The pastrami is some of the best I've ever had - Tots are homemade and AMAZING!!!

Nice atmosphere. Not too crowded (on a Thursday night at least). Ping Pong. Friendly staff. Just an all around good place. This is perfect place to grab a beverage after a show at the Bug Theatre or a gut-busting dinner at Patsy's. Checked this place out after a frat meeting at Patsy's with a few bros. We agreed that the Ping Pong table was a nice, unique touch. Groups mostly kept to themselves, but were not the usual LoDo A-Hole crowd. I think if I had shown up at this place solo that I could have fit in with some of the folks on the patio. Oh, and you gotta love a classy spot that serves you a "glass of merlot" from one of those little liquor store bottles of wine. A couple locals told me the first time I was here that the place used to be a lesbian dive bar, or something like that. Now it's definitely more of a young yuppie spot for those Recent College Grads who just bought their first home in the Highlands. I will definitely be headed back to this spot for a brew. Only lost one star for charging me $5 for that glass of Sutter Home swill. The other beverages ordered by the group were much more reasonable. read more

Tots are on point. The tavern dip was delicious, as was the cowboy burger Pub atmosphere, great service. Found on Food network Diners Drive ins and Dives Excellent. read more

Not a bad spot if you find yourself in Denver My brother and I went to Highland Tavern while visiting Denver and after seeing it featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It was a while since I had initially seen the episode but I remember saying that if given the opportunity, I would definitely check it out. I think I set my expectations a little too high. Based on my visit, I can confirm one thing that Highland Tavern really does right: Tavern Tots. More like hand-rolled hash brown balled up into goodness and complimented with perfect dipping sauces. I could've only eaten the tots and be satisfied. I also ordered the roasted turkey club sandwich which was nothing to rave about. As a whole, the sandwich was average with the bread being a little dry. Despite the sandwich, this place still deserves at least 4 stars. The menu has a lot to offer and there were good beers on tap. Our waitress was as friendly as could be and I just felt comfortable hanging here, even after finishing our meal. I would like to come back some day and I think you should too. read more

Highland Tavern - Tots - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Chicharones! Amazing! You HAVE to try them or you can't be my friend anymore! Service so damn good! You can feel the love here. For SURE! When I got my Guapo! Omg It was sooooo f#%^*ing good ! I was really somehow pissed off there was a salad on my plate. There was no need for the dang salad. I just needed my yummy burger and that was it. OK and a few bites of my husbands Pastrami sandwich (Which was by the way in his words, "The best sandwich ever made!") and tots. Oooooh I looooooves me some big ol brown cheesy hot tots! I love you! ( Too soon after a first time?) read more

Visiting Brother, we stopped by before a Denver outing.. Awesome spot! Tots best I've ever had, and hell, turkey Sandwhich was even delish. Great selection of beer and friendly people.. Oh with jukebox.. Will be back! read more

Highland Tavern - Cheers! - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This neighborhood spot has some of the BEST burgers in Denver. Get the Tavern Burger--with tots! It's one of my go to's. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming as well as the staff. Definitely a Denver gem. Also great for takeout, 15 minutes for 2 burgers, every time! read more

Jacob and I visited Colorado recently and used the Yelp app as our tour guide. This bar had tons of positive reviews so we figured it's a must-visit. We went during the afternoon, which proved to be a smart choice. We parked on the slanted street and walked right in. A friendly hostess greeted us and asked us where we'd like to sit... table or booth? We opted for a booth and then we checked out the menu. Our server greeted us quickly and was really accommodating to us out-of-towners/first-timers. She suggested a few drafts Jacob might like based on his preference and even gave us a few popular menu items we may enjoy. Luckily, we got there just in time for the end of Happy Hour, which meant a buck off Jake's local draft. Their menu is pretty limited, with a few hippie burgers and a handful of sandwiches. I went for the bbq bacon cheeseburger while Jacob went for the El Guapo (green chile, cheddar, pickled onion, mayonesa). We both opted for the Tavern Tots for $1.50 extra apiece, which were described to us as deep fried mashed potato balls... mmmm potato balls. The burgers were pricey... $11 for his and $11.50 for mine, not including the Tot upcharge. In addition, Jacob was curious about the pork neck green chile stew (Nuevo Mexico style, spicy, with cheese & tortilla). It came out pretty quickly after ordering. It didn't come with tortilla strips like you'd imagine, it came out with a rolled up flour tortilla. He still enjoyed the soup and said it had a great flavor. The food came out as Jacob finished his soup. Both our burgers were cooked correctly and they were presented nicely. I really enjoyed my burger and I fell in love with the Tavern Tots. Jacob didn't enjoy his burger much. By the description, he figured it'd be spicy, but instead he said it was kind of lame, not spicy and the flavors didn't complement each other very well. Wah wah. Overall, a cool little joint with friendly staff and a good beer selection. The food is overpriced but tasty. I'd recommend going before the dinner rush like we did, it made for a very stress-free visit. read more

