The food is amazing! Great way to refuel after a trip to the mountains. The atmosphere is very nice and relaxed, they even have Live music on Saturday night. The only thing I warn against is coming here when hungry or in a rush but the great beer and slowed down atmosphere make it worth the wait! Got the Pulled Pork and boyfriend got the Fire Burger. read more

We were staying at an Airbnb near the Buck Snort and were excited to check out such an iconic bar. We were not disappointed. It was amazing in every way. The staff was friendly and the burger was outstanding. It is worth a drive just to see the throwback bar and the dollar bills hanging on the wall. Yes the menu is limited and the place is old but that is what makes it special. Don't change Buck Snort! Thanks for a wonderful experience. read more

I was pretty amazed by this little dive saloon in the middle of nowhere. Great place to stop after a hike with well-priced beer and snacks. Loved sitting on the back patio and hanging out - there are games to play which kept us occupied for a while. read more

Such a cool place tucked back in the woods. The atmosphere inside with all of the dollar bills on the walls and ceiling was cool. Rustic outdoor seating outside overlooking the river. read more

I don't like giving bad reviews, but yikes. Buck Snort Saloon is pretty sketchy. Alike many of the reviews I have read about them, unfortunately they are true. The service and the food was terrible. For such a long drive, it is really not worth it. Despite the bad food and horrible service, the building is really cool! It stems all the way back to the 1800's. Originally it was a place for miners to get a bite to eat and a good drink. The inside is covered with dollar bills. The patio has a great view! The bad part I'll keep short since so many others have already explained it in detail. The waitress was a meth head. Only one bathroom was open and it was filthy. The food was gross and expensive. They screwed up our bill twice. The wait was insanely long. You have been warned... read more

Great place to have a drink in the Mountains. Staff was super friendly. It got crowded around lunch, but plenty of room to have a beer on the back deck or walk down by the creek. The drive up is beautiful with large gorges and boulders everywhere. The vibe was fun and relaxed. Awesome bar! After 1 visit it will be a tradition each time we fish the South Platte. read more

Really disappointed. Buck Snort used to be a great destination for a summer drive, but the new menu is...well, terrible. Nachos made from 7-eleven cheese, days-old pulled pork...burgers were nothing to write home about. No fries to go with your meal either. I hope they can get things figured out and offer up a more professional menu. Until then, avoid. read more

Out of the way bar with great burgers and friendly conversation. Frequented by a few locals, but mostly travelers, hikers and hikers. Order the burger, it's great! read more

New owners. Good burgers. Go experience a bit of history. Parking is kind of weird. Park in the upper parking lot. It's a short, nice walk down. read more

The Buck's not a bad place to drink beer & shoot pool on a lazy afternoon. Watching tourists drink at altitude is a local sport. Unless they're your tourists. In which case, keep them hydrated. You wouldn't be the first person to hear-pull over! from the back seat. Don't get too rowdy on your way in or out, people live in the area, show respect & don't litter your trash or your mouth. The food is what it is. I worked there years ago & can attest to the fact that storage is a loose term. It wasn't uncommon for one of us to be nominated to run down to the Green Mercantile to snag items. No delivery trucks, employees/owners do it. Seriously if you want a great dining experience, what are you doing in an old shack in Sphinx Park? That's right, you're there because it's the view from nowhere. So have a pitcher, stomp your feet to the music, stick your business card in a crack (wall I mean) and ask for the tambourine behind the bar. And don't complain too much. What do you think they use to patch the roof with... read more

There's only one Bucksnort, baby - and this is it. While many people talk about it from the tourist standpoint, I can say that we local mountain folk know that this is a gem. It's true that the prices have gone up in the recent years. It's also true that the roads getting there are, ahem, interesting.... especially if you're not coming from Denver/Conifer and are making the drive through Pine Junction. If you're nervous about the roads coming here from Denver through Shaffer's Crossing, you're a total wuss. It doesn't always get the evening crowds that it used to because so many people, including locals, get a bit nervous driving those roads at night. Service is friendly but laid back. If you're in a hurry, go to the Wendy's or Sonic in Conifer. We are not New York or California and that's how we like it. The food, while not inexpensive, is good, big and fresh. The chili is excellent, as are the burgers and appetizers. So long as you don't try to do fancy, you'll be fine and full when you're done. Try the Antler Ale as it always hits the spot. Enjoy the ambiance and Elk Creek while you're waiting for you food or when you're finishing your beer. As the hours they're open (if they're open at all) change from season to season, be sure you check ahead of time before heading up. Also, remember that these are the mountains. "Hours of operation" are more like general guidelines. Call first even if they're supposed to be open. As always, if you're a flatlander, remember that the weather can suddenly change year 'round up here. Come prepared. read more

