Highland Tavern

We were here on a Saturday night so I thought it would be packed but it actually wasn't too bad. The waitress was very prompt coming over to give us menus. She's also very polite and nice, the food was great. We had an overall good experience.

In town, so we decided to visit a recommendation from Chef Guy Fieri. He was right, classic, good tasting pub food. It was delicious. The service was a little bit lack luster. The bartender seemed preoccupied with not being there.

I have been here twice the cowboy Burger amazing, the Cubano amazing, the tots even better, and the pork rinds are the best I have ever had

I would go on a Saturday night. The food was great. Came out hot. The atmosphere was very nice not too loud. You could still have a conversation. The tavern dip is made with pastrami which is fantastic. The Tots were cooked. Well not over cooked. Parking isn’t too bad. Did have to park a little bit away but very doable. Very unique vibe.

Has the feel of a local bar or a classic Denver dive bar but with way better food lots of TV to watch sports. Music was good and not too loud. We had a great waitress who took care of us. I had the bombshell, macaroni and cheese, tater tots, a salad and my wife had a turkey sandwich.

Three of us had the pastrami Bombshell with tavern tots and were blown away with the generous size and awesome flavor of the sandwich. The tots were also fantastic! I had the turkey sandwich on brioche and it was fabulous! The owner came out and chatted with us- super friendly, as was our waitress! Definitely will be going back the next time we’re in Denver!

Overall good food and drinks, however our service was unsatisfactory. We had a table for eight and were celebrating a birthday. When we got there we had our original server seat us and take our drinks / appetizers. Her service alone was great. Halfway through our dinner we had a different server take our meals and she made our family upset. What she did was the absolute bare minimum and refilled our drinks and took care of the bill. Other servers brought our meals, got our drinks, and even brought a birthday treat. This server was not involved in any of these servers and we gave a 10% cash tip. She was not happy with it and handled it very poorly by approaching me resting her hands on my shoulders stating the "standard" is 20% . My fiancé was sitting right across from me and was not happy. Neither was I. Eventually we didn't want to cause a commotion so we tipped another 10% but addressed we didn't like how she handled the situation. Just be aware if you go to this place, they will come up and ask for more when they did less. I wish I got the servers name to put on here but she didn't even give us the courted to introduce herself, poor service altogether.

1st visit: I ordered the Bombshell Sandwich (featured on DDD) with onion rings, and the Tavern Tots (another DDD pick) for an appetizer. Starting with the star of my meal, the Bombshell Sandwich, I found everything on it blended perfectly, leaving me wanting more. I have nothing bad to say about this sandwich. The tater tots were big and crispy, though I wish they had added some seasoned salt. The onion rings appeared to be sourced from a local food company, but the breading was seasoned really well and nice and crispy. I would order them again. The Highland Tavern's award-winning Bloody Mary didn't quite meet my expectations. It tasted a bit watered down, as if they needed to add more mixer to the drink. Overall, it was okay, but I did like the addition of the pepperoncini. My 2nd visit: I made it back for a second visit and ended up ordering the same thing again. The sandwich was good, but I remembered it tasting better on my first visit. To my surprise, the onion rings looked like they were made in-house this time! They came out hot and crispy, with good-tasting breading, though there was a lot of it. I ended up removing most of it. They only use one strand of onion per ring, so you mostly taste the breading. If they used two or three strands of onion, I think it would taste better.

Can't beat the service and prices, Lydia and Alex were both extremely helpful during our visit. We got many drinks and some food, played pool upstairs and had a blast of fun. I hope to return for many times.

Decided to stop by here for lunch and try some of the special dishes Guy Fieri raved about when he visited for Diners, Drive-in's and Dives. The scratch-made pork rinds came out crackling and had a citrus blend of lime chili salt. We went off Guy's suggestions and went with the K-town Rib Tips. Be prepared for your mouth to be on fire. The BBQ sauce is delicious but the pickled veggies pack all the heat. Finished off with a small serving of Tavern Tots since that is what Highland Tavern is known for and they did not disappoint. Crispy, light breading surrounding tasty shredded potatoes. Food prices are a steal! ($23 for our 3 items). Service is friendly and I appreciate the eclectic decor.

