Hubby and I went to this place months ago and I didn't think to write a review until recently when I saw it pop up on the Yelp home page. Â I am a Denver native and had never heard of this place until we went one lazy Sunday afternoon last summer. Â It was late enough in the day that the small outside patio was completely in the shade and for most of our meal we were the only ones out there. Â It was just what we were looking for. Â
First of all, the beer selection was enormous. Â It's one of those rare places that you can get stuff that is NEVER on draught anywhere you go. Â Then we ordered the pretzel bites. Â Ah-ma-zing. Â The mustard is so original and delicious. Â Then we ordered the herb crusted cheese bites. Â The smoky ketchup served with these little gems is so tasty and memorable and the bites just melt in your mouth. Â Then the hubby ordered the pork schnitzel and I ordered the antioxidant mix salad. Â They were both so fresh and simple and REAL and delicious! Â
This is definitely one of those trendy hipster places in LoDo that we try to avoid, but honestly, the food is so good that we will definitely go back when another one of those Sunday afternoons strikes us when we want to hang out and eat some fresh and different fare. Â Go try it. Â You won't regret it!
Pretzel bites with tangy AND spicy honey mustard and beer that will turn even the regular six-pack drinker into a giggling kid, Freshcraft knows how to cater to a perfect Friday night. The selection of delicious, veg-friendly food paired with the strong ales couldn't have been more divine with the cold weather outside. If only I had the chance to munch on more!
Review Source:Warning, don't come here for lunch unless you want to spend your entire afternoon! Â I really want to like this place, it's right up my alley as far as good, fresh ingredients and great craft beers. However, my latest experience here has severely damaged my respect for them.
Met up with my girlfriend and some friends on President's Day for lunch. I was off work so we decided to indulge in a beer with lunch. The cheese and ale soup we got as an appetizer was awesome and our entrees were great (if only a little slow on the delivery). I asked the waiter for a good pairing with my scallop po'boy sandwich. He suggested something, I agreed. It was a good beer, but when we saw the bill goddamn, it was like $8.50!! Whatever, fine. Thought the vibe was cool and the food was awesome and I had just found my new lunch spot since I work only a few blocks away.
I came back into the place that Friday during my lunch hour (emphasis on the hour), I was that impressed! Boy, what a mistake! I sat at the bar, since I was riding solo. The place looked pretty busy, the bartender was working hard, running around. She greeted me promptly and took my order. I started with the ale and cheese soup since i loved it so much the other day, and ordered off the lunch combo section - spicy tuna melt sandwich and a beer for an extra $2 = great deal, right?! I got my beer right away and received the cup of soup not long after...things were going good.
Fast forward about 30 minutes and I still had not received my food, nor did I hear from the bartender about what the hold up was or an apology for taking so long. Whatever, I'm an easy going guy I can bare with it. However, after seeing 4 other people who came in well after me and place their orders well after mine, sitting there and enjoying their food is when I have a problem! I finished my beer and finally the bartender comes over and says my food will be out shortly. I politely asked her to go ahead and cancel my food order since, at this point (40+ minutes after ordering), I had to get back to work. She seemed almost shocked I would have asked that, like I was a jerk who just ordered food and then decided to cancel for no reason. She offered to have it put in a bag to-go, I declined in order to prove a point (I can be stubborn like that when necessary). Now, at this point you would think she would have seen my displeasure and offer to comp me my beer or cup of soup...but no, not only does she not offer, she proceeds to charge me full price for the beer! $5.50! The only reason I got the beer was because it was only an extra $2 with the food I originally ordered, that never came out!
Bottomline, very disappointed with the speed of service. I really want to like this place and make it my Friday lunch spot, but they have to understand their in a downtown location with tons of business people who can't spend their entire afternoon waiting for a sandwich! Welp, that's my rant for the day.
Had a pleasant experience at FreshCraft on a "date night" with my wife. Â The food was very good and the beer selection was very good. Â The service we received was also very good. Â The prices, while not the cheapest in town, were certainly fair for the fare we received. Â
I'd hit it up again.
The phrase 'yummy in the tummy' comes to mind.
One of our favorite parts during this visit was the robot-face art work going on in the back room. A good majority of the meal was spent decising which our 'favorites' were, taking pictures and trying to figure out which ones we'd buy if we lived in Denver and/or could have taken them home that day on our flight.
