Every Opening and Closing: Banh Mi, Barbecue, Empanadas at the Airport and More

After a week with no new bars or restaurants to report, the pace has picked back up, with fresh options for everything from banh mi to barbecue.

Conu's Corner, a convenience store located near Sloan's Lake, recently added a kitchen and debuted a takeout menu with Vietnamese options like pho, rice and noodle combos, as well as banh mi sandwiches made using bread baked in-house.

Stuboy's BBQ was forced to close its Lone Tree location when the building was sold. Now it's back in a new spot in Lakewood, where it's focusing on catering during the week and dishing out smoked meats to go from noon to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

There's a new option for a different kind of barbecue, too. Restaurateur J.W. Lee, whose Seoul Hospitality Group owns Mono Mono, Tofu House, Seoul Mandoo, Mochinut and more, added KoBa, an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue joint on South Federal Boulevard.
On Colfax, the spirit of Sid King's infamous strip joint, Crazy Horse, now lives on — sans strippers — at the new Crazy Horse, from Tight End and X Bar owner Steven Alix, which is part full-service restaurant, part nightclub.

In Boulder, sisters Sydney and Jordan Klinkerman acquired their mentor's shop, Kim and Jake's Cakes, and have reopened it as Sweet Sisters Bake Shop.

The changes continue in Five Points, where Taco Uprising is the latest addition. And near Wash Park, the new owner of the former Sportsbook Bar & Grill promises that not much will change about the place beyond its name, which is now Origins.

While we're partial to the locally owned Maria Empanada, fans of the Argentinian filled pastries can now grab a fix while at Denver International Airport, thanks to the addition of Miami-based Half Moon Empanadas in Concourse B.

One opening in particular stirred up controversy. The Drip Cafe is owned by a nonprofit called Recycle God's Love, which updated its website ahead of the coffee shop's opening to remove language that many said was anti-LGBTQ, leading to protests during its debut.
There are a handful of closures to report, as well. Manzo Lobster & Oyster Bar, which opened in Uptown in September 2020, has called it quits.

McKinners Pizza has shut down both its Littleton location and its Denver-based delivery-only outpost, and Roo-Bar is gone for good after the city revoked its licenses.

Counter Culture Brewing, which had said its closure was temporary, is out for good, and Mythology Distilling shut down its Denver location as it prepares to move to Steamboat Springs.

In other openings-and-closings news:

• There's still no official opening date for Casa Bonita, but we've got the complete guide to the new version of the pink palace.
• Fox and the Hen, the new brunch spot from Top Chef alum Carrie Baird, opens June 10, and it's pure fun.
• Dos Luces Brewery announced that it will close sometime this summer.

Here's the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened and closed this week.
Restaurants and bars that opened this week:

Conu’s Corner, 4400 West 29th Avenue
Crazy Horse Kitchen + Bar, 1201 East Colfax Avenue
The Drip Cafe, 869 Santa Fe Drive
Half Moon Empanadas, Denver International Airport, Center Court - Concourse B
KoBa AYCE Korean Barbeque, 1225 South Federal Boulevard
Origins Sports Bar & Grill, 266 South Downing Street
Stuboy's BBQ & Catering, 6004 South Kipling Parkway, Littleton
Sweet Sisters Bake Shop, 641 South Broadway, Boulder
Taco Uprising, 2849 Welton Street

Restaurants and bars that closed this week:

Counter Culture Brewing, 205 East Seventh Avenue
Manzo Lobster & Oyster Bar, 500 East 19th Avenue
McKinners Pizza, 2389 West Main Street, Littleton and 1468 South Cherokee Street
Mythology Distilling, 3622 Tejon Street
Roo-Bar Lounge, 3480 Park Avenue West
The Sportsbook Bar & Grill, 266 South Downing Street

What did we miss? Post a comment or send a note to [email protected].