The Sink Boulder
Sometimes you stumble onto something amazing and that sometime happened for me. I spend a lot of time hiking around Boulder, Colorado but don’t spend much time in the city. So after a hike I was looking for a locally owned restaurant and wasn’t really sure where to go. That is when fate brought me to The Sink.

Paint and Past
The Sink looks like any standard corner pub in any neighborhood from the outside. A few tables on the patio, a small sign. The inside tells a different story with every inch both with paint and history. First the paint. The walls of The Sink are painted in a comic strip style with dragons, aliens, super hero’s, and anything else you can think of looking back at the revelers. The walls almost come alive and provide an amazing atmosphere.


The history of The Sink is almost as old as Boulder itself! The Sink was purchased and given its iconic name in 1940 and has been a staple ever since. In 1958 they came up with the famous Sinkburger. A few people slightly more famous than me have even passed through the doors. In 1955 one of my mom’s favorite actors, Robert Redford, worked as a janitor. (For the younger crowd he was the bad guy in Captain America: The Winter Soldier). In 2012, The Sink was featured on “Diner’s, Drive In’s and Dives” and had a visit from President Barack Obama. In 2013, the late Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert brought their “Good Vs. Evil” VIP tour to The Sink. And MOST importantly, in 2022 the Fatman ate there! For more on the great history of The Sink, check out their website here.
The Food
Ok, enough about the history and cool walls lets talk about the important stuff…the Food! The menu at The Sink is full of the old college staples with Pizza, Burgers, and Mac-n-cheese. Their Sinkburger is famous but that would be too easy, so I tried the Cowboy Rueben. The Cowboy Rueben was featured on the Food Network so it was good enough for me. The Cowboy features, “An overnight marinade and a ten-hour smoke give this brisket its deep flavor. A twist on the classic with super slaw, cheddar cheese, and Texas Chipotle BBQ sauce on rye bread”. I was intrigued.
So I don’t know that I would call this a traditional Rueben but I will call it delicious. The brisket is super tender and melts in the mouth and the marinade and smoke flavor was delicious. So much barbecue relies on its sauce but this meat was the real deal. The sauce was just a nice accent, though also very tasty. The slaw was sweet with a bit of a kick at the end but was the perfect compliment to the smoky meat. Overall, this is a great sandwich!
I got some of their famous Creole fries on the side and they were good. A pretty standard fry with a nice southern style seasoning. The sandwich stole the show though and made for a great stop in Boulder. If you find yourself that way, give The Sink a shot!

Finding the Sink in Boulder
The Sink is located at 1165 13th street in Boulder. There is a paid parking lot across the street or some street parking around. Indoor and some outdoor seating are available.
I have added this restaurant and all of the restaurants I have been to on my interactive map that you can find here. If you have a suggestion for a restaurant or any comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Bon Appetit!
Help Me Help a Small Business
Unlike some other bloggers, I never ask for discounted or free meals on my site. I think it is important, especially now, to support our local restaurants and small business owners. It does get expensive though and I am just a small business myself so if you are willing to help me out by making a donation below I would greatly appreciate it and be able to continue to bring you the content you love!
Thank you for reading!
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
Pingback: Mount Sanitas and Sanitas Valley Loop - Fat Man Little Trail
Pingback: Bald Mountain Scenic Area Boulder - Fat Man Little Trail