I walked into this bar to pick up an order from Denver Deep Dish. Â My order wasn't ready, so I settled down at the bar to await my food... SO glad I did. Â The ladies behind the bar were super friendly and served up affordable drinks. Â The other customers seemed to be a quirky but personable crowd, and added to the cozy charm of the place. Â I usually feel awkward at bars, but this one was a really nice experience. Â I'll definitely be back soon for more drinks and pizza!
Review Source:Made my first trip to The Bar Car after reading good things around the Yelp/Twitter/Foursquare worlds for a while. It is a bit out of my way, but it was perfect to meet a friend in between Cap Hill and Lowry on a weekday evening.
Super nice staff, good beer at a reasonable price, and a fun atmosphere. If I'm in the hood and need a cold beverage, I will certainly return.
And, as a bonus, good Chicago style pizza inside via an association with Denver Deep Dish.
Welllllll I ordered a single tall vodka soda with a lemon and got a short vodka soda with a lime. Not a huge deal but I wouldn't describe the bartender as a "good listener".
The atmosphere is nice and cozy, maybe a cool place to get a drink or 50 in a snowstorm.
I was here in the middle of the day, kind of a raging-alcoholic-paying-with-change type of vibe but I don't mind that, people minding their business, enjoying some fine beverages.
We had some za and meatballs, both really scrumptious. It seems like they have drink specials every day too which I always appreciate at a drinking facility.
If I lived closer by, The Bar Car would be my neighborhood bar. Laid back, friendly, cozy, affordable...The Bar Car is all of these things. The atmosphere is conducive to everything from shooting the breeze with whoever is nearby to having a chill first date. The bartenders are friendly and attentive, while the drinks are pretty reasonable. The beer selection isn't huge, but is decent. I like that they always have two Goose Island brews on tap. And to top it off, they have a delicious pizza joint in the back (Denver Deep Dish).
I can always count on The Bar Car to provide a fun and tasty evening, no matter what my reasons are for going out.
This place took over the spot where the ol' Recovery Room was. The RR was known as a hipster/hobo bar where the owners parties with the patrons. Made for an interesting night but the RR was more on the dirty side.
The Bar Car has cleaned things up a bit but it's still a dark neighborhood bar. Â Gone are the riff raff from Colfax that would wonder in and serve up a warm cup of halitosis in your face as you're drinking a beverage. Enter booths, a cozy new interior that has a garage sale feel to it, and friendly / professional bartenders.
The place works for me because it's not a rowdy as some of the other neighborhood bars in that area and you get a more personalized service. My old wish is that they publish the drink specials for the night somewhere or have a viable menu showing what's on tap so I don't have to ask the bartender 10 times for that info.
They've also added a few TVs to the mix so I'm sure you can watch some good football, hockey, or baseball up in this joint.
We had five drinks there and our tab was $27 bones with tip. Not bad but we'd just come from the Park Tavern where four drinks were $12 bucks with tip during late night happy hour. Â
Overall, still a decent joint to visit if you want something more personal and divey.
This bar is right in my neighborhood and I walk past it daily on my way to work. One night, after some bad news and needing to cheer up my roommate, we went over to check it out.
I'm very glad we did! Don't let the exterior fool you. Inside is cozy and friendly. The staff is cheerful and welcoming, and the pizza served there (Denver Deep Dish) is out of this world!
I can't wait to go back for another pint!
The Bar Car is always a great go to spot whether if you're looking for a wild night or just to enjoy a good drink. The bartenders are some of the nicest bartenders that I have ever come across. They make everyone feel like a regular and I know that's how I felt on my first visit. Also the pizza that is served here is pretty good. Being from Chicago I couldn't wait to see how this measures up and although it is hard for anyone outside of Chicago to perfect Chicago style pizza they get very close. Very glad that this little gem is close to my condo.
Review Source:I've been here twice now and both times we have had so much fun.
The beer is cold.
The prices are reasonable.
The drinks are poured just right.
The place is small, cozy even, but big enough to move around and socialize.
So why not 5 stars?
