The Denver Art Museum is a private, non-profit, educational resource for Colorado. The mission of the museum is to enrich the lives of Colorado and Rocky Mountain residents through the acquisition, preservation, and presentation of …

Babareeba Store Denver gets a good name at this stylish Highland shop featuring trendy togs and jewelry and classic vintage wear. Approximately 70 percent of clothing and shoes reflect modern fashions from well-known stores like Ann …

City Hall is the premier live music venue that everyone is raving about in Denver. This music venue has hosted some of the best musical acts in the industry today. From The Game to Katy Perry, …

The Living Room is located at 1055 Broadway in Denver (between 10th & 11th, next to Arby’s), and opened in August of 2009, with a fabulous wine and beer list, and a menu of mouth-watering small dishes along with an Enomatic wine sampling system allowing customers the ability to taste 24 varying wines by the ounce simply with the swipe of a card and a touch of a button.

Named one of the top five establishments to drink tequila in America by Food and Wine Magazine, LoLa has also become one of Denver’s most acclaimed dining destinations, serving cuisine inspired by Mexico’s coastal regions. 5280 …

Diners will find a familiar steakhouse ambience along with the trademark caricatures of local notables and celebrities lining the walls. The food runs to outsize portions of USDA Prime steaks and lobster, cracked table side by …

Set in a quiet neighborhood, this quaint restaurant has a cozy dining room that is great for two or a group. The menu is read aloud and changes daily and consists of high quality local produce …

Three theaters in one, the University of Denver’s year-round performing arts venue isn’t just for students. Indeed, entertainers of all stripes—local, national, and international; emerging and established—make touring stops here. In any given academic season, enthusiasts …

Tucked away in a subterranean space below Larimer Square, Frank Bonanno’s new cocktail lounge is literally underground. But unlike the Prohibition-era speakeasies it’s modeled after, Green Russell is otherwise aboveboard. Indeed, given the buzz it generated …

Release your inner girlie-girl at this sweet-as-candy boutique in Highlands Square. Hardly bigger than a shoebox, the crayon-bright space is lined with framed photos of seductresses from the golden era of the silver screen, beneath whose …

A major stop on the The Beat Poetry Driving Tour, this well-worn bar on the ground floor of The Colburn Hotel was a favorite of Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady—and it remains dear to Denverites today. …

Situated in Aurora about fifteen minutes south of the airport, this park is a giant hive of activity year round. In warm weather, the 880-acre reservoir opens to swimmers, boaters, jet-skiers, volleyball players, and fishermen; in …

Not only is this place voted to be Denver’s coolest nightspot but it is located in an abandoned church. Dance between confessionals and offertory underneath the beautiful stained-glass windows. Complete with a Goth downstairs and a …

This sleek downtowner is a treasure trove—and its crown jewel is chef-partner Lon Symensma, whose world travels are reflected in his contemporary East-West cookery. The menu is designed for grazing and sharing such artistically presented creations …

The cheeky name of this downtown nightspot is at once a double entendre and an homage to the eponymous artist, http://www.shag.com whose jazzy retro sensibilities inform the décor, which evokes a groovy Space Age swinger’s pad …

The short stretch of South Broadway known as Antique Row is jam-packed with storefronts crammed in turn with bric-a-brac for weekend browsers and serious collectors alike. Occupying its own eye-opening niche is this specialist in German, …

Dixie’s Tupperware Party
http://www.denvercenter.org/shows-and-events/Shows/dixiestupperwareparty/home.aspx
A Tupperware party might be your grandma’s idea of a fun night out, but Dixie’s Tupperware Party will be yours. Dixie, is the fast-talking Tupperware lady who packed her catalogues and left it …

What represents the holiday season better than that red and white striped sweet treat the candy cane? Indulge your inner child at Hammond’s Candies 10th annual Candy Cane Festival on December 11 from 9am- 5pm. …

Denver’s a wonder of early to mid-twentieth century architecture, and the Paramount Theatre is no exception, boasting as it does a sweeping Art Deco interior complete with a 1600-pipe Wurlitzer organ—a feature it shares with only …

This comedy troupe’s slogan is “Improv Your Life,” and you had better believe you can, at the very least, improve your prospects for a delightful evening. Its weekly roundup of shows, both short-form and long-form, range …

Located on the 12-acre plot of land that once marked the end of the Cherokee Trail, former wayside inn Four Mile House is a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it’s also a …

