Hickory House
Aspen Flyover 1/4 Section Grid, Aspen
Restaurant in Aspen, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Hickory House is the practical Aspen pick when flexibility matters more than polish: daily breakfast, lunch, dinner windows make it useful around skiing, family plans, or a loose itinerary. Treat it as an easygoing West Main Street meal, not a wine-led or special-occasion booking.
About Hickory House
Aspen rewards repeat diners who know when to keep the plan simple. Hickory House works when the decision is convenience, casual dress, an easygoing Aspen meal rather than a highly specific dining format.
The practical read is simple: consider this for a low-friction meal in Aspen when the group needs daytime or evening hours. Hickory House is listed daily from 8 AM–2:30 PM and again from 5–9 PM, giving it useful timing flexibility for travelers planning around the day or a late change of plans.
Choose it for ease, not a wine-led night
Don't overread Hickory House as a destination wine play. It does not feature a named wine program, cellar strength, chef profile, awards, specific cuisine, or price tier. The safer recommendation is to treat Hickory House as a practical Aspen option rather than a bottle-focused booking. Wine-focused diners should cross-shop more deliberately; travelers building a deeper food itinerary can use our full Aspen restaurants guide, then branch into our full Aspen bars guide if the drinking portion of the night matters more than the table itself.
For a first-timer, the decision point is not whether this is Aspen's polished splurge. It is whether the group needs something casual and open across multiple dayparts. That makes it useful for visitors who already have a more involved dinner planned elsewhere and need a direct meal around the edges of the trip.
Who should put this on the Aspen plan
Consider it when the party includes schedule-sensitive travelers or anyone who would rather avoid a formal dress code. Skip it for a special-occasion dinner where a specific wine list, service style, cuisine, room energy are priorities for the night. For that kind of itinerary, compare against other Aspen options before committing.
Location details should be kept simple: Hickory House is in Aspen. If the trip also includes lodging decisions, pair this with our full Aspen hotels guide; for non-restaurant planning, broader Aspen planning guides are better starting points than forcing one meal to do all the work.
Quick reference: choose Hickory House for an easy Aspen meal with broad timing flexibility; cross-shop if wine depth, occasion dining, or a clearly defined cuisine lane is the priority.
Planning details
- Location
- 730 W Main St, Aspen, CO 81611
- Website
- hickoryhouseribs.com
- Phone
- +19709252313
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Hickory House reads like a dependable neighborhood anchor on West Main Street, offering an unpretentious alternative to Aspen’s more performative dining scene. The writing focuses on familiarity and ritual — regulars arrive without fanfare, and the building’s street-level presence deliberately avoids the staged arrivals common elsewhere in town. The mood favors an unhurried, warm conviviality: meals are governed by the guest rather than a prescribed kitchen tempo, and the place feels like one that has learned how to be itself. It lands as comfortable, welcoming, and refreshingly low-key amid a town of high ceremony.
Best For
This is a go-to for anyone seeking straightforward, comforting American meals without the fuss: families, groups of friends and casual hangouts all fit easily here. The piece frames Hickory House as part of Aspen’s everyday dining layer, where repetition and familiarity matter more than showy service. You don’t need to plan months ahead or expect valet-and-doorman theatrics — it’s the kind of place people return to for reliable food and relaxed company. It’s especially well suited to informal dinners and group nights where the pace of the meal is up to the table.
Ordering Tips
Expect a relaxed ordering rhythm: you place food when you’re ready, linger as you like, and leave on your own schedule. The write-up contrasts this autonomy with tasting-menu formats, so don’t anticipate a tightly controlled sequence of courses or formal choreography. Given the restaurant’s signature Danish Baby Back Ribs, plan to order shareable, familiar plates for the table. Also note the entrance is street level with no valet or doorman — arrive casually and allow the meal to unfold at your own pace.
Venue details
Ambiance
Casual log cabin atmosphere with sports memorabilia displays like a museum, giant flat screen TVs for watching games, and the inviting aroma of on-site smoked meats.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
Danish Baby Back Ribs
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- LoLa 41, Sushi/Seafood, Sushi/Seafood
- Petit Trois Aspen, French bistro, French bistro
- Meadows Café, Notable alternative
- Pyramid Bistro, Notable alternative
- West End Social, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
How Hickory House compares in Aspen
Choose Hickory House when ease is the point. Against LoLa 41, which has a clearer sushi and seafood lane, Hickory House is the safer pick for a casual group that does not want the meal defined by one cuisine. LoLa 41 makes more sense when raw bar, sushi, or a sharper night-out feel is the brief.
Petit Trois Aspen is the better fit for a French bistro mood and a more deliberate dinner plan. Hickory House is easier to justify when value is about convenience and schedule flexibility rather than a tightly framed room. West End Social should be on the list if ambiance and a fuller evening arc matter more than a quick, practical meal.
For softer cross-shops, Meadows Café and Pyramid Bistro are worth checking when Hickory House does not match the plan. Use Meadows Café for a lighter daytime alternative and Pyramid Bistro when the group wants a different Aspen dining rhythm without jumping straight to sushi, seafood, or French bistro territory.
Explore Aspen
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Hickory House guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Hickory House
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory House | Aspen | ; | 2026 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Featured Restaurants |
| LoLa 41 | Aspen | Sushi/Seafood | No published awards |
| Petit Trois Aspen | Aspen | French bistro | No published awards |
| Meadows Café | Aspen | ; | No published awards |
| Pyramid Bistro | Aspen | ; | No published awards |
| West End Social | Aspen | ; | No published awards |
How Hickory House Aspen compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a first-timer know about Hickory House?
Start with the hours: Hickory House is listed every day from 8 AM–2:30 PM and 5–9 PM. It is in Aspen, the dress code is casual, so it can be a practical option when you want something easy to slot into the day without planning around a formal setup.
What are alternatives to Hickory House in Aspen?
Other Aspen options to compare include LoLa 41, Petit Trois Aspen, Meadows Café, Pyramid Bistro, West End Social. Use the hours and casual dress code at Hickory House as the baseline, then compare current details directly before deciding.
How far ahead should I book Hickory House?
A booking policy is not specified. Plan around the listed hours instead: Hickory House is open daily from 8 AM–2:30 PM and 5–9 PM. If timing is important, confirm directly with the venue before you go.
Is the daytime or evening window better at Hickory House?
The daytime window is 8 AM–2:30 PM every day, the evening window is 5–9 PM every day. Choose based on when Hickory House best fits your Aspen schedule, confirm current details directly if your plans are time-sensitive.
