Food & Nightlife

Vail is very well endowed with eateries and nightspots. The Bridge Street area of Vail Village is the main hub for restaurants, bars and nightlife. You will be spoiled for choice.

Vail Restaurants One of the more interesting dining experiences at Vail is at the Game Creek Lodge in the Game Creek Bowl at the top of the mountain. Open to the public for dinner only, access is via the Eagle Bahn gondola (free) and a 5 minute heated Snow Cat ride. Game Creek Lodge is described as ‘a culinary destination’. Set menus start at US$99 per person (gasp), but you have to treat yourself at least once on a ski trip. Have a burger at McDonald’s the following night to help balance the budget. Reservations are required (after 4pm) on 970 754 4280.

After après, if you have a hankering for classic American pub chow and nibbles, stay at Garfinkels in Lionshead. (Our skis looked pretty lonely when we finally removed ourselves from this fine drinking, I mean, eating establishment.)

Several pegs higher up the scale is the delightful Montauk. Serving succulent seafood in a cosy environment, this restaurant is highly regarded. Reservations are definitely recommended as it is very popular.

If you want to be served a round steak when you order a New York strip, or if you like getting a steak that’s well done instead of medium (as ordered), then eat at Bart & Yetis in Lionshead. This joint has a bar as well, but who knows what they could do to the beer!!

You can spend a lot of money in Vail going out to dinner. Fine dining is everywhere in both Lionshead and Vail Village. If you need to save some pennies, all the standard take away and fast food options are available in Vail. Burger joints and pizza parlours are many and varied. To get to some of them, a walk across the I70 will be required. And if the budget is really running low or eating out has lost its lustre, take a trip to the City Market or Safeway. A cookup in your kitchen at the Westwind condos will be the order of the day.

Vail Bars & Nightlife Several bars stand out for après in Vail. In Lionshead, Garfinkels rules! Garfinkels features a large deck looking up the Frontside, good service, cheap pitchers (try the Fresh Tracks Amber Ale and the Black Butte Porter), good food and raucous atmosphere.

In Vail Village the Bridge St area has it all for après and nightlife. For après try the Red Lion (get in early), the Tap Room and The Club. For nightlife any of the above will tide you over as they tend to have music, dancing and frivolity ‘til the wee hours.

The Club has live music every night of the week and runs to the motto ‘If you don’t come to party, don’t fu@#*^g come’. Good attitude!

A little different is the Samana Lounge. This chameleon morphs from a quiet lounge bar when it opens at 8pm, into a raging hot late night dance spot later on.