Loungin' Lizard

My son and I were only in Cortez for the night and he picked this place to have dinner...boy did I raise him to make good decisions! Haha. We started off with the smoked pork nachos and taking no time to devour those tasty things. He ordered the bison burger, medium and let me have a bite.....both him and I thought it was delicious. I had the Elk Shepards Pie and that too, we both thought was delicious. We were good at that point, but nooooo....we thought it was a great idea to not order 1, but 2 seasonal fruit cobblers for dessert. It was outstanding...the cobbler, not the extremely full stomachs. The service was good and we would both recommend the Loungin' Lizard.

Excellent food and overall experience. I had the Elk Shepherds Pie and my wife had the French Onion Burger. Both were amazing!

I come to cortez once a year and this place used to be a safe staple. I ordered a black coffee that they didn't brew correctly, somehow, I didn't mind it, but it's the principal. I had the bison burger that comes with cheddar and pork belly on top, with a side of fries; medium rare. It comes out and looks so dry, no sauce, no condiments, and I wasn't aware they just slapped chopped vegetables on it without care. I bit into it and low and behold, it was extremely overcooked, and dry. Will not be going back, solely based on the fact that it's a simple burger, that came out wrong in so many ways. Staff was nice though, and they didn't make me pay for it, so service was good!

After a long day of travel, this was just the perfect spot for a comfy dinner. Our waiter was super friendly, the atmosphere was cosy and nice, and the food & the cocktails were very good.

Road trip decisions. Drove in from camping overnight in Corkscrew Gulch. Parked on Main Street on a Sunday @ 11:30 am. Sat at a booth, ordered pizzas, and enjoyed a peach mimosa. The Tomato Florentine Pizza with a crispy thin crust was awesome. The Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza was awesome as well. We took home leftovers so we could enjoy house-made ice cream for dessert. Yummy, and made the drive to Flagstaff very satisfying.

Had a terrific dinner of spinach salads finely done, a great special bean and chili soup and a (flatbread) pizza. Friendly service and great beer selection.

We were explained that everything is made from scratch so we were excited to try their menu items. We ordered about seven different things and none of them was edible except for pasta with Mariana sauce. Pork Belly Taco had slimy lettuce/cabbage Chicken Tenders took 30 minutes to fry More than half of Brussel Sprouts app were burned Chicken Caesar was dry, almost like there’s no dressing tossed in it Pizza was too greasy and crust just didn’t taste good. I understand this is BAR/Restaurant combo but please have your staff wear something more appropriate, half of the server’s bottom was exposed and not all of us want to see that while eating.

The Country Fried Chicken at Loungin' Lizard in Cortez, CO is crispy, juicy, and packed with Southern flavor. The Brussels sprouts are caramelized to perfection—savory with a hint of sweetness. Paired with an Effen Vodka Lemonade drink was amazing, the meal balances rich and refreshing. A comfort food win with a kick.

Great service and recommendations for Mesa Verde. Good conversation and hotel recommendations. Great tourist information

6/6/25 so here we are. Hot Friday night date night. Beautiful evening in Cortez. We picked the Lizard for the ambience. Out on the patio to have a wonderful dinner. Don't guess, just get in here. Amazing food, great service, better people. We love this place!!!

Service was very good. Friendly attentive wait staff. Wife's southwest chicken & rice Marsala was very good. My pork tenderloins in a red mushroom sauce was inedible. The sauce was very tasty but the pork could not be cut - burnt badly.

What more can you ask for. Great service, great drinks, great food. This is a not so hidden gem that is a must try. The environment is laid back and all of the staff here are friendly and welcoming. Our party of 4 had a little bit of everything starting with the fried cheese with delicious hand made marinara. Their fried chicken is phenomenal so any dish with fried chicken is a win. The meatloaf was delicious and they have some of the best fries ever. All of the drinks were top notch as well. We finished it off with bread pudding and a salted caramel torte and boy what a finish! We are sad that we were only passing through otherwise I would absolutely return.

We both had a Blackened Chicken sandwich with fries and a Mtn. Dew. Good food! Great service by Patrick! No room for dessert unfortunately...next time.

We stopped in after reading some reviews and left with everyone being happy. That's quite a challenge with three kids, but they all liked the pizza, the adult grilled cheese and chili, the fries, and the bread pudding we all split at the end. I got the spicy Cuban sandwich, which was more of a spicy pork sandwich, but it was good. I'd try their killed pork, burger, or buffalo chicken sandwich next time. I also tried their red ale and brown ale and enjoy them both. There's free street parking outside. The groups at the bar were really getting into the Broncos' game, which kept my kids entertained as well. Service was great and we had zero issues.

