Larkspur Events and Dining
458 Vail Valley Dr, Vail, CO, 81657
Larkspur Events and Dining Menu
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Address :
458 Vail Valley Dr
Vail, CO, 81657 - Phone (970) 754-8050
- Website https://www.larkspurvail.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :12:00 pm - 12
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Upscale
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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jeannie c.
The food was surprisingly great and the service was fairly attentive. The tomato soup was delicious as was the ahi crudo, the steak sampling and the home made potato croutons on the caesar salad. We went during spring break with 4 kids and they had a terrific kids' menu. The kids' food was also fantastic and all 4 of them said is was one of the best restaurants they've been too (and they've all been to a lot). They had the best little chocolate chip cookies, right out of the oven for them. A little pricey, but hey, it's Vail. What isn't expensive here!?
(4)Andrew T.
I've been eating here for years, but my last 2 experiences cost them a star, mostly for service. I hosted a birthday dinner for 10 people which was ok, but annoying insofar as the servers now try to do a little ballet, choreographing the serving of plates to happen at the exact same time; all they're missing are the silver dome tops! This is a difficult enough task to perfect with the most experienced & seasoned servers, but with inexperienced seasonal temporary help, it is a pretentious annoyance. The food was 4 out of 5 stars, but such a shame that after something like 10 years, they took the excellent onion soup off of their menu. I was also annoyed that even after I pointed out the birthday guest (my 73 yo mother) to both the manager and waiter, they served the birthday desert to my 26 yo brother instead! What's more, there were no candles (they don't do candles) or singing, anti-climactic and just plain wrong. I returned some days later for lunch and was charged almost $24 for an overcooked bacon cheeseburger, the lobster sandwich cost even less! Something is wrong here...
(3)John D.
Heard lots of good things about this place so we picked it for our anniversary. Pros - food was excellent. Shared the ahi and hamachi crudo, ceasar salad and wagyu beef carpaccio to start. The crudo was light and fresh, the carpaccio was among the best we've had. For entrees we shared the wagyu new york and short ribs as well as the duck menage a trois. Both were fab but the latter is their signature dish and was excellent. Cons - restaurant feels very big, so big that we wondered whether it can stay in business. If you're going for cozy, this isn't really your place. They also keep the dining room too lit - I asked the question of our server and he said the owner "likes a well lit dining room." Hmm, wonder if the customers do. Last, we had a random smattering of servers coming by all the time and, on one occasion, we were asked the same thing twice. There's no excuse for that at their prices - things should be coordinated. All in all would go back, through, for a special occasion.
(4)Robin H.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Larkspur. The dining room looked very nice with white table service and an open kitchen, but we opted for a cozy candlelit booth by the bar. They have a very extensive wine list, for which they are running half priced specials through the end of ski season. We ordered a great Syrah from Mendocino. The bar food was excellent and the portions were sizable. We tried the famous Larkburger and it was very good and the truffle fries were to die for. We found the wait staff to be friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a great experience!
(5)SillyMango P.
If possible, I'd probably give it 3.5 stars. Overall it is a good dinner. Of the five restaurants we visited in Vail (including Sweet Basil, Terra Bistro, and Up the Creek), it was the most expensive and was the least enjoyable. It was not bad at all, just not as good as you would expect a place like this to be. The amuse bouche was a delicious eggplant puree, which was good because I normally do not enjoy eggplant. The scallops were disappointing. Overcooked and without a proper sear. The beef carpaccio was standard... not amazing The veal scappolini was good as was the duo of pork Chocolate souffle was also standard/good Bottom line - it was overall enjoyable. As the ratings say "a-ok." If someone else pays for my dinner I'd be fine with going here again. However, on my own dime, I'd rather pay to eat somewhere else.
(3)matt b.
*insane* wine list, great food, nice presentation, and comfortable environment. It's a bit on the heavy side, and the waitstaff, while very nice, seemed a bit unorganized, with different people asking if the same dish was "ok", then not returning to refill wine. A minor problem, and may have just been temporarily off.
(4)Jackie W.
Eat at the bar. Pig out. It's worth it. You'll ski it off tomorrow.
(4)scott k.
Could not have been a better experience. They even offered a reasonably priced, high-end prix-fixe meal for the kids. My daughter is still raving about it. We paired our chef's dinner with glasses of wines and savored every last drop. Incredible.
(5)sarah o.
I have two different points to review with the Larkspur. The first is their dinner service, it's pretty darn good and the food is truly delicious. This is one of my favorite places in Vail, and as other reviewers have said, the Larkburger is a pretty darn good deal. I think the ambiance is great, and haven't ever had service problems. The second point I'd like to review them on is their event service. My husband and I had our wedding here a few years back and everything went really, really well. The staff was great in planning... Alisa is the best! Also the food was excellent, they did a great job of getting everyone's choices out at the same time, which was amazing considering people ordered from a choice of 3 options the day of the wedding. My only gripe would be the drinks are a little pricey, especially when you're paying for everyone's drinks ;) The ambiance was great, they did a great job at moving the evening along, and even let us stay an extra hour. In the winter this is very convenient for a quick lunch, and in the summer... well... the patio is beautiful! Definitely recommended!
(4)Rick S.
I hate to give this place a positive review because it's one of the few "deals" left at Vail, but I do like this place a lot. Beers are around $4.50 at "happy hour" which is a steal in this town. I know I'm not the demographic most Vail businesses want up there, but I have a season pass and I like a beer or two and something to eat after skiing. The bartender changed this season and the new guy isn't quite as friendly as the guy that was there the last couple seasons, but that's ok. The ambiance in this place is pretty casual despite it's location, though you still see people coming in that look like their going to a Hollywood party. People watching is a blast! The food is good, but the portions are tiny. They have to get ya somewhere right? Hopefully my review won't cause this place to get so overcrowded that I can't get in anymore!
(4)Jordan K.
From the time we walked in the door until the manager asked us how our food was when we were leaving, our overall experience at Larkspur was exceptional. The staff was very welcoming and guided us through every food choice with ease. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or if you are in the mood for some high-quality, "chic", food. Our dinner lasted close to three hours .. which, is what we wanted. I highly suggest starting with some cheese from their cheese menu. If you are not sure on what cheese to order, do what we did - ask your Waiter! We asked and he brought us a variety of his favorites and we loved every bite. Appetizer ... we went with the Pork Belly. I have had Pork Belly before, but it wast this good! love it ... again, if you like the taste pork, I recommend this appetizer. As for the main course, again, we went with our waiters decision with beef and duck. Every bite was enjoyable and satisfying. Take your lova there .. enjoy some superb food with enjoyable conversation for a memorable night ... You won't be disappointed!
(5)Hagan S.
Great location, right at the base of the mt. I ordered the duck and loved it! Very GF friendly menu as well.
(4)billy c.
Great food. Beautiful space. Above friendly service on all accounts. Dessert was the best experienced dish of the week. And, they even sold us our own set of Copper Mugs to commemorate our experience.
(5)Kim R.
Great food great ambience just love VAIL...awesome grill cheese and tomatoe soup
(4)Ed L.
Did a little ski apres here and the food was amazinggg Caesar salad was off the hook with the warm potato croutons Sliders were the best burger I have had And the pizza was great and well totally worth it and service was good Stay on the apres menu and the prices are good otherwise a little pricey
(5)Liam W.
Love It! The wine list, the wine list, the wine list!! This place is the best! Fantastic service, food was great, their desserts leave something to be desired but still excellent. It is definitely a "fine" dining restaurant so expect your bill to be in the 4 figures for a complete experience. Or if you're like my brother in law buy a bottle of $6,000 champagne and watch your bill soar to the five figure level.
(5)amy m.
Can you get any better than a bottle of 1/2 price sparkling? I didn't think so, but then we ordered the mini home made corn dogs with the dipping sauces. Um, can I have another 3 lbs of this stuff? The legendary larkburger was amazing as usual.
(5)Shiho F.
Best Apres Ski at Vail! Best in my opinion since they serve up a mean Berry Infused Vodka with a splash of lemonade. Super refreshing! Haven't had the chance to try their food yet but dinner is $$$ according to all the local food articles. Probably worth it though, if you think of it you are skiing or riding at one of the nation's best ski resorts. Might as well have a dinner that is up to par as the slopes.
(5)Trey E.
Excellent food, but there were a few service snafus that keep Larkspur from getting five stars. I had the Cod, which was wonderful. The skin was crispy and very flavorful, and the fish was served over a deconstructed clam chowder. My father ordered the veal which was also very good. Excellent wine selection, both by the glass and by the bottle. The head sommelier wasn't in (it was a Monday evening), but the assistant wine director knew his stuff. The hostess was a total c-word, seating us right next to a very loud group and then bitching when we asked to move. The bartender and all the waitstaff, however, was top-notch.
(4)Mike K.
I had a wonderful dinner at Larkspur. The menu was diverse, the wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and if you're looking for a nice place to eat in Vail, you can't go wrong at Larkspur. It sits at the base of Golden Peak, and reservations are needed. I had a light, and delicious Bibb salad to start and dined on a savory Atlantic cod. I was not disappointed. Beautiful decor, and delightful contemporary American cuisine.
(4)Jesse P.
Larkspur offers a great fine dining option to the city of Vail. The decor of the restaurant is contemporary and welcoming, however attention to detail in cleanliness is missed such as dust and smudges on mirror above fireplace. Service staff seemed very nervous and uncomfortable in descriptions of dishes and wine suggestions. The tasting menu offers a great variety of dishes from the main menu. Duck confit was dry and dessert needs more attention.
(4)Pierre W.
Setting and ambience are perfect - especially on a wintry evening - with a dash of pretension thrown in. Larkspur is what you would expect in a Vail restaurant. Service, presentation and cuisine are all excellent, if not a bit stiff. Save it for an evening when formality fits your bill.
(4)John M.
Save your MONEY!!! Used to be one of our favorite restaurant since it opened. Not sure if Vail Associates bought them out or what....cause it's not the same.. Prices have gone up dramatically and the food has gone down significantly. The salmon $34.50 dinky and TASTELESS!!! The Squash soup $15 tasted like tomato soup (used to be fantastic! The croutons which are everybody's favorite are now these huge fried gross globes, totally uneatable Their signature Chicken dish was cooked and soaked in tons of butter. Even the bread is no longer the yummy fresh bread. I wish I could say this was a off night but unfortunately we've gone there twice and both times the food was very disappointing. Hopefully they will read this review and bring back the old Larkspur that was worth going to 10 times a year.
(1)Gregory T.
At $75 a person for the 5 course tasting, a diner will be served a very tasty and well blended dinner. The staff is willing to explain any dish and what to expect on each course. Completing dinner with complimentary coffee capped a very enjoyable and relaxing evening. Even with some nervousness expressed by the waitstaff, they were very informative and kind. The ambience of the restaurant is calm and relaxing. This restaurant is surely recommended!
(4)Susan J.
Food was the best we had in Vail but I wouldn't say it was amazing. Location is a bit off the beaten path and quiet. Service was very good even if they take themselves a little bit too seriously at times. Had the risotto which was tasty and sig other had the pork which he also enjoyed. Would definitely go back next time we are in town.
(4)denise s.
i recently went to this restaurant to celebrate my 60th birthday along with three women also celebrating theirs. We made a point to include this fact in our reservation as well as announcing it to the hostess upon our arrival. We were very happy to be coming from all over the country for this special celebration. We expected some small acknowledgement from the staff or management but after seating us in total Siberia next to the kitchen, away from any possible restaurantt buzz, we did not get so much as a candle or a "happy birthday" from ANYONE. When we drew this to the attention of the manager he was extremely smug and not not the least bit apologetic. In spite of the fact that the food was food was good (but really overpriced) I would never go back again.
(2)Erin M.
Realllly great place. Evey year we have our Code of Women trip and there's usually 8-11 of us and we've never had a problem and every time is fabulous. Very pricey, but oh-so-worth it. Service and food is phenomenal.
(5)Allison J.
AWESOME BURGERS!!! The best in Vail Valley and I'm not kidding! The thing is,... people don't generally associate Larkspur with burgers. Larkspur is at the base of Golden Peak which means you can ski right to the restaurant if you're skiing/ boarding in Vail. It's best known for the dinners but... damn! The burgers are sooooo goood!! The secret to their burgers is a pat of "hotel butter" put in the center of the raw meat before they grill it. The butter has a little garlic in it too for more flavor. My favorite is ordering the "Lo Carb" burger where you get the meat wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun and you get edamame instead of french fries. But you know what? You can also get TRUFFLED french fries as a side for a $2 more. OOooooaaahhh! I soooo miss this place for the burgers! But... enough about the burgers.... let's talk more about the other offerings. The chef, Thomas Salamonovich, used to be the executive chef at Postrio in San Francisco and offers a "New American" menu at Larkspur. For appetizers I recommend PETITS ESCARGOTS AND WILD MUSHROOM POT PIE with cognac, parsley and butter. It's so comforting and rich! Want something lighter? Try the Beet and endive salad which is presented in a beautiful checkerboard of red and yellow beets. As entrees, some people always order his VEAL SCALLOPINI and swear it's the best they've ever had... but I opt for the ORGANIC IRISH SALMON with baba ghanoush and chickpea-lemon vinaigrette. Save room for a cheese board though. They have a pretty good selection of about 8 cheeses for you to choose from. I love the presentation. You get to choose 3 cheeses and they put them on a black slate board with the names of the cheeses written in chalk on the board. You get a fruit compote, pomegranate seeds and flat bread to accompany your cheeses too. Larkspur gets a pretty high end crowd at night but it's fair to say that all of Vail is pretty high end. The best kept secret back in 2005 was that you could get a burger and pint of beer for $10 at the bar during dinner hours. Amazing.
