Short Story: Please go here! The best Boulder Bar hands down! Long Story: Dark Horse is such a special local gem that I have been coming to for years. The ambiance is 1/1 and you will not find anything else like it anywhere. There is just simply too much culture and history here. The drinks are all fairly priced and the service was extremely quick (they were well staffed to manage the amount of people present the night I went). Aside from the bar aspect, Dark Horse also has a kitchen that you can order food from! Everything I have tried over the years has been great, but this personally is my favorite place to order Rocky Mountain oysters! If you haven't tried them, 100% give them a shot! It was karaoke night when I went, but during the football season Dark Horse will host CU Boulder Football watch parties. Such a fun local spot, please support them and enjoy your night here! (Pro Tip: The art on the bathroom doors POINT to the Men's/Women's restrooms, so don't accidentally walk into the wrong one!) read more

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So sad to hear that this place is permanently closing. The history of all the great beers and food...if walls could talk they would share all the dirty secrets of boulder. Bring your friends if you can but be prepared to wait to get in because they are smaller busy on the last operating day. read more

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Fun place to check out especially after a Colorado football game. Lots of high tops and tables, pool and video games. Food is pretty good too, recommend the chipotle burger! Oh, and the onion rings were spot on! They don't take Apple Pay and you have to show an ID for every drink you buy at the bar. read more

Dark Horse - Indoor - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Had some drinks with my cousin here last night. Of the local Boulder, Colorado bars we saw on Yelp, the ambiance, uniqueness and dive bar look of this place caught my attention and so we Uber'd up. The service was okay, nothing to brag about, but we mostly were able to flag someone done for another round. This is not the place to seek fancy choices, but I was happy to sip Makers while my cousin enjoyed his beers. The pricing seemed cheap compared to other cities I've had cocktails in. I would definitely come back again! read more

Dark Horse - Backwards bathrooms. - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Met some friends at the Dark Horse in Boulder and enjoyed a solid classic burger and fries--simple, satisfying, and exactly what you want from a longtime local spot. Also had the red chili poppers which were good too. A little bittersweet knowing the place is expected to close in March. The Dark Horse has so much character and history, I hope the plan for the new spot works out and doesn't lose its iconic vibes. Love how it's so casual and self serve plus the old intercom shouting out nearly understandable names when orders were ready makes for a fun guessing game. Glad we got to enjoy one more good meal here at the original spot! read more

Dark Horse - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Although it lists the hours as open at 11:00, the masses were huddled at the front door waiting this past Monday... waiting for someone to open the establishment at 11:20...We left for another establishment- in the interest of time. read more

Been a minute since I've been a great dive bar with great (bar) food. We pretty much tried everything on the appetizer menu during the week we frequented the establishment after work. For those that enjoy unique decor, THIS IS the place. So much going on and will keep you stimulated. Especially the back half of the bar. Service was great even when it was busy at night on the weekend. They yell your name to pick up your order - which was unique and fun - especially when you don't pay attention and miss them calling your name the first few times! read more

It's a Boulder institution and really fun to go, but food is hit or miss. My burger was overcooked. I asked for extra-crispy fries and got soggy. My bun was just out of plastic and not toasted. Ordering is convoluted and you get drinks separately from food. read more

3.5 if I could. This place is a quirky, fun time. Atmosphere was fun. Bathroom situation was confusing if you're not paying attention. Service was friendly and food was decent. read more

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Epic, legendary dark horse. It's got kind of a dive bar feel without being an actual dive bar. Food is fantastic, plenty of drinks, and plenty of entertainment. You come here for the atmosphere too. Just bursting at the seams with character. Burgers and fries are my favorite item to get here. Wings are close second. Everything else is good too, but the aforementioned items are the top for me. Student meal deal is not to be missed for students. Burger, fries, and beer for a great price. read more

Bad food and worse service Food: bland, unseasoned Service: standoffish and very slow read more

Genuinely a top 10 restaurant. Best burger, best wings, best atmosphere and decorations, best bathroom signs, best salad, best fries, best pulled pork sandwich, best guy who calls your name real loud. I like to break the joints in the wings. Once there was mustard in my menu but that's the charm. Good service. I'm eating a wing as a write this and it makes me throw my hands in the air and look towards the heavens and close my eyes with a smile on my face. Its one of those places you just wish will always be there. read more

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Dark Horse, where have you been? Clearly right under my nose for 50 years and I was just made aware of your folklore and legendary Boulder status. If you know me, you know I love a dive bar as much as anything. Dive bars are for the people. For all walks of life. Where tempers flare, where breakups occurs, where you have one too many, where you meet a random stranger that overshares their life story, where you have meaningful conversations with those closest to you, etc. Dives are Americana in a nutshell. Though a transplant, I consider myself to be someone who learns local history to get to know the place I inhabit. How did Dark Horse fly under the radar when I've been to many of Colorado's longest running establishments? Who knows?! But I'm so glad a friend recently suggested a drink here. From the moment I walked in I was obsessed. It's a dive bar, but calls itself a bar and grill since they serve food. The building is decorated top to bottom in over-the-top and funky decor and antiques. Plus, the building is massive! There are multiple rooms to set up shop, each one stranger than the previous. It's eclectic as can be. To me, it was 5 stars the moment I walked in. Hell, all I had was a beer on draft and I felt like I was treated like a king. This is a newfound favorite for me in Boulder. A college town institution if there ever was one. Maybe I'll go tonight and get myself in trouble...here's to you, Dark Horse. read more

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Such a fun place, always packed, drinks are cheap too. BUT sadly it's getting demolished. Go before it's gone!

