I like a bar where the person on the stool to my right peruses the Wall Street Journal while the person on my left is entranced by a best-selling mystery. For cocktails in such a literate setting, book yourself into the Fourth Story Restaurant, on the fourth floor (of course)…
As I bellied up to the bar at LoDo’s Bar and Grill (1946 Market Street), I turned to my buddy and said, “I couldn’t be happier right now.” There were a couple of reasons for this. First, I’d just attended my ten-year Air Force Academy reunion. It was good to…
My favorite fall activity is taking my dog on “leaf walks” in the mountains, spending cool afternoons collecting red and gold specimens for no reason other than that they’re pretty. Down in the flatlands, McCormick’s Fish House & Bar has come up with another way to celebrate Colorado’s gorgeous fall…
A woman can convince herself she’s in love in a matter of minutes. But only a guy who’s drunk can convince himself he’s in love in a matter of minutes — and pay for the privilege. This is exactly what happened on a recent night at Shotgun Willie’s (490 South…
Labor Day has passed, but since we live in the land of 300-plus days of sunshine, let’s pretend we’re on vacation a little bit longer, shall we? One of the best places in town to play hooky is the secluded back patio at Tosh’s Hacienda, a 55-year-old family-run restaurant in…
After a few beers, guys are capable of solving all the world’s problems, performing feats of superhuman strength and experiencing Zen-like enlightenment. Alcohol’s mind-freeing ability allows us to express feelings anywhere along the spectrum, from shouting “Play ‘Freebird!'” to “I love you, man!,” and to channel this energy for the…
For a taste of la vie boheme, stroll over to Brasserie Rouge. This new restaurant pours signature European aperitifs and liqueurs, including Pernod, Benedictine and grappa, but nothing says francais like champagne — and half of Brasserie Rouge’s fourteen specialty drinks overflow with the bubbly. As mixed by master cocktail…
From fond memories of Detroit’s Greek Town to my all-time favorite appetizer — flaming saganaki — I have plenty of reasons to wish there was Greek blood flowing through my veins. But since there isn’t, I have to content myself with healthy injections of ouzo, the potent licorice-flavored liqueur made…
The crucial question of the morning: Does anybody remember how I cut my hand? I, unfortunately, have no idea — because last night, we entered the Vortex. That’s a term coined by some friends to describe how things tend to spin out of control when we go out: You get…
The winner of everything from “Best New Chef” to “Best Wine List” in both local and national contests this past year, Adega Restaurant + Wine Bar is definitely Denver’s dining darling. But while barrels of accolades have been poured on Adega for the thousands of bottles of wine it offers…
Hipsters have a new hangout: Cielo, the upscale Mexican eatery now open on Lincoln Street that specializes in hot crowds and cool cocktails. After making my way through the roster of ten signature margaritas, my drink of choice is the Hot & Cold Margarita ($7.50), made with triple citrus and…
Sometimes it’s good to be a doctor. The other night in LoDo, for example, when those tens of thousands of dollars in tuition debt came in handy for diagnosing a medical emergency. It was a beautiful night, although apparently the folks at Rio Grande thought it was a beautiful night…
Sandwiched between the ultra-hip Lola and the perennially chi-chi Sushi Den, the Pearl Street Grill is an old-school oasis for easygoing drinkers. So why would I go in there and order a Pink Lipstick? Because in addition to offering a wide selection of tap beers, stiff margs and classic cocktails,…
For me, summertime means lazy afternoons lying on the dock or sailing the Great Lakes. So when my craving for liquid refreshment overflowed one recent evening, I gathered a few fellow Midwesterners and headed to the back patio at Hemingway’s Key West Grille for some waterfront atmosphere and lots of…
If you’re going to stick with the maxim “Liquor then beer, never fear,” there are few better places to get stuck than at Las Margaritas. First, the restaurant serves up good, greasy Mexican food that helps reduce the number of free radicals that destroy your brain while you drink. And…
Blue Raspberry Limeade Recovery Room 819 Colorado Boulevard 303-333-0569 Suffering from heatstroke? Although Denver is a full-on inferno these days, relief is as close as the Recovery Room, where a Blue Raspberry Limeade is just the drink to cool you off. Made with UV Blue Vodka, sour mix and a…
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? I still remember the giggly shock that struck me in middle-school French lab when I learned the true meaning of that erotic song. It seemed so titillatingly romantic, which is probably why I stuck with the language and ended up living in Paris at…
I have a confession: I hate tequila. Ever since a spring-break trip to Cancun went bad during my freshman year of college, I can barely stand the smell of the wretched stuff. But I love all other things south of the border, so I couldn’t resist the lure of Lola,…
This is the July Fourth weekend — time to bust out that crazy star-spangled bow-tie, light the sparklers and wish our country a happy 227th birthday. And what better way to show your patriotism this year than by drinking at one of the fine establishments owned by Denver’s mayor-elect? I…
On a recent girls’ night out, we snagged a table on Tommy Tsunami’s street-side patio, the perfect spot for an evening of sushi, people-watching and gossiping up a storm. Tsunamis — those giant Japanese tidal waves — have long been feared by seaside villagers and fantasized about by extreme surfers,…
My idea of a night out at a baseball game is arriving at the bottom of the third inning and leaving at the top of the seventh. During those three-plus innings, chances are extremely good that I won’t ever know who’s at bat or what the score is; I’ll probably…
I’ve always been curious about the Chinook Tavern, which is named for the gentle westerly winds that warm the Front Range each winter. So after an early evening of shopping in Cherry Creek, we popped in for a much-needed cocktail. Although Chinook is known for its German food — as…
