Colorado Campfire — Restaurant in Denver

In town for a work conference. Here is my 3 day review:

Day 1, Wednesday, Evening: Greeted promptly by staff as I came in and took a seat at the bar, which had a few other patrons. Started with the smoked old fashion, which was on happy hour and wonderful, recommended by Renee. They also recommended the smoked wings, and I had to have fries with my wings. I selected the charred BBQ with Buffalo on the side.

Old fashion: phenomenal, do not change Wings: pretty good, great flavor, kinda small, but a good quantity to make up for that. Fries: Not good, no seasoning, and served in a cup where they all stayed greasy and soggy. (Wait for the redemption story)

Enjoyed the Cranberry Bliss after Michael added cranberry juice, which it didn't come with, and therefore lacked the tartness of cranberry I wanted. Followed the cranberry with a Palisade Sour, which was a little heavy on the sour mix flavor for me but still enjoyable. Ended the night with a Mile High Club on Michael's recommendation, which was great, I dont often drink gin, and it was perfect to end the night.

Day 2, Thursday, Evening: Sat at the bar, Michael remembered me and welcomed me back. I started with another smoked old fashion. I ordered the Campfire Burger with house chips due to my disappointment with the fries.

Old fashion: still amazing Mile High Burger (medium): good but nothing to write home about Chips: Disappointing. You could tell they were homemade, but I would have rather had Lays because these were thin and had no seasoning other than LIGHT salt.

I had a Peach and another Palisade Sour, which tasted much better the second night.

Day 3, Friday, Late Afternoon: Much busier than before, the porch was lively with the fires going and a lot of conversations. I took my place at the end of the bar where Renee and Michael smiled and greeted me for the third time. I started with the Moutain Time Lager, which was good, slightly hoppy taste but not overpowering. Solid beer, for sure. Tonight, I ordered the Poblano hushpuppies and fish and chips. Beer: Good, standard. Hushpuppies: Light, crispy, good cornbread taste but not a strong poblano flavor, and I didn't care for the dipping sauce, which reminded me of a sweet ranch. Fish: Beer battered style, crispy, flaky fish, very solid, 4 pieces. Fries: I'm not positive if it was the lack of cup (placed in basket with fish), a different chef, or just a longer cook time, but the fries were great this time, natural potato flavor, crispy, and seasoned well.

I'm going to continue drinking beer now and end my night with the Mallow on Graham!

Overall, this place was really a good find. The staff is fantastic, the service is attentive, and the food was mostly good, the atmosphere is energetic, but not loud or overbearing. I wanted the unaltered experience, so I didn't make any comments about the first round of fries or chips, I just let em do their thing. They only carry Colorado made spirits and beer. However, it is a wide selection, and you will not go thirsty, this is a great opportunity to try something new and support local businesses. I will definitely return when I return to Denver.

Give them a visit, and try the Smoked...

Disappointing Experience Update March 2025

My recent visit was a letdown. The service was unfriendly, a departure from my previous experiences. The server seemed abrupt, particularly when I inquired about their taco offerings. I was met with a curt response and the mention that they change their menu every six months, as if I should have been aware of this.

The burger was overcooked and dry, which further added to my disappointment. Overall, this visit fell short of my expectations.

My original review

After dozens of business trips to Denver in past 15 years today I decided to try something new walk a few blocks and try a non hotel non chain restaurant.

If you crave delicious, comfort food with exceptional and friendly service with a great vibe overall - Campfire is the restaurant for you. Oh, and your company will thank you as their prices are cheap and affordable but they don't skimp on quality and taste!

They offer inside and outside heated patio dining. The menu has something for everyone and although it had so many tasty offerings, I chose corn chowder with a side Cesar salad. Being from CA, I had to at least try their Specialty Birria Tacos. The GM Renee was extremely accommodating as the Menu offered 3 Birria Tacos, but I was able to order one.

The salad is the perfect side Cesar with a great house made dressing. The corn chowder is filled with flavor and a small kick of heat. The best corn chowder ever.

But let's face it, my Taco was the Star of this dining experience. Yummy, right amount of spice with the perfect combination of spices in the birrua dipping sauce. You gotta try it.

So great job team Campfire, I'm sure I'll be back to try your other offerings soon.

Again if your Downtown Denver on business, trust me you will love this place. Although I had an iced tea, they have a full service bar to satisfy your...

We visited for the first time last night. I ordered the campfire burger, and my wife ordered the pimento grilled cheese with tomato bisque. We had an appetizer of the pompano hush puppies and the honey sauce. For dessert, we ordered the blueberry cobbler. The atmosphere was awesome. There are TVs with sports on each one in a fun bar area, and regular restaurant seating for those wanting it. The lights were low, but not too low, and the seating was comfortable. Our server was helpful and outstanding. He told us some of the history of the restaurant (2019 onward) and provided great advice on the food. The food was great. I was in the mood for a simple burger and fries, and it was perfect. The fries are seasoned special and really popped. The grilled cheese my wife ordered was simple but as billed. The tomato bisque was rich, thick, and well seasoned. Honestly, the bisque was the best dish of our collective order. The blueberry cobbler was a good dessert but could have used more crumble on top. It was 99% blueberry filling with only a few crumbles/breading on top. The shocking and pleasant surprise was just how damn good those poblano hush puppies were. With the honey sauce, they were outstanding. Don't miss out on ordering them. Our visit was delightful and special. Anyone in the downtown area in the mood for a good comfortable experience should swing by...