Loungin’ Lizard

We heard the Brussels sprouts were good, so we gave them a try, and they were tasty with drinks. Unfortunately, the entrees were lacking. My pan seared quail was inedible, and was on a gelatinous bed of what was later clarified as polenta. The waitstaff was apologetic and acknowledged that the entrée was «not what we were going for,» and cordially offered an alternative. The bread pudding was tasty.
Though I’d give resolution of the entrée-​issue a ten, things took a turn when I went to the restroom. There were three doors. The middle door was overwhelmed with signs and arrows. The left door had a sign reading «for those who stand,» and the right door had a sign «for those who sit,» in cutesy chalkboard letters and stick figures doing odd things. I found this very confusing and inappropriate, so I decided against it. One staff member followed me back to the table and said, in an unfriendly tone, «I made those signs a year and a half ago, and there’s no reason to be freaked out.» ?? It was very odd and unnecessary!
Not a pleasant experience. I can get Brussels sprouts anywhere!

White Chicken Chili was fantastic. Cocktails and Bison Shepard Pie was great. Bison and pulled pork burgers were good as well.

We tried the chicken chili, smoke salad, chicken tenders, cuban sandwich, and pulled pork tacos. They were all excellent. The service was great also. We will be going back to this place!

Went in to get directions with the wife and was taken back by the ambience of this restaurant. Decided to change plans and have lunch there. We enjoyed a few pints of their Red Ale! We had the Nachos and Mushroom Quesadilla. Both were very tasty. Met the owners who were working the place (not just managing) taking pride in everything. Super nice people!

After a long day at Mesa Verde we wanted something really good to eat for dinner… Loungin’ Lizard blew us away! We got the Elk Shepherd’s Pie topped with green chile mashed potatoes and the Spicy Chicken Tenders. We loved both of them and couldn’t decide which was better. The service was amazing, atmosphere/​music was fun and inviting. Wish we had a Loungin’ Lizard in Denver. Thank you! :)

The ambiance of this place is wonderful. And we enjoyed our food. I had a smoked chicken salad and for dessert the keylime margarita cheesecake. Both were excellent. The staff was very polite and efficient.

What an amazing find. Awesome food, even better service (our waitress Lauren provided the best service we’ve enjoyed in years!). Incredible menu. A definite diamond in the rough.

Stopped for lunch on trip. White Chicken Chili is outstanding and super fries. And don’t forget the homemade ice cream.

Visiting Cortez for a few days, managed to visit three of the top rated restaurants, none of them failed to live up to the reviews. Ate at Loungin’ Lizard for a late lunch, ordered the pork belly tacos. The meat was cooked to a subtle crispness, good amount of filling in each (2 tacos). Great flavor, great ambience, great service. The rest of the menu looked intriguing but there was not enough time this trip. I will definitely eat here any time I’m in town!

I ordered the blackened fish tacos and Brian had the bison cheddar burger with pork belly. It was absolutely delicious. Friendly service and very helpful for my indecisive food choices! The atmosphere is amazing, with lots of character. Would recommend to anyone in town or passing through like ourselves!

Unexpected gem on our way through Cortez. The food was delicious– charcuterie and brussel sprouts were especially amazing. Nice atmosphere and great service too.

Creative menu. Super service. Well stocked bar & skilled bar tenders. Attentive and involved owners. Great ambience. Super location.
I lived in Colorado for 2 years and was elated when this place opened. Our first visit was during their first week of being open — and we expected a few hiccups for a new restaurant, but there weren’t any. They’ve been on point since our first visit — and we were regulars there when we lived in town. Now when we’re in the area, we make it a point to stop in for a bite and beverage.
These guys have raised the bar for the dining scene in Cortez and if you’re in the area, you should do yourself a solid and stop in to see what all of the fuss is about! And, order the white chicken chili fries… TO. DIE. FOR.

This needs to move up the rankings. Casual dining with a great wide menu. We had the short ribs and chicken pot pie. Both were great. Good service and loved the background music.

So impressed! We had the nachos, white chicken chili, lettuce wraps, pork belly and green chili chicken tacos, and a few beers. Everything was amazing. The owner, Brian, is very friendly and patient, and took good care of us. Environment is relaxing and the bar is nice. I will definitely come back as soon as I can!

Wow. A gem of a lounge. I have to say that I don’t equate the word «lounge» with great food. But that’s the case.
1. White chicken chili: it’s creamy, spicy and a belly full! Great flavor1
2. Homemade pistachio salted caramel ice cream. In a word: fantastic!
Don’t miss this place on your trip to The Foir Corners!

