Claire's Restaurant and Bar

Great little cafe in the center of Estes Park. Lots of options whether you’re looking for something light or heavier fare. Highly recommend the fish tacos- their French fries are top tier too!

Wife and I stopped for an early dinner after enjoying the Mustang Mountain Coaster. The restaurant is located in the downtown shop area. The exterior is quaint with home look and outside patio. The interior is decorated well and was clean. We were seated immediately and our server was attentive. Wife and I both had the Mahi Mahi tacos. We tried the onion rings and lobster bisque as well. The food came fairly quickly and was prepared well. The tacos were surprisingly very good, my wife loved the onion rings, and I enjoyed the lobster bisque. Overall, we had a good experience and would certainly stop back.

I was up in Estes Park this past weekend and decided to try out #clairesrestaurantandbar and made the right decision. Went out with the family and I personally ordered the smoked brisket brilled cheese and it was to delicious. The grilled cheese had roasted jalapeños which add a special spicy touch. It was not the typical boring grilled cheese. Dad ordered the ribeye and had so much flavor and was very juicy!! I will be returning. The reason why I’m giving it a 4 star is because the waiter was so serious, didn’t even smile not once. But the lovely ladies at the entrance were very kind !

We stumbled upon this restaurant while looking for something other than pub food in Estes Park. They had a nice menu and the restaurant itself was very cute. The host was not only friendly but was constantly cleaning the floors and bussing tables (and he was wearing the best shoes!). The service was attentive and friendly. The food was good, not great. But a good option if you don’t want burgers and fries.

As soon as my husband and I walked in, we were greeted with a warm and friendly welcome from the hostess. The food is delicious! We were so happy to discover it and highly recommend it.

This was a pretty good little restaurant up in Estes Park. We had everything from the elk meatloaf, mac and cheese French onion soup. As far as the food goes, everything was satisfactory. It was good food but nothing that I would describe as spectacular or a must-have. The service was fine. It did take a little while for our meals to arrive, but they were overall decently attentive. The only disappointment was the drinks. We ordered an old fashioned and it had a glass full of crushed ice. Anybody who drinks Old fashions knows this is a big No-No. Overall the drinks were just okay. I would definitely go back for a meal but would pregame with drinks, somewhere else.

Forget it. They don't know how to make hollandaise sauce, the tomatoes are mushy not fresh, the spinach is wilted and the potatoes are dry. It looked like a nice place for breakfast. Sat on the patio, great views, terrible food. Sad.

Beautiful views of the mountains on the front porch made this dinner worthwhile. The porch is narrow, and staff were constantly, literally running through the narrow corridor, which was annoying. The food was decent, but the waiter forgot a few things we asked for and didn't check on us until we were 3/4 of the way through our meal. The standout food was the elk sausage fettuccine in a Cajun cream sauce. It was delicious and just a little heat. The seafood mac was good, not great. I definitely would go back and hope the atmosphere was not quite as hurried. Staff should always walk, not run past guests.

Claire's Restaurant was just what we were looking for while visiting Estes Park. It was a local café but ended up being better than expected. We ate outside because the weather was gorgeous. They don't usually allow outside dining but made an exception. The curry chicken salad sandwich was flavorful and tasty. The pita was soft and nice but a bit too much bread for me so I just had the chicken salad. I also had two Bacon Bloody Mary's, which where fabulous...probably why I had no room for the bread, haha. The french fries were dipped and incredibly good. I highly recommend Claire's.

We came here while in town for a wedding. They have a great wrap-around patio. Service was friendly. There were a lot of families... a lot of children... We started with some drinks and then I ordered a club sandwich and my husband got the smoked brisket grilled cheese. I'm not exaggerating when I say there was an entire jalapeño on my hubs sandwich, which he bit into, and we love spicy. He had to have a hard stop with the level of heat. Also, we wanted to know where they got spicy jalapeños haha, but also, a bit weird on the sandwich. That was only on one side... nothing on the other. Anyway, food was ok. Nothing amazing or terrible.

