Best Cocktails in Denver

The views from this 54th-floor rooftop really do stretch from downtown skyline to mountain ridge, and the cocktail program leans seasonal and serious without getting fussy about it. Book it for a date when you want to impress without trying too hard, or claim a corner table at sunset with visiting friends who need proof that Denver delivers.

The bookshelf door still swings into one of Denver's most serious cocktail programs, where the bar team builds everything from house tinctures to clarified punches with the kind of precision that lands you on international lists. Bring a first date who actually cares about spirits, or settle in solo at the bar on a weeknight when the bartenders have time to talk through the menu.

The legendary New York cocktail temple set up shop inside the Ramble Hotel with three distinct spaces: a moody front bar for walk-ins, a reservation-only back room with velvet banquettes, and the Garden for something brighter. Book the back room for an anniversary or impress-the-visitors moment, or slide into the front bar around 9 PM when the energy picks up.

1215 20th St — LoDo / Ballpark edge. Group dining at table scale any night it's open; private events and full buyouts up to 500 guests with exclusive use of both levels, the patio, the dance floor, and both bars. Menu dining listed at $30 and under per person; private-event pricing is quote-based. Dinner and the night out are the same reservation — a multilevel former brothel turned supper club, with live music most nights, a dance floor downstairs, and a boudoir vibe that matches the assignment. Dinner Wed–Sat 5–11 PM; weekend brunch Sat–Sun 10 AM–2 PM. Ophelia's solves the bachelorette's deadliest logistics problem — the gap between dinner and dancing where groups scatter — by deleting it. Eat upstairs, drift downstairs as the band starts, and the night escalates without a single rideshare.

Park Hill's unpretentious tiki-adjacent hang leans into nautical kitsch without overdoing it, pouring stiff daiquiris and approachable tropical drinks in a dim, divey room where regulars and newcomers mix easily. Go when you want the casual energy of your favorite neighborhood spot but with actual cocktail chops behind the bar.

Adrift commits to the tiki fantasy with full conviction—carved tikis, lagoon-blue lighting, fog rolling off drinks served in ceramic pufferfish and skulls, and cocktails that don't pull punches on the rum. Come with someone you're trying to impress on a second or third date, or bring friends who appreciate a proper escapist Thursday night.

This corner pub anchors Wash Park West with a whiskey library that runs deeper than most downtown spots and Friday night live music that never tries too hard. Post-work crowds fill the bar rail by six, but the real move is a late weeknight booth with a pour you've been meaning to try and zero pressure to be anywhere else.

Denver's flagship comedy club for 40+ years — has hosted Chappelle, Burr, Schumer, and discovered countless local headliners.

Housed in a sprawling space on Colfax, this arcade bar pairs rows of vintage pinball machines and '80s consoles with cheap beer and a rotating cast of live bands that skew punk, metal, and dive-bar eclectic. Perfect for a low-stakes date where you can actually talk between rounds of Galaga, or a late-night hangout when you want your bar to double as a time machine.

Experience Mockingbird. Denver’s immersive art lounge in the heart of RiNo. Cocktails, live DJs, and creative nights Wednesday through Sunday.

Improper City turns River North's warehouse bones into a sprawling indoor-outdoor hang with rotating food trucks, solid cocktails, and whatever's on—trivia nights, live bands, or the game. It's the kind of place that works for a Tuesday catch-up or a Saturday that starts at four and ends whenever the patio empties out.

RiNo's open-air tequila temple leans hard into the party-bar side of things, with a long list of margaritas, TVs for game day, and a dance floor that fills up on weekends. Come with a group when you want tacos and shots without any preciousness, especially if the weather's good and you're ready to stay a while.

The Mansion on Colfax packs trivia nights, live bands, sports on multiple screens, and a pool table into one sprawling pub where the patio fills up fast and the beer list runs long. Post-work crews and friend groups rotate between the bar and back room depending on what's on, especially when you need somewhere that can handle your whole scattered Tuesday night vibe.

