2 Things That People Will Miss Most About Boulder’s World Famous Dark Horse

When a great restaurant/bar in Colorado shuts its doors after more than 50 years, the community mourns. With all the establishments from up in the Fort Collins area, to the south in the Colorado Springs area, places like The Dark Horse are hard to find.

World Famous Dark Horse Saloon in Boulder Closes

Saturday, March 14, 2026, was the very last day of business for Boulder's Dark Horse; the date also marked the restaurant/bar's 51st anniversary. Hundreds of thousands of people had been to the Dark Horse, whether as students attending CU or just out for some food and fun.

In early 2026, I visited the 114-year-old The Pepper Pod in Hudson, Colorado on what was their own last day, after so many years. The place was very busy, of course; I would have to imaging that The Dark Horse was jam-packed on that last day.

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2 Things That Many People Commented That They'll Miss the Most

The first thing that will come to mind for many, as a lot of people talked about them via Facebook, are those classic restroom doors. After a couple of alcoholic beverages, a patron could easily be confused, as the signs on the doors pointed to the correct door to enter. The men's room was on the left.

What Was Dark Horse's 'Starving Student Special?'

Another thing that many commented that they were going to miss about The Dark Horse was the 'Starving Student Special.' It was a burger, a side of French Fries and a beer, for only $9.49.

I have a friend that used to frequent the Dark Horse when he was younger; he said that they used to have a "Burger Madness" special on Tuesdays, where burgers were only $2.99.