Denver's Best Bars

For those of you who've been hitting the same spot after work all year, HuffPost Denver has put together a slideshow of the city's best bars that you might consider checking out. Some of our picks, like The Cruise Bar, which was the first establishment to open after prohibition in 1933, are staples of Denver night life and others, like the honky tonk Grizzly Rose and The Thin Man, are simply good places to find a local brew.

Are we missing your favorite local spot? Submit your bar of choice by clicking the "Participate" button below. Include the bar's name, a short description of what you like about the place, a picture (ideally with you inside the bar or just of the bar's facade) and mark on our map where readers can find your suggested watering hole. We'll post the best suggestions in a slideshow next week.

Best Denver Bars

 

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The Cruise Room

The Cruise Room is downtown Denver’s first bar and opened the day after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Boasting Art Deco décor, this bar is original in its entirety. The Cruise Room was fashioned after one of the lounges on the Queen Mary. Original chrome and neon reflect onto the wall panels depicting lighthearted "toasts" from around the world. The free jukebox entertains guests in this quintessential martini bar.

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Comments

[dustrabbit]

Oh, the horror! "My brother's Bar" is not include, but Tommyknocker's is? God, I miss Lowry...Cleveland blows. :(

[D-V-H]

%260E% me.

[FinallySaid]

Been there a few times over the years. Best bartenders, friendly, engaging, and give excellent service with special skills for some special drinks. Kudo's to a server whose name I think is Aaron, seen him and others there every time. Staff seems to be loyal.

[josholland]

There are a couple here I haven't been to yet, looking forward to it.

I'd take Williams and West End out personally. Nothing special.

[royevatom]

Nine dollars for a bad Manhattan, nah! Colorado is a place for the wealthy to pose while their streams are filled with heavy metals leaching from mines that they just prop a sign out in front of that says "Don't Drink The Water". Sorry, I got a bad dose of I'm richer than you are, I'm better looking than you are, I'm sexier than you are, I've got a better car than you, I'm better, faster, more important, first, and by god I believe we are all evolved from aliens from outer space, not to mention, I have been a Buddhist for two weeks now. Yes, Colorado is picturesque but cold, very cold. Give me Brooklyn and the corner bar where if you get treated badly it won't be because of the clothes you are wearing.

[52novels]

"Yes, Colorado is picturesque but cold, very cold."
Enjoy all that. Meanwhile, I'll keep holding on to our dirty little Denver secret --- 300 days of sunshine every year --- while wearing shorts and shirtsleeves in January.

[royevatom]

You forgot the sandals and attitude. What is the Prison population of Colorado by the way. Let's ask the Ranchers who have been pissed off ever sense the "hippies" showed up or maybe before that when they drove the Spanish off their lands and hunted down the last free men we call Indians because Native American is a misnomer. BTW I wasn't referring to the weather.

[josholland]

So when you came to CO you hung out at snobby bars, and when you're in Brooklyn you hang out at the corner bar? You're really stereotyping here. Let me give you one back, all New Yorkers think NY is the only place in the world worth being in. How is that not pretentious?

[huffponewbie]

I'm pretty sure that New Yorkers hold some respect for London, Paris, and Tokyo to name a few.

[Hulahulaman]

What? No annoying hipsters in Brooklyn? Must be paradise.

[paris0549]

I've been to NY and it is the most pretentious place in the WORLD!! i'd take Denver bars over Ny any day.

[Burkelbile]

Somebody couldn't get laid and is very angry about it.

[Burkelbile]

When I die, if there's actually a heaven and I can con my way in,
it will look just like the Cruise Room and there will be a Bombay Saphire cruise-room martini sitting in front of me.

[afdashiell]

I'll second the recommendation of Mead Street Station. And I have no idea how you missed My Brother's Bar.

[bugsbonzai]

I live just a few blocks from Mead Street. I heartily recommend it!

[power to the people]

haha, so do I. It is a good place. foods decent too.

[52novels]

Not to put too fine a point on things, but whoever wrote the blurbs for these needs a copy editor and/or fact checker. The name of the local publication that's referenced several times is Westword, not Westward.

[DenverGator]

Where are the attractive older women (35-50) not hell bent on getting drunk?

[Ametista]

married!

[wasabi23]

Yeah, i'm stoked that HuffPost has chosen Denver as its next base of operations (i live in Fort Collins, an hour up the road). The Front Range is a beautiful place with a unique art, music, theatre and political life.
But guys guys guys--you gotta do better than this. As others have pointed out, the New Times paper here is called "Westword," not Westward, and Idaho Springs is quite a haul just to get a beer at Tommyknockers.
I would add that Wynkoop is one of Denver's 'best bars' only in the sense that it is one of the largest. It's a horrid meat-market factory bar with all the personality of a Bennigan's. And Grizzly Rose? Dear god.
Thin Man, good choice for the uber-hipster vibe. Looking forward to better work from you all in the future.

[52novels]

Was gonna mention that Idaho Springs is hardly "just outside Denver," as well. So, too, is Parker if that's the standard we're using.

[power to the people]

If you're going to Idaho Springs I'd recommend stopping in at Kermit's on the way. Nice old biker bar turned somewhat safe. You still get days with 100 bikes out front tho'.

[fleaba]

My husband did the paint job on the Cruise Room a couple of years ago. Nice job eh?

[52novels]

My wife created about half of its martini menu. Nice job, eh?

[fleaba]

Ye Haw....

[surfcitysteven]

Mead St. Station. Great neighborhood bar.

[shel3364]

*sigh* I miss Denver. Had to move to Utah for a job. Talk about culture shock.


I remeber the Wynkoop well. Still have a bottle of "Denver's Wheat Revenge" brewed specifically to celebrate a Monday-night smack down of the Raiders byt the Broncos.

[confidance government]

"How exactly Tommyknocker's in Idaho Springs could be classified as "just outside of Denver" is beyond me."

Come one man its just outside the Denver metro area, besides the beer is great. Another local bar to check into is the Golden City Brewery and Beer Garden in Golden. Excellent beer and excellent for a summer afternoon.

[DenvrLib]

Some solid picks on this list. Williams, Cruise Room, Thin Man are all great bars. How exactly Tommyknocker's in Idaho Springs could be classified as "just outside of Denver" is beyond me. By the way HuffPo it's Westword not Westward.