Columbine Steak House & Lounge

This place is so cool. I was referred to Columbine steakhouse by a really good friend. He ranted and raved about it saying how great it was so we went. It is such a cool guy's place. The steak was amazing, cooked to perfection and just absolutely tasty. The atmosphere was calm with the TV playing football. In the background we had porterhouse steak with baked potato and a small salad just plain No frills. Damn good steak. It's a guy's place without all the bells and whistles you get what you want. You get what you come for and you're happy. When you leave the door. I will definitely be back. I plan to be a regular customer.

Cheap, decent steaks with very basic side baked potato and “salad”. This is definitely more of a “come-for-the-experience” kind of spots. It’s like stepping back in time about 50 years, so that’s neat for the history lovers out there. The dining room and bar side is separate but you can eat in either. Cash only for alcohol.

Same place for decades. The steak 🥩 was alright and my salad 🥗 was Basura 🗑️ The service was good. The price was decent. Can’t say I’d do it again anytime soon but ya never know. Anyway, check em out if you’re ever in the neighborhood and holla at a Playa. 👌🏾

I’m in Denver for a quick trip and had to have Columbine Steak House! It’s a staple for anyone from Denver. It’s exactly what you expect from a hole-in-the-wall restaurant! They are priced right and the steaks are great. It’s a “must have” if you are in Denver!

I brought my own seasonings because of the many reviews saying there is no seasoning but I felt the one I got was brined so it had plenty of that deliciousness to it but I did bring my own seasonings just in case. The steak was cooked perfectly, and I did add some "dash original" to it for that perfect pop. I brought some other seasonings along as well but dash and steak were perfect.

I enjoyed my t-bone steak. I love watching them cook to order. It was juicy but yet needed a little more seasoning. The baked potato was pretty good too they had the right amount of butter. Otherwise you do get a bang for your buck! The staff was friendly and cordial. A perfect little neighborhood staple to grab a good steak.

As I was visiting Denver from Buffalo, I couldn’t go home without trying a steak. So we needed an easy dining, fair priced restaurant for lunch. The first smiling face I saw was the cook, I ordered a strip steak rare and it was perfect. No fuss about the rare!! The atmosphere is very friendly, try this place I think you’ll love it.

A charming spot with a cozy vintage atmosphere and delicious, reasonably priced food. This family-owned business is warm and attentive, making every customer feel welcome. The free rice pudding they offered was absolutely delicious—thank you for the treat! I can't wait to return the next time I'm in Denver.

Best steaks in Colorado. Didn't believe the savory tender steak was gonna be that good. 5 stars all day.

Neighborhood eatery and bar. The steaks are great! Don't come for the ambiance! If you want a great T-Bone steak cooked the way you like it with a salad, potato, and drink for under $30, this is the place!! I'm hooked!!

No frills steak with no frills service. A Denver staple for over 60 years, this cash only restaurant/bar serves up steaks and a few other options. Food is served quickly. If you don't want it to be too busy, I suggest going on the weekend before 5pm. Steaks were cooked to order and seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper. Sides include a choice of baked potato or fries, Texas toast, and dinner salad. You can't go wrong with a 10 oz NY Strip Steak at $21. If you want to view sports, a few TVs are on the wall and over the bar.

BRING CASH. A Triple D spot. A great steak at a fair price at a small localy owned diner with Two star dining. Small parking lot off a very busy street. Not a group spot due to size. Shared a poterhouse with the wife, salid,baked potato, fries, toast and two drinks $49. Came away stuffed!

I'm so glad Columbine opened again! Since being on the top ten list for Denver's best steak houses, this place is a must. The cash only setting with a very small menu is perfect for the meat and potatoes folk looking for just that. It is a smaller place in terms of seating and the decor brings up back to days of old- although the jukebox plays 80s metal so there's that. There are several cuts of meat available for you to choose. If you're in the mood for something other than steak, they do have fish, hamburgers, and shrimp. This place knows how to cook steaks to the temperature requested. It's a you get what you get kinda place and I am here for it. The NY strip and baked potato was a great meal-3 people in the party ordered it and had no complaints!

