1. Best Old Fashioned I've ever had in Boulder. 2. Lot of little rooms to explore -- each with its own personality. 3. Super comfy seating. 4. Dark -- everyone looks their very best. 5. Quiet -- you can have a deep conversation (at least before the band). 6. Throwback to a simpler time, maybe. Hadn't been here since the Catacombs days, but this is a Boulder must-visit. Not sure I can ever go anywhere else again. read more

Love comic cents comedy club here. Its a great time! Cheap tickets, fun environment, good humor

We were staying at the Hotel Boulderado, so we were happy to find that this dimly-lit (yet warm) woodsy bar was open late and still serving food and drink. Though I'm a wino, this is definitely not a place to get wine. Stick with some local beers on tap, or better yet, the cocktails, which seem to be lovingly crafted and taken seriously. It's a beautiful wooden bar that's well-stocked and comfy. I can also recommend the crème brûlée, it was surprisingly well-paired with a beer, and had lots of yummy and real vanilla bean seeds. read more

This is truly a dungeon like place, low ceiling and all with very expensive drinks, a long wait to get served and a newer rude new york attitude like manager... he made my wife an incorrect cocktail and argued with us as to whether it was right or not.. it tasted bad is all we knew.. anyway we complained to the other bartenders and they all said he was a total jackass, a total know it all, and they made us a great replacement despite his attitude.. this place use to be cool but with people like this manager guy, who would want to spend $25 on 2 drinks and deal with that kind of stuff?? they do have decent live music now and then which is a plus thanks but until he is gone we will not be back! read more

Great comedy show featuring local comics has found intimate, fun space in Boulder. Delicious cocktails (but no "minimum" which makes it a more affordable night), good food from upstairs, and belly laughs. Great date night or night out with friends. Jesse's a great host and the lineup was killer. read more

Service was excellent, very attentive and fast. Comedy show was funny and worth the time/money. Laughed $20 for sure. thanks!

The comedy club here is awesome! We went for opening night on November 18th, and the comedians were all great. Shout out to Ben Roy!

Amazing atmosphere! Great and unexpected find. Bartenders are on point and mix a great Old Fashioned. Lots of hidden rooms to explore inside this speakeasy inside the awesome and historic Hotel Boulderado. read more

See all

Fun, 1920s speak easy kind of feel. Hidden in a funky basement. Upscale drink selection, but they had a couple of happy hour specials that kept the bill reasonable. Good, friendly staff. Very helpful bartender with the whiskey selection. Fun skee ball hidden around one of the corners. read more

I had never been to License No. 1 before last night. I went to a comedy show and was blown away! I have never laughed so hard and had so much fun. The lineup was incredible. Such amazing talent. You can have dinner ordered right from your seat in this intimate venue. I do not drink so I can't comment on the bar or drinks but I will be back so long as they keep the comedy!! read more

Pre dinner drinks were not up to par. Three out of five drinks were made such that there seemed to be no liquor added or watered down. The only thing I'd trust is the beers on tap. What a disappointment! read more

Keep the comedy shows! Came here for a Friday night rapid show and it was amazing. All the comedians were great!

We have been regulars to L1 for over three years not and there's never been a bad experience - depending on the night it's harder to get service than others, but it's a speakeasy with craft cocktails so that's to be expected. Their Bourbon Old Fashioned is by far the best in Boulder!!! Best nights to go are Wednesday's and Saturday's (Banshee Tree). read more

Super cool relaxed bar. Draft beer prices were good, although the selection was a little weak as far as hoppy options were concerned. Had the 'Boulder Mule' which was delicious and not too sweet. Whole bar had a very relaxed feel, felt like you could hang out here and not be constantly bothered. Will definitely be back. read more

We were in Boulder Oct 26 and saw this bar on Google maps and Yelp so sauntered in to try it. It has a very cool vibe and the bar menu was inexpensive and the liquor choices was quite the eclectic array. We decided to try a different Bourbon and Rye and thus ordered drinks as recommended by the bartender. Sadly she neglected to inform us those drinks were a major increases in price over the cocktail menu. We received our bill and to our shock paid $115 for 4 drinks. 2 a piece. We paid and left with a sour attitude. I sent a few emails to them when we returned home to California and to my delight, Sam the manager addressed my concerns, offered me a full refund and extended us an invitation to return. Now that is customer service to a T! Thank you Sam! We will happily return should we find ourselves back in Boulder. You made a raving fan for life! G&G read more

We love this place!! Killer atmosphere, swanky decor, and delicious cocktails! And their happy hour is fantastic!! We love all the nooks and crannys you can hide yourself in for a more intimate experience! read more

Like most all of you, I have great past and present memories of Catacombs. I was open minded and excited to see the new remodel. I recently left after one beer knowing I would never be back again. Horrible lack of vision and design in this awkward and unfriendly remodel. I agree with Joshua B. that the new staff was a turn off. Male bartender at back bar was a tool & lacked a level of professionalism required to be a good bartender. read more

