Fabulous food. Great service. Great selection. Would have given them 5 stars, but there was no fish (i.e. smoked salmon, lox, or any other fish protein) on the buffet. My partner, who does not eat meat or eggs could therefore not realistically partake in the buffet. The only option was ordering off the menu, which was oatmeal. ;-( That said, the rest of the buffet was outstanding to us meat & egg-eaters: * Scrambled Eggs - THE BEST EVER (with lots of cream, butter & cheese) * Bacon - very good, thick cut and crispy * Waffles - pretty darn good (especially with warm syrup) * Fruit - nicely ripe, flavorful and juicy The glass dining room was light & airy. The snow was falling it was very picturesque. The staff were very courteous and went out of their way to be helpful. Would hope they could include a fish option on the buffet in the future. If that's not important to you, then we definitely recommend. read more

It's another Fourth of July, and this year was a total waste. $32 per person for the breakfast buffet. We came at 7:45 AM -- the tables were maybe 1/3 to 1/2 full the entire time, so it wasn't that they were full and crowded. The problem was the service. The food was fine - not awesome excellent, but fine and stocked and quality ingredients. No one pays $32 pp for yoghurt and a few pieces of bacon and toast - you are paying for the attention and care and luxury experience. We had a very nice middle-aged lady server - I think she was from Nepal? She sat us and took drink order, and we didn't see her for ten minutes. Someone else dropped off coffee and tea and OJ eventually. We got some yoghurt (the highlight of entire buffet for me! Berries and nuts to add to your heart's content). We finished the yoghurt. We waited fifteen minutes for anyone to notice that our dirty plates were ready to take away. For FIFTEEN minutes. We finally gathered the dirty plates ourselves and stacked them on the other side of the table. Coffee was kept refilled, but my tea was not. Someone else's waiter asked if we wanted more OJ (we didn't but appreciated him noticing the empty glasses). My husband and I went back to the buffet for the hot selections. We ate, the waitress asked if we wanted hot sauce or more orange juice, and then REPEAT -- she's gone, no one comes by, and after our plates are done, for *another* fifteen minutes our dirty empty plates sit in front of us. The waitress finally came again when my husband moved his plate to the other side of the table again. He got a pastry, the waitress dropped the bill. We paid and left. Disappointed. Again. It was about 8:45, and the place was still perhaps half full. No excuse that it's a holiday -- the buffet wasn't busy yet. Service has simply gone downhill. Don't bother. I'm just so disappointed! We come to this buffet several times per year, and the service doesn't equate to value like it did three years ago. The hotel is also starting to charge a ridiculous resort fee of like $20/night, which they say is for things like having morning coffee available from a carafe in the lounge (parking is not included in that fee, btw). Coffee carafe dispensers were *always* available in the lounge for a few hours every morning. So they're just gouging you for another fee like many other resorts. read more

Came for their Sunday brunch!!! It's wonderful!!! It's as good as the 4 Seasons in downtown Houston! Our server is Chiring- we always ask for her- and she's awesome. The eggs Benedict is perfect- and nearly as good as the blintz! read more

I was very disappointed with the service and food this year. We stayed at the hotel every ski season and the service every year has gone down. It seems like they never have enough staff and tables to serve the amount of guests they have at the hotel for breakfast. Our orders have never been correct and the servers really need to be retrain on restaurant etiquettes. read more

Had dinner last night. Far exceeded our expectations. The beets and the parsley root soup with truffles was tremendous. My elk..second to done and the Sea Bass rivaled Splendido's. We did not have room for desert but the complimentary cotton candy tree presented was festive and a treat. Wine...great selection....ordered a 15 Faust and was presented a lesser 17 bottle. Asked for the 14 Flora Springs. Bottle was opened and poured. Cork was not presented. In hindsight I believe the wine was slightly corked. read more

Simple menu, but the atmosphere is lovely in their covered patio, and the servers are fantastic. We were staying at Tivoli, but wanted to try somewhere else for Sunday brunch. This place was perfect. I had the waffle, which was perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. My only recommendation would be to have the butter whipped so it's easier to spread, otherwise I loved the whole meal. read more

Where does one even begin. We showed up to our reservation 15 minutes early not expecting to be sat early but when we walked into the restaurant when our reservation was, half of the tables appeared empty. We were sat and told we could go to the buffet. We were not told of any options and were not given a menu. We walked up to the buffet where all options had been picked over and the only remaining item was oatmeal. We were finally able to track down our server and get a menu. The buffet is $42/person which is insane, especially given the choices. I feel bad for anyone that chooses the buffet option and gets one plate of mediocre food for that price. After ordering and receiving our food we had to track down our server yet again just to get a refill on water. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone, save your time and your money. read more

Had a great dinner there tonight. The elk Wellington was perfect, the service impeccable. The lemon sole stuffed with lobster was a hit and the desserts out of this world! read more

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I would recommend if you just want atmosphere and OK food. It was too noisy and service was very slow. The furniture needs updating.

