Rise and Shine: HashTAG Brings New Brunch and Happy Hour Options to Downtown

If there's one thing Denver loves, it's brunch, and if there's another thing, it's happy hour. Now prolific restaurateur Troy Guard of TAG Restaurant Group has combined both at the third iteration of his Boozy Brunch Joint, HashTAG. The latest spot, which opened on April 29, offers extended hours and an airy rooftop patio in the heart of downtown. The other HashTAG locations are in Central Park and Highlands Ranch; Guard's additional restaurant offerings include Los Chingones, TAG Burger Bar, Bubu, Done Deal and upscale steakhouse Guard and Grace (which also has an outpost in Houston).

“This elevated setting creates the perfect atmosphere for everything from leisurely brunches to vibrant happy hours, allowing guests to soak in the energy of downtown while enjoying HashTAG’s signature flavors,” Guard says in an announcement of the new spot. "We’re bringing something truly special to downtown, and we couldn’t be more excited! From brunch to happy hour and everything in between, we’re serving up great flavors, good times, and that unmistakable HashTAG energy.”

While the menu is still being finalized, it currently offers brunch favorites such as spicy chilaquiles, oversized cinnamon rolls baked in a cast iron skillet, and an array of eggs Benedicts including the Tijuana, which features adobo pork shoulder, black bean puree, fresh jalapenos, pico and chipotle hollandaise. Carb aficionados can tuck into an ever-changing assortment of pancakes in flavors like sea salt chocolate chip with caramel and blueberry, along with bread pudding French toast featuring challah, white chocolate, cream cheese icing, seasonal fruit, powdered sugar and maple syrup. The expanded lunch menu offers an array of bowls, sandwiches, salads and more.

Guests enter the light- and plant-filled main level — where cozy booths are splashed with the concept's signature sunny  yellow — through an office building adjacent to Skyline Park. The lively, breezy rooftop is up one lengthy flight of exterior stairs, but an elevator in the building also offers access to those who need it (including anyone who might have indulged in perhaps one too many mimosas).

The year-round rooftop is the real star of the show: It's a 4,500 square-foot indoor/outdoor space that not only plays host to happy hours but is available for special events and buyouts. With skyline views and a robust sound system, it's a welcome addition to downtown's après- (or instead of) work afternoons and early evenings. Nibbles include al pastor biscuits, cheeseburger sliders, Spam musubi, reubens and chicken taquitos, along with Guard's always enticing cocktail concoctions. Standouts are the unfortunately named but undeniably delicious Fruity Cougar (vodka, berries, kombucha, egg white and lime) and the Only Fans, a quaffable concoction of vodka, passionfruit, lime and demerara.

At a time when downtown can use investment and energy, cheers to Guard's latest offering.

HashTAG is located at 1125 17th Street. Brunch is served daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and happy hour runs from 3 to 7 p.m. For more information, visit hashtag-restaurant.com.