Denver Nightlife

For those interested in the T-girl scene here in Denver, including newer T-girls in Denver and our visitors from out of town, here is a guide to some of the many T-girl friendly places to visit in the Queen City of the Plains. Click the logos on the left to go to their respective websites. And please send me your own feedback for these bars and clubs as well. I will post your sentiments here.

BJ's Carousel is the friendliest bar in Colorado. It's a great place for newer shy T-girls. If you're thinking about going out dressed up for the first time, this is the place for you. The parking is easy and close to the door. Don't be shy here, you're going to blend right in. It's an eclectic and sometimes bizarre crowd and you never know what you might see. I haven't been frequenting BJ's much lately, but it still holds a special place in my heart as it was the first place I felt safe in as a T-girl. Same goes for many others. I do go out of my way to make it here from time to time because you can't forget your roots! BJ's has tons of drag shows, is very charity conscious and has a nice restaurant in the back. I also highly recommend dinner here. They've recently updated the look of their restaurant and added a piano bar. I really love Sunday brunch. They have a friendly courteous staff, lead by the fabulous Tommy behind the bar. Tell them Markie sent you! 1380 South Broadway. 303.777.9880.

Dream is currently my favorite club in the world. It's a reincarnation of the warehouse club "Trax 2000" which used to be in the shadow of Coors field before it was laid waste to by re-zoning. After some time away, it popped up again east of Lodo in, yes, a warehouse. This one is even more spectacular! The big room has flame-throwing techno with lights and effects that are unmatched in any night club I've seen save for Club Rein in Vegas. In an adjacent smaller room you'll dance to the 80s. Dream has suffered a drop off in recent months due likely to the early popularity of the new club, Evolution (see below). But the Dream isn't over just yet. They've made improvements to both rooms and have lowered the cover to $5.00 and have some awesome drink specials. Rumor has it they'll soon return to their roots and rename the club "Trax." I like it! Good luck Dream/Trax. I'm rooting for ya! Needless to say I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CLUB. 3500 Walnut Street. 35th and Walnut. 303.863.7326

Evolution is the newest big club in Denver. It also has a real high end look and feel. The dance floor is a thousand square feet and the lights are pretty good, but neither rival Dream. It is a fun club, however, and they've recently lowered their cover to $5.00. The DJ's have been a little hit and miss for my taste, but mostly they're pretty good. There is an upstairs lounge area which features a snazzy view of the city. One issue I don't quite understand is that they blast the music upstairs also, defeating the purpose of a lounge area where one might escape to chat with a special friend.. But even with that minor drawback it is very nice. The staff is very friendly and courteous. They don't go overboard with the yelling at you to leave after the lights come up like so many other places do. While it is a gay club, they don't appear to be anti-straight which I think is cool. They're located at the intersection of Champa and 22nd which is walking distance from The Wave. Evolution and Dream seem to be rival clubs as of this writing. Evolution has the edge in business, but I still prefer the atmosphere and energy of Dream (above). 821 22nd Street. 303.296.4604 (they actually answer!)

La Rhumba is the club, "Lipgloss" is the night and it all happens on Friday night. I really can't speak for any other night at La Rhumba but I understand they have salsa on various other nights of the week. My T-girls and I only roll in this place on Fridays. The link to the left will take you to a site dedicated solely to "Lipgloss" night. La Rhumba is a straight club, but I do recommend it for T-girls on Fridays. It's an eclectic and delicate balance of Brit pop, indie, soul, rock and glam like I've never seen all rolled into one. The dancing is anywhere from great to spectacular. It's a $5.00 cover after 10 and the drinks are pricey. Ask about the drink special if your minding your duckets. There is extremely convenient and free parking lot for the club on the northwest corner of Broadway and 9th. 99 W. 9th Avenue. 303.572.8006

JR's. This two-floor Denver mega-bar occupies the site of the former, popular club Bent. It's a casual cocktail hangout with a classy feel. Thursdays and Sundays feature some fantastic drink specials. T-girls at JR's are somewhat rare, but the bar is very t-girl friendly, so there's no need to feel shy here. Thursdays they are PACKED because of a great drink special. It's almost too crowded on Thursday. The picture is not actually JR's. It's a building in New Orleans that looks like JR's. 1669 Clarkson, Denver CO. 303.831.0459

