Dining after dark: 9 Denver eateries open past midnight

Where have all the good late-night spots in Denver gone?

When the pandemic hit, restaurants struggled to retain staff amongst multiple mandated closures, especially late-night spots, as kitchen employees moved on to find more flexible hours. Many local, old-school diners serving breakfast 24/7, like the Breakfast King, Denver Diner and Annie’s Cafe, shuttered as a result.

Jerusalem Restaurant, near the University of Denver, at 1890 E. Evans Ave., has been serving falafels and gyros till the wee hours since it opened 45 years ago. But after the pandemic, the restaurant had to reel back its closing time from 5 a.m. to 3 a.m. on the weekends and midnight during the week.

“The pandemic put a halt on finding servers willing to work those late-night hours,” said Jerusalem Restaurant co-owner Reema Wahdan. “It was easy to find them before, but now we’re even having a hard time just even pushing our hours until 3 a.m. Bars closed down early as well, which impacted our late-night business, but we’re seeing an uptick as they’ve come back in full force.”

But late-night eateries in Denver aren’t gone for good. So when you get off a late shift, need to soak up the alcohol, or just realized you never had dinner before hitting the bar, don’t waste your time forcing an Uber to take you to Taco Bell.

Here are 9 local Denver spots you can count on after midnight:

Jerusalem Restaurant:

This family-owned restaurant has been serving authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, like beef and lamb gyros since 1978. Said and Urayb Wahdan immigrated from Jerusalem and started this restaurant as part of their American dream. They were one of the few late-night spots around in Denver during the late ‘70s and ‘80s and have thrived on that niche ever since. Make sure to try their famous lamb hind shanks ($16.50), which sit on a rotisserie for eight hours before served, or the Combination “Super Dish” if you want a bite of everything.

1890 E. Evans Ave., Denver; Open 8 to 12 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday; jerusalemrestaurant.com/

Tacos Rapidos:

Tacos Rapidos is ol’ reliable. The Mexican fast-food spot has two 24/7 locations and one on South Federal open until 3:30 a.m. on the weekends. Whether you’re craving dinner or breakfast late at night, the drive-throughs offer breakfast burritos, carne asada fries, tacos and burritos all day long. 2345 W. Alameda Ave.; 2800 W. Evans Ave.; 2260 S. Federal Blvd., Denver

Pony Up:

A greasy slice of pizza or stacked taco usually does just fine at the end of a long night, but not when you have the option to dig into an absolute mouth-watering French dip before hitting the hay. Pony Up serves its famous dip with roast beef, gruyere, thyme, crispy onions and a side of au jus, plus other elevated bar bites and sandwiches, until 1 a.m. on the weekdays and 2 a.m. on the weekends, so there’s really no excuse. And even better, it’s two blocks away from Union Station and central to downtown Denver bars.

1808 Blake St., Denver; Open 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday; ponyupdenver.com/

Vesper Lounge:

If you don’t want to have to leave the bar to get your late-night snack, check out Vesper Lounge in Governor’s Park. The neighborhood cocktail lounge, known for its James Bond-inspired Vesper martini, offers Middle Eastern snacks until midnight during the week and 1 a.m. on the weekends. “We figured since we’re already here till 2 a.m., we might as well cook some food while we’re at it,” said Vesper Lounge’s general manager Spencer Gary. Pair your classic cocktail with the shaved lamb pita, falafels or any of the eight different burgers, like the Sloppy Joe.

“Ten years in, and I still eat the menu every day,” Gary said.

233 E. 7th Ave., Denver; Open everyday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; vesperdenver.com/

Pete’s Kitchen:

Pete’s might kick you out at 9 p.m. during the week, but come Friday and Saturday, the Mediterranean restaurant at the corner of Colfax and Race Street is open for business 24/7. So after bar hopping all night, stop by and chow on some gyros, souvlaki, kabobs and more underneath the neon sign.

1962 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; Open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 24/7 on the weekends; petesrestaurants.com/

Pie Hole Pizza: