I met up with some friends for an anniversary get-together last night at The Keg, not having been there in several years. Â I don't know why we hadn't been back sooner; I guess because we don't live nearby, and there are so many other choices.
Anyway, The Keg - LODO is as I remembered it: Â upscale/casual/subdued atmosphere, nice bar area and decent service, wrapped around a fairly pedestrian steakhouse menu with very reasonable prices. Â I remember this chain from my college days in another state; it was much more casual back then, more like a fern bar kind of a place, more along the lines of an Applebee's or TGI Fridays (but I'm REALLY old.)
We were a party of 10 for Restaurant Week on a Sunday night, so the place was a bit busier than normal, I'd imagine, for a Sunday evening, but we were promptly greeted and seated immediately by a very professional and cheerful hostess. Â Our servers (2 shared the party) were professional and accommodating, if a bit slow (understandable for a larger party on a busy night.)
Everyone started off with various cocktails (martinis, mojitos, gin & 7, specialty martinis, etc.) which were uniformly delicious and expertly prepared and served in attractive and generous glasses - props to the bartender this night. Â I'd say we ordered 4 bottles of wine after, along with a couple of appetizers, then on to salads and dinners; I think we all ordered our dinners from the 5280 menu. Â I do have to say that their prices and portions are VERY REASONABLE for a Restaurant Week menu, as well as on their regular and seasonable menus, and the wine list, while not imaginative nor particularly large, was very inexpensive.
Food was just OK; our escargot-stuffed mushrooms appetizer was ok, but was unexpectedly seasoned with what seemed like cumin and chili powder?? Â I had a wedge salad with bleu cheese, which was warm and the dressing just tasted like ranch with a lot of powdered garlic. Â I ordered a "baseball" sirloin, a 12 ounce affair advertised on the menu as too thick to be cooked above medium-rare, along with mashed potatoes and a couple small asparagus spears as a garnish. Â I prefer my steaks medium-rare and thick, so this sounded like a good choice.
My steak, when cut into, was at least medium-well to well done in the center, and very dry, so, although I usually don't send things back, I did, along with my partner's prime rib, which was ordered medium-rare, but served as a medium-well end cut. Â We waited a reasonable amount of time for the replacement entrees, which were delivered by the servers, and followed up by management a moment later. Â I can't fault the service at all, but my replacement steak was once again medium-well, but my partner's prime rib replacement was a perfect medium-rare. Â It seems like they started my replacement steak on the grill and finished it in a microwave to save time, as the center was well-done, but got rarer closer to the edges, and was dry? Â Anyway, I brought it to the server's attention, but insisted that it was ok, not wanting to wait longer nor waste any more food, and all of my dining companions' dinners seemed fine.
My partner and I had to leave before the others had finished, due to a prior appointment, so we made sure to leave our hosts enough $$ to cover everything, and we said our goodbyes before dessert. Â Again, the host staff up front were very professional and nice, warmly thanking us for coming as we headed out.
Normally, I'd rate a negative food experience lower, but the service, management, excellent cocktails, and my other dining companions' dinners made up for it. Â I'll be back soon, maybe for cocktails and something else on their menu next trip.
Go here on work dinners often, the food while not out of this world, has never been bad. Service is what gives it the three stars for me. A co-worker of mine had an issue with a cocktail that he ordered and we all weren't very impressed with the way that went. Food is important, but so is customer service...
