Sam’s Smokehouse

Sam’s KILLED IT on Fat Tuesday! Suckling Pig sliders were insane. The boys were smokin’em up outside all day.
In general, probably the best food on the four Aspen mountains. Great Bloody Mary (served with bacon) and really good stews. And good views on a bluebird day.

Sams is always a good choice when skiing in Snowmass. If you don’t want to feel shuffled around like cattle in a cafeteria then it’s a great option because it’s table serviced. It gets very busy in there but that’s to be expected. The food is reasonably priced for an ‘on the hill’ restaurant. The soup in a bread bowl is a nice option when you’re hungry and want something warm and quick. The bloody Mary’s are literally a meal in a cup if you want to drink your lunch. A lot of the staff has been there for several years so it’s nice to see the same faces when you go back. Overall a great on mountain dining spot in Snowmass.

Best food in snow mass. It actually had lovely salad and sweet potato fries without all the unhealthy stuff usually found in American food. Closest to beautiful Australian food we have found. Dave, our waiter (Australian) was fabulous and service was great! I had smoked salmon and it was amazing!

The two stars are for the view. Fantastic. Sure it’s pricey but it’s on a mountain, I have no problem with that. But to be clear, the food is lousy. One tip: dry rub on smoked wings is good. Twice as much dry rub does not make it twice as good. Some of the staff were pleasant but our waitress and the hostess clearly hate their jobs. Worst restaurant on the mountain.

It’s worth skiing in Snowmass just to visit Sams! Giant wide open windows to enjoy the natural beauty and sunshine surrounding you. The lingering aroma of tender smoked bbq. Very friendly knowledgeable staff, a clean attractive setting, and unlimited signature sauces at your table to customize your meal.
While you won’t find anything particularly inventive on the menu, it’s all fresh and well prepared. The portions are huge, the food is delicious, and the prices are shockingly low, not just for a ski-​resort, but some of the lowest I’ve seen anywhere in Colorado. The perfect thing to warm up your body and belly and power back up to tame the slopes. Sam is the man!

I’m surprised the reviews are so low. I literally had the best bloody mary I have ever had @ Sam’s. It comes with a yummy piece of beef jerky. They also have great mulled wine.
For food I tried the turkey BLT and the Brunswick stew. Both delicious. Its nice to not have to do it cafeteria style while on the slopes. Waiter service felt luxurious.

Definitely a step up from typical ski cafeterias without being overly fancy or increasing the typical on-​the-​slope markup. Being that it’s waiter service, there’s a risk of a slightly longer lunch break, but we experienced fast, attentive service that got us back out on the slopes quickly.
I’m a sucker for bread bowls, and this one didn’t disappoint. Filled with creamy tomato soup, was the perfect way to warm up. The sweet potato fries that accompanied my husband’s turkey sandwich weren’t homemade, but were delicious nonetheless. We weren’t able to pass up the bread pudding touting it as «the best» bourbon sauce. It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting — much larger, in the form of large fried mounds, and slightly awkwardly accompanied by whipped cream and… sprinkles. I was only able to enjoy a few bites before being fearful someone would need to roll me down the slopes.
If you’re not ravenous enough for a full meal, there’s a small coffee bar with snacks just short of the hostess stand if you’re just interested in grabbing a granola bar and cup of tea before getting another run in.

Simply incredible views in a nicely designed environment with huge glass walls overlooking the mountains. It’s mostly BBQ and burgers which are of good quality (particularly for being served at 10K ft!) and the service is friendly in spite of managing the wait of hungry crowds. Kudos for LEED certification too. Net, a good quality BBQ lunch served in a beautiful environment, assuming you want a sit-​down full service restaurant at the top of a mountain. Go before 12:00 or after 1:30 to avoid a wait.

Sam’s smokehouse is a nice step above your average ski cafeteria. It’s clean and has modern décor inside. I wouldn’t expect anything less for an Aspen establishment.
I had the smokehouse burger. It’s a single patty with pulled pork on top. I was recommend to get the smoked gouda and bacon to go with it. I’ll go ahead and forward that recommendation along.
The sandwich (yes sandwich) was very good but it should be advertised as a pulled pork sandwich with a thin patty on the side. It’s a ¼ lb patty that makes a McDonald’s patty’s look big… soooo thin.
However their house marinated butter picked are super tasty and come with the burger/​sandwich.
Our server was very pleasant and food arrived quickly. I’d come back, just be aware that the burgers are like sliders that have been flattened.

Granted, the venue pretty much can’t be beat (mid-​Snowmass Mountain) and putting together a good meal mountain-​side has its challenges… but other places on the mountain do it grand style and with a smile.
So the food is mediocre (when it finally arrives) — the taco trio was pushed by our server and the chicken was dry — the brisket fatty — the cole slaw thin and soggy. The sweet potato fries good. Likely there better stuff on the menu and that wasn’t what inspired this effort.
Our server was dismal and more his attitude than his skills though those not all that strong either. He was disrespectful of questions and needs and essentally copped a very unpleasant attitude.
We arrived before the lunch crowd (and it gets very crowded with long waits around noon) so he had no pressures. Regardless — the tacos came out and were gone before friends salads. And over half the orders came out incorrectly — which may be the kitchen.
We complained to the manager who appeared to have no intention of trying to change or address the situation but did comp us the meal which also smacked of a poor attitude.
Regardless — I would not recommend it at all for any reason — and the great view is the same one you are blessed to have skied in all day working up an appetite while on a vacation where you do not need the stress of being treated and served poorly.

Coming to Sam’s Smokehouse was such a fantastic stop for lunch during our daily skiing adventure. A pulled pork sandwich and a nice cold stella is what I needed to continue my leisurely ski-​stroll down the mountain.
Expansive views of the rocky mountains and very cozy atmosphere make this place a must-​see while you’re in the Aspen /​Snowmass area.
Do it!

good sit down lunch in the middle of a ski day

A great place to eat on the mountain. Sometimes it is very crowded, however the food is worth the wait. The view is amazing from the dining room. Unique bbq foods for those not wanting meat are available too. Tofu Satay, wow, a unique surprise. Great corn muffins and the soups are flavorful and satisfying on a cold ski day. Service is good, never having to wait long for a server. The food is out quickly but its not FAST food! allowing you more time on the mountain.

Before there was Sam’s Smokehouse, there was Sam’s Knob.
Sam’s Knob, one of the original on-​the-​mountain restaurants at Snowmass, was a venerable spot and also home to the locally famous Knob Job, a hot dog with all the fixins.
But progress is inevitable and the Knob was eventually torn down, to be replaced by Sam’s Smokehouse, a glittering ski lodge with waiter service, full bar and some tasty barbecue goodness on the menu.
I ordered the Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich, while my bro opted for the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich. I had been skiing and was hungry, but damn if I didn’t devour my entire meal — and I rarely do that. We also split some crispy fried green tomatoes, which I’d also recommend.
This was one jamming meal. We walked out of the place practically high-​fiving each other, though admittedly the skiing was tough after such a meal.
Sam’s Smokehouse is the kind of place that makes me forget all about Sam’s Knob. As for the Knob Jobs, well, that’s a different story.