Poppy's Pizza And Grill

Bar, Eatery

342 E. Elkhorn Avenue
Estes Park, Colorado, 80517
United States

(970) 586-8282 | map
poppyspizzaandgrill.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.17
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
21
pDev:
12.23%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by beerbrains:
Photo of beerbrains
Reviewed by beerbrains from Nebraska

4.58/5  rDev +9.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Wow. Really that could sum up my experience at Poppy's.

I had heard that this was the best pizza and beer menu in E.P. I guess I wasn't expecting an upscale restaurant and was a little worried about the prices upon entering (I had invited the whole family out).

One look at the menu put my worries to rest. The prices were very reasonable.

You can build your own pizza or choose one of the house specialties.
There were lot's of non-pizza choices as well: sandwiches, burgers and salads. Suggested beer pairings were listed throughout the menu.

The three pizzas our group tried all were very good. The onion rings were the best I've had in a long time.

The 3 page beer menu was absolutely astounding. Lot's of Belgians and great American crafts. Draws, singles and 750's are all available. Some beers I had never seen some I've been wanting to try.

Someone took the time to put together a well thought out beer list without much duplication.

Unfortunately, due to the company I was with and time available I couldn't indulge to my liking. I could have spent all day there drinking and nibbling.

Casual American fare made with fresh ingredients in a nice but unpretentious setting combined with a great beer list.... A+

Oh yeah, you must try the Rocky Mountain Pizza.
Sep 04, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
Mountain town pizza and dining spot with an impressive selection of craft, including 8 local taps and a full page of cans and bottles to choose from. Enjoyed the pies and salad, too.
Jun 30, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by jaydoc from Kansas

Jul 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.73 by BlunderfulGuy from Nebraska

Jun 02, 2017
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.25
Excellent beer selection to go with the pizza. Great rotating draft selection and a first rate selection of bottled beer. The pizza was good but not great (may have been our selections). Service was first rate! Waiter from Mexico joking with us about moving back on election night!
Nov 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.9 by Boone757 from Virginia

May 30, 2016
Photo of gman1602
Reviewed by gman1602 from Texas

4.85/5  rDev +16.3%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Amazing beer selection with some rare stuff to be had here (Russian River, some great sours, etc.)
I've only had the pizza but it was a fantastic value and very tasty. Overall, just a really great hidden gem for the beer and pizza lover in Estes Park.
Oct 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.63 by Moose90 from Washington

Jun 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by Eddiehop from Texas

Oct 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by hardy008 from Minnesota

Jul 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Prager62 from Colorado

Jun 14, 2014
Photo of busy4449
Reviewed by busy4449

3.15/5  rDev -24.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 1
The beer selection was amazing, the food choices were full of variety and the atmosphere was just like any restaurant...

Then, we got our food... Just don't order it. The fries are made from a frozen batch, so when you get them, they are soggy. The burgers are not made to order, they are hockey pucks on buns (blah! and not juicy or flavorful at all). And whatever you do, DO NOT order the avocado topping! They called it avocado, but it looked like a pea green turd on my plate that was squeezed from a tube and it tasted just as bad.

I tried to eat it, since I was so hungry, but I couldn't get down a single bite. Thankfully the waitress, Becky, was amazing and very helpful in trying to get me something that was edible. The food is just not worth the prices or the stomach issues afterward from eating sub-par food.

Poppy's, I recommend you have your chefs learn how to cook real and fresh food. If I want a wide variety of beer, I'll come back, otherwise I'll be looking elsewhere.
Sep 08, 2012
Photo of bump8628
Reviewed by bump8628 from Oklahoma

3.35/5  rDev -19.7%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 2
Ok this is kind of a weird place. It has the feel of a Denny's or Perkin's built in the late 1990s. We were hungry from hiking all day, but mostly we stopped here based on their website and BA reviews lauding the surprising beer selection. And, yes, the beer selection is surprisingly good. Whoever put the menu together has a Russian River hard-on (but don't we all?). Pliny the Elder - not super fresh but still good. Some of their sour offerings were available too, but I had a nice haul of CO beer at my cabin so I didn't drop the bucks. The server was really (I mean really) enthusiastic about the beer, especially the Russian River stuff. Many samples were brought without us even asking. Intrigued, we ordered some bruschetta to test the culinary waters. Not very good I'm sad to report. Again, a throwback to the 1990s - garlic toasts with some chopped tomato and jarred pesto. I have a difficult time being hard on this place - they try hard when it comes to beer and everyone was so friendly. Maybe the biggest drawback is that they don't have a bar, so instead of just saddling up and having a beer one is forced to sit at a table and, in so doing, feels compelled to go through the whole dining experience. Worth a stop if a beer deprived BA is desperate for something, but otherwise just make sure you are stocked up on awesome Colorado beer before you land in Estes Park.
Jun 26, 2012
Photo of Mebuzzard
Reviewed by Mebuzzard from Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -16.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 2
A cozy place tucked away on the "river walk", just on the edge of downtown.

