Colorado Speakeasy Guide – The Best Secret Bars NOT In Denver
Colorado’s best speakeasies aren’t all hiding in Denver. From our cute mountain towns and college cities to unexpected corners of the Centennial State, these secret bars in Colorado reward curious drinkers willing to wander off the obvious path. This Colorado Speakeasy Guide uncovers the hidden bars scattered across the state—perfect for travelers, road-trippers, and anyone who believes the best drinks are the ones you have to hunt for.
Admittedly, these are not all going to be speakeasies. But if they call themselves speakeasies, we owe them a look!
Loveland
Sage Speakeasy & Lounge
On our way to Fort Collins, a quick Google search found Sage in Loveland, a perfect small town speakeasy. Our one deterrent was the sign out front (along with a podium holding their menu). But coming from a small town, we kind of understand the need to be a little more obvious. No task to get in, obviously, so we do struggle with the speakeasy concept and the lowering of their shaker rating.
Our experience was an interesting one. We walked in, there was a large-ish group of people towards the back of the room. Then this adorable host walks up to us, Josie. He is friendly and his smile lit up the room; he explained to us that the power was out on the entire block. They couldn’t serve food, and credit cards would have to be processed the old-fashioned way, by hand. But they were open. And the large, beautiful windows provided more than enough lighting.
The cocktails were fantastic. We loved Josie and Jeremy behind the bar. Their smoked pineapple old-fashioned is one of their most popular signature cocktails. It was amazing. I had a Velvet Sunset, peachy, creamy with vanilla vodka. We hated to one-and-done Sage, but Josie let us know about a low-key, little-known Loveland speakeasy right around the corner. We had to squeeze it in before getting back on the road.
Rosie’s
Ok, now we are talking speakeasy. Rosie’s is hidden in the back of a barber shop. There is a mention on the outside sign of cocktails, but no obvious GO HERE sign that we dislike. The woman in the barbershop said Rosie’s didn’t open for another 20 minutes, but Troy (the owner) was back there if we wanted to go check it out. Troy was happy to open a few minutes early for us, which we absolutely love and give bonus points for hospitality.
Rosie’s was definitely eclectic and playful. With Dexter’s Lab on the projector wall next to the bar, a Mystery Machine poster and some very interesting concoctions Troy had developed.
I opted for a Golden Mummy Golden Bird which had Rum, chocolate & lime cordial, hazelnut liqueur, and an absinthe rinse, which Troy assured me was just to highlight the flavors not to licorice it up. It was interesting. I’m still trying to figure out if I liked it, but it definitely was exactly what the menu described, you could taste every note Troy said I would. Peggy opted for a bourbon and hibiscus cocktail called David De La Hoz. But as our driver, she only had a couple of sips before erring on the side of caution and calling it good for a sample.
Fort Collins
The Social
In 2022 and 2023 The Social Fort Collins made the list of 50 Best Speakeasies in America, so this was a must visit for America’s Leading Speakeasy Authority.
There is a sign out front that simply has a clock which says Social on it. We are giving them hidden credit for not mention of being a bar or a speakeasy. Plus, it is in a basement. There was a check-in security at the top of the stairs and a hostess at the bottom. So while not exactly a task, it wasn’t just a walk-in situation.
The room is beautiful, yet quite expansive. It just didn’t feel intimate, like we have come to know speakeasies to be. The menu was fantastic, and the bartender was cool and informative, and gave us some great feedback on the menu. We didn’t eat, but we loved that where you sometimes see an open kitchen, The Social had a glass walled charcuterie preparation station. We love a good charcuterie board, especially seeing cheese and meat cut fresh and not pre-packaged.
There is a great selection of cocktails, and the menu is sectioned between your classic cocktails, your speakeasy-era cocktails, and then their more inventive “Secret Garden” selections.
ssn – and bonus points for a welcome drink!!
