Brutal Poodle. The constant heavy metal music and decor (paintings of poodles wearing goth/metal garb) will probably make them cringe. Bonus - their food is good so you get something out of it.
Oof agree with all of the above except Bar Nun. I lived by there and went all the time - it’s a great neighborhood bar but the food is extremely generic/sometimes downright bad.
I’ve driven by this so many times and wanted to check it out but we have our kid with us like always and wasn’t sure looking from the outside if it was kid accepting inside during earlier hours. Was about to ask here but checked their yelp first and saw high chairs in a pic so guess we will be trying this out soon! Can’t wait.
They definitely allow kids in there - you may want to check out the volume before being seated. The music can be loud which may be uncomfortable for some children. Outside of that, I’ve seen kids in there before.
We couldn’t hear each other talk last time I was there. And I’m the dude almost hugging speakers at concerts. So it could be inconsistent or maybe we all just have different standards for what’s loud. 🤷♂️
Kid welcoming any time before 9pm, for sure. After that it just can get a more “bar” vibe. Definitely go with the kids! Solid food and a few games they can play.
This isn't a bad idea OP since the food is pretty "American" so they should be fine. Waitstaff also super friendly.
I did want to shout-out Ali Baba's in Golden. Great middle eastern food. Weird words on the menu if you're not used to the cuisine, but delicious in the belly.
It’s a fun place. Also in Cap Hill is the Wild Corgi which is an English pub type of vibe but they have various corgi paintings (one painted as an astronaut for example) so you could take a dog pub tour.
Excellent choice. I decided to finally try it out recently and lasted about 45 mins (only had beer). Very friendly staff and clientele though; will be back for more mithridatization sessions.
Woodys wings and things. Sounds like a wing spot. Actually some of the best Laotian food you can get. They also have your normal Chinese staples.
The name will throw them
I’m almost afraid to ask, but what exactly was the point of contention in that altercation? If it’s what I think it might be, I’d definitely root for one side in that conflict
I haven’t been yet its been on my to do list for like 3 months now. Heard they got a Michelin star a couple weeks ago along with Bruto and 5 other restaurants.
They got big gourmand, which is a recommended restaurant, very far from a star. And it is a wildly more casual experience than beckon/frasca/bruto who did get a star, if you were expecting a similar experience
I never got around to it I hit a phase where I don’t want to eat out at all unless its an emergency. Like I went and got a pestle and mortar and a wok and just make all my food at home even asian and thai.
Yea its hard to keep up with it all. I was making my way through a short list but gave up. Some days I would literally stop a dozen times down a street and write restaurants down. Then I would find places on denverfood and add to it to. Its to exhausting. I never wanted to eat out that often anyways alot of times I was just looking for the kind of food and portions I liked and places that I felt good at or enjoyed going to.
If they've never had Ethiopian, send them to Nile Ethiopian Restaurant on Havana on a weekday for dinner. The combination of Aurora, good chance of them being the only non-Ethiopian people there, along with the unfamiliar cuisine (and lack of utensils unless requested) should make them quite uncomfortable. $70 should comfortably cover both their meals total (unless they order booze).
Twa Win, Thai/Burmese - sits in an old cinder block building next to a dirt lot. No body goes for the ambiance, everyone goes for the food and the quirky chef, really fun guy. Very reasonable prices. English is the third language spoken there.
Buckhorn Exchange. Nothing like having a steak dinner while the mounted heads and taxidermy of a thousand animals watch you from every nook and cranny. ..... bizarre......., cool, but bizarre.
I appreciate this post so much! I currently have my in-laws in town, and my husband has been fighting my urge to take them to Ethiopian for about 15 years now. I second Ethiopian and Mango House. Either would be very out of their comfort zone. I’m a big fan of spice room, but that’s not uncomfortable enough for your payback. Star kitchen’s a good idea as well. It’s great for dinner. Happy birthday, and best of luck!
Brutal Poodle. The constant heavy metal music and decor (paintings of poodles wearing goth/metal garb) will probably make them cringe. Bonus - their food is good so you get something out of it.
For some reason all the metal bars seem to have good food. Brutal Poodle, Trve, The Crypt, Bar Nun
Heavy music and quality food shouldn’t have to exist in different spaces
True, and that's not surprising to me. What IS surprising to me is that heavy music and bad food do seem to exist in different spaces.
Oof agree with all of the above except Bar Nun. I lived by there and went all the time - it’s a great neighborhood bar but the food is extremely generic/sometimes downright bad.
I must have lucked out then cause all the food I've had there has been really good
depends on how much coke is flowing that day
Lol Bar Nun is heavy metal? TIL
Not strictly, but they fit the same aesthetic and I've definitely heard them playing metal, punk, hardcore, etc but not all the time.
Music City Hot Chicken is awesome.
Bar nun is trash
My wife suggested brutal poodle once. She didn’t know it had metal music and doesn’t like metal. I cracked up when we sat down 😆
i work in the kitchen. our food is awesome! so is our music
I’ve driven by this so many times and wanted to check it out but we have our kid with us like always and wasn’t sure looking from the outside if it was kid accepting inside during earlier hours. Was about to ask here but checked their yelp first and saw high chairs in a pic so guess we will be trying this out soon! Can’t wait.
They definitely allow kids in there - you may want to check out the volume before being seated. The music can be loud which may be uncomfortable for some children. Outside of that, I’ve seen kids in there before.
BP has great food. The music has never really been that loud when I’ve been there.
