Shallow Shaft Restaurant

Celebrated our 24^th Anniversary!
Treated ourselves to this great place. We enjoy this place every time we do that ski thang! Love Love Love

I’d have to agree with Aaron — nothing spectacular. We had a large party here and the first thing I will note is that it was painful to deal with the manager/​event coordinator to get it set up. Sometimes it took weeks for him to respond to a simple email. As for the food — really nothing special and for the prices I really would have expected a lot more. Nothing really memorable about the place, the meal or the service.

Shallow Shaft is our favorite ‘fancy’ restaurant in SLC. We’ve been to most of the usual suspects like Fresco, Paris, Forage, Francks (also amazing), La Caille, Valter’s, Café Madrid, blah, blah. Most of those are great but we still go to Shallow Shaft more than others. The food is such that you have a hard time picking because everything sounds amazing. That’s a good problem to have. We went a few weeks ago and had a killer Boar Rib app, my wife had the Elk and it was off the charts. I had some special that is slipping my mind but it was very good as well. We spend a ton of time in Little Cottonwood Canyon and live at the base so that could skew things but never had a bad experience in about 6 times there… except leaving way too full once.

The shallow shaft is amazing. I’ve never been there for sunset but the night view of groomers working Alta is pretty cool. The wine list is awesome!
The trout cakes are we’re really good, but my favorite app is the boar ribs. The Brussel spouts are also a sound choice.
Also, the Caesar is done right with the perfect amount of anchovies.
I’ve been here twice since moving from San Diego and I’ve only tried the Wagyu beef and the short ribs. Both are really really good.
My sister had the Alta pasta, which she says was really good.
Service: if you get Willie you won’t be disappointed. Dude is really funny and the rest of the staff was super attentive, as my water glass was never empty… Gotta stay hydrated!
Overall, great after a day in the powder.

Fine meal for haute cuisine starved area. Solid, but nothing spectacular, but given the competition in the area, it could be deserving of a fourth star.

Yes! 2015 is my new favorite year for Shallow Shaft
Had the delicious crispy brussels sprouts and the rather interesting pheasant poutine. I liked how they used large wedges of very crispy potatoes instead of regular french fries. This ensured that the potatoes did not become soggy even though they were smother with lots of rich pheasant gravy. I think I would have like a little more cheese curd, but overall this was a pretty good dish.
The pan seared walleye I had for dinner was phenomenal. Very tender and cooked perfectly, also came with very nice lemon butter sauce that paired perfectly with the mild fish.
I ate every single bite AND then I got dessert which was so much better than last year.
We didn’t get the bread so I can’t comment on that but I tried the spice cake again and it was goooooood.
Moist and warm with an added touch of crunch from little ginger pieces sprinkled on top. The cherry sauce also complimented the spiciness of the cake rather well. I think the added ginger really enhanced the flavor (and texture) this time, so this was a nice and much needed addition.
I think it’ll be a good year for food!

I’ve come here about once a year for the past 5 or so years. The food has been consistently excellent. The menu has something for everyone — kids and vegetarians included. The staff are lovely, and the décor the same as most of Alta’s buildings — rustic and cozy.

For years, Snowbird was only about the snow and never about the food. Now that we found Shallow Shaft, food ranks high too. Sit at a table infront of the big window and not a crowded booth. Look at all the old cool mining equipment.
The hot freah rolls lead you in to excellently prepared fillet mignon, covered with king crab. Huge lamb chops done just right and a wine list with Cabs like Chalk Hill or Willamette Valley Pinos leave you with a smile.

A group of four of us drove the distance to the Shallow Shaft for a Wine Maker’s Dinner. Wiggling up the windy road towards the ‘Bird and Alta, and it wasn’t to ski, this had better be good.
Thought #1: This place is «quaint», and looks worn from the outside. But, hey, let me avoid the pothole in front of the entrance to climb up the narrow flight of stairs to find out for sure. #2 I don’t believe this restaurant is handicap accessible. #3 Entering into a small «waiting» area, and just beyond that, a bar. A glass of white wine is thrust into my hands. Nice way to greet the guests. #4 Boy, this interior is dated. The single lift chair seating is «cute», but… #5 Nice view of the ski hill, but, it would be nicer if the window was cleaned. #6 Soup: a potato pear — this was so awesome! I could’ve eaten just this for dinner. More wine. More food. And so the evening wore on.
The chef is really quite good. I was very impressed with everything I was served.
Dutton Goldfield’s wines are excellent. I hope I can find them in the state liquor stores!
Price: $ 50 per person for food. Another $ 45 for the wine paring.
Excellent food. Excellent wines. This juxtaposed with the dated interior, dirty windows, and a pothole on the outside which is a definite hazard to every guest is what earned it four stars.

We have been coming to Snowbird/​Alta since the mid 70’s. Food had always been the issue. Definitely the weakest component of vacationing here. Sometimes these places, instead of providing good food at fair prices, try to get fancy and it just doesn’t work. Over the years, the Shallow Shaft has usually been a cut above other canyon offerings, but not always. Last evening, we had an OK meal with appalling service. Our waiter must have just had an argument with his spouse or someone else. He obviously didn’t want to be there and it showed. He bussed the table next to us and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the dinnerware and glassware were broken before they arrived at the dishwasher. We were told by the shuttle driver and our waiter about the brussel sprouts. We ordered them, never saw them. Never saw our waiter again to get them removed from the bill. All the facilities in the canyon have OUTRAGEOUSLY inflated wine prices. I don’t know whether this is a Utah Liquor Law phenomena of just price gouging, but quality restaurants in NYC, Chicago, Miami, L.A., San Francisco don’t inflate their wine prices this much.
I’m not saying don’t go to the Shallow Shaft, just be aware of the offerings in this canyon. Oh yeah, the cramped seating and «rustic» décor is getting a bit long in the tooth.

I read the reviews on Unilocal before dining here. I can only say that they are misleading in a negative sense. This restaurant has superb cuisine, excellent service and a wonderful wine list. Situated as it is at the end of the road in Alta, it is a rare find. Not the sort of place one goes to Alta to find, so I think previous reviewers cast a undeservedly negative light on this restaurant. If you’re anywhere within 30 miles of this place, go out of your way to stop in here, you won’t be sorry!

Closed for summer due to lack of business. (Lack of business due to preposterous prices.)
3 stars for being closed so I can be disappointed without wasting my money on another overpriced ski mountain restaurant.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was good. It just seemed quite expensive for what you get. Perhaps that is part of being up on a mountain next to two ski resorts. With that said, we started with the trout cakes and they were very tasty. Next up were the entrees, which are all priced between $ 30 — $ 40 bucks. I went with the oscar filet special (filet mignon topped with crab meat and bearnaise) and it was good but not great. Although cooked well, the quality of the cut was suspect and the mashed potatoes were only okay. Certainly not tasty enough to warrant the $ 55 price tag. My wife went with the Wagyu and found it good too. If you’re willing to pay a premium for good but not great food, then you’ll be quite satisfied with this place. I guess I just expected more.

Went during the off season so the menu was cheaper. The macaroni and cheese was amazing. It even has bacon in it. The service was super. The menu is small and changes between ski season and off season.

Restaurants are pretty limited in the Alta/​Snowbird area, though I definitely expected better from Shallow Shaft. On the positive side of things, the restaurant has a great view of Alta and a cozy, ski town atmosphere though the chandeliers over each booth threw off WAY too much light and blinded you… tables in the middle of the room are recommended. Also, the food was GROSSLY overpriced. Admittedly, it was at the end of the season and they said they were running low on product thus, no bison and maybe lower quality overall… not acceptable. I had the «Oscar» instead, which was comprised off over cooked lobster on top of a chewy filet. The vegetables were definitely the best part. My girlfriend had the Miso Black Cod, which has a great taste actually, though cooked inconsistently throughout. We also had rock shrimp fritters to start, which were disgusting and just tasted like bread crumbs. After one beer and two glasses of wine the meal came to around $ 140, which was ludicrous for the quality. I definitely would not go back nor recommend it to anyone for the price point.

Skiing with friends and thought a real dinner was in order. I had been there in the past and had good memories. To say the least it was very disappointing. The service was very dismissive and slow. The filet was dreadfully overcooked, shoe leather comes to mind. The ceasar had obviously been sitting in the fridge for too long with wilted greens and served with no noticeable dressing. Maybe just an off night but for those prices I would think twice about booking a table

Great food, awesome views and friendly and knowledgable staff. It’s a great spot for the winter or summer. The fish is always exceptionally fresh and perfectly cooked.

We went on a special date to the Shallow Shaft on a recommendation from some of my husbands soon-​to-​be colleagues. And mmmm– delicious! Since both my husband and I aren’t very big eaters, we split the soup special, appetizer special, and one of the entrée specials– a t-​bone steak.
The soup was a curried winter squash soup, and it was just rich enough, super flavorful, with the perfect amount of spice and a surprising and delicious citrusy tang. I wanted to lick the bowl, but decided that would be inappropriate. The appetizer was trout cakes topped with crème fraîche and salmon roe– I found the texture a little one-​note, but my husband liked them. And then the steak! So delicious– incredibly tender and flavorful. In addition, our waiter was the sommelier and was incredibly knowledgeable about their wine selection– which was very very decent, albeit a little expensive. The service was impeccable– attentive but not smothering. I was definitely impressed.
Now a little about some downsides– the décor is dated. Very dated. And as others have mentioned, the prices are a little steep– but you’re paying to be right across the street from Alta. I mean, 5 star real estate here. I would have thought at this price though, the décor would be more updated. But I suppose it has its charm. I would definitely come here again for a special occasion… especially once I have a paying job!