Sooo sad - been going to the buck snort since the 70's. The buck burger was horrible & no flavor. Was so disappointed!! Had made a special trip for my birthday. I don't think the waitress wanted to be there either. read more

First timer. Not easy to find. Jenky as all get up. Problems with the tapper. Totally unorganized. I love that shit. Ladies behind the bar maintained their composure and were great. So were the nachos so we shared them with some flies. They had some whiskey and that's all that matters. We'll be back. read more

Trucks packed to the rafters (yes, our vehicles have rafters) with coolers, camping gear, and dogs, a few friends and I decided to caravan out to the woods outside Pine, CO, to do some camping. But before pitching tents and settling in for the night, one member of our group insisted we hit the Bucksnort Saloon first. "It's awesome," she said. We like awesome, so we let her take the lead. We took a left turn off 285 at Schaeffer's Crossing and it all got kind of messy from there on in. Because we're the type (or rather, members of our caravan are the type) who can never get on the road until at least 3.8 hours later than our previously scheduled departure time, it was already dark as we made our way up the winding mountain path towards the Bucksnort. About halfway in, our headlights lit on a lone figure stumbling out of the darkness. He was swaying from side to side, and even in the pitch black darkness of the mountain night, HE HAD SUNGLASSES ON. My husband and I looked at each other, like, "whoa, dude." Just where in the hell were we going? Needless to say, we didn't stop for the guy. About 500 yards further in, we saw a black bear loping alongsisde the road. Good luck, Sunglasses-At-Night guy. Cory Hart ain't got nothing on you. We finally rolled into the Bucksnort Saloon's parking lot and much to our surprise, the place was jumping! Live music echoed through the pines, and friendly laughter filtered through the crumbling wooden slats of what appeared to be just another ramshackle mountain cabin. It looks like it could crumble into the hillside at any moment, and perhaps it just might. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that it was the high spirits of the patrons holding this place up. Everyone there seemed, and was treated like, a local (though many clearly weren't). A weathered old hippie band rocked the "stage," and it was clear from the cheers and calls they received from the crowd inside the bar that they'd done it many times before. Bikers-- of both the Harley and Mountain variety-- rub shoulders with weekend-warrior yuppies just up for the weekend. Dollar bills and napkin drawings cover the walls and ceilings, tacked up for all eternity (or until the nails holding this place together finally turn to dust). There isn't a square inch of booth or wall or table that doesn't have "Someone Was Here" carved into its surface. All in all, it's a neighborhood bar without the neighborhood. Or rather, the whole woods as its neighborhood. Should you ever find yourself out Pine way (it's actually in Sphinx Park, but Yelp doesn't recognize that as "an official search term"), do yourself a favor and search out this cool little gem. And if you happen to come across Sunglasses-At-Night guy, could you let him know that he's got a bear behind? Heh heh... read more

It took over 2 and a half hours to get our food. Average burger and chips. No apologies for the delay. Overpriced at $13. Go to Zokas in Pine Grove instead. read more

This is one of my favorite places. The food and location are fantastic. It's a family owned and run business, so expect some mountain family atmosphere e.g., live music with interaction, dogs popping in to say hello and the occasional biker. Its perfect. read more

Love this place! Have been going up there for years. We've really never had a bad meal. Usually order the Forest Fire Burger with the cream cheese and jalapenos. We're looking forward to trying out the new menu from the new owners. read more

This is the second time I camped at Buffalo Creek and stopped at Bucksnort. Both times, I hoped to have a good lunch on my way home and both times I was disappointed. The first time, it took 30-45 minutes to get my overcooked, tasteless burger and I had to ask repeatedly for refills on my drink. The second time, after an hour of waiting and seeing two other tables who came in after us get their meals, we figured out they forgot our order and left hungry. When my two friends told the owner, she apologized and said it would be out soon. When we asked to pay so we could leave, they seemed surprised and offered us chips and salsa and comped a beer to stay. At that point, we just went to Chili's. I don't think I will be back with such terrible service. read more

Bucksnort Saloon - American Near Me - Pine, Colorado

aaahhh the bucksnort. If you go there for the first time, make sure you drive during the day (i mean daylight, as in, try not to fall off the road). I went there a few months after moving in the US, it was pretty cool. I brought my parents too the first time they came, and it felt like being in a movie. They have some live music sometimes and a crooked pool table. read more

Cute place! Amazing charm, no frills Americana! Old little bar with great food, atmosphere and customers!

