This Happy Hour was legit. They had a great menu. Very chill atmosphere with a low-key vibe. The staff were attentive but not overbearing. The Vesper cocktail was very good as were the Gyro sliders. If you go, definitely get the sliders. We are definitely coming back here. read more

Divey and dark, this intimate cap hill hangout seemingly has it all. Honest and prompt service, fair prices and delicious food. Vesper would be great for date night or a guys night or for solo travelers alike. A diverse spot that's a people-watchers delight. We had the app trio and burger/pint $10 special and left satisfied and renewed. Highly recommended, a Denver dive done right. read more

Frank nailed it again! We visited the Vesper Lounge last night to grab some drinks and dinner, knowing full well it was the second day they were open and that we may experience some hiccups. They were working out some issues with Comcast, but otherwise WOW! We were there during happy hour, so I tried one of their happy hour drinks first. Their take on happy hour is great - very different. Rather than doing a buy one get one free, or a dollar or percentage off, most happy hour specials are a cocktail or a beer plus a shot. Adam Hodak, the bartender from Green Russell was there last night, and explained that he'd come up with the happy hour menu. What a great idea! I tried the "Swept Away" - a Cosmo coupled with a Lady in Pink shot. Both were tasty. They also offer 4 classic cocktails on tap - Boulevardier, Old Fashioned, Mai Tai and a Silver Gin Fizz. We tried the Old Fashioned and the Gin Fizz, and Adam offered us a taste of the Boulevardier. All 3 were delicious. I also tried their House Cocktail, the Vesper and it was awesome. Most of the drinks are around the $6 price point, which is really reasonable. Especially considering that all of the drinks we tried packed a punch - after about 2 cocktails each, we both thought it was probably a good idea to eat something. The food menu is mostly mediterranean themed. We tried the Baba Ganoush, the Marinated Fish Sandwich and the Chicken Pita. The Baba Ganoush was some of the best I'd ever eaten. It was smooth and creamy, topped with white and black sesame seeds, some fresh herbs and olive oil. The olive oil was obviously very high quality, and you could taste the oil in each bite. The sesame seeds were also a nice touch and added a little bit of a nutty taste to the dip, but the best part was the spicy finish. Completely unexpected and it fit the dish perfectly! I can't put my finger on what it was, but it was amazing. The pita bread was toasted perfectly and tasty as well. Both the Fish and Chicken were served in pitas and topped with Feta, Fattoush and Tzatziki and served with fries. These were both delicious as well - the chicken was cooked perfectly and served in large satisfying chunks. The fish was delicious, moist and flavorful, and was surprisingly plentiful. The pita held way more fish than we expected. The Tzatziki was really thick and flavored with feta, cucumbers and a slight hint of onion. I could eat it by the bowl! And then the fries, oh the fries . . .they had a hint of curry in the seasoning, and it pretty much made them perfect. I ate every bite on my plate (or in my basket in this case). The bartenders were friendly and helpful, obviously still learning some of the cocktails, but were efficient nonetheless. The space is definitely a whole lot nicer and more welcoming than the Lancer lounge. They've opened up a service window in the wall behind the bar and it makes the entire space seem larger. Based on my experience last night, I can't wait to go back and work my way through the entire food and drink menu - it's that good! read more

Vesper Lounge - Chicken Pita - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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J.C.'s review is completely wrong. If the Lancer was so great, why is it not there anymore??????? Apparently, you just can't please some people, and one star is completely undeserved. I have been to the Vesper 2 times since it opened (less than 2 weeks ago) and went back the second time because the food and drinks were SO GOOD the first time that I HAD TO GO BACK. . I have had every single one of the cocktails on tap -- Boulevardier, Old Fashioned, Mai Tai, and Silver Gin Fizz, the Vesper -- the House Cocktail, the happy hour offerings with the side shots, and a gin & tonic with their homemade tonic. I was NOT slighted by ANY of the drinks or shots. In fact, all of the drinks are strong and meant to be sipped. On my first visit, Adam Hodak explained the intricacies of the entire drink menu, and believe me, they put a lot of thought and talent into the drinks. The drinks are crafted with care and taste the way the drinks were meant to taste, not like the fast-paced crappy drinks made with substandard ingredients that most of us are accustomed to drinking. Even though the drinks are great, I came back for the food. That is, one sandwich in particular -- The Marinated Fish. Think of it as a fish gyro (with thick wahoo/ono). It is so tasty with the tzatziki and thinly sliced marinated cucumbers (and for those who eat it the standard way, with onions and tomatoes). It is SO GOOD. I want to try other menu items like the kabobs, but I cannot seem to get away from the marinated fish sandwich. Yum! All that I have to say is --a little sage, a little spirit, take out the old trash -- LANCER LOUNGE -- Good Riddance. Thank you Frank for another great one. read more