Yes, we came here because we saw THAT episode of Triple D and yes, we wanted to try THOSE "tot-alistic tots." In fact, my sister and I might have planned our entire trip around these tots and disguised it as a Denver/Hiking in the Rockies trip. We went the first night we got to Denver, mere hours after the plane touched down - we were that excited. The place is on a street corner with ample street parking, so no worries there. It's dark and loud and looks like your typical sports bar. But we didn't care what it was like, we just wanted to try those tots! Instead of getting them as an app, we got the mac and cheese with bacon to start and then both got sandwiches and upgraded the fries to tots. The mac and cheese was perfect, ooey and gooey and just a solid mac and cheese. I got the Tavern Dip which was okay. The bread was too soft and not toasted, so once I dipped it in the jus, it just kind of soaked everything up and became soggy bread. No good. The meat and toppings inside the sandwich was tasty, though. My sister got a special-of-the-day veggie sandwich which I think she enjoyed? I didn't bother to taste it (it was veggie, remember?). The tots themselves were good, slightly above average for sure. Salty and crispy on the outside, mushy on the inside. How a tot is supposed to be. I guess I was just expecting more since they got their own TV segment. read more

Highland Tavern - Tavern Dip - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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On our list of things to experience while on our trip to Denver, Highland Tavern was near the top for my sister and I because we had seen the DDD episode that highlighted it, and it did not disappoint. The tots are so unique and fried to perfection (we had to get two orders because they were so good). The Bombshell was the best pastrami sandwich I have ever had. The pork rinds were so crisp and airy and they dissolve in your mouth. We left so full both in the stomach but also in spirit. read more

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Holy tavern tots! No wonder there's so much hype over the tots, they are amazing! We came here with a group of 12 and were seated promptly. The service was pretty fast given the size of our group, and at the end the waitress was kind enough to split the check a billion ways, which is a plus. The ambience is fun, with lots of different sporting events on any of the many televisions at the same time. I ordered the Bombshell, a pastrami sandwich with slaw and an egg, and a side of the famous tots. SO DELICIOUS, I ate the whole thing! There's something about the tots, maybe dill? They almost taste like a combination of hash browns and tater tots. My husband ordered the El Guapo burger, a burger with green chiles and pickled onions, that was pretty good. This place also has great happy hour drink deals, and a great beer selection. The apricot blonde was perfect. Overall, great fun place with good food to enjoy with friends. read more

Highland Tavern - The Bombshell, a pastrami sandwich with slaw and a fried egg, with a side of tavern tots, and a half consumed Dry Dock Apricot Blonde. - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I have been to this place many a times.... always forget to 'check-in' though..... since most of the time I met up with friends and tonight was no exception. This place is one of my favorite bars to visit. Not only do they have drink specials, they have inexpensive beers on tap. Good selections but the best is their food. My personal favorite of all times is the Spaetzel... Not sure what exactly it's called but there's only one. It's with browned butter with bacon and French string beans. THE BEST! They also have pierogies, great mac-n-cheese and great burgers but another one of my favorite snack here is their homemade cheesy tator tots. Who doesn't like tots? Who doesn't like cheesiness? It reminds me a bit like a macaroons, at least just the external shape. When you first bite into it, its crunchy on the outside and soft like how breakfast potatoes should be... It's almost like they mashed the potato, scooped it up in a ball and throw it in the fryer... Deliciousness! You can get the tots with blue cheese or ranch dressing, and of course, ketchup! They also have amazing brunch with bottomless mimosas. It's actually surprisingly good since it's more of a bar than anything else. But I've come here a few Sundays ago and it was really yummy! They have a pool table and a ping pong table here... it's always occupied when I went so I never used it but the bar has nice atmosphere. The only thing I don't like as much is after a certain time they turn the music way up so it's hard to talk to friends... other than that, I love hanging out here.... it has never let me down. :) read more

