Generally thought the bar was fun and had a great vibe, until I encountered a terrible experience, and the bartender that I had previously liked told me to fuck off. To keep this as short as possible, I put $30 in the jukebox, and it never even registered any money deposited. So I put more in, totaling $40 and nothing registered. In the process of buying drinks I mentioned my frustration to the bartender and he said I must be mistaken because the machine never has any problems and I should just be patient. I showed him the screen wasn't even responding to any touch whatsoever and it was frozen. He said "wrong, I can see it ass hole". The 6 people I came with looked to be in complete shock because what he was saying was unequivocally objectively false. Ultimately his response was, you got what you paid for. $40 for zero music on a frozen juke box screen. Total ass hole. Wouldn't go back and would discourage anyone from doing so. read more

Too many good options around to make this your go-to bar for the night. The bathroom was humid and smelled like old pee, the floors were wet, probably from the pee that made it stink. My old fashioned was basically a whiskey on the rocks. Which is great! If I was in high school and more focused on getting drunk/saving money than having a good time. The bouncer/security guy was also just a dick to almost all of the guests for no reason. Yelling at people to move, pushing some that were in his way (including women), just a complete lack of patience. Don't sign up for the job if you can't handle drunk people.... that is literally why you are there. That was my first drink of the night and the last I had at Matchbox. Maybe I was too sober for this place but John Taper from Bar Rescue might want to give these guys a call. read more

Randomly stopped here on a Sunday afternoon. Had surprisingly a nice little 10 minutes with the pretty chill and accomodating bartender (he recommended some drinks he thought we would like, and we definitely did!)! Also, there was a couple having drinks as well, and we all chimed in together in enlightening conversation. This place embodies is the ideal picture of daytime social drinking for enjoyment. =) As for a mixed drink that tastes like green tea (jameson + peach schnapps). Pretty tasty and the bartender was pretty generous. read more

Marcus is the best bartender here. He keeps my friends and I coming back every weekend. He's always so attentive and nice, but with a sense of humor. I could not recommend this bar enough purely because of the fun and energetic staff, especially Marcus. This is the best bar in Denver! read more

I had my birthday party here this last weekend and I had a great time (until the point where I don't remember anymore, but the queso stain on my dress would indicate I had more fun). I mean, I already love this bar. It's the perfect mix to where it's not too upscale, but it doesn't feel like a total dive. It doesn't hurt that I have a crush on this whole neighborhood right now, so they kind of get a bump on that alone. But seriously, I had a great time at my birthday party and Michelle was the sweetest bartender ever. Even when my drunk ass slurred my way through closing my tab at midnight. It got a bit cramped in there for a while, but that was kind of my bad. I got excited and invited a lot of people. Too many people. Whoops. Thank you Matchbox for being the icing on my boozy birthday cake. read more

Is this the only place in Denver with a bocce ball court that isn't private property? Could be. It's for sure the only bar I've been to that has it as far as I can remember... I really dig this neighborhood - as a friend and I were saying on a most recent trip it still feels like most of the businesses here are a secret so you're never crowded which is nice. It also feels pretty cool because you have these old brick fronts and then just inside the doors are cool, modern bars with lots of fun games and excellent drink specials. Speaking of drink specials.. I highly, highly recommend the Bloody Mary. On a recent Sunday it was only $4, but it was easily worth much more. As I watched the bartender mix up my cocktail I saw the usual suspects getting thrown in there - vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire, pepper, etc, but I also saw some very unique additions like Guinness, OJ, and banana peppers. It all combined to make the most delicious Bloody I've had ever as far as I know. They've also got a lot of great local beers on tap, Foosball, and an Internet jukebox. Oh yeah, and I think Walnut Room Pizzeria will deliver here in case you get the munchies. Sweetness. read more

You had me at $5 Duvel on Friday nights, Matchbox. The bar itself on the inside? Kinda grungy, but that's the vibe they're going for. The outdoor patio? Now we're talking! Even on a cold, snowy winter's evening it's pretty cool out there. Literally. I cannot wait to return for summertime happy hour, that's what's up. read more

