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Russell's

Restaurants
 Vail, 81657

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About

Russell's has been cooking steaks and seafood on Bridge Street since November 1989. Ron Riley opened it and named it after his father, and through the changes of the years since it has kept the name, a long-serving staff and a strong local following. It calls itself Vail's cozy steakhouse, which is a fair description of a place built for a long dinner rather than a quick one.

It suits couples and families marking a special night, returning visitors who make it a trip tradition, and anyone who wants a classic steak dinner in the middle of Vail Village without a hotel dining room's formality.

The steaks

The cuts name their ranches: a filet mignon from Reminisce Ranch in Dillon, Montana, and a New York strip and ribeye from Lazy T Ranch in Ten Sleep, Wyoming, with a 32-ounce grass-fed Piedmontese tomahawk for the table. Sauces such as béarnaise, bordelaise and brandy peppercorn can be added or swapped.

Beyond beef

Wild-caught king crab is served by weight with drawn butter, and the rest of the menu mixes the classic with the unexpected: veal Wiener schnitzel, Rocky Mountain trout, short rib bourguignon and wagyu lettuce wraps. Every steak comes with scalloped potatoes and baby summer squash, and extra sides for the table run from creamed spinach to king crab fried rice and the house loaded potatoes. Head chef Jason Bayle, here since 2022, changes the menu with the seasons, and the wine list follows it.

Booking a table

Russell's serves dinner only, every night from 5 p.m., and takes reservations through OpenTable. The dining room is small, so booking ahead is the safer choice in ski season and over holidays. Larger parties should know the table and gratuity rules in the FAQ before they go.

Private events

The restaurant takes private events and large gatherings by phone or email, with an inquiry form on its contact page.

Sources: home, about, contact, summer dinner menu. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Russell's
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Location
228 Bridge St
Vail, 81657

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About Russell's

Quick answer: Russell's is a restaurant at 228 Bridge St, Vail, CO 81657. A Bridge Street steakhouse since 1989 with ranch-named cuts, king crab and a small, warm dining room. Dinner nightly from 5 p.m. in Vail Village. As of October 2026 it is closed October 25 to November 12, 2026, and reopens November 13 at 5 p.m., per its website.

Last updated

Russell's has been cooking steaks and seafood on Bridge Street since November 1989. Ron Riley opened it and named it after his father, and through the changes of the years since it has kept the name, a long-serving staff and a strong local following. It calls itself Vail's cozy steakhouse, which is a fair description of a place built for a long dinner rather than a quick one.

It suits couples and families marking a special night, returning visitors who make it a trip tradition, and anyone who wants a classic steak dinner in the middle of Vail Village without a hotel dining room's formality.

The steaks

The cuts name their ranches: a filet mignon from Reminisce Ranch in Dillon, Montana, and a New York strip and ribeye from Lazy T Ranch in Ten Sleep, Wyoming, with a 32-ounce grass-fed Piedmontese tomahawk for the table. Sauces such as béarnaise, bordelaise and brandy peppercorn can be added or swapped.

Beyond beef

Wild-caught king crab is served by weight with drawn butter, and the rest of the menu mixes the classic with the unexpected: veal Wiener schnitzel, Rocky Mountain trout, short rib bourguignon and wagyu lettuce wraps. Every steak comes with scalloped potatoes and baby summer squash, and extra sides for the table run from creamed spinach to king crab fried rice and the house loaded potatoes. Head chef Jason Bayle, here since 2022, changes the menu with the seasons, and the wine list follows it.

Booking a table

Russell's serves dinner only, every night from 5 p.m., and takes reservations through OpenTable. The dining room is small, so booking ahead is the safer choice in ski season and over holidays. Larger parties should know the table and gratuity rules in the FAQ before they go.

Private events

The restaurant takes private events and large gatherings by phone or email, with an inquiry form on its contact page.

Sources: home, about, contact, summer dinner menu. Checked September 23, 2026.

Steakhouses restaurants restaurants/steakhouses restaurants/seafood restaurants/casual restaurants/fine-dining nightlife nightlife/apres-ski restaurants/vail-village

Quick Snapshot

Neighborhood: Vail Village
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Service: Dinner nightly
Established: 1989
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Business Hours

Closed for the season · Reopens Nov 13

Amenities at Russell's

  • Full bar and bar/lounge
  • Creekside seating
  • Wheelchair access
  • Non-smoking
  • Private events (half-restaurant format)

