Swens

Name: Swens
Address: 10420 Little Cottonwood Rd, Alta, UT, United States, 84092
Telephone: (801) 742-6014
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4

4.0

149 Reviews

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Top Tags:

A full-service restaurant located at the Snowpine Lodge in Alta, UT. Swen’s sophisticated menu features globally-inspired cuisine, with fresh, regionally-sourced ingredients, and an extensive wine and beer list. The atmosphere is cozy and friendly yet refined, with a bustling open-display kitchen and family and communal tables surrounded by elegant floor-to-ceiling windows. The stunning views and the sumptuous food and drink make dining at Swen’s an unforgettable experience.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 3, 2023

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Dinner Thu–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(801) 742-6014
Website
http://snowpine.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
10420 Little Cottonwood Rd, Alta, UT 84092
Neighborhood
Salt Lake City
Parking details
Hotel Parking
Public transit
953 and 944 bus route from Cottonwood area.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Butternut Squash Bisque$14.00
charred house cinnamon marshmallow, crispy sage
Classic Caesar$15.00
romaine hearts, parmesan cheese, cured tomato house croutons, house caesar dressing
Wedge Salad$16.00
petite iceberg lettuce, lardons, cherry tomatoes, creamy blue cheese dressing
Pickled Beets & Burrata$18.00
fig jam, petite greens, balsamic glaze, grilled bread
P.E.I Mussels$26.00
andouille sausage, stewed tomatoes, grilled bread
Crispy Cauliflower$16.00
chili sauce, green onions

Steaks

served with: red wine bordelaise, bourbon peppercorn cream sauce, béarnaise sauce

Filet Mignon$60.00
8 oz.
Prime New York Strip$75.00
14 oz.
Wagyu Tomahawk$210.00
40 oz.
28 Day Dry Aged Kansas City Strip$110.00
20 oz.
Flat Iron Steak$32.00
8 oz.
Rack of Elk Loin$65.00
12 oz.

Pasta & Garden

Wasatch Bolognese$28.00
bison, elk, beef, sofrito, stewed tomatoes, pappardelle pasta, mascarpone cheese
Grilled Cauliflower Steak$24.00
butter beans, romesco sauce, heirloom carrots, honey (V,DF)

Land & Sea

14hr Braised Pork Shank$42.00
truffled polenta, wild mushrooms, red wine jus
Pan Seared Airline Chicken$30.00
pommes puree, crispy brussel sprouts, red wine bordelaise sauce
Grilled Pacific Salmon$38.00
white bean cassoulet style, sautéed spinach, béarnaise sauce

Sides

Pommes Puree$12.00
Truffle Frittes With Aioli$14.00
Cavatappi Mac & Cheese$16.00
Crispy Brussel Sprouts$12.00
Creamed Spinach$12.00
Heirloom Carrots & Honey Butter$12.00