(4)Scott M.
Wanted to write a quick review as my girlfriend and I had a fantastic time...service was really good...every dish we had was extremely good and the portion size was generous...while I have not been to Sweet Basil or Kelly Liken, this was the best dining experience I have had in Vail...and certainly the best value...
(5)Kelly B.
Our first time here was wonderful. They did a 3 course for $39 and Hal off select wines. We still had a $700 bill between the four of us because of cocktails but we didn't care. The service was great. After calling a few nights ago, with some friends who aren't in the $700 diner range (like anybody really is!), the answering machine said they were still doing the 3 for $39. I tried calling numerous times but no one answered. When we arrived everyone acted like we were nuts, even after playing their own voicemail! We just made the most of it but the lack of acknowledgement (even a manager saying, 'wow, I am so sorry. I will change the VM right away' would have been polite and encouraged us to return. There are enough really phenomenal places in Vail with great service, we don't need to hike all the way to East Vail. Despite our experience with the staff, the food is good. :)
(1)Matt C.
This is a beautiful little spot backed up against the mountain. The view was unparalleled and the staff bent over backwards to make sure everything was smooth. Their patio happy hour was very reasonable and they even had $1.50 oysters!!! Our first batch was a little salty and they didn't even hesitate to replace them with a much tastier round. The drink preparation was also very well executed. I ordered a "percocet" (not on the menu but recommended by some of the regulars), apparently they forgot to put a sprig of rosemary in, but to be honest it didn't matter much to me, still tasted delicious. My only warning is that this is an upscale establishment with upscale prices. You will get what you pay for, but do no expect it to be a cheap night! If you are looking to splurge, get a great view of the mountain, enjoy excellent service and food, then this is a must visit.
(4)Bonnie n.
The food and service for dinner was amazing! Apres ski was another story, the food was amazing but the atmosphere and service left something to be desired. The bar area was full of kids screaming, running around opening the door to outside making it pretty cold inside. The service was awful. We sat at a table for over 10 minutes without getting any sort of service.They said they would send out server over a few times. I think we had to ask 3 different waiters to order our food and drinks. For our water we had to go to the bar to get it. Palisade Tomato-Polenta Soup- soo good. nice and hot, hit the spot after a long day on the slopes Mushroom Royale Pizza (rocket, house made ricotta, truffle vinaigrette)- got it gluten free- the best gluten free pizza i've ever had. didn't taste gluten free at all. DEEELISH! We came back for drinks, later in the evening because we initially liked the space. And since the food was so good the first time when we got hungry again we decided to have dinner here too. We sat at the bar and had drinks to start, the bartender was extremely friendly and helpful with choices. The drinks were tasty. Not positive what soup we had but I think it was potato leek, and it was once again really good. roasted free-range chicken- my boyfriend said it was possibly the best chicken he has ever eaten. The skin was crisp without any fat left, the chicken was plump and juicy. Everything on the plate complimented each other so well. Wish I was hungrier so I could have tried more food. As we were sitting at the bar another gentleman sat a few seats down and ordered almost everything on the menu. He'd have a few bites and then go on to the next one. The service and attention he got was insane. We were later told that he was the owner. Which explained a lot. It's nice to know that the owner comes in and checks on the quality of the food.
(4)Cat S.
AMAZING. So amazing that I'm reviewing it almost a year later. Came here for a work dinner, which helped since dinner was on the company! Luckily I have a photographic menu memory and remember everything I had. Apps: shared a bunch at the table - foie gras, pork belly and seared scallop, tuna tartare, goat cheese and prosciutto raviolis Dinner: wagyu new york strip and short ribs entree. All of this combined with some great red wine and some obscenely decadent desserts = stuffed to the brim YUM. There is no shortage of great restaurants in Vail (and I sampled as much as humanly possible when there) but this was definitely top tier.
(5)Lynn C.
The food here is good but not great and definitely overpriced. I had the Arctic Char, which was well prepared but not special. The gnocchi with duck confit appetizer was good, but a bit too buttery, and had minimal duck. My husband had lamb, which he also felt was good but not great and some of the lamb was dry. The atmosphere is not special - the place is relatively large, and the night we were there a company was having a function in a room that is adjacent to the main dining room - so people were standing around in the dining room waiting in line to get their name tags. There is nothing particularly wrong with this, but not what I would expect of a "fine dining" experience.
(2)Beaux C.
An incredible wine list combined with impressive/near-perfect service makes this restaurant one of the best in Vail. But where the menu provides an abundance of options, the main dishes lack in the wow-factor when it comes to flavor. So skip the mains and just order 3 sides of truffle fries. They are great. Particularly after a long day on the slopes.
(3)Nhoi O.
Great food. Some of the plates needed to be cleaned on the rim before sending out to us. Service was a bit unfriendly and awkward.
(4)Sue G.
Food was okay, server was subpar. He negated to pour one of our friends her wine, didn't ask if we wanted coffee/tea with our dessert. At $95/person tasting menu for the 5 of us, you would expect some attentiveness. Then the bill had 18% tip already filled in. I hate that. Truthfully, the only thing I loved was the fresh bread and only thing I remember from the tasting menu is the dessert, which was presented as "the chef's take on PB&J". It was okay.
(3)Patrick W.
Great atmosphere but food was not terrific.
(3)Lynn S.
very pretty atmosphere, cocktails were good. Caesar salad had way too much dressing on it, but beet salad was good. Entrees were very good, however, there were only 2 shrimp on the shrimp entree for over $30. Ridiculous. Very expensive, but nice if you have a special occasion. Next time, I will sit in the bar area and spend a lot less.
(4)David S.
Killer fried Tacos. Like some of the best I've ever had in South Texas.
(5)Wendy C.
Casual fine dining by the slope side, this place is literally steps away from the ski slopes and chair lift. When it's warm enough, sit outside in the patio area and take in the mountainside view -- you are facing the Golden Peak race course. I've only had lunches here during the ski season. The food is quite good -- from wonderfully fresh Caesar salad with potato croutons, to grilled vegetables, to nice meat dishes. Desserts are awesome too, they've mastered high-altitude baking. Services aren't fast, but this isn't the type of place for you to run into to get a quick bite between two runs. So relax and enjoy.
(4)Vail I.
The food is ALWAYS PERFECT here. Amazing wine list.
(5)Jay M.
I came here for dinner with a group of 7 people, and we were all impressed by the food and the dining experience. We returned for lunch the next day after a morning of skiing, and we weren't disappointed. Dishes of note: truffled mushroom appetizer, duck confit, wagyu beef, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. The staff are helpful and attentive, the food came out flawlessly, and the atmosphere is welcoming, but like most ski-resort dining, it's a little more expensive than a comparable restaurant in an area without such a captive audience.
(4)Amber P.
The caesar salad had WARM HANDMADE CROUTONS (made out of shaved potatoes) that absolutely changed my opinion on croutons forever! Mouth-watering! +Monterey calamari +scallops +salmon +dark and stormy Sidenote: Choose your table wisely, as some tables are noticeably less intimate than others.
(4)Missy D.
We held our Friday night wedding cocktail reception here and loved it. The staff & whole experience was fantastic! That was over 6 years ago and we have returned for many dinners. Nothing has changed... you can never go wrong with this spot! Keep in mind, that grabbing the original "Lark Burger" for lunch at the bar is great during the ski season.... its a must for us once a season! YUMMY!
(5)Akash P.
We've been here twice, both times that my wife and I have gone to Vail to ski. I really looked forward to dinner here when we visited Vail in Feb this year. Huge wine list, outstanding food. And I really enjoyed the open kitchen.
(4)T C.
Surprisingly good dinner. Honestly, I really wasn't expecting much of the food here, being a slight food snob at times, but it was quite the meal. Apps: The beef carpaccio app was pretty good (one friend called it the "best carpaccio I've ever had"). The crisp rice bits were a nice contrast in texture and flavor, and it wasn't overly citrus-y like some carpaccios drowned in lime juices , but it all masked the beef flavor a bit too much IMO. Pork belly was quite flavorful. The ahi/hamachi crudo was meh. As a side note, their sourdough is surprisingly decent (coming from an SF native). Mains: My pork duo of tenderloin and belly was really good. The tenderloin was juicy and well (yet not overly) seasoned, accentuating the flavor of the meat, and not the spices. The pork belly was slightly different in flavor than the app, and had a nice crisp exterior which helped cut the richness. Other dishes ordered were the duck (which was delightfully not gamey, like most other preparations), a beef duo of steak and shortribs, and a burger ("good, not great"). Truffle fries ordered off the bar menu were a tad on the salty side. Service from the waiters was exemplary, as they were quite knowledgeable on the chefs' backgrounds (mentioning among other things that the exec. chef worked at Le Bernardin, under Ripert), and made excellent menu suggestions. It sounds like they also change the menu fairly frequently, which in some ways is a good thing, allowing the chefs to experiment and keep from getting stale. ---------------- We also stopped by here for lunch on another day, ordering your basic burgers/sandwiches/fries. Good, not great, but convenient if you're in this part of the mountain for lunch.
(5)Patrick B.
Great food and awesome service. An impressive wine list that is maintained by an enthusiastic som, who doesn't come off like a snob when helping you pick. The wine selection is excellent to say the least. The menu is unique, and has some nice delicacies if you are in the mood to splurge on fresh black truffles or caviar...
(4)Rich H.
I ate here with a group of 35 people and menu was limited to selections for our event. Appetizers were uniformly excellent, especially the veal meatballs. Gazpacho shooters were tasty, too. Heirloom tomato salad was drowned in dressing, partially covering the flavor of the prime tomatoes. What spoiled the dinner was the main course: beef roulade. This was the chef's fantasy (my nightmare) of roulade. It came as several flat, quarter sized pieces of thinly sliced mystery, over-cooked until it was tough and dry. It resembled black sausage, but was tasteless (except for a burnt taste). Shameful. Accompanying fresh peas were tasty, but housed in a cup made of dry, deep-fried prosciutto. What a waste to destroy prosciutto that way. I complained about the dish but the waiter did nothing more than say "sorry." The insipid cheesecake desert was not fully defrosted. Don't waste your time or money at this place.
(1)Eric W.
Wow; what a disappointment. Larkspur used to be one of my favorites in Vail for fine dining. Great food and outstanding wine list. Apparently, they have a new business plan that has a menu more like their old lunch menu and a terrible wine list. Caesar salad was ok as was the NY steak but could just as easily had the hamburger. Fortunately, they went into the cellar and found me a good off list Pinot (their last bottle of Sea Smoke 10). Might go back for lunch but definitely off the list for dinner.
(2)edward W.
Grabbed a burger at their takeout. Great, great burger. Fries a little to skinny for my liking (think shoelaces) but surprisingly good Would eat again
(4)Christina L.
After a long morning of ski lessons, we came here to eat. Sitting by the window, watching the skiers come down the slopes made for the perfect atmosphere. Everyone said the burger was phenomenal and I would agree its pretty good. It's the perfect meal to reenergize you after working out so much. The fries were really good and the truffle fries were delicious. Going again for lunch today because you really can't beat the view. The only reason it lost a star was for the slow service. Our server was friendly through, so no complaints there.
(4)Lucy K.
Favorite restaurant we ate at in Vail. Sommelier was amazing as were the nadmixed drinks. Everything was top-notch, nowhere else we went really held a candle to the quality and service.
(5)Bill T.
Stopped here for lunch on a snowy day and ordered the chili...amazing. So good I had to go back for lunch the next day. Service was spot on, and the setting was clean and elegant. We showed up a half hour for our reservation by accident, and the manager handled it very well and made us feel very welcome.
(5)Alex M.
TERRIBLE. I waited 20 minutes for a drink and the bartender (some blonde chick with way too much plastic surgery) wouldn't acknowledge me or anyone else at the bar. Instead, she just made drinks for all of the tickets and ignored the thirty people sitting in front of her. I'm not one to post bad reviews but considering the outrageous price of everything on the menu ( yes I know everything at Vail is expensive) and terrible service, I just had to say something :(
(1)Liz P.
The Larkspur arguably makes some of best french fries on earth. That said, the menu is pretty limited. Also, last time I was there, we called ahead and got a reservation for lunch at 11:45, only to discover that the restaurant doesn't open until 12:00 - very weird.
(3)Garth B.
Disappointed.. 1st the Reception wasn't very warm. Then either the waiter wasn't good or the kitchen was killing him. Not sure which. Oysters were outstanding but the entrees were not. veal wasn't memorable and my wife's fish was just ok. Table next to us was pissed 2nd to not receiving their food in a timely manner. Dined at Larkspur last year and had a much better experience. Probably will skip it next year though.
(2)Ben J.
I ate again here in February 2014. I can't begin to express how awesome the food is. We had a server (wish I could remember his name) who was fantastic. He paired our food with an excellent acidic wine. I had the beets for app, dulce chocolate torte for dessert. Fantastic.
(5)Zachary S.
