Entertainment in Front Range
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Bitter Bar
In places like NYC, LA and San Francisco, prohibition-era cocktails have gone from back alley whispers of the impossibly hip to mainstream in a few short years. Boulder now has their version, and who cares if it's set in modern pan-Asian environs. These cocktails, and the rums, whiskeys, tequilas and gins used to alchemize, are the best sips in town.
It also offers monthly classes at $35 per person, which buys you the knowhow to mix two drinks that would make a Mad Man weep. You'll leave with three recipes and a gift from the barkeeps. Check the website for dates.
reviewed
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Sundown Saloon
Only come here if you can stomach outhouse chic bathrooms, throwback tunes, an impossible-to-distinguish odor upon descent into the basement, pick-up shouting (it's straight impossible to hear in late night), vicious competition on the shuffle board or pool tables (free 'til 10pm) and waking up hungover from the cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon ($6 pitchers).
Every town needs an 'end up bar,' and you will end up here.
reviewed
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Pearl Street Pub
Sorrows are drowned with multiple pints at the scarred wooden bar upstairs, where the vibe is shabby chic meets Old West. Downstairs, 20-something locals pound shots by the pool tables, soaking up the beer-drenched atmosphere at this town's favorite trendy dive. Come for Friday-night happy hour, when there is often live music at the packed upstairs bar.
reviewed
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Jives Coffee Lounge
Easily the hippest hand on the Old Colorado City stretch, this large brick-wall coffee lounge has ample sofas, wi-fi and a bandstand featuring regular live music and a Wednesday open-mic night. They do all the coffee drinks and a selection of all-fruit, no-sugar smoothies.
reviewed
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Trinity Brewing Co
Inspired by Belgium's beer cafes, the ecofriendly Trinity Brewing Co is an extremely cool addition to the Colorado Springs pub scene. Owned by two self-admitted beer geeks, it serves 'artisanal beers' (made from rare ingredients and potent amounts of alcohol) and has a menu focused on creating a 'Slow Food dining experience based on…environmental sustainability.'
The vegan BBQ sandwiches, spicy Thai curry soup, vegetarian 'chicken wings' and other healthy, organic choices are definitely a departure from usual pub fare (mains $5-8). But don't fret, carnivores: there is some meat on offer. If you're still hungry after dinner, wash your tofu down with a beer float. A 10% d…
reviewed
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Goose
The wheel of fortune behind the bar ticks to a halt on '$3 Jager Bombs' and the howl of beefy frats is punctuated by high fives. Your choice: throw down $3 or regroup at the beer pong table. Then again, maybe you're not in any shape to be making decisions. Though utterly lacking in atmosphere, this binge drinkers' proving ground can be a riot.
Ladies might want to note the 'Friends with Benefits' Tuesday night, when a group of four or more girls get their first shot on the house.
reviewed
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Augustina's Winery
Augustina's is a one-woman show. She drives an old 1979 U-Haul to Palisades and Grand Junction every autumn to fetch her grapes then goes about the happy, messy business of crushing, fermenting and aging the wine all on her own. If you're looking for a bottle with a story for the campfire, grab one here.
Launched in 1997, this was also the first winery in Boulder and among the first of a handful now sprinkled about the state.
reviewed
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Draft House
Another of boulder's popular microbreweries. This one brews six handcrafted beers, including an IPA and a Big Bella Brown, which owes it's deep tones from honey and Blackstrap molasses. Food here is pedestrian pub grub, but the open interior, with glassed-in brew tanks, exposed rafters and three gleaming HD flat-screens, offers a touch of class.
There's live music most nights: salsa night is Tuesday; Reggae rocks Wednesdays.
reviewed
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Swirl
At first it just looks like a stylish, inviting bottle shop with all regions represented and local art on the walls, but as you venture in you'll see a deep blue-walled wine lounge filled with arm chairs and love seats. Next comes the intimate, fun-loving wine bar and behind that is a garden patio dangling with lights and vines. This is the place to meet for a drink. To celebrate life and beauty and love.
reviewed
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Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery
Boulder's favorite brewery serves a rainbow of brews from chocolaty to fruity, and packs in an eclectic crowd of yuppies, hippies and everyone in between. Walls are lined with tapestries, there are board games to amuse you and the pub grub (especially the burgers and the chili) is delicious. There's often live music of the bluegrass, reggae and jam-band variety on Sunday Monday nights.
reviewed
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D'Vine Wine
That funky hint of fermenting grapes is in the air at these airy mediteranean mini-mall environs, which makes sense because this is a winery. The grapes are from Lodi, California, but the wine is made here. The Pinot Noir is quite nice and the Tempranillo is alive with peppercorn. They make fruit wines too, but, you know, they are fruit wines, so do the best you can on that score.
