Miner's Claim Restaurant — Restaurant in Silt

My husband and I were in earlier this week, hoping to enjoy a quiet, well prepared dinner in a pleasant atmosphere. We used to live in Silt, and visited Miner's Claim often from the time it was built. My overall rating is indicative of the work, service, and quality we know Christian poured into his place. My rating on individual categories reflects our recent experience.

Food - The food has always been incredibly good, whether appetizer, lunch, dinner, or dessert. It may be higher priced, but has been worth every penny. Unfortunately, I was not able to enjoy the steak I ordered, but the vegetables, potato, and salad were okay: Broccoli, squash, (maybe some onion), and carrots; baked potato with butter and sour cream; and spring salad with ranch and tomatoes. All common and prepared the same at similar restaurants. I cannot comment on the steak, which is what I was most looking forward to. There is also a notice on the menu that there is an $11 charge for kitchen staff. I don't know if that was per meal, for the whole ticket, or optional. My husband paid the check and I didn't look.

Service - We made a reservation, at which time I was specifically told there was a gluten free menu. We arrived and were seated outside, on the top level, near a "deck" on the east side where extra chairs and some other things were being stored, and near the outside door to the kitchen. The flies were horrible, and why we, plus three other groups, were seated in that area when there were a number of empty tables throughout our dinner on the main deck is something I don't understand. The wait staff who were there spent much of their time looking at their phones and talking with each other. Several of them approached our table at different times asking if we needed this or that, said they would bring it, and then another person would ask, and so on. When it came time to order, I asked for the gluten free menu and was told there was not one available, but that many items on the menu - mostly steaks - could be made gluten free. We ordered, then the server came back to inform me that the steak I wanted couldn't be gluten free, so I ordered a different one. The waitress asked if I still wanted a baked potato or would I like to try smashed. I love smashed, so I ordered that. When the steak came out, it was cooked medium rare. I know this is a preference for people, but I don't like my food bleeding all over my plate. And my potato was baked. Our server didn't come back to check on us for some time (remember the cell phones), and when she did, my husband sent my steak back. She said she put it in same as his but when he told her she didn't ask how I wanted my steak cooked when I ordered she apologized brought it back, fully cooked, a bit later. Unfortunately, my husband had finished his dinner and I had eaten my potato, vegetables, and salad, so we took my steak to go. He ate it for lunch the next day and said it was good. A family at a table near ours asked to speak to a manager because they had some comment about the menu. I heard enough of the conversation to hear that whatever the complaint was had been brought up to Christian numerous times by staff and he wouldn't do anything about it. The guy said he would talk to Christian the next time he came in. I didn't think it was professional to throw your boss under the bus, particularly in a public setting. Finally, at one point a server was walking back to the kitchen from the patio and said, "There's the end of the country." She was referring to a tv program that was showing Biden/Harris walking across a stage. I am not a fan, but I still didn't think it was appropriate to comment, especially in a restaurant where people like us might be hoping to disconnect and enjoy a nice meal with family. Overall, the staff attitude seemed to be one of over-relaxation and not the disciplined, professional staff we expected.

Atmosphere - Great decor, except for the flies and where we were seated. It was too close to the side door to the kitchen that had the door open and flies were...

Restaurant mgr horrible!! The owner, Christian, made my annual birthday reservation for me and my family on the phone for 2/9. Every year for my birthday, we eat at Miner's during my annual bday trip to the mountains. This year, for the first time in 10 yrs, my daughter, her husband, and my two twin grand daughters were driving up from Denver to join us for dinner. The restaurant Mgr, Janelle, approached the table to our right and accused that family of adjusting the heaters. A man at that table yelled back at her, "We haven't touched your heaters, lady!" Then she apologized to the couple behind our table for heater issues. Before leaving the patio area, she turned around, arms crossed and looked straight at me, and yelled, "So you are the people that were so hot that you had to remove your sweat shirts??!!" The entire dining room went silent. We all looked at each other in shock and confusion as we all dressed up that night, no one wearing sweat shirts, etc. I responded to her that I personally had switched seats w/someone due to the heaters blowing in my face, but other than that, we didn't know what she was talking about! My adult daughter stated that she didn't like the way she was looking at me; so angry. My young grand daughters became nervous thinking this lady was angry with them! We assured them that no one did anything wrong! The manager then walked away, and we paid our waitress and left, embarrassed and upset. When we got back to our hotel, our hotel manager stated that many people in town are familiar with Janelle's anger issues and how she treats customers. We spent $100's at the restaurant that night, and to be treated like that and ruining my birthday dinner for me and my family was horrible. As long as she stays manager at this restaurant, we will not be referring them to anyone, not on Google, Trip Advisor. Camping group sites or any other travel groups we belong to! The owner needs to understand that she is giving his...

Well, I’ll be darned. Wanting to avoid all the Grand Avenue Bridge construction craziness in nearby Glenwood Springs, I found myself staying 20 minutes down I-70 in Silt, Colorado. Considered eating at one of the town’s two pizza places for dinner, then instead decided on The Miner’s Claim as it appeared to be, by far, the best restaurant in town. Walked up the wooden ramp pathway and pulled open the solid metal front door (which reminded me of an alleyway exit door). Pushing through a line of clear plastic flaps, used to keep heat in, I was shocked to find myself inside a quite swanky interior decorated in such a way that it would not have been out of place in a trendy Denver nightclub. Weirdest and most wonderful of all, I found that the restaurant had been built in such a way as to completely encase a historic 1920s wooden cabin in its midst! The cabin part appeared to be in use as the kitchen, with the restaurant seating in an attractive and complimentary modern attachment to the back of the cabin. At the front of the cabin was a large and classy clear plastic tent structure (think outdoor wedding reception) which housed the bar area seating and, beyond that, outside was a nice patio with a fireplace going in its seating area. We had great service, great food, and were impressed by the mile-long cocktail list! My only suggestion would be to consider expanding vegetarian options (vegetarians have many meat-eating friends and if there’s not much for us to eat somewhere, they let us lead the way to another place), though it was nice to see that thought had been put into having a vegetarian Napoleon on the menu. What a cool place to come across in...