This was a really great dinner for us. After much research for where to eat in Vail, I was drawn to the everchanging and eclectic menu. The service was remarkable, too. We chose NOT to have the tasting menu. We didn't want most of the items on it and it didn't seem flexible, but also it appeared the tasting menu would have cost more than we were going to spend on food alone, anyhow. Not enticed at all by that, we just chose our own appetizers and mains. I'd recommend getting a reseravtion, as these guys might fill up, but totally worth it. Check out their cafe in the morning, too, for a good breakfast sandwich before you hit the slopes!
(5)Jim J.
Terrible experience and terrible food. They have changed their appearance from white table linens to jeans. In turn their service has suffered and is representative of a casual bar without bar prices. It took over 25 min to receive our first round of drinks. 4 of 10 meals were cold and over cooked, which is hard to do. Salmon was over cooked, dry and hard which not hard to do. They removed the meals, but never returned with replacements. As always, fries and burgers were great-should be for $24. We have enjoyed many wonderful meals in the past. However at this time, I am uncertain if we will return.
(1)Norman G.
Came for President's Week Vacation with family and friends. Food was excellent as expected, background music was a bit loud, and service was a bit uneven. Initial reception was a little cool and aloof even though we had reservations, and coat check was unattended for over 5 minutes without any offers of help from receptionists. Bar and Meal service were up to Larkspur's usual high standards and much appreciated. Cocktails were well executed and capably described by the wait staff. We did not have wine this time but during past visits the sommelier was both helpful and friendly. Appetizer winners included Oysters on the half shell, Caesar Salad, and Butternut Squash Soup. Dinner highlights included Veal Scaloppini, Sole, Steak, roasted brussel sprouts, truffle fries, and scallops. Fuji Apple Galette and home made donuts with Dulce de Leche were outstanding. Larkspur has been a favorite Vail dinner spot for our family during both Winter and Summer since they opened nearly 15 years ago. The food and wait service are consistently very good without the formality or stuffiness of some other top tier Vail Restaurants.
(4)Henry H.
We were in town for a meeting. The group chose Larkspur and we were excited. We dined here about a year ago and remembered everything was great! This time with a group of 40 we were disappointed. The bartender was great! The waiter for our table must have gotten upset when we added a place setting to make the table suitable for eight. The evening started well, but he was way below average. He had a poor attitude, was super slow. The evening was more like waiter,..........waiter were art thou? The squash soup was very good, the crispy chicken was edible and the cheesecake he recommended was a .........one bite, not worth the calories type quality. So many great places to eat in Vail, so luckily I don't ever have to go back!
(2)Marilyn T.
Again, a snow storm got in the way as we were heading in the first night from Denver, but we made it in by 9:15pm, and it was still pretty full. As it's at the base of the Golden Peak lift, once you park, it looks like you're walking into a closed ski lodge - it would have been nice if they had a bigger sign or more lights. Valet is free, but there's also a free lot adjacent to the restaurant. To start, there are 2 kind of bread.. the sweet rolls topped with sea salt were my favorite; there was another multigrain one. Butter comes with black coarse salt on it, Wines by the glass start at around $11. They had a very smooth grenache for about $12. There was also a Riesling from Alsace that was just ok - a little too acidic for my taste. I was more drawn to the cocktail list, and the ruby grapefruit one was awesomwe - basil, salt rimmed glass, strong grapefruit flavor, not too sweet. To start, I had the ahi tuna crudo with wasabi cream. The ahi is a beautiful reddish pink color, and the wasabi cream is just the right amount. The bacon jam and crisped brioche make the dish. This was probably the highlight The gnocchi with duck confit has good flavor, and the duck is done well. While I'm all for pillowy gnocchi, theirs was a little too mushy on that night. The scallops come in an appetizer portion with frisee, two seared scallops, and blood orange. The scallops on my plate were overdone and almost rubbery, so I'm not sure if they sat for a while. As for sides, the polenta mousseline is smooth and comforting but pretty buttery. The broccoli is a nice lighter dish, but I'm not sure where the breadcrumbs from the "chaplure" went. The Colorado lamb duo was done very nicely. The chop was fattier than I like, but the meat on it was done well. The cannelloni had well seasoned braised lamb inside, which was really flavorful, not gamey at all, but the outside of the cannelloni was dried out. To finish, the souffle was done nicely. I actually preferred it without the creme anglaise - the chocolate was rich yet light, not too sweet. Portions aren't big. I saw another table request a tasting menu, which the chef was able to do. Presentation was not fancy but nice (well, the ahi tuna was plated beautifully). The dining room also got a bit loud due to a few guests who had too much to drink, but the tables are spaced out nicely. As it's pretty much on the mountain, it's not cheap. It's too bad you can't see much of the view at night.
(3)Greg K.
The best lunch on the slopes. Service is exellent. Food is superior. Pricey. Only real drawback is long way by 2 lifts back to midvail.
(5)Alan E.
Limited menu. Poorly trained staff. Very disappointing. Vail has many better options. They need to go back to the old format.
(1)Diana M.
One of the attributes for Larkspur is the ease of parking in a generally pedestrian town. You can valet park or around the corner there is a parking lot that in the daytime is full of skiers cars and free at night. Atmosphere is good and the tables far enough apart to have a conversation. The 3of us all chose the excellent panfried chicken which was moist and juicy with crispy crispy skin, absolutely perfect. Sadly the accompanying brussel sprouts were over charred which was disappointing as we all were looking forward to them. The soft bed of polenta was delightful. The house made sorbets vary each evening - cucumber, blood orange, chocolate and coconut vanished very quickly and were a lovely counterpoint to the main course. We were happy!
(4)Rachel N.
You know, I was initially skeptical abt Larkspur, given that it's in the same building as the ski school locker room -- but it's actually a beautiful space (think mountain rustic, but with modern touches, such as Moroccan inspired lamps) that continues to put out solid food, year after year. I often go for lunch, which is a lovely break from the slock on the mountain -- and while this isn't a poor man's lunch -- I think the grilled cheese and tomato soup are $18.5 -- it's delicious and civilized. This is not to suggest that lunch isn't somewhat of a mad house -- I feel like I'm always at a table w/ 8 people, and there are many other large groups around us -- so service can be a bit B team, but the food is always lovely -- recently mussels and calamari ala plancha hit the spot, as did whatever arugula pizza is on the menu. The din scene is significantly quieter, and here the impeccable food is more likely to be matched by proper service -- the wine list is extensive, expensive, and yummy -- and while the menu at first may seem like nothing I'm dying for, every time I dine, I'm always thrilled with the interesting flavor combinations and care in each dish. Din for 2 will run you at least $150 -- but in the grand scheme of Vail dining, I'd say that for once, the price actually fits the quality of food. Worth a trip.
(4)Doug H.
Gird your wallet, and enjoy a fine meal in Vail with the world's 1%ers. The thing that strikes you about the Larkspur is the amount of service people that are there to serve you. From the coat check woman to the multiple servers there to pour water, bus tables, and take orders it's almost like a Michelin starred French restaurant in a big city. When courses come to the table, a regiment of attractive uniformed servers march to your table and simultaneously place the dish in front of each diner. It's an impressive show of force. But it's really quite smart, because the bane of nearly every ski resort restaurant is long waits and poor service because the crowds of skiers overwhelm at dinner time, so the Larkspur's expenditure on personnel is admirable. This is Vail during the high season, when workers are so sparse it takes you twenty minutes to get a latte at Starbucks. It partially explains the very high prices at the Larkspur (about $75 per person excluding drinks), but honestly, it's no worse than the other fine dining establishments in the priciest ski resort in America. My family dined with another family at the Larkspur, so our large group had a wide sampling of everything the Larkspur has to offer. The dishes were very elegantly presented and were for the most part delicious. Very traditional fare, nothing particularly innovative taste-wise, but it was high quality ingredients cooked with care and talent. I was a little put off by the truffles shaved over everything elements of the menu. It's as if they had so many truffles left over from last year, they had to use 'em or lose 'em. I had the chicken dish, which was a really delicious roast breast and thigh, but honestly, I forgot that it came with some truffle sauce over it while I was eating it. The scallops dish looked divine and my daughter reported that they tasted great. The roast meat dishes, especially the steaks are spot-on. The vegetarian options were a bit sparse, and they had to cobble together a couple of veggie entrees by excluding the meat. Surprising that a restaurant would leave vegetarians with no options, especially when the vegetarian side dishes (which you can order a la carte) were so good. The spinach received raves that I have never heard for a side dish before, and I found the roast brussel sprouts perfect. Don't miss the desserts either. The apple galette, chocolate souffle and other cakes are just so satisfying after burning so many calories skiing all day. And just to illustrate the care and attention that the Larkspur gives to their diners, the coffee is served in a french press with a sand timer, and they tell you to press the plunger when the sand runs out. Old fashioned but precise: just a detail that epitomizes a meal at the Larkspur.
(4)Maria P.
I brought my mother here for lunch considering my last experience here was so good. It took a while to seat us even though there were plenty if open tables, they just hadn't been cleared yet. When we finally sat our waitress didn't introduce herself just poured water and left. When she returned we order the Carpaccio Salad and Chicken Adobo sandwich. The sandwich was great crunchy and flavorful however mom was a little dissatisfied with the salad, especially when the waitress came back to clear my plate and took moms with a few bites left on it without asking if she was finished. Additionally it took forever for her to bring the one beer we ordered over. The restaurant wasn't crowded so I don't know what her deal was. Her poor service inevitably made her tip lower than it would have been. I was unimpressed with the service and not I can get comparable food elsewhere.
(3)Henry H.
We were in town for a meeting. The group chose Larkspur and we were excited. We dined here about a year ago and remembered everything was great! This time with a group of 40 we were disappointed. The bartender was great! The waiter for our table must have gotten upset when we added a place setting to make the table suitable for eight. The evening started well, but he was way below average. He had a poor attitude, was super slow. The evening was more like waiter,..........waiter were art thou? The squash soup was very good, the crispy chicken was edible and the cheesecake he recommended was a .........one bite, not worth the calories type quality. So many great places to eat in Vail, so luckily I don't ever have to go back!
(2)Norman G.
Came for President's Week Vacation with family and friends. Food was excellent as expected, background music was a bit loud, and service was a bit uneven. Initial reception was a little cool and aloof even though we had reservations, and coat check was unattended for over 5 minutes without any offers of help from receptionists. Bar and Meal service were up to Larkspur's usual high standards and much appreciated. Cocktails were well executed and capably described by the wait staff. We did not have wine this time but during past visits the sommelier was both helpful and friendly. Appetizer winners included Oysters on the half shell, Caesar Salad, and Butternut Squash Soup. Dinner highlights included Veal Scaloppini, Sole, Steak, roasted brussel sprouts, truffle fries, and scallops. Fuji Apple Galette and home made donuts with Dulce de Leche were outstanding. Larkspur has been a favorite Vail dinner spot for our family during both Winter and Summer since they opened nearly 15 years ago. The food and wait service are consistently very good without the formality or stuffiness of some other top tier Vail Restaurants.
(4)Rich H.
I ate here with a group of 35 people and menu was limited to selections for our event. Appetizers were uniformly excellent, especially the veal meatballs. Gazpacho shooters were tasty, too. Heirloom tomato salad was drowned in dressing, partially covering the flavor of the prime tomatoes. What spoiled the dinner was the main course: beef roulade. This was the chef's fantasy (my nightmare) of roulade. It came as several flat, quarter sized pieces of thinly sliced mystery, over-cooked until it was tough and dry. It resembled black sausage, but was tasteless (except for a burnt taste). Shameful. Accompanying fresh peas were tasty, but housed in a cup made of dry, deep-fried prosciutto. What a waste to destroy prosciutto that way. I complained about the dish but the waiter did nothing more than say "sorry." The insipid cheesecake desert was not fully defrosted. Don't waste your time or money at this place.
(1)Eric W.
Wow; what a disappointment. Larkspur used to be one of my favorites in Vail for fine dining. Great food and outstanding wine list. Apparently, they have a new business plan that has a menu more like their old lunch menu and a terrible wine list. Caesar salad was ok as was the NY steak but could just as easily had the hamburger. Fortunately, they went into the cellar and found me a good off list Pinot (their last bottle of Sea Smoke 10). Might go back for lunch but definitely off the list for dinner.
(2)edward W.
Grabbed a burger at their takeout. Great, great burger. Fries a little to skinny for my liking (think shoelaces) but surprisingly good Would eat again
(4)Jim J.
Terrible experience and terrible food. They have changed their appearance from white table linens to jeans. In turn their service has suffered and is representative of a casual bar without bar prices. It took over 25 min to receive our first round of drinks. 4 of 10 meals were cold and over cooked, which is hard to do. Salmon was over cooked, dry and hard which not hard to do. They removed the meals, but never returned with replacements. As always, fries and burgers were great-should be for $24. We have enjoyed many wonderful meals in the past. However at this time, I am uncertain if we will return.
(1)Christina L.
After a long morning of ski lessons, we came here to eat. Sitting by the window, watching the skiers come down the slopes made for the perfect atmosphere. Everyone said the burger was phenomenal and I would agree its pretty good. It's the perfect meal to reenergize you after working out so much. The fries were really good and the truffle fries were delicious. Going again for lunch today because you really can't beat the view. The only reason it lost a star was for the slow service. Our server was friendly through, so no complaints there.
(4)Lucy K.
Favorite restaurant we ate at in Vail. Sommelier was amazing as were the nadmixed drinks. Everything was top-notch, nowhere else we went really held a candle to the quality and service.
(5)Bill T.
Stopped here for lunch on a snowy day and ordered the chili...amazing. So good I had to go back for lunch the next day. Service was spot on, and the setting was clean and elegant. We showed up a half hour for our reservation by accident, and the manager handled it very well and made us feel very welcome.