Frequently Asked Questions

What to wear to Russell's Steakhouse?
Business casual. OpenTable, the restaurant's own booking profile, lists the dress code as Business Casual and the dining style as Casual Elegant; the official site sets no dress rule of its own, and there is no jacket or tie expectation. Neat and polished is the right read for the room: it is a cozy, special-occasion steakhouse, so ski gear and gym clothes would be underdressed, but nobody needs formal wear.
What are Russell's hours, and does it close in the off-season?
Dinner only, nightly from 5 p.m. The restaurant publishes no closing clock time (its own site says "serving dinner nightly at 5pm" and nothing more; listings show 9 p.m. and OpenTable currently shows 9:30 p.m., best read as the last seating window). Russell's closes between seasons, and the closure is the fact diners most need from this page: in fall 2026 it is closed from October 25 to November 12, reopening Friday, November 13 at 5 p.m. No spring closure dates are published anywhere, so check the restaurant's website or call (970) 476-6700 before a shoulder-season trip, because listings keep showing normal hours while it is closed. One seasonal wrinkle: a Friday to Sunday lunch ran in summer 2026 (it appears on TripAdvisor and older OpenTable versions, and summer reviewers ate it), but the official site lists dinner only, so treat lunch as a summer possibility to confirm by phone, never as a standing service.
What is on the menu at Russell's, and what should I order?
Start with the cuts, which name their ranches: the 7 oz filet mignon from Reminisce Ranch in Dillon, Montana ($65), the 12 oz New York strip ($64) and 18 oz ribeye ($80) from Lazy T Ranch in Ten Sleep, Wyoming, and a 32 oz grass-fed Piedmontese tomahawk ($175) built for the table. Every cut comes with Russell's scalloped potatoes and baby summer squash, and reviewers name the filet with those potatoes as the order. Beyond beef, the wild-caught king crab (12 oz $178, 24 oz $256) is the house event, the bacon-wrapped scallops ($36) and escargots ($26) are the classic starters, and the menu mixes in veal Wiener schnitzel ($44), Rocky Mountain trout ($44), and short rib bourguignon ($52). Order Russell's Famous Loaded Potatoes ($22) for the table. The menu changes with the seasons under head chef Jason Bayle; the current one is linked from russellsvail.com.
How much does dinner cost at Russell's, and is there a prix fixe?
Steaks run $64 to $80 (filet $65, strip $64, ribeye $80), with the 32 oz tomahawk at $175 and a half rack of baby back ribs at $37; other entrées run $40 to $52, starters $10 to $36, and table sides $10 to $25; king crab is the splurge at $178 to $256. That is why the web's labels disagree: OpenTable's "$31 to $50" fits no steak on the menu, and Google's "$50-100" describes the realistic shape of a full dinner, roughly $95 to $140 per person for a cut, a starter, and a glass of wine before tax and tip. The value route is the three-course prix fixe at $65 plus tax and gratuity (French onion soup or Caesar to start, filet, pork loin, swordfish, or lamb chop, then dessert; no substitutions or splits). Reviewers call it the off-season special and note it is not offered every night, so ask when you book rather than counting on it.
How do I make a reservation at Russell's?
Book on OpenTable (the restaurant's own site links straight to its profile there) or call (970) 476-6700. Book ahead: the dining room is small, and prime times go early in ski season and over holidays. If you want a creek-side or window table, say so when you book; reviewers single those tables out and they are the first to go. For a private event or a large gathering, do not use OpenTable: call or email [email protected], or use the inquiry form on the restaurant's contact page.
What do reviews say about Russell's?
Strong, and unusually deep: this is one of Vail's most-reviewed dining rooms. As of October 2026, OpenTable rates it 4.6 out of 5 from 1,947 verified diner reviews (food 4.6, service 4.6, ambience 4.6, value 4.2); Google rates it 4.2 from 376 reviews; TripAdvisor 4.1 from 351; Yelp 3.8 from 162. Diners praise the filet and its scalloped potatoes, the king crab, the bacon-wrapped scallops, the French onion soup, the tenured-feeling service, and the creek-side and window tables; the recurring criticisms are price (bread is a paid $10 item, which surprises people) and the occasional steak cooked past its temperature.
Are sides included with the steaks at Russell's?
Yes, the first two are. Every cut on the current menu is served with Russell's scalloped potatoes and baby summer squash included, and the 32 oz tomahawk also comes with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. What costs extra is the separate "For The Table" list, ordered to share: creamed spinach, crimini mushrooms, steamed asparagus, mac & cheese (plain or truffle and bacon), Yukon mashed potatoes, king crab fried rice, and Russell's Famous Loaded Potatoes, at $10 to $25. (This corrects the listing's previous FAQ answer, which said no sides were included; the restaurant's current menu governs. Sauces can be added or swapped for $6, and there is a $9 split-plate charge.)
Can Russell's host a private event or a large party?
Yes, with one structural fact first: there is no private room. The format is booking half of the restaurant, arranged by phone at (970) 476-6700, by email at [email protected], or through the inquiry form on the restaurant's contact page. For ordinary large tables, the menu prints the rules: one check per table, and a 20% gratuity is added for parties of five or more. The restaurant does not offer standard catering; its OpenTable profile says to reach out and it might be able to accommodate, which is a conversation, not a service.
Is Russell's creekside, and where do I park?
Yes, creekside is the setting: Russell's is at 228 Bridge Street in Vail Village, just past the Covered Bridge over Gore Creek, and its own description promises "wonderful Creekside dining". Ask for a creek-side or window table when you book; whether any given table is a true outdoor patio table is worth a phone check, because no source guarantees one. Park in the Vail Village parking garage below the Vail Transportation Center (OpenTable notes parking is free there after 3:00 p.m.), then walk up Bridge Street; the restaurant is on your left just past the Covered Bridge. The free town bus stops at the same Transportation Center. There is no door-front parking; Bridge Street is pedestrian.
Is Russell's good for kids and families?
Families do mark special nights here, and the listing's own description counts them among the room's natural guests, but go in with the right expectations: there is no children's menu (the most kid-plausible items are the mac & cheese sides and the Parker House rolls), the room is small, lively, and dinner-only, and OpenTable's review-derived FAQ reports mixed family experiences, including staff strictness about strollers and noise. The comfortable pattern reviewers recommend is an early seating and a call ahead to (970) 476-6700 to note children in the party. For a celebration dinner with older kids it works well; for toddlers at 8 p.m. on a Saturday, pick somewhere roomier.

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