February 29, 2024 | OPINION | By Joseph Bullock
Walking into Tony’s, a typical dive bar smell — vague remnants of Pabst Blue Ribbon, pool felt and cheese curds — greets you, as does a bouncer who demands some identification.
Colorado College students: if you’ve ever wondered, wonder no more. Yes, the bouncers do have competitions to see who can take the most IDs in a week. Indeed, they confiscate so many that they staple them to the ceiling. Once you’ve made it past the scary doorman, you may notice an elaborate spectacle of the main bar, or possibly a canoe hanging from the ceiling.
Look closer and you’ll see a hodgepodge of Colorado Springs community members coming together under one roof: Tony’s.
Tony’s Downtown Bar has been a Colorado Springs staple since it opened on Dec. 17, 1999 at 311 North Tejon St. The bar is currently gearing up for its 25th anniversary.
The namesake comes from Tony Leahy, a legendary Milwaukee, Wisconsin native who was involved with Phantom Canyon Brewing Company before he sold his shares to open the bar, according to the Tony’s website.
When it opened, Tony’s was the first dive of its kind in the Springs in a sea of upscale microbreweries and restaurants, according to its current owner, Eel Anderson.
The bar quickly became the go-to spot for a no-frills experience with cheap cold beer at the ready.
Tony Leahy also happens to be a huge Green Bay Packers fan and the bar owns shares in the team. Thus, Tony’s became the unofficial headquarters for any and most all Colorado Springs Packer fans. In 2006, Tony sold the bar to Anderson, an employee since day one at Tony’s. Tony and Eel had worked together before at Phantom Canyon, so he was a clear choice to take over as Leahy moved on to other business endeavors.
Anderson, however, is a Vikings fan, so when he took over the bar, there were questions if changes might be made — specifically, if it was going to become a Vikings bar. Anderson had a simple answer: “Absolutely not.”
Anderson reminisced in an interview about how he once told the whole bar that he would buy everyone a shot if the Packers beat the Vikings. The flex cost him “$400 at the time — probably $2,400 nowadays,” he said.
In 2014, Tony’s moved from its original location to just down the street at 326 North Tejon St., into what was previously Complete Games and Hobbies. The renovation included new hardwood floors and drywall, which was stripped, revealing the red brick walls that we now see. The bar’s centerpiece, along with the taps, came from the old bar. Despite all the changes, Tony’s remains mostly the same — opening from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. each day, pouring cold drafts and affectionately calling itself “the shittiest spot in downtown.”
When visiting Tony’s on a cold February afternoon the classic midwestern menu stood out. When asked what she recommends, Emma, a manager, said her go-tos are the PHAT Boy Burger and the Fried Cheese Curds, with not only the classic ranch but also grape jelly, a Tony’s classic, off the menu.
Drinks come cold and fast at Tony’s.
For research purposes, a Tuesday night at Tony’s was spent sampling the beverages it has to offer. Between $5 well drinks, 24-ounce PBR and a well shot combo for $7.50, it is definitely affordable. Do not go there expecting a cocktail menu. Keep it nice and simple — beers, classic shorts and well drinks. It’s a dive bar.
Colorado College students Brett LeVan ‘26 and another student who requested anonymity (for “legal” reasons readers are left to deduce on their own), were asked to rate the drinks they had. One student stated, “the Moscow mule was number one by a long shot.” They agreed that it was then followed by a tequila sunrise and the vodka cranberry. And in last place — a tequila soda, which LeVan called “foul.”
It’s not just the food and cheap drinks that pack people in at Tony’s; the atmosphere is fun, with walls covered in memorabilia.
From Hamm’s to CC and of course the Packers, you can find plenty of everything on the walls at Tony’s.
If you ask the daytime manager, Wendy, though, who’s been there since 2000, she’ll say, “To me, the walls are still bare.” The old restaurant used to have to rearrange an entire wall to attach even a new 8×10, but the new location has far more space. At the new location, hockey memorabilia stands out. A signed Vladislav Tretiak jersey jumps off the wall. To see a USSR jersey in Olympic City, USA, might feel strange, but maybe cool too, since it was such an important part of history. On the adjacent wall, there is a team Sweden Peter Forsberg jersey signed personally from Forsberg to Anderson. When looking around Tony’s, you see a lot of merch and memorabilia of Forsberg, the Colorado Avalanche legend. According to long term staff, he has apparently been in the bar multiple times.
Tuesday at Tony’s is what the staff calls, “College Night.”
Technically, it’s Trivia Night, a way to test your obscure knowledge until you’ve had one too many PBR’s and can no longer distinguish Mozart from Imagine Dragons. Trivia night starts at 8 p.m., but around 9:30 p.m., more and more CC students descend on the bar to join in.
When asked why he comes to Tony’s each Tuesday, CC senior Nathaniel Oliver Vincent said it is “an unofficial, official holiday on CC’s calendar.”
Vincent emphasized the vibes that bring him to Tony’s, saying it gives him the opportunity to “socialize, drink and play pool” during the week. One might call Tony’s the classy Wednesday equivalent for upperclassmen.
For Julia Solano, it’s about “Senior year. No class tomorrow. Let’s fucking go!”
Solano said that it’s a “rite of passage” for all CC students to lose a fake ID at Tony’s.
At the end of the year, the bar honors the CC faithful’s by having the seniors sign a banner on the last Tuesday before they walk, which is then stapled to the ceiling for all to see. It’s their way of honoring the graduating class that they have gotten to know over the past few years.
Tony’s isn’t just a hotspot for college kids, it’s a place for locals to unwind after work as well. Consider Jack, a lawyer from the Springs, and a regular at Tony’s, who on a recent Saturday night noted that the bartenders always “take care” of him.
Jack has been playing hockey with one of the bartender’s fathers for years, showing how tight knit of a community Tony’s is.
Tony’s, Anderson says, is a place where you can see “lawyers sitting next to skateboarders sitting next to bikers sitting next to old ladies sitting next to yuppies sitting next to Packers fans.”
The owner says that the staff is, “as diverse as our clientele,” and that bartenders are encouraged to show off their individuality and personalities.
The community has certainly responded; the bar has won over 80 “Best Of” awards, which Anderson credits to his staff.
The bar stands as more than just a watering hole. Whether you’re a CC student looking for a Tuesday night trivia fix or a local lawyer unwinding after a long day, those who have been, say Tony’s offers a unique blend of nostalgia, affordability and genuine hospitality.
Be safe, watch your drinks, have fun and don’t forget to tip your bartender.