Bob’s Place offers more than a sports bar in the heart of Avon
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Barry Eckhaus/EAT Magazine
Bob’s Place has that comforting, friendly neighborhood feel that’s refreshing to find in a resort town, but it’s not just the vibe that has made Bob’s Place a local favorite for 30 years; it’s the quality of the food, as well as the adjacent sports bar.
Bob Doyle opened his first restaurant in Vail in 1977, with affordable breakfasts, subs, soups and New York-style deli sandwiches. In 1990, he expanded the menu with Southwestern and Mexican influences and renamed it Jackalope. In 1992, Bob’s Place integrated customers’ favorite recipes from each restaurant, with an emphasis on his ever-so-popular original breakfasts, along with a Mexican flair.
As a result, Bob’s offers what seems like unlimited options. The most diverse group, from discriminating diners to sports lovers, will find plenty of options.
Take breakfast: You can enjoy a fresh, light, health-conscious smoothie or fresh fruit platter or feel like you’ve traveled across the border with huevos rancheros, jalapeño enchiladas, breakfast tacos or Mexican Benedict, the latter of which features chorizo, avocado and Oaxaca cheese smothered in Bob’s homemade chipotle hollandaise with enough kick to make it spicy but not overbearing. It brings the fiesta to a breakfast classic.
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Omelets range from vegetarian to Western; morning melts on bagels or toast will warm you up for a day on the mountain; pancakes, waffles and French toast (with fruit, if you’d like) provide a sweet start to your day; and locals’ favorites like country fried steak and eggs or biscuits and gravy provide a hearty meal.
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After 11 a.m., it’s open season for bone-in or boneless wings — a favorite, helped along by 15 different sauces, listed in order of spice, from inferno to parmesan peppercorn.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a variety of wraps, deli sandwiches and seafood platters are available.
Mexican specialties, as well as about five daily-made soups and nine different fresh green salads are just part of the lunch and dinner menu. Bob’s half-pound, certified Angus beef present all kinds of options, from the Aussie burger with a fried egg, Canadian bacon, pineapple, sliced beets and melted cheddar to a Western burger topped with an onion ring, crispy bacon, cheddar and barbecue sauce.
Chicken sandwiches and signature subs and melts run the gamut, while huge stuffed potatoes and entrees, from chicken stir fry to salmon Vera Cruz will tempt your tastebuds.
But perhaps the standout thing about Bob’s Place is its prices. In a valley bursting with $20+ burgers, A Plain Bob burger is $15, and The Plain Jane chicken sandwich is $14.50.
“We always give the best value and service for locals and visitors,” says Chris Doyle, owner, operator and Bob’s son. “Our menu and our price point appeals to anyone, from local and seasonal workers to a family staying at a high-end hotel like the Ritz.”
Bob’s adjacent bar has 25 huge television screens, and everyone can catch their favorite game. Bob’s has so many commercial packages that it’s “got your game — if we don’t have it, no one else will,” says Chris Doyle.
The full bar offers 16 draft beers on tap plus specialty and craft spirits, with high-end whiskeys and tequilas. Bob’s blends a lively and roomy sports bar with a quiet, comfortable and welcoming dining experience, full of tasty variety.
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