Denver’s karaoke bars are getting a run for their money since the opening of this self-styled dueling piano saloon in Lodo. Part old fashioned singalong, part comedy showcase, the performances (Tuesday through Saturday nights) star pianists …

Dimly lit in red amid rustic brick and funky murals, this newcomer to the Baker District is already hopping with hipsters, thanks in part to a huge high-end tequila list and superb craft cocktails (margaritas included, …

With its extraordinary array of herbs, spices, extracts and more, this Denver-based franchise has caught the attention of everyone from avid local home cooks to the Food Network, which produced a 2010 miniseries called Spice & …

Part artsy coffeehouse, part cozy bar, a little bit Beat-era throwback and a little bit Euro replica, this all-hours spot around the corner from the Millennium Bridge offers something for almost everyone. In the mornings, the …

Not quite ready for the Rockies? At this rock-climbing gym, you don’t have to be ready—just willing. Come on a Tuesday night, when it’s open to the public (for a $10-per-person fee), and you’ll get a …

Named for a type of stogie, The Robusto Room serves as a rare sanctuary for smokers—and a swanky one at that. One part cigar bar, one part martini lounge, The Robusto Room boasts a robust amount …

East meets West at club owner Kostas Kouremenos’ latest Denver venture: Zen Ultra Lounge. Giant buddhas and sleek red lighting provide the eastern organic ambiance, but there’s nothing zen about this place. Dj’s create killer re-mixes …

Chef Patrick Du Pays wanted to make a “home away from home” with Z Cuisine & A Cote Bar a Absinthe- and he has succeeded. The restaurant has been awarded the Westword Best of Denver five …

Fruition was named one of America’s Top Ten New Restaurants in 2007. Chef Alex Seidel didn’t create a new twist on asian fusion cuisine or use some molecular gastronomy tricks up his sleeve, he just made …

Spanning more than 80 acres in Denver’s historic City Park and home to numerous endangered species, the Denver Zoo is itself a rare bird among animal parks. With Bear Mountain, it was the first in the …

Elegant women’s wear—with a little Western flair: it’s the stock in trade of Pine Creek Clothing Co. The 2007 winner of Channel 7’s A List award clearly caters to the well-heeled of Washington Park, eschewing brash …

Call it a trading post for fashionistas: Buffalo Exchange not only sells clothes but buys and trades them, too. The funky Capitol Hill branch of this national resale chain is lined with rack upon rack of …

The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is not only a concert venue, its unique geological formations make it one of nature’s wonders where the seating is carved from Colorado’s stunning red rocks.  Catch up on the history of …

Gay oriented but straight inclusive, Tracks sends out good vibes to any and all who sport open minds and boogie shoes, hosting a horde of theme nights. Gaga for Goth? Fulfill your dreams at Deathwish. Dig …

Luxury’s a given around Cherry Creek. But Vital Spa, located in exclusive health club Pura Vida Fitness, takes it to the max. A single treatment gets you a full-day pass to the club, complete with a …

The owners of Rockbar have earned a loyal following over the years with La Rumba, one of the city’s friendlier nightclubs. It’s best known for the long-running Lipgloss, a Friday night free-for-all where the tunes range …

Named the Art Space of 2009 by the Denver Post, the decade-old Plus+Gallery, located in an old paint factory north of downtown, revels in the shock of the new. Local work is the focus, be it …

Housed in a turn-of-the-century Dutch Colonial two-story, the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls & Toys looks a lot like a dollhouse itself. Of course, it’s filled with them, fully furnished, as well as train sets and …

If Denver is the so-called Napa Valley of beer, Falling Rock Tap House is its Opus One—a legend. Though it’s not itself a brewery, beer geeks come from far and wide to sample the constantly changing …

Hidden away as it is in a mixed-use complex of lofts in the emerging RiNo district, no one saw Fuel coming two years ago. But come it has. Bob Blair’s quirky café is an oasis of …

For more than 30 years, the Denver Film Society has been hosting the Starz Denver Film Festival, acclaimed as the region’s best. Its cinematheque in the historic Tivoli—a onetime brewery turned student union on the UC–Denver …

In its airy, almost starkly modern elegance, EVOO Marketplace could almost be mistaken for an art gallery. Or maybe that’s no mistake: given the stunning array of olive oils from all over the world—Greece, Chile, Australia—stored …

