fabulous! Deck a little noisy on a Saturday but perfect for a late lunch early supper. Had the Southwest Cesar with Chicken and was just right. Four plus stars.
(5)S. M.
Accidentally stumbled upon this restaurant after stopping at Starbucks for a beverage. Decided to have lunch, and was happy I did! The chili strip appetizer was delicious. A very crisp yet light breading and good sauce for dipping. Small portion was still generous for 2-3 people. My burger was tasty, well seasoned, and the jalapeño brioche bun was absolutely delicious. Crisp yet soft, a real treat. The server was attentive and knowledgeable. The patio was comfortable. Do not hesitate to try this restaurant for lunch!
(5)Kim W.
As a vegan I came here looking for healthy plant based food. I ordered a trio of three tacos, the veggie, black bean and mushroom. The black bean was fantastic, it had perfect flavor and not a ton oil. The mushroom taco was incredibly greasy and the mushrooms and onions were so burnt that they just tasted like a fire place. The veggi taco was mediocre, it was also incredibly greasy but tasted decent. The service here was nice and quick. I would not label it as my favorite restaurant but I will come back and order the black bean tacos.
(3)Marsha W.
Romantic atmosphere for a night out. Menu has a good selection of dishes including some local New Mexico inspired plates. I ordered the Salmon with green chili mash potatoes and it was delicious! The salmon was fresh and a generous portion. The service was adequate and some of the waitresses were new. Food arrived promptly. Would highly recommend although it is a little on the pricey side. Dinner for 2 approximately 65.00 without alcohol
(4)Jocelyn T.
Everything was perfect! Great service and delicious food. Two of us dined for under $50! Two beers, appetizer, two meals, and dessert. The tacos were on point! I'm from a taco town and I'd say their mahi and mushroom tacos would give Austin a run for their money. My companion ordered the chicken skillet dinner. The chicken was so flavorful! And the mash was great with the studded peppers. Eat here! We loved it. The best dining experience we've had in New Mexico during our visit.
(5)Robert B.
Don't come here expecting Tex Mex or standard Mexican food. More of a northern New Mexico flavorings with twists. Original, fresh, and fun. Ordered appetizer: green chile rings. Delicious, crispy, recommended. Very delicious. The chipotle ranch is nice and perfect. Ordered the boss burger: bacon, cheese, green chiles, massive! Recommended. Bacon was crispy. Fries were delicious. Ordered the vegetable stuffed poblano Relleno: really light, moderate portion, great presentation. The roasted vegetables were spiced nicely. Very light and delicious. Ordered nachos: think different. Presentation is excellent. Black beans, light cheese, tomatillo sauce, and chipotle sauce. Slight sweetness intermixed with various spices. Enough for two people. Very different, very delicious. Never had any nachos quite like these before. The iced tea was strong and clean. Service was great, price moderate. Don't serve any chips and dip up front, which was nice for a change. Didn't gorge out on chips before the meal arrived.
(5)Jessica W.
Amazing service! Great wine list and prices for the wine! Chile rings were outstanding! And the salads are super appetizing! Highly recommend stopping in for a bite!
(5)Jules P.
Great service and yummy food! This spot is now on our to-do list whenever we're in town.
(4)Nicole O.
Cute place in the heart of Ruidoso. We went for dinner and I really enjoyed the menu, services and wine/beer list. The place is very rustic inside and they have an outdoor patio. Try the tacos and fried green chile. Yummy!
(4)Laurie B.
We stopped in for a quick burger and it was great. Cooked the way we asked and hospitable server. We had the grilled peaches and ice cream for dessert and it was good as well.
(5)Gigi D.
Love this place! Great vegetarian selections. Staff is very knowledgeable about the menu. Highly recommend the Tacos and do yourself a favor and try the Brussels Sprouts! Service is great.
(5)Betsy S.
Came for dinner with a good friend of mine and weren't very impressed. We ordered the stuffed avocado for an appetizer and wished we would've gotten the chili strips instead (there's literally one HALF of an avocado for the one appetizer). I ordered the Southwestern Cesar Salad with NO chicken and it was more sweet than spicy. I did find a chicken bone on my second bite and if I was vegetarian I probably would've been pretty upset. The salad itself was ok. My friend ordered the Grilled Cheese and her experience was ok as well. Soft fries and soft sandwich. Our waiter also never asked how anything was. Our experience was nothing to brag about.
(3)Melissa E.
Although my 10 year old was tramatized by the portrait of the naked woman in the ladies' room, this restaraunt is filled with nice original art. The food was filled with flavor. Try the mahi mahi tacos are a superb light option for my calorie counting friends. I took a bite of the green chile mashed potatoes. I'd definitely recomend those. The server recommended her favorite glass of La Crema Pinot Noir and it satisfied me for sure. Nice place for a nice meal. Prepare ahead and make reservations.
(5)Me-chelle S.
Amazing all around! Can't wait to go back. Service, cleanliness, lighting and ambiance, promptness, variety, presentation of food, taste and quantity of food, and price...all 5 stars. There is a uniqueness to the food, but not so unique you're branching out too much. You can try something more adventurous, but there are safe choices as well, such as salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. The ONLY thing i wish would have been different is that the soda had been fresh from a fountain. They do offer canned soda. But I love fresh bubbles.
(5)Adam Z.
My steak was one of the best I ever had. Barely any fat in it. My daughter's burger was top notch. And: if you go there your only option is hand cut fries. Do not bother getting anything else. These were amazing !!!!
(4)Pete S.
Just wow! We came here based on the reviews and we weren't disappointed. We had a GC burger, green chili, pepper jack cheese and grilled onions. It was super. We also had the chicken poblano. It was shredded chicken & green chili stuffed into a poblano pepper. Oh yum. The staff was very friendly and the store was clean. We would go back again.
(4)Ronald W.
Located in midtown, Grill Caliente serves up some delicious American food with a New Mexican twist. The fried green chile rings are a great appetizer. The GC burger and GC GC (green chile grilled cheese) are good filling choices at any time. Dinner entrées are a bit on the pricey side and $2.25 for a can of soda is a bit ridiculous. Overall a great meal but expect to pay for it.
(4)Paul V.
3 stars in Houston, 4 stars for Ruidoso. Even though we have a house in Ruidoso for over 30 years, this was out first time at Grill Caliente. First up we ordered the Fried Green Chilie rings. Outstanding app, do not miss! The rings are lighted breaded (like a tempora style) and fried. They were not greasy and the acompanying sauce was delicious. Even the non-fans of green chilie ate quite a few! We ordered 2 "The Boss" hamburgers and a Ceasar Salad Sandwich, with a side of grilled Hatch Green Chilies (do you see a pattern here?). The burgers were cooked perfectly (medium and not dried out) and very tasty. The bun was a jalepeno sourdough bun. In all a great meal with a total bill of $47.80. I left a generous cash tip and felt full all day!
(4)Michael P.
Great meal. Salmon was great, burger was great, nachos were great, and so was the wine! Excellent choice, you won't regret it.
(5)Cheri G.
Great front and back patio, great tacos, great food, and super nice people! Service can be slow however.
(4)Sassy D.
We have been to this restaurant many times and it is always great. The food is so fresh and unique. We have recommended Grill Caliente to friends & family. Its wonderful for lunch or dinner. We especially like their dishes that have green chilis in them. Be prepared...they are a popular place that has a small indoor seating area. Chose your time wisely when visiting or you may have a wait. Recently we went for lunch on a Thursday & had no wait. But I would fully expect a lengthy wait on Sat @ 7pm.
(5)Alison S.
I've been here three times, the first in April 2014, then around the end of May 2014 and again in October 2014. Each time it was a good experience. Their food is their own unique take on New Mexican, so if you're looking for bland, chain TexMex, go somewhere else. Their prices are very reasonable. I've had the fried, stuffed avocado appetizer, the pepper ring appetizer, and the stuffed chicken poblano entree, twice. All were great. I had the Spinach-Avocado burger, but I didn't like it as much. It's more of a wine bar drink wise, but they have a small selection of bottled craft beer. The waitstaff was friendly, but I noticed that there's usually just one waitress, even when it's busy, so sometimes it can get kind of slow, which is hardly her fault.
(5)Kristi H.
I had the veggie stuffed poblano. Very good! Homemade fries are great. My husband had the New Mexican burger & really liked it. Friendly waitstaff & gorgeous weather on the outdoor patio made this a fantastic lunch stop! For dessert, I ordered a seasonal grilled apple on ice cream with a whiskey glaze. Do NOT miss this when you visit!
(5)Jason J.
I had the skillet chicken which packed a kick as everyone has said previously the mashed potatoes were excellent as was the service. There isnt a whole lot to look at in this restaurant by that i mean there is no personality. Overall I would give it 3.5 stars and would eat there again.
(3)Rick G.
Great dinner in Ruidoso and prices were reasonable. I had the stuffed poblano chile with chicken and wife had the chicken breast with chile. Chile mashers were very tasty. Very good and unique. There was a mix up on our order and wife didn't get the veg. salad that was listed. however, they brought out a separate salad and all was well. A great place.
(4)Nicholas F.
Not sure why this place has 4.5 stars. Food was undercooked and we had pork.... Charged waaaay to much for a can of coke. The people were very nice and im sure they have a lot of local friends and that may explain the 4.5 stars. Overall the restaraunt is pricey and not worth the price. I don't mind spending money on food just not bad food. Keep driving
(2)David G.
