The Best Lounges in Denver

Retrograde

★★★★☆ 3.9 (366) • $$

"Retrograde is a fun and quirky speakeasy that's located within an ice cream shop. It's convenient because when you're waiting for a table, you can grab a scoop of ice cream. The place is on the smaller side so the tables are a bit close to one another. The drinks are fun and some come with a presentation zhuzh which adds to the ambiance. The menu had about 12 specialty cocktails on top of traditional cocktails. You have the option of letting the bartender go wild with their imaginations and create a drink for you. Overall, it's a fun plcae."

Li'l Devils Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.3 (80) • $

"Best bar experience since Covid, and it would've ranked highly even before. All the staff were charming/unique but Dick made our night, making us laugh and teasing the shit out of us/taking it back.Solid pours, felt like part of the (dysfunctional?) family!I will return when next in Denver!"

Inga's Alpine Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (289) • $$

"Inga's Alpine Tavern is aptly named. When you walk in, you definitely get those cozy mountain basement vibes. The ambiance is fitting for a neighborhood, locals-only watering hole.I want to like this place more than I do. I've been here a few times since the kitchen is open fairly late (by Denver standards) and it's a nice place to chill and watch a game. But $6 Coors Banquets and $8 canned beers? This isn't a high end cocktail bar, this is more of a dive. Too steep for the quality of what you're getting.In terms of food, y'all should know by now I'm a wing lover. I even have a chicken wing tattooed on me. KIDDING, but maybe I should...$15 for an order of wings is pretty standard with inflation, so that I don't necessarily care about. But these wings are tiny with a lowercase t. There's not much meat on them, and the flavors leave you wanting more. They do load up on the carrots and celery...but that shouldn't be the most exciting part about a chicken wing adventure.Maybe their wings aren't all that and I should expand my horizons to other menu items. They do have great pictures on their website, but I've never personally seen food that resembles it in person.Like I said, a super cozy neighborhood spot. I've just been let down with the food options a few times. Honestly it won't completely deter me from coming back, I just feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick here!"

Emerald Eye

★★★★☆ 4.2 (29)

"We were wandering down Larimer street and we were planning to grab a Lyft at the end of the road. Before we ordered it, we saw a red neon sign that read "cocktail lounge". We headed towards it and decided to walk down the stairway with the mint green painted walls. I'm so glad we did. I had the clarified punch and it was one of the best cocktails I've had recently. So delicious. The other cocktail we tried was also good even thought I don't like mescal as much as other spirits, it was still well balanced. My partner said he enjoyed it. Service was attentive and swift. This place had a really chill, tropical vibe with beautiful mood lighting. I very much enjoyed relaxing over a delicious drink in the Emerald Eye lounge and will definitely go back to try other cocktails next time we are in Denver."

54thirty Rooftop

★★★★☆ 4 (513) • $$

Salita

★★★★★ 4.5 (26)

"What a great find!! The same bartenders from the green russel have come over after the closing of the Larimer location (lease reasons). Drinks are fancy. Bartenders are incredible and the ambience is to die for. This painting makes me want to come back over and over. To make it even better, Luca is next door and the food there is the best in Denver!"

Top Tenn

★★★★★ 4.6 (19)

"Great drinks, great service! The bar tender and owner were amazing made us feel welcomed and well taken care of"

4Play Kitchen & Cocktails

★★★★☆ 3.8 (28)

"Listen man! Absolute fire! from the setting to the ambiance to the service! The pictures is either self explanatory or serving no justice. Best fish sandwich in Denver CO hands Down!!!"

Horseshoe Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.2 (248) • $

"Fun spot with two rooms. Chill vibe with good music and drinks. Bartenders are great ! I always stop here when in Denver."

Herb's Hideout

★★★★☆ 4.2 (127) • $

"Want to wake up after a long night and do it all again? This is THE dive bar for you!The creepy factor is just enough to be fun (bats and scary masks hang from the ceiling), although you may have a moment of pause wondering if a monster bash will happen before the night is through. The live was top notch - soulful blues with upbeat rock mixed in, and a bar that really appreciates and promotes tipping the band. Servers were friendly and hopping, always attentive to patron needs while not suffering any fools. Drafts featured local brews and the majority of patrons are locals, adding to the feeling of having a great night with your new friend crew. Go ahead and belly up to the bar - they don't bite unless..."

