The Campus Lounge has a rare, timeless authenticity to it that keeps the regulars coming back and newcomers poking in. In an age where many food and drink establishments constantly try to be something they are not, this one succeeds because it consistently delivers exactly what it promises...\r
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While it's in an uspcale neighboorhood, The well-worn '60s neon sign outside sets the tone for a real, authentic neighboorhood tavern where you will eat well and drink well in a dark, no-frills combination of aging sports and beer memorabilia that feels a lot like a comfortable hockey player's rec-room, with a (usually full) bar with stools, a few diner-like booths, and a pool room off to the side. This is the kind of hockey centric neighboorhood bar you find in places like Saskatoon, Duluth and New England, but with better food and less flannel.\r
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Owned for many years by the affable former University of Denver All-American hockey player (and former NHL player) Jim Wiste, the Campus (as regulars call it) is THE place to watch a hockey game with a T-Bone steak and a well-poured draft beer around people who played the game or know it well. Hockey is a close family sport, and players (ex-DU and ex-college players, Avalanche players and other NHLers) love to wind down here because it's solid, low-key nature fits with the personality of the sport - solid, unpretentious and authentic.\r
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The fact that few things change much here is why the regulars like it so much. Beer is cold, drinks are inexpensive, food (particularly the steak specials and Mexican food) are far above average. Service is quick, friendly and competent, and while it's near the DU campus and has some collegiate touches, this is not an undergraduate hangout - it's really more of a grown-up place where you go when you want to just hangout, talk some hockey and relax.
Pros: Authenticity, Hockey Centric, Unpretentious, Better Food than expected
Cons: Parking
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