Hi there! I’m Ryland Scholes and I’m a multimedia journalist here at Bucket List. I grew up in the Denver area as a diehard sports fan, so I know just how special sports culture is in our city. From the summer-time outing to a Rockies game to tailgating in the south lot at Mile High, Denver really has some of the nation’s best places to relish being a sports fan.
The city has its staple sports spots, like Brooklyn’s outside of the Ball Arena and the dozens of famous bars in LoDo outside of Coors Field. But for every popular spot like Whiskey Row, there’s a hidden gem that’s just as good, if not better.
I’ve discovered quite a few of these hidden gems during my 23 years in Denver, and it’d be a shame to keep that knowledge to myself. So, consider it my pleasure to rank my top five underrated sports spots in the city!
Rhein Haus
Growing up in a German family, I’m a big sucker for classic German food. I always jump at the opportunity to get a good pretzel while I can, and that’s usually when I’m going to catch a Nuggets or Avalanche game downtown. Luckily for me, one of Denver’s best German restaurants is located right next to Ball Arena.
Rhein Haus, which sits on the corner of 14th and Market Street, is one of my go-to spots to grub out before watching sports. As you should expect from a German restaurant, the beer there is great, and they have an extensive list of brews on tap. My recommendation is Hofbräu Hefeweizen; it’s a lighter wheat beer with hints of banana and cloves, and it’s to die for.
Somehow, the food at Rhein Haus is even better than the beer list. Its Giant Pretzel is probably the best pretzel I’ve had in the United States, and I’m a snob for pretzels, so that’s saying a lot. Their pork schnitzel is also amazing. It’s perfectly breaded with apple slaw and a lemon butter sauce on the side. I could eat it every single day of the week and not get sick of it.
Rhein Haus is a sit-down restaurant with a fancier vibe, but if you’re looking for something more chill, Wally’s Wisconsin Tavern is owned by the same people as the Rhein Haus, and the two establishments are connected. As a lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan, it’s part of my moral code to never set foot in a Green Bay Packers bar, so you all will have to check that one out for me. It looks pretty fun, though.
Rhein Haus, 1415 Market Street, Denver. HOURS: Monday to Thursday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday from 3 p.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Learn more at www.rheinhausdenver.com.
National Ballpark Museum
Most of the entries on this list are places where you can watch the big game, but the National Ballpark Museum in LoDo takes you up close and personal with America’s pastime. Only 600 feet from Coors Field’s home plate entrance is the only museum in the country dedicated exclusively to the historic ballparks of American history.
The museum was created by founder and curator Bruce Hellerstein, who has dedicated his life to preserving the magic of MLB’s 14 original ballparks. After accumulating a sizable personal collection of baseball memorabilia, Hellerstein decided to open the museum to share it with others.
Some of the incredible items on display include items from the marble rotunda at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and an on-deck circle used at Wrigley Field in Chicago. There’s an entire section dedicated to old Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, giving East Coast transplants a taste of home right here in Denver.
Hellerstein is what distinguishes the museum and is a must-see for any baseball fan or history buff. He shows guests around and gives them personalized tours of the museum. Every item in the museum has an interesting backstory that Hellerstein will gladly tell the guests, which makes the experience 10 times more interesting.
National Ballpark Museum, 1940 Blake Street, Denver. HOURS: Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at ballparkmuseum.com.
Tivoli Student Union before an Avalanche/Nuggets game
Tivoli Student Union is a very well-known place, located on Denver’s Auraria Campus. Students from Metro State, CU Denver and Colorado Community College visit Tivoli every day for a good study spot and cheap food, but the student union has a secret: it is the best place to get cheap food before heading to a game at Ball Arena.
Tivoli is only two blocks from the main entrance to Ball Arena, making it the ideal place to grab a bite before the game. There’s a mall-style food court with a Subway, pizza place, Mexican spot, Asian Fusion restaurant and even a Starbucks located on the bottom floor of Tivoli. In short, you’ve got a lot of options.
The food is way cheaper than everything you’ll get inside Ball Arena. With the Avs and Nuggets being title contenders for the last five or so years, ticket and food prices inside the arena have skyrocketed. Tickets to the game alone cost me enough money, so I always try to go to Tivoli instead of eating at the game to save money.
Tivoli Brewing Company is also located inside the student union and is an excellent place to get a beer before the game. If you’re a beer drinker like I am, you’ll like what they’ve got on tap. They have you covered, whether you prefer IPAs or the classic light beer. My personal favorite is the Helles Lager, which is what they’re famous for. It’s a lighter German lager with a very slight honey taste.
