Decent food, slooow service. There are not many dining options at Crystal Mountain, nor are there any nearby towns to fall back on. So if you're staying at the resort, and you're not going uphill/upscale at the Summit House, don't have a kitchenette and want something a bit more gourmet than pizza/grill fare, then this is your best option. Our latest visit came during the summer off-season. Our daughters have dietary restrictions, so we were delighted that a ski resort joint offered to accommodate them, but we could definitely tell that they're not very experienced dealing with food restrictions, unlike, say, Seattle restaurants. We had to explain to two foreign-born wait staff what "gluten" means, and there were a couple snafus getting the kids' orders delivered properly. In the end, my daughter and wife had a tasty steak with mushroom chutney, though my pasta primavera was lackluster. We ordered gluten-free bread, which took 15 minutes to arrive. We were told it had to be "toasted" (uh, I suspect the applicable word here is "defrosted"), but my daughter was grateful for it when it arrived. The slow delivery was the norm on that evening: it took us two full hours from seating to departure (on a moderately-busy summer weekend evening), and looking around the dining room there were plenty of other families sitting there for a long time. Perhaps they ramp up their staffing during ski season, but I'd offer this cautionary note regardless: don't come here if you're in a hurry! read more

We enjoyed good unique service and food after a gorgeous day at the summit. The staff covered each other, so it was interesting to have multiple people cover our table, but they each knew what was going on with our table, so they didn't miss a beat. It was actually entertaining and they were all very nice. We had schnitzel and goulash. Both were awesome! We are looking forward to taking family back to visit. read more

Enjoyed our first visit here. All the employees are friendly , accommodating and super attentive . The food are excellent . Great ambience

Bad service. Wait was about 50 minutes for dinner - when we were the first one there at 6 PM. And the server had no clue she was in service industry - seemed like she was doing us a favor. Maybe because we were a party of 6+, where they auto add gratuity. Will not go there again.. ever! read more

One star for the deliciousness of the salad w chicken. The burger was tasty, especially if you like medium. I really can only tolerate well done hamburgers so I had to send it back...and that's where the lack of 5 stars comes in. I apologized for not being able to eat it. (I even tried.) ugh. But was approached & challenged by the waiter. He said, "well there wasn't that much pink" after I stressed 'well done, no pink' and then of course I had to wait at least 20 minutes for a refire. (Oh, and when I asked for no onions I was told "well, they're on the side" basically pick them off. Seriously?! Lol read more

Sadly this is your only choice for Dinner when staying on the mountain. If you have any food allergies sensitivities do not eat here. Bryan the "waiter" who had zero social skills was very rude and does not know what it means to be gluten free. His solution is too bad order something else. I ended up with a modified Lamb Shank meal....that was suppose to be in tomatoe sauce and instead was served in a beef bullion cube broth that was very salty and obviously disgusting with lamb. Bad food, bad service and a steep price to boot. If you are staying here I recommend eating an early dinner up at the Summit Restraunt if at all possible. Otherwise eat anything from an ice chest or an energy bar, you will be much better off. read more

We went to the Alpine Inn last Saturday afternoon, arriving about 4:15pm The young man who seated us brought lunch menus, then said he would bring dinner menus cause he said it was late enough in the afternoon. Dinner was supposed to start at 5:00. Waiter comes over & says "you're way too early" for dinner. Ok, he takes our order & he never bothers to come back. Someone else brought our food. We see & hear everyone talking about the "dance party" downstairs, including our waiter. They were too busy with the good time from the night before. No one ever bothered to come back to see if we needed anything. Finally, we were able to get our check. Food was terrible. We both had the brisket sandwich, that was loaded with gristle. The pasta salad should have been called an olive salad cause it was mostly olives. CB & JC read more

