To be honest when I first passed by this restaurant I did not want to go in. My standards for Asian food are high as I'm from Malaysia. So I'm always skeptical about Asian restaurants in small towns that typically don't have Asians. In talking to the person who works here I found out that the owner and chef are Asians. The chef is actually Malaysian also so I was intrigued. Anyway, we ordered a bunch of things to try and were overall pleased with it. The only thing I wasn't so impressed with was the Tom Ka Gai soup. It was fine but it lacked a certain note and flavor profile for the soup that it usually comes with so I think a certain key ingredient was missing. My friend had not tried the soup before so she did like it. I liked the Pork larb dish I got which had a good mix of salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors. They also treated us to chicken adobo which had just come out of the oven and it was amazing! I prefer an adobo that isn't super vinegary and this fit the bill. The sauce was also reduced more so I liked it a lot. The pancit noodles that came with was very good too. Had a good chat with the owner and chef: pure Asian hospitality! read more

See all

We were out visiting my brother-in-law in Colorado and he picked this place one night. We were so incredibly impressed and surprised. He knows we like sushi so I guess this was an obvious choice, but the sushi was well made and tasty. We sat at the sushi bar, so whaddup Eddie and crew! We loved hanging out and chatting with you. I ordered miso soup and was delighted to find that it had large slices of real mushrooms. It was such a nice touch and added so much to the soup. I also ordered the udon with tofu, which was seriously one of the most delicious udon dishes I've ever had and also one of the best tofu dishes I've ever had. Highly recommend. The creativity on this menu is totally off the charts. The staff is super friendly and accommodating. It's clear they work hard to make it such a great place. Stop here, eat good food. read more

See all

This place blew us away! We honestly didn't have the highest expectations for Asian/Japanese/Thai food in Buena Vista but this place is amazingly good. Don't shy away from this place. If you you're in the mood for some solid Asian food this place more than fits the bill. We went another family and we had a total of four kids and four adults and they took great care of all of us. Friendly, fun, delicious place. read more

Let me start by saying this was a great dining experience! My boyfriend and I headed here based on locals' recommendation (this was our first time in Buena Vista). Upon arriving, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess who immediately made us feel welcome; she took us to our seats and promptly brought out waters to the table before our server had a chance to come by. Ursela, alongside another lovely staff member, served us that evening. They were both so pleasant, not to mention quick with service. After reviewing the menu, we decided to start with miso soups and order sushi rolls. GREAT CHOICE! Miso soup was abundant with ingredients --mushrooms, tofu and seaweed. Really nice flavor. The three rolls we ordered - Volcano, Colorado Trail and Numbers - arrived with style (great presentation). I will say, they were not very big, so two per person may be best if you are rather hungry. Nonetheless, the fish was fresh and flavors were delicious. We really, REALLY enjoyed them. And while we weren't necessarily looking to order dessert, I saw rice pudding, which happens to be a favorite. Likewise, it's a house speciality, so I was really excited about it. It, too, came with great style, topped with fruit and nuts. It was a very nice twist in classic rice pudding, with hints of ginger and perhaps tarragon (wasn't quite sure what this one flavor was). I reallllllly enjoyed it. Overall, if in Buena Vista, go!! read more

See all

Everything about this place gets 5 stars- food, service, ambience, etc. We had the miso soup, hot tea, sushi and for desserts the coconut milk rice pudding cake. It was all amazing. Attention to detail and taste was all excellent. read more

The Asian Palate - Volcano roll, Numbers Roll and Colorado Trail roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

It used to be I would drive up to BV for the hot springs. Anymore I come for the Thai and the springs are an extra bonus. Now I've never been to Thailand so I couldn't say if this is "legit" or whatever it is people say when they talk about Thai; but I can say this spot is freaking good, fresh, and I don't feel like crap after eating here. The chef has an obvious eye for detail as it shows throughout the flavors and the incredibly visually pleasing plates that you can eat with your eyes. Somebody cares. The waitstaff are down to earth, knowledgeable of the menu, and extremely friendly. Not a single complaint. This is probably my favorite spot in the state to eat and easily top list in the country.(I spend 100 plus days a year on the road). LOVE! read more

The fact that I can get a good Thai dinner in Buena Vista is amazing. I sat at the bar on a quiet Tuesday night. I must have counted 10 take-out customers during my dinner. I went with the bartenders recommendation of a spicy curry with chicken. Yummm. Even though it was a big serving, I managed to put it all away. The place is on old main street, and not visible from the highway, but why would you stay on the highway when visiting a small Colorado town? read more

