Around Coors Field: Where to Eat, Drink, and Pre-Game in LoDo

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.

The Ballpark district sits inside LoDo (Lower Downtown), one of the densest walkable neighborhoods in Denver for bars, restaurants, and breweries. Within a 10-minute walk of Coors Field there are 50+ options ranging from rooftop pre-game beer (Tap Fourteen, El Patio above Con Safos) to a $5 cash-only bar (Lincoln’s), to a Michelin Bib Gourmand pozole place with one of North America’s best sandwiches (La Diabla), to Michelin-listed Neapolitan pizza (Marco’s Coal-Fired), to a dive-leaning bar (Star Bar), to the National Ballpark Museum half a block from the gates. The Avanti food hall in LoHi and the Michelin-starred Alma Fonda Fina are short rideshare side trips worth the trouble.

Hours, reservations, and age policies shift between seasons, and some of these spots are walk-in only with hour-plus waits on a busy night. Look a place up on Google Maps before you walk over.

The LoDo neighborhood

LoDo (Lower Downtown) is the historic warehouse-and-brick district of downtown Denver that got most of its modern energy after Coors Field opened in 1995. The Ballpark sub-district sits in the northeast corner of LoDo, between Union Station and Coors. The full LoDo neighborhood extends well beyond that few-block stretch though, running south past Larimer Square and west toward the South Platte River.

For a Rockies game visit, the relevant area is the roughly 10-minute walking radius around Coors. That covers most of the Ballpark sub-district plus the Union Station end of LoDo. Within that radius are several Michelin Guide-listed restaurants (one with a Michelin star, one with a Bib Gourmand, and others listed on the guide), an established bar scene that runs from polished rooftops to dive-leaning bars, and a small private baseball museum half a block from the gates.

There is no single right answer here. The people who go to Rockies games constantly do not have a spot. They have a rotation: Herb’s last homestand, so Con Safos this time, and Jackson’s the game after that because it has been a while. The density of good bars inside a ten-minute walk is high enough that going back to the same one twice in a season starts to feel like a waste of the neighborhood.

The way people lose an evening in LoDo is rarely the bar they picked. It is standing on Blake Street at 5:40 arguing about where to go.

Bars close to Coors Field

Tap Fourteen: rooftop craft beer bar

1920 Blake Street, on the rooftop of Hayter’s & Co. Half a block from Coors Field.

70 Colorado craft beers on tap and a south-facing rooftop with views of the Denver skyline. The top pre-game recommendation in the neighborhood for a sunny day. Hayter’s & Co at street level is the same operation downstairs and is a fine option, but on a nice Colorado day, you’ll want to be on the roof.

Jackson’s LODO: classic baseball-themed sports bar

Right next to the stadium, at 1520 20th St. Baseball-themed decor that actually feels lived-in instead of corporate-styled. It’s a solid pick if you want a sports bar without the chain-restaurant gloss. Every Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight, $20 cash or $25 card gets you unlimited well drinks and Bud Light draft.

El Patio: the rooftop above Con Safos

1949 Market Street (the complex spans roughly 1937-1949 Market). El Patio is the rooftop above Con Safos, Jaguar Room (the dance club downstairs), Agua Bendita (the speakeasy), and Tony Tenderonis (fantastic chicken tenders).

The full complex breakdown:

• Con Safos. Ground-floor Mexican restaurant. Tacos, tequila, mezcal.
• El Patio. The rooftop above Con Safos. Cocktails, live DJs, and late hours.
• Jaguar Room. The dance club connected to Con Safos.
• Agua Bendita. The speakeasy.
• Tony Tenderonis. Chicken tenders.

From El Patio you look straight across at Coors Field. If you want a rooftop pre-game beer with the ballpark in your line of sight, this is the bar. If you want to dance after the final out, go to El Patio and Jaguar Room. Guests under 21 can come to El Patio with a parent until 7 p.m.

Lincoln’s: $5 drinks, cash only

On Wynkoop Street near Union Station, a short walk from Coors.

Every drink is $5, and it’s cash only, so hit an ATM before you walk over. Part of the fun is how simple it is.

Spots popular with visitors

Wynkoop Brewing Company

1634 18th Street. Colorado’s first brewpub (opened 1988). Co-founded by John Hickenlooper, who went on to be Denver mayor, Colorado governor, and U.S. senator. The food is decent, the feel is polished, and it’s a real brewery with real history. Worth a stop for the history, especially on a first visit.

Viewhouse

2015 Market Street. A polished rooftop restaurant and bar. Corporate feel; you won’t get a local Denver vibe, but visitors will have a good time, especially on a sunny afternoon when the priority is being outside.

