Every opening and closing this week:  Blake Street bar returns

More than a year after announcing plans to revive one of LoDo’s most recognizable sports bars, the hospitality group taking over the space long home to the Blake Street Tavern is finally holding a grand opening on June 20.

Many remember the Blake Street Tavern as a game-day institution that closed in 2023 after nearly 22 years and two locations. Last year, Harper Hudson Hospitality Group owners Jeff and Ashley Moerke revealed plans to reopen the space at 2301 Blake St. as Tavern on Blake Street, so named to honor their Snowmass Village eatery Tavern Kitchen & Bar. The couple also owns Il Poggio in Snowmass. 

Originally, they had hoped to welcome customers on Rockies opening day … last year. They missed not only the 2025 season opener, but this year’s as well. Between the time needed to complete extensive renovations to the 30,000-square-foot building and the licensing/permiting reality of opening a restaurant in Denver these days, a year’s delay seems about standard. 

But as is almost a weekly occurrence now, the re-emergence of one Denver institution was tempered by the exit of another. On Friday morning, we received news that the Rock Bottom Brewery on 16th Street has closed. 

While we’ve been accustomed to news of other Rock Bottom Breweries closing every few months (the most recent being the Colorado Springs location in April), this one is particularly notable, as it was both the original and flagship location of what came to be a nationwide chain and also one of the first microbreweries in the Denver area. 

This closure is likely more an indication of the struggles that many nationwide restaurant brands are facing in the current economic climate than a singular result of the years-long 16th Street revitalization project; Denver-based Red Robin just announced major closures are coming, too. And let’s face it, the Rock Bottom Brewery hasn’t been a microbrewery for decades, but rather just another corporate chain driven by P&L reports over craft sensibilities. 

Also suddenly closing this week was a link in a much smaller national chain: Mecha Noodle in RiNo.

And we’re holding our breath to see what’s going on at The PZA pizza shop on Santa Fe Drive.. There’s a “closed for maintenance” sign on the door, witjh this message posted to the restaurant’s Instagram: “The PZA has been built on my failures as much as my successes. After 18 months, some things simply are not working. I’m reimagining some things and will be back shortly.”

The account followed up a few days later with: “I’m not closing, just fine tuning. The only help I’m crying for is a line cook, so holla at me.”

We’ll stay tuned!

Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened or closed this week*:

Openings

Bar 77, 2669 Larimer St.
BARna Global Soccer & Tapas, 1201 E. Colfax
Ichigo Matcha, 2075 S. University Blvd. 
Tavern on Blake Street, 2301 Blake St.
Tonic Zero Proof Bar, 5767 S. Rapp St., Littleton 
Wing Shack, 10280 Washington St., Thornton

Closures

Mecha Noodle, 2801 Walnut St.
Rock Bottom Brewery, 1001 16th St.

Temporarily Closed

The PZA, 644 Santa Fe Drive 

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

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