We've been to the Buck Snort a few times and the food was always decent. We went there recently and noticed right away that they had new menus. Their burgers were like baseballs, were over seasoned (my daughter said it smelled funny), and no grill marks (were they baked?). read more

The Bucksnort is one of the few places in Denver that when you mention you are going there, the response is always "Ohhh, the Bucksnort!". The other one is the Little Bear, but that is for another review. We only seem to go to the Bucksnort when we have guests in town - I don't know why, because it is worth a trip on our own. Last night we had friends from Australia who wanted to go, so after checking the phone and website to make sure they were open, we headed out. Take 285 to Shaffers Crossing, and exit to the south. You are on S Elk Creek, and all you have to do is keep going for 6 slow miles. The good news is, the road is now paved! The bad news is that it is still only about one and half lanes wide, so take it slow. The drive is beautiful, but imagine our dismay when we arrived to find the Bucksnort closed! The windows had large signs saying closed on Tuesdays, but we all agreed that it was Wednesday! As a result, the rest of this review will have to be done from memory, but since I have fond memories of the Bucksnort, that won't be any problem. The Bucksnort Saloon is what used to be the general store for Sphinx Park back in the days when Sphinx Park was a prime summer destination for Denverites. The building is old, old, old. There is not a single level surface in the place, but that only adds to its quirky charm. The decoration and furnishings are eclectic, to say the least. You can happily spend the time waiting for your food reading the walls, seats and tables. The food is really good, as long as you stick to the basics. They do a fantastic burger, and the beer is always cold. No fries, but you sure wouldn't want to start a grease fire way out here! The prices are a little high, but remember, every bite, every sip came in on the same road you did - so no big trucks, and storage is at a minimum. The supply side of this little restaurant/bar must be a real nightmare, but I have never had them tell me they were out of something. The Bucksnort is an unspoiled gem that is well worth the drive. Just make sure you call before going - and make sure someone picks up the phone! read more

If you are expecting tea service you may be the wrong crowd for this place. This place is unique and eclectic. The drive up there is very scenic, but the road is narrow and may (will) have some loose gravel in places. I had the burger and it was good, no it was better than just good, it was very good. If you get a dry burger you didn't order it right. The wait staff was very friendly and the service was quick, although I did get there just after 11am when they open, but by the time I left there was 20+ people there eating. It was my kind of place. it seemed everyone was there because they wanted to be there. This is an older place that is off the main road, but worth your time if you don't think you are better than the rest of us regular people. Prices? It was reasonable, not really any more than you would spend anywhere else. read more

Before I start I have to admit that I'm not used to drinking 8000 feet - so let's just get that out of the way. I'm gonna have to give this place 5 stars just for the experience. Getting there on a dark and cold winter night was worth a review itself (insert music from Deliverance here). I arrived armed with a group of locals on the first Saturday of the month which is apparently Wayne Faust night. Faust is a smaller, but equally bald version of Terry Bradshaw who loves to sing bald man songs and funny Christmas Carols. He's really into group participation which is how I ended up in front of a crowd of strangers singing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer" (oy!) They only serve beer and (spiced) wine and the menu is what you'd expect at a rural mountain lodge. It's NOT fancy (the floors are crooked) but it's fun and there's a deer butt hanging on the wall. read more

Bucksnort Saloon - Wayne Faust at the Bucksnort - American Near Me - Pine, Colorado

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Fun dive joint. Very small but loved the atmosphere. Knocked off a star because the tables were sticky and the food wasn't the best. A bit over priced but given the location, I assumed as much. read more

This is my favorite mountain destination. I ran across it while camping a few years back and always end my camping weekend here. If my visiting friends have time, my favorite touristy thing to do is drive up to Sphinx Park and have burgers and beer at the Bucksnort. It is the single most "Colorado" thing you can do in one quick road trip. It's only about 40 minutes to and from Denver, the drive is spectacular for being so close and Sphinx Park is amazingly beautiful. The rock outcroppings, the turn of the century cabins, you really feel like you might be in Alaska, hundreds of miles from any real town. They used to be cash only but now they take cards, at least the last time I was there,. I'd probably bring both just in case because there is no place to go for cash if you need it. I shouldn't even have reviewed this place because I like that it's somewhat of a secret but I just can't help myself. If you go camping near Deckers and are heading back towards 285, turn at Pine and head up the amazing little canyon to Sphinx Park. You won't be disappointed. Then continue north after lunch toward 285 the back way and you will see some of the quaintest cabins with streams and ferns like a rain forest. read more