(5)Doug H.
Gird your wallet, and enjoy a fine meal in Vail with the world's 1%ers. The thing that strikes you about the Larkspur is the amount of service people that are there to serve you. From the coat check woman to the multiple servers there to pour water, bus tables, and take orders it's almost like a Michelin starred French restaurant in a big city. When courses come to the table, a regiment of attractive uniformed servers march to your table and simultaneously place the dish in front of each diner. It's an impressive show of force. But it's really quite smart, because the bane of nearly every ski resort restaurant is long waits and poor service because the crowds of skiers overwhelm at dinner time, so the Larkspur's expenditure on personnel is admirable. This is Vail during the high season, when workers are so sparse it takes you twenty minutes to get a latte at Starbucks. It partially explains the very high prices at the Larkspur (about $75 per person excluding drinks), but honestly, it's no worse than the other fine dining establishments in the priciest ski resort in America. My family dined with another family at the Larkspur, so our large group had a wide sampling of everything the Larkspur has to offer. The dishes were very elegantly presented and were for the most part delicious. Very traditional fare, nothing particularly innovative taste-wise, but it was high quality ingredients cooked with care and talent. I was a little put off by the truffles shaved over everything elements of the menu. It's as if they had so many truffles left over from last year, they had to use 'em or lose 'em. I had the chicken dish, which was a really delicious roast breast and thigh, but honestly, I forgot that it came with some truffle sauce over it while I was eating it. The scallops dish looked divine and my daughter reported that they tasted great. The roast meat dishes, especially the steaks are spot-on. The vegetarian options were a bit sparse, and they had to cobble together a couple of veggie entrees by excluding the meat. Surprising that a restaurant would leave vegetarians with no options, especially when the vegetarian side dishes (which you can order a la carte) were so good. The spinach received raves that I have never heard for a side dish before, and I found the roast brussel sprouts perfect. Don't miss the desserts either. The apple galette, chocolate souffle and other cakes are just so satisfying after burning so many calories skiing all day. And just to illustrate the care and attention that the Larkspur gives to their diners, the coffee is served in a french press with a sand timer, and they tell you to press the plunger when the sand runs out. Old fashioned but precise: just a detail that epitomizes a meal at the Larkspur.
(4)Maria P.
I brought my mother here for lunch considering my last experience here was so good. It took a while to seat us even though there were plenty if open tables, they just hadn't been cleared yet. When we finally sat our waitress didn't introduce herself just poured water and left. When she returned we order the Carpaccio Salad and Chicken Adobo sandwich. The sandwich was great crunchy and flavorful however mom was a little dissatisfied with the salad, especially when the waitress came back to clear my plate and took moms with a few bites left on it without asking if she was finished. Additionally it took forever for her to bring the one beer we ordered over. The restaurant wasn't crowded so I don't know what her deal was. Her poor service inevitably made her tip lower than it would have been. I was unimpressed with the service and not I can get comparable food elsewhere.
(3)Marilyn T.
Again, a snow storm got in the way as we were heading in the first night from Denver, but we made it in by 9:15pm, and it was still pretty full. As it's at the base of the Golden Peak lift, once you park, it looks like you're walking into a closed ski lodge - it would have been nice if they had a bigger sign or more lights. Valet is free, but there's also a free lot adjacent to the restaurant. To start, there are 2 kind of bread.. the sweet rolls topped with sea salt were my favorite; there was another multigrain one. Butter comes with black coarse salt on it, Wines by the glass start at around $11. They had a very smooth grenache for about $12. There was also a Riesling from Alsace that was just ok - a little too acidic for my taste. I was more drawn to the cocktail list, and the ruby grapefruit one was awesomwe - basil, salt rimmed glass, strong grapefruit flavor, not too sweet. To start, I had the ahi tuna crudo with wasabi cream. The ahi is a beautiful reddish pink color, and the wasabi cream is just the right amount. The bacon jam and crisped brioche make the dish. This was probably the highlight The gnocchi with duck confit has good flavor, and the duck is done well. While I'm all for pillowy gnocchi, theirs was a little too mushy on that night. The scallops come in an appetizer portion with frisee, two seared scallops, and blood orange. The scallops on my plate were overdone and almost rubbery, so I'm not sure if they sat for a while. As for sides, the polenta mousseline is smooth and comforting but pretty buttery. The broccoli is a nice lighter dish, but I'm not sure where the breadcrumbs from the "chaplure" went. The Colorado lamb duo was done very nicely. The chop was fattier than I like, but the meat on it was done well. The cannelloni had well seasoned braised lamb inside, which was really flavorful, not gamey at all, but the outside of the cannelloni was dried out. To finish, the souffle was done nicely. I actually preferred it without the creme anglaise - the chocolate was rich yet light, not too sweet. Portions aren't big. I saw another table request a tasting menu, which the chef was able to do. Presentation was not fancy but nice (well, the ahi tuna was plated beautifully). The dining room also got a bit loud due to a few guests who had too much to drink, but the tables are spaced out nicely. As it's pretty much on the mountain, it's not cheap. It's too bad you can't see much of the view at night.
(3)Greg K.
The best lunch on the slopes. Service is exellent. Food is superior. Pricey. Only real drawback is long way by 2 lifts back to midvail.
(5)Alan E.
Limited menu. Poorly trained staff. Very disappointing. Vail has many better options. They need to go back to the old format.
(1)Diana M.
One of the attributes for Larkspur is the ease of parking in a generally pedestrian town. You can valet park or around the corner there is a parking lot that in the daytime is full of skiers cars and free at night. Atmosphere is good and the tables far enough apart to have a conversation. The 3of us all chose the excellent panfried chicken which was moist and juicy with crispy crispy skin, absolutely perfect. Sadly the accompanying brussel sprouts were over charred which was disappointing as we all were looking forward to them. The soft bed of polenta was delightful. The house made sorbets vary each evening - cucumber, blood orange, chocolate and coconut vanished very quickly and were a lovely counterpoint to the main course. We were happy!
(4)Alex M.
TERRIBLE. I waited 20 minutes for a drink and the bartender (some blonde chick with way too much plastic surgery) wouldn't acknowledge me or anyone else at the bar. Instead, she just made drinks for all of the tickets and ignored the thirty people sitting in front of her. I'm not one to post bad reviews but considering the outrageous price of everything on the menu ( yes I know everything at Vail is expensive) and terrible service, I just had to say something :(
(1)Liz P.
The Larkspur arguably makes some of best french fries on earth. That said, the menu is pretty limited. Also, last time I was there, we called ahead and got a reservation for lunch at 11:45, only to discover that the restaurant doesn't open until 12:00 - very weird.
(3)Garth B.
Disappointed.. 1st the Reception wasn't very warm. Then either the waiter wasn't good or the kitchen was killing him. Not sure which. Oysters were outstanding but the entrees were not. veal wasn't memorable and my wife's fish was just ok. Table next to us was pissed 2nd to not receiving their food in a timely manner. Dined at Larkspur last year and had a much better experience. Probably will skip it next year though.
(2)Ben J.
I ate again here in February 2014. I can't begin to express how awesome the food is. We had a server (wish I could remember his name) who was fantastic. He paired our food with an excellent acidic wine. I had the beets for app, dulce chocolate torte for dessert. Fantastic.
(5)Zachary S.
This was a really great dinner for us. After much research for where to eat in Vail, I was drawn to the everchanging and eclectic menu. The service was remarkable, too. We chose NOT to have the tasting menu. We didn't want most of the items on it and it didn't seem flexible, but also it appeared the tasting menu would have cost more than we were going to spend on food alone, anyhow. Not enticed at all by that, we just chose our own appetizers and mains. I'd recommend getting a reseravtion, as these guys might fill up, but totally worth it. Check out their cafe in the morning, too, for a good breakfast sandwich before you hit the slopes!
(5)Beaux C.
An incredible wine list combined with impressive/near-perfect service makes this restaurant one of the best in Vail. But where the menu provides an abundance of options, the main dishes lack in the wow-factor when it comes to flavor. So skip the mains and just order 3 sides of truffle fries. They are great. Particularly after a long day on the slopes.
(3)Nhoi O.
Great food. Some of the plates needed to be cleaned on the rim before sending out to us. Service was a bit unfriendly and awkward.
(4)Rachel N.
You know, I was initially skeptical abt Larkspur, given that it's in the same building as the ski school locker room -- but it's actually a beautiful space (think mountain rustic, but with modern touches, such as Moroccan inspired lamps) that continues to put out solid food, year after year. I often go for lunch, which is a lovely break from the slock on the mountain -- and while this isn't a poor man's lunch -- I think the grilled cheese and tomato soup are $18.5 -- it's delicious and civilized. This is not to suggest that lunch isn't somewhat of a mad house -- I feel like I'm always at a table w/ 8 people, and there are many other large groups around us -- so service can be a bit B team, but the food is always lovely -- recently mussels and calamari ala plancha hit the spot, as did whatever arugula pizza is on the menu. The din scene is significantly quieter, and here the impeccable food is more likely to be matched by proper service -- the wine list is extensive, expensive, and yummy -- and while the menu at first may seem like nothing I'm dying for, every time I dine, I'm always thrilled with the interesting flavor combinations and care in each dish. Din for 2 will run you at least $150 -- but in the grand scheme of Vail dining, I'd say that for once, the price actually fits the quality of food. Worth a trip.
(4)Patrick B.
Great food and awesome service. An impressive wine list that is maintained by an enthusiastic som, who doesn't come off like a snob when helping you pick. The wine selection is excellent to say the least. The menu is unique, and has some nice delicacies if you are in the mood to splurge on fresh black truffles or caviar...
(4)Kelly B.
Our first time here was wonderful. They did a 3 course for $39 and Hal off select wines. We still had a $700 bill between the four of us because of cocktails but we didn't care. The service was great. After calling a few nights ago, with some friends who aren't in the $700 diner range (like anybody really is!), the answering machine said they were still doing the 3 for $39. I tried calling numerous times but no one answered. When we arrived everyone acted like we were nuts, even after playing their own voicemail! We just made the most of it but the lack of acknowledgement (even a manager saying, 'wow, I am so sorry. I will change the VM right away' would have been polite and encouraged us to return. There are enough really phenomenal places in Vail with great service, we don't need to hike all the way to East Vail. Despite our experience with the staff, the food is good. :)
(1)Matt C.
This is a beautiful little spot backed up against the mountain. The view was unparalleled and the staff bent over backwards to make sure everything was smooth. Their patio happy hour was very reasonable and they even had $1.50 oysters!!! Our first batch was a little salty and they didn't even hesitate to replace them with a much tastier round. The drink preparation was also very well executed. I ordered a "percocet" (not on the menu but recommended by some of the regulars), apparently they forgot to put a sprig of rosemary in, but to be honest it didn't matter much to me, still tasted delicious. My only warning is that this is an upscale establishment with upscale prices. You will get what you pay for, but do no expect it to be a cheap night! If you are looking to splurge, get a great view of the mountain, enjoy excellent service and food, then this is a must visit.
(4)Bonnie n.
The food and service for dinner was amazing! Apres ski was another story, the food was amazing but the atmosphere and service left something to be desired. The bar area was full of kids screaming, running around opening the door to outside making it pretty cold inside. The service was awful. We sat at a table for over 10 minutes without getting any sort of service.They said they would send out server over a few times. I think we had to ask 3 different waiters to order our food and drinks. For our water we had to go to the bar to get it. Palisade Tomato-Polenta Soup- soo good. nice and hot, hit the spot after a long day on the slopes Mushroom Royale Pizza (rocket, house made ricotta, truffle vinaigrette)- got it gluten free- the best gluten free pizza i've ever had. didn't taste gluten free at all. DEEELISH! We came back for drinks, later in the evening because we initially liked the space. And since the food was so good the first time when we got hungry again we decided to have dinner here too. We sat at the bar and had drinks to start, the bartender was extremely friendly and helpful with choices. The drinks were tasty. Not positive what soup we had but I think it was potato leek, and it was once again really good. roasted free-range chicken- my boyfriend said it was possibly the best chicken he has ever eaten. The skin was crisp without any fat left, the chicken was plump and juicy. Everything on the plate complimented each other so well. Wish I was hungrier so I could have tried more food. As we were sitting at the bar another gentleman sat a few seats down and ordered almost everything on the menu. He'd have a few bites and then go on to the next one. The service and attention he got was insane. We were later told that he was the owner. Which explained a lot. It's nice to know that the owner comes in and checks on the quality of the food.
(4)Cat S.
AMAZING. So amazing that I'm reviewing it almost a year later. Came here for a work dinner, which helped since dinner was on the company! Luckily I have a photographic menu memory and remember everything I had. Apps: shared a bunch at the table - foie gras, pork belly and seared scallop, tuna tartare, goat cheese and prosciutto raviolis Dinner: wagyu new york strip and short ribs entree. All of this combined with some great red wine and some obscenely decadent desserts = stuffed to the brim YUM. There is no shortage of great restaurants in Vail (and I sampled as much as humanly possible when there) but this was definitely top tier.
(5)Lynn C.
The food here is good but not great and definitely overpriced. I had the Arctic Char, which was well prepared but not special. The gnocchi with duck confit appetizer was good, but a bit too buttery, and had minimal duck. My husband had lamb, which he also felt was good but not great and some of the lamb was dry. The atmosphere is not special - the place is relatively large, and the night we were there a company was having a function in a room that is adjacent to the main dining room - so people were standing around in the dining room waiting in line to get their name tags. There is nothing particularly wrong with this, but not what I would expect of a "fine dining" experience.