At nearly 125 years old, the huge stone mansion housing Castle Marne is listed on the National Register of Historic Places—and it’s as beautiful inside as it is outside. Each of this bed and breakfast’s nine …

Talk about the Midas Touch. Over two decades ago, Yasu and Toshi Kizaki struck gold with one of Denver’s first sushi bars, Sushi Den; in 2007, they did it again with Izakaya Den just down the …

The name’s a bit cheeky—real dives rarely refer to themselves as such. And sure enough, Dive on Fifteenth doesn’t look all that different from its previous incarnation as Tryst Lounge. But its slogan, “LoDo in a …

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Colorado Ballet is perhaps the biggest jewel in the crown of the Denver Performing Arts Complex (most performances are held at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House). Though classics like Romeo …

The CY stands for Cliff Young—and you’ll see why the name should resonate so deeply with Denverites the second you enter the joint. A pioneer on the city’s fledgling dining scene in the 1980s, Young recently …

Think theater’s pretentious or all doom and gloom? The locally acclaimed Buntport Theater Company will make you think again. This six-person troupe collaborates and hosts a variety of different projects, from original plays to monthly themed …

Radek Cerny has been around the culinary world, and it shows in the sophistication of his successor to local legend Papillon—Boulder’s L’Atelier. The Czech native has cooked everywhere from New York to Vail, getting to know …

Named for its prime location adjacent to the Denver Center of Performing Arts, Hotel Teatro is itself plenty dramatic. Since opening, it has been accumulating awards as Denver’s Best Hotel (Zagat) and continually surfacing on Travel …

First they beat you with whisks made of birch and oak, then they rub you down with honey—it may sound odd, but you won’t knock it after you’ve tried it at Izba Spa. Izba means “log …

Sometimes it’s chill, the calm enhanced by the woody, green-accented décor; sometimes it’s wild. But whether it’s catering to the after-work or the after-hours crowd, Mynt Mojito Lounge means business when it comes to play. From …

Clothes may make the man (or woman), but accessories make the clothes—which means Fancy Tiger may just make your day. This extra-funky, staunchly indie Baker District boutique does sell plenty of frocks—many using recycled or organic …

Luxury is Kevin Taylor’s middle name, so you can bet that his long-standing signature restaurant in the Hotel Teatro is a bastion of all the finer things in life. The elegant yet warm decor of this …

Built in 1896 for a local jeweler, the brownstone mansion that now houses the Holiday Chalet is an oasis of gentility on raucous East Colfax. Though its nine rooms have been renovated to reflect the bed-and-breakfast’s …

Looking for a little peace and quiet from the sounds of the city? The 23-acre urban oasis that is the hip, wi-fi equipped Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street is a great place to think, write, …

A single glance into the plate-glassed storefront under a cherry-red awning tells you all you need to know about Brasserie Felix: it’s tout français, tout le temps (all French, all the time), with its neat white …

Tucked into a downtown courtyard across Larimer Street from her celebrated flagship, Rioja, Jennifer Jasinski’s Bistro Vendôme fits the standard Parisian model—cozy yet lively, simple yet sophisticated—from the breezeway two-tops to the shady patio. The kitchen …

The convivial vibe is as fresh and sparkling as the seafood at Highland Pacific, an urbane hangout for an urbane neighborhood.
With live music several nights a week, specials like half-price wine bottles and $1 oysters, and …

Founded by Colorado pioneer Edwin Carter to house his natural history collection- and growing ever since- the venerable, solar-powered Denver Museum of Nature and Science is as major a find as the million-plus artifacts and specimens …

Opening in 2008, the Ritz-Carlton Denver is the newest kid on the block—and boy, is he rich. Befitting one of the world’s most celebrated luxury hotel chains, this downtown accommodation lavishes its guests with every amenity …

Domo hasn’t won Westword’s reader’s choice award for Best Japanese Restaurant fourteen years in a row for nothing. On the contrary, it’s a Denver treasure all the way around.
To open the heavy wooden door is to …

Don’t be fooled by the downhome nickname: the Ellie, as Denverites call the home of Opera Colorado and the Colorado Ballet, is a world-class venue through and through. The crown jewel in the Denver Performing Arts …

There’s a saying that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. Voila- Studio Bini was born! Frustrated with the lack of cute kids clothes, new mom Linde Schlumbom began stitching and …

