Denver offers something for everyone during the week with a plethora of post-office (or post-class) happy hour options ranging from the neighborhood dive bar to the more sophisticated spots downtown. Working for the weekend might have a whole new meaning after college, but students can still save money at various spots around the city.
The Pioneer – 2401 S. University Blvd.
When the majority of happy hours are constricted to a time frame from 5-7 p.m. the Pioneer offers two happy hour specials everyday. The afternoon happy hour, from 3 – 7 p.m., and a late-night happy hour from 10 p.m. – 12 a.m., ensure that everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy themselves with $3 wells drinks or $1 off drafts. The Pioneer is the perfect place for the loyal Boone fan or the thrifty college student who is sure to get the most out of the $3 House Margaritas that are flowing endlessly from the tap. The Pioneer exudes college culture and an authentic neighborhood feel, making it the best place to go for a happy hour near campus. While the food specials are limited to Mondays and Tuesdays, most college students are more concerned about their beverages, rather than their bellies, but when you are craving some Mexican food to accompany your Margarita, the Pio is the place to go.
Zengo – 1610 Little Raven St.
Zengo is where the Zen meets the Go, with a downtown atmosphere that is both relaxing, yet stimulating. The low-lit red lighting makes it a seductive destination but in reality, the happy hour crowd is mostly middle-aged women catching up over Latin-Asian inspired cocktails. The happy hour is reserved to a specific section of the restaurant, where people are sitting on couches or high-top tables, making it a more intimate experience than a regular dinner reservation. Zengo’s happy hour is from 5 – 7p.m. and features $5 beverages like the Guava Mate, a refreshing blend of gin, guava juice, yerba mate and lime. For the person that likes to live on the wild side, spice things up with the Martini Peligroso which blends serrano pepper-infused vodka with cilantro and lime. The food is just as much the focal point of the happy hour as the beverages. While sipping on sangria or the Martini Peligroso, one can also be munching on guacamole or the salt-and-pepper shrimp roll for an average of $6 a plate. Overall, Zengo is the place to go when you feel like spicing things up and getting a change of scenery (but be ready to spend more money and wait longer).
Hapa – 2780 E. 2nd Ave.
Hapa offers a happy medium between an upscale downtown and casual campus bar. While happy hour usually has an emphasis on the cocktails, Hapa’s motto is about the meal. Traditional Japanese beers are $2.50 while sake-infused fruity cocktails are $3.50, but the real deal is their two for $7 rolls and half-off all appetizers. Although the happy hour rolls are much more simple than their signature rolls, which feature risqué pseudonyms like the XXX roll or the Booty Call roll, one can settle for a salmon avocado roll after filling up on delicious appetizers like the Magic Mushrooms, avocado wrapped in salmon topped with Japanese aioli or Hawaiian pork sliders. From Monday through Saturday, one can find the masses enjoying a late lunch or early dinner at the afternoon happy hour from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. On the weekends, the late-night crowd will flock to the restaurant from Thursdays through Saturdays for the reverse happy hour from 10 – 11 p.m. With two locations around the city, Cherry Creek and Downtown, students can decide on their desired destination, but Hapa’s overall atmosphere has a fast-paced vibe where friends can enjoy the art of watching sushi chefs carefully prepare each roll, all while snacking on one of their many appetizers.
Agave – 975 Lincoln St.
Only a five-minute drive from campus, Agave’s cozy and laid-back atmosphere is ideal for afternoon leisure and offers an authentic Mexican vibe. With a casual ambience and an extremely college-friendly price range, Agave is the kind of place to spend a few hours with a small group of friends playing a lively game of “Would you rather” or simply bonding over a shared love of margaritas and cheap tacos. Agave offers two tacos for $2 from 2 – 3 p.m., with the traditional options of carne asada, pastor, grilled chicken or carnitas. From 3 – 6 p.m. Agave offers a happy hour menu with two-for-one frozen margaritas and a variety of other food options including nachos, tortas, flautas and quesadillas. Agave’s outdoor patio seem suited to be a Thursday or Friday afternoon weekly occurrence during spring quarter, because spring quarter actually means “a 10-week period in which plentiful margaritas should be consumed.”
Vita – 1575 Boulder St.
Vita, meaning “life” in Italian, certainly lives up to its name by offering a little slice of life and escape from the bustle. Its happy hour from 3 – 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 2 – 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday is the perfect getaway from the stresses of everyday life and will relax any patron into a carefree state that is characteristic of exotic getaways in fantastic locals. With two -or-one appetizers and wines, as well as $5 double tall cocktails and $3 beer, Vita offers a happy hour rife with sophistication. However, the defining characteristic of Vita’s happy hour is that it can be enjoyed on the rooftop patio while basking in late afternoon rays of sunshine. With the slogan “Eat. Drink. Live,” Vita might just convince its happy hour patrons to partake in those activities for much longer than a single hour. Located in the Highlands, right around the corner from Little Man Ice Cream, Vita is the perfect way to end a day of leisurely window-shopping or a grueling day at the office.
The Corner Office – 1401 Curtis St.
Just a block away from the Convention Center light-rail station, The Corner Office exemplifies chic urban fusion at its very best. Every day from 3 – 6 p.m. and 9 – 11 p.m., the Corner Office offers discounted cocktails and a plethora of charming finger foods in the $4 – $6 range. Its bustling downtown atmosphere attracts a whole variety of young urban professionals, and its close vicinity to a hotel increases the likelihood of running into fascinating foreigners. For those who would choose food over alcohol any day, The Corner Office is sure to quell any afternoon pre-dinner cravings. With tacos, burgers, poutine, sliders, wings and ceviche, the Corner Office covers its cultural bases. With such a variety of food choices, this trendy joint is sure to have something to please almost every happy hour goer. The Corner Office also offers a selection of unique cocktails for $6 and well drinks and wine for $5. A variety of local beers cost $3 and for those who prefer the classics, The Corner Office offers $2 PBR. Be sure to check out the bathroom (it’ll be necessary anyway); it is arguably one of the best bathrooms in the city of Denver.
