Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub

Popped in for a quick bite and a beer after a hike. The food was good I was happy to see Buffalo on the menu. Good beer good service good atmosphere what’s not to like.

I can’t comprehend how terrible the service is here! My family and I walked out last year due to our rude bartender. Today, we thought we’d give them another chance, and we were really disappointed. We walked out again because the host wouldn’t seat us, and when we found a table, both the sever and bartender refused to serve us. Wow.

Whitewater rafting works up a man-​sized appetite! So after getting beaten up barreling down the rapids with Clear Creek Outfitters, my crew and I needed to eat (and drink… a lot!) ASAP!
Naturally we skipped Hungry Man all together, and Unilocal helped us find Tommyknocker, and with a mix of solid pub grub and locally brewed beer, we knew we had a winner.
As we walked in, I caught a look at a plate of some perfect looking fish tacos, so I knew what I was after long before the server made her way over. The beer list is fairly substantial here, and I believe it’s all brewed right there. They have quite a few styles at any given time, and my friends all seemed to enjoy it. I only got to taste the beer (DD), and it was good stuff.
PRO-​TIP: Give yourself time to look over the beer list here because there’s a lot. Your mood could literally change with the breeze coming in the door!
The fish tacos were large, and brimming with toppings. Two nice sized, crispy, crunchy fish filets were topped with a light slaw and creamy, spicy dressing. A squirt of fresh lime and dash of hot sauce finished these off and I devoured them in five seconds flat.
All in all, this was a great place to stop after adventuring in Idaho Springs, just a short 45 minute drive from Denver! It was A-​OK!

I understand that other people seem to like it but my official vote is –meh. The service was less than stellar. I understand you’re busy but it’s ok if you want to make eye contact. My husband’s sandwich was good but the fries were soggy. My son’s hamburger was gray. Uhhhh no thanks. At least make me feel like it was cooked for me. My salad was ok. Lettuce was soggy though. It wouldn’t have taken much effort to peel the apple then chop it for the salad. Not very appealing to see an older apple (brown spots) in large wedges on top. The soda that you can buy to go is the same price I can buy it for in Denver. No, I won’t return. The tourists can have this place. Ick.

We were headed back to Denver from Breckenridge and this is a great pit stop to grab a beer and food. They brew their own beer and you have a lot to choose from. I recommend the sampler which comes with four, 5 oz sample glasses. They also offer tours which seem to be pretty informal. The hostess said she would see if the brew master on duty that day had a few time to show us around which takes about 20 minutes. He did which was awesome although we ran out of time but I would love to go back for the tour. The menu has so many options from burgers, salads, sandwiches to tacos! I went with the house salad which was huge and came with lots of fresh ingredients. They make their own blue cheese dressing which was very delicious-​it looked and tasted like ranch but with chucks of blue cheese and not too thick. We also split the pulled pork nachos which is a meal in itself. The portion is huge and enough for 4 – 6 people. My only issue was they put so many toppings on including guacamole, sour cream, pulled pork with a sweet honey glaze sauce that halfway through the chips were so soggy we could not eat them. Also the person in our party ordered their hamburger medium well and it came out almost rare in the center which he could not eat. We should have sent it back to be cooked more but we were in a time crunch. Regardless this is a cool place to check out.

Staying in town for 2 days in June and everyone we asked said that we had to try the beer and the food here. They were right. Wife had Awesome crunchy fish tacos and I had the elk burger. This was great as well. They put blue cheese and a blueberry purée on it. They give you lettuce, tomato, etc. on the side– don’t use it. The flavor a of the elk with the cheese and blueberry is just amazing.
As for beer, the oatmeal stout was very nice. Smooth and dark with a nice head to it.

What an awesome place. Please open a franchise in Austin. Their beer has so much character. The restaurant had a lot of ambiance, and the service was great. I thought the burger and fries was good, the patty was grilled, which was nice. Glad a local recommended Tommyknockers.

Came to buy the best tasting beer brats I’ve ever had. And they’re the best beer brats I’ve ever had!

I stop by here after ski. Only if someone driving as the beer is great here. My friend is driving me today so I can drink both wine and have taste great beer.
The wine was ok today but the beer fab as usual. I had great burger with Cajun spaces — yummy
Service was great the lady was friendly and she brought my food very quickly!
I will recommend to anyone, fun tasty food and great beers!
Anna A

This place is a great stop on your way home from Skiing. They have food and beer. They are known for their chili and burgers. I loveddddd their garlic fries with parmesan cheese on them. It’s fun to sit on the brewery side there are little fireplaces too.

I want this place to be in Atlanta so I could go more often! My last day in Denver, I got to spend time with my cousin and she had the great idea of taking a drive up the mountains so I could see them looking beautiful with snow on top of them and then having lunch at Tommyknocker. She knew I wanted to have buffalo while I was there and said they have the best buffalo burgers — and she was not lying.
I ended up getting the Amazin’ Blazin’ buffalo burger but I was sooo tempted to get an elk, lamb or duck burger — next time I guess! 9 times out of 10, when a menu says «Hot» or «Caution: Spicy», it’s the right heat level for me, but they are not kidding around at this place. A few bites in and my nose was running. The fresh jalapenos with the seeds still in + the hot sauce was tasty as hell, but it cleared out my sinuses. Unfortunately my burger was a little over cooked (I asked for medium rare and it turned out on the higher side of medium), but the quality of the meat was so good, it didn’t really matter. For a bit extra instead of fries, I got a side salad which was so fresh, large and gorgeous. I enjoyed it almost as much as the burger which never happens.
I’m not much of a beer drinker but it was a brewery and we were sitting right next to where an employee was in the process of making beer so I got the summer shandy. It was delicious! I know I don’t like hoppy beer so it turns out the shandy is my favorite (even though I’m sure that hurts avid beer drinker’s hearts because it’s not actually all beer…). Our server was very friendly and it was a great experience! Whenever I make it back to Colorado, I will definitely make an effort to go.

Natasha! You rock, girl! The whole experience was pure gold. I’ve only experienced perfect customer service and extravagant food literally only a few rare times in my life. The place wasn’t that full which gave the hostess to sit us down and Natasha came and assisted us. She was so friendly, knowledgable and sweet. I think she totally changed my life on dining and trying new things. We had some sweet orange soda from Tommy Knockers himself. The fizz was very mildly sweet and not too heavy. I wanted to order the TK-​BLT at first for around $ 11, but the nice server of ours insisted I try the chicken and waffles sand which and it totally went perfect with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. I couldn’t stop talking about it all night. My friend chose a buffalo burger with a side order of salad! Perfect night! Thank you Natasha!

I’ve lived in Colorado for almost five years and have never stopped by Tommyknocker’s while stuck in traffic on I 70, whats up with that?
Well cue a long day trip and an empty stomach and a visit to Tommyknocker finally went down – Hallelujah! I thought it was going to just be a brewery so I was really surprised by their vast food menu and how legit everything was. We went later in the day so we kept it to appetizers but everything sounded good – the burgers, sandwiches, salads, etc. I love me some spice so I got the buffalo fries complete with buffalo sauce and blue cheese crumbles and it was heaven. It was so spicy it had me patting down my face since it packed a lot of heat which is always appreciated. The portion was huge and after sharing, I still had about half of the fries left so this is wonderful if you’re looking to share.
But now for the real deal and why it’s popular… the beer! The sizing of their beer confused me. A sample is actually a taster when I thought it would be the other way around. Regardless, after hitting up a brewery before this I just wanted a little something something and had samples (only $ 1.50!) of their Blood Orange IPA and Maple Nut Brown, both so different yet so wonderful.
Now that I know about Tommyknocker, I will most definitely be stopping by here again. I’m kicking myself for not stopping by before!

When I am feeling lazy and don’t want to cook or make something after a long day in the mountains, this is my go to stop.
The beers are all fantastic! I can never choose just one so I end up going with the flight each time I visit. However, one of my favorite beers is the Tundrabeary ale. Nice flavor profile without being too sweet.
Food wise, I have had a few different menu items and they are all pretty solid. Nothing will blow your socks off but nothing I have had so far is lacking in quality either.
Whether you live in the area or are visting from out of town, I would recommend giving Tommyknocker a shot.

Great little joint and very friendly staff.
Summer (manager) was so welcoming we couldn’t help but visit several times throughout our stay.
I definitely dug that they had beer samples for only $ 1.50 and that their beer was cheaper than other places. also Loved the buffalo burger which id never tried before. YUM!
This place is definitely at the top of my list and my boyfriend and I would LOVE to go back!

