Reader: Where Are Denver's Dog-Friendly Bars and Restaurants?

The weather's beautiful, and people all over Denver will be in the parks and on patios today. But what about their pets? While several restaurants — including Racines — have dog-friendly patios, some of town's most pooch-oriented places have closed over the past year, including the Barker Lounge, which shuttered...

By Westword Staff

February 28, 2016

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

The weather's beautiful, and people all over Denver will be in the parks and on patios today. But what about their pets? While several restaurants — including Racines — have dog-friendly patios, some of town's most pooch-oriented places have closed over the past year, including the Barker Lounge, which shuttered in January. Says this reader:

What a disappointment. One of the reasons I found moving to Denver a joyful experience was the number of dog-friendly establishments. The idea of sitting outside drinking a beer and watching my dog play with friends' dogs was a new one, and I had many great experiences at the Bark Bar, Barker Lounge and Watering Bowl. Now it seems they're being systematically stamped out, though I can't point to a particular reason. There has to be a better way to allow Denver's diversity to flourish than challenging small business owners to pony up to expensive and extended "negotiations" with various city departments.

The Watering Bowl is still going strong, and opens today at 11 a.m. What other pet-friendly options are there?

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.