Came here for the wings. Stayed for the company. This is a great slightly divey neighborhood bar which locals seem to frequent. They have a good amount of tvs to watch sports. The beer selection was great with almost all Colorado breweries featured. We ordered the effing hot confit chicken wings which were crispy just how I like them. The sauce was like similar to a jerk sauce with slightly sweetness and good spice level probably from habanero. The homemade ranch and blue cheese were equally delicious. Just beware the kitchen closes at 9 pm. Renfro the bartender was very friendly and provided good service. We are new to the city and he gave us great recommendations. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying more of the food options!

We picked this restaurant because my husband saw it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. We were not disappointed.

I always say that Denver does not have enough sports bars or bars with TVs to watch a game. Highland tavern has plenty of TVs and pretty good bar food to boot. The staff is very accommodating to larger groups and even allowed us to split up checks. I tried the El Guapo burger with a veggie patty. The pickled red onions and green chile on top made for a tasty burger. The veggie patty was decent-- a bit thin and dry. The famous tater tots did not disappoint. They were crispy on the outside with an almost creamy, soft inside. Check out Highland Tavern for sports, tots, and a great view of the Denver skyline.

Great little tavern. Came for drinks and football and was surrounded by TVs and excellent service! Will definitely make it back!!

Great spot for when you're in the mood for good bar food. The staff was nice and all the food comes fast and fresh. The fresh pork rinds were amazing. The tavern dip was a cool combination of a French dip and a pastrami sandwich! We're not from Denver so we also appreciated the local beers to try.

Friend came to town and we couldn't decide what to eat, so what better way than to let him choose off of a Triple D list! Highlight of the tavern had to be the many TVs around. We got to watch basketball, baseball, and ice hockey all at the same time during dinner. There's also a pool table, foosball, and a few other games. Food is pretty darn good for a tavern too. We got: -Green hatch Chile: more soupy than thick and heavy, which I really liked. It also had the right amount of saltiness. Pork neck bone also gave a great flavor. As a big soup gal, I was glad I got this. -Tatertots: big boys, crispy on the outside, potatoy in the inside. A must get since it's one of their more well known things -Bombshell: solid sandwich. Kind of soggy because of the coleslaw. Bread was a little more toasty than my preference. If I had to choose, I'd rather go with the tavern dip. -Tavern Dip: a nice variation of a pastrami sandwich. I swear there's some like maple syrup or brown sugar or some taste in there.

Homemade tots and pork rinds! Those two things are what you need to come here for. The pork rinds melt in your mouth and it has a nice spicy kick to it! The homemade tater tots are to die for. Ive never had anything like it. They don't taste anything like your store bought ones and the potatoes are shredded almost like a hashbrown. Good stuff! Even their ranch is home made! Yummy! They have a big list of beers on tap and awesome burgers as well. I was told to get a cowboy burger which comes with homemade bbq sauce. A lot of their items are house made like their pickles too! All of the food we had was fabulous and the service is great as well. Our server was very friendly and definitely tuned into us.

Yes, I needed dinner and let Guy Fieri choose for me. I specifically picked Highland Tavern because it had appeared on DDD. I sat at the bar - there was a long wait for a table - and ordered the proper Bombshell Sammich with tots. It did not take long and it arrived. It. Was. Perfect. Housemade pastrami, Swiss cheese, brown mustard, tavern slaw and a fried egg on rye. More than a handful, a little messy and absolutely delicious. Oh, and the tots. Made in house, a little bigger than the usual and absolutely perfect. Bite-sized bits of cholesterol-laden potatoes. Parking in this residential neighborhood could be a challenge but I found a legal spot down the street and around the corner. It was worth the hassle. [Review 18894 overall - 79 in Colorado - 2417 of 2022.]

