The Left Bank Restaurant

I stumbled across The Left Bank as most of the restaurants around were closed for the season. I’m so glad I did. The Lobster Bisque was heavenly. The steak au poivre could have been cut with a spoon. Everything was very elegant, and the service was fabulous. I definitely recommend this place.

First I want to say my husband and I our restauranteurs and we are hard to please, with that said our experience from start to finish was amazing! The service was top notch the atmosphere and music was so intimate. The escargot & caviar were great then our main courses were both exceptional. I had quail and my husband had Elk chops we ate every last drop then had an wonderful dessert me a soufflé and he had a tart. We will be coming back and telling our friends.

A well hidden gem in vail, very fine food and fabulous wine list like youd find in paris.

Totally not worth it! French onion soup was so so. Salads with entrees bland. My lobster dish had more shrimp than lobster. Not the tail, just claw meat. The sauce was Velveeta like. Oh, bread was old. French bread should be crisp on outside and soft inside. Didn’t bother staying for dessert. Go to Vin48 or La Tour for an upscale meal. Our waiter from WI was fabulous otherwise we probably would not have stayed past the starter. We had this experience on December 21, 2015. I’m a VIP Open Table member so am no amateur on fine dining. Hope you fix the issues.

Outstanding! The renovated dining room is lovely. The menu has great variety and we thoroughly enjoyed each first course and entrée. Steak tartare, oysters, lobster bisque, smoked salmon all excellent. Rack of lamb for two, Dover sole for two, lobster in pastry again all superb. Soufflé is a must.
Service very friendly, appropriately paced and professional. The wine list has an extensive offering of French wines, less so new world and other and is pricey.

My family and I ate here during our spring break vacation. It was amazing. The food was a little pricey but nothing out of the ordinary for the area. The restaurant has been completely updated, the staff were very nice, and the food was delicious and delivered in a timely manner.
Notably the frois gras was incredible as was the tomato soup. Also, the chocolate soufflé was some of the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot). We will definitely be coming back on our next trip to vail.

The food was great but the service subpar. The coat check gal was the friendliest and most attentive of the bunch, however turned us over to the hostess who didn’t show up for 10 minutes with 3 groups waiting. Basic server etiquette and timeliness were non-​existent. However the food was very good once the wheels got in motion. The 2 tables next to us were complaining about similar service. I’d go back because the first impression with the coat check girl was great and the food was good.

We had travelled from Breckridge (there on holiday from New Zealand) for the day to ski and my wife had scouted out Left Bank from some research she had done prior to our holiday with the main prerequisite being that Froi Gras (not something on any menu in NZ) was on the menu.
We did not make reservation but the manager was extremely accomodating as we looked like we had just come of the slopes other than having changed ski pants for jeans.
The restaurant has an up market feel to it, it is very tastefully decorated but not over the top pretentious.
The service was excellent all night and the only niggly observation is that one of our party had not finished their meal but the rest of our plates were cleared.
The food was excellent all night and the Froi Gras was amazing!
Great night out thanks to everyone at The Left Bank.

We came here a couple of times just after Christmas, although it is pricey, the service and food is amazing. You really do get what you pay for here. The lamb shank was to die for, the escargot was amazing.
i would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants a truly amazing dining experience, service is faultless, food is amazing, and the atmosphere is romantic and upmarket!

It’s pricey — but unlike most resort restaurants, you actually get what you pay for.
This is our go-​to fine dining spot when we’re in the Vail Valley.
I dream about the bisque. Mmm.

We came here on the recommendation of the concierge after our first choice was fully booked. We walked to the convenient location, and was greeted immediately by a friendly host and the owner. The décor was nice but not to terrible gaudy. The lighting fixtures reminded me of champagne bubbles idk why but they did. The atmosphere was nice and pleasant and not pretentious. The wine list was good and a had an extensive choice of French reds however; they were marked up quite a bit, but that’s to be expected.
The fall menu was small but had enough variety to suit nearly all tastes. I enjoyed the fall menu special which included an appetizer a main course and a dessert. All of which where perfectly portioned (I don’t like extremely large portions) and provided a taste of every course without feeling over filled. My saffron pasta with shrimp was cooked perfectly and had a well thought out balance of flavors. I would say that the left bank is a solid fine dining experience with a creative menu and nice atmosphere

We had to ask to order drinks, after being passed by several wait staff, then asked for our salads. We never really had a waiter, just a hit and miss, whoever we could catch going by. We did not have a reservation, so I guess we were second class diners. Although there was ample wait staff, our service was poor to say the least. I can’t say the food was all that. We can say we have been there, done that… no need to return.

