Drink Up: Colfax Bar & Restaurant Transit Crawl Will Pour Out Support Today

You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning, but you can drink from 1 p.m. to whenever tomorrow on Colfax Avenue. Technically, you can do that along Colfax on any old day, but the April 12 Colfax Bar & Restaurant Transit Crawl will bring together like-minded city-lovers to shower affection (and much-needed cash) on businesses located along Denver's most famous — and currently most beleaguered — thoroughfare.

Construction for the Bus Rapid Transit line began last fall along East Colfax, disrupting traffic, tearing up sidewalks and leaving businesses that rely on foot traffic and street parking pulling out their hair. And while Mayor Mike Johnston will be guest-bartending and helping out at a few places along East Colfax (where I will totally ask him to make me a Ramos gin fizz), our favorite bars and restaurants will need more than that and a few dollars in grant money to stay afloat until 2028, when the project will be completed. Allegedly.

Enter Greater Denver Transit, a part of Denver Streets Partnership, which is organizing the event that will visit nine Colfax establishments located between Williams and Logan. While drinking and driving never mix — just ask our legislators — bussing or strolling won't land anyone in the pokey, as long as they behave. (A three-hour RTD pass is $2.75, an all-day ride will set you back another $2.75.) Anyone is welcome, but registration and fifteen bucks will get you a snazzy souvenir T-shirt to show your support for all things car-free and Colfax.

Abe Kaul, the events chair for YIMBY Denver, one of the groups co-hosting the crawl, is stoked. "It should be a great event," he says. "I went down to the bars and spoke with the owners and managers. They all seemed excited to have us come by. There are some great bars on Colfax, some great history, and we want to make sure they're supported." Kaul adds that he hopes this crawl will be the first of many.

Chris Nicholson, the RTD director representing District A, will definitely be raising a glass. "I think that as a community, there's so many of us who both recognize the value of the Colfax BRT project, and also see the significant impact that construction has had on the existing businesses," he says. "So this is an effort by those of us who are passionate about preserving the culture that we have on Colfax now, and the businesses that have made it what it is, and showing up to help those businesses make it through this challenging moment."

Here are the Colfax Bar & Restaurant Transit Crawl stops on April 12, and the bus stops that will get you there:

1 p.m.
Buddies
504 East Colfax Avenue
15 Stop: Colfax & Washington (temporary stop)

Take advantage of the $15 Booze Bust (cash only, until 3 p.m.) at this lively gay bar, and enjoy bottomless Bud Light, Coors Lite, Truly, Mountain Time, Mimosas,and Bloody Marys that can be mixed and matched as you please. Get an order of Gouda and Bacon Mac and Cheese Bites for the table. Actually, get two. You're going to need them.
buddiesdenver.com

2 p.m.
Squire Lounge
1800 East Colfax Avenue
15 Stop: Colfax & Williams (temporary stop)

Denver residents have been drinking strong at this storied dive since 1939, and no one wants to see the CRBT stop the streak. There's no kitchen, but the jukebox is loud and if you ask nicely, someone on the patio will probably let you bum a smoke.
squireloungedenver.com
3 p.m.
Pete’s Satire Lounge
1920 East Colfax Avenue
15 Stop: Colfax & High (temporary stop)

Mean margaritas and green chile tater tots at this neon-illuminated slice of "Old Denver" make the Satire a must on the crawl. Greek restaurateur and local legend Pete Contos took over the spot in the early '60s after its tenure as a folkie joint where unknowns like the Smothers Brothers and Bob Dylan took the stage. Pete's gone, but his grandson Alex Barakos keeps the neon glowing brightly
petesrestaurants.com

4 p.m.
Tight End Bar
1501 East Colfax Avenue
15 Stop: Colfax & Lafayette (temporary stop)

By the fourth stop, you may already be a little tight when you arrive at the Tight End Bar, a cheerfully chaotic sports bar where the game is gay, but the vibe welcomes everyone. Two patios, seventeen TVs, and plenty of drink specials and pub grub will keep crawlers in the zone.
tightendbar.com
5 p.m.
Crazy Mountain Brewery
1505 Ogden
15/15L Stop: Colfax & Ogden (temporary stop)

Beer here: This award-winning taproom started fifteen years ago in Vail, and moved to its current spot in 2023. Fresh brews include Colfax Pale Ale, a quaffable accompaniment to the smoked brisket, pulled pork, beans and banana pudding served up by BBQ Daddy's.
crazymountainbrewery.com

6 p.m.
Velvet Banjo
741 East Colfax Avenue
15 Stop: Colfax & Washington (temporary stop)

Out with the old (trash) and in with the new (grass) ... Velvet Banjo opened in October, replacing the disgraced Deadhead-themed Sancho's Broken Arrow with a welcoming bar, pool hall and bluegrass venue where guests can enjoy music from local and touring musicians, along with cold brews and (hopefully) nary a sexual assault or drug deal in sight.
velvetbanjo.com

7 p.m.
Champagne Tiger
601 East Colfax Avenue
15 Stop: Colfax & Washington (temporary stop)

Night owls loved Tom's Diner, a 24/7 egg-slinging establishment that replaced the White Spot that opened on Colfax in 1967. But the only constant is change, and the futuristic Googie-style space now houses Champagne Tiger, which still serves eggs and burgers, but with far more flair. Whether you're looking for black coffee or caviar and crème fraîche, you can enjoy it here — and the "all are welcome" vibe remains the same.
champagnetiger.com

8 p.m.
Nob Hill Inn
420 East Colfax
15/15L Stop: Colfax & Grant

This colorful watering hole is perpetually on "best dive bars" lists, drawing a diverse crowd mostly united in their desire to enjoy a well-priced beer or cocktail on one of the city's grittiest blocks. Grab a rickety stool at the horseshoe-shaped bar, order a drink, act like you've been there before, and try not to get too worked up about the painting of the creepy clown — you'll be fine.
instagram.com/the_nob_hill_inn

9 p.m.
Satellite Bar
308 East Colfax Avenue
15/15L Stop: Colfax & Grant

Last stop, Satellite Bar. The former Congress Lounge changed its name in 2007, and now the venerated dive has a new co-owner, a former bartender who's been pulling beers here for sixteen years. If drinking all day hasn't quenched your appetite, feel free to order a bag of chips or a pickled egg — for the time being, that's the only solid sustenance available. Still thirsty? There's a nice selection of additive-free tequilas ... at this point, why not?
facebook.com/SatelliteBarDenver