Charlie's is a gay country bar, but don't let that deter you (the country part). It's a little more low-key than the giant glammed out clubs like Dream and Evolution. It still offers a fun night out when you don't want to pay a cover charge. The disco ball in the shape of cowboy boots are a very nice touch. The club is divided into two sections featuring different musical genres so it's actually a pretty good place to dance. They have great drag shows on various nights as well as karaoke. Thursday offers decent R&B and hip hop dancing. Charlie's is a legendary bar in Denver. You'll find a Charlie's in Phoenix and Chicago as well. 900 E Colfax Ave. Denver, Colorado. 303.839.8890

The Compound is the place for the gay-boy playas. But there's no knead to take a number at this meat market. And the drinks are stiff too. The techno in the dance room is as hard-core as the bare-chested men. During the week the techno room is closed and Compound actually makes a nice neighborhood hang out. You'll catch a T-girl or two in this little club as well. Why else would they be on my nightlife page? Great bartenders in here, did I mention the stiff drinks? No Cover. 145 Broadway (@ 2nd), Denver, Colorado. 303.722.7977

The Wave is a great dance club. It's newly remodeled and has a very chic look. You'll see mostly lesbians and a few T-girls depending on the night. The most recent times I've been there it has been pretty slow. The Wave has a lot of competition at the moment. But their good service and solid DJs will hopefully carry them through. Good people! 2101 Champa St., Denver CO. 303.299.9283

Cherry Pit has been through a number of changes in recent years. Mike's, Illusions, 60 South and the Zu to name a few. The current incarnation is my favorite. They've done some great remodeling to give it an groovy and gothy new feel. Saturday's are the only night I can speak of. They're reminiscent of the old days at Onyx. But this place is much more deserving of your discerning party dollar. It's a really fun place to people watch. You'll see some very wild and sexy outfits here. Pretty decent place to dance. Lots of pretty GGs as well. Wear something black. Best bet is to park across the street. There's a nice gentleman there who keeps an eye on the cars. Tip him. 60 South Broadway near Broadway and Archer. 303.777.4200

Snake Pit has a long history in Denver. It's a great capitol hill hang out and club. Be advised that it is a straight place. But it draws a young hipster type of crowd that doesn't usually bat an eye at a T-girl. On Tuesdays they have an 80s night which is a pretty good draw. It's your standard issue "bizarre love triangle" and "come on eileen" but it's still pretty fun. If you're dancing there on a Tuesday, your best bet is to go on a night when Garth is on the wheels of steel. He rules and is sweeter than apple pie ala mode. 608 E. 13th Avenue. 13th and Pearl. 303.831.1234

Serengeti is a multi-floor club on Broadway that has a very classy posh feel with lots of nooks and crannies to go relax and escape the loud music if you need to. I was a big fan of this club when it opened. But their $10 dollar cover and overpriced drinks ended the honeymoon prematurely. Drag Queen bingo was featured on Thursdays, drew disappointing numbers and now appears to be gone. As of this writing, their Fridays are "Inferno" (whatever that means). Saturdays are "Safari", R&B and straight. Their website is down, and there is little info on their voicemail. Serengeti got off to a great start in 2004 but has been a disappointment of late. Selling out to the NBA All-Star non-sense in February with a Shaquille O'Neal night was a sorry low point. I AM CURRENTLY NOT RECOMMENDING THIS CLUB FOR T-GIRLS (or anyone else). We'll keep an eye on them to see if things get better. 1037 Broadway Denver, Colorado. 303.534.0222

Down Under has a very laid back local atmosphere and is wedged under a building with an entrance from an ally. They have very cheery service and it's also a restaurant. It's near the intersection of Alameda and Downing. It's a bit down and dirty. The phrase "hole in the wall" comes to mind. But I think it's a nice break from the norm. Get some directions if your going for the first time. It's a couple of tricky twists and turns to find the door. 266 South Downing Street. Denver, Colorado. 303.777.4377

Cherokee is a very quaint and classy little restaurant. They have outstanding food and terrific service. Most importantly to me they are very gracious to the transgender community. I'm endorsing Cherokee as the number one place to go to dinner in girly mode. If you've never been out to dinner dressed up and want to take that step, this is the restaurant for you. 1201 Cherokee Street, Denver, CO. 303.623.4939

Other great places to visit include: The Foxhole, The Church, Rock Island, and Amsterdam, which is an after hours place.

Return to Markie's place!