After almost two years of vacancy, there’s a new restaurant at 275 East Eighth Ave.
On Sept. 7, The Tangled Horn celebrated its soft opening bringing another food and drink option to Eighth Avenue. Owner, Seth Broadhead took over the space in April, after DNA Rock and Blues Bar failed to open.
The space was occupied by Machos for 12 years before the Mexican fast food restaurant closed at that location in August 2022.
In March 2023, DNA announced it would be opening soon, but after months without any progress, the business never came to fruition – creating an opportunity for The Tangled Horn owner to launch his new farm-to-table based restaurant.
Broadhead describes the restaurant as a pub that combines the styles of an old hunting cabin with and skate shop. The Tangled Horn sells a plethora of burgers, fried chicken and even elk sausage from a Pagosa Springs farm.
Price ranges are reasonable, with meals costing between $12 and $18. The restaurant will employ eight employees, Broadhead said.
“We’re trying to compete with El Moro on food and cocktails during the daytime until like early evening,” he said. “Then we’re trying to compete with The Ranch (El Rancho) or the Garage for the nighttime scene after that.”
The Tangled Horn owner enters an interesting market on East Eighth Avenue. Nearby restaurants such as Rupert’s, College Drive Cafe and Raider Ridge Cafe are focused on breakfast and lunch time slots. While The Tangled Horn’s next door neighbor, Anarchy Brewing, offers slim food options via the Chalkboard Kitchen food truck, but is a worthy competitor when it comes to beer sales. Broadhead intends to focus on high-end cocktails when it comes to alcohol sales.
But synergy between the two establishments is something Broadhead looks forward to. Over the last four years, Anarchy has claimed its stake in Durango’s punk rock scene. Weekends are often filled with punk and metal bands performing while patrons share a couple of pints.
The Tangled Horn offers an outdoor patio space where bands can also perform. Broadhead said he already has a few folk bands lined up. With the two bars side-by-side, it helps make East Eighth Avenue a hub for live music.
“With Anarchy, we’re trying to become as symbiotic as we can,” Broadhead said.
He said he would like to be an afternoon food option for the brewery because the Chalkboard Kitchen food truck is only available in the evenings.
The desire to sell farm-to-table food in his restaurant comes from Broadhead’s roots. He spent 10 years working on various farms in Sonoma County, California.
“Basically every time there’s a farmers market, I’m just showing up and dropping hundreds of dollars,” he said about the restaurant’s ingredients.
He also spent five years working as a chef in the greater San Francisco Bay Area before becoming a designer builder for commercial buildings and homes.
But he takes pride in entertaining people, hence opening Durango’s latest restaurant.
“We’re trying to provide a spot for locals to go where they don’t have to park downtown, and maybe if they’re on the grid, it’s within walking or biking distance,” Broadhead said.
The restaurant’s official grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 5. Broadhead is waiting on the city to approve his liquor license.
The restaurant is currently operating from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., but intends to extend closing time to 11 p.m. once the business receives its alcohol license.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
