A true culinary experience in Vail. A group of us went here for a friend's birthday. We ordered the Dandelion white wine - delicious and fruity for the affordable price point. We also had the cherry bruschetta and pimento cheese appetizers. Both were delicious. I ordered the quail. It was perfectly cooked and there were no bones (other than the legs). That, combined with the sweetness of the peaches and cherries was a delightful culinary pairing. I would absolutely order that again. It is a little on the pricey side, but the quality of food is phenomenal. read more

Mountain Standard - Delicious Quail with Palisade Peaches, Cherries, and Quinoa - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

We tried Mountain Standard for lunch and really liked it. It's a fancy yet casual place to brunch: you can wear yoga pants while you drink wine with lunch. Our favorite item of lunch was chicken liver mousse--so good! The charred bread that comes with it was great, and the cranberries on top were just fantastic. We also had the grilled octopus, which was done well and which I'd order again. The biscuit was just OK--pretty tiny and not as fresh as I would have liked. Try to get a table on the patio--it's great for people watching all of the families running around Vail Village. The only con about Mountain Standard is that parking is a bit of a pain, as it is with every other place in Vail Village. read more

Is the altitude making me light-headed or is it the amazing flatbread? Came here for a light lunch and loved every minute of it. Great service, beautiful decor, gorgeous table by the window overlooking the stream and colorful fall foliage, this place was the complete package. Started with a Funkworks Tropic King, which is a surprisingly strong saison beer. Ordered onion rings for the table for an appetizer...perfect, as was the dill-inspired ranch dipping sauce. Had the clam chowder, which was good and ordered the fig and pancetta flatbread. Topped with sweet fig spread, salty pancetta and crisp and thin green apple slices, that was hands down one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. I had some of my friend's hamburger and that was amazing. Like eating a steak more than a burger. Another friend had a salad, which she loved and another had the salmon which he said was great. It's probably a tough ticket to get a seat here during prime season but I bet it would be worth the wait. I wish they had this Mountain Standard on Eastern Time! read more

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Top 5 dining experience. Date of Visit: 7/26/14 Went to Mountain Standard for our anniversary dinner at the (very high) recommendation of friends. Simply put, everything about the experience was 5 star. There are not many meals I'm ok with shelling out ~$200 for, but I was happy to sign the bill here. Ambiance: Creative. The restaurant has a very modern, but rustic vibe, a style I have a personal affinity for. The location is great, tucked away a bit from the main village and set on the creek that runs through downtown Vail. We were able to sit in a covered, open-air section, which really brought the outside in. Service: Impressive. Everyone from the hostess, to the bartenders, to the servers, was personable, knowledgeable, and fun. This is an extremely busy restaurant, but our server made us feel like the only guests there. He was very attentive and provided great food and drink recommendations. Food: Outstanding. Our meal consisted of Shrimp & Grits, Wood Grilled Bruschetta, Berkshire Pork Loin, Colorado Lamb Sirloin, Peanut Butter Pie, and Seasonal Fruit Crisp - See pics for details. (Exhale). It was hard to pick out favorite parts, as all of the dishes were damn near perfect. If forced, the Shrimp & Lamb dishes were the two (extra) shining stars. That said, it was truly an amazing meal. If you're looking for a special place for a special occasion, or just really, really good food in a fun, contemporary setting, Mountain Standard delivers. read more

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Second time I have tried this place, same result. Food is okay, ambience is great, but service is absolutely horrible. Can't get someone to take our order, can't get utensils, can't get refills, and when you do, he refills my tea but not my friends whose glass is also empty. Let's face it, this place is not that good. read more

I came here for a birthday dinner during the off season. The food, ambiance, staff, everything was wonderful. I highly recommend eating here. Don't rush, enjoy the experience! The rotisserie chicken salad is something I'll be working to recreate at home because it is absolutely delicious! read more

I work in the restaurant industry, eat out often and love trying new places. Tonight a friend of mine suggested Mountain Standard. First impression was contemporary rustic...loved the decor. We started off with glasses of wine, the wedge salad and the favorite house appetizer, a bacon jam and pimento cheese dip served with bread and pickled vegetables, it was to die for! We split the hanger steak for our entree, it was delicious, cooked just right served with potato au gratin and creamed spinach. The best part of my night was the friendly service from the hostess to our waiter, chef, food runner and general manager. Definitely my new favorite restaurant in Vail! read more

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I was completely impressed by this place! The service and my special order of blue to rare flat iron steak. I wish I knew the history of the the local steak b4 I ate it cause that was really cool. read more

Mountain Standard - Flat iron steak - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

We had a delightful time at Mountain Standard. The staff was warm and welcoming. They had all the precautionary items in place to make our party of 5 feel safe. The outdoor seating was nicely located close to the river, and provided ample shade. The spicy chicken sandwich was my favorite. My daughter devoured the cheese pizza, and said "this is the best pizza I've ever had!" I would absolutely recommend this place. read more

