Esters Neighborhood Pub

My Boyfriend and I were there last Sunday for our first time, we have friends who rave about the pizza. We sat at the bar and had an outstanding experience (our bartender Kailey was so GREAT and gave wonderful recommendations!!). We had their nachos (best I have ever had) and a pepperoni pizza also AMAZING! We will be coming back again and again! I am so happy to have a place this good in the area!

I keep referring Esters to everyone I know. The food here is so good, the Fat Tire Nachos are unreal and all their salads are fresh and amazing.
I could carry on about how good the place is but why bother, stop reading and go check it out for yourself!

Oh snap, the majority of the reviews for Ester’s were correct amondo!!! This place is hip, chill, relaxingly fun, and the food was on point!
One can feel comfortable in Colorado casual (aka yoga pant… ladies you know who ya is) or if you are stopping in after work in your suit n tie, you will feel like you are a part of the Ester community.
Ester’s is slightly tucked away but the closes intersection is Evans and Holly. Be prepared to find that this place is larger than it appears.
Wait staff — nice, friendly, prompt!
Menu — not Cheesecake Factory huge but tastes equally as yummy and not as costly. Husband enjoyed their hot wings and humus. I got my grub on with the roasted vegetables salad! Seriously, I was so busy eating this lovely marriage of flavor I forgot to talk to my girlfriend.
If we had friends coming in town I would totally take them to Ester’s. Happy hours /​will be spent here too.

I recently enjoyed brunch at Esters and thought the place was pretty solid. Great neighborhood restaurant/​pub feel, cool little patio, the waitress was personable and accommodating, they had a couple of guys play live music on acoustic guitars, and the vegetable burrito was great.
Overall a pretty good experience and I’d definitely visit again if I happen to be in the neighborhood again.

Came to Esters tonight to watch the game. They did not disappoint. I started off by having the nachos which were incredible. Multiple types of cheeses, black beans and most importantly the braised pork shoulder. I then followed that up with a delicious Prince Caspian pizza; Garlic olive oil, mozzarella, figs, caramelized onions, prosciutto, arugula, and Gorgonzola cheese. The pizza was amazing. And other than my team didn’t win their game it was a great night and a great restaurant. I’ll definitely will be back.

First time to try it, and we can confirm that the reviews are accurate. We sat at the bar. Got excellent service, and the garden pizza was delicious. (see photo) Deviled eggs were good as well, but not as good as the pizza. Probably going back today to try the fat tire nachos. Lots of local craft brews on tap as well. Great place.

Came here because of the amazing Unilocal reviews. While it was good, my experience did not live up to the 4.5 star reviews.
FOOD
The server highly recommended the Shrimp & Grits, as did the Unilocal reviews so I went for it. While it had decent flavor and spice, it left much to be desired for the highest priced item on the menu. The portion size was on the small side and the shrimp was also relatively small (U50s or maybe U40s) and only 6 were on the dish. My guest was served half burned bacon and barely any gravy on his biscuit, however the server made it right and brought some more of each.
BEVERAGE
The blood orange mimosa was phenomenal — strong, just the way I like it, but also the right balance of sweet. It’s made with a blood orange liqueur, rather than just juice. As for the self-​serve unlimited mimosa bar, which my guest ordered — they aren’t shy to bring you champagne refills (unlike many other brunch spots I have dined at), which was MUCH appreciated. This probably attributes to the high ratings for the brunch reviews (alcohol always allows you have a better experience «wink»). The price was also comparable to other spots at $ 14. The self-​serve bar is a nice concept but not executed well or maintained. They had four juice containers and none of them were labelled so it was a guessing game (it would be a shame to add in a juice you didn’t like or mix up a terrible combo) — I believe they were raspberry or pomegranate, lemonade (is what it tasted like & didn’t pair well with champagne), pineapple, and orange juices. The berries ran out after my guests’s first round (this was around 11am) and all that remained by the time we left (around 1230) was a little lemonade and some orange juice.
SERVICE
Service was okay, but as well-​organized and skilled at multi-​tasking as our server was, it was impossible for her to provide exceptional/​friendly/​warm service as she had the entire back room (seemed like 40 – 50 covers) with minimal help from a busser and bartender. As for the host staff, we were seated inside promptly upon arrival, but hostess seemed annoyed when I asked if there were tables available on the patio (which there were not — understandable — but an offer as to how long the wait would be would have been appreciated). Also, it peeved me to watch the hostesses sprint, not even checking to see if their guests were keeping up, and then quickly run off after dropping the menus on the table, many time before the guests were even near the table.
My experience was about 2 Unilocal stars, but giving them 3 because they have potential and a great menu (if executed properly).

