A great Denver night often starts with a drink in a hotel lobby, moves to a hidden bar behind an unmarked door, and ends with live music in a room full of locals. The city's best nightlife is spread across LoDo, RiNo, LoHi and Colfax, close enough to hop between and far enough apart that it pays to plan the route.
Our curated list ranks each place on the drinks, the room and the night it gives you, cross-checked with the live Google rating shown beside each one.
The Denver Moments Index
The 14 best places to go out in Denver, curated.
A curated list, cross-checked with the MICHELIN Guide where it applies. Beside each one, its rating on Google Maps, live, and a tap to Yelp and Tripadvisor to compare. Prefer the crowd's view? Sort by Google rating.
14 bars
01
Photo: Billy Nesbitt · Google Death & Co Denver
Cocktail bars · RiNo
The celebrated New York bar's first home outside Manhattan, set in the soaring lobby of The Ramble Hotel. Superb drinks in a room that is equal parts glamour and buzz.
- Cocktails
- Date night
- Late night
02
Photo: Williams & Graham · Google Williams & Graham
Cocktail bars · LoHi
Denver's most famous speakeasy, hidden behind a bookshop front on Tejon Street. Reserve ahead and give yourself a couple of hours.
- Cocktails
- Date night
- Hidden bar
03
Photo: Robert Wright · Google The Cruise Room
Cocktail bars · LoDo
An Art Deco gem inside The Oxford Hotel, opened just after Prohibition ended and modeled on a lounge aboard the Queen Mary. Order a martini and settle into the red glow.
- Cocktails
- Historic
- Date night
04
Photo: Chad Vick · Google Retrograde
Cocktail bars · Uptown
A space-age speakeasy reached through the freezer door of an ice-cream shop. Small, playful and the perfect after-dinner detour.
- Cocktails
- Hidden bar
- Late night
05
Photo: Ryan · Google B&GC
Cocktail bars · Cherry Creek
An underground bar beneath the Halcyon hotel, dim and intimate, built for a nightcap after dinner in Cherry Creek. Seats are few, so arrive early or reserve.
- Cocktails
- Date night
- Hidden bar
06
Photo: The Cooper Lounge · Google The Cooper Lounge
Cocktail bars · Union Station
A mezzanine lounge above Union Station's Great Hall, with Champagne, cocktails and some of the best people-watching in Denver.
- Champagne
- Date night
- Before a train
07
Photo: Terminal Bar · Google Terminal Bar
Cocktail bars · Union Station
Union Station's easygoing bar, with a long list of Colorado beers and a patio onto Wynkoop Plaza. The classic first drink of a LoDo evening.
- Colorado beer
- Patio
- Groups
08
Photo: John Ramer · Google Mission Ballroom
Live music & jazz · RiNo
Denver's best-designed concert hall, with a stage that moves to fit the crowd and clear sightlines from everywhere. The place to see a big name indoors.
- Live music
- Groups
09
Photo: Dazzle Denver · Google Dazzle
Live music & jazz · Downtown
Denver's home of jazz, with around seventy shows a month, dinner at the tables and a Sunday jazz brunch. A grown-up night out near the Theatre District.
- Live music
- Jazz
- Dinner & a show
10
Photo: Aaron Gustad · Google Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom
Live music & jazz · Five Points
Two stages under one roof in historic Five Points, with funk, jam, hip-hop and electronic acts most nights. Loose, loud and very Denver.
- Live music
- Late night
- Dancing
11
Photo: Stephen Ruddell · Google Fillmore Auditorium
Live music & jazz · Capitol Hill
A classic Colfax concert hall with chandeliers overhead and big touring acts on stage. A rite of passage for music fans visiting the city.
- Live music
- Groups
12
Photo: Stellar Jay · Google Stellar Jay at Populus
Rooftops & views · Civic Center
A thirteenth-floor rooftop restaurant and bar with live-fire cooking and long views over Civic Center Park to the mountains. Time it for sunset.
- Rooftop
- Sunset
- Date night
13
Photo: Rare Bird · Google Rare Bird at Halcyon
Rooftops & views · Cherry Creek
The rooftop bar and pool deck at the Halcyon, Cherry Creek's favorite spot for a drink in the sun before dinner.
- Rooftop
- Sunset
- Shopping break
14
Photo: Mark “AlcoholicZombie” Messmore · Google Avanti F&B
Rooftops & views · LoHi
A collective eatery with several kitchens and a rooftop bar that frames one of the best skyline views in town. Casual, lively and great with a group.
- Rooftop
- Groups
- Views
Good to know
Denver nights are spread out. LoDo and Union Station, RiNo, LoHi and Colfax are each walkable on their own, but moving between them means a taxi or rideshare, and waits climb after concerts and games. Plan the night so the longest hop comes early.
The best-known speakeasies take reservations and fill on weekends. Book Williams & Graham ahead, and arrive early at the smaller rooms.
For the biggest concerts, look beyond the city limits: Red Rocks is half an hour west, and getting out after the show is its own plan; our guide explains how it works. Check the Denver events calendar for shows during your stay.
Colorado's legal drinking age is 21, so bring ID everywhere, including hotel bars. And if you've just arrived, take the first night at altitude gently: drink plenty of water between rounds.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cocktail bar in Denver?
Our first pick is Death & Co Denver in The Ramble Hotel. Williams & Graham, the city's best-known speakeasy, is a close second.
Where can I hear jazz in Denver?
Dazzle, near the Theatre District, hosts around seventy shows a month and a Sunday jazz brunch.
What are the best rooftop bars in Denver?
Stellar Jay at Populus for the sunset and mountain view, Rare Bird at Halcyon in Cherry Creek, and Avanti F&B in LoHi for the skyline.
Do I need a reservation at Denver speakeasies?
For Williams & Graham, yes, especially on weekends. Smaller bars like Retrograde and B&GC fill quickly, so arrive early.