My second time here, and both times were fun and delicious! Tonight I had the Skillet Chicken - Spicy Hot but FULL of FLaVoR!!! I highly recommend it, the dish comes with grilled Peppers and Onions with creamy mashed potatoes. If you enjoy an explosion of flavors with a zing - you've got to eat here!
(5)Beverly K.
Breaded, stuffed avocado as an appetizer. Skillet chicken with green chili mashed potatoes was excellent!
(5)Maria J.
Southwest pork chop great. Southwest Caesar salad really good. Fajita chicken entree not good.
(4)Tim P.
Great service and food! We had read some of the reviews before going to the restaurant and it exceeded our expectations. Would definitely go back and recommend it to everyone.
(5)Terry C.
Wow! Great price and great lunch. My black beans were a bit salty and spicy in some bites and the hubbins bacon cheeseburger was demolished with the hand cut fries(YUM). Nice place for lunch, staff is quick and very friendly and I would recommend stopping here when your in town.
(5)Knawledge Y.
Good Service, Good Food, Nice View while eating, staff and manager were so friendly. Please get your liquor license so I can come have Bloody Mary next time. Overall, I would definitely come back any way; had a nice glass of Moscato and hubby had a Blue Moon.
(5)Ankita K.
Stopped here for lunch while road tripping through NM/TX. For a small little town (relatively), this joint did a great job catering to different taste pallets. The menu has plenty of vegetarian options! And really great tasting salsa!
(5)bertha s.
The nachos, the pork chop, and the chicken dinner was awesome. The staff was nice and everyone was nice. We would eat here again.
(5)Hectore F.
Was in town with my family and went for my dad's birthday. Had great service. I ordered pork tenderloin medallions medium rare and they were finer licking good. My wife had the salmon and was great too. Dad had the N.Y. Strip medium well andb said it was delicious. Overall great experience here. Highly recommend.
(4)Justin P.
A must eat when you are in Ruidoso. I had the Chicken Poblano. It was excellent. Perfect chile stuffed with a green chile and chicken mix. Amazing. My girlfriend had the chicken caesar salad. Also great. The service was outstanding as well. I will be back to this place whenever I visit Ruidoso.
(5)James H.
Very good food. We really enjoyed food, service and atmosphere. I recommend this place for lunch.
(5)Jeff J.
MUST VISIT!! Just had probably the best service ever...Thx Christian and the food was perfect. We traveled up from San Antonio, Texas and found the best restaurant in Ruidosa. The fried advocado and fish tacos were amazing. Ending with perfect dessert of Granny Smith apples and ice cream.
(5)Mark M.
Spring Break 2015,, We are from Texas, had the chicken taco's, tenderloin taco's, portobello stack, CG trio appetizer and fried green chili rings. Food is outstanding A+++ . Service was excellent, STOP and EAT and acclimate.
(5)Flint R.
My brother, nephew and I stopped in for dinner after a long day of skiing. I had the chicken poblano, which was very good (just not enough to fill up a hungry skier) while my brother and nephew each fit a burger and fries. They both give the burgers 5 stars and an extra thumbs up. My brother got the avacado spinach burger which he devoured in no time. My nephew got the New Mexican burger that was so good he could have eaten 2. The flavor of the meat was great, very juicy, and the fries were fantastic. The ambiance was ok, nothing fancy, and the wait staff was friendly and attentive. All in all, a great meal. We will be back.
(5)lillian m.
A wonderful Sunday night patio dinner with husband Jim and dog Reacher. Jim had a chicken taco. I had a fish mahi taco. Wonderful! The Caesar salad was enriched w avocado and sun dried tomatoes. Bueno! Reacher gives the fresh water and ice cubes in his dish five stars too! Owner Phil is a wonderful low key host. We will dine there again several more times this week!
(5)Steven V.
Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. Saw all the good reviews and decided to take my family here. Let me start by saying I am a New Mexican born and raised. So when we ordered the queso blanco I was unimpressed by the heat, it was somewhat tasty but I've had A LOT better quality of queso. Also tried the fried green chile peppers. I would give them 3 out of 5. Some heat to the peppers but others were very mild. Our entrees were the skillet chicken. My daughter had the grilled cheese. I was about to order the poblano chicken and our waiter said that was the only thing he probably didn't like. So I took his recommendation and went with the skillet. ( I wish I hadn't) very disappointed with the black char of everything that rested in the skillet. And may I note that I love when stuff is a little charred and blackened... But this was too much for even me. My pictures will tell you all you need to know. So overall food experience is a 2 out of 5. The service also a 2 out of 5. Our waiter dashed from our table before he even took my daughters order and no refills were offered at any point. Can't say we will be coming back to this restaurant but fortunately Ruidoso seems to have a nice variety of restaurants.
(2)Mara B.
Food was not as good as we had hoped. We were in vacation with a group of six. Our last night we wanted a nice dinner out. Grill caliente seemed to fit the bill. It's a very small place and service was slow. Most of the table ordered steaks while I ordered a salad. None of the steaks came out right. Everyone ordered steaks medium or medium rare and they came out almost well done. We would have complained but service was so dreadfully slow we didn't think anything would come out of complaining. My salad was ok except they drowned the poor thing in chipotle sauce much to my chagrin. Don't think we will visit this place again if we are in the area.
(2)Mark M.
This place is nearly deserving of 5 stars. Really extremely good and high quality all the way around but keep an open mind when you go to Caliente. I've never had Mexican/TexMex quite like it and it's a bit hard for me to describe other than to say my meal was top notch. Two things that jumped out that I liked about it is the ingredients used are fresher than is typical of Mexican restaurants and that freshness comes though as a strong proponent in the food and it also seems a bit healthier than typcial Mexican fare. I resisted giving it the full five stars for two reasons. One, while I apprecieted the lighter portioned lunch, it seemed the prices were still at dinner prices (though I didn't see the dinner menu so my guess is the dinner menu is a bit high for dinner). Second, I really do like have the chips and salsa while I wait on the meal. Here, that's an extra item to order which compounds the price issue. I'll definitely be back as I'm sure this will become my go-to restaurant when I was Mexican food in Ruidoso. NONE of the others in town come close.
(4)Tamara C.
This was an excellent dinner at a great price! We had the fried pepper rings, skillet chicken, and pork tenderloin medallions. They were all great. The Apples dessert was a great finish to a relaxed meal that was a surprising and refreshing find in the area!
(5)David M.
Everything we have ever had here is good. We have never had a bad dish here and we have dined here about 8 times. It is a must for our family every time we are in Ruidoso.
(5)Walter S.
Well, my wife and step-daughter ate here twice and were blown away by the food and the friendly service. First, they are pet friendly, which meant we could take our dog. First night, we had the two chicken skillets (delicious, and with the green chili mashed potatoes), the vegetable stuffed poblanos. The next night, we thought initially we would try another restaurant, but eventually decided to go back and further explore the menu. We had two boss burgers and the pork medallions, both delicious. The service was good and extremely friendly both nights. Many of the customers were obvious regulars, and the entire atmosphere was relaxed and happy -- more like home than a restaurant. We were just thrilled both nights! I'm a real person, I write real reviews, and I stand by them. I have no ties to this business and was not asked to write a review. My name is Walter Stewart and I can be reached at 512-402-9522 to verify the veracity of the report. I typed this review with a purring cat walking on the keyboard, no mean feat!!!
(5)John C.
What a pleasant surprise! My wife & I, our 2 children, and my parents went in to eat here based off of the reviews I read on Yelp. We ordered 3 Chicken Skillets, 2 tacos, kid's chicken breast, a Boss Burger, as well as the 3-dip appetizer. For the first time, in a long time, NOONE had a complaint! My Chicken Skillet (with a kick....no doubt) had an amazing taste! Every time we come to Ruidoso we always bring our own groceries as dining is not something that we enjoy here. Grill Caliente is the only place that I have found, thus far, that I would absolutely recommend to anyone in the area. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Emily C.
I went here for a date. We were the only people in the restaurant, which was fine, it was early. He had the fish tacos and I had the boss burger. It was good. It was not amazing. I'd like to go back though because this place is quite good for Ruidoso. I do love some tacos and perhaps should have gone with those. Recommended!
(4)Mindy M.
If I could leave ZERO STARS I would! My mom & I wanted to have a nice dinner so we decided to try this place. We were promptly seated the same time as another couple. We sat there about 10 minutes & finally I asked for 2 waters. When the waitress came by she asked what we wanted & I said we have 2 waters on the way. She said "Ok, FINE" & stormed off. She came back & asked if we were ready to order & I said yes we're ready. She then proceeds to rudely try to take our order. I asked if there was something wrong & she goes off on me. We get up to leave & the man who sat us had the audacity to say we were impatient. I told him that had nothing to do with us leaving & the waitress was the rudest person I've ever come across. SAVE YOUR MONEY & DONT GO HERE!!! Ranchers is way better.
(1)Bette C.
Went for lunch because of the Yelp reviews. We had the veggie taco, boss burger & chicken Caesar salad. All was delicious! So much so we returned for dinner. Dinner included New York strip(Devine) & Alaskan salmon. The sides were green chili mashed potatoes, fried Brussels sprouts(to die for) & grilled asparagus. So yummy!
