"Excellent Beer Selection, Good Service & Food, great atmosphere"
Reviewed October 12, 2013 NEW .Wife & I went with friends. Place is designed with beautiful finished wood panelling and etched glass. On a Friday night, it was full of happy diners & beer drinkers, with a nice eclectic clientele. Our server was knowledgeable, cheerful and prompt. The Murphy's Stout (my choice) was fresh and had a nice creamy head, my spouse had a Paulaner hefeweisen. I had a 1/2 pound burger w/onion rings & cheddar, which was slightly overdone from medium rare, our friends had fish & chips, which they greatly enjoyed and their side salads had a very fresh appearance. My spouse had a reuben sandwich with excellent fries.We skipped dessert. I definitely think this place is worth a visit. it is also across the road from some cool shopping.
Visited October 2013
Food was amazing and the beers once they arrived after the apps were good. Service was less to be desired. Very rude server who seemed bothered by our request for drink menus and our checks. And once he brought our checks he made the mistake of switching up our credit card with another persons check and then had the nerve to tell us after snatching the book from our hands that we had to wait 15 minutes. Hope to come back one day and have better service
Review Source:I would give this place five stars if I was rating it on food and drink selection alone. The food is great and the drink and beer selection are awesome. On top of that its a really beautiful pub.
If I was rating it on service alone I would give it two stars if that. We went on a Tuesday afternoon and the place was empty. We were greeted  and seated promptly but our server took a while to show up. 15 min. later we had water. 20 min after that he finally came around to take our order. And 45 min later we finally had our food that must have been sitting in the back for a while because it was cold. During this time we could see our waiter at the bar chatting up the bartender, who had customers trying to get her attention. We never got our drinks refilled and long after we were done eating I finally went and asked him to please bring us the tab.... which took him less than a minute to get.
This place could be really fantastic if it wasn't for the servers and bartenders. I hope the owner will weed out the riffraff soon because I would really like to go back.
We had a great time here. Â The food is amazing (gluten free stuff for me Yay) and the kids got a huge ice cream sunday. Â This is not a place you go to if you are in a hurry. Â You come here to enjoy the atmosphere, the large selection of beer and wine and the authentic irish food. Â Our waitress was spot on and friendly. Â We all plan on coming back.
Review Source:I came here with my girlfriend and her family. They have a really good ruben sandwich and the fries/onion rings here are phenomenal.
They are definitely lacking in the way of beer choices - they have the obvious Guiness and Murphy's (on Nitrus) but that's about it.
The decor in the restaurant is AMAZING and it looks authentic (allegedly a lot of the stuff in the restaurant was actually brought over from Ireland).
We got to meet the owner who is from Ireland and he seems like a great guy, definitely trying to keep the place traditional (which is good).
We've been here before. Â I read yelp this time just to look at the reviews AND THEY ARE 100% CORRECT. Â Food was good and the service is horrible! I will try somewhere else in Ruidoso the next time. Our orders were submitted work (side orders) and all they would do is discount the mistake 10%. They got three orders wrong on a table of 7 people and our discount on a $200 Â bill (with tip) was a little over THREE DOLLARS. Atmosphere is great I ordered my steak medium and it came out well done. I blame the failures of this business on management.
Review Source:Bottom Line Up Front:
Great beer/cider on draft, good food, HORRIBLE service.
Positives:
- Atmosphere: All dark wood, looks & feels like a real Irish pub
- Beers: Great selection of drafts.
- Food: Pretty tasty food; I'd definitely recommend the Irish Breakfast with a Magner's cider.
Negatives:
- Service: WOW. The service alone took this review from 5-stars to 2. I have honestly gotten better service at fast food restaurants. We were there, with reservations on a Saturday evening, among a party of 6. We waited 25 minutes to order drinks. By that time everybody was ready to order appetizers & entrees, so we took care of it in one fell swoop. Nothing for over 30 minutes. Absolutely nothing - no drinks, no food, no server. The food arrived (ALL of it - appetizers & entrees all together. WTF?), but we still had no drinks or enough silverware. The beers & ciders arrived, warm. After that, we didn't see our server until it was time for the check. Completely amazed at the ambivalence of the wait staff - YOU COULD MAKE THIS PLACE AWESOME IF YOU CARED TO!!!