Not many city skylines boast a Ferris wheel and roller coaster amid the spires and office towers. Thanks to Elitch Gardens, downtown Denver does. Moving to its current site alongside the Platte River basin from its …

When size matters, Club Vinyl delivers. Occupying four stories, the huge, neopsychedelic space rises from a mellow basement bar to a rockin’ rooftop patio lined with sofas and fire pits; in between, of course, are pool …

No matter how vast and varied Denver’s dining scene gets, wood-and-leather-lined white-cloth chophouses will likely always form its core. And at the core of that core, along with Elway’s, Morton’s, and The Capital Grill, is  the lively …

Centered around an ultralounge that looks like a futuristic parlor—all mirrors and chandeliers, in shades of black, white, yellow, orange, Lucite, and chrome—5 Degrees aims to be as cool as its name. So does the flirty …

From the Fillmore Auditorium to the Ogden Theatre, East Colfax Avenue is bejeweled with historic concert venues. But the Bluebird Theater, at almost 100 years old, is the crown gem.
Like the infamous neighborhood itself, the location …

There’s colorful and then there’s colorful. The difference is clear at the Hotel Monaco. Every room, from the lobby to the themed suites, is awash in red, yellow, and turquoise, checkers, stars, and stripes.
In keeping with …

Quel surprise: tucked away amid the taquerias and panaderias along 38th Avenue is a true bistro, as français as français can be from the accents of the extremely accommodating hosts to the classic repertoire.
Westword’s Best French …

An early bloom in the blossoming East Highlands, Vita has endured in the light of its special perks. Funky and arty with the works of local painters, it boasts one of the city’s few rooftop terraces, …

When Top Chef’s Season 5 winner- and Boulder resident- Hosea Rosenberg goes to Denver for a night out, he heads to new restaurant Colt & Gray.  Hosea told citybuzz, “They are cooking the food that chefs, …

Although it may have owed its early fanfare to the popularity of its namesake, retired Broncos quarterback and co-owner John Elway, this Cherry Creek steakhouse has endured on its own merits: a swanky white-cloth setting, a …

The name evokes dusty shelves and cobwebbed corners, but the Tattered Cover Book Store is a sprawling, gleaming, three-location Denver institution—and its owner, Joyce Meskis, a local hero. No mere literary retail outlets, the trio of …

There are as many taquerias as there are mountain peaks around Denver, but as with the Rockies, a few rise above all the rest. El Taco de Mexico is one of them. The women behind the …

Owned by online EDM store Beatport and famed for its Funktion-One sound system, Beta is all about the house music—and the clubbers who thrive on it. Beyond the giant dance floor and equally spacious patio, the …

Denver may not be a cowtown at heart anymore—but on its fringes, country-and-Western culture still thrives. Voted Country Club of America by the Country Music Association, Grizzly Rose is its headquarters.
The sprawling honkytonk has it all: …

The yin to El Chapultepec’s yang, Dazzle is Denver’s other most esteemed jazz venue—and every bit as amenity-oriented as The Pec is no-frills. While its nightly lineup of both local and national talent—swing, bebop, fusion, et …

For a 21st-century cosmopolis, Denver still hasn’t lost its rough-and-tumble Wild West edge. Case in point: the super-popularity of roller derby. The city supports not one, but two leagues, the Rocky Mountain Roller Girls and the …

You don’t even have to step inside to see the art of the Denver Art Museum (a.k.a. the DAM): its ultramodern, extra-angular two-building exterior is a masterwork in itself, designed by world-famous architects Gio Ponti and …

From fancy to funky and fusilli to udon, no Denver restaurateur uses his noodle quite like Frank Bonanno, who has made a go of Italian destinations and Asian hangouts alike (see Luca d’Italia and Bones, respectively). …

Accessible by a long walking ramp, the MCA Denver bills itself as “the museum without a front door.” And to be sure, it does open wide to let the world in.
Eschewing a permanent collection, it …

When locals heard chef-about-town Sean Kelly had turned up at this smart, sexy Lower Highlands spot, they swarmed in pronto—and they haven’t left since. Hopping nightly with the city’s hipper foodies, LoHi SteakBar features a highly …

Opened in 1891, The Oxford was Denver’s first hotel, and it’s still going strong. Built by brewing magnate Adolph Zang, it looks every part the stately Grand Dame, with its sumptuous marble-floored lobby and collection of …

