Woody Creek Tavern

beth ellyn rosenthal

Getting to Woody Creek Tavern is a trip. The road is not Independence Pass. But its twisty, turny. You cross a tiny bridge across the Roaring Fork River. But that's half the charm, right? Woody Creek is an elegant enclave deep in the mountains surrounding Aspen. The Wood Creek Tavern opened in 1980 so the neighbors didn't have to drive into town for a drink. One of the most famous neighbors was Hunter S. Thompson. He decamped at the Tavern most days. Well, the bar at the tavern. Today it's a favorite of mountain bikers. They are dozens of bikes parked across the street; they have their own parking space. The food has Aspen price tags but is outstanding. We ate a Philly cheese steak sandwich that was as good as anything we sampled in Philadelphia. (My son Austin lived there for years so we know this delicacy.) My favorite was the famed bison burger. It was as big as a, well, bison. A huge knife held the dill pickle in place. I needed the knife to cut the burger in two because my hands weren't large enough. Bison is just as tasty, juicy as beef but without the fat. I am now a convert. Don't miss the fried chicken. The skin has a honey spicy breading that gleams when the pieces arrive. This glaze locked in the juices because the breast was sweet and juicy. We started with guac and chips. Both are homemade right there. Yes, Wood Tavern bakes its own chips. Crispy and salty and multi-colored. The menu is limited but that was OK with us. The wine list was interesting. Some of the most famous champagnes are on the list. Not your usual bar food liquor but hey this is Aspen. The bar is always busy. It's worth the driving to visit the dining room. The decor is total Polaroid. (I remember those cameras. Do you younguns know what it is?) The walls are jammed with Polaroids of customers probably taken in the 1980s. We looked around our table and there was John Legend above my head. Parking is a challenge since there's not much room. I advise going early or late. If you are tired of the Aspen hauteur and want a great, down home meal in the mountains, buckle up and white knuckle it to Wood Creek Tavern.

Sveva Marcangeli

Super cool place with a very unique setting. I got the famous burger, while my fiance got the lamb stew, which was under the radar the best thing on the menu. The burger was great, but the lamb stew was even better. Follow my Google profile for more reviews!

Mariya Mitsinova

The remodeled Woody Creek Tavern is even more awesome than before! The fastest service we’ve ever received - the food arrived within less than 10 minutes of ordering it. A very laid back and fun place. The prices have gone up like everywhere. Still an affordable restaurant for the Aspen area. I’m originally from Eastern Europe (15 years in Aspen) and they made me the strongest vodka and soda cocktail I’ve ever had - that’s called customer service 😂 You can make a reservation online - check their web site for availability. It’s a busy restaurant and you might not find a table without an advance reservation. If you’re lodging is in downtown Aspen - the taxi ride is totally worth it. There are almost no affordable places left in Aspen, and this is a good choice, the drive/taxi ride is about 20 minutes.

Corey Barnard

This place is awesome, I was in town from Maryland and had an awesome dinner with great service. The atmosphere was awesome inside, it had a very hidden hole in the wall bar feel but the food was outstanding. The chicken enchiladas were delicious and they even had oysters on the half shell from Canada, what a treat! We had the caramel fudge brownie for dessert and it might have been the best brownie I have ever had in my entire life.