This is definitely my favorite place to start my night. With dim lighting, comfortable and upscale-feeling surroundings, it's just a pleasant way to ease into the evening. I moved to Boulder some time after the Catacombs closed and converted to License, so I can't speak to the changes. However, the new speakeasy aesthetic is a retrospective glance at a time when going out for a drink was a much more finely-tuned endeavor - and it certainly has an effect on your mood. This is no common college bar, as you'll find farther down on Pearl or up on the Hill - which is a blessing for those of us who like to converse and relax. There's plenty of lush seating around the multiple room bar, and I've only ever seen it packed once. The bartenders are surely the greatest asset here, and although they serve one of the nicer Old Fashioned cocktails I've found, they can surely stir up anything you'd like. If you're feeling spontaneous (and you probably will if it's your first visit), ask them for a bartender's special. Sure it can be sort of difficult to make your way to the main bar when it's busier, but thankfully there are two bars! License No. 1 also has live music every Thursday through Saturday. As an avid fan of jazz, I frequent this bar on the nights when the George Nelson Trio is playing - usually a Thursday. His music paired with this bar is like peanut butter and jelly. read more

The ambience was very cool but the drinks were just meh. Nothing special. I was expecting something spectacular given the history of the place and the overall vibe. Overall, a bit of a disappointment. read more

Classy with low lighting. Great cocktails and wine selection. Comfortable seating. Great for late 20's and older (not many college students). One of my favorite bars in town. read more

Mike the bartender was THE best bartender that I've ever had in a long time. He was rockin' a solid suit tailored to his perfect body and made the whole night enjoyable for our party. If anyone from management is reading this, give that a man a god damn raise. read more

My favorite regular bar in Boulder (since the majority of great drink spots are bars within restaurants). Excellent drinks. Great space with a more common bar seating area, and then a bunch of different rooms to hang out in. Interesting furniture. It can get PACKED during weekends (as expected) and the live music can be loud (but good! Just matters if you're hoping to chat with your date or friends), but weeknights are usually super quiet. If you're looking for a great cocktail spot, I highly recommend. I think most negative reviews went on a busy Saturday night wanting a different experience, so just keep in mind what experience you're aiming for when choosing when to go. read more

I believe this place just opened up recently and so I checked it out with some coworkers while we were staying at the hotel upstairs and we definitely thought it had a neat vibe. It took a while for someone to come to the door to let us in but once we were in it was hopin' on a Thursday night (we showed up around 10pm and stayed until midnight). There are lots of little nooks and crannies to sit and have a conversation - tip: get your drink at the bar first if you're going to sit in one of the remote locations. We chose a table near the front and the waitress helped us right away and even brought us some appetizers that weren't on the menu. Next time I'm in town I'll go back. The Old Fashioned is their specialty drink and you've got to try it. read more

I'm really not sure what all of the negative reviews are about, and I beg you to come in and form your own opinion rather than listening to the negativity mentioned below! We visited for the first time last night and had a wonderful evening. All of the bartenders and staff were very friendly and highly professional. The drinks are priced fairly, and the selection of beer on the draft list is incredible! The lighting and decor is great, and it really gives the place the speak easy vibe. We'll surely be back and I highly recommend giving it a try yourself! read more

I've been hanging out at license no.1 a fair amount and have thoroughly been enjoying the atmosphere, excellent cocktails and live music! I am in love with the brussel sprouts appetizer and their penicillin cocktail! The bartenders have all been kind and attentive to their craft-- I really appreciate the quality, consistency and details. The reason for the 4 stars is because the space for live music is too tiny and there's never much room to move and dance which is the downside because many of the bands coming through are fantastic and I want to groove! read more

Good ambiance - live music, several rooms and seating, speakeasy vibe and interesting history behind the place. Bad service - bartenders won't bother to give you a drink menu, let alone take your order Drinks need improvement - every one I've ordered from License No. 1 or Hotel Boulderado/Corner Bar have been far too sweet. Not the place for good cocktails. read more

I've been going here for several years, usually 1-2 times/month. The wife, friends and I all love going here for the cocktails and music. However, they really need to figure out the back bar area. It seems every weekend it's set up and ready to go by 8pm, but it's never staffed and/or they won't serve drinks until some made up time. We always ask the staff and they never know when service will begin. They're clearly annoyed by all the questions, which is obvious through their body mannerisms. With the main bar area always so busy, it'd be nice if the back bar would open sooner, or at least have a set open time. read more

The new renovations are cool but the service was terrible. My wife, myself and two friends went to Happy Hour on a Friday night. From what we could tell they had 1 waitress on staff for the entire place and she was either new to serving or just bad. We had to grab her as she flew past our table in order to get more drinks and food. We asked for separate bills which she got a little messed up, no big deal to us, but she also didn't give us the Happy Hour discount. We showed her what needed the discount applied and when she came back she still hadn't applied it to all of our friends bill. She was nice but service is more about a smile. I think I got better service when this place was a dive-bar for college kids. The food was ok, nothing to write home about. The drinks were good and priced on par with the rest of Boulder. read more