Very disappointed in what you get for the price. Half of the buffet options were empty, so you would have to huddle around until it was replenished and the fight over it like peasants. Also one of the lead whatever you call the buffet attendants, was belittling the other workers in a very public manner. Also not what I wanna see for the price line. The alcohol drink menu is almost not existent. The food that was available was very mediocre. Just all around a waste of money. read more

This might sound like a conflict of interest as my wife and I were guessed of my daughter who is a host on the weekends at Ludwig's. We had the buffet breakfast which was excellent. Lots of fresh fruit and just about everything you would want to get your day off to a great start. The service is fantastic. They cater to all of your needs.If your in the Vail area for breakfast, Ludwig's is a must for breakfast. read more

We were guests at Sonnenalp and decided to give Bully Ranch a try as the reviews seemed ok. It was the worst food we've had in many years. My wife's 6 oz Filet didn't taste anything like any filet we've ever had. It was ordered medium rare but arrived well done. My 14 oz ribeye was ordered medium rare as well. It arrived well done but at least tasted like a ribeye. I bet it didn't weigh 10 oz. Then, we witnessed one employee berating another employee; great ambiance. The final straw was the pen stopped working halfway through signing the check. Total waste of $140 . . . the drinks were the only thing that were average. Do NOT spend your money here! read more

I was here for a private event near the pool/patio and under the retractable roof. So, this review is ONLY about the private event experience. There were about 100 people in attendance. The dinner was served a buffet and very well organized by the staff- with someone directing each table in a timely fashion to the buffet. What a nice, classy touch! No waiting in super long lines. The food was above average for buffet food- chicken, salmon, pork, salad, tamales and polenta. Our menu had a southwestern flair. I think service is most important at sit down private events and Ludwig's did a great job...wine and water glasses were always full. And during cocktail hour, the bars were properly staffed with no wait, which is always appreciated. As a guest, I would recommend this event for a private event in the future. read more

Excellent ingredients creatively prepared in a tasteful and relaxed setting. Although the dining room is a tad formal for our liking, we cannot fault the beautiful seafood, elegantly prepared. Prices are very high (typical of a 5-star resort in Vail) but we had a TravelZoo voucher that took off a bit of the sting. Excellent (but pricey) wine list, doting service, and brilliantly creative desserts (the Valrhona "cake" was a circus on a plate). read more

Ludwig's Restaurant - Valrhona "cake" dessert -- a circus on a plate! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vail, Colorado

This restaurant has been top notch for years but this time really didn't live up to its typical standard. Waitstaff didn't take our discussion of my sister in laws celiacs disease seriously and brought out her meal with food that contained gluten on the plate. We could have had a big problem if we weren't paying attention. The restaurant claims to be gluten free, but our experience has taught us otherwise. Our service was incredibly slow, our orders didn't come out correctly, and our wine service arrived as we were about to pay the bill. It was my parents anniversary and this meal was meant to be a special occasion for them. We talked to the management of the hotel and were told to come back and try them again. This was a poor way to address the issues we experienced. For this price point and one of the worlds leading hotels, this is a disappointment on many levels. I used to consider the Sonnenalp the gold standard, but this experience calls that into question. Peter Colussy read more

The buffet came with our room done through America Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program. Wonderful pastries, an array of the freshest fruits, with the berries put in little glass cups that made it so classy. Meat and cheese section, an omelette chef, bacon, sausage and all the other fixings. Everything was delicious!! Again a very elegant, warm and done with a touch of class!! I would come back here in a heartbeat!! read more

Dinner is worth recommending! Classic but very innovative presentation. The stuberl room in Ludwigs is very cozy and puts you in a beautiful alpine style setting! Service very good and food anyways !! read more

This place used to be our family favorite in vail for years. I don't know what happened. The wine list is still fab. But the food is over priced. Slow service and the portions are now micro. What a let down read more

Wow. This is a high end breakfast buffet. Everything I tried was absolutely great. The price is well worth it. The service is friendly and attentive. This is what a high end resort buffet should be. I cannot wait to blow my diet in Vail again at Ludwig`s (its a good thing its far away!). Enjoy! read more

