Lion's Lair on East Colfax has run live music in a low-ceilinged Colfax dive since the early 1990s, an Aladdin Lounge holdover from 1936 that signed a fresh ten-year lease in 2024.
Tip: Music most nights from 21:00, cash bar, last call 01:30. The back bar is the quieter spot when the front stage is loud.
Address: 2022 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80206
PS Lounge on East Colfax has not changed since 1981, with floral carpet, a Houston Oilers helmet on the wall, a 100-song jukebox and free roses for women at the door.
Tip: Cash only, no cards. The welcome shot at the bar is the long-running PS tradition. Open to 01:00 weeknights, 02:00 weekends.
Don's Club Tavern on East 6th has run a Capitol Hill dive since 1947, with shuffleboard, pool, a back patio and the cheap drinks reputation that won Westword Best Dive multiple years.
Tip: Open from 15:00 weekdays, 13:00 weekends, last call 02:00. The shuffleboard table runs heavy on Thursdays; weekends fill the patio first.
PS Lounge on East Colfax has not changed since 1981, with floral carpet, a Houston Oilers helmet on the wall, a 100-song jukebox and free roses for women at the door.
Tip: Cash only, no cards. The welcome shot at the bar is the long-running PS tradition. Open to 01:00 weeknights, 02:00 weekends.
Candlelight Tavern on South Pearl runs a faux-brick storefront, neon Cocktails sign, pool tables, jukebox and burger kitchen as a Platt Park dive open 11:00 to 02:00 every day of the year.
Tip: Open 365 days a year, 11:00 to 02:00. The burger is the food order; live music drops in Sunday afternoons.
Don's Club Tavern on East 6th has run a Capitol Hill dive since 1947, with shuffleboard, pool, a back patio and the cheap drinks reputation that won Westword Best Dive multiple years.
Tip: Open from 15:00 weekdays, 13:00 weekends, last call 02:00. The shuffleboard table runs heavy on Thursdays; weekends fill the patio first.
Bar Standard on Broadway is the Art Deco modern speakeasy and dance room with a main floor, two patios and a rooftop deck running touring and local DJs in downtown Denver.
Tip: Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, 21:00 to 02:00. Cover varies by booking; arrive before 22:30 to skip the line.
Temple Denver on Broadway is the multi-room nightclub with a Funktion-One rig, LED visuals and a touring EDM calendar that brings Afrojack, AC Slater and Kaskade to the Golden Triangle.
Tip: Friday and Saturday only, 22:00 to 02:00. Buy advance tickets via the calendar; bottle service routes you past the door queue.
Club Vinyl on Broadway is the four-story nightclub with a different genre on each floor and a rooftop dance patio, running house, techno, hip-hop and Latin parties most weekends.
Tip: Friday and Saturday after 21:00, with each floor priced separately. The rooftop opens in warmer months and clears the loudest tier.