We're in town for RMNP for a couple of days and came here for lunch on day 1. Inside is cute, nothing special and they have a nice patio area. Our server Sophia was friendly and attentive but not overly so - the right amount of attention. I had to try their French onion soup - if it's on a menu, I have to partake. It was nice that I could have it with my Prime melt instead of fries or chips for a reasonable upcharge. The soup was really good but unusual in that it had rosemary in it. The first few bites I really liked but then the rosemary was a bit much. The Prime melt was delicious- tender with grilled onions and a horseradish aioli and the bun was amazing- really crunchy outside and soft inside with a great flavor. My boyfriend had the bacon burger with chips, which he liked except he said the bun was really ordinary and should have been on a brioche or something.

Honestly not great. The service was cold and not friendly or inviting. My food came out wrong. Our appetizer of chicken wings was ice cold. It tasted okay. I would not recommend or go back. No one in our group was impressed.

If you're looking for a good dinner in Estes park, this is the place to go! My friends and I were in the area for some hikes and decided to go downtown for dinner. The ambiance of this place is great- lots of indoor and outdoor seating. We didn't have a reservation but got a table immediately. The staff are very friendly- they all talked to us about their experience in Estes park and made the visit very welcoming. Lastly, the food was great! I ordered a guacamole burger and it was pretty spicy but flavorful. Everyone else in my group liked their dishes too (chicken wrap and mushroom pasta). Would definitely recommend if you're in the area!

The atmosphere here is beautiful, the staff is very nice and helpful. The food was okay, not my favorite style of huevos rancheros, not what I was expecting, however it's still pretty okay.

Good food and good service. Two areas for eating, bar side and dining area. We sat in the busy dining area and got waited on quickly. The staff was training a person and the introduction was made. The waiter knew a lot about the beer choices and menu which was very helpful.

Stopped in for dinner on a Thursday night. My wife enjoyed her mushroom tagliatelle. My wild game meatloaf was ok, but it was one of the denser meatloafs I've ever had before. I'm not sure I've ever had a meatloaf that cut like a steak and needed the serrated knife it was served with. I'd likely try something else should we make it back. Service was prompt, as was the food. Food came out crazy fast. I'm not sure I've had a restaurant where the food came out right after ordering. It was almost like it was ready before we ordered.

The ribs were outstanding! Great staff, great food, and family friendly! If you have a neurodivergent kiddo this is the place to go! They are family owned and even the owner came out to make sure everything was delicious and up to standards. They were accommodating for our son with Autism and gave extra attention to our table. What a great experience!

The chilli here was the best chilli I've ever had! I have come here once before and absolutely loved the environment. Service was a bit slow, that was our only gripe. The elk burger was really tasty, it was my first time ever having elk. My daughter had pasta, but gave it up as soon as she tried the chilli!

Claire's was recommended by a local for lunch, and is located in central Estes Park in a cute Victorian house. We sat out on the porch and were served water in those plastic enormous tumblers chilled with far too many ice cubes, a real throwback. I got their Chef's Chicken Sandwich with Swiss and aioli on brioche, along with a side salad. The food was a-okay. My salad dressing came in a plastic condiment packet, which is something that I don't generally love. A central location downtown, with plenty of parking (next to a public parking lot) in a historic yellow house, we found Claire's to be a classic example of an American cafe in a mountain town, a menu with a little of everything: salad, sandwich, burger and pasta options.

Absolutely one of the best restaurants in Estes Park! The host, servers and food are incredible! The inside is clean, well decorated and very nice. I had the grilled chicken with asparagus, bacon jalapeño scalloped potatoes. My husband had the steakhouse burger, all the food was delicious and cooked perfectly! 5 out of 5!

