I always wonder how bad restaurants survive in good places and this is a prime example.
Sub-par food, ridiculous atmosphere---I felt like we were at a chain restaurant and really didn't understand the waitresses in teeny tiny clothing with referee style tops?! Â
The beers were ok but the burgers were nothing great, and once you add anything to the burgers ($9 base price) you have a $15 burger! Â A buck for cheese, two bucks for avocado, a couple more bucks if you want sweet potato fries, how ridiculous.
Don't waste your time or money.
AWESOME BEERS!! When I was heading into town, I had heard good things about Colorado's beer, but I admit coming from Eugene Oregon, I wasn't quite sure how far the beer scene had developed out here. Happy findings!
What I found was a wide range of tasty selections which included your standard type selections (IPA, blonde, wheat, and a red) and some more elegant and unique selections for the knowledgable drinker like german style beers and a mushroom nut brown ale which was a delightful surprise! Nice and toasty taste of walnuts coming through and this not overly thick brown ale. I say this as I am not a huge brown ale fan, yet I really enjoyed ordering this one a couple times. My bartender Charlie both knew a lot about what different beers were on tap and was a very warm individual and really helpful.
I asked to sit at the bar and I ordered the burger with bacon and blue cheese (a beerdrinkers best friend) and it came out delicious. Lightly toasted bun, thick and crisp bacon, juicy burger, with the wet parts on the side (which my pet peeve of soggy bread really appreciated!) I got the caesar salad instead of the fries and there wasn't freshly crushed pepper but there was the nice pieces of parmesan that make the caesar salad tasty.
Overall, I had a great experience at Smuggler's, and I look forward to what exciting beers are to come on tap during my next visit.
Had lunch here yesterday. Â Was disappointed to say the least. Â For the prices charged I expected a LOT more. Â Ordered the french dip sandwich. Â Took my first bite and discovered that the bun was completely burnt. Â So turned my attention to the fries. Â Ate a few and knew something was wrong. Â I proceeded to pull a long blond hair out of my mouth. Â After coming close to puking, I went back to try and muscle down a few more bites of my burnt sandwich hoping the hair was just a fluke. Â Going back for a few more fries, I was shocked to realize that I had to pull a Second long blond hair from my mouth. Â This one I pulled from my mouth directly in front of the bartender who simply smiled and gave us our bill. Â
We get the bill and learn we had the pleasure of paying an extra buck for cheese making the sandwich a total of $14. Â Complete Rip Off. Â This was a $7 or $8 dollar sandwich at most!!
Should of asked to speak with a manager right then but just didn't have the time or energy.
The one good part was that the beer was pretty good. Â
Thinking the chef with the long blond hair needs to wear a hair net. Â
We wont be going back.
I loved this place! Me and my husband were down for Memorial day weekend and we went to this pub on Saturday & Sunday. The beer was good...I would recommend the Juniper Rye...very unique. The nachos were to die for! They also had really cool talks going on that weekend about climbing and Everest. Definitely will come back next time we are in Telluride.
Review Source:My wife and I came here on a ski trip. We live in Durango, CO, just on the other side of the mountain range. We are spoiled in our town of Durango with 2 excellent and 2 above average breweries, but it gives us a good compass when reviewing other breweries.
We came in after a day of hitting the slopes. It was a cold day and we were seated right next to the door. BRRR!
Our waiter looked like the dishwasher of the establishment: sloppy outward presentation with a heavily stained apron and clothes. Dammit, kids, pull up your freakin pants! What's with this wearing your pants around your ankles look that is so imperitive to look like a classless bum? (There are some classy bums out there, you just have to look...)
The food was aweful. Cold. Sitting next to the door our food became cold quicker than average. The calamari was rubbery, fried in old grease, sub-par. The beer was average at best. The quality of brews just doesn't compare to other breweries in the region.
Neither of us were satisfied with anything about this place. We will go back to try it (perhaps) during one of our summer adventures there, to give it another chance, but it is difficult to get excited about the place, especially when the whole of Telluride has overpriced, crappy restaurants.
Two-thumbs up!
A first-time visit in the off-season turned out to be a great experience. Â The portabello burger and sweet potato fries were outstanding. Â We had the good fortune to be at the bar when TJ, the Brewmaster, was having lunch (you know it's good food when the employees eat there). Â We overheard his passionate explanation of his latest batch of brew and decided to ask him for some suggested tastings. Â He left his lunch on the counter to come over and carefully explain all the options that might be good choices after asking what we like to drink. Â After our lunch, we were lucky enough to be granted a tour of the brewing facility downstairs. Â Having visited several breweries, I can attest that this is the cleanest operation I have ever seen. Â Nice work TJ!
