Eclectic Denver Spot Back on List of North America's 50 Best Bars

It's been very smooth sailing for the Yacht Club lately. It was named Best U.S. Cocktail Bar at the 2024 Spirited Awards Ceremony in New Orleans last July, and just won another big honor: It's back on the list of North America's 50 Best Bars.

Those are just the most recent wins for the watering hole at 3701 Williams Street, which was opened by liquor industry pros Mary Allison Wright and McLain Hedges in late 2021. It was our Best of Denver pick for Best New Bar in 2023; that same year, it was the only Colorado spot on Esquire's list of the best bars in the country. And it rated number 42 on the 2023 list of the 50 Best Bars in North America.

Although it didn't make that list last year, now it's back. And it's been bumped up a spot: to number 41!

"Don’t be fooled by this bar’s name," the award notes. "Yacht Club launched in 2021 with a simple ethos of being the ‘anti-club-club’ as a true community space for all of Denver bar-goers. Whether searching for a superb cocktail, glass of wine or a simple beer and hot dog, Yacht Club caters to all tastes."

And not for nothing, but we named Yacht Club our Best Cocktail Bar for Any Budget in the Best of Denver 2025, in honor of its far-ranging cocktail menu....and then there are those surprise hot dogs. This “anti-club” in the Cole neighborhood has something for everyone, we noted in our recent roundup, including a basic $5 frank that will go great with your Coors Banquet, or even a Jack & Coke with a dog combo.

Those with a slightly bigger budget can go up a level, to a nicer cocktails and franks with toppings like cheeseball spread, celery remoulade and sundried tomato-pepper relish. And then for $25, you can get a caviar dog...or go for the $140 Royale with Cheese: two caviar dogs, cheeseball spread and a bottle of Champagne. And there's a new menu we've just begun to eat our way through, too.

We don't know whether the crew at 50 Best Bars tried a dog on their recent visit to Yacht Club, but we know it's one of those amenities that makes this bar a winner just about every time we've dropped by.

Cheers!

Yacht Club, 3701 Williams Street, yachtclubbar.com.