The staff and clientele interactions are more interesting than the food here. This is essentially a budget self service steakhouse experience that has clearly been embraced by the neighborhood folks. If ordering a steak dinner, walk in and order with the folks running the grill to tell them the cut, temp and type of potato (baked or fried). As you move forward in a truncated cafeteria line, the person staffing the register asks what you ordered and the dressing for your salad as they take a prepared bowl of lettuce out of a refrigerator and plop on the dressing. They will ask if you'd like a drink which is extra. The food is fine, nothing out of the ordinary. It is a straightforward steak, potato and lettuce filled salad affair that is filling. You can make all of this easily better at home for a lot less money if you want to expend the energy. I ordered my steak medium rare and it was well done. And the people who ordered after me were served first. They call you out to come and get your order by the steak you order. My name was sirloin, for instance. What if there were 5 sirloins? Maybe sirloin 1, then sirloin 2? It was kind of funny to be treated so impersonally but I wasn't offended. The staff will clear your table. Regulars stop in. Your leftover bones are absconded and put in a plastic bag, presumably for dogs, by people stopping by and chatting up the owner.

---- CASH ONLY ---- Good place for a quick lunch. Fast and cordial service. Cheap for a "steakhouse" but the meat quality is marginal. The place is small so I wouldn't recommend big groups. The ambience is quiet but no one was here at 12:15 for lunch.

My parents surprised us with steak sandwiches from Columbine yesterday and they were sure tasty. All of the takeaways arrived in styrofoam boxes, which admittedly isn't great, but I did appreciate how they separated the steak in tinfoil to keep the toast from getting soggy and the veggies from going limp. Although the steak for the sandwiches was the best cut- I think it was sirloin- it was as flavorful and tender and not at all grizzly. Also the hand cut fries were yummy.

Not bad, but I wasn't blown away either. Service was pretty good. I was in and out in probably 30 minutes around noon on a Friday. My steak was cooked perfectly, and the salad and baked potato were great. But this is no frills. The interior is dated. You go up to the counter to grab your plate of food after they cook your order. Pop comes in a large red plastic cup. So, if you're looking for a decent steak/potato/salad quickly at a great price, this does the trick. But a traditional upscale steak house experience? Not here.

Wow what can we say. This was a disturbing experience. We finally tried this place. People rave about their steaks but let me tell you, don't risk it. It's DIRTY! No sanitation used at all. Dirty cooks touching everything and the anything and them touching the beef. Slip of a steak on the floor. Opps. There it goes back on the plate and out to the customer. Outdated decor. Reeks of a 40's decor. The meat smelled like burned tenderizer. I can't believe the health department hasn't closed this place down yet. Absolutely disgusting. If their customer base was anywhere besides southwest Denver, they would be out of business. Be warned. You will get sick.

Unfortunately, my recent visit to this establishment left much to be desired. Despite having pleasant memories of dining here in the past, this time around, the experience was far from satisfactory. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt unwelcoming and hostile. While we initially held out hope for a better experience, the attitude of our waitress quickly dashed those expectations. She was not friendly or down-to-earth, instead displaying a cold and somewhat curt demeanor throughout the evening. Regrettably, the service fell short in multiple ways. Not only did it take an extended period for our bill to be brought to us, but we even had to approach the counter ourselves to settle it. It is disheartening to receive such poor service when all we wanted was a pleasant dining experience. To make matters worse, the quality of the food left much to be desired as well. My steak was dry and tasteless, while other dishes like the filet mignon and jalapeno were equally disappointing. The only saving grace was the delicious Texas toast on my plate. With such underwhelming options, there was no desire or room for dessert. It pains me to say this, but I cannot justify returning to this establishment in the future. Despite the nostalgic ambiance that once made it a Denver icon, the combination of poor customer service, unappetizing food, and an unwelcoming atmosphere has left a lasting negative impression. I had hoped for a different experience this time, but sadly, my expectations were not met. In conclusion, I would not recommend this place based on my recent visit. I have no intentions of returning anytime soon, as I do not wish to subject myself to another letdown.

This place is amazing. It's an old school diner, sort of serving cafeteria style, except you can grab a table or sit at the bar and order. We each had a filet which came with a salad and baked potato. It was all so good, and it only cost $25 each. Then we each had a glass of wine. Only $6 a glass. It wasn't fancy but it was good! We will be back! Thanks all!

Absolutely no hidden fees is something is $24 then it's $24 if it's $10 it's $10 there's absolutely nothing in the cost that is hidden and the food was really good I had the T-bone with the salad and your choice of homemade dressings that they make there and a piece of Texas toast and a baked potato slathered in butter it just doesn't get any better than this

Columbine steak house is one of those amazing time warp places you stumble upon in your life. So you stand at the counter which is also where they're cooking and order your steak and whatnot. After paying in CASH, you can either sit and wait until they bring your order or go next door to the bar to wait. We grabbed a booth at the next door bar and got a couple drinks at the cash bar. Seriously this was some weird divey flashback to when I lived in Memphis, but the steaks were damn good. It's not cheap, but it's well worth visiting.

