Alto Cafe - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Chicken fried steak was delicious 😋

I was looking for a place to have breakfast and I found this one, very delicious, the waitress was super friendly, 100% recommended, I would return a thousand times, delicious, I recommend it.

A homestyle diner with log cabin atmosphere and such delicious American style food. It was hard to order because the smell of brisket was amazing, I forgot I wanted pancakes. The staff was so kind and were patient with my toddlers. It has a nice quiet and cozy atmosphere. There are bench seats as well three bar seats. Average sized tables of four but there were areas that may seat up to 8. The portions are huge and worth the money. I will be getting the brisket the next time I go!

Get a sausage and cheese omelette with a biscuit and it was very tasty the hash browns or nice and brown and buttery

Food was very good, atmosphere was very welcoming. The service…very personal and professional. Server was attentive. Excellent experience. Greeted at the door with a smile, and didn’t see any smile disappear. Server must’ve known me because they made me do what I love to do…TALK. Highly recommend, will be back.

Ribs were good. Atmosphere was kinda bummed out. But was understandable with the fire that just burned through the area.

Food portions are generous & good. Always full, very popular place.

Great Cafe. Prompt service & friendly folks. Finally, I found the perfect Chicken fried steak and eggs.

Great restaurant. We had breakfast and it was very good.

Great Friday Catfish special. Can't beat the price or the quality and quantity.

Excellent service, delicious food, everything we went at lunch time and we were also able to have breakfast, it is fantastic, recommends al100

This place is awesome. They gave away free burgers to first responders, Forest service, and military during the wildfire. The burgers and cinnamon rolls were delicious and they have fantastic customer service. It is a small place with a clean bathroom with great views all around.

Very good food at a very good price. Service was spot on. I think breakfast is their best dish. I ordered the burrito and had green chili sauce with cheese on top. I probably could have eaten two - it was that good. My wife and daughter were also very satisfied with their food. Highly recommend this place.

Not only was the service excellent, every dish was made to perfection. You can tell when something is slapped together and this is not that type of place. Whoever is back there cooking clearly has a passion for making things delicious. We will be back again and again!

Great place to eat! Service, speed etc. are tremendous!

We did Fathers day here.We love this place been coming here for 20yrs hope it made it through the fire God Bless the Good People of Ruiodoso .we will be back we will re build!!!

My favorit place to go, ya know where everyone knows your name.

Great food...country home cooking. Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans. One of our favorites

This was a dramatic improvement since my last visit last year! Food came out hot! Good portions, bacon was thick!service was good. Nice place to have breakfast

Going on a previous experience here last year we are talking major improvements! Food was hot, food portions thick cut back. Warm toast

Stopped in on a Thurs around 9:00 parking lot was full.. squeezed into one spot. Were greeted upon entry & got the last table, served menus & asked about drink preference. Had coffee & water, wife had water. I ordered 2 eggs (over easy) hash browns Texas toast & sausage, wife ordered 2 eggs (scrambled) biscuit & hash browns.. despite being full we got our order pretty quick. Service was top notch, food was simple, cooked perfectly to order, good coffee. Would recommend the white gravy on the biscuit. Would definitely be a returning customer. Great value for the price.

Good breakfast. Had the gravy bowl. Took a half order of ribs home. They were the best ribs ever!!

We LOVE this place! We went back 3 times while we were staying in Ruidoso. Amazing food, quick service, friendly employees, very clean, very affordable and cozy atmosphere!

I love the BBQ. Staff friendly. Very clean!

Cafe with small-town vibe but big on good food and good prices. Breakfast eggs, pancakes and bacon were cooked to perfection. Not a fan of the breakfast burrito but it was big and full. Lunch time steak fingers and chicken fingers with cream gravy on the side were delicious! Friendly and efficient wait staff. When we are in Ruidoso, we eat here often. We will definitely go back!

Excellent breakfast. Service was prompt and attentive without being overbearing. We had Huevos rancheros and biscuits and gravy. The green sauce was awesome.