We loved our experience. I’m not sure it would make our list as “best”, but it is definitely on the higher side of our shaker rating system. And in fairness, we probably would have loved it more if we could have stayed for some serious drinking, and if there wasn’t a cranky, slightly douche-y husband on one side of us (someone else’s husband, not Patti’s).
Salida
Rocky Mountain Mercantile – The Blind Bighorn
This was a happy moment.
A very happy accident.
There was a sign on the street that said “Whiskey Bar” and an arrow. But when we walked up the street to the sign it was just an upscale western wear boutique called Rocky Mountain Mercantile. Geared towards the shopping tourist, but it still does say whiskey bar, so we went in. Great shop with great clothes, and a few cute little home goods and jewelry. If you keep walking back you will see a cigar case, a knife case, and then yep, a bar.
The Blind Bighorn
Now, The Blind Bighorn Speakeasy is still in conceptual mode, but the bar was open. Here we met Jeff behind the bar, and he shared that while he was new to bartending, the concept was in development. And he was learning. Jeff makes guitars, yes, handmade guitars. He used to own a rafting company in youngers days and spent a great portion of his life outdoors, which is how he ended up in Salida. He and his business partner, Kurt, who makes ukulele and banjos, decided to open this boutique in the front space of their backroom workshop. Then they realized that they were drinking enough in this space that they should just put a bar in.
Now it’s a full whiskey bar, with the option to buy full bottles from their selection and lease a locker; therefore, you can come in anytime and drink from your own supply while you hang out with them. Fantastic concept for a local’s hangout. And Kurt and Jeff were fun and informative to hang out with. We love planners and dreamers and artists; they are those people. They plan to do a little framing in, add a hidden entry, and turn it into a full speakeasy. We cannot wait to go back and celebrate its grand reopening with them! Please send us an invite, Jeff!!!
Velveteen
Another “not a speakeasy”, but we are including it because it lists itself as a speakeasy and the bartender told me “This is literally a speakeasy” (yes, that is a direct quote but she didn’t say it in a rude way). But this is not a speakeasy: it is not hidden, it is not mysterious, there is nothing speakeasy about this.
It is, however, a great bar. The cocktails were great. We loved the feel of the bar and the quirky, literary theme, and it was definitely a comfortable bar to hang out in. The back outside patio was amazing, and they were preparing to set up for live music, there is also a food truck out back serving Mediterranean food. And we did love that there are plenty of game cards set at each table to provide social interaction and conversation.
So, we do absolutely recommend popping into Velveteen if you are in Salida, try them but do not expect to find a speakeasy inside the propped-wide-open door.
Colorado Springs
Shame and Regret
This is so close to being the ideal speakeasy. It is dark, it is moody, it has a little Victorian era dark, witchy vibe to it – picture upscale goth. Plus, one of the best names ever!
If only there wasn’t a big neon sign outside.
Down a side alley, so we give them points because you would have to be looking for it. No task to get in, which I hate to say is definitely becoming the norm for our visits and is sadly taking away from the fun of the speakeasy claim.
However, Shame and Regret has an amazing whisky and scotch selection. They were definitely on theme with the drink titles like Shame Spiral and Lowered Expectations. I loved the “You Up?”, their Shame and Regret espresso martini. And Blackmail is perfect for old-fashioned aficionados.
District Elleven
This is a bit of a conundrum in our shaker rankings. We walked down a back alley. There is a huge painted DISTRICT ELLEVEN painted on the side of a building wall. So hardly a secret, but sticking to our set ratings, we gave it a half shaker, because it didn’t say what it was.
The inside is cool: black and sophisticated looking, with a little divey-punk feel. Black aesthetics, dark, leather, whiskey bar. Our bartender, Alex, was perky and cool. Again, a conundrum, looking like she (or maybe they, we failed to ask) should be all hard and tough, bald, tattoos, but then sweet, with amazing dimples, a great sense of humor, and could make a stiff cocktail. An amazing combination. They were awesome, made great drink recommendations, said anything could be made that we could envision. We loved Alex!
