Denver's Best Live Music Bars

Cactus Jack's Saloon
Address: 4651 S Hwy 73, Evergreen, CO 80439

There are few better places to hear live music west of Denver than Cactus Jack's year-round, creekside heated deck. Local and regional bluegrass, jam, and cover bands take the stage every Friday and Saturday, much to regulars' delight. When the snow starts falling, the party moves inside to a warm, wood-paneled space strung with Christmas lights...

El Chapultepec
Address: 1962 Market St, Denver, CO 80202

El Chapultepec has been hosting jazz and blues notables since 1951, including the likes of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. The place is small and usually crowded, but it's known throughout Denver as the city's best venue for live blues and jazz. A limited menu of drinks and Mexican food is offered, and you'll want to try the burritos, which are...

Fadó Irish Pub
Address: 1735 19th St, Denver, CO 80202

Fadó offers authentic Irish pub atmosphere with food, drink, and entertainment to match. Inside, the place features a quintessential dark-wood bar and plenty of "pub" ambiance, which is especially accommodating after the sun goes down and the place gets packed. Fadó frequently features live music – dancing is always encouraged! – as well as...

Grizzly Rose
Address: 5450 N Valley Hwy, Denver, CO 80216

Country music fan? You've got to visit Grizzly Rose. In fact, it's won the Country Music Association's "Best Country Music Club" award. Old-time favorites like Willie Nelson and more recent names like LeAnn Rimes appear on the roster of previous performers. Pool tables, a mechanical bull, and a video game room round out the entertainment options....

Herman's Hideaway
Address: 1578 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80210

Get ready for loud, funky music at Herman's Hideaway. You'll enjoy the likes of Big Head Todd & the Monsters and Opie Gone Bad, who know how to get crowds rocking and on their feet. Performers with diverse musical styles have graced Herman's stage; as a result, you're likely to hear pop, reggae, Latin, jazz, hip-hop, rap, and blues. The crowd...

Mead Street Station Pub & Grill
Address: 3625 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211

Mead Street Station is widely considered one of Denver's best British pubs. The large food menu includes pub fare as well as more innovative offerings, although it's hard to compete with a pint of Guinness and a serving of requisite fish and chips. The drink menu is sure to please as well, thanks to a diverse supply of beers (on tap and bottled),...

Sing Sing
Address: 1735 19th St, Denver, CO 80202

The name says it all! Visitors to this good-natured venue are invited to join dueling piano players and belt out their favorite melodies. As many as four pianists tickle the ivories at one time, all pounding out rock and roll tunes, both classic and contemporary. In addition to rollicking entertainment, you'll find American-style eats, microbrews,...

Soiled Dove Underground
Address: 7401 E 1st Ave, Lowry Town Center, Denver, CO 80230

This one-time LoDo venue has migrated east to Lowry, the quickly growing residential and commericial area on the outskirts of the city. A warm color scheme with wood accents makes the spot below the Tavern Lowry an intimate, cozy space in which to hear live music, be it blues, jazz, or even big band. First-rate acoustics and free parking are...

The Little Bear
Address: 28075 Hwy 74, Evergreen, CO 80439

Both well-known artists and little-known local dynamos play at The Little Bear, drawing plenty of regulars. You never know who will be playing – it could be anyone from blues great John Lee Hooker to a Beatles cover band or a young alt-rock upstart. Perhaps best described as a rustic Western saloon and restaurant, The Little Bear also offers...

Trios Enoteca
Address: 1730 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202

Trios Enoteca boasts a cigar bar and a wine bar, both of which are elegant and upscale. Trendy up-and-comers nurse cocktails while listening to live jazz or R&B, and cigar lovers puff on favorite stogies, relaxing in overstuffed chairs in the comfortable lounge. A welcome selection of appetizers and desserts complements the large drink menu, and a...