Sometimes travelers just strike lucky and find a pot of gold on their trip. Before it was world renowned, Palace Arms at the Brown Palace Hotel was just the establishment's own eatery for guests. However, after turning many heads and sparking many a-taste bud, Palace Arms is now considered one of the world's premier restaurants.
The hotel is famous enough for being the first atrium-style hotel built, but it's the restaurant that has really brought in the crowds in recent years. Opened in 1892, it is one of Denver, Colorado's oldest and most famous attractions.
The outside of the Brown Palace Hotel seems to be out of place. From a distance, it resembles the corner stone construction of New York mainstays like Delmonico's, but from up close and personal, this gigantic triangular-shaped building presents itself as a feat of architecture, especially for the time it was built.
Inside, the glass skylight and open lobby creates a unique atmosphere for the guests. They're greeted by a harpist and pianist, and when that hunger bug does bite, the Palace Arms is there. Amazingly, there are also three other highly-rated restaurants in the hotel: Ship Tavern, Ellyington's, and the members-only Brown Palace Club. As you can guess, this means that they're not large restaurants at all.
What the Palace Arms lacks in size it makes up for in elegance. The inner décor is decidedly French; more specifically, Napoleon-era French, with plenty of artifacts from his rein as the world's biggest little-man. The dueling pistols on display are rumored to have belonged to Napoleon and the large reddish booths and plentiful artwork makes it feel as if you're sitting in an early 19th century conference room, about to hear the emperor deliver a speech.
It's a fine dining restaurant that doesn't require guests to dress formally; however, a sports jacket is required for the men. If you're short, I'm sure they'll bring you a logo-adorned jacket out of storage to borrow.
The cuisine of the restaurant is a blend of classic and new-age Americana with classical French. The end result is a fusion that cannot be found in any other restaurant in America.
One of Palace Arms' most famous dishes is the Colorado bison. Considered a delicacy in the area, the bison is making a huge reemergence after almost being hunted into extinction a century earlier. There are also other great dishes, like the sherry-braised loin of rabbit, a Caesar salad that's as good as you'll ever get anywhere else, lobster, lamb, and they even have an entire healthy heart section.
Unusually for a smaller restaurant, Palace Arms is also very well known for their extensive wine selection. Many options, affordable to boot, will compliment any meal you have while enjoying your dinner.
Speaking of affordable, the dinners are only around $50 on the high end, so if you're a guest at the hotel, it's definitely within your price range. Other restaurants may offer a more inexpensive dining experience, but none have the reputation and ambiance of the Palace Arms.
