Entry No. 9 — the Pueblo file — filed under: speakeasy-bar
Gus' Place
“Ripley's featured it three times for pouring more beer per square foot than any bar on earth.”
The corner building at Elm and Mesa went up as a church in 1892, became Gus Masciotra's grocery in the twenties, then, the moment Prohibition died in 1933, took out Pueblo's first liquor license and never looked back. Steel-mill crews from the CF&I works drank here between shifts, and the routine survives: schooners frosted near-solid, and the Dutch Lunch, cold cuts, onion, tomato, white bread, mustard, assembled yourself at the table. Ripley's featured it three times for pouring more beer per square foot than any bar on earth.
The story
The structure at 1201 Elm Street went up in 1892 as a church, but its true calling arrived when Gus Masciotra moved his grocery business inside during the 1920s. The moment Prohibition collapsed in 1933, Masciotra didn't hesitate: he snapped up Pueblo’s very first post-repeal liquor license and converted the counter. Tucked into the Eilers pocket—historically known as Bojon Town—the tavern sat steps from the Colorado Fuel and Iron (CF&I) steel works, serving as the unofficial staging ground for tired steel crews.
The tavern didn't bother with elaborate decor or complicated menus; it built a reputation on pure throughput. Ripley’s Believe It or Not featured Gus' Place three separate times for pouring more beer per square foot than any other drinking establishment on earth. Heavy, frosted schooners came straight out of sub-zero chillers to quench the thirst of mill workers filing in between demanding furnace shifts.
What keeps Gus' Place anchored in Pueblo history is the persistence of the routine. The signature Dutch Lunch—a board of cold cuts, sliced raw onion, fresh tomato, white bread, and yellow mustard that you assemble yourself at the table—has survived unchanged for decades. It remains a straightforward, living artifact of Bojon Town's industrial past.
What it's like
Walk up to Elm and Mesa in Bojon Town and you'll see a quiet 1892 church building holding down the corner. Inside, the space is an unpretentious, historic neighborhood dive. Take a seat in a booth, order a frosted schooner chilled to near-solid, and get a Dutch Lunch spread delivered to your table so you can build your own sandwich. Keep expectations grounded regarding food—the kitchen is essentially cold cuts and condiments, so come for the beer, the neighborhood history, and a slice of raw onion on white bread.
The move: Split a Dutch Lunch and two frosted schooners in a booth, then walk a block to Eilers' Place to compare Bojon Town's two surviving taverns.
📍 Before you go Look for the old church building where Elm Street meets Mesa Avenue in the Eilers/Bojon Town pocket on Pueblo's south side, near the steel mill; street parking along Elm is straightforward. The Dutch Lunch spread is essentially the whole kitchen, so come for cold cuts and beer or eat a real meal elsewhere first. Eilers' Place, the neighborhood's other century-old tavern, is a block over on Mesa and pairs naturally with a visit.
- 📍 Pueblo
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1201 Elm St, Pueblo, CO 81004
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Ethos — Balance out Gus's century-old beer habit with a mocktail at this creative, sober bar and art hub just four blocks away.
- The Clink Lounge — Trade Bojon Town's industrial tavern vibe for a drink inside Pueblo's former city jail cells located 1.4 miles north.
- Pueblo Neon Alley — Head downtown after your schooner to walk through a back alley illuminated by salvaged, fully restored vintage neon signs.
- Colorado Center for Metal Arts — Connect Bojon Town's steelworker roots to modern metalworking at this community metalsmithing studio in the Union Avenue district.
Good to know
What is the origin of the building?
It was built as a church in 1892, became Gus Masciotra's grocery store in the 1920s, and took out Pueblo's first post-Prohibition liquor license in 1933.
What is a Dutch Lunch?
It's a self-assembly lunch platter featuring cold cuts, raw onion, sliced tomato, white bread, and mustard served at your table.
Why was Gus' Place featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not?
Ripley's highlighted the tavern three separate times for serving more beer per square foot than any other bar in the world.
Where is Gus' Place located?
At 1201 Elm Street (corner of Elm and Mesa) in Pueblo's historic Eilers/Bojon Town neighborhood, near the old steel mill site.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: thebeerchaser.com · sah-archipedia.org · Tripadvisor · chieftain.com
last checked: 2026-06-11