Tivoli Student Union, 900 Auraria Parkway Denver. HOURS: Monday to Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday is card access only. Learn more at www.ahec.edu/services-departments/tivoli/merchants-vendors.
Dark Horse in Boulder
I know it is a little out of the way for Denver residents, but the Dark Horse in Boulder is my absolute favorite place to get food and drinks in the entire state. The Dark Horse, located just off Highway 36 and Baseline when you arrive in Boulder, is a Boulder sports culture staple.
Admittedly, the place is a bit of a dive. There’s a bunch of weird decorations and old sport memorabilia hanging up around the entire restaurant. The ceiling is littered with old wagons, toilets, sleds and even a large statue of a clown hanging up. The wooden walls evoke the atmosphere of an old dinghy cabin. In my opinion, this all just adds to the character of the place.
You’re probably not showing up to the Dark Horse for the decorations, though; you’re for the fantastic food and watch a game one of its eleven HDTVs or large projection screen. It is famous for its Jiffy Burger, a classic cheeseburger with provolone cheese that has a unique twist: the chefs spread peanut butter on the buns. It sounds really weird, but don’t knock it until you try it.
Other than the Jiffy Burger, its chicken wings are also really good. They give you the entire wing, so they’re massive. You wouldn’t think a dive bar would have good salads, but the Dark Horse is an outlier; its Caesar salad is phenomenal and gigantic.
Perhaps the best thing about the Dark Horse is that it’s super affordable. Pretty much everything on the menu hovers around the $10 mark, so you don’t need to break the bank to have a great meal. As Boulder becomes more gentrified and expensive, the Dark Horse remains a constant, serving great food at a low cost.
If you’re unable to get tickets to the Buffs game or just want a great environment to watch the game, the Dark Horse has got you covered. There’s a giant projector in the main room that’s always got the game on so everyone can easily see, along with numerous other TVs littered throughout the bar. You’d be hard-pressed to find a spot where you can’t watch your game of choice and with so many fans it feels like a major watch party.
Unfortunately, the Dark Horse’s days are seemingly numbered. In the near future, the city of Boulder intends to demolish the local favorite in order to construct a new upscale housing development. The plans are still in their early stages, and the locals are fighting tooth and nail to keep the Dark Horse around, but the future remains uncertain. Regardless, I highly recommend making the trip up to “The Horse,” as the locals refer to it, before it is too late.
The Dark Horse, 2922 Baseline Road, Boulder. HOURS: Sunday to Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Learn more at darkhorsebar.com.
Section 206 of Coors Field
Going to a Rockies game is a summer staple for any Colorado resident. Some of my favorite summertime memories as a child were made on a hot day at Coors Field. After all of my years of rooting for the Rockies, I believe I have found the best place to watch baseball in Denver: Section 206 of Coors Field.
Located on the second-level overhang in the right field, the level above offers plenty of shade to fans. One of the few disadvantages of attending a ballgame in Denver during the summer is the scorching heat. The fancy seats near home plate have fans baking in the sun, but you will be sitting in a shaded paradise. Plus, the seats in Section 206 are over half the price of the fancy seats!
A ticket to Section 206 will cost you around $20 or $30. Despite the cheap price, you’re not compromising on your view of the game at all. You can see everything you need from your elevated position in deep right field. The view is so clear that you can tell the difference between balls and strikes from your seat. It truly is the best bang for your buck in all of Denver sports.
Plus, you’re in the best part of the stadium to get food and drinks. There’s a funnel cake stand right behind the section, which has become an absolute must-buy when I’m at a Rockies game. If funnel cake is not your thing, there are plenty of hot dog, nacho and drink stands within 100 feet of Section 206.
Section 206 is also super close to the Sandlot Brewery, which is located in the right-field corner of Coors Field. Fun little fact: Blue Moon was created at Coors Field at The Sandlot. Yes, THAT Blue Moon—the super famous one! Going and getting a Blue Moon at the place where it was first brewed is a super cool experience that I’d recommend to anyone.
Denver’s sports scene is as much about the places and experiences as it is about the games themselves. From the sizzling brats at Rhein Haus to the rich stories of the National Ballpark Museum, the spirit of fandom in this city thrives in its underrated nooks and crannies. What makes these spots so special isn’t just their affordability or proximity to stadiums—it’s the character they bring to the broader story of Denver sports culture.
Each of these locations offers something unique: a culinary twist, a piece of history or simply a sense of community that’s hard to replicate. Together, they remind us that the magic of sports isn’t confined to arenas or fields—it spills over into the meals we share, the stories we hear, and the traditions we create along the way. So, the next time you are going to a game or looking for a new way to celebrate your fandom, I recommend looking beyond the usual hotspots from this guide!