Probably one of the only times in life I had really hot salmon, and it was good. It is pricey, but you have to keep in mind that it’s in the ski town of Alta, Utah, which is 7 – 10 miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Mountain restaurants are generally more expensive.
The atmosphere is like an old 80s lodge, but the views of the ski mountain are amazing. I’ve eaten here numerous times, and I’ve always enjoyed the food whether it

After two days eating Sysco type food at Snowbird’s Cliff lodge, we had to leave the resort and get a real meal. I can def slum it when necessary and when I’m snowboarding I can get by on oatmeal and bananas all day, but after 2 mediocre burger dinners, we decided to leave the mountain and trek up to Alta area for a proper dinner.
We got what we were looking for but it was insanely expensive. Entrée’s were all between $ 30 – 40 and were not huge or 5 star quality. Everything was good, but not worth the price tag. I had a t-​bone lamb cut with a side of asparagus (literally 5 smallish pieces) and a few bland carrots. My buddy had the special, which was a bison rib-​eye with a mushroom/​bacon glaze. They were both good, but for $ 40 I’m looking for better then good.
The inside of the restaurant reminded me of a VT ski-​lodge, but I guess all ski-​lodges have animal heads on the wall and whatnot. The whole vibe was trying too hard to be a fancy shmancy place, and it didn’t really work out. Example: please don’t clean up my crumbs off a paper table cloth. The yokel waiter kept raving about this «Manchengo» Spanish cheese plate, and I had to bite my tongue from correcting him. The wine list was a bargain though. We had 2 bottles of Joel Gott red zin ’97 for $ 35 a pop. Not too shabby. After a full day on the mountain I don’t need fancy. Too bad this place doesn’t just go the chill but nice route as that is a hole that needs filling in this town.
I guess they can get away with the prices because there is literally zero competition for a more upscale dinner. So I cautiously suggest this place if you are at Snowbird or Alta and want something better then what is offered at the resorts. Just don’t expect too much.

The Shallow Shaft offers the best dinning experience in Snowbird, although located one mile up canyon in the small town of Alta, the experience Is well worth the shuttle ride from Snowbird. the Menu is Rocky Mountain inspired wild game, fresh seafood and pasta, all the side dishes where prepared perfectly, and there was not a flaw in are meal. The shallow shaft also boast the best wine list at snowbird or in the entire canyon for that matter. It is a must hit if you are staying in snowbird or Alta.

Everything you could possibly want in a ski resort steakhouse. My buddy Dan came out to Salt Lake for the weekend, to do some climbing in Little Cottonwood Canyon. After climbing from 8am — 8pm, we found the Shallow Shaft, had the calamari appetizer, followed by the ½ pound burgers, and some good beer.
The Shallow Shaft has the most amazing views of the mountains you can imagine. The waiter was attentive and joked around with us — he obviously loves his job. And, the food was filling and hit the spot. Other than the douche bag sitting at the table next to us, lecturing his 20-​something year old son, and bullying the poor guy the entire time, it was the best meal I could have imagined after a hard day of climbing. («Well, I can help you pay off your credit cards, but… How in the world do you spend money like that? When I was your age…» Like something you would see in a bad movie. I wish I could have recorded that conversation, then hand over the transcript to that douchebag dad — maybe that would help wake him up to how much of an A-​hole he was.) Unfortunately, it sounded like the guy was a regular there at the Shallow Shaft, so if you go for dinner some time, you might encounter him there. If not for that, I would give the restaurant 5 stars. But, with the danger of coming across that particular douchy patron, I have to deduct 1 star.

Ski areas are not noted for having very good restaurants, unless your idea of very good includes buffalo burgers and whole potato fries, and mine does … but Alta does offer one exception to this rule: the Shallow Shaft. With an ambitious menu to match its big-​city pricing (entries run from high $ 20’s to low $ 40’s) that includes starters such as wild mushroom crostini with white truffle oil and entrees like maple-​BBQed pork chop with white cheddar grits & jalapeño onions, Shallow Shaft digs deeply into the possibilities that a commitment to organic food with a creative flair can bring.
It doesn’t all work, though. The so-​called salmon flatbread starter for $ 15 was basically a small pizza, with a salmon waved over it, in the manner of a dry martini, with the bottle of vermouth waved over it.
Some tips for dining here or anywhere in Utah, if you’re not aware of the local peculiarities: all restaurants are BYOB, but the bottle must contain the Utah state tax stamp; all draft beer is near-​beer, as in 3.2% alcohol, not the normal 5−6%. Mormon rules, not mine. Come to think of it, I’m like Beetlejuice … I don’t have any rules.