The Thirsty Bear

I probably pop into the Bear once a month. I have watched it change over the years, and it has not changed for the better. I'm giving this place 3 stars because it is as average as can be. Fiddlesticks (up the road) is cheaper and has more character.

The waitstaff is hit or miss. At times, one of the girls who has been a mainstay at the bar for years appears to be drunk and/or high. As such, she screws up orders and forgets things. A couple of the other girls are fairly competent. Gary - the night bartender - is cool. Most of the girls who work there reek of cigarettes, and a few of the regulars like to smoke out front, their smoke and raspy, emphysemic laughs hanging in the air.

The building is still fairly new, so you won't find wood paneling (like you'll find at Fiddlesticks). The ceiling is high and there's lots of glass, so it doesn't feel so closed in. There are TVs everywhere. The beer selection is meh. The food is what you'd expect for a neighborhood bar. I often gravitate towards their Grizzly Bear or the jalapeno poppers. I wish fries came with the burgers. Their burgers are pretty juicy and flavorful as far as neighborhood bars go.

My friend claims that the place smells like urine. I haven't noticed it, but the bathroom smells terrible. The chairs are all too close together between the tables. During the winter it gets pretty chilly inside, so you'll want to sit as far away from the doors as possible (thanks again, smokers).

My husband and I live within walking distance of this bar so out of convenience we walk there all the time. Basically, the only good thing this place has going for itself is the bartender Gary. If he's not working or you can't sit at the bar you might as well leave. We went there tonight and were served by "shayla"... We waited for 10 min and were never served on. I had to ask for a server and both waitresses acted as if it was an inconvenience. We ordered food (sub par but its bar food so whatever), when we got our order we had to ask for silverware and "shayla" was so offended by this that after waiting on a few more tables finally brought us our silverware but literally slammed it on the table. She never asked us how our food was... We had to stop her to ask her for everything we needed. I love Gary but the waitresses there SUCK. Also, would it be too much to ask for some local Colorado beers on tap? And what is that smell?!?!

T-Bear is a solid 3 star, A-OK watering hole/burger joint. The beer selection is mostly macro, but the prices are good. The waitresses get the job done and check on you regularly. Their burgers - at least the one I had, though I've been here 4 times - was fantastic. Big, juicy, cooked as ordered, and served quickly. It's impressive how quickly this place fills up, and how packed it is at 3:30 - 4 p.m.