{"id":933,"date":"2025-08-13T12:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T12:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/?p=933"},"modified":"2025-08-14T14:21:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T14:21:53","slug":"25-classic-denver-restaurants-worth-revisiting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/13\/25-classic-denver-restaurants-worth-revisiting\/","title":{"rendered":"25 classic Denver restaurants worth revisiting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: As of today, all 25 of these bars and restaurants are still kicking, but times are getting tougher in Denver for the hospitality industry for innumerable reasons<\/a> \u2014 and some of these storied establishments may not be around forever. In fact, Pete\u2019s Kitchen put out a plea on social media last week<\/a> for more business in light of the Colfax Avenue construction that has taken its customers<\/a>. \u201cYour favorite diner, bar, bookstore, or record shop could be the next to close if we fail to support them now when they need it most,\u201d the message said.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Charlie Brown\u2019s Bar & Grill pulses with personality, from its piano-centric sign atop a canopied entrance to its square wooden bar and huge stone patio that overlooks one of the busiest stretches of Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n

Charlie Brown\u2019s first opened in 1928<\/a>, according to longtime owner George Andrianakos, but didn\u2019t secure a liquor license until 1947. The fact that it\u2019s survived all this time speaks to its bustling-yet-homey atmosphere. Like many historic neighborhood eateries, it also invokes the sights, sounds and aromas of a Mile High City that no longer exists.<\/p>\n

Connected to the towering Colburn Hotel, you\u2019re as likely to catch retirees scratching lottery tickets over shrimp dinners as you are 20-somethings popping in for late-night pizza and cocktails. The one-story space is packed with handsome features, but its draw has for decades been the nightly piano singalongs, as well as happy hour 2-for-1 drinks and \u2014 on the second Friday of every June, July and August \u2014 a pig roast that\u2019s free for all.<\/p>\n

\"Charlie
Charlie Brown’s Bar & Grill has been open for decades in Denver, as seen on May 29, 2025. Charlie Brown’s has a cozy dark feel inside with a piano bar and wide patios outside for dinning, (Photo by RJ Sangosti\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s easy to imagine Beat legend Jack Kerouac hunkering down at a corner banquette, or Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe strutting through, as all have done. A few of the liquor bottles and toy cars above the bar date back six decades, although Charlie Brown\u2019s \u2014 formerly known for its huge, smoking-friendly patio \u2014 has updated the most yellowed aspects of its d\u00e9cor (including, thank goodness, its highly absorbent carpets).<\/p>\n

Charlie Brown\u2019s is at 980 Grant St. in Denver; 303-860-1655 or charliebrownsbarandgrill.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here are more Denver old-timers preserving the city\u2019s culinary and cultural past while inching toward the future, in alphabetical order.<\/p>\n

Bagel Deli<\/h4>\n

This 58-year-old, family-owned deli sells toothsome bagels and Jewish deli classics like brisket, corned beef, lox, matzo ball soup and kosher treats. Its modest storefront conceals a deep history, from its 1967 founding by Holocaust survivors Lola and Paul Weiner to a national fan base thanks to shows such as \u201cDiners, Drive-Ins and Dives.\u201d New, as of April: A Denver International Airport outpost<\/a>. 6439 E. Hampden Ave. in Denver; 303-756-6667 or bageldeli.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Bastien\u2019s<\/h4>\n

Whether or not you\u2019ve tried the famous sugar steak \u2014 and you should \u2014 you\u2019ll be transported by the Googie-style architecture<\/a> and mid-century modern aesthetics of this East Colfax Avenue fixture, which opened in 1958. Big groups often dine under the dim lights while toasting martinis and Manhattans, but there\u2019s a romantic air throughout (and a spartan little bar in the back). 3503 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. 303-322-0363 or bastiensrestaurant.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Brewery Bar II<\/h4>\n

This working-class slice of old-school Denver won The Denver Post\u2019s Best Green Chile bracket in April<\/a> against tough competition from Los Dos Potrillos, Tamales Moreno, El Toro, Santiago\u2019s and a few other exemplary makers. All are worthy, but the 69-year-old Brewery Bar II shows many of them up with its face-meltingly hot variety of the traditional stew, available in cups, bowls, take-out containers and atop Mexican dishes and combos \u2014 including its unbeatable crispy rellenos. 150 Kalamath St. in Denver; 303-893-0971 or brewerybars.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Buckhorn Exchange<\/h4>\n
\"The
The dining room at the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Featuring hundreds of taxidermied animals as well as Colorado\u2019s first liquor license granted after Prohibition, Buckhorn Exchange dates to 1893 when it opened as the Rio Grande Exchange. The city\u2019s original steakhouse, as it rightly calls itself, has red-and-white checkered tablecloths and all the Old West flavors to match: Rocky Mountain Oysters, rattlesnake, elk, quail, alligator and, for a mere $263, a 4-pound steak that feeds up to five people. Bibs not included. 1000 Osage St. in Denver; 303-534-9505 or buckhorn.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Bull & Bush Brewery<\/h4>\n

