Bars in Denver

Feel like going for a pint? Denver Irish bars are some of the most authentic in the country. Gold first brought Irish settlers to Colorado in the 1850s and ever since, Denver has had a strong Irish presence. Outside of St. Patrick’s Day, which Denver first celebrated in 1868, there are lots of ways to eat, drink and act Irish in Denver’s nightlife scene. Traditional woodwork and Green Isle memorabilia line of the walls of the Scruffy Murphy’s, perhaps Denver’s most authentic Irish pub. For lilting Irish music to go with that shot of whiskey and pint, then get over to Denver’s Irish Rover where locals drink to the sounds of the motherland. Near Coors Field, Denver’s Celtic Tavern is an ideal pre-party Irish bar.

As much as Denver loves her breweries, she loves her sports bars; many masquerade as both brewery and sport bar to give beer drinkers a sports outlet for all that flush-faced enthusiasm. With the Denver Broncos, the Denver Rockies, the Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets all calling Denver home, Denver sports bars have no shortage of die-hard fans. For kitschy beer yards, cocktails in buckets and an outdoor patio, Govnr’s Park is one Denver’s most popular sports bars combining the sport of binge drinking with the more traditional basketball, football and baseball games via satellite. Across the street from Coor’s Field, LoDo’s Bar and Grill is a perennially popular Denver sports bar covered in flat screen TVs and boasting drink specials and excellent comfort food, in addition to one phenomenal rooftop patio.

Breweries and beer pubs dominate Denver nightlife and, compared to other American cities, the Denver brewery scene flat out rivals that of Germany and Austria. The Falling Rock Tap House boasts over 69 beers on tap, and is the official after bar for Denver's Great American Beer Festival, an anticipated annual highlight on the Denver calendar. For sports fans, many Denver breweries also double as sports bars, while Zang Brewery Company is a historic Denver bar for both beer and sports. Denver taverns, pubs and brew houses often serve local microbrews and many carry extensive selections of beer. In Denver, cold beer served with typical Denver cheer goes a long way to making out-of-towners feel warm and peachy inside.

With hot days and cool nights, Colorado’s high country wine country, centered on Palisades and Grand Valley, is an ideal setting for producing some of the finest wines in the world. Every year, the Denver International Wine Festival showcases over 400 wines from local vintners over four days every November. No doubt, the Napa of the Rockies supports some choice Denver wine bars offering delicate pinots, robust cabernets and woody chardonnays from boutique and venerable wineries from Colorado and beyond. Sample varietals in a wine flight and pair choice wines with signature bites at Denver’s sophisticated and charming wine bars, perfect for beginners and connoisseurs alike. Denver Trios Enoteca wine bar boasts live jazz and cigars to enhance the wine swilling experience; for a hip, direct approach, Denver’s Cru Wine Bar is the best choice.

Who can resist a great dive bar once every blue Denver moon? Bartenders who look like they drink more than you, impossibly cheap drinks and friendly regulars thirsty for fresh conversation can make non-regulars feel like downright celebrities who’ve just discovered Denver’s best kept secret. Popular with punk rockers, indie rockers, neighborhood locals and just plain alcoholics, Denver’s dive bars siren call to outsiders and adventurers. With a long history of saloons catering to rugged miners, it’s no wonder Denver still has a healthy batch of Denver dive bars. Favorites include Hi-dive and Sputnik for rock music and a gritty, but cool, vibe and Mozart Lounge for pure dive appeal complete with stiff drinks and cheap pool.