We were here for lunch at around 1:30. Seating wasn't a problem but being served was challenging. A couple was seated after us at the next table but their order was taken long before ours. We waited so long my husband finally went inside to find someone to help us. Multiple people ended up serving our table: one to take the order, one to bring drinks, another to bring our meals, still someone else for refills. My husband had a burger and said it was fine but he did not get the pasta salad he requested; he received chips instead. I ordered the crab cakes which are supposed to come with avocado. No avocado anywhere on the plate. The accompanying salad also wasn't dressed and I had to request salad dressing. While business was steady I wouldn't say they were being run off their feet so the missing items on both meals should not have happened. Overall what we received was good and if we are in the area again I'd consider going back. read more

Obvious lack of competition. The dinner rolls are cheap store bought stuff. The butter comes in little packets. For $20-30/plate, come on. If you need to dress up your crab cakes with chili sauce I call them suspect. I had the certified angus beef, bacon & blue cheese burger. The meat was gray. No order taken as to how I would want it cooked. Apparently medium or medium well would be hazardous from this beef. The bacon was limp and flat as could be. Definitely not cooked to order. I left a large chunk of it unfinished. Was simply famished from a long day hike. The appetizer we wanted, a simple bruschetta was unavailable. My wife's dish had the shrimp overcooked and dry. The next morning, the continental breakfast was even worse. The little (and I mean little!) store bought muffins were dry as dry could be. Easy, basic things like fruit, were not available. I was told they had run out. The bagels served were of the cheapest quality. And where's the granola for the yogurt? How about a few fresh berries?! A little pride in the work could go a long way here. Would love to write a better review and I do hope they get things together. We celebrated our wedding anniversary at Crystal Mountain. The hike and views were great. The weather was wonderful. Wish there was food we could say the same about. read more

Quick, friendly service. The food exceeded my expectations. I had the Alpine Chicken Sandwich and it was great! They don't have French fries as one of their options for sides, but the pasta salad was good! The lunch menu was simple, a little bit more expensive than average, but the place was nice and clean. read more

To say we were disappointed here is an understatement. Alpine Inn charged $21 for a steak that was less than 1/2 inch thick, and overcooked. the prices are crazy, they were out of Hungarian Goulash, and the whole evening you feel like you are being taken advantage of, because at Crystal Mountain in the summer they are the only game in town. After a big hike on Rainier I wanted a great meal....the next night my family headed to the Naches Bar & Grill in Greenwater on Hwy 410 and had a great dinner outdoors - a real steak, milkshakes, big salads, and corn fritters, very satisfying! read more

Terrible service. We waited over 35 minutes after our meals came, and no one checked on us or asked if we needed anything, including the bill. I finally had to ASK the hostess if we could pay, as we were walking OUT the door. We probably could have walked out the door without paying and no one would have even noticed. Overpriced, mediocre food, except my man said his steak was excellent, and he's never happy with anything, so I guess if you eat steak, go for that! Disappointing, given it was the only food option for guests of the resort. read more

Do you want to order a $31 steak and get a $3 piece of horse meat? Then this is the place for you. The 1st night we ordered the coho salmon "catch of the day." Mine was OK, but my wifes was raw. The 2nd night I had the worst steak I've ever ordered at a restaurant, including Denny's. In all fairness, we didn't try any of their traditional German dishes, each with red cabbage because a 3rd chance was too risky to completely ruin our stay at the resort. We had to drive an hour to Enumclaw to find a decent meal and salvage the dining experience of our trip. read more

The Alpine Inn Restaurant seems like a family run kind of place: talented brother in the kitchen; friendly ski-bum sister waits tables with more enthusiasm than skill; quirky uncle wrote the wine list; German aunt decorated the dining room with twinkle lights, hand-carved chairs, real table cloths and fake plants. Out the window you see fluffy snow and spiky icicles right on the slope. The menu has a small but varied selection of appetizers, salads and main dishes. The butternut squash soup is creative with Indian spices and the salads crisp and delicious. The steaks are huge and well prepared. You can also try Chicken Champagne, Goulash, lemony shrimp pasta and a nightly fish special. The wine list was pretty spectacular-filled with some unusual favorites. It was like running into fun, old friends in an unexpected place. To be fair I have to give the place an over all 3.5 but, given the amazing location, and how hungry you are after skiing, it may rate higher. There were desserts but Faceplants are even more delicious. read more

