A second outpost of Highland Tap & Burger opened its doors in an expansive 4,600 square foot space located in a new development in the Sloan's Lake area. The shiny and big venue brings together some of the feel of the original, a high tech edge, and exciting new menu offerings created by chef Eli Odell, who has been with the company from before it opened in 2010.
Designed by Venture Architecture, the same firm that worked on Bar Dough, the space brings a whopping 48 seats around the bar, with 146 seats in the dining area in a variety of arrangements that include low tops, high tops, and booths. A modern energy-efficient Nana door system provides an indoor-outdoor feel connection to the 60 seat patio.
Highland Tap never marketed itself as a sports bar or a craft beer bar but rather always aimed to be that neighborhood spot where you can catch a game and grab a beer. Some 23 TVs make that possible and a 30 tap system, which mirrors on both sides of the bar, ensure that the beer selection has something for every taste. If you look up, you'll notice the sleek architectural pipes that bring the tap lines straight into a walking cooler in the back.
The bar-driven concept brought some of its greatest food hits to this area. Among them are four burgers - Tap Burger, Shroom Burger, Veggie Burger, Rocky Mountain, the smoked wings, IPA mac 'n cheese, wedge salad, pork sandwich, and green chili. There are a variety of new dishes to share like the Spanish Chorizo corn dogs and shrimp ceviche, a tuna poke burger and crispy chicken sandwich, and a section dedicated to Colorado barbecue, which features bison and lamb, among others. Bonus: The menu also includes a must-try shrimp and chicken asopao, a classic Puerto Rican dish.
There is Method Roasters coffee on tap, wine on tap, and even Oskar Blues B. Stiff root beer on tap, a beverage that the Longmont company kegged specifically for Highland Tap for the first time. The beer selection is focused on craft producers, most of them from Colorado with 4 to 5 rotating ones from out of state. An affordable $3 house pint features a Sunnyside-produced Diebold Amber.
The new bar and eatery located at 1565 Raleigh Street is open for dinner seven days a week. Lunch and brunch service will be added later this fall.