8 W E S T W O R D S u m m e r G u i d e 2 0 2 4 westword.com Drinking in History TWENTY BARS WHERE YOU CAN SOAK UP THE REAL COLORADO. BY SK Y LER MC K INL E Y Why live in Colorado if you only go to the places where everybody else goes, especially the tourists? These classic wa- tering holes will take you well out of the big cities and tourist towns, and give you a real sense of the people and places that make Colorado Colorado. You can trust me on this: I once walked into a rural tavern and ended up owning the place. Whether or not you drink al- cohol, you can drink in history at these twenty bars: Northwestern Colorado Main Street Pub, Rangely By turns billed as a pub, a dive or “Range- ly’s only sports bar,” Main Street Pub checks all the boxes for a classic drinker’s establish- ment, with good service, passable food and reasonable prices. Still, the real reason to go all the way to Rangely is to spend time with its people, and you won’t fi nd a friendlier bunch than at the Pub — which has its own dedicated car service to get you to your accommodations if one of the regulars con- vinces you to have one too many. J.W. Snack’s Gulf Coast Bar & Grill, Craig Take two steps through the front doors of the unassuming, aluminum-clad rectangle that is J.W. Snack’s and set sail to the Gulf Coast — with support pillars fashioned into palm trees and Jimmy Buffett memorabilia crammed between the neon signs and pirate fl ags. Though the place is more restaurant than saloon, there are always ice-cold beers on hand. The bar itself is small, but the terraced dining room is expansive, and you can catch live music on the beach-themed patio. You might even be inspired to trade in your cowboy boots for sandals. The Antlers Cafe & Bar, Yampa When future president Teddy Roosevelt visited Yampa on a hunting trip in 1900, he reportedly complained that there was nowhere in town to get a bite to eat. The Antlers appeared not long after, around 1904, and it’s been just about everything you can think of in the intervening 120 years: stagecoach stop, saloon, pool hall and liquor store. Now managed by the enterprising Anthony Franciosi, the Antlers features a dynamic menu — but the best thing you can order in these historic digs is probably a Coors Banquet for Swede, a legendary local who’ll buy your next round in kind. The Gashouse, Edwards While much of the Vail Valley has been overtaken by glitzy artifi ce over the past sixty years, if you squint your eyes long enough, you’ll notice rustic digs where anybody could be comfortable draining a bottle. Take the Gashouse, for example, which opened in 1983 in what used to be a gas station. Animal mounts and old license plates abound in this cozy log cabin, though you’ll be most impressed by the collection of ski passes used by both beloved locals and visiting celebrities. Stockman Bar & Grill, Walden In Walden, population 606, nobody’s a stranger for very long. You’ll instantly feel welcomed under the friendly glow of the pink and green neon festooning the back bar at the Stockman. If you carry yourself right, the locals might just tell you all about the best North Park hunting and fi shing spots. Earn a few brownie points by asking the bartender how the bar and back bar ended up in Walden. Northeastern Colorado Lulu’s Inn, Watkins With high ceilings, plenty of neon and the chance to cook your own meal, Lulu’s is a classic cowboy bar. The owners have their roots in the cattle industry, so this road- house is good for both steak and suds, and the perfect excuse for a trip from Denver to the western edge of the Eastern Plains. Two- step in on a live-music night to avail yourself of the expansive dance fl oor, then stumble across the street to Mr. Wu’s Country Manor Motel and hang your hat. Oscars Bar & Grille, Limon Limon, population 2,000, is about the last place you’d expect a spot as cinematic as Oscars Bar & Grille. While it doesn’t resemble a dusty saloon in an old Western fi lm, it’s jam-packed with Holly- wood memorabilia, including movie posters, antique cameras and fi lm projectors, plus wall-to-wall glamour shots of silver-screen stars. Lest you think the place is more mu- seum than drinking joint: The bar features more than 400 whiskeys and 100 tequilas — and there’s even a pool table, if you want to try re-enacting a scene from Road House. Henry’s Pub & Club, Sterling What appears to be your standard hole-in- the-wall from the outside is a clean neigh- borhood gathering place with six billiards tables, several dart boards and more seating than you can shake a pool cue at. Service is fast and friendly, and the other patrons seem genuinely happy that you’re there. Sure, after nightfall the room is a touch too dark, the music is indisputably too loud and the drinks are too strong — but you’re only about four blocks from an excellent night’s sleep at an affordable motel. Julesburg Tavern, Julesburg Drinking at the wood-paneled, low-slung Julesburg Tavern is a lot like sneaking a nip of alcohol from your grandpa’s private stock in his basement The Antlers has been pouring for 120 years. SKYLER MCKINLEY continued on page 10