Good spot for food and beer/drinks. Flats screens are excellent for all games and sports. Liked that the bar and restaurant side have good space separating the two. We had a dinner party of 7 and were seated rather quickly on a Saturday night. Only complaint was that it took for ever for our appetizers, that when they finally arrived, our food arrived within minutes later. We had the tater tots and fried pork rinds. They both were awesome! Home made for sure. Their homemade ranch dressing is light and yummy. For dinner I had the turkey sandwich with a side salad. All food was fresh and portioned well. The onion relish on the turkey is a little sweet but great flavors. My bread was horrible though and the sandwich is cold, not hot. Over all nice corner of the street location. Staff was good and worked together. Parking is on the street. read more

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Went here for a Small birthday, party, the staff was super friendly and extremely customer focused.The food on the other hand was terrible.probably the worst chicken wings I've ever had.Although they took them off of the check,we left there having to go to another restaurant to eat dinner... Hopefully the kitchen was just having a bad night.Not sure I'd go back back to this place. read more

My go to place in the Highlands! Best burgers and tots when you have a wild craving for one! Burgers are super delicious and service is great! Every time I call for take out the staff is always in a great mood and gives off great vibes. For those of you who like sloppy burgers, throw a sunny side egg on top to make it even juicier! read more

Don't come to this place expecting a high-end main course - it's a tavern and the menu reflects this. What they offer, though, and what we had, tasted great and was well-prepared. The prices are right and the portions are large. Come here with your appetite. The menu has some great apps and the sandwich and burger selection is pretty diverse. They also have soup, green chili, and salad. The tavern tots are delicious, and the ranch dressing that comes with them tastes homemade. I ordered the mac and cheese with bacon, as well as a romaine wedge salad. My wife ordered the Boomer burger. EVERYTHING TASTES LIKE IT WAS MADE FROM SCRATCH - TRULY WONDERFUL. This is some tavern!!! The waitress dropped the ball at the end. We sat there waiting - and waiting - for her to come by with a box and the check. I sat there and stared at her, hoping to get her attention, but she was caught up carrying on with her co-workers. I hate this. Another of her tables next to us got up to get her and we caught her then. Bad ending to a great meal. Hence the 4 stars. read more

I've been here 3 times. The staff is always great, food is good. They also have beer and bar games. It is very cozy, you feel like your just hanging at a friends house. Check it out! read more

Highland Tavern - The bar area... Duh Yelp. - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This place is amazing!!! Who doesn't love walking into a bar for brunch and not having to wait?! The service is on another level of awesome. Andy and Mike were helping us out and they checked on us multiple times throughout our visit. I had the daily scramble which had peppers, onions garlic with potatoes and toast. I enjoyed it very much. The potatoes were cooked perfectly. I wish I wouldve has some butter with my toast but I was too lazy to ask haha $3 mimosas was the best part! They have won best bloody Mary in Denver so it was definitely shown with their drinks. Overall a great bar to meet up with friends or have a large group to play poker upstairs read more

Never judge a bar by it's shady corner. Came here cause highland tap and burger was packed. Walked in and saw a dive bar scene...but was surprised to see a pretty legit menu placed in front of us. A little paper menu to indicate the specials of the day was given as well. Sandwiches, soups, appetizers, burgers, desserts, etc. Everything sounded so good. We started off with the tater tots...um...they were like fried mashed potatoes. The potatoes inside were gooey and buttery. Delicious. We ended up ordering TWO large orders. My friend ordered the veggie sandwich which was fried butternut squash with a layer of flavored goat cheese spread. Not a bite was wasted. The pork rinds were just fried salt...meaning we ate all of that too. Our waitress was attentive, the noise level wasn't too loud so we were able to have a group conversation, and there were tvs all around the bar for the guys who wanted to watch basketball. What a great place to stumble upon...and go back to! read more

