My bestie and I wanted to do brunch one Saturday. So we met at the Thirsty Lion. We were met by a lovely waitstaff member that placed in the nice patio in the shade where we could people watch while catching up. We split a bottle of champagne with Blood Orange Juice. So delicious. I confess, I could have drank a 2nd bottle it was so good. There were so many amazing options on the brunch menu that I was torn and know I will have to go back again. I finally settled on the Breakfast Burrito. I still can't stop thinking about it. It was everything that I wanted. It was a touch spicy and I loved the Ranchero sauce and Chipotle Aioli that elevated it to the next level. It was accompanied by roasted breakfast potatoes. The waitstaff was friendly, checked in with us but didn't hover or rush us. It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to brunch there again. read more

Thirsty Lion - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Thirsty line is a restaurant that's located very close to our apartment and is one of the first places that we went when we moved to downtown Denver. They have a great happy hour that has a bunch of different options from poke to a massive pretzel and sushi. Happy hour food and beers are a great deal during this time. One of my favorite drinks that they have are their flights. They do six pours of beer and it's a really good option to try a bunch of different beers from many local breweries. This is a great option if you're going to a Nuggets game or Broncos game or a Rockies game and they have bunch of different happy hours throughout the day and also brunch on the weekends, which is a great option for larger groups. The largest issue that this place has is it's not always as clean as you would expect especially at the bar. Also, the bartenders and waitresses at times seem to have an attitude and don't always seem to want to be there. read more

Thirsty Lion - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Best part of the dinner - the iced tea. I was here for a work function. Waitress was ok but it seemed there was a purposeful delay in taking our dinner order. Anything requiring a grill is no longer available - guess it will take a lot of effort for them to get a new one put in. This is from them, not my own supposition. Dinner was very underwhelming - fried chicken with Mac and cheese. The chicken is mostly fried batter. Mac and cheese was bland. If you like cheese curds and sliders I guess you could try it. If you want to have a decent meal I would not recommend; Denver has a lot more to choose from. I'd give a 2.5 if possible but I don't see a reason to round up. read more

Thirsty Lion - Lots of batter, very little chicken. - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Guess I'm 0/1 in Denver so far. First meal in and it was a bonafide crap hole. Food and and service were absolutely terrible. Let's start with the food, the shrimp tasted "fishy" which I don't think is ever supposed to happen. The black beans were room temperature and supposedly had bacon in it, which is definitely not a good idea at room temperature. Although the good news is there was no bacon. All you tasted was crappy Luke warm beans. They give you three options for tacos: carnitas, fish tacos and shrimp. God forbid you can pick and choose, you only get 1 option and I picked the wrong one. Who knows how the others would've worked for you. The host and the server outside and terrible attitudes. You are inconveniencing them by being there just FYI. It is kind of funny when 22 year olds think they're worth anything. The beer was the best part but not worth it read more

Thirsty Lion - Beer flight - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Great food, and good prices. Very busy and a lot of people and very loud but that's to be expected ( we went right before Xmas) Our bar tender was young and kind of a brat, you could tell she was missing posting on her IG but she did a pretty good job. Overall pretty good. read more

Really cute spot we decided to stop into today! I think this would be a really awesome spot to come in and watch a game or have a fun dinner with friends. Danielle, our bartender, was on point. We had great conversation and she made an amazing basil and grapefruit martini that was so refreshing. I had their signature poke bowl (Sorry guys, the camera did NOT eat first) and was really happy with it. It was a great portion, the tuna was great quality, and it had the perfect amount of veggies and sauce on top. Will definitely be coming in here again to give some other dishes a go! read more

On my last evening in Denver, it was my desire to eat at or around the Denver Union train station. I have reviewed a sample of the many food options that are available in a different post on this platform. The bonus of being in this area is that there are numerous enticing eateries outside the train station too. So, I chose the Thirsty Lion Gastropub and decided to only have appetizers, so that we could taste more items on the menu. The beef sliders (3 of them), had appealing presentation and tasted super. The brioche bun, beef patty, and the fresh tomato and lettuce provided satisfaction with every bite. The edamame was tossed in a soya and chilli paste to produce a knock out dish. This will remain as the best edamame I have had in a very long time. The scotch eggs (4 of them), had a crisp breading coat on the outside, and the perfect soft boiled yolk on the inside. I liked the fact that you could hardly taste the sausage meat layer in between the outer crust and the egg white. The scotch egg offering is very hard to find in the restaurant landscape. The cauliflower appetizer was also wonderful. It was tempura fried and covered with a thick flavorful Asian sauce. Indulging into it reveals a fresh cauliflower that had both texture and flavor. Service was good. There is still more on the menu that needs to be tried. Those mouthwatering selections will have to wait till the next time. read more

