Lanyard
08-26-2008, 22:03
Hey Guys & Gals,
I'm sure there are a few of you here in town and maybe you might have a little bit of time to kill between doing whatever you have to do. I thought I'd share a few of the places in Denver proper that I really enjoy and might not be in any visitors brochure. I hope the other Coloradans will be in to tout their sections of the Front Range, though take it from me, there's not much in Greeley.
1.) El Chapultepec (the 'Pec) - great live venue for Jazz. Often after a big name has played their paying gig at a larger venue in town then they drop by and play a set or two with the house band. I have personally seen Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett (didn't sing), and Natalie Cole. Denver actually has a very strong Jazz heritage as it was the only stop between Kansas City and California where a musician could get a paying gig. There is NO dancing though, Gerry will throw you out. "Dazzle" is also a good choice for tunes.
2.) Red Square Restaurant - a great place for Vodka. This is the second incarnation and has been in Lodo in one form or another for a few decades. It's a Russian restaurant owned by a Brit, the wait staff is Ukrainian, and the chef is Russian. Known for for its prodigious Vodka Menu, over 100 varieties. My personal best is 20 shots, ask for Stephen or Irina to help out with the choices.
3.) Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant - A great place for an authentic Western Meal. It's the oldest liquor license (over 100 years) in Denver and they often have Bison, Rattlesnake, Elk, Quail and of course, the 4 lb Steak. They have a great 120 piece gun collection and the likes of Red Cloud, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Reagan, Will Rogers and Bob Hope have eaten there.
4.) Casa Bonita - I know, I know. But if you have kids or are into South Park it can be pretty fun. Their food can't be too bad. They were the exclusive caterer for the Pope when he was in town. Although that may explain why he hasn't been back. Really, the sopapillas and margaritas are good.
5.) Domo Japanese Restaurant - Something of an anomaly when you think of the Wild West, but back during WW II Denver was a haven of sorts for Japanese Americans. Ralph Carr, our Governor at the time, openly welcomed the Japanese Americans and made an official apology for the internment camps in SE Colorado. Nice thing to do but it killed his political career. Anyway, Domo is really an Aikido dojo with a restaurant attached. The entire staff, sans cooks, are students working off their dues. The building is a very authentic reproduction of a large Japanese farm house complete with large tree trunk chairs and stone slab table tops. Of course the food is authentic as well. Try to grab a seat outside in the zen garden and yes that is a real Mongolian yurt in the parking lot.
Hope this helps and if anyone would like a tip for something different feel free to drop me a PM.
I'm sure there are a few of you here in town and maybe you might have a little bit of time to kill between doing whatever you have to do. I thought I'd share a few of the places in Denver proper that I really enjoy and might not be in any visitors brochure. I hope the other Coloradans will be in to tout their sections of the Front Range, though take it from me, there's not much in Greeley.
1.) El Chapultepec (the 'Pec) - great live venue for Jazz. Often after a big name has played their paying gig at a larger venue in town then they drop by and play a set or two with the house band. I have personally seen Wynton Marsalis, Tony Bennett (didn't sing), and Natalie Cole. Denver actually has a very strong Jazz heritage as it was the only stop between Kansas City and California where a musician could get a paying gig. There is NO dancing though, Gerry will throw you out. "Dazzle" is also a good choice for tunes.
2.) Red Square Restaurant - a great place for Vodka. This is the second incarnation and has been in Lodo in one form or another for a few decades. It's a Russian restaurant owned by a Brit, the wait staff is Ukrainian, and the chef is Russian. Known for for its prodigious Vodka Menu, over 100 varieties. My personal best is 20 shots, ask for Stephen or Irina to help out with the choices.
3.) Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant - A great place for an authentic Western Meal. It's the oldest liquor license (over 100 years) in Denver and they often have Bison, Rattlesnake, Elk, Quail and of course, the 4 lb Steak. They have a great 120 piece gun collection and the likes of Red Cloud, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Reagan, Will Rogers and Bob Hope have eaten there.
4.) Casa Bonita - I know, I know. But if you have kids or are into South Park it can be pretty fun. Their food can't be too bad. They were the exclusive caterer for the Pope when he was in town. Although that may explain why he hasn't been back. Really, the sopapillas and margaritas are good.
5.) Domo Japanese Restaurant - Something of an anomaly when you think of the Wild West, but back during WW II Denver was a haven of sorts for Japanese Americans. Ralph Carr, our Governor at the time, openly welcomed the Japanese Americans and made an official apology for the internment camps in SE Colorado. Nice thing to do but it killed his political career. Anyway, Domo is really an Aikido dojo with a restaurant attached. The entire staff, sans cooks, are students working off their dues. The building is a very authentic reproduction of a large Japanese farm house complete with large tree trunk chairs and stone slab table tops. Of course the food is authentic as well. Try to grab a seat outside in the zen garden and yes that is a real Mongolian yurt in the parking lot.
Hope this helps and if anyone would like a tip for something different feel free to drop me a PM.