Mountain Standard - PainKiller - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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Such a gem. The younger sister of a Vail mainstay, Mountain Standard shares the same concept, focus, and delicious fresh ingredients as Sweet Basil. These are by far the best restaurants in Vail! Just be sure to make a reservation - for both lunch & dinner - because they're always slammed. Don't miss the semi-frozen foie gras slivers shaved over just-baked toasty crisps and the black truffle strangozzi sautéed in butter. YUM!!! read more

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Terrific experience here! Fri Aug 28 at 1pm arrived for lunch and sat on table under roof, but open to patio... super clean , felt very comfortable and safe with 4 adults and 2 small children in group. Restrooms very clean and available. Had Diablo chicken sandwich, burger, salads with steak and salmon--all delicious! Tried all 3 desserts and they were wonderful. Server was EDE: he delivered amazing service and very friendly. We will return next time in Vail. Thank you! read more

Mountain standard is a hidden gem in Vail. Very high quality ingredients used in every dish and the chefs take pride in their menu. We only waited 10 minutes over our reservation time and Charles the manager was extremely accommodating by taking care of a round of drinks. Although not asked for that level of service demonstrates excellence for guests. For dinner I ordered the corned pork shank and my boyfriend got the main lobster and tiger prawns. The pork fell off the bone with complementing flavors of a coleslaw and mashed potatoes. I didn't feel like the value of the lobster was worth it to be honest. It was stuffed with crawfish and prawns; otherwise didn't have a ton of lobster meat for $55. Overall the ambience is intimate with impeccable service. read more

Mountain Standard - Mussels - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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Yummmy YUMMY mimosas. Pleasant, warm ambiance :) can't wait to come back and try the food. read more

Mountain Standard - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

The food options are varied from ahi, oysters, wood fried bone marrow . The buttermilk biscuit is phenomenal. Margarita was excellent. Staff was responsive and the vibe is fresh and lively - on the creek. Yea read more

Mountain Standard sets a new standard for dining in the Vail Valley. I'd put this place up against any other and I'd be confident that it would come up as a favorite on the list of most people. Full disclosure... I was in the middle of a "Primal Living Challenge" when I visited Mountain Standard. The gist of Primal eating is that you eat "whole" foods - meats, vegetables, fruits - as close to their original state as possible (simply put, no grains, pastas, processed items). Mountain Standard was one of the easiest places I visited during this challenge, and frankly, the best. Mountain Standard is known for its open fire cooking methods, and the results are fantastic. Whether you are in the mood for chicken, pork, steak, or seafood, you really can't go wrong. I started with the Wedge salad, which as far as Wedge salads go, may have been the best I've had. I tried the Rocky Mountain Trout, which was delicious. It was simple - paired with roasted cauliflower and almonds in a brown butter sauce. The bar menu is extensive and creative. We had a great wine recommendation - the staff is very knowledgeable. One must come prepared for Mountain Standard - in other words, make a reservation! This place is not huge, and it seems to always be packed. I tried to make a reservation there over the holidays last year and it was pretty much booked up all week long, so it is best to get this one on your calendar well before you arrive in Vail. It's not the quietest place in the world - it is actually on the noisy side, but the experience is upbeat and memorable. read more

Perfect location. Great vibe. Amazing drinks and food could not have been better! Thank you.

You MUST eat here. The best food we had our entire visit to Vail. Wonderful food. Great atmosphere. Fantastic service. Do yourself a favor and get the pimento cheese appetizer. Bacon, cheese, bread...what's not to like? read more

Mountain Standard - Warm Pimento Cheese - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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I came tonight (a Thursday) at 7pm and asked for the next available seat for 2. Didn't care whether it was the bar or table and just wanted to genuinely experience the bar/restaurant that I heard such great things about. The hostess said no problem it'll be about 30minutes. She took all of my information and never heard anything. I expected at least a phone call saying they can't accommodate the party of 2. But we were ensured it would be no problem. Sat outside in the snow by that river under the bridge for nothing. read more

Ambiance - very loud...we could barely hear our server. It felt like she was yelling in order to speak to us. Food -- Unfortunately, there was a big piece of hair in our pimento cheese appetizer. While they did bring us a new one, we were shocked that they did not take if off our bill. The pimento cheese was also lacking some smokiness or heat of some sort. The bacon needs to be spiced or something. It does not add much by itself. The other appetizers we ordered were the ahi tuna and simple salad. The salad was nothing special but be aware the tuna is very spicy and the portion size is not worth $26. Entrees -- Short Rib was full of flavor and the rice was a perfect side.....Pork Shank was tender slaw side was cool and refreshing as the pork can be rich.....Chicken was juicy and had a nice char, but the sides were a miss match. The hash was so hard, you could not eat it and the colby fondue was such an odd texture and did not go well with the dish.......Lobster & Tiger prawns was not at all as described. You only get a lobster claw, the lobster shell is filled with the stuffing that has no lobster in it. The prawns were quite lovely. Drinks -- quite good, but the bar was backed up and took quite some time to get them Other -- the menu on their website has not been updated. We were disappointed as there were a few items we were hoping to try that were no longer on the menu read more

