This was such a wonderful dining experience! The grounds surrounding the restaurant are beautiful so the setting is peaceful. The service was excellent - we were well attended to. The food was outstanding. I was the only GF vegetarian in our group of 8 and I ate so much food! It was a nice surprise to have amazing food choices for everyone at our table. Hands down, one of the best dining experiences I've had. The owner is thoughtful and friendly. She cares deeply about her food and the diners. So good! read more

Food : 5/5 unique, fresh, well prepared, well presented Atmosphere: 4/5 cozy / tight seating, loud, dim but they will accommodate with a lamp, woodsy decor Service: 4.5/5 lots of servers, didn't want for anything. Price: fair for what you're getting Little Bone Food Truck: Food: fresh, unique ingredients and all tasty Price: fair for amount and uniqueness of food. read more

I visited in May 2025 with a group of girlfriends after years of hoping to finally make it to Hell's Backbone Grill with my spouse. This time, I planned well in advance and made the restaurant the true focus of our trip--and it exceeded every expectation. We were completely in awe. Every single bite of every dish was exceptional, deeply flavorful, and clearly prepared with care, intention, and extraordinary skill. I was especially fond of the meatloaf and we loved the service as well. The food alone was reason enough to visit, but paired with the stunning surrounding landscape, the experience felt almost magical. We stayed in the rental next door and loved wandering the beautiful property, taking in the sounds of nature before and after our meal. Each of us left with a cookbook, which I will treasure forever--a lasting reminder of a truly special culinary experience. I'm already counting the days until I can return. What an unforgettable and unexpected gift. read more

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The food was good. The portion size was a bit too small for me. The ambience was good. But when a restaurant shows their politics. It's very disappointing to me. Why would they alienate half their customers? When I see a big Trump sign I'm seriously disappointed. And when I see a Black Lives Matter sign, I'm severely disappointed. I think they could do a really good job if they just got rid of their politics. There are parking you could do a little better too read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - Their politics. - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

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Our best meal of the week Food was so amazing and the party in your mouth from the black powder biscuits, bbq rub cauliflower , trout and lemon chicken. all amazing paired with an amazing sauv blanc. Service was good and decor very cute. read more

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In my readings I discovered a remote lodge, Boulder Mountain Lodge, and restaurant, Hell's Backbone Grille, that receive outstanding ratings from those who visit the small community of Boulder, Utah (located near Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument ). The restaurant and lodge are so well-known that obtaining reservations can be very difficult. I was able to secure them for last Sunday. We made the 4+ hour scenic trip to this small bit of Shangri-La and were NOT disappointed. Though I have been privileged to eat in some world-class restaurants, we found our evening to be one of the most enjoyable dining experiences of our lives. The lodge grounds are not only picturesque but quiet, almost contemplative. Personnel go out of their way to make you feel welcome. (The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so plan accordingly.) read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - The Grille - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

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Every time we have come here from afar the food has been divine. From the rib eye steak to the lemony cluck to the Jenchiladas to the goat cheese fondue. My gosh. It's delicious. It's amazing in every way. Even the dark magic gingerbread dessert knows no bounds in its radiance. I was left unable to eat more and yet still wanting the delectable flavors to enter my mouth. Come here. Eat. Behold the amazingness. It's worth the drive. read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - Dark Gingerbread Magic - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

This pains me dreadfully. I was very much looking forward to dining here. I love so much of their philosophy, heard the food was spectacular, designed our trip around dining here even. But reality sometimes lets you down. We were seated pretty promptly. We were greeted not long after. Our server, Henry, bless him, we just didn't seem to click. We can be friendly and chatty with servers, and maybe that wasnt his vibe? I don't know, it was awkward from the start. We ordered drinks and two apps for the table. It took a while for both, but we were VERY happy with them. We finished our apps. Time passed. We finished our drinks. More time passed. We finished our waters. Even more time passed and we had been visited zero times in about 40 minutes. 40 minutes AFTER finishing our apps. We watched helplessly, growing cranky, as our server visited other tables up the staircase five, six times each in the same timeframe (we were on the lower patio area). A runner came to deliver our main courses only to find the appetizer course still taking up the table space. She adapted quickly, but there was no reason our server should ignore us all that time. THEN the server shows up asking if we needed refills. YES. For some time now. The mains were delicious, the food was gorgeous. We enjoyed the food. Our server stopped by a bit more regularly after that, but seemingly every other person in the building stopped by to chat with us. Our server never really warmed to us and spent oodles of time with his other tables. Overall, I will remember the best trout I ever had, with one of the most disappointing experiences I ever had. Such a letdown. I am harboring some sadness and resentment for how bad it was, when it could have been so amazing. Other tables seemed to have a great night. Not mine. read more

