One might think a motorcycle gang runs this joint, but no leather jacket or a Harley is required for when you roll up to Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs. The inside of the restaurant is a Nirvana and Bon Jovi’s wonderland, with dark colors and a completely exposed grill cooking up dogs every second. Their brick wall has a huge skull radiating off it with hot dogs as crossbones, but look a bit deeper inside and you’ll see the framed accomplishments that Jim has accumulated over the years. Don’t be intimidated though because he’s serving up an American comfort classic, the humble hot dogs. He may have started as a simple cart, but his brick and mortar restaurant is no joke when he says he’s revolutionizing the classic baseball dog. He couldn’t have found a better place to set up shop because he is only a couple blocks from Coors field. While waiting for the start that is Nolan Arenado to return to the pitch, you can chow on this best in show hot dog to give you the essence of baseball even in the bitter cold. His mad scientist mentality begins with the ingredients that go into making his frankenstein style hot dogs because there’s only one option that abides to Vienna’s motto of 100% beef. This doesn’t mean his dogs are the scraps of the barrel, no pig’s feet or cow brains will be featured, but he’s going above and beyond to expose complex flavors in a comforting way.
Jim Pittenger, more commonly referred to as Biker Jim, took the beloved concept of Build-a-Bear workshop and replaced its fluffy cuteness with mouth-watering munchies. First comes your foundation, the base to which all other sauces, condiments, and spices will ride to show you the ultimate tour of flavor. The traditionalist will find solace in the classic beef, but being here just yearns for adventure. It’s time to rev up your engine and see how far your taste buds will go with toppings and sides.
For those that have a special place in their heart for everyone’s favorite red-nosed sleigh puller, enjoying a reindeer brat might seem blasphemous. But Santa himself could be caught digging into one of these morsel-filled reindeer dogs before his trip around the globe. It’s not too gamey or bitter, instead there’s a mild flavor similar to a nice rare steak. It tastes like the prime cut just as Rudolph should be. All of the dogs offer their own interesting flavor pairing which brings this iconic bite to new heights. The chicken peach chipotle dog will give you the mix of fresh tropical sweetness from the fruit paired nicely with a kick of spice to keep you on your toes. Coming to Biker Jim’s can really get you in touch with your wild side by indulging in the unlikely duo of rattlesnake and pheasant. I guess land and sea has become so mainstream that it’s time for desert and air to try their hand at the culinary scene. Their version of a jalepeño popper shouldn’t be overlooked even though it seems to fit the class bar menu because the elk gives it a meatiness that only a real carnivore can handle. Their flavor doesn’t just stop with what lies in concealed in the charred snap of the casing, instead their toppings add to the madness.
They have a free topping bar right by the soda fountain with classic spicy mustard studded with flecks of mustard seeds running throughout and the acidity of the sauerkraut can be smelled for miles. I hate to say it but they even have ketchup for the those who enjoy blasphemy. The Chicago girl in me would find it all too criminal. Instead, opt for Jim’s creations. The Conspiracy may be wrong, but tastes too good to question. Bacon and red onion are combined as two notoriously savory flavors morphing into a salty and sweet marmalade that is addicting enough to replace the grape jelly on my pb&j. They also add french fried onions which emulate what every Thanksgiving bean casserole aspires to be topped with. Jim goes global with his international style of wasabi aioli or the desert getting a smokey chipotle grilled cactus. Jim is definitely swinging for the fences with these dogs. By coming to Biker Jim’s you get the perfect pairing of a beloved American staple and amped up with ingredients wilder than Slash’s hair.
