I need to preface this review with the fact that we had read many reviews before venturing into Garlic Mike's so our group of four's expectations had already been tempered. The common themes seemed to be good, but not great food that took too long to arrive with sub-par service for the price. The location was close and we wanted to check out their river side patio so we set out prepared to overspend, enjoy a couple drinks and an appetizer or two while waiting far too long for our dinner. What followed was the worst two and half-hour restaurant experience any of us have ever had and we still can't tell you how any of the main dishes taste. We settled on an Monday, July 3rd, 8:00 PM reservation. We arrived at 7:45 and immediately went to the river side patio. It is a nice relaxing low key shady area filled with mismatched outdoor furniture where you can order drinks from a small bar shack, watch rafters go by, and wait on your table. We ordered a round of drinks and slowly made our way to the front of the restaurant to check in 5 minutes before our reservation. The host informed us that 8 was not going to happen and they would need 30 more minutes to get a table ready. At 8:20 the host asked us if an outdoor table would be okay and we said that would be perfect. At 8:30 we watched the host seat the only open outdoor table so we asked her if our table was almost ready and she said "I lied about the patio table, we have a table or both open inside, I just need to go inside and reorganize!" as she spun around and disappeared into the restaurant. As we were seated at 8:40 for our 8:00 reservation I overheard the waiter at the adjacent table apologizing for their long wait on the food. The signs were there but the sangria was good and we were still determined to eat some Italian food so we powered on. Our waiter said "Hi, I'm your waiter, I'll be right back" as he flew by our table. We quickly interjected and asked if we could have some of the menu's he was clutching in his hands and he reluctantly turned to give them up (one of the reviews mentioned shortages of menus and we were determined to speed this process along). We placed our order at 8:57 after changing it a couple times (they were out of veal parmigiana and lasagna). Over the next hour and twenty minutes we had to ask the waiter for bread three times before giving up and asking the bus-boy for bread. He brought us bread and even updated us on our order status (something our waiter wasn't doing). The bread is not fresh and not good. We asked our waiter three times for napkins and we finally got 3 cloth napkins and a stack of paper bar napkins (the drink coaster paper things). During this time we also got a look at what was happening around us. Almost everyone looked pissed off and they were either waiting for food or waiting for for the checkout process. We overheard the table next to us complain they never received their french fries while going over the check only to have the manager laugh at them and say "It's a busy night!" while she walked away. The table finally flipped when someone tried to give them t-shirts...I saw them give them a $50 gift certificate after that. We also heard over and over as an excuse that they had an "unexpected 29 top" that day and that's why everything was "backed up a little bit." Shortly before 10:00 I surveyed google maps and came to the conclusion that all the fast food joints would be closed at 11. I made a mental note that if we did not have food by 10:30 (two and a half hours after our reservation) we were going to give up and salvage the night by getting fast food and retreating to our cabin. At 10:17 we were approached by a manager and waiter to inform us that they were out of marinara sauce and we would have to re-order a couple of our dishes. I simply stated "No, we are done here" and got up to leave. The managers very first reaction was "Don't put this on Facebook!" So that will be the first place I post this review. Some words were exchanged as we walked out, but it was civil and there was no cursing or screaming. All our feedback was rebuffed, they have excuses for everything and are not interested in improving (another common theme among the reviews). One of the ladies from the 29-top was also at the front of the restaurant exchanging words with another manager while we were walking out. When they used the excuse of the "unexpected 29 top" on us one last time the 29-top lady overhead it and yelled "We had reservations!" It was a perfect end to the worst restaurant experience ever. I think our exchange and the 29 top's exchange with the managers embolden more tables in the restaurant because our two tables were not the only ones that got up to leave. As we left the restaurant several of the staff were in the parking lot trying to take pictures of people and licenses plates as people fled to the safety of soon to be closing fast food joints. read more