This is a place I simply love. Some people don't and I get that. You don't come for the luxury ambiance. You don't come for the five-star service. Some might even say, you don't come for the food. "Well, what the f**k else is left?!?" That's a hard question to answer. Columbine is what I describe as a neighborhood (heavy on the hood) spot. The decor is dated and reminds me of other bars for the neighborhood working class. There's a few small TVs to watch the game or sometimes Maury ("you're not the father!"). There's a jukebox should you wish to add some tunes to your meal and an ATM because it's cash only. There's usually room at the bar except when the Broncos play and the general seating on the grill side turns over quickly. I prefer the bar side with the TVs where I can relax with a pitcher of beer and not be rushed, ever. It's fun just watching the crowd here. The service is attentive at the bar. My mug is never empty and my order has never been wrong. The bartenders chit-chat with the guests and are pretty good about making sure you have everything you need (e.g. silverware, condiments, toast and the must-have grilled jalapeños). Most of them are friendly. Timing between salad and entree is decent and can be on the short side. That's better than taking too long, I guess. The steaks are not aged, this isn't that kind of place. They cannot rival the ones found at Peter Luger's, Old Homestead or Gene and Georgetti's. However, they are good. Seasoned, perfectly cooked to medium-rare (closer to rare which I appreciate!) and the porterhouse is large with a large filet. Every steak comes with salad, choice of potato, toast and if you want (I DO!) jalapeños. So the decor is meh, the service is good but not luxurious and the steaks are okay. Why do I love this place? Those that have been here before will immediately respond, "it's cheap!" They're right, of course. A pitcher and a porterhouse will run around two Jackson's. But there's cheaper places that I don't like nearly as much. There's definitely prettier places. So why? You know, maybe answering the question isn't as important as knowing it doesn't matter. I will keep coming here despite the shortcomings because...because...ah Hell, who cares!

Food is always great. And great portion too, service is ok, even though they only take cash. But they do have an ATM on the back. I'll give 5 stars once they start taking car. Definitely recommend. Not a everyday thing maybe twice a month.

Great food at a great price. People working there are very nice. If you want a fancy place, pass on this place. It's clean and what you get for the price is tremendous .

What a great blast from the past. They serve great steaks and burgers with sides included. You stand in line and order watch your big hunk of meat go on the grill your baked potato and salad is already waiting and you pick it up when it is done your order cash only and a full service bar in the next room, can't ask for anything more. I hope they never monkey with this formula as.

Dude with full white hair grabs my bloody steak with no gloves, then proceeds to prep my potato with bloody hands.... After all that I see blood on the foil of my potato and a little bit of blood on the skin of the potato I was going to eat.... It disgusted me and didn't seem sanitary at all. This will be documented and reported to the food safety administration for breaking the cross food contamination code. Things like this are done by people who are only there for a check. He has no remorse, patience, or respect. He doesn't even smile. Otherwise very good food ! Just lazy and dirty employees

Four of our family members made it back to have dinner here on a Saturday night. We arrived at 5 PM, anticipating a large crowd and difficulty getting in. Our timing was good. We could easily park in the lot around the restaurant. Columbine is pretty basic in terms of ambiance. You pick out a table and then walk up to the counter to order food. As many others have mentioned, cash only. There is a separate room with a bar. Even though there are several types of alcohol behind the bar, the bartender said she could not make an old-fashioned, a vodka and tonic, or a Manhattan. We did strike gold with margaritas, not that they were good, just that they were available. Beer or shots work better here. I didn't ask about wine, but I wasn't optimistic that it would be offered. All of us ordered the 7 oz. filet mignon. The price has climbed up to $25 from $22.50. That's inflation for you. But you get a salad and a baked potato included for the price. I thought the steak was high quality for the $, but I will admit Shanahan's and Elway's are not going out of business from the competition here. It's pretty hard to rate the service as it is just self service. If you are hankering for some good red meat, this place gives you good bang for the buck (~70% off vs other steak houses in Denver area). But it isn't the spot to take your prom date or an ideal location for an anniversary dinner.

The food here is amazing! The service is usually top notch however... A few times I have been here I noticed one of the bartenders openly gossiping about some of the patrons in a bad way. The owners should do a better job at training their help on customer service and professionalism. There's an obese bartender that wears black glasses, I think her name is Elena. This...woman seems to have the emotional and mental mindset of a middle school girl. The amazing food and storied history of the Columbine Steakhouse is really tarnished with trash customer service and poor attitude of some of the help. Hopefully the owners see this review and act accordingly. If servers can't bring their service up to par, they should be in the back scraping plates and throwing trash!