There aren't many options at the resort, and the lack of competition is apparent. We had a very bad dinner experience. The food was average and the prices high. That is somewhat to be expected at a mountain resort. But to top it off, the service was slow, rude, and inconsiderate. Wish I'd packed a picnic. read more

Convenient when staying at the Alpine Inn, slightly overpriced and just ok. We did the wine tasting, and that was satisfactory. I had the burger with chips - nothing special. We had the breakfast buffet the next morning and it was ok too. Service was a bit slow for dinner. The view is nice if you sit next to a window. The place seemed pretty family friendly. read more

I love the original review, Tina nailed it! The decor in particular is quite a sight. However, we showed up with a group of 8 and got good service and a nice hot meal after a wet, cold visit to the top of the mountain. It was lovely, or maybe it was the wine. Either way, I had the pasta and it hit the spot. Not too many veggie choices, so all my vegan/veggie friends be careful. Oh... almost forgot... the bruschetta was quite yummy. The caprese looked good as well. Not sure how to describe the overall menu, but seemed to lean toward Italian-ish. Definitely worth a visit when you're visiting the resort or the slopes. read more

Please only consider this place as a last resort, which it was for us. The staff was wayyyy off their game, the food was mediocre at best but warm at least. Blah read more

Service was very friendly and attentive. Goulash was delicious! Spicy, flavorful, temperature and textures were perfect. So happy with my choice! My husband was really pleased with his blue cheese bacon burger, and he is picky. He said the bun, garlic mayo, bacon, and blue cheese combined made a super tasty burger. Cole slaw side was crunchy and perfectly dressed, though a tad bland. Bread buns were yummy. The bruschetta was good. I partook in the wine tasting. Decent sized pours of 4, 2 whites and 2 reds. Came with a small cheese, cracker, grapes, and nuts plate. Great value for $15! Atmosphere and view are amazing! We also had lunch here today. I could eat that gazpacho EVERY day. Chicken pesto salad and pesto-artichoke pasta salad were so tasty. We were so impressed. The summer salad also knocked it out if he park. I'm glad we decided to come upstairs after sitting down to eat downstairs. The bartender was the only one working, there was only one other table and 2 ladies at the bar. He seemed like he hated his life, and that serving us was only going to cause him more anguish. I'd rather tip someone who smiles and treats us well. Overall, food and service was great! We highly recommend:) read more

I had probably the worst breakfast buffet of my life ( and it's been reasonably long at 71) at the Alpine Inn restaurant. The eggs were a solid mass in the warming tray. The hash-browns were just a memory in their pan. What was advertised as a Dutch baby turned out to be commercially baked cinnamon rolls cut in half. Even the bill folder had a big smear of waffle batter on it. I left with a bad taste in my mouth...I think it was the eggs. read more

Hamburgers were great. Coleslaw and Chicken Cesar Salads were awful. They were old and tasteless. The wait staff were excellent!

Celebrated our 24th anniversary at the Alpine Inn. The staff was great and accommodated our need to make it to the gondola for a beautiful sunset. Food was great. Atmosphere was welcoming and relaxed, but still festive. We were able to walk right in and get seated. They even surprised us with an anniversary slice of cheesecake to go for our gondola ride. We will keep coming back. read more

Poooooor service. Very over priced food, which I could deal with due to the location, but there is no excuse for bad service. Our server was snippy and short. I can understand being busy (which they weren't when we arrived) but you can still be polite. Food tasted okay, but not worth the cost ($50 for water, a Caesar salad, turkey BLT and kids pasta). Would not recommend. read more

Wonderful food!! A culinary delight! Awesome service! A bit pricey though.

