Cool, dark and smoothly sexy — that description applies to both Sambuca Jazz Cafe and its Chocolate Mint Martini. Made with Fris Vodka, DeKuyper Peppermint Schnapps and Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur and garnished with a cherry, this black martini ($8) is served straight-up with a thin layer of ice on…
No bar in Denver celebrates the good life like the elegant art-deco Cruise Room, located off the lobby of the 111-year-old Oxford Hotel. Opened with much celebration on the day that Prohibition was repealed, this long, narrow lounge is still unmatched for its glowing atmosphere, polished service, comfy leather booths…
Start saving your pesos: A night at Tamayo, Larimer Square’s upscale, modern Mexican cantina, could wind up costing you a pretty penny. Or leave work early, because hora feliz, Tamayo’s version of happy hour, is one of the town’s best bargains. From 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, Tamayo…
With ceiling fans spinning lazily over the old wooden bar, sexy bartenders, and Gloria Gaynor blasting from the speakers, JR.’s is the perfect place to spend a naughty night. This is definitely one of Denver’s most happening gay bars, and the Blow Job shot ($5) is one reason why. Made…
The Cosmopolitan, a cocktail made famous by the sassy, serially unattached women on HBO’s Sex and the City, is the ultimate single woman’s drink — and there’s no better place to down one than the Cool River Cafe, suburban Denver’s ultimate pickup joint. At any given happy hour on any…
While the players prepare to hit the ice for the 2002-’03 Colorado Avalanche season, Brauns Bar and Grill offers Le Puck, a martini created especially for Avs fans. If you love licorice, this dark cocktail ($7) made with Pearl Vodka and Romana Black Sambuca and garnished with two red licorice…
That crazy Aussie Steve Irwin may make his living pouncing on snakes and alligators in the untamed wild, but all you have to do to snag such a beast is order a Dirty Alligator at the Cherry Cricket. The Dirty Alligator is one of the Cricket’s specialty shots, served in…
As Michelangelo discovered in the Sistine Chapel, creating an Italian masterpiece takes time. Mixing a great cocktail does, too — but the Limon Cello at Campo de Fiori is more than worth the wait. Poured from a glass decanter into a frozen shot glass, the Limon Cello mixes a simple…
Ready for some monkey business? Follow the brightly painted arrows on Colfax past Kitty’s and right into Dulcinea’s 100th Monkey, Denver’s newest jazz venue. This no-frills dark den fills up nightly with the town’s hipper cats, who lounge on comfortable couches and listen to live jazz; Colfax regulars, who make…
Rocky Balboa’s glass full of raw eggs won’t prepare you for the Knockout, the signature martini at Sullivan’s, a swank LoDo steakhouse named for legendary pugilist John L. Sullivan, the “Boston Strong Boy.” This killer cocktail is made with fresh Hawaiian pineapple slices that have been marinated for seven to…
“Wasted away again in Margaritaville…” You can practically picture Jimmy Buffett, who made it fashionable to fritter away sunny days, spending an idle August afternoon in Lakewood, belly-up to Gordo’s bar, while Sixth Avenue traffic speeds past in the distance. Gordo’s, which roughly translates as “Fatso’s” in Spanish, was founded…
As Russell Crowe strutted around the Colosseum — a scantily clad warrior seeking revenge — he should have challenged his opponents to the Gladiator drop-shot at the Foundry Cafe and Billiards Club: It would have brought them to their knees. To deliver this knockout, the Foundry fills a pint glass…
Cucina Colore 3041 East Third Avenue 303-393-6917 Columbus proved that the Earth isn’t flat — but you could be flat on your back after one too many drinks honoring Italy’s most famous explorer. Cucina Colore’s refreshing New World Sangria — the creation of owner Venanzio Momo — is a fruit-filled…
Denver may be totally landlocked, but even so, a tropical storm blew into town this winter when Gumbo’s opened in LoDo and began serving its potent Hurricane. According to legend, the bright-red cocktail was created during World War II when brown liquors, such as whiskey, were in short supply; in…
With the mountains and plains of Colorado drier than a tinderbox, the best way to get Rocky Mountain high this summer could be to sip a Blue Sky Martini inside the cool, cavernous Blue Sky Grill. Made with Skyy Vodka and Blue Curacao and served straight up with a lemon…
If you’re on a hot date and looking to score, take her to Hapa Sushi and show off your sensitivity by sipping a naughty pink G Spot. The word “cocktail” has never sounded more appropriate than it does at Hapa Sushi, a swank Cherry Creek sushi grill and sake bar…
The classic remedy for soothing the pain of a bee or wasp sting is to apply a cold compress and baking soda. But if you’re stung by one of the nasty little buggers this summer, the contemporary treatment is to head to the Hornet for a medicinal Rum-O-Rita. Served on…
If Mexico isn’t in your travel plans this summer, be transported there via El Cantarito, an authentic Mexican drink rarely served north of Tijuana — but available at Aztec Sol. A friendly little storefront saloon in northwest Denver, Aztec Sol boasts over 200 types of tequila, the agave-plant liquor first…
In Grease, the Pink Ladies ruled the school. Denver gals who want to follow their lead after work should snag a table on Rialto Cafe’s patio and order up a Pink Diamond Martini. Named for a legendary 1920s silent-movie palace, the Rialto is the coolest spot to see and be…
Wanted: signature drink for historic landmark hotel. This winter, the Brown Palace Hotel decided that 110 years was long enough to go without having its very own specialty cocktail. Turning to staff and guests for inspiration, the hotel launched a cocktail contest to fill the void. And the winner is…the…
Vesta, the ancient Roman goddess, represented hearth and home. She was also known for her purity — hence the term vestal virgins. But odds are pretty good that you won’t find one of those wholesome ladies sipping sangria at Vesta Dipping Grill. Sangria, a traditional red-wine punch, has become a…
The annual Girl Scout cookie sale has crumbled, and you’ve probably already torn through your boxes of Thin Mints and Tagalongs. Time to head over to the Funky Buddha for a Dirty Girl Scout, a drink that’s worthy of several merit badges. With a name that no doubt has Girl…
