La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Ruidoso

This restaurant shocked me but how dirty and how unwelcomed we felt by our waitress whom I believe is named Maria. I started to feel like an inconvenience when I said thank you for anything she did. She replied with, "Yeah" or "Uh huh" or sometimes not a word back. I feel like you should always come back with a response that is welcoming and polite. I go to restaurants in El Paso where I'm from and they always reply with a delighted response or a "You're Welcome". Next thing about our waitress is that she kept her mask under her nose and walked around like that with other guests and in the kitchen. We are still in a pandemic obviously, but that isn't the straw that broke the camel's back. I asked for a refill of my drink and without me asking for ice she brought us all extra ice in a cup and poured the ice into my wife and daughters glasses while covering the cup with her hand to prevent it from spilling elsewhere. I found that extremely gross to be touching the ice that was going into my drink with a hand. I asked her not to touch the ice she was pouring into the drink and she had the audacity to rudely ask us if we wanted a new glass. The food was decent and fairly priced. The cleanliness of the bathroom according to my kids was equivalent to a Porta Potty and they refused to go back in there. I think if they educate the waitress about what to do and not to do this place could do better. Won't be back unfortunately for a...

We decided to try this place based on the glowing reviews, but it turned out to be an incredibly disappointing experience. While we expected something special, what we got was subpar at best.

First, they charge for chips and salsa, which we reluctantly accepted. However, the service was shockingly poor, especially for a town that thrives on tourism. We endured long waits for basic things like drink refills, check-ins, and even getting our check when they were below half-capacity and it was after the lunch rush.

As for the food, it was a major letdown. The portions were insultingly small, more akin to what you'd find on a kids’ menu, and the flavors were practically nonexistent. To top it off, the "chicken" in our chicken fajitas was unrecognizable in both appearance and taste—more like mystery meat than anything remotely resembling poultry. We left the restaurant still hungry and thoroughly dissatisfied.

The final blow came with the check. For a lackluster lunch, we were stunned to see prices ranging from $20-$30 per person, along with a mandatory 18% gratuity for our party of eight (which included three small children).

If you’re looking for good food, reasonable portions, or a decent value, this is not the place to go. Save your time, your money, and your appetite for somewhere that actually delivers on...

My brother and I stopped in to try some local Mexican food and were pretty disappointed. The chips were decent, but the queso tasted like melted Velveeta and had no extra flavor from seasonings or veggies. My brother got the fajitas and the meat wasn't very well seasoned and cut really thin so it ended up being on the dry side, and the rice and beans were pretty bland. The veggies and pico de gallo were so fresh and delicious though, that was the highlight of the meal. I got barbacoa tacos and they came out looking delicious, but when I picked them up and started eating, so much extra fat and grease dripped out onto the plate and when the fat cooled down it turned yellow and solidified on top of the lime. The meat was also not very flavorful which was disappointing. The food did come out quickly and the veggies were...