Walked in at 5 and they were able to take us immediately. The place was packed by the time we finished so certainly make a reservation. The decor is both elegant and cozy, perfect for an upscale mountain resort town. Service was first rate and the food was incredible. My wine was delicious as was my husband's Old Fashioned. I ordered oysters, octopus (after having a bite of my husband's), and the Branzino which they filleted (offered the choice, whole fish or filleted.) My husband had the salmon. Though neither of us considered ourselves butterscotch lovers, we ordered the dessert which was the server's favorite and we like to try new flavors and interpretations. Guess what? It was amazing as well. I guess we are butterscotch people. :) I'll eat here again as we're definitely returning to Telluride. read more

In a mountain town already rich with spectacle, Sidework manages something rarer: it stops you mid-bite and asks for your full attention. From the moment the first plate arrived, I felt that familiar, disarming sensation--the one I once believed lost to time and repetition. Food here does not shout; it remembers. Each dish is composed with restraint and confidence, flavors layered not to impress but to tell the truth. Technique is evident, yes, but never vain. This is cooking that understands that greatness is not excess, but intention. And then there was Jennifer. A meal can be excellent; an experience requires a guide. Jennifer moved through the evening with an effortless grace, reading the table the way a seasoned editor reads a manuscript. Her recommendations felt less like suggestions and more like quiet assurances: Trust this. You will like where this is going. She elevated the evening not through performance, but through care--anticipating needs, illuminating choices, and reminding us that hospitality, like cuisine, is an art of empathy. By the end of the meal, I was left with a simple, humbling realization: the most extraordinary restaurants do not merely feed us. They restore our faith that thoughtfulness still matters. Sidework does exactly that. And in doing so, it earns something far more difficult than praise--it earns remembrance. read more

Telluride Film Festival weekend and the Telluride is hopping. A new restaurant receiving good reviews and local buzz is Side Work. Outdoor, inside and banquet dining booths are all seating arrangements available in this quaint and minimalist setting. Happy hour selections are available along with small plates or hearty servings. Reservations were required due to the Film Festival crowds. The menu is divided into crudo, small shares, from the field and mains. We started with the fried green tomatoes with crab escabeche, lemon-caper aioli, green olive, pimenton oil and pickled celery. A delicious flavor with a hint of sour and beautifully crisp fried tomatoes. The shaved fennel and grape salad contained spinach, whipped goat cheese, grapefruit slices, almonds and a honey vinegarette. The flavor was a bit bland and needed more fennel. The roasted cauliflower with smoked paprika, pistachio dukkah, lemon and green olive tampanade. The pistachio dukkah and olive tampanade was unique and refreshing. Our final selection was the prawn skillet with garlic, pimenton delicious la vera, guindilla peppers, sherry reduction and toast points. A simple but delightful dish with an incredible sauce. Again, more toasted points for the sauces would of been perfect, but still a memorable dish. Even though we had an early seating, the restaurant was fairly busy. The fried green tomatoes, prawn skillet and roasted cauliflower were delightful and flavor packed. Side Work provides an unique option to the busy Telluride dining scene. Off the beaten path of Main Street, they hold their own. Coupling the different selections and size with good flavors warrants Side Work being on the Telluride good haunts. Please give Side Work, a new addition to Telluride food scene, a chance with your dining dollars. read more

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Had a great early dinner at Side Work. The food was great, we ordered a bit of everything and shared. All kinds of craft cocktails. Service was fast and friendly, many servers working together to ensure everything was good and timely. Although SW has been open for a while, the environment is Tellluride-hip and up-to-date. Also, SW has several sister restaurants in Telluride. read more

