Sterling Robinson leans over the piano at his new restaurant, Officers Club.

Like most officers’ clubs around the country, the one on the former Lowry Air Force Base was where people gathered for a leisurely evening of camaraderie, elegant cocktails and good food at affordable prices. “It was the place you could get steak and lobster at a hamburger price. Making money wasn’t the goal. It was a way for people to recreate,” says Sterling Robinson, chef/proprietor of Officers Club, a new spin on an old concept in the Lowry neighborhood that opened in June. Just a few blocks away from the original military version, the new restaurant aims to capture that same slightly dressed up, grownup vibe.

The Officers Club patio provides an opportunity to savor the menu and the beautiful Colorado weather.

Officers Club is the latest restaurant to join the Lowry Dining District, a project of Joe Vostrejs and City Street Investors. With a goal of connecting to the history and community of the neighborhood, Robinson and Vostrejs conducted focus groups of residents to see what kind of eatery they felt was needed in the area. Officers Club is the response to the feedback, providing a place to have a more upscale dining experience.

The concept draws on the idea of an officers’ club but also on the supper clubs of the Midwest. “Farms were spread out and people didn’t see each other much so supper clubs started popping up as the Midwest developed,” explains Robinson. “The bartender was a central person in the concept – you’d relax, have a cocktail before dinner, enjoy live music and it would be a place for you to connect with your community.”

Officers Club aims to create a comfortable but upscale dining experience in Lowry.

A sizable portion of the menu is devoted to cocktails with an emphasis on variations of the Old Fashioned, plus an extensive wine list. The food menu focuses on familiar, iconic food. “You’ll see New England cheddar biscuits, a Hawaiian poke tower, St. Louis-style ribs, and our take on an Azar’s Big Boy hamburger,” says Robinson. “We really wanted to pay homage to the United States, the different regions and showcase the goodness of what is American cuisine.”

Officers Club will open with dinner service and will add lunch and brunch over the coming weeks. There will be live music on Friday and Saturday on the patio and a piano player inside the other days of the week.

Officers Club patio seating.

“I’m big on value,” says Robinson. “We realize that although we want to be slightly elevated, we want you to feel good about coming in here.” Despite being on Colorado’s culinary scene for many years, Robinson knows his name isn’t as familiar as some other local chefs of note. “It’s probably good that nobody knows me because it makes me work harder. I’m in the people business. I’m not trying to retire tomorrow. I just want this restaurant to be around for the next 50 years.”

Officers Club is located at 84 Rampart Way, near Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.