Market Street Pizzeria Celebrates Grand Opening With 99 Cent Beers

On the heels of the opening of the PZA's first brick-and-mortar on Santa Fe Drive and the reopening of Cart-Driver's LoHi location, another pizzeria is making its official debut — though the pies may already be familiar to some.

In 2023, Mitchell Santee launched Mario's Speakeasy Pizza from the kitchen inside Pour House after connecting with the owner through his wife, who was bartending there.

Pour House originally operated across the street as Pour House Pub, but moved into the 1410 Market Street space in 2021; it soon became a gathering place for Boston sports fans. But in October, a note on the door announced its permanent closure.

Beside that, though, was another note posted by Mario's, promising that it would "reopen soon" and that "bigger and better things are coming! Get Excited!"
This weekend, that promise is being fulfilled as Santee celebrates the grand opening of the bar, which now bears the name of Mario's Speakeasy Pizza. To mark the occasion, it will be pouring 99-cent draft beers through the end of February — a deal Santee hopes will draw in the industry crowd.

Because Santee had already been operating out of the space, the landlord offered him the opportunity to take over the full lease — and he jumped at the opportunity. "We got it done really quickly," he says of the change. "We came and we just did minimal things," including some fresh paint, taking down a fake wall to expose the bricks beneath, and adding some new art and lighting.

This is Santee's first time owning a brick-and-mortar business and his first time operating a bar — but he's got plenty of pizza experience. "My first job was making pizza, so I made pizza in Seattle from when I was sixteen until 24. Then I moved to South Florida and I ran New York-style pizzerias there," he says.
He also met his wife in Florida; in 2017, the two moved to Denver. "We had just started to get our footing and then COVID happened," he recalls. "We both lost our jobs." Eventually, his wife landed at Pour House.

"I've always worked in places, and I've seen owners do things and I'm like, I think I could do that better," Santee says of starting his own business. "If you are nice to people and you work hard — and then having good food, of course, that's what brings people in. And that's worked."

The pies are indeed good — very good, in a nostalgic kind of way. Along with the traditional round New York style, Mario's offers thick, rectangular Sicilian pies and rustic grandma pies with a wide range of toppings. Both whole pizzas and slices are available in person and Mario's does offer delivery via DoorDash. The menu also includes wings, stromboli garlic knots, cinnamon butter knots and tiramisu.
The best part, though, is that Mario's is open late, serving until 2:30 a.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, and until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. While there are some spots in Denver that serve food after midnight, the late-night scene has dwindled significantly since the pandemic. "That's the biggest thing — I stay consistent. I always, always stay open," Santee notes.

For now, customers will still order food at the back window, but there are plans to add table service once business picks up. The space also has a second floor with another bar and an outdoor rooftop patio that Santee hopes to be able to use for private events.

Mario's quietly opened on New Year's Eve, just minutes after getting its liquor license. Since then, Santee says, "We've got good momentum." He's hoping the cheap beer special will boost business even more through the slow season, and is excited for the warmer months to come.

Mario's Speakeasy Pizza is located at 1410 Market Street and is open from 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, and 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit mariosspeakeasypizzeria.com.