There are so many fantastic burger places in Denver that it makes you wonder whether they eat anything else. The wealth of good burger bars has created some friendly competition that has, to everyone’s delight, raised the bar in quality, as the famous Denver Burger Battle can attest. The burger bars range from counter-serve places such as Larkburger, who pride themselves on the simplicity of their burgers and on returning to their roots, to incredibly innovative places where world-class chefs try their hand at reinventing burgers, such as Park Burger.
Highland Tap and Burger
With wall-to-wall flat-screen TVs, a serious lineup of local microbrews on tap, pub grub raised to a gourmet level, and a fun patio for those rare warm days, Highland Tap and Burger is extremely popular and can get very lively and rowdy on a game night. Everything on the menu is outstanding: common chicken wings are not common at all, they are first smoked in whiskey barrel chips and come with the pub’s signature sauce and house-made blue cheese dressing. The mac & cheese is made with three kinds of cheese and the fries are fried in duck fat.
But the best surprise is their burgers. They start with a 1/3 pound of all-natural, hand-picked local Angus beef. Their top seller is the Tap Burger with Eli's root beer-pulled pork, American and cheddar cheeses, "Mamas Pilsner" onion rings, and their signature sauce. Or you can get the burger that won the Denver Burger Battle – a beef patty with sautéed mushrooms, Emmental cheese, white truffle aioli, and optional shaved foie gras. This is a burger for kings.
2219 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211, Phone: 720-287-4493
Nickel
Located in the lobby and the main floor of the popular Hotel Teatro, Nickel is a nicely decorated, comfortable, and spacious American bistro-style restaurant with a mix of rustic touches, interesting local textiles, and a gleaming open kitchen where Chef Chris Thompson prepares locally sourced meals with a strong focus on Colorado flavors – even the rotisserie wood is cut nearby.
Dishes are surprisingly simple, allowing the ingredients to burst with flavors, the presentation is fantastic, and the desserts are inventive. Nickel is a popular brunch place with a large menu that includes bottomless mimosas and White Russians. Charcuterie is the main focus, and their Nickel Brunch Burger consists of a double beef patty soaked in sausage gravy, topped with egg yolk and Gouda cheese, and served with shoestring potatoes.
1100 14th St, Denver, CO 80202, Phone: 720-889-2128
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox
Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox is an enormous, multilevel restaurant, bar, dance hall, and live music venue in the Ballpark neighborhood. The décor is “boudoir-style” as a tribute to the building’s past – it occupies the ground floor of a former bordello, peep-show parlor, and flophouse, providing the Ophelia with the nickname “gastrobordello.” Colors are over the top and lively, much décor is adult-themed, but the atmosphere is hopping, the live music bands are excellent, and the food is right there with the entertainment.
They modestly describe it as “flatbread pizzas, small plates, and burgers,” but everything they serve is innovative, bursting with flavors, and quirky. Their Spanish Bacon Burger is served on an house-baked milk bun and loaded with olive tapenade, sunny side egg, arugula, and romesco aioli. You can also find a Colorado yak burger, Scandinavian duck meatballs, and Belgian mussels.
1215 20th St, Denver, CO 80202, Phone: 303-993-8023
Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery
When you put a superb chef like Clint Wangsnes into an unassuming, counter-serve place in Park Hill, don’t be surprised when you get far more than “fast food.” While chef-driven, the restaurant is a popular neighborhood family spot, serving super-fresh and super-fast food that is creative and has a healthy twist – the pastrami is actually smoked chicken pastrami and the salads are both imaginative and filling.
Dishes are served on chunky butcher blocks, but your heart will go for their short ribs cooked for 48 hours, shaved slow-roasted sirloin with French dip, and the Chop Shop Burger made of house-ground meat and served with spicy aioli, American cheese, house pickles, tomatoes, and butter lettuce. A few beers and wines are offered by the restaurant’s small bar.
4990 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80220, Phone: 720-550-7665
Williams & Graham
Located in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood behind the bookstore façade, Williams & Graham is a trendy bar in the classic and beloved tradition of old speakeasies – with a hidden entrance behind the sliding bookshelf and a dark and cozy décor with an old tin ceiling and dark woods with gold trim.
The drinks are famous – the bar has been voted one of America’s best 50. The menu is small but inspired, with plates such as roasted bone marrow on toasted ciabatta with bacon jam and the Williams & Graham Burger with beef from famous local butcher Western Daughters, prepared with Port Salut and served on a soft bun with caramelized onions and fries on the side.
3160 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211, Phone: 303-997-8886
5280 Burger Bar
A cozy, comfortable place in the Denver Pavilions mall, 5280 Burger Bar has wonderful loungy vibe with inviting, colorful armchairs and high padded chairs around the busy bar. They are known for serving fantastic, chef-crafted burgers, fresh salads, appetizers, and 12 local craft beers on tap.
