Ephemera

My absolute favorite spot for dinner in the Springs! From the atmosphere to the service and the incredible, inventive food — Ephemera is truly the best representation of our budding foodie scene in the Springs.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We had the most amazing experience at Ephemera! We had the honor of dining with the owners, Jasmine and Ian, and the love that they and the entire staff put into the food and atmosphere is very evident. My husband and I had the tasting menu and wine pairing, while our tweens had the bison dish. It was all so delicious and thoughtfully prepared. I highly recommend the tasting menu - the chefs will not steer you wrong! Jasmine curates the art on display in the restaurant, featuring local artists on a rotating basis, making a gorgeous backdrop for the beautiful meals. This was the highlight of our visit to the Colorado Springs area!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Birthday Dinner! We had a wonderful experience celebrating my birthday. We enjoyed the element of surprise with the tasting menu. Our server (originally from AR, I forget her name!!) explained every dish when it arrived at our table. Excellent server! I particularly liked the music playing- MM, Cursive, etc (don’t forget to tell ur wife about Cursive @ Vultures in Sept!!) . Chef Ian is involved and present, and proud of his artistic, delicious creations. Thanks for the great experience!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I had been looking forward to trying this restaurant for the past two or three years. For my birthday my husband took me here for a special evening, and based on the glowing reviews, I was genuinely excited.

Unfortunately, the experience took a sharp turn for the worse shortly after we placed our order. My husband politely asked our waitress (who had curly blonde hair and very thin lips) for a paper napkin to dispose of his gum. She acknowledged the request, but after bringing our water and about 10 minutes of waiting, it became clear she may have forgotten, so he asked again. Her response was unexpectedly rude — she gave him a sharp look and said, “One minute, sweetie,” in a condescending tone before walking away.

What followed was even more concerning. We saw her speaking with the chef and what appeared to be the manager, both of whom looked directly at our table during the conversation. Her gestures and expressions made it appear as though my husband had done something wrong, which was deeply unsettling. My husband is an incredibly kind, respectful man, and there was absolutely nothing in his behavior that could justify that reaction.

I rarely bring race into my reviews, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that my husband — the only Black man in the restaurant at the time — was being treated differently. Once the manager noticed I was observing the conversation, she repositioned herself to block my view of the waitress. From then on, the waitress was more neutral in her service, though she noticeably ignored my husband’s polite “thank you” on two occasions, while warmly responding to other guests.

This created a very uncomfortable and upsetting atmosphere that put a real damper on what was meant to be a celebratory evening.

On the positive side, the food was largely excellent. My husband ordered the duck, which was absolutely phenomenal — we’re still talking about how good it was. One of the courses from the five course meal we didn’t love because it was a little overcooked and desserts in our opinion need some fine tuning, but otherwise we were pleased.

In the end, while the kitchen clearly has talent, the service experience we had was disappointing and disheartening enough that we won’t be returning. A special occasion was overshadowed by behavior that left us feeling deeply uncomfortable.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

Not great, not terrible, but not worth the money. Everything was fine. The service was fine, our waters were refilled and everything arrived ok. But it definitely felt like every interaction was almost the same line fed to every table and by the end of our night service was stiff. We aren’t rude people and we didn’t ask for anything extra. We said please and thank you with every interaction. Not sure why the tone was suddenly cold.

The food was fine. Nothing was bad, except for some crunchy rice with the steak. But nothing was so good i would want to come back.

I enjoyed my evening but it felt very underwhelming. The atmosphere was lacking. Everything just felt felt lacking.

For the amount of money we spent on dinner, i was not super impressed and we won’t be going back. We’ve had some lovely evenings out and typically hit it off great with our servers and really enjoy our time out, and we aren’t afraid to spend money on a good night out. This place was just “fine”. It didn’t deliver the really good night we were looking for. Id rather get pizza.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 3

Service: 3

My wife and I had the pleasure of trying the tasting menu, and we were absolutely delighted! Since it changes regularly (hence the name of the restaurant), I won't dive into specific dish details, but I can tell you, it was a delicious five-course adventure filled with truly unique flavors. What a fantastic dining experience! The chef and the staff were amazing, guiding us through each dish along with the ingredients and flavors. A must-try experience!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We went here for my husbands bday after a recommendation. It was delicious and had food for everyone, including our 12 year old. Thank you.. next time we will come for a date night! :)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love the food. Appreciate the casual atmosphere to make the most formal to informal feel welcomed. Staff is extremely accommodating for all dietary restrictions. Absolute must visit and have the full experience of how art and food come together.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is hands down the best I’ve been to in the springs in a while. And definitely one of the best meals I’ve had here. The flavor profiles of the food are complex and rich but also make a lot sense and they’re very enjoyable plates and portioned very well. I had the New York strip steak, it was incredible. the staff have amazing spirits and the atmosphere makes it easy to enjoy the food. Definitely recommending this place to my friends!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

What an amazing experience! We came here to celebrate my dad's birthday and they blew our expectations out of the water. We did the 5 course menu and wine pairing, so it's a bit pricey, but so worth it. The flavors and textures they come up with will honestly blow your mind and all of it was paired so well with amazing wine. The chefs and server were absolutely amazing, so kind, and really made a great first experience! We will come here whenever we have family over so they can enjoy it just as much as we did! Thank you all for an amazing celebration!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is such a unique place with great personality. I highly recommend it for people visiting Colorado Springs and looking for a nice evening with a splash of fun just outside the fires.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

One of the best multi course meals I have ever experienced. Drinks were great, staff was friendly and explained what each dish was. They were able to make my fav drink w/ Crème de violette too. Will be back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was pretty good but nothing mind blowing. We are really big foodies and nothing was drool worthy except the oysters. The staff were all super friendly but tables seated 20-30 minutes after us were served first which was frustrating. For a while it seemed we were forgotten. Be prepared to be here for a minimum of 2 hours if you do the tasting menu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4

Delightful experience. A must try. The food and wine pairing were great and everything we had was excellent.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Wine Pairing

Had the 5 course meal, along with the wine pairing. The food was fantastic! Really enjoyed the scallop and the chorizo, cranberry fettuccini

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Wine Pairing