Once again fried chicken and chicken wing fans flocked to Elitch Gardens to celebrate Chicken Fight!, the state’s largest chicken-eating festival. This year we added on Burger Balooza, where eight great restaurants battled it out and festival goers enjoyed the fruits of the chefs’ labor.
From multi stages playing live music to an epic chicken wing eating contest to kid-free rides, Chicken Fight! 2025 was a success. We were all the winners last night, but these restaurants took home the top prizes.
Best Fried Chicken
Judges Choice
3. Brutal Poodle: Chick Start My Heart with pickle-brined chicken thigh, Sriracha-dry-rub, green chili aioli, and carrot and jalapeno escabeche
2. Nola Jane: Spicy Marinated Chicken Thigh Cornbread Corndog
1. Former Saint: Denver Hot Chicken Slider on a sweet potato bun
People’s Choice
3. Bacon Social House: Tender fried chicken with bourbon-maple bacon sauce
2. Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center
1. Nola Jane: Spicy Marinated Chicken Thigh Cornbread Corndog
Best Wings
Judges’ Choice
3. M.S.T Denver: Beef tallow fried chicken
2. Cheyenne Fu’s Latin-Asian Grub: Chick’in Waffle with maple syrup infused with DonFuLano Repasado tequila
1. Stoney’s Bar & Grill: Korean-spiced wings with lime
People’s Choice
3. Fire On the Mountain: Blueberry Ghost Pepper
2. CD’s Wings: Grubby Garlic with garlic buffalo sauce, Cajun seasoning and ranch dressing
1. GQue Barbecue: Palisade Pearch Bourbon BBQ
Best Burgers
Sponsored by Harvest Moon
Judges’ Choice
3. Tap & Burger: Palisades peaches, Pueblo chili, pepper jam, aged beef patty, and pepper jack cheese
2. Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse Belmar: Colorado Fuego with Flaming Hot Cheeto dust, roasted Olathe sweet corn, chili lime Raqulitas tostada, and Pueblo green chile queso
1. R!ot: Double Smash
People’s Choice
3. R!ot: Double Smash
2. Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse Belmar: Colorado Fuego
3. Tap & Burger: Palisades peaches, Pueblo chili, pepper jam
Best Cocktails
Judges’ Choice
3. Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center with High West Whiskey
2. Stoney’s Bar & Grill: Cucumber Mint Refresher with Jim Beam
1. Brutal Poodle: Southern Slime with Tito’s Vodka, peach lemonade, Mexican candy puree, and Tajin
People’s Choice
3. Fire On the Mountain with Mile High Spirits Distillery
2. Nola Jane with Wheatley Vodka
1. Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center with High West Whiskey