I met some friends here for some food and a few drinks. This was my second time here (my first time was a few years ago before all the Yelping), and I was pleasantly surprised at the overall atmosphere. A Broncos preseason game was in the works and it was a Saturday night so I expected there to be a large crowd of people wherever I went. There were a good amount of people here, but it was definitely not overcrowded which allowed for a much better experience. The staff was very friendly and the food was awesome (definitely check out the tots as a side item, I think that's what they are known for). It is in a nice part of town as well, but it's certainly not overpriced. I will be returning. read more

Highland Tavern - Chicken Classico with tots - delicious - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

We came because of DDD, so of course we got the bombshell and tots, but we also ordered the pastrami hash. We got the Bloody Mary with the house made vodka as well as the mimosa. Everything was just as delicious as we hoped. The Bloody Mary was nice and spicy thanks to the infusion of jalapeños. The pastrami hash was a great blend of flavors, and the pieces of pastrami were generous and tasty. I loved the tots. They were simple, salty, crunchy outside, but perfect inside. The atmosphere was nice. There was plenty of room when we got there (noon on a Saturday). The windows were wide open on a beautiful 70 degree, breezy day. The serving staff was prompt, friendly, attentive and helpful. read more

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I've been coming here for 4 years and it's my favorite! The food is delicious, drinks delicious, beer cold and best friend bar staff. The owner is often there and make it double down fun. read more

I'll admit, my fiance and I ended up at Highland Tavern after seeing it on an episode of DDD. It just so happened we were going to be in Denver the next week (and the food looked delicious), so we decided to make a stop on our short trip. Considering it was on an episode of DDD (though, it was possibly a very old rerun), I expected there to be a decent crowd in the restaurant. When we arrived around noon on Wednesday for lunch, there was only one other party there. It's seat yourself, so we grabbed a booth by the wall, and one of the waitresses quickly dropped by to take our drink and meal order. I wasn't in the mood for a huge meal so I had a grilled cheese with chili, and my fiance ordered one of the burgers, and of course, those famous homemade tots. I know a grilled cheese is beyond simple to make, but it was seriously delicious. Warm, buttery rye bread with seriously gooey colby jack cheese oozing out. Perfection. Plus, even better dunked in hot chili. Surprisingly, chili wasn't super spicy, it had more a smoky overtone. I just had to sneak a bite of my fiance's tater tots, and dang, were they good! I can see why they are so famous. It's hard to describe them, but it's kind of like shredded potatoes on the inside, then coated with a seasoned breading, and fried. YUM. The service was very good and the prices are reasonable. Parking is limited to the street, which as it wasn't very crowded wasn't an issue for us, but I could see that being a problem on a crowded weekend night. read more

Highland Tavern - Grilled cheese and French fries - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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The food was cooked perfectly, the staff was friendly and attentive. Great place to watch sports.

Saw this tav on Triple D. Guy Fieri said the tots were even better than his own so we just HAD to truck all the way from Seattle to try 'em out. (We also will be dropping off my eldest at the Air Force Academy.). Anyway, Guy was spot-on about the tots. My family ordered other items on the menu and each item got the "thumbs-up". We spoke with the owner as well. He and the staff were attentive and the owner was very passionate about his craft. My family will definitely be returning for the food (Oh, and to visit my son at the Academy. Love ya, son! :) Of course, our son will visiting whenever he can - lucky kid. PS: Mr. Fieri, you did us well with your suggestion. read more

Highland Tavern - Gold at the end of the rainbow! - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Had a TERRIBLE experience here with the manager. Our friend forgot his ID at home and so went home to get it. When he returned, the manager accused him of trying to order a drink when he knowingly didn't have his ID. I'm sorry...he is well over drinking age so it's not like he is dodging the law. Also, all he said was "what is on draft?" before being told "no" by the waitress who knew he didn't have an ID. After not being served, he drove all the way home to get his ID and returned 30 minutes later only to be told NO YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE. It was honestly comical how much the manager had it out for our friend. He lost the business of 12+ hungry and thirsty drinking age adults. read more

This is my new favorite neighborhood watering hole. Some of my favorite features: -The vibe is always good, -the bar patrons are friendly with a health mix of regulars and new visitors - it has a much more down to earth feel than say Root Down and Linger which can be too "yuppie" at times -they have great happy hour specials. Overall, I really cannot say too much more than has not been said elsewhere but the tavern tots are delicious and overall the food is very good (though it still is bar food) though I admit I am usually more there for drinks. Also, big shout out to the servers who are both attentive and quite attractive. Big plus. :) Definitely worth checking out. read more

