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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.
Celtic Tavern
1801 Blake St., Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.308.1795
Although you won't find Guinness gracing the taps, the Celtic Tavern in Denver still has plenty of Irish bar chops to satisfy your Emerald Isle cravings. Serving plenty of British Isle Ales, the Celtic Tavern also sports an extensive scotch collection and serves up some authentic Irish fare that will have you talking with a brogue in no time. This Denver bar is a favorite with the power lunch set and working class stiffs alike while during game days at nearby Coors Field, the Celtic Tavern sees baseball fans crowding into its affable and always relaxing confines. |
Darcy's Irish Pub and Bistro
4955 S. Ulster St., Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.770.0477
Not your typical booze and brogue laden Irish bar, Darcy's Irish Pub and Bistro has just enough of the ol' Emerald Isle charm to give this Denver restaurant and bar some Irish legitimacy. The fare at Darcy's is decidedly upscale and eclectic with touches of Irish hominess and the cocktail selection, while having all of your Irish bar favorites like whiskey and beer, branches out into wines and signature concoctions. From the appointments to the menu, Darcy's Irish Pub and Bistro seems to say gourmet over Erin Go Bragh. |
Fado Irish Pub
1735 19th St., Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.297.0066
The Denver outpost of the national Fado Irish Bar chain does much of the same as its green brethren putting forth some authentic, artery clogging Irish food, heavily stocking the bar with Guinness, ales, whiskey and scotches, and promoting good will and joy through food and drink. This Denver bar is the neighborhood pub for all of the mountain dwelling Irish ex-pats and their descendents who need to be reminded of their homeland occasionally (read nightly). The musical selections, many nights at Fado Irish Pub see live acoustic and Celtic bands play, is as authentic as the food and booze selection—the boxty, especially, are spot on. |
Irish Hound
575 Saint Paul St., Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.996.0709
This comfortable Denver bar with an Irish old world style starts getting packed with the Cherry Creek after work crowds that chow on some good bar fare and down the well poured drinks that mark the Irish Hound. Perfect for conversation or bar reveling, the Irish Hound has a back room with pool and shuffleboard to provide distractions other than drinking and dining at this casual Denver neighborhood bar. |
Irish Rover
54 S. Broadway, Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.282.4643
The beer, the tunes, the bands and nearly everything else at the Irish Rover bar in Denver is authentic, but their bar fare completely shies away from those artery clogging traditional masterpieces from the Emerald Isle that make getting sauced in Irish joints more than just a passing fancy for us. Heck, you can down a few pints of that dark stout beer giver of life with your new soccer hooligan buddies at the Irish Rover while listening to Irelands favorite sons and daughters, but you're going to have to soak up that shot of whiskey with a pizza or some chicken wings at this Denver bar. |
Nallen's Irish Pub
1429 Market St., Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.572.0667
Nallen's Irish Pub is a straight up Denver bar that doesn't let any of those pesky foodstuffs get in the way of your daily dosages of Guinness and whiskey. If you're just into downing a quiet pint at Nallen's Irish Pub, grab a spot at the bar in the afternoons or early evenings because this Denver bar becomes a Larimer Square hotspot hangout once the sun sets and raucous imbibers are released from their daily pens. |
Scruffy Murphy's
2030 Larimer St., Denver, Colorado; Tel. 303.291.6992
If you're in the mood for an authentic Irish bar in Denver, look no further than Scruffy Murphy's that serves all of your traditional and underappreciated Irish culinary heart-stoppers alongside the famed and well-loved Irish liver destroyers. Also, the interior at Scruffy Murphy's looks like someone raided a garage sale in Dublin and the crowds that flock to this amicable Denver bar span the drinking spectrum from biz pros and couples to blue collard working class heroes to young punks on a bender to singles looking for some action. |
—Denver bar and club reviews by Ryan Osterbeck
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