If this bar were in my neighborhood, I would be here ALL THE TIME. Based on recommendations from friends, whose opinions I trust, I decided to host my birthday party here even though I had never set foot in the place before. I'm so glad I have friends with great taste, because I can't imagine the party going any better or being any more fun. First I have to give a bit shout out and thank you to Jodi. She responded to email quickly and was very helpful in setting up the details for my party. I had originally planned to have my party elsewhere, but had to change venues and was super stressed out about finding a new place in time. Jodi made everything easy and was super nice. I also have to thank Sudy (one of the owners) for personally showing up on party night to ensure that we had what we needed. He ensured my DJ had a good place to set up and even offered us drink specials for the night. I really like the vibe of this bar! It's very laid back and fun. The main bar area has the garage roll-up door onto the street, which was perfect on a nice August night. I think it also helped attract more customers on my party night because you could hear the fantastic music down the block :) And, there was plenty of space at the front of the bar for those of us who danced the night away. In back there is a fantastic patio with a bocce ball court. I'd like to come back and spend more time in the back playing bocce ball and drinking beer. I know my family members really liked it out there. I stuck with vodka for the night and my drinks were on the strong side and quite tasty. They also seemed to have a decent selection of beer on tap, including my beloved Guinness. They do not offer any food - they are strictly a bar. But, the upside to this is that they are totally cool with you bringing food in. We brought some snacks and cupcakes for my party and some of my guests even ordered a pizza. And, I've heard that sometimes there is a food truck in the area. I had the best time on party night and can't wait to hang out more at this great bar. read more

That's it. I'm packing my things and moving to 5-points asap. For the sole purpose of being able to frequent awesome bars like this ALL THE EFFIN TIME. Super chill local non pretentious vibe- all things that make this one of my go-to bars now. The patio is pretty sick too. Check out the graf! I go to Qi quite a bit so I've definitely passed this bar plenty o-times. The patio is hoppin in the summer and they do have heat lamps if you are brave enough in the winter. They usually have some kind of food truck parked out front on weekends as well. Their jukebox is pretty amazing too. One of the last times I was here I think I lost my voice cuz they played the entire Weezer Blue album and of course a bit buzzed. Seriously awesome and they offer a small amount of beer on tap as well. Def stop in for a drink if you find yourself in the hood. read more

The bartender here Kristen literally changed my life. Also paid like 8 for two drinks so you really can't go wrong. Love this place

I miss NYC, I miss Brooklyn. Some days I long for the east coast. I have discovered that when it gets really bad stopping by the matchbox for a drink gives me a sort of fix, especially if it's a grey, sunless day in Denver (rare, yes). The area where Matchbox is located reminds me so much of Brooklyn, where I used to roam. Matchbox is complete with hipster bartenders, infused vodkas, and those weird light-bulbs that look like they are remains from the day light-bulbs were invented. I do enjoy the infused vodka they make there. I have tried the beet vodka as a shot and it's pretty interesting. The sweet potato makes a wonderful cocktail, I was quite surprised. My husband tried a sip and liked it, he had no idea the type of vodka that was in it, he never would have tried it on his own. I also enjoyed the infused bourbon in a cocktail. The bar tenders are good company. I like to just ask them to make me a drink, no expectations, and they always turn out wonderful. I admit, if I lived closer I would probably be here too often! read more

The Matchbox is a little bit of a weird bar in that it's been somewhat empty every single time I've gone...I wish more people knew about it. I'm never a fan of having to wait 30 minutes for a drink and shove others to get access to the bar, but I feel like the atmosphere of this place (the interior is cool with the open-garage/window area) would get a big boost if it was just a tad more crowded. They offer a foosball table inside and a complimentary bocce ball court outside in their patio. In terms of atmosphere, I always love a patio and getting some breathing room, but I wish there'd be a bit more going on the patio than mostly cement, the sandy lot for the bocce ball, and graffiti art with Colorado-related symbols and drawings on the fence. I think what I'm trying to get at here is that The Matchbox has good potential to have a great atmosphere, and just needs a few tweaks to get there...I'm not sure how to distinguish it aside from it being a bar with a bocce ball court. Aside from that, service is usually quick (one plus of it not being too crowded) and happy hour specials run until 8pm (which I believe includes beer drafts and well drinks for $3). They also appear to have a couple jars of infused vodka (which, unfortunately, are not part of the happy hour special), but it's a cool option to have. And, another big plus, is that you can bring your four-legged pals here (as long as they are leashed). I've taken my adorable King Charles Cavalier here before and he seemed to like the place, if his opinion means anything to you. read more