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We just hiked 20 miles in escalante in one day were heading back to Salt Lake thinking that we couldn't get to a place to eat by the time everything closed. We saw this restaurant full of people pulled over and were blown away! They took us right in... and it was like a fine resort restaurant. The prices were high but the food was excellent. Our waiter was a super friendly guy who had extensive knowledge of the menu. I'd stop here any chance you can get if you're feeling like spending a little more for some excellent food in a very remote part of Utah. I got the Pork Chop. Best pork chop of my life! My son got the Bison and devoured it. read more

If I could give this 10 stars I would. This was a wonderful dining experience!The staff were friendly and helpful. The food was superb! The atmosphere was beautiful. We loved every dish we tried. The owners roamed around the restaurant stopping at each table to ensure all guests were enjoying the experience. I bought both the cookbooks and had a very nice conversation with one of the owners as she was signing my books. I would highly recommend this restaurant and wish I lived closer, so I could go more often. read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

We had been told by a friend to go to dinner here when we visited Capital Reef National Park. We had reservations for 7:45p but found ourselves driving by there three hours early so we asked if they could seat us and they graciously agreed. Our waiter Nicholas was exceptional, giving us some suggestions and answering questions. We tried the Old Fashions, very nice. Our group had the meatloaf and lemony chicken. All were very good as was the cherry bread pudding for dessert. This place is beautiful with indoor and outdoor seating. Very comfortable and the farm is a Wonderful setting. Been traveling all over the region for a week, this is the best place we have visited. read more

First, a shout-out to Phil, who treated us like royalty. His recommendations were lovely, and he explained today's vegetables to those of us who ordered them. Water glasses are large, and were continually filled. Ambiance is fun, eclectic and stylish. The silverware and plates are mix-and-match from many classic styles. The light shades are different colanders. Food was very very good. Pan-seared trout, arugula pesto pasta with smoked trout, "jenchiladas", and panna cotta to share afterwards. Marvelous. Much of what is served is grown on site, and it is oh-so-obvious. Highly, highly recommend. read more

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This place came highly recommended to us. Small eatery on a backcountry road. They own one of the most unique menus. We did the steak and some salad.... I recommend it. There are other unique items on the menu that were worth trying, but we weren't in the area long enough. Our service was outstanding! The waiter took very good care of us and also made sure to explain the unique menu. read more

We took the epic 12 road and stopped here because it was recommended so many times. We did not realize it was such a fancy place, we rolled in kind of hot. The food was absolutely amazing- I got the trout and lemon potatoes. What was really sweet is how they went above and beyond to keep my 16 month old entertained. He was in fits bc we had been on the road for so long, then I rushed out and left my purse... THEY MAILED IT TO ME! I have never met such sweet people, they were even willing to meet me in salt lake to get my purse back to me. The carrot puree and bison steak, also amazing! I wish I had gotten my food to go and eaten at those picnic tables while my kids run a muck. They really were in the car for so long! Worth the stop!! read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - Kids playing outside. - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

Service was great other than having to ask for water refills. The food was beautiful, interesting, flavorful, and I assume, really nutritious! I had the meatloaf. Moist and tasty. Wife had the salad with perfectly cooked chicken. We shared the pumpkin apple soup which was incredible. The recommended gingerbread dessert was beyond words! Only tip I have is that you might not want to show up wearing a MAGA hat! read more

Great food. Great service. Neat spot. If you are in the area you should def try this place. You won't be disappointed.