Ready for your next amazing night out? Join us at Bad Axe Throwing Denver (Colfax Ave) and let our expert coaches teach you the sport of axe throwing. Our location is the ultimate flexible event space, perfect for energetic birthday parties, impactful corporate team building, or just casual drop-ins. Our dynamic venue easily adapts to your needs, providing the ideal setup for celebration and collaboration. Add a great beer, wine, and canned cocktail menu to the mix, and there's no better place to throw, laugh, and have a great time! Book now and make your next night out one to remember!

Welcome to Ay Papi, a vibrant and energetic cocktail bar, where Latin inspiration meets the party vibes of Cuba through the lens of Miami. At our bar, we celebrate the rich culture and flavors of Puerto Rico, infusing them into our diverse selection of cocktails.

With a sleek cocktail lounge on the main floor and an electrifying dance party above, it’s the ultimate spot to mix, mingle, and dance your heart out. Grab a cocktail, find your rhythm, and let the night take you.

Indulge in luxury on our rooftop pool and bar with our curated craft cocktails, gourmet food, and private cabanas, all while enjoying a vibrant atmosphere. Join us for live DJ sets every Friday and Saturday, and rejuvenate with rooftop yoga sessions on Saturday mornings, all set against stunning Denver and mountain views.

There's an actual boat anchored in the middle of this high-energy South Denver bar, surrounded by pool tables, ping pong, and a crowd that's here to move between games, Tex-Mex plates, and dancing. Bring your dog to the patio on a Saturday afternoon, or roll through late-night when the dance floor fills up and nobody's keeping score anymore.

Emerald Eye is a Dark Tropical Cocktail Bar in Downtown Denver featuring a wide array of Rum and Agave Spirits, Happy Hour Specials, and Weekend DJs.

Chic spot offering coffee, cocktails & small plates in a cozy, plant-filled environment.

Forget Me Not is designed with intention and care; it's not just about being a cocktail bar. Walking through our door opens the invitation to brighten the day; sow the seeds of celebration, or to be a kind ear when needed. We invest in the relationship between guests and the bartenders to create a space where connections are made. People feel rooted when they are here and that follows them when they leave. We are a place where memories can be made, celebrated, and created anew...

Derecho brings a refreshing lack of pretension to Denver's cocktail scene, anchoring itself in the Golden Triangle with a sleek, dimly-lit interior that feels more Brooklyn than Broadway. The wine list skews natural and adventurous—expect skin-contact oranges and funky pet-nats alongside classic French pours—while the cocktail menu pivots seasonally with house-made shrubs and bitters that actually taste like something. Snag a seat at the marble bar on a weeknight when the lighting is moody and conversation flows easier, or brave the weekend crush when the energy picks up considerably. It's the kind of spot where your first visit becomes a weekly habit before you realize what's happened.

Choice Pan-Latin dishes with Asian influences, cocktails & a stylish patio in a sleek hotel setting.

High-energy nightlife hub blending two vibrant public main stages with four high-tech private rental rooms for custom parties. Full bar and late-night kitchen menu available.

TRVE Brewing Company is where doom riffs meet damn good beer, a black-walled temple to all things heavy with taxidermy watching over the taps. The house-brewed sours and IPAs come with names straight off metal album covers, best savored under red lighting while the sound system pulses with Norwegian black metal and stoner rock. Weekends draw the faithful in band tees and leather, but midweek afternoons are prime for actually tasting the nuanced saisons without shouting. Skip the cocktails—you're here for the exceptional small-batch brews and the unapologetically dark atmosphere that makes every other craft brewery feel like a farmer's market.

Cocktails made with house spirits served with savory & sweet pastries in a cozy environment.

Polished, upscale private karaoke suites where you control the songs, volume, and neon light shows directly from your smartphone. Features a curated Asian-street-food inspired menu.

Sophisticated chophouse chain serving steak, seafood, sandwiches & cocktails in a trendy space.

This jazz-era Capitol Hill holdout wraps a sprawling patio around a piano bar where regulars belt out standards most nights and the crowd takes over the mic for karaoke every Sunday at 9:30. Come for warm-weather drinking and shameless sing-alongs, or claim a corner table when you need your friends to stop taking themselves so seriously.

Polished seafood restaurant featuring a raw bar, beer & craft cocktails in nautical surrounds.