Warning: You cook your Steak! Off the highway on the way to the ski resorts located in Silverthorne, The Historic Mint has a cool concept which is fun and can be great, but can also be depressing. When you walk in and get seated, you can pretty much start where ever you want. Options are either salad bar or meat case. My suggestion is to hit up the salad bar first and get that out of the way. Once you reach the meat case, you'll meet the butcher who will go through all the types of cuts of meat you can choose from and their prices. If you are lucky, you'll have an option to get unlimited prime rib that's already been prepared (I'll get to that in a minute). Once you pick out your cut of meat, you get it handed to you raw on a plate. From here you proceed to an actual grill located in the middle of the restaurant. Typically it can get very crowded here. The grill features some different sauces and seasonings that you may use. You are given some slight instructions about how hot the grill is but there's definitely a learning curve with any grill. The hot hot sections are directly in the middle with the lower heat sections on the outside. There's some suggested times posted on the wall for cooking but rarely are they accurate. At the grill, more than half the time your up there, there will be little kids flying around the grill. The big thing they do is take up space and cook up Texas toast. Everyone thinks it's a genius idea to take bread off the salad bar and toast it up with the steaks BUT it's been done. Although it's tasty, the bread takes up a lot of room on the grill. This is the tough part. Getting your steak to come out exactly how you want it. You either don't cook it enough and have to keep going back up while everyone else eats OR you over cook it and you waste a pretty penny on a bad steak. Both are depressing... Steaks depending on the cut run about $20 to $40 a cut. They also have chicken and fish available. Sides are ordered a la carte from the server which will have them out when you are finished cooking your steak. Beware the All You Can Eat Prime Rib! They only cook sooo much a day. We arrived at 6pm one evening and they told us they had plenty. So we went and ate salad and then when we went to order, even though they had half a roast just sitting there, we weren't allowed to order it in case people that already had some got more. Honestly this ruined the evening for us. The next year, we called ahead at 5:30pm to see how much they had and they were already out of it for the evening. My advice, up on going here, assume you will not be getting the AUCE Prime Rib. Don't get your hopes up. I think with parties of 5 or more, they charge 18% to 20% gratuity which kind of sucks because you do all the cooking and you prep your salad. BAH! Over all, it's a good experience. You can always just have them cook it for a small fee. read more

My friend and I came to this place after reading some reviews here suggesting sitting at the bar and getting some Sweet Potato fries. We ended up sitting at the bar and ordering a PBR, but were intrigued by the variety of appetizer choices. My friend and I had a peek at the meat in the case, but I don't eat cow, so I wasn't interested. For seafood fans, there isn't much here. A filet of Alaskan salmon for 19.95 that you have to cook yourself, or a kabob of shrimp for the same price is really disappointing. But we weren't there for the cook for yourself experience anyway. It was somewhat annoying that there were no prices listed for the appetizers- our bartender let us know that they were all between $8-12. We ordered the asparagus, mussels, and coconut shrimp. They all came out very quickly- the asparagus and mussels were quite tasty. The coconut shrimp was nothing special though, and I was not a fan of the sauce that came with. All of that, a shot of whiskey, a coke, and a PBR came out to about $40- not too bad for two people. I really liked the atmosphere- it's got wood paneling and all, but not too divey, just that old western feel, especially on the outside- it's quite charming, and our bartender was really friendly. I'd definitely come back here for drinks and appetizers, but I would never ever eat a steak or seafood dinner here. read more

Kind of cool I guess but if I'm going to a restaurant at this price point I want my food cooked for me. The appetizers were really good though!!! We tried all of them read more