Best Asian food I've ever had and my eyes are slightly slanted... Great Pho. Great curry... Wow they should be in Boulder no Denver no Shang hi or Paris. Unbelievable food for a tiny tucked away mountain town!! Love it! read more

The Asian Palate - Hot Curry with Eddy line IPA wow what a combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

Spent the night in Buena Vista on a motorcycle trip. Our host suggested the restaurant. We walked to it. They were busy so we sat at the bar for dinner. The atmosphere was modern and upbeat. The service was professional. The menu contained many various Asian influenced dishes. My husband had a bowl of the Tom ka gai soup. We shared panang curry with beef and tuna laap as entrees. An enjoyable evening. read more

See all

In a landlocked mountain town in Colorado, it isn't surprising that decent Asian fare is hard to find, so when Asian Palate opened on Main Street years ago, I was skeptical. That being said, Eddie and his team of chefs have somehow managed to bring authentic, quality Japanese food to Buena Vista!! Sushi is always fresh, and their specials (usually a fish entree prepared with stir-fry) never disappoint or lack flavor. Even in NYC, this spot would stand out as a #1 choice for any Japanese food fan!! read more

The Asian Palate - Cheers to coming home! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

What a pleasant surprise in the middle of Buena Vista's Main Street. Excellent food, quick service (we JUST beat the rush, thank goodness) and reasonable prices. I had the Chang mai noodles with chicken. My man got the same dish but with steak. His steak was tender and I might have been a touch jealous but the dish was splendid. The flavors were wonderful, just the right amount of heat and floral notes, you could see the fresh ingredients and taste them all. Mmmmmmmm My dad got green curry with shrimp, which I forgot to try but he was very pleased with it. My mom went with the lettuce wraps, which were a bit of a disappointment. The filling (chicken?) looked more like a bowl of sawdust. Judging from her reaction, tasted like it too. They have a nice selection of teas, including Mont that comes in a French press. All in all, a very good experience. read more

we had dinner here on a Saturday night with 4 other friends and each had about the same experience ( we discussed it afterward at the excellent ice cream place just down the block ) . We had to get a reservation for Saturday because it IS a busy place. I had a " fist of the unicorn " drink to start off and it was unexpectedly good. The local Deer hammer malt whisky with Chai and jalapeno... sounds daunting but it was great . All of our dinner portions were more than ample size , enough to split or feed 2 persons . I had the khao soi with Chicken , my friend had the pad thai w/ chicken and we both agreed that the chicken was lacking , very bland but the noodles and rest of the plate was great . Sorry , folks, the chicken just tasted like any old cooked up chicken thrown in , no flavour etc. other than that , the other meals were great . Ambience and atmosphere were nice , a quaint place to get Asian fusion up in the mountains of Colorado . Service was attentive and knowledgable about the menu and good over all . Solid four stars . read more

The Asian Palate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

Not a fan. We stopped in for dinner on a Sunday evening. We started out with water that was served in glasses that had soap residue in them. The food was was not that good. Mine had some sort of crunchy noodles on it. They had the exact same texture and taste of uncooked ramen noodles. Otherwise the ingredients were fresh and tasted OK. Our waitress appeared to be high. She was not overly friendly. Our meal was over $50 with tax and tip for two mediocre entrees and a Thai ice tea. read more

Excellent service, friendly and quick. Every course was good, including the edamame and miso soup, sushi, sake and dessert. Good choice! read more

See all

This restaurant had a wide variety of Asian dishes. As a Filipino, I had to check out the Adobo with pancit. The dish was not only authentic but spot on! The chicken fell off the bone nicely and the pancit and rice were a nice compliment to round out the dish. Well done! read more

The Asian Palate - Adobo with pancit and glazed bananas. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

Honestly, when I first heard about this place I had no interest in "wasting my money on low quality, inauthentic Asian food in the middle of nowhere, Colorado." I am so ashamed of myself. Hold your judgments as this place offers excellent dishes made with high quality ingredients. The quality of sushi shocked me! The fish is so delicious, fatty, and everything you want in a sushi roll. Also, the curry was excellent. Surprisingly authentic flavors made with fresh, high quality ingredients. I can't wait to come back again! The service is also excellent with a very friendly and kind staff. Highly recommend. read more