In summary, the super friendly staff, excellent food and top-notch brew make this a highly-recommended stop.
A delayed review - visited here last spring. Had a really good lunch - terrific burger and fries and great beer. Had meals at a few other brewpubs in western Colorado and this was clearly the best that I tried. Not cheap but not out of line for Telluride. I'd definitely go back if I'm in the area again.
Review Source:The hostess didn't seem to know how to handle being busy. she was very young and overwhelmed. after waiting 20 or so minutes we got our seats and waited another 10 minutes for a waitress. even though 3 different ones told us they would be right with us.The beers were good, not amazing but very good. The atmosphere was great for a Sunday playoff game. and the food was just ok. Nothing to write home about. I would come back though. Just not during a playoff game the week after the Broncos loose to Baltimore.... still bitter.
Review Source:Good value for Telluride and beer lovers will find a wider variety of microbrews than the average brew pub.
Appreciative staff. Â Philly cheesesteak was recommended by a local because of the cheese sauce and authentic roll. Â We had trout and chile and beer. Â The trout came with sauteed spinach and a curry sauce over squash. Â Nice combo. Â The chile was a tad on the spicy side, but tasty. Â $53 for 3 beers, trout dinner and bowl of chile.
Our go-to spot for boozing and burgers while staying in Telluride. It was walking distance from our condo's and the gondola, so why not be a regular?
The first night was packed. Given an estimated 15-20 minute wait, we bellied up to the bar for some pretty darn tasty craft brew. I had the Winter Warmer, which I really liked and later had the Pumpkin Ale which was incredibly tasty. It has a light pumpkin/cinnamon flavor and no overwhelming dark beer taste. The guys I was with really liked the IPA's which are very popular.
The host told us the burgers and wings were the best, so we got both. The loaded up burger was above average and the hot wings were satisfying. The "hot" is more like a "medium high" with solid flavor. I recommend both.
Be warned! Smuggler Joe's Brew Pub is now just Smuggler's Brew Pub. They do not accept the advertised Yelp deals. Regardless, I had a great time hanging out, getting to know the bartenders and enjoying the cozy ski town ambiance.
Went there to watch a painful Packers playoff loss while Denver blew it as well. Â They could use some bigger TVs and the NBA league pass, but it's a solid sports bar with enough tv's to catch a game. Â They also have a bunch of beers on tap. Â The nachos were good and the wings were really big and okay. Â The gyro and ribs were so so, but service was solid.
Review Source:This review is for the beer alone. There was 15 beers available on my visit here. I made it through a sampling of 11 of them and enjoyed them all with 2 or 3 that if I had had the time would probably have had pints of them. I was in Telluride with a wine drinking friend of mine so I didn't get as much flight time as I would have liked.. and there was another microbrewery here I didn't even try? rats!
Review Source:After many visits to Smuggler's, this continues to be a solid place to enjoy a beer and your classic brewpub fare. Â Burgers are tasty, onion rings have that perfect ratio of breading to onion thickness, and their patio is complete with chairlift chairs for seating. Â
Convenient location at the base of the gondola, this is a perfect spot for a stop after an afternoon of skiing or a summer hike.
All of their beers are easy-drinking and there's something to please just about everyone. Â Their claim to fame is their Rye which was a 2005 gold medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival. Â Go for samplers if you're not sure which kind you'd like.
This place is the best thing about Telluride!!!
We each had a flight of beer and I have to say, as a Stout drinker, YUMMO! Â I tried three different stouts and while all were distinctive they were all fricken fabulous. The Oatmeal Stout - which was not on the menu - was superb! Probably the best stout I tried during our whole vacation.
The food was equally good. Â We shared a bowl of chicken noodle soup which had large chunks of chicken and lots of large noodles and veggies. Â I had a Reuben sandwhich which was very good.
The service was also awesome. Our waiter was on the ball and very attentive given how incredibly busy he and the rest of the establishment were.
Although not a fan of Telluride, I would go back if guaranteed a trip to Smugglers Joe's!!!
We stopped in here on our second day in Telluride for lunch. Â I ordered the ham and swiss with steak fries, and the hubby had a bacon cheddar burger with onion rings. Â The burger was ordered medium, but appeared to be fried to a crisp. Â I didn't try it, but he said it was not very good. Â The onion rings were very tasty, but the fries were just average. Â The thin sliced ham was good, but I would have preferred some other type of bread. Â The baguette was just too much for this sandwich. Â The little ski lift tables on the patio are very cute, but everything else about this place is just average.
