Rock Inn Mountain Tavern

The final post for places we ate while on vacation in Estes Park, Colorado is definitely saving the best for last. The Rock Inn was my absolute favorite restaurant in Estes Park. The hostess that greeted us was unbelievably nice, and made small talk and asked if we had a favorite table (even though I could tell by the look on her face that she knew by our accents that we weren't from around here). Our waiter was not only helpful, but bent down while talking to us which you don't see often, and made us feel like people who were regulars and ate their all of the time. The decor was gorgeous. It felt like we were in the middle of the mountains somewhere in a cozy lodge.

I didn't feel like an alcoholic beverage or soda, and water was too boring so I decided to get fancy and order the French press coffee. It was some of the best coffee I have had in years.  My husband, who is a tea person, also said it was delicious coffee.

For an appetizer we ordered the "Devils on horseback", which were dates stuffed with roasted garlic, and wrapped in bacon served with a fresh aioli. The only bad thing I have to say about these are that there weren't enough on the plate! The garlic and dates were so creamy, and the bacon had a perfect crunch on the outside.

My husband ordered the bacon wrapped meatloaf. The meatloaf was very moist and served with a garlic mushroom gravy on top. He also had a side of red potatoes and a carrot salad.

And now, for the best dish that I have had in months, and the best steak I have had in YEARS, is my main course. I ordered the Filet Mignon, bistro style which was peppercorn crusted and served in a port wine sauce. I also had the carrot salad on the side, and ordered mine with creamy polenta. The plate, taste aside, was gorgeous. Mine was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the slices were fanned out. The port wine sauce was rich and creamy and went perfectly with the hot peppercorns. It was definitely not one of the cheaper items on the menu, but sometimes you just have to treat yourself to something decadent.

I highly, highly recommend this restaurant if you are in Estes Park. We ate here on a Saturday and they even had live music. I wish I would have figured out the singer's name so that I could give her recognition on here because her voice was beautiful. The food is to die for, the staff makes you feel like family. If I could pick this restaurant up and bring it back to the Upper Peninsula I would.

Rock Inn, Main Site
Rock Inn, Facebook Page