The people working the food order counter are always in terrible moods and unfriendly. The food is alright.nothing special. The atmosphere is fun if there is a good game on as there are plenty of TVs for all to enjoy. It could step up its game when it comes to attracting college students...
Review Source:I think if I was 20-25 I'd feel differently about Dark Horse. Â In fact, I know I would as it's the same place as the long-deceased No Frills Grill that I frequented all too often during my aforementioned years. Â But now, it's something I'd not recommend for my needs.
It's just a college hang out, they serve bar food and not particularly good food at that. Â We came here before a concert to grab a bite. Â There were 3 bartenders behind the bar, only one if them was taking orders and my impression was it may have been her first night bar-tending, because she really moved slow and had a tough time simply getting drinks for people. Â The other two didn't help her at all. Â I ordered our drinks while my friend went to order our food. Â Overall it was pretty inconvenient and slow, and the burgers were truly sub par. Â The restaurant itself is messy in it's layout, and trying to find your way around is quite the challenge. Â There's no servers so if you want another drink you need to go get it yourself. Â When we finished and were looking to grab another drink, I simply opted to go elsewhere instead of dealing with the bar mess again.
There's tons of places to eat in Boulder, so if your looking for food I'd recommend looking elsewhere. Â If your looking for a college hangout to drink and scam on the opposite sex this is probably the place to do it.
Not my style, but you can tell it deserves a place in Boulder. Â I love their burgers and appreciate they keep a decent late night menu. Â It's hard to describe; it grungy, but not too dirty, it's hipster, but not, it's old, classic, and rustic with a new flair. Â I know like 50 people I work with that are regulars and love it and talk about their special events nights n such. Â I'm just not a regular at any bar, so it's not my scene. Â But I appreciate it in the sense that's it kind of underground/hidden.
Review Source:This is the first Dark Horse I've been to but I hear there's more scattered about the U.S. from what the bartender tells me. The Dark Horse is a very fun place to just walk around and look at all the old movie memorabilia and antiques. It's a cross between old-time Hollywood & a darkened pirate ship made of wood. Every corner holds a surprise and just when you've thought you've seen it all there's another floor upstairs that gets even freakier with mounted animal heads and furs and odd paintings  that decorate the walls making it come alive. Traditional restaurant fare but with a twist. It's a self-service restaurant meaning go order at the kitchen window inside the building outside of four hours a day (11am-3pm) when a waitress will help you. But the menu is fairly large to chose from appetizers and a variety of different burgers to chicken or BBQ Ribs, chef salads or fish-n-chips. Imbibe in the most common local and domestic taps or simple liquor concoctions. It's really about the experience of the building here. It's like stepping into a Disney park ride. This place can get bumpin' on all floors and is popular with the Boulder college crowd.
Review Source:My manager is totally awesome as underscored by the fact she took her whole team here for a managers meeting lunch. The Dark Horse is a local Boulder landmark that serves up tradional but delicious bar food.
We started out with the beer battered zucchini and mushrooms with ranch dressing. OMG. If I was going to be a pigglet I would order just these next time. The beer batter had extra seasoning in it that went perfectly for the veggies and of course was an even better excuse to load up on the ranch dressing. I could bathe in real ranch dressing I love it so!!
My actual meal was the garden burger with avocado and more of that amazing ranch dressing. The burger was good but nothing that will stand out in my memory like the zucchini and shrooms!!
Definitely a cool place. Â It's worth going if you've never been. Â The kitchen is quick to get out food. Â They do have a fairly decent tap list, but they don't properly manage their beer. Â I've had several different beers tasting flat in flavor, like they sat out overnight. Â I don't know if they don't clean their tap lines or if their kegs don't turnover fast enough. Â Something is wrong with their beer so don't waste your money on their craft beer selection. Â Order a Coors and at least you won't be disappointed.
Review Source:Definition of a college dive bar. Dark, dirty, simple menu.
It sounds bizarre but completely worth trying the Jiffy burger: peanut butter and bacon on a burger. As someone explained it to me, think about it as a beef satay and you'll get over the idea that its peanut butter. (By the way, does anyone remember the Twilight Zone episode with peanut butter burgers?)
Don't take your mom here but take your buddy who needs a beer and a burger.