Review Source:The Keg has remained my go to steakhouse for the last 6-7 years that I have lived in the downtown area.. So when my brother and his girlfriend visited over the holidays it wasn't exactly a real brainbuster where I wanted to take them for dinner. Â My brother had heard of the The Denver Chop House and Brewery and suggested he wanted to go there for dinner. But I talked him out of it saying The Keg is the place for great service and steaks/prime rib. Â
Recent Trip #1
I ordered the Peppercorn steak which I almost always do and my brother ordered the prime rib.  I also had a dirty martini which was delicious and so did my brothers date. My peppercorn steak and her filet were also very good.  When the prime rib arrived, we were all shocked!  It was brown with almost no red color and no small pool of blood resting in the middle of the cut.  He did not take a bite and sent it back.. A gentleman; very apologetic from the kitchen came over and delivered a better looking prime rib, which  was around a medium to medium well appearance.  My brother took a couple of bites and was pretty disappointed, we then took a couple of bites.  I would say it was the chewiest, least tender, and the worst prime rib I have ever had.. We did not send it back the second time.  During all of this, the staff was exceptional. A manager stopped by to see if things were up to par, we agreed it was but regrettably it was not.  After all was said and done they gave us a $25 gift card, which was nice but my brother and his squeeze do not live near a Keg Steakhouse so I commandeered the card. Â
Recent Trip #2 (Much worse)
Over the past weekend a friend and I decided to use the gift card before it expired and showed up for round # 2 dinner. Â We started off with a couple of beers and proceeded to order. Â (This is were it gets ridiculous) This time I ordered a different steak then usual so I was careful to read correctly and place my order clearly and without hesitation. Â I am 100% Â positive I ordered the Grilled Top Sirloin 12 oz. Â and I said it just like that, b/c I read it directly off the menu. Â My date ordered the peppercorn steak and then we waited. Â When my steak arrived, it was definitely not a 12 ounce steak.. When I asked if this was a 12 oz steak the server replied, no that is an 8 oz. Â Steak.. Then I replied, "I'm sorry but I'm pretty sure I ordered a the 12 oz ." Â She replied, "we don't have a 12 oz steak in that cut." I was baffled!? I mean completely baffled. Â She said, "you ordered the 8 oz. sirloin" She then kind of fumbled around and said, "would you like a 12 oz?!" Â I replied, "yes I would..thank you, sorry for the mix up." Â Then I sat there, confused, a little deflated and thought, am I that guy... That douche who can't even order food of an English menu correctly? Do have a tumor in my head or something? Â Then I remembered I could pull up a their menu on my phone.. I started looking it over frantically, hoping I wasn't crazy. Â At that moment a manager came over to say "we have wrapped up the 8 oz and we're getting a baseball top sirloin started for you." OK, I thought.. that was nice of them but what the hell is a baseball top sirloin? Â Now back to the menu.. Ah ha!!!! There it was.. in all its glory... a Grilled Top Sirloin (listed under sirloins) with options of 8 oz. and 12 oz. Â so what the hell happened. Â She said they don't offer a 12 oz.. well what was I staring at then? Â I looked further through the menu and then discovered the only steak that could be confused with what I ordered was under the Keg Classic Dinners as the Top Sirloin or Teriyaki Classic (only offered as an 8 oz.) Â That my friends is most definitely NOT what I ordered. Â This has quickly become my longest cry baby ,rant of a review and for that I am sorry. Â My frustration and anger is still fresh; our server was wrong and she tried to argue with me.. can't say that has ever happened, ever. Â
Not sure the damage can be undone.. The two stars were for the management, they were top notch in trying to offer the best possible experience and for the the food when I finally got to eat it.. B/C of the style of the cut it took a very long time to grill and I ate alone :( Â ... I can't blame my date for getting her steak on.. I would have.
Thank goodness the food and the atmosphere were so good. The service was so slow, in the lounge area, I thought, perhaps I should order two glasses of wine, so by the time I get my food, I will have a glass to drink with my steak. We were there 2.5 hours and I did not get my 1st drink until about 30 minutes in, and the server was so slow to take our food order we were chomping at the bit and needing a  second round before she even came back to our table.
That said, the food was so good. I had the sirloin oscar which was not  traditional oscar which I am used to with lobster or crab atop the steak. This meal had scallops and shrimp and a Bearnaise sauce atop the sirloin which was very tasty. I ordered the twice baked potato as my side and it was a wonderful compliment to the saucy steak.
Overall a good experience, but lucky my friend and I had a lot of catching up to do, and I had lots of time in the meter, because we stayed far longer than needed.
I don't get here enough... and this happy hour stop reminded me of that!
$5 glass of wine... doesn't sound to amazing, but the pour was impressive! I forgot this place takes care of you on a glass of wine. Solid flavor for a house wine too.
I must mention I am generall not fond of steak houses, especially chains. It's not that I don't like steak... duh of course I do... It's just that all the big chains end up being expensive and just sort of "ok"
That was not our ecperience here!
We shared a shrimp cocktail. Hard to go wrong here and they didn't.
This place has always a touch pricey, but they deliver on flavor. Service was solid and atmosphere was good too.
What an unpleasant experience. I have been to the Keg in Dallas many times while on business there and have always had a good meal. The Keg in DT Denver was not the same at all.
The service was great but the food was no better than what one would get at a diner. The peppercorn sauce on the NY was as thick as wallpaper paste and tasted like cornstarch. It was just abysmal. Kelley's sirloin was just OK - she didn't eat it all. It was just not up to par - anyone reading this could have prepared a better meal at home for much less money.
