Best of Metromix Denver 2010Late-night happy hour
There's a special feeling that comes along with watching the sun rise from the parking lot of a bar, and no, we aren't referring to shame or nausea. It's pride. Pride at a night well-spent and, one hopes, a cell phone several numbers heavier. The following establishments each endeavor to help you on this noble quest with some of the best late-night happy hours around.
And the winner is…
The Tavern Downtown
1949 Market St.
Denver, CO 80202Neighborhood: Lodo
For a town that spends multiple months under a blanket of snow each year, we sure do like to cut loose once it’s gone, and where better than on a rooftop patio? The Tavern Downtown sports a three-deck patio and plenty of room to move freely instead of the Saturday night crush that happens on so many other rooftop patios. Then head inside and play a few frames of Thunder Bowling, catch the last innings on the plasma screens and show your fancy footwork on the dancefloor. Either way, The Tavern Downtown has you covered.
Nominees
Steuben's Food Service
523 E. 17th Ave.
Denver, CO 80203Neighborhood: 17th Avenue / Up Town
Named after the famous Boston eatery, Steuben's Food Service offers quintessential American cuisine often re-imagined and always comforting. Regional classics from mac and cheese to lobster rolls to catfish are served in this unique '50s throwback replete with chrome seats, formica tables and linoleum floors. Though slightly more expensive than your average diner fare, Steuben's does feature daily specials, liberal portions, carefully crafted dishes, a full bar and ambiance in abundance. The retro diner also serves brunch on the weekend.
The Hornet
76 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203The Hornet is an upscale diner in the hip and historic Baker District. With various happy hour specials and contemporary comfort food, the restaurant is as much a watering hole as it is an eatery. On Saturdays, The Hornet becomes a venue for local musicians with no cover and drink specials. The retro interior, marble bar and crisply attired wait staff give this place a veneer of class, but at the same time the proprietors won't mind if you want to cut loose, shoot some pool or just lounge.
Sputnik
3 S. Broadway
Denver, CO 80229If you look up "dive bar" in the Urban Dictionary, you'll find a photo of Sputnik. Go ahead, we'll wait. This place is the reason the term was invented. There's no photo? Well, there ought to be. We mean, inside the front entrance there are two unplugged beauty salon hair-drying chairs where you can sit while your friend parks the car. There are even Stardust-Hotel-style droplights hanging in the window.
The Bank Bar & Grill
2239 E. Colfax
Denver, CO 80206Back in the day, sophisticated Victorian men wore derby hats and suspenders, smoked briar pipes and took their rolled coins down to the old Capitol Hill State Bank to partake in financial endeavors. Now, the coins are twofer chips and the bank is a fully-functioning watering hole, but the concept is still the same. Same building, totally different atmosphere. The Bank has one of the best happy hour specials in town offering redeemable chips that can be used tomorrow or a year from tomorrow. Just like a penny saved is a penny earned, a chip saved earns an entire night of free fun. Save ‘em up for when the budget is tight and you can get crunk without breaking the bank. You do the math.
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