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An under-the-radar sort of bar that on any given evening might be populated by rockers, writers, lawyers, hair stylists or, well, you never know. Whether prelude to a meal, an after-work wind-down or post-dinner nightcap, the bartender here pours a most satisfying libation, whether shaken or stirred.
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This offshoot of the popular hangout for Washington insiders in the nation’s capital is dark and clubby. Generous pours from a range of vodkas ease you through the transition from powerbrokering to the evening’s poker game or whatever other games powerbrokers play. Like the mother ship in the District of Columbia, the room is all dark wood, subdued light and testosterone. But in a good way.
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A popular Cherry Creek neighborhood bar frequented by locals and visitors as well (being as it’s an easy walk from the nearby JW Marriott hotel), the Grill is a a just plain nice place to be. It’s perfectly OK to eat at the bar, and if there isn’t a crazy crush thoughtful bartenders will replace your martini glass with a chilled one if it looks like the contents are drifting toward room temperature.
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Ambience abounds here, a renovated Art Deco spot in Denver’s Lower Downtown. Patterned after a lounge on the Queen Mary, its rescue renovation kept the original chrome and neon that draws attention to art that portrays various international toasts. It’s hard to believe Denver almost lost the Oxford Hotel housing the Cruise Room. But it didn’t and Denver is the better for it.
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Jazz lovers take note, the martinis here are cold and the live music is hot, hot, hot. A lounge-like coziness beckons and holds you attention no matter the season. And once the jammin’ starts, it’s a perfect place to wait for a table, or to adjourn to before heading for your room or home – locals like this spot too.
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The 4-6 Happy Hour here is heaven for oyster lovers who enjoy a good slurp of bivalves as accompaniments to the martini of choice. It’s an easy place to debate the relative merits of Wellfleets and Kumamotos; Bluepoints or Moonstones; Atlantic or Pacific mollusks as you sip. There is always enough variety from both coasts to pair nicely with a hearty martini, be it dry or dirty.
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Steak houses are supposed to have good martinis, and this classy joint is no exception. Augmented by the strategic placement of oversized containers filled with fresh flowers, Del Frisco’s caters to a clientele clearly defined by its smartly dressed diners and their expensive cars, customarily parked by attentive valets. Also a gathering place for sports figures, real and imagined cowboys who mingle easily with captains of industry – some ensconced in corner offices in the nearby Tech Center.
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Another neighborhood fave, and one that consistently wins high marks for its martini menu. Who knows where the notion arose of filling olives with blue cheese, anchovies or citrus, but a review of the grill’s stirred (never shaken) libations served up in the familiar thin-stemmed triangular vessel is bound to slake the devotee’s thirst, whether it leans toward gin, vodka, ginger, sake or just plain vermouth.
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Located in Denver’s Grande Dame of hotels, the tavern’s pub-like setting incorporates the appropriate nautical themes with such un-pub-like offerings as the “El ‘Tini,” which unites El Tesoro platinum tequila with lime and ruby red grapefruit juices. A suave gathering place where, Wednesday through Saturday, a pianist tickling the ivories provides background sounds. Stroll through the hotel lobby and appreciate the architectural touches that make place truly grand.
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Nestled in the East Highlands, which embraces an easy, breezy, laid-back bar scene, is a product of Metro bar big shot, the Big Red F Restaurant Group. Ignore that you're indulging in a delightfully sweet libation nearly adjacent to North Denver’s historic Olinger Mortuary and you’ll feel totally at ease at Lola, a spacious Mexican-coast influenced bar and bistro. It has a large upstairs dining area, downstairs tailored for private parties and inside/outside bar providing prime no-strings-attached, no-conversation-necessary scoping opportunity. And the mojitos are excellent. Lola fits right in with Big Red’s All Star Brigade of Jax, the West End, Zolo and Centro, as it seamlessly combines an amicable bar scene with refreshing exotic drinks and a pleasing seasonal menu.