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First Chair

Restaurants
 Vail, 81657

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About

First Chair is a burrito counter and bar at the base of Gondola One in Vail Village, built for skiers who want breakfast in hand and their boots already on. The owners say most orders are out the door in under a minute, and the burritos are made to be eaten on the lift.

It suits early risers chasing the first lift, families watching the budget, and anyone who wants a relaxed après with a dog on the patio. There is no dress code, and ski boots are welcome.

The menu

Burritos anchor the menu at every hour: breakfast burritos, signature burritos and a build-your-own option, in a tortilla or as a bowl. There are also appetizers, signature sandwiches and a kids' menu. The bar pours signature cocktails from margaritas to double espresso martinis, spritzes, beer, seltzers and wine, and espresso drinks cover the morning.

Après and happy hour

After skiing, First Chair offers complimentary chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven, and the owners advertise $3 beers. Happy hour runs daily, with a buy-one-for-someone-else offer; details are in the FAQ below.

Who's behind it

First Chair is run by Drew Riley, who grew up in Vail in a restaurant family (his father, Ron Riley, founded Los Amigos and Russell's), with his brothers-in-law Zach and Dusty Martin. The idea came from a grab-and-go stand that Los Amigos ran on Bridge Street during the pandemic, and their aim is to keep good food affordable in the Village.

Before you go

First Chair is on Hanson Ranch Road beside Gondola One, open daily from breakfast into the evening. Online ordering is linked from the restaurant's website.

Sources: First Chair, First Chair: About. Checked September 24, 2026.

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Contact Information

Company Name
First Chair
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Location
278 Hanson Ranch Rd Unit 105
Vail, 81657

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About First Chair

Quick answer: First Chair is a restaurant at 278 Hanson Ranch Rd Unit 105, Vail, CO 81657. Grab-and-go burritos, cocktails and budget après at the base of Gondola One in Vail Village, with a dog-friendly patio. Open daily.

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First Chair is a burrito counter and bar at the base of Gondola One in Vail Village, built for skiers who want breakfast in hand and their boots already on. The owners say most orders are out the door in under a minute, and the burritos are made to be eaten on the lift.

It suits early risers chasing the first lift, families watching the budget, and anyone who wants a relaxed après with a dog on the patio. There is no dress code, and ski boots are welcome.

The menu

Burritos anchor the menu at every hour: breakfast burritos, signature burritos and a build-your-own option, in a tortilla or as a bowl. There are also appetizers, signature sandwiches and a kids' menu. The bar pours signature cocktails from margaritas to double espresso martinis, spritzes, beer, seltzers and wine, and espresso drinks cover the morning.

Après and happy hour

After skiing, First Chair offers complimentary chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven, and the owners advertise $3 beers. Happy hour runs daily, with a buy-one-for-someone-else offer; details are in the FAQ below.

Who's behind it

First Chair is run by Drew Riley, who grew up in Vail in a restaurant family (his father, Ron Riley, founded Los Amigos and Russell's), with his brothers-in-law Zach and Dusty Martin. The idea came from a grab-and-go stand that Los Amigos ran on Bridge Street during the pandemic, and their aim is to keep good food affordable in the Village.

Before you go

First Chair is on Hanson Ranch Road beside Gondola One, open daily from breakfast into the evening. Online ordering is linked from the restaurant's website.

Sources: First Chair, First Chair: About. Checked September 24, 2026.

Breakfast Grab and Go Takeout Cocktails Pet Friendly Vail Village restaurants restaurants/vail-village restaurants/breakfast-brunch restaurants/casual nightlife/apres-ski
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Business Hours

Open daily · 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Amenities at First Chair

  • Full bar
  • Outdoor seating/dog-friendly patio
  • Counter service
  • Children's menu
  • Vegetarian dishes
  • Takeout
  • Delivery
  • Catering
  • Live music/DJ
  • TV
  • Wheelchair accessible

