The food was excellent and the atmosphere and views were fantastic. We had an hour to kill before our timed entry so we decided to grab lunch - and we were very happy with the Trailhead Restaurant. It's not fast food but we were able to order quickly and had a great lunch seeing the great views.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jill Daugherty
Every time I eat here, I am disappointed, but always convince myself that I just got unlucky with what I ordered. After 4 visits, it's time to recognize that this a ridiculously overpriced, mediocre restaurant. On my most recent visit, I ordered a burger with fries. I thought that the menu said you could add a small salad for $3.50. The salad consisted of about 1/2 a cup of lettuce, 2 cherry tomatoes, and 3 1-inch sticks of cucumber, so $3.50 seemed like a good price. When my burger came, there were no fries. I asked the waiter and he said it cost $3.50 to REPLACE the fries with salad, not to ADD a salad. I requested that he also bring me fries. When the bill came, it was almost $30 - meaning that I paid close to $9.00 for about 1 cup of fries that weren't anywhere near as good as what you would get at McDonald's. I don't mind paying $30 for a really good burger, but this burger was anything but. It was one of those frozen burgers that is made with rough edges to make it look hand-formed, but the rough edges have a pattern to them. It's the sort of burger you might get at a Back to School picnic. As for the staff, I found that if they were waiting on a table and working for a tip, they were kind and attentive. Otherwise, they were very rude. I saw two employees roll their eyes at a woman on her way out and laugh behind her back as she walked out the door. The only positive about this place is the view, but I recommend getting something to go at any other restaurant and finding a nice picnic table with a view.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Jeanne Clerc
What a view! Done outside if possible. Gorgeous mountain view. Food is fresh and tasty. Personnel friendly.
Parking: Easy to park. Short walk to entrance.
Wheelchair accessibility: Flat, no steps to enter.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scrambled Eggs
Robin Hughes
Everything about this place was fantastic! Great service and food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pestem Medico
We just stopped here for breakfast and I had the blueberry buckwheat pancakes while my husband had the biscuits and gravy. It was okay. I can’t speak as to the quality of the food beyond our very basic options. It hit the spot. Our server was nice and very attentive and we appreciated the view. It is definitely a tourist trap, but maybe some interesting things available for interested tourists. It didn’t have a cheap vibe by any means. It’s a bit out of Estes Park proper—just so you’re aware. At least it’s not in RMNP so no worries about park fees.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Peridot
Omg, the viiiiiews here!! ? The setting is incredible and it looks like you're living in a storybook. Staff was always super attentive and the food slaps. We loved it so much, we went twice during our week visiting RMNP. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scrambled Eggs
Derek Jacobsen
I can’t say much for anything else on the menu but the New York strip dinner was the best tasting and cooked steak meal I’ve had in years. I grew up in Iowa and live in Nebraska. I eat good steak. Very well done. Great service, very friendly atmosphere, great food.
Side note, the views and temperatures with outdoor seating in September just hit different!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Focused on natureHomeblog
They added a 25% gratuity for the cooks… It would not remove it… I consider dining and dashing for the first time in my life..
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Ally B
Our server Megan was very knowledgeable and friendly. Service was fast, food was good, we will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kim Harden
Great lunch with a view
Vegetarian options: The grilled cheese was very good
Dietary restrictions: Gluten free bread available for all sandwiches. Staff was very helpful in selecting GF options
Absolutely DELICIOUS food and wonderful views! Recommend the Elk
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stew
Carolyn Ericsson
Delicious food, great menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mako Mako
Great service, amazing view of the mountains and next to the visitor center there is also a playground for younger children. I had nice memories with my family there.
Vegetarian options: There are vegetarian dishes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Trevor Pettus
Views are great. Food is horrendous Zero Stars. The kitchen overcooked salmon to jerky and made a medium rare elk burger taste like a woodchip. Sent over cooked rice back and got the same results. If you're looking for food extra well done, dry and no flavor then this is your place. If you like non-dehydrated meat, fish, graind and veggies then go somewhere else. Very dissatisfied after all the other positive reviews on here.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
Kevin Funkhouser
It is what it is. You get stuck waiting to get access to the park at 2 so you stop in for a drink and a snack. There is a beautiful outdoor deck with an amazing view. My chicken wrap and fries were OK. Our waitress was very friendly when we saw her. She was very busy.