Tom’s Watch Bar and McGregor Square

McGregor Square is the plaza right next to the park, and on a nice day it is undeniably a vibe. Big screens carrying whatever the biggest game in the country is at that moment. When the Nuggets are in the Finals, this is the crowd the national broadcast cuts to. There’s a 35-tap self-pour beer wall inside McGregor Square Food + Drink. What there is not is a bargain. Pour your own and check the number: more than once it has come out the same as a beer from a bar a block down Larimer, or more.

Tom’s Watch Bar is the indoor sports bar inside the square. A wall of screens, every game on at once, and that is the appeal, no irony about it. Plenty of locals go for exactly that reason. If you want four other games running while the Rockies play, you should too.

There are two strikes against it. It feels sterile, the way a room designed by a committee feels sterile, and the bathroom situation is atrocious, with not enough stalls and a long line the moment it fills up.

So go for the screens and the plaza on a sunny afternoon. Do not go expecting the neighborhood.

Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub

2030 Larimer Street. Authentic Irish pub feel, with live music every weekend, a solid Guinness pour, and a big backyard beer garden. The food menu is limited but legit. Not a dive bar, but a legitimate Irish pub that visiting fans tend to enjoy.

Sandlot Brewery

The in-park Sandlot Brewery is the birthplace of Blue Moon, and you need a game ticket to get in. You can find more about the Sandlot Brewery in our What to Eat section.

Dive bars

LoDo is mostly polished, and Star Bar is the closest thing to a dive within walking distance.

Star Bar

2137 Larimer Street. Two blocks from Coors. It’s been around since 1959, and these days it’s a craft-beer-and-cocktail bar. Quality craft beer on tap, local spirits, 50-cent pool, and skee-ball. Karaoke runs Tuesday and Thursday nights. It opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed Mondays.

People are particular about what counts as a real dive. Star Bar is dive-leaning more than dive-pure, but in the polished-up version of LoDo, it’s about as close as you’ll find within walking distance of the stadium.

Sit-down dining

La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal

2233 Larimer Street. Chef Jose Avila. Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition.

The famous order is the Pambazo de Carnitas, which the Michelin Guide named to its list of Best Sandwiches in North America. French bread dipped in guajillo chile salsa roja, griddled, then filled with avocado, pico de gallo, and carnitas.

If you have time for one real meal in this neighborhood, this is it.

The wait situation. La Diabla doesn’t take reservations and gets crowded on game days, especially since the Michelin recognition. Waits can run an hour or more. That reads like a dealbreaker until you look at where the wait happens. Put your name on the list, then walk down Larimer to Star Bar (2137, cheap drinks and 50-cent pool) or Herb’s (2057, live music, no cover). You spend the hour with a drink in your hand in the neighborhood this whole guide is about, and La Diabla texts you when the table is ready. Walk back when they call.

Marco’s Coal-Fired

2129 Larimer Street. About two blocks from Coors. Listed on the Michelin Guide and the first pizzeria in Colorado certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, the official Neapolitan pizza authentication body. The menu is pizza first, out of a coal-fired oven.

Pony Up: the French dip

1808 Blake Street. About a block and a half from the park.

Specialty sandwiches: the Frenchie, the Saigon, and the Alameda Street French Dip. It’s open until 1 a.m. every night, 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and the kitchen runs until 1 a.m., which makes it a good late-night option after a night game.

One thing to ask for at Pony Up is a shot of liquor with a shot of au jus as the chaser. It sounds wrong on paper and it tastes great. The savory au jus actually works as a chaser the way a salt-rim works on a margarita. Worth ordering once on a Pony Up visit.

Denver Chop House Brewery

1735 19th Street. One block from the park. House beer, steaks, and an excellent French Onion Soup. Slightly upscale by ballpark-neighborhood standards. Reservations strongly recommended on game days. Despite the upscale lean, the place is right next to a Major League ballpark and gets fans straight from the game in baseball jerseys, hats, and shorts. You don’t need to dress up.

Tavernetta

1889 16th Street, at Union Station. About a 15-minute walk from Coors. Italian, fresh handmade pastas, regional menu, James Beard Award-winning team (Frasca Hospitality Group). Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. It has an open kitchen and a patio. Reservations strongly recommended on game days, especially weekends.

Tavernetta sits at a slightly more upscale tier than the casual Italian options nearby, but like the Chop House, it’s used to Rockies-game crowds and there’s no dress code situation. Walking in wearing a baseball jersey is fine.

The broader walking-distance list

A wider set of restaurants within about a 15 to 20 minute walk, depending on what you’re in the mood for:

• Mercantile (inside Union Station). Polished sit-down, seasonal menu, popular for special occasions. Listed on the Michelin Guide.
• The Kitchen. Contemporary American, whipped feta, lobster rolls. LoDo proper.
• Jovanina’s Broken Italian (1520 Blake). Wood-fired pizza, less than half a mile away.
• La Loma at McGregor Square. Mexican, indoor and patio.
• ChoLon (1555 Blake). Modern Asian, well-regarded.
• Tamayo (1400 Larimer). Mexican on the Larimer Square side.
• Rioja (1431 Larimer). Mediterranean, upscale, on Larimer Square.

