In an era of ever-changing eateries, one establishment has withstood the test of time — a historic restaurant tucked in a treed lot in Hot Sulphur Springs.

Now known as the Dean Public House, the establishment was first constructed near the hot springs in 1872. Current owner Jon Harvey took over the property in 2016.

In late spring, the Dean Public House officially reopened after a hiatus, around the time sister restaurant The Dean West in Kremmling closed. The updated establishment provides a spot for hot springs visitors to unwind after a soak, locals to catch up and newcomers to share a table.

What’s cooking at Dean Public House this summer

When Harvey began renovating the property, he envisioned a “public house,” bringing a U.K. tradition to Grand County. Pubs have evolved into community spaces where patrons gather to enjoy each other’s company, libations and comfort food.

The Dean Public House has a rotating tapas menu to encourage plate sharing, as well as long tables for groups to chat.

“The locals in Hot Sulphur have really been excited to have me back open over here,” Harvey said. “They don’t have to drive to Granby or Kremmling to go get food.”

While the Dean Public House maintains its pioneer days ambiance, the menu is constantly evolving; most recently, customers could enjoy culinary entrees like Greek Gyros and Blackened New York Strip, and tapas including garlic steak bites, pork tacos and hummus dips. Harvey also likes ordering rockfish, salmon and other seafood fare.

“The nice thing is we change our menu every week, so you’ll never get tired of what kind of food we’re doing,” said Harvey.

He has been in the restaurant industry for 30 years, working in diverse parts of the country, from Portland, Oregon, to California.

“I’ve always felt when you get stuck with a menu, you tend to get bored after a little bit of time,” he explained his philosophy, which keeps his kitchen staff “on their feet.”

All the chefs that have worked at Dean Public House over the past decade have loved the freedom to design their own dishes, or make a new twist on traditional pub fare. Harvey’s current chef is Kris Meyers, who previously worked in Grand Lake.

“They see something on TV, or go out to eat down in Denver or something like that, and they want to bring it back and then express those ideas,” he said. “It’s definitely a very creative environment.”

What’s new for 2026

Harvey is also excited to bring more events to the public house, opening its doors for live music, festivals, films and more. He’s especially passionate about bring entertainment for locals.

He’s reached out to local musicians for his “Live on the Lawn” concert series on Saturday nights, starting at 5 p.m. Attendees can grab food and a and drink and stretch out in the expansive yard to listen to performers like country musician Wade Sutton.

Harvey is also excited to bring back the restaurant’s River Fest on Aug. 21. The last time Harvey held the event in 2023, attendees gathered to enjoy live music, artisan booths, food and drinks.

“My whole property is liquor licensed, so it works out really nice,” he said. “Everybody can bring their chairs and blankets, and we’ll have bands. We throw a really good time.”  

Harvey plans to showcase five local bands. He’ll partner with the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited for the fest. Proceeds from the event will benefit the nonprofit, which is dedicated to improving the health of the Upper Colorado River.

“I’m also in on doing weddings or catering events and things like that, because of the fact that we have this beautiful backyard,” he added.

Harvey also formerly owned Dean West in Kremmling, which he sold in spring 2026. The restaurant is now Blacksmith Tavern & Grill.

“With the lack of staffing, I just had to make the decision to close Dean West and then reopen the Public House, which had been closed a couple months,” he explained. ” …it’s been a pretty cool transition from having two restaurants.”

But when one door closes, another opens. Solely operating the Public House allows him to fully nurture his original restaurant.

“It’s dear to my heart; it’s an old stagecoach building,” he added. “So I’m just focusing on this building, because it is such a historic place.”

A rich history

The building, which now stands stately and white on the edge of town, has had several iterations over 150 years.

In the 1870s, Captain Thomas J. Dean and his family traveled from Idaho Springs, settling in Hot Sulphur Springs. Dean, a Civil War veteran, built the original two-room cabin. It became Hot Sulphur Springs’ first saloon.

It’s believed that presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft and wild west legends Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday have graced the saloon. Locals and travelers could grab a drink, a meal cooked by Dean’s wife, or even spend the night if needed.

“Dean was the first appointed judge in Grand County,” said Harvey. “He held court there during the day, then had the Dean saloon at night.”

Dean presided over court in the tiny saloon until a proper courthouse was built a year later. Tragically, Dean was killed in the infamous Grand Lake shootout in 1883. Dean was county clerk at the time.

After his death, the McQueary family bought the property. They tore down the hotels from Lulu City, a boom-and-bust mining town, and brought the wood to Dean’s saloon to remodel.

“They built the other the east wing and the whole second story and turned it into a stagecoach stop,” said Harvey.

The McQueary house had 13 rooms and helped solidify Hot Sulphur as an important stagecoach stop on the route from Denver to Western Grand County. When the train began chugging through Hot Sulphur and cars hit Highway 40, the McQuery House transformed into a hotel.

In 1913, Alice Davis purchased the property and built an expansive Model T hotel. Guests could park their automobiles in carports attached to their rooms. The hotel grew to have over 40 rooms by the time Davis, a successful businesswoman, retired.

“Then we lose a lot of the history after that,” Harvey said. “In the 1960s, a couple from Littleton bought the property, added on the back wing with the professional kitchen, and ran it as a bed and breakfast.”

The property operated as a bed and breakfast until 1998. It transferred hands a couple times before Harvey revived the property as the Dean Public House in 2016.

“It just started as a 24-seat restaurant,” he said. “Now I’m at 70 seats because it’s been pretty busy … we’re back up and running; people are pretty excited about it.”

Musicians interested in performing or community members who’d like to collaborate on events can reach out Jon Harvey at Jon@DeanPublicHouse.com.