Ore house is a great restaurant to sit and just people watch. Â The food itself was average but our server was nice and super busy. Â He forgot an appetizer (grilled artichoke...really good) and then brought it out later for us at no charge.
Food is reasonably priced, especially for Vail. Â Service was friendly. Â It's a good place for lunch.
I'll start with the "good" about this restaurant......since that will be quick! It was nice to sit on the patio & people watch. Also, the burger & fries were pretty decent.
Now for the bad! Â First of all, the male host that seated us was very rude. He couldn't be bothered to actually escort us to our table (like every other host/hostess in the world). He just said "take your pick" & vaguely pointed to the empty tables on the patio. When we picked a table (that seated six), he raised his voice & said we couldn't sit at that one because it was too big for our party (of four). He needed to keep it open for any larger parties that might show up. That would be understandable, but he was very rude about it. Also, I agree with the other reviewer(s)......he wasn't dressed very professionally at all (shorts, tshirt, sunglasses on the back of his head). This is not who I would pick to greet customers & give them their first impression of my restaurant! On a positive note, our female waitress was very pleasant & helpful.
The Food - like I said earlier, the burger & fries were pretty good (and a good price too). The chicken on the Chicken Caesar Salad was very dry. The Jalapeno Bacon Mac & Cheese was tasteless. It sounds good, but was disappointing. Very bland & not big enough for an entree. It's definitely a $9.00 side-dish. And not a good one.
Last complaint, we were sitting on the patio, enjoying the nice weather......and then we looked up. The awning over their patio is filthy & disgusting. Looks like it might have some mildew damage or something. Not very appetizing! If you go & sit on the patio, make sure you don't look up while you're eating.
Recently ate here during the Mountain Games and really enjoyed it. Â We absolutely needed a patio, which there is no shortage of in Vail. Â Ended up deciding on the Ore House's patio because it is reasonably priced (for Vail Village) and offers a diverse selection of menu options compared to the competitor's patio next door. Â Our server was extremely friendly and provided great service throughout lunch. Â I ordered the falafels, which one would normally not think to do at a place like this, but what can I say? Â I was craving them, so I went for it. Â I'm glad I did because they were yummy! Â Their falafels vary somewhat from others that are traditionally prepared, but I really enjoyed their version a lot. I think this is a great stop for lunch if you are ever in Vail Village.
Review Source:epic day of powder boarding...nearly every inch of mountain conquered...celebrations at ore house...wooden structure entering...cabin feel to restaurant and bar...round of margaritas cheers...large pint sized creations...blue square quite the large $eight margaritas...bite of wings $eleven for full order, but questioning odd number of wings...not a dozen...told wings served by weight and not by count...stingy on "full"...coors light and tacos $six deal...good seasoned ground beef tacos...quite standard... <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fs3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.com%2Fbphoto%2FXQG74uPVNe7hY6jk1KMqSw%2Fl.jpg&s=43f92535ebfb8b404cf4db4f37dbe7b42faef6f2478cfc90d4a96728ea3962c7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s3-media1.ak.yelp…</a> drinks and snacks $one-hundred total...$twenty-five per person damage... <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fs3-media2.ak.yelpcdn.com%2Fbphoto%2Fw5B6MC6Z8LBRGAl43SOxqg%2Fl.jpg&s=c54f04a7a0f5e5a22ccf7664953cb8d31e4aa4e5e1c8666b83cbe9479727ebd3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s3-media2.ak.yelp…</a>
Review Source:We waited over an hour and the server said "I understand if you want to cancel your food"...pretty sure she did not put the order in. Â we asked if the manager would atleast comp a round of drinks. Â He came out and said "we are doing the best we can, I can't do anything for you". Â He was rude, did not get any food, will never return
Review Source:A group of us went there last night. My son wanted to see a game on TV. The host who seated us told him just to eat quick so he could see the game. He said we could not be seated in the bar. Â My son and I went into the bar to see if we could get the game. We did and we excused ourselves from our friends. Â The host came by and was very nasty. He asked, "Didn't I just seat you in the dining room?" We said yes but we wanted to watch the game. That host then went to our friends and reseated them at a smaller table since we were not seated with them. We complained to the server about our treatment and expected the manager to come and apologize. Â This never happened. The food was ok. Our service was fine except for the host. Â He needs to go. He did not even look professional. He was dressed in a flannel shirt and a baseball cap. Â Stay away!