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First time I've ever given a 5 star rating. EVER! Drinks were good, food was excellent. Serving staff was efficient, friendly, competent, and a pleasure to interact with. read more

Pretty standard sports bar experience, but with food options that are a bit more interesting than the average fare. We had the edamame, which was delicious with a chile soy sauce on it. I got the jalapeño burger, but with a beyond patty. No complaints from me! Fries were nice and crispy. Service was solid, though the place was certainly busy. Lots of TVs to watch sports and such on. read more

Thirsty Lion - Edamame - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

We love coming here and do once a week. Kori is the best bartender and great at food suggestions!

I've been to the Thirsty Lion a couple of times now, and I have to say, the experience has been a mixed bag. The food and service haven't quite hit the mark for me, but there's a silver lining - their late-night happy hour is a game-changer. Imagine: craft cocktails that make you question your go-to drink and food that's surprisingly good when you thought the kitchen had checked out for the night. It's like they save their best tricks for after hours. Maybe it's the charm of sipping a perfectly mixed cocktail while pondering why the earlier meals missed the memo. Who knows? Thirsty Lion, you've got me coming back, if only to decode your quirky after-hours allure or there outside seating patio which has a great view of Union station and lots of people watching if your into that kind of thing ! read more

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It took over 45 minutes to get one round of drinks. The waiter was extremely rude and just absolutely did not care. He told our group that we could get drinks to go. We asked for to go cups and he informed us that it was only certain drinks and the to go did not apply to the drinks we ordered. read more

My wife and I shared the Brussels Sprouts which were very tasteful along with the edamame (very spicy and flavorful). The gastropub was conveniently located a few feet away from Union station and we were very happy with our choice. Service was fast and good. 2 different servers kept checking on us making sure we didn't need anything. It was warm and cozy. The Botha big enough for the wife and I to seat together comfortably. If you just landed in Denver, starving and want to start the trip right this is the place to go. read more

Thirsty Lion - Colorado beer flight - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This has become our go-to neighborhood place. Good food. Friendly staff. And today a big shoutout to Anastasia for making a hard day much better. We really appreciate her service. read more

We stopped in Downtown Denver for a nice lunch before we hit the airport. We we're seated right away, but after that the service was bad. We waited 10 minutes until someone ordered our drinks, and another 5 minutes for someone to order our food. The waiter didn't notice we had no silverware so I had to go track someone down to get some when our food came out. The food was ok, I wouldn't go here again. If the service were better we would've had a better experience. Overall the food is ok and the service was bad. read more

Thirsty Lion - IPA Beer Battered Fish & Chips - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This restaurant and bar provides great service and wonderful food options. The staff and management are friendly and knowledgeable

Stuck in between a 3 and 4. This was a very nice restaurant to be at after the bronco game. Good vibe, kinda pricy, clean bathrooms (awesome to have after a game), and excellent service. Connor, our waiter, was very friendly and attentive. So why less than 4 stars? I decided to treat myself to a ribeye medium rare. It looks like they got it right when I cut into it. But it lacked flavor, very bland, so and was surprisingly chewy. Signs that the steak was cooked while cold. For the price, I would've expected better, at least a little better. I tried my friend's Kim chi fried rice and it was just overly spicy. But I will say the drinks are good. read more

Thirsty Lion - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Id have given them five stars with the exception that the music selection is teeth gritting

Average food with decent bar. Good beer selection. Inattentive service. Crowded seating although very few people. Not a bad spot to grab a beer and watch a game. read more

Great place for a party of 10 where we made a reservation in advance. Fresh, local food - great salads, sandwiches, appetizers, burgers - bar food plus some Asian and other influences. Great service! read more

I definitely recommend the happy hour at Thirsty Lion! It's right by Union Station and they play great music so it's such a great vibe. The queso and the sliders are so good!!! The happy hour selection was great. read more

