What Fun!
This is a cowboy music place (not C & W) with a dinner meant to recall the chuck wagon of the cattle drive. There are over a dozen similar places in the Rockies and they are great wholesome fun.
After a rather silly (and quite entertaining) 'gunfight' in the mock street outside the 'barn,' everyone is seated at bench tables and then go through a line to get their food on a metal camp plate. Brisket (or chicken), beans, applesauce, biscuits and a baked potato (not large). The brisket is excellent and there is plenty to eat, but there are no options. Following the meal, the music starts and it is great singing, yodeling, fiddling and jokes. We go at least once a year and regularly take guests (from abroad especially) and they always love it. Get there early on the day of the show to get the best seats, though none are bad.    [30 Jun 2007 23:26:32]

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Recommended Dishes: Brisket and I love the biscuits

     ­Jim Watkins, Dallas TX   

Always a must do the night before we leave Ruidoso!
How much can one family love a place? THIS MUCH! The Fly'n J is our fave. We always save this for the last night or the last weekend night of our trip. We've been at least a dozen times over the last 20 yrs. and it doesn't get old. I've watched their children grow up and even tho they couldn't possibly remember my children, they too have watched them grow up and now our grandson gets to enjoy this place. Yes its CAMPY, but that's half the fun, and never do I leave without getting a little teary eye'd at listening to some of those old western songs. Most will say they dont go for the food, but it's my husbands fave restaurant in Ruidoso LOL. he loves their BBQ and always gets seconds. I love love love their spice cake and biscuits with jelly. Let the kids "pan for gold", ride a half dead horse (hey most of them are city kids, they don't know the horse is as old as their parents LOL) and let them have a whack at shooting off a BB gun pistol at targets for a dollar. Its a fun-filled family-oriented good old-fashioned fun evening in the cool pines of Ruidoso! I can't wait to visit next month for the 14th time!

Oh yeah, like the guy above, it is an open air seating, i mean its covered, but no glass on windows etc, so there are flying bugs like moths, but no one cares lol, and its picknick style seating so you get to know your nieghbors. If you can get the first 2 rows of tables in the center, your in for the best seats in the house, get there early and inside first ;)    [25 Jun 2009 01:29:17]

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     ­Anonymous