Clark's Oyster Bar Aspen

Great food, great service

Worst service ever! If Shawn/Sean is your waiter, leave before you order anything. He was the rudest, most unresponsive waiter we have ever experienced. After waiting 15 minutes for anyone to acknowledge we had been seated, we finally flagged down a hostess to take our drink order. When we were initially seated, we only had one dinner menu. After a few minutes they brought us a second one and within 5 more minutes another waiter asked if he could take one and snatched it up and delivered it to another table. Can they not afford more than two menus for the entire restaurant?
In fairness, the gin and tonics were very good, so the bartender at least knows what he is doing. For all we know, the food may have been good, but Shawn’s attitude ruined the experience. He finally showed up at our table more than 30 minutes after we had been seated. When we asked if there were any specials, he curtly replied “It’s all on there”. OK, sorry we asked I guess.When we finished our dinner, he put a small dessert menu on our table without saying a word or asking if we were interested in hearing about the desserts. Then without ever checking back to see if we wanted dessert he brought the check. Frankly, we were just ready to escape by that time. I literally wrote “Shawn is a terrible waiter” on the credit card receipt so management would know.
On the way out my wife told the maitre’d about our terrible experience. She followed us outside as she didn’t want those waiting inside the door to hear what we we’re discussing. My wife was near tears telling of our horrible experience. She was very contrite and apologetic and the next morning, I had a text letting me know they had comped our meal. I guess that softened the blow, but that was never the intent of our complaint. Even the hostess who took our drink order should have known we had not yet been engaged by a waiter, but she didn’t spur anyone to action. Service starts at the top and apparently it’s not a priority for this group.

Had gone to this restaurant 3 days earlier and the service and food was wonderful. This time 2 of the three exact dishes were ordinary. Rarely saw our waiter either. Would still come back but for a Saturday night that wasn’t extremely busy I would of thought it could have been better.
Just needs to work on consistency.

Restaurant opened June 18,2018; Previous restaurant very dark - Clarks very inviting ambiance.

Shrimp toast Tasty but shrimp not cooked; Wedge Salad - very yellow - not leafy; Crab Cakes very good; Scallops - excellent

One of the best places in town! The burger is INCREDIBLE and the staff is amazing. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH CLARK'S!

Never have been disappointed by the quality of the food or service. Great addition to the Aspen dining scene.

The food was great except one oyster was literally bad so bad it kinda ruined the experience. My guess it was spoiled and you dont know until is is eaten. Pasta dish preferred was clam pasta sold out but the shrimp version was worthy. Whiskey choices were well generic or gag i payed 38 dls for a whiskey mule with a hideously expensive knob creek utterly ridiculous when mixed with ginger beer. I should have been informed in advance of the cost!!! Steven B

The food was incredible. For sure one of the best meals we’ve had in aspen and in general. Our waiter was great but you could tell he was slammed. We sat for about 10 minutes before we were offered water. The table next to us sat and got water and bread almost immediately so could have been a fluke for us. Even with a busy waiter it was still awesome! Can’t wait to go back.

We really enjoyed this place but would suggest gluten-free options; at least a gluten-free pasta and bread (bun for burger). We are gluten sensitive and enjoy and appreciate that option.

My family heads up to Aspen 2-3 times a year for weekend get-aways. We enjoyed Clark's so much the last time that this Labor Day we absolutely wanted to go back. The Dining scene is Aspen has been changing and Clark's just moved up to a MUST-GO spot each time we visit.

Not enough time to sample more menu items! Let's start with the succulent and ever so buttery Bibb Lettuce Salad with Sherry-Tarragon Vinaigrette, and Red Onion ($10). The perfect balance of oil and flavorful vinegar. So delicate but yet it packs a flavor punch. The Bay Scallop Pozole Verde 10 cup/14 bowl with Cabbage Slaw, Radish, and Chile Paste is well thought out. Who would have dreamt these flavors go together but wow, no cream and sight and this is rich and delicious. Oh, and plop the slaw, radish and chile paste right in because it only enhances this soup!
The Grilled Tuscan Kale with Toasted Pine Nuts and Parmesan (9) had a straight from the grill flavor and grilled perfectly it was. It needs a good toss and less salt. My personal drug of choice, the Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins, Salsa Verde, and Toasted Hazelnuts (10) could be something I might consider living on. May I please have the recipe? Seriously people.
Next, the Tuna Salad Sandwich with Green Olives, Parsley Vinaigrette, and Aioli on Sourdough (14) was very tasty but maybe a tad too much olive flavor. After indulging in their house bread with jam and butter, ordering a sandwich with more bread was a bit much. The cabbage and pickles were fabuloso. The Blueberry Lemonade was not overly sweet but light and refreshing.
Last but not least the Basque Cake (14) with Cherry Preserves and Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Marcona Almonds is NOT TO BE MISSED! The Affogato (9) with Stumptown Espresso over Single Origin Chocolate Ice Cream, Hazelnut & Chocolate Chip Biscotti hit the spot.
What a long after talked about lunch visit. Very helpful and friendly staff. No loud music. Bright and cheery atmosphere. We'll be back!

