Denver Bars and Clubs

Alley Cat
1222 Glenarm Pl. Denver CO ; Tel. 303.571.4545
If you've got cat class and you've got cat style -- or just a Ben Franklin for you and a friend burning a hole in your velvet pants -- this quasi-underground club is the hottest spot in Denver to strut your stuff. Entered via an alley behind the Diamond Cabaret strip club, Alley Cat features house music spun by the hottest DJs in Denver and around the world in the club's main dance chamber, and progressive trance in the smaller "red room" lounge. The Cat is open Thursday through Saturday; the cover charge is steep, but the sultry, supercharged atmosphere within is worth the scratch.

Brendan's Pub
1624 Market St., Denver CO; Tel. 303.595.0609
There's a world going on underground at Brendan's Pub, Denver's subterranean home of the best in local and national touring blues musicians. The windowless, smoky space has the authentic charm of an out-of-the-way Chicago bar, and when the acts take the small corner stage, it's clear that what Brendan's lacks in adornment, it more than makes up for in consistently superlative musical performances.

Duffy's Shamrock Restaurant & Bar
1635 Court Pl. Denver CO ; Tel. 303.534.4935
The longest bar in Denver draws a clientele that's more eclectic and genuine than any you'll find at downtown's more freshly scrubbed haunts. The look is lived-in, not dingy; the food inexpensive, not cheap. By serving up drinks with muscle in a friendly, folksy atmosphere, Duffy's remains a local favorite.

El Chapultepec
1962 Market St. Denver CO; Tel. 303.295.9126
The magic of El Chapultepec is hardly a secret. The small, smoky rectangle of a club has a long history of hosting both local and traveling jazz greats, and owner Jerry Krantz's involvement with and interest in Denver's lively jazz scene is well known. Over the past several years, the Pec's location in the heart of LoDo guarantees the place will be jumpin' no matter what night of the week it is. Even when relegated to the standing-room-only sections of the bar, a person would be hard-pressed not to feel the energy surging through the place. Whether it rises out of the consistently excellent duos, trios and quartets that grace the stage night after night, it's there.

Enigma Afterhours
1446 Larimer St. Denver CO ; Tel. 720.946.2646
With the closing of a couple of clubland staples over the past year, the nocturnal socialite has fewer options from which to choose. Fortunately, Enigma Afterhours -- which began as Rezodanc in the spring of 2001 -- has swiftly filled the late-night void by opening its doors at the unsaintly hour of 1 a.m., Thursday through Saturday nights. With a mostly local and progressive roster of talent, including Friday-night sets from members of the prominent Casa Del Soul crew, the stylish Larimer Street locale has upped Denver's cosmo quotient considerably. At Enigma, the beats go on.

Funky Bhudda Lounge
776 Lincoln St., Denver CO; Tel. 303.832.5075
The Funky Buddha may be named for a chubby Eastern avatar, but what's really worshiped inside this happening club is the martini. The cocktail menu boasts a dizzying number of variations on the ol' James Bond standby; deciding between "shaken" and "stirred" is the least of your worries. Whatever you choose, you'll be able to sip your drink in style. The Buddha's glamorous but comfy vibe is a welcome combination of downtown chic and youthful kitsch. The bar is hip, to be sure, but not to a fault; the urbanite clientele is stylish, not snobbish, and often beautiful. Just remember this one noble truth: Don't forget to tip your bartender.

Lime
1424 Larimer St. ; Tel. 303.893.5463
Already the bomb, Lime is primed to go thermonuclear once the good weather comes to stay. That's when the owners will throw open the French doors in the back of their basement space and debut Lime's grand outdoor patio, sunken below Larimer Square and surrounded by high brick walls. Until then, fast-spreading word of mouth will surely continue to pour bodies into the bar side of Lime, where the fresh, cool mood lighting and the bar's signature Mighty Margaritas make the long wait for a table on weekends a pleasure.

Stetson's
15600 W. 44th Ave. Golden CO; Tel. 303.279.0501
This Golden cowboy bar -- which served morning drafts to Coors workers in a past life -- now serves country-and-Western culture to audiences every night of the week. Thankfully, it's the blue-collar working-class type, not the slick sort enjoyed by most wearers of the house's namesake hat. Granted, weekend acts here are more likely to play Garth and Shania than Waylon and Willie, but the spacious setting, time-worn atmosphere and cheap drafts tilt the scales in Stetson's direction.

15th St. Tavern
623 15th St., Denver CO ; Tel. 303.455.8408
It's sometimes difficult to see the stage at the 15th Street Tavern, a teeny club on the semi-seedy side of LoDo, especially if you've made the mistake of showing up late on a Saturday night when the faithful crowd the floor and a thirsty, critical mass wraps three-deep around the curved bar. From a sight-line perspective, promoter Scott Campbell's knack for bringing in raucous, rugged and righteous touring and local acts is a complication; from a musical one, however, it's a gift. The club's beauty lies in the fact that it provides a chance to see up-and-coming bands. Cheap sweeten the deal. Though it's not recommended for the meek, the Tavern is the kind of place that reminds us of rock and roll's gritty power. Just don't forget your earplugs.

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Excerpts from the Denver Westword are ©2002 New Times Denver Westword and republished with publisher's permission.