We stumbled upon there food truck outside of their main restaurant for lunch while driving hwy 12 and we were so glad we did. In an area of Utah we're a lot of food just blends together, they stand out. I highly recommend stoping in for coffee/breakfast/lunch if your driving through or stopping at their main restaurant for dinner. read more

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Have eaten here before and it was a 5 star meal but this time cutting it back by two stars. First off this place is very accommodating if you have an animal thus arrived with 3 other adults, a child, infant and dog. I ordered the Bison meatloaf with Chipotle sauce. It was just ok. Not in the mood for an overpriced $65 bison steak and after having chicken the previous night and trout the other day, the 35.00 meatloaf was the only logical choice. The loaf had flair, was juicy and fell apart like ground beef, but would have preferred brown gravy vs the Chipotle sauce which made me feel like I was eating a beef taco. They also stopped by asking if we wanted buns, said yes to find out there was an additional charge. Now Bison isn't a better meat over cow in my opinion, but you can charge more for it because it's not a regular staple for most in Utah or anywhere else for that matter. The staff was great as usual and one of the owners stopped to ask about our meal that had not been completely delivered yet. It seems that out of control tipping has reached Boulder as we were whacked as a group (=6) for 22%. The meal and tip came to 273.00 read more

Beyond amazing! My favorite restaurant of all time. It's so good it keeps me coming back year after year. I'll travel to remote Utah just to eat here. The owners are outstanding and really know how to make an experience remarkable. From the delectable food to the attentive and personalized service, you can't find a more welcoming and delicious place. On top of that, the Boulder Mountain Lodge is a truly peaceful and beautiful place to stay and just steps away from this amazing food. Last year, they also added Little Bone food truck, and now I can eat every meal off their delicious menu every day of my trip. My favorites are the Blue Corn Pancakes for breakfast, the Crispy Farm Squash Salad, and the Cowgal Meatloaf for dinner, and Chocolate Chile Cream Pot for dessert. It is worth the trip just to eat here, but on top of that, it is set in the most beautiful landscape of all time. Come visit.... you won't regret it. read more

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Amazing service and the food was some of the best we've had dining out. A bit spendy but well worth every penny. Reservation recommended.

I have been wanting to come to Hell's Backbone for years and it did not disappoint. Loved the relaxed outdoor seating and extremely friendly and welcoming staff. The Jenchiladas had so much flavor and combination of textures - would absolutely order again. The champagne chicken was succulent and came with an unctuous carrot puree. A gem in Boulder that I will not wait years to revisit. read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - Jenchiladas - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

Amazing restaurant in a beautiful place! Food is A+, the service is incredible, owner is lovely, great ambiance. My parents took me when I was growing up and I continue to return as an adult -- I still dream of the gingerbread cake. What a gem! read more

While visiting Capital Reef National Park was had to take the opportunity to make a trip to Hell's Backbone grill. It was an amazing experience from the vibe, the food, and to the service. Everything we ordered was delicious. We also bought seasoning from their store which was so cute. If I lived closer, I'd eat here all the time. read more

Incredibly delicious food with the perfect balance of flavors and made with high quality, well-loved ingredients grown in ways that are good for the earth whenever possible. Staffed by delightful people who obviously love where they live and work. Wish we lived closer, it was such a magical experience in an awe-inspiring environment. Grateful! read more

Returned to our favorite restaurant in Utah -- scratch that, any where. The biscuits, deviled eggs and warm cabbage salad (new fav) were perfect starters. Cowgirl Meatloaf is delicious as ever, and thoroughly enjoyed the Jenchiladas. Dessert was the bread pudding, panna cotta and chocolate chili cream pot (ongoing fav). Service was excellent. Restaurant gets a little tight inside with all the happy customers but it makes it feel like a joyful place. We are so happy we made it down for Spring and hope to visit at least twice more before season ends. read more

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What a memorable experience- the food was unforgettable and the setting was perfect. This was our first time and we're going to make a tradition to come here for our anniversary. It's so simple but my favorite items were the warm cabbage salad with goat cheese and the blue corn muffin. So flavorful... I wish I had extras right now. I cannot wait to come back. Bonus points- camping clothes are welcomed read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - April seasonal menu with the rosemary margarita - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

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I have nothing but good things to say about Hell's Backbone. This restaurant brings the ideal ambiance to an exceptional meal. The staff is extremely friendly and they really made the experience memorable. I am itching to get back to enjoy another meal at Hell's Backbone. If you're in Southern Utah I highly recommend enjoying a meal there! read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

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Day 3 of their 2025 season and everything was on point. From my initial call to make a reservation to the goodbye hug from the owner as we left. The restaurant is comfortable and beautifully decorated. The biscuits and pumpkin apple soup were amazing. Presented on fun plates and tea cups. Entrees we ordered were the Osso Bucco and Bison Ribeye. Beautifully plated. Finished with the pumpkin bread pudding. Best dining experience we have had in all of Utah. The service was extremely attentive. We felt like everyone who worked in the restaurant came to check on us...From the host to server Mallory to the chef and owner. Very welcoming! Highly recommend! Hope to make it back again one day. read more