And I have to say the wine list is the worst of any steak house in Denver. Their best Pinot is Erath - REALLY??? Sheesh. How bout at least putting some La Crema or Etude on there. They did have Camus cab which is good but we prefer Pinto.
Just not what I expect from a place that bills itself as an upscale steak house.
New york strip w/fries in the bar. Â Medium rare, perfectly seasoned 12 oz steak was flavorful, tender. Â Parking is a bit of a hassle, valet $7 might be worth every penny on a cold night. Â Wait staff busy but I never ran out of water. Â
I've tried both locations, quality seems consistant for a $25- 35 steak. Â Be sure to sign up for their birthday club, they email you a nice certificate for a complimentary meal! Â Each year the gift has been different, but always a wonderful treat.
We started patronizing the Keg as a friendlier, less stuffy alternative to downtown steakhouses, and our experience has been good. Â Unfortunately, when we went there this wekend for my son's 21st birthday, we found th quality of the food to have diminished. Â Service was still good, and it was still a very friendly place, but my prime rib was cold. Â I sent it back and another, cold entre came in its place.
Perhaps an off night, but not our best experience.
Not too bad - a solid place to spend some time with friends for good food.
A friend and I stopped in for a bite on our way to an event - despite the restaurant being fairly empty, it took some time for a server to get to our table, which was curiously all the way in towards the back despite the place being 90% empty.
I ordered the filet and half a lobster, which they said didn't typically come cracked or shelled, but that they'd do it for us (which was nice). What I didn't realize is that that would mean we'd be eating cold lobster. Wasn't wild about that - but we were running on a schedule so we went with it. The filet was delicious - well seasoned and well cooked.
They also offer a great Riesling choice, which I liked a lot - and their bread is AMAZING. Crunchy on the outside, soft and hot on the inside. Definitely delicious.
All in all, I'd go back - hopefully the service is a little quicker the next time around.
-Kai
This place is great. Our steaks were perfectly cooked. I like a blue-rare steak, and the cooks nailed it while my husband prefers his steak medium, and that was just as perfect. The wine selection was also great and had plenty of wonderful options.
The bar area was loud, but it was quiet and intimate once we got to our table. For a nicer steakhouse, the prices are reasonable, as well.
Update:
They have certainly changed a few things since I was last in.
-Staff and service is outstanding! When some bars are not too busy during happy hour, servers tend to forget about you...that is definitely not the case here. Despite the lack of crowd for happy hour, our server was prompt, suggested wines for me to try, checked back frequently and never let my glass get empty! :)
AND
-Prices are still just right! can't beat $6 for a 9oz pour of wine :) not to mention awesome food specials under $7. mmmm! try the tempura asparagus!
-The atmosphere is awesome. Downtown chic with a twist of business casual. Perfect for after work!
Keg, I love you.
We went to The Keg during 5280 Restaurant Week. We like trying new places during 5280 week. Often times we are disappointed because the restaurant offers smaller portions or severely limits the items you can choose from.
Not so at The Keg. We had a choice of soup or salad, steak, prime rib, fish, chicken and some great desserts. Our server made a point of telling us they serve the same portions during 5280 week.
I started with a delicious Onion Soup. Sometimes this soup can be really salty. This one was not. It was very good. Most importantly (to me) it was served HOT. I like my soup HOT. Then I had the Prime Rib that was served with a twice baked potato and vegetables. The Prime Rib was delicious and a hearty portion. I was impressed that the potato and veggies were included with the Prime Rib and both were also very tasty.
For dessert we had The Billy Miner Pie: Mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust with hot fudge, caramel and almonds. Words won't do this dessert justice. Yum!
The food was great the service was excellent and we enjoyed the ambiance. This is why 5280 Restaurant Week is such a good idea. We tried a new place that we loved and can't wait to eat at again.
We tried this place for Denver Restaurant Week recently. Â While I've definitely been to better steak joints, this one wasn't too bad. Â While the restaurant is in a trendy location, it sucks if you're driving. Â There are plenty of parking meters in the area, but good luck getting one of those. Â it was a cold night when we were there, so we opted for the $7 valet. Â
The food was good, but the service was better. Â We had a really cool waiter that caused me to add a star to my rating. Â I think his name was Nathaniel, and it was definitely a lively one, making jokes, flirting a bit, and making dinner suggestions. Â In other words, the guy was actually working for his tip. Â
We had the baked shrimp for appetizers, and we each got the bacon wrapped fillet. Â For dessert I got the Billy Miner pie, my mom got the creme brulee (which was really good), and my sister got the cheesecake. Â
There wasn't a bad meal to be found at our table, so it was a good experience, overall, though I'm not sure I would go if I were paying full price for the same meal.
