Rapids Lodge & Restaurant

Delicious food and a beautiful setting. They have a small lunch menu, but what they serve is very well done.

Very good food. Reasonably priced for a tourist town. Wonderful setting on the river.

My husband and I celebrated his birthday here. I ordered the locally raised lamb chops. They were served with fresh veggies and mashed potatoes. Oh my gosh, these lamb chops were so perfectly done with a wonderful tasty sauce. Juicy, tender and tasty they were great. My husband had the buffalo rib eye steak. I have never had buffalo before, but I was so impressed! The steak was rare, juicy and so tasty. The desert was wonderful! I would go back without question.

Stopped here for lunch after discovering they have outside seating along the river, which is gorgeous. The lodge is quaint and unique, and service at the restaurant was incredible.
We ordered the burger (on an amazing homemade pretzel bun), the chicken sandwich, the Asian pork skewers, and the crab hush puppies with an aoili dipping sauce. The hushpuppies were easily our favorite– so much so that we ordered another portion before leaving.
Definitely worth checking out if you’re in Grand Lake for the day.

We rented a room there for our honeymoon and hosted our post wedding dinner there (about 20 people). They seated us in a room at the back and actually let us have use of the room even though there were a few other tables. It was handicapped accessible for my mother and let the kids wander a bit without getting in anyone’s way. The service was wonderful, as was the scenery.
The food was good, not necessarily commanding the $ 30−40/plate price tag, but as I said the atmosphere, accommodation, and service helped offset that.
Our room was ok. As previous reviews have pointed out, the beds aren’t the most comfortable — and it is an old hotel, so all surrounding noises (especially the floor above) are heard. The restaurant/​bar shuts down at 9, so if you want anything after that, you’ll need to walk into town (just a few blocks away).
Overall a wonderful and memorable experience. Absolutely recommend!

Ate here again recently and loved it again. This time we sat down outside by the stream. Had the burger again but this time we asked if we could have a small side salad and they brought us a very nice salad with nuts, etc. on. Very good. Always love going to this restaurant.

Took a girls trip from Alabama to Rocky Mountain National Park and picked The Rapids Lodge after an Internet search. I could not have been more pleased with the way our stay turned out. I reserved a river view condo and it was amazing. We spent a lot of time on our deck overlooking the river. Spectacular view!
Our condo had one queen bed, two twin beds in the loft, and two bathrooms. We commented over and over how there was not one speck of dust ANYWHERE! Not even on the decorative items above the kitchen cabinets. The place was immaculate!
Our fireplace was great early each morning but we only needed it for a few minutes before the sun came out strong and we were on our way out the door to tour the town’s boardwalk and enjoy a pontoon ride.
We were out enjoying the fabulous weather and scenery for most of our trip but the time spent at the lodge was so relaxing and enjoyable. The rates were great too. Our only regret was that we couldn’t stay longer and try out the restaurant. Definitely will try on my next stay. Each of us are already planning a return trip to Grand Lake and we will absolutely stay at the Rapids Lodge again!

We stayed in one of the condos (#5) on the river, and it was by far the best choice! It’s a quaint little one bedroom condo, with a kitchen and bathroom. The family room has a fold out couch and a TV, but we never even turned the TV on. If you had kids, this place can sleep 4 comfortably-​2 people in the queen sized bed, and 2 on the fold out couch. I wouldn’t suggest trying to fit more than that. I also am very particular about cleanliness, and was very pleased with how clean everything was. I loved that we could walk out the back door and see the river about 15 feet away. Beautiful! The staff was also very friendly.
We also dined at the restaurant that is adjoined to the main building, and had a great meal. It is pricy ($ 30-​$ 40 a plate), but well worth it if you are looking to spend that much on dinner. My husband had the bison and I had the chicken and we both ate every last bite. There aren’t any vegetarian items on the menu, but I heard another customer ask if they had any, and they were able to accommodate her vegetarian request. We made 7pm dinner reservations and ended up getting a seat next to the window facing the river. It didn’t appear reservations were needed as there were a lot of empty tables, but we were wondering if making the reservation helped with getting a good table.
The lodge itself is located within walking distance to the main part of town. Lots of cute shops and other dining options.
When we come back, we will definitely be staying here again, and requesting the same room!

super cute historic lodge right on the river. nice location and friendly staff.
however, the bed was terribly uncomfortable. it felt like the mattress was just as old as the lodge, which just had its 100 year anniversary. my girlfriend and I constantly rolled into each other in the middle of the bed and we both woke up with aches in our backs. on another note, a food delivery truck arrived at 5am just outside our window and added to the uncomfortable sleep.
get some new mattresses and reschedule your food delivery truck and we will consider staying at the lodge again.

We stayed here last weekend and had a great time. We didn’t eat in the restaurant but we did stay in the main lodge in room 3. It’s a little small but has a nice size bathroom. The bed was comfy and the sound of the river was very relaxing. The room doesn’t have much of a view, mostly the roof. That was a little disappointing since it was advertised as «river facing». Next time I will stay in one of the condos that do have a back porch that is right on the river. The staff was very pleasant and we enjoyed our stay. It’s very close and within walking distance of all the action in town. Great location really. We will be back!