Amazing decor!! This was a great spot just to explore because it has a ton of different rooms and spaces with a ton of cool items on the walls and ceiling! Lots of artwork etc. You order at the front and they call your name, and the food came out quickly! I had a Caesar salad that was very good with a TON of croutons! I also got a chicken avocado sandwich on sourdough bread. The sandwich was not great, and had very little avacado, much less than I was expecting. Otherwise a cool spot to check out! read more

I've been frequenting the Dark Horse since my college days in Boulder. Such a fun, quirky, and downright unique spot. This place is really more about the environment and ambience than the food, but I've always had a good experience with the food! It's your average American joint and basic bar food, but this last time around I got fish and chips which were good and a good sized portion! The only thing was there was an odd cinnamon twang to the batter? My fiancé got the classic burger which was also good! read more

Dark Horse - Fish & Chips - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Stopped by after a long day of moving our son into his dorm . A block away from the CU boulder campus and boy were we pleasantly surprised at this gem. It's hard to describe the eclectic atmosphere. A must see. It's order food at one area and beverages in another . It was open seating when we arrived that evening and we tried a little of everything. We had the ribs plate and my son said they were solid . Well cooked and good flavor . I had a burger on sourdough and it was delicious. Ordered an avocado chicken burger and it was fantastic. We also ordered an order of wings and the flavor was fantastic but we love a crispy wing and these fell short and probably the reason it's not a complete 5 . If you're on this side of town this is a must see and have at least a cold beer . Check it out ! read more

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Only my second time here. First time since 2013. Came here on 2/28/24. We were in town for a CU Basketball game. This place was pretty busy. Wouldn't even want to see it during a football game. Friendly bartenders. We sat at the bar. Ordered drinks at the bar. Then you have to go to another stand to order food. Had a chicken burger, sourdough burger and onion rings. Good for bar food. Atmosphere and ambiance are crazy. So much stuff on the walls and ceiling. Cheers! read more

Dark Horse - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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This place was great!! Love the atmosphere and the staff was so friendly and patient with us. We had 12 people in our group so we ordered quite a bit of food and needed lots of refills. The bathrooms confused all of us. We couldn't tell if it was a joke pointing or not. 3 people in our group went to the wrong one. So you definitely need to go to the one it's pointing at NOT what is listed on the door Everything was delicious. We ordered a variety of things and everyone loved it. We will be back again!! read more

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This is an oldie but a goodie. It is a great dive bar with bar food. We went during lent on a Friday and the menu was very limited. I almost made the mistake of ordering Rocky Mountains oysters ( not oysters and definitely meat) Who knew? IFYKYK. read more

Had a fun night here with a group of friends and definitely wasn't too crowded for a Saturday night at all. Music wasn't too loud and we could actually hang out the whole night. The food is also very good and bartenders were quick. Super cool spot and loved the decor. Bathroom was also very clean. read more

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Arrived at 8:45 pm. Sign at entry says Seat Yourself. Ordered drinks and food. After we got our food at about 9.20 an employee stops at our table and tells we had to be out by 9:45 because one of us was under 21. If you have these rules you need to have a hostess to regulate entry. Don't charge me $100+ for dinner and rush me out the door. Food was only average. Don't recommend this spot. read more

For those readers who are from Tucson, Arizona the Dark Horse is the Bum Steer only with a different name? The menu is the same, and of course the interior is organized chaos. For those of you who have never been to the Bum Steer or the dark horse. It's definitely a must to see. Not only will you have ample amount of time trying to figure out what's inside this place, but the menu also provides some great choices in food . They have a large open bar on several layers. If you're in Boulder, and you have some time to kill and you're hungry, check out the dark horse. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Pretty cool bar in Boulder not downtown which is better but it was pretty crowded nonetheless. So much going on with their whole decoration you will find yourselves busy and entertaining just looking up the ceiling. Food and Drinks are good lots of tvs and seating areas to watch the game. Burgers are good. read more

Honestly.. burger and wings were so average. Wouldn't recommend eating there at all. Their ordering process is definitely interesting but won't be going back.. not sure why anyone would come here tbh. read more

I love this place! Super laid back and food is always delicious. For the town, food is not expensive at all. I came here with current CU students and alumni and all talked about their fondness of this place. Fun to catch and game and such a staple of the town! read more

Really sad to see this greatcand fun place have to close. The food and beer is great and not expensive. This is a big loss for Boulder

