Cheap, and Chilly: Brandon’s to the Rescue

It was hot, really hot, and heading to a nearby patio for some nice, cold beers and maybe a margarita on the rocks, or two or three, seemed like the only reasonable course of action. But our go-to spot by the office was unexpectedly closed — for air-conditioning work, ironically…

We All Scream for Little Man Ice Cream

Sign of the times: The hot evening of July 6, that fateful day when Colorado liquor stores could finally open on Sunday, the lines were much longer outside Little Man Ice Cream than they were at Tejon Liquors, just a block away. And with temperatures slated to hit triple digits…

Welcome Back to Billy’s Inn!

Billy’s Inn is now open, and looks to become as popular with this generation of northwest Denver dwellers as it was with seven decades of previous regulars (you can find their mugs here). But unlike the last incarnation of Billy’s, this one has a kitchen (the last one closed in…

Street Smarts: Rosa Linda’s Mexican Cafe

The neighborhood at the edge of Highland, now dubbed LoHi, could change its name to LoHot, with so many bars and restaurants popping up seemingly overnight.And then there’s Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café, which has held down the corner of 33rd and Tejon for more than twenty years. You’ll often find…

The Coolest Clubhouse in Town: Fuel

Since it opened six months ago, Fuel has become not just a regular meeting spot for those with offices or business in the Taxi development but also a go-to destination for anyone who wants to see a project fueling Denver’s growing reputation as a hipster hangout. While owner/chef Bob Blair…

Mary Poppin Cherry

Sitting down for a late Sunday brunch on the patio at Hamburger Mary’s, I hear the cute boy next to me say, “My penis isn’t curved — in fact, it’s the only straight thing on me.” And instantly, I realize that I’m at the center of the universe for extraordinary…

Another Pearl: Gaia Bistro

The food doesn’t get any more local than at Gaia Bistro, especially in the summertime, when greenhouse gardens in the back yard yield produce for the table. And it only seems natural to eat out admidst the growing stuff — which is easy to do on the cozy patio at…

Avery Brewing Ales the Chief

As the Democratic National Convention approaches, and the presidential election after that, everyone is thinking Oval Office politics — even beer makers. To “celebrate the last day in office of our current Commander in Chief and welcome in a new one,” Avery Brewing Company in Boulder has created Ale to…

Pearl Beyond Price: Izakaya Den

South Pearl Street has a string of fine restaurants, including the legendary Sushi Den, but none is more astonishing than Sushi Den’s year-old sibling, Izakaya Den. The menu is an amazing mix of sushi, Japanese classics and fusion from around the world — and somehow it all works. The interior…

A String of Pearls: Black Pearl

The Black Pearl marked its third anniversary last week with a big bash that proved this polished place hasn’t lost any of its luster. In fact, the restaurant has come into its own over the past few years, losing some of the self-consciousness that marked its early days and settling…

A String of Pearls: Pearl Street Grill

South Pearl Street is suddenly full of new restaurants — India’s Pearl, Izakaya Den, Gaia — but for patio dining it’s tough to beat Pearl Street Grill, the oldest surviving restaurant on the block, and a classic neighborhood joint, complete with a Bloody Mary bar on the weekends that you…

Pissed Off Japanese Minnow Farmer

When I heard that the owners of the Candlelight Tavern had taken over the Kentucky Inn, it reminded me of The Parent Trap, the movie about identical twins who are separated shortly after birth when their parents divorce, meet as teens at summer camp, and begin plotting to reunite their…

Jonesy’s EatBar

No sooner does the level of my Great Divide Samurai bottle dip below the top of the label than Carol, the bartendress at the shiny-new Jonesy’s EatBar (400 East 20th Avenue), asks if I’d like another. It’s been less than five minutes since she served it to me. “Oh, I…

You’re Darn Teuton: Cafe Berlin

The Fourth of July is past, but Cafe Berlin will be waving the flag for the next week. In honor of the sixtieth anniversary of the Berlin Airlift of 1948 – the Luftbruske — Cafe Berlin will serve a free beer to anyone in the military — whether he or…

Make Some History: My Brother’s Bar

My Brother’s Bar is the oldest bar in Denver — city directories show that this spot at the corner of 15th and Platte streets was an operating tavern before the 1880s — but there’s plenty of life left in the joint. For starters, it keeps late hours for such an…

Midsummer Night’s Dream

The block of Broadway just below Ellsworth is suddenly my favorite block in town. Last month, Delite opened next door to Deluxe, quenching my thirst for a wonderful, comfortable bar where I could continue the evening after a great dinner. And then Beatrice & Woodsley sprouted next to Delite. From…

Las Margaritas Uptown

I typically pack a just-in-case deck of cards as a preventive measure when I’m trying out a new bar or restaurant — just in case the service is slow, or just in case the music/crowd/vibe sucks but we’re in no hurry to go home. Tonight, however, I pack my blue…

What’s All the Buzz on Agwa?

Last Friday, my friend Greg got an e-mail from a buddy in L.A. who was all excited about a new liquor he was planning to try that weekend that’s made with cocaine — sort of. Greg and his girlfriend got online to research this European concoction that’s been compared to…

Broadway Melody: Delite

Technically, Delite does not have a patio — but the front of this brand-new, storefront bar consists of garage-style doors that open wide on these beautiful nights. And thanks to alert management, smokers are kept far away from the front door, guaranteeing that the night air coming through that open…

Meat and Greet: Sullivan’s Steakhouse

Grab a seat on Sullivan’s sidewalk patio and prepare to meat and greet. On weeknights, this stretch of LoDo can be relatively quiet, if you want a more intimate summer evening. But on weekends, both the bar inside and the neighborhood surrounding Sullivan’s are really jumping. Adding to the action…

Life’s a Beach: Emerald Isle Restaurant

Driving back up Parker Road after a long, hot day on the southestern plains Saturday, the temptation to brake for the Emerald Isle was almost overwhelming. Not just because the bar itself is such a classic roadhouse — but because the patio behind it may just be the closest Denver…

East Angels Drink for a Cause on Colfax

They spent their high school years taking classes off Colfax Avenue, watching its endless parade of people and eating at its restaurants, and on Saturday, about 125 East High School alumni gathered at 5 p.m. at Senger’s on the Fax for the second annual Angels on Colfax pub crawl. And…