No review needed anyone knows this place is the best joke in the wall in the city of Denver.

Great old school spot. Nothing fancy so don't go in with that in mind. But great food, laid back atmosphere Been around forever a must go

I thought this would be better based on reviews but it was really not worth the experience. Food was subpar and dressing, steak sauce everything was watered down or low quality. Servers work hard so it's not fair to blame them for the poor quality.

It's basic and unpretentious but the food is great and reminiscent of the steakhouses I went to in the 80s and 90s and you can't beat the prices.

This place was recommended to us by all the locals during our stay in Denver, including our Lyft driver, and we were not disappointed! This place is family-owned and operated, and we got meet Sam (the owner), who was a super cool dude. Our steak was cooked perfectly, and we found the pricing spot on! It could have used some sort of seasoning or marinade, but there's always opportunity to add some steak sauce while you dine. Additionally, the potato was traditional and good as a side, and the toast was certainly toasty. Overall, you can get a solid meal for a fair price at Columbine. There are simple concepts here that can bring joy to patrons. The lounge area has servers, and you can watch sports here. The best part of it all is that there is a jukebox with a nice music selection FOR FREE! We just kept coming back for more tunes to aggrandize the dinner experience. Come support a local business!

Excellent steaks and value. Not fancy, just yummy. Bar next door if you want a cocktail. Cash only. My European friends loved it!

I had heard Columbine is a great place for a steak dinner, so we finally stopped in. We walked in the door and a gentleman that works there suggested we sit in the lounge because it is cooler and has a server. I guess it is more cafeteria style in the main room. We all got T-bone steaks and loaded baked potatoes. The steak was cooked perfectly and the baked potato was amazing. Also you get a dinner salad. A ton of food for $22. This place is awesome.

This place is amazing. Food was awesome. Atmosphere is such an authentic throw back. Got to chat with the owner and learn about its history. Must visit in Denver

The food is good- however the waitress in the bar area is rude as hell. Like customers are an inconvenience. Not to mention other male staff putting the chairs on the tables as you're trying to sit considering they're still OPEN. It's the Last time my family & I come back here & no longer will I recommend to my wealthy friends. Y'all lost some damn good business but you can keep your wait-staff! Ghetto.

How have I lived in Denver for 3 years and not been to this place??!! I love everything about it . Low key, no frills, family run with friendly service. Simple menu. Order at counter, pay at counter. Grab tray when it's ready. Flame grilled Steak, baked potato, salad, Texas toast. Done to perfection. Salad dressing tasted homemade (not from Sysco tub). A1 steak sauce on the table. Honey for the Texas toast. FYI - the cook made us a grilled cheese on the Texas toast. Was one of the best plain old grilled cheese sandwiches EVER. Two thumbs up. Look forward to coming back again and again. No photos because we devoured everything!

Been a customer since 1978. Always the t-bone. Great steak at a great price. Food is great. Service is great. Ambiance is casual and dated but who cares.

Really good steaks, classic spot. The Texas toast and roasted jalapeños. Service is always good and the ambiance too.

This place is a riot. Visiting from out of town, we found it via Yelp. I have to admit we were a bit, er, concerned by the neighborhood and general ambience, but do NOT let that stop you! Just because we're chickenshits from the 'burbs doesn't mean you need to be! The other Yelp reviews describe the place perfectly. It's sort of a classic diner / dive. You go in, order, and they toss your steak on a grill right behind the counter. Pay, take your salad, and go sit down. The meals were made and were delicious as everyone says. Standard, no-nonsense steak and potato with a salad. Now here I must confess something. I failed to notice that out of our party of five, I was the only one who ordered an actual STEAK, a porterhouse. There were two hamburger steaks and two burgers ordered behind me. "What did you guys do -- it's a STEAK PLACE!" I bellowed when I saw their meals. /sigh/ Well, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't force him to eat a deliciously cooked porterhouse. What could I do? It was too late by the time I noticed this. So don't be like my family. Park, enter bravely and proudly, order your steak, pay, and have a great, hearty meal. If you're like me you'll find the place both delicious and hilarious. Enjoy!