(4)Daniel K.
I was very impressed with Grill Caliente. It was an old gas station that was transformed into a mexican restaurant. I had the skillet chicken and it was excellent! You have to try the fried green chilies if you decide to come here. Friendly staff and fantastic food! A must have while visiting Ruidoso!!!
(5)Matt S.
I had the ribeye steak, which was cooked beautifully. served with grilled red peppers and slice of grilled pineapple, which were delicious abd the green chili mashed potatoes were off the hook! the only thing that struck me as strange was it wasnt served with any bread or dinner roll. (Maybe that's just a Texas thing) I asked the waiter, and he had a puzzled look on his face for a sec, then scored me a grilled ciabatta bun, which was awesome. all around good service and great food. I will be back!
(4)Ron G.
We brought our family expecting spicey TexMex food. Expensive for what you get and the food is trendy rather than TexMex. I'll pass this for Casa Blanca down the street.
(2)janette f.
Great customer service! We were traveling in from out of town and left our credit card and they mailed it to us. I visit ruidoso frequently and every time I drive into town I visit grill caliente. The food is always delicious and the service is wonderful! I love the fried green chili's for appetizer.
(4)Amanda D.
I'm giving Grill Caliente four stars because of the awesome atmosphere, their fresh, environmentally friendly meat choices, and the friendly service. The food alone did not blow me away; however, the overall experience was definitely something I enjoyed.
(4)L D.
So great! After having a bad meal at another place for lunch, this was wonderful! The food was fresh, the service was quick and attentive and the atmosphere was lovely.
(5)Jerry A.
Friendly knowledgable staff, great service. We had the chicken poblano and the portobello stack with chicken both were very good. Poblano had just the right amount of spice. Losses a star because we ordered the GC trio but we never received it and the soda cans are over priced.
(4)Jon L.
We ordered and thoroughly enjoyed the fried poblano/jalapeño dish. My wife had the chicken taco and I had the Mahi taco. There is an appetizer that includes: queso, guacamole, & salsa...it may have been the best I have ever had. We ended with peaches and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream The live music was A+. It was a great evening on the patio.
(4)Kelly C.
We went to this place to get breakfast but found out they didn't serve it but the host was kind enough to recommend somewhere for breakfast so we came back here for dinner. This place has to be the best restaurant in Ruidoso. We went here about 6 times after the first and the food/service was excellent every time. It's also lovely to be able to sit outside. The host and waitresses were super friendly too. I had the Caesar Salad and they give you plenty of chicken with it. It was very good. The other nights I got the boss burger. It was excellent! All of their food seems to have a little twist too. My boss burger had green chilis and they went perfect with it. Their mashed potato was great too, it's cooked in some kind of chili and is a bit spicy. Also had their southwest pork chop and it was cooked perfectly. Lastly I tried their salmon and it was delicious! Every plate on everyone's table looked good too. I wish they had a grill caliente near my house! If you like wine, they have a great selection and you can also ask your waiter/waitress what wine would go best with your dinner. If you plan to eat in Ruidoso, you have to come here! They are closed on Mondays though.
(5)Daniel S.
So me and my family are here on a ski trip and we were looking for somewhere good to eat. We saw Caliente Grill on the YELP list and saw all the good ratings that people gave it so we decided to give it a shot. It definitely lived up to its high ratings. I thought the food was superb! We started with a couple apetizers: fried pepper rings (an assortment of different peppers) served with chipotle ranch! Very mild and very good, perfect to share with the family. Also had chips and queso. The queso had an interesting texture but still REALLY good. Main entree was great too. I had the Chicken Poblano and man was it tasty! Chicken was a bit spicy but I like spicy so i enjoyed it! Prices were reasonable. Some pricey options but nothing crazy. Overall great experience! Staff and service was way above par, hats off to them! Will definitely come back! They also left us Andes mints with the check which was a plus.
(5)N. L.
LOVE this place, being that me and my husband were doing the vegan thing for a while, it was really nice to find a place that we could still order some really good food!! I got the stuffed poblano and my husband got the mushroom tacos that he still raves about!! And the salsa is some of the best I've ever had!! My husband asked if we could get a little to-go cup to take it with us, he couldn't bare leaving it!! We will most definitely be returning to this place!!!
(5)Joey S.
The best restaurant in Ruidoso. We dined twice while there recently for lunch and dinner. We had a group of 15 for dinner, and the service and food did not suffer one bit. Speedy and professional. Good steaks, Salmon, Burgers, Nachos, Tacos, and Salads. There appears to be one waiter/waitress for the entire place, so we expected it to be slow, however it was not. Nice wine list with some interesting wines. Outdoor dining includes a patio in the front and the back, as well as the interior dining room. If you want a hole in the wall place for down and dirty mexican food, go elsewhere. However if you want a "finer dining" experience I don't think you can find a better place in Ruidoso NM than this. The menu is extensive and we enjoyed almost everything. We didn't care for the mahi tacos or the salsa salad, however. Just a small note to future diners, but we really liked everything else. Perhaps you will enjoy those, too.
(4)Emily N.
Intimate place for a lunch with my husband. We both ordered burgers, him the Boss and I the mushroom/Swiss. Both were excellently cooked and I especially liked the ciabatta bun my burger was on! The fries are very thinly sliced and just the perfect amount of crunch and softness! My favorite thing had to be our server... She was attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back!
(5)Justin A.
Amazing! We came twice during our stay. Service was above and beyond. Fries are to die for. The boss burger and fries were the best I've had in a very long time. The waitress was very helpful and suggested many great things to do. Definitely recommend!
(5)Ashley R.
I had the skillet chicken and it was awesome!! Also must try the fried green chilies for an appetizer!! Service was excellent
(5)Kate O.
LOVED this place!! We went for lunch and at outside at their cute and quaint bistro deck. We could see the lovely snow-capped mountains in the distance, while we were drenched in sunshine and warmth. The service was great, the food was amazing--I had the New Mexico Philly and my other half had the chicken Caesar salad sandwich. We loved both. Just an altogether great lunch, great vibes, and wonderful time.
(4)Wendy T.
A wonderful meal. Awesome green chile mashed potatoes- chopped green chile served inside a roasted chile. The roasted veggie salad was served with a spicy vinegrette that was, almost, too spicy, but never too much. The salmon was cooked to perfection. Our waiter was great, and always remembered an extra plate for us to share the meal. It was raining, so we were seated in the basement, which was clearly under construction... No windows and a bit too cool. The ambiance would have been better upstairs. Hard to say if the patio would have been better, as the traffic on Sudderth can be very loud.
(5)Ashley A.
Super cute place!! Great wines, great chips and queso!! Wonderful hamburgers!! Can't wait to come back!
(4)Joe V.
Fantastic everything! We have eaten here multiple times and are blown away by the food quality every time. We will definitely be back to try all the other foods on the menu. Thanks Caliente Grill!
(5)Randy S.
Fried stuffed abaca do (grilled veggies), salmon wild caught in Alaska grilled with touch of olive oil, seasoning. Medium. Served with green chile mashers but I got fried Brussels sprouts instead. Had Stella and blue moon beers with dinner
(4)Gavin B.
The skillet chicken has a wonderful flavor. It comes with green chili mashed potatoes and grilled peppers...excellent. I had the boss burger with cheddar cheese and applewood bacon, another fine choice. Overall, a great experience with very friendly staff. We will definitely be back.
(5)Deedee G.
While in Ruidoso to celebrate Mom's 70th birthday, we looked online for a place to eat. Grill Caliente had excellent reviews. For an appetizer Me Mom and Aunt shared the stuffed avocado. It was wonderful. The breading was not too heavy, and the avocado maintained its texture even after being deep-fried. For my meal I ordered one Veggie taco and one Mahi taco. The vegetables were perfect, not under or overcooked. The pineapple chipotle glazed fish was incredible. My Mom and Aunt had the filet and said it was cooked exactly as requested and seasoned just enough to bring out the flavor of the beef. The green chili mashed potatoes were the best they have ever tasted. We also had the organic sauteed spinach, it was a bit too oily for me, but my Mom and Aunt enjoyed it. As my Aunt said, the meal was so satisfying there was no room for desert. We all felt that the presentation was wonderful, the restaurant itself was well decorated and the Botero print in the restroom was our favorite. Our waitress was top-notch. She was attentive without being overwhelming, friendly without being phony. The food, ambiance and service made for a perfect celebration dinner. We will return to Gill Caliente when in Ruidoso.
(5)Ganni L.
This is our new favorite place for a casual dinner. It is New Mexican style food...full of green chilies, black beans, and cheeses. You can find great healthy meals to great, indulgent food. Wine list is good. On our last trip we ate here twice...for lunch and dinner. So good!
(4)Peggy R.
We ate here last night, we were in town visiting family and were a party of 7. Our service was wonderful and the food was very good, fresh and hot when delivered. We started with 2 appetizers, the trio of dips, salsa (excellent), guacamole (fabulous) and queso (not heated all the way through and my only real complaint) and the fried green chile, pablano and jalapeno chili's. A very good start to our meal. I had 2 tacos, the beef and the mushroom, both were excellent! If I could have eaten them, I would have ordered all 4 kinds. Others in our party had the park chop with chipolte sauce (very tasty, cooked well but could have been a little more tender), both chicken dinners (no complaints here :)) and a hamburger (which was great). We had Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake and Grilled Peaches with ice cream for dessert ... both were good but I wouldn't go just for the dessert but will definitely return for the food!
