Bar in Telluride, United States
Last Dollar Saloon
100ptsNo-frills bar, cold beer, no cover.
About Last Dollar Saloon
Last Dollar Saloon is Telluride's go-to dive bar on Colorado Ave — no reservations, low prices, and a genuinely local crowd. Walk in, order a beer, and skip the resort markup. Best visited during ski season or festival weekends when the street energy is high, but easy to access any time of year.
The Verdict
Last Dollar Saloon costs you almost nothing to walk into and gives you exactly what a mountain town bar should: a no-frills room, cold beer, and the kind of crowd that has been skiing or hiking since dawn. For value-seekers in Telluride, this is one of the easiest calls on Colorado Ave. You are not paying for white tablecloths or craft cocktail theater — you are paying bar prices for a genuinely local atmosphere that most visitors spend the whole trip trying to find.
What to Expect
Sitting at 100 E Colorado Ave, Last Dollar Saloon is about as central as Telluride gets. The building itself is part of the visual shorthand for the town — a worn wooden facade on the main drag that signals dive bar before you even open the door. Step inside and the room is dim, the walls carry years of accumulated character, and the bar itself is the focal point. This is not a patio-culture spot with mountain views engineered for Instagram; the appeal is interior and social. That said, Telluride's setting means even a quick step outside puts the San Juan peaks in your sightline, and during summer festival season the street-level energy spills outward in a way that makes the Saloon feel like the center of something rather than the edge of it.
For the value-seeker, the calculus is simple: drinks are priced for a working bar, not a resort lounge. If you have been anywhere near the hotel bars or upscale dining rooms on the same street, the contrast is immediate. This is where locals recalibrate after a day on the mountain, and the price point reflects that.
Booking and Timing
No reservation is needed, and walk-in is the default. During Telluride's peak windows , the film festival in September, ski season from late November through April, and the Bluegrass Festival in June , the bar fills quickly after 7 PM. If you want a seat rather than a standing spot, arriving before 6 PM on a festival weekend is the practical move. Outside peak season, getting in any time is rarely an issue. This is an easy booking by any standard: just show up. For context on what else is worth your time in town, see our full Telluride bars guide, our full Telluride restaurants guide, and our full Telluride hotels guide. If you want to see how Telluride's bar scene fits into a broader Colorado mountain trip, our full Telluride experiences guide is a good starting point. For serious cocktail bars worth traveling for, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston set the benchmark , Last Dollar is not competing in that category, nor does it need to.
Compare Last Dollar Saloon
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Dollar Saloon | — | ||
| 221 South Oak | — | ||
| High Pie Pizzeria & Tap Room | — | ||
| New Sheridan Hotel | — | ||
| The Butcher & The Baker | — | ||
| New Sheridan Historic Bar | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the food good at Last Dollar Saloon?
Last Dollar Saloon is a bar first, not a kitchen destination. If food is a priority, The Butcher & The Baker nearby is a sharper call for a proper meal. Come here for a drink and the atmosphere at 100 E Colorado Ave, not for a dining experience.
What's the signature drink at Last Dollar Saloon?
Cold beer is the reliable anchor here — it's a saloon, not a craft cocktail bar. Don't come expecting a menu of seasonal sips. Come expecting a straightforward pour in a room that has looked the same for decades.
Do I need a reservation at Last Dollar Saloon?
No reservation needed — walk-in is the only mode. The one timing caveat: during Telluride's film festival in September and peak ski season from late November onward, the bar can pack out fast. Arrive early in the evening if those windows apply to you.
Is Last Dollar Saloon good for groups?
Yes, with a caveat on size. Smaller groups of four to six fit comfortably and will find it easy to hold a corner. Larger parties during festival or ski season should show up early, as the space fills and there is no reservation system to protect your spot.
Is Last Dollar Saloon good for a date?
It works if you both already know what this place is: a no-frills saloon with zero ceremony. It is not the call for a first impression or a romantic dinner, but for a casual drink before or after dinner it is low-pressure and unpretentious. High Pie Pizzeria or 221 South Oak make stronger date-night anchors if the evening needs more structure.
Does Last Dollar Saloon have happy hour deals?
Specific happy hour details are not confirmed in available data, but pricing here runs on the accessible end for Telluride, where drinks at the New Sheridan Hotel or New Sheridan Historic Bar cost noticeably more. Check at the bar on arrival — the format is casual enough that asking is straightforward.
Related editorial
- Best Fine Dining Restaurants in ParisFrom three-Michelin-star icons to the next generation of Parisian chefs pushing boundaries, these are the restaurants that define fine dining in the world's culinary capital.
- Best Luxury Hotels in RomeFrom rooftop terraces overlooking ancient ruins to Michelin-starred hotel dining, these are the luxury hotels that make Rome unforgettable.
- Best Cocktail Bars in KyotoFrom sleek lounges to hidden speakeasies, Kyoto's cocktail scene blends Japanese precision with global influence in ways you won't find anywhere else.
Save or rate Last Dollar Saloon on Pearl
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.