Was quite surprised by the beer list. For the area it gets a '5', but in the grand scheme of things, it's a '4'.

Feels like an old diner, not like Denny's but those old ones where ma and pa run the place. But it's a bit more upscale than that. They seemed busy, or at least the servers did, for a non-ski day/season...well, it's ski season, but no snow. I sat outside, which is a nice little perk.

Beer selection went from Pliny the Elder to Ommegang to Bud and back to RR stuff. Quite impressive, really. Staff knew next to nothing about them, though. Good thing I did.

Food...well, I got the Pork Tenderloin sammich and was utterly disappointed. It was fried! What? Ick. Dry, flat, tasteless mostly except the ketchup I drowned it with. I hope they have better stuff than this.

But for beer, hit this place up
Mar 31, 2012
Photo of DubbelBors
Reviewed by DubbelBors from Kansas

4.63/5  rDev +11%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
When I walked in, it is business casual with a floor to ceiling wine rack, but then I see a stack of beer and beer brewing books in the middle of the wine and the potential climbs. My family and I sit down and the menu is a list of my favorite things: pizza, burgers, sandwiches and salads. Then it gets better, smoked salmon pizza, cappricola sandwich with balsamic vinegar, and green chile burger. I actually have a choice of what to order knowing I will have a pang of regret not ordering something. Nice.

A conversation with the waiter and then six pages of wine and beer. Three for beer. Three pages of excellent beer. Duval, Pliny the Elder, Chimay, Mikkeller, Ommegang, and Duchesse de Bourgogne. Done. The siren song of the Duchesse calls tonight, plus she goes with anything.

Great food and beer although the beer came out a little cold. I let it warm up and it was all good.
Mar 11, 2012
Photo of StoneTSR
Reviewed by StoneTSR from Colorado

4.7/5  rDev +12.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Wow. Holy crap this place was amazing. Rob, the owner, went so far out of his way to go above and beyond what was necessary to make us happy it was ridiculous.

When you first walk in, the restaurant kind of feels and looks like it used to be a Baker's Square or something. Kind of an odd feel, but don't let it fool you, this place is anything but corporate and instead of pie it has insanely good beer.

The pizza we had was absolutely delicious and starting at $4.25 for an individual, it's tough to beat that deal. The pizza's were big enough that neither of us were able to finish them.

As I mentioned above, the service went so far beyond what was necessary for a great time. Our waiter was excellent, but what really made our night was when Rob came by to take our drink order. I had been searching for Pliny the Elder for over a year and Poppy's had it. When I ordered Rob asked if it would be my first and then discussed the beer at length with me, telling me I should be sure to appreciate the color of the beer. As the meal went on he stopped by occasionally to talk some more beer and just made us feel completely at home. At the end of the night, when my girlfriend and I were debating between two Barley Wines for desert he helped us decide on one and then brought out a bottle of the other for us to take home on the house. In the same bag as the Barley Wine he also threw in a Port Old Viscosity, which we can not get back home in Chicago. As if that were not enough, he called his friend at the local liquor store to ask her to save a couple bottles of Pliny the Elder to sell to us. The review for Rambo Liquors is soon coming soon by the way.

The selection, as I have already hinted, was fantastic. Several times in the last year I have thought that I had Pliny within my grasp, but for one reason or another it has eluded me. So I was thrilled to see it on the menu and to hear that the keg was flowing strong. Additionally, they had an excellent selection of Belgian beers, Colorado beers and other great crafts. The Barley Wine we ended up having at the restaurant was the Moylan's Old Blarney Barley Wine, not exactly a beer you see every day.

