El Rancho’s story begins in 1948, when the restaurant was built by the Jahnke family. The early establishment sought to fill the role of a community-oriented restaurant in Evergreen, that could also draw in motorists and tourists from US-40. A particularly notable out-of-towner to have enjoyed El Rancho was U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who frequently visited from his hunting lodge just north of nearby Idaho Springs.

In 1953, the Jahnkes sold the building to Mildred and Ray Zipprich. The Zippriches were successful pie distributors from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their son-in-law, Paul McEncroe and his family operated El Rancho until 1988 and during this time the restaurant cemented its status as a Front Range mainstay. One peculiar and interesting item that the McEncroe family contributed to the legacy of El Rancho was the establishment of a U.S. Post Office branch, that existed for a period of time in the same building as El Rancho, in 1956.

The Zippriches sold El Rancho in 1988; the restaurant then underwent a series of ownerships and closures until 2015, when the Vincent family renovated the historic restaurant as a brew pub. In 2020, Paul Vincent partnered with local restaurateur and managing partner Glen Fountain, who renovated the restaurant and reestablished the Aspen Room downstairs from the restaurant – a speak-easy style bar and live entertainment venue that was first established in 1958. The Aspen Room was a well-known performing layover in the late 1950’s and 1960’s for music and comedy acts passing through Evergreen as they travelled from coast to coast on what is now US Highway 40 and Interstate 70. El Rancho aims to honor the restaurant’s rich history and emphasize its connection to Colorado and the Evergreen community in everything it does, providing Colorado mountain cuisine with a first-class culinary experience and service to match.

When El Rancho opened in 1954, the dining room accommodated a mere 72 guests. Today, El Rancho Restaurant is among the largest and oldest existing restaurants in the Rocky Mountains, with combined seating for over 500. The main floor dining room, veranda, bar, and West Deck have a combined seating of nearly 350. The main bar features a rotating list of 20 award-winning beers brewed in-house and over 100 whiskies with all of Colorado’s distilleries represented. The outdoor West Deck – with its unobstructed views of the Continental Divide – is said to be the most photographed mountain scene in Colorado. The Aspen room has indoor seating for 125 and opens to an in-ground Beer Garden with additional seating for 65 configured around a stage where live music is featured Thursday through Saturday each week – weather permitting. A private dining room with a 14-person dining table and an attached private patio that seats 30 is accessed through the back of the Aspen Room. Friday and Saturday nights at El Rancho Restaurant and The Aspen Room are usually at full capacity, so reservations are recommended.

The current owners and management are committed to honoring El Rancho’s rich history by making this a true gathering place for the Colorado community as well as a memorable stop for the travelers passing through the Gateway to the Rockies on their way to Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, and the many resorts up Interstate 70.