Niwot Tavern

7960 Niwot Road, Niwot. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily; 303-652-0200

• What: home-style tavern fare, serving lunch and dinner, and an omelet brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

• How cheap is it? appetizers from $2.75 (fries) to $6.50 (a pound of wings); salads from $3.50 (mixed greens) to $8.50 (chef, Greek or crispy Buffalo chicken salads); entrees from $8.95 (pot roast) to $15.95 (grilled rib steak); burgers and sandwiches from $6.95 (Tavern burger) to $10.95 (French dip)

• Our deal: We had to skimp a bit at this charming tavern, tucked into a charming shopping center in a charming town. We ordered the Pastrami Burger ($8.95) and a healthy sounding Pasta Primavera ($9.50). We didn't dare order a brew or a soft drink for fear of exceeding the limit.

• So how's it taste? Only a growing teen could put down a burger topped with pastrami, cheese and grilled onions - along with a generous portion of fries. It got two thumbs up from the lad. His mom took one look at the mountainous pile of meat and grease and gained 5 pounds. The pasta dish was good, not great. Though the veggies - mostly zucchini, carrots, mushrooms and green peas - were cooked perfectly, the white-wine sauce was a bit bland. A polite waitress shook her head and apologized when she was asked whether red pepper flakes were available.

• How's the place? In a word, fun. A long, narrow bar takes up about half the space in the tavern. It opens to a small dining area, where tables for two to six ring a table that can seat a larger crowd. On the Friday night we visited, it was a very happy, noisy crowd. The faint sound of a folk singer strumming an acoustic guitar in the bar barely cut through the cacophony in the restaurant, though we picked up the melody of the musician's cover of John Hiatt's Tennessee Plates and wandered over to sum up his talent. Impressive. Celtic and folk singers make appearances often at the tavern.

• Who else eats there: All ages, from tots to seniors. We suspect this is a favorite local haunt, as many patrons in the bar and restaurant greeted others across the room.

• Deals we wish we'd tried: For sure, the fried fish - fresh tilapia fillets. It seemed most every diner in the place was feasting on that fried glory. And we'd happily make the trip any day for happy hour, daily from 3 to 6 p.m. In addition to drink specials, fried is the word if you want a real deal. Name it and the tavern probably fries it and serves it to you for $3. Among the choices: chicken, zucchini, mozzarella, onions, peppers and pickles.

• Final damage: $19.40 after tax plus a generous $4 tip for a warm, efficient waitress. Total: $23.40

• Coming Friday: Look for John Lehndorff's review of Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant in Weekend Spotlight. Find his dining reviews and columns at RockyMountainNews.com. Want to nominate a restaurant for $25 for Two? E-mail: lehndorffj@RockyMountainNews.com

Maria Cote is lifestyles editor for the Rocky Mountain News.