What 149 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.0

4 based on all time ratings

4Food
4.1Service
4.4Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

149 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Salt Lake City
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience3
Food was not hot. The waitress was MIA, no coffee refills, no check to see if anything was needed, like jam, ketchup, etc. Had to ask someone who was walking by if we could get a to go box and bill. Really strange!
2 people found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on June 25, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
We planned our anniversary weekend to be up at the snowpine. Reserved a room along with made a reservation at swens weeks before along with having a confirmation request the night before. Only to find out the restaurant was closed when we showed up to our reservation. Had to drive all the way down the canyon to enjoy a celebratory meal. No compensation given for the inconvenience.
2 people found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on June 1, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Was here right when they reopened from mud season and they didn’t seem ready. Food was just ok, and that’s talking about elk, which I love. Ate breakfast here twice too. They didn’t have they buffet offered online either time and their a la cart was limited. Got the French toast twice. First time it was so good, second time was like a warmed up piece of yesterdays cooked in the microwave with unmelted cream cheese frosting. Not great. They don’t have a barista but offered a latte which was a lukewarm cup of milk with a little coffee in it. Didn’t enjoy that so asked to replace with just drip. I’d say if you can’t offer what you are normally able to, then create something new or don’t reopen until you can continue the same excellence you’re known for.
2 people found this helpful
AB
AndreaB
Portland
4 reviews
vip
1.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Booked reservation from their website which linked to open table for 10:00 am and drove over an hour to find out they arent open at 10 am and we didnt have a reservation. The staff at hotel was very rude and mocked us like we were idiots.
2 people found this helpful
j
jasonm
St. Louis
8 reviews
2.0
8 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience2
We received one out of 4 main meal before we received our salads and our appetizers. Everything was over cooked except for the steak. Never had a manager come by and talk to us about all the issues. Luckily the server was at least professional. Would never eat here again. Even if I do stay at the hotel again.
2 people found this helpful
MJ
MimiJ
Palm Springs
21 reviews
vip
3.0
21 reviews
Dined on March 10, 2023
overall3food3service2ambience5
Food was good. Service was very bad. The lack of care with greeting, knowledge and service was so disappointing. We have eaten here many times. But this last weekend the service was awful. The service Staff at the restaurant avoided eye contact, as if they did not want to get caught and have to help the customer. We cancelled reservations on a few nights , as we were staying at Snowpine and ate in the bar, as the bar staff was all about taking care of the customer.
2 people found this helpful
CY
CYT4
Atlanta Metro
19 reviews
vip
3.0
19 reviews
Dined on March 9, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
An average breakfast buffet, and I get that you are paying for location, but $62+ for breakfast for 2 adults and 1 child is hard to swallow.
2 people found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall2food4service1ambience4
The dining room was at 50% capacity when we arrived @ 7:15 and did not get more crowded. It was unexplainable that it took over 2 hours to serve the main course. Our waitress disappeared for 30 minutes at a time. There were few tables occupied in her section. We were the last table sitting at 9:00 but no service, no main course until we shouted across the room to the open kitchen. Our waitress appeared from the back with our cold $210 Wagu Tomahawk steak for 4 and sides, put them on the table and left. She may never have come back with plates and silverware if we didn’t shout out out to the kitchen staff again for help. I have had many bad service experiences in Snowbird/Alta dining but never paid as much for the experience. It seems clear that the management team has lost control or does not care about their customer experience. It’s a shame because even a low level of polite and attentive service would add to the limited dining options at the top of the Canyon.
2 people found this helpful
t
tcljmk
Greater Boston
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had a wonderful night at Swens. Got there early enough to enjoy the beautiful views. Two of us had the Bolognese, which was excellent- great flavor - one of the best bolognese we both have had. Our server was friendly and helpful. Only issue was the two desserts we ordered were not available and they were out of decaf coffee. But we were so full we were kind of glad as we really did not need any more food.
1 person found this helpful
LG
LocalGuide
Salt Lake City
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall2food1service4ambience4
Hard to believe this is the main restaurant at a $1000/night lodge. The crispy cauliflower appetizer was stodgy and greasy, portion size was way too big, higher quality and much less quantity would have been much preferred. Suggest the chef looks at quality tempura for inspiration. The chicken was acceptable, but nothing special. The braised pork was tender. Neither of the entrees seemed to be assembled with finesse or care and were both very heavy on the stomach. Limited choice beyond steaks. The staff were very pleasant
2 people found this helpful
CY
CYT4
Atlanta Metro
19 reviews
vip
3.0
19 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience5
Nice atmosphere but overpriced food that should be of higher quality (e.g. $14 for share side of truffle fries that were foodservice-grade)
2 people found this helpful
D
Dkny17rye
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Micah and Alaina were great. The service was quick and friendly. Steak was perfectly cooked. It is pricey, but the portions are a good size. And the views are spectacular.
Is this helpful?
S
Schmo
San Francisco
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on February 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Joe was a fabulous waiter. We’ve had him several times and ask for him. Food is always good and atmosphere delightful. Some would complain about certain prices but it’s a ski resort and there is a broad range of options. Best: bolognese pasta, brussels, nachos, chili, salads. Have had steaks in past and we felt good but not spectacular.
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JD
JoeD
New York Area
7 reviews
vip