Pretty good, just not great based on my 1^st and only experience so far. Went for Mother’s Day brunch (Saturday, the day before).
To start: bloody mary bar was great, lots of optional additions like bacon, peppers, olives, seasonings, etc. All of the bloody mary mix that was out was very spicy so I had to ask for regular tomato juice to tame mine down, which sort of worked.
We shared the Fat Tire Nachos and those were ohhhhh-​soooo-​gooood. Perfect combination of crunchy/​spicy/​creamy goodness.
I had the shrimp & grits and thought is was just ok. Missing a texture element.
My dad had the classic breakfast and it looked pretty basic.
My mom had the huevos rancheros and it looked different but she seemed to like it.
I’ll be back for more nachos and to try out some other items off the menu.
Friendly staff and great atmosphere.

You will LOVE this restaurant. hidden away in a neighborhood. It’s eclectic and fun… may end up being one of your favorite new spots to sneak away to. Healthy, really GOOD food. almost too GOOD! You want something a little different. they will make it for you. Great selection of beer. great atmosphere. Great experience. Trust me. you will love!
Huge selection of beers

Absolutely yummy food in a cool vibe atmosphere.
Like others have said, who would have thought this gem is in this little strip mall area? It’s amazing. It’s a pretty big location. The back area is more sports bar like with large screen tvs, and the front room has a combo of tables and bar seating. I ordered a lunch special with the half salad and small pizza. Enormous. The chopped salad is delish. I also got the veggie pizza which was so very good. I will definitely be back. This ones a keeper.

I can see how this place is packed all of the time. We started with the pork nachos and were blown away. They were delicious! The BBQ sauce was perfect, not too sweet or spicy. The pork was juicy and the chips crispy.
I got the steak sandwich and it was awesome too. The bun was soft, the steak juicy, and the arugula fresh.
We will be back!

If I could tell you the number of times we have been here since we moved to the neighborhood (its been a couple weeks) and not be fully embarrassed, I would. But I think we have come here way to much, its that good.
We have been here for both dinner and brunch and both are absolutely fantastic. I haven’t had anything I didn’t love and that I wanted more of. Their pizzas are amazing, same with sandwiches, salads, etc you name it. For brunch I have had their breakfast pizza, shrimp and grits, and chicken and waffles (hot) style… all so good. Their bottomless mimosa is a steal and we have always had great servers that are there waiting to refresh our empty glasses.
We love this place. We will continue to come back as often as we do now. I can’t say anything bad.

I really enjoy this place — it has a great atmosphere and cool neighborhood vibe. I’ve never been disappointed with the food and the one time they made my pizza incorrectly (I asked for pepperoni rather than ham, super small detail) — they asked if I wanted to keep the incorrect one and made me a new one for free.
The only complaint I have is that since opening, this place has become increasingly popular so it can be a bit of a wait to be seated. However, they make great Moscow Mules so I’d recommend grabbing one to pass the time :)

I made my first visit to Esters last night. I debated between 4– and 5-​stars, mostly, I think, because 5-​stars is a high standard that shouldn’t be tossed around lightly. Here’s what swayed me to 5 — in a word, it IS a legitimate 5 stars. Parking is limited and is really the only downside. Once parked and at the front door, every aspect of our experience was 5-​stars for the remainder of the evening.
The dining rooms and furnishings at Esters are modern and open, lighting is interesting and unique, and the atmosphere is lively and pleasant. They were busy when we arrived and getting busier (Saturday night), but didn’t hesitate to seat us when only 3 of our party of 5 had arrived. Our wait person brought water and greeted us promptly and especially given how busy the restaurant was and the other tables she was serving, was amazingly attentive throughout our meal.
And the food was simply terrific. We started with the Buffalo Wings (crispy, spicy and tangy — served with carrot and celery strips and ranch or blue cheese dressing — outstanding) and Fat Tire Nachos (braised pork, BBQ sauce, queso blanco, black beans, jalapenos, tomatos and sour cream). Then we moved on to the pizza — there are other options on the menu, but at its core, Esters is a pizza place. Pizzas have a thin crisp crust. We had one «interesting» pie — Dog Faced Boy (peppered pork belly, caramelized onions, boiled egg and arugula), and three more traditional pies — The Mikey (traditional pepperoni pizza), Catapult (sausage, peppers and caramelized onions) and Ya Mar (salami, ham, sausage and spicy red sauce). All were delicious. Value is very good, especially for the quality of the food. Wings were $ 8, nachos $ 10, and our pizzas $ 10, $ 13, $ 13 and $ 14 respectively for 12-​inch pies. There are also many beers on tap, several wines, a number of signature cocktails and a large spirits menu with Colorado-​made adult beverages highlighted.
The final defense of my 5-​star review is that Esters is located on Holly just north of Evans. I live in Golden. Esters is neither close nor handy for me, but I will definitely be back. Probably more than occasionally. The drive just wouldn’t be worth it for a merely mortal pizza pub. But Esters rises above the merely mortal. And it isn’t just me — 165 of your other Unilocal buddies have told you essentially the same thing. It’s clear that I didn’t just get lucky and catch them on a good night. Looks like pretty much every night is a good night at Esters. Bravo, Esters — keep up the great work.

