Buffalo's Profile Photo - Restaurants in Vail CO
Buffalo's

Restaurants
 Vail, 81657

Send Message
Do you own or operate Buffalo's? Claim this listing now. Claim this listing

About

Buffalo's is a small quick-service stop at the top of Mountaintop Express (#4) on Vail Mountain, at the gate to the Back Bowls. Vail Mountain bills it as the only daily on-mountain breakfast, which makes it the place to eat when first chair came before breakfast did.

It suits skiers and riders heading out to the Back Bowls or coming back from them, who want something warm and quick rather than a long sit-down lunch. It is winter-only and reached on skis or a board, so it is not a stop for summer visitors or for walkers.

What to order

Mornings start with breakfast croissants (egg and cheese, with sausage or bacon if you like) and a fresh-baked cinnamon roll. Lunch leans on comfort food: grilled cheese sandwiches (The Classic, a BBQ brisket version and a vegetarian tomato and pesto one), chili with cornbread, a soup of the day, a cheeseburger and a quarter-pound hot dog. Several dishes come in smaller portions, and there are vegetarian choices at both meals.

Getting there

Buffalo's sits where Mountaintop Express (#4), High Noon Express (#5) and Northwoods Express (#11) meet, with views over Sun Up Bowl. A lift ticket or pass is required, and you need to be skiing or riding to reach it. Henry's Hut, where Vail Ski Patrol has hosted its Sunday avalanche-dog meet-and-greets, is across the way.

Before you go

There are no reservations; order at the counter. Buffalo's keeps ski-day hours and opens for the winter season only. Hours and season details are in the FAQ below.

Sources: Vail Mountain: Buffalo's, Vail Mountain dining. Checked September 24, 2026.

Get Directions View Larger Map

Contact Information

Company Name
Buffalo's
Location
Top of Mountaintop Express (#4), Vail Mountain
Vail, 81657

Buffalo's Photo Albums

Posted by Buffalo's
Buffalo's Photos
Buffalo's Photos

Photos of Buffalo's.... View More

We may earn a commission from links on this page, at no cost to you. Disclosure

Visit Website View Menu

About Buffalo's

Quick answer: Buffalo's is a restaurant at Top of Mountaintop Express (#4), Vail Mountain, Vail, CO 81657. Quick-service breakfast and lunch at the top of Mountaintop Express (#4) on Vail Mountain, at the Back Bowls gate. Winter only; lift access required.

Last updated

Buffalo's is a small quick-service stop at the top of Mountaintop Express (#4) on Vail Mountain, at the gate to the Back Bowls. Vail Mountain bills it as the only daily on-mountain breakfast, which makes it the place to eat when first chair came before breakfast did.

It suits skiers and riders heading out to the Back Bowls or coming back from them, who want something warm and quick rather than a long sit-down lunch. It is winter-only and reached on skis or a board, so it is not a stop for summer visitors or for walkers.

What to order

Mornings start with breakfast croissants (egg and cheese, with sausage or bacon if you like) and a fresh-baked cinnamon roll. Lunch leans on comfort food: grilled cheese sandwiches (The Classic, a BBQ brisket version and a vegetarian tomato and pesto one), chili with cornbread, a soup of the day, a cheeseburger and a quarter-pound hot dog. Several dishes come in smaller portions, and there are vegetarian choices at both meals.

Getting there

Buffalo's sits where Mountaintop Express (#4), High Noon Express (#5) and Northwoods Express (#11) meet, with views over Sun Up Bowl. A lift ticket or pass is required, and you need to be skiing or riding to reach it. Henry's Hut, where Vail Ski Patrol has hosted its Sunday avalanche-dog meet-and-greets, is across the way.

Before you go

There are no reservations; order at the counter. Buffalo's keeps ski-day hours and opens for the winter season only. Hours and season details are in the FAQ below.

Sources: Vail Mountain: Buffalo's, Vail Mountain dining. Checked September 24, 2026.

