I’ve been in bars all over the world, and good bars are pretty much the same no matter where you find them. They’re all dark, smoky — as long as you’re not in the People’s Republic of Boulder — and serve greasy food. Everywhere I’ve gone, even Bahrain, a good…
With summer in full swing, I’m longing to spend every afternoon lying by a pool. But while I’d be nice and tan, I’d also be broke. So instead, I’ll be spending my evenings reclining on a black leather couch at the hot Swimclub 32 and sipping a Lychee Martini ($8)…
Two weeks ago, the planets and several other heavenly bodies — as well as most of the cheesy guy population in the greater Denver area, four representatives from the Institute of Drinking Studies and several hundred dollars’ worth of alcohol — collided at Avalon (9535 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree,…
In nineteenth-century Ireland, priests, politicians and upstanding ladies who wanted to sneak a quick nip without tarnishing their reputations could enter their local pub through a separate entrance and settle into a snug — the original VIP room, an intimate, private space where bartenders would pass pints through a frosted…
I just about walked out of Legend’s (201 Milwaukee, 303-320-4710) a few minutes after walking in. I’d never been inside this bar before, despite having walked past it numerous times while taking the Great Circle route back to my apartment after just the right number of Black and Tans at…
During a summer spent studying art history in Florence, I learned to enjoy the Italian lifestyle — long, languid evenings full of rich food, wonderful Chianti poured straight from huge glass jugs, lively conversation with new friends. If you’re seeking such an experience stateside, head straight for a lustful Passione…
I’m beginning to wonder if it’s worth it to go on vacation. I just got back from a storybook week at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun with my girlfriend. For a week we did nothing (much) more than sit on the beach or poolside, enjoying adult beverages and eating amazing…
Sometimes, change is good. At Barry’s On Broadway, which just took over the former home of the Skylark Lounge, neighborhood regulars are already rubbing elbows with hipsters — and everyone’s drinking a Like Elisha ($4.75). Named for the Blake Street Tavern bartender who created the concoction, this smooth shot mixes…
Sometimes a new venue will throw old colleagues into the kind of mood where something different, wonderful and disturbing happens. I thoroughly blame Shannon, one of the girls at the office, for suggesting that we visit The Elm (5001 East Colfax Avenue, 303-336-5763). For me and the Head of Research…
I usually dislike a bar that limits my alcohol consumption. But even I have to admit that, for drinkers like myself who may suffer serious self-control issues after a few cocktails, the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant’s “Limit 3” margarita policy really does have our best interests at heart. The Cuervo…
After a long hiatus at the Larry Hagman and David Crosby Memorial Cabana for the Liver Impaired, Dr. Etiquette has returned to his top position at the Institute of Drinking Studies. His first area of research: Stampede (2430 South Havana Street in Aurora). Q: Why? Dr. Etiquette: Two reasons. First,…
While numerous nightclubs have sprung up in Denver over the past year, many have already dried up and blown away. But not Lotus: The Union Station discotheque is in full bloom. Brought to us by the owners of the swank Mynt True Lounge and Blue 67, this 10,000-square-foot club combines…
One recent Thursday at Hemingway’s Key West Grille (1052 South Gaylord Street), we found ourselves spinning back into the Vortex. I don’t know whether the patio out back was infused with a particularly virulent type of spring fever or we were simply inspired by the legendary drinking abilities of the…
This Saturday is my favorite holiday: Kentucky Derby Day. In keeping with a tradition set forth long ago by my grandmother, I’m decorating a big hat with lots of ribbon and flowers, mixing up a batch of strong mint juleps and hosting a garden party. Then, once the winning Derby…
There are many time-honored traditions that guys hold dear. Super Bowl parties, spring break, annual hunting or fishing trips, golf outings, bachelor parties. Especially bachelor parties. We’re a sentimental bunch and feel very deeply that every guy deserves to be sent off into marriage after a night of such debauchery…
Prepare for an out-of-this-universe experience at Sputnik, a Broadway lounge named for the world’s first artificial satellite, which was launched by Russia in 1957. To fuel your flight, down several sweet Lenin Martinis ($7), made with vodka, Grand Marnier, fresh lemon juice, a splash of grenadine and Tang — the…
You know it’s going to be a good night when less than an hour into the proceedings, the Head of Research says, “I’m not even hungry anymore.” Since this came after not a seven-course meal, but two hot wings, two Coors Lights and three shots of something called “Tuaca” (Spanish…
With the resounding thwack! of wooden bats, baseball joyfully returned to downtown Denver this week. And while I don’t particularly enjoy watching the slow-paced game, I truly love the spring-summer drinking season that accompanies it. When I want to tie one on before diving for fly balls at Coors Field,…
I’m a hopeless romantic. There’s simply no other explanation for why I took my girlfriend to Hooter’s (1390 South Colorado Boulevard) the other night. Some guys try to compartmentalize their relationships, but I feel it’s important to include my girlfriend whenever it’s practical. That way, if and when we inexplicably…
Spring has definitely sprung in Denver, and that means one thing: Warm evenings will find me drinking cool beers on the magical urban patio behind My Brother’s Bar. The bar has eighteen brews on tap, with everything from Boddington’s to Left Hand Jackman’s Pale Ale, but my favorite spring sipper…
I firmly believe that if I were in charge, this world would be a much better place — for me, at least. I wouldn’t get chest pains over lousy drivers, idiots who take more than five minutes to order coffee, Average Joe, not having four NFL games on every Sunday…
I was pleasantly surprised when I strolled into Brix — a tiny, hip bistro in Cherry Creek North opened earlier this year by Charles Master, whose parents own Mel’s Restaurant and Bar — and saw that it was serving cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon in brown paper bags as a…