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The laziest staff I have ever experienced! The bar tender asked if he could use my same glass for my second round of drinks! I asked a waitress a question & she said "I'm sorry I cannot help you" We won't be back"! read more

Great place and excellent service! Well decorated too and located near a creek! I had olives, a drink, salmon and dessert and ran me about $55, which is sorta pricey for lunch but not terrible. Mark was my server and he was helpful and attentive- wonderful service! The olives were amazing and juicy. The Salmon was well seasoned and crispy. I know salmon could have a very fishy flavor and taste but it was well garnished with the salad and sweet potato sauce. The salmon was not overwhelming at all it was delicious! The drink was also really good but a little on the strong side- some people enjoy that. Dessert was yummy and light and not too carby. I came during lunch and in an off-season but I hear it gets extremely busy here so it's likely best to make reservations. It's in Vail Village and everything is walkable. There's tons and tons of shops nearby there's a creek in front of it with a nice fireplace and there's other food choices if you want to eat somewhere else but this came recommended by a lot of people that work around the area- I'm glad I went there! read more

Mountain Standard - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

My wife and I came in from buena vista on 9/12 for her birthday on the recommendation of a co-worker. We are both service industry BOH. Our service was fine but the food fell flat In almost every way. We ordered the Bo Ssam and chicharones to start. The Bo ssam was not as tender as I would have liked it to be but that could have been because it was either not heated up properly or sat under a lamp or in a less than suitable hot box. Loved the kohlrabi Kim-chi though. We moved on to the pork shank and jerk chicken. Nothing bad to say about the pork shank. Best thing we had all night. Tender and hot. In regards to the chicken; service temperature was still not hot. The seasoning was relatively bland, the size of the half bird for sure left something to be desired and the escabeche lacked composure. It felt more like pickled Fresno and mango than a composed condiment. The dish as a whole lacked cohesion and was embarrassingly small for the price tag. All in all we will neither be back nor be able to recommend mountain standard to anyone. You may read this and think, " If youre such an expert, why don't you just stay home?" Short answer is next time I will. read more

The chicken sandwich was tasty and the wedge salad was marvelous. However, the service was lacking. I asked the waitress if I could have a smaller portion for the chicken sandwich because I don't eat hat much meat. I hate to waste the poor chicken! But she said I could not have a smaller piece because the portions were pre-weighed. Every interaction with the waitress was unsatisfactory. 3 stars for quality of food. No stars for service. read more

Mountain Standard - El Diablo: Nashville hot chicken, charred lemon and tarragon mayo, country ham, bread and butter pickles. - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

Hamburger and fries needed more seasoning. Average dish. Lamb gyro was better but still unremarkable. Had to request sugar for ice tea 3 times. read more

We got the NY strip, caviar, and kids Mac n cheese. The service was good, however the food. The steak had a lot of fat on it and the taste was very poor. The kids Mac n cheese was very dry. It was overpriced for the quality. read more

We went to Mountain Standard twice while we were in Vail, and it was easily our favorite restaurant during the trip. Great atmosphere, excellent service, and the food was amazing. For starters, we had the buttermilk sea salt biscuits with Benton's ham and the southern pimento cheese. Both were incredible. At lunch, I ordered the Nashville hot chicken sandwich which was comparable to the Nashville hot chicken that I recently had in Nashville. I don't understand why they put the country ham on it, but the sandwich was great. When we returned for drinks the next night, I ordered an old fashion and was super impressed. My wife ended up getting some food and she raved about the salmon. All in all, it was a great experience. read more

Got there 30 min prior to reservation and was seated early without issue. Shortly after arriving my husband got pretty sick and spent most of the time in the bathroom. Our server was very understanding and sweet, offered a club soda, grabbed check and to go box immediately when it was clear we should go. Suffice to say service was excellent. In terms of the food, shrimp and grits were fine, but the Wagu steak was amazing! Too bad my husband missed it because we didn't have a fridge! Definitely a must visit in Vail! read more

Mountain Standard - Wagu steak - delicious! - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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We got a table outside on the patio and it was an amazing experience. I loved the shrimp and grits- probably the best I have ever had! read more

Mountain Standard - Shrimp and Grits - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

I eat at this place regular whenever I am in the village for work. I Walked in this time kindly asked a table but the hostess wasn't friendly. I guess it was a bad night for her. There were at the least 3 or 4 table available that I could see but she wasn't accommodating instead she asked me to stand there and try my chance for the bar. read more

Best restaurant in Vail! Mocqueca and pork & beans were outstanding. Malu ,the chef, is incredibly talented. Dante is amazing. Enrique, incredible service. Bru - phenomenal drinks. Overall amazing experience for our family while on our vacation in Vail! read more

Mountain Standard - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

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Get the drumstick dessert, it was phenomenal. The babaganoosh was also delightful. Good service also.