(2)Sue G.
Food was okay, server was subpar. He negated to pour one of our friends her wine, didn't ask if we wanted coffee/tea with our dessert. At $95/person tasting menu for the 5 of us, you would expect some attentiveness. Then the bill had 18% tip already filled in. I hate that. Truthfully, the only thing I loved was the fresh bread and only thing I remember from the tasting menu is the dessert, which was presented as "the chef's take on PB&J". It was okay.
(3)Patrick W.
Great atmosphere but food was not terrific.
(3)Lynn S.
very pretty atmosphere, cocktails were good. Caesar salad had way too much dressing on it, but beet salad was good. Entrees were very good, however, there were only 2 shrimp on the shrimp entree for over $30. Ridiculous. Very expensive, but nice if you have a special occasion. Next time, I will sit in the bar area and spend a lot less.
(4)David S.
Killer fried Tacos. Like some of the best I've ever had in South Texas.
(5)Wendy C.
Casual fine dining by the slope side, this place is literally steps away from the ski slopes and chair lift. When it's warm enough, sit outside in the patio area and take in the mountainside view -- you are facing the Golden Peak race course. I've only had lunches here during the ski season. The food is quite good -- from wonderfully fresh Caesar salad with potato croutons, to grilled vegetables, to nice meat dishes. Desserts are awesome too, they've mastered high-altitude baking. Services aren't fast, but this isn't the type of place for you to run into to get a quick bite between two runs. So relax and enjoy.
(4)Vail I.
The food is ALWAYS PERFECT here. Amazing wine list.
(5)Jay M.
I came here for dinner with a group of 7 people, and we were all impressed by the food and the dining experience. We returned for lunch the next day after a morning of skiing, and we weren't disappointed. Dishes of note: truffled mushroom appetizer, duck confit, wagyu beef, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. The staff are helpful and attentive, the food came out flawlessly, and the atmosphere is welcoming, but like most ski-resort dining, it's a little more expensive than a comparable restaurant in an area without such a captive audience.
(4)Amber P.
The caesar salad had WARM HANDMADE CROUTONS (made out of shaved potatoes) that absolutely changed my opinion on croutons forever! Mouth-watering! +Monterey calamari +scallops +salmon +dark and stormy Sidenote: Choose your table wisely, as some tables are noticeably less intimate than others.
(4)Missy D.
We held our Friday night wedding cocktail reception here and loved it. The staff & whole experience was fantastic! That was over 6 years ago and we have returned for many dinners. Nothing has changed... you can never go wrong with this spot! Keep in mind, that grabbing the original "Lark Burger" for lunch at the bar is great during the ski season.... its a must for us once a season! YUMMY!
(5)Akash P.
We've been here twice, both times that my wife and I have gone to Vail to ski. I really looked forward to dinner here when we visited Vail in Feb this year. Huge wine list, outstanding food. And I really enjoyed the open kitchen.
(4)T C.
Surprisingly good dinner. Honestly, I really wasn't expecting much of the food here, being a slight food snob at times, but it was quite the meal. Apps: The beef carpaccio app was pretty good (one friend called it the "best carpaccio I've ever had"). The crisp rice bits were a nice contrast in texture and flavor, and it wasn't overly citrus-y like some carpaccios drowned in lime juices , but it all masked the beef flavor a bit too much IMO. Pork belly was quite flavorful. The ahi/hamachi crudo was meh. As a side note, their sourdough is surprisingly decent (coming from an SF native). Mains: My pork duo of tenderloin and belly was really good. The tenderloin was juicy and well (yet not overly) seasoned, accentuating the flavor of the meat, and not the spices. The pork belly was slightly different in flavor than the app, and had a nice crisp exterior which helped cut the richness. Other dishes ordered were the duck (which was delightfully not gamey, like most other preparations), a beef duo of steak and shortribs, and a burger ("good, not great"). Truffle fries ordered off the bar menu were a tad on the salty side. Service from the waiters was exemplary, as they were quite knowledgeable on the chefs' backgrounds (mentioning among other things that the exec. chef worked at Le Bernardin, under Ripert), and made excellent menu suggestions. It sounds like they also change the menu fairly frequently, which in some ways is a good thing, allowing the chefs to experiment and keep from getting stale. ---------------- We also stopped by here for lunch on another day, ordering your basic burgers/sandwiches/fries. Good, not great, but convenient if you're in this part of the mountain for lunch.
(5)Robin H.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Larkspur. The dining room looked very nice with white table service and an open kitchen, but we opted for a cozy candlelit booth by the bar. They have a very extensive wine list, for which they are running half priced specials through the end of ski season. We ordered a great Syrah from Mendocino. The bar food was excellent and the portions were sizable. We tried the famous Larkburger and it was very good and the truffle fries were to die for. We found the wait staff to be friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a great experience!
(5)SillyMango P.
If possible, I'd probably give it 3.5 stars. Overall it is a good dinner. Of the five restaurants we visited in Vail (including Sweet Basil, Terra Bistro, and Up the Creek), it was the most expensive and was the least enjoyable. It was not bad at all, just not as good as you would expect a place like this to be. The amuse bouche was a delicious eggplant puree, which was good because I normally do not enjoy eggplant. The scallops were disappointing. Overcooked and without a proper sear. The beef carpaccio was standard... not amazing The veal scappolini was good as was the duo of pork Chocolate souffle was also standard/good Bottom line - it was overall enjoyable. As the ratings say "a-ok." If someone else pays for my dinner I'd be fine with going here again. However, on my own dime, I'd rather pay to eat somewhere else.
(3)sarah o.
I have two different points to review with the Larkspur. The first is their dinner service, it's pretty darn good and the food is truly delicious. This is one of my favorite places in Vail, and as other reviewers have said, the Larkburger is a pretty darn good deal. I think the ambiance is great, and haven't ever had service problems. The second point I'd like to review them on is their event service. My husband and I had our wedding here a few years back and everything went really, really well. The staff was great in planning... Alisa is the best! Also the food was excellent, they did a great job of getting everyone's choices out at the same time, which was amazing considering people ordered from a choice of 3 options the day of the wedding. My only gripe would be the drinks are a little pricey, especially when you're paying for everyone's drinks ;) The ambiance was great, they did a great job at moving the evening along, and even let us stay an extra hour. In the winter this is very convenient for a quick lunch, and in the summer... well... the patio is beautiful! Definitely recommended!
(4)Rick S.
I hate to give this place a positive review because it's one of the few "deals" left at Vail, but I do like this place a lot. Beers are around $4.50 at "happy hour" which is a steal in this town. I know I'm not the demographic most Vail businesses want up there, but I have a season pass and I like a beer or two and something to eat after skiing. The bartender changed this season and the new guy isn't quite as friendly as the guy that was there the last couple seasons, but that's ok. The ambiance in this place is pretty casual despite it's location, though you still see people coming in that look like their going to a Hollywood party. People watching is a blast! The food is good, but the portions are tiny. They have to get ya somewhere right? Hopefully my review won't cause this place to get so overcrowded that I can't get in anymore!
(4)Trey E.
Excellent food, but there were a few service snafus that keep Larkspur from getting five stars. I had the Cod, which was wonderful. The skin was crispy and very flavorful, and the fish was served over a deconstructed clam chowder. My father ordered the veal which was also very good. Excellent wine selection, both by the glass and by the bottle. The head sommelier wasn't in (it was a Monday evening), but the assistant wine director knew his stuff. The hostess was a total c-word, seating us right next to a very loud group and then bitching when we asked to move. The bartender and all the waitstaff, however, was top-notch.
(4)Jordan K.
From the time we walked in the door until the manager asked us how our food was when we were leaving, our overall experience at Larkspur was exceptional. The staff was very welcoming and guided us through every food choice with ease. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or if you are in the mood for some high-quality, "chic", food. Our dinner lasted close to three hours .. which, is what we wanted. I highly suggest starting with some cheese from their cheese menu. If you are not sure on what cheese to order, do what we did - ask your Waiter! We asked and he brought us a variety of his favorites and we loved every bite. Appetizer ... we went with the Pork Belly. I have had Pork Belly before, but it wast this good! love it ... again, if you like the taste pork, I recommend this appetizer. As for the main course, again, we went with our waiters decision with beef and duck. Every bite was enjoyable and satisfying. Take your lova there .. enjoy some superb food with enjoyable conversation for a memorable night ... You won't be disappointed!
(5)Hagan S.
Great location, right at the base of the mt. I ordered the duck and loved it! Very GF friendly menu as well.
(4)matt b.
*insane* wine list, great food, nice presentation, and comfortable environment. It's a bit on the heavy side, and the waitstaff, while very nice, seemed a bit unorganized, with different people asking if the same dish was "ok", then not returning to refill wine. A minor problem, and may have just been temporarily off.
(4)Jackie W.
Eat at the bar. Pig out. It's worth it. You'll ski it off tomorrow.
(4)scott k.
Could not have been a better experience. They even offered a reasonably priced, high-end prix-fixe meal for the kids. My daughter is still raving about it. We paired our chef's dinner with glasses of wines and savored every last drop. Incredible.
(5)billy c.
Great food. Beautiful space. Above friendly service on all accounts. Dessert was the best experienced dish of the week. And, they even sold us our own set of Copper Mugs to commemorate our experience.
(5)Kim R.
Great food great ambience just love VAIL...awesome grill cheese and tomatoe soup
(4)Ed L.
Did a little ski apres here and the food was amazinggg Caesar salad was off the hook with the warm potato croutons Sliders were the best burger I have had And the pizza was great and well totally worth it and service was good Stay on the apres menu and the prices are good otherwise a little pricey
(5)Liam W.
Love It! The wine list, the wine list, the wine list!! This place is the best! Fantastic service, food was great, their desserts leave something to be desired but still excellent. It is definitely a "fine" dining restaurant so expect your bill to be in the 4 figures for a complete experience. Or if you're like my brother in law buy a bottle of $6,000 champagne and watch your bill soar to the five figure level.
(5)Mike K.
I had a wonderful dinner at Larkspur. The menu was diverse, the wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and if you're looking for a nice place to eat in Vail, you can't go wrong at Larkspur. It sits at the base of Golden Peak, and reservations are needed. I had a light, and delicious Bibb salad to start and dined on a savory Atlantic cod. I was not disappointed. Beautiful decor, and delightful contemporary American cuisine.
(4)Jesse P.
Larkspur offers a great fine dining option to the city of Vail. The decor of the restaurant is contemporary and welcoming, however attention to detail in cleanliness is missed such as dust and smudges on mirror above fireplace. Service staff seemed very nervous and uncomfortable in descriptions of dishes and wine suggestions. The tasting menu offers a great variety of dishes from the main menu. Duck confit was dry and dessert needs more attention.
(4)Pierre W.
Setting and ambience are perfect - especially on a wintry evening - with a dash of pretension thrown in. Larkspur is what you would expect in a Vail restaurant. Service, presentation and cuisine are all excellent, if not a bit stiff. Save it for an evening when formality fits your bill.
(4)John M.
Save your MONEY!!! Used to be one of our favorite restaurant since it opened. Not sure if Vail Associates bought them out or what....cause it's not the same.. Prices have gone up dramatically and the food has gone down significantly. The salmon $34.50 dinky and TASTELESS!!! The Squash soup $15 tasted like tomato soup (used to be fantastic! The croutons which are everybody's favorite are now these huge fried gross globes, totally uneatable Their signature Chicken dish was cooked and soaked in tons of butter. Even the bread is no longer the yummy fresh bread. I wish I could say this was a off night but unfortunately we've gone there twice and both times the food was very disappointing. Hopefully they will read this review and bring back the old Larkspur that was worth going to 10 times a year.
(1)Gregory T.
At $75 a person for the 5 course tasting, a diner will be served a very tasty and well blended dinner. The staff is willing to explain any dish and what to expect on each course. Completing dinner with complimentary coffee capped a very enjoyable and relaxing evening. Even with some nervousness expressed by the waitstaff, they were very informative and kind. The ambience of the restaurant is calm and relaxing. This restaurant is surely recommended!
(4)Susan J.
Food was the best we had in Vail but I wouldn't say it was amazing. Location is a bit off the beaten path and quiet. Service was very good even if they take themselves a little bit too seriously at times. Had the risotto which was tasty and sig other had the pork which he also enjoyed. Would definitely go back next time we are in town.
(4)denise s.
i recently went to this restaurant to celebrate my 60th birthday along with three women also celebrating theirs. We made a point to include this fact in our reservation as well as announcing it to the hostess upon our arrival. We were very happy to be coming from all over the country for this special celebration. We expected some small acknowledgement from the staff or management but after seating us in total Siberia next to the kitchen, away from any possible restaurantt buzz, we did not get so much as a candle or a "happy birthday" from ANYONE. When we drew this to the attention of the manager he was extremely smug and not not the least bit apologetic. In spite of the fact that the food was food was good (but really overpriced) I would never go back again.
(2)Allison J.
