Is Denver Sweet the equivalent of Minnesota Nice? In a way, maybe, but it’s also the city’s only open bear-bar and one of the metro area’s best rooftop spots, LGBTQ or otherwise. 475 Santa Fe Drive, 72 or /tradedenver Denver Sweet The business helps fill a blank in Denver’s gay scene in that particular area, a perch along Santa Fe Drive and diverse programming that ranges from drag shows and DJ nights to leather nights and beer busts. (especially in the absence of the late Denver Wrangler). While it’s not an openly bear bar-the owners describe it as Denver’s queer, underground fetish bar-it’s a favorite of the muscle-bound class of bearded, often gay men who describe themselves as such. #1208, 30 or /biz/r-and-r-lounge-denver-denver (the bar doesn’t have its own website). Think happy hours, darts, and Broncos games. Its owners have claimed that it is the city’s oldest gay bar, opening in the 1950s and becoming openly gay in the 1970s, according to Westward, with its instantly recognizable, rainbow-colored doors. 3053 Brighton Blvd., 30 or R&R LoungeĬlassic in look and feel, with gorgeous vintage signage and a casual interior, R&R East is tucked away along a vibrant stretch of Colfax Avenue. It has bravely maintained itself during the pandemic with an open and dog-friendly patio and incredible, evocative beer selection. This Rino Art District watering hole is where you go when you crave stir-fried noodles and serious drinks, with a predictable Mongolian grill menu and impressive focus on tropical cocktails (with more to come, owners say). Cowboy hats and leather chaps are always welcome, but certainly not necessary, and the falafel-and-gyros menu can be a wonderfully welcome treat after a night of themed cocktails and dancing. Beer busts for drag shows, line-dancing lessons and sexy go-go boy performances. Like Trax Denver, Capitol Hill Bar Charl’s-part of a country western-themed chain with locations in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Chicago-decades before Denver’s population and construction boom, proudly sits indoor and outdoor on East Colfax Avenue. It’s also great for coffee and tea, as it previously hosted an LGBTQ space, which had a similar menu. Yes, given its proximity to cannabis dispensaries and Denver’s first Voodoo Donut location, there are tourists and curious hikers, but they are also welcome. It’s socially conscious and has a solid menu, focusing on gay, queer and transgender clientele, both above and beyond, and nationally rare.
This busy venue has helped fill the gap in Denver’s long-shuttered Detour, a former gay bar, and developed some of the city’s best drag queens, poets, singer-songwriters, and stand-up comics on its own little stage.
It’s the only men’s strip club in that area (or the entire metro area, last time I checked), so you might have to endure straight-up bachelorettes and birthday parties, even if the bar does it for real with its loyal staff and customers.
and you know what? Most nights they’re not wrong, with organs, shredded dancers, skilled DJs, and a generally high-energy atmosphere that lasts until last call. Colfax Ave., 30 or boystownĪ late-night stop-off on the bustling length of Broadway in the Baker neighborhood, Boystown bills itself as Denver’s Hottest Male Revue (RIP to the nearby former Compound Basics). From brunches and sing-along nights to queer proms, check out #partyyoncolfax on Instagram for some costumed revelers and event flyers. Get there early, or not, and be prepared to sweat (especially if it’s at one of their leather parties). The one-story, dance-friendly venue keeps busy with karaoke, DJ nights, and a wild weekend atmosphere, but Pride Month will generate even bigger lines down the block.
Within walking distance of downtown Denver as well as many locations and bars on Capitol Hill, X Bar is a strong magnet with its huge patio parties and outspoken camaraderie.