Drakes Haus

This place was truly a gem. I hope they someday open another Drakes Haus somewhere and I will make a trip to enjoy the delicious Bordeaux mini burger and the French mini burger… alongside those mouth-​watering med fries. The staff was always super kind and friendly, and I even won the free lunch business card drawing once! Hands down, this place will be missed in Boulder.

Been there twice now and have been thoroughly satisfied both times. The food is good and at a decent price. Always a chill atmosphere too, doesn’t seem to be overly crowded so the food doesn’t take long for it to come out of the kitchen. I’ve only been there for dinner so lunch might be a different story but u would still recommend this place to anyone

This place used to be my favorite lunch spot in south Boulder, but it’s quality has gone downhill in the last few months. Whenever I have been here, it has not been crowded, especially during lunch, so maybe that’s the reason for the slip– they aren’t doing well financially. They have a delicious exotic assortment of sliders that are merlot infused. They USED to have delicious sweet potato tots, but they have recently discontinued them. I’ve had burnt burgers the last 2 times I’ve been there. I used to rave about this place, but no longer. I rarely go here any more.

I was really excited to find a new burger joint in Boulder. We passed up some of the classics to give Drakes Haus a try. We came for a casual double date night… and really just discovered some «meh.»
I’ll start with the good… because it’s really just downhill from there. Their «adult shakes» — it might take you almost 30 minutes to get one after you order it — but I’ll tell you. YES. So good. We got the Bailey’s one and it was awesome. Perfectly thick, a decent amount of alcohol. Tasty. Like I said though… don’t order it and assume you’ll get it within a reasonable amount of time. You, my friend, will be sorely mistaken.
The restaurant setup is kind of interesting. The lower level is set up as an order-​at-​counter and seat yourself kind of thing. They also have like 4 tables upstairs with a more traditional-​style full-​service setup. But, we were nestled in the corner next to the bathrooms and I think we were forgotten about a few times.
Which leads me to service…“meh”. Everything took a long time — being greeted — getting water — taking our order — food arrival — getting the check. And the poor guy knew it. He did apologize at the end of our meal for the poor service… but at that point? «Meh.»
And finally, the food. Between the four of us, we tried a multitude of burgers. The flavors were good but all of them were overcooked and — let’s kick a dead horse here — they’re sliders. Have you read that yet? Oh, no? Well, now you have. I imagine that a smaller burger would lead to being overcooked easily — so you should adjust for that accordingly, right? One would think. Lots of reviews mentioned their delicious sweet potato tots — yeah, they don’t have those anymore. The sweet potato fries now in their stead? Not good. Zero seasoning and a little burn-​y. My friends got the spicy chile fries. WAY over-​seasoned. Like WHOA over-​seasoned. And it wasn’t just me, guys. We all agreed… and generally, we’re pretty easy to please. My boyfriend got the Greek fries (regular fries with feta and some fresh herbs). Those were pretty good. But I really wasn’t impressed. Or pleased.
What a bummer. The shake saved them from the lowly one star rating. Everything else pretty much was not awesome. I won’t be back. And I’ll let my friends know that they should probably stick with the BoCo classics as well. Meh.

Had a delicious lunch here. I had two burgers and a side of sweet potato tots (OMG!) was just the perfect amount of food and price was just around $ 10. The tots were so good they didn’t even need a dipper. The burgers are identified by regions (French, Australian, Coloradan, Italian, Greek Southwestern, etc) and I chose the Greek which was a veggie option with a falafel patty and pita wedges instead of their regular merlot burger in a bun and an Italian which included roasted red peppers, cheese and Italian dressing.
My boyfriend had the Australians (complete with a full egg over easy!) but added a Caesar salad, which was perfection and so fresh and had gravy fries for his side. The gravy fries with cheese sprinkled in were very similar to the poutine you find in Canada and a very generous portion, definitely enough for at least 2 people. There were many other items on the menu including milkshakes and the option to create your own burgers.
The service we got was spectacular. The guy up front explained the menu to us and was very patient while all 4 of us made our choices. You can order up front and take a number to your table or have a seat and they will wait on you. We chose to sit upstairs after ordering and they brought us our food in about 15 mins, which was fine because everything is made to order. There is even an elevator for those folks who struggle with stairs. All in all, this is a very classy place and the décor is very modern/​industrial. We did not try out the bar. The outdoor seating area has couches and an awning with a fire pit and an epic view of the flatirons but it was rainy while we were there so we didn’t get to try it.
I would recommend this place to any and everyone I know who is in the area. Don’t miss out on this place if you’re in the area!

