Denver’s best LGBTQ bars: A guide to the long-standing gay clubs and a few newbies

Merely putting a Delight flag in a single’s window doesn’t an LGBTQ bar make, however it’s at the least heartening to see the rainbows winding their approach into increasingly more mainstream institutions.

For queer bars, Denverites typically need to look a bit nearer, as town’s LGBTQ cultural scene will not be all the time matched by the prominence or quantity of our golf equipment. We misplaced promising spots corresponding to Sir and seemingly steady venues like Delight and Swagger in latest months, so the remaining names are all of the extra vital.

We’ve additionally seen quite a lot of spots grasp on throughout unimaginable, pandemic-related challenges. Some, such because the Denver Eagle on West Colfax Avenue, even reopened after a six-year closure. In that spirit, right here’s a fast roundup for Delight month and upfront of Denver PrideFest (June 25 and 26), together with legacy bars and a few new(er) names, so that you don’t need to do all of the work your self.

Additionally try our take a look at evolving, post-pandemic queer areas and the altering LGBTQ cultural scene from The Denver Publish’s Tiney Ricciardi.

Tracks Denver

Indisputably Denver’s largest and most vital LGBTQ membership, the present incarnation in what’s now the RiNo Artwork District has over the past 17 years made its title with national-quality drag performances, touring artists and raucous, themed events. Moreover nurturing Denver-based “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winners corresponding to Yvie Oddly and the latest season’s champ, Willow Capsule, it’s bought open mics and hip-hop nights (18 and up!) and three of one of the best dance flooring and DJ setups within the metropolis. The gold customary. 3500 Walnut St., 303-863-7326 or tracksdenver.com

X Bar

Inside strolling distance of downtown Denver in addition to Capitol Hill’s quite a few venues and bars, X Bar is a robust magnet with its enormous patio events and palpable camaraderie. The one-story, dance-friendly house stays busy with karaoke, DJ nights and a wild weekend environment, however Delight month will generate even larger strains down the block. Get there early, or not, and be able to sweat (particularly if it’s at one among their lingerie or leather-based events). Search for #partyyoncolfax on Instagram for a few of the costumed revelers and occasion flyers, from brunches and sing-along nights to queer proms. 629 E. Colfax Ave., 303-832-2687 or xbardenver.com

Boyztown

Lengthy a late-night stop-off on the bustling size of Broadway within the Baker neighborhood, Boyztown payments itself as Denver’s Hottest Male Revue (RIP the previous Compound Basix close by). And you understand what? Most nights they’re not improper, with limber, lower dancers, deft DJs, and a typically high-energy environment that runs till final name. It’s the one solely-male strip membership in that space (or the complete metro space, final I checked), so you will have to endure straight-girl bachelorette and birthday events, even because the bar retains it actual with its loyal workers and clientele. 117 Broadway, 303-722-7373 or boyztowndenver.com

See additionally: The low-key Li’l Devils Lounge on South Broadway. It doesn’t determine itself as an explicitly homosexual bar, however it’s a preferred hangout for older homosexual males occupying the previous Barker Lounge house. fb.com/lildevilslounge

Tight Finish

Queer sports activities bars could seem area of interest however they’re most definitely not, which is why it’s unusual that Denver solely boasts of the sports-focused Tight Finish. Nonetheless, the Metropolis Park West bar — which opened final yr within the gritty Streets Denver punk bar — provides glorious people-watching on its patio, playoff nights on huge screens, trivia, ingesting video games, karaoke and extra. As different guides are fast to level out, it’s simply throughout a busy stretch of East Colfax Avenue from Blush & Blu, a lesbian, queer and trans-centric house with programming galore (see beneath). 1501 E. Colfax Ave. 303-861-9103 or tightendbar.com

Blush & Blu

This busy house has helped fill the hole of Denver’s long-closed Detour, a former lesbian bar, and developed a few of the metropolis’s greatest drag queens, poets, singer-songwriters and stand-up comics on its small stage (see additionally the Mercury Cafe). It’s socially aware and has a stable menu, with the aforementioned, and nationally uncommon, concentrate on lesbian, queer and transgender clientele. Sure, there are vacationers and curious pedestrians, given its proximity to hashish dispensaries and Denver’s first Voodoo Doughnut location, however they’re welcome, too. It’s additionally nice for espresso and chai, because it previously hosted the LGBTQ house tHERe, which had the same menu. 1526 E. Colfax Ave., 303-484-8548 or blushbludenver.com

Charlie’s

Like Tracks Denver, Capitol Hill bar Charlie’s — a part of a Nation Western-themed chain with areas in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Chicago — predates Denver’s inhabitants and building increase by a long time, proudly holding court docket on East Colfax Avenue with indoor and outside occasions starting from beer busts to pull reveals, line-dancing classes and horny go-go boy performances. Cowboy hats and leather-based chaps are all the time welcome, however definitely not mandatory, and the falafel-and-gyros menu might be surprisingly welcome after an evening of themed cocktails and dancing. 900 E. Colfax Ave., 303-839-8890 or charliesdenver.com