I am not a super fan of Vesper, which I know can be a polarizing sort of place. Among my friends however, not so much. None of us is interested in hanging around the same group of 20 and 30 somethings that have patronized this bar since they first opened their doors shortly after the beloved Lancer closed. The clientele has legitimately not changed since it opened. And even then, it was just a sort of shifting of patrons from Cahoots and Outlook and the Back Door (crack whore) - they are all the same freaking people! And yes, it is totally hipster of every variety. Old man, ex member of an obscure hard core band hipster; young hipsters wearing Forever 21 and hoping to bang their way up the social ladder; hippie hipsters (hippie-sters?) who unironically talk about astrology and communal living while wearing a $500 pair of boots; local farmers; local shop owners; artists, musicians, writers - freakin' hipsters all of them. And yes, in the interest of full disclosure, I may be someone who would likely be described as a combination of all of the above. So, I kinda suck too. Buy some sweet tea vodka, set up a few chairs in your backyard, invite a rando group of acquaintances over, and you'll be in your own little Vesper Lounge. read more

These beauties just started offering the $10 burger and a beer special every day for take out. Perfect burger and the turmeric spice on the fries is awesome. Give them your money now! It's my favorite bar and they must survive this! read more

This place has happy hour everyday!! And the Sunday burger deal hit the spot!!! Love the gyro as well!

Regardless of whether or not the Lancer Lounge was great, the Vesper Lounge is there now and is only A-OK. What I like about the Vesper Lounge is it has two happy hours: one when they first open for the evening and the other a bit later. Which is a good thing, since their drinks are pricey even at Happy Hour. This is a Bonanno establishment after all! Even though I was tempted to get a Vesper, I went with a Lefthand Milk Stout, which seems to be a trend with me lately. While the food is good, I've had better Middle Eastern/Mediterranean, even here in Denver. To the person that said this is the best Baba Ganoush they've had, I'm truly sorry. It was fine, but nothing amazing. And while I did enjoy my lamb pita, it was pricey for what it was and I'm not in a rush to go back for it. The chick pea fries are ridiculously good though and were the standout. Even though I was not overly impressed with the Vesper Lounge, they are in my neighborhood, and open late. We needed an alternative to Cosmo's and Wendy's for late night food, so I will probably return at some point and give them a second shot. read more

My husband went to order takeout and they messed up our order multiple times. So much so that I couldn't eat any of it by the time it got home due to my dairy allergy. He explained this multiple times to them. He had to have them redo the order multiple times. They threw in an extra gyro sandwich to make up for it but again forgot to remove the dairy so I had nothing to eat for dinner. read more

I've now been to Vesper twice and have had an excellent time on both tries. I will say I was somewhat skeptical because of my love of Lancer, but I feel Vesper holds the value of the stiff drinks and feel of the neighborhood. The only rub is the amount you'll be spending will be significantly higher. The bar still has a real divey feel, and doesn't give off an arrogant vibe, but you can definitely tell the clientele has changed. I enjoyed my old fashion both times I went and by the end of the night was buzzed enough to not care about the amount I spent. I would say if you're on a strict budget, you may want to keep walking down the street to Don's. The food looked good, I've not tried it but will be back to indulge. Overall I went in with low expectations and came out with a rather fond experience. I will be back and I recommend anyone else to also try Vesper out! read more