Great food, lots of variety. Loved the Pulled Pork, spicy salad, brown beer and the house made cobbler. Lots of craft beers. Cobblers are a special dessert, topped with ice cream -seasonal. Bar area, with stools, several large booths, and tables. Friendly servers (with a sense of humor- on a holiday weekend- they are delightful!) Fantastic music. Beautiful high-ceilings, retro space.... You'll love it here.

Patrick was great. We enjoyed the SW Cuban (made with pulled pork instead of ham), the delicious spinach salad, and the country fried chicken.

Cool place to hang out and some dinner I had done a google search on where to take the kiddos and we came across this. We ordered the slow roasted pulled pork nachos and the roasted Brussels sprouts they were awesome. Food took a little long to get but service was good.

Just making our way into Colorado and stopped here for lunch with the whole family. Kind staff, delicious food (spinach salad with chicken so yummy), nice ambiance, outdoor seating and location were excellent! If we lived here, this would be our to-go spot for sure! Thank you! This place is a gem!

A so so dining experience. Low key dining area televisions playing sports. An interesting menu but not all items executed well (although some were). Decent kids menu. Service was slow and inattentive. Not a terrible choice but I would not go out of my way to go back.

Great food, friendly attentive service in Oldtown Cortez, Colorado. Ambiance is comfortable and well appointed. Menu is diverse enough to satisfy most folks desires. I went for the Bison Burger, but will go back for some of the more interesting choices their menu offers.

My husband and I stopped in for lunch and it was one of the most delicious meals we had on our road trip out west! My husband enjoyed the burger with lots of green chiles with fries and I the buffalo chicken sandwich with home made bleu cheese dressing with fries. OMG - the fries, some of the BEST I've ever had. My sandwich was also delicious and my husband enjoyed his as well. The service was prompt and very friendly! If you're in the area, I highly recommend you check out Loungin' Lizard!

I was stuck with a disabled vehicle in Cortez and this place was so great for lunch that I can back for dinner. The service is top notch and refreshing. These people know hospitality as well as good food and drinks. I had the Southwestern Cuban which was nothing like a traditional Cuban but insanely delicious. I wanted to be healthier and had the spinach salad for dinner which was also absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is nice and inviting. I would definitely head back next time I am in town.

Love the name and the food lives up to the name. Great selection on the board and was told they have weekly specials. Started off with local brew for cyndi and me. And appetizer of Brussel sprouts. Don't pass those up. I decided on the sw Cuban. Cyndi had the spicy pulled pork and candyce had the country fried steak. One of the waitresses asked if we wanted a try a special beer. Brought a taste for us. Service was great all around. Definitely a good and unique spot.

A great experience from beginning to end! Greeting from the friendly staff, knowledgeable of all menu items and helped us decide what to order!! Everything was delicious!!

Don't go here. I ordered a $26 shrimp vodka pasta and the sauce tasted like boiled water. Worse than a jar. The shrimp was actually good, but I wouldn't have eaten it if the server actually came to check on me. I was starving because I hadn't eaten since early morning after going to Mesa Verde. Some other woman came to get our plates and saw I had a full plate of pasta and said nothing, so we had to speak up and tell her it wasn't good since no one checked on us the whole time. She asked if I wanted something else and I said no because I didn't want to chance the other meal being flavorless as well. My fiancé's potatoes also had no flavor. Can't believe they're charging so much for food that has no seasoning. I asked them to comp the pasta and that's when the server actually came over, but only to tell me they couldn't comp it because I ate the shrimp and "that was half the price." I only ate the shrimp because I was so hungry and I didn't have a chance to even ask for something else. She gave us 50% off, which I guess is fine? It still was super aggressive and rude since I was never even asked how my food was. I also ordered an amaretto sour which tasted like it was watered down with sour. Again, I drank it because I didn't want to leave alcohol on the table that we did pay for. Don't waste money on something you could make at home, better.

Stoped here on our way thru Colorado--. SO GLAD WE DID!! Excellent food and service--. ' fresh food - not fast food ' Everything is made in house 'everything has a recipe'. White Chicken Chili was the best I've had. Do not hesitate -- stop by ....

So very good! We love the meatloaf and elk shepherds pie. And both were delicious tonight. Rhonda, our waitress was great!! She had great suggestions!! Always a great time here. We had a booth , just enough privacy yet could hear the music. Great place. We will be back!!

