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 My Brother’s Bar, a scuffed and stained Depression-era time capsule revered by generations of fans of Jack Kerouac—who famously whiled away the hours here with fellow Beat hero Neal Cassady.

Yet this is no mere hipster hang. Another quirk of the Mile High City’s more historic haunts is their diversity, frequented by grizzled guzzlers and families alike; here, young and old, stoned and stone-cold gather ’round as much for the signature JCBs (jalapeno cream cheese burgers) as the booze.