Review Source:Vail Ski Resort, a mountain known for their terrific skiing and perfectly manicured, pedestrian-friendly villages is not generally known for reasonably-priced slopeside food & drink options.  Fortunately, for the four of us, the Ore House Restaurant came to our aprés ski rescue :)
We rolled in during happy hour, where you can score a beer and two tacos for $6, or a beer and a burger for $9. Â If you'd like to upgrade to a microbrew or craft/local beer, you can pay an extra $1-$2 additional. Â My tacos were OK, and the soft shell kept breaking, but my friends thoroughly enjoyed their burgers (note there's a $1 charge for a slice of pepperjack, cheddar, or swiss cheese). Â After being asked twice, our waitress finally brought us all a set of utensils. Â Water is self-serve from a cooler in the corner, but surprisingly, they walk around with pitchers refilling your glasses once you've poured your first....hmmm...
From my perspective, this place was OK - nothing stellar, nothing abysmal. Â Bar/restaurant is comfortable and divey, and happy hour was a good time, but personally, I'd probably pony up some more $$ and go to Flame or Sweet Basil if looking for a more subdued, quality dinner.
I actually like the Ore House! Â I've been treated well every time I've come in to have drinks or food. Â Food isn't bad but isn't going to knock your socks off either. Â I normally try and get a seat at the bar followed by food and drinks. Â The bar is small but there is normally a good crowd enjoying one another's company!
Review Source:Everything was cool as a group of us grabbed a couple drinks for apres ski. Â However, when my wife went downstairs to use the restroom (in her ski boots) she slipped and took a hard fall on the slick tile floor. Â She was helped up by a few staff members who made sure she was ok and told her that this happens "all the time". Â
When she got back upstairs we told the waitress about it and let her know we wanted to speak to the manager. Â We were trying to be nice about it and let them know they should do something about it because if this happens often sooner or later they're gonna have a lawsuit on their hands. Â One of our friends mentioned that he fell down there too, about a month prior. Â She said she'd tell someone but it probably wouldn't do any good.
The manager/owner finally comes over with, "Who fell!?" and a total arrogant attitude. Â We told him what happened and he starts in with this whole speech, "We've been here for 20 years before the sidewalks outside were heated and people fall and you gotta deal with it", and so on. Â Completely unapologetic.
You would figure a place that's right at the bottom of the mountain and that advertises for apres ski would throw down a runner or a rug so people in their boots aren't falling all over the place. Â Because of this guy's terrible attitude, I hope someone does end up suing them. Â Jerk.
Stars are for overall experience and food; review is for the mac and cheese that Yelpers rave about - I must have gotten a bad batch because I didn't see it...
                        ------------------------------------------
A black sign with "Jalapeño Bacon Mac & Cheese" written in chalk drew my friend and me into The Ore House in Vail Village on a Sunday night. It was pretty late, so we were surprised to find a place serving food, let alone food that seemed far from standard bar fare. What's more, the menu described it simply as "Need we say more?"  If the bar-restaurant had enough confidence to say that, I was willing to put my faith in that cheesy macaroni.
After getting our food, I realized that allowing my gut to decide my faith was a bad idea. To me, "Jalapeño Bacon Mac & Cheese" screams tasty, but it was actually quite bland and lackluster. The cheese sauce wasn't creamy or gooey - a good mac and cheese is at least one of those, an amazing mac and cheese is both. I'm not sure what types of cheeses were used, but I bet a sharp cheddar and gruyere would have created a good consistency and strong flavor. (OK, so don't put too much weight on that suggestion. I do know a good cheese, but I'm not yet an expert in pairing them for a cheese sauce.)
You would think the jalapeño would add some flavor, but it was as if the chef added it as an afterthought and so the pepper didn't have a chance to permeate the sauce and pasta. If you've ever cooked vegetables (who hasn't?!), you would have probably come to the same conclusion because the jalapeños were bright green and crispy. The jalapeños or chilies in any casserole-type dish I've eaten were always softened as a result of baking or simply cooking. I don't know if the cook simply forgot to add them till the last minute in our dish or if that's the way all of them are prepared, but it definitely wasn't right.