AWESOME BURGERS!!! The best in Vail Valley and I'm not kidding! The thing is,... people don't generally associate Larkspur with burgers. Larkspur is at the base of Golden Peak which means you can ski right to the restaurant if you're skiing/ boarding in Vail. It's best known for the dinners but... damn! The burgers are sooooo goood!! The secret to their burgers is a pat of "hotel butter" put in the center of the raw meat before they grill it. The butter has a little garlic in it too for more flavor. My favorite is ordering the "Lo Carb" burger where you get the meat wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun and you get edamame instead of french fries. But you know what? You can also get TRUFFLED french fries as a side for a $2 more. OOooooaaahhh! I soooo miss this place for the burgers! But... enough about the burgers.... let's talk more about the other offerings. The chef, Thomas Salamonovich, used to be the executive chef at Postrio in San Francisco and offers a "New American" menu at Larkspur. For appetizers I recommend PETITS ESCARGOTS AND WILD MUSHROOM POT PIE with cognac, parsley and butter. It's so comforting and rich! Want something lighter? Try the Beet and endive salad which is presented in a beautiful checkerboard of red and yellow beets. As entrees, some people always order his VEAL SCALLOPINI and swear it's the best they've ever had... but I opt for the ORGANIC IRISH SALMON with baba ghanoush and chickpea-lemon vinaigrette. Save room for a cheese board though. They have a pretty good selection of about 8 cheeses for you to choose from. I love the presentation. You get to choose 3 cheeses and they put them on a black slate board with the names of the cheeses written in chalk on the board. You get a fruit compote, pomegranate seeds and flat bread to accompany your cheeses too. Larkspur gets a pretty high end crowd at night but it's fair to say that all of Vail is pretty high end. The best kept secret back in 2005 was that you could get a burger and pint of beer for $10 at the bar during dinner hours. Amazing.
(4)Scott M.
Wanted to write a quick review as my girlfriend and I had a fantastic time...service was really good...every dish we had was extremely good and the portion size was generous...while I have not been to Sweet Basil or Kelly Liken, this was the best dining experience I have had in Vail...and certainly the best value...
(5)jeannie c.
The food was surprisingly great and the service was fairly attentive. The tomato soup was delicious as was the ahi crudo, the steak sampling and the home made potato croutons on the caesar salad. We went during spring break with 4 kids and they had a terrific kids' menu. The kids' food was also fantastic and all 4 of them said is was one of the best restaurants they've been too (and they've all been to a lot). They had the best little chocolate chip cookies, right out of the oven for them. A little pricey, but hey, it's Vail. What isn't expensive here!?
(4)Andrew T.
I've been eating here for years, but my last 2 experiences cost them a star, mostly for service. I hosted a birthday dinner for 10 people which was ok, but annoying insofar as the servers now try to do a little ballet, choreographing the serving of plates to happen at the exact same time; all they're missing are the silver dome tops! This is a difficult enough task to perfect with the most experienced & seasoned servers, but with inexperienced seasonal temporary help, it is a pretentious annoyance. The food was 4 out of 5 stars, but such a shame that after something like 10 years, they took the excellent onion soup off of their menu. I was also annoyed that even after I pointed out the birthday guest (my 73 yo mother) to both the manager and waiter, they served the birthday desert to my 26 yo brother instead! What's more, there were no candles (they don't do candles) or singing, anti-climactic and just plain wrong. I returned some days later for lunch and was charged almost $24 for an overcooked bacon cheeseburger, the lobster sandwich cost even less! Something is wrong here...
(3)Erin M.
Realllly great place. Evey year we have our Code of Women trip and there's usually 8-11 of us and we've never had a problem and every time is fabulous. Very pricey, but oh-so-worth it. Service and food is phenomenal.
(5)Shiho F.
Best Apres Ski at Vail! Best in my opinion since they serve up a mean Berry Infused Vodka with a splash of lemonade. Super refreshing! Haven't had the chance to try their food yet but dinner is $$$ according to all the local food articles. Probably worth it though, if you think of it you are skiing or riding at one of the nation's best ski resorts. Might as well have a dinner that is up to par as the slopes.
(5)amy m.
Can you get any better than a bottle of 1/2 price sparkling? I didn't think so, but then we ordered the mini home made corn dogs with the dipping sauces. Um, can I have another 3 lbs of this stuff? The legendary larkburger was amazing as usual.
(5)John D.
Heard lots of good things about this place so we picked it for our anniversary. Pros - food was excellent. Shared the ahi and hamachi crudo, ceasar salad and wagyu beef carpaccio to start. The crudo was light and fresh, the carpaccio was among the best we've had. For entrees we shared the wagyu new york and short ribs as well as the duck menage a trois. Both were fab but the latter is their signature dish and was excellent. Cons - restaurant feels very big, so big that we wondered whether it can stay in business. If you're going for cozy, this isn't really your place. They also keep the dining room too lit - I asked the question of our server and he said the owner "likes a well lit dining room." Hmm, wonder if the customers do. Last, we had a random smattering of servers coming by all the time and, on one occasion, we were asked the same thing twice. There's no excuse for that at their prices - things should be coordinated. All in all would go back, through, for a special occasion.
(4)Norman G.
Came for President's Week Vacation with family and friends. Food was excellent as expected, background music was a bit loud, and service was a bit uneven. Initial reception was a little cool and aloof even though we had reservations, and coat check was unattended for over 5 minutes without any offers of help from receptionists. Bar and Meal service were up to Larkspur's usual high standards and much appreciated. Cocktails were well executed and capably described by the wait staff. We did not have wine this time but during past visits the sommelier was both helpful and friendly. Appetizer winners included Oysters on the half shell, Caesar Salad, and Butternut Squash Soup. Dinner highlights included Veal Scaloppini, Sole, Steak, roasted brussel sprouts, truffle fries, and scallops. Fuji Apple Galette and home made donuts with Dulce de Leche were outstanding. Larkspur has been a favorite Vail dinner spot for our family during both Winter and Summer since they opened nearly 15 years ago. The food and wait service are consistently very good without the formality or stuffiness of some other top tier Vail Restaurants.
(4)scott k.
Could not have been a better experience. They even offered a reasonably priced, high-end prix-fixe meal for the kids. My daughter is still raving about it. We paired our chef's dinner with glasses of wines and savored every last drop. Incredible.
(5)billy c.
Great food. Beautiful space. Above friendly service on all accounts. Dessert was the best experienced dish of the week. And, they even sold us our own set of Copper Mugs to commemorate our experience.
(5)Kim R.
Great food great ambience just love VAIL...awesome grill cheese and tomatoe soup
(4)Ed L.
Did a little ski apres here and the food was amazinggg Caesar salad was off the hook with the warm potato croutons Sliders were the best burger I have had And the pizza was great and well totally worth it and service was good Stay on the apres menu and the prices are good otherwise a little pricey
(5)Liam W.
Love It! The wine list, the wine list, the wine list!! This place is the best! Fantastic service, food was great, their desserts leave something to be desired but still excellent. It is definitely a "fine" dining restaurant so expect your bill to be in the 4 figures for a complete experience. Or if you're like my brother in law buy a bottle of $6,000 champagne and watch your bill soar to the five figure level.
(5)Trey E.
Excellent food, but there were a few service snafus that keep Larkspur from getting five stars. I had the Cod, which was wonderful. The skin was crispy and very flavorful, and the fish was served over a deconstructed clam chowder. My father ordered the veal which was also very good. Excellent wine selection, both by the glass and by the bottle. The head sommelier wasn't in (it was a Monday evening), but the assistant wine director knew his stuff. The hostess was a total c-word, seating us right next to a very loud group and then bitching when we asked to move. The bartender and all the waitstaff, however, was top-notch.
(4)Mike K.
I had a wonderful dinner at Larkspur. The menu was diverse, the wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and if you're looking for a nice place to eat in Vail, you can't go wrong at Larkspur. It sits at the base of Golden Peak, and reservations are needed. I had a light, and delicious Bibb salad to start and dined on a savory Atlantic cod. I was not disappointed. Beautiful decor, and delightful contemporary American cuisine.
(4)Jesse P.
Larkspur offers a great fine dining option to the city of Vail. The decor of the restaurant is contemporary and welcoming, however attention to detail in cleanliness is missed such as dust and smudges on mirror above fireplace. Service staff seemed very nervous and uncomfortable in descriptions of dishes and wine suggestions. The tasting menu offers a great variety of dishes from the main menu. Duck confit was dry and dessert needs more attention.
(4)Alan E.
Limited menu. Poorly trained staff. Very disappointing. Vail has many better options. They need to go back to the old format.
(1)Jackie W.
Eat at the bar. Pig out. It's worth it. You'll ski it off tomorrow.
(4)matt b.
*insane* wine list, great food, nice presentation, and comfortable environment. It's a bit on the heavy side, and the waitstaff, while very nice, seemed a bit unorganized, with different people asking if the same dish was "ok", then not returning to refill wine. A minor problem, and may have just been temporarily off.
(4)Henry H.
We were in town for a meeting. The group chose Larkspur and we were excited. We dined here about a year ago and remembered everything was great! This time with a group of 40 we were disappointed. The bartender was great! The waiter for our table must have gotten upset when we added a place setting to make the table suitable for eight. The evening started well, but he was way below average. He had a poor attitude, was super slow. The evening was more like waiter,..........waiter were art thou? The squash soup was very good, the crispy chicken was edible and the cheesecake he recommended was a .........one bite, not worth the calories type quality. So many great places to eat in Vail, so luckily I don't ever have to go back!
(2)Rich H.
I ate here with a group of 35 people and menu was limited to selections for our event. Appetizers were uniformly excellent, especially the veal meatballs. Gazpacho shooters were tasty, too. Heirloom tomato salad was drowned in dressing, partially covering the flavor of the prime tomatoes. What spoiled the dinner was the main course: beef roulade. This was the chef's fantasy (my nightmare) of roulade. It came as several flat, quarter sized pieces of thinly sliced mystery, over-cooked until it was tough and dry. It resembled black sausage, but was tasteless (except for a burnt taste). Shameful. Accompanying fresh peas were tasty, but housed in a cup made of dry, deep-fried prosciutto. What a waste to destroy prosciutto that way. I complained about the dish but the waiter did nothing more than say "sorry." The insipid cheesecake desert was not fully defrosted. Don't waste your time or money at this place.
(1)Eric W.
Wow; what a disappointment. Larkspur used to be one of my favorites in Vail for fine dining. Great food and outstanding wine list. Apparently, they have a new business plan that has a menu more like their old lunch menu and a terrible wine list. Caesar salad was ok as was the NY steak but could just as easily had the hamburger. Fortunately, they went into the cellar and found me a good off list Pinot (their last bottle of Sea Smoke 10). Might go back for lunch but definitely off the list for dinner.
(2)edward W.
Grabbed a burger at their takeout. Great, great burger. Fries a little to skinny for my liking (think shoelaces) but surprisingly good Would eat again
(4)Jim J.
Terrible experience and terrible food. They have changed their appearance from white table linens to jeans. In turn their service has suffered and is representative of a casual bar without bar prices. It took over 25 min to receive our first round of drinks. 4 of 10 meals were cold and over cooked, which is hard to do. Salmon was over cooked, dry and hard which not hard to do. They removed the meals, but never returned with replacements. As always, fries and burgers were great-should be for $24. We have enjoyed many wonderful meals in the past. However at this time, I am uncertain if we will return.
(1)Christina L.
After a long morning of ski lessons, we came here to eat. Sitting by the window, watching the skiers come down the slopes made for the perfect atmosphere. Everyone said the burger was phenomenal and I would agree its pretty good. It's the perfect meal to reenergize you after working out so much. The fries were really good and the truffle fries were delicious. Going again for lunch today because you really can't beat the view. The only reason it lost a star was for the slow service. Our server was friendly through, so no complaints there.
(4)Lucy K.
Favorite restaurant we ate at in Vail. Sommelier was amazing as were the nadmixed drinks. Everything was top-notch, nowhere else we went really held a candle to the quality and service.
(5)Doug H.
Gird your wallet, and enjoy a fine meal in Vail with the world's 1%ers. The thing that strikes you about the Larkspur is the amount of service people that are there to serve you. From the coat check woman to the multiple servers there to pour water, bus tables, and take orders it's almost like a Michelin starred French restaurant in a big city. When courses come to the table, a regiment of attractive uniformed servers march to your table and simultaneously place the dish in front of each diner. It's an impressive show of force. But it's really quite smart, because the bane of nearly every ski resort restaurant is long waits and poor service because the crowds of skiers overwhelm at dinner time, so the Larkspur's expenditure on personnel is admirable. This is Vail during the high season, when workers are so sparse it takes you twenty minutes to get a latte at Starbucks. It partially explains the very high prices at the Larkspur (about $75 per person excluding drinks), but honestly, it's no worse than the other fine dining establishments in the priciest ski resort in America. My family dined with another family at the Larkspur, so our large group had a wide sampling of everything the Larkspur has to offer. The dishes were very elegantly presented and were for the most part delicious. Very traditional fare, nothing particularly innovative taste-wise, but it was high quality ingredients cooked with care and talent. I was a little put off by the truffles shaved over everything elements of the menu. It's as if they had so many truffles left over from last year, they had to use 'em or lose 'em. I had the chicken dish, which was a really delicious roast breast and thigh, but honestly, I forgot that it came with some truffle sauce over it while I was eating it. The scallops dish looked divine and my daughter reported that they tasted great. The roast meat dishes, especially the steaks are spot-on. The vegetarian options were a bit sparse, and they had to cobble together a couple of veggie entrees by excluding the meat. Surprising that a restaurant would leave vegetarians with no options, especially when the vegetarian side dishes (which you can order a la carte) were so good. The spinach received raves that I have never heard for a side dish before, and I found the roast brussel sprouts perfect. Don't miss the desserts either. The apple galette, chocolate souffle and other cakes are just so satisfying after burning so many calories skiing all day. And just to illustrate the care and attention that the Larkspur gives to their diners, the coffee is served in a french press with a sand timer, and they tell you to press the plunger when the sand runs out. Old fashioned but precise: just a detail that epitomizes a meal at the Larkspur.
