DENVER (KDVR) — From an old mob hangout to a classic burger joint to world-class cuisine, the Mile High City has food that will satisfy every palate.
Denver has several iconic restaurants, including its oldest, which has been open since 1893.
The Buckhorn Exchange is located at 1000 Osage St. in Denver.
It features a unique menu with offerings like rattlesnake, fried alligator tail and Rocky Mountain oysters.
Not only will you find unique food options on the menu, you will also find a 500-piece collection of game on the walls, like deer, moose, buffalo, mountain sheep and more.
Here’s a look at some of the history of the Buckhorn Exchange, according to its website:
Denver’s most historic eating and drinking establishment was founded in 1893 by Henry H. “Shorty Scout” Zietz, one of the most colorful figures of the Old West.
In 1875, at age 10, wide-eyed Zietz met Col. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and by age 12 was a full-fledged member of his hard-riding, straight-shooting band of scouts. During those years, the great Indian leader, Chief Sitting Bull, dubbed Zietz “Shorty Scout,” in reference to his diminutive stature.
President Theodore Roosevelt was among early visitors when in 1905 his Presidential Express train pulled up in the Rio Grande yards. Roosevelt strutted in in presidential style, asked Zietz to be his guide and hunting partner, and after dinner and drinks, the pair took off by train to hunt big game on Colorado’s Western Slope.
Buckhorn Exchange
Buckhorn Exchange’s famous visitors
According to its website, four presidents have visited the Buckhorn Exchange: Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. Other celebrities, including Bob Hope, Jimmy Cagney, Charleton Heston, and astronauts Scott Carpenter and Jack Swigert, also dined at the restaurant.
The restaurant has 4.4 stars on Google for 3,525 reviews. It is open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., from 4 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Reservations are recommended and can be booked online.