This is a nice, casual bar in the Cap Hill area. I've been here before when it was Lancer Lounge (cheap drinks so strong, they'd put hair on your chest right before you pass out on the sidewalk in your own vomit) and I'm glad it still has the same dive bar feel. However, it's not as cheap as Lancer, but not overly expensive either and the pour is pretty good. Try the gin fizz, it's delicious, don't believe me, ask the dishes! The night we came they had Geeks Who Drink trivia going on. My friends and I decided to play and did pretty good. The only downside was interacting with one of the Vesper's regular trivia teams and realizing that they were nothing but pretentious, hipster, fake-glasses wearing douche bags. It's okay. They had to deal with the fact that throughout the entire night, they were getting their asses owned in trivia by a team called Midgets That Squirt. Overall, we had a really good time here. read more

Hands down the best hidden gem in Denver: order the wings, they're to die for. I also love the Lamb Burger! If you need a lighter fare then order the dip trio! Sample the Old Fashion on tap (it's homemade) and if you're not feeling Whiskey then try the homemade Ginger beer in a Moscow Mule. This place Rocks! read more

Had a friend's birthday party at the Vesper Lounge last week and despite the fact that I didn't *LOVE* the drinks, it was a really good time. Loved the location, decor and layout of the Vesper Lounge and although I didn't sample anything, the menu looked pretty good too. Definitely some nice happy hour specials and the servers/bartenders were super accommodating and very nice. My one problem - my only problem, really - was that I just didn't love the drinks. After seeing a lot of reviewers rave about cocktails on tap, my mojito left a lot to be desired. Also had a sip of the birthday boy's cocktail and wasn't blown away by that, either. I'll for sure head back to sample some different libations and food, but for now Vesper gets a solid three stars from yours truly. read more

Met friends here for happy hour and need to go back. Burger was delicious, beer choices were good. Dive bar for sure, but awesome. read more

Late night and hungry? This is the place to go! I don't even care about anything else, I give it a 5 stars for the delicious spicy chicken pita, here's the warning: it's very hot and spicy, but so good! I want to go back to try more food. Good and fast service, great location, cozy, good music selection... pretty good, right? read more

Vesper Lounge is a great little bar if your looking for something quaint and low key. The happy hour food and drink specials are great, but so is the regular food menu. Everything we've had at Vesper has been good! Definitely try the Burger- might sound like a standard burger, but its one the best in town- I think it might even be award winning. Great spot for locals- very warm and inviting staff! read more

Just did carry out here through Uber eats. They screwed up the order and shorted me the gyro meat. I called and they passed the buck to Uber. So that sucks but not as bad as the food. I think they believe this is middle eastern food but it's really a just a sad sad rendition. The chicken sandwich I also didn't order was beat down and the flavor overwhelming and quite deleterious to ones large intestines. The salad had its moments, fresh, but a far cry from the menu description. Where is a true habibbi when you need one! read more

I have nothing bad to say about this place. I live and work in the area so I usually come here with coworkers for a post-work drink. The happy hour is pretty solid. A beer and a well shot for $7 isn't bad, especially since the well whiskey is Jim Beam and not some generic whiskey with just "Kentucky Whiskey" on the label. *cringe* Anyway, we're always taken care of by our bartender/server, Erin and it's always been great service. I'm an Old Fashioned guy, but the Boulevardier is superb. I've heard stories of how divey and awesome the Lancer was, which I wish I could've experienced, but the Vesper holds its own with great bar food, great service, and great drinks. read more

Worst service. Waitress was drunk clearly took her 20 minutes to come back and tell us the kitchen was closed.

Monday is happy hour allllllllllllll day :) I loved my chicken pita and my friends raved about the felafel and the different dips. read more

The food is amazing!! Everything was great service was a little slow but the pesto is a must try the slider was awesome and I took some food today which was also awesome just wish I had asked for some extra pesto read more

Vesper is my jam. They have a great tap selection and some pretty aggressive happy hour deals....Draft and a shot of Wild Turkey for $5 = aggressively awesome. BOMB greek bar food. The Colorado Lamb Gyro is something dreams are made of. I just tried the Greek Burger and that was scrumptious as well. Their Fries apparently won some Westword honors recently. This probably isn't the manliest thing I have ever said but...The Humus something you want to nose dive into. Prices typical of a Bonnano Concepts restaurant...borderline expensive. Similar in price to their Russell's Smokehouse. Worth the price if you ask me! read more