Forest Room 5

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (795) • $$

"Are you looking for a place to go on a date? Look no further than Forest Room 5, which seems to be the spot for anyone on Bumble right now.This is a super cute spot with reasonably priced drinks and food. It's a good standby, even if service can be a little spotty. The fun decor makes it worth a visit, but not a long stay."

Apple Blossom

★★★★☆ 3.8 (104) • $$

"Very cozy atmosphere and the food was all so tasty! The pasta was recommended by our waitress and I'm so glad I got it. The flavors were popping in every single dish though. Love it!"

Larimer Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (158) • $

"Great place to catch a show and have a few beers. The place is old and funky with a lot of character and the band we saw was local called FUZZFACE. Very entertaining and fun. I loved that in the front seating area there is a large screen, so if you get tired of standing, you can sit and watch the show. We enjoyed our evening there."

Gennaro's Cafe Italiano

★★★★☆ 3.5 (207) • $$

"I would of never guessed this place has some descent Italian bar. When you first come in, you come into what looks like the local dive bar. The other part looks like it was the actual restaurant, but I believe since COVID-19 the restaurant part for dine in was suffering. They did still have some booths and a pool table that took a good bit on the dining part. The service was good, and the kitchen was semi-open so you could talk to the chef if needed. It was just us in that area of the restaurant. The starter caprese salad was really good. The pesto and aged balsamic was a really nice touch. The main, we got a few things. The sausage and peppers with fettuccini pasta was really good. It looked like meatballs, but it was sausage. It was nicely seasoned. We got a margherita pizza with sausage as well. It was definitely a cheese lover pizza. If we lived closer, I would order from them again."

Upstairs Cocktail Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.3 (50) • $$

"Love this place and everything about it! The Kitchen's Upstairs lounge in Boulder is what Denver is missing: an elegant, upbeat, slightly quirky space that's constantly doing something fun and new. It's perfect for happy hour drinks with a friend, a first or 20th date, a group outing, or anything in-between. Earlier this summer they were going with a tiki theme, but now it's all Prohibition: mod lounges, lots of cool lights and mirrored surfaces, upbeat 20s style music, and fantastic cocktails. My favorite cocktail is the purple concoction that looks like it's straight out of Willy Wonka: called Giggle Water, it's made with Cap Rock gin, lemon, turbinado, cream, and soda. It's actually not as sweet as it might sound/look, but rather a perfect balance of herbal, citrusy, creamy, and sweet. And it's also 1/2 off on happy hour 5-6pm and the last hour of each night!I also loved the delicious Cup of Joe with cold brew (I don't usually like coffee but this was perfectly flavored) -- and the refreshing London Prohibition (cucumber, lime, tonic -- meant to be non-alcoholic but I asked for gin). And the food is fantastic as it always is at the Kitchen. You definitely won't regret ordering the lamb meatballs or the peach burrata!"

Honey Elixir Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (132) • $$

"FINALLY had a chance to come here - it's so cute!! Definitely need to come back for the actual notorious cocktails because my boss took me and my coworker here for a champagne toast. They filled those glasses to the brim. Love the vibe, love the decor, love the service. Located in the alley behind Denver Central Market but not in a sketchy way. Can't wait to try this bar again. Normally it's too packed to get a seat or table."

The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (1074) • $$

"One of our go-to's whenever we come to Denver! You can't go wrong with anything that you order off of the menu. The food and drink service is quick and always accurate/consistent. Not to mention the location is super convenient and the ambiance is fantastic!"

Toro

★★★★☆ 4.3 (287)

"A few weeks ago, my husband and I visited Toro to celebrate my doctoral achievement. The restaurant featured the Honey menu, which was absolutely delightful. Our server was incredibly friendly and recommended a variety of dishes that didn't disappoint-- from foie gras tacos and mac & cheese to plantain chips with smoked swordfish dip, Brussels sprouts, truffle fries, and lomo saltado (beef fillet).We were seated in a quaint, quiet area of the restaurant, where the ambiance was just perfect for our celebration. Toro proved to be a fantastic choice for a memorable dining experience close to home."