I've never had a bad visit to Garlic Mikes. Anytime my family feels like celebrating with a fine dinner we make the drive to Gunni from CB and hit up Garlic Mikes. Servers are always professional and friendly and great at remembering faces. Mike's kitchen puts out some amazing food, with Mike working the kitchen on most nights. I've got a serious gluten allergy and know I can count on Mike to tell me straight up if a dish contains any gluten, 100% track record on not making me sick read more

Attempted to eat at this highly recommended restaurant last Saturday, but it was total fail! Food was cold when we finally got it! Had to send it back to heat up! Came back with a hot plate and still lukewarm food! Sent it back again with the owner assuring me it would be perfect! Still just warm and now dried out and unedible! As we were leaving the restaurant I approached the owner and he got really sassy! I informed him we would not return! He yelled, go ahead and write a review, that's what everyone says! Then kept saying I love you in a smart aleck tone! So I put a review on TripAdvisor! He replied and has thankfully posted my picture to the staff and banned me for life from entering his restaurant! Diners beware!! read more

The food was amazing! Absolutely delicious. Nathan was a phenomenal server which made the experience a lot better. He's definitely the best i've had in this valley. What an awesome way to celebrate my birthday!! read more

Y'all, this is the worst restaurant experience ever. After waiting 2.5 hours (WITH A RESERVATION), we were told they were out of marinara sauce. That was after the veal was out, the lasagna was out, the napkins were out, the wine glasses were out, AND NOW THE MARINARA??? That's after the 2.5 hour wait. So many people around us were ENRAGED, making the dining experience terrible. SO. MANY. PEOPLE. WERE. UNHAPPY. AND NOW, we are unhappy!!! We got up and left. I've never been in such disheveled and crazed mess. And I didn't even discuss the wait staff. Let's talk the waiter's hand rubbing his hand through his hair and then into the food. Gross! I know it's a small town joint, BUT C'MON ON! Don't accept reservations if you can't handle them! NEVER COMING BACK. First impressions are made within the first 2.5 hours, and you guys failed. #sorrynotsorry read more

Garlic Mike's had a great selection of Italian dishes. Highly recommend it and really cool outdoor seating approach

Fantastic food, fabulous service, phenomenal drinks! This is my favorite restaurant in town, we had an amazing dinner tonight and they were slamming! Our waitress handled it like a pro and kept us well stocked while we were here. The river bar is an amazing setting and the entertainment tonight was pretty awesome too!! Love you Mike! Keep doing what you do!! read more

I would give this little gem more stars if I could. I was with a party of 8 and we all shared a bite of what we ordered and everything was amazing. Strongly recommend. read more

Tonight, for our anniversary, we decided to finally try Garlic Mikes. We have lived in the valley for over five years and even though this was our first time being a customer, nothing can compare to this restaurant. Excellent service, food and wine! It exceeded all expectations, by far. Thank you, Garlic Mikes for making our anniversary one we won't forget! read more

We've been going to Crested Butte for over thirty years and had driven by this lonely outpost north of Gunnison, innumerable times and at times had commented it might be worth a shot. After having met a friend who had retired to Gunnison this past winter earlier in the week, he had pointed us to Mikes as probably the best restaurant in the Valley including CB. So we made a reservation for Friday night. We had our socks blown off by the food, service (Christian), and the setting on the river. This place holds its own against anything in Colorado when you put that whole package together. There are only a couple of restaurants in the state that have the magical outdoor ambiance that this possesses at sunset, and the quality of the food makes it exceptional. We also thought the prices were very reasonable for the incredible quality. We will never be in CB again without going back. read more

Love this sweet family owned restaurant. Food is amazing & the service is always friendly. Looking forward to summer & the river bar out back! read more

This place is amazing!!! Wonderful food and great staff!!! To the rude couple in the corner booth that ordered food and was unsatisfied shame on you these "kids" who are so professional and work so hard deserve better than that!!! We will continue to love this place and come here everytime we visit Gunnison!!! read more

Absolutely great place and food. The STAFF is incredible, very friendly and very professional which add to a great dining experience. Be sure to engage with the staff even if they are not your server. Food is wonderful and they have a great outdoor dining experience as well as a bar on the bank of the Gunnison River that is soooooo cool. Don't miss this place if you are in the area. Get reservations as its hugely popular for good reason. read more

Best place to eat in Gunny. Always treated us well. Service is outstanding. Food is excellent.

