Restaurant in Park City, United States
OAD-ranked dinner worth the reservation.
Ranked #361 among top North American restaurants by Opinionated About Dining in 2025, Riverhorse Cafe is Park City's most credentialed dinner destination on Main Street. Chef Seth Adams runs an American menu with Southwest influence — wild game, lobster, and regional proteins — in a refined but relaxed room. Reservations are essential; book two to three weeks out for weekends during ski season.
Ranked #361 among leading restaurants in North America by Opinionated About Dining in 2025 and holding a 4.5 rating across more than 1,000 Google reviews, Riverhorse Cafe is the most consistently recognised full-service dinner destination on Park City's Main Street. If you are planning a special occasion dinner in Park City and want something with actual critical standing rather than just ski-town convenience, this is where to book. Reservations are hard to secure on weekends, so plan accordingly.
540 Main Street is the spine of Park City's walkable dining and nightlife district, and Riverhorse sits at its centre. Independent boutiques, spas, and bars are within a short walk, which makes it a natural anchor for a full evening out rather than just a dinner stop. That location is both an asset and a warning: foot traffic during ski season and the Sundance Film Festival period drives demand significantly, and the room fills fast on Fridays and Saturdays.
The physical space reads as rustic but considered. The room has the proportions of a historic Main Street building with enough refinement to work for a business dinner or a celebratory meal without feeling stiff. Forbes Travel Guide has flagged it as a soon-to-be-rated property, which signals that the experience is operating at a level that warrants formal evaluation. The dress code is relaxed by design — comfortable and smart-casual is the expectation — so there is no need to over-dress, but the room will not reward showing up in ski gear.
Chef Seth Adams runs an American menu with a Southwest lean. Highlighted dishes from the venue's own materials include seared elk carpaccio with tabbouleh, lemon, truffle essence and mustard; crisp tempura lobster with persimmon marmalade, avocado and grapefruit; bacon-wrapped shrimp; chardonnay-poached scallops and lobster tail; and a wild game trio of North American buffalo, elk, and venison chop. The range signals a kitchen that is comfortable with both luxury proteins and regional ingredients, which is a reasonable match for Park City's visitor profile. The wine list covers California reds and includes Utah selections, which adds local context without limiting choice.
For diners comparing this to peer restaurants of similar ambition, the wild game focus gives Riverhorse a more distinct identity than a standard mountain resort steakhouse. If that format appeals, this is the most credentialed version of it in Park City right now.
Reservations are required , the venue is explicit about this, and the OAD ranking and Forbes attention mean demand has only increased. Book at least two to three weeks ahead for a weekend table during ski season, and further out if you are visiting during a high-traffic period like Sundance. Dinner service runs nightly from 5 pm, with slightly extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays (until 9:30 pm versus 9 pm on other nights). There is no lunch service, so this is a dinner-only decision.
Quick reference: Dinner only, 5–9 pm Sun–Thu, 5–9:30 pm Fri–Sat. Reservations essential. Smart-casual dress. Located at 540 Main St, Park City, UT 84060.
For context on where Riverhorse sits in Park City's dining options, see the full comparison section below. For broader exploration of what to do in the area, Pearl's full Park City restaurants guide, hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the full picture.
Manageable, but not the natural format here. Riverhorse is a sit-down dinner restaurant with a reservation requirement and a menu pitched at celebration or occasion dining. Solo diners can book, and the bar area may offer more comfort than a full table alone, but if you are dining solo and want a more social setup, other Park City options may suit better. Solo visits work leading on a quieter weeknight when the room is less pressured.
Based on the venue's own highlighted dishes, the wild game trio (buffalo, elk, and venison chop) is the most distinctive option on the menu and the clearest expression of what Chef Seth Adams is doing differently from a standard steakhouse. The tempura lobster and the elk carpaccio are also flagged as signature dishes. These are the items that justify the OAD ranking and the Forbes attention , ordering from the game and seafood side of the menu makes more sense here than playing it safe with a standard protein.
Two to three weeks minimum for a weekend table during ski season. During Sundance (typically late January) or peak holiday periods, book further out. The OAD Leading Restaurants ranking and the Forbes evaluation status mean demand is not dropping. Weeknight tables mid-season are more forgiving, but do not assume you can walk in , the venue is explicit that reservations are required regardless of the night.
Yes, this is one of the stronger choices in Park City for a celebration dinner. The combination of a credentialed menu (OAD #361 in North America, Forbes attention), a refined but relaxed room on Main Street, and a menu with luxury proteins and game makes it a natural fit for birthdays, anniversaries, or a post-ski occasion dinner. The dress code is smart-casual, so it is accessible without requiring formality. Compare against Glitretind if you want a mountain-setting alternative for the same occasion type.
