5 Surprising Things to Know About Colorado’s Oldest Restaurant

In Colorado, the frontier is part of who we are. As a state with more than 355 museums, it is easy to see we are proud of our pioneer heritage. Even Colorado’s oldest restaurant is as much a museum as it is a steakhouse.

The oldest and longest-running restaurant still in operation in the Centennial State is the Buckhorn Exchange. If you have never been there, keep scrolling to see why it belongs on your Colorado bucket list, and to learn five surprising facts you may not have heard before.

Colorado's Oldest Restaurant

Read More: The Surprising Story Of Colorado’s Lost Capital Contenders

The Buckhorn Exchange is easily accessible in Denver, Colorado's Lincoln Park neighborhood. These guys opened in 1893. 132 years later, you can still visit the steakhouse for a great meal, complete with frontier museum-like vibes.

If you visit, you'll find a menu straight out of the Old West, featuring buffalo, elk, and even rattlesnake. The Buckhorn was founded by Henry “Shorty Scout” Zietz. Legend has it that Henry was a scout for Buffalo Bill and a friend to Sitting Bull.

Visiting Colorado's Oldest Restaurant

The Buckhorn Exchange is located at 1000 Osage Street in Denver. It’s open seven nights a week with various hours, but reservations are highly recommended. If you drive, there is parking next to the restaurant. You can also hop off Denver’s D, E, or H line trains at the 10^th and Osage RTD light rail station, located across the street from the restaurant.

Five Surprising Facts About Buckhorn Exchange

A Military Saber From Custer’s Campaign: In 1938, Chief Red Cloud (in full regalia) gifted the owner, “Shorty Scout” Zietz, a military saber taken from General Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The sword remains in the Zietz family to this day.

A Presidential Pitstop in Lincoln Park: In 1905, Theodore Roosevelt stopped his Presidential Express in Denver to dine at the Buckhorn. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Carter, and Reagan have all dined here over the years.

Taxidermy & Historic Artifacts: At the Buckhorn, they call it “wild West authenticity.” Others might say immersive décor. The walls of the restaurant are lined with over 500 mounted animals (buffalo, moose, bighorn sheep, even a jackalope and two-headed calf), a bar imported from 1857 Germany, and a 125-piece gun collection.

Sneaky Secrets & Colorado’s First Liquor License: When Prohibition ended, the Buckhorn Exchange snagged Colorado Liquor License #1—still proudly on display.

The First Electric Beer Sign in the World Hung Upstairs: According to Frommer’s, the upstairs bar once featured what may have been one of the first electric beer signs in the world.

Get our free mobile app