Best New Bar

Mark Andresen

Related Content

• Jensen Cummings, exec chef of Row 14, on the one ingredient that tastes like "burnt toenails marinated in Kroger brand vegetable oil" and "nooders."
  October 19, 2011
• TAG's former chef de cuisine, Jensen Cummings, is the new executive chef at Row 14
  July 22, 2011
• Rule the Yule
  December 23, 2004
• Ghost Stories
  October 30, 2003
• Drink of the Week
  May 29, 2003

More About

• John Wallace
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Foods

The High Street Speakeasy sits in a turn-of-the-century building that, way back in the day, served as a rooming house for transient Denverites. When it opened last spring, the place buzzed with rumors that spirits roamed the upstairs apartments and sometimes came down to the bar -- for a cocktail, maybe, or just to scare the crap out of the staff. But the ghost talk has died down, which is good: There's nothing spooky about this friendly, stylish, forward-thinking joint in the Cole neighborhood. In his renovation, owner John Wallace retained the building's vintage charms, including a very broken-in bar, antique lighting and a great jukebox stuffed with old-timey tunes. Modern touches abound, as well: The bar uses only fresh fruit juices, and many of the house liquors are top-shelf. Haunted or not, the High Street Speakeasy's got that otherworldly thing we call vibe.