When the Boulderado opened its doors in 1909, Boulder was a dry city. I hear that the aptly named bar was actually the first bar to acquire a license (under its former name -- The Catacombs) to sell liquor in Boulder after a "dry" period in 1969. The space is inviting with comfy bar stools, a gorgeous wood bar top and low lighting. You feel like you're in a speakeasy. Sprinkled throughout the nooks and niches are intimate seating spots. Loved the handcrafted cocktails. Try the Brown Derby with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, honey and muddled grapefruit. The Spring Forward is a great choice for vodka drinkers, featuring Spring 44 vodka, honey and basil lemon. They also have a full assortment of national and international scotches. Yeah....cool little basement for a hotel bar. read more

Mike the bartender was amazing. Best bartender I've had. Real cool guy and he introduced me to some real cool drinks.

Came out here on a Friday night with some friends for a few drinks which turned into too many. I love the speakeasy vibe you get when entering this dark, moody, basement bar. You feel like it's the 1920s in NY prohibition era. It's got nooks and crannies where you can enjoy your drink while having intimate conversations. This is not your typical college bar. As for the drinks as service, these people are pros. The bartenders take pride in all their drinks which come from high quality spirits and ingredients. I ordered one of the best old fashions I'd had in a long time. These drinks are not the kind you can knock back either. Take your time because I payed dearly for it the next morning haha. The service is on point as well and the lines weren't too long to get a drink. The bartenders are efficient and pay close attention to who's waiting. I'd definitely come back for a night out and for the food which I hear is good. read more

I had drinks there on a couple different nights, including an appetizer one of the nights (tasty Brussels sprouts!!). Very tasty cocktails (I recommend trying the Manhattan and the Corpse Reviver #2) and a chill atmosphere with great music selections played at a good volume. (As previous reviews have revealed, I am kind of a crotchety old person when it comes to excessively loud music.) Overall, I'm very happy I stopped by this bar beneath the Boulderado hotel and intend to do so again if/when I'm next in Boulder. read more

License No. 1 may be the classiest place to get a drink in Boulder. I've been here twice, once to celebrate a friend's birthday when my group sat at the bar and chatted with bartenders for a couple hours and again when we stumbled into a really awesome live band called the Alcapones. These guys make drinks with great ingredients and proper technique and it's fun to watch the process unfold in front of you. I never visited the Catacombs but friends who have and have visited License 1 since then are giddily surprised by how different (for the better) License 1 is. License 1 is a Boulder gem! read more

I was pretty excited by the space...I love a cozy, dim bar that takes care to make a unique and tasty cocktail or a solid version of a standard. The brotender could not have cared less -- didn't even know what liquors they stocked, had no recommendations, was sloppy where it counted (sanitation) and precise where not wanted (exact pours). Bonus rudeness! What a waste of potential. Don't even end the night here if staying at the hotel above. read more

A very intimate space that is underground and old fashioned. The bartender was extremely friendly, knowledgable, and talkative. Their mules are great as well as their cocktails. Lots of seating a space to hang out and talk but also have live music for a fun night. read more

Hands down a little hidden gem in Boulder. A great go-to for tourists or locals alike. Service is friendly & fun + easy to grab a quick pint after work or worth the wait if you want a taste of something special. read more

AWESOME speakeasy basement bar! Had a great time and even though the place was packed there was plenty of space to enjoy.

Still love coming here for happy hour: $5 drinks (Tequila or Gin Mule, pls) and truffle friesssss.

We were staying at the Hotel Boulderado and found our way downstairs to License No 1 after dinner one night. The bar has a 100+ year history as a Prohibition-era speakeasy and first legal bar in Boulder. It's located in a cavernous space underneath the hotel with multiple small rooms with sitting areas, pool tables and arcade games, and live music. The cocktails aren't cheap but prices are on par with what I'm used to in New York and the drinks were delicious. There was a good sized crowd on a Saturday night but we had no trouble finding comfy chairs to hang out in. I would definitely return on my next visit to Boulder. read more

I was looking forward to relaxing with friends in what we thought would be a cozy, upscale, prohibition-style bar with live music. We were let down on all counts. Service: There was none. While there was plenty of staff, none of them were servers, so we had to get up and wait in the ever-lengthening line at the bar. Atmosphere: License No1 would be cozy except for the crush of college-aged students there to get smashed. Music: Our initial excitement of hearing a Big Band song was crushed as it veered wildly off into Phish/Jamband style guitar solos. Every classic song was mutilated by this weird mashup. I hate jam band. Drinks: Run of the mill classics were not quite up to snuff, especially when priced at hand-crafted levels. They were merely acceptable rather than exceptional. read more