Great food and great service! I did a float trip to the restaurant which was super fun! I was there with a larger party and was concerned that I would be there for a long time but was pleasantly surprised with timely, good service. read more

I love Italian food, and Garlic Mike's has been a favorite for nearly 20 years! From the signature garlic butter and warm bread and Italian chutney served when you are first seated, to the Tiramisu for dessert, close to every meal I have enjoyed here has been near perfection! They do get busy, especially at the holidays and during the summer. You can watch the action in the kitchen, which is traditional for an Italian restaurant. The location is right on the Gunnison River and it is nice and cool on the patio. If you come in the summer, try for a table outside. G' Mike's partners up with Three Rivers Rafting in Almont for an evening float to the restaurant. I highly recommend this trip! My fave dish is the Filetto con Pepe, filet migon with peppercorn/red wine reduction sauce. One review commented on a "meh" dinner salad. I love the simple salad with the in-house made balsamic based dressing, it compliments the complexity of all the dishes on the menu and you can finish it without being stuffed! You could also choose one of the soups, Brodo or Mushroom. Yes, ya gotta splurge on the Garlic Fries, too! Oh, and don't forget dessert...their Tiramisu is yum! I can't forget to mention the wine list too. It is one area that really needed input, and the list has vastly improved over the years. They now have a better quality house wine and deeper list of well chosen wines which includes more than traditional Chianti, Pinot Grigio etc. found in Italian restaurants. read more

We stopped at Garlic Mike's on the way home from Crested Butte. What a lovely experience. The food is amazing. Atmosphere is wonderful. You will not be sorry. Has to be the best italian food in town. read more

My filet con pepe was delicious, melted in my mouth. The zabaione was fluffy and cook off all the alcohol perfectly. Some of the best prime rib I've ever had! (Separate visits, but food was always good) read more

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I used to love this place. Always delicious. However the last two times I have been in the food has been extremely bland. Very disappointed as this used to be a favorite. On the plus side: service is wonderful, as is the bread and herb butter read more

This place was awesome! We were on a trip last Friday up to Crested Butte from Fort Collins. We were going through Gunnison and it was about dinner time and we passed this place and saw the lot completely full. We love to find these random type places so we decided to stop. The atmosphere and decor of the place was perfect. The service was awesome and the meals that we both chose were fantastic! My wife had the Salmon Gigi and I had the Filetto Con Pepe. We usually look forward to eating at the Wooden Nickel in Crested Butte, as it is one of our favorites, but this meal ended up being the highlight of our trip and at half the cost of the Wooden Nickel (although the Wooden Nickel is amazing in every way and I do 100% recommend it as well). Can't wait to come back, I will try the Prime Rib next time! read more

Will be going here every visit moving forward. And next time show up early for drinks next to the river

We both had the house salad and lasagna which was very good. The service was very good. We arrived early before they got busy and the cooks in the open kitchen were extremely loud so I suggest seating away from the kitchen. read more

We love the food. Good wine selection and even a wonderful stream to sip wine next to while waiting for our table.

Best service, best food in Gunnison! We go 2-3 times a year. Birthdays and anniversary. Mussels, Veal the best, always great food great staff great service. Just a great little place. read more

I don't even know what to say about this place. I am an esteemed traveler, and this little restaurant in the random town of Gunnison is my FAVORITE Italian place I have ever had, along side Celiné in New York City. The food is delicious, high quality, and made perfectly. The staff is always kind, especially Christian. My favorite time to go is during the summer because they have the river bar, where you can lounge by the water and have the most DELICIOUS homemade peach sangrias. I couldn't speak more highly of this place. Try it! read more

Always a nice time at Garlic Mike's. The river bar is a nice addition. The wait sometimes can be lengthy, but the food never disappoints.