Stopped by craving a cheese burger. Figured they do a decent burger. Grabbed it to go the service was great but when I got it home what a disappointment for $ 13 bucks. It was literally just bun cheese (extra $) and meat. No mayo or ketchup or lettuce or onion or pickle? McDonald’s will least give you that for a buck. All it had to accompany it’s sad little existence was some warm twice fried Sysco fries. Dude I love your beer and the service was great, but whoever let that out of the kitchen to end it’s sad little existence in my take out box should be embarrassed.
For $ 13 I got something that was closer to an elementary cafeteria bun and meat surprise then any one would respectably call a burger. Not angry, just really really disappointed. I had hoped for so much better.
I did call just to verify that burgers are delivered that way, they are. I have to ask for sauce and lettuce if I wanted that, weird. They did offer if I wanted to drive back they would give me lettuce etc but it’s a lost cause 20 minutes after you picked up your food.

Very busy on Friday nights but the wait was less then 10 mins. I had the California sandwich which was very good and my bf got the build your own mac and cheese which he loved. The service was fast even for how packed it was and the food quality was good. I just wish there was more then a teaspoon of guacamole on my sandwich but that’s my only complaint!

I feel a bit guilty not giving them more stars but they are OK and my goal is always to be fair and honest. They are hands down one of A’s favorite places (has been for years) and in fact we stop here just about every time we go by on our trips back and forth. He really loves them for their beer… we have Tommyknocker sweatshirts, t-​shirts, pint glasses (I may have bought that for him) and their 32-​ounce Hydro Flasks which one was lost snowshoeing and we will end up replacing.
Positives
Great historical building
They have expanded
Craft beers
Negatives
The back dinning area is so loud the one time we sat there we actually had to change tables closer to the bar, we couldn’t hear each other speak and it was causing us pain (I’m not exaggerating) thankfully the waiters understood.
Food is just OK
Their little shop where they sell the shirts and stuff is also at the entrance and where they ring customers up so it gets really awkward coming in and out when its busy.
Parking can be rough, its a tourist town.
What they do have on the food menu that is really good are the duck wings, not a fan of the orange BBQ sauce but the wings on their own are excellent. I could eat two orders by myself. Also A really likes their green chili and their burgers, Im kinda meh on those. I do want to try the duck burger next time since the wings are so good.

My friend and I decided to have a couple beers here after our hike. I dont remember the name of my beer, but it was the only fruity one on the list. It was DELICIOUS. I know fruity beer isn’t for anyone, but this one was almost like sour beer! It was really good.
my friend I also shared an order of the jalapeño poppers and it was definitely very good.
The only thing I didn’t like about this place was that they waitress kept eyeing us. it looked like she wanted us to leave as soon as possible. but we just wanted to take it slow and enjoy our beers. it’s true that we didn’t order a lot of food or anything. but sheesh! don’t make us feel unwelcomed!
I’d definitely come back though. The location is GREAT.

OH ya, 7000 feet high give or take. A great place to start or finish a winter/​spring /​fall or summer Colorado mountain trip. Many years of great brews and wide selection of take out beer. Miner st is worth a quick stroll on it’s own.
It’s a tight fit inside and the food is good. The beer has been very good since day one many years ago. Easy to find in Idaho springs… Cheers don’t pass this place up.

Yum yum! I’ve been to this place twice and loved it each time! The poppers are my favorite appetizer! The chicken wings are abnormally huge! The beer is yummy!
The only warning I have is that the rootbeer is not for everyone. It has a strong black licorice taste. But def worth trying!

I’ve been a loyal customer for years, come ski season. I’ve noticed some changes going on the the restaurant over the past year. I want to say my food has been better in the past than this particular visit, but the service was top notch. They were polite and understanding. The wings are always fabulous and the drive is worth it for a TUNDRABERRY!

There have been a few times now that I have purposely not taken a lunch break while skiing, just so I can plan to leave a little bit early, just so I can visit Tommyknocker on my way back down from the mountains.
Been in a handful of times, and have never been anything but happy with my visit.
The beer is really good: cold, refreshing, tasty, unique, and it seriously hits the spot after a long day getting the noodle legs in Summit County.
I’ve only eaten here once: a gigantic, practically ostentatious plate of nachos. Heaping with cheese, meat, more cheese, more meat, guacamole, more cheese, nice crispy chips, and just perfectly sized… for 3. Which we had, so that works out great.
Great staff, great beer, good food, and a fun and relaxing time to unwind a bit before the last mad-​rush back down to Denver.