If I hadn't just eaten myself to the point of sickness on vacation in the rockies, I could have really torn through this menu... looking back there are so many items I wanted to try. And will try again next time we're in Denver, no doubt.
Everything was fresh and full of flavor, great stop for a hearty lunch... and a beer, if the mood strikes.
Holy cow the food here. Â Holy cow. Â Get the steak wrap. Â Mother of God.
And, I don't know if it's just my esteemed palette, but I can taste when a pub cleans its lines obsessively, and this place does. Â The beer tastes as if it's poured off the shoulder blades of Bacchus himself.
Can't wait to go again. Â Heart of downtown, 5-star food, and a giant-assed LCD screen of Colorado's best beers. Â The bar itself is gorgeous, to boot.
Really enjoyed this hole in the wall. Â Good lunch special, great beer selection. Â Nice service - knowledgeable bartender. Â Average bar food.
Back part of the restaurant (booths) feels like it used to be a diner or something. Â But, we sat a the bar and it was great. Â
I had a flight of beers, which was a great way to taste a few different flavors at once. Â
If I could drink beer during lunch (and I lived in Denver), I would be at this place all the time.
Freshcraft has done a really great job of making you feel like you are in a beer garden while you are actually inside a restaurant in LoDo.
Highlights from my recent dinner here include:
- The quinoa cakes. Seriously order them. Then thank me later.
- Free Wi-Fi? You know, for those "working lunches."
- The beer selection. Holy smokes, they gotta lotta brews up in here.
- The fact that they serve champagne even though they are a beer place primarily.
- The lovely service that didn't mind Nick and I playing a game of cards while enjoying a late dinner and some drinks.
I will definitely be back and my only disappointment is that they aren't closer to my house. Like walking distance close. Because I would be up in their business all the time if they were.
Was on a vacation to Denver and had a delicious dinner at Freshcraft. Â I had the beer cheese soup and the mac and cheese (I really wanted some cheese). Â They were fantastic! Combine that with some delicious craft brew and you have a great experience! (Make sure you have a reservation though, it gets crowded)
Review Source:Some may daydream about winning the lottery, finding prince(ss) charming, or cuddly puppies, but I dream of meatloaf. Â Meatloaf stuffed with provolone and spinach. Â Meatloaf sandwiched between a bun that is slathered with pesto and barbecue sauce. Â Ooh, that dreamy slab of meat.
Also, spudpuppies.
Oh, also, beer.
Basically, Freshcraft, I dream about you.
So fresh and so good, good! When perusing Yelp one day, as I often do, a restaurant that boasted craft beer on tap along with fresh food for all tastes - I knew I had to try it. It appealed to me so much, in fact, I had to go that very same day.
After the staff's amazing accommodations of our late arrival, it set the tone for a truly wonderful meal. The server patiently walked us through each beer with impeccable detail and even told us some tips on what her favorite beers were. The best part is when they feature a flight of beers when you just can't decide on one.
While I sipped on my delicious Red Kona beer with bold coffee notes, I listened in on the specials and without even glancing at the menu, I decided to go with the steak tips lightly battered in a horse radish sauce over a bed of quinoa salad with a side of bacon avocado. Wouldn't you? Although, my entree was creative and unique with deliciously tender beef tips, I made the mistake of peeping at the menu and immediately felt a rush of regret. Should I have ordered the Fresh Pretzel Turkey Baja: Freshly sliced slow roasted turkey layered on a fresh pretzel bun with avocado pulp, tomato slices and jack cheese or the Buffalo Sausage and Kraut: Smoked buffalo sausage seared and served with a warm garlic potato and kraut salad surrounded by a savory and tangy mustard cream sauce. Well, I guess I'll have to return...
Well, my last review stands for consistency over the past 9 months.
I keep hoping for improvement back to what I observed in my first review but it just doesn't evolve.
My guests who ask for hops when visiting CO are taken here for a novel quaff before moving on to someplace else which offers something for all.
Anyone can offer 'The Bastards', all manner of hops etc - this is a bar which will accommodate your desires if that is the case.
The menu is your favorite comfort food, tarted up uniquely.
Kudos to the bartender who made a fantastic Sazerac on-call just before rush hour. It was smooth, medicinal and creamy.