Disappointed in new Ludwig's. Prussian precise service has been replaced by very ordinary but pleasant servers. The stuffed snapper was beautifully presented but grossly oversalted. Whole lobster was room temperature (cooked when?) and disappointed my spouse. Told what made Ludwig's special is now at the Brown Palace. read more

This place had a very interesting but not fun and not tasty "Valentine's Day" concept menu. The best courses were the fresh frisée salad I ordered go replace the first course of 4 to which I was allergic. The other was the very nice and refresh rose tasting sorbet inside of a sphere of dark chocolate. Its white chocolate twin was far less impressive. * Our waiter was often equally mystified about aspects of the high concept dishes and his fingers kept coming dangerously close to touch my food -pointing at various items without really seeming to understand many of the courses; nor their intended "blends/fusion like lovers" concept.The idea might be ok but the overall execution including making one guest wait for 8 minutes while his "lost" second course could be located caused everyone else to wait. A general sense of "meh" pervaded he entire expensive $360 experience for 4 adults. Kids food was "ok"... Will not go back without some consideration for the overall poor experience. St. Pauli Girl outfits cute and one young man and lady helping with the coats were the nicest of anotherwisw hazed out and cold , expensive mediocrity. read more

Just arrived home after one of the worst breakfast buffets that the Sonnealp/Ludwig's has put on. While food was pretty good, service was absolutely terrible, especially with regard to the hostess/seating crew. The manager up there seemed to be overwhelmed and the pressure created a short temper and pure rudeness with customers. She actually told me I was wasting her time trying to explain the mistake that had been made with seating us at the wrong table after waiting over an hour on a reservation. In addition, when I asked to speak with her privately, out of the visibility of other guest, she disregarded my request and left me to move my family on my own. I picked another table and moved everyone without asking and ended up eating at the bar standing up for some of the time! What's more is I was there with one of my executive chef friends and he pointed out they were serving raw pancetta which apparently is a huge no-no and could make guests very sick. I would not recommend this place again, especially on a busy weekend like Mother's Day. Go somewhere else like Game Creek Restaurant (when they are open in summer - amazing view), La Tour, Maya in Westin, Northside Cafe, or Westide Cafe. Many other better and safer options for a nice brunch than this place. read more

Ludwig's Restaurant - Raw pancetta! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vail, Colorado

My husband and I decided to try Ludwigs after reading all of the great reviews. Terrible idea. We paid over $70 for a buffet for 2 and one cappuccino. Normally I wouldn't mind this if the food is amazing but that was not the case. The waffles and French toast were cold and soggy. The hash browns were also cold and the bacon was like biting into a brick. The one thing that was good was the fruit, but I have a very hard time paying over $70 for fruit. Oh and we sat in the in-closed balcony. No air flow and for people usually wearing a layer or two, it was hot as hell. read more

Holy Hannah, this place was amazing! Finding it was a bit of a challenge but it was well worth the trouble! The wait staff was so friendly and the food was delicious! Sit out on the patio if at all possible for a spectacular garden setting. read more

We had the occasion to eat here while passing through Vail Village. We were not staying at the hotel so we found the the ambiance of the the restaurant and the hotel to be that of the Swiss Alps. The wait staff is all dressed in attractive Swiss outfits and we were able to be sat on a very nice covered patio area. The time of year was mid October so while it was too cold to sit outside, the open feel of the patio gave tons of light and you can look up to the hotel around you and the trees along the riverside and was very pleasant. The breakfast bar was a bit on the high end of the price range at $21 each for adults but the toddler we had with us ate free which was a huge bonus. The price is also nothing unexpected for the area and it offered a large selection of foods. Everyone in my party found something that they liked, even the toddler. The staff was friendly and mostly attentive although we did have to wait briefly for the bill after finishing. Overall, we would absolutely dine there again. read more

The breakfast buffet here is killer. If you love Vail and are not a complete tightwad with your money give this place a shot. I'll be frequenting Ludwig's every time I stop in Vail from hereon out! read more

Fantastic breakfast. The omelettes were wonderful and everything else was top notch. A little pricey, but worth it

My friend & I had breakfast out on the enclosed terrace with an amazing view. The wait staff was very friendly & accomodating and the breakfast "buffet" was the fanciest buffet I have enjoyed in a long time. read more

My family and I had breakfast on the terrace, he buffet was good but lacked proteins. I ordered off the menu, eggs Benedict. The egg was poached well I would say the hollandaise sauce was just above mediocre. The service was impeccable everybody was very nice to our two girls ages eight and three. I would say not terrible but I will be looking for a different breakfast venue. read more

