Vail’s Russell’s Steak & Seafood Expands Lunch Service and Global Menu

Aspen —Russell’s Steak & Seafood isn’t reinventing itself. It’s just getting louder about what it’s always been.

For 35 years, the Bridge Street staple has occupied the cozy space just over the Covered Bridge, serving prime steaks and king crab to locals who treat it less like a special-occasion splurge and more like a weekly supper club. But this summer, the restaurant is leaning hard into its creek-side energy, expanding its lunch service and injecting global flair into a menu that had grown comfortable in its classic ways.

“It is a beautiful, cozy space,” said General Manager Tommy DErrico. “Sitting by the creek, listening to the movement of the water, is a very nice touch to any cocktail or lunch or dinner.”

The shift toward a robust lunch menu — now running from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays — might seem like a standard hospitality play. But the execution reveals a kitchen trying to bridge the gap between traditional steakhouse rigidity and the bright, contemporary flavors guests increasingly want.

Chef Jason Bayle is at the helm of this change, introducing dishes like a shaking beef entree inspired by Vietnamese classics. It’s a quick, hot wok stir-fry of tender beef in a tangy sauce, paired with papaya and a fresh salad. It’s not a steak. It’s not a classic. But it fits the Russell’s DNA, just with a different accent.

“(Bayle) has been excited about exploring different cultures, seeing what works with the menu in addition to offering those classics like the barbecue ribs that everyone loves here,” DErrico said.

The question is whether this global pivot distracts from the core identity or strengthens it. To hear DErrico tell it, the two coexist. The rock shrimp tostada with avocado puree and pineapple salsa sits comfortably next to the king crab legs. The blackened mahi BLT on an English muffin doesn’t replace the escargot; it complements it.

And then there’s the crab. Everyone knows how tricky it has become to source top-tier king crab. DErrico noted that Chef Bayle is still finding the finest legs, and locals are eating them up like crazy. The Crab Louie salad, which layers those coveted legs over crisp greens with a Russian-style dressing, serves as the bridge between the old guard and the new lunch crowd.

“Everyone knows how tricky it has become to source top-tier king crab,” DErrico said. “but Chef Jason (Bayle) is still finding the finest and people are eating them up like crazy.”

This isn’t just about food. It’s about timing. Vail’s dining scene is crowded, and standing still is a fast way to become invisible. By opening the windows to Gore Creek in the summer and extending the hours, Russell’s is trying to capture the daytime foot traffic that often bypasses traditional dinner-only spots.

The beverage program, led by Shae Haddad, is part of this same modernization effort. Spicy palomas and an array of spritzes, Aperol, Campari, Hugo - are replacing the idea that a steakhouse must be serious and stiff. It’s sparkly, it’s light, and it matches the breezy, open-air feel of the Bridge Street location.

Even the evening menu, which still anchors the restaurant’s reputation with USDA Prime cuts and Rocky Mountain trout finished with an olive vierge, is being presented with an eye toward the lunch crowd that might wander in later. The house Parker rolls and cognac butter escargot remain, but they’re now part of a broader, more dynamic offering.

The math holds up: if you can draw people in at 12:30 p.m. with a rock shrimp tostada and a spritz, you’ve got a better shot at keeping them there until 8:00 p.m. for a rib plate.

Russell’s isn’t trying to be a new-age bistro. It’s trying to be the most livable version of itself.

“We’re just trying to keep up with the creek,” DErrico said.