Shared Dreams to the Fullest

A bucket list is an inventory of items that you want to accomplish in your lifetime before you “kick the bucket.” That was the inspiration behind Bucket List Tavern. As brothers and long-time Colorado natives Jeff and Joel Glentzer explained, “Our shared dream is to help people live their bucket lists to the fullest. We believe that a great meal and a few drinks can be the perfect way to kick off an adventure, celebrate a milestone, or simply relax and unwind.”

An unlikely restauranteur, Jeff has an IT background. His notable accomplishment was having worked at Motorola alongside law enforcement agencies where he assisted in the development of card readers for scanning driver’s licenses. While his day job is at the City of Westminster, Jeff tackles the financial and IT business solutions for the tavern.

Joel, on the other hand, has always had a hospitality bug in him; he manages all the operational aspects of the business. Passionate at the age of 14, Joel cemented his love for food service honing his craft working at Yard House and opening their locations in southern California. Locally, he was the general manager at Punch Bowl Social.
The brothers shared a bucket list goal to open a restaurant where people could come together to relax, eat, drink and enjoy each other’s company. After negotiations failed on purchasing two other existing restaurants in the Denver market, the duo decided to venture off and open their own restaurant. The Bucket List Tavern opened in May 2023 and is located in Castle Rock.

Joel operates from the adage, “If you fail, just push forward. Keep going. It works itself out.” Walking into the venue, keeping true to the bucket list tradition, you will find walls highlighting bucket list adventures, including moments in sports such as Brandi Chastain taking off her jersey during the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final in Pasadena, California. Another wall captures a bucket list of places to visit. The front room features the staff’s own bucket lists. Joel wants to fulfill the dreams of his team together.

The eclectic menu is as varied as the items on a bucket list. Joel wants you to be you, so whether you are the laid-back sports fan or the happy hour social butterfly, you can find it all at the tavern. The menu boasts popular items like sliders and wings, Bavarian pretzels and the Bucketlist nachos. The fan-favorite sliders are not for the faint at heart. Made with reaper cheese, pineapple and a sriacha aioli, you might need one of the rotating beers on tap to cool off the heat. Wednesday is all you can eat wings, so bring an appetite and be ready to stay for a while. With seven different rubs to choose from (buffalo, bbq, Asian fire, terkiyaki, dry rub, devil’s tongue and garlic Parmesan), fans can order boneless or bone-in wings to feast on. For the brainiacs and fact lovers, Trivia Tuesday night is another way for customers to come and enjoy some fun.

Looking for more hearty menu items? The Triple B Burger has bourbon bacon jam, arugula, candied bacon, tomato, Brie and a lemon vinaigrette. Need more calories? Choose between the short rib pasta, which has pappardelle pasta, braised short rib and a red wine sauce, or the Korean pasta that marries penne pasta with Korean sauce, chili flakes and Thai chicken. With sports season in full swing, happy hour is daily from Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The brunch menu, offered on Saturday and Sunday, will keep your appetite filled while cheering on your favorite teams. Want dessert for breakfast? Order the expresso cinnamon rolls or the lavender beignets. The lavender sauce will transport you to New Orleans. The French Kiss is challah bread with Dutch honey syrup and powdered sugar, topped with berries. For the health nuts, avocado basil toast has burrata and a basil vin-balsamic reduction, and the mushroom avocado toast has a portobella base.

Local Meadows resident Chaele and RJ Reeding are big supporters of Bucket List Tavern. They came to watch the college football season kick off and cheer on their team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Chaele loves that “there are plenty of screens and great energy, without the college bar vibe. We love the wings, sliders and nachos. All were super yummy, especially the nachos with lots of different flavor profiles. We love coming here because they have an excellent mocktail and the machtail menu. The machtails are a mocktail, but with Red Bull.”

The Bucket List Tavern opens at 10 a.m. Starting in October, the menu will feature new items. With a patio wrapping around the exterior of the building, gather your closest friends and enjoy the upcoming fall weather. For more information, visit www.bucketlisttavern.com.

By ViVi Somphon