The main bar room had insanely high ceilings with great artwork, mirrors, and eclectic remnants of the past decorating the walls from floor to ceiling. Velvet couches, comfy chairs, and then a side room with booths. So, yes, we loved it, and it was incredible.
But THEN, we exited through the other doorway, and bang! It was a T-Byrds Tacos & Tequila. If you come in through the street side, it is in the back of a Mexican restaurant, and yes, it is completely hidden. So, bingo-bango-bongo, we have a hidden speakeasy, with full shaker, and full happiness from us!!!
The Archives Underground
Down a back alley, around to the back of the building, there are some stairs leading down to a basement “underground”. We loved the lunch board that said, “This is the bar you’ve been looking for”. But so very disappointed in the sign next to that which read “The Archives Underground Speakeasy, this way”.
It had a fairly plain interior without a lot of art or eye-catching decor, but we did love the bar and the menu. Not much for a theme, but three people at the bar were having hamburgers that looked flat out incredible. The service was good; it had an industrial feel that made us think this would be where you would want to hang out after a tough shift at work. There were a couple of tables that appeared to be date night clientele. I could see this would be a good date spot, not too loud, not too crowded.
I loved that the menu book also had a spot in the back where people were free to contribute jokes, and that the bartender stayed engaged with the people at the bar, even visitors to the area, not just the locals he knew.
There is an entrance through Colorado Craft that may be more hidden, but we did not check that out.
Allusion
Allusion has two locations in Colorado Springs. This location is a speakeasy inside the Wobbly Olive downtown, the other inside the Wobbly Olive on Powers. They change themes every 90 days. We were skeptical about the ability to rotate themes and have it still be fully executed. We were wrong to doubt them.
Originally, we showed up on a Wednesday night but were told that they were closed when they changed the theme over from Shrek to Jurassic Park.
Jurassic Park, I am so in for that! I love me some Jurassic Park (minus #2), and Jurassic World (again, minus #2). We made a special trip back a week later and were floored.
The theme was magnificent. From the Skeleton on the toilet, to the Raptor eye peeking through the door hole, it was impressive. All the drinks had movie themed names based on lines from the movies, like “Clever Girl” and “Future Ex Mrs. Malcom”. I opted for the “We have a T-Rex” and Peggy had the “Life Finds a Way”. The drinks are served in various dinosaur shaped containers, and one fantastic drink is served in a Barbasol can. We closed out our experience with the “Really Big Pile of Shit” shot of vanilla vodka, chocolate liqueur and cream served in a poop emoji shot glass.
Dylan, or Dr. Grant as he told us to call him, was a great bartender, and we absolutely loved our experience at Allusion.
ssn – be sure to make reservations, it was busy and we were lucky to score 2 seats at the end of the bar.
Beaver Creek/Minturn
The Minturn Whiskey Company (Beaver Creek)
Up in Beaver Creek (seasonally in Village Park), the Minturn Whisky Company is relatively new to the Colorado speakeasy scene, and we are thrilled to have made it over to visit them. Beaver Creek is a super cute (although super bougie) ski village. The kind you can ski right out of your condo and onto a ski lift. But this was summertime, and there is some cute little shops and restaurants around the area. A trip to the mountains was just what we needed to get out of the desert heat.
Coming around the corner, you can see through the big picture windows into the bar inside, but the challenge is figuring out how to get in. We loved the 1970’s themed real estate office front. All 70’s orange and yellow, very retro décor, we were a little disappointed that there was a sign outside that clearly said “this is a speakeasy” – but it’s summertime and we are understanding of their need to draw in business.
And they are scoring a shaker for how to get in. But we aren’t going to tell you how that is achieved, it is not difficult, and you should be able to figure it out pretty quickly; however, we are not one to spoil the challenge.
Serving only Minturn Whisky Company whisky, family-owned, small-batch, locally made, plus they have a great cocktail list. The standard whisky cocktails like a Manhattan and a killer old-fashioned, they also have crafted some of their own, you can also opt for a whisky tasting. We recommend the tasting because we really liked this whisky.