The bread on my wife's grilled brisket sandwich was cold and wet having not touched the grill. I explained this to the server whose response was 'this is what you ordered'. Asked for the manager who we could see but never came to our table. Fries were cold. Honey wheat stinger draught tasted like the taps haven't been cleaned. I liked my elk burger. Daughters Mac and cheese was also cold. The server took my wife's sandwich off the bill. Again. We never spoke with a manager. Great views but would recommend saving your money.

My daughter and I stopped in as we rolled into town mid afternoon. We decided to split two apps as we were starving and meeting friends for dinner later that evening. We went with the hummus platter and the Bangin' Shrimp. Both excellent choices! The shrimp were our favorite. Lots of tanginess without being spicy hot. We sat on the patio and our waitress was wonderful. We thought the prices on the menu were reasonable. I highly recommend Claire's!

We loved Claire's, the service was great. The atmosphere was fun, they had a great music playlist. The food & drinks were delicious. Harvest mule and Bloody Mary was yummy!! Blueberry panna cotta was creamy with a lot of flavor. I would come back again when I'm in the area!

Great French onion soup and a comfortable environment. Had the French dip and it had some of the best pickles (homemade ) I've ever tasted! Nice time before Christmas and a nice view of the square

Service: I would give the service five stars. The hostess, manager and server were very friendly and made us feel welcome. Our server was very on top of it and checked on us but did not hoover. The food came very quickly ! Ambiance: casual but very clean and cozy. Tons of seating and also outdoor seating which was great. Clean bathrooms. Food: I had the Santa Fe salad with added steak. It was so good and my steak was cooked perfectly. Great portions of everything and they did not skimp on any of the toppings. Would get again !! Love this place

I finally went to Claire's this year after years of appreciating its great view of Bond Park. Why did I wait so long? My first visit was with some friends for lunch. Outside seating with beautiful views and heat lamps or umbrellas depending on the weather, Lunch was terrific as was the service. So I returned again for dinner with my spouse-- inside. Inside not so special--I'll take the outside with views anytime. But. Again the Food and service were great. I have to say my fav meal from them is breakfast--only available on Saturday and Sunday. The Mexican omelet was the best I've ever had with all of my favorites: chorizo, green chilis, cheddar, sour cream and tomatillo salsa. It has knocked Notchtop out of favorite breakfast place where it has been for at least a decade. And the fresh fruit I subbed for potatoes was fresh strawberries, and blueberries. Fantastic, I wish I could afford the calories to try the Pan Perdu; it looks and sounds delicious. I'll keep returning.

Very popular restaurant so we sat at the bar. The waiter was kind enough to let us put on the college game of our choosing (from FL, so go FSU!!) Ambiance is casual. I tried the fish and chips, served with tartar sauce, fries, and coleslaw. I didn't care for the coleslaw, but to be fair, I rarely care for coleslaw. The fries were pretty normal, and what you would find at a restaurant. The fish had 3 decent size pieces (for the price of the entree), and a little more breading than I care, but still good! Not a bad spot.

Delicious and almost gourmet dinner for me and my family when visiting Estes Park. There was no wait but it was busy and we enjoyed a lovely dinner. Another popular dish with the family was the fish and chips. Only complaint I heard was the shrimp Mac n cheese didn't need to include the breadcrumbs as they overwhelmed the dish. Everything else was outstanding!

Great dinner and drinks! Service was friendly and very helpful in describing the various menu items.

Lunch while enjoying the downtown area. Tried this place. Waited a few minutes to be seated and then sat for 45 minutes for our food which arrived cold. Two sandwiches, fries and onion rings. You could tell the food was left on the pass waiting for the server. Told the server it was cold: the onion rings, fries and beef on the sandwich. He said he could re-order but I told him no. He gave me a check for the two drinks we had. the lady in charge came by the table, Apologized and offered to comp the drinks. I told her no, we drank them and I would pay for them, but we were not coming back. I explained the table next to us had three people. Ordered two hamburgers and a sandwich 20 minutes after we ordered and they received their food 20 minutes before us. She is the only reason this is a two star rating.

