I’m going to be in Denver in a couple of weeks for a meeting of my project team. One of the Denver-area team members has suggested that the group take a “field trip” one evening to the LoDo area. I’ve been to Denver a lot but never LoDo. Can anyone kindly provide me with recommendations/insider info that will make me look like a Cool, Hip, and With-It kinda guy?
Personally, I like brewpubs. But the group is pretty diverse, and while some of us will probably just bar up, others might want to go to a restaurant and take in some solid nutrients. Takes all kinds, I guess. So any suggestions regarding the various attractions would be welcome.
My favorite place downtown is Sing Sing. It is a dueling piano bar and is tons of fun. Right around the corner from that is the Chop House, which has a great selection of their own brewed beers. You can also get some great appetizers at the bar there.
I like the Wynkoop Brewery, they have great beer and not bad food. Theres a good coffee place called Common Grounds (I will be boiled in Folger’s Decaf before going to $tarbucks). Also the bookstore Tattered Cover is a rare treat.
Wynkoop is great on weekdays, but on friday and saturday night in winter you can’t find a place to sit or play pool, it’s way crowded. Soiled Dove often has great musicians, and is set up for it to sound good. El Chapultepec has some good jazz(some purists say it is actually crappy yuppie jazz, but I don’t know enough about it to tell the difference). Lodos is good for an afternoon burger or wings. Fados is a decent pub-ish type place, and has good Guinness and Irish Music. Sing Sings is a blast, but get there early, or have a plan B, it can have a long waiting line to get in at 9:30.
Baja Beech Club is a crowded Sardine-can Meat-Market kind of club would be the place to go if you’re looking for an easy “pick some one up and screw em and be back to the bars before closing” kind of evening. Not that your post seemed to imply that was your taste or anything, but I try to be through in my reviews of areas.
The Redfish is pretty good, Cajun food and Blues. The Soiled Dove for live music. Along with The Wynkoop and Chop House, there is the Breckenridge or Rock Bottom. McCormick’s for sea food. On the 16th street Mall there is Maggiano’s for a more formal Italian meal (go family style $20 a head, but worth it).
I moved from Denver (West Highlands area, within spitting distance of LoDo) in February, but assuming that the scene hasn’t changed …
I’ll second the Wynkoop. If it’s crowded, though, and you don’t really have to be in a brewpub, check out the Falling Rock – perhaps the best beer selection of any bar in the United States, plenty of pool tables in the basement, and much quieter decibel-wise. Wazee Supper Club has some pretty good pizza (relatively speaking), it’s been around forever, and it’s a good jumping-off point, halfway between Larimer Square and deep LoDo. Brendan’s is often host to some good blues bands – not party blues, but Chicago blues. Old school, man. Good times. Good times.
Realize that LoDo is creeping upmarket, and is packed with pretty people – Fado and Denver Chop House offers the best people-watching, IMHO.
Big dance clubs aren’t too numerous in Denver. We’re talking about a crowd that can best be described as Seattle-like.
Let’s see. Where to go? My choice is normally “away from LoDo” but you seem to have other ideas.
It depends on what you’re looking for. A lot of people here have named some interesting places already (with some notable exceptions: I don’t like the Chop House. I can only take Sing Sing in very small doses. And Maggiano’s, for the love of all that is holy, I won’t talk about. But you might like it. Lots of poeple do.)
If I had to toss in my choices, it would be the Cruise Room in the Oxford Hotel, which is my favorite bar. Or the Purple Martini. But I’m not really a “beer-and-nachos” type of guy.
If you’re looking for good food, get out of LoDo. I honestly can’t think of anywhere I’d go there to eat. Wait, scratch that. *Jax is good. *Vesta is good. Um…yeah. That’s about it.
Mori - A quiet and unpretentious place, but probably the best sushi in Denver. (I say probably because I haven’t yet been to the Hapa restaurant in Cherry Creek Mall…)
Rodizio Grill - This is the carnivore’s delight. It’s a Brazillian-style steakhouse. The deal is, you go in and sit down and as long as you keep this little token on your table turned up, they keep bringing different kinds of meat by your table and you can take whatever you want. They have all the usual stuff - pork, steak, etc, but they also sometimes have more exotic stuff like rattlesnake. Though, if you REALLY want good steak, no contest, hit the Chophouse.
As far as nightclubs go, there’s only one I’ve ever gone to in LoDo, and that’s Polyesters. Dunno whether you’ll like it or not. I think the last time I went, cover was only $3 or something, but that may have been on a weeknight.
I’ve never been to El Chapultapec, but it’s often been mentioned fondly. But it is a jazz bar, so if you’re not into that, steer clear. I haven’t heard of Brendan’s before, but now that I have I’m going to go check it out next time I get down to LoDo.
I’m told that The Rock Bottom Brewery is just the franchized version of The Walnut Brewery, one of my more liked places up here in Boulder (the local Yuppyville).
And lastly a big second to whoever said The Tattered Cover bookstore. If you’re the kind of person who likes bookstores, it’s a great one to hang out and browse at.
El Chapultapec is great for Jazz. It’s the first place my dad make me take him when he’s in town. I also like Vesta Dipping Grill. Not too far out of LoDo is Shakespear’s. It’s a great pool hall that serves wonderful food and has live jazz Sunday nights, at least they used to.
Officegirl beat me to the Westword link. You can also pick up the newspaper on many street corners and such (it’s free). It is a great paper for finding something to do. Check it out.
I’d have to concur on the **Wynkoop[/] and Sing Sing. If you have a large group you can rent out a room at the 'Koop with a personal billiard table, and can get catering too. Fun, but pricey. MMMMM, Beeerrr.
Unfortunately, I am totally out of the loop these days. I only get back to Denver once a year now, so my memories of LoDo are generally outdated. But, if the weather is nice and you want to see a bit of Denver, I’d suggest starting out at the Capital, then walk down the 16th Street Mall towards LoDo. Swing by Larimer Square and then continue on down to your dinner destination. Check out the Westword for anything interesting, but any of the places mentioned before will suffice.
Just a big, hearty Thanks a Million to everyone who responded! There’s a lot more to do in LoDo than I thought. I’m sure we’re going to have a great time, and I’m going to look like quite the Man About Town!
If any of you happens to spot a blond guy wearing a black, hooded New Belgium/Fat Tire sweatshirt (and a GB Packers coat if it’s really cold) in LoDo on the evening of Dec. 11th with a small, adoring entourage in tow, I owe you a beer!
Thanks again!
[sub]Not to mention a little ol’ bump! back to the top in case any Denverites missed it the first time through. Last time I’ll do it, promise.[/sub]