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Hell's Backbone Grill is the most special place to dine, every visit is memorable and nearly flawless! I have dined here 6 times across 3 visits over the past 5 years, most recently in early July 2024. Ive tried most of their staple dishes and drinks and many of their seasonal ones, and they have all been creative, delicious, and thoughtfully sourced. The two standouts from my most recent visit are the Smoked Chimayo Chicken Lollipops- perfectly cooked with a delicious seasoning at a warm level of spice- and the Wiinuuch Bean Charro- a perfectly executed dish of Fremont beans that is one of the best dishes I've ever had! The outdoor patio is so lovely I've actually never set foot inside the restaurant! The view of the Boulder Mountain Lodge grounds is so peaceful. Service is always friendly and knowledgeable too- impressive considering they have to recruit to this very rural area! I also appreciate their mission and philosophy around food and the land. They are knowledgeable and willing to handle food allergies such as celiac. Check out their little store on your way out, or their online store! read more

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Made the journey over from Torrey while visiting capital reef, and so glad we did! We had a pretty large group, and had Nick as our server. He was great at helping us all. He made wonderful recommendations on what drinks to get with each dish. Overall he really added to the experience. We ordered a variety of starters, and they were all great. The star for me was the biscuits. They were great on their own, but even better with the sage butter. Everyone loved their main dishes. I personally had the wagyu flat iron steak and wish I could go back and have it again right now. You could tell they really think about every thing they put on the plate and it all went together perfectly. Few things to note - if you drive over from Torrey be prepared to go slow over the mountain pass, especially once it's dark. There was a lot of wild life and cows. If you are seated out side there were a lot of mosquitoes once it got dark. It wasn't bad through most of the dinner. But the last 10-15 minutes we all got a lot of bites. They also have a cute little stand out front where you can purchase some cookbooks, mixes for a lot of their popular dishes, and a variety of jams. Definitely worth checking out! read more

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Everyone needs to go at least once!! My favorite dining experience in Utah. The food and atmosphere are incredible. 100% worth the drive! Go hungry because you'll want a little bit of everything. I believe the menu changes slightly throughout the summer depending on what's in season. We went a few summers back (July 2021) and dream of going again! We tried the biscuits, pickle platter, pozole, jenchiladas, trout, and brownie and it was all delicious. Can't wait to see what's on the menu next time we visit! read more

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This is by far the best restaurant for miles and miles around. You can check out my full guide to the Capitol Reef Area at www.wanderin2wonder.com/capitol-reef, but suffice to say, there are not a lot of food options and most of them are bad. Although Hell's Backbone is kind of far from Torrey and Capitol Reef, Scenic Byway 12 is a great drive as a day trip or you can hit Hell's Backbone for dinner as you finish "looping the fold". Same goes with day trippers out of Escalante area. The menu here is inventive, fresh, and well executed. They also have some good wines, which is even rarer in this part of Utah than good food! Service is attentive, friendly and quite competent. I can't say enough good things about this place and you should definitely make it a stop! read more

So welcoming, unique, and tasty! I particularly loved the Desert spiced cauliflower w/ chickpeas. I would go back there just for that. The trout was a bit dry, but all its fixings were fabulous. They had run out of the jasmine rice, which was to our benefit as they replaced it with both the mashed potatoes and green rice, yum. The servers were friendly w/out being obsequious or intrusive. It was down home, but with style. read more

* Disclaimer: I visited in Oct 2023 * Hands-down the best meal of my life. Best dining experience I've had. The type of place that you leave and wonder, did I dream that? Hell's Backbone is the perfect stop mid-way through the Rt 12 drive. It's a cute little restaurant nestled on farmland, with both indoor and outdoor seating. I sat outdoors and would recommend the same, weather-permitting. The food is farm to table and tastes SO fresh. I went three-course: biscuits with jam, champagne grape chicken, and chocolate bread pudding. Every bite was amazing, but I have a feeling you can't go wrong with any of the entrees or the desserts. But definitely don't skip the biscuits! Service was amazing. The staff were some of the friendliest and most attentive people I've met. One of the owners was also checking in on tables, and I get the sense this happens frequently! You can tell they care about this place and want to make it a full community experience. As I was traveling alone at the time, it was wonderful to feel "at home" for a couple of hours. I can't say enough good things about this place and recommend it constantly! It's a bit on the pricey side but worth every penny. And keep in mind you'll likely need a reservation in advance, so build in some buffer to your drive if you're coming from far away as cell reception in the area is spotty. read more

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Absolutely incredible food! The flavors are out of this world! Charming relaxed atmosphere. What a gem!

