The Butcher Block Cafe

So I went here because the majortity of the reviews said it was great. I will say, they are fast, friendly, and cheap. However, this isn’t anything to write home about. The cinnamon bun was by far the highlight. The coffee didn’t have a ton of flavor. The breakfast burrito was decent. The best part of that was that the bacon in it was legit crispy (which I love) and the green chili that is smothering the burrito was very flavorful. We got out of there in probably 45 mins for $ 20 for two. For the price and time, it’s alright but nothing especially notable.

food is good and they are friendly. Old-​school diner style setup.

Small town café. Came here to grab a quick bite so we only had coffee, carrot cake and cinnamon roll. Cheap and homemade!

Was a nice dive breakfast joint that I found near by where I was. Food was good and service was great.

This is the perfect place if you are looking for a CHEAP and great HOMECOOKED food! Grilled cheese sandwich with fries $ 3, biscuits and gravy $ 1.95, HUGE cinnamon rolls $ 2.50… This place is on point!
Don’t expect anything fancy… Just GREAT food on the cheap!

This has become the place I stop before heading up to mountains to ski. Kids like their fresh baked cinnamon rolls. The breakfast burrito was fine. Yes, part of me just likes the idea of this no frills diner off the I-​70 in the industrial heart of Denver. But so…

I never would’ve found The Butcher Block Café had it not been for an email Unilocal sent out about my favorite subject, cinnamon rolls!
Then there was a five star review from one of the best reviewers I’ve read calling it her, new favorite breakfast spot. The cinnamon roll itself looked tasty so I decided to give it a shot!
The café is very much a diner, which the pictures reflect. Plenty of seating, you can choose the counter, a booth by the window, miniature booth in the middle of the floor, or a table in the back room. At the moment we walked in, only the mini booths were open (if that tells you anything).
Our server was very sweet, and in fact moved us to a bigger window booth when it became available! The cinnamon roll was pretty good, not quite the best though. The actual breakfast food we ordered was really decent, especially considering the price!
If you had the time, I’d say go into downtown or better yet, the highlands. If not, don’t miss the cinnamon roll.

It’s a diner… no more, no less. I’m not why this place has any five star reviews, but it’s certainly an acceptable place to eat breakfast.
The service is super friendly, and decently attentive. Our coffee and water were never empty, and we didn’t have to wait long for our orders.
My wife and I split a cinnamon roll, and then I had the breakfast burrito and she had some kind of egg sandwich with hash browns (she didn’t seem impressed). The cinnamon roll was certainly enjoyable, but it wasn’t good by cinnamon roll standards. It was sweet, but too chewy.
The breakfast burrito… I added sausage to mine (because why would anyone who eats meat have a breakfast burrito without one??), and I was a little surprised when the server asked me «patties or links?» In a breakfast burrito? Patties it was. The burrito was smothered in green chili which was much better than it looked. Although I’ve certainly had better, the burrito was good.
Also, in true diner style, the tab was painless. Two meals, a cinnamon roll, and the tip cost us $ 20. If you’re looking for something quick, cheap, and decent then the Butcher Block is it– especially if you’re in the area anyway. If you’re looking for something extraordinary, or something worth driving across town, look elsewhere.

Awesome little diner. Great food and great specials. The service is always fast and friendly. A must try.

It’s great breakfast food and super inexpensive! We take out of town people here a lot and they all love it too. The décor is funky and makes you feel like your in a super old antique store, but it works. Staff is nice and efficient too! The cinnamon buns are amazefest in your mouth! Eat em!

Butcher Block is an awesome hidden dive breakfast spot in Denver. We’d have never found it if it weren’t for Unilocal because it’s tucked away in a little industrial area.
The waitress was really friendly and gave us suggestions on the menu. We both went with breakfast and split a cinnamon roll. The roll came up first and was so tasty. It had a slight crispness to it and the cinnamon butter on top was divine.
Breakfast was exactly as we asked for it and delicious. The bill was cheap (something like 15 bucks total). I’d definitely stop in next time I’m in Denver and want a basic breakfast.

Great greasy spoon diner. Food is excellent, the service is fast and friendly. The breakfast burrito is amazing!

To me, this place bring back memories of youth and the east coast!
It’s a low key diner, basic food, basic seating, adorable service and servers.
I got the blt, and a cup of coffee and had to try the cinnamon roll. The butter really made it, but honestly i don’t need that much sugar, dough and butter!
I was glad i finally made the effort to try this place. The outside is pretty «scary» and that has kept me from heading in for the 8 years, but finally i did and darn am i did!
Definitely not fancy pants, just the basics!