Food is good, but a bit on the expensive size for the portions. I didn't expect a 4 star experience, but the service is SLOW and they were not at all busy. The flowers on the tables are all dead/dying, and as I stated - not busy. Just expect a little professionalism when a place is charging the prices they do. Wouldn't recommend it to a friend. read more

Barely adequate. One of our dinners had burned meat and undercooked potatoes. The salad and pasta were just ok. The management did take off the charge for the bad dinner. The included continental breakfast was adequate, but the hard boiled eggs (the only protein) and the fruit were not replenished during the breakfast period. read more

The food is not the greatest, but not a wide selection of restaurants. We were going to go to the Summit a House but it closes at 6. The place was busy and the waitress was not very attentive. She did not refill our water unless we got her attention and asked. She took our empty bread basket but did not return with more, again until we got her attention and asked. It took a long time before our appetizer (spinach and artichoke dip) came out. I ordered the shrimp piccata ($24) and was very very unsatisfied. There was an over abundance of capers. It took away all possible flavor of the dish (tasted only like capers). The capers were inside the penne as well, which was odd considering you should toss the sauce or place it on top. My husband ordered the fennel sausage and said it was good, I personally thought the red sauce was very bad with too much basil. The environment is nice and the waitress was nice and polite. The food not so much especially for the price. read more

We have two small children and sat on the patio and had a fantastic dinner in mid August. Had the feel of a small Bavarian inn in Germany. The wait staff was extremely friendly and fun and the food was fantastic as well. read more

The Wiener Schnitzel was fairly good. Ordered it with an egg on top, but sans the anchovy. Tasty veal and red cabbage, but the potatoes were almost too dry to eat. I wish I would ordered or tried the Hungarian Goulash. It looked good from the description on the menu. Excellent mountain atmosphere and a beautiful snowy evening. Went to the Snorting Elk lounge downstairs for a beer afterwards and listened to some bluegrass music by the band named Swamp-dwellers. Nice compliment to a good evening. read more

Great atmosphere, great food and service! Best place to eat and stay at Crystal Mountain. We come back every season and look forward to a nice place to rest after a day of skiing. read more

Another secret stashed on the slopes of Crystal Mountain, run independently of the ski lift company, The Alpine Inn Restaurant has surprisingly good food in a warm setting. read more

I just hosted a birthday party for 125+ guests on the lawn at the Alpine Inn followed by a dance party at the Snorting Elk Cellar. Their events, catering and service staff bent over backwards to accommodate extensive special requests and an evolving menu/number of guests. They provided generous early access to set up for decorations, and the kitchen staff even designed special plate presentations that reflected the party theme. The spread they put out was spectacularly beautiful and incredibly tasty--I'm still getting compliments on the atmosphere and food. Everyone was gracious, even when the outdoor party ran over an hour longer than agreed before moving inside to the Snorting Elk (this review is cross-posted there). The Alpine had allowed friends to decorate inside the Elk as well as in the reserved lawn/tent area, and the staff continued to be just as thoughtful and accommodating as ever through the dance party that ended around 1 am. They did a fantastic job in every possible way and I recommend them as highly as possible for special events. read more

We had taken guests to go up on the gondola last week, and then they wanted a drink, so we ended up in the bar below this restaurant, the Snorting Elk. It was very friendly, and you can get the menu for the regular restaurant there, but we decided to walk up and eat in the restaurant. The restaurant was almost empty (road work and off season), but we were well taken care of. One person had the Hungarian goulash ($21), which he said was excellent, another had the tempeh ($19), which she liked, and my husband had the lamb shank ($25).....which was AMAZING! He only let me have a few bites, but it was melt-in-your-mouth tender, very flavorful without being overly "lamby", and overall was the best I've ever had. His mashed potatoes were to die for as well. I had the trout (special fish of the day, $24), which was good, but I craved my husband's lamb shank!! Three people had wine and coffee, and one had dessert (cheesecake, which would have been better plain), and the total bill was $130.75 plus tax. I'd go back just for the lamb and the gondola! read more