I was walking down Larimer when this divine smell of smoked rib came tickling my tummy and o boy did I not get disappointed. Pit Fiend is a barbecue joint with excellent quality meat and service. As I got in, the waiter was serving someone else some delicious and juicy brisket. You could see the juice flowing as the knife was cutting the meat down like butter. We ordered the half rack spare ribs and it was delicious. The bark was so flavorful and the ribs were not overly greasy. The ribs do not come smothered in sauce but instead, an array of multiple sauces are available for dipping at a free serve station. I really appreciated that as I was able to experience the exquisite mouthgasm in multiple different ways and combinations. The theme is dungeons and dragons and the guys at Pit Fiend made me feel like I was hanging out with the homies from my childhood enjoying some D&D and excellent food. I am just absolutely dissapointed that this joint only has 49 reviews. Truly a hidden Gem in Denver. I was just visiting from LA California but will make a point to come here everytime I am in town. Thank you Pit Fiends for amazing food and the nostalgic cozy atmosphere. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This place is a bit hidden, behind Our Mutual Friend Brewing, so be sure to walk around. Absolutely delicious. Our party of 4 ordered quite a few items to share. Beef brisket, chicken, pork tenderloin, cole slaw, potato salad, cornbread... everything was amazing. We also tried the Thai style (?) meatballs which was probably our least favorite. It was a too dense and difficult to eat. Everything else, absolutely delicious. The brisket was so so tender, it was falling apart. Best bbq brisket I ever had. Chicken was seasoned well and not dry. Tenderloin was delicious. They have a bunch of sauces you can try too, it all had a kind of dungeons and dragons theme to it. Every sauce was amazing. Just an overall amazing meal, and the staff were so kind to give us recommendations. If you just wanna try one thing, GET THE BRISKET. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - description of sauces - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I'll never forget my experience at Pit Fiend. Met up with a friend to try a relatively new eatery in town (and made a mental note to check out the brewery next door) and only realized it was D&D themed when I commented on the dice tray at the cash register that held sticker swag. DUH, Stefanie. Bummer that I never got to try Owl Bear BBQ before it closed. Ordered brisket, corn bread muffin, and mac & cheese from the counter. The food took quite some time to prepare. Loved passing time by looking at all the old school D&D cards and posters displayed as décor. Meat itself was tasty. Needed sauce, of course. Corn bread was from a different Denver bakery. Mac & cheese was an Owl Bear recipe. Cool themed hot sauces. Minotaur was my favorite (slightly spicy) though there was only one bottle of each, and the other table was using half the options. Will need to try more next time. I'm such a sucker for BBQ and want to come here again. Happy that my vegetarian friends can even eat here with the jackfruit. I'd want to try that myself, too. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Best bbq in Denver? We had been putting off going to Pit Fiend because all of the highly recommended places have mostly been flops. We went in at a random time and the place is strangely laid out. There is an entrance door and exit door that make a tight seating space. Even thought there weren't many people there, the couple of groups took up most of the seating. The food was pretty spot on delicious! We got some of the brisket, it was delicious 4.6/5. We also got a lamb sandwich, it was something different and good as well, 4.4/5. The Mac and cheese was amazing! 6/5. We got corn bread and the chili honey, usually find corn bread way too dry but this was good and full of flavor 5/5. read more

In town and came across this gem of a place. The brisket and lamb were amazing. Highly recommend it.

"Bbq?" Really? Mr. Pit Fiend, the ribs and baked beans you ration are sure to cause insurrection, mutiny, and perhaps even revolution. I too fancy a scorched-earth policy but your ribs were burned so badly that it felt as though my palette was back in the 1812 battle for Moscow--as you know, we had to fuel our endeavors with burnt horse flesh. Mr. Pit Fiend's mess hall is an assault on the very notion of bbq. And let us not forget the beans. How did this establishment faulter here? Ensuring that beans are cooked thoroughly is the baked-bean edict that no one should ever stray from. This failure in your ranks leaves patrons to the mercy of the most offensive flatulence one can imagine, which conjured up a distinct scent of death that haunted the fields of Waterloo after my defeat in 1815. The most egregious affront of all in Mr. Fiend's pit was the rapacious prices. For a full rack of charred, chewy bones they asked for the equivalent of a Bavarian Nobleman's weekly pay. Where does this financing go? Are you putting it toward stockpiling small arms and artillery? I assure you Mr. Fiend that Boulder won't be invading anytime soon, so please put the king's ransom you're harboring toward your mess hall. Upon request, I'll gladly return for another inspection, but you've fortified yourselves in this "RiNo" where your antics are celebrated; intriguing interior, appealing patrons and staff, cunning drinks menu, but the food is ghastly overpriced and below even a junior sentry's standards. read more

