I remember coming here to eat as a kid when I lived in Dalhart. I always thought it was very interesting place, maybe even haunted. Stained glass and a dark wood decor keep the western ambience alive in this historic place. I remember always liking my food and really enjoying the overall mood and atmosphere of this space. Hopefully I’ll return one day. There’s nowhere better to eat in Clayton.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
alachon
If you are in the area do yourself a favor and come have dinner here. The atmosphere is superb.....the staff if very friendly and attentive without being obtrusive. The food is very well prepared and presented in a timely fashion. The food was very reasonably priced and the flavors were simply delicious. It is just something I was not expecting but was very very happy I stopped by. I enjoyed my food and will definitely make it a point to come back when in the area. Also I am not a dessert person but after being pleasantly surprised with every aspect of my meal...I asked for the dessert options and tried both the cherry and apple pie. WOW.....just flat out WOW!!!! Keep up the good work and thank you for an amazing experience!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
diannew407
We had hoped to stop here for supper on a road trip. Trip Adviser lists supper hours daily, but website says ( and I called to confirm) that they are nownly open for Dinner Thurs, Fri, and Sat now, 5-9pm So, since it was Wed, we could not go. They need to update their hours on Trip Advisor!
AceOutlaw
I’ve stayed at the Eklund twice before, and always wanted to try the restaurant, but it wasn’t open at the time. I arrived after a long road trip. This time I had reservations for 6pm. I walked through the saloon doors and was soon brushed back out the doors to wait. Apparently, someone wasn’t manning the podium outside to check-in with. OK, my mistake. I ordered the Ek rolls as an appetizer, and the steak with baked potato, and then a couple of beers while waiting on my order. The beer was reasonably priced for a restaurant. The Ek rolls were very good, cheese and chilis inside. I ordered my steak medium well. I prefer medium, but too many places undercook medium. I’d rather end up with a medium well steak and deal with it than medium rare if they get it wrong. Definitely no undercooking here though. Some places ask you to cut into the steak to check it. Also, not so here. But I was in a good mood and didn’t consider it. The first bite was grisly. I took another and it was tough, no flavor. I cut about a quarter off and noticed it was very well done. Not burnt just dry, definitely not medium well. I tried a few more bites, but couldn’t eat any more of it. I normally try to just deal with these things, but it was too tough. The waitress checked on me and I noticed she looked at my plate, where I had only eaten 1/4 of the steak with my silverware sitting on the plate ready to be picked up. She asked if everything was alright. I normally don’t complain, but said it’s a little tough. She looked at the plate again and said, “hmm, well it is medium well.” in a matter-of-fact tone. I guess I was too tired from a long drive and not in the mood to argue by saying no, it’s not pink inside. I said I just need my check. At that moment I thought about not leaving a tip because of her disputing me. But she came back with the check. and to her credit she did have a different tone and said they could cook me another. By then though I’d already considered my meal over. I was also skeptical how the cook would handle it. I would have preferred she offer a discount of some kind. So I paid my $50 with tip since she offered to get another steak and left. Like I said I don’t complain much, but it was such a tough steak that I felt I had to at least comment on it. If I’d not been so tired, I probably would have pressed the issue. Just a bad experience during an otherwise nice road trip.
Leon67203
Overall, we really enjoyed the restaurant's menu. The Ek Rolls were outstanding and did serve, with a bowl of soup, as a meal. Prices are good and portions are enough to be filling. I have to agree that that the chili stew is not a stew but a soup but it is tasty and full of meat and veggies. Just don't expect a traditional stew. Prices for cocktails seem high but bottled beer is cheap. The only quibble we have is the service can be spotty with long waits sometimes.
Christine B
Ordered the steak rare, was medium. Hubby ordered soup of the day, it was Green Chili Stew, more soupy than stewy and was $11.95/for a bowl. They need to work on their menu, not sure I would stop here again
raddrMontana
It wasn’t very busy in the middle of the Arctic blast, but the welcome was warm and the food AMAZING! I had the Ek Rolls and a bowl of the best Posole I’ve ever had. The next morning, the breakfast burrito that was included in breakfast for the hotel guests was a delicious treat. If I get the chance, I’ll stay at this charming hotel and eat at the fantastic restaurant!
KBD87
I ate here while staying at the hotel and the food and service were both excellent. I had a 6:00 reservation and was promptly seated and had my drink. I ordered and the food came out very quickly and was hot and delicious. You have to try the elk rolls, their spin on egg rolls. The place has tons of character, great food and great friendly service. I ended the meal with homemade cherry pie and ice cream.
Wjw924
We were traveling through Clayton on our way to Colorado last weekend. I had researched this restaurant online on TripAdvisor, and selected it ahead of time as where we would have dinner. We arrived in Clayton at 5:00 PM, and called the restaurant to see what the specials were for the day.I was informed on the telephone that you could dine there if you did not have reservations ahead of time. They said the line for people waiting with reservations was about 10 people long, and if we wanted to make reservations for eight to 9:00 PM, they might be able to squeeze us in. needless to say we were not willing to wait for four hours to have dinner. Very disappointing.
pamsN4143PB
Stayed at hotel and greatly enjoyed our dinner. Good menu, great food and staff. Would definitely stop here again.
