221 South Oak

It’s a quite little restaurant. Wanted to try this place out after recommendations from some friends. The food is good not great for what you pay. The server forgot to bring us the bread from the start. I had their cesar salad which was good and my husband really enjoyed their beef tartar. Main course the trout was good and my husbands elk osso Buco was ok not great.
For that price range I would have higher expectations.

You can tell when you arrive that this spot is a local favorite. Just look at the bar. It’s in one of the original small restored places in Telluride. Maybe fifteen tables. Great food including local favorites like elk. Wine list is pricey but you can find some inexpensive whites and level the cost out with a red. Good selection, but again, a tad pricey. I would recommend this spot as one of your special dinners while in Telluride. Attentive waitstaff and an absolutely stunning separate Vegetarian menu by the chef. Great job folks!

Fabulous food extremely creative with a wide range of choices!!! Many Colorado choices… seriously yummy great presentation. My only qualm the place is their wine list… you can’t get a red under 75… whites a whole different story great prices but if u are in the mood for red prepare to pay even by glass… we worked around it
By ordering a great white for 30 cocktail before… but seriously food is awesome! Just hope they bring some more moderate priced reds would be superior!!!

Just went to South Oak for our anniversary dinner. We were seated promptly and at a lovely table. That’s pretty much where our good experience ends. It took 10 minutes for our server to even come say hi, and when he did he never smiled, not even once. Then another 10 min to put in drink orders. Probably another 15 to actually get our drinks and put in our food orders. Cocktails were tasty. We started with three apps, including the braised octopus and brussel sprout salad. Octopus was extremely overcooked and brussels were super bland. We told our waiter we would not be ordering entrees. We told him we were not pleased with our food. The restaurant did comp our food, although we never received an apology from our server or a visit from management. Very disappointed. The table next to us seemed to be having a similar experience, as their hot appetizer came out cold. Wanted to like this place, will not be back.

Came here one weekend in September for a special date night. My guy was celebrating a milestone birthday, and I wanted to treat him to something really special. A foodie friend of mine had given me a list of places to check out while in Telluride, including 221 South Oak. Her actual description of this place was «holy crap delicious,» so with that (plus the lovely reviews on here) I decided to make reservations on Open Table. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the experience.
Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by the host/​barkeep/​manager Simon (I really hope I have his name right, as he was wonderful). He said he could seat us immediately, or, if we wanted to wait about 5 minutes, he would have another table ready that we would probably like better. We weren’t in any rush, so we grabbed a spot on a couch which gave us a chance to take in the atmosphere of this converted home turned eatery. It’s super charming. After just a few minutes, we were ushered over to a private table by a window, rather than to the one remaining empty table in the middle of the room. The place was booming, and I soon found out why. Our server Audrey approached to fill our water glasses and gave us time to look over the drink menu. We decided on some cocktails: I had the Bourbon Smash, and my guy the Honey Stinger. While we anxiously awaited our beverages, we got our first glimpse of the food menu. My goodness! We had copies of both the standard menu and the vegetarian version, and both were the same length and of equal diversity. Never before have I seen such a carefully curated veggie menu at an establishment that wasn’t strictly vegetarian/​vegan. It might sound funny, but that in and of itself was enough to impress me. Our drinks arrived soon thereafter and were accompanied by a plate of two varieties of bread with fresh butter, which gave us something to munch on while imbibing.
In my day to day life I am largely pescatarian, but when I go out I love to experience the creativity of a good chef and throw dietary restrictions out the window. Though the veggie menu was the largest I’ve seen, it just so happened that everything we ordered was off the standard menu. We started with the Foie Gras. Melt in your mouth delicious. I had no idea what to expect with the blueberry jam and ham biscuit powder combo it was served with, but it somehow worked incredibly well. For our main dishes, I opted for the Maple Leaf Duck Breast, served with duck confit wontons (a fun and unique side) with asparagus and carrots, while my guy had the Angus Beef Tenderloin with bacon (because what’s a bday without bacon) served with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and carrots. Both were so tender, with flavors that almost danced in your mouth. And the presentations weren’t bad, either. True creations of art.
We were thoroughly full, however there’s always room for dessert on a birthday. There were several options that sounded amazing, but my guy wanted chocolate, so we went for the chocolate lava cake with salted caramel ice cream and fruit compote. Now here’s where the service went from already excellent to above and beyond. In my reservation note, I mentioned we were going to be celebrating this special occasion, and that I would be bringing candles so could stick some in our dessert. Well, without even asking, Simon brought out the dessert not only with a candle, but with «happy birthday» written in chocolate on the plate, and he didn’t even charge us for it. So kind and so generous. My guy was very surprised, and I was very touched by this gesture.
All in all, the food was incredible, served at appropriate intervals and cooked to perfection. The drinks were strong (the way I like ‘em) but not overpowering. And the service, bar none. They let us linger as long as we wanted, never rushing us, even though we were the last to leave the restaurant. When I find myself back in Telluride, eating at 221 South Oak will be on the top of my to-​do list. I can’t say enough about this place, and I’m glad it happens to be my 100^th review!

