Nightlife

Denver nightlife extends into the wee hours but in different ways and with different types of people. Artists and bohemians are drawn to gallery openings along Santa Fe Drive, Tennyson Street, Navajo Street, and the River North district. Glitterati tend to congregate in Cherry Creek, Uptown, and certain downtown landmarks. The party-­hearty group heads for Capitol Hill’s funky urban clubs or to Lower Downtown, where the streets are so full of well-­dressed singles on weekends that cars and limos can barely move. Bars, restaurants, dance clubs, and movie theaters all over town rock on weekends and lots of weeknights when warm weather draws people out for a leisurely walk, a bite to eat, and a little live music.

Overview

In this chapter, we survey Denver’s nightlife, stopping in at a few of our favorite bars, brewpubs, live music venues, comedy clubs, and movie houses. This isn’t meant to be a comprehensive listing; for that kind of inclusiveness, the best place to turn is Westword, Denver’s free weekly. The Friday edition of the Denver Post carries weekend entertainment listings, as does the Daily Camera with Boulder’s happenings. The newspaper Out Front Colorado is a good source of information about gay and lesbian nightlife, and it is free and widely distributed in many coffee and sandwich shops.

Because people interpret “nightlife” so broadly—including everything from a wine bar with live poetry readings to an outdoor rock concert at a stadium—there is some inevitable overlap with other chapters. A brewpub such as the Wynkoop serves dinner but also draws a late-­night billiards crowd. Theater and dance performances and concerts, such as those at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, are covered in our chapter on The Arts. We also direct your attention to such popular in-­town music venues as the Paramount Theatre, the Ogden Theatre, and the Swallow Hill Music Association.

Keep in mind that today’s hot spot could be tomorrow’s Siberia. No guidebook could ever hope to keep up with the strange twists of taste that make one place worth lining up for and another worth taking pains to avoid. And, of course, music and dance clubs change their format and hours frequently. Some clubs rotate nightly, offering, for example, hip-­hop on Monday, electronica on Tuesday, karaoke on Wednesday, and DJs on Thursday. If you’re looking for a specific kind of music, it’s always best to call ahead.

The drinking age for any kind of alcoholic beverage is 21. Closing time at bars and nightclubs is generally 2 a.m., but most restaurants stop serving food earlier. The few that keep their kitchens open until midnight are noted in the Restaurants chapter.

Colorado is not a state that takes drunk driving lightly. Penalties are severe for driving under the influence or while impaired. If you’ve had too much to drink, any restaurant or bar will call a taxi for you. If you’re headed into the mountain towns of Central City and Black Hawk for an evening of gambling, consider taking one of the shuttle services rather than driving your own car.