It's pretty easy to miss your turn once you get into town so be sure you're on the lookout for a dark yellow sign near the odds and ends shop. We live in Evergreen and I'd compare it to a litter brother version of the Little Bear. The place is basically dive bar up the canyon and on the side of a creek. It's an odd mix of tourists and bikers but everyone was friendly enough and the staff was super cool. What I love about this place is that you get to leave a little piece of you at the place whether you're leaving a two dollars bill on the way, carving out your name on a table or just a good old timestamp and signature. Cold beer, decent food and a good place to sit down with a group of friends. Thanks for the memories BuckSnort .. read more

My friend who recently moved to Conifer, CO told me this bar was 'really close to her house.' Being an East Coast girl I had a completely different view on what 'really close' meant and had to reaffirm that this bar even existed 15 minutes into traveling along a dirt road to get there. The Bucksnort was well worth the drive. We went on a Tuesday night in June, so it was a quiet night, but that almost made the experience better. We sat out on the back deck and could hear the creek running below. I would like to see this place in its full splendor one night though, I'm betting it is an awesome time! The food was fantastic, don't be put off by the price. The potato skins were GIANT and definitely worth the $10. The bartender lives in Denver (probably an hour drive away) and comes up a few times a week simply to work at the Bucksnort, which should convince you that this place is definitely worth going out of your way to visit! read more

I don't mean to poop on the Bucksnort parade but I was not impressed. It is certainly an adventure getting there, even though we technically live close. As far as service is concerned we waited 15 minutes just to be acknowledged and once we had our food noone came to refill our beers or even to ask if we needed anything for that matter. We waited with our empty plates for nearly a half hour and were ignored when we motioned for the check. I thought the prices were a bit high and the quality of ingredients was sub par. The food to me tasted generic and again, not worth the price. We agreed this place may have fallen into the trap of it's own hype. I've experienced many a "rough" bars in my time and while I still see it here I think a lot of the charm is feigned to keep the Bucksnort as a tourist destination. read more

The new owners have really put some effort into this place! Great food and a good beer selection all while being surrounded by a beautiful spot in the mountains. Definitely worth the drive from Denver! read more

New owner and wow...what a friendly fun spot that now has normal hours and great beer. The food looked amazing but unfortunately we ate before we got here. I would highly recommend a stop. It's one of the most authentic dive bars.i have been to in a long time..its not only historic but a must see .... read more

RUNDOWN & NEGLECTED are two words to now describe The Bucksnort Saloon. I am giving this a 1 but would give it a zero if there was an option. What a disappointment to find this formerly well run business in such a decrepit state. If you had seen it in the 80's and 90's you would know what I was talking about. Now I find a dark, dingy place in such a state of disrepair and neglect -- very sad. The front walkway into the building has buckling boards, some so soft you could step through it. Totally unsafe. The bathroom in the hall had no soap (empty container) and I used the last paper towel for my hands. There is a sign for employees to wash their hands -- really now, with what? Now you are in the main restaurant with wall to wall dollar bills on the walls .... that means that those walls would never be cleaned. The wooden booths are so carved up that there is hardly an inch of wood visible. These carvings are a total health hazard with food and debris getting in all the carved grooves. It would be impossible to clean this surface. I can't imagine that the Health Department would not be concerned about this. Now I step out onto the deck - I push open the screen door that has a broken board hanging loose and a huge hole in the screen. The decking is all carved up as well and the boards are brittle very weathered. There are a couple of cheap plastic lawn chairs that someone tried to paint (paint peeling off) and another chair with a missing seat. Why would a conscientious owner not get rid of this broken down furniture???? The deck is a total mess and the view that everyone talks about is a few shacks across the creek. With the entire place in total disrepair I shudder to think about the stability of this deck. The waitress handed us food stained paper menus that were totally disgusting. The way the place looked, I chose not to eat but others in my party did. The flies were a turnoff as well. Food is way overpriced and inferior quality. None of the meals my party had were worth $12. Bottom line, stay away, If you want to see a historic building, go to St. Elmo. read more

Slight correction on Erin's post - I live in the area & there are zero wolf's in CO. We go to the buck snort a couple of times a year and always enjoy the food & company. There is a guy who comes up once a month to play his guitar and sing funny songs (forget his name). He makes the visit even better. read more

Terrible service and food was lacking on many levels. Screwed up our order then said "well, there are four tickets ahead of you so you may as well just take these nachos" that were wrong. Waited an hour per beer/water refill. The rude waitress audibly huffed when we asked her for silverware, napkins, to take our order, to order another beer...really anything. We paid ~$75 for three burgers, an order of nachos a few beers and an awful belly ache after the meal. Completely not worth a dime. It's for sale so here is hoping someone who gives a shit buys it and turns it around with decent staff and better food. read more