Fusions Bar & Grill

This RiNo Artwork District watering gap is the place you go while you need stir-fried noodles and severe drinks, together with an estimable Mongolian grill menu and spectacular concentrate on tropical cocktails (with heaps extra to come back, house owners say). It bravely opened in the course of the pandemic and has sustained itself with a dog-friendly patio and unbelievable, evolving beer choice. An excellent stop-off, or vacation spot in itself. 3053 Brighton Blvd., 303-862-7376 or fusionsdenver.com

R&R Lounge

Traditional in feel and look, with beautiful classic signage and a comfy inside, the R&R is tucked alongside a vibrant stretch of East Colfax Avenue. Its house owners have claimed it’s town’s oldest homosexual bar, having opened within the Nineteen Fifties and gone overtly homosexual within the Seventies, in accordance with Westword, with its immediately recognizable, rainbow-painted door. Assume pleased hours, darts and Broncos video games. 4958 E. Colfax Ave. #1208, 303-320-9337 or yelp.com/biz/r-and-r-lounge-denver-denver (the bar doesn’t have its personal web site).

Commerce

Though it’s not an overtly bear bar — house owners describe it as Denver’s queer, underground fetish bar — it’s a favourite of the bearded, steadily muscle-bound class of homosexual males who describes themselves as such (notably within the absence of the late Denver Wrangler). Commerce additionally helps fill a clean spot in that specific space’s Denver’s homosexual scene, with a perch alongside Santa Fe Drive and numerous programming that ranges from drag reveals and DJ nights to leather-based nights and beer busts. 475 Santa Fe Drive, 720-627-5905 or fb.com/tradedenver

Denver Candy

Is Denver Candy the equal of Minnesota Good? In a approach, possibly, however it’s additionally town’s solely overtly bear-bar and one of many metro space’s greatest rooftop spots, LGBTQ or in any other case. Tasty bar meals and brunch, honeyed clientele and DJs combine for sunny afternoons and breezy nights on a pair of occasion flooring on the former Funky Buddha house, which by no means to appeared to have discovered its area of interest till Denver Candy took over in Could 2019. The house owners — each former DJs on the Wrangler — advised Out Entrance Journal that their aim is to make it a welcoming instance of the bigger bear-bar scene, which doesn’t precisely have a status of all the time being pleasant towards ladies and trans individuals. Thankfully, they appear to be reaching that aim. 776 Lincoln St. 720-598-5648 or denversweet.com

The Triangle Bar

Simply this week, Tasting Desk named this fashionable downtown spot as one of many nation’s greatest LGBTQ bars, having been open in its present incarnation since early 2018. The title stretches again to the Seventies when the slim brick constructing hosted a homosexual membership referred to as Triangle, and was a tryout spot for varied, unsuccessful bars and craft eating places after the unique Triangle closed within the early 2000s. Its resurrection has introduced again queer stand-up, big-name drag queens, “Actual Housewives”-themed brunches and a secure LGBTQ house to a central and glossy location. 2036 N. Broadway, 303-658-0913 or thetriangledenver.com

Hamburger Mary’s Denver

Lengthy a food-and-drinks vacation spot, the Denver outlet of this North American chain additionally provides reliably colourful programming and a comfortable environment for informal stop-ins and events, with plenty of gender variety (and cis-het allies) along with LGBTQ patrons. Having moved west on seventeenth Avenue awhile again to a smaller, extra good-looking house, it’s typically filled with wild partiers on drag-queen and different present nights. And but, it’s all the time pleasant and accessible. 1136 E. seventeenth Ave., 303-993-5812 or milehighmarys.com

Lucid

Barely a yr outdated, Lucid is one other upstart that’s managed to carry on by way of nightmarish challenges for the service trade. It’s a welcome addition to the scene, with a neon-spiked profile amid the standard programming (trivia, lip-sync battles, drag reveals, and many others.). It additionally provides curios corresponding to velocity courting, and a notable lineup of racially numerous performers which can be typically laborious to search out at different LGBTQ bars (Latinx Couture? Sure, please). Search for this “disco bar” above Kyu Ramen, because it’s a second-story house. 600 E. Colfax Ave., no telephone quantity is accessible. luciddenver.com

#Vybe

Like Lucid, #Vybe contains a bit extra variety than many homosexual bars, with drag queens of shade and high touring queens like Adore Delano swinging by way of often, along with stand-up comedy, sport nights, Denver Broncos events (the cheerleaders even stopped in for a present just lately) and plenty extra. It’s arguably the one overtly LGBTQ spot within the ritzy, gallery-heavy Golden Triangle neighborhood, though it strains the identical public-transportation hall as Denver Candy, Li’l Devils, Boyztown and others. 1027 N. Broadway, 720-573-8886 or 303vybe.com

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