A locals’ fave for Sunday brunch. Eggs Benedict arrive 2 to the plate, with diced fruit, and assortment of thumb-​sized muffins and a token beignet. I opted for Cajun shrimp in balsamic reduction, served with a few shreds of kale, and dried sweet potato garnish. The white mimosa is made with vouvray instead of bubbly. The atmosphere in this small Victorian with gardens for al fresco dining, is irresistible.

Recently celebrated our anniversary at 221 S and it was a wonderful experience. Friendly, attentive staff, nice private seating and great food. The foi gras appetizer was excellent, scallops and steaks were delicious and nicely presented and the special anniversary edition lava cake was delightful. A friend recommended the place as we had never been there before, but he said it was a nice, romantic place for a special dinner and we agree. Sometimes the quality of both help and food suffer during the off season at some of these places but not at 221S. Weird that it’s a restaurant now as I used to play with the kids next door and knew the family that lived here growing up many years ago. But the owners have turned the house into a first class place service outstanding food. Even the presence of two adjacent tables of unrepentant Yuppies in gingham shirts and sockless loafers couldn’t shake the fun night we had.

Lovely patio full of lilacs. I had the chicken breast with foi gras. Very tasty! The staff is delightful and perfect. I dined alone & they gave me lots of time to enjoy the meal & the beautiful alpenglow.

As a vegetarian, I really appreciated the creativity of the vegetarian menu. It wasn’t just one pasta dish, but it was an immense variety of vegetarian dishes. We started with the Brie toast and the Tofu with Blue Auvergne– they were both very good. For dinner I went with the duo of house made ravioli — the filling was amazing and so was the reduction with it. My husband had the shiitake encrusted Tofu with butternut squash fries. The butternut squash was by far the star of the night!!! We topped it off with the molten chocolate cake… which was good, but I would try something different next time. As a vegetarian, this was a fantastic meal with a huge variety of vegetables and ways they were cooked. It was a great meal.

I had high expectations from this place based on the reviews and recommendations. I went yesterday (the last weekend of the ski season) and I suspect they didn’t have their A-​team. The service was fine, but my elk ribeye was overcooked and over-​salted leaving it tasting more like beef jerky than the fine cut of meat that elk usually is. The wine was great (the Malbec and Tempranillo by the glass were excellent) as was the soup, but the shortfall on the main course was very disappointing, especially considering the price. I would expect great and not just good when you pay over $ 100 per person. I would hope this was an off-​night, but will likely try other places in town on my next trip.

Loved the atmosphere. Cute little house near the gondola. Service was impeccable. Good wine. My husband and I had the dry aged cowboy ribeye, bone in. We were told it would be about 18 ounces. However when it arrived, it was too thin of a cut, too fatty and too small for $ 52. The sides were good — green beans and white cheddar twice baked potato. I don’t think this was a Top Chef meal. Our party really enjoyed their desserts.