The Keg is our go to special occasion spot. Â The service is always amazing and the food is great. Â We've been numerous times and have never been disappointed. Â I always get the prime rib. Â Any time I decide I'm going to go with something else I see someone else's prime rib and feel all empty inside, it just makes me that sad. Â Their crab cakes are pretty amazing and being someone who wants to eat all my steak, and usually skip appetizers, I always make room for the crab cakes. Â We'll be back I'm sure time and time again. Â I'll just make sure I don't miss the prime rib any longer!
Review Source:The Keg - what can I say about the Keg Steakhouse?
I have been here a time or two before, so this was a dining choice my husband made for the night of my birthday.
--Outstanding customer service, complete with coat check and return (standard)
--Awesome wine selection
--Wonderful menu
--Attentive waitstaff, complete with sparkly personalities.
The steak - I ordered the New York strip which was made to perfection based on my request (well done). I ordered a wedge salad and a couple of sides though I can't remember what the sides were; I have to admit, we did have a few bottles of wine, so perhaps that factor contributes to my inability to remember the sides.
All of the food was delicious. It's protocol for me to normally take food home from restaurants - this time, I did not. I smashed everything that came to the table.
Also, they gave me a complimentary birthday dessert which was also outstanding.
If you're thinking about stopping through, I definitely encourage you to go!
What a difference a good waiter makes! We went back last night and we had a really enjoyable experience. Waiters who crack jokes automatically make me like a restaurant more.
My fiance, Michael, said he liked his Caesar Salad here more than at Elway's, but I found my spinach salad to be kinda "blah". Something I could easily make at home for $1.
For our entrees I got the sirloin and lobster tail, and Michael got the New York Strip Classic Dinner. My sirloin was delicious and juicy, but I was not a fan of the lobster. Not the Keg's fault, I just prefer crab over lobster (I'm from Maryland). Michael polished off his steak AND my lobster and said it was really good. My baked potato was good as well, but I think cardboard would taste good with enough butter, sour cream, and bacon bits.
I think I was previously rating The Keg in comparison to other high end steakhouses. That was a mistake since the prices at the keg are significantly cheaper than those at Morton's, Cap Grill, and The Palm. My steak and lobster with a side was only $32. We ordered a bottle of wine for $23. Michael's dinner came with a salad, a side dish, sauteed mushrooms (which were so good), and steamed veggies for $30. Those prices are just unheard of at other steakhouses.
We finished with the carrot cake and it was really good (and HUGE) and it had the most delicious cream cheese frosting. I also got a coffee which was pretty weak, so I'll be skipping that next time.
The only thing that irritated me this time is that the table next to us had a dirty rag and crumbs sitting on it for close to an hour and a half while we were eating dinner... so the bussers need to step up their game.
Oh, and to the couple who was making out on the patio all night in full view? You are disgusting. No one wants to see that, and I'm surprised the staff allowed you to sit out there as long as you did.
I really wanted to knock on the window and tell them to get a room, but I'm a *lady*. So instead, I just made faces at them whenever we made eye contact.
So, for the price, The Keg is definitely worth while.
I have a hard time giving one star unless its REALLY bad, but in this instance, I cant find a reason to give two. Â My dish, despite arriving to the table more than one hour and fifteen minutes after ordering was not that bad - not great, but not bad. However, my companions meal was inedible. Â Her medium-rare ribeye was at least medium-well (it was dark brown in the middle), and her lobster tail couldn't be pried from its shell with a fork, mostly because it was too hard to puncture with the metal tongs. EW. Seriously, 5280 restaurant week shouldn't have put a restaurant this far out of whack.
Our drink order was taken 10 minutes after sitting at a bar table. Â We never got water. Â We would have had to wait even longer, but luckily a waiter accidentally brought us someone else's beverage. Â No one came to our table before then and seemed like ages before our food order was taken after that. Oh, and the second drink order we put in was forgotten completely and we had to remind two people to get them poured and delivered.
Thanks to Josh for giving us our meal on the house. I hope my friends
remade food, which ended up being take-out, was good.
Funny thing is, I actually liked the place and the menu. Â I'd go back to give them a chance to redeem themselves.
Update to come...but probably not anytime soon.
UPDATE: I was contacted by three different people from Keg, all of whom were an interested party wanting to correct the issue I had dealt with. Â I was sent a gift card and asked to come back and try again.
I did. And I brought my family.
