Thank you Denver Westword and We appreciate your votes, and are grateful for your love and support. Food and Drink continued from page 86 Or hand out roses to every woman who comes in the door? Best New Industry Bar The Crypt 1618 East 17th Avenue 720-542-9543 thecryptdenver.com For a decade, Priscilla Jerez worked at Tooey’s Off Colfax, a haven for those look- ing for drinks and camaraderie with a side of punk spirit after a long shift. Now, along with business partners Chris Maynard and Dale Canino, she’s re-created that atmosphere of late-night revelry at the Crypt, where the smoking patio out front is fi lled with peo- ple trading stories (and lighters) under the moonlight. And inside, you’re highly likely to run into at least a few old friends while grabbing a cocktail or vegan late-night bite. Best Bar for Your Inner Child The Electric Cure 5350 West 25th Avenue, Edgewater theelectriccure.com Edgewater’s newest (and only) tiki bar doesn’t take itself too seriously, regularly hosting month-long themes that involve Jurassic Park, Krampus and good old-fashioned satanism. The art on the walls includes portraits of a half-naked George Costanza, Patrick Bate- man, a tyrannosaurus, Frank Reynolds, Dr. Steve Brule and fat Elvis, and you might see a ceramic penis pop up every once in a while. But don’t you dare accuse the Electric Cure’s bartenders of screwing around with the drinks. Each theme comes with an elaborate drink menu full of rums and liqueurs, with the latest Devil-inspired go-round featuring names like Deplorable Day Trader, Passion of the Christ and Honey, I Shrunk Your Head. Thanks to you, our house margarita recipe has won BEST HOUSE MARGARITA 7 out of 8 years! Best Place to Drink Malört TrashHawk Tavern 1539 South Broadway 303-320-7798 trashhawktavern.com There’s no better place to get trashy on Chicago’s famed (for its bitter AF taste) spirit Malört than this bar that debuted in 2021. Owner Erin Homburger spent most of her twenties living in the Windy City and has re-created the cozy, lived-in vibes of its neighborhood bars on South Broad- way, in a comfortable space complete with pool table, large back patio, Montucky cans, “trash charcuterie” (aka Lunchables) and a long list of beer-and-shot combos, includ- ing the Chicago Handshake — a shot of Malört and a can of Old Style. 88 Best Sunken Bar The Castle Bar & Grill 6657 South Broadway, Littleton 303-798-5981 castlebarandgrill.co Inside a building shaped like a castle (no surprise there) is one of the friendliest bars in metro Denver, a sunken square presided over by tattooed staffers and surrounded by captain’s chairs, with high-tops and cozy booths circling the action. The vibe is relaxing and unpretentious, as are the patrons. Snag a 20-ounce personalized mug for $20, good for a lifetime of 20-ounce pours for 16-ounce prices (enjoy them at the sunken bar), and settle in for the night. The fare is simple but tasty, with budget food specials such as 75- cent wings every Thursday and buy-one-get- one-half-off burgers (among the best in town) on Tuesdays. With karaoke, bingo, trivia and chatty regulars of all stripes, you’ll never be bored when you storm the Castle. Best New Bar Dew Drop Inn 1033 East 17th Avenue 720-612-4160 dewdropinndenver.com Although it only opened in May 2021, the Dew Drop Inn already feels like a longtime neigh- borhood mainstay. That’s because it comes from a team of longtime bar pros — the same women behind such staples as the Horseshoe Tavern and Embassy Tavern, among others. On cold days, the inside is a lively yet cozy respite from the snow; a large patio out front is ideal for summer sipping. Cocktails range from classics to new creations, there are two happy hours daily, and you can get a beer- and-shot combo for $8 anytime. All that is bolstered by the food from Fush, a man who worked at the iconic Falling Rock Tap House for 22 years until it closed. Here he’s getting the chance to let his culinary talents shine with big bowls of mussels in spicy red curry, poutine with house-smoked pork, crispy Japanese-style fried chicken and much more. Best Corner for Eating and Drinking Larimer and 36th Streets If you’re planning a night of bar- and restau- rant-hopping, you don’t need to wear your hiking boots for this crawl. Start off at Fish N Beer for happy hour, which kicks off at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and whet your appetite with raw and chargrilled oysters and a beer-and-shot combo — best enjoyed at a counter seat in front of the wood-fi red stove. Then head next door to Hop Alley (you’ll want to make a reservation) for some of the best Chinese food in the city from Uncle owner Tommy Lee: Don’t skip the la zi ji and bone-marrow fried rice. Afterward, full and buzzed off booze and Szechuan peppercorns, saunter across Larimer for late-night drinks at the Embassy Tavern, where you can soak in the success of the night on the back patio. Best Menu That’s Full of Surprises Misfi t Snack Bar 3401 East Colfax Avenue misfi tsnackbar.com We fi rst got to know chef Bo Porytko’s rebel- lious take on food at Rebel, which shuttered in 2018. But Porytko made a comeback in 2019 when he took over the kitchen at Mid- dleman. Instead of serving up typical bar snacks, though, Misfi t pushes the bounds of culinary creativity — and you never know what you’re going to fi nd on the menu (ex- cept for the signature burger, which is one of the best in town). From a tempura-fried whole head of broccoli that looks more like a turkey leg than a veggie dish to duck and foie gras fried dumplings and andouille sausage Scotch eggs, we’ll eat whatever Porytko is cooking. continued on page 90 APRIL 7-13, 2022 WESTWORD | BACKBEAT | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | westword.com