The bacon was present but didn't add much either. I guess if it wasn't in there, though, the mac and cheese would have been even more boring. All the ingredients sounded so right, but unfortunately the end result wasn't.
The place: The Ore House, Vail
The dish: Jalapeño Bacon Mac & Cheese, $8
The ingredients: Large elbow noodles, cheese sauce (TBD), minced bacon, diced jalapeños, bread crumbs
The verdict: Not worth ordering. Need I say more?
Found myself with a group of sore-muscled and cocktail-needy skiiers wandering the village looking for a place to settle into some good drinks and hearty food. I was Yelping spots as names were getting tossed about, and when Ore House came up, I tried to show everyone the spatter of mostly crappy reviews posted in the last few months, but by then most of my party was already inside since it seemed to be the least crowded joint at the moment, and we was hon-gry!
Great, I thought, scrolling the negativity on my phone. I'll just order bottled beer and a steak, since those are generally pretty hard to screw up. The bartender wasn't overly conversational, which was nice, because I can only tell so many people exactly how badly I stagger and fall down the mountain for three hours each day. Spying a solid Bourbon selection, I changed my mind quickly and ordered a Hot Toddy instead of beer, which was deliciously smooth with the organic honey and lemon twist. Okay, I thought, maybe the owners have been reading all these reviews and are trying to do something about it.
But a drink can only tell you half the story, so after we were seated I ordered the steak (House Special), with the Chile Rellenos as an app. Two others ordered the salmon, one the mac & cheese, and all wanted to share, but I was against it. New chef?, I wondered. The steak was juicy, a bit buttery even, with mushrooms and sweet golden potatoes and a sprinkle of veggies for color. A dash of salt and I dug in, possibly a bit noisily, since I was starving after being on the mountain so long.
Ore House isn't a Boa or Laurel Hardware (my fave LA joints) when it comes to ambience, but we weren't feeling superfancy. It's got a dug-in kind of feel, comfortable, staid. And if you know Vail, you know absolutely everything is expensive, but I felt like we got a real solid deal when the check came. I did order a bottled beer with dinner (you can't really slug down a Hot Toddy with a steak 'cause it'll be lights out before you know it at that altitude), and it was delicious (Fat Tire, in case you were wondering.)
The service was just fine. No negatives, and no shining positives. (I reserve my shining positives on service for the coastal cities like NYC and LA and Miami, where 5-star dining is a treat when times are good.)
Of course, there are nicer places in Vail for dining, but this place suited us perfectly when we needed something quick and uncomplicated and hearty, and it seems that all the chatter here has gotten thru to management, so that's progress. If Yelp inspires good fallout from bad press, then everybody wins, right?
There are much better places in Vail! I wandered in here on one of my first visits to Vail and will never be back. The service was horrible, almost non-existent,and the food tasted like cafeteria food with the price tag of a 5 start place. Just wander down the street and check out any other place. Literally any other place would probably be better than this one!
Review Source:Nothing special.
The Moscow Mule I ordered wasn't served in the traditional brass mug--not a huge deal by any means, but a little disappointing.
I ordered the salmon without the mango-pineapple sauce, and sweet potato fries. The salmon came out dry and overcooked, and smothered in the fruit sauce that I didn't order or want.
Overall, I think this place could be good, but there's just a serious lack of attention to detail by the staff. When I come to Vail, I expect a good culinary experience--and I pay for it, too. Ore House was lacking, as are most of the restaurants in Vail during the off season.
My boyfriend and I decided we could not give this place more than a 2 star. The food was not very good and with the price we paid I expected something tasty. The service was pretty bad as well, we had a server who was a little bit rude and it took forever to get our drinks. We ordered the BBQ rib with Mac and cheese sandwhich and the chile covered meatloaf sandwhich. The BBQ was horrible , it tasted old and the BBQ Flavor wasn't any good. The meatloaf sandwhich had a decent flavor but was soggy and seemed old as well. The atmospere there is nice so that was 1. Star as the creativity of the selection of food gave it another star to the total of 2 stars. I would not suggest going here though.