The restaurant was excellent and we’re coming from a big city known for world class dining. The entire staff, bartender, waitress, management and cook were genuinely interested in our experience. That’s something we’re not seeing so often. We’re planning on trying the hotel next pass thru.
Chris_and_Alison_USA
While passing through town, we came across the Hotel Eklund Restaurant. While the whole town is blast to the past, the restaurant is even better. Food and history is on the menu. Make you sure you check out the beautiful architecture of the bar dating back to the 1800's. This is a spot for locals. This isn't a luxury restaurant. If you like rustic, come here. PRO: Clean. Good food. Good service. Good portions. CON: None.
SBnm13
Now open 20aug22. Historic hotel. Call for reservations. Salmon excellent. Service good. Texas sheet cake and apple and cherry pies.
HeidiTownColorado
This hotel restaurant was the only place open in Clayton on a Saturday night and was slammed. The one woman on the floor was doing it all - waitress, bartender, busing tables, running food. I was impressed! Despite the craziness, our food came out fairly quickly. There was a wait by that point, but it didn't seem like anyone minded. It's a historic hotel, bar, and restaurant and you can feel the history. With a cold beer in their hand, no one seemed to mind the wait. We didn't have anything very fancy, a burger and a smothered burger. The menu is definitely small as a result of COVID-19. In fact, this town has been negatively impacted by the pandemic rules that were put in place by the New Mexico governor. It's simply a fact. A lot is closed permanently. By the way, the Ek Rolls are DELICIOUS! I just wish we'd had room for all of them in our stomachs as we didn't have a way to keep them cold. I am so glad that Hotel Eklund is open and even though food is available only on Fridays and Saturdays, I hope they can expand service and the town can survive this. We'd stay here and eat here again in a heartbeat! It's a good experience. And the breakfast in the morning was a real bonus as nothing else in town was open!
W4438OSjiml
I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of items on the menu. I had the pork chop, with rice, green beans and a roll with an IPA or two. Everything was delicious. Don't bother looking anywhere else. The restaurant filled up, as well it should. Service was friendly, attentive and prompt I would certainly return again. I met a wonderful and friendly couple who were long time residents of Clayton which made my solo evening quite enjoyable. Unfortunately the restaurant is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays. Maybe in the summer it will open more days.
I remember coming here to eat as a kid when I lived in Dalhart. I always thought it was very interesting place, maybe even haunted. Stained glass and a dark wood decor keep the western ambience alive in this historic place. I remember always liking my food and really enjoying the overall mood and atmosphere of this space. Hopefully I’ll return one day. There’s nowhere better to eat in Clayton.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you are in the area do yourself a favor and come have dinner here. The atmosphere is superb.....the staff if very friendly and attentive without being obtrusive. The food is very well prepared and presented in a timely fashion. The food was very reasonably priced and the flavors were simply delicious. It is just something I was not expecting but was very very happy I stopped by. I enjoyed my food and will definitely make it a point to come back when in the area. Also I am not a dessert person but after being pleasantly surprised with every aspect of my meal...I asked for the dessert options and tried both the cherry and apple pie. WOW.....just flat out WOW!!!! Keep up the good work and thank you for an amazing experience!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had hoped to stop here for supper on a road trip. Trip Adviser lists supper hours daily, but website says ( and I called to confirm) that they are nownly open for Dinner Thurs, Fri, and Sat now, 5-9pm So, since it was Wed, we could not go. They need to update their hours on Trip Advisor!
I’ve stayed at the Eklund twice before, and always wanted to try the restaurant, but it wasn’t open at the time. I arrived after a long road trip. This time I had reservations for 6pm. I walked through the saloon doors and was soon brushed back out the doors to wait. Apparently, someone wasn’t manning the podium outside to check-in with. OK, my mistake. I ordered the Ek rolls as an appetizer, and the steak with baked potato, and then a couple of beers while waiting on my order. The beer was reasonably priced for a restaurant. The Ek rolls were very good, cheese and chilis inside. I ordered my steak medium well. I prefer medium, but too many places undercook medium. I’d rather end up with a medium well steak and deal with it than medium rare if they get it wrong. Definitely no undercooking here though. Some places ask you to cut into the steak to check it. Also, not so here. But I was in a good mood and didn’t consider it. The first bite was grisly. I took another and it was tough, no flavor. I cut about a quarter off and noticed it was very well done. Not burnt just dry, definitely not medium well. I tried a few more bites, but couldn’t eat any more of it. I normally try to just deal with these things, but it was too tough. The waitress checked on me and I noticed she looked at my plate, where I had only eaten 1/4 of the steak with my silverware sitting on the plate ready to be picked up. She asked if everything was alright. I normally don’t complain, but said it’s a little tough. She looked at the plate again and said, “hmm, well it is medium well.” in a matter-of-fact tone. I guess I was too tired from a long drive and not in the mood to argue by saying no, it’s not pink inside. I said I just need my check. At that moment I thought about not leaving a tip because of her disputing me. But she came back with the check. and to her credit she did have a different tone and said they could cook me another. By then though I’d already considered my meal over. I was also skeptical how the cook would handle it. I would have preferred she offer a discount of some kind. So I paid my $50 with tip since she offered to get another steak and left. Like I said I don’t complain much, but it was such a tough steak that I felt I had to at least comment on it. If I’d not been so tired, I probably would have pressed the issue. Just a bad experience during an otherwise nice road trip.