(4)Ricky T.
Great food, great service! The jalapeño sourdough bread on the spinach avacado burger is the best thing I have ever tasted, and the fried pepper rings are awesome too! I highly recommend this place.
(5)Joy S.
We had a lovely dinner on the patio. The wait staff was extremely attentive, the atmosphere was superb, and the food was excellent. We were expecting run of the mill Mexican food but were happily surprised by the unique choices available. We will absolutely come back soon.
(5)Conrad A.
Nice atmosphere. Great service. I had the pork medallion tenderloins. They were awesome.
(5)Barb L.
I heard this was a great place from a couple people, so perhaps my expectations we're too high. The service was marginal. The waitress took our order without writing anything down, and made several errors . On my order, she forgot to bring the salsa I asked for, and when I reminded her, she said she would get it right away. Instead she went to another table and took their order, then gave another table their check, then irresistible to another table. We tried to get her attention without any luck. A customer across the room noticed our attempts, so stopped her as she went by and pointed her in our direction. She asked what we needed, then said that the salsa hadn`t been ready. Really?? There were six at our table, and none of us were really pleased with our meals. The beef tenderloin tacos were the best of what we ate.
(2)Maris M.
We stumbled upon this gem last year while we were in town. Our party of 9 ( 5 kids!) were seated in the basement dining which was very nice. The food was amazing, service top-notch and we'll be going again tonight :) .
(5)Alexandra N.
Went here for dinner and liked it. I had a burger with avocado, chipotle mayo and a jalapeno bun. Food arrived hot and the burger was filling. They also come served with my favorite type of thin-cut fries (steak fries = ick). Meant to order some of the chili rings but forgot. Oh well. High quality burger and very filling so I was unable to finish the fries.
(4)Jaret B.
This place was pretty good. I had a hamburger. It was pretty god for a burger. The service was excellent. They had some cool stuff on the menu and it looked like a lot of healthy options. They also had Stella on tap, which was a treat.
(4)Hameed A.
I would have given this place 4 stars but little fixable details kept it at this mediocre rating. Friend green chile app was good but only lukewarm in temp which got it greasy. It's really puzzling why they provide a homemade chipotle ranch dip with this dish (very good) , yet give ballpark- like mayo packets with your burger? The fries with my burger were barely warm and woulda been so much better had they been served fresh. Overall an ok experience that could have been much more
(3)Jessica W.
Wonderful place to share a romantic evening or fun time with friends! If you are in town for only a few days like we were, this place is a must!! The atmosphere is modern, the menu is reasonable, and the service was awesome. My husband and I tried the steak and salmon... Delicious!!
(5)Michael G.
I have dined at Grill Caliente twice now and both times I was thoroughly impressed. The service is great (and reading through the previous comments I can say that they must have improved because there is not a drink that goes unfilled or an empty plate left on our table). The food is very good. I highly recommend "The GC" which has the best beef that I've had in New Mexico! Please give this quaint place a try, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. It is nice to see a small intimate place like this one that has great food and service!
(5)Jeff P.
We started with chips, queso, guacamole and salsa, which was about average. The waitress brought us the wrong bottle of wine but was quick to remedy her error. I had the filet and my wife had the ribeye. The beef was tender and juicy. The steaks really saved this restaurant. The sides were delicious too. We had the fried brussel sprouts and grilled asparagus. For dessert, we had their brownie, which was disappointing because it was room temperature and hard. We would go again simply because the main course was great and the atmosphere was pleasant. On a busy weekend, reservations are recommended.
(4)Andrew K.
I'm from TX, but this was still the best salsa I've ever had. I had the Swiss mushroom burger and my girlfriend had the mahi mahi tacos, both were great.
(5)Jason B.
I have been coming to Ruidoso for 40 years and this is the best dining experience I have ever had here. Tacos as an appetizer were great. Wife and I split the ribeye for dinner and it was spectacular. Best steak I have ever had in NM. Staff was very nice and helpful. Wine steward was knowledgable. Decent small wine list. Met the owner and thanked him for the wonderful meal. We will be back.
(5)Staley H.
Great menu and the food is delicious. The steaks are well cooked and the chicken dishes are excellently seasoned. We had a party of 15 and everyone was very satisfied with their food. The service was not great but the restaurant was crowded and we were a large party. This may be the best restaurant in town.
(5)Amber M.
Our waiter was not good at all. There were only 6 people in there not including us and she was cleaning tables and taking everyone's order but hadn't even gotten our drink order. Then she told me the taco would fill me up and that it was big. When I got the taco I was like wtf. It was so small, I have no idea how she thought it was going to fill me up, and then on top of that it was 4.50 for that little shit. Service sucked but food was good but too expensive. My friend had the mushroom burger and it had wine but they put too much win on it that the bun got soggy!!
(1)Lindy M.
Great fried green peppers and delicious tacos. Nice atmosphere and patio.
(5)Judy G.
Good food, service needs some sharpening. Delivered appetizer after our meal was COMPLETE. Tacos good but need some sides for $10; Philly cheese was not traditional shaved/sliced beef- looked more like fajita steak; chicken poblano was good-add rice and serve less black beans. Very polite young man repeatedly filled water/drinks.
(3)Linda T.
Great, great food & awesome service! Ask for Trey.
(5)Denise I.
We decided to try this restaurant as most others were closed and I'm glad we did. The appetizer of fried stuffed avocado was wonderful and then we had the the tapas tacos. The tenderloin taco and mahi tacos were great. Our server was very attentive and quick at getting everything we needed. The wine list looked like it had some great choices and we will be going back before we leave Ruidoso.
(5)Whitney B.
Service here is amazing. Ate here with 2 children and we were well taken care of. Food is good. We really liked the fried peppers and grilled chile mashed potatoes.
(4)Sean L.
Fast service, great food, very affordable prices, and not too crowded. Try the queso burger with green chili.
(5)Honest A.
My family and I ate at Caliente Grill last Sunday. I think it was their third day to be open to the public. The food was delicious/fresh/beautiful. I was so impressed. Good work, Caliente!! I would make the outside area more attractive for those who choose to sit out of doors.
(5)Karen F.
Great service and the pepper fries were absolutely fabulous! Deck a little noisy on a Saturday but perfect for a late lunch early supper. Had the Southwest Cesar with Chicken and was just right. Four plus stars.
(5)S. M.
Accidentally stumbled upon this restaurant after stopping at Starbucks for a beverage. Decided to have lunch, and was happy I did! The chili strip appetizer was delicious. A very crisp yet light breading and good sauce for dipping. Small portion was still generous for 2-3 people. My burger was tasty, well seasoned, and the jalapeño brioche bun was absolutely delicious. Crisp yet soft, a real treat. The server was attentive and knowledgeable. The patio was comfortable. Do not hesitate to try this restaurant for lunch!
(5)Kim W.
As a vegan I came here looking for healthy plant based food. I ordered a trio of three tacos, the veggie, black bean and mushroom. The black bean was fantastic, it had perfect flavor and not a ton oil. The mushroom taco was incredibly greasy and the mushrooms and onions were so burnt that they just tasted like a fire place. The veggi taco was mediocre, it was also incredibly greasy but tasted decent. The service here was nice and quick. I would not label it as my favorite restaurant but I will come back and order the black bean tacos.
(3)Marsha W.
Romantic atmosphere for a night out. Menu has a good selection of dishes including some local New Mexico inspired plates. I ordered the Salmon with green chili mash potatoes and it was delicious! The salmon was fresh and a generous portion. The service was adequate and some of the waitresses were new. Food arrived promptly. Would highly recommend although it is a little on the pricey side. Dinner for 2 approximately 65.00 without alcohol
(4)Jocelyn T.
Everything was perfect! Great service and delicious food. Two of us dined for under $50! Two beers, appetizer, two meals, and dessert. The tacos were on point! I'm from a taco town and I'd say their mahi and mushroom tacos would give Austin a run for their money. My companion ordered the chicken skillet dinner. The chicken was so flavorful! And the mash was great with the studded peppers. Eat here! We loved it. The best dining experience we've had in New Mexico during our visit.
(5)Robert B.
Don't come here expecting Tex Mex or standard Mexican food. More of a northern New Mexico flavorings with twists. Original, fresh, and fun. Ordered appetizer: green chile rings. Delicious, crispy, recommended. Very delicious. The chipotle ranch is nice and perfect. Ordered the boss burger: bacon, cheese, green chiles, massive! Recommended. Bacon was crispy. Fries were delicious. Ordered the vegetable stuffed poblano Relleno: really light, moderate portion, great presentation. The roasted vegetables were spiced nicely. Very light and delicious. Ordered nachos: think different. Presentation is excellent. Black beans, light cheese, tomatillo sauce, and chipotle sauce. Slight sweetness intermixed with various spices. Enough for two people. Very different, very delicious. Never had any nachos quite like these before. The iced tea was strong and clean. Service was great, price moderate. Don't serve any chips and dip up front, which was nice for a change. Didn't gorge out on chips before the meal arrived.
(5)Alison S.