Frequently Asked Questions

What are First Chair's hours, and is it open in mud season?
In winter, daily 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; that is the schedule on the restaurant's own website, under a banner that reads "Open for Winter!" Hours contract outside winter: in summer and fall 2026 the kitchen closed at 4 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with the bar staying open later, and Google and Yelp carry yet another schedule (8:30 a.m. starts), so call (970) 763-5222 before an off-season evening visit. In mud season the restaurant closes outright: Discover Vail's spring 2026 list shows it closed April 20 to May 21. Breakfast burritos are served until 11 a.m. year-round in season.
Does First Chair take reservations?
No. First Chair is walk-in only, with counter service and table service and no waitlist; just show up. Do not confuse it with the other First Chair in Vail, the breakfast restaurant inside the Vail Marriott at 715 W Lionshead Circle in Lionshead: that is a different business, and it is the one that appears on OpenTable. This First Chair is the burrito bar at 278 Hanson Ranch Road in Vail Village, at the base of Gondola One. For a group or an event, call (970) 763-5222 or email [email protected].
What do reviews say about First Chair?
Reviews are strong, with value praised most. As of October 2026, Google rates First Chair 4.6 out of 5 from 128 reviews; Yelp rates it 4.5 from 37 reviews; DoorDash rates its delivery 4.3 from 10+ ratings. Diners praise the prices ("nowhere else to get a $6 beer or $9 cocktail in Vail," one January 2024 reviewer wrote), the friendly staff who recognise repeat customers, the smash burger burrito, and a dinner room quieter than most of the Village.
What does a meal cost at First Chair?
This is one of the cheapest full meals in Vail Village, by design. On the restaurant's own ordering menu, breakfast burritos run $12 to $16 (The Basic at $12, the Hangover at $16), signature burritos $15 to $18, and a build-your-own burrito or bowl $14 to $18. The kids' menu is $9 to $12. Après beers are advertised at $3. The owners' stated aim is to keep good food affordable in the Village; the Google panel's "$10-20" label is accurate for the burrito menu.
What should I order at First Chair?
A breakfast burrito before 11 a.m., eaten on Gondola One; that is what the place was built for. The Classic (bacon, potatoes, eggs, cheddar, $13) and the South Of The Border (chorizo and green chilli, $14) lead the morning menu. Later in the day, the signature burritos rotate (six or seven at a time) and the one reviewers keep naming is the smashed burger burrito ($15); any burrito can be made as a bowl, and any filling can be ordered as nachos. After skiing, the warm chocolate chip cookies at après are complimentary.
When is happy hour at First Chair, and what happens at après?
On the restaurant's published (winter) terms, happy hour runs every day from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: buy someone a drink and your own drink is free. Après also brings complimentary chocolate chip cookies, warm from the oven, and $3 beers. Terms change by season (in fall 2026 the deal was 25% off drinks after 4 p.m., Sunday to Thursday), so check the restaurant's social posts or call (970) 763-5222 for the current version. Yelp lists the music as DJ and live, and DJ après nights are a regular part of the scene.
Is First Chair kid friendly, and is there a kids' menu?
Yes. There is a kids' menu: a smaller version of The Basic breakfast burrito ($9), Kraft mac and cheese ($9), panko chicken strips ($9), and a build-your-own kids' burrito ($12). Families are a normal part of the room: reviewers describe dinners with toddlers, and a March 2026 family review praised it as quiet and easy to get into at dinner. It is still a bar, and après gets livelier as the evening goes on, so families tend to come earlier.
Does First Chair have vegetarian or gluten-free options?
Vegetarian, yes. The Veggie breakfast burrito (eggs, fajita veggies, black beans, cheddar, $13) runs all morning, and the build-your-own menu offers a fajita-veggies burrito or bowl ($14); a falafel burrito appears in the rotation. No dish is labeled vegan. Gluten-free, the restaurant makes no claim: the menu is tortilla-based and nothing is certified gluten-free. The practical option is the bowl format, since every burrito can be served as a bowl without the tortilla; tell the counter about any allergy when ordering.
Is First Chair dog friendly?
Yes. Dogs are welcome on the patio, with treats and water for them, and the restaurant's own line is that it welcomes "boots, humans, and furry friends of all kinds." There is no dress code, and ski boots are welcome too.
Can I order ahead, and does First Chair deliver?
Yes, with a seasonal caveat. Order ahead through the Toast ordering page linked as "Order Online" on firstchairvail.com (takeout minimum is about 10 minutes), or call (970) 763-5222. As of late October 2026 in late October the Toast page said "Currently not accepting online orders," which fits a shoulder-season pause, so the phone is the reliable route off-season. As of October 2026, Delivery runs through DoorDash (4.3 from 10+ ratings), at prices roughly $1.50 per item above the in-store menu.

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