My husband and I thought this place was great. It's very attractive and has a wonderful outside patio for nice weather. Our waitress Tabitha was very good and attentive. She suggested the soup special and it was delicious. We also had the sliders and they were tasty. Prices were reasonable.
We returned the next night for open mic night and that was fun. Good music but not so loud that you can't talk. We tried a couple of fancy coffee drinks that we enjoyed.
We would definitely go back.
[3/11/13]
After being housebound for a couple of days we took off for downtown Ruidoso. We have been to Grace O'Malley's before and were happy to return. For a while.
It was early afternoon and it was busy, but not packed. Our server, Charlotte, greeted us promptly. Rick quickly found a beer he liked and ordered. Me? Too many choices! When I asked Charlotte if I could taste one she replied that they didn't do that anymore. Huh? Hmmm #1.
But they did offer flights of beer--$2 for 2 oz pour. I ordered three and anxiously awaited my "tastes". After 4-5 minutes my husband said (after looking at the bar), "I think those are our beers." Hmmm #2. When we didn't see our waitress anywhere we flagged down another and she was happy to serve us our beers.
Charlotte then appeared to take our order. We planned to go the the local Cattle Baron for dinner so we decided to share a sandwich and ordered the O'Malley's Corned. Just for grins I activated the stopwatch app on my phone and when it hit 20 MINUTES (you're probably wondering why we waited THAT long) we flagged down our waitress. We told her to forget our order (beers were long gone). Her excuse was that the ink had run out on the ticket so the kitchen didn't get the order, so she resubmitted it. (Uh, but shouldn't you have checked on it before 20 minutes went by??) As we were signing our bill the sandwich finally appeared but she sent it away.
Very disappointed. Sure hope management gets this problem taken care of.
March 2013 visit.The nicest place in Ruidoso. A huge restaurant among the tiny 5-10 table  restaurants in the rest of town. Well designed..reminded me of a big city Bennigan's (anyone remember Bennigan's?).
We stopped for lunch and the 8 of us all agreed it was the best meal we had while in Ruidoso. Great variety...Rueben sandwiches, french onion soup, fish and chips, black and tans, bangers and mashed...they had all the classics.
After lunch, the girls went shopping and the fellas drank several pints outside on the patio on a crystal clear New Mexican spring day..it was bliss.....except for:
A restaruant first: right in the middle of town, a group of teens would drive past O'Malley's every 15-20 minutes with the windows down with one of the girls screaming, "F**k you! F**k you!" every time they drove by. The driver was screaming, "Lick my a**hole!" I was so glad I was not eating outside on the patio that day!
The food was good. We had Chips & Maria Rose Sauce. The fries (chips) were really yummy but the sauce was just ketchup and mayo mixed together. No kick at all. We also had a Reuben that was piled high with meat but lacking kraut, cheese and sauce. We had a couple of taps beers that were good and cold but the first beer was not the flavor we ordered. Of course, we drank it anyway. : )
The service was NOT good. We waited at the table when we sat down for about 10 minutes for our server, then she took our drink order and we waited another 10 minutes. Then the beer finally came and it was the wrong beer. You can't blame the bartender as she was very busy chatting up the man at the bar. When our food came out only one person was served and we had to flag down our server to ask about the other persons food.
All in all just an "ok" experience.
In terms of a modern beer pub/sports bar, it is the best in Ruidoso. Â Good atmosphere, large screen high def TV's, and good beer selection. Â
  In terms of value and service, it needs improvement.  Happy hour is .50cents off regular prices... not much joy there!  If you ask for a sample of a beer, shot glass size, to see if you like it before spending $6.00+ for one 20oz glass, they offer you a "Sample Flight" at $2.00 per 4 oz glass. Come on on, really? You spill more drawing pints than a small sample would require!  I also recommend more special discount nights, like when you are trying to get rid of one keg and make room for another.  Set a specific night and run some real "Happy Hours".
  As far as the selection of sports on the TV's, how about variety with games from all regions of the country instead of all TV's on the same channel?  Understand if it is a major playoff game, but there are fans from all over that live or visit here.  A good point is they can easily switch the channels from the bar tender's cell phone... Cool!
 More and better appetizers could also improve the experience.  Selection is fairly limited to lots of fried options.  How about some grilled or fresh veggies?  Chili? Â
  Glad they are here, just hope they improve in these ares.