I've been here three times, the first in April 2014, then around the end of May 2014 and again in October 2014. Each time it was a good experience. Their food is their own unique take on New Mexican, so if you're looking for bland, chain TexMex, go somewhere else. Their prices are very reasonable. I've had the fried, stuffed avocado appetizer, the pepper ring appetizer, and the stuffed chicken poblano entree, twice. All were great. I had the Spinach-Avocado burger, but I didn't like it as much. It's more of a wine bar drink wise, but they have a small selection of bottled craft beer. The waitstaff was friendly, but I noticed that there's usually just one waitress, even when it's busy, so sometimes it can get kind of slow, which is hardly her fault.
(5)Kristi H.
I had the veggie stuffed poblano. Very good! Homemade fries are great. My husband had the New Mexican burger & really liked it. Friendly waitstaff & gorgeous weather on the outdoor patio made this a fantastic lunch stop! For dessert, I ordered a seasonal grilled apple on ice cream with a whiskey glaze. Do NOT miss this when you visit!
(5)Jason J.
I had the skillet chicken which packed a kick as everyone has said previously the mashed potatoes were excellent as was the service. There isnt a whole lot to look at in this restaurant by that i mean there is no personality. Overall I would give it 3.5 stars and would eat there again.
(3)Rick G.
Great dinner in Ruidoso and prices were reasonable. I had the stuffed poblano chile with chicken and wife had the chicken breast with chile. Chile mashers were very tasty. Very good and unique. There was a mix up on our order and wife didn't get the veg. salad that was listed. however, they brought out a separate salad and all was well. A great place.
(4)Nicholas F.
Not sure why this place has 4.5 stars. Food was undercooked and we had pork.... Charged waaaay to much for a can of coke. The people were very nice and im sure they have a lot of local friends and that may explain the 4.5 stars. Overall the restaraunt is pricey and not worth the price. I don't mind spending money on food just not bad food. Keep driving
(2)David G.
My second time here, and both times were fun and delicious! Tonight I had the Skillet Chicken - Spicy Hot but FULL of FLaVoR!!! I highly recommend it, the dish comes with grilled Peppers and Onions with creamy mashed potatoes. If you enjoy an explosion of flavors with a zing - you've got to eat here!
(5)Beverly K.
Breaded, stuffed avocado as an appetizer. Skillet chicken with green chili mashed potatoes was excellent!
(5)Maria J.
Southwest pork chop great. Southwest Caesar salad really good. Fajita chicken entree not good.
(4)Tim P.
Great service and food! We had read some of the reviews before going to the restaurant and it exceeded our expectations. Would definitely go back and recommend it to everyone.
(5)Justin P.
A must eat when you are in Ruidoso. I had the Chicken Poblano. It was excellent. Perfect chile stuffed with a green chile and chicken mix. Amazing. My girlfriend had the chicken caesar salad. Also great. The service was outstanding as well. I will be back to this place whenever I visit Ruidoso.
(5)James H.
Very good food. We really enjoyed food, service and atmosphere. I recommend this place for lunch.
(5)Jeff J.
MUST VISIT!! Just had probably the best service ever...Thx Christian and the food was perfect. We traveled up from San Antonio, Texas and found the best restaurant in Ruidosa. The fried advocado and fish tacos were amazing. Ending with perfect dessert of Granny Smith apples and ice cream.
(5)Mark M.
Spring Break 2015,, We are from Texas, had the chicken taco's, tenderloin taco's, portobello stack, CG trio appetizer and fried green chili rings. Food is outstanding A+++ . Service was excellent, STOP and EAT and acclimate.
(5)Flint R.
My brother, nephew and I stopped in for dinner after a long day of skiing. I had the chicken poblano, which was very good (just not enough to fill up a hungry skier) while my brother and nephew each fit a burger and fries. They both give the burgers 5 stars and an extra thumbs up. My brother got the avacado spinach burger which he devoured in no time. My nephew got the New Mexican burger that was so good he could have eaten 2. The flavor of the meat was great, very juicy, and the fries were fantastic. The ambiance was ok, nothing fancy, and the wait staff was friendly and attentive. All in all, a great meal. We will be back.
(5)lillian m.
A wonderful Sunday night patio dinner with husband Jim and dog Reacher. Jim had a chicken taco. I had a fish mahi taco. Wonderful! The Caesar salad was enriched w avocado and sun dried tomatoes. Bueno! Reacher gives the fresh water and ice cubes in his dish five stars too! Owner Phil is a wonderful low key host. We will dine there again several more times this week!
(5)Steven V.
Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. Saw all the good reviews and decided to take my family here. Let me start by saying I am a New Mexican born and raised. So when we ordered the queso blanco I was unimpressed by the heat, it was somewhat tasty but I've had A LOT better quality of queso. Also tried the fried green chile peppers. I would give them 3 out of 5. Some heat to the peppers but others were very mild. Our entrees were the skillet chicken. My daughter had the grilled cheese. I was about to order the poblano chicken and our waiter said that was the only thing he probably didn't like. So I took his recommendation and went with the skillet. ( I wish I hadn't) very disappointed with the black char of everything that rested in the skillet. And may I note that I love when stuff is a little charred and blackened... But this was too much for even me. My pictures will tell you all you need to know. So overall food experience is a 2 out of 5. The service also a 2 out of 5. Our waiter dashed from our table before he even took my daughters order and no refills were offered at any point. Can't say we will be coming back to this restaurant but fortunately Ruidoso seems to have a nice variety of restaurants.
(2)Amy K.
Excellent choice for dining when in Ruidoso! Wines by the glass, very reasonable and plenty of options . Meal can be salads or small plates or dinner entrees. We NEVER eat deep fried anything, but hey, we're in New Mexico & this place has a fried green chilis appetizer, had to try it. YUM! Husband ordered the portobello stack with chicken; strips of juicy portobello mushrooms and grilled chicken served over fresh spinach leaves, de-lish. I ordered chicken poblano, shredded chicken in a grilled poblano chili, side of good black beans with chopped tomato and shredded cheese on top. We had to try 2 sides, the organic sautéed spinach, which was in a yummy citrus marinade, and the green chili mashed potatoes. I'm generally not a mashed potatoes fan, but these were very tasty, with pieces of the NM green chilies throughout. Server Christian was delightful. We didn't expect such a great meal!
(5)Howie K.
Considering the hamburger is such an incredibly versatile icon of American fare, I think it's rather astonishing that most places play the composition so safe. My neighbors do, too. The vast majority of the time, when I'm presented with burger options, they're some rendition on the ol' cheese and bacon variety, a little barbecue sauce here, green chile there. And toppings are just the tip of the iceberg lettuce, as far as I'm concerned. The patty is the ultimate canvas. Mix in spices, flavorings, alternative meats or compose your own veggie masterpiece, and you've transformed this staple into an experience. I guess it's been a while since my last visit to Ruidoso, because I could swear this place was a French bistro not so long ago. No matter, me likes the new digs. It came up on the top of my Yelp search for nearby restaurants and I popped in for a sammie to go. I ordered the blue cheese stuffer out of pure nostalgia; when I was a kid, this was the way my dad got adventurous with ground beef, he stuffed it full of stinky cheese and we clawed at the bastard with a fork. It was one of my favorite meals (that's not saying much, honestly) and Grill Caliente made a mockery of the dish. As I drove, juices rolled off my chin and wrist, splashing on denim jeans, grease that would later appear mysterious and profane to the gas station attendant in Socorro. But no matter. The fries were actually the stars of the show, here, delightful stringy spuds that demanded my full attention. I was very, very good to go from Ruidoso, and the next time I visit I'm staying for the full meal jacket.
(4)Richard L.
Great food, great wine and an even better patio! After my experience in the past few days with restaurants in Ruidoso, this stands out as a shining star.
(5)Sandy N.
The burgers are delicous. The fried chili peppers are yummy for appetizer especially with the dipping sauce. The Nacho Black Beans was just too much beans - I did not really like how it was smothered with beans and barely any cheese or chips and it was lacking more flavor. I tried their apple burbon dessert and it was good and diff with the cheese on it. lol
(3)Matthew J.
I really don't know how this place is currently sitting at 4.5 stars. Due to the high rating, I was convinced to come here for dinner, but quickly grew to become a very unpleasing first time customer. I was with a party of five, the waitress was very rude and sarcastic to us at the very beginning as we ordered drinks. Blamed the fact of being a newly hire for our wrong beverage order instead of just apologizing, but now on to the real kicker... their food. Three of us ordered burgers (Queso, Blue Cheese-Stuffer and their house), I had the stuffer. Two went for the Cesar sandwich. One ordered a side of asparagus and it wasn't until the food was served the message was delivered of being out of stock, so now side was even given or replaced. Queso has nothing but cheese as a topping and definitely say in the window to create the freshly served soggy buns. The overall taste... Well that's the thing, there was no taste. You could tell zero passion came out of that kitchen, meat was not seasoned, everything cooked well done. So between that and crunching on overlooked fries. We all were just eager to leave, and surely won't be returning. If my service was anything like their normal routine, I wouldn't recommend this to a dog.
(1)Lurine F.
Let's see, where too start with this review this place is As small gem in Ruidoso NM:) my boyfriend and I had finally finished exploring the downtown when yelp lead us to this gem I decided to have the fish and steak tacos!! Delish! Awesome service! The guacamole was really good as well I will say this place was a little pricey I am not sure why but it was. The atmosphere did seem a step below upscale, so perhaps that's why they upped the prices? Good food food food good atmosphere!!
