108 APRIL 4-10, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | runs through the multi-level bar and res- taurant that opened in May 2023. The space doubles as a music venue with a small stage for performers, but the highlight is the rooftop patio with a view that spans the entire Front Range. Best Vintage Spirits List Run for the Roses 1801 Blake Street 720-573-9155 rftrbar.com Subterranean gambling-themed cocktail lounge Run for the Roses has become a destination for drink afi cionados. Comb through the clever custom deck-of-cards menu and you’ll fi nd special reserve cock- tails made with vintage liqueurs and spirits — a passion of owner Stephen Waters. He often imports these hard-to-fi nd bottles, having to fi rst verify the authenticity from halfway across the globe. The result is an impressive collection that includes a 1960s Cherry Heering; a 1979 Scotch whisky from Speyside; Maraschino from the late 1940s; and Benedictines, Bacardis, Amaro and Mezcal from decades ago. These spirits are fun to sip neat, but we recommend trust- ing the experts behind the bar to showcase them in a well-crafted concoction. Best Bar for Girls’ Night Lady Jane 2021 West 32nd Avenue ladyjanedenver.com In a post-pandemic world, the desire for transportive, escapist experiences is at an all-time high. Add colorful, frothy, tropical- inspired cocktails into the equation and you have Lady Jane, a bar that’s something like if Palm Springs and a neighborhood watering hole had a baby. From the breeze block in the entryway to the cozy booths, bartenders in tropical shirts and lush green plants, Lady Jane is a captivating, laid-back oasis. The drinks refl ect the vibrant but un- pretentious vibe, and you can expect to fi nd an array of colorful cocktails and mocktails that speak to seasonality and celebrating past vacations to far-fl ung places. Best Place to Drown Out Your Annoying Friend esp HiFi 1029 Santa Fe Drive 720-751-8163 esphifi .co We all have that one friend who loves the sound of their own voice a little too much. Luckily, there’s esp HiFi, Denver’s fi rst jazz kissa-style record bar, which has been pouring original cocktails to match its impressive sound system and record collection since 2021. Take your annoy- ing friend here and you’re guaranteed to hear some crisp tracks that will help you tune them out. Sure, you might have to sit through a way-too-detailed description of their own record collection later, but the promise of an otherwise peaceful hangout is well worth it. Best Bar for Good Vibes Fort Greene Bar 321 East 45th Avenue fortgreenebar.com Fort Greene is the kind of well-kept-secret bar that you don’t want anyone other than your closest circle to know about. More people, you fear, would change the ecosys- tem of the cool, low-key (at least before 9 p.m.) good time that you’ve come to expect since 2015. Dotted with funky wallpaper, velvet couches, a disco ball and an abun- dance of plants that complement the over- 100-year-old dark-wood bar, Fort Greene attracts Denver artists, makers, musicians and creatives for its DJ-led dance parties, art parties, disco-room movie screenings and dog-centric patio gatherings. Best Bar on a Snowy Night The Thin Man 2015 East 17th Avenue 303-320-7814 When it snows, the fl akes are illuminated in the bright street- Food and Drink continued from page 106 continued on page 110 GETT Y IMAGES/ MA_RISH