Dinner was good. We had a couple small issues, but nothing worth mentioning, and while the service wasn't great, it was much much better. My family left happy, and my confidence in this restaurant is restored.
Thanks for caring Keg!
This is a great place to go for a business dress-casual satisfying steak dinner. The service has  always been good for me (I sit in the bar) and the atmosphere is what you would expect from a proper downtown steakhouse.... low music, polished dark wood, dim lights. You know the drill.
I've had a fabulous ribeye and a good hangar steak. Not 5 stars only because there is nothing really to distinguish it from any other pleasant, downtown city steakhouse.
Cheers!
Waited for host to seat us, he never showed up. Finally a waitress sitting at the bar showed us to our table.
Wait staff was unprofessional and slow.
Salad was good.
Husband's prime rib was good. My steak was very OK.
Too expensive of a meal for such poor service and OK food.
Won't be back.
The Keg---I'd like to do a keg stand in appreciation of an awesome dinner. My fiance and I went to the Keg to celebrate his birthday with the prime rib. I was looking forward to it all day!
I had an amazing martini--it had some bubbles and a great taste! We started off with the bacon wrapped scallops. You cannot go wrong with this appetizer! Wonderful, delish--I could eat 2 dozen of those little treats. My fiance ordered the prime rib and it was outstanding! As usual, I munched off his plate, but at least, he knows to expect it by now! I ordered the sirloin with the crab from their special menu. Lovely. This was a departure from my filet mignon, but I wanted to step out of my comfort zone. The sirloin was good, very flavorful and juicy, but the cut cannot compete with the filet. In hindsight, I would order the filet and have the crab on top rather than going with a different cut of meat. We ordered the brownie dessert, and holy hell--I fell in love with that little nugget! I think that dessert was one of the best that I've had in a very, very long time.
Our server was excellent. She was on the ball, checked on us periodically, and she knew the menu extremely well. She seemed like she enjoyed her job, which was really nice to see. Whatever the Keg is doing to keep their servers happy, keep doing it! It shows in the service.
Woo-hoo Keg!
The reviews were FABULOUS! Highly rated! Wonderful Food!
Do I agree - YES! Â YES! Â YES!!!!!
Excellent food! Wonderful wait staff! Very nice hostess! Good prices - but expect to spend a bit more, but SO Well Worth It!
The atmosphere is Cozy, Comfortable, Warm, Romantic, Intimate, great colors. Â There is also a parking garage directly next door - $5 charge, easy and convenient!
Will we go back - YES!!!!
Do we recommend it - YES!!!!!
Great place to eat!
Great Job Keg Steakhouse and Bar!
Prime Rib that is hard to beat especially for the price. Â You can find some better prime rib around Denver, but you will pay quite a bit more and other places aren't always as consistent. Â Here is a little list of benefits:
1. Better than Chophouse
2. Birthday club with a free dinner about $20 value
3. First time visitors get a free delicious Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
4. Waitstaff has almost always gone above and beyond normal service
5. Oscar topping is unbelievably good
6. Easier to get a table without reservations than most places
7. Prices don't leave you feeling like you've been bent over the table
8. Tall Beers and reasonable wine prices
9. Better than Chophouse
This is a really interesting place and the downtown Denver location may be their most swank. Old school dark wood steak house with a updated modern vibe. I've been here thrice and:
+ All three servers have been bubbly, ebullient, professional and fun.
+ The manager checked in on us each time.
+ The quality to price quotient is excellent
+ Outstanding wine selection.
+ The lounge is fantastic.
Drop your preconceived notions and try The Keg. Its better than its name sounds.
I've never been to the Keg in the US and was highly pleased to find that it's the same as it is here. Same price, same food, same taste, and same dark interior.
Came here with a group of 5 people on Black Friday. We made a reservation, as apparently that's usually necessary, but that night it was dead quiet. We had a nice booth in the back of the restaurant, that was quiet and allowed us a private dinner.
Drinks were plentiful and reasonably priced. Bottles of wine started at $17 and went up from there. The feature appetizer of potato spring rolls was ordered and I was a little disappointed to see that two small spring rolls were cut in half, so there were 4 tiny pieces. These were served with a large side of sliced cucumbers, that were hardly touched.
Steaks were ordered by all and they all came out perfectly cooked. My potato choice was mixed up and when my mashed potatoes arrived, they had clearly been scooped out of a tray and were in a blop on the plate. They were a little hard and not so delicious and so on the plate they stayed.
Overall, we had a lovely evening. Service was sparse but there when necessary. With the restaurant being as slow as it was, food still took a long time but it ended up being worth it. Now if only they had a rooftop patio...