Yes the burgers are small, but they are so delicious! If you’re hungry, definitely get two of them. The fries are just as good as the burgers and those milkshakes. YUM!
If you can, try to sit on the little patio outside (preferably during sunset) and it is honestly one of the best dinner views I’ve ever had. They have couches and a little fire place out there to make the atmosphere even more beautiful.
I came here when it wasn’t too crowed so my experience was pretty flawless. I enjoyed the company, the summer air, and the comfy couch while waiting for my (well worth waiting for) burger and fries!

So, hungry.
I was hot, tired, and a little cranky when my wife and I walked through the doors. I trust my wife’s opinion of restaurants, but no one bats 1000 and I was hot and tired and more than a little thirsty.
We walked through the doors and the sun disappeared as it usually does inside. My mood improved until I saw the counter where you order. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ok with places with limited table service, but I needed to sit and think and read the menu.
Turn left. Ok. Stairs? Ugh. Turn right. Ok. A bar? A patio? Table service! Woo hoo!
The bartender, Mike, greeted us (I think someone downstairs had said hello, but I wasn’t paying attention) with a smile and some cold water. He explained the concept (3oz burgers that have been seasoned and are cooked to a juicy medium well, yes juicy) and also explained that the meat had melt added before they make the patties. Merlot? Weird, but ok.
Do not come here and let yourself pass up a merlot burger!
They have a few handfuls of burger styles. I had a Bordeaux and an Australian with fries for $ 7.75. The Bordeaux had the little merlot burger with jam and blue cheese while the Australian was accented with bacon, an egg, and sliced beet. (Don’t knock it until you try it) I for one was very impressed. The fries are made from cut potatoes, skin on, crisp on the or and soft inside.
Eat here.
Do it!

I cannot in good conscience recommend their chilli any longer. The past 5+ times I have had it, it has been really greasy. This last time was completely unacceptable and I can’t believe they send it out like this. My last chilli had an off smell to it as well. I still tried a couple bites so as not to waste it since I spent $ 6.50 on it. But I ended up having to throw most in the trash. After consuming this chilli I was sick for the rest of the night. I am so thankful that I did not eat the rest of the chilli.
Everything else we got was fine. The milkshakes are still awesome. The hamburgers are decent. But I am probably not going to this place very often anymore. Maybe once a year.

Just as the Jolly Roger served as an ominous warning to seafarers in the 17^th century, so too should Drakes silhouetted logo of a smug, unapologetic hipster strike fear into the hearts of those seeking a properly cooked hamburger at a reasonable price.
I’m not sure what this place is trying to be. Is it a burger joint? Can’t be. They only sell sliders. Is it a bar? No way. Their selection of booze is weak and overpriced. The interior is clean but cold and uninviting like a Chipotle dressed up in more greys to invoke a brooding melancholy (insert fart noise here).
As others have mentioned Drakes does not sell full size hamburgers, they only sell sliders. I usually like sliders but Drake’s sliders have been severely dry and overcooked all three times I’ve ordered them. The other issues I have is with the bread. The bread is reminiscent of the crumbly store brand burger rolls from Safeway (because it probably is). And the fries… they should have asked…“Sir, would you like some fries with your seasoning?“
Last straw: I’ve been here three times and the last time I was in a rush so I ordered the lunch special to go. When I asked why they were charging me full price on a lunch special, the guy speaking broken English at the counter articulated to me in his own special way, «We charge more because we want you to stay here and spend money on drinks. It’s a marketing thing.» Cool story bro.
Pro tip for the line cook: When meat is a smoke grey in the middle, you’ve gone too far.
(ps: I’d like to give a shout out to that cashier who’s painfully honest mention of Drakes lame marketing ploy actually tipped me over the edge into wasting time on this aweful review.)

Drakes is a very stylish place, with some great creative options. I just can’t seem to get fully behind the well-​done burger, even when it is steeped in wine. They’re not dried out, they taste pretty good, it’s just not as scrumptious and amazing as a nice medium burger would be.

I wanted to hate this place.
My girlfriend first brought me here a few weeks ago. I saw the burgers were small (in between sliders and normal size). The place was very trendy, and I generally can’t stand places that try to be «hip.» I actually wanted to leave, but out of laziness we stayed.
We both ordered two Oregon burgers and fries, because I’m pretty plain. Staff was very friendly and didn’t come off as annoying hipsters like I expected. Burgers came out pretty quick, can’t complain there.
So it was time to try this little burger. Holy Jeebus! This thing tastes amazing. I’ve never had a better burger in my life. It was a donkey-​kick-​explosion of amazing goodness I’d been deprived of for over two decades.
Since that day we’ve gone back once or twice a week (and going again tonight). Once I warmed up to it, it’s actually pretty cool. Has a nice upstairs bar area too that would be great for drinks with friends.
Like I said before, the burgers are smaller, but definitely NOT as small as sliders like others have said and they’re deceptively filling. Two and fries is just enough for me. Three burgers would be pushing the hate-​myself envelope. And $ 10 for two burgers and fries is actually very inexpensive, especially considering the quality (honestly you’d pay about that at McDonald’s for the same amount of food).
Damn, I love this place.

