Editorial
Denver does happy hour better than most American cities. The reasons are partly economic, partly cultural. Colorado bars compete fiercely on the after work hour, and the high altitude affects how fast people can drink, which in turn affects how bars structure their pricing. The result is a happy hour scene that runs longer than coastal cities, often from 3pm to 7pm or later, with food prices that actually mean something.
This guide covers fourteen of the best, ranked by drink quality first and food second. Some are anchored by a kitchen, some by a beer list, some by both. All offer a meaningful happy hour, not a tourist gimmick.
Three neighbourhoods cluster the action: LoDo and RiNo downtown, Cap Hill just east, and the South Broadway corridor. Most bars on this list are in one of those three. Our Denver city page has the full listings.
Speakeasy themed cocktail bar that runs a serious happy hour from 4pm to 6pm Tuesday to Friday. Half off select cocktails and bar snacks. The cocktails at half price are still better than most full price drinks. Reserve. Open Tuesday to Sunday.
Asian inspired bar at the Crawford Hotel with happy hour 4pm to 6pm daily. Discounted small plates and a curated cocktail list. The dim sum hour cocktails pair well with the food. Open daily.
Rooftop bar in a former mortuary with one of Denvers best skyline views. Happy hour 3pm to 6pm with discounted drinks and a small bar bites menu. Best at sunset. Reserve. Open daily.
Denvers oldest bar, established 1873. The happy hour is the regular menu, which is cheap by Denver standards. Famous for the JCB and JCB philly burger and a beer list that includes most of Colorados craft scene. Open daily.
Burger and beer institution with happy hour 3pm to 5pm Tuesday to Friday. Cheap pints, cheaper bar bites, and a kitchen that has been making the same burger for decades. Open daily.
Wine and Champagne focused bar with a serious happy hour 4pm to 6pm. Discounted by the glass list and small bites. The wine selection is one of the best in Denver. Open daily.
Brooklyn cocktail giants Denver outpost. Happy hour 5pm to 7pm with classic cocktails at $10 and bar bites. The drinks are serious and the room is one of the best designed in the city. Reserve. Open daily.
Food hall with a rooftop bar and a happy hour 3pm to 6pm Tuesday to Friday. The mountain view from the rooftop is one of Denvers best. Cocktails are decent rather than exceptional. The food is the headline. Open daily.
American comfort food restaurant with a happy hour 3pm to 6pm. Discounted craft cocktails, half off appetisers. The food is the reason to be here, the drinks support it. Open daily.
Several bars share the block and most run a happy hour 4pm to 6pm. Pick one, sit at the bar, work through the menu. Larimer Squares cluster makes for a good progression. Open daily.
Asian fusion restaurant with a happy hour 4pm to 6pm. Discounted ramen, dumplings, and beer. The cocktail program is interesting and the prices are fair. Open daily.
Whiskey focused bar with a happy hour 4pm to 7pm. The whiskey flights are reasonably priced any time but the bourbon by the glass discount during happy hour is the move. Open daily.
Modern American restaurant with a happy hour 4pm to 6pm. The bar bites menu is generous and the cocktails are well made. Crowd is mid thirties professional. Open daily.
Modern Mexican restaurant with a tequila and mezcal forward bar. Happy hour 4pm to 6pm with discounted margaritas and small plates. The agave list is one of Denvers deepest. Open daily.
LoDo and LoHi run the corporate happy hour. Bars on 15th Street and Larimer Square fill from 4pm with downtown professionals. Drinks are reliable, food is good, prices are reasonable. This is where you go after work.
RiNo runs a more creative happy hour. Smaller bars, more interesting drink lists, slightly later starts. Bar Helix, Death and Co, and Mister Tuna are the standouts. Crowd is younger and more food obsessed.
Cap Hill and Uptown run the neighbourhood happy hour. Bars cater to residents rather than commuters. Steubens is the standout. Less polish, more character.
Most Denver happy hours run Tuesday to Friday from 4pm to 6pm or 3pm to 6pm. Saturday and Sunday happy hours are rarer but a few bars on this list run them. Some run a reverse happy hour from 9pm or 10pm too.
The first hour, 4pm to 5pm, is usually the lowest occupancy and best for sitting at the bar with the bartender. The second hour, 5pm to 6pm, fills up. By 6pm most happy hour bars are busy.
Altitude tip: drinks hit harder at 5,280 feet than at sea level. Eat the bar bites. Drink the water glass between drinks. Two cocktails in Denver feels like three in Chicago.
Colorado craft beer is the local pour. Avery, Crooked Stave, Cerebral, Ratio, Comrade. Most bars on this list have at least three Colorado taps. The IPAs are good, the sours are excellent, the lagers are improving fast.
At cocktail bars, the seasonal drinks at half price during happy hour are the value. The classics are always available at full price. The seasonal drinks are sometimes only available during happy hour.
At Carrera, mezcal flights are the move. Three pours of different agave styles for the price of one full pour at most other bars.
Fourteen happy hours represent a working Denver after work week. Pick three on Tuesday and Wednesday, two on Thursday, and one big stop on Friday. For more on the broader scene, see our Denver after work category, Denver cocktail bars, or Denver craft beer. Or browse all Denver bar listings.
US Midwest and sports bars editor at barsforKings. Covers the sports bars, dive bars, and neighbourhood rooms of Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, and beyond.
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