We haven't been there in such a long time. Looking for a great place for steak decided to work our way across town. We decided on Columbine steakhouse less crowded. The ambience was, of course great we decided to sit on the bar side. The bartender/server was wonderful kept us company because there was hardly any people there. We enjoyed our salad as always our steaks were cooked to perfection, medium yay! We ordered jalapeños with our steaks. They were delicious as always the Texas toast that comes with your steak was toasted to perfection. I give this place a five star on this visit because it was a great time. Sorry no pictures but perfection. great service great food great ambience. Thanks, Columbine. ‼

What a rare gem! I had heard of this place and was just out on a random drive when we stumbled across it. Still family owned! So good and juicy down to the last bite. We split a potato and filet medium rare and was perfect! Nikki in the front gave us the scoop on how her grandpa built this place when he came over from Greece and it's been here over 60 years now! Super casual atmosphere, order at counter. Do it!!!! Yummy!

Would love to give 5 stars for this great, old school dining experience and the great prices as well as hearty cuts, but since their hours are unreliable and inconsistent and they're very hard to get on the phone to see if they'll be open, I can't. Otherwise if they are open you'll get an excellent, mega-casual steakhouse experience in a fun, rowdy atmosphere. The steak is grilled exactly how you order it and I recommend the porterhouse, cooked rare.

Very good cheeseburgers. Fast service, friendly staff. Hope in the wall place, worth going to. Reasonable prices. Will be back.

Absolutely classic steak old-style steak joint in the heart of Barnum. I adored this experience of this historical restaurant and I wish the walls could talk! My table essentially ordered one of every cut of meat; no fuss, solid flavors, with a nostalgia in every bite :) .

Will go again - I'm visiting Denver for business and pleasure. I was looking to go to a top recommended steakhouse in the area. As most places, the top recommends are highly priced $$$-$$$$. Of course, I can't imagine such expensive, and mostly chain, steakhouses would be bad. Therefore, I decided to try to find a "hole in the wall." CASH ONLY There was a slight line towards the door but moved quite fast ~10 min. They take your order right in front and then you pay the cashier directly after. Following that, you sit down as tables are open. I ordered the Porterhouse ~$23.95, which all dinners include salad, baked potato, and 1 toast. I wouldn't say the steak was the best I had but for the price, it was good. I would recommend and am interested in their other steaks as well.

As we were in Colorado we were looking for a great steakhouse without a large bill for delicious grilled steaks. We Ubered over and made it before the dinner rush. Limited seating in here because it is a small spot but you can come with the entire family and have plenty of spots to sit together. I love the divey part of this steakhouse as it just added to the deliciousness of all things here. From the salad to the steak and their rice pudding they knocked it out of the park for us. Everything is made to order and you can tell this is a family-owned and run spot. I still dream about how delicious their steaks were now that we are back home in Texas. Columbine Steakhouse is worth the trip over if you want a great tasting and looking steak while in Colorado.

Great no frill place for a steak sandwich! Been going since late 80's. Steak and baked potato is mouthwatering delicious.

Ok so what's the latest menu prices??? Someone update this as prices are a lot higher then many list here

Excellent food, fantastic prices!! The original owners are there and you can tell it is a business that is run on good values!

Been going for ever 60 yrs good food and prices are good too fresh food and the blue cheese dressing is the best ever

This is real gem! We were traveling on our way to Denver and stayed overnight at Hays KS. A very sweet young lady and I started visiting and talking about restaurants and places to see. She highly recommended Columbine and as it happened, our hotel is very close to it. When it popped up on my yelp suggestion I was "heck yeah!" Did not disappoint at all. T bone steak absolutely perfection and my husband had a beautiful New York strip. They don't do a lot of things but what they do is top notch. Will certainly be on our list of "must do's "! Had a very lovely visit with the lady who owns the place and she was telling the history of her dad coming over from Greece and starting this fabulous place.

When in Denver, you have to try it. That was what the reviews said; it's also what the locals said. It did not disappoint. Flavorful, juicy and quick. My NY strip was perfect. No frills, just great food and great prices. A great experience!

Like every steak that i have ever ordered at the CSH&L the porterhouse that I ordered was perfectly cooked, and delicious. The only draw back because of Covid there is no inside dining. The Columbine is one of my favorite steak place because it is a local no frills place that the local people really enjoy.I like eating in the place with along with everyone else enjoying the good natured comeraderie with the other customers. When I am in Denver I always make it a point to visit this restaurant.

This place is where me and my family have been going for decades, and we love how consistently great its been. It's a real classic, with booths and a deer head hung on the wall. Take your pick on some steaks and fries or a baked potato, cooked to your liking as well as a salad. Mostly self service place, so just order and listen for your order to enjoy your meal.