Not a bad little place. (Emphasis on "little".) We came here Saturday night for a friends birthday celebration. She had made a reservation, and they gave us the table along the window. The ups for the evening were definitely the bartenders. They were great, Michelle especially was very nice and friendly with all of us. They have a great selection of tap beers, and the usual assortment of hard stuff. They let my friend bring in her own snacks and grub, as they don't serve food. The downside was the size. It's tiny inside, and once people started showing up for the party there wasn't any room to stand. I had to leave because it was so cramped. Overall it's a fun place, and the art on the walls is great. I imagine it would be less crowded on a weeknight. read more

Big fan of Matchbox. I have only been a few times, but the experience is always the same. The place has a fun packed vibe, but there is always plenty of room. The wait to get drinks is never super long. Music is always great. Overall, one of my favorite bars in the RINO area. It is unfortunate I do not make it out in this area enough!! read more

If you are friends with the bartender, you're in luck... if not, good luck getting a drink at Matchbox. The last time I came here, I was with 8 friends, we patiently waited, standing at the bar over 15 minutes to order drinks. No one said "Hey, sorry I'll be there in a minute" or nodded their head, to show they'd eventually get to us. Instead one of the bartenders socialized and served his friends next to us and acted like he didn't see us. I wanted to be quick when we ordered because they were crowded, so I had cash out, drink orders ready, and yet the bartender continued to ignore us. I finally said to my friend, "I guess you have to be friends with the bartender to get a drink here." The bartender heard me (even though he had pretended not to see me waiting this whole time) , looked right at me, and said "you're out", then immediately told the security guy to escort me out. I've never been asked to leave a bar, and was shocked it was happening because I hadn't caused any trouble. So myself and the 8 others left the bar (sober) right away, but just in utter shock over the whole situation. I understand that you are busy, and we were okay waiting, but to completely ignore paying customers to socialize and take shots with your friends, is not acceptable. We would have been okay waiting another 10 minutes to order, had someone even said "I'll be there when I can", or just acknowledged that they saw us and would eventually take our orders. We were not a rowdy group by any means, and not causing any trouble, so to be thrown out for saying jokingly to my friend "I guess you have to be friends with the bartender to get a drink here", looked like a bartender on a serious ego trip. We went to Herbs, waited in line to get in and then waited for drinks, as it was a Saturday they were packed too. However, two bartenders let us know they saw us there and would get our orders when they could. I'm not saying this is the case all the time, because I had a really great bartender the first time I went to Matchbox. There are just much better places to go when it is crowded, places where bartenders know how to prioritize and handle a busy Saturday. After reading some of the other reviews, it looks like I wasn't the only one who experienced this issue with the arrogant bartender and lack of customer service at The Matchbox. There are bars with better and friendlier service in the area! Skip The Matchbox. read more

I found this place because of Carly B, David P, Nicole and John W on my first visit last year. As others have mentioned, this bar is behind/adjacent my gym, Qi. Which makes it an easy place to stop by after a hard workout. Since that September or October visit last year, I've made it here a couple more times and see it all the time, as I often park in the lot next door to it. This is a great bar and I'm not one to frequent bars on a regular basis. All of the bartenders are always super friendly, with a smile, happy to serve. You gotta love that! They have a great, extended Happy Hour from 3-8 p.m. We arrived on this last visit pretty close to the end of Happy Hour. I believe I clocked it 7:50. I ordered one HH Moscow Mule and one non-HH priced Moscow Mule and my price was $8 for two drinks. And these were not served in the traditional copper mug; however, they were full-size drinks in a 16 oz pint glass. So, um, yeah, those were good drinks at extremely cheap prices. As noted in other reviews, The Matchbox doesn't serve food. They do permit you to bring in outside food, as well as harbor food trucks on weekends, which is quite handy after working up a sweat. Matchbox is a cool little spot. I plan on frequenting it more, as it is again, close by my gym and the place where I tend to spend most of my time these days. read more

