Iconic Colorado Springs restaurant to reopen under new ownership after 6 years

(COLORADO SPRINGS) – An iconic Colorado Springs restaurant will reopen under new ownership after being closed for nearly six years.

Navajo Hogan (formerly Johnny’s Navajo Hogan) closed in May 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple damaging fires. The iconic restaurant was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and has been closed ever since.

May 2021: Fire breaks out at Johnny’s Navajo Hogan in Colorado Springs

Navajo Hogan was built in 1935 and originally opened as a roadside hotel. The building is designed to resemble a hogan, a traditional Navajo dwelling, and is registered as a historic monument because of its “novel architecture,” according to the National Archives.

The logs used to build the roof were brought directly from the forest to the site, where they were hand-barked, the National Archives said. After air curing, the massive logs were assembled one piece at a time and individually hand-hewn to fit together in a unique arrangement that resembles the corbeled timber roof of a traditional hogan.

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

A fire in 1981 damaged the interior of the building, and it was only in 1989 that it was carefully restored and restored with the help of historical photographs and documentation. The iconic 17-foot Navajo neon sign was also restored in 1989, and although the restaurant has been vacant for the past six years, it remains a beacon on North Nevada Avenue.

Now, nearly a century after its construction, new owners are breathing new life into the building.

“We’ve been remodeling it for about a year now,” said Navajo Hogan’s new owner, Bobby Couch of Green Line Grill. “This was a very broad effort and there were a lot of people involved in its revitalization.”

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Couch said the restaurant will feature a new menu, designed by himself and executive chef Ketil Larsen, formerly of Phantom Canyon and Streetcar520.

“This project has been completely revitalized with new infrastructure to support the next ’91,” Couch said. “We are honored to have the opportunity to be a part of such a heritage destination.”

Navajo Hogan is located at 2817 N ​​Nevada Ave., south of Fillmore Street. Couch said he hopes to reopen the restaurant under its original name, Navajo Hogan, in March 2026.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.