Review Source:4 Stars for the Beer. Â
3 stars for the food.
Typical bar food, not awesome, not bad. Â Some really good beers on tap and it has a nice little sports bar type feel.
I did NOT try the burgers, although that seems to be their specialty. Â Def. stop in for the beer and don't feel bad about ordering food, it's just fine.
I went in here for lunch on Friday, because I was craving a burger, and this place had burgers. Â It was nice and crowded, but they still gave me a table. Â That was nice of them!
Turns out they also have a root beer on tap, which is nice for us root beer connoisseurs. Â It was average.
The burger was decent, but I ordered it medium rare, and got what was clearly a medium-cooked burger. Â Not a huge deal, since it was still juicy enough, and it seems that not many cooks can reliably hit medium rare these days.
The service was not incredible; I didn't see my server more than a couple of times, and I ended up just leaving cash and tip because it was taking a little while for them to come get my credit card.
I'd recommend this place if you're in T-Ride. Â Decent food, good atmosphere, and reasonable prices. Â It also looks like they're serious about their beer, if you're into that sort of thing.
I went here twice.
The first experience was actually quite good, which is why we went back. My companion had the hamburger and me, the veggie burger. The burgers were good, as were the fries, tots and service.
So we decided to go back. Mistake.
We got the baby back ribs which they are allegedly "famous" for --- they were dry and the sauce was too sweet and cloying. I forget what my boyfriend had because it was forgettable. Good cosmopolitan, except for when the waiter knocked it off the table and ended up cutting me.
The girl behind the bar -- small brunette -- is also the manager. After our waiter dropped my glass he left the table in a hurry, not extremely apologetic. I went in to wash the blood off my foot and saw him again and tried to make him feel okay about it, because he was clearly rattled.
The manager went to the table and spoke to my boyfriend who was not happy. She comped us the meal and that was appropriate given I was injured. However, on my way out I went to thank her and she literally would not look at me and treated me like crap. Ungracious, unwelcoming and rude. I was pretty surprised, seeing as they had just caused me injury.
I won't be back.
Was in town with about 40-45 friends and we had our nightly après ski happy hours here. Although the food was more 3-stars, the owner and staff were awesome. They Always made us feel extremely welcome, even in the midst of us dancing through the the aisles, and other nonsense going on outside out of our control. Great place for group or family outings.  You gotta try the ski shots!!  Lol....good times. :-)
Review Source:Enjoyed the buffalo chicken sandwich and sliders. Â Scottish ale is recommended. Â Growler bottles are great.
Went back again a few days later -- food and beer still good but service quite slow: Â getting waited on, getting food, getting the check, so took off one extra star for this.
Smuggler's is yet another Telluride experience not to be missed. Â
Without a doubt the best burgers for miles around. Â And in addition to that, the staff is friendly, the restaurant is full of TVs for sports fans, they brew their own beers in the micro brewery on the premises... oh and both Friday and Saturday night are "Rib Night" - which means prime rib or baby back ribs - your choice. Â Delicious!
I almost always opt for the burgers (at least on my first visit there - we usually go more than once), but the prime rib is excellent. Â They offer a huge variety of beers and mixed drinks to go along with all the tasty eats, and even offer beer samplers if you want to try a bunch of the micro brews before picking your favorite.
Plus, can you think of any other restaurants that let you write your name wherever you can find space - tables, walls, booths, etc? Â I can only think of a handful, myself and none of the rest are in Telluride. Â
It's a fun, friendly atmosphere and fits the laid back vibe of Telluride perfectly. Â One word of warning: be prepared to wait for a table on the weekends - this is a popular watering hole with everyone - hey, well priced steak will do that for ya.
On a wayward trip back from Mesa Verde my bf and I stopped at the visitor's center in Telluride. Â The woman working the counter recommended this local brew pub. Â Being lovers of all things beer we decided to give it a try. Â The atmosphere is very casual and there were several tv's playing that days football games. Â I recommend ordering the beer sampler. Â You can mix and match beers from the specials and regular menu. Â My favorite was the special My Abbey Weiss and I brought home a growler full of it. Â Our orders were slightly wrong (i.e. fries instead of onion rings) but the waiter quickly returned with the correct items. Â Overall a nice stop for lunch and a great beer.