The Barrel Room at The Gallery

★★★★☆ 4.3 (37) • $$

"I just had the most incredible lunch. I had a lunch date that stood me up so I had lunch myself anyway. From the time I walked in until the time I left, Sofia, my server/bartender treated me like absolute gold. It's been awhile since I received such incredible, personalized service. Service here is always good but this was next level service. Wow. I ordered a classic Caesar salad with shrimp and it was too shelf. Absolutely amazing. I ordered a cup of broccoli cheese soup and was amazing as well. Hot, creamy and tasty. I was even given a free beer for joining their text message program which is "text drinks to 720-843-3244". As alway, the place itself was meticulously clean. One of the things I like most about this restaurant. Keep in mind, you are barred from the shooting range and/or buying a firearm for the day, once you order an alcoholic drink. I like the large screen televisions playing sports and the news. I love this place. Thank you Sofia"

The Arvada Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.3 (766) • $$

"We came here as a group and it was very good. Service was slow, we waited to order, 10-15 minutes for drink reorders and 15 minutes for the check. We did watch the bartenders while we waited and they were making amazing drinks.Green Chili Pretzel - very good with a great cheese sauce.French Dip - the ribeye was medium rare and so good, don't miss. It was on rosemary bread. The fries were good too.Cobb Salad - very good.The Mai Tai was the only thing we didn't like. Not very fruity.Parking is on the street and fills up."

Reynard Social

★★★★☆ 4.4 (38)

"I stayed at this hotel (the Thompson Denver) and visited this lounge on our last night here. What a great cocktail bar. Drinks were well made, and the food here was fantastic. The salmon poke and the burger we had were really excellent and had wonderful flavor. A great view of downtown Denver and comfortable seating everywhere here. Some nights they have live music or DJs. There is space for everyone here."

Union Lodge No.1

★★★★★ 4.7 (727) • $$

"RAMOS GIN FIZZ. That's literally all you need to know about this place.We popped in on a Saturday evening and waited about 30 minutes for a table for 3 of us. It's a relatively little bar on the 1st floor of a building, shared with a bakery. What I appreciated about it was that they didn't just let people roam around to try to seat themselves. One of the staff usually chased you down and had you wait out in the lobby to wait for his summons. Still, they were gracious and a few parties that walked in when the place started to calm down were allowed to take seats at the bar.We didn't want to peak early and jump right into the RGF's so we tried some other drinks first - a couple Pineapple Juleps and a Knickerbocker later on. They were stiff but way too tart/dry, like someone left out the simple syrup. Anyway, that led us to finally diving into the RGF's and we never looked back. They were silky smooth and tasty. There were two bartenders making the RGF's and one guy you could tell made at least 100 of them a night. It was fun watching him make them the entire time we were there - some didn't always work out so he would toss them out (nooooo) but the ones he sent out where textbook perfect.A great find for us and a nice way to spend our last evening in Denver."

Desert Social

★★★★☆ 4.4 (33)

"My friend and I came by for Friday happy hour! I believe their happy hour runs 4-6p. I had the Agua de Casa from the HH menu for $7 and I found it to be delightful. As the bartender described it, it tastes like ranch water but with more flavors! It was like ranch water on steroids. I loved it. It had somewhat of a cucumber-esque margarita flavor to me. My friend did not enjoy those flavors, lol.The bar is cute and has a large selection of cocktails. The decor and ambiance were spot on. I felt like I was in a desert vibe even though it was snowing outside. I would recommend for a date night or drinks with friends. Service was friendly and helpful."

Campus Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (66) • $$

Death & Co

★★★★☆ 4.1 (462) • $$$

"Inside the Ramble Hotel, the Lobby is a beautiful Velvet Couch meets MarbleMeets Chandelier cocktail bar. FYI - it's a coffee shop during the day and if you want a vibe, come here to do work. For big groups - you can do reservations for the bar."

Fortissimo Dueling Pianos

★★★★☆ 4 (47)

Mexico City Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.5 (311) • $$

"I can't believe I have never done a review of this place. I am a HUGE fan of deep fried tacos (also how I make mine at home) and they have delicious ones at Mexico City. Not many places make them like this. The ground beef are my favorite dripping with juices and filled with lettuce and fresh tomatoes. I love how each one is shaped different than any others because they are made fresh and by hand. I cannot get enough of these tacos. The bartenders and staff are always so cool and laid back. Make it a very comfortable place to have some good food, something to wash it down with and watch some sports on the TV in the bar. Steve was our bartender this last weekend and that dude is funny. I like his attitude. The location is great too right next to the Rockies stadium. We stop in for breakfast before games and I just learned about their Thursday special with 2 tacos and a drink for $10. Great deal. I will be back for that deal. Check them out and let me know what you think about their tacos."