When owl bear bbq said they were shutting down, me and my friends were super upset. We actually took a trip to texas just to get bbq because there was no good bbq in town that can compare to owl bear. Last week a Yelp elite friend told me the old owl bear had re opened under a new name with the staff from owl bear buying it from the previous owner. Sick!!!!!! Yes! Went there yesterday. Looking at the counter it was the same "man on the knife" (bbq lingo for the guy that cuts the brisket). Then the same guy that ran the smoker walks past. The food was identical, but with additions that you might want to try. For me it was brisket. It was dead in Texas style exactly as before. LOVE IT One addition that I love is the assortment of sauces! You have so many choises, and unlike most places that have a lot of sauces, every one is good. Really unusual to find this, I'm a sauce guy and this never happens. For BBQ no where in denver will beat this. Anyone that goes there has said the same. I challenge you to find better bbq here, shoot me a msg if you do....but you won't. This is the spot end of story! read more

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This place makes me miss living in Rino... located behind OMF brewery pit fiend is probably one of my favorite let's get a beer and a snack place to go. Former employees of owl bear reopened this place as pit fiend and they have the BEST brisket I have ever had. Go here and just get the brisket honestly. They also have several different barbecue sauces you can play around with and select, with recommendations as well! You gotta try the Wight sauce, it's a garlic and cilantro sauce! read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Honestly it might be the best Texas brisket I've had since moving back home to Colorado from Austin! Their ribs are unbelievable as well! One of the only open flame/fire BBQ's in Colorado and let me tell you, that makes a huge difference! Another thing that makes them unique, they have a ton of vegetarian and vegan options! Including barbecue jackfruit, mushrooms, cauliflower, mac & cheese, and their beans are even veg friendly!! Do not sleep on Pit Fiends!!! read more

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Pit Fiend has a rustic laid back hole in the wall vibe that is welcoming. However, I do wish there was more seating. We went at a slower hour and there wasn't much room inside or any seating outdoors. The counter staff were super friendly and helpful! Unfortunately, they were out of ribs, but we got pork tenderloin, beef brisket, and a hot link for our protein. All the meat was really good but the beef brisket was outstanding! Pit Fiend is a must go if you are looking for some smoked meats around RiNo! read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Beef Brisket, Pork Tenderloin, Hot Link, Potato Salad, and Elote Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

PROS: their sauce and their meat was good and their staff was very friendly. The ambiance is very bbq style CONS: there's hardly parking and they don't have the usual sides (fries, veggies, mash potatos) just beans and salad. Their Mac and cheese runs out consistently and it's overpriced. $18 for 5 ribs. There sauces also have unique names and you can't tell what each one is. They also don't clean the tables often OVERALL: if you don't mind the limited selection and the prices because you're a quality only type of person than yeah come here. If you're looking for an all around good place to eat there are other places to go to read more

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No way on this green earth was that asking price worth what I just ate.... Piff I know kids down at the yearly kids que that cooks better. If it wasn't so expensive, I'd prob bees less critical. Corn muffin alright read more

Pit Fiend is the real deal! I had some very moist and tender brisket, perfectly charred pork tenderloin medallions, creamy mac and cheese, and spare ribs. The place is very casual with only one large table and some counter seating. You order at the counter. The guys working there were also very friendly and funny. Great experience. The only downsides are that they do not serve beer (although you can take your food next door to OMF brewery) and that the space is small, so you may not always be able to sit down and eat there (again you can go to OMF if they are not too crowded). That said, Pit Fiend will definitely be my top food choice when I find myself in RiNo in the future. It's not pretentious at all. Just a simple place with great food. read more

Heard about Pit Fiend. Just got back from Luther IA "watcha Smokin". That was out of the world good. This is equally legit. Flavorful Brisket- ultra fatty & juicy. 5 stars. read more

Tucked behind Our Mutual Friend is Pit Fiend, a stellar BBQ spot offering a tasty menu of main and side items. The BBQ is well prepared and Pit Fiend has a diverse set of sauces to go with everything. The staff is friendly and suggested great sides to accompany the pulled pork and brisket. Lots of BBQ joints do well on the meat and mediocre on the sides, but Pit Fiend sets a high bar on all items. Small dining space inside with a community table and bar style seating. Make this your next BBQ go-to! read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - A wonderful lunch spread of pulled pork, brisket, spicy watermelon, coleslaw, cucumber salad, and jalapeño cheese cornbread. - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Pit Fiend outs the real deal! I've had a ton of BBQ across most of the country and a lot of time in Texas. Their BBQ is very authentic to the roots of doing it well with open fire. The brisket was exceptional. It was perfect on flavor and consistency. I loved the lunch I had. The beans were maybe a touch over salted, but everything else from the location, the decor, the staff, and especially the food were amazing. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Brisket and pit beans - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I've never had a vegetarian bbq option that lived up to my meat experience until eating the mushroom bbq sandwich at Pit Fiend. I am blown away by how much flavor those mushrooms held on their own and then being able to add any barbecue sauces I wanted on top of the slaw and pickles just blew me away. I had my expectations set high and I was not disappointed! Also if you're ordering sides , don't be like me and get 4 oz. Once I realized my Mac n cheese was almost TSA sized I knew I'd want a ton more and I was not incorrect - it was delicious. Go big! read more

Really good vegan options, great service, convenient location, & close to omf brewery.