Not a great experience here. The staff as a whole was extremely slow. Our appetizers came out about 10 minutes apart from each other too which was odd for a nicer restaurant. It also bothers me to no end when the menu list of food does not match what's on your plate. I ordered the Rotisserie Chicken Salad (which also is not worth the $25 price tag) which does not say it comes with toasted bread on top, but it did. I am gluten-free so that doesn't work for me, and I would have asked for no bread if it was listed on the menu. Overall, slow service and misinformation on the menu is why it only gets three stars from me. read more

I came here with a girlfriend during restaurant week to have cocktails and an appetizer. My craft cocktail was GREAT; a campside paloma. Normally I don't order palomas because I don't love grapefruit, but this grapefruit was more refreshing than overpoweringly sour. We also got the octopus appetizer and YOU HAVE TO TRY IT. We were almost licking the plate clean from how delicious the sauce was, paired with a perfectly grilled octopus. We are from San Diego and drive down to Mexico to get grilled octopus frequently and Mountain Standard's octopus was comparable, go for it! read more

Mountain Standard - campside paloma - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

We just ate here for lunch. I started with a delicious, smoky Bloody Mary. My husband had a Paloma. Both were wonderful libations. We shared the olives. They were so yummy, mixed with pine nuts, and raisins. Next, I had the wedge salad with salmon. It was perfection!! Great service, and food! read more

Amazing food! Best Ahi ever! Wedge salad wow! shrimp and grits! Logan was our server and was fast and efficient and friendly! read more

Mountain Standard - Amazing place! Food is top notch. Best Ahi I have ever tasted. Wedge salad is awesome! - New American Near Me - Vail, Colorado

Mountain Standard --a Must for locals and tourists! Either tourist or local -- make Mountain Standard a must visit! Truly modern setting with a rustic yet fabulous fusion twist on classic Southern cuisine -- all with incredible service! Definitely plan on reservations -- and ask for one of the incredible window seats along the floor-to-sealing wall of windows view of the stunning park and creek! Other tips -- be sure to order the Southern Pimento Cheese -- bacon cider jam, pickled celery and grilled bread -- and don't miss one of their signature dishes, "The Corned Pork Shank" served atop gruyere potato puree, with cabbage.... simply incredible and nothing like you've ever had! We had a party of five at the windows, and there are plenty of opportunities for larger parties -- and the bar scene is awesome so pull up a chair or two there as it's awesome as well. read more

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Good and bad. I think the location is great, esp if you're eating outside on a nice evening with the river nearby. The food is generally good to very good. The service, we've found to be variable; more good than poor. There are 2 reasons for the 2 star review. I had oysters, that tasted great, but I got sick from them. I called the restaurant the next day to let them know for the sake of other customers; I was not looking for any compensation or refund and told them that. The gal told me that food poisoning takes days to set in, so it could not have been the oysters. Sorry, that's wrong, and what's more, your hostess is now a doctor? The other thing I find annoying is that the restaurant has the gall to add 3% to the bill "to fairly compensate their staff" or something like that (?). Why doesn't the management themselves pay their staff fairly? Are the diners supposed to include that 3% in their tip or deduct it? Is the 3% before tax or after? Does it include alcohol? What if I went to my doctor and they included a 3% charge to help adequately and fairly pay their nurses and receptionist. Probably a new thing and I'm out of step, but I don't like it. read more

Hostess was not interested in seating people at 3:30 in the afternoon. Told hostess we wanted 1 drink with my 87 and 86 yrs old parents. 2 tables sat empty for about 25 min. At 25 min mark, 2 other tables were also vacated and then left un-bused for 8 & 6 min. We left as my dad got tired sitting on the hard benches outside. About 10 min later I got a text that our table. I feel sorry for small business owners. They have to rely on employees to run their business when they're not present. Many employees dont care. read more

Everything we ordered was delicious! Started with oysters and the wedge salad. I had the salmon and my mom had the pork shank. And we finished with the apple pie fritter. Everything was better than the last. A must-dine if you're in Vail. Make sure to make a reservation! read more

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We came to Mountain Standard yesterday for lunch. The burger was delicious - the bacon jam and pimento cheese on it was so yummy! My mom got the shrimp and grits which were also delicious. I docked one star because we were seated in a very odd spot right next to the bar and our server did not seem particularly attentive. That being said, we did make the reservation pretty late so it could have been somewhat our fault for not ensuring a better table. read more