Smuggler Union Restaurant & Brewery

My wife had the elk bolognese. It was very good. I had the fish and chips and wasn’t impressed. The temperature in the restaurant was very hot and stuffy. I am from Texas and can handle heat. I actually stepped outside for a while to cool off. Want to note there is an extra charge for paying housing for employees. We had two regular dinner items, the wife had a side salad and 1 glass of wine each. Our bill was $132.

I love this place. I’ve been coming to Telluride for a decade, and I ALWAYS make a point to eat here at least once. Great food made with quality ingredients. Service is helpful and friendly. Beers are tasty and fresh. The spirits are high quality and thoughtfully chosen.

Food is okay. The burger was not flavored, but cooked medium. The ingredients were fresh. The fries were cooked well and salted. Prices are high, but expected for this area. There is a charge for the health care of employees. Service is bad. Cokes were flat, service slow in general, and just ready to get you out. They'll suggest truggle fries or other things without telling you there is an upcharge for it. There isn't a vegetarian burger, and replacing the meat one has an upcharge too.

Came here after hiking for lunch. We sat outside on their patio. Excellent beer selection (though they were out of a few, which was a bummer), great food and incredible service. Jonathan was fantastic - he helped us navigate the beer selection & menu and we were very happy with our choices. The empanadas (meat pies) & Elk bolognese were fantastic. Wonderful service!

I have no idea why this rates below another brewpub close by. I went to the 3 brewery-type places in Telluride and Smuggler Union was easily my favorite. The beers were definitely the best. Everything I had was at least good if not better. The Cold IPA I had was excellent. I also thought the vanilla porter was really good too. I also thought the bartender was really friendly, timely, and helpful. The space was big and had some TVs which was nice. The food looked and smelled amazing but I had dinner reservations so didn’t try anything. Highly recommend

This place is on point and deserves a much higher rating than it (currently) has. I had the 4 corners burger with a veggie patty and truffle fries. Now, I’ve eaten a lot of truffle fries in my life and these are hands down the best I’ve ever had. Fresh and hand-cut, super flavorful with plenty of Parmesan. And the veggie burger was also one of the best I’ve ever had (handmade patty, super fresh and crisp). Cocktails were also great, I highly recommend the watermelon caipirinha. In a town where everything is expensive, Smuggler Union is worth it.

Went here on my first night in Telluride. At first, it was nice, but it slowly went downhill. The food was okay. I had chicken tenders, and they were great, but another member in my party had a not so great experience. They had the grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, but in reality, there was no avocado, and what felt like rubber, not chicken. Another member in my party had the fish & chips, which they described as good, not great. The waiter was nice and understanding towards our bad sandwich and took it off the bill. The inside was warm and not very roomy, but outdoor seating looked nice. I don’t think I will visit again, but maybe at a less busy time I would have had a better experience.

I had the chimichurri steak and truffle fries and it was great! We split the Cajun empanadas and they were delicious. My parents each got a burger and said it was one of the best they've had.