This place is amazing, farm to table food. Everything we eat was so fresh and you could taste it. The service is outstanding, the whole wait staff smiling and ready yo help. The owner went every table, making you feel so welcomed. The ambiance fits right in with food and service read more

Wow. What a gem of a place. Excellent service. Food was so fresh and perfect. Can't wait to come back. BTW we made reservations two Months in advance! read more

Hell's Backbone Grill & Farm - American Near Me - Boulder, Utah

We have consistent experience here. The food is good, especially given where they are--quite middle of a dessert. Great ambiance. I feel like the spring/summer menu has better main dishes while fall menu has the best dessert. read more

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I am giving 4.5 stars but rounding up- we went twice and felt it was great but maybe could have been better. The atmosphere is elevated casual- My boyfriend and I were dressed up because it was my birthday dinner the first time we went, and we were visiting from SLC for a road trip. A lot of other patrons were dressed casually. Tables were a little cramped together so you definitely end up hearing other people's conversations. Service was good, but don't expect the kind that you get at high end fine dining places. It was more small-town friendly which was perfectly fine, but definitely have the right expectations. I felt like they should have maybe asked if we were celebrating anything, but it's not a huge deal. Biscuits with butter and their homemade jam were amazing-- the peach jam and the crabapple jam were both so yummy. I highly recommend those. Award-winning Salad-- it was good but I am not sure I would order it again. The best part about it was the fresh peaches but it otherwise seemed less "Award-winning" than it was hyped up to be. Bison pot pie special-- sadly, the meat was dry and it seemed like it really needed some kind of gravy or sauce on the inside. The portion and presentation were great, though. Beef pot roast special-- Also a bit dry. I felt it was high quality meat that they used, but maybe something about the preparation made the beef dry. Jenchiladas-- definitely quite spicy, but SO delicious. Calabacitas and beef were both tried and they were both amazing. Cocktail-- I had a peach-and-gin cocktail and it was scrumptious. I would order that again and again but it was a drink of the night so they might not have it all the time. Drip coffee-- MUST TRY. We got it after our dinner meal and it was honestly some of the BEST drip coffee either of us ever had. read more

Don't miss this unique restaurant offering in the heart of escalante/Boulder area- I would never have known this gorgeous restaurant existed in such a remote destination without the recommendation from seasoned locals. The food is hearty, farm to table, locally sourced (farms listed on the menu). You won't leave hungry! The entrees are dense and filling. We got the bison pie, pork tenderloin, braised beef & trout and all were fine dishes. The pork tenderloin had the most delicious, finger-licking barbecue sauce I have ever tried- more chutney like in texture. Some parts of the chop were a touch dry however. The bison pie had big juicy chunks of decadent bison- yum! The braised beef was tender and well executed- but the polenta was so bland and boring as a companion. Every carrot I ate was the most delicious carrot I have ever tried! Veggies on point. The cocktails were also delicious from presentation to taste, balanced and my whiskey sour was perfect foam to drink ratio. For appetizers, the goat cheese fondue was a unique take on a classic fondue super flavorful beautiful presentation & the biscuits and butter were amazing and fluffy! Tamale was quality with a juicy brisket interior but the edges were a little over cooked/too baked. I do wish the service had been better for a place with such high accolades. We had to wait twenty minutes for a table despite having a reservation and shuffled awkwardly around different parts of the restaurant. The bottle of wine we ordered was brought out only once we were halfway done with dinner (how long could it possibly take to bring out a wine bottle?)! We asked for some extra butter and waited for that for 10 minutes as well. And then they don't replace the silverware so your dirty fork and knife you reuse for the main course. So if you're not in a rush or too into supreme service ultimately quite minor and forgivable- but should be noted! Definitely a sweet spot in the dessert for quality food I would recommend to others to try! read more

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