Zio Romolo’s Alley Bar

A friendly little neighborhood gem tucked off to the side of Tony P’s pizza. Our bartender was responsive, attentive, and friendly. They do trivia night on Thursdays and late-​night happy hour starts at 9pm. Good place for stopping in for a cold one.

This is an experience. You can’t expect it to be cheap!
Not the best food or service but definitely worth going once!

If I could give zero stars, I would. 3 years ago, they deserved 5 stars — hell, 6 if I could. In fact, Zio’s was part of the reason why I moved to this neighborhood-​defining gathering place. I went there recently and was appalled by the service, food, and ambiance. If you are looking for good pizza in the area, save yourself time, money, and potentially an awful food poisoning experience (as recently experienced, reported to management, and disregarded), walk a block towards Tejon St where there are a number of other great pizza places that have recently opened — great people, food, and an experience that won’t make you want to write a negative Unilocal review.
ps: Management, please spare me the patronizing response. Your bar is terrible now. Fix it!

NEW MANAGEMENT — BUYER BEWARE
This hurts. I loved this placed, but it has changed & gone into the gutter. It’s more put into perspective saying,…“He’s gone,…like a steam locomotive.“
1^st. All the menus say the old prices, but they haven’t been changed. So you see the old prices and then get a different bill. I was overcharged compared to what was advertised. When I spoke up, they gave me a new menu.
2^nd. They’re doing away with all musical affiliations. Multiple sources have said no more Grateful Dead concerts on Tuesday, Phish Streams, and possibly solid bands. The April musical line-​up helps to debunk this, but does it really? The bands your hiring have expressed concern & discontent.
3^rd. With the new management, they did not even fix the lower restaurant bathroom. It still stinks and overflows. As a new manager, and a 2 – 3 year regular, this would be my first concern.
4^th. Staff with rapport. Everyone is new, I had a staff actually tell me, «I need a break.» There were maybe 10 people at the bar. Don’t impress me with your clothes; impress me with your bar skills and music repertoire.
5^th. If you go on a Saturday night there’s a cover charge. 4÷09÷2016 it was $ 3.00 cash.
a. No ATM.
b. If you arrive before the cover, you still have to pay.
c. No servers, all drinks have to be bought from the bar… with 2 new bartenders.
d. They put up a divider between the bar & restaurant.
e. In the bar, they removed most of the booths; put in 2 four tops; 3 two tops. Ugh, it doesn’t even make sense.
6^th. Happy hour prices are all wrong and flat out lied to your face about it when you pay.
7^th. Why not inform us in our email list server or Facebook. Your Valentines and Easter promos said nothing about inflation and management change @ Zios. Social Media Rocks. Transparency and clarity really help to disseminate the reasons behind these changes.
After many NYE Phish shows here; the disbelief @ the sorry, good for nothing attitude towards the regulars has really shown. Take your greed and get.
Sincerely,
Kolter45 & 2 ZigZags

In 2014 I moved away from Lohi to the DTC to be near work. I regretted it the entire year but still rode the lightrail every Tuesday to make it to Dead/​Phish night. I was always greeted by Quinn and Jenn who knew my favorite drink and always had it ready for me. I ended up running into them at a show in Kansas City and they were kind enough to let me tag along before the show. They were more than bartenders, they became my friends. Last year I moved back to Lohi and I was thrilled nothing had changed. Today… news of your «business decision» has rocked a community.
If I could give zero stars I would. How could you take an establishment that brought together a community of different folks from all scenes and get rid of its founding members? Tuesday night Grateful Dead and Phish gone along with the two shining jewels you let go today.
I won’t be back and something tells me a lot of other people won’t be returning either. HUGE MISTAKE. This is a community that counts on their local bar treating not only its loyal customers well, but also their staff. Maybe you didn’t think about that because you were blinded by the gentrification greed that is plaguing our once small town. Maybe you did it because you thought you could make more money with a different crowd. I’m sure the hipsters will enjoy sipping on their $ 10 drink served by a bartender who doesn’t know or care what their name is.
Long Live Quinn and Jenn… that place will be an empty shell of a hipster dive without them.

Used to frequent this place often. Recently, the owners/​mgmt have changed a lot, including the staff. Will not return to this bar for any reason other than to let my dog urinate. Staff was always warm and welcoming when you walked in, greeted the patrons, and invited them to stay for the music themed nights, or sporting events, or just a chalice of PBR. Obviously they thought they were too good for the team, and let the best part of the place go, their bartenders. If you are curious where the regulars are going or have gone, they follow their kind bartenders down the street.
Do not recommend for happy hour gatherings, pre-​sporting event drinks, or any get together anymore. Would tell you to try The Classic (40^th), Highland Tap (2 blocks down) or Local 46 (on Tennyson), all have great staff, drink specials and not jerkoffs for mgmt.
May see if the recently departed staff is interested in opening a new bar in the true Highlands Square, and let them shine in their proper environment. Need new place to catch live streams, feel welcomed, and give them the tools they need to succeed.
Also, the pizza sucks. Might as well order from Pizza Hut, or Domino’s, because no one came here for their shit food.

Zio’s was once a place that valued and built community in the Highlands neighborhood. So many friendships formed, neighbors connected, even marriages came out of that great little bar — mostly from the network created during Grateful Dead Tuesdays over eight years. It’s such a shame to see something so successful, and so treasured by new and old visitors, discarded because of management changes. As the staff has atrophied over the last several months, the quality of the food and service has gone downhill. Now that some of the last great staff have gone, who knows what this place will be like. What was once a special gathering place for music, drinks and neighbors, is now a place you’ll get bad service, pay a cover at the door, and mingle with a totally different crowd. Sad ending to what was once a great local institution.