Their cocktails are impressive, but I have been denied requests for them during rushes.
Freshcraft is my go-to place to grab a happy hour drink in downtown Denver. Â For an avid beer enthusiast, you cannot beat the draft beer selection at Freshcraft, which features an ever-changing assortment of beers from local microbreweries as well as other top microbreweries across the country. Â And I'm not just talking about the flagship beers from these microbreweries, Freshcraft always has a vast assortment of hard-to-find seasonal, pilot, and limited release beers from the top microbreweries in the country. Â Where else can you find Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale (Red Wine Barrel Aged) (RateBeer 98), Deschutes Black Butte XXIII Imperial Porter (RateBeer 99), Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza Belgian Strong Ale (RateBeer 98), and Great Divide Winter Saison all available on tap simultaneously? Â Freshcraft is a beer lover's dream for people like me who love trying adventurous new brews from top microbreweries. Â Â
Even better, all of these amazing draft beers (many of which are imperial IPAs/stouts with 10% ABV) are only $4 during their happy hour special. Â I always get excited walking into Freshcraft just to see what new beers that I have never seen before will be available on draft. Â Freshcraft recently installed large big screen TV's over their drafts, which provide up-to-date information about each beer on draft, including the brewery, beer name, beer style, ABV, IBUs, and RateBeer rating. Â It is an incredibly useful resource for any beer enthusiast when choosing from the vast array of great selections on draft. Â In addition, I've found that the bartenders and servers are also extremely knowledgeable about the beers that they have and always seem to be able to give you an accurate description of any beer on draft. Â I sometimes ask the server if they have tried a particular beer, and, to this point, the answer has never been "no." Â Maybe I should look into getting a second job there. Â I'd work just for the beer tasting experience.
The food at Freshcraft is also quite good. Â I generally just order a few items from the appetizer menu while enjoying some happy hour beers. Â As many other have stated, the herb crusted cheese dippers are a tasty compliment to your beer tasting adventures. Â They are a staple of my Freshcraft experience. Â I've also had the garlic chile chicken wings and the bruschetta, which were also very tasty. Â I find that Freshcraft's emphasis on fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch food really comes through in taste of their food. Â They also keep several varieties of Oskar Blues hot sauce on hand, which are some of my favorite hot sauces I've ever had. Â You should try them out while at Freshcraft if you have a chance. Â
Freshcraft makes me feel lucky to live America's premier beer culture city in the country.
WE went to fresh craft (my second visit) during happy hour with kids. Now it is true, we were the only one with kids in the place. The restaurant was stocked full of young 20 somethings enjoying a post-work beer.
Regardless, I was informed that they had Avery's White Rascal on draft. . point 1.
WE got fried pickles, and they were good. . .point 2
I got this yummy sausage/kraut dish, and my wife got the most heavenly Reuben sandwich I've ever tasted (normally, I hate those). Â
The only partial let down was the cookie/ice cream dish. Â Just nothing special. . .
but the beer and food was perfect, and I will return soon!
I've been to Freshcraft about three times now, and I've enjoyed all of my visits. The pretzel bites and fried pickles are great if you are just dropping by to check out new brews and are in need of a snack. Everything I've had for lunch has been great (I usually order from the "medium plates" menu), especially with a side of spudpuppies. Now that I work directly above this establishment, the smell of bacon and french fries taunts me, so I'll be visiting for more brews and food soon.
Review Source:This is my favorite place in LoDo. Period.
I am a beer snob. I like well prepared, flavorful food. I appreciate aweesome service. This place does it for me.
The tap list is out of this world, and constantly revolving. The best part about it - the staff is knowledgable about what is on tap at all times. Like sours? Even if they don't have one, they'll point you in the right direction. IPA fan? They'll have several to chose from, all with different flavor profiles. The bottle list (and RESERVE bottle list) is also top-notch. Whatever your flavor, they've got it.
Then there's the food. Oh, the food. I have never had a bad bite here. Chef Lucas has taken comfort food to the next level, while keeping seasonal items fresh. Try his specials. Any of them. I have never been dissappointed. The salads are fresh and flavorful, the sandwiches are spot-on and hearty. The large plates are... well, home. Some of my favorites: Antioxidant Salad, Tuna Watermelon Nubbins, Mac & Cheese and the Pretzel Turkey Baja.
