Mountain Pass Sports Bar — Restaurant in Aurora

Mountain Pass Sports Bar – “Big Screens, Big Salad… and Shredded Chicken Glory” Rating: ★★★☆☆

Okay friends, let’s talk about Mountain Pass Sports Bar at the Gaylord Hotel near Denver — where the TVs are HUGE 📺, the views are gorgeous ⛰️, and the salads come with a side of chaos 🥗.

We showed up with a tiny crew of just 50+ people 😅 and even called ahead the day before like responsible grownups ✅. But when we got there? Cue the confusion 😬. No one knew we were coming. So we stood around awkwardly like a flash mob that forgot the dance moves 🕺🫣. Eventually, we got split into smaller tables like a restaurant version of musical chairs 🎶🪑 — not exactly the bonding experience we had in mind.

Now onto the food…

I ordered the Chicken Caesar Salad 🐔🥬, and let me tell you — this thing was a unit. Absolutely HUGE. My photo of it looked so good I almost hired it as a food model 📸.

The chicken was actually awesome — shredded and pulled into juicy little chunks like they knew what they were doing 👏🔥. Big props on that.

But here’s where things got tricky: the lettuce was chopped so small, I couldn’t stab a proper bite with my fork — it just slipped and slid like I was trying to catch a greased piglet 🐖🤣. So I switched to scooping… but salad doesn’t like to be scooped, y’all. It was like a romaine rodeo every time I tried to get a bite in my mouth 🌀🥄. I spent twice the time eating this salad than I normally would, all while fighting leafy rebellion.

And while it looked well dressed (the salad, not me), I could’ve used a little more dressing magic 💦✨. Needed just a touch more zing.

The vibe, though? On point. Big ol’ TVs everywhere 📺📺📺, tons of space to spread out, and those Colorado mountain views were the real MVP ⛰️💯. Perfect for watching the game with a brew and a buddy (just maybe not a whole conference room full of people).

Bonus shoutout to our server, who was a total champ 🧑‍🍳💪. Super friendly, handled the chaos like a pro, and kept the good vibes flowing even when the logistics were a bit… crunchy. Servers like that deserve a raise and a Caesar crown 👑.

⸻

Final verdict: ✅ Awesome chicken ✅ Great server ✅ Amazing ambiance ❌ Lettuce fight club ❌ Group seating mystery adventure

3 out of 5 lettuce-launching forks Would I go back? Maybe… but I’m bringing a spork and a seating chart next time.

(Streaming soon on Salad Wars: Denver...

8 pm. It was okay(ish). I ordered the mushroom swiss burger and I added blue cheese ($21.75), which the cook was very generous with. It was too salty for me though. I first thought it was the blue cheese but it got saltier toward the middle. I'm guessing the cook might have forgotten to season my burger patties while on the flat top. They must have added the salt before sending my order out. It's alright, I scrapped off what I could and the burger could have been the best if I didn't have to do all that.

I also ordered the pork green chile stew to go ($12). It's no hatch, so I didn't have my hopes high. Glad too, because the stew was okay. No heat to it. Very thick broth with a slight corn starch taste on the back end. Shredded pork was used instead of pork bones. Tasted like they might have used beef and chicken broth. Honestly, it reminded me of soup you'd get at a gas station or truck stop: quick to make with pre-packed foods. The cilantro and lime were nice. I've never tried it on pork stew before. I finished off with a beer ($12).

The to-do packaging was the best part of my meal. Nice boxes all in a sturdy paper bag. Came with cutlery and a really thick napkin.

My servers were nice and good to me. However, I do prefer getting a heads up when my servers change. Both were still nice. I did get a little confused on where to pay. Tried asking the bottom floor host area. There were about 6 workers standing around talking when I asked. Took a couple times but they eventually noticed me. They looked a little peeved so, I guess sorry for interrupting y'all.

To conclude, I recommend heading over to the Marketplace that's right across from mountain pass. The prices are still inflated but I feel more justified getting food there than spending $50 on a...

We recently dined as a large group of 20, and Nadja was our server throughout the entire meal, handling appetizers, entrees, and desserts—all without writing a single thing down. Her ability to memorize such a large and varied order was truly impressive and demonstrated remarkable efficiency and confidence in a high-pressure situation.

Nadja greeted us warmly and maintained a friendly, professional demeanor throughout the evening, which set a positive tone for our celebration. She engaged with our group, answered menu questions, and made thoughtful recommendations, showing a strong knowledge of the menu and specials. Her multitasking skills were on display as she managed our large table alongside her other responsibilities, ensuring drinks were refilled and courses arrived in a timely manner.

There was one minor hiccup: our daughter’s order was missed initially. However, Nadja responded quickly and graciously, returning to the table to clarify and expedite the missing dish. Her prompt resolution of the issue and sincere apology reflected excellent customer service and the ability to handle mistakes gracefully.

Despite the size of our party and the complexity of our orders, Nadja’s service was efficient and attentive. She kept her composure, communicated well with both our group and the kitchen, and ensured everyone felt cared for. The experience was a testament to her professionalism and dedication.

Overall, Nadja provided an outstanding dining experience for our group. Her ability to serve 20 guests from memory, combined with her professionalism and quick recovery from a small error, made our evening memorable. We would happily request her as our server again and recommend her to others seeking attentive and capable service for...