We like this casual mountain venue with warm and friendly service. The wine list has something for all to enjoy. The food comes out quick, however, it could be timed better to not clog the table at once. In our case, the entrees were brought out right after the salads and we didn't get a chance to enjoy our wine and salad first. That being said, we like going to Claire's, especially when we can take advantage of 2 for 1 mimosas or bloody Mary's. The location is right on the green and the scenery is lovely.

We stopped in after a long hike at RMNP. We were exhausted and hungry. We got the hummus appetizer - the pita chips were to die for!! Perfectly cooked. I also got a southwest wrap which was very average. Service was pretty good. The patio looked nice, unfortunately a bit windy for us!

I had such a bad visit to Claire's on Monday and I'm finally able to post about it.  We were evacuated from our home because of the Alexander Mountain fire and decided to get lunch while we figured out what to do next. Our dogs have service dogs tags so we asked if we could sit in the patio with them as Cabana, where we usually go, was closed Mondays.  About 10 minutes into our stay, an older gentleman who must have been the manager or owner came over to talk to us about the dogs. His tone was very accusatory and doubtful of us saying that they have to do what they are told, and that noone can pet them or they would make us leave.  Our dogs weren't doing anything wrong and with the stress I was already going through from the fire, it completely turned my stomach and shot my anxiety through the roof. I left in complete tears and will definitely not be returning, with or without dogs. So many other businesses are helping those of us evacuated and it's just awful how we were treated by our neighbors at Claire's in this unimaginable time.

Service was great salad super good but my sons fries were cold and his grilled cheese sandwich was cold the cheese was not even melted

This is such a great little family-run restaurant near the entrance to RMNP! We met Claire's sister who told us the restaurant was opened 35 years ago and is still going strong. Service was prompt and very attentive, and we felt at home right away. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and you can catch glimpses of the mountains through the front windows. And the food! I had the BBB burger, prepared to a perfect medium, with the amazingly delicious bourbon bacon jam. So delicious!!! My husband had the elk, bison, beef meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes and he loved it! Their slogan is mimosas all the time and they offered 2 for $10 mimosas. Great for cooling off after a day of hiking and exploring the Rocky Mountain National Park. We plan to return and we'll tell all our friends about Claire's!

By far the best French Toast I've ever had. I would take a trip to Estes Park just to go to Claire's!! The service was good and the views were great!

Totally recommend this restaurant for anyone visiting the area!!! It is so delicious and has options for everyone! All 7 of us loved our dishes! The Santa Fe salad with cilantro lime dressing was a favorite. Very large and super delicious. We also ordered the full meatloaf (you can get a half order as well). It's wrapped in bacon and WOW it's so good! I was so full but had to finish it up. It comes with super good mashed potatoes and some veggies. We got the larger portion to share, which they add $3 fee to that, but it was definitely worth it. A ton of food for two people!

The food was very sub-par. It was probably the dishes we ordered. I had the Tai salad. We were quite hungry from hiking in the morning, so anything eaten would have to be somewhat tasty. The salad had the usual ingredients, but the lettuce was not fresh with mostly romaine butts. The dressing was in a small plastic container, and was the only thing somewhat resembling Tai? My wife had the meatloaf, and said it was tasty and she enjoyed it even though it was quite dry. The server gal was in a hurry and demanding. We sat outside, and needed some protection from the yellow orb. Our table umbrella was opened, but not secured correctly to block the rays -- oh well. The whole experience was disappointing. Next time will stick with their more popular entrées. I know it is difficult finding good food in Estes - it's always been this way. Some restaurants come and offer a great menu with good presentation, but just don't have the staying power and are gone in a few seasons. I know it's tough in a tourist town. Don't know what to tell ya - try Ed's and La Cochin de Mama for pretty good Mexican cuisine. Bird & Jim, Twin Owls Steakhouse and The Ember at Lake Estes for good but expensive dinner. Try The Egg of Estes and Mountain Home Cafe for well-cooked breakfasts. There is the relatively new restaurant The Post Chicken & Beer which I hear is worth trying. These are my goto spots.