my partner and I live in the neighborhood and frequent this bar often. Love the place until we met the GM. There was an incident that happened to where a male patron was inappropriately acting towards a female. These actions carried on for several minutes until my partner and I were about to intervene. We didn't act quick enough, and The male put hands on the female, which resulted in a heightened altercation. The GMs solution was to remove the attacker, AND the victims, AND the witnesses from the bar to "de-escalate" the situation. My partner and I believe this to be EXTREMELY poorly handled by the GM as he started blaming the female victim for "insinuating" the altercation. Come to find out, the male involved in this altercation had been involved in previous Incidents AT THIS EXACT BAR. After this event, I would highly recommend people stay clear of this establishment. read more

One of the baristas at Crema tipped me off on this new place about a week ago, so naturally the boyfriend and I scouted it out so we could promptly drink at it. Really no signage to speak of on the outside to indicate it's there unless they have the garage door open. If you're heading south on Larimer (and I guess there's really no other direction to head), it's the building covered in street art on the south side of the Qi parking lot. Once inside, there's a brand new wood bar with a few wood tables (I mention the wood because this place still smells like wood and not like bar - yet). Beers are cheap with Dale's Pale Ale being $2 (not sure if it was on special) and it was relatively unbusy on a Saturday night. Definitely a cool place to check out. I believe there are now almost enough bars on this stretch of road (Larimer Lounge and Meadowlark being two others) to justify a barcrawl. Or just a reason to hang out in a nice spot with some inexpensive beers. read more

Great until you waste your money on the jukebox and they skip all 9 of your crowd-friendly dance songs. Great if you love to throw money in the trash. read more

I like this new trend in Denver bars that focus one the "bar." I am kind of over a lot of these gastropubs that sell overly fancy food and overpriced alcohol. So I am definitely a fan of The Matchbox, which doesn't try to be anything more than a cheap, divey-ish bar with a good beer selection and decent mixed drinks. My favorite Denver mixed drink is the Moscow Mule and they do a great version here, which is only $4 during happy hour. The bar also looks cool with an open garage door for natural light and fresh air, a dark wood bar and an awesome "backyard" area complete with a bocce court. Yeah so there is no food here, which in my opinion barely matters. The lack of kitchen probably keeps the overhead lower and the drinks cheaper. And only a block away is Billy's hot dogs and there are also often food trucks. They don't have any problem with people bringing in food so I just do that instead. Or maybe I'll just have a "liquid dinner" at this cool bar instead. read more

I have hit this place up now on a few different occasions. Every time, the scene has been pretty eclectic. Hipsters, neighborhood folks, some kids that I think may have gotten lost looking for the Sportscolumn, and some cougars. That kind of mix makes for a pretty fun scene. The garage door that rolls up in the front is fun along with the bocce ball court in the back on the large-ish patio. Good beer offerings (they had Great Divide's Colette on tap!) and friendly staff make this one of my new hangouts. read more

Best happiest every hour spot in town. Andrew served up the best drinks and the vibe is what you need.

I was with a larger group of friends celebrating a birthday so three of us went to the bar to get drinks for everyone. We stood there for 15 minutes and didn't get acknowledged once. It was Saturday night so I was giving them the benefit of the doubt until a rather aggressive lady pushed herself between the three of us at the bar and was addressed by the bar tender immediately. I was impressed with the lady's tactics but not the bartender's. We left and gave our 12 person group's business to another bar. That may not be the norm but its not worth my time to see. Too many good bars in Denver. read more