Asian Palate is an outstanding restaurant that I would travel out of my way for. Fresh and creatively prepared food. The sushi was among the best I have had anywhere, a remarkable achievement considering it is located in the Central Rocky Mountains. The service is friendly, well informed, and a real asset! The atmosphere is clean, techy, convivial, and functional. The flow of customers and servers moves smoothly. There has clearly been much thought and creativity put into this place from top to bottom. This would be a remarkable place in a large city, but to do it in a small mountain community is admirable! Check this spot out! Rasy to find along Buena Vista's main street, about 2/3 of way to the river park. read more

The Asian Palate - Sushi bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

My boyfriend and I were staying in Buena Vista for a couple of days and had to try this place out. We went for lunch and I had panaeng curry, my boyfriend only had miso soup. The curry didn't look like the usual curry I have had, however the flavor was there and it was amazing! Also, the vegetable tasted so fresh. It beat any curry I have tasted before. My bf's miso soup was also amazing, the mushrooms were delicious and the soup was simple and not salty like other places. We went back for dinner to try the sushi, and it was also delicious. There was large amounts of fish in my roll, and it was surprisingly fresh. The waiters were nice & attentive both times we went. We also spoke to the owner at the sushi bar, and he is extremely friendly. We will definitely be returning. read more

The Asian Palate - Caterpillar roll with delicious eel and creamy avocado - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

The lucky tourists who stumbled upon an amazing sushi joint in all places back country Colorado. The bartender is great and very friendly. We ordered the special roll as well as the grilled hamachi collar. AMAZING. read more

The Asian Palate - High Country Yumminess - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

See all

What an incredible find this place is! After visiting the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs on a whim visiting from Denver, we had no idea where to eat that wouldn't give us indigestion. I turned to Yelp and found a few options. I immediately decided which options were very generous vs. which reviews were reality based. haha. After walking by The Asian Palate, which appeared to be some sort of cougar hang out, we decided to venture in. Grrrrrr. (It beat the heck out of another establishment which had several small kids dining - I could only imagine the roar of the crowd in that play-pin of a restaurant.) We had a great conversation with the chef and owner. We paid him our compliments as we really were pleasantly surprised at the quality of food. And yes, I am always skeptical of sushi especially in small towns like Buena Vista. I was so wrong to be skeptical of this establishment. Such a wonder! Atmosphere: Wonderful ambiance surrounded by very strange artwork. Yes, strange. Like, did someone use the a pancreas as their inspiration for this art? Anyhow, very warm ambiance, clean, modern, and welcoming - it felt like we were in the city. Service: Rather prompt with room for improvement. As another said on here, "service was uncoordinated"... a little disjointed. Food Quality: Pretty phenom! We sat at the sushi bar and could not look away as the sushi chefs designed culinary wonders with raw fish. I was impressed. Suggestions: Non-pancreatic artwork, greater focus on service. (the server took my utensils away at the end of my appetizer but never returned with fresh ones even after my entre had been delivered. I waited like 10 minutes before the server came back around so I could ask her for utensils so I could actually eat my food. They apologized, but I figured that utensils were rather standard when dining at such a high profile establishment.) Offer the guests who sit at the sushi bar something complimentary yet simple as a gesture of thanks for choosing the bar over a more appealing seating arrangement. This type of offering elevates the experience of dining and is very impressive to people dining. I WILL be back! Can't wait! read more

This place really deserves a higher rating on yelp than 4 stars. The sushi is actually quite good - better than you might expect for the small town of Buena Vista. Apparently the owner (according to one of the servers anyway) has fresh fish flown in on a very regular basis. The only negative is that the curry dish I tried was a little salty for my taste. Probably perfect for many other people, I just tend to like less salt. read more

We dined there on a recommendation of the locals as our first time in the beautiful town of Buena Vista. Food was incredible! But the food was incredibly fresh and on our next visit, we will go back for sure! read more

Worst Experience Ever!! Came out of our way to try this place that was recommended by locals since we are not from Colorado. We drove 20 minutes to try this place. When we got there, they didnt have seats for a party of 7. So, the front desk lady said it would take them about an hour so we told her we will go walk around and be back in an hour. Took our name and number down. Came back after an hour, still NO SEATS!! Waited outside for 3 hours to finally get seated. When we finally got seated, waitress was rude. Ordered appetizers, chicken was burnt. By the time we ordered they were about to close, so we asked for our waitress to go ahead and just ask them to pack it to go and just give us our check. Paid too much for the price. I mean, come on you're only open for 4 hours. We practically waited for hours. Our fault should of went somewhere else. read more

