Denver around Thanksgiving - Suggestions?
 

I'll be in Denver for Thanksgiving (Tuesday through Sunday) and will be staying downtown. I'll be staying at the Brown Palace and the Westin (Tues, Wed and Thurs Fri respectively).

I'm looking for some fun bars to go to or other activities for the evening. My wife and I don't like dance clubs. We're more bar, jazz or blues types.

Also, any suggestions on non-seafood restaurants would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Bump.

Go to Vesta for dinner. Delicious restaurant, famous for their dipping sauces.

mdtravel,

You say no seafood restaurants but what kind of food DO you really enjoy--this info would help with recommendations.

As for jazz, I'm not sure what the schedules will be like during Thanksgiving week, however, following are a few places that usually have it nightly:
1. Sambuca Jazz Cafe (5-10 minute walk from Westin): Part of a chain but they definitely feature jazz every night and the place has a pretty good atmosphere as well. You can either watch/listen from the bar or make reservations in the dining room. The food's not bad either.
2. Sparkle (5 minute ride from Brown Palace): Independent club featuring nightly jazz and blues. You can either listen from the bar or pay a small cover to watch from the main room. Funky atmosphere with some good music. Food is available although we haven't eaten there.
3. Manhattan Cafe (15 minute ride from Brown Palace): Very nice lounge/restaurant in chic Cherry Creek featuring Allen Brothers meat and jazz with torch singers. Call ahead to check their schedule.
4. Sullivan's (Lodo--5 minute ride from Westin): Another chain restaurant with nightly jazz duos/trios, a very comfortable lounge and great appetizers.
5. Ship's Tavern (inside the Brown Palace): Neat old nautically themed bar/restaurant that usually has some type of live music at night. Used to have local theatre people singing showtunes on weekends and may still have.

Even if you have a car, most of these places can be reached fairly easily by foot or combination of foot and 16th Street Mall shuttle (it's free!). Unless you're very familiar with driving downtown, I would avoid it.

Also, do you have a place to eat for thanksgiving? If not I can make a recommendation for places that may still have seating.

Have fun!

Strive

Strive, sorry about the ambiguity.

Our fare would include: Mexican, Italian, American (either fun informal or steak/chicken). We'll probably hit the Broker while we're down there, and possibly the Chop House as well.

I've got reservations for Thanksgiving at the Broker, but would love some more recommendations.

One of my favorite spots to get a beer is the Falling Rock Taphouse. Tons of imports (Belgium and German).

Thanks for the tips, and any others as well!

mdtravel,

More questions for you: First, are you going to have access to a car? Second, do you say "no seafood" beacause you don't like it, come from a seafood area or don't believe Denver has any that's good (any one of these is fine, just curious)? Finally, I can understand wanting to visit the downtown Broker since it's a bit of an institution (little worn around the edges though) but why The Chophouse? Are you aware it's just aanother part of the huge "Rock Bottom" chain? I realize I recommended a couple of cahin restaurants but mainly because they feature jazz I wasn't necessarily suggesting you eat at them.

And I'm not putting down chains--there are some great ones. I am simply wondering whether or not you'd like to eat at some independents or places that you can (perhaps) visit where you live?

Strive

Strive,
I didn't know that the Chop House is part of the RB chain...kind of taints it now.

We will have a car, entire weekend.

As for seafood, we just don't care for it. Not lobster, crab, sword, mahi...just none of it. Something must have happened as a kid for both my wife and I.

I have eaten at Vesta and we were impressed. That was a fun experience and I think we may return to it again this trip.

Mdtravel, I haven't been to Sambuca's but the atmosphere looks great from outside(although I have read they don't have great service). I have also heard great things about Sevilla.

For mexican everyone raves about the margaritas at the Rio. Check out http://denver.citysearch.com/ . You can look for restaurants and bars/clubs under classification or you can search for the recommended places and many of them have user reviews.

Strive,
You had mentioned that you may be able to suggest some spots for Thanksgiving dinner. I'd love to get those if the offer still stands.

mdtravel,

Your wish is my command...

If you have a car for Thanksgiving Day, my #1 suggestion would be the Briarwood Inn in Golden. Apart from being an excellent Victorian style Continental restaurant, The Briarwood is simply gorgeous during the holiday season. In addition to house specialties such as beef fondue, duck a'la orange, sole meuniere and beef wellington, they offer a traditional
Thanksgiving dinner (with all the fixins') as well as a fabulous holiday goose dinner.

The Briarwood is not cheap (dinners average around $30 - $40 Per) however, all of them are multi-course affairs (including several appetizers, salad and dessert) and there is simply no more beautifully appointed dining room in the area during the holidays.

It only takes 20-30 minutes to drive there and, obviously from my rantings, I believe it to be well worth the trip.

By the way, I called there yesterday and--as of then--they did still have availability for Thanksgiving. Granted their availability was for 7pm and later but when they've told me that in the past, I've made the reservation and simply showed up an hour early in case of earlier no-shows (always a big possibility on holidays). If you even think you might want to go, make your reservation NOW--you can always cancel later. Their ((T)) is 303-279-3121. And, no, I don't work there. ~o)

If The Briarwood is not an option you might try McCormick's at the Oxford Hotel. They, too, are offering a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner in their Dining Room. The hotel is one of the few left actually older than The Brown (the Brown has been open more consecutive years though--around 110)
and, although I haven't eaten there on Thanksgiving, I'm sure they'll do a good job.

Finally, speaking of The Brown Palace, they will most likely offer an excellent meal in their four star, four diamond Palace Arms restaurant as well as dinner in their less-expensive Ellynton's. Both should be good.

Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck.

Strive

mdtravel,

Forgot which computer I was on. Al LaCarte is my "aka".

Strive

If you get a chance, you should really try to get to Boulder. It's about 20-30 minutes by car. CU (University of Colorado) is playing their arch rival Nebraska (ugh!) on Friday, and the atmosphere is always unbelievable! A beautiful, vibrant college town that rocks when their is a big game!

Boulder has a huge array of great restaurants and bars as well. The Boulderado is a good place to start (hotel with 2 good bars and a beautiful mezzanine lobby bar.) Their is also a Rio there with great margs!

Go Buffs!

The Rio isn't actually in the Boulderado, but in Boulder (what I meant, sorry-). Not too far though.

Oh my, my grammar/spelling...I'll stop posting now! (so much for that CU education)