What's the diviest bar in Denver?

[JrzDefector]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

First off, you have to go to the suburbs, as most places within the city (at least the urban parts) will be too hipsterized. Real people live in the suburbs.

I think what is now known as the Full House Bar in Englewood is a pretty good candidate. I don't remember what it was called before (the name change is fairly recent), but it was a hole, the food was hospital quality, and everyone there gets either trashed, stoned, or confronted (or all three).

I recently had a great time at Cheers in Northglenn. Place felt really crappy at first (even thought of walking out), but the food is good, and it feels like a community in there. I really want to go back.

I will once again mention that Milo's at Evans/Monaco is the worst any kind of bar in metro Denver.

Yeah, I don't think any of the previously mentioned places qualify as "dives" outside of Denver. If you're talking DIVES you gotta go to some of the places in Globeville or something like that. And there are tons of bars in the Lakewood area that I pass all the time that are close to the level of seediness I experienced in my more reckless youth, when I did my drinking in a converted rowhome in Trenton that had a constant card game going on in the back room and a fridge full of baloney and cheese for regulars to make sandwiches for themselves.

But the Satire? The Squire? They got character, but they don't meet my standard for a dive.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by JrzDefector

Yeah, I don't think any of the previously mentioned places qualify as "dives" outside of Denver. If you're talking DIVES you gotta go to some of the places in Globeville or something like that. And there are tons of bars in the Lakewood area that I pass all the time that are close to the level of seediness I experienced in my more reckless youth, when I did my drinking in a converted rowhome in Trenton that had a constant card game going on in the back room and a fridge full of baloney and cheese for regulars to make sandwiches for themselves.

But the Satire? The Squire? They got character, but they don't meet my standard for a dive.

I think OP is mostly looking for an authentic experience that is ultimately going to be hard to find.

I wouldn't classify Cheers (though it does initially come off as pretty crappy) as a dive per se (it looks like it used to be, or at some point *tried* to be a respectable sports bar), and Milo's isn't one at all, it's just a really (s-word)y sports bar filled to the brim with fantasy football nerds, horrible food, and nowhere to sit (I only mentioned it because I can't think of another bar in the world I've had less fun in).

This Full House place though, I think it comes pretty close to being legit. Even if it is in Englewood (which can be grittier than one might expect, even by Denver standards).

You're right, you won't find anything that resembles the east coast here. "Real" Denver has passed itself by, it dies more every day, and has every day I've been here.

OP could take his chance on a Mexi-bar in Elyria-Swansea, North Aurora, SW Denver, or unincorporated Adams if he so chooses. That might be the ticket.

[alloo66]

My Brothers Bar and Buckhorn Express. Two very old establishments in Denver. Maybe Casa Bonita!

[blackmet]

The non-hipsterized dive bars are mostly in non-gentrified suburbs or are small holdovers in places that have been gentrified.

The 12 Volt in Olde Town Arvada.
26th Avenue Tavern (26th and Kipling) in Lakewood.
Rockette (44th and Kipling) in Wheat Ridge.
Gordo's (formerly Vern's, and still Vern's to me) on 44th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge.

Or there's this list, which is fairly accurate:

The dozen best dive bars in Denver | Westword

If you follow the list...AVOID THE ACE-HI (not that it's easy to get to Golden from Greenwood Village). It's horrible. Plus, it's full of engineering students.

[JrzDefector]

Originally Posted by blackmet

The non-hipsterized dive bars are mostly in non-gentrified suburbs or are small holdovers in places that have been gentrified.

The 12 Volt in Olde Town Arvada.
26th Avenue Tavern (26th and Kipling) in Lakewood.
Rockette (44th and Kipling) in Wheat Ridge.
Gordo's (formerly Vern's, and still Vern's to me) on 44th and Wadsworth in Wheat Ridge.

Or there's this list, which is fairly accurate:

The dozen best dive bars in Denver | Westword

If you follow the list...AVOID THE ACE-HI (not that it's easy to get to Golden from Greenwood Village). It's horrible. Plus, it's full of engineering students.

Lol, whenever I drive past the Rockette, I think "a 21 year old me would LOVE that place!"

[simon22]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. I went to Squire Lounge earlier this week and while I wouldn't consider it a dive bar, I definitely liked the place.