I have a lot to say about the Dark Horse. I have some great memories here. Nostalgia aside, this place is still in business because they have nailed down a solid approach. The Dark Horse is like a choose-your-own-adventure bar. They have a totally hidden room on the second floor that is booked sometimes for parties, but if it's not it can be a great escape if you want to have a nice conversation in a bar. There's also a cute(?) wall-o-80's-porn by the air hockey table. The pool tables and cues are almost not usable, so you've been warned. All in all, a great place, and great food that you will likely serve yourself.
Review Source:One of my favorite places in Boulder. A sprawling, old, two-story building packed with vintage signs, antique ladies' boots, and practically everything but the kitchen sink hanging from the ceilings and nailed to the walls. The food isn't anything to write home about, but the guys in the kitchen are funny. Pool tables, bingo night, tricycle races... this place has something for everyone.
Review Source:After having graduated from CU and living in Boulder for three years, I can't believe I've never reviewed this place! I don't know if I would call the Dark Horse a dive bar, because it's practically a tourist attraction. You can see families eating lunch here in the daytime, and at night it comes alive with a pretty interesting mix of people - older folks that have lived in the area forever, college kids, and out of towners. When I brought my father-in-law here my husband and I immediately lost him as he wandered around like a lost kid looking at all the tchotchkes hanging from the walls and ceiling.
The food here is  the best bar food ever - I always get their red chile poppers and zukes and shrooms. The jiffy burger is pretty amazing too. They have bingo and trike races, but I've unfortunately never been to their events. The Dark Horse is absolutely a must see if you're in Boulder though.
Amazingingly priced burgers! Sourdough burger was fantastic with the spicy mayo. The overall scene in this place was incredible. Â I went on a Monday evening. Â The line for burgers was long, but I usually take this as a good sign. Â Did I mention the drink prices for beer is very reasonable? Â The only tricky part was my trip to the bathrooms. Â Do not be confused by these silly jests of trickery!
Review Source:I came here in college all the time. Lots of fun, and huge! You can play pool, foosball, video games, or just wander around and look at all the goofy stuff. There's a lot of dust on all the objects- this place is not for the fastidiously uncasual. One game you can play is scavenger hunt, where someone picks an object/picture and the first one to find it wins.
My dad also used to come here when he was in college.
The Starving Student discount is cheap.
I say 2 1/2 stars is average, this place is above average with 3 stars.
Pros: I had the jiffy burger and it was really good. I thought the peanut butter would overpower the burger but it was a condiment and good. The burger was very tasty and I think if you ordered one sans any toppings you would be pleased.
A good local crowd. Talked to several folks and really nice people.
Really good bartending service.
Cons: kind of a catch 22. I asked for a beer list and they didn't have one yet there was a really good assortment of beers on tap. However, I could not see them because there was 8 or 9 people at the bar and I could not see the selection. The bartender was not a big help either.
Great place to hangout and have a few pitchers... Â The food is always good with a varied assortment of options. It has a western themed dirty look, that makes me feel comfortable. Â Lots of space to roam around and weekly events like trike night. Â
Great place to get a beer and watch sports.
This place is one of a handful of legit sports bars in Boulder. It's been around for a LONG time, and has withstood many generations of college students, so there's some props right there.
They have a huge projector screen and over a hundred TVs to catch your favorite game on!
Here's a list of weekly events!
Monday
Drink Specials
$2 Miller Lite Draft, $2 Bacardi, $2 Cuervo
Tuesday - Trike Night
9pm-2am, 21+ Get back to your roots with a nice wholesome race around the bar on our custom trike, with beer of course! Great prizes from Budweiser every week.
Drink Specials
$3 Jager, $7 Bud/Bud Light Pitchers, $2.50 Smirnoff
Wednesday
Drink Specials
$5 Monster Micro Madness. 25oz. monster mugs of your favorite micro beer.
Thursday - Karaoke
9pm-2am, 21+ Show off your vocal talent to your friends!
Drink Specials
$3.25 New Belgium Pints, $3 Smirnoff
Friday - BINGO
9:30pm-12am, 21+ Get your cards at 9:30,
MC Teddy starts calling at 10pm
FREE TO PLAY!!! GREAT PRIZES!!!