Restaurants on the Michelin Guide within walking distance

The Michelin Guide expanded its Colorado coverage in recent years, and several restaurants in the Coors Field walking radius are on the guide. Quick reference:

• La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal: Bib Gourmand.
• Tavernetta: Bib Gourmand.
• Marco’s Coal-Fired: Listed on the Michelin Guide.
• Mercantile: Listed on the Michelin Guide.
• Brutø in the Dairy Block (1801 Blake). One Michelin star. A pricey tasting-menu spot where reservations go well in advance. This is the destination-meal option for foodies celebrating something on a Coors trip, and it’s not a casual stop.

Denver’s other Michelin-starred restaurants, including Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma in LoHi, and The Wolf’s Tailor, which holds two stars, are short rideshare trips.

The National Ballpark Museum

1940 Blake Street, about 315 feet from Coors Field.

The National Ballpark Museum, formerly known as B’s Ballpark Museum, is a small private museum founded by Bruce “B” Hellerstein. The collection focuses on the 14 classic ballparks built between 1909 and 1923: Fenway Park, Forbes Field, Ebbets Field, Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, and others. Smithsonian Books recognized the collection as one of the top 20 finest private baseball collections in the world.

Practical details:

• Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Sundays.
• Admission: $20 for adults, free for kids 16 and under and for active military.
• Visit time: 45 minutes to an hour is enough to see everything.
• Distance: Half a block from Coors. Easy walk before a game.

This is a strong recommendation for baseball-history fans specifically. If you’re the kind of fan who has opinions about which classic park’s loss was the most painful, you’ll get more than $20 of value out of the collection. It’s also family-friendly with no age restrictions, though whether kids will enjoy the museum itself depends on the kid, since at heart it’s a museum, and a kid who isn’t into baseball might find it slow.

The museum is best as a pre-game stop. The 11 a.m. opening gives you time before a night game or a Monday through Saturday afternoon game, but it’s closed on Sundays, so it won’t work before a Sunday game.

Pre-game options for visitors with kids

National Ballpark Museum

Half a block from Coors, closed Sundays, and free for kids 16 and under, with no age restrictions. The details are in the museum section above.

Holey Moley Golf Club Denver (mini golf bar)

1201 18th St, Denver, CO 80202 (near 17th Street Plaza). An indoor mini golf course with food and a bar. Kids are welcome until 8 p.m., and kids under 13 have to stay with an adult. From 8 p.m. on, it’s 21 and over.

Age limits at LoDo bars

Most of the bars covered in the rest of this guide are bars first, restaurants second, and many of them have age restrictions either all the time or after a certain hour. If you’re traveling with kids and want to combine a meal or a drink at any of the other LoDo spots listed above, call ahead to check the venue’s specific policy for the time you plan to arrive.

Across the river in LoHi

Avanti Food & Beverage in LoHi

3200 Pecos Street, in LoHi (Lower Highland). A short drive or rideshare from Coors, or about a 20 to 25 minute walk via 20th Street if it’s a nice night.

Avanti is a food hall with a row of independent food stalls, three bars, and two patios with views of the Denver skyline.

Most of the food stalls open at 11 a.m. every day, and the bars stay open until 10 p.m. on Sunday, 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

When Avanti makes the most sense:

• After a day game, when you want to extend the trip with a cocktail on the patio and an easy dinner.
• Before a Friday or Saturday game when LoDo is going to be packed and you want a different scene.
• For groups that can’t agree on one restaurant. With that many stalls in one place, everyone can get what they want.

Alma Fonda Fina in LoHi

2556 15th Street, in LoHi. A short drive or rideshare from Coors.

Alma Fonda Fina is a Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant in LoHi from chef Johnny Curiel, who grew up in his family’s restaurant in Guadalajara before working through high-end kitchens. The menu revisits the dishes and flavors of his upbringing with serious technique. It’s one of the best restaurants in Denver.

However, it’s mostly reservation-based, and tables are hard to get:

• OpenTable handles reservations, which open 60 days out at 8 a.m. The “Notify Me” feature in the OpenTable app pings you when someone cancels, which is realistically the best shot for a non-planned trip.
• The patio is first come, first served from May 1 through October 31. Inside, they take walk-ins when they can.

It is worth the trouble for a serious dinner, not a quick pre-game stop.

If you can’t get in, Mezcaleria Alma next door (2550 15th Street) is a worthwhile fallback. It has its own Michelin star, opens at 3 p.m. every day, and takes reservations on OpenTable.

More to do in Denver

If you want a guided walk, Best Tours of Denver runs a private 90-minute downtown history tour with stops at Union Station, Larimer Square, and McGregor Square.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.

Know Coors Field better than we do? Tell us what we got wrong, or where we should be sending people instead.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.