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
The food is very good and the kitchen is very accommodating when requesting customization of your order. Special shout out to Catalina, Beto, Hannah, and the other staff members for exceptional service!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2023
overall3food5service1ambience4
Good food but the staff was completely overwhelmed and service was below average.
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Salt Lake City
4 reviews
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 7, 2023
overall2food2service1ambience4
I would not recommend. The food was not good especially for the price. Server was nice but obviously new and not well trained. Very slow and forgot many things.
2 people found this helpful
L
Luv2trynewplaces
Seattle
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 7, 2023
overall2food1service2ambience3
We had a reservation, but had to wait at least 10 minutes before being seated. And we had to wait least 15 minutes before we got water and another five minutes before the waitress showed up. Bread was brought to the table along with the head of garlic was charred on top and raw inside. Our appetizers and entrees were brought out all at the same time, except for the crispy Brussels sprouts. When those arrived 20 minutes later, they were burnt to a crisp and and inedible. Our waitress commented that this was the third order of burnt Brussels sprouts she had delivered to tables that evening. We sent them back and told them to forget about the order. When we got our bill, the Brussel sprouts charge was on the bill. The other food items were not very good, with the exception of the mashed potatoes that came with the chicken. Those were terrific and we all ate some & enjoyed them. I also asked for more bread and some salt, and never received either one by the end of the meal. The entire ordeal lasted over two hours, and was not an good experience.
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WM
WMWATL
Atlanta Metro
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Salmon is spectacular and love the buffalo cauliflower appetizer. Excellent service and fun atmosphere.
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O
Omnivore1
New York Area
5 reviews
vip
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 27, 2023
overall2food1service2ambience5
Server was nice so it is not a reflection of her performance. Food service was spotty: no runners to take away our appetizers for a long while after we were done. Main course shows up 15 minutes after the appetizer dishes were bussed. We got sick after our meal. I had nausea. My spouse was sick. Do not recommend.
2 people found this helpful
SR
SunilR
Phoenix
2 reviews
vip
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall1food1service5ambience4
I will start out by saying I am a fan of this resort and have been coming here for the past eight years. The resort and the restaurant has always been excellent. However something has changed at the restaurant since our last visit. This was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had anywhere. We had a group of four including two vegetarians. Crispy cauliflower came out greasy, doughy and undercooked. Macaroni and cheese was lukewarm and tasteless. Entrees took an hour to come out. Asked for basic plate of pasta and was overcooked and tasteless. Filet mignon ordered medium rare and half of the steak was blood follow the knife rare. At the end of the meal ordered a plate of nachos without meat that came out with brisket. They remade it veggie. Tried to give constructive honest feedback to the chef,Dan, who seemed at best defensive. The manager comped most of the poorly made dishes above and the server was very pleasant but seemed helpless, since other tables were having similar issues. I really hope upper level management addresses the problem in the restaurant ASAP because I would like to continue coming to this resort in the future and recommending it to my friends.
2 people found this helpful
N
None
New York Area
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 11, 2023
overall2food1service3ambience4
Food very uneven and substandard for the price not what you would expect in such a lovely hotel. Service was nice and well meaning but the place is understaffed. The staff tried their best but clearly are not professionals. The restaurant is the one big disappointment in the hotel.
2 people found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 10, 2023
overall2food2service4ambience5
We chose the Swowpine Lodge for my husband’s 70th birthday as he really enjoys skiing at Alta. It was a milestone birthday so we wanted to celebrate at an upscale hotel. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to signal my husband’s special day to the hotel’s restaurant (SWENS), the food was sub par. We ordered an expensive steak dinner which was tepid when it was served. As we had waited some time for our dinner despite the restaurant not being very busy at all, we ate it but made our comments at the end of the dinner to the server. The server, who didn’t seem embarrassed btw, offered a complimentary desert. Prior to dinner, after my husband had a full day of skiing, he was really looking forward to a soak in the hot tub—a must have for any self respecting skiing lodge. Unfortunately, it was dirty (the water was green) so folks were not going in. In fairness to the establishment, when I voiced my disappointment at check out, they did credit us some charges and promised to follow up with further remediation. I hope that will be the case and that the management will give attention to delivering the standard that is expected for a hotel that promotes itself as being Alta’s finest lodge.
2 people found this helpful
c
cathyh
New York Area
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
All good…. Got what we ordered and what we expected. No surprises
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BS
BrandonS
Charleston
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 6, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
The food was excellent, elk loin, bison pasta, Brussel sprouts and pear/burrata salad.
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S
Spencer
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
1.0
6 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Don’t waste your money here.
1 person found this helpful
S
Spencer
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
1.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2022
overall1food1service1ambience1
Don’t waste your money here. Terrible food terrible timing. The entire staff needs to be retrained by a hospitality expert.
1 person found this helpful
G
George
San Francisco
7 reviews
vip
1.0
7 reviews
Dined on December 30, 2022
overall1food3service1ambience3
