Denver has always been the beating heart of Colorado, meaning some of the state’s oldest businesses are right here in town. What better way to celebrate the state turning 150 this weekend than to look at the places that’ve been here for decades?
The following establishments are some of the very best our city has to offer, and they’re only a *little* haunted — promise!
🍔 My Brother’s Bar (Highland)
The cozy corner pub on the corner of Platte and 15th streets has been in operation since 1873. Though it’s changed names over the years (it was called Paul’s Place when Jack Kerouac and his friends, Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg, used to visit), it’s stayed a Denver institution for more than 150 years.
Now called My Brother’s Bar, the stamped tin ceiling and dimpled wooden tables of the moody space will transport you back in time. If that doesn’t do it, check out Neal Cassady’s framed IOU letter on the wall, which he wrote in 1944 admitting he owed the bar $3-$4 (roughly $75-$95 today).
Know before you go: They’re known for their onion rings and no-frills burgers, which are best enjoyed with a cold pint on their back patio.
🐏 Buckhorn Exchange (Lincoln Park)
Opened in 1893, the walls of Buckhorn Exchange are covered in all manner of antiques, including JFK’s Colorado fishing license, the wedding dress of Sitting Bull’s niece, about 570 taxidermied animals — including a Kodiak Bear — and a dizzying amount of antique firearms.
Former Buckhorn Exchange owner Henry “Shorty Scout” Zietz was the first person in line for a liquor license when prohibition ended in 1933. That’s why this old-school establishment holds Colorado liquor license No. 1 (and why this bar is among Denver’s most special).
Know before you go: Legend has it that Buffalo Bill won nearly all his poker games here because he mixed bourbon with apple juice when everyone else drank it straight. Order a few to test the theory?
🥃 The Cruise Room at The Oxford Hotel (Union Station)
A phantom postman is rumored to haunt The Cruise Room, the bar that opened in 1933 the day after prohibition ended. If you’re not into ghosts, though, there’s still plenty of reasons to visit this Art Deco gem inside the historic Oxford Hotel.
For one, the bar is shaped like a wine bottle and glows with a bright red light that transports you back a century. Second, there’s a retro jukebox belting out sultry tunes. Lastly, this bar was designed by the same person who decorated the RMS Queen Mary, a retired oceanliner that now serves as a hotel and museum.
Know before you go: Order a Tom Collins, the famous house martini, or a captain’s call — their version of a bartender’s choice, from 5-6 p.m. on weekdays.
🥩 Bastien’s Restaurant (City Park)
Bastien’s Restaurant is a classic steakhouse that’s been family owned and operated since 1937. They’re known for their secret sugar steak recipe, which entails a cut of beef covered in spices and sugar, then grilled into a caramelized crust.
That sugar rub can be ordered on burgers and steak sandwiches, too, and are best paired with sides like twice-baked potatoes, grilled caesar salad, and a garlic brie mushroom medley.
Know before you go: If you’ve still got room after your sugar steak, top off your meal with their white chocolate bread pudding.