(4)Maria P.
I brought my mother here for lunch considering my last experience here was so good. It took a while to seat us even though there were plenty if open tables, they just hadn't been cleared yet. When we finally sat our waitress didn't introduce herself just poured water and left. When she returned we order the Carpaccio Salad and Chicken Adobo sandwich. The sandwich was great crunchy and flavorful however mom was a little dissatisfied with the salad, especially when the waitress came back to clear my plate and took moms with a few bites left on it without asking if she was finished. Additionally it took forever for her to bring the one beer we ordered over. The restaurant wasn't crowded so I don't know what her deal was. Her poor service inevitably made her tip lower than it would have been. I was unimpressed with the service and not I can get comparable food elsewhere.
(3)Bill T.
Stopped here for lunch on a snowy day and ordered the chili...amazing. So good I had to go back for lunch the next day. Service was spot on, and the setting was clean and elegant. We showed up a half hour for our reservation by accident, and the manager handled it very well and made us feel very welcome.
(5)Alex M.
TERRIBLE. I waited 20 minutes for a drink and the bartender (some blonde chick with way too much plastic surgery) wouldn't acknowledge me or anyone else at the bar. Instead, she just made drinks for all of the tickets and ignored the thirty people sitting in front of her. I'm not one to post bad reviews but considering the outrageous price of everything on the menu ( yes I know everything at Vail is expensive) and terrible service, I just had to say something :(
(1)Liz P.
The Larkspur arguably makes some of best french fries on earth. That said, the menu is pretty limited. Also, last time I was there, we called ahead and got a reservation for lunch at 11:45, only to discover that the restaurant doesn't open until 12:00 - very weird.
(3)Garth B.
Disappointed.. 1st the Reception wasn't very warm. Then either the waiter wasn't good or the kitchen was killing him. Not sure which. Oysters were outstanding but the entrees were not. veal wasn't memorable and my wife's fish was just ok. Table next to us was pissed 2nd to not receiving their food in a timely manner. Dined at Larkspur last year and had a much better experience. Probably will skip it next year though.
(2)Marilyn T.
Again, a snow storm got in the way as we were heading in the first night from Denver, but we made it in by 9:15pm, and it was still pretty full. As it's at the base of the Golden Peak lift, once you park, it looks like you're walking into a closed ski lodge - it would have been nice if they had a bigger sign or more lights. Valet is free, but there's also a free lot adjacent to the restaurant. To start, there are 2 kind of bread.. the sweet rolls topped with sea salt were my favorite; there was another multigrain one. Butter comes with black coarse salt on it, Wines by the glass start at around $11. They had a very smooth grenache for about $12. There was also a Riesling from Alsace that was just ok - a little too acidic for my taste. I was more drawn to the cocktail list, and the ruby grapefruit one was awesomwe - basil, salt rimmed glass, strong grapefruit flavor, not too sweet. To start, I had the ahi tuna crudo with wasabi cream. The ahi is a beautiful reddish pink color, and the wasabi cream is just the right amount. The bacon jam and crisped brioche make the dish. This was probably the highlight The gnocchi with duck confit has good flavor, and the duck is done well. While I'm all for pillowy gnocchi, theirs was a little too mushy on that night. The scallops come in an appetizer portion with frisee, two seared scallops, and blood orange. The scallops on my plate were overdone and almost rubbery, so I'm not sure if they sat for a while. As for sides, the polenta mousseline is smooth and comforting but pretty buttery. The broccoli is a nice lighter dish, but I'm not sure where the breadcrumbs from the "chaplure" went. The Colorado lamb duo was done very nicely. The chop was fattier than I like, but the meat on it was done well. The cannelloni had well seasoned braised lamb inside, which was really flavorful, not gamey at all, but the outside of the cannelloni was dried out. To finish, the souffle was done nicely. I actually preferred it without the creme anglaise - the chocolate was rich yet light, not too sweet. Portions aren't big. I saw another table request a tasting menu, which the chef was able to do. Presentation was not fancy but nice (well, the ahi tuna was plated beautifully). The dining room also got a bit loud due to a few guests who had too much to drink, but the tables are spaced out nicely. As it's pretty much on the mountain, it's not cheap. It's too bad you can't see much of the view at night.
(3)Greg K.
The best lunch on the slopes. Service is exellent. Food is superior. Pricey. Only real drawback is long way by 2 lifts back to midvail.
(5)Cat S.
AMAZING. So amazing that I'm reviewing it almost a year later. Came here for a work dinner, which helped since dinner was on the company! Luckily I have a photographic menu memory and remember everything I had. Apps: shared a bunch at the table - foie gras, pork belly and seared scallop, tuna tartare, goat cheese and prosciutto raviolis Dinner: wagyu new york strip and short ribs entree. All of this combined with some great red wine and some obscenely decadent desserts = stuffed to the brim YUM. There is no shortage of great restaurants in Vail (and I sampled as much as humanly possible when there) but this was definitely top tier.
(5)Diana M.
One of the attributes for Larkspur is the ease of parking in a generally pedestrian town. You can valet park or around the corner there is a parking lot that in the daytime is full of skiers cars and free at night. Atmosphere is good and the tables far enough apart to have a conversation. The 3of us all chose the excellent panfried chicken which was moist and juicy with crispy crispy skin, absolutely perfect. Sadly the accompanying brussel sprouts were over charred which was disappointing as we all were looking forward to them. The soft bed of polenta was delightful. The house made sorbets vary each evening - cucumber, blood orange, chocolate and coconut vanished very quickly and were a lovely counterpoint to the main course. We were happy!
(4)Ben J.
I ate again here in February 2014. I can't begin to express how awesome the food is. We had a server (wish I could remember his name) who was fantastic. He paired our food with an excellent acidic wine. I had the beets for app, dulce chocolate torte for dessert. Fantastic.
(5)Zachary S.
This was a really great dinner for us. After much research for where to eat in Vail, I was drawn to the everchanging and eclectic menu. The service was remarkable, too. We chose NOT to have the tasting menu. We didn't want most of the items on it and it didn't seem flexible, but also it appeared the tasting menu would have cost more than we were going to spend on food alone, anyhow. Not enticed at all by that, we just chose our own appetizers and mains. I'd recommend getting a reseravtion, as these guys might fill up, but totally worth it. Check out their cafe in the morning, too, for a good breakfast sandwich before you hit the slopes!
(5)Rachel N.
You know, I was initially skeptical abt Larkspur, given that it's in the same building as the ski school locker room -- but it's actually a beautiful space (think mountain rustic, but with modern touches, such as Moroccan inspired lamps) that continues to put out solid food, year after year. I often go for lunch, which is a lovely break from the slock on the mountain -- and while this isn't a poor man's lunch -- I think the grilled cheese and tomato soup are $18.5 -- it's delicious and civilized. This is not to suggest that lunch isn't somewhat of a mad house -- I feel like I'm always at a table w/ 8 people, and there are many other large groups around us -- so service can be a bit B team, but the food is always lovely -- recently mussels and calamari ala plancha hit the spot, as did whatever arugula pizza is on the menu. The din scene is significantly quieter, and here the impeccable food is more likely to be matched by proper service -- the wine list is extensive, expensive, and yummy -- and while the menu at first may seem like nothing I'm dying for, every time I dine, I'm always thrilled with the interesting flavor combinations and care in each dish. Din for 2 will run you at least $150 -- but in the grand scheme of Vail dining, I'd say that for once, the price actually fits the quality of food. Worth a trip.
(4)Patrick B.
Great food and awesome service. An impressive wine list that is maintained by an enthusiastic som, who doesn't come off like a snob when helping you pick. The wine selection is excellent to say the least. The menu is unique, and has some nice delicacies if you are in the mood to splurge on fresh black truffles or caviar...
(4)Kelly B.
Our first time here was wonderful. They did a 3 course for $39 and Hal off select wines. We still had a $700 bill between the four of us because of cocktails but we didn't care. The service was great. After calling a few nights ago, with some friends who aren't in the $700 diner range (like anybody really is!), the answering machine said they were still doing the 3 for $39. I tried calling numerous times but no one answered. When we arrived everyone acted like we were nuts, even after playing their own voicemail! We just made the most of it but the lack of acknowledgement (even a manager saying, 'wow, I am so sorry. I will change the VM right away' would have been polite and encouraged us to return. There are enough really phenomenal places in Vail with great service, we don't need to hike all the way to East Vail. Despite our experience with the staff, the food is good. :)
(1)Matt C.
This is a beautiful little spot backed up against the mountain. The view was unparalleled and the staff bent over backwards to make sure everything was smooth. Their patio happy hour was very reasonable and they even had $1.50 oysters!!! Our first batch was a little salty and they didn't even hesitate to replace them with a much tastier round. The drink preparation was also very well executed. I ordered a "percocet" (not on the menu but recommended by some of the regulars), apparently they forgot to put a sprig of rosemary in, but to be honest it didn't matter much to me, still tasted delicious. My only warning is that this is an upscale establishment with upscale prices. You will get what you pay for, but do no expect it to be a cheap night! If you are looking to splurge, get a great view of the mountain, enjoy excellent service and food, then this is a must visit.
(4)Sue G.
Food was okay, server was subpar. He negated to pour one of our friends her wine, didn't ask if we wanted coffee/tea with our dessert. At $95/person tasting menu for the 5 of us, you would expect some attentiveness. Then the bill had 18% tip already filled in. I hate that. Truthfully, the only thing I loved was the fresh bread and only thing I remember from the tasting menu is the dessert, which was presented as "the chef's take on PB&J". It was okay.
(3)Patrick W.
Great atmosphere but food was not terrific.
(3)David S.
Killer fried Tacos. Like some of the best I've ever had in South Texas.
(5)Lynn S.
very pretty atmosphere, cocktails were good. Caesar salad had way too much dressing on it, but beet salad was good. Entrees were very good, however, there were only 2 shrimp on the shrimp entree for over $30. Ridiculous. Very expensive, but nice if you have a special occasion. Next time, I will sit in the bar area and spend a lot less.
(4)Bonnie n.
The food and service for dinner was amazing! Apres ski was another story, the food was amazing but the atmosphere and service left something to be desired. The bar area was full of kids screaming, running around opening the door to outside making it pretty cold inside. The service was awful. We sat at a table for over 10 minutes without getting any sort of service.They said they would send out server over a few times. I think we had to ask 3 different waiters to order our food and drinks. For our water we had to go to the bar to get it. Palisade Tomato-Polenta Soup- soo good. nice and hot, hit the spot after a long day on the slopes Mushroom Royale Pizza (rocket, house made ricotta, truffle vinaigrette)- got it gluten free- the best gluten free pizza i've ever had. didn't taste gluten free at all. DEEELISH! We came back for drinks, later in the evening because we initially liked the space. And since the food was so good the first time when we got hungry again we decided to have dinner here too. We sat at the bar and had drinks to start, the bartender was extremely friendly and helpful with choices. The drinks were tasty. Not positive what soup we had but I think it was potato leek, and it was once again really good. roasted free-range chicken- my boyfriend said it was possibly the best chicken he has ever eaten. The skin was crisp without any fat left, the chicken was plump and juicy. Everything on the plate complimented each other so well. Wish I was hungrier so I could have tried more food. As we were sitting at the bar another gentleman sat a few seats down and ordered almost everything on the menu. He'd have a few bites and then go on to the next one. The service and attention he got was insane. We were later told that he was the owner. Which explained a lot. It's nice to know that the owner comes in and checks on the quality of the food.
(4)Lynn C.
The food here is good but not great and definitely overpriced. I had the Arctic Char, which was well prepared but not special. The gnocchi with duck confit appetizer was good, but a bit too buttery, and had minimal duck. My husband had lamb, which he also felt was good but not great and some of the lamb was dry. The atmosphere is not special - the place is relatively large, and the night we were there a company was having a function in a room that is adjacent to the main dining room - so people were standing around in the dining room waiting in line to get their name tags. There is nothing particularly wrong with this, but not what I would expect of a "fine dining" experience.
(2)Beaux C.
An incredible wine list combined with impressive/near-perfect service makes this restaurant one of the best in Vail. But where the menu provides an abundance of options, the main dishes lack in the wow-factor when it comes to flavor. So skip the mains and just order 3 sides of truffle fries. They are great. Particularly after a long day on the slopes.
(3)Nhoi O.
Great food. Some of the plates needed to be cleaned on the rim before sending out to us. Service was a bit unfriendly and awkward.
(4)Wendy C.
Casual fine dining by the slope side, this place is literally steps away from the ski slopes and chair lift. When it's warm enough, sit outside in the patio area and take in the mountainside view -- you are facing the Golden Peak race course. I've only had lunches here during the ski season. The food is quite good -- from wonderfully fresh Caesar salad with potato croutons, to grilled vegetables, to nice meat dishes. Desserts are awesome too, they've mastered high-altitude baking. Services aren't fast, but this isn't the type of place for you to run into to get a quick bite between two runs. So relax and enjoy.
(4)Vail I.
The food is ALWAYS PERFECT here. Amazing wine list.
