Bar: The Vintage Moose
Location: 123 16th Ave, Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Score: 8.2/10
Wood furniture everywhere, moose and mountain goats mounted on the walls, and ice-cold PBR is exactly what I picture when thinking of a mountain town bar. The Vintage Moose is located in Idaho Springs, about an hour from Denver and about 30-45 minutes from major mountain ranges in Colorado. I went there after completing a hike nearby and the place was about as welcoming as can be. I started with a few Millers Lites and flipped over to PBR once I realized how much cheaper they were. After exploring the bar some more I found myself near a dart board and played a few games with a friend. While at the dartboard, I looked over and saw an absolutely stunning waterfall across the street built into a mountainside. There are not many places where you can enjoy a cold one while watching a waterfall at the same time.
The bar itself had a wide variety of beers on deck along with a Jägermeister keg and ice-cold pickle shots that were fantastic. If a bar has pickle shots they automatically go up in rankings in my books. While I did not have the food, everything I saw from nearby patrons looked fantastic. Everything was relatively cheap compared to other bars within the state. If you find yourself passing by downtown Idaho Springs, I could not recommend this bar enough. It brings a cozy atmosphere along with some of the friendliest bartenders I have ever been around.
Décor: The décor is exactly what I expected when I decided to go to a mountain town bar. Everything was very random yet fit so perfectly. From animals mounted on the walls to random vintage sleds bolted to the walls, the décor was sweet.
Prices: Very affordable. Mountain towns can be very expensive because of the isolation that they bring. This bar had affordable domestics and cheap shots, making it all around an awesome experience.
Service: The service was very friendly. The bar had two bartenders working and both were as nice as can be.
Atmosphere: The clientele contained people who were on vacation and visited the bar for the first time along with locals who more than likely spend too much time at this place. But then again, who can blame them? What a great bar to have as your wateringhole.
Cleanliness: The place was spotless, and I saw them consistently cleaning throughout my visit.
Bonus Points: No bonus points