We went for local's night, and had so much fun! My fiance and I ordered waaaayyyyy too much food and ended up bringing home a couple of boxes which is totally legal even on local's night! So, as others have mentioned. Local's night consists of $2.99 meats. Whatever they have is $2.99. The advertisement in our local paper said 8oz NY strip steak, mahi mahi, shrimp skewer, teriyaki chicken or lemon chicken. They had more options than that when we got there, beef kabobs (big!!), salmon and I think maybe something else. So, like I said. We ordered way too much food. I went for a surf and turf theme with a steak ($2.99), mahi mahi ($2.99), a salad ($2.99) and sweet potato fries (I think maybe $4). My fiance ordered 2 steaks ($2.99 each), salad ($2.99), curly fries (again, maybe $4) and between the 2 of us had 3 Sunshine Wheat beers. I brought home my steak and we both brought home a ton of fries (if you order these - SHARE). We got away spending only $48 including tip, and we tip well. Next time, my fiance says he's going to order 4 steaks, a pitcher of beer and nothing else. I would probably skip the starches, even tho the sweet potato fries were great, and stick with my surf & turf and salad. I overheard that they do charge for soft drink refills, but it's only 50 cents. If you are the type to down 6 cokes with your meal, this might not be the place for you. So great review - why only 4 stars?? Our waitress suuuucked. We didn't get any water - even after asking for it. We waited about 5 minutes before she even showed up at our table, as we watched the line for the "butcher shop" grow and our chances at getting the best selection of meat, dwindle. 2 tables of people were seated and put in their orders before she came over. My fiance ordered a 2nd beer, and she went and flirted with the table next to us for the next 5-10 mins. When she turned to walk away she saw us both staring at her, got a quizzical/confused look on her face, then the light bulb went off and she hurried over to the computer thing to put in an order for the beer. Next time, we will not sit in her section - but there WILL be a next time!! ETA: The cooking it yourself experience was fun! There's a certain camaraderie that comes with having a bunch of people crowded around one grill. I received lots of laughter and one complaint (from fiance) when I said "you watch the meat I'm gonna go drink my beer". Everyone was really great about moving their various meats and texas toast around to ensure newcomers could fit on the grill. Watch where you put your steak though, there are some colder spots that cause uneven cooking. read more

Incredible service, very friendly staff, amazing food. Pick your own protein (steak,chicken, shrimp, salmon, etc), cook yourself (the staff is more than happy to assist!!) and incredible wine! Will definitely be visiting again! read more

Be prepared to make your own steak, but that way it is exactly as you wish! Check out the Summit Daily for their specials. We have been to the Mint on both trips to Colorado, and it will continue to be a "must do". Great service, all you can eat salad bar and Texas toast. Don't come here if you aren't open to grilling your own steak. Don't come here for fancy steakhouse atmosphere and a fancy salad bar. Do visit if you want to hang with the locals and have a great cut of meat. The meat is what shines. Prime Rib is amazing!! read more

Know what you are getting into before you go. It's cook your own steak with all you can eat salad bar and options for sides. That's about it. Very casual place. Not inexpensive. Group I went with would have been mentally better prepared if we knew what we were getting into. Couldn't find a menu or website online so we weren't. Might have been OK had service been better. Waitress gave unclear explanation of what the process was so there was confusion. Drink orders slow and more complicated than it should have been. Were expected to pour our own waters. No big deal but then were slapped with mandatory gratuity when we basically did all the work serving ourselves and cooking our own food. Some guys in the group liked there food. Personally had the worst prime rib I ever had in my life. read more

A favorite restaurant for my family. Everyone gets what they want, prepared the way they like it. I love being able to pick my own piece of meat. I can't eat much so I can select a small piece, while others can go bigger. Grilling vegetables from the salad bar was a plus this last time. Service is attentive and genuine. A great place to go and relax after a day on the slopes or hiking trails. read more

I used to be a fan - in the past 6 years I've been more time than I can count. However, my most recent experience was so thoroughly disappointing that, unfortunately, it will be my last. The NY Strip was chewy, the wine was vinegar, the fries were hard as rocks, and the croutons were stale. In short, failure at four independent variables. I can accept that any restaurant will have off nights, but when every course and item simultaneously fails to achieve a quality standard then it's a sign of bigger problems. Regretfully, moving on. read more

This place is fun for groups. It can be pricey however is best if you are going to share or do a family style option. We appreciated the creativity, and the food was good. When you are the cook you can't complain! read more

Don't expect fine dining or service, but it's at least a great experience with delicious steaks! I think my favorite way to describe the atmosphere is cowboys meeting a dive bar - with a huge hot grill in the middle. You have an option to chose from the "visual menu", and you select your choice of meat. Overhead has got to be low since you cook your own entree, but don't forget to include toasting the thick white slices of bread too (Texas Toast!). The salad bar is totally standard - but it's a good compliment. They also have standard, hearty sides and appetizers, too. I went here with my boyfriend the first time, and we had fun. We took our friends from out of town the following weekend, and we all agreed that it's a great time! One note - the prices add up, so don't think you're paying a low price, just because it's not "high-end" inside! But the quality of meat is worth it! read more