Review Source:Came here with a group of people after a day of skiing.
Did not order any food as I was still full after happy hour at Allred's.
Atmosphere is pleasant. Â Waiter was on top of things and very friendly.
The waiter did not seem annoyed that I did not order any food which is always a plus.
The food that came all looked really good. Â
Ham & swiss sandwich a la carte was a big portion sandwich def big enough to be a meal all by itself. Â Looked very tasty.
As did the salmon salad, fish & chips, and their prime rib dinners.
Everything looked so tasty that I've made a mental note to come back when I'm hungry and have a meal here!
So I don't remember much the ensued this night, but I do remember that it started with dinner at Smuggler's. Â Here is what I remember:
--I got the burger, it wasn't bad but my buddy ordered the Kobe burger and it is WELL worth the $3 upcharge.
--Be forewarned--I think the average number of fries each of us got was 7, so get an app if you are hungry
--They let you get half onion rings/half fries with your sandwich--pretty sweet idea
--They have a SHOT SKI!! Â I mean, I guess you should kind of expect that from a place in Telluride, but I was happy nonetheless (+1 star for shotski).
Our recent motorcycle ride took us to Telluride, CO. Â True to form, mountain resorts tend to cater to one type of tourist in the winter and another in the summer. Â This can be confirmed with any customer facing service industry person. Â We are definitely the summer resort peeps.
Walking the streets of Telluride with my Petite, Red Headed Passion Flower gets the appetite going, especially at that altitude. Â Serious carnivore craving for a burger with cheese and fries brought us to Smugglers Brewpub and Grill. Â Within a minute of walking through the door, we were seated.
With very little exception, brew pubs are good at one thing: Â Making beer. Â The food menu invariably suffers but that's because it's all about the beer. Â In my humble opinion. Â Smugglers pulled it off, with an excellent selection of craft beers and very tasty grub.
For an appetizer, we ordered a half order of Beer Nuggets, fried bread dough nuggets tossed in savory seasonings and served with marinara. Â We also ordered the Box Canyon Burger Basket, medium, which pretty much comprised of all the major food groups: Â burger, bacon, cheese and avocado. Â Our server offered to do a half and half with the onion rings and fries and for this we were two steps closer to carbohydrate nirvana. Â For the adult beverage, I ordered the Knuckledragger Extra Pale Ale.
The Knuckledragger was very refreshing on the palate, a hoppy afterglow that lingered.  The Beer nuggets were quite addictive and held our appetite in check until the burger hit the table.  In fact, we demolished the last of the Beer Nuggets just as the burger made its way to our table and as it did, my PRHPF and I immediately did that immediate non-verbal thing we do, as if to say "What the .....?" as the burger 'basket' was presented to our table.  Before us on our plate was a portion suited for most kids menus.  Burger presented open faced with a slice of bacon cut in half and cheese, a one ounce thimble of guacamole and a one ounce thimble  coleslaw.  14 french fries and 4 onion rings.  A leaf of lettuce, two slices of 'maters and a very generous abundance of four pickle slices.  Our medium burger was well done but delicious none the less.  The fries and rings, battered lightly, were demolished in moments.
For this incredibly modest, inappropriately named 'basket', appetizer, a beer and a soft drink, our tab was just over 26 dollars, tip included. Â Overall an excellent meal but the incredibly meager portion and the 'What-would-you-like-to-order-here's-your-bill' service creates the perception our server couldn't be bothered with us. Â
Yup. Â That's me. Â Another flatlander tourist leaving a mediocre tip for mediocre service.
I'm going to give Smuggler's 4 Stars, but it comes with an asterisk. This place gets 4 stars on the merits of the beer they brew. We only got to have two of the many on tap, but both were exceptional. The food was what I would call average bar food. Not bad, but not something that sticks out in my mind as a positive so I'm going to let it slide thanks to the beer. Also, it seems like this is about par for the course for the food in Telluride. That or we just are really bad at picking places out.
Worth mentioning is that it was pretty busy and pretty small so I would stear clear if you have any sort of a group heading out unless it's for beers only. And even then the bar area is pretty small as well.
This is a decent place if you don't really know what you feel like having. Â Smuggler's has a wide selection of American food including burgers, sandwiches, salads, pastas, etc. Â Everything was pretty good. Â I tried the Fish and Chips, but I got a side of vegetables instead of "chips". Â The fish was actually decent. Â It wasn't breaded quite as much as the English make it, but I liked it more because of that. Â Plus, the portions here were huge.
Review Source:
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