Traditional in Denver

2880 Wilderness Place Boulder

303-444-8448

American, Bar, Brewery, Traditional, Bars and Clubs, Breweries and Wineries, Restaurants, Menu

First opened in an old goat shed by two University of Colorado professors in 1979, the Boulder Beer Company is the oldest microbrewery in Colorado. At their Pub -- a full-service restaurant -- you can choose from a long list of menu items accompanied by suggested beer pairings. Try the half-pound Buff burger (all natural; no hormones or antibiotics) with a pint of Buffalo Gold, or the veggie burrito with a dry-hopped Hazed and Infused. Even the appetizers here come with recommendations: Buffalo wings with the Flashback India Brown Ale? How 'bout the sampler plate with -- you guessed it -- the Boulder Beer sampler? One word of warning: The Pub closes early (generally around 10 p.m.).

43 articles

Boulder Cafe

1247 Pearl St. Boulder

303-444-4884

American, Traditional

Fat Boy's Sports Bar & Grill

10660 E. Alameda Ave. Aurora

303-344-1905

American, Traditional, Bar, Menu

There's no typifying the fare at Fat Boy's. The sheer size of the bar and grill's menu matches its name, with dishes that range from salads to seafood, burritos to full barbecue platters. The bar includes a digital jukebox, two pool tables, a spacious patio for smokers and a daily offering of drink specials -- deals that apply to beers on tap as well as frozen drinks. With two distinct sections, the ambience at Fat Boy's is somewhere between a family restaurant and a standard neighborhood bar.

2 articles

Fourleaf Chopped Salads

6840 S. Dallas Way, Englewood Southeast Denver Suburbs

303-662-1200

American, Health, Traditional, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

Those in the know in the Denver Tech Center area have one destination in mind when they’re looking for a quick salad made with quality ingredients. That’s why there’s always a line at Fourleaf Chopped Salads, which is tucked away in a strip mall off an I-25 frontage road in a below-street-level storefront that you’d think would be easy to miss. But plenty of people manage to find it, and they’re rewarded by a board filled with specialty options and a staff willing to come up with something to the customer’s specification. After reciting the order (including type of lettuce, dressing and whichever many of dozens of toppings you like), the salad is assembled in a plastic container, then dumped onto a large chopping board; using a wicked-looking, two-handled rocking blade, a worker chops all those unruly veggies and meats and cheeses into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Salads here are fast, cheap, healthy and delicious, and somehow the shop manages to get everything done between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays.

1 event 3 articles

Harry's Bar & Grill

818 17th St. Downtown Denver

303-607-9000

American, Traditional, Bars and Clubs, Fine Dining, Best Of

Looking for a classy, somewhat hole-in-the-wall spot but still want to be within reach of the Denver nightlife? Harry's Bar may be just what you're looking for. Sitting in a prime location on the first floor of the luxurious Magnolia Hotel on 17th Street, Harry's offers an intimate seating area in which to relax and hold a conversation with a friend over a stiff drink or chat it up with an experienced bartender. Think you might have had one too many? Walk through the back door of the bar and get yourself a room at the Magnolia. These two make a great combination for starting or ending a night.

5 articles

Jamba Juice

14237 W. Colfax Ave., Golden West Denver Suburbs

303-271-0667

American, Fast Food, Health, Organic, Smoothies, Specialties, Traditional, Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of, Menu

Sure, you could be virtuous and make a smoothie at home, but washing strawberry seeds out of the blender jar is a pain. Most people are more likely to head to one of the Denver / Boulder outposts of Jamba Juice, a chain 750 locations strong that's got smoothie-making down to a science (or is it an art?). Jamba's variety of drinks blend fresh fruits and juices, like the Strawberry Surf Rider with strawberries and peaches, or the Orange Carrot Karma, which combines orange juice, carrots, mangos and bananas. Add a Protein, Energy or Probiotic boost to get extra nutrients for a post-workout refueling or even as a quick meal substitute. Finding your nearest Jamba Juice is a breeze on Voice Places.

4 articles

Le Peep

2525 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder

303-444-5119

American, Breakfast/Brunch, Brunch, Comfort Foods, Deli, French, New American, Salads, Sandwiches, Specialties, Traditional, Vegetarian

McCarthy's Sports Bar & Grill

15350 E. Smoky Hill Rd. Aurora

303-693-4500

American, German/Eastern European, Irish, Tex-Mex, Traditional, Bars and Clubs, Menu

Wandering around McCarthy's Bar and Grill can be disorienting. The spacious bar and restaurant, located in the Smoky Hill neighborhood of eastern Aurora, has a lot going on: There's the large dance floor, the walk-up bar and restaurant section, and a front dining room that doubles as a Texas Hold 'Em poker space several times during the week. In keeping with its theme as an intimate Irish-style pub, the owners have included nods to the Emerald Isle on their menu: The Irish Nachos run less than $10. The rest of the food and drink menu comprises standard bar fare, regular happy hours and staples that include hamburgers, Mexican plates and appetizers under $15. The bar tends to attract an older, adult crowd from the nearby suburbs, but live rock shows on Fridays bring in younger patrons.

