For the carnivore in you, a list of Estes Park steak and seafood restaurants. I'm not much of a carnivore. I can't even remember the last time I had a steak! I do like a nice fish, though. Some of these restaurants are a lot more casual than others. If you're looking for the sort of place to really dress up and go out, see my Night on the Town page.
The Bighorn Restaurant 401 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-2792, $$ Highly recommended for breakfast - good prices, big portions. The lunch & dinner menu is an assortment of burgers, sandwiches, and other American menu items.
Cascades Restaurant (at The Stanley Hotel) 333 W Wonderview Ave., (970) 586-3371, $$$$ Fancy schmancy. The food is good, though not outstanding. Go more for the ambience and opulence of the beautiful Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King's The Shining.
Fusion 451 Steakhouse 451 S St. Vrain, (970) 586-9840, $$ Really good food and really nice people. An assortment of American cuisine.
The Gallery Restaurant and Bar 205 Virginia Dr., (970) 586-1865, $$$ An art gallery and a restaurant in one. The food can be quite good, and they often have live music.
Grandmaison's Chalet Room (at Mary's Lake Lodge) 2625 Marys Lake Rd., (970) 586-5958, $$$ Marc Grandmaison is well-known around Estes for creating delicious food. An excellent choice for a romantic dinner.
Grubsteak Restaurant 134 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-8838, $$ A variety of burgers and steak and such. Also serving breakfast.
Hunter's Chop House 1690 Big Thompson Ave., (970) 586-6962 Reliably good food and one of my favorite places for fish. Good salads too. Not being much of a carnivore, I can't comment on the "chops," but my meat-eating friends give it a thumbs up.
Longz (at the Holiday Inn) 101 S St. Vrain, (970) 586-2332, $$ The Holiday Inn's restaurant was recently revamped, and they are serving a lot of new cuisine; I haven't been yet and haven't heard any local gossip. I'll keep you posted.
Molly B Restaurant 200 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-2766, $$ Good old fashioned mountain cookin'.
Nicky's Restaurant 1350 Fall River Rd., (970) 586-5376, $$-$$$ Nicky's has two restaurants - a steakhouse and a "garden restaurant" serving lighter fare. There is also a lounge/bar where, on summer weekends, you can hear the sound stylings of Ray Young on piano.
Orlando's Steak House 132 E Elkhorn, (970) 586-6121, $$$ Orlando's is a bit of a throwback to the day when a steakhouse had a certain feel, sort of tinged with red and black décor, and it was a special place to eat. It's still good food.
The Other Side Restaurant 900 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-2171, $$-$$$ The Other Side offers two menus- steak/seafood and a lighter sandwich/burger menu. Beautiful views of their pond; lots of ducks and geese entertain adults and kids alike.
Ptarmigan Restaurant (at The Aspen Lodge) 6120 S Hwy 7, (970) 586-8133, $$$ A nice atmosphere at the Aspen Lodge, and I enjoyed the food, although I have to admit it's been several years since I've been there.
The Redstone Restaurant 225 W Riverside Dr., (970) 586-2014, $$ My friends swear it is the best chicken salad for miles around. I like the food, but have yet to swoon.
The Rock Inn Mountain Tavern 1675 Hwy 66, (970) 586-4116, $$ Fantastic live music (lots of bluegrass) and a friendly mountain atmosphere, plus good food.
Silverado Restaurant (at Lake Shore Lodge) 1700 Big Thompson Ave., (970) 577-6422, $$$ Lakeside dining and good food. It's been awhile, but I seem to remember some baked brie with lingonberries that was to die for.
The Sundeck 915 Moraine Ave., (970) 586-9832, $$ A rustic mountain atmosphere, nice people, and good food. Some of the best trout around.
The Tavern (at Mary's Lake Lodge) 2625 Marys Lake Rd., (970) 586-4777, $$ A lively atmosphere, live music, great food, and a nice deck make this one of Estes' popular nightspots.
Twin Owls Steakhouse 800 MacGregor Ave., (970) 586-9344, $$$+ A beautiful, rustic building and excellent food.
The View Restaurant (at The Crags Lodge) 300 Riverside Dr., (970) 586-6066, $$$ A beautiful atmosphere in an historic lodge with fantastic views. Oh, and the food is good, too.
The Wapiti Restaurant and Pub 247 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-5056, $$ "Wapiti" (WAH-pit-ee) is Shawnee for elk. The Wapiti is a carnivore's paradise. I had the ribs and they were yuuuumy. That was back in my "must have BBQ once in awhile because I'm from Texas" days.
The Wild Rose Food and Spirits 157 W Elkhorn, (970) 586-2806, $$+ Yikes! I think the last time I went to this restaurant it was called something else. Better make a stop there soon, sorry...
My favorite Estes Park steak and seafood restaurant? Eeeeeeeg. I really can't tell you who cooks the best steak in Estes, but I will start asking around and report back soon. For a long while, Nicky's Steakhouse prided itself on purchasing grand champion steers - they still take their steak pretty seriously. But as you can see from this list, there are a lot of people in Estes Park who take steak seriously!
As far as seafood goes, I would probably head to the Sundeck, The Other Side, Hunter's Chop House, or Grandmaison's Chalet Room if I had a hankerin' for fish. And while you're here in the Rockies, you ought to try a nice Rocky Mountain trout.
