TAG Burger Bar

When a big-name chef launches a casual outpost, expectations run high, and Troy Guard’s TAG Burger Bar is up to the task. Although there are other things on the menu — a saucy macaroni and cheese, fried Brussels sprouts and boozy milkshakes — these dishes all feel like opening acts: intriguing, but not the main event. Not surprisingly, the burgers take center stage here. To differentiate TAG Burger Bar from other high-end joints that opened at the top of the burger trend, the setup allows diners to choose their protein — beef, lamb, salmon, turkey, veggie or bison — a bun with or without gluten, and toppings. More is more with the “Colorado Proud,” which unites everything we love about this state short of the slopes and above-treeline trails, including Boulder honey blended into Haystack Mountain goat cheese and house-roasted Pueblo green chiles. But less is also more with the unadorned Angus burger, which has nothing but lettuce and tomato to augment the delicious mix of short ribs, brisket and chuck.