Even More Holiday Bars Popping Up in Denver

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The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by drinking it with friends so dear. If you’ve been craving eggnog and wintry spiced rum punch, check out the festive spirits being served at fun seasonal pop-up bars in and around Denver. Part of a growing tradition in Denver and beyond, these seasonal bars ride into town with a sleigh full of kitschy holiday decor and deck the hell out of bars, lounges, and food halls—and they’re the ideal spots to spread some holiday cheer. Sure, they may appear super cheesy at first glance, but spend some time in one and you’ll find it’s almost impossible to avoid getting caught up in the spirit of the season. Go ahead and embrace it: don your favorite ugly sweater, order an eggnog and sip it out of a Santa head mug, and belt out “Feliz Navidad” with your friends at the bar. You know you want to. And you can at any of these top spots for all the tinsel-draped action you can take in Denver.

You’ve never seen a brewery decked out like this. This neighborhood taproom on Tennyson’s been transformed into a winter wonderland, with wall-to-wall decorations and a fun lineup of holiday happenings and cheer all month long. Every day, the first customer through the doors gets to open the advent calendar for the day, revealing the prize inside—anything from merch specials to huge discounts for everybody that day. And that’s just the start of what they’re calling “the most ridiculously, jubilant holiday experience EVER!”

They’ve hidden 24 items throughout the place for a daily scavenger hunt, and there’s a giant six-foot stocking with CTA beers, gear, gift cards from local businesses, and tons of great swag from some of their friends around the Highlands. They’ll be pulling the winning ticket on Dec. 30, and you can grab $2 raffle tickets with every beer purchase until then.

But wait, there’s more! A whole lot more, in fact. Call to Arms holiday extravaganza features weekly events, daily holiday activities, multiple fundraisers and more. Check out their Facebook page for details on the Holiday Market, Santa photo ops, a mini Santa Con, and other fun festivities. Everything is free to attend and the brewer’s also got hot chocolate each weekend, photo ops with Santa, and holiday movies playing in the tasting room throughout the month.

Big Holiday Energy | Call. to Arms Brewing Company | 4526 Tennyson St., Denver | More info here.

Snowdrift at Adrift Tiki Bar

If you like making love at midnight, the eggnog-inspired piña colada at Adrift Tiki Bar’s holiday pop-up Snow Drift is calling your name. The space has been fully equipped with powdery snow, an icicle kissed bar, a festive heated patio, and a holiday food and drink menu that’s sure to warm your belly.

All month long, enjoy holiday activations including Adrift’s Red Rum Wednesdays, which transitions the typical horror movie nights to feature spooky holiday flicks. Head over to Adrift on Thursdays where the tiki bar will host a different thematic event every week including an Ugly Holiday Sweater contest, a Slutty Santa Drag Show with Queen Stella Diver and AllSpyce on Dec. 22 from 8 to 9:30 p.m., and so much more. Check Adrift’s social media for updates on the holiday schedule.

Snowdrift at Adrift | Adrift Tiki Bar | 218 S Broadway, Denver | More details here.

Mixing whimsy and nostalgia along with some super tasty beverages, this unabashedly kitschy holiday pop-up spreads both cheer and plenty of booze in the form of yuletide-themed cocktails. Adorned with stockings hung by the bar with care and tinsel, tinsel everywhere, Miracle at Union Station draws in large crowds of festivity-seekers dedicated to celebrating the spirit of the season.

With decor best described as “delightfully ostentatious,” Terminal Bar at Union Station is transformed into a twinkling landscape that the organizers say is certain to convert even the grouchiest of Grinches. Think: a playlist of holiday classics on repeat, a menu of spiced cranberry cosmopolitans and gingerbread-spiced old fashions in themed barware, and a wistful vibe. And for those who celebrate the eight crazy nights, the bar also features a designated Hanukkah table amidst the Christmas frenzy.

This limited cocktail bar experience is not serving food, nor is it welcoming anyone under 21. Due to high demand, parties of four are limited to an hour and 15 minutes; more than four get an hour and a half. Due to the high demand, there’s a non-refundable reservation fee of $2 per guest, with all proceeds going to Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Hours: Mon. to Fri., 4 p.m. to midnight; Sat. and Sun., 2 p.m. to midnight

Miracle at Union Station | Terminal Bar at Denver Union Station | 1701 Wynkoop, Denver CO | Reservations available via Tock. More info here.

Miracle at the Eddy

With kitschy holiday decor, professionally-developed cocktails, and the nostalgic energy of the best holiday party you’ve ever been to, Miracle at The Eddy is sure to have you singing along to the soundtrack of holiday favorites while dreams of your best ugly Christmas sweater dance in your head.

As at every Miracle pop-up bar, the irreverent, theme-appropriate cocktails are made with the discerning drinker in mind. The beverages are delicious, deliberate, and thoughtful with a sense of playfulness. Take the Christmapolitan ($14), a blend of vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce, lime, rosemary, and absinthe mist, or the Jingle Bell Nog ($14), made with cognac, cream sherry, almond milk, cream, egg, vanilla, and nutmeg. The menu also features straight-to-the-point shots—Naughty (bourbon, cinnamon) and Nice (rum, peppermint tea, chocolate)—for $8 a pop.

The cocktails are served in custom Cocktail Kingdom Miracle glassware (including mugs, coupes, highballs, and rocks glasses). Eddy’s is giving you a chance to take the miracle home with you by purchasing the Santa Pants Mug, Christmas Carol Barrel, Santa’s Head Mug, and other covetable glassware . At the end of the 2022 season, the Miracle is donating 10% of its proceeds from the retail sales of select offerings to the Seva Foundation.

Along with a professionally developed menu of cocktails, Miracle at the Eddy’s serving a menu of small plates and pizzas.

Hours: Sun. to Thurs., 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Fri. and Sat., 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Miracle at the Eddy | The Eddy Taproom & Hotel in The Prospect Room  | 1640 8th St., Golden | Reservations available via OpenTable. More info here.

Sippin’ Santa at Arvada Tavern

Opening just after the repeal of prohibition in 1933 by Adolf Klein, the Arvada Tavern holds the first liquor license issued in Arvada. The place is a go-to spot for classic food, vintage cocktails, and a selection of Colorado’s freshest beers.

Sippin’ Santa is the annual holiday tiki pop-up at Bernard’s Tiki Room above the Tavern, which is decked out with tropical flair complete with surfer Santas. A reservation nabs you an hour and 15 minutes in the festive room, where no food is served but incredible themed cocktails are. Reservations are available for up to five people with a $5 fee, or $5 per person for parties of six or seven). 21+

The menu centers on cocktails like the Kris Kringle Colada ($15), with Dark Jamaican rum, amaro, allspice liqueur, lime, pineapple, and cream of coconut; the Sippin’ Santa ($16), with aged demerara rum, amaro, lemon, orange, and gingerbread mix; and the Holiday on Ice ($14), with vodka, dark-roast cold brew, condensed milk, ancho chile liqueur, and cinnamon syrup.

These festive seasonal cocktails are served in absurd vessels made by Cocktail Kingdom that are, of course, available for purchase. Cross the naughtiest members of your list right off with the Mersanta mug ($45), Tiki Tub Communal Bowl ($80), Surfin Santa mug ($45), or Reindeer Shot Glasses ($20) so they can re-create the vibe at these holiday bars at home.

Hours: Mon. to Sun., 5 p.m. to close

Sippin’ Santa @ The Arvada Tavern | 5707 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada | Reservations available via Tock. | More info here.