Almresi Vail — Restaurant in Vail

This place is, in a word, outstanding. It was definitely one of the best meals and one of the best experiences I've ever had.

My partner and I came here for a fun, romantic date night while staying in the area last month. Every single person in the restaurant was nothing but the paradigm of restaurant professionalism. The hostess was friendly, our server was warm, and one of the chefs (a member of the family who owns the place) who brought the food out was extremely welcoming.

The decor was so much fun; their motto, "where the Alps meet the Rockies," is truly embodied in this place. Everything felt very mountainous, including the tables, the decorations, the place settings, and the Alpine uniforms for all of the waitstaff.

Our food and drinks were absolutely superb; my partner had the glüwein, and I had a glass of white wine. We were given an amuse-bouche of the Griebenschmaltz, which was a lovely way to start the meal. For our starter, we had a "tart" (sort of like a thin-crust pizza) with fig, feta, and arugula which is no longer on the menu. The balance of flavor was incredible, though it did come with a side salad on the wooden board it was served on, which I found a bit challenging to eat.

For our main courses, my partner had the Lumberjack Steak, and I had the short ribs. Both were incredible; we didn't even need knives to cut our respective meats. The portions were generous, and it was definitely some of the best food i've ever eaten. For dessert, we took home the Kaiserschmarrn, which were similar to fluffy beignets with fruit compote. These would likely have been better (and warm) if we ate them in the restaurant, but they were still delicious when we got home.

Overall, a fun, different experience for a date night or classy party. I wish I lived nearby so I could eat...

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food in Vail, and Almresi was my favorite meal of the trip!

The service and ambiance were some of the best I've experienced for a non fine dining spot. From the decor, the menus, to the presentation of the food, everything was thoughtfully curated.

The staff were dressed in traditional lederhosen and dirndl. A guest in front of us compared it to a German Medieval Times, though with legit food.

The Germans at the table next to us conversed in German with a couple servers. They remarked a few times at how good the food was.

We started with the recommended Käsefondue which had clear brandy and wine. The alcohol added a nice depth to the quality cheese.

I warmed up with the Feuerzangenbowle, a traditional mulled wine cocktail served with a rum-soaked sugarloaf that's lit on fire. Fun to watch and sweet, but not too sweet.

My Mountain Salad was literally the prettiest salad I've seen! The fresh ingredients were balanced, and the chicken add-on was actually seasoned and not terribly dry like most breast meat.

The Schmorbraten was tender short rib with sides of red cabbage and spätzle - ah legit spätzle! It was like eating street tacos after having Taco Bell your whole life.The short ribs were juicy, and the sauce was heavenly with nice brightness.

We were stuffed with the generous portions but had to try the traditional Apfelstrudel for dessert. The apple slices were distinct, no mushiness here. The vanilla sauce was light with a hint of sweetness. I could drink this stuff.

Our server was so very cheerful and gladly explained anything unfamiliar on the menu. I highly recommend dining here, and make sure you get...

Nothing says Bavarian wonderland more so than walking into Almresi in Vail, Colorado - the outfits The German menu. Cow fur wrapped light fixtures. The staff shouting to each other in German. Heck, you’re already in a ski town…you might as well go full Bavaria!

I had the Ski Water which is a pomegranate infused lemonade served in a jar. This was refreshing, though not my favorite flavor for a beverage. A few extra points for serving it in a jar. Almost everything is better in a jar.

Of course the main reason I came here was for the fondue. If you’ve got fondue on your menu…expect a visit from me. The Käsefondue was a good fondue! The alcohol flavor (kirsch) really came through and made the dish. It’s appetizer sized (even for one person) and I had to ask for more bread to dip. I’d love a larger version of this dish with other things to dip beyond the bread. It’s a non-traditional cheese flavor (almost Gouda Smokey like instead of a Swiss/gruyere you’d typically get with this.)

I also had a side-salad which can be hit or miss at restaurants… In this case it was a hit! It was very fresh and looked good for a basic salad. The base was greens (not iceberg) with tomatoes, croutons, radishes, and a raspberry vinaigrette served on the side. (other dressings available)

They’ve got other options for vegetarians including a free baked German pretzel, a pasta dish and other entree sized salads.

There are lots of drinks and dessert options as well.

I enjoyed my experience at Almresi… It made me feel like I was on a different continent, and it was a great first meal in the mountains in...