Modmarket

700 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont Northern Colorado

American, Breakfast/Brunch, Brunch, Gluten-Free, Traditional

Modmarket

3475 S. University Blvd., Englewood Southeast Denver Suburbs

American, Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten-Free, Traditional

The first Modmarket opened in 2009 in Boulder; the town seemed ideally suited to the eatery's seasonal ingredients and farm-to-table philosophy set off by a sleek, fast-casual setting. Now those behind the Modmarket concept are setting their sights on anywhere in the nation that people crave quick, fresh food. Salads, pizzas, sandwiches, platters and even breakfast change seasonally, and all are made with dietary concerns and diners who want a creative, healthy meal in mind.

3 articles

Peppers

3500 Morrison Rd. Southeast Denver

303-975-0285

American, Traditional, Menu

Peppers is best known for its pancakes -- a flagship staple at this restaurant, light and fluffy, but still substantial enough that a stack of two makes a full meal. Trust us: These slightly sweet, slightly malty hotcakes are the diner pancakes of your dreams. But don't be fooled into thinking that all Peppers has to offer is breakfast, because the menu has something for everyone, a sort of mishmash of American, Greek and Mexican, burgers and gyros and burritos served alongside cups of Colorado green chile. And there's one other important staple at Peppers: the service. Owner George Strompoulos keeps checking in with his customers to see if everything's okay (it always is).

4 articles

The Pioneer Inn

15 E. First St., Nederland Boulder

303-258-7733

American, Traditional, Bars and Clubs

The Pioneer Inn has made a lot of history -- and music -- since it opened in Nederland four decades ago. During the heyday of the Caribou Ranch, a recording studio that ran from the early '70s until it was damaged by fire in 1985, musicians stopping in Colorado for recording sessions would take breaks at the Pioneer. Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Carole King and Waylon Jennings all dropped by. John Lennon sat at the bar; Joe Walsh tended it. Live music had long been a fixture at the inn, but it faded away in recent years. Now Dave Lyons, who took over the Pioneer in 2011 with Cindy Shaw, is bringing it back, taking advantage of Nederland's music community and booking acts seven days a week. While the place still retains a lot of its rustic charm, there have been a few updates -- namely, improvements on its American and Mexican comfort menu, as Shaw has stepped up the food game by using fresher ingredients and being a little more conscious of vegetarian and gluten-free diets.

1 article

Red Robin

1491 S. Havana Aurora

303-671-7055

American, Burgers, Traditional, Best Of, Menu

From its humble Seattle beginnings as Sam's Tavern in a neighborhood near the University of Washington, Red Robin has expanded to include more than 400 locations throughout the United States. Denver / Boulder diners know they can order any sandwich on the menu at this popular burger joint and substitute a vegetarian patty, and no one working the floor will do anything but smile. They can also customize it just the way they want it—even without a bun, as a lettuce wrap version of itself—and no Red Robin rep will complain. The drinks are bottomless, and friends of the Robin usually carry a Red Royalty card, which saves them time clipping coupons and gives them every tenth menu item for free, as well as offers for free appetizers, free milkshakes, and gratis sandwiches. Find your nearest Red Robin on Voice Places.

4 articles

Turley's

2805 Pearl St. Boulder

303-442-2800

American, Health, Mexican, Organic, Specialties, Traditional, Vegan, Menu

1 article

Waffle House

8401 Pearl St. North Denver

303-287-1337

American, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Fast Food, New American, Soul Food, Southern, Specialties, Traditional, Menu

You know you've become an American icon when you make regular appearances in Larry the Cable Guy's standup routine, and by that standard, Waffle House is the Elvis Presley of Interstate dining. With more than 1,400 franchises in 25 states (including Denver / Boulder), this Georgia-based breakfast joint, founded in 1955, is among a handful of 24-hour chain diners that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day and night long. Despite the jokes about sticky silverware, all of its waffles are served on real china. And it doesn't matter when you want a meal, you can order anything off the menu—including soups and sirloins, country ham sandwiches and German waffles topped with any number of hot compotes. Many Waffle Houses have jukeboxes, and all of them offer bottomless cups of coffee and breakfast bar service for fans of a bacon-and-eggs-laden buffet. Just look for the yellow neon—or look on Voice Places.

2 articles

Traditional in Denver

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