Thirsty Lion - Social hour menu! - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

After skipping breakfast and wandering around Denver all morning, I was rapidly approaching hangry status. This place was the next restaurant we happened upon, so we went inside. I had a pulled pork salad chock full of rice, black beans, grilled corn, jalapeños, lettuce, jicama, pickled onions, and delicious pulled pork. The salad was a delicious blend of flavors and textures and it really hit the spot! My boyfriend had the spicy tuna roll which was mostly rice and a hearty helping of cilantro, which he hates. Not the restaurant's fault as it was in the description, but the roll could have had more tuna. Service was prompt and efficient, though not super friendly. I'd be back if I was in the area. read more

Thirsty Lion - Pork carnitas salad. - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Average food and environment, friendly staff. It's not a bad spot if you're in the area and can't get into another restaurant, they have ample seating and a variety of food options. My food was good, but it's not a must visit spot in my opinion. read more

We came here for lunch on a Friday around 12 and were seated right away. Service was good and friendly. We started off with the scotch egg. I really enjoyed it and the egg was cooked perfectly. The Green chili chicken avocado sandwich was awesome. Great flavor. My friend was also raving about the ahi bowl/salad. The guys enjoyed their beers and food as well. Definitely a Gastro pub vibe and some good people watching since it's right next to union station. The patio is nice but we chose to sit inside because it was so hot. Definitely a cool spot to stop for a quick beer, lunch, or dinner. read more

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Thirsty Lion used to be a good HH/sports bar option, but the smell inside is unbearable. We won't go back until management fixes it. Why would anyone pay money to eat food in that environment? read more

Sporty and casual atmosphere. Casey was great! The manager even stopped by and checked on us. The food was delish and my burger was cooked perfectly! I asked for medium rare and it came out a medium rare. Whoa read more

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I came here for lunch and was able to get seated at the bar right away. The bartenders were very nice and almost got me to give this 4 stars but at the end of the day, it was just a regular experience. The ambiance is what you would expect from a bar. I ordered one of their lunch specials, the Mediterranean burger. It came out relatively fast within 15sh minutes and it was good. It came on a flaky ciabatta bread which I liked until the dryness of the bread got stuck in my throat and made me cough up a storm. I'm not blaming the bread but it's just something that happened to me that may be worth mentioning. The fries were less than average. It was kinda overcooked and hard so it was almost like I was eating potato chips versus fries. The price was ok relative to the center area. Overall it was ok. read more

Thirsty Lion - Mediterranean burger with fries - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This place is amazing!! The service and food were both excellent. We told them we had a severe food allergy in our party and then immediately were willing to work with us. We spoke to the chef and the manager and they said they were able to make anything work. Our server was a fabulous communicator and everyone there is super nice. 10/10 would recommend. read more

I was wandering downtown with some visiting friends and we stopped in Thirsty Lion for Happy Hour. I'm so glad we did! They had lots of happy hour food choices for reasonable rates. The calamari could have been fried for another minute but it was still tasty. The scotch eggs were very impressive! Our appetizers came out lightning fast, less than 15 minutes. The mojito was mighty tasty but kinda weak, we couldn't taste any alcohol in it. But we found the margarita to be well-stocked with tequila. Maybe they were made by different bartenders? In regards to COVID, the staff were all wearing masks. They offered indoor and outdoor seating. All of the menus are virtual. The seating indoors was all spaced out well and we felt comfortable removing our masks at the table. read more

Thirsty Lion - Crispy Calamari, Traditional Scotch Eggs - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

It smells like you're a tourists if you're in here. Cool name but meh, being a local I won't come back again but if you're in the area it'll do! read more

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Went on a Sunday morning for a group of 12 for Birthday party and watch Broncos game. Service was just okay, server forgot a couple of items. Some what over priced even for downtown Denver. Fish and chips was good but small portion for the price of 21.95. Cobb salad was small for 18.95 and bacon hard as a rock. Chicken was over cooked dark dark brown and very hard on the outside. They add 3% service charge to all orders. read more