One evening a little later we looked for dinner in the Golden Triangle. Unfortunately, many of the places were closed (lots of breakfast/lunch places in the area). But then we remembered we passed Vesper a few times during the week. We stopped in and they didn't disappoint us. Bigger than it looks, they offer seating on both sides of the bar. They also have outdoor seating for better weather; we visited on a cold January evening. It's a little dark and some might call it shabby chic. But we found it warm and hospitable. Our server changed during the visit but we noticed no disruption. Both offered attentive and friendly service. We ordered Labatt Blue on tap. We hadn't drank Labatt's since visiting Canada. We started with the Trio appetizer. This includes 3 choices from among 5 middle eastern regulars. We chose Hummus, Baba ganoush and Tzatziki. All quite tasty. They went down exceptionally well with the Labatt's! For dinner, my wife wanted a salad. They didn't have exactly what she wanted but she negotiated a salad to her specifications with lamb. She loved it. We find lamb can hit or miss but this definitely hit. Really moist and flavorful. Although I coveted her salad after it arrived, I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger. Very juicy and delicious. It minimized my longing for my wife's salad. We experienced great food and service. Excellent beer. And all at a reasonable price. I cannot wait to live in the neighborhood and visit again. read more

We came here for trivia. They had great craft drinks, however they were a little pricey. Our service was hit or miss, which is kind of strange cuz the place they had seen that busy. Its super divey, which is cool. Another thing I have to say about trivia is that the host was pretty rude. She definitely didn't try very hard to up the energy of the fun of the night. It was a parent she was only there to get through the night get her job done and leave. However the questions were good and the people around us were friendly which made it fun. read more

We ended up here after dinner at Benny's. I know, at least before the ownership transition, that this was a fun divey bar. We were here on Dec 30th 2014. Whoever was making the mixed drinks was no bueno. I returned two drinks. I've never returned two drinks before in my life. Gin fizz sounded fun and tasted like pure sugar. This was followed up by a dark and stormy, equally sugary. I finally just ordered a beer which our waiter informed me I couldn't return. Thanks. I am after all a habitual one-sip-almost-puke-drink-returner. Ya caught me. Plenty of other places to booze it up. I'm sure the feeling is mutual. read more

We came here on a whim and I was a bit hesitant because I wanted something low key but not divey but also not a place where I'd have to dress up or pay a fortune for drinks. To me, "lounge" is a bit of a misnomer but this place was everything I was looking for that night. It had a good energy and just a perfect spot to hang out with friends! read more

Casual bar. Very good food. I got the bacon cheeseburger and replaced the side of fries with pesto and warm pita. Delicious!

Holy strong drinks Batman! I'm so glad the key component to what once was the Lancer Lounge has remained in the transformed Vesper Lounge. I've said it before and I'll say it again: a face lift does wonders for a bar! I don't remember what the raspberry drink is called (hint, hint) but man o' man is it delicious! There are a handful of other specialty house drinks that are strong and yet smooth. Again, this is only from what I "remember." Beyond that, they have a few combo drinks where you get a beer/drink and a shot for one low price. This is the way to go! While I am aware that they serve food here I haven't had the pleasure to experience the fare. However, from the looks of it each item seems yum-tastic. Really, this place is the dive bar cousin of some of the more fancy eateries around town. Stop in, say hello, come back for more! The interior decor is dark and intimate and I love it. There are booths, tables, high tops and seats at the bar for all your drinking enjoyment. Also, how can you go wrong with a solid patio ripe for people watching? It's not often that I am in this area but when I am there's never a reason NOT to visit the Vesper Lounge. Juke box. Total fan! read more

On a recent venture to see how the old Lancer Lounge has been cleaned up into Vesper Lounge I was immediately nostalgic for the Lord of the Rings pinball and murkiness of the former. But alas, things change. And on a Tuesday where Vesper offered Geeks Who Drink trivia, comfortable booths and Mediterranean food I was pleasantly accepting. Both the gyro and chicken pita sandwich were delicious! Better sandwiches than I've had at 2 am at Jerusalems, in fact. The drinks were strong and interesting, especially the Vesper. While I will miss the cups of vodka and the panic hour that the Lancer offered, the grub at Vesper alone is worth revisiting the revamped neighborhood bar. read more