We went to Swen’s with family friends with high expectations. The dining room was rustically charming, as are the hotel lobby and bar, if a bit overly bright. The menu looked good, but the prices were very high for the steaks. An hour after we ordered, after we had had only a few appetizers, we were notified, repeatedly, that the kitchen was out of a number of items, which seemed like poor planning for a holiday week. The food slowly trickled out. The meal took over three hours due to the extremely long wait time. The fried Brussels sprouts and butternut squash soup were delicious, but the steaks were not served at the requested temperature and the $110. steak did not seem to be dry-aged as advertised and did not have a proper sear. We wondered if it had been purchased fresh at Smith’s earlier that day, perhaps in the discount section? Our server was very nice, but was the only person in the restaurant who was not completely inexperienced and she could not compensate for the serious problems in the kitchen. We were so disappointed with our experience at Swen’s. It was a very poor value, even for a ski resort during high season!
1 person found this helpful
k
karyn
Exclusive
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 24, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible service! Loved the food. The Snowpine lodge has the best service an ambiance. A really treat to visit!
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EC
EricC
Greater Boston
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on December 20, 2022
overall2food3service2ambience4
Understaffed and poorly trained wait staff and host.
1 person found this helpful
g
garyc
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 18, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service Quality of food was superb
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BM
BarbaraMcB
Salt Lake City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Hannah, our server was wonderful and helpful. We definitely liked our meal as well and will come back as often as possible.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 10, 2022
overall1food2service1ambience3
Do yourself a favor and don’t go there. It wants to be a serious restaurant, but it’s abundant
1 person found this helpful
MG
MackenzieG
New York Area
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2022
overall3food4service2ambience4
Great ambience! Must have been training new staff, food and service was very slow, despite the restaurant not being busy
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on November 6, 2022
overall1food1service2ambience5
The venue is overall stunning but the food falls way short. We've been several times for breakfast and it was standard but wanted to try for a birthday dinner. It was fairly expensive and every dish was pretty subpar - so disappointing for a birthday dinner. Several dishes were not available, the salads not only had dirty lettuce but were over dressed and not good. Fried Cali was over breaded and soggy in the middle. There weren't many options available - honesty wished we could have ordered from the bar menu! Wish we could have just bypassed dinner and it would have been a perfect night.
2 people found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on October 29, 2022
overall3food3service5ambience3
We came here while staying at Snowpine Lodge for my partner’s birthday. Our server was super sweet and attentive, but I was disappointed in our food. The bread was served with a whipped butter and roasted garlic, but the bread itself was very hard and chewy, and the roasted garlic would have been a nice touch but the cloves were still hard in their skins. The Caesar salad starter was pretty standard but lacked any croutons. Instead, it had a slice of grilled bread and some semi-dehydrated tomatoes. I enjoyed those, they were different and a nice addition to the salad. For our main, we both got the steak & fries. The steak was a strange cut that I couldn’t identify, very lean, and an incredibly small portion, less than 8oz, but since we asked for it medium rare, it was fortunately still very tender, and they nailed the cooking temp. Unfortunately, the steak was sorely underseasoned, and the balsamic & romesco sauces that it came with were unpleasant - the balsamic giving it a hefty sweetness that I think was intending to balance out the romesco, which was strangely bitter. I really didn’t like it. The fries were very well cooked, but then smothered in truffle oil (what year is this?) and Parmesan that was plasticky as if it was the pre-shredded stuff you buy at the grocery store. For $36 a plate, it was a disappointment. I spent $160 on a meal that I think we could have made better ourselves. Stick with the Gulch Pub’s burgers, they are a better option for the price tag.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2022
overall1food1service5ambience5
Service was lovely, food was terrible. Would not recommend or return.
1 person found this helpful
HG
HayleyG
San Francisco
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 16, 2022
overall2food3service1ambience5
The food was good, not mid blowing. The service was terrible. We had reservations 6:30pm. We got ready a bit early and so we were upstairs at 6:00 to see if they could seat us a bit early. We checked in and were told we would be seated by 6:10pm and that he would come get us by the fireplace. We were forgotten about and only seated once when we went back to the check in area to follow up about 25 minutes later. We entered the restaurant to see only three other tables with people seated at them. Very puzzling. While waiting to be seated, I witnessed a server yelling and hitting the counter at the staff of the kitchen. Service at dinner was painfully slow. After ordering our appetizer, we waited 45 minutes. Once it arrived, we had to ask for plates in order to eat our appetizer. Then while in the middle of our appetizer, all of our entrees came out at the same time. Very poor time management of the food. We asked a staff member for boxes and were forgotten about. 10 minutes later our server came by and we asked again for boxes. When we were given the bill. We had to get up and follow the waitress to ask for a pen.
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KH
KristenH
Salt Lake City
6 reviews
vip
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 1, 2022
overall2food3service1ambience3
Don’t make a reservation for breakfast. They’ll tell you they don’t take them.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We are here for a wedding. Everything at Swen’s was wonderful!
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L
Lynn
Salt Lake City
17 reviews
3.0
17 reviews
Dined on September 30, 2022
overall3food2service4ambience3
Lovely fall view, very limited and expensive menu. Steaks were rather flavorless and not always cooked to order. Service was good. Expected better quality food -- very mediocre. Go for the view.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Swens offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (801) 742-6014.

