Nosh Nashers: Hunters Grille

Good Food with Local Passion

Getting There

Hunter's Grille is located in the new commons area of beautiful Erie, CO. It opened it's doors on April 5th of this year and is a welcome addition to the community. They are a little off the beaten path and tucked away so be sure to utilize GPS to find them. Hunter's Grille has plenty of free parking in front of the restaurant.

The Atmosphere

After experiencing the high end, upscale atmosphere of the establishments participating in Denver Restaurant Week, we appreciated the clean, homey, and comfortable feel of Hunter's Grille. From the log cabin type décor to the soundproof wall that separates the full service bar from the rest of the restaurant, Hunter's Grille is warm, welcoming, and local. Music plays in the background but is not overwhelming to the point where you are unable to have a conversation with the people sitting across the table from you.

The Eats

The food was incredible. Everything we tasted was fresh and made from scratch. We started out with an herb bread stuffed with mozzarella cheese which was served with sweet, creamy butter. The bread was fresh from the oven. We reveled in the swirls of steam rising from this delicious treat as we tore it apart with our hands. As we did so, a heavenly herbal fragrance filled the air around us. It didn't even need the butter (although that didn't keep us from trying it).

Appetizers range from common to exotic. We chose coconut shrimp with a spicy pineapple sauce and deep fried mushrooms with a side of ranch. The shrimp was nothing out of the ordinary, typical coconut shrimp but the pineapple sauce was very good - tangy, sweet, and spicy. The mushrooms had a nice flavor without being mushy, greasy, or watery. It was obvious that the mushrooms were not commercial but fresh and packed full of flavor. We chose some safe appetizers this trip; however, Hunter's Grille offers unusual starters such as Rocky Mountain Oysters and a Wild Game Sampler consisting of bratwurst made from elk, boar, and caribou.

Looking over the menu, we had many questions about the fare and were unsure which items to select and which sides to try. Our server Peter, was very kind and patient. He answered all our questions and even provided us with samples of their orzo/couscous, their green chile, and their brand new Hunter's Grille stew. All three were simply wonderful! The orzo pasta was flavorful and hearty with a wonderful herbal undertone. The green chile consisted of tender pork and spices. Let's just say we were hoping the food fairy would bring us a burrito to drown it in. The stew was our favorite. Tender beef and fresh ingredients combined to create a "stick to your ribs" type goodness that left us both trying to decide how long it would take before we returned for a full bowl of the stew.

This visit, we were both feeling the need for red meat. One chose the special and the other chose the rib eye. The special just happened to be prime rib. Peter informed us that the Prime Rib goes quickly so we were smart to get there early. No fancy marinades or anything with the meal. Just good, quality beef, cooked well and served simply with a loaded baked potato and garden salad. The rib eye was grilled rather then cooking under the searing heat of a salamander. The prime rib was good, although a little less flavorful than the steak. The horseradish sauce served with the prime rib was strong but had a wonderful hint of dill which made it very tasty. Hunter's Grille offers a classic American menu including burgers, steaks, and seafood. They also offer a full children's menu. All items are reasonably priced with the most expensive items costing around $25.

As a side note, when you order a glass of wine at Hunter's Grille...you get a GLASS OF WINE. Being used to a typical 4 or 6 ounce pour at Denver restaurants, we were amazed at the amount of wine we were served. The glass is easily double the size of typical wine servings and it only cost $5 a glass. Amazing!!!!

Now for everybody's favorite part of the meal...Dessert! Homemade pecan pie with caramel and chocolate sauce and a slice of carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Both these dishes were amazing, flavorful, and filling.

The People

Everybody we met at Hunter's Grille was knowledgeable, kind, fun, and friendly. David, the greeter, was all smiles from the time we walked in the door. He joked around with us and put up with our corny sense of humor. Peter, our waiter, was amazing. He was professional yet welcoming and warm. Please do yourself a favor and request Peter as your server when you visit. You won't be sorry. Kelly, the manager, stopped by our table to talk to us about all that Hunter's Grille offers and made us feel welcomed and appreciated. She is a great lady who cares deeply about the restaurant and her community.

Summing Up

Hunter's Grille is an exquisite restaurant with a wonderful small town feel. It's clean, comfy, and unpretentious. A wonderful place for a date, a family, or a fun group of people. You can have a meal, watch a game, or sit on the patio and enjoy the clean, country air. Karaoke is a draw on Saturdays. They also sponsor the local high school football team - the Erie Tigers. After the games, Hunter's Grille offers the team and their fans a place to gather, celebrate, and hang out. They will also be hosting a fundraiser in November for the Salvation Army's Angel Tree. All funds raised will be kept in the community of Erie where it can do the most good. Please visit their Facebook page for more information and notifications of events. We are very happy to award Hunter's Grille the coveted "Golden Spoon". A wonderful Colorado eatery with an equally wonderful staff and food. Thank you all for an amazing time!

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.