Colorado is so "vanilla" sometimes, it always surprises me to see Asian restaurants in small towns! With that being said, my friends and I wanted to check this place out for lunch one day when we were in Buena Vista over New Year's week. I liked the atmostphere, and the waitress we had was friendly and actually knowledgable about the variety of dishes they have (ranging from Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese fusion, etc.). It was a chilly day, and I was delighted to see that they have Vietnamese Pho on their lunch menu! So of course I ordered that -- my 2nd option would've been sushi, but it was way overpriced. The pho came out... And my face fell. It was served in a tiny soup bowl with barely any noodles (the wrong noodles at that) with barely any meat. And the broth, which MAKES the pho pho, was horrible. I ended up mixing in a lot of Sriracha sauce and hoisin sauce to make it somewhat tasty, and tried to eat it. Ugh. I would never order the pho ever again. What a disgrace. The only saving grave for this place was that everyone I was with liked their entrees a lot, which I didn't get to really taste. So I guess I'll have to go another time to improve the eating of my review... read more

For being in the middle of nowhere, I kept wondering where was the restaurant sourcing their sushi from... later from my B&B owners (this is their fave restaurant in town), I learned it's flown in daily from Hawaii. The prices are higher than typical big city sushi places, but honestly, look around you, you are lucky to get anything like this in a 1-light town. The owner earned his credz working at a high end sushi joint in Vail for several years. The menu supposedly rotates, so as we come back for more rafting trips, this will be a definite repeat. read more

My husband and I were in town visiting and decided to try this place... Excellent decision. Super friendly staff. I have a shellfish allergy and they went above and beyond to make sure nothing was contaminated and I was well informed. We split the Volcano Roll, which was completely amazing. So fresh tasting, with just the right kick at the end. We also both ordered Pad Thai. Again, super impressed. Not greasy at all, very fresh and we didn't feel overly full after eating. Would highly recommend this place! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This restaurant is definitely one of a kind in the area. We had the seaweed salad, panang curry (one person got tofu, the other got chicken), and sushi. Everyone was satisfied. I personally loved the sushi with the macadamia nuts in it. That was a first. Leave it to Buena Vistans to put Hawaiian nuts in their Japanese food. Well played you crazy Coloradans. Fusion for the win. read more

Ok I recently moved to Salida, CO from San Diego, CA. I have been looking for Sushi/Thai everywhere but as I expected there was none in Salida. So I started to do some research and came upon The Asian Palate, I have to say this place was a breath of fresh air, the minute I stepped inside I felt like I was back in California. I consider myself kind of an expert on Sushi, and well food in general. I have to say this was one of the best meals I have ever had! The owner, who I had read all about online was super friendly and served us all his specials, I am still full and anxiously waiting to go back. If you are looking for reasonably priced authentic Sushi/Thai look no further, just head to Buena Vista loosen your belt, and prepare yourself for an experience like no other. read more

I'm posting a new review for their 2nd season in BV - sad about the decline in quality, based on several visits this year. But I do appreciate getting some decent Asian food in the area -- and am hopeful they get back on track. I loved this place when it first opened. Not sure what happened back in the kitchen. The portions used to be generous with the veggies and very flavorful. Maybe people asked them to tone it down, but now the dishes lean toward bland. Maybe they realized they could lower their standards and still fill the dining room every night and make more money, taking advantage of the lack of great food options in town.... Maybe having House Rock across the street will inspire them. There are fewer and fewer veggies -- even at the peak of summer!!! The tofu was tough, chewer, tasteless - served in very big hard-to-manage chunks. **Attention Vegetarians.** One of the waitresses told me that they use fish sauce in all their dishes (most?) so the curries I loved last year are not an option. The pad thai was terrible when they made a version without the fish sauce (not sure whether the regular version might be ok - but other reviewers also said it was bad). There are so few good options for vegetarians in the area - sad to lose this one. My fingers are crossed that Asian Palate will up the quality and wow me again. read more