Breakfast Comfort Food Grab and Go Sandwiches Burgers restaurants restaurants/breakfast-brunch restaurants/lunch restaurants/casual

Business Hours

Open daily · 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Amenities at Buffalo's

  • Lift access required
  • Skier/rider access required
  • Winter-only season

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Buffalo's on Vail Mountain?
At the top of Mountaintop Express (#4), where it meets High Noon Express (#5) and Northwoods Express (#11), at the gate to the Back Bowls, about 11,250 feet up. This is the same venue Vail's dining guide lists as Buffalo's / Rocky's Road House Grill and Google lists as Buffalo's Roadhouse Grill. It is not at Eagle's Nest or the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola; those are different venues on a different summit.
Do I need a lift ticket to eat at Buffalo's, and can I get there without skiing?
Yes, you need a valid lift ticket or Epic Pass, and no, there is no way to reach Buffalo's without skiing or snowboarding. It sits at a chairlift summit in the middle of the ski area, not at a gondola top, so there is no scenic foot-passenger route to it in either season. If you are not skiing, the gondola-served lunch options are at Mid-Vail (top of Gondola One) and Eagle's Nest (top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola), not here.
What are Buffalo's hours, and is it open in summer?
In the winter season, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. Buffalo's is winter-only and closed outside the ski season, including all summer. For the 2026/27 season, Vail Mountain plans to open on November 13, 2026, and Buffalo's follows upper-mountain lift operations, so check the resort's hours of operation for its exact first day.
Does Buffalo's serve breakfast?
Yes, and it is the point of the place: Vail Mountain bills Buffalo's as the only daily on-mountain breakfast. Mornings are the Sun Up Sandies breakfast croissants (egg and cheese, with sausage or bacon) and a fresh-baked cinnamon roll, plus coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, served from the 9:30 a.m. opening until the lunch menu takes over.
What is on the menu at Buffalo's, and what should I order?
Order the grilled cheese; it is what the venue is known for. The Classic (American and Monterey Jack on sourdough), the BBQ Brisket with basil pesto and cheddar, and the vegetarian Mountain Topped Pesto (oven-roasted tomato, basil pesto, five-cheese blend), all with kettle chips. Also on the winter 2025-26 menu: an Angus cheeseburger, a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog, chili and cornbread (beef or vegetarian), and a soup of the day. Several dishes come in smaller portions. The menu is reissued each season and prints no prices; the version linked from this page is winter 2025-26.
How much does it cost to eat at Buffalo's?
Google's listing for the venue puts it in the $10-20 per-person band, and that fits its quick-service menu of grilled cheese sandwiches, a burger, chili, and soup. Vail does not print prices on the menu it publishes, so treat the band as a guide, not a quote. One dated first-person anchor: a visiting writer paid $18 for the brisket grilled cheese with a cup of tomato soup in the 2023-24 season, before an Epic Pass discount. Cards, Apple Pay, and resort charge only; Vail Resorts restaurants do not take cash.
Can I make a reservation at Buffalo's?
No. Buffalo's is quick service with no reservations and no table booking of any kind; you order at the counter and find a seat. The official Vail page lists reservations as "None." Expect a crowd at peak lunch on powder days and weekends.
Does Buffalo's have vegetarian or gluten-free options?
Vegetarian, yes, at both meals: the egg and cheese croissant and cinnamon roll at breakfast, and at lunch The Classic and Mountain Topped Pesto grilled cheeses and the vegetarian chili. The official menu also marks gluten-free items, with the caveat that they are prepared in a shared space with items that may contain gluten. For allergies, Vail's dining guidance is to ask at the counter during your visit.
What do reviews say about Buffalo's?
As of October 2026, on Google the venue holds 4.1 stars across 34 reviews, and the dishes reviewers name as favorites are the cheeseburger and the grilled cheese sandwiches. The review pool is small, so read it as a snapshot, not a verdict. Be careful which "Buffalos" you are reading about: the Buffalos steakhouse at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in Avon is a different restaurant, and its reviews circulate inside this venue's search results.
What is Dine with the Dogs at Henry's Hut?
It is a free Sunday meet-and-greet with Vail Ski Patrol and their avalanche dogs at Henry's Hut, the patrol warming hut directly across from Buffalo's at the top of Mountaintop Express (#4). For the season the official page lists Sundays from December 20 to March 28, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., with bigger special events on January 17, February 7, and March 21. Grab an early lunch at Buffalo's and head across. You still need a lift ticket and skis or a board to get there; the dogs are working patrol dogs, not a petting visit for your own dog.

Winter in Vail

Book a Vail winter extra

See all Vail tours

More restaurants on VailVacay