I have been to the Keg several times, and have never been disappointed. The atmosphere is very cool, and the Keg has a great (huge!) bar area that's perfect for happy hour or a pre-dinner drink/appetizer.
A group of us came to dinner here last night (a Friday). We had a reservation, which was helpful, and they even managed to seat us about 15 minutes early since our whole party got there earlier than expected. The service both at the bar and at the table was very good, although the bartenders were very busy and sometimes difficult to flag down for a drink refill. Our table waiter was friendly and helpful, and went out of his way to accommodate one of the people in our party who is a vegetarian.
The food here is always very good. I love that they offer "combo" entrees where you can order a steak (sirloin, filet, prime rib) and seafood (shrimp, crab, lobster) together. Also, I am in love with all of their appetizers...seriously, you can't go wrong with the apps at the Keg! The Mushrooms Neptune are among one of my favorites, and we also tried a chicken cheese dip that was delicious!!
Overall, the experience at the Keg is wonderful. It's a decent steakhouse with a fun, young atmosphere. Come here for happy hour, dinner, drinks, whatever!
I've been to the Keg quite a few times now and I really like it. It's in a great location for dinner or drinks before a Rockies game if you aren't interested in the roudier places like Jacksons, or Lodos or Tavern, which i'm not as a few reviews i've written point out.
The decor is nice, definately more my style. Darker woods, nice chairs, has a bit of a blues/jazz lounge feel a bit. In fact the one thing I have always wished they would do is have a jazz singer/band come in on the weekends, nothing loud and crazy, just a little music. Speaking of music, the Keg has this weird idea to play modern hip hop music and although it's never really bothered me i've always thought the music didn't quite fit the atmosphere. Anyways, a little side note rambling there. Another nice thing about this place is it tends to attract the more grown up 20-40 something crowd, not the still wishing they were in college 20-40 somethings.
The service has always been great, even when my friends have gotten a bit out of control they always were professional and did a great job.
The food is "ok". Â I don't want to say it's great or the best steak ever because it's not, but it is good. They try to make everything a bit upscale and for some reason they just don't pull it off the way I would hope. The one thing I will give them is that their cocktails are awesome. I normally drink scotch with a little splash of water and I know you are wondering how you can screw that up but trust me, places do. When the Keg pours a cocktail like a scotch and water they pour the scotch in a glass and bring you a little bottle of water to mix it yourself. I'm a HUGE fan of this method of serving cocktails simply because everyone likes their drinks differently. I've only been to one other place in California that does this and I was a fan of it there too.
Even with the food being average I am stil a big fan of the Keg, i'm a fan of the location, love the atmosphere, service is great and the drinks are great.
i had been to The Keg up in Victoria BC and had a great experience. Thought I would give this one a try.
I had originally bought a giftcard for my sister in Canada and specifically drove to The Keg in denver to buy it to avoid shipping costs, etc. I even spoke with the manager to make sure it was okay to buy here and use in Canada. He said yes and they just do a currency conversion. Well, they didnt take it in canada. i dont know if it was their end not accepting it, or that the manager here just didnt know. regardless, i ended up with my own giftcard. oh well.
the area of denver is nice. parking is a pain at times unless youre willing to pay $10 for any decent parking or pay for valet. or, just do what i did and go on a weekday.
atmosphere is nice. i thought it was particularly upclass compared to the one in victoria. nice bar area. however, a bit quiet. again, a weeknight. we had plenty of seats to choose from. hostess was nice. she asked "have you been here before?" i said no just to see what she would say or offer. but she said "ok. your waitress will be with you shortly". Â oooookayyyy.
waitress was nice. recommended the prime rib as a house (and personal) favorite. so i went for it. also got some spicy calamari appetizers.
the calamari was AWESOME. very unique and well cooked. i wish i felt the same about the prime rib. it was a bit dry and got cold fast. even the au jus. something about it just wasnt right.... i eat a lot of prime rib, but the flavor of the au jus was off, but i think it was me, not the sauce. and the prime rib just seemed overcooked for my liking although i tend to get it med-rare.
not too shabby of a dinner until i got the bill. very expensive for what we got at our table. ive had better prime rib at outback for half the price. although the canadian keg was more casual, food quality blew this one out of the water.
probably would not go here again unless i got a massive giftcard from somebody else.
So I probably should done some more research on this place before I went, but a good friend of mine who hails from Canada said this was his favorite restaurant, so I thought it was a safe bet.
