Montauk's Bathroom Mediocre At Best

Montauk Seafood Grill
549 E. Lionshead Circle
Vail, CO USA
www.montaukseafoodgrill.com

Where is it?

To get to the restrooms here, make your immediate left after you enter. When you get halfway down the hallway make a right, which will put you in view of Montauk’s bar.

To the right of the bar is a small hallway adorned with the replica of a large swordfish (or is it a marlin?). At the end of this hall you will find restrooms.

What’s it like?

This 19-year-old establishment prides itself on being one of the finer seafood/steak establishments in the tiny town of Vail. And just like most fine dining locales in Vail, it also comes with the higher than average price tag for your selections.

But this shouldn’t be a surprise. Vail is one of the more (if not the most) popular ski resorts in the world, and tourists do not mind dishing out the payola to play on its pristine slopes. So pricey fine dining is just part of the vacation package.

The exterior of Montauk adheres to the faux-Bavarian architecture that is the defacto standard in all of Vail. Yet, the interior is still quite welcoming.

It has a modern and warm environment with a hint of rustic throwback. The staff is very friendly, and they're open to all questions about the menu, the locale, the history of the restaurant, the town of Vail, Beatles songs, pH balance of the town’s water, and thoughts about past and present names of people.

Yes, they are awesome to communicate with!

Efficiency is a different matter, however, Each member of my party ordered a different dish from the menu. Of the five of us, I believe only one spoke up to talk about the great taste of the Chilean Sea Bass. But everyone else’s critique was less than stellar.

Salmon was dry/over grilled. Halibut tasted pretty plain, and my other two friends we’re not satisfied with the grill level of their steaks. For the average 30-some dollars a plate there, they could of done a better job.

But before hightailing out of Montauk, and into the cold Colorado air, I went to check out the bathroom. The doors to the bathrooms are simply gender-labeled with stickers you could find at your local arts and crafts store. It may be cheap, but there is no question on which door to go into.

The space inside the bathroom is equivalent to the size of a master bedroom closet (one found in most homes, not mansion sized). The bathrooms walls are lined with washed out grey-blue and white wall tiles. The colors don’t create any form of “wow” factor, but does make the aesthetics of the facilities mildly pleasurable. The floor though was dusty and small pockets of grime could be seen on the tile floor.

This was uncanny, since all the toilets, partitions, fixtures and mirror we’re relatively clean.

There was even a bouquet of flowers (didn’t check if they we’re real or not) in a snazzy vase to brighten up your post toilet experience! The hand towel wire basket with color matching stand alone cylindrical soap dispenser is a nice touch. I guess floor care was an afterthought.

Marks out of 10:

This gets a 6. Overall, the presentation of the facilities we’re average, just good enough to get your release and go. But nothing really memorable.

Comments to the Management:

Kitchen quality needs some upgrading. Bathrooms need to get some door signs for the bathroom and clean them floors!

-- Ayal Wolf
Guest Contributor