It's too far away from my home and work...so I can't enjoy it to its fullest.
Should I move?
Stopped in here the other night with a few other Yelpers. Â First off, great food, great service, and a great atmosphere. Â I'm anxious to bring my wife for a meal sometime soon.
The pepperoni, pineapple and jalapeno was stellar, as was the goat cheese and bacon pie. Â I loved both crust options and am anxious to try them both again, but I think the dish crust was my favorite. Â Just soooo dang good!
I'm eager to see how busy it is when we stop in, because it was pretty packed the other night.
I don't make it around to here nearly enough, but Bar Car is a solid little bar perfect for hanging with friends and drinking some delicious cocktails. I love the red and wood decor of this cool long bar. It's set up well for small groups and couples. Of course the only downside of a small bar, is that when it's crowded, it's packed.
They have really solid drinks here. I love any place that does Moscow mules, and Bar Car has a good one. They also have solid beers on tap including some Goose Island beers that provide fond memories of college years in Illinois.
They also have great service here and pizza from Denver Deep Dish to boot.
Funny How you can go by an establishment for years just looking at the name and laughing.
Well That is me. I love the Decor and the Ambience. Has this cool funky feel to it. Like your walking into a Speak Easy in the 20's or 30's. Wood just about everywhere. The Bathrooms Kick ass. And the Bartenders rock.
On your Bucket list. Must be the Beergarita. Ohhh My Libations thats delicious. And a ChitChat Shot. Dont know whats in it. Dont care. But its ohhh So Delicious. And if you ask them to make a drink they arent familiar with. They wont say No. They make it, and quite better then another bar my friend goes to from what she said.
And the music appeals to everyones taste. Its not the biggest bar, but Hey Good Things Come in Small Sizes. And this is a Jewel.
This isn't the biggest bar in the world, but that's what makes the atmosphere special at the Bar Car. Â Two more bonus points for free Wi-Fi and Denver Deep Dish being served in the back. Â This place has old school tin ceiling that has been colored bronze, which adds to the atmosphere more than anything in my opinion. Â
Bartenders are friendly and johnny on the spot with your refill, and they have TVs at either end of the bar if you just want to drink your beer in peace.
The location is very unique, I'm unaware of any non-chain, hole-in-the-wall bars anywhere close to this place (northwest corner of 8th and Colorado,next to the Starbucks). Â The parking situation isn't that bad, just go one block west into the neighborhood and park on the street there.
So I admit that I'm one of those people who just is never happy wherever I go generally. When climbing a mountain I can't wait to get to the top, then when on top, I just want to get back down. When in Chicago all I wanted was a Tommy Knocker or a Blue Moon but I was stuck with 312 as the only craft beer basically available. So when I saw that The Bar Car had 312 on tap, well, I was drawn there like a moth to a flame.
I was super happy with the experience. The room is very small and I like that, a typical Denver Square. You can fill it with 50 people. The ambiance is rad. I had heard an urban legend that it was supposed to be like going into the bar car on a train, but it felt much more like a great neighborhood bar out of the 1920s-1940s.
So lets dive into my typical breakdown.
The Good: The pizza is fantastic! I once worked for an Old Chicago part time for a few months so that I could learn some pizza making secrets. This pizza makes Old Chicago's best pizza look like crap. The crust was amazing and crisp. Perfectly buttery. The marinara was fantastic also. Perhaps the best pizza in Denver. The Owners introduced themselves to us and were super friendly. A nice touch.
The Bad: The menu is simple and the kitchen is small. If you want fantastic hand crafted food you better not come in during a rush, it could take awhile. The bartender did screw up my drink order, but he was getting the first wave of his nightly rush, so I understand.
The Ugly: I never went into the bathrooms, but they looked scarey. Also the parking lot sucks. But aside from that, I got no complaints.
Overall: Great little bar, it will make my top five Denver bars no problem.