Attention, fishheads! It may be land-locked, but Sushi Den can swim with the best of ’em. That’s because owners Yasu and Toshi Kizaki have been in the business for 25 years and counting, importing seafood from …

Strolling through chic Cherry Creek North, you can’t miss Pismo Fine Art Glass, where master Dale Chihuly’s vibrant seaforms and abstract baskets practically burst through the windows.
The flagship of a four-store franchise, this split-level contemporary gallery …

There are community theaters, and then there are professional theaters that deeply engage their community. The Curious Theatre proudly falls in the latter category, often staging works by Denver-area scribes.
The company also offers annual playwriting workshops …

It won’t come as a surprise to fans of Kerouac, Cassady, Ginsberg, and Burroughs that the Beat Poetry Driving Tour isn’t officially instituted; like the mid-century literary movement itself, it’s DIY. But since Denver (along with …

Carrying a mix of new and vintage threads, Babareeba! Then & Now is a comfy, welcome departure from the super-trendy, spendy boutiques of Highlands Square.
Owner Jerilyn Berardi is a stickler for mint condition pieces, be they …

The Garden of the Gods is a beautiful park that lives up to its name: think breathtaking views of 300 spectacular sandstone formations against a clear blue sky and snow capped mountains. The Garden of the …

If you can get past the unsettling fact that it’s owned by a giant restaurant chain—and operates its own seafood eatery in full view of the tanks—you’ll discover that the Downtown Aquarium contains many other, far …

Though it’s best known as the home of the Nuggets and the Avalanche, the 5-story, 20,000-seat Pepsi Center is no mere sports venue. Located at the edge of downtown, the site of the 2008 Democratic National …

The smoke that hung thickly for decades has cleared, but that’s about the only difference between the El Chapultepec of yesteryear and the Pec, as it’s affectionately known, of today.
Tiny, dark, and frankly pretty dumpy, this …

Housed in two separate storefronts on Old South Pearl, 5 Green Boxes spilleth over with the stuff of great splurging. In the larger home boutique, you’ll encounter the likes of wastepaper baskets shaped like Chinese take-out …

You won’t find your traditional portraits here, but at the Andenken Gallery you can see much more interesting things like bodies wrapped in wooden flooring and works of art featuring the alphabet. Specializing in anything pop …

You’d think downtown Denver would be bursting with bars boasting panoramic views of the skyline and the Rockies beyond. Incredibly, you’d think wrong: Peaks Lounge, at the top of the Hyatt Regency, is the one and …

There are only two contenders for Denver’s best sushi—and they’re polar opposites. One is Sushi Den, a dark and rollicking madhouse on Old South Pearl. The other is Sushi Sasa. Opened by former Sushi Den employee …

From high end designers like Elie Tahari and Robert Rodriguez to boutique clothing lines Splendid and Black Halo, Garbarini has a fashion forward mix that would make even New York boutiques blush. With the posh Cherry …

Only three decades younger than 150-year-old Denver itself, The Brown Palace is not only a historic downtown landmark, but a living treasure. The can’t-miss triangular mass of red granite and sandstone has accommodated famous guests from …

It’s on East Colfax. It’s ensconced in a motel called the All In whose history of ill repute is far from ancient. And its logo is a burst of flames. Rockbar is marked by warning sign …

If Tattered Cover is Denver’s 800-lb. gorilla, Black and Read is its bespectacled bookworm burrowing into the local literary underground. Granted, new and used books in dizzying array—or disarray, as the case may be—aren’t the half …

The history of African Americans on the Western frontier is far richer than the average grade-school textbook lets on. It comes to life at the Black American West Museum, one of Denver’s most undersung treasures. Set …

As the owner of The Queen Anne Urban Bed and Breakfast with a background in both hospitality and sustainability, Milan Doshi has gone to great—make that green—lengths to make this pair of nineteenth-century Victorian houses a …

Of all the things you might find in the basement of a hundred-year-old downtown office building, a gorgeous, chandelier-hung cabaret may be the least likely. But it’s the most fun.
While the undisputed star of the Lannie’s …

From the late great Terminal Bar (immortalized in song by Tom Waits) to the Satire Lounge (where the Smothers Brothers got their start), Denver’s a treasure trove of storied dives. Among its most colorful gems is …