The food was excellent and the atmosphere and views were fantastic. We had an hour to kill before our timed entry so we decided to grab lunch - and we were very happy with the Trailhead Restaurant. It's not fast food but we were able to order quickly and had a great lunch seeing the great views.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Every time I eat here, I am disappointed, but always convince myself that I just got unlucky with what I ordered. After 4 visits, it's time to recognize that this a ridiculously overpriced, mediocre restaurant. On my most recent visit, I ordered a burger with fries. I thought that the menu said you could add a small salad for $3.50. The salad consisted of about 1/2 a cup of lettuce, 2 cherry tomatoes, and 3 1-inch sticks of cucumber, so $3.50 seemed like a good price. When my burger came, there were no fries. I asked the waiter and he said it cost $3.50 to REPLACE the fries with salad, not to ADD a salad. I requested that he also bring me fries. When the bill came, it was almost $30 - meaning that I paid close to $9.00 for about 1 cup of fries that weren't anywhere near as good as what you would get at McDonald's. I don't mind paying $30 for a really good burger, but this burger was anything but. It was one of those frozen burgers that is made with rough edges to make it look hand-formed, but the rough edges have a pattern to them. It's the sort of burger you might get at a Back to School picnic. As for the staff, I found that if they were waiting on a table and working for a tip, they were kind and attentive. Otherwise, they were very rude. I saw two employees roll their eyes at a woman on her way out and laugh behind her back as she walked out the door. The only positive about this place is the view, but I recommend getting something to go at any other restaurant and finding a nice picnic table with a view.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
What a view! Done outside if possible. Gorgeous mountain view. Food is fresh and tasty. Personnel friendly.
Parking: Easy to park. Short walk to entrance.
Wheelchair accessibility: Flat, no steps to enter.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scrambled Eggs
Everything about this place was fantastic! Great service and food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We just stopped here for breakfast and I had the blueberry buckwheat pancakes while my husband had the biscuits and gravy. It was okay. I can’t speak as to the quality of the food beyond our very basic options. It hit the spot. Our server was nice and very attentive and we appreciated the view. It is definitely a tourist trap, but maybe some interesting things available for interested tourists. It didn’t have a cheap vibe by any means. It’s a bit out of Estes Park proper—just so you’re aware. At least it’s not in RMNP so no worries about park fees.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Omg, the viiiiiews here!! ? The setting is incredible and it looks like you're living in a storybook. Staff was always super attentive and the food slaps. We loved it so much, we went twice during our week visiting RMNP. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scrambled Eggs
I can’t say much for anything else on the menu but the New York strip dinner was the best tasting and cooked steak meal I’ve had in years. I grew up in Iowa and live in Nebraska. I eat good steak. Very well done. Great service, very friendly atmosphere, great food.
Side note, the views and temperatures with outdoor seating in September just hit different!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
They added a 25% gratuity for the cooks… It would not remove it… I consider dining and dashing for the first time in my life..
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Our server Megan was very knowledgeable and friendly. Service was fast, food was good, we will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great lunch with a view
Vegetarian options: The grilled cheese was very good
Dietary restrictions: Gluten free bread available for all sandwiches. Staff was very helpful in selecting GF options
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Grilled Cheese
Restaurantji Recommends
Absolutely DELICIOUS food and wonderful views! Recommend the Elk
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stew
Delicious food, great menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great service, amazing view of the mountains and next to the visitor center there is also a playground for younger children. I had nice memories with my family there.
Vegetarian options: There are vegetarian dishes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Views are great. Food is horrendous Zero Stars. The kitchen overcooked salmon to jerky and made a medium rare elk burger taste like a woodchip. Sent over cooked rice back and got the same results. If you're looking for food extra well done, dry and no flavor then this is your place. If you like non-dehydrated meat, fish, graind and veggies then go somewhere else. Very dissatisfied after all the other positive reviews on here.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
It is what it is. You get stuck waiting to get access to the park at 2 so you stop in for a drink and a snack. There is a beautiful outdoor deck with an amazing view. My chicken wrap and fries were OK. Our waitress was very friendly when we saw her. She was very busy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chipotle Chicken Wrap
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