If you can’t get into Ball Arena, here are a dozen suggested joints for Nuggets and Avalanche fans to catch the upcoming action
The upscale Gaylord Rockies Resort has remained mostly a mystery to me for most of its existence since opening as Colorado’s largest hotel in 2018. Rich, overnight air travelers would end up there, sure, but why would anyone who lives in Denver ever want to go all the way out to Denver International Airport (technically, it’s Aurora) … and to do what?
Then I was invited to a massive and seriously charming ice-sculpture show that brought super-sized “Peanuts” figures to life, including Snoopy’s doghouse. More recently, I attended a remarkable boxing fundraiser featuring Aurora and Denver first responders. Then a buddy got a job slinging drinks at something called The Mountain Pass Sports Bar. I visited – and never wanted to leave. (Especially after paying $15 just to park).
For the sports fan in me, this was a game-changer (pun intended). The bar is appropriately defined by its gargantuan (and yes, that is the first time I have ever used that word non-hyperbolically), 75-foot screen. It apparently can be programmed to show just one channel – or be split up into a seemingly infinite number of smaller screens for a truly Vegas-style game-watching experience. The Gaylord flaks call it the largest indoor screen in Colorado. I defy anyone to prove them wrong.
There’s an upper level with tiered, stadium-style seating. And, for those who want to play while they watch, there are two interactive “Topgolf Swing Suites” equipped with simulators for golf, soccer, baseball and more. Head to the bar and play Ping-Pong, hoops, darts and virtual-reality games. Hey, when in Rome!
With the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche both set to begin their hopefully long 2026 playoff runs in the coming days, I’m actually contemplating returning to the scene of the parking crime on upcoming game nights.
The Mountain Pass Sports Bar and its gargantuan screen at the Gaylord Rockies Resort. (Provided by The Gaylord Rockies Resort)
Not that we all don’t have plenty of options for playoff viewing. Today, I bring you our obligatory roundup of local hot spots – some perennial, some hopefully surprising – for you to maybe take in a game over these next few weeks.
(And, this just in: I’ve now learned the Gaylord offers a “Colorado Locals Card” – that’s 10% off dining and up to four hours of self-parking. And, it’s free. (A word you will not see otherwise associated with the Gaylord.) 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora, 720-452-6900 or marriott.com
Tim Howard and now wife Stephanie Hesse-Howard watched the final moments of the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup-clinching victory at Tom’s Watch Bar in 2022. (John Moore/Denver Gazette)
Tom’s Watch Bar: People call this 17,000-square-foot outdoor wonderland just 500 feet from Coors Field “Denver’s downtown playground.” (People who work there, but still!) Tom’s features a 66-foot LED screen for games, movies, concerts and more. The plaza can accommodate 1,500. Check out what’s scheduled for the big screen anytime at mcgregorsquare.com. 1901 Wazee St., 303-313-6090 or tomswatchbar.com
Chopper’s Sports Grill installed a 21-foot TV screen for sporting events last year. It is also now building a stage to accommodate live concerts on non-game days. (John Moore/Denver Gazette)
Chopper’s Sport Grill: Chopper’s is named after Bob “Chopper” Travaglini, the legendary former Denver Nuggets trainer who opened the joint in 1996. But what makes Chopper’s maybe the best place to watch sports is the new 21-foot LED TV screen that occupies pretty much the entire north wall. Chopper’s is located at 80 S. Madison St., which is actually east enough of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center to not really feel like it’s part of Cherry Creek at all. This is a dedicated, O.G. hangout for Broncos and Nuggets fans with its own dedicated parking lot, which is unheard of for the area. Yesterday, we told you that owner Frank Schultz is relaunching his Soiled Dove brand of live music at Chopper’s on May 9, but he swears concerts won’t ever conflict with any sporting event of substance. 303-399-4448 or https://chopperssportsgrill.com
Fans take in a Denver Broncos playoff game at Bender’s in Westminster in January 2026. (Kit Kennedy)
Bender’s: What’s not to love about a bar with a dog-friendly heated patio and overlooks an ice rinks? Bender’s offers more than 30 smartly situated screens that manage to cater to hockey and hoops fans equally while affording patrons a most unusual atmosphere: You can look in on the free skating or beer-league games going on below like it’s our own little Rockefeller Center. Bender’s welcomes Nebraska, Wisconsin and Steelers fans (sigh), but there’s plenty of room for all among the bar’s 200 capacity for everyone to get along. Bender’s was long run by former Denver Post sports columnist Jim Armstrong. It’s now fronted by Cathy Hooper and Zoie MaLee, who recently earned Bender’s a nomination for Small Business of the Year by the Westminster Chamber of Commerce. 10710 Westminster Blvd, 720-532-1227 or bendersbarandgrill.com.