Swens is rated 4 stars by 149 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 3, 2023

7:00 PM

Order delivery or takeout

10420 Little Cottonwood Rd, Alta, UT 84092

Additional information

Neighborhood
Salt Lake City
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Dinner Thu–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Cuisines
Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Hotel Parking
Public transit
953 and 944 bus route from Cottonwood area.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://snowpine.com/
Phone number
(801) 742-6014

Swens

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Appetizers

Butternut Squash Bisque$14.00

Classic Caesar$15.00

Wedge Salad$16.00

Pickled Beets & Burrata$18.00

P.E.I Mussels$26.00

Crispy Cauliflower$16.00

Steaks

Filet Mignon$60.00

Prime New York Strip$75.00

Wagyu Tomahawk$210.00

28 Day Dry Aged Kansas City Strip$110.00

Flat Iron Steak$32.00

Rack of Elk Loin$65.00

Pasta & Garden

Wasatch Bolognese$28.00

Grilled Cauliflower Steak$24.00

Land & Sea

14hr Braised Pork Shank$42.00

Pan Seared Airline Chicken$30.00

Grilled Pacific Salmon$38.00

Sides

Pommes Puree$12.00

Truffle Frittes With Aioli$14.00

Cavatappi Mac & Cheese$16.00

Crispy Brussel Sprouts$12.00

Creamed Spinach$12.00

Heirloom Carrots & Honey Butter$12.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

Does Swens offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Swens restaurant rated?

Is Swens currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information