Reviews
"Best Bourbon List" - Westword, 2008 When
owner Dave Query set out to remake the West End, a longtime Boulder
institution, a few years ago, he made a decision to lay in the area's
biggest stock of bourbons. Today, the bar offers everything from the
once-bum-juice/now-cool Bulleit Bourbon and old friends like Wild
Turkey and George Dickel to Sazerac rye and the $45-a-shot Jim Beam
Distiller's Masterpiece. So fans of this classic American should head
directly to the West End. With their wallets, because one drink won't
be enough.
"DENVER'S BEST BARS"- 5280, February 2008
"BEST BAR"- Daily Camera, September 2007, Boulder County Gold
With all the bar choices throughout Boulder County, West End Tavern is
in a class by itself. “Our covered rooftop bar is a huge factor, with
its great view of the Flatirons,” says general manager Mike Lawinski.
“Also, our focus on cocktails, made with fresh ingredients, like our
Pimms Cup and French Mojito. We are a full bar with a lot of spirits
selections and a vast selection in every category – bourbon is our
specialty, and we feature more than 50 kinds. The crowd is eclectic,
with older students and working adults of all ages.”
"TOP 10 ROOFTOP BARS" - Sunset Magazine
Make the scene, watch the game, or get away from it all at one of these lofty watering holes
# 3. BOULDER, CO West End Tavern
The local favorite straddles Boulder's dual personality perfectly with two rooftop decks: one showcasing the town's vibrant cityscape, the other with the makes-you-proud-to-be-an-American vista of the Flatirons.
But thanks to a creative roster of libations that lays claim to the state's largest
bourbon selection, it isn't all about views. Sample a bourbon flight or imbibe the Pimm's Cup concocted with muddled fresh mint, cucumbers, fresh fruit, and ginger root. INFO: 926 Pearl St.; 303/444-3535.
–Lori Midson, Sunset Magazine, July 2007
Denver's 10 Best New Restaurants - See What's Hatched
It's no surprise that Dave Query - whose credits include Zolo, Jax, Rhumba, and Lola - has
produced another knockout. But his latest achievement is all the more impressive because it's
not, strictly speaking, new. Since 1987, the West End Tavern has reigned as Boulder's unofficial
headquarters for relaxed pub grub and pristine Flatiron views. Laid back and even a little dingy,
the original tavern was adored for it's authentic hometown vibe - a spirit that might have
vanished all to quickly under new ownership. But Query has defied such risks, deftly
transforming a beloved neighborhood tavern into, well a beloved neighborhood tavern with some
righteous home-style cuisine.
"We wanted to keep the place true to its roots,” explains general manager John-Mark Larter.
“Whatever we did with the space and the menu, it had to be something that the old West Enders
would relate to.” This reverence for the End’s history is more than a savvy marketing decision.
It’s a testimony to Dave Query’s abiding respect for the late Steve “Beaver” Goren, one of the
West End’s original owners and Query’s mentor, consultant, and close friend. “Before Beaver
opened the West End Tavern,” Query recalls, ‘people didn’t even call this part of Pearl Street
the West End. He truly coined a phrase and created a neighborhood.”
The new West End preserves the tavern feel with warm wood floors and old brick, but Query’s
slick style comes through in the colorful walls and industrial-chic copper accents. The same
old bar dominates the interior, welcoming returning loyals like a familiar old friend. Outside,
two rooftop decks perch over Pearl Street, despite the hotly protested new construction that
obstructs a portion of the view. In creating two decks, the management aims to satisfy two
markets: the college drinkers who’ve long haunted the West End, and the upscale diners who
swarm Dave Query like bees to honey
And when it comes to food, there’s plenty to buzz about. Spinning traditional pub fare with a
‘bourbon and barbeque” theme, Query’s partner and executive chef, Chris Blackwood, formerly of
Jax in Boulder, serves up a fest of homespun favorites like burgers, ribs, fried chicken, and
mac and cheese. (The bar also boasts Boulder’s biggest bourbon selection – close to 50 varieties
in all.) If the menu harkens back to an era before haute cuisine, it also recalls a time before
cholesterol. Picture a meal that begins with smoked cheese, moves up to hamburgers topped with
pastrami, and wraps up with grasshopper pie. “We serve old-school stuff that people relate to
instantly,” explains GM Larter. “We want people to look at our menu and say, ‘Man, I haven’t
had that in years.’”
Enjoy the fun retro touches, but don’t let them fool you – the West End is definitely not your
grandma’s kitchen. Unless, of course, your grandma made her Mandarin orange salad with fancy
filed greens, watercress and grilled king salmon. Or served up her root-beer floats with small
batch Thomas Kemper brew. Such scrumptious updates imbue the West End’s new menu with a rare
blend of culinary sophistication, cultural wit, and comfy nostalgic appeal.
In one respect, the West End is a lot like grandma’s kitchen: It’s the kind of place where you
can develop an emotional attachment to a favorite dish and never want anything else. The
butterscotch pudding – cold, dense with eggs, and sweet beyond description – is a perfect
example. You’ll swear you can’t eat more than a taste, only to find yourself scraping the final
spoonful from the crock a moment later.
In making over the West End Tavern, Dave Query walked a tricky path. With each touch of
trendiness, he risked betraying the West End legacy and alienating loyals from the early years.
On the flip side, in a yuppified, tofu-toting town like Boulder, his down-home menu could have
come off as forced and artificial as a Jell-O mold. But in the end, the eatery fits the
neighborhood like a sporty pair of Merrells, comfortable yet stylish, laid back yet spruced up.
Of course the West End didn’t need Query to put it on the map. But thanks too his skillful hand,
it’s likely to stay there for a long, long time.
5280 magazine
-------
Top Macaroni And Cheese
Restaurant whiz, Dave Query has revived this legendary eatery with a rooftop patio. He's expanded the menu to include homey, all-American faves including a stellar side dish: mac 'n' cheese. Served bubbly hot, it's a $3 crock of toothsome elbows swimming in real cream and cheese. We love it's true Cheddar flavor.
Top of the Rocky, Rocky Mountain News
-------
TOP 10 RESTAURANTS IN DENVER
Folks in Boulder have always cherished the West End for its Flatiron vistas and comfy, corner-bar atmosphere. But thanks to Dave Query, this hot spot's appeal extends far beyond views and brews. Chow down on Southern-inspired classics like fried chicken and barbeque, fill up on hearty salads, or treat yourself to the best buttercotch pudding this side of grandma's house.Even if Boudler is a bit of a drive, with food this good and a vibe this friendly, you'll instantly feel right at home.
5280 Magazine - December 2004/January 2005
-------
"A meal at the West End Tavern is the living end"
"Because what Query really did was create a great tavern, damn near the perfect tavern, with a razor's-edge menu that walks the line between too much and just enough without ever seriously overstepping..."
Jason Sheehan
|
|
 |
|