Makoto Vail — Restaurant in Vail

I wish to give a 3.5 star here but can't so am settling for a 3 star.

Some goods and some misses.

Goods.

The service was fantastic. Honestly, I kept wondering why can't all hotels in North America provide such good service. I could not argue with myself at leaving a generous tip (something I have of late started to reconsidered and implemented or rather not for just the 'expectation' of a tip by default).

Our server kept checking in on us to make sure everything was good. There was a young gentleman (I believe he has a bright future in the restaurant industry as while he was young, he had the well intentioned conversation and the way he would deliver the meals describing what they are. Sadly, didn't get his name but I think he will do really well), our water glasses were kept filled all the time (and we do drink a lot of water). Overall, we were taken care of with a lot of genuine care.

My wife ordered a non alcoholic passion fruit mocktail. She LOVED it (I did not as that's the one note I can't take; sour).

We got the roasted brussel sprouts with this amazing dip (spicy Asian dip that was made in house). Well charred; soft enough to bite yet perfectly al dente.

The spicy edamame took me by surprise. I typically am the kind of person who prefers to let the traditional things just be. In Japan, (I'm sure it's changed now due to the tourism effect), you would never get these fancy edamame. It has always been simple and mostly with just a bit of salt. This spicy edamame was actually very very good. It came in this saucy gravy if you will that had the right amount of spice to it but also had these small pieces of garlic that brought out so many different flavors. Amazing.

My wife ordered the veggie and garden uramaki. The garden uramaki (I believe this one is with the pickled vegetables) was OUTSTANDING. The other veggie one was pretty average.

I ordered the unagi sashimi which was HEAVENLY.

Misses: The garden uramaki while delicious was not built properly. Both of us tried to hold it with the chop sticks but it kept falling and opening up. A well done sushi roll would never do that.

I ordered the sakura pork tonkatsu for my main meal. Honestly, nothing special about it. It started out really beautifully cooked from one end and as I made my way past the middle, the meat was clearly slightly overcooked and chewy.

The biggest miss was honestly the saddest. This will sound so funny but I kind of am a Hyatt and a Japanese food sucker. I almost feel I am personally vested in these two so I really expect perfection.

FYI: Their menu online is NOT up to date with what they actually have.

I saw this whiskey on their menu which I REALLY was looking forward to try. MARS FUYU CHESTNUT FINISH. When I placed the order with our server (who by the way was super nice and as I mentioned took great care of us) went to the 'boss' to see if he could help. Since she referred to him as the 'boss', I'm assuming he was the manager. Great service and very honest and bright. Thing is, he came and said they actually don't have that whiskey. You know where I'm going with this. This is a whiskey guys; you can't not have your drinks up to date. A LOT of money is made on this. I cannot fault the manager for this though as he's not in charge of keeping the menus up to date (only because this establishment is within a hotel premise). What he recommended though (this I was shocked and kind of wonder if he was fully aware of what I wanted to try) over 3 times the price of what I wanted to try. I wasn't going to spend over 3 times for a 1.5 ouncer so I decided to request another one. Guess what? They were out. This in my opinion (again, this is perhaps not the manager's fault but whoever does the purchasing and maintaining) is unacceptable at a place of this caliber. Again, he apologized and brought 2 options. So I ended up trying the Nikka Miyagikyo single malt peated. Honestly, I LOVED this whiskey so in all, it did work out. I tried a new whiskey that I want to now add to...

We hosted our wedding rehearsal dinner for 21 people at Makoto in July 2025 ahead of our wedding at the Grand Hyatt and had a wonderful experience. We looked into many rehearsal dinner options in and around Vail, and Makoto provided by far the best value for money package in terms of a reasonable minimum, great amount and variety of food, and the ability to have a la carte add-ons.

The food & drinks were wonderful! We opted for the standard pre-set dinner with 4 courses including sushi, salads, and hot dishes. The amount of food was massive (no one was hungry), and everything was delicious. The fish quality was amazing - we & many of our guests love to do omakase dinners in high-end restaurants around the world and we were very impressed by how fresh and tasty everything was. Our group ordered wines, cocktails, and mocktails a la carte and everything was amazing.

The service was also top-notch - we had Eduardo & Eduardo as our captains for the evening & they helped get us back on track timing-wise when we were running late, made sure our water glasses were always full, and we were not rushed or waiting long between courses. They accommodated our guests who had a number of dietary restrictions (gluten free, dairy free, no raw fish) thoughtfully and with no issues.

We also loved the location - they reserved a section of the outdoor patio overlooking the Gore Creek for us and it was beautiful! Lovely mountain views, so many trees, you could see the Cascade Village lift, and the sound of running water to top everything off.

Thank you Makoto team for an amazing start to our...

I recently had the absolute pleasure of dining at Makoto in Vail, and it was nothing short of a perfect night. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere wrapped us in this infectious, joyful energy—like the kind of place where you can’t help but smile. We laughed, we danced (in our seats), and we ate our way through practically everything on the menu, and somehow it all felt effortless.

The vibe at Makoto is pure happiness. It’s lively yet cozy, with just the right mix of warmth and excitement that makes you feel like you’re celebrating something, even if it’s just a regular night out. The staff keeps the good times flowing, and the whole place hums with this upbeat rhythm that had us swaying between bites. It’s the kind of spot where you forget your worries and just soak in the moment.

And the food? Incredible. We tried a little bit of everything—fresh sushi, flavorful small plates, you name it—and every dish was a delight. What I loved most was how satisfying it all was without being heavy. You’re treated to these bold, delicious flavors, but you don’t leave feeling stuffed. It’s perfect for a ski trip, because after a night at Makoto, you wake up the next morning ready to hit the slopes, not weighed down by a food coma. Honestly, it’s the ideal balance of indulgence and feeling good.

Makoto isn’t just a meal—it’s an experience that lifts your spirits and leaves you grinning. If you’re in Vail, do yourself a favor and go. You...