The Red Onion, Historic saloon restaurant in Aspen, United States
The Red Onion is a restaurant in downtown Aspen, Colorado, housed in a three-story brick building designed in the Renaissance Revival style. The interior retains original pressed tin ceilings, wooden bar fixtures, and worn plank floors that have been part of the space since it was first built.
The building opened in 1892 as the Brick Saloon during the height of Aspen's silver mining boom, drawing miners and workers from across the area. When Prohibition forced saloons to close, the space shifted its purpose and eventually became the restaurant it is today.
The Red Onion has long been a gathering place for musicians and live performances, a tradition that visitors can still experience today. The old wooden bar and original interior give the space a grounded, lived-in feeling that sets it apart from newer venues.
The Red Onion sits in the heart of downtown Aspen and is easy to reach on foot from most central areas. The building has old wooden floors and narrow staircases, so visitors with mobility concerns may want to keep that in mind before heading upstairs.
A bullet hole from 1899 is still visible inside the building, left behind from a conflict during the rougher years of the mining era. It is one of the few physical traces of that period that can actually be seen on the walls today.
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