Maybe Breakfast here is great, but unfortunately our first experience with Ludwig's was dinner. Went to Ludwig's on Dec 31, 2016 expecting an exquisite New Year Eve's dinner for $215/person without drinks!! We were very disappointed. Ambiance was very elegant but the first question mark came when they declined to accommodate a low-salt request: all food, including fish and lamb chops was pre-cooked! The foie gras mouse was so salty and running off the crackers that I left it on my plate. The main course came decorated with a large uncooked parsnip which I couldn't cut with a knife and had to send it back to the kitchen. Never again! read more

A must stop in Vail for a great brunch. Try the crepes or get an omelet and don't pass on that wonderful selection of fresh fruit. This is one of our favorites when in Vail and we stop in here regularly. Ludwig's has a wonderful selection. Take advantage of the entire fare. You won't be disappointed. read more

Ludwigs in the evening is spectacular. The whole Bavarian atmosphere was wonderful. Even though we weren't sure about everything being gluten free (don't even know what that means) the food was delicious. The little bites are extremely creative as well as the desserts (try the "snowball fight") the entrées were delicious and of perfect size. Even though it was very busy the service was attentive and professional. A definite return. read more

Great service and excellent food. 100% gluten free menu so my girlfriend is super happy. Found a great dinner deal for 2 deal online.

Beautiful ambiance and great service. Food was good, but at their prices it better be good. They were really impressed that their whole menu was gluten free. I am really good about avoiding health fads, and I certainly don't want the latest one shoved down my throat. Food would have been better if they had used wheat (aka gluten, oh no killer wheat), I get that a small portion of the population is allergic to wheat, but an even bigger portion is allergic to dairy, but they still used milk products. Any how, off my rant, I liked it, but it has really tough competition with so many great restaurants in Vail, but it certain has its place in town. Actually more ranting, they had some Groupon/Travelzoo deal going on, and all these people had coupons, which was a real turn off, for me, if you need to use Groupon it is a sign of a bad restaurant, its tacky at a fine restaurant, and I feel like I am getting a bad deal compared to everyone else. The piano bar right outside in the Sonnenalp is awesome fun, so make sure to stay for a drink or two. read more

My husband and I held our wedding reception at the Sonnenalp (Ludwigs) this past month. The wedding was perfect! Ludwigs was absolutely beautiful with all the windows (including the roof) giving natural light. The staff was extremely helpful and efficient. They handled everything with the wedding director, Amy, so I never had to worry about a single thing and could truly enjoy the day with my new husband. The food was delicious! Multiple guests told me it was the BEST meal of their life. My Great Aunt, who is in her 80s, said it was the best wedding she's ever attended, which says a lot since she's been to many weddings. The lead up to the wedding was extremely fun too. Amy was so helpful answering all my questions (and my parents' questions) and she was patient as we went through all the different decisions together. She was also good about laughing at my husband's "jokes." My husband and I will spend each anniversary at the Sonnenalp for hopefully many years since this is such a special place! read more

Great experience, food, wine, dessert, and service! We made it in the last evening of the season. Would like to see the next season menu that chef will prepare. read more

This restaurant is so amazing it should have a Michelin star. It happens to be all gluten free, but mostly it happens to be delicious, gourmet, and amazing. the food is delicious, interesting, and prepared perfectly. The service is wonderful. The cuisine is what I would call mixed European and reminded us of some of our better meals in France. Don't miss the mushrooms with truffle ice cream. read more

The bellman at the hotel mentioned upon check in that there was a gluten free restaurant in the hotel. Thank goodness he did--the atmosphere was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the service was attentive and professional. This is our third trip to Vail this year, and I wish we had known about this restaurant sooner. The food is amazing. They need to get the word out in the dining magazines that are in the other hotels. read more

Just ate here the other night and it was outstanding. Best meal we had this week and the entire restaurant is gluten free. Trust me, you'd never know. Get the Colorado Lamb - probably the best I ever had. The farm greens salad were fantastic for a starter. Service was outstanding as well. read more

I read the reviews from this website, and I really wanted to try out the breakfast buffet while I was in Vail. The people who have such high praise for this place have obviously never had good breakfast. It was an average breakfast buffet; nothing more, nothing less. They have everything you would normally find at a hotel continental breakfast. The "greenhouse" mentioned in another post had a nice view, but was as hot as you would expect a greenhouse to be, and was an unpleasant place to have a meal. Overpriced, hard to find, and just not very good. I would not go here again read more