Cruise Room

★★★★☆ 4.2 (382) • $$$

"The hubs and I stayed at the Oxford and one of the perks is being able to get a cocktail from the Cruise Room and then savoring the cocktail from our room when the place was packed with no available seating. The Sazaracs were among the best we've had and showed the level of craft from the bar."

Seven Grand Denver

★★★★☆ 4.4 (135) • $$

"Awesome bar in Denver. This is the place we go to when in Denver for work and it's always a good spot with a great selection of bourbons, whiskey, and scotch among other drinks.Not a huge bar so it can definitely get a little tight, so if that's not your thing, probably not smart to go here later hours.Recommend this place if you are in Denver looking for a good whiskey bar"

Eddie V's Prime Seafood

★★★★★ 4.6 (286)

"First time to Eddy V's and certainly will not be our last! Everything from the moment we walked in to our departure was on-point and amazing! Once seated (by the Manager) we were ask if the night was for any occasion, at which we replied it was a "Make-up Valentine's Day as we had been sick the week prior." He returned with a handful of rose petals and neatly decorated our table to spell a 'V.' Our server, Alyssa was top notch. She never missed a beat with listening, offering, and being sure that we always had any and everything we wanted. The drinks not only were good quality and mixture, but presented beautifully too. The mystic point oysters were by far the best we've ever had, and we contemplated ordering more! The Caesar salad had just the right amount of dressing with the fresh black pepper complimenting it well. The filet, (although my judgment was biased because my Husband knocks any steak at a restaurant out of the park,) was clearly a beautiful cut of meat and the outer was charred just the right amount. My husband ordered the wagyu steak and it could not have tasted better! We complimented our meal with delicious asparagus and Alyssa surprised us with au gratin potatoes that melt in your mouth! Overall it was a fantastic experience and Valentine's was better celebrated after the holiday, with the utmost amazing experience!"

The Cooper Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (289) • $$$

"While in Denver for a conference, I met up with one of my friends who I've known since 1989. He loves to go out and when I asked where we should meet, he said "I know a place with great cocktails" and he wasn't kidding. He also knows I love trains and grand train stations so the thought of going to a cocktail bar in a train station was a slam dunk. Almost everything about this place is outstanding. The service from start to finish was impeccable. Everyone was so smooth and professional, there was never a wrong note. From the host to our servers (we had one whose shift ended mid-meal and the transition to our new server was like silk) it was outstanding. The ambiance is great too...up on a balcony above the main waiting room in Union Station, you have great views and you can feel the energy but there's also a calm about it. In some train station dining places, it can get cacophonous...I'm thinking of the old Michael Jordan Steakhouse in Grand Central Terminal. But the Cooper Lounge is lively but also mellow, if that makes sense.Drinks are great. I had planned on having one and ended up having three! They're pricey for sure but you're paying for good liquor and they're deftly made. My first was the Smoke and Spades (Iwai 45 Whiskey, Lapsang Souchong Tea, Lemon, Soda) which was good but more of a day drink from my perspective. I switched to the Cooper Lounge Old Fashioned and I loved how they asked if I wanted bourbon, rye or tequila (rye please!). That was an excellent drink.They serve some light bites and we had some baked brie (Focaccia, Danish Brie, Black Garlic, Roasted Tomato, Red Onion Jam) which was really dry and the brie was hard rather than melty. We also had duck croquettes which were good. But food isn't the point of this place, it's the cocktails and the service and on those points, the Cooper Lounge excels. If you've been to the Campbell in Grand Central, it's a similar vibe, although because it's in a more open space, it feels lighter and airier. It also ain't cheap! 100% recommend this place for a drink in Denver."

Hideaway Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 3.5 (439) • $$$

"Marta our server was incredibly kind & polite, very professional! 10/10 best espresso martini I've ever had will absolutely be back for the great food & service, and that martini!"