Service is great. Every time. Real down to earth people. Sit at the bar for snacks & brews. Aaron, Corrie and Alex are rock-star.
We had a very so-so visit to Freshcraft. I know my husband has been quite pleased when he's gone here for a beer, but we went for a mid-afternoon snack and opted not to get any beers. We got two snacks (cheese dippers and pretzel bites) which we found very meh. My friend got the French onion soup which arrived lukewarm and she described it as a "salt lick".
I will give them the benefit of the doubt by saying it may have been an off day, or we may have ordered the wrong things. Still with so many places to eat in the area, I will try something else next time.
Went here while visiting my very smart friend in Denver (the great city that it is - good people & good times). Â
We went here at 10pm on a Friday night. Â The place was about 1/3 full, but had a very good vibe. Â
Amanda was our server and she did a great job. Â Attentive, not overbearing - explained to us some things about the beers and food. Â
We ordered from the late night menu (after 9:30 pm). Â We had the pretzel bites with honey mustard sauce, and it was very good. Â My smart friend ordered the french dip and really enjoyed it. Â he wished it had more au jus, but he asked Amanda and was promptly given more. Â
There is also an option for a cheese sauce, and it was weird that we could not get both. Â
My friend and I love mac and cheese, and we enjoyed the fact that it had sun dried tomatoes, red peppers, and basil. Â However, it is not cheap at $13.50. Â
The beer menu is extensive, and comes with a QR code (very cool!) so that you can find out which "kegs are kicked" (thanks to Amanda for teaching us that term!)
I really enjoyed the experience here, and hope that I will come here again the next time I am up in Denver.
After my BBQ-fest earlier in the day, I decided to go vegetarian for dinner. I took myself to Freshcraft, ordered a Left Hand Milk Stout, and an order of mushroom tacos. They were both delicious, and I was happily surprised when I got my check to find out I was there during happy hour, so my beer was only $4.
There are a few TVs showing sports, and the atmosphere is very laid back.
So good I spent a big part of my Sunday here. No kidding!
I had walked from my hotel, across the river on a beautiful Fall afternoon when I was getting hungry and also wanted to pair my meal with a good beer. I grabbed a 16th St Mall booklet and began to thumb through it and found I was really close to Freshcraft, only a half a block away from the 16th St Mall.
I walked in to Freshcraft just before 3pm and got seated. I spotted on the menu a lunch deal that ended at 3pm, a sandwich and a beer for $10, not bad, let's do it. I ordered the Turkey Baja with a pint of Avery Witte. Good stuff!
For a dessert, I ordered a Left Hand Milk Stout with ice cream. Perfect.
I paid and headed out and started walking up the street to the 16th St Mall, when I got a text from my friend that she might join me at Freshcraft. I told her I just left, but I'd have no problem returning as it was happy hour (I love places that have a happy hour 7 days a week, not just Mon-Fri!) Happy hour is 3-7pm everyday.
I then returned to Freshcraft and sat myself at the bar and checked out their extensive tap list written on the chalkboard on the wall. After having a few beers served by one of the co-owners, Aaron (including a 17% abv  (17%!) whiskey barrel aged beer from Avery that I ended up sipping on for a while). I found that I had been there over 4 hours, but I had such a good experience there talking to the co-owner and other patrons at the bar, it didn't feel like I had been there that long.
You bet that whenever I take a trip back to Denver, I will be returning to Freshcraft!
I love when I have reservations...for seats, not because I have hesitations about something.
It is so refreshing on a Friday evening, after negotiating traffic and finding parking to walk into a place like you own it and, upon seeing your friends...just plop on down and order a beer.
This was my first time here and our waiter suggested the perfect beer for my taste buds to enjoy.
It was so nice to talk with a waiter that truly enjoyed his job...and beer. Â He also suggested a good dinner. Â My son enjoyed the burger (especially the cheese and the ability to make it his way). I had the meatloaf served on onion rings and bacon pancakes (yes, bacon cooked into the pancakes themselves). Â My dish was good, maybe a little bit of maple syrup would have made it great.
I definitely would like to stop by for happy hour the next time I'm around.
Super solid spot for lunch or a casual dinner downtown.