One has to love the Bucksnort. Just go and check it out. Worth the drive, I'd recommend more in the summer months, as that road might get tougher to navigate come winter. read more

You've got to be in a certain type of mood to come to the Bucksnort. The kind of mood where you gaze longingly at the scenery on the way to the restaurant. The kind of mood where you might bottom out your car parking in the auxiliary lot. The kind of mood where you like tables scrawled with names and dates and goodness knows what else, but where there's a sign telling you you're not allowed to do that. The kind of mood where you want to stare at the Sharpie-adorned dollar bills tacked to every conceivable surface, and sift through the rest that are sitting in a pile on the windowsill with the 100s of business cards from all over the country/world, and once you're done looking at them, you feel like you need to go wash your hands. And then once you've washed your hands in the bathroom, you feel like you need a full body disinfectant. I was kind of in that mood when we went there this past weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when I asked the husband if it was fancy, he said, "No. The exact opposite of that." Maybe because it was lunch and there were only 3 other patrons there, I didn't get the full effect. I could totally see this being a super fun place if you're a local or a tourist and it's at night and it's dark and you're playing pool and drinking beer and having a grand ol' time. The atmosphere was lost on me since we were just there for lunch. Speaking of lunch. I ordered the veggie sandwich, which wasn't too bad. But, for almost $11, I'd expect something more. Like, more tomatoes, more cucumber, less sprouts, bakery bread. Something. It seemed like something I could have made at home for $3. Which, I guess is the point. You're not going there to be "at home," so I suppose you get what you get and if you don't like it, tough. It's edible, seemed to be fresh, and I didn't get sick, so... I imagine we'll be back. Perhaps at night (though I might have to hire a driver so I don't go over the edge of the road!). read more

I know we use to go here in the late 90s when first turned 21, and loved it there, owners and employees were cool, live music, drinks, food, good people. Not sure about now days, from what I hear it's under new owner and really gone down hill. Only what I've heard, not saying. I'll go have my own experience read more

To say this is a dive does not quite cover it. It's a long winding drive to get there, zero ambience, burgers that come out in a ball because they are not quite defrosted. We ordered a burger medium rare and were told that would "take longer". Don't waste your time. read more

This place was on my "30th BDay Adventure" list. We split a gi-normous burger that was paired with a tiny side of beans. I decorated my dollar bill and stuck it below the Newcastle bottle. The ride up is lovely, as there are many weird shaped boulders and such on that road. The patio COULD fall into the river at any time, but at least it would be a fun ride. Not sure why I like this place so much - maybe it's the charm, or the bikers, or the view, or the bridge out back made from an old train...but everyone should make the trip out - it's a colorado diamond in the rough. read more

Bucksnort Saloon - nice creek! - American Near Me - Pine, Colorado

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What a hidden, out-of-the-way, totally-worth-the-visit dive bar! Not for the food (standard - well, I'd argue less than standard - bar food quality) but for the quirky atmosphere and genuinely awesome server. Stopped here after a long, 8+ hour day of navigation/orientation practice in nearby Deckers. As the snow was falling and we kept driving up this tiny, cliffy road covered in snow, I almost asked to turn around. We'd heard that on snowy days, the owner doesn't open the restaurant and after seeing what the (short but possibly treacherous) commute would be like? I wouldn't open either. So if it's snowy, call first (as noted on their website). This place is super quirky. It use to be Sphinx Park Mercantile 'back in the day'; now, it's the Buck Snort Saloon that serves beer and wine only (no liquor) and mediocre food. The place is adorned with dollar bills from previous patrons and I found it really fun to look at the notes from years past. If I'd had my permanent markers with me, I totally would have made a dollar to hang. It also should be noted that the server/older lady who took care of us was a delight. I'm not sure how much business this place sees normally but on a Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m., our group of 40 (in total, 4 groups of 10 over the course of 1.5 hours) didn't even throw her for a loop. She was so happy to take our orders, offer us food and take care of us. Truly, she made our experience wonderful. Would I come back for the food? No. After 9 miles of hiking, the burger I ate was good - but I know that if I wasn't ravenously hungry, I'd be disappointed. They were also out of 4 different sandwiches, potato salad and baked beans. So we could only choose from potato chips or baked potato. I get it - they're a pretty remote location so probably hard to get items refilled - but still a bit disappointing. But - would I come back for a beer and the atmosphere?! ABSOLUTELY! Will definitely be back after a hike in Deckers, Staunton State Park or Buffalo Creek. read more