Zios used to be a warm, welcoming neighborhood watering hole where those who lived nearby could come and share stories, smiles and good times. Grateful dead nights on Tuesdays and free music on Wednesdays and Saturdays made Zios a great place to spend time in the neighborhood. I guess the owners have decided to turn it from the place it was, into another faceless, gentrified lodo bar. No more free music, no more grateful dead nights, no more friendly faces. The owners have no respect for the neighborhood or those in it. Expect to see this place go out of business within the year.

Though I live in Maine, I have visited Denver so often that I have become an honorary coloradian, and when in Rome where do most coloradians go… Well Zio Romolos, well not exactly Roman but Italian but hey you get the picture. I love this lil neighborhood bar, I always feel a sense of belonging there, always greeted by Justin Lowder who remembers me by name and is always friendly. The beers there are phenomenal but I recommend the Moscow mule… So deliciously vivid that I wonder if I’m a comrade or a Pisano. Tuesday’s or «dead Tuesday“are especially lively because of its grateful dead homage of «dead» music played all day long. If only I can pick this place up and put it in my pocket each time I have to fly back to Maine that would be sublime alas unless I’m a huge giant I must understand that all good things must come to end and dream of future travels by which I land safely in the mile high state and two where I enter Zios fine establishment.
P.s ask for Justin at the bar

Was reminded this week of what makes this bar special in spite of occasional little bumps along the road. Beyond the great HH specials and many bartenders who I consider to be good friends, my car got stuck in the snow recently and I was unable to get out. I had called a friend to come pick me up and had ordered a beer when Justin –who was bartending at the time – asked what was wrong (apparently I looked a big agitated after trying fruitlessly to get out for 30 minutes). I explained I was stuck and he immediately offered his help, rallied 4 people to come help (all of whom graciously agreed immediately) and jumped from behind an almost full bar to enter a very cold night to push out my car almost two blocks away. He never even gave it a second thought. It is moments like these where people extend themselves to help others in spite of being busy and alone behind the bar that really demonstrate what I think makes this a special place. He had every reason to stay put but instead he helped and did it without expectation or any benefit. So next time you want to find a local watering hole with friendly people, good music and GRACIOUS bartenders – check this place out. And be sure to say hello to Justin, Jen, Kelly and the other servers that make this place worthy of being on the regular list.

Great little bar. Cool atmosphere and cheap happy hour. The staff is friendly and they have good music.

Great place for a late night pizza slice and cocktail! The live Jam band on Friday night was good as well.

This place a regular spot for my friends and I. Never disappoints. Never overly crowded, bartenders are great, super friendly, great for football and good gluten free selection. Best happy hour ever. Love this place.

Great cozy and down to earth jazz bar
We went as a big group (8) for boys night out and this was the best pit stop we had with many snooty ones available in hi-​lo
It’s next to the big pizza joint lit up for Christmas .
Give it a try. You will not be disappointed

My girlfriend and I stopped by here for a drink after we had dinner down the road. At first, we almost went past it because the entrance makes it look like it’s a tiny little hallway of a bar, but it opens up into a pretty big space.
We actually ended up just sitting in the tiny part where the bar is and having a few cocktails. From reading the signs in the bar, it seems like they have some pretty fun events there. Plus, we didn’t eat since we just came from dinner, but the food actually looks and smells amazing. There were guys sitting at the bar ordering full on plates off spaghetti and meatballs… not what I’ve come to expect late-​night in a bar like this.
I will definitely be back to have a meal, and check out an event… maybe St. Patties!

Has been one of my favorite bars to just chill and hang out locally but admit the loss of my favorite bartenders, Rodney, through a firing by a GM who has no clue how much personal relationships matter was a major bummer. Admit this place lost 2 stars as soon as Rodney left. I still like the crew – really great people – but Rodney was the man. Can’t help but downgrade them now.
Still worth a visit but less worth it now.

If I didn’t have small children and was able to leave the house on a more regular basis I’m pretty sure I would hang out here. That said, I had the in-​laws in town and we stopped by Zio’s for a drink while waiting for dinner at Duo. The music was a bit loud for the parents, but the drinks and service were both above average.
I’ll stick to Tony P’s when I have the kiddos and step next door for the same great service/​drinks/​food when I can make an escape. Ideal.

Happy Hour!
In case you haven’t figured this one out, cause it is confusing, Zio’s is separated from Tony P’s (formerly Pasquinis) by a doorway. One side is the family friendly pizza joint, the other is the darker deadhead bar which serves the same food. Guess which one I went to?
You’re looking for crazy cheep beer and a slice in lohi? Hard to come by these days as the Northwest part of town gets more trendy but here it is.

Phish and Dead on the speakers, awesome staff, GREAT drink specials, and eggplant rotoli FTW!!! I’m not as much of a regular as I’d like to be!

Great place to grab a drink or nine (Don’t judge me) in the Highlands. Pizza is very good, and the staff and crowd are generally always really cool. Fun place to go.
It’s really nice before the crowds start to show up, Yeah whatever I like supper at 4 pm.

I have decided that I love this place. I wish I lived next door to such a perfect bar. For all my Horseshoe Girls, this is the Hi-​lands equivalent of the shoe, but not so dirty. The interior is totally welcoming in a nostalgic college-​days sort of way. It could be any campus bar in Anywhere, USA.
Live music, always a bonus.
Great cocktails.
Classy staff.
Well done!