The South Broadway corridor is known for its dive bar scene.
But with his new American spot The Barn, Chase Devitt is bringing something else to the street.
“We want to be a local family spot where people in the neighborhood can come eat and get their favorite foods,” the former chef at the shuttered Platte Street eatery Brider said. “I think the neighborhood’s been clamoring for more restaurants and less bars.”
The Barn opened at 3299 S. Broadway a week ago. The Englewood spot used to be home to The Whiskey Biscuit, which closed last year.
Devitt described The Barn’s menu as “American classic with a twist,” featuring an $18 burger, a $25 smoked half chicken and a $26 blackened salmon. His background at Brider and high-end Boulder restaurant Oak at Fourteenth influenced the offerings.
“We’re taking some of the fine-dining stuff I’ve done in the past, but we’re turning down the volume and making it more approachable,” he said.
Devitt and co-owner Matt Ciani, who just finished a 17-year run with the Rio Grande restaurant group, met years ago when they both worked at Dark House, the Boulder dive that closed this month after 50 years.
When Brider was winding down last fall, the two longtime friends ran into each other. Ciani was looking to start a family neighborhood spot to “reestablish the middle” of the restaurant world. Devitt said midpriced sit-downs have been hollowed out recently and face headwinds, especially in Denver.
Thatap led to the industry tilting toward fast-casual counter service or large-check fine dining.
“When Matt approached me, he was looking for a family-friendly, sports-friendly spot where you can take your family of four and be fed for less than $100,” he said.
That is one of the key reasons they settled outside of Denver, where the independent full-service restaurant model is becoming increasingly untenable. The pair was also able to take over Whiskey Biscuitap eight-year lease and lock it in at a below-market rate, Devitt said.
The monthly figure for the 3,000-square-foot space is about half of what Birder paid in a similarly sized unit on Platte.
“We like the proximity to Denver but not having to deal with all the struggles of Denver,” he said.
They kept much of the kitchen while “completely demoing” the front of the house. The new floors, walls, tables and chairs cost $500,000.
It has a modern farmhouse vibe to it, Devitt said, leading to its namesake. The Barn is also a nickname for a house Ciani used to have in Boulder.
“He was living in a house with seven other dudes,” Devitt said and laughed. “So itap also an inside joke between us as well.”
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