I initially imagined this place to be a Ruth's Chris, where rare meat + butter = amazing. It's not.
My steak, while juicy, was cooked in some strange peppery marinade that I didn't much care for (though I do appreciate the meat, to all you cows out there), and the vegetables looked like a veggie medley my mom would have thawed out and served when I was ten or so.
And this place is a BAR, not exactly a "fine" restaurant. Maybe my expectations were just not based on any form of reality, but I was nonplussed with my meal.
Great location, though.
It was alright. Â We went during Denver's Restaurant 5280 week. Â
Our food was nothing to rave about. Â The service was great and held my rating up from a two star. Â It's not the polished experience we expected, more of a "Hey, how you doin'. Â Are you here for the 5280 menu?" Â First of all, that's not what we expected being a downtown steak house, but that's how we felt they came across.
My prime rib was just good. Â A little cold. Â I've definitely had better many other places without the sticker shock. Â Even without the affordable $26.40 price, I did not think it was worth it.
My girlfriend's fillet Mignon was actually really good. Â Her grilled tomatoes were flavorless and she didn't even eat it, nor did I. Â Her twice baked potato was also just average. Â As if in anticipation for the 5280 crowd.
Our dessert was the best part of our meal. Â A huge slice of cheesecake with strawberry sauce. Â It's never a good thing to leave a steakhouse saying your dessert was the best part of your meal. Â I wished for better.
Ok, I have to admit I was a little disappointed.
Service was wonderful, props to Alison (I think.)
We didn't do the 5280 menu despite original idea because the Baked Goat Cheese appetizer and the....oh hell, I can't remember exactly what it was, but the garlic/cheesy bread appetizer were both amazing. Melt-in-your-mouth-can-I-get-this-by-the-pound yummy.
However....my baseball sirloin, not so great. Ordered medium rare, my favorite, fine. It's a very thick, thick cut of meat, and the outside was very fatty and grisly, and the inside was, well, still mooing. I hate sending stuff back and realize how hard it is to cook such a thick cut, so I didn't, and decided to try to enjoy very rare meat. Eh, I didn't. That's just my taste, however, and I don't doubt if I had (gasp) sent it back it would be better, but I get embarrassed about doing such things. Personal fault, I'll consult my therapist later.
My dinner companion had the New York Strip encrusted with peppercorns and sauce, and that was FANTASTIC. Since he can't eat that much without being "wahhh, too full!" I savored it! The baked potato with 3-cheese butter was quite delicious as well.
Didn't try any desserts. The Manhattan was decent, but the margaritas (both frozen and on the rocks) left much to be desired. Wines by the glass....great if you like Beringer, but nothing great. I'll definitely try this place again, though, so we'll see, even if its nothing more than for the GREAT appetizers.
So after having a lengthy conversation with the Manager about my previous experience here  (Glass in your Cocktail anyone?) I received a $150.00 gift card...
The name of this is "Burn me Once shame on you. Â Allow myself to get burned again, shame on me."
February 13th 2010: Â We decide we are going to take my family to "give the keg another chance"
I ordered the 20 oz t-bone...after being burned last time on the baseball filet I was for sure thinking..."How can ANYONE mess up a t-bone"
Everyone else ordered NY strip or off of the special Valentine's Day Menu which on the surface seemed like a good deal. Â One starter, one salad, one steak, one desert $39.99.
So the salads come out and I got the house vinagrette...it was very bland and the salad looked like it was on it's last leg...it was right before that wilting stage. Â Now normally if I was at the denver diner or some place like that it would be fine...but if you are going to charge me 7.95 for a salad it better be damn good.
Anyway...plates come out...there are 3 people running the food to us. Â To my son..."don't worry the plates aren't hot"...of course he is 4 and he was getting chicken strips. Â Â So they hand me my plate (we were in one of the large booths so I had to grab it as i was all the way inside against the wall).
  -- Now I have eaten at THOUSANDS of restaurants and when a plate is hot the server will say "the plate is hot, grab a napkin" or something to that effect.
 Plate is scalding hot.   I immediately drop it into the spot and ask the server why he wouldn't warn me.  I was greeted with a shrug.
Dinner starts. Â My mom had shrimp on her plate and she doesn't eat them so my son and I grabbed some....they were chewy, cold, and flavorless...again...is this place trying to be high end or not?
My t-bone...20 ounce...it looks good. Â It is cooked good (sliced right through the middle) Â nice and medium rare on both sides of the bone.