I love that there are small, medium, and large plate options. If I'm craving a burger and fries their two sliders option is perfect and delicious without being a holding your belly food bomb. That said, I didn't love the flavor on the veggie sliders I ordered last time. Their food is really good overall, though, and there are plenty of vegetarian options.
The beer selection is pretty sweet and the servers know the selections really well. I've had good service every time I've been there.
It's definitely a go to suggestion when meeting people because the menu has something for everyone. It's also a great in between option downtown. Nicer than like Chipotle or Noodles but not as much of a to do as Rioja or 9th Door.
I've now been to Freshcraft a handful of times, but I still feel like I haven't really BEEN to Freshcraft, if you know what I mean. Â Two of the three times I've been in the back room and I think that might be why. Â With flourescent lighting and wood panel walls, it's somewhat reminiscent of a church banquet hall or the extra room at the Elk's lodge you can rent for parties and I forgot to bring the deviled eggs.
I do appreciate Freshcraft though. Â They have a great beer list, an even better "reserve" list (also beer, but pretty much wine prices) and appealing snacky foods. Â They also seem to do a lot of fun beer events as one of the times we were in back room, they were doing mini beers and pairings (it was Denver Beer Week, I think?). Â The menu has a little something for everyone, including delicious fried cheese. Â The servers all seem pretty knowledgable about their beer offerings, similar to the way a server in an upscale Italian restaurant knows more than the average server about wines.
I think I would enjoy Freshcraft more if I were seated at the (usually busy) bar or if they vamped up the backroom to be a little more inviting. Â I'd certainly never turn down Freshcraft, but something about that back room is a real buzzkill.
Great selection of microbrews. Â Helpful staff lets you taste a few samples before making your choice.
The food was pretty good. The herb crusted cheese dippers were fun. Â I liked the cashew pesto which was one of the dipping sauces.
The turkey baja sandwich on pretzel bread was nice enough. Â The fried spudpuppies as a side were unique.
Not exactly a healthy meal but all in all very tasty.
This place is great. Â Stopped in last weekend to have a drink during out very long day of happy hour hopping. Â It's been on my list to try for quite some time. Â I follow them on Facebook and some of the dishes they post literally make my mouth water. Â So we stopped in for a drink and couldn't resist trying at least one of the appetizers. Â We went with the soft pretzels and cheese sauce. Â YUMMMMM! Â They were awesome. Â In the interest of full disclosure, I typically love most pretzels - what's not to love? Â But really, these were home made and amazing. Â And the cheese sauce that went with them was equally amazing.
We had another drink and left - but I can't wait to go back for dinner sometime. Â The food looks awesome and the service was great.
Overpriced, except the lunch specials. Really nothing special other than the beer selection, which wasn't too diverse at the time I went. If you rolled over in bed towards me and asked how it was, I'd say, "I've had better, and I've had worse. All of which were more memorable than what just happened."
O-ver-rate-ed! *clap* *clap*, *clap* *clap* *clap*
It's a casual place to get good beer and food in the LoDo area of Denver. The booths are comfy and the service was efficient, friendly, and informative.
I reached my cheese quota for the month during this one meal. We started with the pretzel bites -- they're tiny pretzel pieces in a large ramekin that are baked. The cheese sauce for dipping was on the plate. My wife liked her antioxidant salad. It looked great but I didn't try it. Instead, I went with the ale and cheese soup. It was a small cup filled with a delicious creamy mix of cheeses and topped with pretzel bites and bacon.
We washed that down with the herb crusted cheese dippers. They were lightly breaded and fried and came with  pesto and ketchup dipping sauces.
We split an entree, their special of the day, a house-ground lamb and pork burger with jerk seasoning, topped with fried plantain chips. It was dense and tightly packed and had a bit of a kick from the seasoning. The bun was perfectly soft and chewy. We ordered it with a side of their spudpuppies -- fried mashed potato balls.
The place doesn't have a kid's menu, but there are items that they might eat. We ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and fries for our little guy. The staff was nice enough to make it plain -- cheddar cheese on wheat -- instead of their typical version with provolone, cashew pesto, and tomatoes.
The beer list is pretty good. It seemed to focus on regional brews and they were all reasonably priced.
The food definitely wasn't healthy, but it was tasty. The kind that will stick to your ribs (or gut) for days. Comfort food with a twist... just like many gastropubs these days.
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