Beat the crowd by getting there at 530. Odd that I discovered this by the "Food" Highway sign. Great choice of steak, you select your own and you grill your own, salad bar and Texas toast included. Friendly staff. AS you are your own chef on the steaks, if you don't like how you cooked it, that's your problem. Full service bar. I really enjoy this place, my only complaint...too far from home for me. read more

Great place, awesome old west feel. Steaks were really good. Had the New York strip, twice baked potato, and the signature dessert thing. So good. The cook your own thing is fun and different. We loved it. read more

Always excellent beef. You can never complain to the chef about how it's prepared as you cook it yourself. Very Good Salad Bar is included with the price. They do have some fish and shrimp as well as red meat. I really like the atmosphere as well as the food. Some days they have a Prime Rib Special. Reservations recomended if you want the Prime Rib. You can see that in their ad in the local (free) daily paper. read more

We went there last night with family. The steaks were very good, although I think $34.95 for a steak that you have to cook yourself is outrageous. The salad bar was average. The a la carte items had no prices listed next to them, but were good. We were seated in the "new" section, which was very dark. All in all our total for 4 adults was $187.00 before tip. While a historic place is fun to go to, I don't believe we will return. read more

What a horror show, not to mention a law suit waiting to happen. We were a table of 7, some of whom did not know that this was a cook your own food place. It is extremely run down - no need to dress up, ladies, particularly because you will leave there smelling like charcoal. We had to wait even though we had a reservation. We finally got sat and were informed of the details. We got our salads from a sub standard salad bar. There was a bread station, too, with only white bread. I dug a slice of the bread out of the Italian dressing while I was standing there. We finally get our tickets to go pick out our proteins, so the bf and I go over to the case. Not a huge selection. There was a chicken breast plate that looked pitiful sitting next to the steaks. It was so small. I chose the bacon wrapped filet. The waitress explained that the bacon was to keep the juices in the filet. Really? It was $30. I'd balk to pay that when someone else was cooking it but whatever. It took forever to cook because it was thick and the grill was way too hot. None of us got to eat together. The sides were overpriced. My broccoli was COLD when the server brought it to me. Another lady's sweet potato fries were burnt. Seriously, you literally have one job and can't even do that. To top it off, they charge an automatic gratuity for parties over 6, rather than the standard 8 or more. Do yourself a favor and skip this place read more

Little expensive for having to make your own steak; but great service and great tasting steaks

Can you give less than 1 star? This place is dirty, dark, hot, stuffy, cheapest knives and forks and furnishings, mediocre salad bar. Waitress was pretty clueless. I saw an ad in the Summit Daily newspaper for prime rib $1.99 per pound. A small cut medium rare sounded good. The menu I was given listed drinks and appetizers, no price for a la carte items. Found out a baked potato was $4!! The waitress told me I would have to cook my own prime rib which was not what the hostess said. Apparently you choose a steak and cook it yourself, a very expensive steak I might add. I opted for prime rib, went to the counter and asked for a 6 ounce cut and was told the minimum was 12 ounces. After much discussion and generally making me, the customer feel bad about the fact that their newspaper ad didn't mention a minimum and I cannot eat 12 ounces of red meat, I decided to just have a baked potato with the Pinot I had ordered thinking I would have prime rib. I personally do not want to have to hassled with folks over dinner. They were reluctantly going to cut 6 ounces after lots of hassle but at that point I was done with the place. This was a very unpleasant experience. By the way, the check came with just a total and no itemization so that you can check what you've been charged which seems shady. read more

Well, maybe today was not my lucky day, but this $2.99 Special was not as good as in previous years. The steak looked beautiful when it was raw, but when I cooked it to medium-rare, it was juicy but stiff and stringy (). I could not chew and left on my plate about 1/3 of it. The price, I think, indirectly jumped up, too. Now you have to buy a drink to get this special, and a salad bar is another $2.50 (I believe it was included in $2.99 in previous years, wasn't it?). The green salad did not look fresh, and the beets tasted too sour. So, instead of $2.99 my bill was $7.80, or $10 with tips for a bad meal. I could have done better going to any other local restaurant nearby. I think I will give them another chance some time in the future. Maybe, it was just a bad day for them, too. read more

