Whatever happened to customer service? Bars don’t have Guinness on tap. I get soggy fries at McDonald’s. If I’m out eating with five other people, the restaurant assumes that group-think has ruined our math skills and tacks a 15 percent tip on the tab even though we probably would have…
Jerry Seinfeld once imparted these words of wisdom: When you hit that high note, say goodnight and walk off. So for my final act as Drink of the Week girl, I gathered a group of faithful friends and headed to Moda Ristorante & Lounge for several rounds of Gocce di…
After a year of our close collaboration, the Head of Research at the Institute of Drinking Studies finally shared this piece of information: The true Irish often frown upon the Black and Tan that I love so much. Historically, the drink’s components are Guinness and Bass ale, the latter an…
Summer nights seem so right for a little Latin lovin’. And since my blue-eyed, blond-haired boyfriend doesn’t exactly fill that bill, when I’m in the mood for Caribbean spice I hit the twinkling patio at Cuba Cuba for a Havana Special ($6.50). A recent addition to the exotic drink menu,…
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,…
