Best Place to Meet a Blind Date 2003 | Dark Horse Tavern | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Place to Meet a Blind Date

Dark Horse Tavern

For both the best- and worst-case blind-date scenarios, the Dark Horse Tavern has you covered. If things look bad, there are plenty of visual distractions and easy conversation starters to lessen the awkwardness. If things look good, you can show off your prowess at pinball and pool. And if things look really good, there are lots of dark nooks for privacy. Throw in cheap, reliably good eats, and you can see why this Dark Horse is a winner.

Best "Always Get Lucky on the Third Date" Dinner Destination

Cuba Cuba

Cuba Cuba has the power to move you. No matter how gray the day or unpromising the night, the big Havana vibe at this little tropical oasis will transport you to more laid-back latitudes the minute you step through the door. The food is fun -- from Cuban picadillo and rum-painted snapper to plantain chips and cigar selections with dessert -- and the shoulder-to-shoulder weekend crowds of smart Denver diners out for a sophisticated mini-spring break give the whole place a humid, sexy edge that's sure to break anyone's ice. And hey, if the lively crowds, spicy Latin music and expertly casual floor staff orchestrated by Kristy Socarras Bigelow don't loosen things up, have the bar mix up a few of its killer mojitos. After a couple of these, luck will have nothing to do with getting lucky.

Best Place to End It on the Fourth Date

Dazzle

Mark Payler
Two words for you, pal: jazz club. Such spots are custom-made for big breakup scenes, and Dazzle -- with its long, deep booths, chic crowds and high-volume background noise -- is perfect for giving the ex-love of your life the big "goodbye and good luck" speech. Walk right in, order a couple stiff shots of liquid courage and get on with it. Don't be a shlub. Don't give her any of that "It's not you, it's me" crap. Just tell her: "It's you and we're done," take the obligatory drink in the face with some élan, then sit back and try to look crestfallen and vulnerable while she stomps out the door and out of your life. With a live band on the stage, no one will have heard you tell her why it was over, and if you're lucky, Ms. (or Mr.) Right Now will feel so sorry for you sitting there alone that he or she will help nurse your wounds with a few top-shelf martinis. If things go well, you can retire to the comfortable (and slightly quieter) lounge for a late-night nibble.

Best Place to End It on the Fourth Date

Dazzle

Two words for you, pal: jazz club. Such spots are custom-made for big breakup scenes, and Dazzle -- with its long, deep booths, chic crowds and high-volume background noise -- is perfect for giving the ex-love of your life the big "goodbye and good luck" speech. Walk right in, order a couple stiff shots of liquid courage and get on with it. Don't be a shlub. Don't give her any of that "It's not you, it's me" crap. Just tell her: "It's you and we're done," take the obligatory drink in the face with some élan, then sit back and try to look crestfallen and vulnerable while she stomps out the door and out of your life. With a live band on the stage, no one will have heard you tell her why it was over, and if you're lucky, Ms. (or Mr.) Right Now will feel so sorry for you sitting there alone that he or she will help nurse your wounds with a few top-shelf martinis. If things go well, you can retire to the comfortable (and slightly quieter) lounge for a late-night nibble.

Best Family Restaurant

Cafe Jordano

Nate Day
When you're in the mood for a sit-down dinner someplace without an indoor slide but don't want the other patrons clucking over your preschool dining companions, try Cafe Jordano. No matter if you're six, sixteen or sixty, everyone is joyfully welcomed at this surprisingly comfortable strip-mall Italian joint, with its warm yellow walls and service staff ready for anything. Far from looking down their noses when Junior rubs spaghetti carbonara in his hair, the waitresses just smile knowingly and reach for the kitchen towels. We've seen the staff do everything short of singing Broadway show tunes to quiet a crying toddler while the adults at the table were busy stuffing themselves full of Jordano's fat, homemade, cheese-stuffed manicotti and washing it down with red wine at one of the few places in town still serving sweet Italian Lambrusco by the glass.

Best Family Restaurant

Cafe Jordano

When you're in the mood for a sit-down dinner someplace without an indoor slide but don't want the other patrons clucking over your preschool dining companions, try Cafe Jordano. No matter if you're six, sixteen or sixty, everyone is joyfully welcomed at this surprisingly comfortable strip-mall Italian joint, with its warm yellow walls and service staff ready for anything. Far from looking down their noses when Junior rubs spaghetti carbonara in his hair, the waitresses just smile knowingly and reach for the kitchen towels. We've seen the staff do everything short of singing Broadway show tunes to quiet a crying toddler while the adults at the table were busy stuffing themselves full of Jordano's fat, homemade, cheese-stuffed manicotti and washing it down with red wine at one of the few places in town still serving sweet Italian Lambrusco by the glass.

Best Buffet/ All-You-Can-Eat Deal

Namaste

Courtesy Namaste Facebook
Everybody knows that Indian (and around these parts, Indian/Nepalese) restaurants have the best lunch buffets, and Namaste's is exceptionally good. A half-dozen savory main dishes are well complemented by warm naan, cool salads and robust soups. Slightly sweeter than most Indian fare, Namaste's take on classic curries and tandoori meats is guaranteed to please, with little risk of indigestion. The $6.95 buffet is worthy of its price tag -- and definitely worth your time.

Best Buffet/ All-You-Can-Eat Deal

Namaste

Everybody knows that Indian (and around these parts, Indian/Nepalese) restaurants have the best lunch buffets, and Namaste's is exceptionally good. A half-dozen savory main dishes are well complemented by warm naan, cool salads and robust soups. Slightly sweeter than most Indian fare, Namaste's take on classic curries and tandoori meats is guaranteed to please, with little risk of indigestion. The $6.95 buffet is worthy of its price tag -- and definitely worth your time.

Best Happy-Hour Deal

Triana

Tapas menus have the potential to empty your wallet in record time. A taste of this, a bite of that, and before you know it, you've not only spent your parking-garage fees, but you've pretty much guaranteed that your kid won't be going anywhere pricier than community college. That's not the case with Triana's happy hour, though, where seven days a week, you can drink yourself silly on $1 pints of sangría and sample a large range of small plates for a pittance -- most of them running $2 or $3 each.

Best Happy-Hour Deal

Triana

Tapas menus have the potential to empty your wallet in record time. A taste of this, a bite of that, and before you know it, you've not only spent your parking-garage fees, but you've pretty much guaranteed that your kid won't be going anywhere pricier than community college. That's not the case with Triana's happy hour, though, where seven days a week, you can drink yourself silly on $1 pints of sangría and sample a large range of small plates for a pittance -- most of them running $2 or $3 each.

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