Quaint. Off of the downtown madness. Small and personal. Delicious food and good prices. I couldn’t eat half of the Bonita Biscuit because it was so big and full. I highly recommend the pancakes and eggs. One of our new favorites and will have to try dinner next time.

We were on our way to Gourmet Firewood when we ran into Alto Cafe. You guys gotta check this place out. Your greeted with a smile and served like a local. I had the Huevos Rancheros and they were delicious. My wife had the breakfast burrito (that thing was huge) and of course we finished with and order of pancakes which were hot and fluffy. This place is a must!

Out of the way cafe near Ruidoso turned out to be a real gem. Homestyle breakfast options...nothing fancy...everything our table ordered was tasty. The green chile sauce on my eggs was worth the drive.

The best? Just the way I like to wake up. Good ol’ home cookin’. Friendly staff, generous portions. Up the hill a ways from downtown, but well worth the drive. “Sit wherever you’d like.” As with most everywhere in Ruidoso, there’s a small surcharge for using a credit card instead of cash. Mi esposa had the Bonita Biscuit: eggs/sausage on biscuit all drenched with cream gravy. (Huge!) I had the Alto omelette: three eggs sausage, hash browns, and a fluffy big biscuit drenched in creamy gravy. Yum! Our favorite breakfast in town.

We had the most amazing dinner at Alto Cafe last Friday. It was cat fish with so many sides it was hard to keep track! The servers were both the nicest ladies I've encountered in ages. The fish was moist, crisp and delicious. Choice of pinto beans or green beans.... green were great, with okra, cole slaw, and hush puppies. Couldn't have asked for more..... although we could have.!

On top of the good food and friendly people it started snowing and it was SO peaceful! Loved it!

When it's open it's a great place for a great meal

Great place to eat breakfast before leaving the area. Friendly service and great food. I had the veggie omelette, others had pancakes and more.

Awesome,small, pretty busy, but.. Awesome:)

Great little spot frequented by the locals. Comfort food specials daily! Friday is catfish!

Great diner food - we enjoyed the steak fingers!

ALL OF 5 STARS! THE BEST TASTING FOOD YOU WILL FIND EAST TO WEST COAST! The staff is super friendly and are like a little family and teamwork makes the dream work and the best experience with anywhere comes when morale is high and it definitely was high here! The atmosphere is relaxing and everyone is enjoyable to talk to, if you’re in town then look no further for a meal that’s a bang for your buck and super affordable prices!

Excellent food, nice restaurant and superb service. The huevos rancheros are great and so are the pancakes.

Our server Leo was amazing. This was our first visit so he was great at suggesting food options. Will definitely visit here again.

Always fresh and served with perfection. I love this cafe!

Great service, friendly staff and delicious food. And the prices are really reasonable. 👌

I highly recommend getting salsa with your eggs/hashbrowns. It’s homemade and so good. I loved everything I ordered!

What a super nice village small diner. 8 had 2 eggs, sausage, toast and large perfect hashbrowns. Also biscuits and gravy. All excellent.

Served by a girl who took order dropped off food and never came back, never gave us check nothing! BAD. FOOD was fare ATMOSPHERE COLD!

Chill local breakfast and lunch! Amazing food, laid back atmosphere. And super affordable! A must go to when in Ruidoso. A beautiful drive up the mountain, and you won't be disappointed!

Great food! Our server was very attentive.

If you like a good cafe, this one should be on a list of ones to visit. The staff is great at their job. The food is very good. I've had the chicken fried steak and biscuits and gravy. Best biscuit I've had. The gravy was perfect. They have the usual small beer selection and a few barefoot wines. You will not be disappointed unless you are trying to be.

Had breakfast on our way to mountain. Servers are hustling but very friendly and attentive. Limited seating. Worth the wait.