Update to previous review: The manager send us a gift card and we went for a 2^nd visit last Saturday. I am absolutely open to second chances. The staff was great, very friendly and helpful, our food came out in a respectable time, hot, and it had very good flavor. I can’t fault anything about our experience this time. Thank you, Jamie, for the free lunch. We really enjoyed it and will be back to try your other burgers.
I also had the Med fries as mentioned by another reviewer, but I thought they were great.

Interesting experience I had with these guys…
My boyfriend and I were starving, scanning Hungry Buffs, and decided to try Drakes Haus. The food was delivered in a pretty timely manner, we were super excited to eat, opened the box, and then… THEY WERE THE SIZE OF SLIDERS! Ah! Seriously, I wish they communicated this better on their website — they are itty bitty. Had I known I probably would have ordered two, especially since I was particularly hungry that day.
However, they are soo good, I really can’t knock them down more than one star for their size/​price. I just kinda wish they’d have at least the option to get a bigger version, even if I had to pay a little extra.
But oh well. I’ll be back and would recommend it whenever the mood to splurge on a really tasty, itty-​bitty burger strikes.

Stop by for overcooked sliders, sorry «burgers», and burnt fries.
Maybe we caught them on an off-​day but will not be returning to find out.
It’s edible, but places like these have to get over themselves; I’m looking at you «merlot burger».

My heart soared when I saw that I could get a gourmet burger for $ 5. Alas, I recieved two sliders and a side of fries for $ 20. The fact that these buffoons would call these petite aperitifs burgers is offensive and surprising. A real burger enthusiast would be smart to stay away or risk suffering PTSD from the shock that ensues.
I can say despite the quality I will never eat Drakes again. If they had marketed their sliders as such, I might have splurged for the culinary experience, but mislabeled, I say NO SIR!

We’ve been back since my initial review and there was no sign of the aforementioned bartender… which is awesome. The bartender we had on our most recent visit was friendly, attentive and chatty, which was a nice change.
Their burgers are still very good, and their sweet potato tots are delicious (I could easily eat two orders, maybe three).
This place is definitely in our Boulder rotation.

Can I give this a 2.5 stars? The fries were good and the flavor of the burger was decent. BUT! and this is the deal breaker for me — the bun on the burger was almost refrigerator-​cold. It’s such a tiny bun — a little time on the griddle won’t hurt — I promise!
I hates cold buns.
For a better tasting burger, choose Larkburger or 5 Guys at the 29^th street mall. If I was in a drinking mood, I would come back to Drakes Haus.

Came here for lunch today based on them having gravy fries. Everything else sounded delicious too but the gravy fries had me sold.
The location is easy to find and parking wasn’t bad. The décor is trendy and modern and we were immediately greeted when we walked in. The menu was outlined and I like how they have samples of portion sizes.
I ordered a California and a Boulder and my husband had an Oregon and an Australian. We shared the gravy and fiesta fries and had a couple drinks. Everything came to $ 36 which is more than we expected and really the only reason why this wasn’t give star worthy.
The food was deeeelicious and I really liked the merlot in the meat. The gravy fries were super good and definitely a size to share with someone. My strawberry margarita was very fresh but tiny for the $ 7 price tag.
Overall we would definitely return and I’m crossing my fingers for a location a little closer to home.

Everything is fine, but nothing is great.
The burgers are small, thick but under a 3″ diameter. I’m guessing under ¹⁄₃ of a pound. Ok for a light meal but not enough if you’re starving. It was sufficient for me.
Taste wise it’s bland. I did not have the Merlot burger because that’s only cooked well done and I like medium rare. So I got the regular beef. It was good quality but tasteless. Not bad, just nothing.
Fries were good but not that hot. Beer selection was ok, but no amber or pale ales.
My wife and I both said we’ll go back if someone suggests it, but we’ll never suggest it. He Dark Horse is right next door and their burgers are a lot better.

This place just opened recently, and they have amazing burgers! My coworkers and I came for happy hour (great HH deals on drinks), and we were not disappointed. They have a rooftop area with comfy chairs and a great view of the Flatirons. The burgers are smaller and very reasonably priced (think– order two different burgers for $ 8 or $ 9, this way you can try a couple different ones). I had the French burger, and it was delicious. The burger was marinated in Merlot (yes– Merlot wine, droooool), topped with Brie cheese, and apricot jam and spring lettuce. Amazing! They also have a good selection of draft beer (who doesn’t love Avery White Rascal?) Our bartender, John, was awesome, and very friendly. All in all, it was a great Happy Hour experience, and we will definitely be going back.