We stopped at Tommyknocker on our way home from Breckenridge around 9 pm in evening. We were seated promptly, at a dirty table. The hostess seemed to notice (as she wiped off a few crumbs with her hand) but didn’t care that she was putting our clean silverware down on a dirty table. I was a little grossed out but waited a few minutes for the waiter to arrive and asked him if he could wipe our wet, sticky table. He obliged.
We proceeded to order a couple beers, some appetizers, and soup and salad. Our waiter was prompt and courteous. He also checked back on us a couple of times, which I always appreciate. The beer was good. The appetizer portions were substantial and they were tasty.
The Tomato Swiss Artichoke soup left a little something to be desired. It was a small bowl of soup that was mostly croutons with two slices of cheese on top (yes slices, not grated cheese). Granted the menu does say the soup is topped with croutons, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses, but I didn’t expect it to dominate the soup. I attempted to pick around the croutons and I must have left about 15 large croutons and a congealed lump of cheese behind in a small bowl of soup. I laughed with my friend about it and decided the soup must be so expensive to make they add croutons as filler.

Chicken & Waffle sandwich, what?!
You Sir, are culinary genius’.
This coming from a middle age alcoholic that burns toast… but I digress…

LOVE IT! And have always loved it. My guy and I always stop here on the way back to Denver whenever we leave the mountains to make the ride back to the city less depressing.
The first beer I ordered here was their chili beer, it was outstanding! It has such a strong flavor though, definitely too intense to have more than one. We always get the bacon wrapped jalapeño appetizer to start, the chipotle raspberry sauce it comes with is out of this world!
We have tried so many random things, the reuben, buffalo chicken sandwiches, chili, the list goes on. Everything is always delicious. The service is always outstanding and the vibe is always wonderful. We will be back, again and again. Highly recommend!

I don’t really know what else there is to say… great little local brewery in a unique, local mountain town.
Beer = ⁹⁄₁₀. It’s good beer. My only complaint is the lack of variety beyond the standard selection. They throw in a hand full of seasonals, but when I go to a brewery, I expect some unique «you came all the way to the source, here’s the pot of gold» kind of brews… not just what I can buy bottled. But that’s just getting nit-​picky.
Food = ⁹⁄₁₀. Awesome for pub grub, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.
Service = ⁹⁄₁₀. Attentive, funny, friendly. A bit slow, but it’s a crowded bar so no worries.
Overall. Worth the stop.

When you head up to the mtns for a day of playing in the snow, you come down pretty darn hungry. You stop in Idaho Springs b/​c it’s got the best options and is such a cute little town.
Anyway. Tommyknockers. I’ve been here quite a few times and I’ve never walked away displeased. This trip, we were coming back down from having gone tubing in Fraser. We were all pretty tired and hungry. The kids ordered the kids’ menu cheeseburger (with onion rings — upcharge), build your own mac n cheese (with bacon and grilled onions), and the tommyknocker strawberry crème soda.
I ordered the mountain burger (open faced green chile cheeseburger) with garlic fries (upcharge). Let’s be real, I really just wanted to dig into a plateful of garlic fries! I was a little perturbed that though the server had noted I asked for «no garnish» (no parsley/​cilantro) on the fries, they came out with garnish anyway. She was quick to go get another order and left me the plate with the burger and garnished fries. I wish the kitchen had read the ticket closer, b/​c part of the joy of this meal is to have the green chile and fries together! My friend ordered the brewben, and seemed to enjoy it. Small complaint that Tommyknockers does not carry any other mustard other than plain yellow.
Next time, we vowed to share an order of BYO mac n cheese, and get a bowl of green chile each. Except… what about the fries? THE FRIES.
All in all, a great place to stop for some comfort food when you’re exhausted after a day of play!

I typically do not write reviews, but this place impressed me. The service is great at the bar and they have quality brews. Cool place if you are in the area! I had the pulled duck on brioche, very good! I will be back!