This wonderful restaurant has always provided excellent meals with elegant service. It is an institution in eh Vail Valley and a favorite of locals. We have had two delightful dining experiences within the last week. The Left Bank has just completed a total remodel with a beautiful more contemporary look. All new lighting, furniture and capet and a very clean less cluttered environment. This is a french chef owned (Jean-​Michel) restaurant with the front managed by his very friendly wife Kimberly. Both of us had the green pepper steak on our first visit which was melt in your mouth tender. The sauce is to die for. On our second visit with friends we all enjoyed the Prix Fixe menu which was exceptional and a great bargain with a very reasonable wine pairing.

The princess of Thailand was leaving this restaurant the day we checked into the Sitzmark, and it came highly recommended by the mixologist at another restaurant, so I had to come. Left Bank was a very charming space, and right when we walked in, we were greeted warmly by the owner (wife of the chef), Kimberly. She made us feel completely welcome.
They had a very impressive wine list with many premium French selections and some hard to find bottles. The mark ups are very reasonable, and the wine list made for good reading. We ended up with wines by the glass, and the Gin Fizz off the cocktail list was my personal favorite.
The menu is very classically French, and the chef is straight up from France. Our server was also French, and it just felt like a very European experience.
Starters:
— Beef tartare: made with filet, very tender, fresh, nicely seasoned, and the cornichons added good texture and some tartness. It was slightly spicy and went well with the grilled bread
— Tomato soup: for once, a non-​cream based tomato soup, so it actually tasted like unadulterated tomatoes. The puff pastry on top was crisp and kept the soup super hot
— French onion soup: vegetable based but still with tons of flavor. The cheese was melted perfectly and not left in big chunks the way many restaurants leave it
Each entrée came with a house salad, which was lightly dressed.
Entrees:
— I chose the scallop appetizer as my entrée, and the scallops were huge. They were cooked perfectly, and the curry sauce was an unexpected surprise. I was most impressed with the knife work of the chef, as each tiny cube of vegetables in there was the exact same size. The portion was definitely enough for my main course
— Bouillabaisse: amazingly fragrant broth, tons of plump shrimp, lobster, scallops, and a ton of clams. It came with a side of rice and garlic croutons with rouille It was very filling and was a really good value
— Pasta: not on the menu but made by the chef for my mom, who’s a vegetarian. It had lots of vegetables and the same impressive knife work. My only complaint was that there was a bit too much butter.
Dessert:
I was so happy to find perfectly risen souffles. They were super light and with just the right amount of sweetness. We got one of each (chocolate and grand marnier), and it’s hard to say which one I liked better because they were both uniquely good. The chocolate one had a deeper chocolate flavor, and the grand marnier had subtle orange and a good amount of liqueur flavor to it.
Of course they sent us cookies and meringues at the end. I was so stuffed.
I tend to eat less French food because it tends to be heavy, but the chef here does many traditional dishes in a «Mediterranean style,» without cream or butter, which was awesome. I didn’t expect to find such an authentic place in Vail, let alone in our hotel. This husband/​wife run operation is definitely worth checking out.

We dined here this evening. Food was superb. The service was absolutely awful. I had to ask the hostess for help. She kindly took our order. We paid the check, again only after asking for it an hour and a half after we had been seated, without our dishes being cleared. The décor is ugly, the art worse. Not even close to being worth what paid for the meal. Not going back.

During a recent visit to Vail, we dined two evenings at The Left Bank. The ambiance was wonderful and the view of Gore Creek, from our table, added greatly to the pleasantness of the evening.
The food was superior, though extremely pricey, like all Vail. The wine list was excellent but, again, pricey. The Tiger Shrimp in a ragout were wonderful. The trout was excellent.
However, the Grand Marnier Soufflé topped everything. It was as nice a desert as I have had, anywhere.

