This was my second time here. The first time I came was back in the summer of 2018 I believe. Back then my experience was great. It was awesome to see and read about the history of the area. My grandpa is a big John Wayne fan, so it made this place that much more lovable. Fast forward to now. We made the drive from Montrose to have dinner here I was so excited. Everything looked the same I got the same vibes from my first time as I was walking in. Unfortunately that's where it ended. We were greeted kinda in a rushed way. My family was a party of 4. So when the girl ask she was like oh take that table right there. Literally right at the entrance. Normally I wouldn't care but this area just had a severe weather storm a few day prior. So the weather I'm told is not normal for this time of year. It was October 27th but the temps have been in the single/teen digits. So we sat at the table where anytime the door was opened the cold air blasted us every time. A waitress hanging around the bar was even in and out to do I don't know what. Once she went outside to pick a mint sprig for the bartender. I thought it was funny how she kept running in and out while we were sitting there cold and she was complaining how cold it was every time she blew back in to the restaurant. Our server was nice and checked on us frequently. The food on the other hand was not as nice as I remembered. First off I think they had a shorter menu. I remember a huge menu that had pages and pages to look through. This time they had a two side single menu. In all honesty my husband ordered the chicken fried steak and it was great. However my daughter ordered their daily special of pork pazole soup. Let's just say that was a mistake. Being from SoCal we think of something different when it comes to Pazole soup. What they brought to our table was like Tex mex chili or something. My daughter was very disappointed. So she helped her dad eat his chicken fried steak. I ordered the homemade meatloaf. It was not good at all. It was mushy like they added too much bread to the meatloaf on top of adding gravy on top of it. The green beans were ehh just dressed up canned green beans. The mash potatoes and gravy was the only thing I enjoyed. Desert was great! Apple pie, NY cheesecake and pumpkin cheesecake. Maybe we caught them at a wrong time, anyone can have a bad day. It's really not a bad place to experience at least once. Hopefully your experience will be like my first. I absolutely love small towns but one thing I can say is I don't like the small town mindedness. My 13 year old son was getting so many looks and laughs and whispers from the old people at the bar because he has bright red hair. Not the restaurant's issue at all just throwing this out here. If you're from a big city and maybe look different expect to get a lot of looks. Sometimes adults have no common decency to respect others. This is a long review. But I say give this place a shot at least once. read more

See all

My son and I had an early lunch on July 25 and we couldn't have been more pleased. The service was very good, all staff wearing masks. I had the green chili soup and my son had a bacon cheeseburger. Both were delicious! read more

True Grit Cafe - A perfect bacon cheeseburger. - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

See all

The 2nd week of July. Idk why this just posted now. It was written back then. I had to leave before my guests. They got my food to go.

Super cool place- John Wayne ate here! He filmed the movie right in Ridgway! Great food, pricy but everything here is. Worth stopping!

Ordered two hamburgers to go, well done. 30 minutes later-Got the wrong order the first time waited another 20 minutes, finally got our burgers, yum. Only one was so raw we couldn't eat it. They did offer to cook another but did not offer to comp bill. We didn't have time to wait another 30 minutes . Won't recommend them! read more

To start off I had to give a star in order to leave a review. Placed a togo order for a meatloaf dinner, mac and cheese dinner and an appetiser onion rings. Paid $13.00 fir 11 onion rings. Ranch was so salty it couldn't be eaten. Meatloaf tasted like it was all bread crumbs, about 3 tablespoons of mashed potatoes and green beans that were right out of the can. This also couldn't be eaten. The Mac and cheese with chicken was terrible but the best of the three. We ended up making grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. As a new local this place has definitely come off the list of a repeat option. read more

A fun atmosphere with great service. Started with the fried okra appetizer; it's enough to feed 4 hungry adults. The shrimp and grits were authentic and savory. The steak was flavorful and tender. Highly recommend. read more

Burger was the best burger I've had in my entire 57 years of living! Got a baked potato with butter (no extra charge) and that was really really good too. The service was amazing. Everyone was working very hard to take care of the large number of customers there. Neat atmosphere also. Highly highly highly recommend this place! Spoke with a few repeat customers who told me everything they've ordered has been very delicious! Can't wait to move out here and when I want a burger, I am coming to True Grit Café for sure! read more

This place is awesome! Fantastic food and service! It's a great place for John Wayne fans. Good beer selection also. Definitely recommend if you're in the area! read more

See all

Finally tried this place and WOW!! Tastes like everything is actually home made from scratch which their soups most definitely are! Everything I've ordered so far has been so good I had to finish every bite! read more

It is a 12 year tradition to eat here after skiing Telluride. Food is always great! Cannot say enough about the food and service.