(4)Ms N.
This place was recommended by locals. We tried several places per the locals recommendation and this place was the only place that fell short on taste, customer service and setting. Taste - ordered the salmon and it was dry and over cooked, and over salted. The black beans were flavorless but the saving grace was the mashed potatoes only an amateur can mess up mashed potatoes. Customer Service - all I wanted was grilled chicken without the extra heat from the chili peppers and our server couldn't offer that, so disappointing. I would think as a tourist part of town a server would be happy to explain the menu and options but it actually seem to bother her.... Basic questions like "is the grilled chicken really spices? What would you recommend?" Setting- we sat on the patio the weather was beautiful the view of the town was perfect only down fall was the infestation of flies! Between fighting the flies for the first bite of food and the buzzing drifting in and out my ears I definitely got a great arm workout swatting away flies from my drink, food, face, arm and friend's plate.
(2)Roscelle S.
Went to this place bec of yelp reviews Nd helpers you don't disappoint. Ordered: - fried green chile rings-- OMG, these are the bomb! The batter is light and crispy but not oily at all. Holds the rings perfectly. Yum! Thank goodness hubby ordered a large size. - southwest pork chop- perfectly cooked, I can see the grill marks and taste them as well. The chop was seasoned properly and the roasted sauce on top-- yum! Let's not mention the green chile mashed potatoes. - blackened chicken - wow wow wow! The chicken was do flavorful and the side of roasted peppers matched very well with the green chile mashed potatoes Service, a little slow. Had to ask for drink refills but food is great. Small portions but great.
(4)Matthew M.
Fantastic food and great experience. Our kids had the grilled cheese and loved it. It was actually one of the best grilled cheeses we've ever had. My wife had the chicken tender tacos and loved them. The grilled portabello burger was amazing as well. We'll be back again soon!
(5)Zuir S.
Found this place thanks to Yelp, we had burgers and they were delicious! We were glad we stopped by and the service was very friendly. Highly recommended if you are visiting Ruidoso
(5)Jessica W.
Amazing service! Great wine list and prices for the wine! Chile rings were outstanding! And the salads are super appetizing! Highly recommend stopping in for a bite!
(5)Jules P.
Great service and yummy food! This spot is now on our to-do list whenever we're in town.
(4)Nicole O.
Cute place in the heart of Ruidoso. We went for dinner and I really enjoyed the menu, services and wine/beer list. The place is very rustic inside and they have an outdoor patio. Try the tacos and fried green chile. Yummy!
(4)Laurie B.
We stopped in for a quick burger and it was great. Cooked the way we asked and hospitable server. We had the grilled peaches and ice cream for dessert and it was good as well.
(5)Gigi D.
Love this place! Great vegetarian selections. Staff is very knowledgeable about the menu. Highly recommend the Tacos and do yourself a favor and try the Brussels Sprouts! Service is great.
(5)Betsy S.
Came for dinner with a good friend of mine and weren't very impressed. We ordered the stuffed avocado for an appetizer and wished we would've gotten the chili strips instead (there's literally one HALF of an avocado for the one appetizer). I ordered the Southwestern Cesar Salad with NO chicken and it was more sweet than spicy. I did find a chicken bone on my second bite and if I was vegetarian I probably would've been pretty upset. The salad itself was ok. My friend ordered the Grilled Cheese and her experience was ok as well. Soft fries and soft sandwich. Our waiter also never asked how anything was. Our experience was nothing to brag about.
(3)Melissa E.
Although my 10 year old was tramatized by the portrait of the naked woman in the ladies' room, this restaraunt is filled with nice original art. The food was filled with flavor. Try the mahi mahi tacos are a superb light option for my calorie counting friends. I took a bite of the green chile mashed potatoes. I'd definitely recomend those. The server recommended her favorite glass of La Crema Pinot Noir and it satisfied me for sure. Nice place for a nice meal. Prepare ahead and make reservations.
(5)Me-chelle S.
Amazing all around! Can't wait to go back. Service, cleanliness, lighting and ambiance, promptness, variety, presentation of food, taste and quantity of food, and price...all 5 stars. There is a uniqueness to the food, but not so unique you're branching out too much. You can try something more adventurous, but there are safe choices as well, such as salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, etc. The ONLY thing i wish would have been different is that the soda had been fresh from a fountain. They do offer canned soda. But I love fresh bubbles.
(5)Adam Z.
My steak was one of the best I ever had. Barely any fat in it. My daughter's burger was top notch. And: if you go there your only option is hand cut fries. Do not bother getting anything else. These were amazing !!!!
(4)Pete S.
Just wow! We came here based on the reviews and we weren't disappointed. We had a GC burger, green chili, pepper jack cheese and grilled onions. It was super. We also had the chicken poblano. It was shredded chicken & green chili stuffed into a poblano pepper. Oh yum. The staff was very friendly and the store was clean. We would go back again.
(4)Ronald W.
Located in midtown, Grill Caliente serves up some delicious American food with a New Mexican twist. The fried green chile rings are a great appetizer. The GC burger and GC GC (green chile grilled cheese) are good filling choices at any time. Dinner entrées are a bit on the pricey side and $2.25 for a can of soda is a bit ridiculous. Overall a great meal but expect to pay for it.
(4)Paul V.
3 stars in Houston, 4 stars for Ruidoso. Even though we have a house in Ruidoso for over 30 years, this was out first time at Grill Caliente. First up we ordered the Fried Green Chilie rings. Outstanding app, do not miss! The rings are lighted breaded (like a tempora style) and fried. They were not greasy and the acompanying sauce was delicious. Even the non-fans of green chilie ate quite a few! We ordered 2 "The Boss" hamburgers and a Ceasar Salad Sandwich, with a side of grilled Hatch Green Chilies (do you see a pattern here?). The burgers were cooked perfectly (medium and not dried out) and very tasty. The bun was a jalepeno sourdough bun. In all a great meal with a total bill of $47.80. I left a generous cash tip and felt full all day!
(4)Michael P.
Great meal. Salmon was great, burger was great, nachos were great, and so was the wine! Excellent choice, you won't regret it.
(5)Cheri G.
Great front and back patio, great tacos, great food, and super nice people! Service can be slow however.
(4)Sassy D.
We have been to this restaurant many times and it is always great. The food is so fresh and unique. We have recommended Grill Caliente to friends & family. Its wonderful for lunch or dinner. We especially like their dishes that have green chilis in them. Be prepared...they are a popular place that has a small indoor seating area. Chose your time wisely when visiting or you may have a wait. Recently we went for lunch on a Thursday & had no wait. But I would fully expect a lengthy wait on Sat @ 7pm.
(5)Terry C.
Wow! Great price and great lunch. My black beans were a bit salty and spicy in some bites and the hubbins bacon cheeseburger was demolished with the hand cut fries(YUM). Nice place for lunch, staff is quick and very friendly and I would recommend stopping here when your in town.
(5)Knawledge Y.
Good Service, Good Food, Nice View while eating, staff and manager were so friendly. Please get your liquor license so I can come have Bloody Mary next time. Overall, I would definitely come back any way; had a nice glass of Moscato and hubby had a Blue Moon.
(5)Ankita K.
Stopped here for lunch while road tripping through NM/TX. For a small little town (relatively), this joint did a great job catering to different taste pallets. The menu has plenty of vegetarian options! And really great tasting salsa!
(5)bertha s.
The nachos, the pork chop, and the chicken dinner was awesome. The staff was nice and everyone was nice. We would eat here again.
(5)Hectore F.
Was in town with my family and went for my dad's birthday. Had great service. I ordered pork tenderloin medallions medium rare and they were finer licking good. My wife had the salmon and was great too. Dad had the N.Y. Strip medium well andb said it was delicious. Overall great experience here. Highly recommend.
(4)Mara B.
Food was not as good as we had hoped. We were in vacation with a group of six. Our last night we wanted a nice dinner out. Grill caliente seemed to fit the bill. It's a very small place and service was slow. Most of the table ordered steaks while I ordered a salad. None of the steaks came out right. Everyone ordered steaks medium or medium rare and they came out almost well done. We would have complained but service was so dreadfully slow we didn't think anything would come out of complaining. My salad was ok except they drowned the poor thing in chipotle sauce much to my chagrin. Don't think we will visit this place again if we are in the area.
(2)Mark M.
This place is nearly deserving of 5 stars. Really extremely good and high quality all the way around but keep an open mind when you go to Caliente. I've never had Mexican/TexMex quite like it and it's a bit hard for me to describe other than to say my meal was top notch. Two things that jumped out that I liked about it is the ingredients used are fresher than is typical of Mexican restaurants and that freshness comes though as a strong proponent in the food and it also seems a bit healthier than typcial Mexican fare. I resisted giving it the full five stars for two reasons. One, while I apprecieted the lighter portioned lunch, it seemed the prices were still at dinner prices (though I didn't see the dinner menu so my guess is the dinner menu is a bit high for dinner). Second, I really do like have the chips and salsa while I wait on the meal. Here, that's an extra item to order which compounds the price issue. I'll definitely be back as I'm sure this will become my go-to restaurant when I was Mexican food in Ruidoso. NONE of the others in town come close.
(4)Tamara C.