(5)Jay M.
I came here for dinner with a group of 7 people, and we were all impressed by the food and the dining experience. We returned for lunch the next day after a morning of skiing, and we weren't disappointed. Dishes of note: truffled mushroom appetizer, duck confit, wagyu beef, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. The staff are helpful and attentive, the food came out flawlessly, and the atmosphere is welcoming, but like most ski-resort dining, it's a little more expensive than a comparable restaurant in an area without such a captive audience.
(4)Amber P.
The caesar salad had WARM HANDMADE CROUTONS (made out of shaved potatoes) that absolutely changed my opinion on croutons forever! Mouth-watering! +Monterey calamari +scallops +salmon +dark and stormy Sidenote: Choose your table wisely, as some tables are noticeably less intimate than others.
(4)Missy D.
We held our Friday night wedding cocktail reception here and loved it. The staff & whole experience was fantastic! That was over 6 years ago and we have returned for many dinners. Nothing has changed... you can never go wrong with this spot! Keep in mind, that grabbing the original "Lark Burger" for lunch at the bar is great during the ski season.... its a must for us once a season! YUMMY!
(5)Akash P.
We've been here twice, both times that my wife and I have gone to Vail to ski. I really looked forward to dinner here when we visited Vail in Feb this year. Huge wine list, outstanding food. And I really enjoyed the open kitchen.
(4)T C.
Surprisingly good dinner. Honestly, I really wasn't expecting much of the food here, being a slight food snob at times, but it was quite the meal. Apps: The beef carpaccio app was pretty good (one friend called it the "best carpaccio I've ever had"). The crisp rice bits were a nice contrast in texture and flavor, and it wasn't overly citrus-y like some carpaccios drowned in lime juices , but it all masked the beef flavor a bit too much IMO. Pork belly was quite flavorful. The ahi/hamachi crudo was meh. As a side note, their sourdough is surprisingly decent (coming from an SF native). Mains: My pork duo of tenderloin and belly was really good. The tenderloin was juicy and well (yet not overly) seasoned, accentuating the flavor of the meat, and not the spices. The pork belly was slightly different in flavor than the app, and had a nice crisp exterior which helped cut the richness. Other dishes ordered were the duck (which was delightfully not gamey, like most other preparations), a beef duo of steak and shortribs, and a burger ("good, not great"). Truffle fries ordered off the bar menu were a tad on the salty side. Service from the waiters was exemplary, as they were quite knowledgeable on the chefs' backgrounds (mentioning among other things that the exec. chef worked at Le Bernardin, under Ripert), and made excellent menu suggestions. It sounds like they also change the menu fairly frequently, which in some ways is a good thing, allowing the chefs to experiment and keep from getting stale. ---------------- We also stopped by here for lunch on another day, ordering your basic burgers/sandwiches/fries. Good, not great, but convenient if you're in this part of the mountain for lunch.
(5)Robin H.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Larkspur. The dining room looked very nice with white table service and an open kitchen, but we opted for a cozy candlelit booth by the bar. They have a very extensive wine list, for which they are running half priced specials through the end of ski season. We ordered a great Syrah from Mendocino. The bar food was excellent and the portions were sizable. We tried the famous Larkburger and it was very good and the truffle fries were to die for. We found the wait staff to be friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a great experience!
(5)sarah o.
I have two different points to review with the Larkspur. The first is their dinner service, it's pretty darn good and the food is truly delicious. This is one of my favorite places in Vail, and as other reviewers have said, the Larkburger is a pretty darn good deal. I think the ambiance is great, and haven't ever had service problems. The second point I'd like to review them on is their event service. My husband and I had our wedding here a few years back and everything went really, really well. The staff was great in planning... Alisa is the best! Also the food was excellent, they did a great job of getting everyone's choices out at the same time, which was amazing considering people ordered from a choice of 3 options the day of the wedding. My only gripe would be the drinks are a little pricey, especially when you're paying for everyone's drinks ;) The ambiance was great, they did a great job at moving the evening along, and even let us stay an extra hour. In the winter this is very convenient for a quick lunch, and in the summer... well... the patio is beautiful! Definitely recommended!
(4)SillyMango P.
If possible, I'd probably give it 3.5 stars. Overall it is a good dinner. Of the five restaurants we visited in Vail (including Sweet Basil, Terra Bistro, and Up the Creek), it was the most expensive and was the least enjoyable. It was not bad at all, just not as good as you would expect a place like this to be. The amuse bouche was a delicious eggplant puree, which was good because I normally do not enjoy eggplant. The scallops were disappointing. Overcooked and without a proper sear. The beef carpaccio was standard... not amazing The veal scappolini was good as was the duo of pork Chocolate souffle was also standard/good Bottom line - it was overall enjoyable. As the ratings say "a-ok." If someone else pays for my dinner I'd be fine with going here again. However, on my own dime, I'd rather pay to eat somewhere else.
(3)Rick S.
I hate to give this place a positive review because it's one of the few "deals" left at Vail, but I do like this place a lot. Beers are around $4.50 at "happy hour" which is a steal in this town. I know I'm not the demographic most Vail businesses want up there, but I have a season pass and I like a beer or two and something to eat after skiing. The bartender changed this season and the new guy isn't quite as friendly as the guy that was there the last couple seasons, but that's ok. The ambiance in this place is pretty casual despite it's location, though you still see people coming in that look like their going to a Hollywood party. People watching is a blast! The food is good, but the portions are tiny. They have to get ya somewhere right? Hopefully my review won't cause this place to get so overcrowded that I can't get in anymore!
(4)Jordan K.
From the time we walked in the door until the manager asked us how our food was when we were leaving, our overall experience at Larkspur was exceptional. The staff was very welcoming and guided us through every food choice with ease. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or if you are in the mood for some high-quality, "chic", food. Our dinner lasted close to three hours .. which, is what we wanted. I highly suggest starting with some cheese from their cheese menu. If you are not sure on what cheese to order, do what we did - ask your Waiter! We asked and he brought us a variety of his favorites and we loved every bite. Appetizer ... we went with the Pork Belly. I have had Pork Belly before, but it wast this good! love it ... again, if you like the taste pork, I recommend this appetizer. As for the main course, again, we went with our waiters decision with beef and duck. Every bite was enjoyable and satisfying. Take your lova there .. enjoy some superb food with enjoyable conversation for a memorable night ... You won't be disappointed!
(5)Hagan S.
Great location, right at the base of the mt. I ordered the duck and loved it! Very GF friendly menu as well.
(4)Pierre W.
Setting and ambience are perfect - especially on a wintry evening - with a dash of pretension thrown in. Larkspur is what you would expect in a Vail restaurant. Service, presentation and cuisine are all excellent, if not a bit stiff. Save it for an evening when formality fits your bill.
(4)John M.
Save your MONEY!!! Used to be one of our favorite restaurant since it opened. Not sure if Vail Associates bought them out or what....cause it's not the same.. Prices have gone up dramatically and the food has gone down significantly. The salmon $34.50 dinky and TASTELESS!!! The Squash soup $15 tasted like tomato soup (used to be fantastic! The croutons which are everybody's favorite are now these huge fried gross globes, totally uneatable Their signature Chicken dish was cooked and soaked in tons of butter. Even the bread is no longer the yummy fresh bread. I wish I could say this was a off night but unfortunately we've gone there twice and both times the food was very disappointing. Hopefully they will read this review and bring back the old Larkspur that was worth going to 10 times a year.
(1)Gregory T.
At $75 a person for the 5 course tasting, a diner will be served a very tasty and well blended dinner. The staff is willing to explain any dish and what to expect on each course. Completing dinner with complimentary coffee capped a very enjoyable and relaxing evening. Even with some nervousness expressed by the waitstaff, they were very informative and kind. The ambience of the restaurant is calm and relaxing. This restaurant is surely recommended!
(4)denise s.
i recently went to this restaurant to celebrate my 60th birthday along with three women also celebrating theirs. We made a point to include this fact in our reservation as well as announcing it to the hostess upon our arrival. We were very happy to be coming from all over the country for this special celebration. We expected some small acknowledgement from the staff or management but after seating us in total Siberia next to the kitchen, away from any possible restaurantt buzz, we did not get so much as a candle or a "happy birthday" from ANYONE. When we drew this to the attention of the manager he was extremely smug and not not the least bit apologetic. In spite of the fact that the food was food was good (but really overpriced) I would never go back again.
(2)Allison J.
AWESOME BURGERS!!! The best in Vail Valley and I'm not kidding! The thing is,... people don't generally associate Larkspur with burgers. Larkspur is at the base of Golden Peak which means you can ski right to the restaurant if you're skiing/ boarding in Vail. It's best known for the dinners but... damn! The burgers are sooooo goood!! The secret to their burgers is a pat of "hotel butter" put in the center of the raw meat before they grill it. The butter has a little garlic in it too for more flavor. My favorite is ordering the "Lo Carb" burger where you get the meat wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun and you get edamame instead of french fries. But you know what? You can also get TRUFFLED french fries as a side for a $2 more. OOooooaaahhh! I soooo miss this place for the burgers! But... enough about the burgers.... let's talk more about the other offerings. The chef, Thomas Salamonovich, used to be the executive chef at Postrio in San Francisco and offers a "New American" menu at Larkspur. For appetizers I recommend PETITS ESCARGOTS AND WILD MUSHROOM POT PIE with cognac, parsley and butter. It's so comforting and rich! Want something lighter? Try the Beet and endive salad which is presented in a beautiful checkerboard of red and yellow beets. As entrees, some people always order his VEAL SCALLOPINI and swear it's the best they've ever had... but I opt for the ORGANIC IRISH SALMON with baba ghanoush and chickpea-lemon vinaigrette. Save room for a cheese board though. They have a pretty good selection of about 8 cheeses for you to choose from. I love the presentation. You get to choose 3 cheeses and they put them on a black slate board with the names of the cheeses written in chalk on the board. You get a fruit compote, pomegranate seeds and flat bread to accompany your cheeses too. Larkspur gets a pretty high end crowd at night but it's fair to say that all of Vail is pretty high end. The best kept secret back in 2005 was that you could get a burger and pint of beer for $10 at the bar during dinner hours. Amazing.
(4)Scott M.
Wanted to write a quick review as my girlfriend and I had a fantastic time...service was really good...every dish we had was extremely good and the portion size was generous...while I have not been to Sweet Basil or Kelly Liken, this was the best dining experience I have had in Vail...and certainly the best value...
(5)jeannie c.
The food was surprisingly great and the service was fairly attentive. The tomato soup was delicious as was the ahi crudo, the steak sampling and the home made potato croutons on the caesar salad. We went during spring break with 4 kids and they had a terrific kids' menu. The kids' food was also fantastic and all 4 of them said is was one of the best restaurants they've been too (and they've all been to a lot). They had the best little chocolate chip cookies, right out of the oven for them. A little pricey, but hey, it's Vail. What isn't expensive here!?
(4)Andrew T.
I've been eating here for years, but my last 2 experiences cost them a star, mostly for service. I hosted a birthday dinner for 10 people which was ok, but annoying insofar as the servers now try to do a little ballet, choreographing the serving of plates to happen at the exact same time; all they're missing are the silver dome tops! This is a difficult enough task to perfect with the most experienced & seasoned servers, but with inexperienced seasonal temporary help, it is a pretentious annoyance. The food was 4 out of 5 stars, but such a shame that after something like 10 years, they took the excellent onion soup off of their menu. I was also annoyed that even after I pointed out the birthday guest (my 73 yo mother) to both the manager and waiter, they served the birthday desert to my 26 yo brother instead! What's more, there were no candles (they don't do candles) or singing, anti-climactic and just plain wrong. I returned some days later for lunch and was charged almost $24 for an overcooked bacon cheeseburger, the lobster sandwich cost even less! Something is wrong here...
(3)Erin M.
Realllly great place. Evey year we have our Code of Women trip and there's usually 8-11 of us and we've never had a problem and every time is fabulous. Very pricey, but oh-so-worth it. Service and food is phenomenal.
(5)Shiho F.
Best Apres Ski at Vail! Best in my opinion since they serve up a mean Berry Infused Vodka with a splash of lemonade. Super refreshing! Haven't had the chance to try their food yet but dinner is $$$ according to all the local food articles. Probably worth it though, if you think of it you are skiing or riding at one of the nation's best ski resorts. Might as well have a dinner that is up to par as the slopes.
(5)amy m.
Can you get any better than a bottle of 1/2 price sparkling? I didn't think so, but then we ordered the mini home made corn dogs with the dipping sauces. Um, can I have another 3 lbs of this stuff? The legendary larkburger was amazing as usual.
(5)John D.
Heard lots of good things about this place so we picked it for our anniversary. Pros - food was excellent. Shared the ahi and hamachi crudo, ceasar salad and wagyu beef carpaccio to start. The crudo was light and fresh, the carpaccio was among the best we've had. For entrees we shared the wagyu new york and short ribs as well as the duck menage a trois. Both were fab but the latter is their signature dish and was excellent. Cons - restaurant feels very big, so big that we wondered whether it can stay in business. If you're going for cozy, this isn't really your place. They also keep the dining room too lit - I asked the question of our server and he said the owner "likes a well lit dining room." Hmm, wonder if the customers do. Last, we had a random smattering of servers coming by all the time and, on one occasion, we were asked the same thing twice. There's no excuse for that at their prices - things should be coordinated. All in all would go back, through, for a special occasion.
(4)