This is a phenomenal little Thai Fusion restaurant. What a good surprise. A hidden gem. The chef clearly cares about the food. Each dish has a little twist that makes it unique. Expect a pleasant surprise that adds to your favorite dishes. They also have excellent Pho. A smaller serving than you may be used to...but it's Phonemenal. I had the yellow curry and it had a hint of cardamom. Delicious. Their chai tea is made in house and is probably the best chai we've had anywhere in the world. I ordered the Thai Iced tea with Coconut Milk (to avoid dairy) and it was perfect. Not as sickeningly sweet as Thai teas often are. Two thumbs up and five stars. read more

REALLY GOOD Asian cuisine- curries, Indian, sushi and more. The red curry based Chang Mai was excellent as was the chicken adobo with pancit. Oh and the tandoori chicken wings was a great appetizer. Service was excellent and the food came out quickly. Definitely would come back when we're in Buena Vista again! read more

If this restaurant was in Denver it would be a hot spot. We have traveled around Asia and the food is very authentic. We tried the soup, sushi and main dishes. All perfect. This is a diamond in the rough and we plan to go back two more times before we go home. read more

Very good sushi! Everything was fresh, nothing tempura or fried. We had the spicy tuna Rainbow roll, the Philly roll, and the Sunset roll. All three rolls were big, fresh, and very tasty. Who would have thought, being so far from Denver, Vail, or Aspen, that this gem would exist here in Buena Vista! read more

For the attention defecate: bad service, mediocre drinks, and failure to mention that the dish was extremely spicy. We went in for dinner after having a few too many drinks at the Deerhammer Distillery (absolutely amazing by the way) with very little expectations. We went because of the owner of the distillery mentioned it was a very happening place and the fact that it was literally across the street. We both were not extremely hungry and decided to split a plate. It was something in a green curry, and it initially tasted amazing! Then it hit you with this spice that I have never felt before. Something so intense it made me want to throw up as my eyes watered profusely. It was so sad staring at the beautiful plate of food, knowing that it tasted wonderful initially, but not being able to eat it since the intense heat. We only ate a few bites and immediately told our waitress, but she just smiled and walked away. She never offered to fix it and was a little too quick with the bill. Part of me thinks that anything slightly creative will succeed in a small mountain town, even if there is very little follow through. read more

Lovely dinner and drinks here while passing through town from Telluride. Excellent ambiance (live music) and fantastic service. read more

The Asian Palate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Vista, Colorado

Who would have guessed that you could get great sushi in a small mountain town? Outstanding sushi and great service. They had a guy playing acoustic guitar for background music...nice vibe. read more

Everyone working was very nice. I got the paneang curry which was very good. They could improve on the food ratios. It was a curry and I did not get enough sauce and I was charged $3 for about 1/4 cup of extra sauce. Also there was not enough rice for the curry, and I assume they charge extra for rice. Overall the flavor of the food was good. read more

My family and I visited The Asian Palate for dinner during a recent trip to Buena Vista, CO. Upfront, the food is really good - and the prices are pretty steep. It was $100+ (including tip) for our family of four to eat, but I don't think that's too out of the ordinary for sushi-esque places. As far as the food goes, it is really, REALLY good. My son had a plate of fried rice that was 1) huge and 2) REALLY GOOD. Like, some of the best fried rice I think I've ever had (full disclosure - I implemented the "Dad Tax" and ate about half of it). My wife and I had the sushi special, and while I don't recall exactly what rolls made it up, I remember that they were 1) huge and 2) really good (but not quite capitalized GOOD). Definitely filled us up. They have lots of local beers on tap too which is nice. Some things I'd recommend - stay away from peak hours as it's a small place, so it's likely to be packed and you'll be waiting for a table or sitting at the bar (since we had kids with us, we couldn't - but we snagged some seats at the sushi bar), or call ahead to make reservations. In the end, it's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area and have Asian food on your mind. read more

OK place in the a quiant town. I might have dined on an off night but my friends who live there stated the same. Place was off form, but usually a great place. I trust m friends ; ) I did have the pork belly skewers which was good, not great. To the management....keep up the consistency in the quality of food. read more

If you like Asian Food, you will LOVE the Asian Palate. I love their idea of serving sustainably sourced fish and locally sourced produce. YAY! And, if you are a vegetarian, there are plenty of substitutes and options for you as well. Their staff is amazing and you will see Eddie, the owner, hands on behind the Sushi Bar more often than not. BIG THUMS UP, go find out for yourself! read more