Prismajic's Night Owls Cocktail Bar Lands in Lakewood

What: The Night Owls

Where: Inside Colorado Mills Mall at 14500 West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood (look for it inside the mall, between Burlington Coat Factory and the Yard House restaurant)

When: Open from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday

For more info: Visit prismajic.com
What we saw: Stepping into the Night Owls bar feels like an extension of Prismajic's new immersive instillation, Shiki Dreams, and in many ways, it is. But guests don't actually need to book a ticket to Shiki Dreams to enjoy the magic found inside the bar and eatery.

The rich gray and golden-hued space with plenty of wood touches reaches from the bar and around the building, like a mismatched horseshoe leading guests from one area to the next as if traveling a dusty trail in a storybook. Look for the owls — there are many different iterations, and it's fun to count them while wandering through the forest-like decor. The most prominent presides over the back bar. It is a large and magnificent creation made from another's trash. In fact, most of the decor here is made from recycled and repurposed materials and was created by a team of thirty artists.Conceived around 2021, it took co-founders Jennifer Mosquera and Eric Jaenike two years to bring Shiki Dreams and the Night Owls to fruition. The original design of Shiki Dreams was hosted as a pop-up experience, but because of its popularity, the Prismajic team decided to find it a permanent home. Mosquera and Jaenike chose the mall in Lakewood because the price was right and the space has the tall ceilings they needed for their vision. It's also at the tail end of the 40 West Arts District along West Colfax Avenue.

The pair decided to open the Night Owls in tandem with Shiki Dreams to give visitors a precursor before the show, or as a unique spot to continue the journey. It's also open for those who just want to come in for a drink or bite: Think of the Night Owls as an escape from the bustle and brightness of the mall outside its doors.
What surprised us: Food and drink is often an afterthought at many arts-focused ventures, but that's not the case with the Night Owls. The Prismajic group worked with TT Consulting, which is run by husband-and-husband team Thach and Dusty Tran. Chef Thach (Chez Maggie and Ace Eat Serve) headed up the food programming, while Dusty (ChoLon) focused on the bar.

The result is a menu that is approachable and fun with surprises along the way, much like the art installation itself.

On the food side, Thach prepared a simple lineup that highlights local purveyors and works within the limitation of a small kitchen that doesn't have a hood. Guests will find boards that include River Bear meats or cheeses, fig jam and olives.

The two types of empanadas served are made by local company Lazo and are dished up warm. The large and soft "twisted branch" pretzels come on plates designed and built specifically for the item. Up the ante on this dish by adding on a trio of curated, award-winning mustards selected by Jaenike, who picked from dozens of iterations approved and honored by the National Mustard Museum in Wisconsin.  Guests of all ages can imbibe in tasty drinks from the bar, be that a cocktail or mocktail. There's the Nighthawk, a cool and fruity tiki-like concoction made with rum, orange, passion fruit and orgeat finished with a kiss of live fire. The Night Owl, the bar's take on an espresso martini complete with a dark-chocolate leaf on top, is another favorite. The zero-proof beverages were as well balanced as the booze-filled drinks.

Bar manager Christina Licata has also been working on a sensory flight of cocktails. This, she says, includes drinks for each sense, be that sight, sound, taste or smell. She also plans to debut a black light menu that will complement the black lights used in the exhibit.

It's worth visiting the Night Owls even if you're not going to see Shiki Dreams. The food is simple and satisfying, the drinks are excellent, and the setting is whimsical without being too kitschy. Soon, expect live music and shows on the stage in the back room.

Oh, and there's a whole mall outside the bar's doors, which one almost forgets when encompassed in this little world of birds, forest and artistic magic.