Burgers are made from ground beef, chicken, quinoa, or bison and dressed with interesting combinations of ingredients. Check their Boss Hog with Angus beef, lamb or bison, cheddar cheese, pecan-smoked bacon, slow-roasted pulled pork, and their own BBQ Sauce. Their attached ice cream shop offers home-made ice cream and interesting Shaketini – signature adult shakes. There is a nice outdoor patio when the weather cooperates.
Denver Pavilions, 500 16th St #160, Denver, CO 80202, Phone: 303-825-1020
Bad Daddy's Burger Bar
The Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar chain is cropping up all over Colorado and the surrounding states and has a reputation for fantastic, creative burgers, a fun atmosphere, huge portions, and outstanding cocktails. Their downtown Denver location is modern, sleek, and buzzing with activity, with a mix of locals, busy business people grabbing a quick lunch, or the after-work crowd coming to unwind, have a drink, and grab a burger.
The burgers are enormous, with high-quality meat and imaginative toppings. Just as an example, try their Cheeseburger on Steroids with Monterey Jack cheese, three pieces of applewood-smoked bacon, three pieces of jalapeño bacon, house-made bacon mayo, iceberg lettuce, tomato, pickles, and red onion. They serve a huge number of local craft beers, at least four rotating beers on tap, a small selection of wines and excellent, generous cocktails.
240 Milwaukee St, Denver, CO 80206, Phone: 303-377-3032
Candlelight Tavern
Candlelight Tavern is an old-fashioned neighborhood dive where locals and the occasional passing visitor come regularly to watch games, discuss world problems with other bar patrons, taste the latest beer on tap, or grab a juicy, greasy burger that clogs the arteries but cheers the heart. The Tavern has been a regular feature in the South Pearl neighborhood so long that it has served several generations of locals.
You can see students, regular working folk, sports fans, and whole families out for dinner. Many love playing darts, pool, or foosball or listening to the jukebox. There is a drink special every day and the place gets really hopping on weekends. The menu is limited to regular pub grub, but the burgers are large and juicy. Try their jalapeño cream cheese burger, it has a nice bite to it.
383 S Pearl St, Denver, CO 80209, Phone: 303-778-9530
Federal Bar and Grill
Located in the former 1904 firehouse that housed the famous Micky Manor burger joint for 75 years, Federal Bar and Grill is a neighborhood pub in the Highlands/Jefferson Park neighborhood near the Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Although it looks like a dive on the outside, it is actually family-friendly, cozy, and laid-back, with a popcorn machine, a ping-pong table and Trivial Pursuit. There are also 20 lines of draft beer from all over the country and a nice outdoor area with park benches.
The food is unexpectedly good: pub grub that has been elevated with skill and imagination into food easy to love, with items such as the pork belly bahn mi sandwich with marinated, seared, and caramelized pork belly topped with bahn mi slaw on a toasted hoagie bun loaded with sriracha mayo. Their burgers are fantastic and you can make your own with chicken breast, veggies, turkey, marinated portobello mushroom, lamb and/or beef, or you can choose one of their own concoctions such as The Med @ The Fed, with a lamb and beef patty with cucumber tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, and onions.
2544 Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80211, Phone: 303-728-9479
Mile High Hamburger Mary's
Mile High Hamburger Mary’s is an LGBT-friendly sports bar chain with 15 locations all over the States. Their Denver location has its own personality, distinctly quirky, and is located in City Park West, with outrageous décor of purple wallpaper, all sorts of sports memorabilia, high heel shoes that serve as bill-holders, antique tennis rackets, and 21 enormous high definition TVs.
The place is extremely popular and gets filled to the top, especially on game days or on nights with the live entertainment. The bar is fully stocked with an excellent selection of wines and beers on tap and the menu is, as expected, burger-centric. All seven burgers on the menu are made from Colorado beef and served with the signature knife stabbed in the middle. The portions are impressive. Their double burger comes with caramelized onions, a mix of sautéed mushrooms, two types of cheese, bacon, and Mary’s special sauce. Burgers can also be made with chicken breast or veggies.
1336 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218, Phone: 303-993-5812
Park Burger Pearl
On the surface, Park Burger is a mini-franchise with an unassuming, diner-like décor. But behind it is world-famous Chef Jean-Philippe Failyau, and his take on the classic American burger is so spectacular that you will see lines of people waiting to enter any of the four spots around Denver. The burgers are huge, juicy, and topped with interesting, unusual ingredients, creating a meal that is way beyond what is basically American comfort food.
All burgers are made from certified Angus beef from the Harris Ranch, completely natural and never frozen. All burgers are served with tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles, and the house special sauce. There is a huge list of additional toppings for you to choose from. Try their signature Royale, with a 1/3-pound beef patty, blue cheese, caramelized onions, and bacon. All Park Burger locations have excellent selections of local beers, wines, and sodas.
1890 S Pearl St, Denver, CO 80210, Phone: 720-242-9951
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