I've been meaning to get around to this place for the longest time, and I stumbled in on a whim. It lived up to expectations. After being at a few fancy bars In the area, I was starving. I was pleasantly surprised but some of the items that popped out on the menu, but ultimately I ended with the Dr. pepper Ribs and the tots. It was exactly what I needed! To top the food and drink, the environment was awesome, they had all the sports games on, with plenty of people cheering. My group and I decided we would most definitely be back.

Had a team lunch here Monday since we have not seen each other in person for a LONG time and I happened to be in town to work for a couple weeks. And it was the perfect place to meet. There were only a couple of tables full and there were 6 of us so it was nice being able to talk from one end of the table to the other and not have to yell. It was perfect. We started off with a bunch of appetizers. We had 2 large Tavern Tots, 2 Dr. Pepper Pork Spare Ribs and 1 Pork Rinds. Thought that was going to be enough to eat but ordered entrees too. I had the Bombshell with, yes, more Tots. Everything was really good. I should have ordered the green chili as a side but missed that one. Will have to do that next time. Service was awesome! We'll have to consider a team lunch here again, much more to try from the menu!

The best sports bar near where I grew up in the north side of Denver, Colorado!! They have amazing beer selections, always have any kind of sports on, and their bar food is not some clique sports bar menu, they have high quality items that stick out the front page. Always come back when I go home. Oh and the service, just Fantastic!!

The Highland Tavern is a must visit anytime we are in Denver! Service is always spot on and friendly. Love the tavern feel and the food!!! We've tried green chili all over Denver and the Highland is hands down the best! The home made tots are out of this world and the Dr.Pepper spare ribs are to die for!! Love that the art changes frequently and the beer selection covers any taste.

First step in and felt energetic vibes all around full of happy people eating and drinking. Turns out this place was in Diners Drive Ins and Dives which made the whole experience a lot more exciting knowing that a food celebrity approved of this place. Pork Rinds - Yelpers kept recommending this appetizer, so we just had to try it. Super flavorful and crispy. The entire table loved it, but I personally got tired of the taste after 2 pieces. Let me tell you though, the pieces are HUGE. I can see why these are popular. K-Town Rib Tips - Very tender and yummy! The kimchi gave it an extra kick that I can't imagine eating the meat without it. Almost didn't want to share this with the table. Tavern Chicken Burger (?) - Not sure about the name, but I figured it was a safe sandwich choice. It wasn't bad, but I would try another burger or sandwich next time. Fun times!

Divey vibe, but bigger than your average dive bar. I love this place! Drinks are good and fairly priced, but the real star is the buffalo wings. Absolutely banging. We sat at a table and the bartender remember who I was every time I came to get a drink. The bar is also in a great location for bar hopping. And they have foosball which is always fun.

Amazing sandwich! Sometimes food shows overhype items and they don't come out as good as they did on TV. This is NOT one of those times. The Bombshell sandwich was so flavorful and cooked to perfection. They have a great selection of cheap beer and a great view of the city as well. The service is quick and the waitress we had was super friendly and helpful for local recommendations as well. Definitely give this place a shot... and don't forget the tots! ;)

Highland Tavern is located a little off the main LoHi area in a less busy part of town. The drinks are affordable and food is decent for bar food. They also have a pool table for $0.75 a game with a decent table and good cues. Overall not a bad place to hang out and get some drinks with friends!

First things first, I have been a loyal and happy customer for several months now. I love the food, and I have always thoroughly enjoyed the service. Its a great restaurant. The staff were fairly busy for the Superbowl, but nothing bad had happened to myself or anyone near me as far as I can tell, so it seemed like they were handling themselves pretty well. Now, I actually made an account to leave this review, because I was so disturbed by what I saw today. Our server Kayla (I hope that's right) was fairly nice to us (we did miss a drink for a while) but was suddenly screaming at her coworker who seemed to be trying to help her. It was really loud and several people heard it. She's been kind of short with us before, but this was another level of poor behavior. I don't know if I want to come back to be honest. If we do and she approaches I will ask for another server. Really disappointed, we love the restaurant guys

Friendly and fast service. Great ciders on tap. I highly recommend the pork rinds!! We asked Renfro for more blue cheese dressing and he responded, "Yes mam right away." No questions asked. RENFRO ROCKS!

