Best Bagel Shops in Denver Right Now (There Are Actually Good Ones!)

Downtown Denver gets a bad rap for restaurants, and usually it's deserved. A lot of what's down here feels like it exists to catch tourists who don't know better — overpriced, forgettable, and gone by 9 PM. Sam's No. 3 on Curtis Street is the exception I keep coming back to, and it's been sitting there the whole time while people walk past it looking for something trendier.

Sam's No. 3 is a Denver diner institution at this point. The original location opened in the 1920s, which means this place was flipping eggs and green chile before most of Denver's current restaurant scene was even a thought. The Curtis Street location feels like a real diner — booths, counter seating, the kind of lighting that doesn't make you feel like you're being photographed. It's loud, it moves fast, and nobody's pretending it's anything other than what it is.

What I Actually Got

I went on a Wednesday morning, which is probably the move if you want to avoid a line. The menu is bigger than it needs to be, which is both a good and slightly overwhelming thing. My wife got the green chile smothered breakfast burrito and immediately stopped talking to me, which is generally a sign things are going well. I went with the breakfast plate — eggs, hash browns, toast — and added a side of their green chile on top of everything because you'd be making a mistake not to.

The green chile here is the thing. It's a Denver-style smother, not too thick, with real heat that builds as you eat. It's not the spiciest version you'll find in the city, but it's consistent and it works on basically everything on the menu. The hash browns are properly crispy, the eggs are exactly what you asked for, and the coffee is diner coffee — which is fine, just know what you're getting into.

What Works and What Doesn't

The price is genuinely hard to beat downtown. This is one of the few places in the area where two people can eat a full breakfast and walk out having spent less than $25 before tip. For a sit-down meal on the 16th Street Mall corridor, that's borderline unusual.

The service is quick and no-nonsense, which fits the room. You're not going to get a long chat about the menu — they'll take your order, bring your food, and refill your coffee without being asked. Some people find that abrupt. I find it refreshing. The place can get loud and a little chaotic during a Saturday brunch rush, and the wait can stretch, so a weekday morning or an early arrival on weekends is the smarter play.

The menu does have some filler on it. It's a long list, and not everything on there is worth your attention. Stick to the breakfast side and anything with the green chile on it. The lunch menu exists, but breakfast is what this place does well, and that's true whether you show up at 7 AM or noon.

Getting There and What to Know

Parking downtown is always an adventure, and Curtis Street is no different. There are metered spots nearby and a few garages within a couple blocks, but if you're already downtown for another reason, Sam's No. 3 makes for a very easy addition to the morning. It's not the kind of place you'd drive 45 minutes specifically to visit — but if you're in the area, skipping it would be the wrong call.

Sam's No. 3 is a real Denver diner doing what diners are supposed to do — feeding people well without making it complicated. Downtown has no shortage of places trying harder and delivering less.