I am a fan of Hamburger Mary’s and have been for some time.įor me, food and culture blend well at Hamburger Mary’s, and the chill nature was one of the first exposures to queer culture some of my friends ever had, which I believe made it easier for them to accept me coming out years later. Its website begins its introduction in such fashion, stating, “Hamburger Mary’s is an open-air bar & grille for open-minded people…” When I brought up the fact to some people in my family and group of friends and colleagues that Hamburger Mary’s was indeed one of many franchises across the country, they did not believe me, which I believe lends itself to how well this specific Hamburger Mary’s has been able to ingrain itself into the very specific and very niche culture of modern Denverites. Hamburger Mary’s, at 1336 E 17th Ave, is, dare I say it, one of the more important cultural institutions in modern Denver history.
Oh yeah, the drinks are pretty cheap too.Ī Denver must-visit spot for over 50 years, R&R Bar is still going strong and not calling it quits anytime soon. The bartenders are nice and often pour with a heavy hand. They laugh, the play darts, they’ll read you in the most flattering way. Think of all those dive bars in the movies where everyone is smiling and a little drunk.
The atmosphere is light-hearted and the clientele is always eclectic. R&R bar is fun, friendly, and “not cliquey,” according to Illgen. “We do complimentary breakfast burritos before the parade, so that’s always a big thing, and people get a couple of cocktails in ‘em before the festivities start.” “We open the Sunday of Pride Week at 7:30 a.m.,” explained Rich Illgen, owner of the bar. While unassuming and small, R&R Bar proudly serves the LGBTQ community and is going to be participating in Pride again this year. Nestled snugly on Colfax, R&R Bar was a cozy and becoming hole-in-the-wall before dive bars and the grimy charm of Colfax were hip. Even if you aren’t a member of the Latinx or LGBTQ communities, the dual dance floors and constant entertainment will make you feel right at home.ĭenver’s oldest gay bar, R&R Bar is a Denver staple.
If you are looking for some awesome entertainment and non-stop dancing, check out Lipstick Nightclub. We have six organizations that do their shows here.” “We have different people renting every single week,” Neeave said. With two hosts to lead their dual dance floors, Lipstick is booked up almost every night of the week for an event. and host birthday parties and celebrations of all kinds. In addition to the Pride festivities, Lipstick Nightclub is known in the LGBTQ community as one of the bars with the most going on. On Friday, the 16th, we have a Latino singer coming on the 17th we have our Pride Party with go-go dancers, and on the 18th we will be opening the bar early, at 4 p.m.” “We’ll have official after-parties for some of the Latin singers coming to town, as well as some dancers from L.A. “For Pride, we have our kickoff on Thursday, the 15th,” Brenden Neeave, who sets up events and manages the bar, said. With two dancefloors, one that plays top 40 and another that plays Latinx music, it’s also one of the best places in town to have a drink or cut loose. Lipstick Nightclub, Denver’s resident gay Latinx club, has a lot of great things planned for Pride. If you haven’t already, check out X Bar for Pride festivities or just generally to get down with the LGBTQ community. Also, my favorite event of the year is Fairytopia, and it is coming up Saturday August 12.” “Pride is the most intense and fun weekend of the year because we get to meet so many people from all over the country. “In addition to our weekly events like Karaoke (Tuesdays), Lip Sync (Thursdays), and Latin Night (Fridays in O Lounge) we have had some really fun events, including a Hillary Clinton promotion where America Ferrara and Lena Dunham came to the bar to speak,” she said. People flock to the bar to dance and get down or just to drink and relax, and many in the LGBTQ community have made it their regular hangout. The bar boasts nightly specials and drink deals, as well as two dance floors for the weekends and a large patio section.