For any Nuggets fan, the DNVR Bar is the ultimate game-day destination short of Ball Arena. These are the team’s most invested diehards. They come to holler and howl in harmony and afterward listen in on the live post-game podcast recorded right upstairs. The atmosphere has been called a constant party for fans. Also rare: Bar-dwellers are given the full, real-time game audio. (Just watch your step walking in. I split my head open on Game 7 of the 2023 NBA Finals, and I wasn’t even drinking.) Take a tip and arrive early on game nights if you want a table. 2236 E Colfax Ave. 303-551-2668 or thednvr.com
Ugly Dog Sports Cafe: I love to slip into this north Denver dive off Highway 36 and Pecos Street for Nuggets games because some of my friends are too scared to go with me. I think all the stories and security guards just add to the Dog’s unpredictable vibe. True, there have been a string of high-profile incidents. Shots have been fired. Last August, a truck driven by a drunk 22-year-old plowed into the bar’s outdoor patio. But to me, the biggest crime has been the aggressively bad live DJ karaoke on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Bright side: Pets are allowed both on the patio and inside the bar. TVs are big and plentiful. The finger foods are tasty. The staff is super friendly. And high-profile UFC and boxing PPV events are shown for free. It’s home. 1345 Cortez St., 303-428-3600 or uglydogsportscafe.com
Stoney’s: There are now three very different locally owned Stoney’s: The HQ bar and grill at 1111 Lincoln St.; uptown at 1035 E. 17th Ave.; and, now, the upscale Sloan’s Lake locale at 1565 Raleigh St. You Yelpers seem to have concluded that the flagship Stoney’s on Lincoln is an excellent place to watch games, particularly for its high-energy, cavernous atmosphere and plentiful number of “meticulously coordinated” TV screens. Fair warning: All the Stoney’s welcome Kansas and Oklahoma college teams. But, hey: Nobody’s perfect. 720-485-5503 or stoneysbarandgrill.com
Denizens of the Rock Ledge Lodge in Golden take in a Denver Broncos playoff game in January 2026. (John Moore/Denver Gazette)
Rock Ledge Lodge is a rustic Old West dive bar in Golden that is known for its wings and a projection screen in a huge back gathering room that is sometimes also home to live music. The vibe is casual, lively, loud and eclectic. 16005 Mount Vernon Road, 303-216-2895 or rockrestlodge.com
The Old Man Bar has been described as the perfect blend between dive bar and “crazy cool” beer garden. Located in Broomfield, The Old Man blends a gritty, authentic interior with a high-energy, dog-friendly outdoor patio featuring misters and two fire pits. The main draw is the outdoor Jumbotron projection screen for games. Speaking of games, you can play cornhole, sand volleyball, giant Jenga, giant Connect Four and pool while you watch. The scratch-made BBQ is often mentioned as some of the best in Colorado. 4381 W. 120th Ave. 720-536-4821 or theoldmanbar.com
The ViewHouse has four locations, but Centennial is a particularly popular, high-energy spot to watch games, especially in groups. It’s lively and loud, as it should be for sporting events. The TVs are massive, so the visibility is good from pretty much anywhere. There’s a rooftop area, a full menu and courtyard games like volleyball for your pre-game amusement. Tables go quick, so arrive early on game days. 7101 S. Clinton St. (with additional locales in downtown Denver, Colorado Springs and Main Street Littleton). 303-790-8440 or viewhouse.com
Olde Town Tavern and Grill: Arvada has both the (awesome) Arvada Tavern and the Olde Town Tavern about a quarter of a mile apart, but the place to watch sports is the strip-mall joint cut out of where the former Arvada Junior High School once sat on the north side of Ralston Road. The main seating area is made up of group-friendly tables surrounded by TVs that make 360-degree multi-task viewing a breeze. There are about 50 TVs and an uncommonly long bar. 7355 Ralston Road, 720-242-9667 or oldetowntavernandgrillarvada.com
Sobo 151: If I’m being honest, this is a terrible place to watch a game. It’s a small and crowded little dive bar in the Baker neighborhood, and the TVs are proportionally tiny. No matter. Sobo 151 is a legendarily popular Czech-themed hockey bar with a loyal and enthusiastic Avalanche fan base. They are loud and dialed in while enjoying both traditional Czech dishes and standard bar fare, along with a solid selection of European beers. The heart wants what the heart wants. 151 S. Broadway, 303-778-1560 or sobo151.com
And now this little addendum: Kroenke Sports will provide live broadcasts of all home Nuggets and Avs playoff games on a temporary, 20-foot screen at Chopper Circle between 9th and 11th streets. There will be DJs, food trucks, beer and hard-seltzer carts, giveaways, mascot and dance-team appearances. For the first two rounds of games, it’s free, but a digital pass is required for entry. The Nuggets’ first game is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The Avs’ opener is yet to be determined.
John Moore is the Denver Gazette’s Senior Arts Journalist. Email him at [email protected].