Review Source:This place is rare in that I want to eat here and drink late night. It really seems to transform. First off, super dog friendly on the patio (we have only been here in the summer, obvi). So much so, no one even commented when my tired/nervous pup promptly vomited on their patio after lapping up the whole bowl of water the server brought him. They all pet him as they go by and take great care. Sorry about the doggie chunks (eeeew). The food I have sampled here is sort of slightly upscale bar food. I had an amazing tomato soup once and the salads were wonderful. They also have a decent Happy Hour, while doesn't have any wine specials, still serves you cocktails, beers and snacks cheaper than most places in Vail. Also not a bad place to take a crew late-night for shots and craziness. I kind of hate that the bathroom at all these Vail bars seem to be downstairs though. C'mon, I just took 3 tequila shots, I don't need to teeter down there in my heels...
Review Source:We went there during the 2012 olympics and the bar area wasn't even full. We sat down and ended up leaving without ordering any drinks because no one came over to take our order within 10 minutes. But the bartender had time to chit chat with the table behind us for several minutes - they already had drinks. Oh, and they don't have any beers on tap. A major con for a bar, I think.
Review Source:RUN AWAY....
The worst experience I have ever had in Vail. Â It started with us requesting a table on the patio, which there were four open, and the manager said we would have to set inside. Â When we asked why, he said because they drew the next servers name and his tables were inside. It's easier to talk about what our server did right, which was NOTHING. Â I'm not hard to please, but he messed up everything from our drinks to the appetizers, and finally the main course. Â We repeatedly asked for things several times and he would not bring them or it would be wrong. Â I finally had to get up and go the bar to ask the bar tender to fix my drink properly. Â The food was average at best. Â My wife ordered fish and it was half cooked to the point that she couldn't eat it. Â The finally was that we had two groups of four and we sat at different tables. Â The server put it in the computer as a group of eight with split checks of four and four. Â I was eagerly waiting to get the bill so I could give him a very small tip only to find out that because he put us as a group of eight an eighteen percent gratuity was automatically included. Â I went to the manager and his response was that it was company policy and there was nothing he could do. Â NEVER GO TO THIS RESTAURANT.
We came here on a suggestion from a local bartender. We were not on the same page! Overpriced drinks, the staff was rude and the service was slow. They were not busy at all so you think they could take their time. When the server dropped off our beer at the table he set it down so fast that half of it spilled. As I tried to say something he had already walked away, never to be seen again. We had order some appetizers, which were bleak.
We had to hunt down a hostess to get our check; needless to say we did not stop back in.
It was okay. Service was kind and friendly enough. I had a steak and it wasn't bad but this is not your typical steakhouse. Just the basics and a little pricey, like most of Vail.
There is also a sit-down bar in here if you're interested.
I do like the town and it's worth a walkaround. It reminds me of European towns and for a moment, you almost forget you're in the US of A.
Our server sucked. Our group of 9 sat down in the restaurant area because the hostess told us we could sit anywhere we liked. as soon as the waitress came over she told us that happy hour ended in 30 min and we would have to leave then because they were setting up for dinner. We told her that we wanted to get dinner too. She said that there were a lot of reservations and that we couldn't stay. For 2 tables for a total of 9 people she gave us 1 bar menu to share. I asked for a regular menu and  she said they weren't serving anything else. The waitress  seemed very adamant that we weren't staying any past 5:40 pm. When we left the restaurant was empty. We even saw another table come for drinks and stay for dinner instead.
Got the teriyaki beef things- super salty, some pieces were dry and overcooked others were too rare. I didn't finish them
Bf got the buffalo sliders- he said there was nothing special about it. A bun, meat and sautéed onions. No sauce, nothing.
Fries- over fried, too crunchy and greasy
Burger- was told it was a $6 bar burger " it is what it is" and got a frown. The ketchup apparently came in a cup that had a nice chewy dried crust on it.
Tacos- got a sort of frown/ grimace when I asked about them " it was happy hour bar food"
Complaint from my friends was that they had no beer on tap
After a long day of riding at Vail, we were ready for a cold beer and since the Red Lion was already jam packed by 3pm, we decided to head on over to the Ore House for some drinks and apps.
They were able to accomodate our group of 8 and our waiter was pleasant enough for dealing with a large and somewhat rowdy crowd. What I really have to tell you about is the Jalapeno-Bacon Mac & Cheese. In my opinion, bacon makes everything better. But, bacon AND Mac & Cheese AND bits of spicy jalapeno?? Hello, I'm a fan! If you go for no other reason, go to try this dish and I bet you'll become a fan too.
