The Wellhead Restaurant And Brewpub — Restaurant in Artesia

Back in Artesia, New Mexico—the land of little to do and nowhere to do it. I just got off a long shift at the plant that drained the life from my bones, so I figured I’d take what little soul I had left and try The Wellhead—the town’s answer to, “Where can I eat that isn’t wrapped in foil and bad decisions?”

I came in craving a steak. I mean full cowboy fantasy: boots up, medium-rare, ready to tip my hat to the cook. But $34 for a 12oz steak? And the only other option is an 8oz sirloin for $28? That is steakhouse pricing in pub—that’s hostage negotiation 101, they know the nearest steakhouseis an hour in either direction. I don’t know if it’s good or not, but I wasn’t gambling my Texas pride on a maybe. Not today New Mexico, not this Texas boy.

Instead, I kicked things off with the fried green chiles and ranch, and holy hell, Artesia! You did something right. They were crispy, flavorful, not too spicy—like pepper poppers that went to finishing school. More places need to get on board with these bad boys.

Main course: Country fried steak, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and their so-called beer bread. First impression? It looked like something fished out of a school lunch tray. But then I took a bite—and boom! Redemption. Steak was flavorful, breading had that Texas crunch, and the pepper gravy was rich enough to buy me dinner first. Wish the steak was a little thicker (that’s what she said), but still good enough I’d tell the boys at work to check it out.

The mashed potatoes? Creamy, with a few chunky bits for that homemade touch. The mac and cheese was ooey-gooey good—just don’t let it cool down or it starts acting like cold glue stick. And that beer bread? Meh. Tasted like a buzzed crouton. Gimme a warm beer-battered roll and now we’re talkin’.

I washed it all down with the Crude Oil Stout—a bold, dark, full-bodied brew that drank smooth and finished clean. Not quite Mississippi Mud, but enough to rock me gently into a food coma.

Sweet tea? Serviceable. Nothing to write home about, but good enough for a to-go refill on the way out.

Service was snappy, staff was friendly, and even though I walked in steakless, I left satisfied.

All in all: 4.5 stars. Half a star off for a pricey steak I couldn’t commit to and a menu that could use a little expanding. But will I be back? Hell yes. In a town filled with fast food, overpriced tacos, and swirling dust devils, The Wellhead is a...

I stopped at the wellhead because two people had recommended it in conversations about microbreweries in Southern New Mexico.

When I arrived at the Wellhead, the outside looked a little like an old west saloon. The menu had a selection of regular beers, as well as about a half dozen of their own oil themed beers. I ordered a house beer and some wings as a snack before I got back on the road, to give the place a try.

I ordered wings because they were cheap, the beers were priced reasonably at $4.50, but most the food was pricey. Almost everything on the menu other than deserts was $10 and up. Burgers started at $10.

The beer and wings I got were average. The service was OK, I was waited on and then only saw the waitress once until the food came out. It was really quiet because only 1 other person was there.

I might stop here again for beers while traveling with friends, but the food prices didnt really make it an affordable...

What a fantastic little gem this is. First off our server, Angel, was just delightful. Every staff interaction was really a positive one. We mostly stopped by to try some of their beer (which is delicious by the way) but ended up getting hungry. I ordered the Southwest Quesada and my wife ordered a burger. Both food items were great. I will say my quesadilla was very greasy to the point I had to drain it before I ate it, but once I did it was fantastic. I got the Indian basin wheat, my wife ordered the 57 chevy as reccomended by our server, both were great drinks. One thing that really stuck out was how clean the restaurant was. You didn't even find a spec of dust on the light fixtures. All in all an excellent place to eat, highly reccomend. Also, give that server a raise, she is an excellent representative...