Looked good, but didn't stay too long, because after countless beers in the US so far, this place was the very first that wouldn't accept my german national ID. I can literally use this ID instead of my passport to travel to around 50 countries including places like Turkey, Bosnia, Serbia, Albania, etc. But apparently the DOB printed on it stating I am 27 years old is not enough to buy me a 4,7% Beer at the Dark Horse. They also didn't accept my german driver's license that was good enough for Hertz, but not good enough for this place. I have now been to 68 countries and nowhere else was it this difficult to buy a beer. Not even in Baghdad, Iraq where alcohol is officially banned. Ridiculous. read more

vibes are good. lots of people on thursdays and fridays. lack of gluten free options :( fries are mid not salty enough. chipotle mayo is smoked which we did not love. trivia was too male centric and slow. i did get free pickles though read more

Dark Horse - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

This place is like Cheers (the TV series) for me. I worked here for three years in the 1980s and this place is so awesome. Definitely get a Jiffy Burger and fries with a side of oysters. Then, turn 22 again and the get locked in the liquor cage until you polish off 22 Prairie Fires. This place used to be packed to the rafters on Thursday and Friday and was still the most fun place to work after all these years. The decorations are pure classic Hollywood set items. You need to visit here. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. The bartender was such an ass I wish I knew his name so I could drag him through the dirt. I'm visiting from out of state, and he said my ID was fake - I'm a GA resident and I actually am 21. He proceeded to walk away from the bar to "double check it". Then, approached me at the customer side of the bar and said I had to leave. I told him my ID was real AND I had food, he didn't care. He said "we can make it to go". He then proceeded to make a very big deal about my "fake ID" and told the security I had to be escorted out as soon as I got my food. Mind you, I'm a girl. They kicked me out immediately without making sure I had a ride to get home. I had to wait on the streets in the dark with my cousin while we waited for a ride. He is a POS. read more

We were planning to watch the Rockies vs Braves in Denver for the University of Wyoming Alumni Day at Coors Field but didn't because the plans changed. Instead we went to the Dark Horse because of all the TVs. I hadn't been there in at least 10 years. The place has a funky decor and vibe. We ran into a friend and didn't watch much of the game. It was time for a snack and ordered a burger. The Dark Horse isn't a food place, and I didn't expect much. The patty was micro and the fries were cold. My friend said the chicken sandwich is better than the burgers. I'll give that a try the next time read more

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We loved this spot. Such a fun vibe. Great bar, pool, video games. Food was great. Now I will be even more excited to visit my daughter, as her dorm is visible, and frequent this bar. read more

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Morning Hike in Flatirons, then a cheeseburger, fries, and Coors Draft at Dark Horse. Annual Pilgrimage. Plenty of "Craft Ale" houses in Boulder that are carbon copies of every place on the planet with "Gourmet Burgers." Take a break from pretentiousness and try a real bar. read more

Dark Horse - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

There are many things that make this restaurant unique. You place your own orders and must go to the bar to order drinks (alcoholic and nonalcoholic). Depending on time of day, they may have 1 or 2 bars open. The restaurant itself is pretty massive, with multiple rooms and an upstairs. Being across from a cluster of CU housing units, I imagine it gets very crowded with college students when there are CU football games being streamed. The decor is unlike anything I've ever seen. There are Large objects hanging from the ceiling along with a wide array of interesting things adorning all the wall space. There's no lack of conversation starters. All the food was delicious! I highly recommend trying one of their burgers (about 12 to choose from). The wings are crisp and massive. The fries are well-seasoned and the onion rings are perfectly crispy (they go great with the house buttermilk ranch). read more

Everytime I come here it's a great time. Great vibes, fast service and lots of food options. Was very sad to hear they are possibly being bought out? Cannot confirm that though. read more

We were quickly seated when we got there but it took a while for our drink order to be taken. When I asked for what beers were on tap, the server mumbled them as she rattled them off and seemed rather annoyed that we'd asked. We both ordered burgers which were very good but they were messy. We were not given napkins and our server did not come back for at least 15 minutes. We ended up having to get napkins ourselves from the nearby server station. The ambiance overall was fine- a dimly light tavern style bar/restaurant which I think is exactly what their goal is. The decor is unique and nice to look at. Overall I think my experience would've been much better if the server had been better at her job. read more

Local bar with western flair. No table service after 3 so place drink orders at the bar, seat yourself and then place food orders at another location. They call you name when ready over the intercom. Bar fare with a biggest selection of burgers. Good is ok... curly fries very seasoned are the fries. There are pool tables on one side. Parking & restaurant behind Sprouts so back behind a shopping center. Fairly dark and loud. It did look like the rings are very popular! read more

Dark Horse - The ceiling - American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

The only thing going for this bar & grill is the decor. Food is strictly average and as for world famous basket of chicken wings - must be another world. read more

Whine, whine, whine.....we sat at the back bar on a Monday 7/7/2025 at 7:30pm. The bartender and his bar back whined incessantly about how slow it had been that night.... they were closing the back bar and sending all customers to the front bar. We understand that this restaurant is not a 5 start establishment, but the last thing we wanted to hear while we ate our burgers and wings was the incessant blubbering by the staff about how little money they were making.... literally we had to listen to the whining throughout our entire meal. Thanfully the food was the usual great quality, though the staff was not. My husband and I are former restaurant workers... we understand that you can't win big every night, but these two were annoying and should receive some additional training. read more