11 Best Romantic Restaurants in Estes Park, CO

By VI Staff on October 19, 2019

Known as a base for the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is a northern Colorado town that is home to spectacular natural scenery of craggy peaks, dense forests and endless tundra, as well as several beautiful areas like the Roosevelt National Forest and Prospect Mountain. After spending the day hiking, mountain biking, and riding the Estes Park Aerial Tramway to soak up the breathtaking scenery of the surrounding landscapes, head to one of these restaurants for a quiet, romantic dinner for two.

1.Baldpate Inn Dining Room

Set within the Baldpate Inn in the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Inn’s Dining Room is a charming restaurant that offers both guests and visitors an unforgettable mountain dining experience. Surrounded by dense pine forests on the side of Twin Sisters Mountain, the Inn’s restaurant serves an expansive buffet of farm-to-table fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, featuring fresh seafood, prime meats and chicken, and fresh locally sourced salads and vegetables. The warm dining room boasts breathtaking treetop views of the mountain valley and a full-service bar serves a variety of casual wines, craft beers, and classic cocktails. Baldpate Inn Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily.

4900 S, CO-7, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-5397

2.Bird & Jim

Bird & Jim is a casual, rustic eatery that celebrates the beautiful mountain town of Este Park with ever-evolving seasonal and ingredient-driven menus of farm-to-table cuisine and fine wines. Owned by Melissa and John Witmer and helmed by Chef Ethan Brown, the restaurant prides itself on using ingredients and produce from local farms and businesses such as Red Wagon Farm, Black Cat Farm, House of Smoke, Tooey and Sons Organic Farm, and Wisdom Natural Poultry. The cuisine is accompanied by organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines from small wineries which are paired with each dish by an on-site sommelier, along with handcrafted cocktails using fresh ingredients, and craft beers. Bird & Jim is open for brunch, lunch and dinner, daily.

915 Moraine Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-9832

3.Cascades Restaurant

Located in the historic 109-year old Stanley Hotel, Cascades Restaurant is a highly-acclaimed, traditional steakhouse that is renowned for serving prime steaks, wild game, gourmet burgers, fresh seafood, and Colorado specialties. Located in the storied hotel that inspired the film The Shining, the restaurant serves a menu of thick house-butchered cuts of USDA choice steaks, free-range chicken and pork, fresh seafood and a range of delectable desserts. The full-service bar has an extensive menu of seasonal cocktails, a selection of sparkling, white, and red varietals, over 1,000 varieties of whiskeys, and craft beers on tap or by the bottle. Cascades Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily.

333 Wonderview Avenue Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-577-4001

4.Claire's On the Park

Boasting a charming atmosphere with spectacular mountain views, a distinctive menu of old-time favorites and seasonal specialties, and an extensive selection of fine wines, Claire’s on the Park is a cozy spot that is ideal for a romantic celebration. Overlooking the park, the restaurant features contemporary décor, intimate copper-topped booths, and a lovely wraparound porch offering breathtaking views, and serves seasonal menus of market-driven fare prepared with locally-sourced ingredients and regional produce. Signature dishes include wild game meatloaf Rocky Mountain trout meunière, smoked pulled pork, and red beans and rice, and the full-service bar offers a variety of casual wines, craft beers, and classic cocktails to pair with the cuisine. Claire’s on the Park is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily.

225 Park Ln, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-9564

5.Dunraven Inn Restaurant

Based in the elegant Dunraven Inn, the Dunraven Inn Restaurant is considered one of the top restaurants in Estes Park for exceptional dining experiences. Established in 1970, the locally-owned and operated restaurant serves unique Italian cuisine prepared with artisanal market-driven ingredients such as house-made pasta dishes, wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood and salads, and prime beef, chicken and veal plates. The full-service bar offers a variety of casual wines by the glass and bottle, craft beers on tap and by the bottle, and classic cocktails, and the restaurant is open for dinner only, seven nights a week.

