Photo Credit to Tapateria in Old Colorado City

Places for a Great Date Night in Colorado Springs

Want to take your sweetheart for a night out on the town? Feeling stressed about where to go? Instead of spinning the “Wheel of Lunch” over and over and debating until you don’t even want to go out anymore, check out these carefully curated selections. Scale up for fancy dining or scale down for a casual pre-event cocktail – you’ll surely find a perfect place to enjoy with your beloved.

Fine Dining

Sometimes you just want to go out-out. Not a casual chain restaurant or a desperate drive-through meal in the car, but a nice meal with your favorite person in a place that makes you feel like it’s truly date night. These local restaurant suggestions have delicious menus, great service and lots of ambiance.

Prime 25

Prime 25 is a steakhouse south of Downtown Colorado Springs that offers all of the things you love about a steakhouse with a modern twist. With two stories of gorgeous, gleaming copper, glass fire places and cozy lighting (don’t worry, you can read the menu without a flashlight), it’s an excellent choice for a date night. Prime 25 really likes to take a night out to a whole new level. Their seafood is as fresh as you can possibly get in landlocked Colorado because they fly it in daily. We’re talking from dock to dinner plate just like coastal restaurants – it just has a brief (ice-cold) journey before getting there. Then, there’s the steak. Aged, USDA prime beef steaks are cooked to perfection and the cut selection includes bison filets, dry-aged, bone-in NY strip, Wagyu beef sold by the ounce and many other premium options. Couples should definitely take a look at the “dinner for two” with feature your choice of a 40-ounce porterhouse or a 20-ounce chateaubriand. For those who prefer other proteins or vegetarian options, there is duck, Hawaiian tuna, and a very savory cauliflower steak. Sides are featured separately with your steak and include selections such as truffled mac and cheese, crispy brussels and duck fat potatoes.

Four by Brother Luck

Take your beloved out for dinner at a restaurant owned and operated by celebrity chef Brother Luck. Luck has been a longtime proprietor here in Luck has been a longtime proprietor here in Colorado Springs, even as he’s competed in Food Network competitions, taught cooking classes and cultivated a culinary workforce development program. Four is located in Downtown Colorado Springs on northern Tejon Street. The menu shifts seasonally, but the quality always remains. There are four course options to select from – you can choose to go for all four or choose a la carte. Because the menu changes, you definitely want to check online before you make your reservations to ensure you’re stoked about the offerings. At last glance, Luck was offering first courses like blue cornbread and beet pappardelle, while the heftier third course presented a spiced porkchop, confit duck leg and sesame mole chicken. Desserts also change often, so call ahead if that’s your favorite part of any meal. You’ll get the most recent options.

Cowboy Star

While Cowboy Star might be located in one of the busiest shopping centers in northwest Colorado Springs, it is anything but a chain. The local restaurant is elegant, romantic and extremely good at making you and your partner feel extra special. They like to describe it as “contemporary American cuisine with a western flare.” We like to call it mighty tasty. Starter suggestions include their signature steak tartare, hand-chopped and decked out with capers and shallots and topped with a quail egg, and raw oysters (they are an aphrodisiac, you know). Entrees like pan-roasted halibut, roasted lamb loin steak, seared diver scallops and Colorado Wagyu will make you feel all warm and cozy – or is that your date? Doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you’ll leave satiated and happy, especially if you order dessert. We strongly suggest the chocolate chip bread pudding. It’s plated like a work of art and comes topped with house-made mousse ice cream. Mousse ice cream!

Margarita at Pine Creek

The Margarita at Pine Creek is a top spot for many different meals – they have a great brunch on weekends (and a farmer’s market), plus an excellent lunch menu. They’re also conveniently located right off of north I-25 just past Woodmen Road. Dinner is an especially unique experience at Margarita because the menu changes from night to night. Margarita chefs are given free reign to take diners on a culinary journey, creating meals that use seasonal ingredients or locally sourced fruits and vegetables, debuting adventurous new creations or plating up your traditional favorites with flair. Guests can call nightly to inquire about the menu and request the daily menu. To paint a picture of what they have to offer, their sample menu features dishes like ricotta-parmesan gnudi with truffled mushroom cream sauce, braised brasato al borolo with polenta and roasted vegetables, and a la carte items like a chef’s charcuterie board. There’s also dessert for sharing sweets with your sweetheart. Inquire about their five-course dinner when you call. It has everything for a set price and makes it easy to plan a magical night.

Small Plates and Snacks

Is your date a total snack? Want a lighter menu for more casual dining or a quick bite to eat before a movie? This quickfire list of local restaurants has the options you crave.

TAPAteria

Is there anything more convenient-yet-tasty than tapas? They’re so great when you’re not super hungry – or want to try everything you can on the menu without overeating and falling asleep at the table. TAPAteria in Old Colorado City has dozens of small plates, with options for dietary restrictions. Snack on kettle chips and chilled soup or size up with wild salmon tartare or shaved octopus salad. The menu is packed with goodness!

Dos Santos

Sometimes you just want a taco. “A” taco. At Dos Santos on south Tejon Street, you can order up their handcrafted, 4-inch tacos in singles, doubles, trios and beyond. Despite their smaller stature, these little folders of goodness can be very filling. We suggest you order a couple and see how you feel. They prep fast, so it’s easy to order more. Get the roasted cauliflower tacos. You will not be sorry.

Shuga’s

Located just south of Dos Santos on south Cascade Avenue, Shuga’s is Colorado Springs favorite with options for larger meals and plenty of light ones. It is a seriously charming and eclectic place with indoor and outdoor dining. Try out their charcuterie options like the picnic board with cured meats, nuts, fruit and crostini or the Mediterranean board with hummus, pita, goat cheese and olive tapenade.

Cocktails and Cold Ones

This last date night option is for those times when you just want to sit somewhere dark and sip a cocktail together. No meals, no fuss, just great drinks and even better company.

Shame and Regret

An intimate bar tucked away in an alley off of Bijou Street in Downtown Colorado Springs, Shame and Regret serves craft cocktails and mocktails nightly. It’s dark and romantic, with beautiful art and friendly service.

Shrunken Head Tiki

This basement bar is loaded with tiki bar atmosphere and lots of fun touches, like swings, Lite Brite tables and cool tiki glasses. They have the traditional favs and lots of unique concoctions for adventurous palates.

Lulu’s Downstairs

Order up your favorite cocktails with a side of live entertainment at this popular Manitou Springs bar. Lulu’s is always hosting something, be it live music, burlesque, drag, quiz nights or anything else they can think of.

Thunder and Buttons

Relax and kick back in this casual locals’ bar in Old Colorado City. Great cocktails, lots of beer and friendly service make this the perfect stop for couples who want to go out, but not feel intimidated into dressing for the theater and drinking pinkies up.

Have a lovely date night with your beloved at any one of these fine establishments. No matter where you go, you’ll have the best company on earth – each other!