They definitely put some money into this place as the interior is full of dark woods and brass throughout. Â I personally like this place because I don't have an Irish option where I'm from. Â I enjoyed the Shepard's Pie and Irish beer. Â They also had live music that was not overbearing. Â The place is sectioned off enough where you can be right next to the stage or far away in case you do not enjoy live music. Â I have now been back for a second time as I visited Ruidoso.
Review Source:We went here for a drink one evening and had a great time. The service was excellent and the drinks were tasty. The place was hopping. Â We were encouraged and decided to go again. Â The service was LOUSY. We didn't have a server for our table, just whoever we could catch. It took forever to get our food, and there we're several mistakes on the order that took a long time to remedied. Food was excellent, except for one meal that was overcooked, and though they brought it out three times, it was still overcooked. Â After awhile, all we could do was laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Â Lesson learned: great place for a drink, but not for a meal.
Review Source:This was the worst dining experience I have had in 39 years. Â
The highlights -
1. Were told the wait would be an hour and we waited well over 2 hours.
2. We calamari was rubbery. The fried broccoli served with tha calamari (interesting choice) were actually good.
3. The crab cakes were not recognizable as crab cakes - over deep fried and probably frozen.
4. The stew was not even warm and sent back immediately.
5. My salad had a very long hair in it.
6. We had to ask for silverware 4 times.
7. The manager was not very accommodating considering the litany of issues. The general manager made up for this.
I won't go back to this place and will tell everyone I know to avoid this joint. Â Trust the Yelp reviews people - slow service and cold food are a theme. Â Owners - are you listening?
We came here for New Year's, so perhaps our experience was a little out of the ordinary. There was a $30 cover (a little steep for Ruidoso, but not killing me), and we were guaranteed a table.
Our server was attentive, despite the fact that there were a butt-load of people here. The place was pretty danged packed. She kept us filled with drinks, and there were h'orderves floating around pretty constantly.
I like the little fire pit/smoking area. Also, although we couldn't use the outdoor seating, I am sure during the summer that's a pretty awesome place to hang out.
Pool tables and bar upstairs, which I like. If nothing else, I am just glad there's an option to eat/drink in Midtown that's not WPS or Quarters. I'm tired of having to choose between a cowboy bar or a bar filled with wannabe gangsters if I want to be in Midtown. Hopefully this place can stay open.
I have to give this place a 5, as it is one of the best places you'll find in town. It is clear that no expense was spared to give this restaurant a beautiful old-world feel while still making it an inviting spot for people who just want to stop in for a drink. My boyfriend and I visited the restaurant twice during the week that we stayed in town.
On the first visit we each had reuben sandwiches with fries, and they were excellent. On the next trip we split the chicken quesadilla. It had an unexpected Irish twist in that it was made out of a potato pancake instead of a tortilla. It sounds odd, but the flavor combinations really worked. I have to give this place credit for bringing a European twist to the normal dishes you would typically find in NM. The specialty cocktails are a bit expensive, but tasty none the less.
We had great service during each visit. The bar staff was amazingly friendly and fun. Our food did take a bit to make it out to us, but I'd rather wait for good, fresh food that is made to order versus settling for frozen or pre-made dishes that are just reheated to save time. I will agree with other comments about the parking, as in, there isn't a lot of space. However, very few places in Ruidoso have abundant parking.
Overall, I'm so glad Grace O'Malley's has made its home in Ruidoso. It is a welcomed and refreshing change. It is also our new favorite hangout and a place we plan to frequent whenever we're back in town.
I am a fan of the atmosphere at this classic Irish pub. Warm and inviting and the best place to watch a game in Ruidoso. As for the food, the french onion soup and the mozarella and tomato baguette are very good. Skip the calamari and just order the fried cauliflower and broccoli that normally accompanies it. Good homemade ranch dressing as well.
Review Source:I would give it a ZERO, but you have to rate it, for some reason.
NO GUINESS when we ordered. Â HOW CAN YOU BE AN IRISH PUB WITHOUT GUINESS?????? Â I ordered Guiness Beef Stew. Â It was Beef Stew alright, NO DAMN GUINESS. Â WHY??????????
The WORST 'Irish Pub' that I'VE EVER BEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Â DO NOT GO THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Pub burger was delicious, with fresh lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles. And the fries were crispy and delicious! They didn't have too much selection in the menu. But had a grip loaded of selection in beer! My waitress was friendly and attentive. Next time I'm gonna try out the many beers they have in stock!
