Best Joint 2003 | Skylark Lounge | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Joint

Skylark Lounge

A true joint has a little funk, a little style hidden underneath whatever else it is. And while on most nights of the week the Skylark Lounge is simply a great bar -- and a neighborhood hangout for nearly sixty years -- on those evenings when they pull back the tables and wire up the mikes for some live rockabilly, the 'Lark really takes wing. Sure, its age is beginning to show in the scuffed bar top and the patched vinyl booths, but come the weekends, when the crowds are packed leather-on-leather tight, the Skylark proves that age really is nothing but a state of mind.

Best Place to See Lawyers Behaving Badly The Palm

The Palm

The Palm, the Denver link in a chain of classic steakhouses, is ground zero for watching the city's legal establishment (those members who don't mind being watched, at least). Attorneys from the city's top firms hold down reserved tables, where they entertain clients and keep tabs on their rivals. Seeing a legal eagle in an Armani suit make the rounds at the Palm is both fascinating and horrifying -- but always entertaining. Extra points to the Palm for good food, a well-stocked bar, and wall-hung sketches of Palm regulars, which give this place something lawyers aren't always known for: a sense of humor.

Best Hole-in-the-Wall

20th Street Cafe

There are three qualifications for a true hole-in-the-wall: It has to be tiny, locals-only, and do something so surprisingly well that it earns the lifelong loyalty of its regulars. The 20th Street Cafe hits the mark on all three. First, it's definitely small -- a dozen or so tables and a six-seat counter in a luncheonette-style storefront. Second, no tourists are going to stumble across it while looking for a Denny's, and if they do, odds are they'll just turn up their noses and keep on walking. And third, the food -- from the chicken-fried steak to the meatloaf and mashed potatoes -- is solid, hearty American diner fare so stick-to-your-ribs good that after one taste, you'll never look at a California veggie plate the same way.

Best Hole-in-the-Wall

20th Street Cafe

There are three qualifications for a true hole-in-the-wall: It has to be tiny, locals-only, and do something so surprisingly well that it earns the lifelong loyalty of its regulars. The 20th Street Cafe hits the mark on all three. First, it's definitely small -- a dozen or so tables and a six-seat counter in a luncheonette-style storefront. Second, no tourists are going to stumble across it while looking for a Denny's, and if they do, odds are they'll just turn up their noses and keep on walking. And third, the food -- from the chicken-fried steak to the meatloaf and mashed potatoes -- is solid, hearty American diner fare so stick-to-your-ribs good that after one taste, you'll never look at a California veggie plate the same way.

Best Place to Feel Like an Unpaid Extra in a Tarantino Film

Breakfast King

It could be the solid, never-gonna-wash-it-out blue of the collars; the funky, unnatural orange-colored trim around the windows; the acetylene glow of headlights through the front windows at 3 a.m.; or just the way those two long-haul drivers keep looking over at you. But at Breakfast King, there are definitely moments when, if Quentin Tarantino's cameras aren't already rolling, someone had better yell "Action!" Quick. Whether you're there with a whole crew planning your next big bank job or alone after leaving the woman what done you wrong, Breakfast King has atmosphere oozing from every cracked-vinyl seat and style to spare. Plus, the grub is exactly what you'd expect from a place just off the interstate: served hot, fast, and in trucker-friendly portions.

Best Place to Feel Like an Unpaid Extra in a Tarantino Film

Breakfast King

It could be the solid, never-gonna-wash-it-out blue of the collars; the funky, unnatural orange-colored trim around the windows; the acetylene glow of headlights through the front windows at 3 a.m.; or just the way those two long-haul drivers keep looking over at you. But at Breakfast King, there are definitely moments when, if Quentin Tarantino's cameras aren't already rolling, someone had better yell "Action!" Quick. Whether you're there with a whole crew planning your next big bank job or alone after leaving the woman what done you wrong, Breakfast King has atmosphere oozing from every cracked-vinyl seat and style to spare. Plus, the grub is exactly what you'd expect from a place just off the interstate: served hot, fast, and in trucker-friendly portions.

Best Spot for Watching the Colfax Nightlife

Tom's Diner

Hookers and junkies and bums, oh my! One night at Tom's is better than a whole week's worth of Cops on cable. True connoisseurs of dive culture will appreciate both the window seats looking onto one of the funkiest street corners in Denver -- the intersection of Colfax and Pearl -- and the sort of nightlife that creeps, crawls, slinks and stumbles right inside and sits down next to you. While the scenery is fantastic (in every sense of the word), the menu offers all your standard diner fare, with the classics done better than most. But even a cup of coffee will cover the price of admission. So grab a seat: No matter what time you wander into Tom's, the show is about to begin.

Best Spot for Watching the Colfax Nightlife

Tom's Diner

Hookers and junkies and bums, oh my! One night at Tom's is better than a whole week's worth of Cops on cable. True connoisseurs of dive culture will appreciate both the window seats looking onto one of the funkiest street corners in Denver -- the intersection of Colfax and Pearl -- and the sort of nightlife that creeps, crawls, slinks and stumbles right inside and sits down next to you. While the scenery is fantastic (in every sense of the word), the menu offers all your standard diner fare, with the classics done better than most. But even a cup of coffee will cover the price of admission. So grab a seat: No matter what time you wander into Tom's, the show is about to begin.

Best Place to Eat on Colfax Avenue

Solera

While some people are content to simply feed their imaginations -- or cater to their animal passions -- on Colfax Avenue, thanks to Solera, it's also possible to satisfy more elevated appetites. You can thank Christian "Goose" Sorensen for that: He's a talented chef who's raised the level of cooking in this kitchen to match the cozy yet dignified surroundings. Expect good fish dishes, excellent mashed potatoes and an overall eye to quality.

Best Place to Eat on Colfax Avenue

Solera

While some people are content to simply feed their imaginations -- or cater to their animal passions -- on Colfax Avenue, thanks to Solera, it's also possible to satisfy more elevated appetites. You can thank Christian "Goose" Sorensen for that: He's a talented chef who's raised the level of cooking in this kitchen to match the cozy yet dignified surroundings. Expect good fish dishes, excellent mashed potatoes and an overall eye to quality.

Best Of Denver®

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