WOW, just WOW!! Pit Fiend Barbecue was one of the BEST BBQ spots I've been to so far in the Denver area, and would hold their own against some of the best BBQ I've had in Texas (I've had a good amount of BBQ from Dallas and Austin). Pit Fiend Barbecue takes over the same location from Owlbear Barbecue, and some of the staff from Owlbear are now running Pit Fiend. I had Owlbear before they closed, and thought their BBQ was solid, but Pit Fiend brings BBQ to another level. Currently, Pit Fiend is only open Friday's - Sunday's, from 11am until sold out. It was busy at 12:30pm on a Sunday, but there was no line at the time, and they still had all items available. I tried: -Pork Belly (Half Pound/$18, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=tOwS9ApIy8yRIsaAOO5ZcA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): DELICIOUS, and a MUST ORDER for any pork lover! I would highly recommend eating this fresh, since the fat was rendered perfectly, and this melted in my mouth. It was a little on the salty side when eaten on it's own, but would've been perfect with one of their sides and/or with a slightly tangy BBQ sauce. -Beef Brisket (Half Pound/$18) & Pastrami (Half Pound/$20) [https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=G-8hLtCO0SJfY_LNoCalfQ&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg]: For those who enjoy the fattier cuts of meat, make sure to specify your preference when ordering brisket and pastrami (they also very nicely asked us our preference). The moist brisket was super tender and super flavorful, and was up there with the pork belly- another must order! The moist pastrami was solid, but also very salty- I would've preferred this in a sandwich with coleslaw. I loved that they had a whole menu of different BBQ sauces to choose from; unfortunately, I couldn't remember which one I tried but it was slightly tangy and had a great consistency. I'll be back to try their ribs and sandwiches! My only feedback is around their customer service- One of their staff was super nice and friendly, but the cashier seemed a bit grumpy and curt that day. Customer service makes a big difference, and I hope the negative interaction was a one off. Both indoor and outdoor seating options were available. As a bonus, Pit Fiend is located next to a brewery, and you can bring food into the brewery if you want to grab a beer with your BBQ. Parking is the most difficult part about coming here; however, street parking spots should be available only a block or two away. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Beef Brisket (Half Pound/$18)- 5/5 stars for their moist brisket & Pastrami (Half Pound/$20)- 4/5 stars - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Best brisket in town! We also had ribs and pulled pork and everything was great! For sides I really liked the elote salad and mac & cheese. Lots of drink options too with many sodas and an adjoining brewery. read more

A few highs and lows here. I will say there were more highs though. -The $4 Coleslaw was an offensively small portion. In a legit sauce ramekin. If you get the medium, it's probably 4x the size. The medium is a half pint. -best brisket I've had in Colorado by a mile -all of their sauces were BOMB. The carolina gold was insanely good. -I was with a group of 4 people on the patio and came in to ask for ramekins for bbq sauce and the owner was only willing to give me 4 very small ramekins. That's not good business considering we spent almost $200 in bbq. I work in restaurants and I know that the sauce and the coleslaw probably have the lowest COGS. Don't be stingy with it. Overall: Food- 10/10 Service & price of sides- 6/10 Def recommend it but get a medium side and avoid the small. Also load up your box with sauce so you don't have to be denied devices to transport said sauce. read more

Awesome, tasty, and tender BBQ! Probably some of the best in Denver! Place is somewhat no-frills on the inside, but they pack a lot of flavor into their food! You can also get a tray and take it over to Our Mutual Friend which is a great option. I will say their sides are a little expensive...$16 for a 16oz mac and cheese seems a bit high. Mac and cheese was some of the best around tho! read more

Incredible bbq, amazing service. The guy behind the counter was so nice, so friendly, and so real. We love this place and have eaten here a dozen times and hopefully a dozen more in the future. The brisket is great, the ribs are phenomenal, and the sauces are so good! We love the kobold. Eat here if you're around the area!!! read more

Two words. Fucking Amazing. Flew in from Seattle, originally from Arizona. If you live up north you know there's no good bbq. This made my lil az heart cry with happiness. Literally the only thing that wasn't amazing was the brisket, it was a bit dry but I'm just gonna chalk it up to a bad brisket day. Vibes 10/10. Service 10/10. Food 10/10. If you don't get bbq here, ur fuckin up. read more

Delicious. Great, friendly service. (My fave was the jalapeño cheddar corn bread)..