Got the brisket grilled cheese. It came out cold and the cheese was not melted. The meatloaf was not worth $17 for the portion size

Great service Great view Good food They have a wonderful patio for outdoor dining and the service is fast! Great for a quick breakfast, or an afternoon lunch after a hike.

The turkey TBA sandwich I had today at Claire's was the best I've ever eaten. To be honest, I'd never had those specific ingredients before. The service was gracious and friendly throughout, in spite of two squabbly small kids in our group of six, and a busy noon hour. I should also mention the potato fries that came with my sandwich: They were fresh, crisp on the outside and tender inside, the way fries ought to be but usually aren't. Although this trip to Estes Park was a side trip for us, who come from Davis, CA, to visit grandchildren in Boulder, I will look forward to repeating the experience on future visits.

Service was good and the restaurant was clean enough inside ... I got the brisket sandwich with a cup of tomato basil soup. The brisket came between slices of Texas toast with some jalapeños ... it was yummy! My only critiques are that the sandwich crust was a bit tough in parts and the bread was more greasy than I preferred but that's sort of expected with Texas toast. The brisket was tender and unlike that I've usually had, but in a good way! The tomato basil soup was very creamy--how I like it--but also quite fibrous. I assume this is due to the cooking down of tomato skins in the soup. I'd recommend my meals to others. My brother got the pulled pork sliders and thoroughly enjoyed them. My mom got a sandwich with GF bread and sweet potato fries on the side, and she liked everything. Good job, Claire's!

This was our first meal in Estes park, and it set the bar SO high. The service was excellent. Our server was just the right amount of attentive and chill. Very knowledgeable about the menu. My husband had a basic burger with onion rings. Let me just say that I have never in my life had a better onion ring. I will leave colorado and remember the onion rings. I had chicken Marsala, which was very flavorful and tender. I ordered the seafood Mac for my boys which was delicious. It had a crusty, crumbly topping that took the dish over the top. Overall, the atmosphere, view, service, and food made this a 5 star experience for us. We will likely be back during this trip!

The flavor in each of our dishes was impeccable, enough to leave us and other customers talking about how amazing our dishes were on the way out! I got the curried chicken sandwich with fries which were perfectly salted and crispy, we also got the salmon which had an amazing smoky flavor, and fish tacos which had a beautiful mango salsa on top! I RECOMEND

This was our first stop in Estes and it did not disappoint! My husband and I shared the smokehouse burger and it was delicious! The patty was seasoned well and the mushrooms were so good. For $21 with fries, which seems kind of expensive, it is also about on par with everywhere else we have eaten here so far.

We had lunch here as a family with two small children and loved the food. The macaroni was devoured by my extremely picky 5yo. The elk burger was probably the best burger I've had as far as meat quality. The manager was super friendly. We loved this spot.

This was not a good time. Sure I could say the service was friendly and fast, but when the food is this bad I could care less. For a one time visit, it was horrible. I ordered the $45 ribeye medium. Maybe they cooked it right but it was the toughest thing I've tried to chew in a long time. I expected a tender fatty cut of meat and I got a tough impossible to cut slab of unseasoned beef full of gristle. Whatever you do don't order a steak there. The restaurant itself looks pretty nice inside and the mashed potatoes and veggies that came with it were edible, but when the bad steak was the best tasting thing on the plate it's not a good time. I'm only leaving a two star review because of the possibility that I got the one thing on the menu that sucks.

We split the BBB burger. The taste was amazing. We also had the pub chips and potato fries. Both were tasty without being overly salted or greasy. We will be back.