Drink Specials
$2.25 Bud Pints, $3 Tall Long Islands, $2 Smirnoff, $3.25 Boulder Beer Pints
Saturday - Live Music
9pm-2am, 21+ Always Free, Never a Cover
View our Events Page for our upcoming bands.
Drink Specials
$2 Jim Beam & Smirnoff, $3.25 Avery Beer Pints
Sunday - NFL Games
Drink Specials
$5 Double Smirnoff Bloody Marys, $4 Bud Draft 25oz.
I love the Dark Horse. The starving student deal is freakin awesome. The deep fried Zuchs and 'Shrooms are delicious. They also have a variety of other burger choices and chicken and salad and wings so everyone can find what tickles their fancy here.
Their drink specials are awesomely cheap and I always spend less than I need to get myself feeling happy. Also Trike night on Tuesdays and Bingo on Fridays are way more than worth it to come and hang out. These are also free plus you can sit back and enjoy watching college kids ride around on oversized trikes and then dance offs when more than one person gets bingo at the same time. Its great. You should go.
Like right now.
Get up and go. Grab your keys, call your friends, and go.
We came here on a Thursday evening with a crew of ~30 people. Â The bar staff were great. Â Unfortunately, the upper room had been reserved, so ~9p we were subjected to the obnoxious karoke at an eardrum shattering volume.
Divey for Boulder, yes. A real dive bar, no. Â Still it gets my vote for a great eclectic bar with tasty burgers.
Aaah, the dark horse. Â
Yummy food, and an atmosphere you have to see to believe... it's a little dingy, which naturally makes it the best dive bar around. Â No pretention, just pool, arcade games, and lots of big tv screens to enjoy come game days. Â
Simply put, Boulder wouldn't be Boulder without the Dark Horse Good Time Saloon.
Dive Horse is a great dive bar. Those of you who are complaining about it, just remember that it's not trying to be anything but that. The atmosphere is great - super laid back, with a good mix of college students (Bear Creek is walking distance) and those who graduated but still like to party. The little details like the bathroom doors misleading everyone who hasn't been there before, the random stuff all over the ceiling and walls, the arcade games (some are REALLY old) make it what it is.
The drinks are cheap and tasty. I like going to karaoke nights (Thursdays) with my friends, but it's good on a regular night too.
This bar is yet another attempt of Boulder trying to be cool like Fort Collins...and failing miserably. Washington's in FTC is 70,000 times better, cleaner and classier than this place. And that's not saying much.
I like myself a good dive bar but that comes with the caveat that the staff and clientele are somewhat polite and just down to enjoy life. I've never seen such a sour attitude from staff as I have at this place. But, I too would be grouchy if I lived in Boulder. Moreover, they aren't really paying attention to anything or anyone but the regulars.
While I cannot comment on the quality of the food I would say that the drinks are decent. We ordered a few shots which were fine but nothing to call home about. I may have walked out more sober than when I went in. Typical prices for a pitcher of beer but I'm not a fan of anything typical.
Dark Horse was a good haven from the wind and the football game but I wouldn't seek it out in the future. Not the worst but far from the best...
The Dark Horse has been in Boulder for decades and I've been here a few times but this particular time was my first for happy hour. For those of you that like being served, I suggest you do not go to the Dark Horse during happy hour because it is self serve for both food and drinks, meaning you have to go to the self-serve kitchen to order your food and go to the bar to order any drinks you may want.
My boyfriend and I ordered 3 pounds of wings and a basket of curly french fries for only $18.98 (obviously the happy hour rate). The wings were pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary. My favorite part of the meal was the french fries to be completely honest, which were really yummy.
The ambiance of this place is pretty cool though, the name Dark Horse is fitting because when you step inside the lighting is very dim which may bother some but I find it to make the restaurant more intimate. Decor is EVERYWHERE in this place, from the tables to the walls to the ceilings...which gives the atmosphere a pretty cool vibe.
All in all I would suggest coming here if you want a laid back atmosphere with decent food with decent prices.
The concept has always been good - beer, pool tables, take-out burger window, happy hour specials, etc. BUT the attitude of the staff has (for at least 30 years) been really lousy. Â I used to shrug my shoulders but on a recent and final visit I brought my daughter along after showing her the campus. Â She went to the bar to get a Coke and heard one of the jerk bartenders (guy was a punk wannabe - spiked hair-do) making a vulgar, ethnic slur about a customer who had just bought a beer.
