The Ten Best Rooftop Bars in Denver

Whether the weather is sunny, cloudy or cool, Coloradans love being outdoors — maybe even more than we love going out for a good cocktail or craft beer. But why pick just one activity when you can do it all at once?

Many bars and restaurants have patios we love, but some spots take al fresco drinking to a whole new level. In fact, Denver's skyline just added a new bar, Halo, with bragging rights for the highest spirits in town. And more rooftop bars are coming.

If you're looking for a place with killer views where you can imbibe, here are the ten best rooftop bars to visit right now in metro Denver:

54thirty
1475 California Street
303-893-1888
Located on the twentieth floor of Le Méridien Hotel, this spot was the highest open-air bar in the city when it debuted in late 2017. Although it's since lost that status by a few hundred feet, it still has stunning views of the city and a Rocky Mountain backdrop. This upscale spot often draws a crowd that appreciates being seen as much as seeing the view; since it operates on a first-come, first-served basis, you may need some luck (or patience) to snag a spot. Once you're in, enjoy craft cocktails, small bites and swanky vibes.

BurnDown
476 South Broadway
720-899-3827
In 1978, a fire left a gaping hole in this 1940s building on South Broadway; after some quick repairs, it became a furniture store and then a year-round Christmas shop. In 2023, it was transformed into BurnDown, a multi-level bar and restaurant with an atrium that stretches from an expansive first-floor dining room through a second-floor lounge, where a small acoustic stage is located, to a third indoor/outdoor level. That's where you'll find the rooftop deck from which you can see the entire Front Range, including Pikes Peak to the south. There's a clear view of downtown, too — you can even catch a glimpse of the gleaming gold on top of the Capitol. A stunner for sunsets, it's also a prime place to view Fourth of July fireworks.
El Patio
1949 Market Street
If partying late-night on a rooftop with a view of Coors Field is your idea of a good time, this is the spot. El Patio is part of a multi-concept space that also includes the tacos- and tequila-centric Con Safos; a speakeasy dubbed Agua Bendita; dance club the Jaguar Room; and Tony Tenderonis, where you can load up on chicken fingers and fries. El Patio is also Jack Harlow-approved; it's one of the spots he visited to film the music video for his song "Denver" in 2023.
The Golden Mill
1012 Ford Street, Golden
720-405-6455
This historic mill-turned-food hall opened in 2021 and has quickly become a destination for anyone looking to head (a little) west for some staycation fun in Golden, where Clear Creek's cold waters beckon tubers in the summer months. The expansive rooftop has a view of Coors Brewery and another big bonus: some of the best sushi in the state, at chef Jesus Silva's Sushi Sora. Fill a glass at the pour-your-own-beer wall downstairs, then settle in for an afternoon of sunny sipping and noshing.


Halo Rooftop Bar
6985 East Chenango Avenue
983-999-0399
Feeling high on life? You will after a visit to the new Halo Rooftop Bar, which tops the Kimpton Claret hotel in the Denver Tech Center. That puts it at 5,817 feet above sea level (downtown's 54thirty is on the twentieth floor, but that hotel starts out at a lower altitude), and tourists and regulars alike flock to the place at sunset, to take a photo against the backdrop of the setting sun over the Rocky Mountains. It's like being at the southernmost point of Key West at sunset, but with mountains instead of the ocean! And that spot doesn't have the extensive cocktail list at this bar, or the upscale plates, or the firepit, or the live music from local artists and DJs Thursday through Sunday.
Historians Ale House
24 Broadway
720-479-8505
There are several spots along Broadway with smaller rooftop patios that are less trendy and more low-key. If that's your vibe, head to pizza spot Joy Hill, the Fainting Goat or Historians Ale House, a longtime staple that also stands out for its many specials. Our favorite — which is a great excuse for a weekday rooftop lunch session — is the $10.95 cheeseburger that comes with fries and a ten-ounce draft beer, well drink or soda and is available from open until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Joyride Brewing Company
2501 Sheridan Boulevard, Edgewater
720-432-7560
In 2014, Joyride became the first brewery to open in Edgewater — an area that's since gotten a lot of new reasons to visit, including its own food hall, Edgewater Public Market (which also has a rooftop bar). In 2019, Joyride's owners finally debuted a longtime dream: the brewery's rooftop patio, which boasts not only its own bar with sixteen taps and room for 150 people, but stunning views that take in Denver's skyline to the east, busy Sloan's Lake Park just across the street, and, on a clear day, Pikes Peak to the south.
Odell Brewing Sloan's Lake
1625 Perry Street
303-376-3777
On the south side of Sloan's Lake, just over a mile from Joyride, is another brewery rooftop, this one mere feet from the park's waterside walking paths. Odell opened at this location in the spring of 2021, and it boasts ample space, quintessentially Denver views of the lake, and a delicious variety of beers that are brewed beneath your feet. It's also the first Odell location to offer housemade dining options, including pizzas topped with seasonal ingredients.
Palenque Cocina y Agaveria
2609 West Main Street, Littleton
720-245-0195
Downtown Littleton often gets overlooked by those who live closer to the city, but it's home to a number of rooftop patios where you can enjoy the slower pace of a town-turned-suburb that happens to be packed with locally owned gems. Exhibit A: mezcal mecca Palenque, which originally opened in 2018 as a second location of Adelitas but took the Palenque name after former co-owners Silvia Andaya (who still runs the original on Broadway) and Brian Rossi cut ties in 2020. Four years into its new iteration, there's no better place south of the city to learn about — and sip plenty of — a well-curated selection of agave spirits and cocktails than the upper level of this Main Street eatery.
Pindustry
7939 East Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village
720-712-7467
For years, not much changed on Arapahoe Road near the Denver Tech Center, but a big push to revitalize the area kicked off in 2021 with the opening of Pindustry, the first major addition to what's now called the Arapahoe Entertainment District. The two-story restaurant complex can hold up to 2,300 people, and besides the bowling and arcade games on the main floor, the biggest draw is the 16,000-square-foot Sky Deck with Rocky Mountain views, its own bar, and activities like giant chess and cornhole. Game on.

And a chaser:

Stellar Jay
The Populus
420 14th Street
303-256-6381
If you like feeling on top of the world — and all the peons drinking on the ground level — this rooftop restaurant and bar at the Populus is for you. The hotel topped Esquire's Best New Hotels in the World list this spring, and Stellar Jay helped propel it there. You'll need to check in at the hotel's host stand just to go up in the elevator to the top floor, but once you've arrived, you'll be stunned by the views of Civic Center and downtown. And if those don't bowl you over, the tab will. But some experiences are priceless. People have said the Populus looks like a cheese grater, and you'll definitely feel like a big cheese up here!