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This was a new place to try for us! It'd been raining off an on and we were staying up in Mountain Village. We came down to Telluride a bit early and went ahead to the restaurant. Our reservations were for 6 and we came in at about 5:40pm and they seated us right away. What a lovely atmosphere! Such a beautiful space! It's a nice small space with lovely decorations and details. We had a very nice waitress and were pleasantly surprised by a two for 1 entree special until 6! We quickly ordered to get that offer! I had a glass of Tempranillo and my husband had an old fashioned. We started with the hamashi! It was wonderful! I also ordered the watermelon gazpacho - so very good I couldn't stop eating until it was all gone and a bread plate. It's Blue Grouse bread and we got white and wheat. It was heavenly. We ordered the duck and the branzino for dinner. Both were very good and presented very nicely! We did have dessert too! I had the caramel corn flan and my hubby had the key lime cheesecake. I loved the flan! Overall this place is lovely, the staff is friendly and the food is so good. I would definitely come back when we are in Telluride again!! read more

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Amazing! We had a group of 7 with 3 generations of people and everyone absolutely loved everything about our meal. We were in one of the private greenhouses which had a very strong heater if needed and a Bluetooth speaker. Our waitress, Lauren was fabulous with her recommendations and service. We loved: Hamachi appetizer Bread with the delicious whipped mascarpone Branzino Salmon Pork chop Risotto Everyone LOVED their food. Highly recommend! This is our second time here and it was just as good as our first time. Thank you! read more

Would not go back here. Staff is so unwelcoming and rude. Maybe they would've treated us better if we spent hundreds of dollars? Drinks were weak and uninspired, food was just ok, and prices were ridiculous. Not at all impressed. read more

What a little gem in Telluride. Fantastic service and food. Recommend making a reservation. read more

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I've enjoyed this restaurant for a celebratory dinner. Good small and shareable plates. However, I do not recommend it for happy hour which serves a 1/4 "glass" of wine for $10. read more

Enjoyable meal and experience. The cocktail menu is inventive and interesting. Start with one of those. I had read that their Hamachi was award winning. It was divinely delicious. When I asked, I was told that this dish had won "best of show" during the Telluride Food Festival earlier in the year. I believe it. The Palisade Peach salad was a misnomer. The peaches came from California, Not Colorado, and there might have been 3 tiny slices on the salad. Noting special about this at all. The branzino and couscous was good, not heavy. Was pleased to see the chef serving as runner and taking food out as his team prepared it. Good selection of wines by the glass, good ambience, nice decor, Side Work is clearly worth a return visit. read more

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3.75 stars. Upscale restaurant with high prices (30-40s average and cocktails right under 20s). Service was friendly and timely. Socially distanced seating inside a small dining area. They have pods outside as well. 1. Branzino - Good fish, tasty. The cous cous had potential but was too salty which I assume is from the fish seasoning as well. They offer a fillet boneless option for those who do not like dealing with bones. Overall, a good place for fine dining in Telluride. Menu is on the smaller side but quality dishes. read more

Side Work - Branzino - American Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

Side work is definitely worth a try. The menu was good and the service was attentive. It's a nice low-key place that fits telluride well.

It's a little pricey but it's a super cozy atmosphere with great food and awesome service. The octopus and oysters were delicious and the lamb was super tender! We ended with the berry cobbler for my boyfriends birthday which he says isn't as good as mine but I thought it was flakey and full of flavor :) read more

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Wonderful restaurant in every facet. Service from the host and waiter Chimo were impeccable. But the food....yummy!! The menu was chock full of things that I wanted to order, so deciding was difficult. We had a party of 5 and everyone loved what they had. The cheese and bread appetizer was excellent. My short rib on polenta was phenomenal. I sampled some of the other items ordered including the bison steak and the scallops special...again, all delicious. We shared all of the desserts and they too were delicious. The atmosphere is quaint comfortable although it did get a little warm in there. The drinks we all had were well prepared, unique and delicious as well. This restaurant was great and we all would definitely return, although I hear reservations are quickly snapped up so book early. read more

Nice atmosphere and good food, but not worthy of the ultra high price. I objectively draw this conclusion comparing to our other fine dining experiences in town. Cocktail list is creative and wine menu is expansive, but mark-up's on the latter are at least ~300%, which is exorbitant. Service was good. read more

