9 Restaurants in Estes Park Locals Can’t Get Enough Of

Good morning, good day, or good evening to you! Welcome to my article on the best restaurants you can find in the Estes Park area of Colorado. I tried to get as much menu variety into the list today as I could and luckily Estes Park had plenty of great restaurants in different styles to choose from. And I’ll give you every restaurant's address so you can find your way there when one pops out to you. I’ll also link to each restaurant's webpage and Yelp page so that you can see what their menu pricing is like, and what other people have had to say about them. And on top of that, I’ll throw you a link anytime one of these great restaurants in Estes Park accepts our convenient GiftYa gift cards.

What makes GiftYa so convenient is their all digital format. Because of their format, you can buy and send them wirelessly in just seconds right from your phone. And the convenience doesn’t stop there. The recipient of a GiftYa never has to worry about losing them, or losing track of the amount on the card, Because they are completely digital, you have your GiftYa with you, whenever you have your phone on you. And your phone will even keep track of the balance left on the card for you. Which makes them much more convenient then those antiquated plastic ones that you have to write the remainder on in a sharpie so you can remember it next time.  

But enough about how convenient GiftYa are, let’s get to that list of great restaurants in Estes Park, Colorado that you came here for!

1. Bird & Jim

Locally Sourced Seasonally Evolving Menu

915 Moraine Ave | Estes Park | birdandjim.com

Bird & Jim makes it to the top of my list of restaurants in Estes Park Colorado for a couple of reasons. First of all, they have an out of this world rating from their previous customers. And when I see a restaurant boasting a four and a half star rating with nearly 1500 reviews already, you know they are doing something right. Because even the people who go in expecting high quality are having their expectations met.

The other big reason that brings Bird & Jim to the top of the list is that they serve a locally sourced menu that evolves with the seasons. And I always like to see a restaurant do that because in the real world, not every fruit and vegetable is ripe all year long. It’s only due to the miracles of modern science that you can get almost everything at the grocery store all year long. 

So the fact Bird & Jim cares enough about what they are putting into their courses to change it seasonally so they can still keep it locally sourced really speaks to their commitment to providing great high quality American cuisine with a local Colorado flair!

“Amazing food, a lot of vegetarian options

The place is well designed

Very nice and helpful staff

Highly recommended!!” - Yelp Review 

2. Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Brew

THE BEST BBQ YOU CAN FIND ANYWHERE IN COLORADO!!!

820 Moraine Ave | Estes Park | smokindavesbbq.com

Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Brew is so popular that they actually have a couple of locations in the area. They are also so popular that they are the only restaurant that appeared on multiple lists of great places to eat in Estes Park.

And I imagine you can probably guess what they serve from the name, but yes, for those who are wondering they are going to serve out of this world barbeque with plenty of cold beer to help wash it down. They claim to have mastered the artform of barbeque completely, and given all the positive customer reviews they certainly must be onto something. But hey, for those of you who don’t love BBQ, they have plenty of other classic American dishes on the menu. Everything from brisket to hush puppies can be expected when you stop in for a bite at Smokin’ Dave’s! 

“Bartender was great. This was fantastic bbq.  We got the brisket, pork and at Louis ribs.  Mashed and slaw for sides.  Delicious.  Perfect for after hiking all day.” - Yelp Review 

3. Notchtop

Best Breakfast & Brunch Place In Estes Park 

459 E Wonder View Ave | Estes Park | thenotchtop.com

If you want an all natural made from scratch breakfast while you are in Estes Park then Notchtop is going to be just the place for you. They are open from 7:00 AM until 3:00PM every day of the week. And they serve their breakfast and brunch menu that whole time. So you don’t have to worry about oversleeping and missing out on the best breakfast in the city! At Notchtop you can get an incredible breakfast all morning (and early-afternoon) long. If you are looking for a sit down breakfast and a relaxing atmosphere, this is going to be just the spot in Estes Park for you!

“Of ALL the places to have breakfast in Estes, THIS place is one of my favorites. Clean restaurant and terrific service compliment the fabulous food being served here. All I can say is GET THE EGGS BENEDICT!!!!! They're wonderful.” - Yelp Review 

4. Estes Thai Restaurant

The Best Thai Food You Can FInd In Estes Park

401 E Elkhorn Ave | Estes Park | estesthai.com

If you are looking for Thai food in Estes Park then your options are pretty much limited to Estes Thai Restaurant. The good news about that is that Estes Thai Restaurant boasts a perfect five star rating on their Yelp page. So even though they are the only voice in town, they aren’t taking advantage of it and serving a subpar dish. They know they are the only choice in town, and they are still putting their all into every order. And nothing speaks higher of a restaurants quality than that 

“What a nice spot. It was very delicious and very great staff.