2470 Colorado Highway 66, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-6409

6.Mama Rose's

Based in a cozy riverside cottage on the Riverwalk, Mama Rose’s is an Italian mainstay and local go-to spot for delicious favorites like spaghetti Bolognese and housemade lasagna and casual Italian wines. Featuring a charming dining room and outdoor riverside patio for alfresco dining, the warm and welcoming family-friendly restaurant serves a seasonal menu of homemade Italian dishes, including fresh seafood, handmade pasta and pizzas, succulent beef and veal dishes, and vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The full-service bar offers a variety of casual wines by the glass and bottle, craft beers on tap and by the bottle, and classic cocktails, and the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, daily.

338 E Elkhorn Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-3330

7.Nicky's Steakhouse Restaurant & Lounge

Established in 1967, Nicky's Steakhouse Restaurant & Lounge is an enduring restaurant that is renowned for serving fresh seafood, prime steaks, chops and ribs, and Northern Italian and Greek specialties. Conveniently located on Fall River Road, the restaurant features three airy, rustic dining rooms and a lovely outdoor deck for alfresco dining rooms where guests can tuck into signature plates of clam chowder, wild-caught Colorado trout, roasted prime rib in rock salt, and USDA sirloin steak. The full-service bar offers a variety of casual wines by the glass and bottle, craft beers on tap and by the bottle, and classic cocktails. Nicky's Steakhouse Restaurant & Lounge is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

1350 Fall River Road, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-5376

8.Seasoned - An American Bistro

Seasoned – An American Bistro is a cozy, upscale eatery with a relaxed atmosphere that serves contemporary American cuisine and global wines in a stylish setting. The small, chef-owned bistro focuses on using locally-sourced, regional ingredients to create an ever-evolving menu of seasonal cuisine with tastes and flavors from around the world. Signature specialties include Muscovy Duck Breast, Pan-Fried, Panko-Coated Colorado Striped Bass Bellies, and Braised Applewood Smoked Pork Belly, and the food is accompanied by a range of casual wines by the glass and bottle, craft beers on tap and by the bottle, and classic cocktails. Seasoned – An American Bistro is open for dinner, Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday brunch.

205 Park Ln, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-9000

9.The View Restaurant

Set in a hill above the town in the historic Crag's Lodge by Diamond Resorts, the aptly named View Restaurant offers an elegant fine-dining restaurant with spectacular views. Epitomizing rustic-chic décor with stylish indoor and outdoor seating, the seasonal restaurant serves award-winning cuisine and globally-inspired wines in a magical setting that is often used for weddings and private celebrations. The beautifully-appointed restaurant is set on the north side of Prospect Mountain just 12 miles from the famous Rocky Mountain National Park and is a perfect spot for romantic celebrations.

300 Riverside Dr, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-1087

10.The Waterfront Grille

Located on the shore of Lake Estes in the Estes Park Resort, the Waterfront Grille is a rustic, yet elegant fine-dining restaurant that serves contemporary New American cuisine and fine wines in an upscale, relaxed environment. Boasting breathtaking views of Lake Estes and Longs Peak, the restaurant market-driven cuisine prepared with fresh locally-sourced ingredients with signature dishes like beer-cheese soup, wild game burgers, trout fries, and poblano. Guests can enjoy live jazz and classic lounge piano entertainment most nights of the week, and the full-service bar offers a variety of casual wines by the glass and bottle, craft beers on tap and by the bottle, and classic cocktails. The Waterfront Grille is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily.

1700 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-577-6400

11.Twin Owls Steakhouse

Surrounded by the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains in a rustic 90-year-old mountain lodge with a cozy fireplace and spectacular mountain views, the Twin Owls Steakhouse is a classic steakhouse that serves award-winning cuisine and fine wines in an intimate setting. The restaurant features three dining rooms with hardwood floors, rough-hewn log walls, and moss rock fireplaces in which diners can enjoy perfectly presented dishes of prime USDA steaks, chops, ribs, and wild game, fresh seafood and irresistible desserts. An extensive wine list features globally-inspired vintages, local craft beers by the bottle and on tap, and hand-crafted classic cocktails, and the restaurant is open for dinner, Monday through Saturday.

800 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517, Phone: 970-586-9344