This is the second time I’ve stayed at the Rapids Lodge and both times have been great experiences. While I have yet to eat at the restaurant, it’s such a cozy setting with windows that look out onto the river; very appealing.
We booked fairly last minute for Valentine’s Day weekend and still got a spacious, clean, comfortable room with everything we needed. I like the fact that the lodge is situated right at the end of town within walking to the lake or to the downtown boardwalk shops and restaurants.
The owner was gracious and friendly. We’ll definitely stay there again next time we’re in Grand Lake.

Staying here with my 11 year old son and 22 year old nephew. Accomodations are clean as a pin! Can walk to downtown in 3 minutes. Came to snowmobile. Next stay will be Summer. Cannot wait!

Overall it has been great experience! The cabin was cozy, food amazing and service top notch!

My boyfriend and I visited this lodge last week and loved it. If polish and bricks are what you require, I wouldn’t recommend staying here. It is quaint in the most fabulous way. Our room was very small and woodsy; the floor boards creak and the bathroom door wouldn’t stay open unless propped with an antique bird doorstop. The bed was very comfortable, but I gotta say their pillows suck. Their was a tv and they had a zillion channels accessible. The tv in our room was incredibly small, like 10″ which I thought was strange, but we didn’t watch it much anyway. We found their staff friendly and helpful.
Dinner at the lodge is like $ 40 an entrée, so we didn’t test that part out — yikes!
It’s located just outside of ‘town,’ right beside a rolling creek. We had a lovely stay and I would recommend it to anyone (except concrete wall city folks) :)

Wonderful food! Amazing views of river just below you as you eat!
We ate dinner here while traveling through Colorado and staying in Lake Grandby. The restaurant was recommended by the front desk at the Inn where we are staying. I had the Buffalo filet special which was outstanding. On par with any restaurant in a big city such as San Francisco, Chicago, etc. The service was warm and attentive, but not overbearing, just the way it should be. The restaurant overlooks a small river which splashes over rocks. We were given a window view which was amazing, romantic, peaceful, just fantastic.
We highly recommend this place if you want a great dining experience in Lake Grandby.

The staff is very friendly and they will go above and beyond to make you happy. The food is very very good compared to other places and the price reflects it’s class.
Their buffalo filets special is excellent, the Elk medallions is awesome …
For an appetizer, the baked Brie is top notch and the fire roasted pepper soup is creamy and amazing!

Nice dining, can’t beat the view. We arrived somewhat late, without reservations. They were able to seat us, and when the opportunity arose, offered to move us to the window seats by the water. Nice.
Food was good, but very American style, somewhat like your typical country club banquet fare, with great service and great wine list. Definitely the best place for dinner in town.
Room accommodations were charming, though a bit small in the case of the one room we managed to reserve a week ahead of time. No AC, so if it ever were to get hot, beware. Also, not a typical thing to comment on, but the toilet was very small — a challenge for seating guys more than gals I suppose. And the décor of the room was very girly — which was expected and not the choice I would have preferred but was the only one available.
Significantly flawed though were the linens — the sheets were some kind of polyester blend making it impossible for me to sleep comfortably. I need cotton sheets, and even the roadside chains provide them. A big fail here on this one point.

The staff and the meal were fantastic. We were treated with care and grace. The lamb chop is delicious. Raspberry sorbet between courses yummy. The ambiance is unique! Dining by a rushing rapids is so relaxing. The décor– eclectic.

As a Chef I have visited this fine establishment as well as «Max & T’s» formerly run by Max and Tatyana Ludwig. This amazing couple is now operating the Rapids Restaurant and they are looking forward to continuing the fine tradition that is the Rapids Experience. The food selections placed forward by the talented Erich Schildman who continues in the position of Executive Chef are simply the finest in the Grand Lake region. This rustic yet classy eatery also has the wine list to match the creative genius of their Master Chef. Max and Tatyana have stepped up the game and their top notch level of service is impossible to match. Next time you stop in, tell them The Metal Chef Rocker sent you!!! Here is some additional information that is helpful:
«The Historic Rapids Restaurant is a stunning riverside venue for your special occasion such as anniversary dinners, wedding cermonies and receptions, family reunions and corporate events. Click here for Special Event information. The Rapids is eager to help you plan and oversee every detail to make your occasion special. The Rapids Lodging can accommodate up to 170 of your guests in a location where they can walk to shopping, the beach, boat rentals and other restaurants and bars. The proximity of Trail Ridge Road makes a day trip into Rocky Mountain National Park a must!»

The Rapids is wonderfully situated right on the banks of a bubbling brook that runs just outside the dining room windows down into Grand Lake. A very romantic and beautiful spot, regardless of the time of year.
The owner (Lynne) has a totally chilled out humongous white german shepard that appropriately came from the White Fang Kennel, and which looks like a welcoming bear rug as you come into the entryway. Very cool.
The servers are down-​home and nice, and the food is 3 star good with some 4 star occasional appearances.
The Rapids has been in Grand Lake forever, and contrary to a comment or two I read in the reviews, it’s not under new ownership (It’s just that the grumpy husband is being seen less and less these days, and the sweet spouse, more and more (and that’s a good thing)).
All-​in-​all, a neat place to go for a good mountain «nice dinner.» It will be a little on the high side, given what you get, but the atmosphere and the servers make up for it.