The Hive at Estes Park Brewery — Restaurant in Estes Park

My husband and I were on the hunt for dinner and, with The Hive boasting a dazzling 4.9-star rating, we thought, "Hey, let’s see what all the buzz is about." (Pun absolutely intended.)

We were greeted—or rather, briskly processed—by a host who seemed to be one bad Yelp review away from a meltdown. He informed guests of a 30-minute wait and suggested we check out the bar and sample some beer. Sounded great—until he reappeared like an annoyed game show host looking for a party of four who dared to order beer samples that hadn’t even arrived yet. The sheer anguish on his face could’ve scared the carbonation out of a pilsner. We took it as a sign and nixed the beer tasting.

Once seated, things started looking up. Our server was lovely—warm, attentive, and just the kind of person who makes you forget you were previously scolded by the gatekeeper of the dining room. The decor was charming, and the vibe? Cozy with a touch of trendy.

Then came the food. I ordered the Redbird chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies. The chicken was so dry I’m pretty sure it whispered “help me” as I cut into it. And the glaze? Let’s just say it was less of a finishing touch and more of a sugary assault. As for the mashed potatoes—let’s just be honest. I know an instant spud when I taste one. And these had all the telltale signs of having been born in a box, not a garden.

Still, the service and atmosphere had real potential. But for us, it wasn’t quite enough to warrant a return trip. That said, dry chicken and powdered potatoes are both very fixable problems—so here’s...

Where to start! Service was A+ straight from the start, there was a wait when my wife and I showed up but instead of having us wait in our car there is a bar and lounge to order drinks and wait for your table. After ordering drinks there was a short wait and our table was ready! I ordered a medium rare steak and my wife got a pizza. It's uncommon to get a medium rare cooked properly so I often don't even order it to avoid disappointment. I figured what the hell and ordered it how I like. It was by far one of the best steaks dinners ive had in a very long time! The porton size was great for the price and the meat was very good. My wife's pizza was good but the crust did taste exactly like saltine crackers which wasn't for me and she didn't really like that either but the toppings and sauce were very good. The atmosphere was great and the service was phenomenal. After receiving my steak I realized the buser had forgotten to give my table silverware. I didn't even have time to complain or even grab a member of staffs attention before a manager took notice and was handing me a dish of forks and knives. THEY ARE ON TOP OF IT. All this service and great food and we got out only spending $16 on two beers and around $46 for my wife's pizza and my steak. I was blown away, it will be tradition from now on to dine here whenever we visit estus park. I wish I could give a higher rating or maybe even sing it from the roofs this place...

My husband and I have been coming to eat here from the springs for about 8 years now… two to three times a year. They just reopened under new management and a new vibe! Sincerely, we love all the new changes and the new amazing upgraded food! Lucky has always been really great to us and no worries, he is still here and just as great! We ordered the Stinger beer… still great! Plus three new mixed drinks! I had ordered a Brew Pub Fashioned.. which had a cherry flavor and was smooth. I also had a Night Sky Martini, which was my favorite. Plus I had a ln Elderflower Rose 75 which was sparkly! The drinks had so much fresh flavors and still had enough alcohol in them lol! We also spilt a Mac and cheese dish… which was creamy and yummy! Plus, two new pizzas that were both amazing! The Brewer’s Pie was delicious, it was also vinegary… which was great for us! We also had a side of blue cheese that was surprisingly vinagary also.. which went great with that pizza actually. We also had a Chicken and Bacin Ranch pizza that was so cheesy and just wonderful. One of the owners also came over a few times and he was great! I do hope they bring back merch in some form in the future though. My husband and I wear our old shirts a lot :-) We will definitely be back to try more new dishes and flavors! It’s wonderfully populated right now and I hope it...