Well, I must say that I agree with many of the reviews. The service is consistently poor. I live in Aspen, so have been at least four times over the last year (the only time-span I consider relevant). Every time was bad, either for the service or the food, a time or two even both. The burger is unimpressive and $20 after tax. No, it is not a worth-$20 burger, and there are many far superior burgers in town for much less (J Bar, CP,...McDonald's). As for the people-watching: it's Aspen; go literally anywhere during the ski season or summer. Anywhere. There's even a spot on the other side of the gondola if you're dead-set on being up against Ajax.
Let me use examples. My friend and I were seated outside, where it took (I am not an exaggerator) 20 minutes for someone to even bring us menus. Then another 15 to get our order taken, during which time, the bartender noticed we had not gotten service and offered to get us at least our beers and see what was up with our server; he was great. The other literally 5 other servers who wandered past: not so much. Our server only came after I finally spoke with the manager, whom I had to get up and fetch. The bartender had already spoken with the server himself and the attitude dripping off the idiot server was thicker than the buttery concoction they serve with their bread. After finally getting the oysters we ordered as an app, we decided to leave. Obviously. Nothing was so much as discounted even though the manager had been informed of the matter.
I'm one to give a place a decent chance, especially with the turn-over rate of Aspen businesses. So I went again when a visiting friend said she wanted to try their burger. Service was, wonderfully, only mediocre this time! As for the burger, the components are good, but the patties were dry, tasteless, and seemed to be another Cisco-supplied meatish-patty. If I may I remind you, this cost $20 after tax. Yah. Not worth it.
When another friend offered them up as an option for lunch, I hesitated, but being the off-season, sit-down lunch can be difficult to find. The service was fine this time, thankfully. I'm an easy consumer, but I hate goat cheese; I have a visceral reaction and get sick to my stomach. When I ordered the chicken sandwich, I asked for "just not goat cheese." Naturally, it showed up with the goat cheese presented on the menu. I was too hungry to wait for another, so I ate as much as I could: 2/3 of one half. Left most of the fries too, since they were a mix of over-cooked, tasting like over-used oil, or undercooked with the appearance of fingers after an hour-long bath and flaccid. After the manager heard that I had received the wrong cheese, about which I did not make a stink, he came over to tell me he was sorry that I thought I had gotten the wrong thing, but it was Swiss. He had even talked to the chef! (Ooooh!) Look, buddy, come over, apologize that I was unhappy with what I received, and be done with it. Don't be arrogant, and definitely don't tell someone who was raised in professional kitchens with professional, restaurant-owning chefs and has done a multitude of other food- and kitchen-related occupations that she has mistaken the most dull of cheeses for goat. "Well, even if he was rude, I'm sure he at least took it off the bill since you couldn't eat it!" No. No he didn't. A table of two Aspenites, one of 30+ years, and he decided to make the name-ruining call of charging the $18 (+tax of course) for the uneaten chicken sandwich.
I will do all that I can to make people aware of all of these experiences. Especially if it is ever again suggested by a friend. Let me be clear, though, the food isn't awful, the food+service+management = not worth it considering the options. read more