We went to 221 South Oak for a special occasion, a rehearsal dinner. Until the night we ate there in February (2015), I had never been to Telluride, CO and therefore had not eaten at this incredible restaurant. I had to choose a venue for the event sight unseen and only received a few suggestions so I was pretty much flying blind when I chose to make reservations for 12 a few months prior to the day before my son’s and daughter-in-law’s wedding.
I vowed to write a review and it speaks even louder that it has been well over a month and a half and I can still recall the evening like few other dining experiences. Whatever brings you to 221 South Oak, I expect they will not disappoint. From the friendly advice when I made the reservation to the helpful wait staff the evening we dined at this charming small restaurant, everyone was professional and responsive. But let’s get to the bottom line, the food and atmosphere at 221 South Oak was excellent from start to finish. I have eaten at some very nice restaurants and what we experienced that night puts 221 South Oak near the top of my list. The appetizers were to die for. My kudos to the kitchen for very flavorful entrees.
If you are looking for a place to host a similar event, be mindful that we were seated in the main dining room so it lacked privacy but I knew that going in. Telluride is a tough place to find parking, so I would advise you to ask the restaurant for their suggestions — maybe even ahead of time. I wish I had done that to avoid circling the crowded downtown for a legal spot. Don’t let these factors deter you… if you have the chance to dine at 221 South Oak and pass it up you will have missed a fantastic dining experience.

Delicious, delicately crafted meal. We had the seared tuna with figs, kale and couscous cakes and it was delicious. The trout was also amazing with a nice buttery and truffle flavor. Overall very satisfied if not impressed with the level of cuisine and service.

We had a fabulous meal at 221.
I had the buffalo steak which was one of the nicest steaks I have had, tender and cooked perfectly. My wife had the pork porterhouse and again it as very very good.
My dessert was the pecan pie and my wife had the molten chocolate cake and both were taste sensations.
Service was excellent and the ambiance of the room fitted really well.
Meals were large so we were happy we skipped starters.
It is on the pricey side however I definitely felt I got value as everything was good.
If you are looking for a high quality meal out in Telluride then I would absolutely recommend this.

Great food, great device, great wine list. A must do in telluride. It’s been 7 years since we were here last and still fantastic. Arugula salad was quite tasty as was the salmon with sunchokes. Walking distance from the gondola

Excellent food
Excellent service
Be sure to request the vegetarian menu — it’s as robust as the main menu
Great dessert too

A cute little home with beautiful artwork. The food is good especially if you are seeking an eclectic menu. My husband had the Elk ribeye and I had the Bison strip steak. Both very good but the disappointing part was it is served sliced. I guess we were expecting a full steak like you usually get in a steakhouse. My mom had the mussels which were an appetizer and they were filling enough for her. They also had delicious bread.

After camping for a few days we came into Telluride for a good meal and a bed. This place had great Unilocal reviews and they are merited.
Wife had the halibut and I an elk steak. Both were fresh and well crafted. In fact the entire menu had unique and interesting offerings, as well as a delightful wine list. We tried the homemade carrot cake, which had extraordinary presentation, and vanilla ice cream with a portion of carrot ice cream. Wonderful.
Even though we hadn’t done laundry :-), the hostess and the waiters treated us professionally and with the same care as the obvious core group of regulars. A hearty thumbs up for one of the nicest surprises in Telluride.
I should also mention that we serendipitously dined on a late summer Tuesday when the restaurant offered a 2 for 1 entrée special. At full retail the meal was priced very reasonably, but at a 30% discount off our entire ticket, this place was an absolute bargain.

I will make this short the food was superb, we ordered fried quail, my wife had the flatiron steak and I dove into the pork tenderloin.
The service by our waiter was atrocious, we just arrived today and we’re taking advantage of the restaurants 2 for 1 deal to check it out, and since I don’t drink wine was not an option. I feel like because of those factors my wife and I were treated as less than worth his time nor his courtesy. I would have loved to go back and try more entrees and such from the menu but no food is worth being treated as such, oh and it’s my honeymoon, not like he cared to ask or anything.

Soooo good. Great wine selection. I ordered the special heirloom tomato and burrata to start. Divine! I shared with the table and everyone agreed. It was perfectly salted too! For my entrée, I ordered the trout based on a friend’s recommendation. It was the best trout I have ever had (actually the next day I ordered a trout salad at Sheridans which was tastless in comparison). It was perfectly prepared and the 3 accompanying ravioli were nice as well. Fantastic service too!