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Absolutely outstanding food and cocktails in the town of Telluride. It was certainly the best meal that I've had in five days at Telluride, and we had a few pretty good meals! It's a fairly small, somewhat funky place, with no more than a dozen tables. Service was extremely friendly. A solid bar menu, including the intriguing Lumbersexual cocktail. But the real star of the show is the food we did the special tomahawk steak, which was fabulous, and came with shrimp and a number of delicious sides. we also had about four of the tapas dishes, including the meatballs, the risotto, the octopus, and the bread. All of them were first rate. Finally, we had the oysters Rockefeller, which were outstanding, I am an oysters Rockefeller snob, and these are about as good as it gets. Probably not too surprising, since most of the people there are from Mississippi or thereabouts. Obviously, just like every other place in Telluride, the prices are astronomical. But if you've made it this far, you know that already. Absolutely a must do restaurant for any visit to Telluride. read more

We popped in here just passing by - we were able to peek through the curtains in the windows and the place looked super cute. We had dinner reservations elsewhere, but thought this looked like a cool cocktail bar to grab a drink beforehand. Turns out there isn't really a bar area to just sit and have a drink, but the staff was incredibly accommodating and allowed us to take up one of their tables for a bit. Really great hospitality here. The place is intimate and just beautifully done. I love the bar that really showcases the mixologist at work - this was why I thought it was more of a cocktail bar to begin with. It has kind of a speakeasy vibe, in a way. Lovely atmosphere for sure. Since we didn't eat, I can't review the food - but the dishes that came out around us looked fantastic. Our cocktails were on point and maybe the best we had in the Telluride area. If we hadn't had reservations, I would've happily stayed to eat. Side Work is first on our list for our next trip! read more

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All-around great dining experience that I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for an intimate, elevated meal in Telluride. Delicious food - especially recommend the hamachi crudo and croquette appetizers. The service is terrific - staff is friendly, attentive and hyper-aware that you have a good experience. The setting is small, intimate, slightly modern but still has the Telluride ski-town western feel. read more

What a great discovery we made in Telluride! Great service and great decor prevail. The food was delicious. Highlight recommended!

Met up with some friends here for a quick drink while waiting for a reservation around the corner. Because of social distancing, we were at at a small table on the street. But hey, it was a table! I has the Bourbon Smash cocktail which was delish. Originally, I was going to get an old fashioned but the waiter suggested the Smash if I like bourbon. It was delish, wonderful mint flavor and not overly sweet. We shared some Sweet Potato Croquettes. I was blown away by how tasty they were! They had a cold consistency with a bit of crisp on the outside. I'm hoping to come back for a full meal here, I look forward to trying more on their menu! read more

Side Work - Sweet Potato Croquettes - American Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

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Truly amazing. Only took a pic of the egg. Everything else was exceptional. Bison, short rib, muscles, scallops. Exceptions service. Spectacular cocktails and wine list. read more

Side Work - Crispy Farm Egg - American Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

We had an incredible meal at this fine establishment. Absolutely loved it. Super friendly ambiance and food was scrumptious. HIGHLY recommend. read more

Truly incredible!! There isn't much else to say except for you NEED to try this place out! They have incredible selections and a tasteful service. I personally got the pork chop and I did not pick up my knife once, melted in my mouth! Needless to say I will be thinking about this place for years. read more

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Great food and great atmosphere and great service I highly recommend! Woooooooooooooo

Had a reservation on a Sunday night during Christmas break. We were seated promptly although not the most ideal spot as we were at the front of the small restaurant. Anytime other patrons came it into the speakeasy it was a bit drafty for us, as the thick curtain that was trying to keep the cold out did just a fair job, at best. They try to seat you quickly as there really is no standing room. We started with a couple of drinks, the Sidework and the Pine St. gin and tonic. Both were great. The board was our first share and we ordered the ricotta and Kalamata tapenade, oyster mushrooms, and a Brie like cheese. There are many options to make your own board and they allow you to choose 4. Some of the meat options are more of an upgrade beyond the $8 per person. For dinner I got the lamb chop which was okay, it lacked I flavor and was not worth the $65. My daughter got the short ribs which were fantastic. My son got the spaghetti squash carbonara and my other daughter got a salad with arugula and watercress. Service was prompt and food overall good. read more