AWESOME cocktails! Where else is Ketel One or Grey Goose the well vodka? I love their dirty martinis (especially the two-for-one martinis they have at happy hour), and whatever spice they put on their french fries is delicious. The hummus and other assorted dips are also amazing. The first time I went was opening night and the owner was around thanking people for coming - definitely made me feel appreciated and led me to come back! Every time I've been the servers have been super cool. The only reason for the four stars is something another reviewer pointed out... Apparently kids are allowed here? Not sure about other people, but I prefer to toss back my drinks without 8-year-olds running around... I have not been for brunch yet, but if the quality is the same as the other food they serve, I'm sure it's delish. PS - I have to say, that overall this bar deserves a much higher average rating than it has... If you look at all those 1-star people though, they're clearly just unhappy that Lancer Lounge closed. I get it was a neighborhood favorite, but things change folks! As a homeowner in the neighborhood, I'm happy to have a classier, yummier, better-cocktail-making place nearby. read more

I had a delicious cheeseburger and a yummy cocktail on the patio, with my pup lying happily at my feet. Ill be back for sure. read more

Wow, so glad we stopped by! Not sure about the place that was here before that people keep referencing, but Vesper is great, so suck it up and stop complaining! After having a bad experience at Le Central around the corner, we stumbled upon Vesper for happy hour. (Thanks Yelpers for the suggestion!) I got a drink duo of a Cosmo and pink lady shot for $7. Such s great deal! Essentially 2 drinks for the price of 1 since the shot was huge! Boyfriend got the signature Vesper drink which was great as well. We shared some fries and each got a slider. A falafel and hamburger. Both great. Overall great place to start out a night of happy hours, or to just go and hang out at for a while! We will definitely be back. read more

Best Burger in town! Ice cold beer and a really awesome bartender that always makes my hubby and I feel welcome! I love this spot. Everything I've tried here has been delicious. read more

After I ate here I got food poisoning. Wait staff was also a little impatient and not very engaging or friendly. Won't be coming here again.

Cool little spot. Happy hour all day Monday! Okay food, small, dark bar, and great service.

Came here before our reservation at Luca, and I will say it has a divey, yet hip atmosphere. Great tap list, including the fun cocktails "on tap". Price point is reasonable, and friendly bar service. I would like to see a more robust small plates menu, but cannot comment on the food because we only had drinks. Not too crowded (it was during a snowy evening so it's to be expected) and pretty intimate spacing. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it's not a bad bet for a drink in a dim lit setting. read more

Real good service by the bartender. The uh Paloma is slap yo mama tasty. Order it. Serious. read more

The two stars are because the food was great! The issue however is the service. The initial greeting wasn't professional, but we were handed menus and told to just sit outside, so we found an empty table and did. 20mins goes by, no one helped us, so I walk inside and ask if someone can assist us and am told, oh, those tables aren't ours... okay, perhaps tell your guests where the imaginary line of patio service is then? Okay, we move, we give them the benefit of the doubt... 10 more mins go by before we get asked if we even want a drink. We finally get some service and it takes almost an hour to get our food! On top of that, the servers then help guests seated in the area we were initially sitting at (that wasn't their area but is now?) The guests beside us ask us if they have to go inside for service, and we say no, but chat back and forth about how terrible the service is. While we try to flag someone down for even a refill, three other tables are also trying to get assistance. A damn shame really, as we would have spent far more money had people actually attempted to give service. I'm always a 20% tipper and this was the first time in as long as I can remember that we didn't tip 20%. The food is good, but the service was so bad that we wouldn't even bother going back. Even sadder, the owner, Frank Bonanno was definitely walking by and when his staff saw him, they sure moved quicker but when he disappeared, shit show. The staff needs trained and kept accountable or this place will crumble. read more

Great place for a drink. The red lighting with dark are just what I like. Good music and the drinks are pretty good. I like places like this not too crowded but not dead either just the right amount of thirsty read more

One of my favorite darkend lounges. Not overly expensive, great for late night eats, and the moroccan nuts are fantastic.