20 Best Bars in Denver | Condé Nast Traveler

"The first thing you need to know about Retrograde is, well, that you need to know about it: Located without signage behind the freezer door of an ice-cream parlor, with a light switch you have to flip to gain entrance, it’s not a place you simply stumble upon. The second thing you need to know about Retrograde is that it’s positively kooky, with major outer-spacey vibes. With room for a few-dozen people, tops, it’s designed to ensure you have a highly personalized experience. The concept itself precludes session drinking; nobody’s here to nurse a lawnmower beer. Retrograde’s intimate size and scope keep the hell-raising hordes at bay. Seven or eight craft beers are listed by style rather than brand or region, ensuring that you’re getting what you want, whether or not you know exactly what it is—a pilsner or a lager, a sour or a gose—and there are a few house wines for the spirits-averse too. But seasonal cocktails command the spotlight. About a dozen in all, and keeping with the space motif, they're a bit out there. Combinations like shiitake-infused gin, rye, rum, coconut, ginger, and curry tincture." - Ruth Tobias