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Al_4_State

Al_4_State

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Going out to CO in a couple weeks to snowboard/brewery tour/see some concerts. We're going to A-Basin on St. Patty's, and heading to our hotel in Denver after we get off the slops that afternoon. I've been out to Colorado quite a bit, but only pass through Denver. We're staying downtown Denver from St. Patty's evening through the weekend (concerts are at the Ogden). Just looking for recommendations on bars/restaurants. I really want to hit some unique to Denver establishments. When I go somewhere, I like to experience the local flavor as much as possible. Interested in most types of cuisine, but would prefer to avoid the outrageously expensive. The types of places you see on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" are kind of what we're looking for. I know there are quite a few Iowa ex-pats living in the Front Range, so I figured it was a good place to get info.

Thanks in advance!
 
Downtown Denver on St. Patty's is one huge, epic party...Celtic Tavern has live bands, Fado usually has a huge beer garden and tent next to Coors Field. I am sure the Tilted Kilt on the 16th Street Mall will be packed. Katie Mullens at the other end of the mall is another hot spot for St. Patty's.

Microbreweries downtown....Wynkoop Brewery is a must. Breckenridge Brewery is off of the beaten path a bit, but good beers as well. No, Rock Bottom on the mall doesn't count. CB& Potts is a chain, but have good micros as well.

Jonesy's gastro-pub near downtown is good and out of the way. Yard House on the mall has a huge selection of beers.

But if you want Denver...find a Brewery Bar and have the green chili. Hacienda Colorado is my personal favorite. Rocky Mountain Diner just closed, otherwise I would suggest that as well.

That is a start, I am sure I will have more...
 
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It seems to me that a lot of the cool dive type of places are Mexican from my limited experience. If you want to eat some Tacos, Tacos D.F. is pretty good. Along the Mexican lines, La Fiesta.

There is an expensive-ish restaurant called Fruition Restaurant that people rave about. It's about $25-30 a plate though

Other recommended places are:

Rocky Mountain Diner, Bud's Bar, Grandpa's Burger Haven, Davies Chuck Wagon Diner, would all seem to fit kind of your dive/diner kind of profile.

I also found a website that has good recommendations for all kinds of categories:

Denver Best Of Awards
 
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I am hoping that you are smart enough to have already planned a stop at Beau Jos in Idaho Springs?
 
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Al_4_State said:
Going out to CO in a couple weeks to snowboard/brewery tour/see some concerts. We're going to A-Basin on St. Patty's, and heading to our hotel in Denver after we get off the slops that afternoon. I've been out to Colorado quite a bit, but only pass through Denver. We're staying downtown Denver from St. Patty's evening through the weekend (concerts are at the Ogden). Just looking for recommendations on bars/restaurants. I really want to hit some unique to Denver establishments. When I go somewhere, I like to experience the local flavor as much as possible. Interested in most types of cuisine, but would prefer to avoid the outrageously expensive. The types of places you see on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" are kind of what we're looking for. I know there are quite a few Iowa ex-pats living in the Front Range, so I figured it was a good place to get info.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Here is a huge list, did not check to see if Denver was on it.
Guy's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives : Shows : Food Network

Here is a better list:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=denver,+co&fnSearchType=site
 
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cycloneSOULja said:
It seems to me that a lot of the cool dive type of places are Mexican from my limited experience. If you want to eat some Tacos, Tacos D.F. is pretty good. Along the Mexican lines, La Fiesta.

There is an expensive-ish restaurant called Fruition Restaurant that people rave about. It's about $25-30 a plate though

Other recommended places are:

Rocky Mountain Diner, Bud's Bar, Grandpa's Burger Haven, Davies Chuck Wagon Diner, would all seem to fit kind of your dive/diner kind of profile.

I also found a website that has good recommendations for all kinds of categories:

Denver Best Of Awards
Click to expand...

Sadly, the Rocky Mountain Diner closed.
 
Breakfast - Snooze, Sam's No. 3
Lunch - An's Lemongrass, Cheba Hut, Thai food cart on 16th St Mall, Illegal Pete's
Dinner - Tamayo, Panzano's, Steuben's - whatever you do, don't go to Freshcraft - they fly a Hawkeye flag

drinking - pick anywhere, it will be busy everywhere over St Patrick's Day.
 