This was such a find in the middle of Cortez! My husband and I are road tripping and were starving after several hours in the car. This spot was such a fun place to stop and take a break.
The food was excellent, and the service was superb. My husband had the Bison Cheddar Burger with Pork Belly. Oh my word. I immediately had meal envy! The seasoning on the fries alone was to die for. Salty and complex. Delicious! I had the soup and salad combo which was good. I had the French Onion Soup and Caesar Salad. My salad had a little too much dressing for my taste, and there was a flavor I couldn’t quite identify that I didn’t care for. However, the soup was so rich and salty yet slightly sweet at the same time. The service was really friendly and attentive.
Very pleasant stop!

Eat here. You will be impressed! Its urban and hip with a creative menu.
The service was great and the atmosphere was incredible. I didn’t know what to expect but this was not it. I’m so grateful I stopped by!
Please be sure to stop! I had the fish tacos!
Enjoy! This is an asset for this town!

Stopped in on a Saturday around brunch-​ish time with a friend after yoga! The place was quiet and nice/​spacious, with friendly servers/​bartenders calling out to us. My friend and I picked a nice booth and hopped in, ready to eeeeaaaaaaaaatttt.
My major complaint is the slight lack of vegetarian dishes; we were pretty hungry so we ordered the only two hearty veggie options which included a tomato-​basil flatbread and portabello mushroom quesadillas. They weren’t bad… the flatbread was quite heavy with lots of cheese and a little bit too much balsamic drizzle. I liked the quesadilla more, and the green chiles were nice. We finished about half of everything but were stuffed… it was all satisfying but I had initially hoped for something filling but a bit lighter.
Not a bad option though! Probably better for the carnivores, but still good! The interior is cute and comfy, and service was good. I would give it another try!

Wasn’t gonna review this place — the locals seem happy with the grub dished up here, and Cortez is a sleepy little ag town — but the Rioja Vega, decided the deal.
Last Sunday, the 24^th, I started my experience here with a «Fresh Lime Margarita.» The drink tasted ok, but was very weak, probably a single shot of tequila in a 16 oz. glass.
My wife ordered a Caesar salad with blackened shrimp. It was basically a bowl of chopped romaine, lightly dressed with a commercial-​tasting dressing, with some croutons and black crusted, overly seasoned shrimp.
I ordered a poblano relleno. It was «tempura battered and fried,» served on a portion of polenta, with a dollop of spicy marinara, and a drizzle of a maybe cilantro aioli. The waitress, who was actually an owner, but didn’t identify herself as such, talked up how delightful it would be, and somewhere on their Facebook page, it says they prepare nothing ahead of time — so I bit.
You can tell from the photo I posted, that the polenta was not fresh — it was dry and grainy. The filling of the relleno consisted of asadero cheese and some black beans and kernel corn. Bland. Some goat cheese or herbs would have jazzed it up a little. The pepper, admittedly out of season, was thin-​walled, tough, with little or no heat or poblano flavor. Here’s the killer, though. The tempura coating, not the expected light, crisp, translucent product, was thick, dry and leathery. The filling was steaming, the coating not hot enough to melt the aioli, especially not hot and glistening from the fryer — check the photo. I’m sure this item was made way way ahead, and heated up with the use of that common household appliance that does not belong in any professional kitchen (IMHO).
The «waitress» returned — I did eat all but most of the coating — asked how it was, and I told her exactly what I wrote above. She was defensive, and while she sort of apologized for the dish not living up to expectations, I could tell she took my comments personally.
We ordered the blueberry crumble dessert. It was served by the husband of the «waitress,» the «chef» and other owner, who inspected me curiously as he delivered it, without identifying himself. That’s just odd. As someone else pointed out, the crumble has too little fruit and too much topping, and it’s too large.
Most of the few reviews of this restaurant are written by people who have few reviews to their credit, something that always looks suspicious.
Back to the Rioja Vega. I had a glass of it – not a generous pour — after the marg, served by another, very nice waitperson. When the bill came, that glass wasn’t on it. I pointed that out to the «waitress,» and she printed up a fresh bill with the wine on it. That was where she lost the good will and the benefit of considerable doubt. I left a decent tip anyway, figuring she needed it.

My husband and I have been there twice now and it’s delicious. We have several other friends here in town who frequent it more often and have nothing but good to say about anything they’ve had. Today we had the elk burger and the blackened chicken sandwich. On our previous visit, we had the gumbo and the pork belly tacos. All four of these choices were amazing! We’ve heard their desserts would make you slap your mother-​in-​law :-)
Highly recommend it. It is limited in seating, but worth the wait. Nice atmosphere, menu chalkboard is handwritten and specials change often. Nice bar area and plenty of drinks to choose from.