I take the first bite and almost spit it out. Â Seriously. Â Garlic Salt is to be used SPARINGLY...this thing is drowned in salt and garlic salt and other spices. Â I attempt to scrape it off. Â I had to cut the top off and eat what I could.
"Marty" the nights floor manager came by right as i was taking a bite and asked how it was...before anyone could answer he was on to the next table.
Now I don't know HOW forgiving I should be but what can you expect? Â The tab ended up being $170 and I gave a $30 tip. Â Â
Anyone who says this is good has never eaten at Del Frisco's or even Brooks.
I am disappointed beyond belief. Â Â If you are down there go to the Chop House, go to Morton's, go to Sullivan's. Â Hell go stand in the empty shell of Ruth's Chris and eat a burrito from one of the burrito vendors on the street. Â Â Seriously.
Again, I stand by my previous statement I would not send my worst enemy to eat here.
This is a GREAT place for a wonderful steak, relaxed atmosphere, and classy service. Â
The restaurant is unique, it has several special seating areas that are feel private and comfortable. Â The waitstaff is dressed well and trained to be formal but fun. Â I've always had good service with reliable wine and food recommendations.
The steaks are the reason to go here - they know how to cook a medium steak. Â Coupled with asparagus and mashed potatoes, you're in a flavorful meal! Â
If you feel like throwing on a sport coat, grabbing a class of cab and devouring 14 ounces of ribeye - this is the place.
Even though it's called the Keg, it doesn't mean you're going to get anything on the cheap and flip cup is definitely not allowed.
We went here a few weeks ago for a friend's 30th birthday. We had a great long table and two servers to take care of us. One steak came out and I think it was still alive (asked for medium) but they fixed it. The service was very accomodating to a few picky people in our group.
For the 10oz Prime Rib and a Mushroom Balsamic Chicken with no sides, the total was $41.00 and the portions weren't exactly impressive. It was pretty fancy for a Thursday night dinner, but for a friend's special birthday...it was worth it.
No other opinions about the place besides it's a chain, tasty, expensive and there are a lot more original restaurants in the area!
I like a good steak or a piece of prime rib. But, I don't like to pay a month's car payment for the pleasure. Dining at The Keg fits the bill. The prices, while not strip-mall steakhouse cheap, are definitely reasonable and the portions are more than adequate. I have never had an inferior piece of beef at The Keg. There are great sides (included in the price ... unlike some other higher ticket joints) and the bar staff and the wine staff will "steer" you in the right direction for an accompanying drink or a cocktail prior. The best thing is the birthday club in which during your birthday month (although not on Fridays or Saturdays), you can get an entree for free. Now, that is a deal.
Also recommended is the lobster gratin for a nice appetizer (although not available all year). The staff is almost always great, friendly, and knowledgeable. I look forward to my next meal there.
I was a little hesitant to come to The Keg while visiting Denver for a work summit with my new team, but I caved and said, "When in Rome!" [or "When in Denver!" for this review's sake].
A little background... I grew up in Seattle and The Keg chains were a dime a' dozen. Â Ergo, my hesitancy to embrace this steakhouse chain was born.
Fast forward to the future, and meh, my experience here was alright, nothing super memorable. Â Granted, when you're in Denver, you should come to expect loads and loads of red meat options and The Keg will meet your expectations. Â Our wine was tasty, our meals and sides were served in a timely manner and our server was nice.
In terms of ambiance, I dug it. Â Dark woods, large seating options, low lighting, all elements in my favorite restaurant equation. Â
While it was a good experience, I'm not convinced that it was good enough or memorable enough to warrant a second trip back.
I had a really good time at the Keg last night! Â The food was excellent and the atmosphere was really fun. Â
High Points: Excellent food, good music, GREAT location. We were able to walk to all the local bars around the area...very convenient!
Low Points: Â The service was terrible! When we first sat down, with our party of 11, the server acted pissed that four of us were not ordering food, just cocktails. Â Hello? Can we say, rude? Â It took about a week long to get a hold of a server or to just have one bring something back to our table. Â
Would I go back? Yes, but I recommend staying and ordering food around the bar area, not the actual restaurant side.
Across from the Chophouse is the Keg, which is the polar opposite of the former. The Keg's crowd is younger, and if the menu reflects on the customers, cheaper.
It's the standard steakhouse menu with lobster tails and all the generic appitizers. Drinks come moderately strong at the impressively large bar; service is usually brisk, and on slow nights you'll make good friends with the bartender. The chicken fingers are very avoidable.
Open very late in the evening, if you need red meat and Sam's #5 aint up to it, the Key will be decent. Not amazing but very adequate.
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