Awesome Caesar salad !
I ate it so damn fast and I wasn’t even hungry.
A milk stout to go with it. I’m in heaven.
Great service. A hidden neighborhood gem, especially if you’re a sports fan. TV’s all over the place.
22 beers on tap !
I’ll meet you there !

Wow, this place is amazing. My sister lives nearby and invited me to dinner, so I didn’t know much about the place and didn’t know what to expect. But what I experienced was amazing, both food and service. What I loved:
1. Awesome beer selection
2. Amazing pizzas… They have a pizza with prosciutto and fig on it and I’m still thinking about how delicious the pizza was
3. Fast and friendly service
4. Didn’t try it, put somebody in our group got the pork belly sandwich, and it looked amazing… I need to try that next time
Every body in the party loved their food and I definitely recommend this place. I will be back soon.

This is my new favorite work lunch and happy hour gathering spot. I accidentally discovered this spot after taking a wrong turn and finding myself on a dead-​end road. I looked up and thought «what a cute place» in the most odd location.
Yummy food, decent prices, great beer selection, really great space, nice servers.
When I visited yesterday for lunch, we had a little mix-​up as we had three different versions of the menu — one was out of date. But, no biggie. I’ll be back!

I’ve now officially visited Esters Neighborhood Pub twice. I mean, it’s in the neighborhood, so why not? Starting with critiques, the biggest negatives in my mind are that this place appears to always be extremely busy, parking can be very difficult (even on the street nearby), and because it is so busy it also tends to be very loud. These aren’t criticisms of the pub itself, mind you, but they are factors that influence my personal experience. The fact that a place is busy and loud should not be taken as a negative. I certainly wouldn’t hope that they became less busy in order that it could better meet my ideal. Therefore, this isn’t a criticism, just a statement of the way things are.
To the positives: the food. Esters does have a fairly extensive drink menu, but the real winner of this place is the delightful menu. Although I’ve only been twice, I have not yet tasted anything that wasn’t delicious. Their pizzas are top-​notch: creative, well-​prepared, and tasty. Another less obvious delight is the nachos on the starter menu — try them, then thank me. On both of my visits to Esters the service was also terrific. For as busy as this place is, the servers are friendly and attentive.
I would, and have, recommend (ed) this establishment highly. Well done.

Anyone who can turn a seedy, ramshackle (and possibly dangerous) dive bar into a beautifully reconstructed quintessential neighborhood eatery serving freshly made dishes packed with local ingredients gets five stars in my book. Especially when that someone is a longtime neighborhood resident.
The menu is fine-​tuned seasonally and features fantastic thin crust pizzas, delicious sandwiches, and tasty salads. Starters include nachos, wings, meatballs, and hummus and pita. I would love to see a burger added to the menu but there’s no grill in the kitchen, just a wood fired pizza oven. A fryer was added to the mix when brunch service began and I believe the fried chicken on the brunch menu is the only fried item served at Esters. Speaking of brunch, scrumptious choices abound. Everything is made with love from scratch with fresh ingredients (it says so right on the menu) and you can most definitely taste the love.
The bar menu is varied and extensive. Beers rotate in and out with the seasons. My go-​to libation is the Infinite Monkey chardonnay but there are a good many more wines to sample. I love the nod to the neighborhood with the Potenza Park cocktail — Tanteo jalapeño tequila, cucumber, lime and agave. I feel like there has to be a story there because I don’t think «tequila» when I see Potenza Park. But it’s a really good cocktail nonetheless.
The owners are huge Phish fans and if you are also then you’ll recognize the band’s song titles on the pizza menu. Fee, Catapult, Ya Mar, Dog Faced Boy, My Sweet One, Fluffhead, and Lawn Boy are all excellent pie choices (with that amazingly light and crispy crust!). [Sidebar: My theory is that Esters is not only a beer reference but a reference to Esther, of one of Gamehendge’s most beloved characters.] Be sure to stop by during Couch Tour and catch Phish shows streamed on the big screens in the back room.
Paul and his team have created a warm and welcoming neighborhood hangout where the entire family will feel comfortable. Kids eat free on Tuesdays and their parents know where to come on Wine Wednesday for half-​price bottles of wine. Watch a football game or a concert with your friends and neighbors. Or sit on the cute patio that is both shaded from the sun and heated when it gets chilly. This is the kind of place you might expect to see in a trendier neighborhood but, happily, it’s right here in Virginia Village.

Excellent in so many ways (including menu, décor, and staff going out of their way to create an exceptional customer experience), although in a somewhat hidden location in Virginia Village.
Colorado Spurs: Official Supporters Club of Tottenham Hotspur watch all our games here, as they are fans as well. COYS!