Locals Say This Colorado Joint Has The Best Onion Rings West Of The Mississippi
Some spots feel like happy accidents, the kind you find when hunger takes the wheel. Then there are the beloved local hideaways people seem almost suspiciously quiet about, as if sharing the secret might ruin the magic.
This burger stop definitely belongs in that second group. Tucked along a well-traveled stretch, it has built the kind of reputation that inspires serious cravings and spontaneous detours from people who simply need to know if the hype is real.
One visit later, the answer is usually a very enthusiastic yes. The burgers bring the comfort, the flavor brings the excitement, and the onion rings absolutely steal the show with their crispy, golden perfection.
Colorado has plenty of places to grab a bite, but few earn this kind of loyal devotion over something as gloriously simple as rings and burgers done right. By the time you leave, Colorado’s food scene feels a whole lot more delicious, and your next craving has probably already been scheduled.
The Onion Ring Reputation That Started It All
Some food reputations are built on marketing budgets. Others are built on something far more stubborn: the kind of word-of-mouth that travels from one car window to the next, one family dinner to the next, until it becomes civic fact.
That is exactly what has happened with the onion rings at this place on South Colorado Boulevard in Denver.
Visitors who make the drive specifically to test the claim rarely leave disappointed. There is something about the consistency here that keeps people talking long after the meal is over.
Why It Matters: In a city full of food options, a single side dish earning this level of loyalty is genuinely rare. When locals start driving past closer locations just to get to this one, you know something real is happening.
Best For: Anyone who takes their onion rings seriously and wants a benchmark experience in the Denver metro area.
Finding Good Times on South Colorado Boulevard
Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard sits at 1300 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222, and the location is easier to find than you might expect. The signage is visible from the road, the drive-thru lane moves at a reliable pace, and the whole setup has that familiar, no-fuss energy of a place that has been feeding neighborhoods for a long time.
Open seven days a week from 7 AM until midnight, it fits into almost any schedule. Early risers, late-night errand runners, and everyone in between can make it work without rearranging their day.
Quick Tip: The drive-thru is the preferred method for regulars who already know what they want. If it is your first visit, a minute at the menu board is time well spent.
Who This Is For: Families on a weeknight, couples looking for a low-effort outing, and solo diners who just want something dependable without a reservation or a wait list.
The Drive-Thru Experience Done Right
Drive-thru dining has a reputation for being impersonal, rushed, and occasionally wrong. The Good Times location on South Colorado Boulevard seems to have worked out most of those kinks.
Visitors have called out specific staff members by name in reviews, which is about the highest compliment a drive-thru window can receive.
Speed matters in this format, but so does getting the order right. When both happen together, the experience becomes something people actually want to repeat.
That combination is harder to achieve than most chains make it look.
Pro Tip: If you are pulling through late in the evening, the team here has been praised for staying sharp and welcoming even close to closing time. That is not something you find everywhere, and it is worth acknowledging when you do.
Who This Is Not For: Anyone expecting a sit-down dining experience with table service. This is a fast food drive-thru, and it excels on those terms.
Adjusting expectations accordingly makes the visit much more enjoyable.
How the Staff Shapes the Whole Visit
Food quality and staff attitude are almost impossible to separate when you are talking about what makes a fast food location stand out. At the Good Times on South Colorado Boulevard, the staff has come up repeatedly in visitor accounts, and not just in passing.
People have taken the time to name individuals and describe specific interactions that left them feeling genuinely welcomed.
That is unusual for a fast food chain, where anonymity is practically built into the format. When a drive-thru worker earns a written shoutout from a customer who says they do not normally write reviews, something meaningful has happened.
Why It Matters: A well-run team at a fast food location is what separates a forgettable stop from a place people recommend to friends. The human element at this location appears to be one of its most dependable strengths.
Planning Advice: If you are visiting for the first time and the line looks long, do not bail. Multiple visitors have noted that the team here manages busy periods without losing accuracy or warmth, which is a skill worth waiting a few extra minutes for.
Making It a Quick Outing Worth Remembering
One of the most underrated pleasures of a great fast food stop is how easily it fits into a day without requiring any real planning. Good Times on South Colorado Boulevard is open until midnight every night, which means it works as a post-movie reward, a pre-errand fuel stop, or a spontaneous decision made from the passenger seat.
The outdoor seating area adds a relaxed layer to the visit for those who want to slow down for a few minutes. Sitting outside with a burger and a frozen custard in hand is a small thing that somehow feels like more than the sum of its parts.
Quick Tip: Pair the stop with a short stroll along Colorado Boulevard before or after your meal. The area has enough foot traffic and small businesses to make a brief walk feel like a mini outing rather than just a parking lot loop.
Best For: Families who want a low-pressure activity that does not require a reservation, a budget, or a detailed itinerary. Sometimes the best outings are the ones that plan themselves.
Veggie Options That Actually Deliver
Fast food and vegetarian options have had a complicated relationship for most of the past few decades, with plant-based items often feeling like an obligation rather than a genuine offering. The Good Times location on South Colorado Boulevard appears to be an exception worth noting.
Visitors who eat both meat and plant-based meals have specifically praised the veggie burgers here for their quality and consistency.
That kind of crossover appeal matters. When someone who eats meat still chooses the veggie burger because it is genuinely good, the item has cleared a meaningful bar.
Who This Is For: Mixed groups where some members prefer plant-based options. The ability to satisfy everyone at the same stop without compromise is a real logistical advantage for families and friend groups with different dietary preferences.
Quick Verdict: The veggie burger at this location has earned enough consistent praise to be considered a legitimate reason to visit, not just a backup plan. If you have been burned by fast food veggie options before, this location is a reasonable place to try again.
A Spot That Fits Every Type of Visitor
Good Times on South Colorado Boulevard has a visitor profile that is harder to pin down than most fast food locations, and that is actually one of its strengths. The menu is broad enough to work for families with kids, couples looking for an easy dinner, solo diners who want something quick and reliable, and vegetarians who are tired of being an afterthought at burger joints.
The hours extend the appeal further. Seven AM opening means breakfast-adjacent options are available for early risers, while the midnight closing catches everyone else.
That kind of range makes this a genuinely flexible stop rather than a narrowly situational one.
Who This Is For: Practically anyone who finds themselves in the Denver area with a straightforward hunger and no patience for a complicated decision. The menu offers enough variety to satisfy different preferences without overwhelming anyone with choices.
Who This Is Not For: Anyone seeking a fine dining experience, an extensive craft menu, or a quiet table service environment. This is a drive-thru fast food restaurant, and it is excellent at being exactly that, nothing more and nothing less.
Final Verdict: Is Good Times Worth Your Stop?
After everything that has been said about this location, the honest summary is straightforward. Good Times Burgers and Frozen Custard on South Colorado Boulevard is a fast food restaurant that performs consistently above the expectations of its category.
The onion ring reputation is real, the staff has earned genuine praise, the frozen custard is a legitimate draw, and the hours make it accessible to almost anyone on almost any schedule.
It is not a perfect operation. No fast food location is.
But the ratio of positive to frustrating experiences reported by visitors tilts clearly in one direction, and the specific detail in the positive accounts carries real credibility. People who drive past closer locations to come here are not doing so by accident.
Key Takeaways: The onion rings live up to the local legend. The Wild Fries and frozen custard are worth ordering alongside them.
The staff at this location has been called out specifically and positively enough to be considered a genuine asset. The midnight hours make it one of the more flexible stops in the area.
Quick Verdict: If you are anywhere near South Colorado Boulevard and a burger sounds like the right call, Good Times is the right answer. Go find out what everyone has been talking about.