Got a reservation for 4 on Saturdays at 5:30 before the Avs game which was really great. Service was pretty fast, though once we got everything we weren't checked on. Understandable, due to the location it's so busy in there. We enjoyed it! Fun vibes, great food and drink selection, and happy hour ran until 6 which was great. Happy hour specials were ACTUALLY specials - items were $3-4 cheaper than the regular menu, but still the same size! The California roll was good - as expected, nothing special but hit the spot. The ahi tuna stack was so good. So much tuna and avocado. The wonton chips were really good. I loved the soy ginger and siracha aioli. Also had a glass of Prosecco. Others at the table got the chicken tenderloins and fries and enjoyed their meals as well. Would definitely go back. Great spot for before a game or event at Ball Arena! read more

Thirsty Lion - California roll and ahi poke stack - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Thirsty Lion is pretty decent! I've been here a few times and it's a dependable spot to find decent food and the environment there is fun. Love how close it is to Union Station but on that same note parking is either non-existent or really expensive so plan for that! I had the fish and chips this time and they were pretty good, nice and crispy! The place smelled kind of bad like vomit walking through past the bar so that was a little off-putting but thankfully it wasn't bad back where they sat us. Service was alright as well, just a little slow even though it wasn't that busy. But the server was nice so that evens out. read more

Thirsty Lion - Fish and chips! - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Friendly and fast service. Decent good. Large booths good for a group and an overall fun atmosphere. Met a group for a quick weekday lunch and got to see an interesting variety of menu items. From the soft pretzel appetizer (two please!) to several salad variations (Brussels sprouts with salmon!) and even a bowl of ramen. Probably easy to find something for everyone here. read more

Food was bad, can't believe this was made by an actual chef. Looks like something I would quickly make at home. And I paid 23.95 for this *SIGNATURE ITEM. Here is the description "Pan seared with pecorino Romano, lemon herb beurre blanc, balsamic marinated tomatoes, garlic Parmesan noodles, fresh basil and seasonal vegetables". Great writing, bad food. read more

Thirsty Lion - Tuscan Romano chicken - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

A couple of additional visits, and we found the french dip sandwich and the spicy fried cauliflower. The beer list is great. Pls change your fries? Our service lately has been great. Comfortable vibe for travelers. Nice, false sense of security in crazy Denver. The restaurant has healthy, living plants surrounding the patio. Except for the increased prices and smaller portions, it's as nice as when Trump was in office! read more

This place isn't about fancy, artisanal dishes--it's your standard American fare. Expect the usual lineup: burgers, wings, and sandwiches. It's not a sports bar, but there are a few TVs if you want to catch a game. I find the "gastropub" title interesting. The food is just average, nothing really pushing boundaries, and the beer selection is decent but not exactly impressive. And, well, this is the Midwest, so occasionally you might run into situations that aren't ideal. Today it happened to involve an older white woman. 1 in out of 4 visits so far--could be worse, I guess. At the Bar: Most of the servers and bartenders have maintained their professionalism, and I've had good interactions overall. However, there was one disappointing experience where either I was ignored because I'm Black and/or male, or Nick just isn't that great at his job--though I doubt the latter. Management was great, though, and I guess can't complain overall. Just a bit disappointing. P.S - Their Hostess/host are the best part of their team. Solid. Victor King read more

Really fresh healthy food. Nice combo bar and restaurant vibe. Servers are really nice, welcoming, and attentive. Came here on a Sunday night around 830 and was seated and served immediately. read more

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After a full night of galavanting around town, we decided to come here for 1 last hurrah for the night. This is a rather large place right on the same block as Union Station. They have a huge indoor dining room as well as an expansive outside area. There was a lot of people here too on a Friday night but we were seated right away. Several large tv's around where you can watch a game and grab a drink. Our waitress was really cool. Great communication skills and did a really good job helping us out. Food was so so. Drinks were ok. And their coffee was trash. I ordered their spicy garlic edemame as well as their poke with chips. Edemame had a great taste to it. Also had a little bit of heat which was nice. Poke was somewhat mushy. It was a very odd texture. Chips cooked well. But our waitress comped us for the failed poke dish which was really nice of her. Our coffee was also comped in that she gave us a sample of it. So overall service was amazing. Food was so so. Ambience was great. Bill was reasonable. A great place to sit back and people watch. read more

Thirsty Lion - Poke with chips - American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Amazing service and amazing food just as I remember from working at Thirsty Lion in Tempe AZ years ago! Chantel T was great!! Thanks guys for a great experience! read more