I love this place. I love this place for many reasons, most of all because it is just a good, neighborhood bar. It has managed to escape the pretentious mixology cult that swept into Denver and ruined all of our watering holes and making it impossible to get a drink under $10, and is somewhere where you can go and grab a vodka soda for $3. The staff is super friendly, helpful, and non-judgmental and don't mind if you have one or six too many. Once you get a reasonably priced and not disgustingly weak drink, you can head out to their patio and play some lawn games or just meet new people from the awesomely eclectic mix that seems to hang out here. It's one of those bars where you can actually just stay. I am a big bar hopper, getting bored quickly and wanting a change of pace, but every time I come here I just end up... staying. And that is a huge sign that this is a great place to be. read more

Ever since randomly stumbling across the Matchbox on a long brisk walk up to see a show at the Larimer Lounge, the Matchbox has now become a staple in my evenings out in down town. In a very unassuming building with no signage, it was only by chance that we ventured into this establishment a few months back only to seek reprieve from the cold. The place has a lot of character from the rotating artwork (often timed themed) to the brick walls and sliding garage door. Parking is a breeze this far north on Larimer, and the servers have always been friendly and attentive. On the one occasion when a buddy and I came in and had to grab the attention of a server after sitting at the bar for a few minutes, the bartender was apologetic thinking someone else had taken our drink orders and in apologetic offerings comped our drinks without us even making a complaint. Their drink specials are also hard to beat. They have $3 microbrews during happy hour and had $10 microbrew pitchers! Ridiculous deal. I've been here a handful of times and on every occasion, have had a pleasant experience. At the risk of bringing crowds in and possibly erasing the laid back nature and vibe of this place, which I feel is its greatest attribute, I would still recommend this as a destination before a show at the Larimer Lounge, or even as a break from the hustle and bustle of the other uninspired bars further south on Larimer or in LoDo. Their unpretentious nature of not attempting to market themselves or lure in patrons, solely based on their lack of exterior signage, makes me feel obligated to market on their behalf. Honestly, the unassuming and non-spectacle nature of this bar makes it worth a visit. read more

When you can get food, this will be a 5 star review! That's really the only downside of the Matchbox. The upside, Walnut Room delivers :) Cheap beer, great people... ok hobo watching to be had on larimer. I'm really hoping more places will take a chance on the neighborhood and help really revitalize the place. Being a block from my house, certainly makes this my new favorite bar. Next time I'm trying the patio read more

I'm not typically a big bar person, more a wine and dine kind of gal. When invited by a Yelp Birthday girl do as the Birthday girl does. More than happy to venture to a place I've never been and enjoy a few drinks and some great music. Dark and divey bar - the good divey if there is such a thing. Garage roll up in the front which allows some fresh air on nice nights. The drinks were decent, not great, good for the price. I don't mind that they don't serve food, it's nice to just drink sometimes. I may come back if I was in the area again. read more

Honestly, I've been here before during happy hour and it was great. Problem is, on a busier night, my friend and I waited 25 minutes for a drink but instead got a sad clown face reaction from the bartender. After serving several people around us. I get it, you're busy. But have some respect and let us know you see us rather than ignoring us and being a complete jerk. Live nearby and liked this bar but honestly this experience was beyond terrible. read more

The nice thing about this place is that you don't have to worry about paying meters. Just enough outside of downtown Denver to not have to run into this troublesome thing. Esthetically I liked the divey but clean look/feel of the place, but I didn't have a great first impression. Since this is a drink heavy place, I was sorely disappointed with the taste of the beer. I got a 90 Shilling for me and a Blue Moon for the wife. Both tasted off. Not sure what it was, but left without finishing either drink. :-( After $10 on two beers (including the tip for the bartender) it was pretty disappointing. If I happen to go there again, it might not be on my on volition. There was a food cart just outside of the building on the sidewalk, so there's a food 'option' in there. Forget the name of it though. read more

I have been waiting to get a chance to stop by this new neighborhood bar, I watched it turn from a dirty boarded up store front to a very cool and comfortable bar!! It used to be the Orange Cat, this place is much cooler. I love that they have a bocce ball court. They even have a bocce league. My family loves playing this game, I think this is where I will have my next family bar day!! The service was good; it was super slow so the bartender was sitting at the bar so I was confused for a second when we walked up to order beer. We ordered a Green from Odell's and Guinness and it was $6 holy cow really!! I will be coming back to this place!! !! read more

