2052 Stout Street, Denver, Colorado

Telephone: (303) 295-7974

Website: www.britishbulldogdenver.com

Note: Happy hour runs 3 to 7 p.m. This is a great venue for watching soccer and rugby.

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 4.5

Looking for a proper pint of ale? Maybe you’ve been craving a deliciously light and crispy plate of fish and chips with a splash of vinegar? Or perhaps you’re in need of a place to watch the match, with a pint of ale and a plate of fish and chips? If your needs fall into any of these categories (and mine certainly do) than might I recommend The British Bulldog at the corner of Broadway and Stout in downtown Denver.

Ryan and I discovered this pub some time ago and have eagerly been waiting for a chance to go back and catch a soccer game there. With the Euro Cup in full gear, we finally had the perfect opportunity. To catch a live 2008 Euro Cup game you must be tuned in to ESPN around noon (as the games are being played in the evening in Switzerland and Austria. Playing hooky from real life, we headed down to Denver on a Thursday to catch our favorite, Germany, play Portugal.

We arrived at The British Bulldog around noon (the game was slated for 12:30 p.m.). A smattering of jersey-sporting fans already hugged the bar, taking periodical pulls on their pints and anxiously waiting for game time. We settled into a high backed wooden booth with a good view of the HDTV over the bar and ordered drinks, a Paulner Hefeweisen for Ryan and a Strongbow cider for me (I was surprised that no cider is on tap at the Bulldog, as cider is always standard at a pub in England).

The menu at The British Bulldog has a variety of pub fare, plus more American choices like quesadillas and hamburgers. However, the two attention-getters are the breakfast and Pakistani food options. There’s the traditional English breakfast served with eggs, bangers, bacon rashers, black pudding, fried tomatoes and black beans. There are American-style breakfast choices as well, including Colorado’s favorite, the breakfast burrito (this one is filled with kabob meat instead of the usual chorizo and I can’t wait to go back and try it).

The right side of the menu declares, “Pakistani food the way momma use to make it.” As you may be aware, Pakistani and Indian food is commonplace all over England and many English pubs serve it along side the usual pub fare of fish and chips and shepherds pie.

I ordered the Greco-Indian Sandwich ($9.95). Served on a thick pita, this sandwich is filled with Peshwari Chicken (chicken marinated in ginger, garlic and spices), bacon, tomatoes, red onion and feta cheese. There is nothing skimpy about this meal, served with chips (English for fries), each bite of pita had the perfect amount of ingredients. This is a sandwich I will crave. Ryan opted for a hamburger ($8.95), that he thought was slightly better than average (3 out of 5).

By game time the place was standing room only and even though this isn’t a large bar the waitress had trouble keeping up and for long periods our empty glasses went unnoticed. I don’t blame her. She was the only waitress on the floor and we watched as she waited on and bused all the tables. During game time The British Bulldog should have two waitresses working or at least provide a bus person.

Overall, we’ve had great experiences at this pub and hope to have many more. The ambiance during a match is electric and the atmosphere at night is loud and fun. Several months ago we arrived late with a group of seven and though we had to sit at a table near the bathrooms, we had attentive service and good food.

It’s a place worth checking out. Especially if you enjoy watching those sports rarely shown at Denver sports bars. The best news, to the delight of many screaming fans at the Bulldog, Germany beat Portugal, 3 to 2.  Whoever said soccer is boring has never watched a match at The British Bulldog.