The Western Saloon & Grill — Restaurant in Telluride

My friend and I came to town for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. We happened to stay in Ouray and came across this beautiful place by chance. The restaurant is beautifully designed. After being seated in one of their comfortable booths, we ordered drinks, apps, and dinner. Both of us enjoyed our drinks. I ordered the Dusk ‘til Dawn which had smokey Mezcal. Really nice. My friend ordered a draft and enjoyed that as well. Our apps were the blue corn Bread and Piñon gazpacho. I really liked the gazpacho. It’s different, so be aware of expecting something different. It is not your usual Gazpacho. I personally loved the complex flavors, the bite of the pine nuts, and sweetness of the grapes. Chef- be sure the grapes are crisp and sweet or this might not work. The Blue corn bread is a rich treat. The blue corn bread itself was perfectly baked, but I personally thought it was too sweet. My friend did not. I would suggest a delightful thick smear of butter instead of the mound provided, and a little less honey. But to each their own! On to our dinners: we both had the Wood-fired Ruby Trout. Both really loved it! The sauce was delightful. The grilled asparagus perfect accompaniment. Roasted potatoes were excellent. All worked beautifully together mingling with the sauce. I would absolutely order this again. After our meal Chef Nick came out to ask us about our experience and meal. Nice touch!! We had a great little conversation. He is so genuine, easy to talk with, and I could tell loves to play and experiment with flavors and sauces and create divine (and rich) food to please his customers’ palates and make them swoon with delight. We highly recommend this restaurant for the food...

This place has been completely renovated and reopened May 2023. This is the BEST dinner spot in Ouray hands down, and is easily one of my top 5 favorite restaurants in Colorado. Make reservations as it’s quite popular, and if possible request the chef’s counter for an immersive dining experience.

They use a lot of fresh, local produce and are all about highlighting the importance of each ingredient. They also feature a wood fire oven, so everything has a nice semi smoky flavor to it. Chef Nic has a very impressive background and you can tell he pours his heart and soul into these dishes.

We started with several apps: A Tale of Three Sisters (local beans, a delicious mole and cornbread crumble-this was fantastic), the Blue Corn Bread (a perfect light but savory dish), and the Anasazi bean hummus (served with wood grilled vegetables that were beyond delicious). I ordered the wood-fired ruby trout served with caramelized potatoes and asparagus, and it was fresh and phenomenal! My husband had the saloon steak and is still raving about how unique the gravy was. We finished off an epic dinner with a unique dessert of cherry & goat cheese pie with butterscotch ice cream. I have to admit I was hesitant, but our server convinced us not to miss this and we were thankful she did. It was a perfect balance between light, rich and sweet-you won’t be disappointed.

Lastly, our server was very attentive. She didn’t rush us and made sure our drinks were always full. They have a great cocktail menu and we enjoyed sipping while listening to the live music in the background from the main room and the chef’s banter at the counter. Don’t miss out on...

We ate at the Saloon for lunch after completing the Perimeter Trail. We ordered the gazpacho, sliders and hummus. The food was inventive and fun. The food feels old world western yet contemporary at the same time. We split the mezcal cocktail which was also great. The pianist playing on the Victorian piano was phenomenal. The service was top notch. We took a few peeks around the hotel and knew we had to come back.

We had reservations somewhere else, but decided to cancel them to come back for dinner. The main dining room was beautiful. The mountain view out the back of the room makes the experience with lovely wall decor and unique pieces throughout.

We had some allergy and substitution concerns. The chef promptly came out and listed off every possible substitution for each dish. We ordered the “t-bone” Sturgeon along with root veggies bravas and a salad.

The cocktails were great. The Sturgeon was out of this world. A perfect preparation and cook on it. A perfect dish to share as a couple. The sides paired nicely with the star fish. The chef made allergy substitutions not omissions. Which is what we are always looking for. The chef even came out for feedback and to chat, superior service.

The food, ambiance, decor, and service felt like we were transported in time to the old west when things were simpler and life was...