title: "The LoDo Happy Hour Crawl — Denver's Best Bar Hop Route" description: "Four stops, multiple drink styles, and the best of LoDo's happy hour deals — this is the definitive Lower Downtown Denver bar crawl guide." date: "2026-02-05" author: "FindHappyHours" tags: ["happy hour", "denver", "lodo", "bar crawl", "downtown"] image: "https://loremflickr.com/1200/630/denver,lodo?lock=5"

The LoDo Happy Hour Crawl — Denver's Best Bar Hop Route

LoDo is the easiest place in Denver to do a bar crawl. The neighborhood is dense, walkable, and packed with happy hours that cover every price point and drinking style. The challenge isn't finding options — it's having a plan that doesn't turn into a 7-hour directionless ramble where someone ends up crying at a sports bar.

Here's the plan that works.

The Route

The LoDo happy hour crawl works best running roughly east-west along Blake and Wynkoop Streets, with optional detours. Total walking distance for the core route: about 15 minutes end-to-end, so you're spending time in bars rather than on the sidewalk.

Start: Around 4pm. Most LoDo happy hours open in the 3-5pm window and close by 6 or 7. Starting at 4 gives you time to do four stops without racing.

Stop 1: The Front Porch or Lincolns Denver

1215 15th St / Wynkoop St

Start with the budget anchor. The Front Porch runs any standard drink at $5 — the cleanest deal in LoDo. Lincolns Denver also runs everything at $5 (beer, wine, spirits, mixers) and throws in $5 Chili Mac. Pick based on whether you want food with your first round.

Both are within walking distance of each other, so if you can't choose, start at The Front Porch for drinks and walk to Lincolns for the Chili Mac.

What to drink: Whatever you actually want. It's $5. That's the point.

Stop 2: Seven Grand or The Wild

1855 Blake St / 1660 Wynkoop St

Round two is where the crawl picks up a little personality. Seven Grand is the whiskey bar: Coors Banquet and Barmen Bourbon shot for $8, Sapporo lager at $5, house wine at $7. The room is dark, the bartenders know what they're doing, and it's the right energy for round two.

The Wild is the slightly more relaxed alternative: $6 beer, $8 well drinks and wine, $9 classic cocktails. Better if the group has mixed preferences on what they're drinking.

What to drink: At Seven Grand, get the Coors and Bourbon combo — it's the move. At The Wild, get whatever your preference.

Stop 3: The Velvet Cellar or Call Me Pearl

1500 Wynkoop St / 1600 20th St

Mid-crawl, you want something a little more interesting than a straight bar. The Velvet Cellar has a well-structured cocktail-focused happy hour — well spirits (Four Roses Bourbon, Mile High Vodka, Askur Gin, Old Overholt Rye) and draft beer at $7, select cocktails and house wines at $9. It's a proper cocktail spot that doesn't charge you full price during happy hour, which is a rare thing.

Call Me Pearl goes the house-infused vodka route — lemon-infused vodka cocktails (Cosmo, Lemon Drop Martini, Vodka Tonic with apple vodka and pomegranate) all at $7. A different vibe from Velvet Cellar, equally valid.

What to drink: At Velvet Cellar, a $9 cocktail from a real cocktail bar. At Call Me Pearl, the Lemon Drop Martini is legitimately good at $7.

Stop 4: Pony Up or The Cooper Lounge

1808 Blake St / 1701 Wynkoop St

End the crawl with either the value play or the elevation play.

Pony Up (1808 Blake St): $5 draft beer, $7 wine, $9 cocktails, pretzels and queso for a few bucks. If the group wants to settle in somewhere casual for the last round, Pony Up is comfortable and doesn't rush you out.

The Cooper Lounge (1701 Wynkoop St, upstairs in Union Station): Moscow Mule, Whiskey Sour, Margarita, and Negroni all at $12 during happy hour. More expensive than the rest of the crawl, but the setting — the Great Hall of Union Station — is the best room in LoDo. If the evening is a celebration or the group wants to end somewhere that feels like an occasion, The Cooper Lounge earns its place.

What to drink: At Pony Up, the pretzel and a beer. At The Cooper Lounge, the Negroni — which at $12 is still a deal for what it is.

Optional Additions

Wynkoop Brewing Company (1634 18th St) is a great early addition if the group is beer-first — Denver's original brewpub, right in the neighborhood. Add it before Stop 2.

Tap Fourteen (1920 Blake St) is the rooftop beer garden option for summer evenings — great if the weather cooperates and the group wants an outdoor phase.

Thirsty Lion (1605 Wynkoop St) works for a group that wants cocktail variety in a bigger room — Moscow Mule, Margarita, and Spicy Mango Margarita all around $9-$10.

Logistics

Day: Thursday is the best LoDo happy hour day — active enough to feel like something is happening, without the Friday madness.
Start time: 4pm. 5pm if you're running late.
Transportation: Light Rail to Union Station, then walk. Don't drive.
End plan: The crawl naturally winds up near Union Station. Rideshare home from there or jump on the train.

Four stops, four hours, excellent drinks — this is the LoDo happy hour crawl that actually works.