Didn't do my research before hitting Denver, so I looked up Diners, Drive Ins & Dives and saw they were recommended. The fried pork skins were huge and crispy with a delicious barbecue style seasoning, and the French Dip sandwich was AMAZING! I loved the house made tater tots too! So delicious!

Went because someone said they saw them on DDD and I was downtown picking up my friend from the train station. So they were close-ish. Got seated right away but it took nearly 15 minutes to get a drink order in. Things moved along fine after that. The food was good. Had a Rueben and opted for tots instead of fries or slaw for which I paid an extra $1.75. I got 5 tots. My friend who opted for tots as well got 10. I asked the waiter if 5 tots was all that came with my sandwich. He said no, it normally doesn't come with any and walked away. The douche bag did bring me three more eventually. But they aren't worth what they're charging for them. Good, but not that good. I hope he feels bad because I tipped him almost 100% for the effort. And he was attentive enough. I might go back if I was the neighborhood (I'm never in the neighborhood).

The food here is always fresh and cooked perfectly. The Italian sandwich has the perfect amount of meat and cheeses and the bread was fresh. The hamburger was cooked exactly to order and the tots were crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and The Onion rings were nicely battered and fried to a crispy outside with the onions soft and cooked all the way through. The drinks are tasty and refreshing. The service is always friendly.

Came here for dinner on a Thursday night and the service was pretty slow for how empty it was. However, the burger and sweet potato fries were delicious so I would still come back! Cute little sports bar if you're looking to have a chill dinner and eat some good bar food.

Great food and service. Staff are friendly and helpful. The owner is so nice. It's go nice relaxing atmosphere. Will definitely go back.

A lot of attitude. Fun for a night, but not a repeat. The owners think they're interesting. They don't leave. Ever.

This place has amazing food. The tots are homemade and stellar. I had the Bomb and it was. Always love a sammy with an egg on it. My buddy had the Reuben and it was terrific. Need to come back and try the burgers and beer.

Came here for breakfast after friends loved the Bloody Marys at the festival this year. It has a very casual vibe and I found the menu to be very affordable. I ordered the breakfast sandwich and it was delish!

Food is phenomenal and the ambiance is like sitting in your favorite neighborhood bar. Service is outstanding and they are on top of everything

Tots are tasty and the vibe is always good. We will back the next time we are in Denver!

Came for brunch with the family during the Thanksgiving holiday. Felt very Covid-safe since we needed proof of vaccination to enter. Started with Bloody Mary-very good- and tried the highly recommended pork rinds-everyone enjoyed. Great service and relaxing environment-will go again!

From the outside looks like it would be a old sports bar. To my surprise it was very clean & more welcoming feel. There was plenty of space and some booths on the opposite side of the bar. There was an upstairs area. Pork Rines was fresh and still cracking when it came out. They were also huge! Tater tots were also big I think I saw some little pieces of meat in it, not 100% sure but they tasted amazing. Wings were your typical Buffalo wings nothing special.

Not bad! I read reviews before coming here. We were just in the area after grabbing drinks next door. It's not a fancy place. It's more of a sports vibe bar. But super laid back. And food was really good. I think I would be back because it's a great place to watch a game. And food and service were great!

Poor bar service. Food is only ok. We've tried a few times really hoping to like the place, but just not happening.

The food was delicious and service was great. We were in town on a Saturday afternoon and decided to give it a try. So glad we did! The brunch menu and drink specials were top notch. We started with their award winning bloody mary's and pork rinds. I ordered the brunch special, eggs benedict, and I am so glad I did. It was the best I've ever had. My husband had the bombshell sandwich and it was delicious too! You won't regret a meal at this place!