No reason to pay to be around idiots -- I'll stay away.
BTW: the burger baskets are $6.95 ($5.95 if on special) but the meat is not much more than you get on a McDonald's single and the toppings are minimal.
Ummm Duhhhhh!!!!!
I grew up in this bar! It's my childhood, my memories, happiness!
The best interior of any bar, arcade games, air hockey, watching people go in the wrong bathroom fun and really good bar food. Burgers are really good and I'm picky about burgers. Buffalo wings are fantastic!!!
Love you Dave!!!
Meh.
No, no, let's change that to Bleh. While the Dark Horse has been around since I was a kid, they haven't seemed to learn much. Then again, all they need to do is keep the beer flowing for college kids.It's dirty, and yes, that does matter. If I wanted to hang out in a dirty bar, I would head towards the rougher side of town. Sticky beer soaked tables, busy staff who get orders wrong, and food that is only so so. Yes, being a bar doesn't mean you can't cook and deliver good food. There are way too many pubs that serve stellar food. The beer is, well, beer, how can you go wrong with a tap or bottle beer? It's those things a place has control of, like servers who care, food that takes more to prepare that a pot of boiling oil, and fer Gawd's sake, run a rag over everything once in a while.
If you're a drunken frat boy, it might be heaven, but for everyone else, well, it's STICKY.
The Dark Horse has good burgers and beer for the price.
The place is dark and dirty, but everything is pretty decent tasting and the prices are very low. On Thursday's, they have "burger madness" during happy hour - you get a burger and fries for under $5, and local craft beers for $3.50. Good stuff.
You won't ever be blown away by what you get at the Dark Horse, but you will be very satisfied with what you got for what you spent. Recommended!
Evidently the oldest "saloon" in Boulder. Â It's been around for a LONG time.
This has become my "go to" place in Boulder for wings, burgers and beer. Â There is no table service, so grab a spot and then head to the kitchen counter to order your food when you get there. Â They'll call your name when your food's ready, but make sure to check in at the counter if you don't hear your name after a while... either you haven't heard them over the ruckus, or somebody in the kitchen is stoned and forgot to call your name. Â Either way, as long as you don't let too much time go by, your wings will be hot and your fries will be crispy.
The decor is eclectic to say the least. Â This is the kind of place that TGI Friday's patterned their hodge-podge after, but this is the REAL DEAL. Â You could spend days, if not years, discovering cool (and weird) things hanging from the ceiling and walls.
There are usually a lot of college kids hanging out here, so the atmosphere is almost always lively. Â Sometimes they have tricycle races around the restaurant. Â No sh*t.
There are a couple of pool tables downstairs (the one closest to the fire exist is a little sloped), a couple more upstairs, and some video games and a foos-ball table scattered around in various nooks and crannies.
This place is a Boulder institution, and if not on your list of regular haunts, it should at least be a place to visit on a semi-regular basis.
I was a little skeptical walking into a bar for food, but the burgers here came highly recommended from a trusted source so I decided to give it a chance. Soooo glad I did. I was skeptical again when I saw that I would have to order my burger from a window by the kitchen instead of from a waitress, but then I realized because of that I wouldn't *have to* tip a full 20%. Nice. (if you have read my other reviews, you may be beginning to notice a pattern that value factors into my food enjoyment)
Once I got my burger and had the first bite, however, I wanted to tip the chef. Amazing. Perfect size/thickness, perfect texture, perfect consistency and flavor, just the right amount of toppings, tasty bun and mmmmmm all around amazing burger. Way better than I could make at home, which is actually pretty rare (I make great burgers, what can I say). I even liked the fries! And I'm not a fan of fries.
So, for giving me pretty much the best burger experience I've ever had, I have to give the Dark Horse 5 stars. It may be a bar, but any restuarant that does anything the best I've ever had (see Longmont Packing) automatically gets a 5 hands down. And earns it.
I get fiercely, fiercely protective of the Dark Horse. I basically grew up here and have been going here since I was a wee one. Burgers are, and always have been, delicious. Prices are REALLY cheap, especially during Happy Hour.