Great service, food and prices inline. Best Chicken Fried Steak I have had ever! The Arnold Palmer was damn good as well. read more

We stop at the Grit whenever we are in Ouray. We wanted our Anniversary dinner to be there. However, the Grit was closed Tuesday and Wednesday???? A sign said they closed due to lack of help. And I believe it. There are signs everywhere as no one wants to work anymore. I will not say more as it is due to a political issue, but you can read between the lines. Anyway on our way out of Ouray we backtracked to Ridgeway to get a meal at the Grit. I had a Rodeo burger and my wife had Chicken Fried Chicken. Both were excellent in flavor but as everything these days they were pricey. I had an Odell's IPA draft beer which I loved. I rarely can find it and at a reasonable price. We had a delicious apple pie alamode dessert to polish off the meal. My only complaint was our wait time after ordering was way too long. People came in and out and ordered and ate and left with us still sitting there waiting for our meal. No one told us why or checked on us. I would have ordered another beer to kill the time but did not get the opportunity. Finally we were served and another server told us that another table ordered exactly the same meal. I guess the Grit needs to find a way to decide which table ordered first. Table numbers perhaps. Just annoying. read more

Men No Shirt No Service Women No Shirt Free Drinks This is what the sign read above the bar at True Grit Cafe. As I firmly stood at the doorway, one foot crossing the threshold, I wondered, was it safe to eat here? Would there be women's shirts strewn on the walls and ceiling as part of the décor? Peering in a bit closer, I decided that I had to find out what the story was behind this somewhat quirky restaurant in the tiny town of Ridgway; our pass-thru to Telluride. So here we are and when the waitress asked us where we wanted to sit, we scooped up a booth by the open windows. There was a really nice breeze, but before I could even look at the menu, I was taken in by all the John Wayne and True Grit memorabilia that covered the walls. When I finally picked it up and read the back, to my surprise I learned that the 1969 movie "True Grit" was filmed in Ridgway. Not only that, in the movie, the first time you see "Duke" you'll see the "Chambers Groceries" wall behind him. Well, this is now the inside South wall of the restaurant which was directly behind where I was sitting! Anyway, found myself so distracted by the memorabilia, friendly service and food that I forgot to cash in on the free drinks! read more

See all

I absolutely LOVEEEE this place! It's always my birthday dinner place! Staff are great and the food is amazing! Tammee and her staff are always so friendly ! And the bartender with the purple hair is my favorite! read more

My husband and I have tried eating at True Grit Cafe multiple times over the last four years while we have lived in Ouray county. We so badly want to patronize your this restaurant, however, very single time has been a poor experience. Last Saturday night we decided to try again for the prime rib special. We were sent upstairs to be seated. The server walked by multiple times without taking our drink order or bringing us water. After 35 minutes we still did not have our drinks, water, nothing. When I asked our server if we could please get our drinks, she came back in 30 seconds with a prime rib that was definitely not medium rare, it looked like it had been sitting there, cold, and was thrown on a frying pan to warm up. No drinks, no salads, just a terrible looking prime rib with a side of horseradish. We calmly and kindly explained how we felt and left. Until this restaurant is under new ownership, we will not be trying again. read more

This was horrible, small portions and slow service. Overpriced, so much so little flavor and side straight out of a can. Never again if it was only restaurant in a hours drive. Old West theme just copies. No ambiance. read more

True Grit Cafe - Worst July 4th dinner - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Great place for food drinks and ambiance. Nice local scene! Sam was super fun and great service!! If you're passin' thru be sure to stop.

I loved the Duke theme and history of this cafe. The food was another story. I ordered the Monday special of jumbo shrimp. They were overcooked, chewey and tasteless. I would never order this again. Two people at the bar ordered burgers and didn't eat the buns. They were cold and stale. The bar seats are very uncomfortable so a table might work better. read more

Came here with my friend and had elk burgers, YUM. Ellie was our server. She was super sweet and made us feel right at home. Definitely recommend after a long day of snowboarding! read more

We had a great dinner and excellent service! Food was great, and our server Kim was awesome. Kim was serving all of the tables by herself (8 tables at the time), and gave us all the attention and good service we needed. The food is exactly what you'd expect based on the menu and nothing less! We all really enjoyed it. read more

They love vets! Their food is so fresh and tasty you can't go wrong, no matter what you order. The portions are generous. Their Pork Green Chili is made from scratch. Yummy. I had the Chicken Fried steak. The side dishes can be a full meal on their own. Their fried okra and green beans and bacon+onion was over-the-top! Great waitress. Attentive and seemed to really enjoy her job! Their Peanut butter ice cream pie is well worth saving room! read more

This place was amazing! The atmoshere was western, the food and service was great. I would recommend this place to anyone that's in the Ridgway Colorado area!!! read more

True Grit Cafe - Chicken wrap with loaded fries. - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

