Every Restaurant Opening and Closing This Week, July 16-22

"There are many reasons," says David Mot regarding the shuttering of Pharaoh's Lounge pool hall on Broadway, one of two closings to report this week. Players generally avoid downtown, he notes, and the place wasn't able to attract leagues, which tend to prefer smaller bars where they make more money. Issues with homelessness, violence and vandalism in the area — including acid-etched graffiti on the windows that cost the business $4,000 — also contributed to the decision.

Mot is planning to move the pool hall to 404 Marshall Road in Superior this November. "The town, though it was hit hard by the Marshall fire, is rebuilding, and is one of the cleanest and nicest towns in Colorado," he notes. "I also plan to buy the burned lots and build on them and resell them with a unique modern steel and glass architecture of my own."

MBP, which stands for Moods. Beats. Potions., also closed, though its website says that the space is still available for private events. The Five Points eatery was one of the food businesses launched by Pure Hospitality, the food and beverage arm of Flyfisher Group, an investment firm headed by Matthew Burkett, a longtime business partner of Denver native Robert Smith, who happens to be the richest Black man in America.

Flyfisher originally claimed to be buying up property in Five Points to inject more capital into the neighborhood, but in March, Westword reported that many business owners in the area have charged the group with hurting, not helping, the neighborhood. Pure Hospitality's only remaining food business is brunch spot Mimosas.

There are also two openings to report this week. Zane's Italian Bistro, which recently moved out of a shopping center on Belleview in the Denver Tech Center, is back at its new location on Yosemite and Hampden.

Growing Korean fried-chicken chain Mono Mono, one of our picks for the ten best wings in Denver, debuted its fast-casual spinoff, Mono GoGo, in Lakewood.

This weekend, another fast-growing Korean fried chicken chain will open its second outpost. Korea-based bb.q Chicken, which started with an Aurora location in May, will add a store at 9234 Park Meadows Drive in Lone Tree; a Denver location is also expected to open next week.

In other openings-and-closings news:

• The historic George Schleier Mansion at 1665 Grant Street will become an Urban Cowboy boutique hotel in 2023, complete with a restaurant that will serve small plates and pies from Brooklyn-based (and Michelin-starred) Roberta's Pizza.
• A new brewery is coming to South Broadway this fall.
• If you miss certain Denver restaurants, we have some suggestions.
• Check out five openings coming soon, from po'boys to a French eatery.

Here's the complete list of restaurants and bars opening and closing this week:
Restaurants and bars opening this week:*

Mono GoGo, 450 South Teller Street, Lakewood
Zane's Italian Bistro, 3535 South Yosemite Street

Restaurants and bars closing this week:*

Moods. Beats. Potions., 2844 Welton Street
Pharaoh's Lounge, 333 Broadway

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Email [email protected].