Outstanding! Went with my wife for dinner. Tots are the best! Ordered "The Cowboy". Had to be one of the best burgers I have ever sank my teeth in. The wait staff is awesome as well. Parking at some places downtown can be difficult. Been here twice now and never a problem. You gotta try this place... read more

We were able to sit outside on a beautiful night and have gourmet nachos and great local beer. read more

Highland Tavern - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Amazing spot! I landed here after flying in on a little vacation and had a little brunch and some drink. Both the food and the service was phenomenal. I had an hour or so to kill before my AirBNB was ready, and the staff let me store my bag in a secure area so I could explore the neighborhood on foot!! I can't thank them enough for that. I highly recommend! read more

How have I not reviewed Highland Tavern? I want there to be 20 more places like this in Denver. Good food, reasonable priced, friendly service, laid back vibe. I worry it will close and be replaced by a Pho Speakeasy. Good place to watch sports if you're into that kind of thing but, more importantly, not an annoying place to be if you're not there to catch the game. Great for happy hour, dinner, brunch....really anytime. My only request is please please put a veggie burger on the menu. Just grab a package of frozen ones and keep them on hand just for me? read more

My waitress confronted me about not giving her a big enough tip for terrible service. Literally a 5 year old can bring drinks to a table. The food was below average. read more

Food was pretty average but our servers were just plain rude, I worked in in the service industry for the better part of 6 years and I couldn't believe that this was in any way acceptable. So bad that it prompted me to make a Yelp account just to leave this review. read more

Great "Diners, Drive-In's, and Dives" spot if you're into that! Great atmosphere and unique eats! You MUST get the tator tots and I recommend trying the pork rinds! Waitress was great - she filled our water bottle for us! Great prices also. Had the pastrami sandwich with fried egg - so good. read more

Highland Tavern - "Bombshell" pastrami with tots. Burger with fries. - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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All that I hoped for from a triple d destination spot! Great food, beer and bourbon. Cheers!

Good service snd great food! My boyfriend got a Ruben sandwich and loved it, it wasn't as thick as a normal Ruben in a good way. I had a burger and it was delicious! So juicy and flavorful! We also had tots as an appetizer, which where very good too. We will definitely be back! read more

I am a big supporter of small business. However, the manager last night was rude, unprofessional, and completely deranged. Verbally assaulted my group of 12 (would have been a tab of $500+). We took our business elsewhere and will not be returning. read more

Highland Tavern has great food but my most recent visit was less than stellar to say the least. Rather than a long drawn out review I will just summarize it below: -terrible service, our server barely was around but didn't seem to be taking other tables. They were forgetful, slow and I had to cash out at the bar because she would disappear for long periods of time. -the burgers we ordered were bland and the confit chicken wings tasted like regular wings, not tender like I expect. -the garage door window was open, which can be nice until a large beetle crawled up my boyfriends leg. read more

I wish I could give them more than five stars as I have always had good service. The owner checks on us each time we go in there and we love the waitresses. We recently moved to California but are planning our next trip back just to go here for the food. We first saw this place on Diners Drive ins and dives... The show did not do the food justice. Let start by the best Bloody Mary's. Vodka has jalapeños that have been marinating in it giving the drink and wonderful spice. Just the right amount of vodka and tomato juice round out this drink perfectly. Don't forget there homemade pork rinds...with perfect crunch and good seasoning fits right up there with the orgasmic tater tots The tater tots are amazing thing you could eat. They are made from scratch and are so filling. The Ruben my husband orders has the perfect amount of meat and mustard...my son got the bomber..and my daughters shared the tots and open faced turkey...I however have ordered something new each time...mainly I am a burger woman...and have yet to see one here that disappoints... read more

Highland Tavern - Tater tots . heavenly - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Yikes...started out okay as we were seated quickly during happy hour but our waitress was unbelievably rude and miserable after that. No eye contact, literally slammed things down on the table, not once asked if we needed anything. So - if you were the blonde having a bad day, learn to suck it up and not take it out on others, customers or not. Food was average, server was just as rude. Wrong sides despite a pretty simple order. read more