Pretty good food and service, good ambiance and good TVs. Went here because my coworker recommended it, may go back next time I'm in town for work.

My wife and I stopped in for dinner after a long day of touring Mesa Verde National Park. The service was outstanding, food even better, and the prices surprisingly reasonable for a tourist town. Definitely recommend it you're in the area.

Stupendous beer selection and fantastic food! Great atmosphere and fine, friendly service. Found by accident and would come back anytime. Thumbs way up, and we bought T shirts!

Lunch today at the Loungin' Lizard in Cortez, Colorado was fantastic! My husband had the French Onion Burger and I had the White Chicken Chili which was absolutely thee best ever! To top it all off, we shared the Mixed Berry Cobbler. Really cool building, the atmosphere was great and service was excellent! Highly recommended!

Our first choice for dinner was closed due to it being a holiday. Fortunately our second choice was right down the block and open. It was early so we were able to snag a booth. I ordered a beer and then studied the large menu that was posted across the room on a giant blackboard. I ordered the meatloaf but it was out - wonder if it was ever in... Option 2 was the chicken parm. I was a bit hesitant since this was not an Italian joint but it was surprisingly very good. The red sauce had a bit of a kick which I really liked. It was served with a side of spaghetti and some sautéed Brussel sprouts with a balsamic vinegar glaze. I am not a sprouts guy but these were very good. I was also surprised that they didn't call out this dish came with sprouts since many people are not big fans. But then again it worked for me. My wife got the bison burger which she thought was Ok - it was a bit overcooked definitely not done medium rare. She said the bun was excellent and the fries decent. Service was good.

Delicious burgers and $5 draft beer. Hits the spot after hiking all day. The only negative is there is a big push to upsell - especially their bread pudding and a "cowgirl" or "cowboy" shit that costs $10.

Great food but the service was incredible. We will definitely be coming back again. So many options and all are homemade.

Menu is very good and has a nice a variety. Service friendly and easy going. Glad to chat it up with us and plenty of insight on lay of the land for the area. Full bar with plenty of varieties of beers. The building is an original repurposed massive stone structure from back in the day. Located right in the middle of the main street.

Okay so the restaurant is cute. The waitresses were very attentive and friendly. I got the prickly pear margarita. I would definitely recommend getting a higher quality tequila, I asked for the house brand and it tasted like cheap margaritas. That was my bad. I got the orange Julius martini which was delicious. The presentation was lackluster but they were good. The food was average bar fair nothing to write home about however after hiking the Mesa Verde we were both famished and got the Truffle fries and blackened chicken rigatoni. Everything was good but not amazing. We would come back, if we are ever in town again. At the end of the day, it's nice to have filling food and some nice cocktails.

Food was delish, served quickly. Hot fresh, great quality. Didn't like they don't use a menu, and chalk board is too far away to see from your table, so had to go take a picture of it and go back to my table. Sides are not listed on menus Waitresses where young and inexperienced, and don't know what comes with the meal. Again a menu issue in my opinion. They both had Great attitudes and provided great service, loved that they are working and trying to make it!

Service was fast and friendly and food was so tasty! I had the pork belly and roasted beet pizza and the hubby had the meatloaf. Great choices for a cold wintery day.

Oh my gosh! Absolutely loved this place! I wanted to try everything on the menu! Service was excellent. I tried the buffalo chicken sandwich. It was HUGE! It was like Andre the Giant chicken! The buffalo flavor was very unique with a sweetness to it that made it great! Excellent atmosphere, too!

While traveling from Utah to Georgia I was passing through Cortez CO just in time for lunch. Decided on the Lougin Lizard. The place looked very clean and like it was a fun local hang out. After reading over the menu trying to narrow down options we decided on the blackened Mahi-Mahi tacos, The Cuban and then nachos as an appetizer. The waiter was very kind and was there to answer any questions we had. The food came out fairly quick and the portions sizes were great. The tacos had amazing flavor and were cooked to perfection. The Cuban was overflowing with meet and flavor but beware the pickles on this Cuban were very hot but if you like hot then this is for you. The menu was higher priced for what we ordered and for the competing restaurants near by but overall was satisfied.

Well, the food was great! The service was great, once we got passed the attitude of the woman that sat us. We asked for a table by a window where we could see our vehicle was parked. We had to leave it running so our dog could have AC inside. The only table with view was a large one reserved for parties of five. Three other tables had people seated, so not busy by any means. We explained to her why we needed that particular table. When we told her we had our dog in the vehicle, she responded with a curt, "That's your choice. I can seat you there, but if we get a party of five, I'll have to move you." Seriously? How welcoming.