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azn4cy said:
I am hoping that you are smart enough to have already planned a stop at Beau Jos in Idaho Springs?
Click to expand...

It's been discussed. Might shoot for the one in Boulder too.

Downtown Denver on St. Patty's is one huge, epic party...Celtic Tavern has live bands, Fado usually has a huge beer garden and tent next to Coors Field. I am sure the Tilted Kilt on the 16th Street Mall will be packed. Katie Mullens at the other end of the mall is another hot spot for St. Patty's.

Microbreweries downtown....Wynkoop Brewery is a must. Breckenridge Brewery is off of the beaten path a bit, but good beers as well. No, Rock Bottom on the mall doesn't count. CB& Potts is a chain, but have good micros as well.

Jonesy's gastro-pub near downtown is good and out of the way. Yard House on the mall has a huge selection of beers.

But if you want Denver...find a Brewery Bar and have the green chili. Hacienda Colorado is my personal favorite. Rocky Mountain Diner just closed, otherwise I would suggest that as well.

That is a start, I am sure I will have more...
Click to expand...

Is Brewery Bar a specific bar or do you just mean any brew-pub? I love green chili. Otherwise, a lot of these sound really good. As far as breweries, I think we're going to be pretty booked between trips to FoCo, Boulder, and Longmont on the 18th-19th. Want to hit New Belgium, O'Dell's, Oskar Blues, Left Hand, Boulder Beer Co, Mountain Sun, and Avery. Probably won't officially tour most of them, just swing by the tap rooms for a pint and move on.

I'm really pumped for St. Patty's in downtown. I plan on flasking it up at A-Basin while I board that day.
 
There's a great Celtic rock band playing at Herman's Hideaway on the 17th - They're called Rebel County.

March 12th - St. Patty's Day parade, Denver CO 9am
March 12th - TBA
March 12th - The Celtic (Downtown), Denver CO 10pm
...March 17th - TBA
March 17th - Scruffy Murphy's, Denver CO 11am
March 17th - The Celtic (Downtown), Denver CO 5pm
March 17th - Herman's Hideaway, 8pm
March 18th - TBA
March 19th - TBA
 
Here is the link to Brewery Bar. I stay clear of Casa Bonita, but that is me.

Although its a chain, Illegal Petes in LoDo is good as well. H Burger is great up the street from there as well. Rio Grande off of Blake has won awards for their margaritas.

Freshcraft does have a Hawkeye flag, but they do brew their own beer and distill their own spirits. I hear great things about the place.

I guess I would also direct you to WestWord's Best of Denver to get more ideas.

Have fun skiing. Drink LOTS of water while here. Enjoy St. Patty's in LoDo...it is always a blast.
 
Al_4_State said:
It's been discussed. Might shoot for the one in Boulder too.



Is Brewery Bar a specific bar or do you just mean any brew-pub? I love green chili. Otherwise, a lot of these sound really good. As far as breweries, I think we're going to be pretty booked between trips to FoCo, Boulder, and Longmont on the 18th-19th. Want to hit New Belgium, O'Dell's, Oskar Blues, Left Hand, Boulder Beer Co, Mountain Sun, and Avery. Probably won't officially tour most of them, just swing by the tap rooms for a pint and move on.

I'm really pumped for St. Patty's in downtown. I plan on flasking it up at A-Basin while I board that day.
Click to expand...

A-Basin isn't a bad little mountain and you will avoid the tourists there for the most part. The bowls are sick and its dumped this winter so they have a good base.

As for St Pats day, I would avoid Fado's, its something like $20 to get into the tented area and from my experience is pretty lame. Celtic is fun on St. Pats but honestly all of downtown is a blast.

In terms of breweries and places to eat, check out Vine St. Pub. It's the same owners as Mountain Sun in Boulder. Beer is great and the food is good and cheap, they don't accept credit cards so bring cash. Your list of breweries you are going to is pretty good but you left out probably the best brewery in Denver. Great Divide is downtown and their beer, IMO, is the best Colorado has to offer. If you go to their tasting room they give you a few free samples. If you like hoppy bear try Hurcules.

Have fun visiting the sun shine state!
 
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