Went there tonight and straight away was accosted by some guy demanding ID. So being 42 years of age, and thinking "ohhh, isn't that sweet" - I pul out my Australian drivers licence & present to the accostee. The dude tells me that my ID isn't acceptable!? I double check with the manager and same deal!!!??? They basically tell me to "bugger off"! Getting home and jumping on the <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcolorado.gov&s=9de144e113610a1ce8a821aa849d10a8179d56aa32c0a0f1e93b3c453432d610" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://colorado.gov</a> website to check the laws surrounding ID requirements, this is what is stated for the state of Colorado: -
Excerpt from the Colorado Department of Revenue Liquor Enforcement Division
Licensee Handbook ....
A. Do Patrons have to produce identification, and what kinds of identification can I accept?
Colorado law does not require a patron to produce identification when making a purchase of alcohol beverages.
-- snip --
Licensees should always check for acceptable proof of age if there is any doubt about the age of the patron.
-- cough --
If an acceptable proof of age is not available from the questionable patron, no service or sale should be provided. Only the following types of identification may be relied upon by Licensees as proof of age of a patron. Note that each identification listed must be valid (not expired), have a photograph and description of the bearer:
1. An operator's, chauffeur's or similar type driver's license issued by any state within the United States, any U.S. territory, or any foreign country including Canada or Mexico.
..."or any foreign country" - enough said.
These guys don't know their own liquor laws and give Americans a bad reputation, and their arrogance deserves them one star. The Thursday night Karaoke kind suck the big one too.
The old Recovery Room has held steady as a hipster haven, complete with Thursday Night Mark Starr karaoke, and I finally checked it out. Not bad at all. Â Good bartenders, reasonably priced drinks, and a happening scene. Â I mean, Mark Starr still uses the microphone 3 to 1 to people getting to sing, but that's to be expected from his brand and nothing to do with the bar. Â We didn't try any of their grub, but the menu looks fun for bar food. I'll be sure to check out the bar staff and this interesting hole in the wall again, just probably not on a karaoke night.
Review Source:I'm getting to be an old lady. I need light to see. The thing I love about this little dive bar is that it has these great chandeliers that they actually turn on and use! I don't know if it's always that way but I really loved it when I was there.
I also love that they have DELICIOUS deep dish pizza with tongue tantalizing tomato sauce (seriously, if you were home alone you would lick it) and crust that was prepared with love. The thin crust pizza is so good that the crust is actually part of the experience instead of just a vehicle for the yummy toppings like BACON. I used their website to order the deep dish ahead of time (it takes 45 minutes) and it was ready when I got there. They also deliver... so you CAN lick the sauce in the privacy of your own home.
To quote a movie recently..."Why not?".
At first glance you may not think this is a destination, alas it is and should be for everyone in the area or visiting the area.
Neighborhood bar with a dark and cozy inside especially on a cold winter night. Â Great happy hour with a nice selection of drafts. Â The bartenders are some of best and really ensure everyone is taken care of. Â You can tell that they're happy to be there. Â The bar has a hand-full of locals that frequent so often that the bartender has their drink waiting for them when they come in - nice touch guys! Â
Looking for some munchies - don't fret, Denver Deep Dish is in the back. Â Order deep dish by the slice, a whole pie or some garlic knots and both the liver and stomach are equally in sheer bliss.
Drink me happy - Â this is my go to bar in this hood!
I love to tip.
Not as a rule. Â As a rule I love to keep my money securely in my own possession. Â But when I get service like I got at the bar car, I am very happy to part with it, fool or no.
You see, when I ask the bartender if he can make me a damn fine Old Fashioned, and he gives me the ol' fist bump and returns with one of the best ones I've ever had, and when he and the other bartender remember my name and what I'm drinking, even when I've changed that up a couple of times, and I feel like I'm a guest and not a customer, I'm gonna show some appreciation!
In all seriousness, this is a great spot, small and cozy and awesome service, I love it here! Â Cheers!