Very Friendly Family owned. FOOD IS GREAT!!! Staff is excellent 👌🏽 they speak both English and Spanish bilingual. Customers are rude and tend to stare a lot but staff are so great , very humble people service and food come out Quickly. Highly Recommend 👌🏽

Awesome food and their price per plate is extremely fair

Great place for eat I had a club sandwich and some taco salad was 👍 👌 great

Best restaurant and dining experience in Ruidoso. They are fast, which is rare here. They are also fully staffed, which is also rare. But it shows how well the place in run. This is where the locals in town go to get a good meal.

We came here when we were on vacation, accommodated a large group with 3 small children ! Great food friendly service !

Food is amazing. Atmosphere is a bit loud, but the food is worth a stop.

Good breakfast, not fancy but good!

Always a great place to get fried potatoes? Very reasonable price

Take your time and enjoy yourself. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was like coming home. Everyone was nice and patient.

The food was wonderful and the service was fast and friendly.

Great food and service, Cheyenne is the best, AAA++

Had the chicken fried steak, and it was pretty good. I would have it again. The huevos rancheros were okay, but they wouldn't motivate me to come back. The cinnamon roll, on the other hand, was worth a return trip.

Quaint corner Cafe. Great food, daily specials, take out is quick.

This place is a hidden gem. The food is excellent. Staff and service were great . Would recommend to all people

You should try it .Me and my family eat here often, it's incredible. On Fridays, me and the guys go here everybody loves it. I enjoy the summit burger. My friend gets the catfish plate every single time. And my kids always get the steak fingers. Extra gravy 😋

The ribs & brisket are to die for.

I made this a destination on my way from Las Cruces to Dallas, and it was well worth the detour! The huevos rancheros hit the spot. Definitely stopping again when I'm back that way.

Great food. It's our go-to when in town

Where the locals eat. Very nice people and down home food. No complaints.

Good food in a very busy restaurant. But their service was slow; they obviously needed to have more waiters. The menu was limited to just a few items.

We were there for lunch. They have a daily special, all the food was great

Always great food and service. There will probably be a short wait but worth it. It’s the closest thing to the Pecos River cafe in Carlsbad if you’ve been there.

Can't say enough about my favorite place to eat in the mountains. Thank you guys for always making us feel welcome and serving up the best food.

Outstanding food and service. This is the place to go for breakfast. Country cooking at it's best!

You aren’t going to find a better breakfast in the area. You also need to get a cinnamon roll.

Good food at a decent price. Staff was fairly efficient but lacked warm customer service. It's a mom & pop Cafe, you shouldn't expect a fancy atmosphere. All in all, I would definitely go back.

Great food and service. Love it. ❤️

We ate breakfast here; Service was particularly good. Coffee was $2 compared to Dennys, about twice the price. I had an omelet, and my wife had chicken fried steak. Both were ample servings and taste... well.......yum. The place filled quickly so others have a concurring opinion.

Ordered 4 Pulled Pork sandwiches to go.....TERRIBLE !!! Very dry and like all dry crust from the pork....Worst pulled pork and Potatoe Salad we've ever had ! What a waste of $50 !!! I had no choice than to give it 1 star...

Comida es muy bien y camarera es muy amable. Will return!

This is a great place to eat. We had a small wait but we'll worth it. Can't beat homemade food. Anahi provided great customer service. Worked hard and answered all our questions and reccomend a couple of plates. We will be coming back next time we are in town. The parking is tight but there is additional parking across the street .

Everybody was so nice and the food was great. Reasonable prices

Alto Cafe is located at the most easily accessible place in the world! The building is bright and welcoming, and the people there are very friendly and helpful. The menu includes tons of items, meaning that anyone can find something to their liking. It is a good place to stop and eat after being on the slopes.

One of the best places to get some home style cooking in Ruidoso, great staff that always takes proper care of your table . Try the biscuits and gravy and stop by alto lake afterwards for a nice walk, it’s only a minute away !!