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Doesn't look like much when walking by with the windows covered and a privacy curtain as soon as you walk in the door but our group was instantly greeted and offered a cocktail menu. We didn't have a reservation and the place was packed! We were seated in about 20min, they scrunched some tables together for us next to a booth, was a perfect table. We ordered the charcuterie board with Duck Terrine, Coppa Salami, Camembert Cheese with Jelly and Manchego. Chili Shrimp Cocktail and Hamachi appetizers. The charcuterie was flawless as was the hamachi, the shrimp cocktail was amazing as well just slightly overcooked and enough cocktail sauce for everyone in the restaurant. (Not a bad thing) In our group we ordered the Braised Short Rib, Pork Chops, Lobster Mac-n-Cheese and the Whole Branzino. Our group is big on sharing, so we all got to taste a few bites of the plates. I ordered the Branzino (Pictured) and let's just say you will be very happy with this choice, perfectly cooked and seasoned, Moroccan cous cous and heirloom tomatoes accompanied the dish (Worth picking through the bones). The Pork Chop (Pictured) and Short Rib were massive and again perfectly cooked. I would recommend making a reservation as it is limited and intimate seating. Our server Patrick was over the top amazing and really made us feel like old friends. If you're lucky enough to have him at your table you're truly in for a great treat! read more

Side Work - Whole Branzino over Couscous - American Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

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Great dinner this evening - the setting, the service, and the food were all wonderful.

A group of 4 of us came in to celebrate a birthday. The drinks were delicious and well balanced. I had the short rib and it was my favorite meal from my trip to Telluride. The desserts were okay. We had the strawberry shortcake and the flourless chocolate cake. The cake was tough and not very moist. The desserts were definitely not as good as the entrees. 4 stars because the waiter was rude and acted put out that he had to wait on us...was a bit condescending when answering questions about the menu. read more

Review is solely based on their drinks, appetizer board, and wait staff. We ordered a couple of delicious drinks! Then we ordered a "nice $30 board" and it was GROSS!! I would never give 1 star if it wasn't warranted!!! The wait staff made fun of us for ordering the smoked salmon behind our backs which was weird.. we found out later it was cream cheese with a couple chunks of salmon! The pistachio board was literally bologna with a couple pieces of pistachio...ewwww! Maybe we should have ordered what other yelpers ordered? Also, the lavish is good but they charge you a lot for asking for another portion of the lavish. I am too proud to ever ask to take something back but ewww... go next door to the Brewery for a much much much better experience!! They also take advantage of you if you aren't a local by not giving you the 5-6pm happy hour menu! Just plain rude and deceiving read more

Great staff and excellent food. Small boutique restaurant and food is fresh. Bread is baked in house daily it's clear that lots of love is put into every meal. A must if you're lucky enough to visit Telluride. read more

The food and service were both outstanding. We had a party of 7 and sat outside in one of the individual heated tents. It stayed very warm, and we loved having our own private space. Our waiter visited us frequently so we didn't feel forgotten. The cocktails were all unique and delicious, and the food was incredible. read more

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Side Work was SO good! Right in Telluride,CO. Super cute decor, and it has a great vibe. We ordered a few of the crudos and small plates and it was perfect. The scallop ceviche with kiwi was my favorite so delicate, so delicious and fresh (p.s. they get fresh seafood 24hrs before). The yuca empanadas were so different and had great flavor. The fried green tomato with jumbo shrimp and crab was the perfect balance of flavors. Definitely give this restaurant a try when your in Telluride read more

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First let me say the food is very good. Kudos to the chef and the hard working kitchen staff. However the staff that run the dining room are unwelcoming, cold, and obviously wish they were somewhere else. Even the mixologist, who normally love their job, looks completely bored. So food was great, but energy is very complex and not good. read more

Wow!! The food was fantastic and service was top notch! Mark and Hunter made our NYE experience amazing and treated us like family! Highly recommend the hand crafted cocktails with calamari appetizer, short rib, and bison sirloin! What a wonderful experience in the glass house on the patio. read more