I cautiously let my boyfriend pick a place for breakfast since we had a bit of downtime before we needed to be at the Western Complex. Although this is not my go-​to location for breakfast it was a quick jaunt away from my work downtown and conveniently close to the Western Complex so we decided to give it a go.
The façade is anything but impressive and to be honest I wasn’t expecting anything special. I had a standard breakfast burrito (eggs, cheese and hash) smothered with green chile. It was $ 3 and the full size of my plate … Quite generous considering the cost. AND it was so stinkin delicious! Like, so so so very delicious. We both moped our plates clean with nary a complaint.
The service was exceptional in every way. My coffee was never more than half empty. Everyone was quite pleasant. People who weren’t our server came to our table to check in and make sure everything was ok.
So really, who cares if the outside of a building is not updated? We will certainly be visiting again, this time hopefully reining in a bit so we can leave room for a cinnamon roll.

I used to frequent this place back in the late 70’s when it was called, «Bud’s, the working people’s café’.»
It’s been The Butcher Block for quite some time, but still has the same feel as Bud’s.
I no longer live in Denver, but if I’m ever in the area of this place I try to stop in for breakfast or lunch. It’s a must try if you love eating in diners. This is on my tip-​top list of my favorite diners.
If you go, you must have one of their famous home made cinnamon rolls. They are the best of the best. $ 2.50, and well worth the price. They are huge!
See my pics. You’ll see they have a great selection of breakfast items, along with lunch items.
Hours: M-​F: 5am-3:30pm
Sat. 5am-​3pm
Sunday: 6am-​3pm
Long live the spirit of Bud’s in The Butcher Block!

How have I never reviewed this place? It’s classic diner food at reasonable prices. Steak and eggs, meatloaf, soup… all of your mid-​century comfort foods are represented here.
When I want a cheap breakfast early in the AM, this place fits the bill. Eggs, toast, & potatoes are all I need – though I sometimes get the steak & eggs if I feel decadent.
Service is prompt and friendly. Portions are hearty. Cinnamon rolls are not part of any balanced breakfast, but you have to try them once. Skip the coffee.

Insanely low prices.
Great classic diner.
The best green chilie I’ve had in Denver.
A great, great burger.
Good breakfast burros.
Kathy, our server, was very good and a hoot. The owner Mickey, like the mouse, came around to all the booths to ask how everything was. Well done!

I’m joining the reviewers who just can’t understand the high marks for this restaurant. We were looking for a place to stop for lunch on our way to skiing and based on the 4 ½ stars, we expected delicious homecooked food and large portions with friendly service at a good price. Décor doesn’t matter since it’s not always related to food quality.
We did get the friendly service in a hole-​in-​the-​wall setting and cheap prices, but the food was sorely lacking. My chili was a gooey mess out of a can and my friend’s fish sandwich came on a store bought hamburger bun with one (!) thin fish stick that didn’t occupy half the bun. Another friend’s french toast platter looked like a slice of white bread covered in egg batter with a sad folded egg and two strips of bacon (see photo).
We were all puzzled about the ratings and how a diner like this can survive in an industrial area where the workers must be demanding about quality and portions.
One additional star for friendly service but that’s the only positive about this place. For a true homecooked café experience check out Main Street Restaurant in Idaho Springs on the way to the mountains.

Unspectacular
Located near Downtown Denver, Butcher Block Café is a decades-​old family affair. Most noted for their smothered burritos and homemade cinnamon rolls, this mediocre eatery also serves up old school diner classics, like BLT sandwiches and chicken fried steaks.
Internet hype brought me to Butcher Block Café; unfortunately, the food fell well short of the hoopla. My dining partner had the Smothered Breakfast Burrito. In very unworldly terms, she described it as an undercooked mass with puke on top. I submitted a picture to Unilocal,so you can judge for yourself. I decided on the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. It was perhaps the most pathetic chicken sandwich I have ever come across. To say that it was tiny would be an understatement. Furthermore, the chicken was rubbery in texture and insulting to the palate. It was awful!
There’s just nothing remarkable about this place at all. No quality — No value.
Keep on driving, friend!

After living in the South for the majority of my life, I became quite accustomed to Southern cuisine. Moving out here, I got slightly homesick. Finding a place that could clog my arteries before the sun came up I thought would be a daunting task.
Thankfully, I was wrong. I was led to Butcher Block, and it sure fit the bill. After a brutal 12 hour day at work, this place hits the spot. You are greeted by what seems to be the whole restaurant, all smiles. Then you realize this place has random stuff for sale hanging on the counter, and bookcases.
Sit at the «bar area» or among the many booths. I sat at the counter. The menu has lots of choices and is quite cheap. In fact, my meal was one of the cheaper meals I had consumed– also leaving in a food coma.
I got what seemed to be the most unhealthy thing on the menu (see pic). I doused in it hot sauce, and ate away. I was stuffed when I was done, with nothing left on the plate. I saw they had legendary cinnamon rolls. but that would have been beyond gluttonous, IMO.
I said goodbye to the ladies and the cook, and was on my way– I told them I would love to be a regular. However, a few minutes after I left I felt my chest tighten– in a way that if I ate here on a regular basis I would have easily have left on a stretcher.
This food is wonderful but not for the faint of heart. If I could only eat here on the regular…