Dinner is the only option , Riverhorse does not serve lunch. Service runs from 5 pm nightly, with Friday and Saturday extending to 9:30 pm. If you want a midday meal on Main Street, you will need to look elsewhere. Within the dinner window, earlier sittings (5–6:30 pm) tend to be quieter and easier for conversation; later on Fridays and Saturdays the room will be at full volume.
For a steakhouse format on a similar price tier, Yuta is the most direct peer. For mountain-setting American dining with a different atmosphere, Glitretind Restaurant is worth serious consideration, particularly for groups. Powder offers another American option at a potentially easier booking. For a lower-key evening on Main Street, Bangkok Thai on Main is a practical fallback. See Pearl's full Park City restaurants guide for a broader comparison.
Bar seating is not confirmed in the available venue data, but the venue's format and size suggest bar or lounge seating likely exists. What is confirmed is that reservations are required , do not assume that bar availability means walk-in access. Contact the restaurant directly to ask about bar seating options if that format suits your visit better than a reserved table.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverhorse Cafe | American | With the trendy, urban vibe at this Park City eatery, you may forget you’re in Utah. Located at exactly 540 Main Street, you’ll find American comfort food with a Southwest flair at this rustic, yet refined, Forbes Travel Guide Soon-To-Be-Rated restaurant.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #361 (2025); **Inspector's Highlights:** Things to Know Since the luxury Park City restaurant is located in a mountain resort community, the staff encourages clients to dress comfortably and relaxed. Just keep in mind, while the dress code is informal, reservations are a must.This modern, luxury restaurant is located in the heart of historic Park City. Right near Riverhorse Café, you’ll find independent boutiques, spas and an exciting nightlife all within walking distance.Riverhorse on Main is open for dinner nightly starting at 5. **Things to Know:** The Food Chow down on dishes like seared elk carpaccio with tabbouleh, lemon, truffle essence and mustard or crisp tempura lobster with persimmon marmalade, avocado and grapefruit.The luxury Park City restaurant also boasts an extensive wine collection that has everything from your classic California reds to some local Utah selections. Each day, hungry diners seek out the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant to savor memorable dishes like bacon-wrapped shrimp, chardonnay-poached scallops and lobster tail, and a trio of wild game, which includes North American buffalo, elk and venison chop. **Amenities:** 540 Main Street, Park City, Utah 84060; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #373 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Highly Recommended (2023) | Hard | — | |
| Yuta | American Steakhouse | Unknown | — | ||
| Glitretind Restaurant | American Mountain | Unknown | — | ||
| High West Distillery & Saloon | Gastropub | Unknown | — | ||
| Powder | American | Unknown | — | ||
| RIME Seafood & Steak | Seafood Steak | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Riverhorse Cafe and alternatives.
Solo diners are not the primary format here — Riverhorse is a reservations-required sit-down dinner venue, and the emphasis is on the full dinner experience rather than a quick solo meal. That said, bar seating may offer a more comfortable solo option than a table for one. If solo dining at a counter or bar is your preference, High West Distillery & Saloon nearby is a more natural fit.
The venue's own materials highlight seared elk carpaccio with tabbouleh, lemon, and truffle essence, bacon-wrapped shrimp, chardonnay-poached scallops and lobster tail, and a wild game trio of buffalo, elk, and venison chop. The Southwest-inflected American menu skews toward premium proteins — this is not the place to come for a light or vegetable-forward meal. The wine list reportedly spans California reds through local Utah selections.
Book at least one to two weeks out for a standard weeknight; aim for two to three weeks for weekend dates or peak ski season. The venue explicitly states reservations are required, and its Opinionated About Dining ranking at #361 in North America (2025) and Forbes Travel Guide recognition mean tables move quickly, especially Friday and Saturday when hours extend to 9:30 pm.
Yes — this is one of the clearer cases for a special occasion dinner in Park City. The Forbes Travel Guide four-star recognition and a #361 OAD North America ranking in 2025 give it the credentials to justify the spend. The dress code is explicitly relaxed, so there is no pressure to dress formally, which makes it accessible for a celebratory dinner without the stuffiness of a stricter room.
Dinner is the only option — Riverhorse opens at 5 pm daily and closes between 9 and 9:30 pm. There is no lunch service. If you need a midday option on Main Street, you will need to look elsewhere.
For a more casual, locally rooted experience with whiskey on the agenda, High West Distillery and Saloon on Main Street is the practical alternative. Glitretind Restaurant at Stein Eriksen Lodge is the comparison for a mountain resort setting with similar upscale ambitions. Powder skews more contemporary, and RIME Seafood and Steak is the direct competitor for premium protein-focused plates. Yuta is worth considering if you want a tighter, more focused menu.
Bar seating is not confirmed or denied in the venue's available materials, but the restaurant does carry an extensive wine collection and the venue has a social, walkable Main Street context that suggests bar access is plausible. Confirm directly before arriving if bar dining is your plan, as reservations are required and the format appears primarily table-service oriented.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