Came here for lunch today with my parents.
Great «mountain town» vibe, very cozy inside.
The beers were amazing! I had a pilsner, my mom got a fruity beer (blanking on the name), and my dad had a wheat beer, and all three were great.
The burger I got was called the «Amazin’ Blazin». It had jalapeños, buffalo sauce, and pepper jack cheese. The burger was cooked to perfection, and the combination of those toppings was SO GOOD!
Hands down, BEST burger I have ever had.
Seriously!
I can’t wait to go back and have it again. I now have a new favorite restaurant in Colorado.
Cheers!

This restaurant in a small town nearby where we ziplined actually was one of the best restaurants I’ve been to during the week I traveled to Denver. The reason? Where else can you get a chicken and waffle sandwich with sweet potato tater tots? Everyone on my table was envious of this order and everyone I showed online wanted to be where I was. It was as good as it sounded. Get it if you come. The beer selection was also decent and complimented the wonderful chicken and waffle sandwich!

It was very busy on the Sunday afternoon when we went to Tommyknocker, but we were seated promptly. Our server arrived a few minutes later. We were visiting for drinks and appetizers. Our server wasn’t mean, but he also didn’t seem to be particularly friendly. This happens to be one of my pet peeves. I want to be served by someone who seems to care whether or not I return to the establishment.
We ordered a couple of rounds and finished with a round of root beer. Overall, the experience was just OK. I’d consider returning again for a full meal if I was in the neighborhood, and I’ll post an update if I do, but I can’t say that there was anything in particular that would make me go out of my way to return to Tommyknocker, although I did seriously consider picking up a pack of root beer on my way out the door because that was our favorite part of the trip.

One of my FAVORITE breweries! So good ! Always get a Crock (not a cup!) of creamy tomato dill artichoke soup !!! We had bacon wrapped, cream cheese jalapeños –GRILLED .A million times better than battered and fried ! With raspberry dipping sauce, as an appetizer. The elk burger with a blueberry reduction was outstanding and sweet potato tots made an interesting side. The Mac & cheese was only so/​so, sort of
«rubbery». The bartender & waiter were both busy but managed to keep an eye on us. I always come here, when I come to Idaho Springs.

I came here after rafting and zip lining at AVA because they gave us coupons for a free drink (including beer) with purchase of food.
The beer is excellent. I had the IPA and the Tundrabeary.
I got the Western Burger with the buffalo fries. Both were also excellent, but nothing mind-​blowing.
This restaurant is HUGE. Service was decent. Definitely a good place to stop if you’re looking for a place to eat in Idaho Springs and enjoy a good beer.

My wife had the philly, nothing to write home about and a soggy roll. I had the full order of the fish and chips, you better be hungry to eat it all. If felt like 2 pounds of fish plus the batter.
The fries were bland, the beer was good as was the service.
We won’t be back, we’ll go a few doors down to Beau Jos next time, or Smokin Yards, both superior.

A solid 4. That’s what I would give this place, my first brewery in Colorado. Obviously (if you can read the stars.) I came here with friends after a long day of skiing and snow fun. The plan was to get a couple of beers and apps, then head home and pass out. So what did we get. (Or what did my friends get and I sampled…) We got Buffalo fries, jalapeño poppers, and a nice mother load nachos with Buffalo. Yes, that name really describes how much there was.
So first things first. I ordered an IPA that was 6.2% ABV. I liked it, the beer had a nice little sweetness before the nice bitter aftertaste. If you’re an IPA fan you should try it. I bought because that ABV caught my attention. It came out nice golden in color and it was enjoyable.
Onto the food! I sampled the jalapeño poppers first. They were wrapped in bacon, and let’s just say there’s a good kick with it. My mouth was watering long after I swallowed the jalapeño. With the ranch that I dipped it in, it had a nice cooling effect!
Next sample: the mother load nachos with Buffalo.
I don’t know if I got any Buffalo, but this dish was loaded. Cheese, jalapeños, Buffalo meat, chips, onions… It accompanies the beer perfectly.
Last dish, even though I got the latter part of the end, the Buffalo fries. It wasn’t bad, seemed a little boring though, but as I said I ate it at the latter dish when I got the leftovers. Supposedly it was better with the dipping sauce, but sadly I missed out on that boat.
Overall, definitely a place to try out. I was happy my friends took me here to try out my first brewery in Colorado! Maybe next time I’ll try out different dishes!