El Perro Negro, or the black dog, is considered a spiritual being in Mexican forklore meant to lead people into the afterlife.

Breckenridge’s newest basement bar, El Perro Negro, brings together a bartender and former customers and gives a nod to Mexican culture and its agave farmers. The only thing it lacks is a black dog leading you into the afterlife. Instead, they have a German short-haired pointer and a Chihuahua-dachshund-German spitz mix who are there just to foster good vibes. 

Joe Vandal and Sarah and Scott Howard opened El Perro Negro in mid-January on Main Street in Breckenridge. The spot leans heavily into Mexican-made agave, which is largely how the business collaboration began. 

The three met around 15 years ago when the Howards were regulars at a restaurant where Vandal bartended. Vandal, a self-proclaimed agave nerd, looped them in on his obsession. He had spent years taking trips to Mexico to dive further into the world of agave and learn more about agave operations. Scott joined one of the trips.

“I got hooked on it,” he said. “I wanted to see all the (agave) producers and all the production methods and fell in love with it and went down a rabbit hole.”

The rabbit hole resulted in the Howards, who worked in construction and education, deciding to try their hand at the food and beverage industry. 

Given the roots of their friendship, the El Perro Negro owners seek to stock their shelves with Mexican-owned tequilas. Sarah Howard said she takes pride in carrying Real Minero, which is run by Graciela Angeles Carreno, a 15th generation mezcal producer. She had the opportunity to tour Carreno’s facility and learn about her sustainable approach to agave farming. The team also strives to carry rare tequilas and mezcals. Some of their bottles are limited edition, where only a select amount were produced and distributed globally. 

Vandal said the owners want El Perro Negro to feel like an authentic cantina. Scott said they’ve been using the phrase “high-brow cocktails, low-brow attitude” to describe the place. They plan to introduce live entertainment, like a Mexican DJ from Vail who is known for spinning old-school beats. They also want to create an industry night for those who work in the food and beverage industry in the area. 

Vandal said they want El Perro Negro to be a late-night food spot that people can rely on when not much else is open. They’ll stay open until around midnight on weekends.

When it came to curating a menu, Vandal said he knows from experience that the more input, the better, so owners sought feedback from the entire staff to create a drink menu that offers classics and originals. Owners said they can their cocktails and are currently working on making canned cocktails to sell at other establishments. 

Vandal said people can expect the menu to change since he gets bored easily. Some of the current drink offerings include the “Hot in Here,” a spicy margarita, and the “Chupacabra,” which includes rum, lime, pineapple, grapefruit, cinnamon, hibiscus grenadine, herbal liqueur and tiki bitters. Cocktails range from $13 to $30. 

Appetizers include chips and salsa, seasoned fries and chili. Those offerings range from $8 to $9. El Perro Negro serves street tacos that range from $5 to $22, and a churro and ice cream dessert ranging from $6 to $13. 

El Perro Negro is located at 216 Main St. It is open from 4 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, from 2 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. 

More information can be found at ElPerroNegroBreck.com.