The Minturn Whiskey Company Wee Dram (Minturn)
Additionally, they have the smallest whisky tasting room in Colorado at their OG saloon in Minturn – the Wee Dram. Absolutely go find them! It’s a cute little ski shack, with a tiny fireplace, seating for just about 12 people, and the same cocktails as the speakeasy. We fell in love with Kyler, and the locals hanging around outside for the live music prior to the rain starting.
ssn – the Wee Dram won my choice for Best Bar of 2025 in our annual travel awards!
The Minturn Whisky Co. (Beaver Creek) gets high marks from us and would be sky-rocketed to the top of our shaker rating, minus the sign out front. And the winter seasonal speakeasy is open now (January 2026) so go check it out!
Breckenridge
Canary Bar – Hotel Alpenrock
The Canary Speakeasy Bar was the last stop on our Colorado Speakeasy road trip adventure. We were excited to be in Breckenridge. But there were no reservations available for The Canary until 9:15 at night. We were bummed but determined to push through. Located inside the Hotel Alpenrock, we showed up early “just in case” and were told by the lobby check-in that they would come get us when our table was ready.
I was, admittedly, cranky. I was tired, I was hungry, my family was irritating me from a distance, and I was ready to bail. That’s when Rob showed up with two champagne flutes with our welcome drinks. Now, y’all know how much we love a welcome drink! The drink changes with each guest, but ours was Amaro.
Canary Bar Entrance
Rob was amazing. On your way to the hidden entrance (and yes, it’s hidden, we could not find it on our own and circled the common areas a couple of times), Rob tells you about the hotel, the theme, the décor, the thought process. And let me tell you, it’s pretty impressive.
The hotel is gorgeous but also has been so well thought out to reflect the seasons as you move from area to area. We get to the Edwin, the upscale restaurant on property. It is beautiful, summer themed, in a very Colorado ski town way. And at the entrance they have 4 tree trunks, these are from the one and only tree they had to cut down to build the hotel – so they “live on” inside the property, very cool.
Then we go back through the restaurant and are pretty sure Rob has tricked us into an evening of dishes in the kitchen when he stops and knocks on a bookshelf – and it’s a secret knock too!! He opens the door to the completely hidden, very elegant Canary Speakeasy. Dark, rich, stylish, we sit at the bar, disappointed that the caged canary is fake (but I guess that’s to be expected).
Cire behind the bar brings us “guidebooks”, their replacement for a menu. There are about 4 cocktails at the back by the wine and whisky list, but the front is all about the alcohol, the variety, the descriptor, suggestions for complimentary flavors. And you tell Cire how you are feeling, what your wheelhouse is, and he creates you cocktail for you. A hit for Peggy, a little bit of a miss for me, but still a great cocktail. This is definitely a 5-Shaker experience, and I am so glad we stayed for it.
Durango
Bookcase & the Barber
While we did not make it this trip, a true 5-Shaker experience that you must visit is the Bookcase and the Barber in Durango. Peggy has been and raves about it. Tucked behind a bookcase in a working barbershop (hence the name, duh), this literary themed cocktail bar is near perfection. Not only is the entrance hidden, but you need a password to get in – it can be found on their social media.
It is an intimate, local experience where the bartenders seem to know everyone and are super friendly and chatty. Also, worth noting that it also makes Fifty Grande magazine’s list of the Coolest Speakeasies in America.
Colorado Conclusion
In closing, this is our first speakeasy blog focusing on an entire state. Most of these are still just in the “speakeasy style” and not true to our definition but there were a few standouts – Canary, Bookcase & The Barber, Minturn Whisky Co. And yes, we are still missing one or two around the state (specifically we had to skip Aspen and Vail).
We love Colorado and all there is to see and experience. It’s gotten a little long, but hopefully this will continue as a new trend to cover bars outside of a major metropolitan area. We know some of you are anxious to explore cool places outside of urban expanses. And we are here for it!
Please reach out and let us know where you think we need to cover next, or if you have any inside information on places, we need to get on our list to visit!
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