Review Source:I completely disagree with all of the 2 or 3 star ratings. Last night I dined at the bar at this nice Irish restaurant and my bill was $16 for a sandwich and 2 beers. Since when is that expensive? The sandwich was massive and the fries were better than average. Everyone I encountered was super friendly too. Ozzie the bartender was talkative, as were the barbacks. This was one of the nicer Irish bars I've been to. I'd rather not brag about the amount of Irish bars I've visited, but if I had to put a number on it, it would be "a lot".
Review Source:The food was great but the service ruined the experience. We probably should have read the reviews in advance, but this is a very kid-unfriendly place. For a tourist town, that's a bad idea. Not only is there no kids menu, there is only one or two things on the adults menu that a typical picky kid might consider.
Before we even got to ordering food, though, the big problem was with the service. It was terrible. We were easily at our table for 15 minutes before they even took drink orders and then another ten minutes before the sodas arrived, another five to ten minutes after that the one beer we ordered finally showed up. Unforgivable in a bar to leave people sitting for 20-30 minutes without drinks.
We ordered and the only option available for the kids was appetizer chicken tenders and appetizer plate of fries. But even the chicken tenders ended up not being kid friendly as they were gigantic, a half a chicken breast breaded and fried. They were delicious for the adults, but hard for the kids to eat.
The best dish was the Guinness beef stew, which was terrific, with tender and flavorful beef. The Shepard's pie was good, but not great. The burger was mediocre. The soup of the day was really a chicken strew which was very starchy with lots of beans, not recommended. And everything was over $11, with most dishes in the $13-15 range.
If I had to just rate the taste of the food, it would probably be a 4 star because of the Guinness beef stew and the chicken tenders and fries. But the service was so terribly slow and the prices too high that the meal ended up stressful and unsatisfying. If you are a few adults looking to kill hours nursing a beer, this spot works. If you want a nice family or group dinner, go elsewhere.
I will add that our waitress was very friendly and pleasant, but unfortunately the service was so ridiculously slow that even as nice as she was it did not make up for the pace.
Decent food, but over priced. Â The steak was a poor cut of meat, and not as good as steaks that cost half as much in other restaurants around town. Â Service was a bit slow as well, but friendly.
This restaurant is not kid friendly, at all - they have no kid's menu, and suggested an appetizer for my daughter as a meal option. Â Our server was kind enough to make her some chocolate milk though.
They do have a very good selection of beer and wine, as well as some local brews on tap and in bottles.
Since the opening of Grace O'Malley's this Fall, I have been there on 4 different occasions. Â From their menu I have had Fish n' Chips, appetizers including BBQ wings, crab cakes, and a Reuben sandwich. I'd give high marks to all except the Reuben, which was average at best.
The service is usually good - but I usually go on slower week nights rather than busy weekends. The beer selection is outstanding with names like Smithwick's Ale and Guinness Stout. Â The atmosphere is great, and includes a lot of Irish influences. No expense was sparred in the making of this restaurant !
Parking can be a challenge, as it is in most of Ruidoso. Overall, I like Grace O'Malley's and will be going back soon.
if I could leave 0 stars I would.
I wasted 2 hours of my life that I can never get back waiting for a soup and salad... I ordered a cup of soupand a dinner salad, my sister  ordered soup and a dinner salad and the third party only ordered soup.
I have never been this upset about service IN MY LIFE.
The waitress came to our table only to take our order and bring the check.
We waited forty minutes for soup and an additional twenty for two diner salads.
No one apologozed our asked how anything was.
The check was $40.
We should have just choked down gross fast food.
Officially, I would have rather forced myself to eat $40 worth of Taco Bell (risking death, perhaps) than to have had this horrible "dining" experience.
SAVE YOURSELF AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW! AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!!
I wish the food was as great as the atmosphere. We ordered the Grace Ruben, and the Fish n Chips. Â These are two dishes that should be a signature to any "Irish Pub" and both were disappointing. The corned beef on the ruben was dry, and the Grace sauce did not add any flavor to the sandwich. The fish and chips where saturated with oil, and the fish was bland as well. Â If you go, make this a stop for a beverages, not a satisfying meal.
Review Source:
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