Think happy hours, darts and Broncos games. Its owners have claimed it’s the city’s oldest gay bar, having opened in the 1950s and gone openly gay in the 1970s, according to Westword, with its instantly recognizable, rainbow-painted door. 3053 Brighton Blvd., 30 or R&R LoungeĬlassic in look and feel, with gorgeous vintage signage and a cozy interior, the R&R is tucked along a vibrant stretch of East Colfax Avenue.
A great stop-off, or destination in itself. It bravely opened during the pandemic and has sustained itself with a dog-friendly patio and incredible, evolving beer selection. This RiNo Art District watering hole is where you go when you want stir-fried noodles and serious drinks, including an estimable Mongolian grill menu and impressive focus on tropical cocktails (with lots more to come, owners say). Cowboy hats and leather chaps are always welcome, but certainly not necessary, and the falafel-and-gyros menu can be surprisingly welcome after a night of themed cocktails and dancing. Like Tracks Denver, Capitol Hill bar Charlie’s - part of a Country Western-themed chain with locations in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Chicago - predates Denver’s population and construction boom by decades, proudly holding court on East Colfax Avenue with indoor and outdoor events ranging from beer busts to drag shows, line-dancing lessons and sexy go-go boy performances. It’s also great for coffee and chai, as it formerly hosted the LGBTQ space tHERe, which had a similar menu.
Yes, there are tourists and curious pedestrians, given its proximity to cannabis dispensaries and Denver’s first Voodoo Doughnut location, but they’re welcome, too. It’s socially conscious and has a solid menu, with the aforementioned, and nationally rare, focus on lesbian, queer and transgender clientele. This busy space has helped fill the gap of Denver’s long-closed Detour, a former lesbian bar, and developed some of the city’s best drag queens, poets, singer-songwriters and stand-up comics on its small stage (see also the Mercury Cafe). As other guides are quick to point out, it’s just across a busy stretch of East Colfax Avenue from Blush & Blu, a lesbian, queer and trans-centric space with programming galore (see below). Still, the City Park West bar - which opened last year in the gritty Streets Denver punk bar - offers excellent people-watching on its patio, playoff nights on big screens, trivia, drinking games, karaoke and more. Queer sports bars may seem niche but they’re most certainly not, which is why it’s strange that Denver only boasts of the sports-focused Tight End. It doesn’t identify itself as an explicitly gay bar, but it’s a popular hangout for older gay men occupying the former Barker Lounge space. See also: The low-key Li’l Devils Lounge on South Broadway. It’s the only solely-male strip club in that area (or the entire metro area, last I checked), so you may have to endure straight-girl bachelorette and birthday parties, even as the bar keeps it real with its loyal staff and clientele. And you know what? Most nights they’re not wrong, with limber, cut dancers, deft DJs, and a generally high-energy atmosphere that runs until last call. Long a late-night stop-off on the bustling length of Broadway in the Baker neighborhood, Boyztown bills itself as Denver’s Hottest Male Revue (RIP the former Compound Basix nearby). Look up #partyyoncolfax on Instagram for some of the costumed revelers and event flyers, from brunches and sing-along nights to queer proms. Get there early, or not, and be ready to sweat (especially if it’s at one of their undies or leather parties). The one-story, dance-friendly space stays busy with karaoke, DJ nights and a wild weekend atmosphere, but Pride month will generate even bigger lines down the block. Within walking distance of downtown Denver as well as Capitol Hill’s numerous venues and bars, X Bar is a strong magnet with its huge patio parties and palpable camaraderie. Besides nurturing Denver-based “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winners such as Yvie Oddly and the most recent season’s champ, Willow Pill, it’s got open mics and hip-hop nights (18 and up!) and three of the best dance floors and DJ setups in the city. Indisputably Denver’s largest and most important LGBTQ club, the current incarnation in what’s now the RiNo Art District has over the last 17 years made its name with national-quality drag performances, touring artists and raucous, themed parties. Friday, June 24th 2022 Home Page Close Menu