I don't think it is possible for Leigh Jones to use her midas-touch on a bar or restaurant and not have me think that it is the bees knees. Â The Bar Car is no exception to this rule. Â Nestled amongst the tightly packed businesses on the west side of Colorado Boulevard near 8th, you will find this jewel. Â Parking is tight and the interior of this place is even tighter. Â Good service and a nice beer list can be found within. Â I was greatly saddened that they ran out of ginger beer and could not make me a Moscow Mule. (yes, that was my first world tragedy of the day ). Â In the back, one will find Denver Deep Dish, and it is definitely something that one should strive to find. This place is popular for a reason.
Review Source:This is a great little bar. It's great because of a combination of things:
Great taps. Oskar Blues, Left Hand & Dry Dock. That's a badass beer list. I had the Dry Dock Ipa and Left Hand's Milk Stout. In a word stellar.
Combine the above with Denver Deep Dish pies and you have a great place.
The Bar Car did not live up to its reviews or what I had envisioned.
I suppose I had thought this place was going to have some beautiful old wooden and tin interior features based upon the photos. Something like the Cruise Room. Boy was I wrong. The Bar Car felt dirty and dated; much akin to a dive bar but with non-dive bar prices. Even during happy hour the prices were double what one would pay for at a dive bar. Now don't get me wrong, I am fine with paying full price for good service, good drinks/food, and good atmosphere but The Bar Car doesn't offer all three of these elements.
When I went to the restroom, there was pee all over the seat. Dried pee. Which means no one has cleaned the restroom in a long period of time. Gross.
We ordered some garlic knots because we were starving. Thanks for the effort but your knots tasted like Pillsbury dough rolled in garlic powder and butter. Gross.
So, I guess what I took away as just that... the place is a little too gross for a non-dive bar.
The service at this bar was fantastic! Â The two bartenders were so friendly and helped me choose a great local beer that I really enjoyed. Â The feel of the bar is really enjoyable - it looks like an actual bar car and has really comfortable bar stools.
The pizza I had there was pretty good (would've been better if I was patient enough to order my own small pizza fresh from the oven) and the garlic bites I got really hit the spot. Â I'm so glad the bar is only a couple blocks from my house.
Alright, I have to take some issue with this bar. It all began with Yelp ... I was looking for good bars near Cherry Creek and this place popped up. I scoped the pics, and I liked the interior shots. So far, so good. Then I was browsing more and I saw the food pics. Nachos totchos? Oh yes, it's on.
Flash forward a few days and we get out of the cab and head on in. Find a table in the back, boom. We're cooking with gas. Bartender/server comes and greets us, everything's looking good. And then, we look at the menu: NO NACHOS TOTCHOS. NO HAMBURGERS. NOTHING BUT DEEP DISH PIZZA. WTF, BAR CAR??!!
OK, so big disappointment there. To be clear: all they have to eat here is deep dish pizza. I overcame my loss of tot-nachos and decided to make the best of it by ordering the pizza. Here's where Bar Car really dropped the ball. First, the server/bartender took our order but didn't give it to the kitchen. We wait forty-five minutes and no pie. We hear the server/bartender tell the cook she just plain forgot to give him the order, and then he comes out and tells us that the oven blew a breaker. Really? You just lied like that? Oh, and how did they comp us? 15% off the pie. Not even close to making up for the terrible level of service. On top of it all, the pizza wasn't even that good, and was not even a real  deep dish pizza.
Even given all of the above, I'd come back to this bar but only for drinks. It has a fun atmosphere, with cool little booths, fun chairs at the bar, and a dart board. Lower your expectations, prepare to be surrounded by townies and drink up. That's the bar car experience.
Hole in the wall place. Â Suprised I found this on colorado.
It's dark inside and the chairs are wobbly but on Saturday it wasn't crowded so we got prompt service at the bar. Â Our garlic bread took awhile to get to our table but they offered many apologies so all was forgiven.
The music was a mix of my favorite 80s and 90s jams. Â Great place for a drink with friends.
I'm back on your side of town, Congress Park. And even happier that this little awesome bar is now only 3 blocks away. Â While I'm not a fan of the food, (same goes for the Shoe/Jonesy's/Stingray), I love everything else about this bar.