I'm definitely a fan of The Matchbox. Friendly Bartenders who are knowledgeable on the Microbrews. The Prices cant be beat. 2 dollars for Regular Drafts 3 Dollars for Micro Brews. The Infused Shots are awesome. Chocolate Jameson how can you go wrong. The outdoor patio even has a grill. Id love to see them fire that up. Or do a bring your own meat LOL. They have seating out front as well. And I think the High Class People will never venture in here. Which I have seen them walk in look around and Walk out HOORAY GO TO LODO. They get various bar cars thru out the day which makes for good viewing of Eye Candy. And at various times a Food Truck or Trailer will set up out front. read more

A highlight in the sketchy warehouse district. Outside of having my car cased while I sat in it, and thinking, "when I lived in this neighborhood I wouldn't walk around this particular block", I wondered, why? Why is this bar here? Anyhoo...Its dark and trendy, and the drinks are cheap. read more

Happy hour 4pm till 8pm everyday?!?! I think I paid three buckaroos for a Chocolate Yeti and sat at the window bar watching hipsters ride by on their fixies. I literally saw 100+ fixies go by. There must have been some kind of gallery opening with free espresso. Oh! I also saw a mastiff lift his leg to a sidewalk sign that said "LADIES NIGHT". Window watching on Larimer is the bestest! Anyway, this bar has a cool vibe, cheap drinks and what looks to be a really nice outside area in the back. Go to here. read more

Solidly, my new neighborhood bar. Only bad thing I can say is that there's no food, but they let you bring in food to make up for it. Oddly hard to find, too - the sign is actually a box of matches that's easy to overlook. Awesome happy hour prices, and it's not a 30 minute happy hour like in some other places I've been around Denver. read more

Great venue for meeting one to many friends. Excellent happy hour (in length & prices)! The outdoor space is wonderful (weather permitting of course) & the staff is friendly & helpful. Last night was my second (2nd) visit & I will return. Oh & last night (Friday) hey had live music. read more

Just moved to the neighborhood and out of all the places I've been around the area I've found that this place has the best drinks music and bartender. Thanks Hank for making our experience. Cheers to the best Denver bar! read more

Disclaimer: I happen to know one of the owners here, so there I said it. But, that will not affect my review in any way. I don't typically get to this part of town, and it's a bit of a sketchy, albeit up and coming hood. But, this place is fantastic! I had no idea a place this cool existed, and I hadn't visited it. It's a fairly large, brick building on the inside with a huge garage door to open in the front. The drinks are cheap. (they were celebrating their 1 year birthday I believe, so take that for what it's worth) The crowd was cool, it's dog friendly and the service is great. Onto the patio. Coolest patio ever? I mean, they have bocce ball! But a dog passed out in the bocce ball court so noone could play. Who the hell was giving the dog beers and shots? ;) They also had a makeshift cash-only bar out there, but I'm not sure if that's a regular thing or not. Anyways, give this joint a shot. It's very cool. read more

I like this place. From the moment I first stepped in, I felt the energy, heat if you will. Call that a pun, but the name feels right. Matchbox equals heat, or at least the spark, the light, the power to make heat. Maybe it's the happy memory that occurred here. Maybe it's the walking back into this place that made me smile. Maybe it's the future spark that I'm looking for... After all, they serve beer. It's cold, but this place is hot. Great service. Friendly staff. Clean restroom. Miles from where I live, or, maybe... ...I'd go more...for the heat. read more

Tonight I walked in for the hundredth time, I feel like I was welcomed in by a true veteran. A true representative of matchbox and worthy adversary for anyone looking for a great time experience or friend. Classic shot and a beer with great company. This place is great, even if it is emo night, you'll find yourself in a haven of bliss read more

Lodo is migrating north... I really like the idea of this spot except that all the bartenders (I have experienced) are not all that great and they seem to carry an attitude which attracts all of the not so great patrons (lodo goers) to boot. It is a good addition to RI-NO yet just a filler. I am hoping on some real game to hit this strip soon to bring back that "cool spot in the middle of nowhere" feel. Oh, wait! There is always Globeville for that. read more