Not every tiki bar is created equal, and the bright, beautiful and classy design of Jungle makes it a tropical paradise. Thanks to beverage director Jake Novotny, so do the drinks, many of which come in whimsical tiki glasses. For example, Sea Stories, with bourbon, Batavia Arrack, carrot, yuzu, coconut and soda, is served in a colorful octopus mug. A cactus-shaped cup is filled with Tijuana Slowdance, a mixture of mezcal, Oaxacan rum, kiwi, orange, lime and honeydew. But don't stop at admiring the pairing of your drink and glass: These cocktails also work well with burgers, fish tacos, plantain fritters, fries and jerk fried chicken.

jungletiki.com

Broadway got a boost when the Roxy took over the former Syntax Physic Opera space in August 2019, but just six months later, the pandemic silenced the stage at the vintage-cool venue. Although the shutdown nearly forced the place to shutter, owner Paula Vrakas took the time to renovate the kitchen and staff lounge. And now the Roxy is back full force, pouring 1920s-inspired cocktails served alongside a menu that's as eclectic as the nightly live entertainment, which ranges from open-mic nights and comedy to acoustic sets, rock, blues and jazz.

While the Sportsbook also has locations in the Tech Center and Highlands Ranch, it's the basement-like Washington Park outpost that we love, for its secret clubhouse feel. On game days, fans pack the place, making you feel like you're at a raucous house party that happens to be really well stocked with beer. And if you have a few too many, a stroll through Wash Park is a pleasant way to sober up. The Sportsbook also does breakfast on weekends for early-game sustenance; all-you-can-eat wings and fries on Thursdays for $14.99 (with purchase of a drink); and all-you-can-eat tacos on Tuesdays for $9.99.

Given how successful Premier League club Liverpool has been in recent years — not to mention what Ted Lasso has done for soccer's popularity — it's no wonder the Liverpool FC Denver fan club found a festive outpost for its Saturday game-watching. The club posts up at the Abbey Tavern for all Liverpool games, and the bar gets completely packed. This is definitely the best place to watch a soccer game for Reds fans. Just don't show up wearing blue.

In June 2020, when new guidelines finally allowed bars and casinos to reopen, the 1Up got left out because shared gaming devices were still a no-no. The extended closure might have been the end for our favorite place to play retro favorites from '80s pinball to NBA Jam, but it eventually reopened (with plenty of hand sanitizer). And we're damn happy it did. We dare you to find a better place for cheap suds and classic vidya games. So put a few dollars into the quarter machine, try to reach a high score over some Tecates, and keep the change, ya filthy animal. You'll be surprised at how little you spend.

With the Broncos adding star quarterback Russell Wilson, the Rockies snagging former Major League Baseball MVP Kris Bryant in free agency and Nuggets star Nikola Jokic making the case to earn his second MVP award in the National Basketball Association, things are looking up for Denver sports fans — and there's no better place to catch a game than at the city's most valuable sports bar. Blake Street Tavern has game sound in each of its many rooms, a menu that includes sports-bar comforts done expertly, and a full bar with friendly waitstaff around every corner. Whether you just want to casually catch a game or are searching for a spot to focus on your favorite, Blake Street scores.

Tight End, owned by Steven Alix (co-owner of the Squire Lounge) and Sudy Kudva, is Denver's first (and only, officially) gay sports bar. Watch the game on one of nine televisions, sip a boozy beverage on the sound-equipped patio, and enjoy a safe space to take in all sports. The drink list has all your sports-bar favorites, such as beer — lots of beer — as well as shots of liquor and simple mixed drinks. On quiet nights when there aren't any big games, Tight End also hosts karaoke and drag bingo, which to some are the greatest sports of all.

Like most great dive bars in this town, the PS Lounge is a place we’d never want to see in the daylight — but at night, the Lounge commands a special place in our bar-loving hearts. The place has its quirks: The cash-only establishment won’t let you keep a running tab, for instance. But where else would the bar's owner — Pete Siahamis, in this case — send you a round (or two) of Alabama Slammers, a sweet, Day Glo-orange concoction made of sloe gin, SoCo and orange juice that tastes more like Tang, just to show his appreciation for your patronage? Or hand out roses to every woman who comes in the door?

For a decade, Priscilla Jerez worked at Tooey's Off Colfax, a haven for those looking for drinks and camaraderie with a side of punk spirit after a long shift. Now, along with business partners Chris Maynard and Dale Canino, she's re-created that atmosphere of late-night revelry at the Crypt, where the smoking patio out front is filled with people trading stories (and lighters) under the moonlight. And inside, you're highly likely to run into at least a few old friends while grabbing a cocktail or vegan late-night bite.

thecryptdenver.com

Edgewater's newest (and only) tiki bar doesn't take itself too seriously, regularly hosting month-long themes that involve Jurassic Park, Krampus and good old-fashioned satanism. The art on the walls includes portraits of a half-naked George Costanza, Patrick Bateman, a tyrannosaurus, Frank Reynolds, Dr. Steve Brule and fat Elvis, and you might see a ceramic penis pop up every once in a while. But don't you dare accuse the Electric Cure's bartenders of screwing around with the drinks. Each theme comes with an elaborate drink menu full of rums and liqueurs, with the latest Devil-inspired go-round featuring names like Deplorable Day Trader, Passion of the Christ and Honey, I Shrunk Your Head.