Saloon & Grill Brings Good Food and Equality to Colorado

Photo courtesy of Noah Mittman of Snowman Films and Caren Austin

Welcome back my fellow foodies!!  I am going to start this next adventure of mine with 2 quotes “The best time I’ve had in 10 years”, and “I’m still smiling and laughing the next morning”. I got the privilege to attend a drag show at Cactus Jack’s Saloon & Grill last week. Lucky me, the show fell on a Tuesday, which is a total bonus.  Read on to find out why.  So here we go.  Sit back. relax, and let me take you on a journey like no other.

Cactus Jack’s Saloon & Grill is a restaurant and bar located in downtown Evergreen CO owned by Gary and Megan Mitchell.  Gary purchased Cactus Jacks in 2001 from the original owner.  The restaurant sits right on Lake Evergreen and is THE place to cozy up to in the winter and the go to location for after hiking, paddleboarding, or kayaking on the lake in the summer.  This was not my first trip to Cactus Jack’s.  I have eaten there many times, watched a band play out on the patio during the summer, and of course, made new friends.  This time was different though.  It was fried chicken Tuesday, and a drag show.  The show was something that Cactus Jacks has never hosted before, but the fried chicken is served up every Tuesday, with homemade mashers with gravy and Texas toast.

The recipe is a secret, and it takes 30 minutes to cook it from the time you order it (be patient…trust).  It was the absolute best fried chicken I have had, the breading was perfect, not greasy, and so juicy, and one order is enough for 2.  The mashers were something I dream about having on Thanksgiving Day, but I can now have sitting on my plate every Tuesday.  The Philly Sammie is also a big hit and is available every day.  There is so much love that goes into their food.  It is evident in every single bite!  Lots of food and drink specials every day, and service is always as friendly as can be.

I was full and happy, so now onto the show.  The drag show with performers coming from Denver,  sold out in a day after tickets went on sale.  This was such an exciting event for Cactus Jacks, and you could tell by the enthusiasm of the audience.  I honestly didn’t know what to expect but what we got was a show like no other.  We all laughed till we cried, danced to the music, and supported the performers with the loudest cheers I have heard in a bar in a long time and that includes a football game! There was audience participation, and lots of outfit changes.  I didn’t want it to end.  It was magical! Cactus Jack’s had to turn some folks away because it was sold out.  The promise is that there will be another one in December, so get your tickets early.

I must give so much thanks this holiday season to the owners of Cactus Jacks for many reasons.  If you don’t know Gary and Megan Mitchell, you should.  They are the true meaning of a community ambassador where everyone is treated equally, and I mean everyone.  Inclusion is extremely important to them.  When you walk in, you feel immediately like family.  Pay it forward and give it back it a good way to describe them. On Thanksgiving every year, they open the restaurant for a free Thanksgiving meal, and anyone is welcome.  They are always doing what they can to help the community, and so for this holiday season and every season, I am thankful for them, and feel so lucky to have them as a huge part of the Evergreen community.  Go there, eat delicious food, play some trivia, listen to a band, and relax.  You can thank me later.  Until next time my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well and be well.

Cactus Jacks Saloon & Grill
4651 County Hwy 73, Evergreen, CO