I'd suggest, unless you're a student and the supercrowded, loud thing appeals to you, that you avoid Burger Madness night. Avoid it like the plague...or the swine flu. Too many people to really enjoy yourself. Unless it's summertime when all the CU munchkins head home- then it's much more tolerable.
The ambiance is like a crazy yard sale at a hoarder's house. Only, the hoarder is Tim Burton. And the yard sale is inside. The building is really cool, but for all the years I've been going there, I have NEVER seen anyone working at or sitting at the bar upstairs. What's the deal....is that for private parties, Ladies who Lunch, what?
This place is truly a Boulder institution and is definitely worth a visit, If you don't like it, you're doing something wrong!
The most exciting thing I have eaten thus far in Boulder is a peanut butter bacon burger at Dark Horse and I am obsessed.
As far as I am concerned, bacon is the food of the gods. You can pair it with anything for a delightful snack. It's lovely on its own or next to eggs and a grain for breakfast. It adds depth of flavor to a soup or to beans. And I can sautee it with cabbage and pretend I'm Irish.
There is a theory that the more taste dimensions a dish has, the more satisfying it is. Sweet (pb) + salty (bacon) + sour (pickle) + bitter (onion) almost knocks it out of the park. All that's missing is spicy. Which is how I felt after eating the burger. Yeah, I said it!
Minus one star cause it's a little dirty. But the bartender was super nice.
They don't screw around. Â Neither should you. Â Order your food before you get tipsy, because I don't want to have to wait behind your dumb, indecisive group of tools. Â :)
I was torn between the Jiffy Burger and the Fish & Chips. Â The guy told me straight up when I asked, that the fish & chips are decent, but the burgers are great. Â So I got a burger. Â And he was right about that much. Â Peanut Butter and Bacon on a burger? Â Yes.
The drinks are inexpensive and NOT weak. Â The beers are plentiful, and if they don't have what you're looking for, they'll recommend an equally good substitution. Â Prices are even better at happy hour.
They do NOT have table service in the evening (though the menu states that they do for lunch). Â Get your own food and drink. Â The system works nicely.
Plenty of comfortable seating in this rich, woody establishment. Â The stone fireplace adds a great element. Â They don't have wireless, but I've seen people working on laptops there, doing course work or maybe writing the next great novel.
Staff is friendly and helpful. Â The vibe is good. Â The food is great. Â And the drinks are excellent. Â You can't go wrong here.
Ok, I might be biased because my father has his name up on a plaque in this place for being on the team that won the chicken wing eating contest MANY years back.
BUT.
The Dark Horse is a fantastic dive bar. And yes, it's a dive bar. It knows it is, and it has carefully cultivated that atmosphere. You could spend hours just wandering around looking at all the awesome junk store kitsch that they have strapped to the walls and ceiling. I seem to remember there is even a full carriage (as in horse-drawn?) hanging from the roof somewhere in the dining area.
And let me tell you, I know this is going to sound bizarre and unnatural but... three little words, baby:
Peanut Butter Hamburger.
The Dark Horse is dirty as hell! Â Seriously, there are weird things stuck to every surface and I guarantee they don't clean all those spaces. Â
For this reason, I do not eat food at the Dark Horse. Â As far as a restaurant goes, um GROSS!
But the bar area is pretty good. Â They carry Blue Moon on tap and that makes me pretty happy. Â It's a college hang out so you are guaranteed to see some skin and a couple of fratty jerks too. Â
The upstairs pool tables and the confusingly labeled bathrooms are the high points.
The Dark Horse is one of the better bars in Boulder: which given the bar-heavy scene of Boulder is saying quite a bit.
With that sort of dark-wood + crazy crap on the walls feel, the Dark Horse has some decent seating and cheap food. Vegetarian food is not so much, but hey: this is a burger place, so it's ok I understand.
They also have a starving student meal plan, which if you eat meat, you should check out.
Pool upstairs, and air hockey.
Oh, and their bathrooms at the front are hilarious to watch. They have a man pointing to the men's restroom on the door of the women's bathroom and a woman pointing the women's restroom on the door of the men's bathroom. Confusing? You bet. So just sit and watch the fun of people walking into the wrong bathrooms.
A happening place that is easy to get to...unlike many of the other bars in Boulder.
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