This was an excellent dinner at a great price! We had the fried pepper rings, skillet chicken, and pork tenderloin medallions. They were all great. The Apples dessert was a great finish to a relaxed meal that was a surprising and refreshing find in the area!
(5)David M.
Everything we have ever had here is good. We have never had a bad dish here and we have dined here about 8 times. It is a must for our family every time we are in Ruidoso.
(5)Walter S.
Well, my wife and step-daughter ate here twice and were blown away by the food and the friendly service. First, they are pet friendly, which meant we could take our dog. First night, we had the two chicken skillets (delicious, and with the green chili mashed potatoes), the vegetable stuffed poblanos. The next night, we thought initially we would try another restaurant, but eventually decided to go back and further explore the menu. We had two boss burgers and the pork medallions, both delicious. The service was good and extremely friendly both nights. Many of the customers were obvious regulars, and the entire atmosphere was relaxed and happy -- more like home than a restaurant. We were just thrilled both nights! I'm a real person, I write real reviews, and I stand by them. I have no ties to this business and was not asked to write a review. My name is Walter Stewart and I can be reached at 512-402-9522 to verify the veracity of the report. I typed this review with a purring cat walking on the keyboard, no mean feat!!!
(5)John C.
What a pleasant surprise! My wife & I, our 2 children, and my parents went in to eat here based off of the reviews I read on Yelp. We ordered 3 Chicken Skillets, 2 tacos, kid's chicken breast, a Boss Burger, as well as the 3-dip appetizer. For the first time, in a long time, NOONE had a complaint! My Chicken Skillet (with a kick....no doubt) had an amazing taste! Every time we come to Ruidoso we always bring our own groceries as dining is not something that we enjoy here. Grill Caliente is the only place that I have found, thus far, that I would absolutely recommend to anyone in the area. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Emily C.
I went here for a date. We were the only people in the restaurant, which was fine, it was early. He had the fish tacos and I had the boss burger. It was good. It was not amazing. I'd like to go back though because this place is quite good for Ruidoso. I do love some tacos and perhaps should have gone with those. Recommended!
(4)Mindy M.
If I could leave ZERO STARS I would! My mom & I wanted to have a nice dinner so we decided to try this place. We were promptly seated the same time as another couple. We sat there about 10 minutes & finally I asked for 2 waters. When the waitress came by she asked what we wanted & I said we have 2 waters on the way. She said "Ok, FINE" & stormed off. She came back & asked if we were ready to order & I said yes we're ready. She then proceeds to rudely try to take our order. I asked if there was something wrong & she goes off on me. We get up to leave & the man who sat us had the audacity to say we were impatient. I told him that had nothing to do with us leaving & the waitress was the rudest person I've ever come across. SAVE YOUR MONEY & DONT GO HERE!!! Ranchers is way better.
(1)Bette C.
Went for lunch because of the Yelp reviews. We had the veggie taco, boss burger & chicken Caesar salad. All was delicious! So much so we returned for dinner. Dinner included New York strip(Devine) & Alaskan salmon. The sides were green chili mashed potatoes, fried Brussels sprouts(to die for) & grilled asparagus. So yummy!
(4)Daniel K.
I was very impressed with Grill Caliente. It was an old gas station that was transformed into a mexican restaurant. I had the skillet chicken and it was excellent! You have to try the fried green chilies if you decide to come here. Friendly staff and fantastic food! A must have while visiting Ruidoso!!!
(5)Matt S.
I had the ribeye steak, which was cooked beautifully. served with grilled red peppers and slice of grilled pineapple, which were delicious abd the green chili mashed potatoes were off the hook! the only thing that struck me as strange was it wasnt served with any bread or dinner roll. (Maybe that's just a Texas thing) I asked the waiter, and he had a puzzled look on his face for a sec, then scored me a grilled ciabatta bun, which was awesome. all around good service and great food. I will be back!
(4)Ron G.
We brought our family expecting spicey TexMex food. Expensive for what you get and the food is trendy rather than TexMex. I'll pass this for Casa Blanca down the street.
(2)janette f.
Great customer service! We were traveling in from out of town and left our credit card and they mailed it to us. I visit ruidoso frequently and every time I drive into town I visit grill caliente. The food is always delicious and the service is wonderful! I love the fried green chili's for appetizer.
(4)Amanda D.
I'm giving Grill Caliente four stars because of the awesome atmosphere, their fresh, environmentally friendly meat choices, and the friendly service. The food alone did not blow me away; however, the overall experience was definitely something I enjoyed.
(4)L D.
So great! After having a bad meal at another place for lunch, this was wonderful! The food was fresh, the service was quick and attentive and the atmosphere was lovely.
(5)Jerry A.
Friendly knowledgable staff, great service. We had the chicken poblano and the portobello stack with chicken both were very good. Poblano had just the right amount of spice. Losses a star because we ordered the GC trio but we never received it and the soda cans are over priced.
(4)Jon L.
We ordered and thoroughly enjoyed the fried poblano/jalapeño dish. My wife had the chicken taco and I had the Mahi taco. There is an appetizer that includes: queso, guacamole, & salsa...it may have been the best I have ever had. We ended with peaches and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream The live music was A+. It was a great evening on the patio.
(4)Kelly C.
We went to this place to get breakfast but found out they didn't serve it but the host was kind enough to recommend somewhere for breakfast so we came back here for dinner. This place has to be the best restaurant in Ruidoso. We went here about 6 times after the first and the food/service was excellent every time. It's also lovely to be able to sit outside. The host and waitresses were super friendly too. I had the Caesar Salad and they give you plenty of chicken with it. It was very good. The other nights I got the boss burger. It was excellent! All of their food seems to have a little twist too. My boss burger had green chilis and they went perfect with it. Their mashed potato was great too, it's cooked in some kind of chili and is a bit spicy. Also had their southwest pork chop and it was cooked perfectly. Lastly I tried their salmon and it was delicious! Every plate on everyone's table looked good too. I wish they had a grill caliente near my house! If you like wine, they have a great selection and you can also ask your waiter/waitress what wine would go best with your dinner. If you plan to eat in Ruidoso, you have to come here! They are closed on Mondays though.
(5)Daniel S.
So me and my family are here on a ski trip and we were looking for somewhere good to eat. We saw Caliente Grill on the YELP list and saw all the good ratings that people gave it so we decided to give it a shot. It definitely lived up to its high ratings. I thought the food was superb! We started with a couple apetizers: fried pepper rings (an assortment of different peppers) served with chipotle ranch! Very mild and very good, perfect to share with the family. Also had chips and queso. The queso had an interesting texture but still REALLY good. Main entree was great too. I had the Chicken Poblano and man was it tasty! Chicken was a bit spicy but I like spicy so i enjoyed it! Prices were reasonable. Some pricey options but nothing crazy. Overall great experience! Staff and service was way above par, hats off to them! Will definitely come back! They also left us Andes mints with the check which was a plus.
(5)N. L.
LOVE this place, being that me and my husband were doing the vegan thing for a while, it was really nice to find a place that we could still order some really good food!! I got the stuffed poblano and my husband got the mushroom tacos that he still raves about!! And the salsa is some of the best I've ever had!! My husband asked if we could get a little to-go cup to take it with us, he couldn't bare leaving it!! We will most definitely be returning to this place!!!
(5)Joey S.
The best restaurant in Ruidoso. We dined twice while there recently for lunch and dinner. We had a group of 15 for dinner, and the service and food did not suffer one bit. Speedy and professional. Good steaks, Salmon, Burgers, Nachos, Tacos, and Salads. There appears to be one waiter/waitress for the entire place, so we expected it to be slow, however it was not. Nice wine list with some interesting wines. Outdoor dining includes a patio in the front and the back, as well as the interior dining room. If you want a hole in the wall place for down and dirty mexican food, go elsewhere. However if you want a "finer dining" experience I don't think you can find a better place in Ruidoso NM than this. The menu is extensive and we enjoyed almost everything. We didn't care for the mahi tacos or the salsa salad, however. Just a small note to future diners, but we really liked everything else. Perhaps you will enjoy those, too.
(4)Emily N.
Intimate place for a lunch with my husband. We both ordered burgers, him the Boss and I the mushroom/Swiss. Both were excellently cooked and I especially liked the ciabatta bun my burger was on! The fries are very thinly sliced and just the perfect amount of crunch and softness! My favorite thing had to be our server... She was attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back!
(5)Justin A.
Amazing! We came twice during our stay. Service was above and beyond. Fries are to die for. The boss burger and fries were the best I've had in a very long time. The waitress was very helpful and suggested many great things to do. Definitely recommend!
(5)Ashley R.
I had the skillet chicken and it was awesome!! Also must try the fried green chilies for an appetizer!! Service was excellent
(5)Kate O.
LOVED this place!! We went for lunch and at outside at their cute and quaint bistro deck. We could see the lovely snow-capped mountains in the distance, while we were drenched in sunshine and warmth. The service was great, the food was amazing--I had the New Mexico Philly and my other half had the chicken Caesar salad sandwich. We loved both. Just an altogether great lunch, great vibes, and wonderful time.
(4)Wendy T.