I arrived and was told the wait would be 15 minutes, I have no problem waiting. So when we got sat in the “patio”, the server was very quick. He took our drink order and it took 10 minutes to get a water, and sweet tea. Once we got the drinks it took another 15 minutes to get my order taken, after telling two other people I was ready! I order one of their plates that came with Eggs, Bacon, and Pancakes. I added chocolate chips to it because I felt spontaneous! Haha, it took 20 minutes to get the food, I wouldn’t have minded the wait if it didn’t take that long to get my order taken! The guy in the “patio” was either a server or a busser, seemed to do both. He was not very talkative and would just grab the plates from other tables without saying anything. I could tell by their facial expressions. More like making them leave ASAP! When we got our food, I didn’t get the chocolate chips, and didn’t realize the plate didn’t come with hashbrown. I asked the server for some, she brought it both quick and said “it was partially my fault, and you didn’t know the plate didn’t come with hashbrown, so I won’t charge you for it” once I finished my meal, I waited an additional 10-15 minutes for the check or at least for the server to come by the table, and nothing! Went inside to pay, and of course, there was a charge for the hashbrown, why say you won’t charge me if you’re going to do so anyways?! It was so difficult to leave much for a tip after such a terrible experience! I came once before and had a great experience, guess it’s a bipolar experience. I recommend when they’re not busy, they obviously can’t handle being busy, just tell your customers your staff can’t handle instead of offering bad service!

Great food and service. Huge portions too. Reasonably priced (under $50 for 3 adults and 2 9 year olds). I recommend the chicken fried chicken. But, everyone loved their meal’s.

In town for 3 weeks and discovered Alto Cafe. I love this place for home cooking. Limited menu, but what the do, they do well. Also, limited hours. Only open for dinner on Friday. I have gotten carry out several times and it has always been excellent!

This place was very crowded and we were told to seat ourselves. When we chose our table we were told we couldn't sit there and they squeezed us in at the crowded side of the restaurant. Prices were high for the amount of food that was served on our plates. The potato salad was smashed, baked potatoes with the skin still on them and it did not taste good. I ordered the bbq chicken plate and didn't even get half a chicken breast. I was served small pieces of chicken covered in bbq sauce, potato salad (was nasty), pinto beans mostly watery, texas toast which had no butter and was very dry. I ordered sweet tea and it was so sweet that I couldn't enjoy it and did not drink it. The meal was skimpy and did not fill us up. The bbq rib plate that my husband had was $17.95 and he only got 4 small ribs with hardly any meat on them. We will never go there again. Not satisfying, bland, and they skimp on the food they serve. Shame on you Alto Cafe!!

Good food and fair prices. Staff was very friendly and attentive

Little gem in Alto, Nm. Great little breakfast place. I had the Veggie omelette plate, Hubby had BELT, bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato sandwich. All was fresh and very very good.

We stopped in for an early dinner at Alto Cafe. We were blown away by the hospitality. The staff was welcoming as soon as we walked in the door. They took our order and we received our food very quickly. The person waiting on our table never let us run out of tea the whole meal. She even asked if we wanted a refill to go when the meal concluded. I would highly recommend this place. If we come back to Ruidoso, we’ll stop in again.

Definitely worth the wait! Super tasty breakfast! The wait staff was very knowledgeable and friendly!

They should hire more people. People that came later than me got their food first and I waited 30 minutes for my food. They hurry you to order when they took 10 minutes to come to the table and take it. Every time someone passes by the table they say "we will be right with you" and no one comes by to take the order.

The food is excellent with good variety. The brisketo wrap is the bomb. Order early because their brisket had been known to finish.

Phenomenal!!! Ate here twice on our visit to Ruidoso!!!

I just had the taco salad, but it was good. Great service, had my food in really good time. Very friendly people!

Never had anything bad here. Been going there for decades

So for 3 of us after church, I buy one chicken fried chicken and one hamburger steak and split it all up at home. It's a preview of Heaven.

This is a busy little restaurant but the food is always worth the weight

Great food and reasonably priced!

Great small town home cooking vibe at the Alto Cafe. Excellent food. The service was good. The atmosphere was the norm for a homey local cafe where everyone knows everyone. Breakfast is served all day. Definitely stop in if you're in the area and wanting something delicious. Try the turkey melt!!