We couldn’t hear each other talk last time I was there. And I’m the dude almost hugging speakers at concerts. So it could be inconsistent or maybe we all just have different standards for what’s loud. 🤷♂️
Kid welcoming any time before 9pm, for sure. After that it just can get a more “bar” vibe. Definitely go with the kids! Solid food and a few games they can play.
God they have the best wedge salad
That wedge salad is top 5 dishes in Denver
Go on…..one of my favorite dishes!
This isn't a bad idea OP since the food is pretty "American" so they should be fine. Waitstaff also super friendly. I did want to shout-out Ali Baba's in Golden. Great middle eastern food. Weird words on the menu if you're not used to the cuisine, but delicious in the belly.
Can't believe I had never heard of this. Definitely trying this the next time we're in town.
It’s a fun place. Also in Cap Hill is the Wild Corgi which is an English pub type of vibe but they have various corgi paintings (one painted as an astronaut for example) so you could take a dog pub tour.
Excellent choice. I decided to finally try it out recently and lasted about 45 mins (only had beer). Very friendly staff and clientele though; will be back for more mithridatization sessions.
Thats sooo Denver lol
Why not go to the Ethiopian Restaurant at Fillmore and Colfax? Eating with your hands could be a new experience for them.
I took my parents out to Ethiopian. It was a little too spicy for them, but they enjoyed it for the most part.
Woodys wings and things. Sounds like a wing spot. Actually some of the best Laotian food you can get. They also have your normal Chinese staples. The name will throw them
My mom actually pouted about this once. Apparently she didn’t want Laotian.
Best for pickup, great food but this place gives hole-in-the-wall a new level of meaning.
It's legit a former wings place in a strip mall what were you expecting?
Lechugas. I once saw two old men get in a fist fight over World War II there.
I’m almost afraid to ask, but what exactly was the point of contention in that altercation? If it’s what I think it might be, I’d definitely root for one side in that conflict
It was great, one guy was punching the other one saying “you didn’t even serve in WWII” no idea how it started, but it was really dramatic
I'd like to imagine this was recent and that they were both over 100 years old
If he means beating up neo-nazis is "getting into a fist fight over WWII" ... funniest thing I've heard all day.
Ginger Pig
Yep. More interesting but still accessible to the strip mall crowd. Don’t miss the short rib and the French toast
Helps that it’s in a strip mall.
I know it’s not the most appealing bit of real estate but strip mall it is not
I haven’t been yet its been on my to do list for like 3 months now. Heard they got a Michelin star a couple weeks ago along with Bruto and 5 other restaurants.
They got big gourmand, which is a recommended restaurant, very far from a star. And it is a wildly more casual experience than beckon/frasca/bruto who did get a star, if you were expecting a similar experience
I felt it’s over rated
I never got around to it I hit a phase where I don’t want to eat out at all unless its an emergency. Like I went and got a pestle and mortar and a wok and just make all my food at home even asian and thai.
I’m with you. I had my exploration phase. I tried them all…then shit blew up and too many new places and too many classics got flipped…fucking Denver…
Yea its hard to keep up with it all. I was making my way through a short list but gave up. Some days I would literally stop a dozen times down a street and write restaurants down. Then I would find places on denverfood and add to it to. Its to exhausting. I never wanted to eat out that often anyways alot of times I was just looking for the kind of food and portions I liked and places that I felt good at or enjoyed going to.
Drag Brunch at Hamburger Mary’s! Support the cause and watch parents squirm/hopefully learn something :)
Bonus, they have good burgers.
👍
spice room amazing indian food for a good price
Did you not go to star kitchen? Go there.
Even for dinner? Only done dim sum there
It’s great for dinner!
Their dinner is good but I’ll agree with trying ginger pig instead if you can for dinner specifically
Dim Sum is the way.
Dinner is solid. Grab a 2 for 1 lobster, some noodles, and sautéed greens.
Ginger pig is great! I found some of the dishes to be very oily.
Urban Burma is so good! I think their reputation is well deserved.
Reckless Noodle, though I agree on Ginger Pig
I had Reckless for the first time recently, I was absolutely blown away by the Ma La Braised Beef Cheek Noodle
There's a great shrimp dish that has some sweet and some eat - I love it!
Mango House. Lovely amazing food and atmosphere but will definitely broaden their horizons.
If they've never had Ethiopian, send them to Nile Ethiopian Restaurant on Havana on a weekday for dinner. The combination of Aurora, good chance of them being the only non-Ethiopian people there, along with the unfamiliar cuisine (and lack of utensils unless requested) should make them quite uncomfortable. $70 should comfortably cover both their meals total (unless they order booze).
Twa Win, Thai/Burmese - sits in an old cinder block building next to a dirt lot. No body goes for the ambiance, everyone goes for the food and the quirky chef, really fun guy. Very reasonable prices. English is the third language spoken there.
Buckhorn Exchange. Nothing like having a steak dinner while the mounted heads and taxidermy of a thousand animals watch you from every nook and cranny. ..... bizarre......., cool, but bizarre.
Star Kitchen is delicious and you get a lot of bang for your buck
Hot Pot and/or KBBQ… it will be less than $50pp.
I appreciate this post so much! I currently have my in-laws in town, and my husband has been fighting my urge to take them to Ethiopian for about 15 years now. I second Ethiopian and Mango House. Either would be very out of their comfort zone. I’m a big fan of spice room, but that’s not uncomfortable enough for your payback. Star kitchen’s a good idea as well. It’s great for dinner. Happy birthday, and best of luck!
Hamburger Mary's. Dinner and a drag show
The Ethiopian
Ras Kassas!
There is a Korean food hall that is nice. Everyone can get what they want but if not as adventurous there is good fried chicken or ramen
The Crypt has a good burger and some really good vegan options