@ Cheers

After a long run as the Golden Cue and a brief stint as Chasers, the owner of JR’s Silver Bullet in Thornton and England native Rob Kirk opened @ Cheers in March, 2011. While the place still hangs on to some of its charm when it was the Golden Cue (yes, there are still plenty […]

1301 Santa Fe Tavern & Grill

New owners have brought a new menu along with a new cleanliness regimen to the former dark, divey Hoffbrau, now renamed 1301 Santa Fe Bar & Grill. The rooftop smoking deck and wooden floor of the dining room got a good scrubbing, and the kitchen and interior underwent several much-needed repairs. The result is a […]

1515 Restaurant

Gene Tang is the consummate host. For close to two decades, he’s overseen every aspect of 1515 Restaurant, which occupies a Victorian storefront in LoDo — greeting guests, checking on table settings, asking diners if everything is to their liking (it usually is). While the first floor is home to a comfortable bar whose crowds […]

The 1UP Arcade Bar – Greenwood Village

Opened in March 2011, the 1UP Arcade Bar is an arcade, bar and restaurant with locations in Lodo and on Colfax Avenue. Vintage arcade games, Skee-Ball, pinball machines and cutting-edge multi-player video games are the main draw. The Greenwood Village outpost of 1UP opened in December 2018.

20th Street Cafe Mexican

The OG 20th Street Cafe served classic diner food for 74 years before shuttering in April 2020, but exactly three years later, the space reopened as 20th Street Cafe Mexican. The new owners previously ran the now-closed Mexican eatery Tarahumara; while they kept the moniker 20th Street Cafe at the request of the previous owners […]

240 Union Restaurant

Longevity is an important word in any restaurateur’s lexicon. Every house wants to see its ten-year anniversary in the rearview; most never get there. But 240 Union — the New American outpost founded in 1989 by Michael Coughlin, Noel Cunningham and chef Matt Franklin — is still going strong, because this restaurant has never just […]

5 on Lawrence

In late 2023, the owner of Max Market added a sports bar next door, outfitting 5 on Lawrence with plenty of TVs for watching Nuggets, Avs, Broncos, Rapids and Rockies games, plus Arsenal soccer matches. It also has an arcade room so you can distract yourself if a televised game isn’t going your way. The […]

5280 Burger Bar

The guys behind 5280 Burger Bar, which debuted in the Denver Pavilions in early 2014, really like burgers, so their casual spot features burgers made from Colorado beef and other locally sourced ingredients, as well as homemade buns, sauces and other toppings (including the American cheese). They like beer, too, so there are a dozen […]

5280 Burger Bar

The guys behind 5280 Burger Bar expanded the concept from downtown Denver to Westminster in 2017, but they didn’t change much else about the popular joint. They (still) really like burgers, so their casual spot features burgers made from Colorado beef and other locally sourced ingredients, as well as homemade buns, sauces and other toppings […]

8 Rivers Cafe

In LoDo, where 8 Rivers moved in October 2008, chef/owner Scott Durrah has a decent-sized space — not huge, but maybe three times larger than his old spot in Highland. He has a bar set with bottles of Mount Gay and Appleton Estate rum, and decorated with album covers from reggae and dub bands. He […]

A5 Steakhouse

Denver was long thought of as a cowtown, and the steakhouse was central to the cuisine. While many old-school steakhouses are still slinging meat, A5, which opened in 2021, stands out as a modern, lively take on the classic concept. We love this spot for more than just the steaks (though those are excellent). You’re […]

Abbey Tavern

Call it the luck of the Irish: With the Abbey Tavern, Glen Eastwood has managed to create a pub that’s better than the sum of its parts. The former general manager of a couple of Irish bars around town, Eastwood turned an old florist’s shop on East Colfax into a true hangout for Park Hill, […]

Abejas

Since Abejas opened in downtown Golden in 2015, the intimate eatery has become a standout for fine dining in the western suburbs. The name is Spanish for “bees,” after founders Brandon Bortles and Barry Dobesh, who were called “the Bs” by their friends – and it’s still buzz-worthy, thanks to its eclectic, seasonal roster of […]

Acapulco Tacos y Pupusas

During busy hours at Acapulco, you practically need a shoehorn to get into the microscopic front room that barely has space for its four counter seats and the window where you order; even during off-hours, it’s unusual to find an empty seat here. The owner, Roberto Lopez, hails from Mexico, and his wife comes from […]

Ace Eat Serve

Ace owners Josh and Jen Wolkon, who also run Steuben’s, had a fast hit on their hands when they opened their ping-pong hall and pan-Asian eatery in 2012. The menu at Ace Eat Serve has just gotten better over the years, and in 2024, it continued its evolution under new executive chef Khamla Vongsakoun. While […]