Boulder has one unspoken rule: if you’re in town, you go to The Sink. For 100 years, Boulderites, Coloradans, and Rocky Mountain implants alike have celebrated their birthdays, gone on first dates, said goodbye to their parents, and shared countless meals with lifelong friends at the beloved watering hole. The century of memories is what gives life to the oldest restaurant within the twenty-five-mile radius of Boulder.
Part of what makes The Sink so special is the history that seeps from its walls. Ambient lighting and obscene mural upon mural, which date back to the 1950s, blanket the restaurant. Stickers, postcards, and personal mementos adorn the tables. Past visits are permanently etched onto the not-so-calligraphic ceiling with Sharpies. Everywhere you look, you feel connected to everyone who sat in the old Sigma Mu house before you.
The community The Sink epitomizes doesn’t emerge from nothing; it’s built. And nothing builds a strong community like good food. The signature six-ounce, grass-fed Sinkburger has been named The Best Burger in Boulder by Boulder Weekly. The customizable, wood-fired Ugly Crust Pizza is the most recommended item by The Sink regulars. The extensive menu features flavor combinations, such as buffalo mac and cheese and grilled salmon sandwiches, only one could dream of. There truly is something for everyone.
This past Friday, I decided to test this theory by taking my friends’ The Sink Virginities. We dove straight into Sink Nachos, Prime Time Burger Bowls, Buddha Basil Pies, and Elephant Ears. Spoiler alert: nothing disappointed.
The Sink Nachos truly did have everything but the kitchen sink. Topped with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, tomatoes, jalapeños, and black olives, the organic chips acted as the foundation of flavor. The vegetables were fresh, the cheese was smoky, and the chips were salty. My only wish was that there was more of everything. However, The Sink did fall victim to the nacho epidemic, in which the cheese only covers the first layer of chips. Luckily, the cheese was so thick that it stuck to the plate, so the second layer of chips could be used to scoop it. It was also clear that The Sink’s specialty is pizza because their house-made salsa tasted eerily similar to marinara sauce. Once it adds more cheese to the chips and less Italian seasoning to the salsa, The Sink will have an unbeatable plate of nachos.
In honor of CU starting off the football season undefeated, I had to honor Deion Sanders by ordering the Prime Time Burger Bowl. A deconstruction of the classic Sinkburger, the burger bowl takes the basics of a burger and essentially turns it into a salad. I chopped up my cheese-covered patty, drizzled the house chipotle aioli over it, and tossed the lettuce, red onions, fried onion straws, tomatoes, pickles, avocado, and fries. I was pleasantly surprised by this new burger-eating method. When eating a traditional burger, the bun almost always becomes soggy and dissolves into my hands– the bowl completely eradicates this problem and even amplifies the flavor of the burger itself. The salty and tender grass-fed beef was on full display. The chipotle aioli and cajun fries added tangy spice and I got a bite of everything in one fork-ful. I apologize to every burger joint I go to because I will be requesting to have my burger in a bowl from here on out.
Prior to dining at The Sink, I did culinary research, which included watching one episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. During the show, Guy Fieri spent five minutes raving about the Buddha Basil Pie, meaning I had to try it. The Food Network employs him for a reason because the BBP did indeed take me to Flavortown. The rich, creamy, fresh mozzarella cheese defines the pizza but does not dominate it. Instead, it is complemented by the texture diversity the hearty artichokes and garlic cloves provide. However, the world-famous Ugly Crust deters the Buddha Basil Pie from being a light, refreshing dish. My tastebuds experienced whiplash when I took my first bite of the crust and tasted pure smoke. The wood-fire finish makes the crust too dry and crispy, which distracts from the airy tofu and crisp spinach. Nonetheless, the BBP demonstrates what phenomenal pizza is. Every sensorily captivating mouthful had me looking forward to the next piece.
If you had asked me if I was addicted to anything before entering The Sink, I would have answered no. Post-Sink, however, my answer has changed. I could eat the bar’s delectably sweet Elephant Ears for the rest of my life and still crave more. The square-shaped fried pizza dough bits covered in cinnamon sugar and honey are the perfect sweet treat after a savory meal. When my teeth sunk into the warm dough pillow, my eyes instantly rolled to the back of my head. After I finished one, I couldn’t help but grab another. The cinnamon, sugar, and honey were perfectly distributed throughout the plate, so no one ear tasted bland. The tooth fairy has my sweet tooth, though, so I laid off the complimentary chocolate sauce. The cheap, milky chocolate overpowered the delicious carb-ness of the pizza dough. The Elephant Ears are the best of the sweet and savory worlds and will have everyone’s inner white woman saying, “Get these away from me.”
When people say The Sink is overrated, don’t be quick to wash your hands of it. Things are popular for a reason. Between the exquisite bar food, exceptional customer service, and entertaining environment, it is hard to have a bad experience at the historic restaurant. To try it for yourself, you can visit The Sink on The Hill at 13th St.