My husband and I stopped in for drinks and some apps our first day in Vail. Â The drinks were good although not cheap. Â We had the Tenderloin Steak Bits and the Shrimp and Crab Wontons and both were very good. Â The steak bits had a bit of a kick to them which was surprising. Â We didn't stay long as we were waiting to meet up with a group of skiers for some Apres Ski drinks. Â If I am back in Vail I will probably return to try the food. Â For drinks I would definitely recommend.
Review Source:We were lured in by the description of Jalapeno Mac & Cheese w/Bacon...
Friendly service, lackluster and TASTELESS food, and an overall incredibly disappointing dining experience at $120 for 2 people. The food:
Jalapeno-Bacon Mac & Cheese Seriously lacked flavor, which is appalling given the delicious-sounding description. 1/5, would NOT order again.
Sirloin Sliders w/Carmelized Onions & Bleu Cheese Crumbles: Dry bun, tiny overcooked meat patties, reminded me of White Castle. For the price of these disappointing sliders, I could've had 5 In N Out Burgers which would've been MUCH tastier!
Scallops & Shrimp in Lemon Butter: How can you mess up anything in BUTTER?? Ore House managed to. The scallops and shrimp were cooked well but... Once again, flavorless. What's a girl gotta do to get some decent-tasting grub in this town??
The boy had a fish dish that he said tasted okay. It came poorly presented, a lump of fish with some veggies on the side. For over $30, you'd think they'd come up with more creative plating.
Spinach salad: It was a salad. At least you can't mess up a salad.
One star for the food, one star for the service. We will NOT be eating here again and will be giving Sweet Basil a try tomorrow night. Hopefully it'll be a better dining experience.
I was in Vail for a conference recently. Some of my colleagues and I were walking around Vail Village and they decided that they were hungry.
After sitting down to a nice sidewalk-view table I went over the menu. I wasn't going to eat, but some of the items really caught my attention. I was torn between the fun menu items like the Jalapeno-Bacon Mac and Cheese, the Sloppy Joe Sliders and the mini-corn dogs.
After much deliberation, I changed gears and went with the Prime Rib French Dip. It was tasty. The portion was nice and the flavor was great. The beef was perfectly cooked, the bun was fresh and the horseradish dip was excellent...a little spicy with a nice background hint of Rosemary. I went with the cole slaw instead of the fries and it too was pretty good.
For $11 I left very happy.
On a side note, the service was a bit slow, but the great sandwich made up for it.
I don't mind the early bird special during a recession. Â You're too good to save 25% on entrees? Â Not me. Â We had a pretty cool waiter who knew the menu well and gave us some good suggestions. Â This was the first meal of our trip and we were having a good time. Â I think it was because nobody had skied yet and we weren't all sore. Â The rib and chicken combo is always a good bet for me. Â I like to eat a bunch of things and pick. Â That's probably why I love Korean food and middle eastern food. Â The ribs were actually good (I was surprised). Â The chicken was ok, nothing particularly memorable even though I ate the whole bird. Â The boys around me seemed to enjoy their steaks. Â I'd go back just to get the 25% off entrees. Â I love a good deal.
Review Source:My wife and I recently celebrated our 10th anniversary up in Vail, and although we were in between seasons, the Teva Mountain Games were taking place, so the town was buzzing. Â I'm sure that had something to do with why we liked this place so much, since our patio view gave us plenty of people watching opportunities. Â
I can't speak for its dinner selection, but the Ore House was more than adequate for a nice patio lunch on a beautiful day. Â We had the Shrimp and Avocado wraps, which I'm still thinking about some 30 days later. Â Yeah, they were that good. Â I'm hoping to get the recipe someday. :)
Whore House. Â Whore House. Â Whore House!
...
Whore  house, in the middle of our street
Whore  house, in the middle of our...
Well, I showed up to the Ore House a little tipsy... I was screaming my lovely rendition of Our House by Madness out in the streets of  Vail Village on the way to dinner.  I ordered pork chops and it was pretty good, I don't think they would serve me any adult liquids... but I don't blame them.  Of what I remember, it was a fun and cozy restaurant with a family friendly atmosphere.
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