Pizza was dynamite. The salad bar was average, but nice to have there. The next time we are anywhere near Estes, we will be heading back to Poppy's. Great food, better beer and some of the best service I've ever had. Go to Poppy's when you're there. Rob knows how to treat his customers right and a guy like this should be kept in business for as long as possible. It's better for all of us if he is.
Mar 26, 2011
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
This has become my new favorite place in all of Estes. I have been to just about every restaurant in town as a former resident and now a frequent visitor, and this place is great.

Going in the summer, or when it is wamr outside, is always the best time to go here. They have outdoor seating that is right on the Big Thompson river. One thing that is kind of annoying is the sidewalk that wraps around all of the restaurants and skirts the river. Sometimes it seem as though people are a little too close for comfort.

The pizza is outstanding. The prices are a little high but I think the prices are worth the delicious pizzas. My favorite is the pesto sauce with chicken and pineapple (kind of made it up but its delicious). On the pizza menu, under all of the specialty pizzas they list a suggested beer pairing.

Service is always fast and frindly and this has the best beer selection in town. I would recommend this place to anyone, beer lover or not.
Feb 13, 2011
Photo of mkorpal
Reviewed by mkorpal from Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
This is a fantastic place tucked away in the shopping district of Estes Park. They have ample seating inside, with some seating outside next to the Big Thompson River. If you can, sit outside.

The menu looks excellent. They only have about 6 beers on tap, which forced me to knock the selection down to a 4. I don't mind bottle beers, but I realize they are going to be more expensive than those on tap. However, the bottle list is more than excellent. They break it down by style, and have just about every style available. Also a plus, they print the prices. You don't know how much that helps. I chose the North Coast Old Stock for 6 bucks.

The beer was served promptly, and with a room temperature brandy sniffer in tow. Huge props on the glassware without having to ask for it. Waitress had issues with foaming while opining the bottle, but that if fine.

Pizza's looked amazing. Individual size pizza is the way to go, they start at 4.50 or something like that and are .75 per topping additional. Ordered the home made Italian sausage, pepperoni, and sun-dried-tomato. Pizza was quick to arrive, and was huge for the price I paid. Was almost 10". Great quality toppings, very good crust. Huge value. I was more than pleased.

Considering the shear beauty of Estes Park, the exceptional service, and the quality beer, I would recommend Poppy's to anyone.
Sep 22, 2010
Photo of jgasparine
Reviewed by jgasparine from Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
You would never guess this to be a "beer joint" from the looks of it. I recently visited with a bunch of friends just hoping to have some good pizza, and MAN was it a pleasant surprise to find the BEST BEER SELECTION IN ESTES PARK!

If I were comparing this place to other establishments in the immediate geographic area, it would be an A+ rating. But I feel that I must be fair and rate it against everything else I've seen out there in the world.

The two most impressive things about this place:

1) Their beer list was almost entirely comprised of QUALITY selections, which included several I have never tried before.

2) Our server was impressively knowledgeable about beer.

Too bad we discovered it at the end of our trip to Estes Park. Next time I'll be there almost every night.
Jul 28, 2009
Photo of sobchack
Reviewed by sobchack from Texas

4.9/5  rDev +17.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
This is not your ordinary pizza joint. Their beer list rivals that of any restaurant I've been (with maybe the exception of The Kitchen in Boulder, which is also pricier). Man, oh man, what a place. Poppy's sits on the Big Thompson River with picturesque views--it is a must to get a table on the patio. The beer list includes some fantastic and hard to find lambics, such as Cantillon Iris. Domestic offerings include west coast stalwarts, Russian River and Lost Abbey. There are also some great local selections--Avery, Odell, etc. Poppy's can't be beaten. Btw, track down Rob (he's the propietor) if you can and talk some beer with him. He's a great guy and knows his stuff!
Jul 20, 2009
Photo of given2flybrewing
Reviewed by given2flybrewing from Missouri

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Visited Poppys on 05/22/09. Pizza was above average, beer list was excellent and quite surprising for a family oriented pizza joint. Selections included DogfishHead 120 minute, Russian River Consecration and Damnation, Pliny the Elder, Blind Pig, Port Brewing Hop-15, selections from the Bruery, as well as plenty of other solid offerings including some local microbrews. If you're in Estes Park and want a good pizza and great selection of beer at reasonable prices, check out Poppy's. I would definitely visit this place again, if not to just sit out on the back deck and breeze through the beer list, top notch!
May 25, 2009
Poppy's Pizza And Grill in Estes Park, CO
Place rating: 4.17 out of 5 with 21 ratings