reviewed
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Maté Factor
This groovy treehouse of a cafe specializes in that Amazonian pick-me-up, coffee-substitute, Paraguayan petrol known as yerba maté. Technically a tea, it's fair trade, organic and highly caffeinated, and they make it into lattes, mix it with vanilla and hazelnut or raspberry, and serve it by the cup and shot. Pick a cozy nook lit by stylish peach basket lamps and stay a while.
reviewed
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Trident Cafe
Brick walls, worn wood floors and red vinyl booths steeped in the aromatic uplift of damn good espresso. The attached bookstore sells used and collectible titles. Add in the shady back-garden patio and fine tea selection and you'll understand why this is the longtime favorite of Boulder's literary set. A thousand secrets and plot lines have been shared and hatched here.
reviewed
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Cheyenne Spring
This is one of Manitou's natural soda springs, which give the town its name. The water bubbles up from limestone aquifers that are believed to be 20,000 years old. There's a sipping fountain on Manitou Ave. Take a sip and you'll taste a refreshing tang of wet stone and a fizz of soda, better paired with a sunmer afternoon than a winter's night.
reviewed
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Boulder Theater
This old movie-theater-turned-historic-venue brings in slightly under-the-radar acts like jazz great Charlie Hunter, the madmen rockers of Gogol Bordello and West African divas, Les Nubians. But they also screen classic films like The Big Lebowski and short-film festivals which can and should be enjoyed with a glass of beer.
reviewed
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Manitou Penny Arcade
If you or someone you love is the type that loves a vintage arcade (you know the kind: they miss games like Pole Position and Ski Ball, Galaga and Out Run, Supershot and air hockey) this sprawling complex, stretched between Canon and Manitou Avenues, is for you. And it might even help ween the kids off modern video games. Or not.
reviewed
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Cup
This groovy loftlike space opens onto Pearl St, pouring forth a tempting whiff of damn good coffee and handpicked organic loose-leaf teas. They also do fresh quiche, wonderful cakes in cups, burly sandwiches and swift wi-fi. No wonder it's always packed with the comely, the studious and the industrious. Monday is open mic night.
reviewed
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Catacombs Bar
A cavernous pool and beer joint in the Boulderado Hotel basement, this dark, dank joint really does feel like the catacombs. Expect a young and rowdy crowd with ultracheap drink specials. The dimly lit rooms are perfect for getting tangled up with a becoming stranger or two. Tuesday is Trivia Night and Wednesdays bring karaoke.
reviewed
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Loft
One of the most interesting venues in Colorado Springs, this Old Colorado City spot features indie artists in an underground performance space sans liquor license. It's all about the performance, not the party, here. But that doesn't mean you won't have a great time. Check the website for details about upcoming shows.
reviewed
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CU Basketball
Seldom pushovers, rarely great, CU's basketball games are always fun to watch because the competition is usually stiff. And like most great schools they do have a transcendent baller from the not too distant past. Chanucey 'Mr Big Shot' Billups starred here before he became an NBA champ and finals MVP.
reviewed
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Laughing Goat
Sure, the ambiance might diminished a bit by the glow of two dozen laptops, but the coffee is good enough (served in pint glasses too!) and locally roasted. The scene revolves around eyeballing college co-eds and tapping away at the term papers – at least until the singer songwriters start up.
reviewed
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Pikes Peak Center
Clolorado Springs principal venue for nationally and internationally known musicians and entertainers. Don't expect edgy entertainment, but this is the home of the surprisingly good Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and folks such as Bryan Adams, Gordon Lightfoot and comedian George Lopez.
reviewed
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Ku Cha House of Tea
Tea crazy newbies just about lose it at the enormous selection of imported loose-leaf tea downstairs, while more discreet locals snuggle into the room upstairs for steaming cups in quiet booths. If you want to go big, there's a rare yellow tea from Sri Lanka that goes for $20 per ounce.
reviewed
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Absinthe House
New, big and ambitious, the old Foundry has been converted into what Boulder's brashest club. The dance floor has been expanded. House music blares from a top shelf sound system, and any of the 16 varieties of absinthe from Europe and America can be poured from table side fountains.
reviewed
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Lazy Dog Sports Bar & Grill
'Gourmet food. Gourmet sports.' That's the motto here, but our money is on the beer and upstairs patio. When the big screens get a game that people care about the place goes off, but at other times it's all about platters of nachos and the leafy overlook of the Pearl Street Mall.
reviewed