The parking is ample and the food is plentiful. If your looking for a break of American meals his is a great choice.” - Yelp Review 

5. The Rock Inn

Amazing Steakhouse and Music Venue In Estes Park

1675 St Hwy 66 | Estes Park | rockinnestes.com

When you think of the best restaurants in a city, I bet your mind naturally gravitates towards steakhouses and seafood places. I don’t know why that is, but it just tends to be what we think of as nice restaurants in America. And Estes Park is no let down in this category. If you are looking for an amazing steakhouse dinner in a rustic, yet formal atmosphere then The Rock Inn is going to be just the sport for you.

And unlike a lot of steakhouses that are a little too uptight for my taste, The Rock Inn makes appropriate use of their name and actually hosts live music performances certain nights of the week. So be sure to check out their website.

“Awesome experience and food!  Had live music the night we were there!   Wife had the steak and I had the elk sausage.” - Yelp Review 

6. Himalayan Curry and Kebob

Best Indian Food In All of Estes Park

Grab a Himalayan Curry and Kebob gift card by following the link!

101 Elkhorn Ave | Estes Park | estesparkcuisinenepal.com

If you are looking for great Indian or Nepalese food while you are in Estes Park then look no further. Himiilayan Curry and Kebob is the best in town. And you can expect all the classics like Tikka Masala and Chicken Curry to be on the menu. To be honest if you are looking for this kind of food in Estes Park you aren’t going to find a better place for it than Himilayan Curry. They are the best in town!

“The food and service were on point. Our server was so sweet. The vegan momos, chana Marsala and the mango curry vegetable were delicious.” - Yelp Review 

Use this link to get a Himalayan Curry and Kebob gift card!

7. Claire’s Restaurant and Bar

Great Restaurant For Any Time of Day In Estes Park

225 Park Ln | Estes Park | clairesrestaurantandbar.com

If you are looking for a restaurant that isn’t just great for breakfast and brunch, or isn’t just great for dinner and drinks, but is great all day long, then Claire's Restaurant and Bar is going to be a great spot for you. They serve an excellent breakfast and brunch menu in the mornings, but also have a full lunch, dinner, and drink menu for the afternoon and evenings. 

The only thing I think is really important to note is that they are closed on Wednesday and don’t open until 11AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The rest of the week they are open from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm and they have a great menu all day long!

“Claire's Restaurant and Bar is a great spot to grab a cold drink or a delicious dish after a long day of exploring Estes and/or hiking. This was my first time at Estes Park and I really enjoyed visiting Claire's as a part of the trip. Try a local beer while you are there!” - Yelp Review 

8. Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant

Popular Mexican Restaurant In Estes Park

Grab a Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant gift card by following the link!

210 E Elkhorn Ave | Estes Park | casagrandemexicana.com

Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant is one of the most popular places in town to get some excellent Mexican food. You can get all the classics like enchiladas, fish tacos, and taco salads on the menu here. So if you are looking for a nice place to sit down and enjoy a great meal of Mexican cuisine, this is going to be the spot for you in Estes Park.

“The food and service were amazing! The servers were fast and asked multiple time if everything was ok. The food was hot when serviced tasted delicious.” - Yelp Review 

You can get a convenient digital Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant gift card by using this link!

9. The Grubsteak Restaurant

A Popular Steakhouse in Estes Park

Grab a The Grubsteak Restaurant gift card by following the link!

134 W Elkhorn Ave | Estes Park | grubsteakestespark.com

If The Rock Inn further up the list didn’t meet your idea of a good night out at a steakhouse, then be sure to give The Grubsteak Restaurant a try. It’s another popular steakhouse in Estes Park that also happens to serve a full dinner menu of classic American cuisine like ribs, burgers, and seafood. The Grubsteak is a great spot if you have a picky eater in your party, because they should be able to find something they are comfortable and familiar with here!

“Yelp Review” - Yelp Review

Grab a The Grubsteak Restaurant gift card for you or a loved one by following the link!

There you have it! That is a list of some of the best restaurants you can find anywhere in the Estes Park area of Colorado. The lucky thing for me is that Estes Park had plenty of great restaurants to choose from. So I was able to get a fair amount of menu variety in this list. But if you didn’t find exactly what you were looking for here, then be sure to check out one of our additional articles on things like great pizza places in Estes Park, or the best BBQ restaurants you can find in the area!