If you're into bar food, this place is a must and if you're not, you will be after eating here. Come for the in-house made "GBD" Tavern Tots, stay for the pastrami sandwich and pork rinds... this spot has it ALL!

If you ever wanted a neighborhood tavern with it all, this is it. Great food, beer selection, and ambiance. Every bartender here could manage a world class bar, but choose not to...because culture trumps pizazz. Tots are a must, green Chile a staple, and everything here is prepared fresh daily. Not your grandma's bar food...weekend brunch is amazing with the breakfast burrito and bourbon Johnny cakes to die for. Beware: visit at your own risk...you'll be addicted!

After checking out Nerd Night at the Bug Theatre, decided to head to Highland Tavern for some drinks and food. It's a no frills restaurant despite being located in Lo-Hi where there's an abundance of your more fancier food joints and cocktail bars. You'll find hearty pours, good food, and friendly staff at this no frills, and no nonsense spot. I ordered a beer and some chili cheese fries. My beer was refreshing and the chili cheese fries tasted good.. wasn't the best, but not the worst. I loved the pieces of art inside which includes a bunch of local artists.. The ambience was fun for a Friday night. There's plenty of TVs to watch games if sports are your thing. This a great spot to hangout with friends in a low-key setting.

Traveled to Denver to attend a show at Red Rocks and had to do a DDD place found Highland Tavern and was not disappointed. I ordered The Bombshell sandwich, which was great. My wife ordered the Chicken Parm sandwich, and it too was great. Don't miss out on the coleslaw either. Will recommend to friends who visit Denver.

Always a good time here! Great drink menu, great atmosphere, sports on Sunday love it. Thanks for being open on Christmas

Went to our favorite local dive bar last night for drinks... Perfect Bar spot, great food and atmosphere. #lifestylesofelandkel #lifestyle #coupletime #datenight #highlandtavern

Never go here. The manager is a miserable piece of work who seemed to have it out for our friend the second he entered the bar. When he walked in, there was no one at the front checking vaccination cards so they came up to the table. Please note this is a very new requirement in Denver and we are all still getting used to it! The manager rudely yelled at him to come back and he went back over immediately to show his card and apologized profusely for walking past the front. He showed his vax card, but realized he didn't have his ID. Though the manager put up a huge fuss, he was still allowed to sit down. Immediately upon sitting down, the waitress comes directly over to him, passing by others who had not ordered, and asks "Can I get you something to drink?". ALL he said was "What do you have on draft?". Before even finishing his sentence the waitress goes "Well he told me you don't have your ID so I can't get you anything." Keep in mind he is well over 21 as was the entire group of 12+ people. This was also so bizarre because she was clearly egging him on to try and order an alcoholic beverage despite knowing he didn't have an ID. Despite this, he apologized and we decided to drive all the way back to Arvada to get his ID so he could enjoy a beer while watching the Broncos with friends. After 30 minutes, we returned with the ID! We stood at the front to wait for the manager to check our vax cards (AGAIN) and IDs. Before even checking his ID, the manager looks at him and goes "YOU are not welcome here. YOU tried to order a drink and gave the waitress SHIT when she wouldn't serve you". This was 100% not true. He then proceeded to rant saying "I don't WANT to be the vaccination police!".... This was weird considering he had showed his vaccination card TWICE at this point so that clearly wasn't the issue. After the manager made it abundantly clear he was not welcome despite having both his ID and vaccination card, we walked outside and as other people who witnessed the incident left, they told us out ridiculous the manager had acted. Our group of 12 closed out immediately and left due to the disgusting behavior of the manager. I hope the owner reads this because the manager cost you business that night and many nights to come. We went to Tap & Burger instead where they had great service, happy servers, and incredible food. We will never return.

Food is amazing. The atmosphere is that of a fun sports bar, great energy to meet friends casually! By far the best tater tots i've had!!!! flavorful with or without ranch/ketchup. Boyfriend had one of the pastrami sandwiches and that was also great!!