Overall, we really enjoyed the restaurant's menu. The Ek Rolls were outstanding and did serve, with a bowl of soup, as a meal. Prices are good and portions are enough to be filling. I have to agree that that the chili stew is not a stew but a soup but it is tasty and full of meat and veggies. Just don't expect a traditional stew. Prices for cocktails seem high but bottled beer is cheap. The only quibble we have is the service can be spotty with long waits sometimes.
Ordered the steak rare, was medium. Hubby ordered soup of the day, it was Green Chili Stew, more soupy than stewy and was $11.95/for a bowl. They need to work on their menu, not sure I would stop here again
It wasn’t very busy in the middle of the Arctic blast, but the welcome was warm and the food AMAZING! I had the Ek Rolls and a bowl of the best Posole I’ve ever had. The next morning, the breakfast burrito that was included in breakfast for the hotel guests was a delicious treat. If I get the chance, I’ll stay at this charming hotel and eat at the fantastic restaurant!
I ate here while staying at the hotel and the food and service were both excellent. I had a 6:00 reservation and was promptly seated and had my drink. I ordered and the food came out very quickly and was hot and delicious. You have to try the elk rolls, their spin on egg rolls. The place has tons of character, great food and great friendly service. I ended the meal with homemade cherry pie and ice cream.
We were traveling through Clayton on our way to Colorado last weekend. I had researched this restaurant online on TripAdvisor, and selected it ahead of time as where we would have dinner. We arrived in Clayton at 5:00 PM, and called the restaurant to see what the specials were for the day.I was informed on the telephone that you could dine there if you did not have reservations ahead of time. They said the line for people waiting with reservations was about 10 people long, and if we wanted to make reservations for eight to 9:00 PM, they might be able to squeeze us in. needless to say we were not willing to wait for four hours to have dinner. Very disappointing.
Stayed at hotel and greatly enjoyed our dinner. Good menu, great food and staff. Would definitely stop here again.
Restaurantji Recommends
The restaurant was excellent and we’re coming from a big city known for world class dining. The entire staff, bartender, waitress, management and cook were genuinely interested in our experience. That’s something we’re not seeing so often. We’re planning on trying the hotel next pass thru.
While passing through town, we came across the Hotel Eklund Restaurant. While the whole town is blast to the past, the restaurant is even better. Food and history is on the menu. Make you sure you check out the beautiful architecture of the bar dating back to the 1800's. This is a spot for locals. This isn't a luxury restaurant. If you like rustic, come here. PRO: Clean. Good food. Good service. Good portions. CON: None.
Now open 20aug22. Historic hotel. Call for reservations. Salmon excellent. Service good. Texas sheet cake and apple and cherry pies.
This hotel restaurant was the only place open in Clayton on a Saturday night and was slammed. The one woman on the floor was doing it all - waitress, bartender, busing tables, running food. I was impressed! Despite the craziness, our food came out fairly quickly. There was a wait by that point, but it didn't seem like anyone minded. It's a historic hotel, bar, and restaurant and you can feel the history. With a cold beer in their hand, no one seemed to mind the wait. We didn't have anything very fancy, a burger and a smothered burger. The menu is definitely small as a result of COVID-19. In fact, this town has been negatively impacted by the pandemic rules that were put in place by the New Mexico governor. It's simply a fact. A lot is closed permanently. By the way, the Ek Rolls are DELICIOUS! I just wish we'd had room for all of them in our stomachs as we didn't have a way to keep them cold. I am so glad that Hotel Eklund is open and even though food is available only on Fridays and Saturdays, I hope they can expand service and the town can survive this. We'd stay here and eat here again in a heartbeat! It's a good experience. And the breakfast in the morning was a real bonus as nothing else in town was open!
I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of items on the menu. I had the pork chop, with rice, green beans and a roll with an IPA or two. Everything was delicious. Don't bother looking anywhere else. The restaurant filled up, as well it should. Service was friendly, attentive and prompt I would certainly return again. I met a wonderful and friendly couple who were long time residents of Clayton which made my solo evening quite enjoyable. Unfortunately the restaurant is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays. Maybe in the summer it will open more days.
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