This is probably my favorite restaurant in Telluride! Everything we ordered was so amazing. Highly recommend the branzino and the braised short rib. The wine selections are also very sophisticated. Must visit! read more

Side Work - Branzino - amazing - American Near Me - Telluride, Colorado

Still great but like everything else, the price has gone up. Exactly one year ago my ski buddy and I ordered the same thing, crayfish macaroni and cheese, and the elk sausage appetizer with 2 drinks. Last year it was $27 each. This year it was $34 each for the same thing. Quality is still excellent. Service is always fast and courteous. Good food and good beer. read more

Side Work was undoubtably one of the most memorable meals I have had in a long time. Right away the intimate and artsy interior sets itself apart from other Telluride restaurants (which have their own appeal, to be fair). I decided to go the route of trying 4 small plates rather than getting a main simply to experience more of what they had to offer and every choice was standout for its own reasons. I particularly enjoyed that they had a "Crudo" section of the menu and the quality and freshness of the fish was on par with any costal restaurant I've been to. Another highlight for me was the wine list which featured a variety of choices I was not familiar with but with the help of the som/manager found to pair incredibly with the food. Finally the cocktail list covered some classics and some novel creations, but I went with the Last Word which could not have been done better. The staff was friendly, attentive, and I had the sense that everyone working there is super knowledge and at the top of their game. I you're looking for cozy, quiet spot for a date or a small gathering this would be a great option! One final note, looking at the pics currently posted, I would hope that someone takes a moment to get some more professional pics up soon. While I don't post pics and know it can be hard to capture the beauty of a plate, the photos on Yelp at the moment hardly do justice to how beautiful the the food looks in person. read more

Friendly and attentive service. Our reservations were on Christmas day. The food was very slow coming out of the kitchen (we were the first table there) but the wait staff made up for it. Fun drinks (they had a renowned bartender from New Orleans mixing drinks) and fabulous tasting food. The boards they offer as appetizers are a unique way to choose 4 or more items which is served on a board with their homemade Lavash crackers. The Lavash was a bit too hard in some spots to chew so we only ate half of it. We chose Manchego cheese with quince paste, Duck pastrami, Boquerones and chipotle hummus. Everything on the board was a hit. The squash soup was not thoroughly heated (pockets of warm and cold) but was very tasty. The salads left a more positive impression on us all: The Caesar salad, made with the Boquerones, was high on the list as one of the best Caesar's I've ever had. The Greens with Ham and Egg was even better; well balanced on the dressing and the cheese on top....OMG the cheese on top...so good. The Lamb Shepherd's pie was excellent (they left off the garnish on one of the them), the Chicken with Risotto was good, the Quail was a bit too funky and overpowering stuffed with duck Fois Gras. The icing on the cake was the Pot du Creme dessert. You won't find another recipe better. I wish I could take one to go! Perfection. I would make a special trip to this restaurant to try a spring or summer menu and hope the Pot du Creme will still be on it. read more

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This place is wonderful! We are locals and love going for their happy hour from 5:30-6:00. 33 cent martinis and $33 3 course meal! Their drinks are amazing and love the atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back often read more

Ambiance is a bit awkward the service was decent but not the best. I ordered a drink and never received it and was charged for it. Where things go bad is the food. We ordered oysters the oysters came out with a green onion garnish on the oyster IMO you should not do that flavor wise. I ordered oysters not onion topped oysters. We ordered the bone in pork chop. The pork chop was over cooked and tough. The current sauce was like water but had a decent flavor, the grits were flavorless. We also ordered the seafood dish. The flavor of the cream sauce was not bad but not the best. I should of asked the market price before ordering because 75.00 for 2 over cooked scallops 2 over cooked shrimp a small piece of snapper and minimal crab meat is ridiculous(no lobster)I will spend money on food, I'm a foodie and love to dine... I make better food at home. The meat and seafood I buy is 100 times better quality than this. I also live in CO so the it's hard to get quality seafood because we are land locked is not a good excuse because I can find quality meats no problem. Again I will drop money on dinning... 300.00 for the meal and experience was not worth it. I'm actually embarrassed I picked this restaurant read more