My daughter and I were starving after checking out Rock Mountain National Park and Claire's appeared to have a menu that she would enjoy. The restaurant is very cute, trendy and rustic, it has a lived in feel that is warm and welcoming. Our server greeted us and from the get go, he was awkward. He was attentive and proficient as a server but seem to lack the ability to banter. I cannot recall what we order, it has been a few weeks since we were there, but I do know we both really enjoyed our food. My daughter was especially happy with her food, I recall her telling her dad about it later. Estes Park is a cute town and I would recommend Clair's to anyone looking for a yummy meal, it would be fun to check it out during the warmer months.

Ten stars describes it all; Sophia our server, the food, the ambiance, the quickness of the service of the service. We had the smoked brisket grilled cheese and a simple burger. The burger was so tasty, no need for condiments. I subbed a fresh fruit cup for fries and they were truly fresh. The smoked brisket and grilled cheese sandwich was huge and hot and full of meat. The fries are coated so be sure you like that kind of fry. Options for seating are in or outdoors. The food came less than 15 minutes!

This is a cute place. Unfortunately our server was lacking and didn't seem to want to be there. The hostess was really nice though. I had the meatloaf which was very flavorful. My husband had the fish and chips which were not great. I'm going with 4 stars.

Claire's is one of favorites for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in Estes Park. We were bummed last July when they weren't open for breakfast but happy to see breakfast back as of February '24! The food and service were top notch as always!

Food/Taste/Flavor: 2/5 - Guacamole Burger was pretty generous with the patty but only a tiny smear of guacamole. The roasted jalapeño overwhelmed everything with its flavor and we had to double check what dish we ordered. The brioche was nice and crispy on the top but soggy on the bottom. Fish & Chips was fried in really old oil which is understandable since the restaurant was closing within an hour but still really disappointing. The fish were really small slices so mostly batter that was separating from the fish itself. The fries are extremely salty and it was the smallest arugula salad ever. The dish was very queasy overall Ambience: N/A - ordered food to go with the hostess Service: 5/5 - Julie was able to take our orders at the hostess stand. She quoted us 20 minutes and called us around 13 to let us know the orders are ready Value for price: 1/5 - pricey for mediocre food. We were disappointed since there were so many guests and the restaurant was reviewed well

Can't recommend. My medium-rare flank steak was overcooked - not even a hint of pink on the inside... and (weirdly) smelled of fish. Service was awkward and rushed.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4! The service was really quick. The waiter actually came to us before we even looked at the menu. Once we ordered we got our food in probably 15 minutes. We split the elk burger and the half portion of meatloaf. The elk burger was topped with some jalapeño onion jam which was so good. I added avocado and then we subbed the fries for sweet potato fries! The only complaint about the burger is that the bottom bun was soggy. I hate soggy bread like that so I wish the bun was a bit thicker like a nice, solid, brioche bun. The meatloaf was a really big portion for being only half. The mashed potatoes were super tasty. The veggies were just so-so. The meatloaf had bacon around the edge which added some yummmy flavor. Only wish I had for this entree was that it came with more of the red wine mushroom sauce. The dish felt a little dry about half way through once the sauce was already gone. Great dinner in Estes park and I would definitely go back-- there were lots of other things on the menu that looked sooo good too.

The best place to eat in Estes!!! WOW!! Breakfast and lunch or dinner lots of great selections! The food was an absolute 10!! Service was great and Jennifer took perfect care of us! Be sure and have the Carrot cake! Mimosas were the best!!! Great close by parking and welcoming atmosphere!! Be sure and stop in when you are in Estes!!!

Stumbled upon this gem for Sunday Brunch. The place was adorable and very clean. Our server Jennifer was lovely, the bloody Mary's were the perfect tang and spice, the food was delicious! We had Huevos Rancheros (excellent green chili), veggie Benedict and couldn't resist a lemon-blueberry pancake for an apptz.