You really can't beat the $6 shot and a beer special they got going on all the time and the sheer charm of this place. It does truly resemble a Bar car. Â
If you're on this side of town and looking for a place to grab a drink look no further than here.
The Bar "Chug-a Chug-a Chew Chew" Car is great. Its pretty tiny but we were able to get seats and didn't feel pressured to move on at all. The bar tenders, or should I call them conductors to keep with the train theme, were all very cool. If one didn't know something he/she would ask one of the other people working and wasn't snooty or annoyed at all. I had a great time watching college football and chatting with fellow patrons.
One big plus, well maybe not actually a big plus, but a plus all the same, you can get a drink made with tang. Really, pretend your an Apollo astronaut and slam a pretty decent shot with the orange stuff that helped America's finest have the right stuff.
Looks like they have live music sometimes, which would be great in such a tiny place and I have heard the food is pretty darn tasty as well. Worth a try for sure if you are in the area.
Just like Horseshoe Lounge, I would like one of these bars in my neighbrorhood.
Bar Car is a cozy, Cheerslike spot where the bartenders obviously know their regulars and are BSing around while taking care of their less regular patrons. Â It's on the smaller side, so you're bound to start talking to the people around you and chuckling at conversations from across the bar.
Like Horeshoe and Stingray, Bar Car also offers an array of tots. Â The first time I stopped in (Yelp office hours) I ate someone's leftover natcho totchos and then I ordered my own (they're much better fresh, by the way). Â This time we went for buffalo tots and a caprese grilled cheese. Â The grilled cheese was okay and the tots were hot and crispy with just enough buffalo sauce to add flavor, but not enough to sog them down. Â Prices are decent at about $5 to $6 for a basket of well-dressed tots.
They also have a variety of good, local beer on draft and it's a dollar off at happy hour. Â Since the beer is only $4 to begin with, a Dry Dock IPA can be had for a mere $3. Â That's pretty good.
So yes, I'm still waiting for one of these bars in my neighborhood. Â If Leigh Jones wants to holler at me, I'll show her where some prime real estate is in my hood for future tot and beer slingin'.
The Bar Car combines a lot of things I love:
- Drinking
- Local Beer
- Fancy tater tots (They have the crossovers from the Horseshoe like buffalo tots, but they also make a delicious thing called "Natcho Totchos" which is tots, queso blanco, jalapeno, beans, and salsa.)
- Corn dogs
- Wi-Fi (that's free!)
- Good wine (for a bar that doesn't specialize in wine) - they even had one on tap
- Happy Hour
- The ability to add bacon to anything for a mere $1
- Fun events like a parking lot derby party
- Crazy cool bartenders
And they have one thing that Sir Nicholas loves in particular - the ol' beer and a shot combo. And this little duo is $6 all day, every day
So, all of that clearly makes this place a spot I like and I'd hang out in it even if it smelled a little like pee, or just like The Recovery Room which used to be here. Luckily for me, the remodel has made this into a good smelling, quite lovely bar to hang out and enjoy all of the above.
I've been a big fan of Jonesy's and the Horseshoe and with The Bar Car Leigh and Co. are just increasing my mad crush on everything they do. Next up I need to try the Stingray!
This place is like a Bob Ross fever dream.
And that's a good thing.
I used to live in this area about a year ago when this space was still the Recovery Room and, well, yikes. I never had the desire to come in then.
How to describe the place now? Well, imagine if, one night a train car and a log cabin got really drunk and made some mistakes they weren't proud of, but they kept the baby. That's what Bar Car looks like. It looks like the bar baby of a log cabin and a train car.
After you're done imagining inanimate object procreating, focus on this: they have a pretty nice draught list for a small bar on Colorado. I imbided some Breckenridge Irish Red and there was no shortage of mircobrew selection.
Oh, and the food? Mmmmm, yeah, it was pretty awesome bar food. I had poutine for the first time. That was a celestial experience. Also, I had tots in buffalo sauce. Guh.
