One of Denver’s most iconic bars is preparing to make a comeback — sort of.
There’s a new tenant — and a similar name — coming to the building at 2301 Blake St. that used to house the iconic Blake Street Tavern, a sports bar that closed in 2023.
The restaurant and bar will be called The Tavern on Blake Street, and its expected open date is April 5 — just in time for the Colorado Rockies home opening weekend. While the food and drink menus will be different, owner Jeff Moerke promises the atmosphere will make Denverites feel right at home.
That is, in part, because the building is turnkey, Moerke said. Since he took over the space about a month ago, he hasn’t done much to amend the physical space besides upgrading equipment and furniture and removing the games from the basement level. Moerke said he also plans to hire back some of the core staff that worked at Blake Street Tavern over its 20-year run.
“The people that I’m able to obtain to work there is literally Blake Street Tavern. You’re going to be blown away by the list of names that I have coming back to work that used to work there,” he said.
Moerke was born and raised in the Denver area, and his wife Ashley previously worked at Blake Street Tavern, so when they heard it was closing they wanted to save a piece of Denver’s history. They spent the last year working with the building’s owner to obtain a 20-year lease.
A self-described accidental restauranteur, Moerke is the founder of Hudson & Harper Hospitality Group, which operates a clothing store and three restaurants in Aspen and Snowmass. That includes The Tavern Kitchen and Bar in Snowmass. Moerke said he’s also working to open a flagship version of that restaurant in Las Vegas, which will inhabit a 40,000-square-foot space and employ several robots to flip burgers and make pizzas.
The Tavern on Blake Street will be part of that family of brands and feature a menu similar to the location in Snowmass, where dishes range from casual bites like chicken wings and burgers to high-dollar items like a seafood tower and $130 prime Tomahawk steak. The restaurant is also a popular spot to catch live music.
In Denver, Moerke said the concept merges fine dining with a sports bar, assuring that local fans will still have a game-day watching spot.
“If you want to come in get drunk and get full for $20-$25, we can do that. You wanna come in and spend $500, I can do that too,” he said.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the old and new Blake Street bars will be an emphasis on entertainment. Moerke plans to convert the basement into a music venue, and when local bands are not playing, he hopes to host karaoke, trivia and talent shows there.
His aspirations for the venue extend beyond local talent, however. Moerke said nationally touring artists who perform at the “massive” venue at The Tavern in Las Vegas, which is expected to open later this year, may be contracted to travel to his Denver and Snowmass locations.
Eventually, Moerke wants to add a rooftop bar to The Tavern on Blake Street and offer al fresco dining. But for now, he’s focused on training staff and acquiring all the flatware and glasses needed to get ready for the spring opening.