I’ve been coming to the Vail Valley every year since 1974. There are very few places in Vail that have stood the test of time. It’s one of my «go-​to» restaurants when I’m in town. There is a reason why the Left Bank has been in Vail for 40+ years so don’t let these negative reviews from so called «foodies» fool anyone. It’s real simple, if you don’t like the Left Bank, you don’t like French food.
I am a foodie by every definition of the word. I live in NYC where my wife and I eat out every single day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). We have eaten at every Michelin star restaurant and over 75% of Zagat in NYC. We travel all over the world to eat at the best restaurants and then tour the cities that house them… in that order.
The Left Bank serves traditional french fare from various regions of France with a touch of American taste thrown in there to accommodate everyone. The Gigolette d’Agneau and Côte de Veau aux Asperges are my favorites here. Just save room for the chocolate soufflé. Its the best I’ve ever had, anywhere in the world (yes, France too).

OK, I have been to this place twice now and twice it has been the #1 most indulgent and amazing meal I have ever had. Strangely enough going in January 2011 and 2012, I had the same waiter and same table like it had been waiting for me to come back.
The chef is truly gifted and spares nothing in making the meal perfect. The wine list is comprehensive although a little too heavily French and the unique cocktails are as unique as the food.
This last trip, I really wanted the chocolate soufflé. The rules say 4 people minimum which I totally understand given the technically complex nature of the creation. They made an exception for me this time and I am so glad they did, it was amazing just like everything else.
I had the Coquilles St. Jacques, Vol au Vent de Homard et Crevettes Sauce Homardine and I got the special fresh made saffron pasta with black truffles as my meal. My wife had the prixe fixe menu and absolutely loved it as well.
We will come here every year we return. They give a cooking class on Sunday evenings but unfortunately didn’t have one the Sunday we were there. I’m sure this guy could up my cooking game with an evening lesson.

Last night in Vail we had dinner here since my brother loves all things French after living in France for 4 months during freshman year of college. The restaurant is old school and the décor a little dated, but it hardly takes away from the place.
The service was wonderful and very helpful. The sommelier was very French, very cute, and very knowledgeable. The wine list is very extensive, but they have good affordable bottles to the extravagant bottles. They have a very nice cocktail list and started off my meal with a specialty martini which was very freshening and strong, not sweet. Everyone fully enjoyed their meal; everything was very well prepared. Although, I was a little surprised with how big the portions were.
For the food, I would certainly recommend this place to anyone and would have given this place 4 stars if not for one horrible thing at the end… A little note to the owner/owner’s wife or possibly just a horribly irresponsible maitre’d (not entirely sure who it was), you don’t let your drunken friends come into the restaurant and allow them to ruin everyone elses’ meal with their loud, rowdy behavior (we are talking bar room loud, not sitting down in a timely fashion, and bumping into other people’s chairs). We told our sommelier on the way out who was completely astonished and very apologetic, but it was too late at that point to salvage our meal.

I’m conflicted over how to review Left Bank — went with the Bennetts the other night, my favorite family of fabulous eaters and my «in-​laws», and while the Left Bank is always their favorite place, it left me quite unimpressed. To be fair, apparently it was an off night, but for $ 85 – 100 each w/​o wine, I would have expected a bit more polish.
The décor is a bit dowdy (yes, that awning INSIDE of the dining room was appropriate in 1980, but probably not in 2011) — and as it was December, Mariah Carey’s «All I Want for Christmas Is You» was blaring — totally adding to the authenticity of the place — those out of sync details aside, the menu is thoroughly French and I do believe that you can get good food there, just apparently not when I’m present.
While my hearts of palm salad came doused in a cocktail sauce that would have been at home at the Red Lobster, the elk carpaccio was much enjoyed, as were the lamb chop starters.
For mains, if you want to have a heart attack, hit to vol au vent — my bouillabasse was fine, but for $ 40, I wanted more than 5 mussels, 2 scallops, and maybe 3 shrimp. Oh, and Nathan’s order was clearly just throw together — I think he missed the mussels entirely. Desserts were uninspired — soufflé tasting of nothing and two entirely different versions of the same pear tarte arrived at our table. And get this, the pastry chef did the worse version. Perhaps something is lost in translation?
To continue my debbie downer review, the service was really scattered with multiple people taking our orders and a clear lack of internal communication present, Leaving me to implore the fussy consumer to spend your food dollars and caloric intake elsewhere.