Absolutely loved this hidden gem in Southwest Colorado. Tried to go back on a Wednesday and they were closed? We were totally bummed. But the food and drinks were most excellent on the day we went.. Had the meatloaf and mash and man, I loved it. Highly recommend!

I very seldom post while sitting at the table of a restaurant. This is no way worth the ratings I see on here. We ordered two $21 bison and pork belly burgers medium rare. We got two well done dry burgers with some microwaved bacon. The only thing worth eating here was the overpriced $13 pulled pork nachos. Came with 6 nachos on the plate. We've been through eating for 30 minutes and haven't seen a soul to get a check from. Pitiful excuse for a restaurant

Great place! Wonderful people, excellent atmosphere. Only down side, the food can be somewhat inconsistent depending on the cook. Overall, the food is awesome, the people are very warm hearted, and it's wonderful place to be any day of the week! It's truly wonderful to have them around.

Neat place in the middle of Cortez we have been interested in trying since last time we passed through. It was pretty yummy! Service was a little slow & awkward since we were put on the patio completely alone... but that's okay, that was our choice. Burger and pork on it was way over cooked (ordered medium rare) which is extremely unfortunate because it was absolutely delicious otherwise. As were the tacos. I wouldn't order the truffle fries again as they were underwhelming and almost no different than the fries that came with my burger... but the little bit of cheese that was on them was delectable.

I was a little bummed that they didn't offer flights. I had the fish tacos. They were pretty good. My daughter didn't care for her fried ravioli. They were a bit hard. My son is a picky eater. He ordered the cheese pizza from the kid's menu. I wasn't aware that they were going to sprinkle it with seasoning, so he refused to eat it. With picky eaters, we keep it simple. My SIL had the meatloaf. It was good but not for the faint of heart as it is spicy. She had to return the hatch green margarita. It was so bitter and just plain gross.

Good Bloody Mary. Fish tacos good but almost too much food. Less fish inside would be okay. Nice ambience.

Came here on a recommendation from a local shop owner. The menu has a good variety. The atmosphere was upbeat as the Kentucky Derby was just getting ready to run. I had the south west salad with steak very tasty. Nice mix of textures and flavors. The Steak was cooked perfectly. Cilantro lime dressing was tasty. Hubby had the prime rib dip sandwich and a cup of clam chowder. The chowder was just ok but the sandwich was good. Interesting twist adding bacon. Wait staff were nice and attentive. Would recommend

The staff is so friendly and the food is beyond delicious!! We ate here twice while staying in Cortez. Everything we tried was so good. Also, one of the best Bloody Mary's I've ever had!

Holy cow! What a cool place! It's got the vibe, a great chef, and excellent mixologist. We were in town, taking our granddaughters to Mesa Verda. We got bummed out by poor service from Aramark in the restaurants in the Park, so came down to town to check out The Lizard. We were not disappointed!

Great local restaurant with fast and friendly service. Ordered the Chicken Pot Pie with the chicken white chili, and the Elk Shepards pie. Both were delicious and worth an order except the pot pie and chili was Amaaaaaaazing. Like, High quality ingredients and large chicken pieces. Warms up your soul from the stomach up. Would definitely recommend to others.

Delicious food & fun drinks in a small town! The portion sizes are HUGE! Looking forward to trying the white chicken chile

Wow great service and the food was fantastic! The country fried gravy was amazingly complex and delicious

Food was so very good! That white bean chili is epic. And the servers were kind and attentive.

Burger was great. Recommended tacos aren't worth it unless they change a recipe and it provides flavor to the meat outside of the spicy green sauce. We asked for chipotle on side but it was on the tacos; we asked for mustard and got mayonnaise. Wait staff are lovely but clearly no quality checks as we only asked for minimal changes and received nothing.

I'm really glad this is in Cortez. Friendly. A good looking place to dine. And I appreciate that they really try to mix it up and give you a menu like no other in town. Some of the items may be trying too hard. But that's refreshing, too.

WOW!!! My husband and I stumbled across this place for lunch and OMG! Seriously some of the BEST food we EVER had, and we have traveled the world! EVERYTHING is so fresh and made from scratch. The owner Brian is so nice and so was our server P.A.! Then to top off the amazing food, the prickly pear martini! Soooo darn good. This is truly one stop you have to make if your passing through!