Antlers Café and Bar Reopens in Yampa After 14-Month Fire Closure

YAMPA, Colorado, June 12, 2026 — The Antlers Café and Bar, a historic restaurant in Yampa, Routt County, has reopened its doors under new ownership after a fire forced the business to close for 14 months, with new owner and head chef Chris Braden welcoming back customers to the landmark site at 40 Moffat Ave.

The reopening ends an extended closure that began following a fire at the property. Braden, a local chef with experience across several Steamboat Springs-area kitchens, took over the business and oversaw a full renovation of the dining room and kitchen before serving the first meals roughly three weeks ago.

A Historic Property Restored for a New Chapter

The Antlers has operated in various forms since approximately 1904, when the building first served as a stagecoach stop and saloon. The site sits 39 miles south of Steamboat Springs on Colorado 131, making it a long-standing fixture in a part of Routt County that sees fewer dining options than the resort town to the north.

Braden preserved the character of the original space while completing repairs necessitated by the fire. "It's still the same Antlers with the nostalgic taxidermy and the historical bars, but we have refreshed the entire dining room, refinished the hardwood floors and we have a completely new kitchen facility," Braden said. The restoration retains the interior features that gave the restaurant its identity while equipping the kitchen for modern service.

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New Chef, Familiar Comfort Food

Braden arrived at the Antlers following years in Steamboat Springs kitchens, including roles at Mazzolas Italian Restaurant, The Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails and Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill. A contact connected him with the building's owner, and the opportunity to reopen a venue with more than a century of local history proved too compelling to pass up.

"I was the head chef over at Mazzolas Italian Restaurant for several years and then bounced around," Braden said. "After COVID, I kind of stopped, but the opportunity to come out here and open this facility with its charm and history was something I really couldn't pass up, and we're just trying to give the community back something for them."

His signature chicken fried steak anchors the dinner menu alongside cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, a grilled steak sandwich, seared trout and a bistro steak option. Weekend brunch at the Antlers covers eggs benedict, specialty waffles, a chimichanga, breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros. The kitchen has also made a deliberate effort to reduce gluten across most menu items so that a broader range of diners can eat comfortably, and vegetarian green chili is available.

Operating Hours and Community Focus

The Antlers opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for dinner service. Saturday hours run from 10:30 a.m. through to 9 p.m., covering both lunch and dinner. On Sundays the restaurant opens at 9 a.m. for brunch and serves dinner until 8 p.m. A full bar offering cocktails and beer accompanies every service.

Braden framed the reopening explicitly as a community project rather than a fine dining venture. "We're trying to keep this a community spot that welcomes everybody. It's not going to be fine dining, and we're keeping our prices reasonable with the market we have right now," he said. Three weeks into service, early response from the local community has been positive, according to Braden.

Full details on the menu and operating hours are available by visiting the Antlers Café and Bar directly at the original Steamboat Pilot & Today report on the reopening.

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