Solid bbq in the old Owlbear BBQ spot. My husband and I shared some brisket and a side of Mac n cheese. The Mac n cheese wasn't anything special but the brisket was pretty good. I liked that you could get the owlbear sauce! Quick service but the gentleman waiting on me wasn't the most pleasant... I felt like I was bugging him by coming in and ordering. Easy to get in and out and take over to Our Mutual friend to enjoy! read more

Walked in unlocked door 4 minutes before opening. Told rudely to go outside (no please or thank you) and wait in the 100 degree sun 5 minutes until opening. Waited outside 5 minutes baking in sun, almost passed out. So just left and went to a BBQ that cares about its customers and let's them sit inside an empty air conditioned restaurant for 4 minutes. Thanks for wasting my gas and an hour of my day driving to you. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Owlbear is back as Pit Fiend!! Same space and setup. The have beef, pork, chicken for sandwiches and lamb shanks. You can get meat a la carte (1/4lb, 1/2lb, 1lb). They offer sides (cole slaw, mac&cheese, cucumber & potato salads, pit beans, curry cauliflower) + chips, smoked nuts, pickled jalapenos. They have fountain sodas & Jarritos bottles. They also have sausages and beef hot dogs. They have 8 sauces to compliment the meats. read more

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Awesome - Small hole in the wall place. Love the D&D theme. Great Brisket. This is the Best BBQ we've found in Colorado - A must try !!

Best bbq I've ever had. That staff was beyond awesome and the food is even better. It's really hard to perfect bbq, but these guys somehow perfected it. Anytime I visit Denver, I'll be visiting this place! read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Always smoking! - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This place has absolute phenomenal bbq. We came here twice we loved it so much. Our favorite was the pork belly. Typically bbq places don't do pork belly, but honestly they should. The sweetness of the pork belly combined with the herby spice rub were just fantastic. I also loved their sauces! My favorites were the halfling and the golden dragon. Also, how cute is it that their whole place is dungeons and dragons themed?! It really added to the whole experience. Highly highly recommend. read more

The food here is top notch. I had the brisket and it was slow smoked perfectly. It was moist and delicious and you can see the BBQ pits right out front. The sides were great. I thought serving the meat on top of rice was strange but it tasted so good and complimented the meats perfectly. The staff was also welcoming and friendly. read more

Great little spot for bbq! Loved the dnd theme. We had the 8oz Mac and cheese, which was super tasty and my favorite part of the meal! 8 oz was good to share and not be too full. We also had the pulled pork sandwich and the brisket sandwich. The meat was flavorful, and we loved the variety of sauces to go with. The golden dragon was a mustard based Carolina sauce, which was interesting, and we also really like the owl bear original, which had a ton of seasoning in it. The coleslaw was vinegar based with some Asian flavors- black sesame seeds and I think I tasted some black sesame oil as well. It added some nice fresh crunch to my pulled pork sandwich. The sandwich was served on a floured bun, which was tasty but got flour everywhere (including on me). They got busy pretty quick around 1:30, but the two guys handled the line with a quickness. If you're in the area, I would recommend stopping by! read more

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What an awesome find. I had the pork belly sandwich and the cornbread muffin was awesome. Yum

Pricey but worth it. Best brisket in Denver and the sides were also delicious. Get the pit beans!

WOW the BEST bbq I've ever had. Seriously. Even the brisket was melt in your mouth tender. Sooo good. Highly recommend the tenderloin. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I love more than anything how consistent their food is. I hate when places I really enjoy end up being a fluke. Every time I go it's always top notch and better than I remember. They also try out new and interesting combinations and recipes all the time. Outside of the food being amazing the staff is always so pleasant and polite. Even when they have a line out the door you feel like your the only person there. read more

Pit Fiend Barbecue - Mac and cheese, Coleslaw, cucumber salad, ribs, Barbacoa, pineapple spiced sausage, brisket, pork and an empanada - Barbeque Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Amazing good, amazing service. Had the lions mane mushroom which were absolutely amazing. Also had the brisket and pork belly, definitely a must try. Had the Mac and cheese, beans and cucumber salad. Went there 3x over the course of 2 days. read more

This is best BBQ I've ever had BY FARRRR!!!! Do yourself a favor and let these culinary artists change your life with their incredible meats! We had the brisket (bomb), pork loin (SUPER bomb), the pork belly (SUPER DUPER BOMB) and the chicken (can you guess?... BOMB) Plus the green chili corn bread was impeccable. Great job, pit fiend. Now it's time for a food coma nap. read more

Best food we had in Denver, coupled with amazing service , great welcoming atmosphere.