This is a really fun restaurant - my kids loved it. They have a delicious salad bar and you have the opportunity to cook your steak just like you like it. The only downside is that it is pretty expensive. However, you get free unlimited salad bar and Texas toast. That helps with purchasing sides. :) read more

Wonderful place. Both my Son and I had filet's and they were fantastic. Some of the best cuts we've had in a long time. Plus we got to grill them ourselves. Pass on the sides (although the baked potatoes were huge and delicious) and just keep filling up the salad plate. Highly recommend. read more

Haven't had a chance to fire up a grill since Labor Day. Made 3 stops at the Mint Steak House on last week's vacation. A really fun, cook your own steak place with a totally casual and local feel. Only ate the filets. They were excellent! Seemed to be no wait on weekdays, although Saturday we had to wait about 20/30 mins. Nice bar but could use another flat screen TV. A 60"er would help if they could find a place to put it. read more

Went here last year and again tonight, both times the steaks were great. Plus having to cook them yourself they come out exactly the way you want. Salad bar is decent. The baked potatoes are extra bit very good and large. read more

Stopped at the Mint in Silverthorne on Sunday night after a long day of skiing...I think we were the first to arrive upon opening because the place filled up pretty quickly after we arrived around 5:00 p.m. Basically dining here is like shopping in a butcher market wherein you select your steak or sea food, then prepare it yourself on their grill. The prices for steaks or salmon ranged from $17 to $28. With every entree you get a complimentary salad bar and bread (fresh and delicious). The appetizers were primarily a choice of seafood, varied potato dishes, boxed mac 'n cheese or stuffed mushrooms. The food was decedent, but for the prices and the ambiance, which resembled that of an old cabin, I expect better. read more

Great concept, could be really cool... The building is really old which I guess is part of the lure, however it needs a good cleaning. It's super dark inside which is probably a good thing considering you can't see the dirt. The food is really pricey for what you get...not sure I would go back.... I've checked the box read more

This a great steakhouse. Everything was really good and the service was great. It was a nice thing to do with the family. Everything it set up well to cook your own steak. The nice thing is if you don't think your steak is cooked enough you can take to back and cook it longer without worrying about what happens when you send your food back. The desserts tasted great too. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great steakhouse but not afraid to cook it yourself. read more

By far the worst experience I've ever had! We responded to a special in the local paper for 8oz steak for $10.95. First the tea that was served was soured. Even the waiter said he could not drink it. The steak was so tough you almost couldn't cut it much less eat it. We ask the manager what he could do for us since we couldn't eat the steak. His response was "nothing". The waiter admitted that this steak was not good and that it was what they served to locals on Wednesday night for $2.99. I guess management feels like its okay to rip off visitors for more money than locals. Maybe visitors are the only ones to get the soured tea also. The worst part of this experience was how the waiters and so called manager smirked as they told us they wouldn't help us in any way and took our money for the full price of the meal that we left on the table. read more

My food was great. But I'm not sure how yours will be. It's a cook your own food. My family had just finished skiing and we came in to sit down and have a meal. But you have to make your own salad and cook the steak. And if you can't cook very well, your meal would suck. I could do this exact thing for 3x cheaper at my house. Also, the bathrooms don't have doors, they have curtains that are pretty much in your lap. Also the service wasn't great. My sister waited for 10 minutes for a refill and there weren't many people in the restaurant. We should've gone some where else, because I could make my own dinner myself. read more