So, why are only 4 stars highlighted instead of 5? I just can't dig on the long, straight row of tables on the wall opposite the bar. One side gets to sit on an elevated platform, while the other stands and sort of gets in the way of people trying to get from one side of the bar to the other.
But overall, a very cool vibe and an AWESOME bartender.
My second time here got off to a bit of a shaky start when the waitress first commented to fellow patrons that I had a baby face as she checked my id and proceeded to fill my draft. Â Not that I don't hear that regularly, but it always puts a bad taste in my mouth regardless. Â
Having to overcome this setback, she was quick to make up for that comment as she offered us up games as drinking Jenga, she solicited a street performer drinking at the other end of the bar to entertain us with his double jointed arm tricks, and proceeded to veto bad songs on the juke with our recommendation of the Talking Heads. Â Even more impressing was her ability to reenact David Byrne's dance moves on stage. Â
Bartender aside, the place, too, is a lot of fun. Â It has tons of character from its interior decoration, awesome music selection on the juke box, and good beer selection. Â They always have a shot and a draft special for $6. Â Not much of a shot guy, I stick to their typical happy hour specials, which aren't necessarily stellar. Â Regardless, everything else here makes me just as content as would a knockout happy hour.
For how big this place is, I think it's a five star bar and restaurant. I came in here for the first time back in September and sat down for a very early Friday happy hour drink complete with THE most delicious bar snacks I have ever had. I'm not kidding here!
Myself and few teammates sat and talked with the bartender who we later found out was the owner, Margaret. She is fantastic and offered her place up for my rugby team to do a fundraiser. In fact, we have done two since then and she has let us guest bartend at both. Bar Car's "thing" is their guest bartenders and it's such a genius idea.
Their Jonesy's fries are amazing and a great addition because the first time my friends and I went there, there wasn't any food and we all got ridiculously intoxicated from 7pm-2am. It was a glorious night. Great music on the jukebox and a nice beer selection. Next we came they had their fries and the Thai ones made everyone's night. I still have to go back for another Happy Hour and order from the full menu.
I also love Nico, the coolest bartender, and the cool decor in the place. It all just fits inside the teeny tiny area.
That next morning we surprisingly were able to get out of bed and headed down to Jonesy's for brunch....
B=bestest happy hour in town...$3 wells and cheapppp beers.
A=awesome deer heads on the walls, old school juke box, tin cealing and spacious bar.
R=radtastic place to meet fellow yelpers!
C=coolest bartenders in town. both very friendly and helpful :)
A=amazing Jonsey's fries. can't beat them :)
R=realistically...DEF coming back.
any takers?
:)
Oh, yeah. (Said in the voice of Barry White.)
Bar Car is my kinda bar.
Strong, cheap drinks, a relaxed atmosphere that will have you hanging out for hours before you know it, landscape paintings, ornate chandeliers, a beautiful tin ceiling, more mirrors than your favorite fun house...all offset by Big Buck Hunter in one corner, board games and a pinball table in the other corner, and a gorg bar. Plus those delicious Jonesy's fries and corn dogs we've all come to know and love - if you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and try the buffalo, truffle and Thai ginger fries.....how many ways are there to say yum?
Like the name says, this place is like a train car - long and skinny, so know what you're getting into, and if you linger in the aisles expect to get bumped into a lot.
Note: Parking can be a little crazy in this neighborhood - just check the signs before you pull up for the night.
See you there later!
I really don't know what category the Bar Car falls into, if it's a bar, a pub, a dive bar... Recently I've been going to dive bars more often than ever before, especially after Yelp; now to me, big chain bars where there is a corporate America runs it, it makes really not appealing because everything will be the same as any other bars they own, same drinks, same boring foods.
The Bar Car is a hit! I love it, from the outside it doesn't look like the regular bar scene, but once you step in, you'll amaze yourself! Seriously, dim lights, bold lamps, side seating, it really feels like I'm in a train, going from Cape town to Johannesburg inside those luxurious trains, this place has one of a kind atmosphere, filled with great people, and bartenders that serve delicious and potent drinks.
Go on board and enjoy the journey.
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