This British pub has stayed cozy despite its sprawling layout and long copper bar, which has welcomed diners and tipplers since 1971. Twin brothers and founders Dean and Dale Peterson<\/a> stocked it with British antiques and pop-culture curios while building one of the tastiest menus in Glendale, with favorites such as fish and chips but also Mexican fare and \u2014 as of the 1990s \u2014 some of Colorado\u2019s first commercial craft brews. Brunch is highly recommended. 4700 E. Cherry Creek South Drive in Glendale; 303-759-0333 or bullandbush.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Casa Bonita<\/h4>\n

As overexposed as its recent renovation<\/a> has been, this 51-year-old \u201ceater-tainment\u201d concept remains a Colorado icon. Kids remember the carnival-style games and interactive environments such as Black Bart\u2019s Cave, and new owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of \u201cSouth Park,\u201d have preserved them with love. The unmistakable pink building still features cliff diving, roaming mariachi performers, and lovingly over-the-top decor, but now the food isn\u2019t too bad, either. Be sure to book early, given the newly revived demand. \u00a06715 W Colfax Ave. in Lakewood; casabonitadenver.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Cherry Cricket<\/h4>\n
\"The
The Cherry Cricket in Denver on June 18, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Denver\u2019s most-awarded burger spot, Cherry Cricket\u2019s original location recalls neighborhood pals gathering for cheap lagers and watching the Broncos sack (or get sacked by) their rivals. It first opened as Zimmerman\u2019s in 1945, but turned into The Cherry Cricket five years later, with a rotating \u201cDuffy\u2019s\u201d sign coming and going over the years. It offers a full sports-bar menu, including wild burger toppings such as peanut butter and mac-and-cheese, with a pair of other locations in LoDo and Littleton. 2641 E. Second Ave. in Denver; 303-322-7666 or cherrycricket.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Original Chubby\u2019s<\/h4>\n

With a colorful family history that occasionally included legal disputes, this late-night Colo-Mex standby offers a burger- and burrito-driven menu of tested family recipes. Owner Stella Cordova, who bought the place in 1967 for $2,500, was a common sight there until she died at age 100 in 2006<\/a>. Her legacy endures with the scarf-worthy burritos, burgers, smothered fries and tamales, most of them available with savory green chile stew ladled on top. And it\u2019s a must-visit for late-night partiers. 1231 W. 38th Ave.; 303-455-9311 or theoriginalchubbysdenver.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Columbine Steakhouse & Lounge<\/h4>\n

The fast-changing face of Federal Boulevard has a constant feature in the 64-year-old, cash-only Columbine Steakhouse, where visitors can watch their porterhouses, T-bones and sirloins sizzle on line, then hunker down with them over a baked potato, salad and slice of toast (or a cocktail from the attached bar next door). Working-class, family-friendly and proud of it. 300 Federal Blvd. in Denver; (303) 936-9110 or columbinesteakhouseandlounge.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Domo<\/h4>\n
\"Patrons
Patrons dine at Domo Japanese Country Restaurant in Denver on Nov. 30, 2023. (Photo by Hyoung Chang\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This Japanese stalwart founded in 1996 revived itself in 2023 after a year off, following a 40-second, viral TikTok video<\/a> of the restaurant\u2019s elaborate gardens, prompting hundreds to wait in lines that snaked around the building (and overwhelming owner Gaku Homma and his staff, as The Denver Post reported). Thank goodness it\u2019s quietly returned to serving its signature Japanese country cuisine, featuring soba, ramen and tsukemen dipping noodles; curries and soups; donburi rice bowls; and all manner of savory, traditional apps. 1365 Osage St. in Denver; 303-595-3666 or facebook.com\/domorestaurantdenver<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

El Taco de Mexico<\/h4>\n

Founded in 1985 by Felipe Juarez and MaLuisa Zanabria, this incredibly consistent, no-frills taqueria is always stuffed with devoted customers, thanks to a tireless, Spanish-speaking staff that keeps things moving briskly. Grab an ice-cold bottle of Mexican soda while you select your mouth-watering tacos, burritos, tamales, enchiladas and sides (with haste, it should be added). If you\u2019ve had a better taco \u2014 or green chile, for that matter<\/a> \u2014 in Denver, you\u2019re a lucky diner. (Do yourself a favor and grab breakfast on the airy, people-watching patio, too.) 714 Santa Fe Drive in Denver; 303-623-3926 or eltacodemexico5280.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The Fort<\/h4>\n
\"The
The Fort restaurant in Morrison, Colorado, on May 27, 2025. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n