See all

We came here because the reviews were pretty good. Upon entering we were pleasantly greeted and given the option of eating inside or outside. We chose inside and got to eat in a large booth on the second level. The walls were covered in John Wayne posters and memorabilia but it all looked good. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is when we were deciding on our drinks we noticed that they had Moscow mules, Mexican mules and Kentucky mules. We assumed that the Mexican used tequila and the Kentucky used bourbon but wanted to ask to be sure. A server (not our primary server) came by and asked what we wanted to drink. I asked her what the difference was and she asked how long I had been drinking and then told me that I should know that the Mexican one used tequila etc. I was taken aback that she felt the need to admonish me for a simple question about one of their drinks. We ended up ordering the southern chicken sandwich and a burger. The chicken sandwich was huge. We could have easily shared it. Both entrees were good. Our main server was top notch and friendly which is why I am giving this 4 stars. If you are a veteran you can get 25% off your entrees which is nice and appreciated. Overall a good meal. read more

True Grit Cafe - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Loved it! Great atmosphere! We sat upstairs, great view. I had Blackened catfish, sweet potatoes and bread pudding! Very awesome. Will be back! read more

True Grit Cafe - Upstairs dining - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

See all

Good food in a good location. Can get busy though. Great place to get the lunch of the land for True Grit filming location. Even has the old Chalmers sign on the wall feature in the John Wayne movie. read more

Was going to order online as we are about 15 minutes away. They ask you to join their email list. The thing is that you can never order online. The last 3 times I've tried it says they are not currently taking orders. Not going to drive 30 minutes round trip to find out they are closed. read more

I was last here almost five years ago, and today reminded me how exceptional they remain. True Grit has some epic food.

Fantastic food, cool old west vibes inside and amazing service!! Best little stop on our road trip!! The tomato basil bread bowl was amazing! read more

Recommended by Chepita lodge. Chicken fried steak is so worth it! Great service. Definitely recommend.

Surprisingly good! Everything we had was tasty and plentiful. The park across the street adds something to the whole experience as well. Get a table on the upstairs deck overlooking the park if it is a nice day. You'll be in bliss. My recommendation, yes this is a tourist spot, but totally worth the stop. read more

True Grit Cafe - Chicken Fried Chicken w/ green beans and smashed potatoes with gravy - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

Went here not for the tourist stuff, but we are so glad we did. We tried the mac and cheese with chicken and bacon as well as the combo with chili and a turkey Reuben. Every single thing we had tasted as if it were made in house. Decent selection of draft beer as well as a full bar. Great stop! read more

True Grit Cafe - Mac and cheese with bacon and chicken - American Near Me - Ridgway, Colorado

After waiting for 45 minutes for our table with 2 young kids past dinner time the server took our order. 30 minutes later she came back to back to tell us she forgot to put our order in. So here we are, 1.5 after to requested our table and still not eating. She didn't have any other tables at the time. read more

True grit is the city's long running sometimes good , sometimes disappointing classic American food restaurant. Throughout the years it yoyos when the quality goes down and everything is just pre-made and Sysco supplied mediocre food, then someone will come in and try to revitalize the place and food will be better made and will improve. People come back and reviews improve, then owners slowly try to cut costs and food slides back to the pre-made mediocre eats. This is why you see the mix of reviews. I will say the locals don't eat here. They are picking one of the cheaper and better tasting restaurants in town. read more

Overpriced and totally MEH food. Geared for tourists. The service was spotty and we had to beg for a water refill.

Sadly disappointed! We have been coming to this fun historic and tourist restaurant for year and a half up until now we've had good food with bad service. the food and the atmosphere made up for the bad service. But tonight bringing family from out of state-we were all greatly disappointed! The food was pretty much tasteless from grilled salmon to getting the daily special to ordering a cranberry salad with no cranberries in the salad... It was so mediocre. our guacamole appetizer was brown guacamole with some weird taco seasoning in it. Where we have been raving about their delicious guacamole for so long- again tonight was a great disappointment. I don't know why this meal was so drastically different from the numerous other times we have come-- it was Bad food. read more

Awesome place! Sat on the balcony overlooking a beautiful, serene park. Service was great, food as well. Definitely plan on returning! read more

We came for a late lunch and already had dinner plans so (too bad for us) we didn't order a lot. Hubby loved the fried catfish that had nice thin batter (he said it could have been a little bit crispier but overall was delicious). I enjoyed lunch combo with half salad and half BLT and daughter loved the chicken wings. Cool atmosphere and fantastic service! Every employee there was busting their behinds to make sure everyone was taken care of. I hate that I can't remember the lady's name who took care of us but she was awesome. She must be 70 bc she told us she was from Texas and lived there 35 years and Colorado 35 years and she could work circles around the majority of those a fourth her age! You should definitely give it a try! read more

One of the better dining spots we've visited in a while. Located in the town where they shot the movie True Grit. Our server Deborah met us at the door and found six of us a great table. We quickly had drinks in our hands and our dinner order was taken. Most of us opted for the special which was a delicious chicken breast smothered in green chili sauce with a choice of two sides. The food was wonderful, service was great. Wish we had a restaurant like this in my hometown. Didn't know it until later, but veterans get 25 percent off! read more

The services was slow, the kitchen was ridiculously slow & the food was sub par, at best!