A wonderful meal. Awesome green chile mashed potatoes- chopped green chile served inside a roasted chile. The roasted veggie salad was served with a spicy vinegrette that was, almost, too spicy, but never too much. The salmon was cooked to perfection. Our waiter was great, and always remembered an extra plate for us to share the meal. It was raining, so we were seated in the basement, which was clearly under construction... No windows and a bit too cool. The ambiance would have been better upstairs. Hard to say if the patio would have been better, as the traffic on Sudderth can be very loud.
(5)Ashley A.
Super cute place!! Great wines, great chips and queso!! Wonderful hamburgers!! Can't wait to come back!
(4)Joe V.
Fantastic everything! We have eaten here multiple times and are blown away by the food quality every time. We will definitely be back to try all the other foods on the menu. Thanks Caliente Grill!
(5)Randy S.
Fried stuffed abaca do (grilled veggies), salmon wild caught in Alaska grilled with touch of olive oil, seasoning. Medium. Served with green chile mashers but I got fried Brussels sprouts instead. Had Stella and blue moon beers with dinner
(4)Gavin B.
The skillet chicken has a wonderful flavor. It comes with green chili mashed potatoes and grilled peppers...excellent. I had the boss burger with cheddar cheese and applewood bacon, another fine choice. Overall, a great experience with very friendly staff. We will definitely be back.
(5)Deedee G.
While in Ruidoso to celebrate Mom's 70th birthday, we looked online for a place to eat. Grill Caliente had excellent reviews. For an appetizer Me Mom and Aunt shared the stuffed avocado. It was wonderful. The breading was not too heavy, and the avocado maintained its texture even after being deep-fried. For my meal I ordered one Veggie taco and one Mahi taco. The vegetables were perfect, not under or overcooked. The pineapple chipotle glazed fish was incredible. My Mom and Aunt had the filet and said it was cooked exactly as requested and seasoned just enough to bring out the flavor of the beef. The green chili mashed potatoes were the best they have ever tasted. We also had the organic sauteed spinach, it was a bit too oily for me, but my Mom and Aunt enjoyed it. As my Aunt said, the meal was so satisfying there was no room for desert. We all felt that the presentation was wonderful, the restaurant itself was well decorated and the Botero print in the restroom was our favorite. Our waitress was top-notch. She was attentive without being overwhelming, friendly without being phony. The food, ambiance and service made for a perfect celebration dinner. We will return to Gill Caliente when in Ruidoso.
(5)Ganni L.
This is our new favorite place for a casual dinner. It is New Mexican style food...full of green chilies, black beans, and cheeses. You can find great healthy meals to great, indulgent food. Wine list is good. On our last trip we ate here twice...for lunch and dinner. So good!
(4)Jaret B.
This place was pretty good. I had a hamburger. It was pretty god for a burger. The service was excellent. They had some cool stuff on the menu and it looked like a lot of healthy options. They also had Stella on tap, which was a treat.
(4)Hameed A.
I would have given this place 4 stars but little fixable details kept it at this mediocre rating. Friend green chile app was good but only lukewarm in temp which got it greasy. It's really puzzling why they provide a homemade chipotle ranch dip with this dish (very good) , yet give ballpark- like mayo packets with your burger? The fries with my burger were barely warm and woulda been so much better had they been served fresh. Overall an ok experience that could have been much more
(3)Peggy R.
We ate here last night, we were in town visiting family and were a party of 7. Our service was wonderful and the food was very good, fresh and hot when delivered. We started with 2 appetizers, the trio of dips, salsa (excellent), guacamole (fabulous) and queso (not heated all the way through and my only real complaint) and the fried green chile, pablano and jalapeno chili's. A very good start to our meal. I had 2 tacos, the beef and the mushroom, both were excellent! If I could have eaten them, I would have ordered all 4 kinds. Others in our party had the park chop with chipolte sauce (very tasty, cooked well but could have been a little more tender), both chicken dinners (no complaints here :)) and a hamburger (which was great). We had Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake and Grilled Peaches with ice cream for dessert ... both were good but I wouldn't go just for the dessert but will definitely return for the food!
(4)Ricky T.
Great food, great service! The jalapeño sourdough bread on the spinach avacado burger is the best thing I have ever tasted, and the fried pepper rings are awesome too! I highly recommend this place.
(5)Joy S.
We had a lovely dinner on the patio. The wait staff was extremely attentive, the atmosphere was superb, and the food was excellent. We were expecting run of the mill Mexican food but were happily surprised by the unique choices available. We will absolutely come back soon.
(5)Conrad A.
Nice atmosphere. Great service. I had the pork medallion tenderloins. They were awesome.
(5)Barb L.
I heard this was a great place from a couple people, so perhaps my expectations we're too high. The service was marginal. The waitress took our order without writing anything down, and made several errors . On my order, she forgot to bring the salsa I asked for, and when I reminded her, she said she would get it right away. Instead she went to another table and took their order, then gave another table their check, then irresistible to another table. We tried to get her attention without any luck. A customer across the room noticed our attempts, so stopped her as she went by and pointed her in our direction. She asked what we needed, then said that the salsa hadn`t been ready. Really?? There were six at our table, and none of us were really pleased with our meals. The beef tenderloin tacos were the best of what we ate.
(2)Maris M.
We stumbled upon this gem last year while we were in town. Our party of 9 ( 5 kids!) were seated in the basement dining which was very nice. The food was amazing, service top-notch and we'll be going again tonight :) .
(5)Alexandra N.
Went here for dinner and liked it. I had a burger with avocado, chipotle mayo and a jalapeno bun. Food arrived hot and the burger was filling. They also come served with my favorite type of thin-cut fries (steak fries = ick). Meant to order some of the chili rings but forgot. Oh well. High quality burger and very filling so I was unable to finish the fries.
(4)Jessica W.
Wonderful place to share a romantic evening or fun time with friends! If you are in town for only a few days like we were, this place is a must!! The atmosphere is modern, the menu is reasonable, and the service was awesome. My husband and I tried the steak and salmon... Delicious!!
(5)Michael G.
I have dined at Grill Caliente twice now and both times I was thoroughly impressed. The service is great (and reading through the previous comments I can say that they must have improved because there is not a drink that goes unfilled or an empty plate left on our table). The food is very good. I highly recommend "The GC" which has the best beef that I've had in New Mexico! Please give this quaint place a try, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. It is nice to see a small intimate place like this one that has great food and service!
(5)Jeff P.
We started with chips, queso, guacamole and salsa, which was about average. The waitress brought us the wrong bottle of wine but was quick to remedy her error. I had the filet and my wife had the ribeye. The beef was tender and juicy. The steaks really saved this restaurant. The sides were delicious too. We had the fried brussel sprouts and grilled asparagus. For dessert, we had their brownie, which was disappointing because it was room temperature and hard. We would go again simply because the main course was great and the atmosphere was pleasant. On a busy weekend, reservations are recommended.
(4)Andrew K.
I'm from TX, but this was still the best salsa I've ever had. I had the Swiss mushroom burger and my girlfriend had the mahi mahi tacos, both were great.
(5)Jason B.
I have been coming to Ruidoso for 40 years and this is the best dining experience I have ever had here. Tacos as an appetizer were great. Wife and I split the ribeye for dinner and it was spectacular. Best steak I have ever had in NM. Staff was very nice and helpful. Wine steward was knowledgable. Decent small wine list. Met the owner and thanked him for the wonderful meal. We will be back.
(5)Staley H.
Great menu and the food is delicious. The steaks are well cooked and the chicken dishes are excellently seasoned. We had a party of 15 and everyone was very satisfied with their food. The service was not great but the restaurant was crowded and we were a large party. This may be the best restaurant in town.
(5)Amber M.
Our waiter was not good at all. There were only 6 people in there not including us and she was cleaning tables and taking everyone's order but hadn't even gotten our drink order. Then she told me the taco would fill me up and that it was big. When I got the taco I was like wtf. It was so small, I have no idea how she thought it was going to fill me up, and then on top of that it was 4.50 for that little shit. Service sucked but food was good but too expensive. My friend had the mushroom burger and it had wine but they put too much win on it that the bun got soggy!!
(1)Lindy M.
Great fried green peppers and delicious tacos. Nice atmosphere and patio.
(5)Judy G.
Good food, service needs some sharpening. Delivered appetizer after our meal was COMPLETE. Tacos good but need some sides for $10; Philly cheese was not traditional shaved/sliced beef- looked more like fajita steak; chicken poblano was good-add rice and serve less black beans. Very polite young man repeatedly filled water/drinks.
(3)Linda T.
Great, great food & awesome service! Ask for Trey.
(5)Denise I.
We decided to try this restaurant as most others were closed and I'm glad we did. The appetizer of fried stuffed avocado was wonderful and then we had the the tapas tacos. The tenderloin taco and mahi tacos were great. Our server was very attentive and quick at getting everything we needed. The wine list looked like it had some great choices and we will be going back before we leave Ruidoso.
(5)Whitney B.
Service here is amazing. Ate here with 2 children and we were well taken care of. Food is good. We really liked the fried peppers and grilled chile mashed potatoes.
(4)Sean L.
Fast service, great food, very affordable prices, and not too crowded. Try the queso burger with green chili.
(5)Honest A.
My family and I ate at Caliente Grill last Sunday. I think it was their third day to be open to the public. The food was delicious/fresh/beautiful. I was so impressed. Good work, Caliente!! I would make the outside area more attractive for those who choose to sit out of doors.
(5)