This was the worst dining experience I have ever had. When we walked in, there was a sand bag on a string to make sure the door would close correctly. We were then smacked in the face with butcher like strips as if we were walking into a meat market. Once our large party was sat, the young blonde haired waitress walked up to "greet" us with a jawbreaker candy in her mouth and attitude telling us to go get a salad and didn't care to answer any questions. Once we ordered our steak and sides, we were told the waitress would bring us our sides. We were also told the Mac and cheese was kraft, which is ridiculous for a place that is serving $30-$50 steaks. The waitress did not have any will or desire to be there, which makes sense as to why she was so rude to our party. She slammed the water pitcher when we asked for refills even though we asked for them 30 minutes prior to when we brought it up to her again. When it came to paying the bill, there was a policy that it had to be on one check. $1000 tab and you expect one person to pay? Was offered a 3 way split at the beginning of the dinner but at the end was told they don't know how to do it so we had to choice but to pay all on one card. I believe we were treated disrespectfully right from the beginning and I don't understand how such a small hole in the wall could have such horrible customer service. At the end, my sister was called a "stuck up bitch" by the young blonde headed waitress and was told to "get the fuck out"..... overall I am in disbelief with how horrible this service was. read more

I have been coming to The Mint since I was a kid (about 30 years). The steaks are super high quality, and nothing beats the Texas toast on the grill with some butter and garlic, or the free and awesome salad bar. The only way this place can get a bad review is if the person can't work a grill and overcooks their meat. Plus, even if you aren't a steak cooking pro, there are guides with timeframes posted on the wall that are easy to follow. Word to the wise - if you want to save a few bucks, don't bother with the sides. After a huge piece of meat, bread, and salad, I doubt you will be regretting not buying more food. read more

Great food! Awesome service!! Went in on locals night, cook your own stake! Finally able to make it rare and bloody!... Aged atmosphere is rad! read more

Best steak we have had in a long time! Our server, Josiah was very attentive and helpful. After picking out our steaks he instructed us on the times and placement of the steaks on the grill as well as pointers on how to make the steaks sear properly and retain moisture while cooking to our liking. Our steaks came out perfectly cooked and delicious! The salad bar looks small but everything was fresh and crisp with good flavor and completely satisfying. Our kids had so much fun helping to cook their own steaks and Texas toast. I highly recommend as the food is high quality, and the atmosphere is low key where we could actually have a conversation in a normal tone of voice and hear each other. Our kids said this was the best part of our trip, we will certainly be back! read more

Great dinner. We had 2 aged NY strips that we cooked over a grill via instructions from the butcher. Turned out GREAT. Good salad bar. Potatoes excell. Texas toast a pain in the ass to try to grill. read more

We took our granchildren there and had a ball. The servers carefully explained everything about how you cook your own steaks, and about the endless salad bar. The high school graduate kiddos enjoyed it as much as we did! read more

Just be warned: You have to cook your own food! The steaks are just as expensive as any other restaurant AND you have to cook them yourself. Save yourself the crowds and cook steaks at home! The only way its semi-worth it is on $2.99 night, but then its super crowded and not worth your time. Go to a regular restaurant and order a steak. read more

The Mint is a Colorado Classic. The delicious steaks speak for themselves, but if they don't, then James will. Always friendly & welcoming, James & the Mint staff are always the best. read more

Fantastic local restaurant with a lot of history and a fun concept. We go there every year when skiing anywhere in Summit County (and have for over 20 years). The meals are a bit pricy, but they use great cuts of steak. They are very crowded though; everyone loves this place, and you can tell. read more

What a great atmosphere! This is a must when in summit county. Very fresh all you can eat salad bar and a great selection of grill your own meat. If steak is not your thing the fresh seafood is incredible. This place has been a great choice to take friends and family for dinner, since I moved to the county almost a decade ago. Lives up to the expectation every time. No question. Bravo to a real steakhouse in the county. read more

Expensive, slow, casual dining in a funky run-down atmosphere. You must make your own salad and cook your own entrée on a big open grill. It was hard to find a spot on the grill that was hot enough to grill my Cajun spiced steak. Had to take it back twice to get to medium. I don't grill at home because I'm not good at it - and for these prices they should cook your steak the way you want it cooked. The salad was OK and the Texas toast was...meh. Our waitress was awful. She didn't explain the concept at all and since it was our first visit it took us some time to figure out how to order at the meat case. read more

I thought that this restaurant lived up to the hype. Great service. Great selection on meat!! Super fun cooking with the family. The only thing I would ask further is that the salad bar include something like potato or macaroni salad. Just a personal preference though. If you go check out restaurant.com for a good coupon option. read more