The summer outside bar is phenomenal! However, we have yet to find a meal that we both love. The steak carbonara was highly recommended, but we thought it was a bit bland. The shrimp scampi wasn't too great either. But we'll be giving this place and all the other options another try because of the awesome service and sweet dog friendly bar! read more

Went for a drink on the outdoor patio. My kids were super excited to meet Garlic Mike-super nice guy! The river bar is fantastic. Yard games for the kids, gorgeous view. Very nice. read more

Great service, food was good. Would have given 4 stars but no ambience. The tortellini is AMAZING.

Been coming to Gunnison every summer for 15 yrs and we started to hit garlic mikes a couple years back. Got the pleasure of meeting "garlic mike" himself on our last visit. The most rude and unprofessional restauranteur I have ever met. Our calamari was definitely over cooked and the guy comes out and argues over how it was cooked and asks us to "cash out". Would NOT recommend garlic mikes unless you want to be treated without respect and over pay for mediocre food. read more

If you ever come to Gunnison you must come here. Ideally situated on the river with friendly service, good food and talented local musicians to entertain - you feel transported to an other worldly paradise. If you like clear sparking waters, wholesome sustenance and endless gratification- you have come to the right place read more

This was soooooo much better than my first visit. Service was great, and good wine selection and price. Food was very good. I ordered the Manicotti special and was a bit surprised at how long it too to come out. The Butternut Squash soup was excellent. Had Carmel Creme Brulee for dessert and although it was tasty, had too much crunch on the top for my taste. Would definitely come back. read more

Enjoyed the Chicken Parmigiana with linguini and food was excellent. Finished off dinner with a Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse which was outstanding. Had not had dinner at Garlic Mike's since 2005 as we moved to the east coast. Everything was as great as remembered and Erika provided exceptional service! read more

Absolutely delicious - every visit a different dish and each one scrumptious. Great service, friendly staff, and a dining treat. I highly recommend the Peach Sangria, too. Favorite restaurant in Gunnison, and loved by locals. read more

What are you you people thinking? This place was horrible, bad food, crap wine list bad service, and cheap decor. The pasta was overcooked, they did not have the first two items I asked for and what I did get would have been better from Chef Boyardee. I know this is a somewhat rural location, but I would go hungry rather than eat at this restaurant again. read more

This is our tradition on our yearly trip to Blue Mesa for fishing. I have to say our visit this time was remarkable! Wait staff was spot on. Stuffed mushrooms and calimari apps were wonderful. Cream of mushroom soup I highly recommend. Dinners were all fantastic including the prime rib special. Topped it all off with the best tiramisu and vanilla bean gelato we've experienced anywhere! Coffee was equally wonderful. A must if you're in the area! read more

We went to Gunnison for 3 days, coming from Denver. I'd done my research and Garlic Mike's was the place I was looking forward to the most. Sadly, I was disappointed. Most reviews mention the terrible service, which is absolutely accurate because it's so slow it's ridiculous (we went to the bar ourselves because we sat at the table for 30 minutes before a waiter arrived), but the food was a total letdown. No garlic and little flavor. Felt like I was at Olive Garden minus the free salad and breadsticks. The salad I did order had lettuce and onion, and nothing else. I wouldn't recommend. read more

We always drop by when we are in the area. Mike is a great guy and chef and we have had many different meals there and have enjoyed them all, including those special occasion meals we've had. My husband is part Italian and he thinks the food is great! This is the only restaurant I know of in Gunny that is on the river, and the outdoor bar is such a nice place to sit and enjoy the outdoors. Consider making reservations, they do get busy. read more

The online menu is outdated and the prices at the actual restaurant were much more expensive. The bread and salad were actually really good, But the fettuccine Alfredo steak carbonara was terrible had an uncooked wine flavor in the sauce, completely not what alfredo sauce is going for. The traditional spaghetti and meatballs was lacking, olive garden quality. And for 16 bucks dear lord!! read more

All the reviews stating the really slow service are spot on, hence the 3 stars That being said the food was pretty good. The shrimp scampi appetizer was delicious. If you're in the area and in the mood for Italian, this place will not disappoint. read more