Happy Hour Hangouts in Denver
Pre-dinner drinks and bite-size eats in the Mile High City
Looking for a great pre-dinner drink in the Mile High City? Look no further. Here are a handful of Happy Hour hot spots with some delicoius bites, to boot.
Pop over to Ace Eat Serve in Uptown for the brand new Lucky 11 at Happy Hour – choose a ramen (shio, spicy pork or mushroom) and drink (Sapporo, Tiger Beer, or Tanuki sake) for just $11. Or you can go for the popular Tiger Wings. After brining overnight, these wings are fried multiple times to keep them juicy inside and crispy outside ($10 for 8 pieces). Oh, and don’t forget the crispy pickled cucumber salad, veggie spring rolls, and bao buns ($5 each!). Consider some ping-pong time at Happy Hour prices of $10/hour in the expansive ping-pong hall or on the outdoor tables on the street side patio. Happy Hour runs everyday from open until 6 pm. Ace opens at 4 pm on Monday through Wednesday and at 2 pm Thursday through Sunday.
Speaking of Lucky, you can’t go wrong with Steuben’s Uptown Lucky 7Happy Hour from 3-6 pm and 10 pm to close every day. Your choice of a cheeseburger, Chicago dog, two piece fried chicken and gravy, grilled cheese or veggie burger, all served with fries, plus a choice of PBR, Olympia, Coors, Coors Light, or Imperial for $7. Still hungry? Order the $.50 deviled eggs, $1 Buffalo wings, and on the beverage side try $6 Raspberry lime rickeys, Palomas, and Thinkin about turquoises for a cocktail fix.
Hit up the “eatertainment” hot spot Punch Bowl Social for the perfect Happy Hour food, including chicken wings with sweet cilantro sauce, just $6 during happy hour, 3-6 pm every day. Try the vegetarian options, including the black eye pea hummus served with tomato, cucumber, radish and kettle chips for $6. Or go for the ultimate comfort food, the Pimiento Cheese, topped with a bacon marmalade and perfect for sharing, if you must. At just $2, old man cans are a Happy Hour hit and include PBR, Budweiser, Coors Banquet, and Rolling Rock, and explore the featured seasonal punch for $6 while you take in a few games of foosball or sing it out in the private karaoke rooms.
The urban-casual Postino LoHi is known for its breezy elevated patio, stunning views of downtown and Lower Highland, and, of course, wine. The wine list at Postino LoHi is constantly evolving, and includes of mix of sought-after and unexpected varietals that are both accessible and affordable. Visit any day of the week and enjoy $5 glasses of wine — or a pitcher of any draft beer—until 5 pm daily. Monday and Tuesdays feature a late-night happy hour, the Board & Bottle deal, wherein guests enjoy a bruschetta board and a bottle of house wine for only $20 after 8 pm. Order up your favorite bruschetta toppings (we can’t get enough of the pesto and salami, Brie and apples with fig spread, or sweet and spicy pepper jam with goat cheese).
Head to longtime LoDo hotspot Vesta where the team has just celebrated 20 years in Denver and has no signs of slowing down, particularly when it comes to knowing how to have a good time. Executive Chef Nicholas Kayser has created a Happy Hour menu that showcases the best from his palate of bold flavors to make small, once-familiar Happy Hour plates adventurous. Dishes like the Chinese BBQ Pork Belly with yuzu aioli and citrusy orange, finished with micro cilantro live alongside Vesta's Beef Tartar, a freshly modern take on the old standard with truffle, mushroom duxelles, white soy and house-made taro chips, topped with peppered petite greens. Of course, Vesta’s known for the house-made Charcuterie program, so don’t pass up the Charcuterie board of house-cured meats and cheeses, accompanied by house-made mustards, house-made pickles, candied walnuts, and black pepper truffle honey. Wash it down with Blackberry Lavender Soda with vodka, Leopold Bros. blackberry liqueur, homemade lavender syrup, fresh lemon and topped with bubbly soda, or kick it old-style with a shot and a beer for $8. Vesta’s Happy hour is every day 5 to 6:30 pm in the bar, and 5 to 6:30 pm Sunday through Friday in the dining room.
At Cherry Creek's Del Frisco’s Grille Happy Hour, you can be seen or scope out the scene on the expansive third-story deck, an airy rooftop patio in the hot foodie neighborhood perched nearly three-stories above the street and providing stunning, sweeping views of the Cherry Creek North neighborhood. It’s a beautifully appointed, inviting space perfect for Happy Hour, and we suggest sipping on the Grille’s Signature VIP cocktail, a refreshing and boozy drink served up and made with sweet house-made Hawaiian pineapple-infused clementine vodka, or the the must-have Grille White Sangria, a cocktail of pinot grigio, fresh white peach purée, peach schnapps, fresh berries, and served with a fresh fruit popsicle. Pair it with a modern take on a childhood favorite: The housemade French Onion Dip is a quaint mason jar of garlicky, smoky, creamy goodness served with piping-hot skillet chips, or the crisp and crunchy, ooey, gooey and utterly delightful Cheesesteak Eggrolls: shredded steak and melty cheese rolled in a crunchy wonton wrapper and served with sweet and spicy chili sauce. Happy hour is available in the bar and on the patio only, and all Happy Hour bites are $6, Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm.
The newly launched Olive & Finch Happy Hour offers items start at $3, including beverages and fresh, handcrafted food inspired by European markets and freshly prepared daily. The drinks, small plates, boards, and tartine menu will be up for grabs from 3 to 6 pm, seven days a week. Think along the lines of the Bleu Cheese and Prosciutto tartine, with bleu cheese, apples, candied walnuts, prosciutto and honey; and the Mediterranean-inspired Roasted Pepper tartine with goat cheese, fresh basil pesto, kalamata olives and roasted red peppers. A simple and elegant Meat & Cheese Board and a Mediterranean Board with baba ghanoush and hummus are available for sharing, and the small plates like marinated olives and smoked salmon mousse are perfect for mid-afternoon snacking. Glasses of wine or sangria can also be had for $3, and if you’re really thirsty, grab a carafe of the sangria for just $12.
At Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar in Denver's Union Station neighborhood, creative southern food nurtures the soul at the welcoming eatery out of North Carolina. Known for its authentic and approachable fare, Tupelo Honey’s idea of southern hospitality also means Happy Hour every day, 4 to 7 pm. Fun, throw-back music, an energetic and raucous vibe, group cocktail options, and a bottle of Cristal per day served in a blinged-out chalice. Six-dollar food items include bacon pralines, pimento cheese nachos, oysters served raw or roasted, and a serving of Southern pakora, fried okra and cauliflower in crispy chickpea batter with a southern saffron dipping sauce.-