Excellent place. Best meal in Aspen hands down

great food & fun, quaint atmosphere...only thing is, 3 of our 4 orders didn't make it into the computer system...so one guest was served his main entree, and by the time the rest of got ours 20 minutes later, the first guest had finished his. We were given complimentary desert, but at these prices--and given the Aspen clientele--this is pretty unacceptable. I would have expected a lot more. Were it not for this issue and the modest compensation for the inconvenience, I would have given it 5 stars across the board.

Nice change for Aspen - raw bar and really good fish and seafood! Good ambiance and overall a nice addition.

very good experience....great food...the redfish is some of the best ever....prices are a bit steep for lunch...same menu at dinner so prices are appropriate for dinner....great spot...good looking...good looking people...very Aspen....

Hands down the best seafood meal we had in Aspen. Bodegas paled in comparison. Scallops branzino and cauliflower side dish were superb. Fries very tasty but a bit too salty. If you are sensitive to scent of strong cheeses sit outside.

Love the food - daily “catch of the day” is always great! The crab cake and sourdough bread are divine! Highly recommended!

Great seafood! Aspen needed this restaurant. We will be back!

Great service. Good was delicious. Well priced.

Great addition to the Aspen food scene. We always have good service and great food.

What a disappointment. Amateur service and mediocre food. The concept of poorly, plainly cooked fish with a choice of toppings is pathetic for what is supposed to be a high end restaurant. Get a real chef or close the place down

Great but too noisy . Good energy is one thing , but too much noise is uninviting .

Clarke’s did a great job renovating the old Annie’s . Very nice and light decor . Delicious food . A great addition to the Aspen scene . We will definitely go back !

Food was delicious as always. Favorite item is the grilled oysters but the scallop soup and octopus dish are fantastic. Great wine list with knowledgeable staff. Service is always great as well.

Our first time and we’ll definitely be back! Nice menu with many choices but not too many. Octopus was outstanding as was red snapper. Excellent veggie options.

Fantastic experience, overall. We dined at Clark's for a family "goodbye" meal. The dining room manages to be both bright and energetic and cozy. We ordered several items for the table and shared them. These items won rave reviews: mussels and clams in white wine sauce, Bay scallop pozole soup (amazing flavor and great value), and cheesy grits (soooo rich and decadent). The baked oysters were also delicious... alas, one of the oysters tasted off. The bay seasoning and buttery parm crust on these were exceptionally tasty. Finally, we ended our meal with the Key Lime tart. The lime curd was delicious (prefect level of sweetness, tartness, and density); the pastry crust had good texture, but needed a little salt and/or sugar. We loved that bread came with many of the menu items so that the seafood broths could be sopped up. The only moderate negatives of our dining experience were that our server's energy was a little low, and the music's volume was a little high.

Wonderful new spot in Aspen. Still working out the kinks on service, but the food was great!

What a wonderful addition to Aspen dinning ! EVERYTHING that we have ordered for the last two lunches were unbelievably good!!

Good food if you are looking for seafood. Good bar sceen.

Food is fresh and delicious. Only downside to the place is the cost but that is to be expected. Our server, Patrick, was great. Very attentive and helpful with recommendations. Overall, great experience.

It took 15 minutes to get served a drink. Good food. They seem carried away with their popularity. Like you should be honored by being there.

Great new Aspen restaurant. A bit pricey for most, but this is Aspen! Best shoestring fries with rosemary. Shrimp toast delicious as well as lobster roll and great hamburger, too.

The oysters were as fresh as I have ever had. The 5th and 6th should be available at a discount on the menu.o

Great seafood - the fresh catch of the day, other fish meals, mussels, clams, crudite was excellent. The lobsta roll was just alright. The food and drinks are a bit pricey, but considering the great ambiance and high quality of the service and food overall, well it is Aspen.

I love this place! Hottest restaurant in Aspen!

Food was excellent. Loved Sandra our waitress - very helpful on selecting oysters!

We have dined there times at Clark's. The food is great - a pleasant surprise from the usual fish and seafood in Aspen - but the noise level is very high. If you are looking for a dinner with friends and value conversation, you might think twice about Clark's.

excellent service and amazing food! a little too pricey to be a usual spot for me, but loved treating ourselves to a "nice night out."

Hands down one of the best meals as well as atmosphere in All of Aspen.
Unpretentious food, friendly staff, terrific comfortable decor.
A++++

We will add Clark’s to our list of must-do’s when in Aspen. Loved everything about it!