The Atmosphere—

I have to admit, the initial reaction I had when entering Denver’s Brutal Poodle kind of took me by surprise; I felt like I was home.

Whenever I enter a place where heavy metal music like Parkway Drive is coming over the speakers, accompanied by artwork plastered to the walls that pay homage to all things both metal and canine, it’s literally like hanging out with my shar-pei on a Saturday afternoon.

According to co-owner Wes Moralez, creating this atmosphere was essential. “[The ambiance] kind of, incorporates all aspects of our personal lives. We’ve been musicians for years and years and years, and in opening something that’s our own business venture—since we can’t really be touring musicians because that’s a tough thing to do in this day and age—why not incorporate that into something that’s more in the hospitality realm. Plus, it broadens the horizons of the heavy music culture for Denver. It makes it more inviting for people to embrace, than scaring them away.”

One of the key ways this is done is through what they call “Colorado hospitality.” Co-owner Ryan Oakes explained, “Kill ‘em with kindness. We are heavy metal, we are edgy, but we’re super approachable. Even if you don’t like the music, hang out, get some food, it’ll change [your] mind, [you’ll] stick around.”

And speaking of the food …

 

The Food—

To be honest, with how amazing their food offerings are, I think the Brutal Poodle is one of the few places where it would be appropriate to flip the script and call it a “grill and bar.” This isn’t surprising when you realize how much attention is paid to what they serve. Said Oakes, “Everything in the menu is scratch-made in the kitchen. We pride ourselves on our menu. It’s very eclectic. We try to source as locally as possible, as well—from beers and booze to all our food.”

As a total Poodle noob, I asked Oakes what dish would be the best to start with. “We’re really known for our chicken and waffles, it’s really good.” He went on to explain that their waffles are made using a cornmeal base with diced jalapenos and cheddar cheese as mix-ins. They are served with whipped maple butter and a sriracha maple syrup.

When I found out that I Heart Radio (Country) voted these chicken and waffles as “Best in Colorado,” I was sold—country people damn well know what good chicken and waffles are.

Before I describe the dish, it’s important to know that I have never really liked chicken and waffles. To me, the waffles are always cloyingly sweet and when you add in any maple syrup, it’s like a giant sugar bomb that destroys the flavor of everything else.

Thankfully, what I experienced at the Brutal Poodle was the complete opposite; these were the best chicken and waffles I’ve ever had.

The floral fruitiness that can be found in good jalapenos was an amazing counterpoint to the sweetness provided by the sriracha maple syrup (which was also balanced thanks to the sweet/heat dichotomy). And when it comes to the heat, it’s actually fairly tame; I would say on a scale of 1-10, it’s about a two.

Also, the Poodle’s chicken strips destroyed every other preconceived notion I had about what you could find at a bar and grill. Where most chicken is so heavily breaded that it’s like crunching on chunks of concrete, the breading used at Brutal Poodle is incredibly light, akin to a slightly thicker tempura batter.

To be honest, when it came to the food, NOTHING fell short.

 

The Bar—

Now, if you choose to enjoy something from the bar with your meal (as opposed to the water I had with mine), you will not be short of options.

Featuring a robust cocktail list with drinks themed around heavy metal like “The Lars Ulrich,” “Mastodon Julio Margarita,” and the late Dimebag Darrell’s favorite “Blacktooth Grin,” there are a plethora of options for anyone thirsty. With that said, their beer list is even more impressive—not only with the amount of options, but also with how locally-focused their selection is.

Said Moralez, “We have over 50 canned and bottled beer options, and over three-quarters are [from] Colorado.” And according to Oakes, this attitude carries over to the taps as well, “We have seven taps here, and all of them are local except for one.”

 

Final Thoughts—

During my time at the Brutal Poodle, something Moralez said kept repeating in my mind. “This place is a destination spot. People come into town to seek it out; they’ve been told by their friends that have come into Denver [before].” I have to admit, after sampling the food and basking in such a uniquely welcoming environment, I agree, this place IS a destination. And I promise that if you love dogs, heavy metal, and kick-ass cuisine with a bounty of brews, you’ll feel the same when you visit.