Stopped here one day coming back from A basin as we just happened to need gas and we didn't want to cook. Nice big pub, cant remember the exact time- near 530 ish not packed but pretty good crowd, Got me a good IPA and looked a the menu After days already of meat, I opted for the corned beef on Rye and tots. This as fantastic!!! Good amount of meat, it wasn't a hamburger ( getting tired of burgers lately), and had great flavor. One of us got the chicken fried steak, gravy, potatoes and 2 fried eggs Geez!!! He's a big boy but ate it all. Massive, great southern style CFS and the eggs always give you that extra texture and protein we need if skiing every day for a week. This as June 2nd I believe- still skiing and we ate like horses. Our last guy got a huge burger, our server said he couldn't eat it and he licked the plate. I should have told her he had a hollow leg.... he said it was a great burger! Great food, great service, even got me a beer glass... oops. Thanks . Will we be back, fo sho. Will get something else off the menu and trust it will be just as good. Highly recommend!! Great beer choices.

Highland Tavern has it going on! Discovered this place through Guy Fieri. Drinks are average for Denver, but the food? As Barney would say, "The food is stupendous!" They make their own pastrami, and it is outstanding! The tots and hush puppies are the perfect side. The place has a dive bar feel, and it's tucked away in a very old neighborhood that has gone through gentrification. Restrooms are always clean and nothing special. The views of Denver are great. There is no parking lot, so you'll hunt for a street spot, but it's worth the walk! Super cool art throughout the joint. Staff is always very welcoming and attentive. Do yourself a favor and make it a point to give Highland Tavern a try!

I've been to Highland Tavern a couple times before but this time I came back for the pork rinds and they were just as amazing as I had hoped. I got 2 PB&Js (PBR and a Jameson shot) and the saltiness of the pork rinds made it go down so well. Our waitress, Kelly, offered hot sauce and turns out the owner makes his own and they were so flavorful and delicious. We were fortunate enough to meet Brian and complement him ourselves. I'm excited this is just a quick scooter ride away because it is going to become a staple watering hole.

A great casual place for dinner and a drink (or lunch) . Delicious food, some of the best tots I've ever tasted (seriously could've eaten nothing but tots and been content) and an open air dining room (when it's nice out) that gives you an incredible skyline view of downtown. Will definitely be back here a lot to work my way through their menu.

What happened to the Bombshell?!? Damn. As far as I'm concerned, over the last decade, this sandwich has been a Denver institution. But now it has nearly no pastrami. Maybe it's supply chain. Maybe it's cost cutting. But one thing is for sure, it's nowhere near what it used to be. Slaw is the primary ingredient, bread is number 2, egg is number three and then the pastrami is sprinkled on their like bacon on top of another sandwich. Bummed. The tavern has always been one of my favorite neighborhood spots. Tots are still great. Good vibe as always. Guess I should just be glad they are surviving COVID... but damn. RIP Bombshell.

Of course we landed here after arriving in Denver because Guy Fieri had recommended it. We had the Bombshell Sammich and Tavern Tots and they were bursting with flavor..the whole meal was delicious! I would have never thought to try this sandwich had I not seen it on Triple D but I am so glad I did! If you're in Denver, check out this little bar and grill.

Went with a friend who loves this place. Heard so much about the tater tots; but let's face it, it's a tater tot. Wasn't impressed but then I've never been a huge tater tot person...shredded potatoes, flour, salt, deep fried. Ok well there you have it;) Now you can see why I wasn't thrilled. Anyway, ordered the El Guapo burger medium with coleslaw as a side. Do not, I repeat, do not bother with the coleslaw. Absolutely tasteless. Had my friend try it as well...not worth the cup it was served in. Just don't folks. The burger? Yeah pretty good. All said and done, wouldn't go back. That said, the waitress, Kelly, was fantastic as was the very friendly chap who greeted us as we entered. Look, it's a local place which I'm sure those who live around there enjoy, but definitely not worth going out of your way to try...which I did because my friend who said she loves the place;) Then again, she ordered the grilled cheese on rye so it's not like she pushed an envelope there.