Mercury Cafe

This review is more so to help out of towners. I went to the Mercury for the Latin Jazz festival last month (which was amazing.). Just a warning do not park in the lot across from the venue. It’s privately owned and the QR codes in the lot are linked to a payment system that will collect all your banking information but won’t register you paid. Later you will get a huge fine (over $100) for not paying and in my experience I had a fraudulent charge 2 weeks after using this parking lot that required me to close my debit card. Outside of parking and this experience the venue was great and the show was great.

This was an experience and a half. So much going on between Latin Jazz upstairs, movies and tarot readers and spoken word downstairs, friendly service, good food, comfortable layout, and somehow we could still hear each other without shouting. It's a very old school joint with a heavy LGBTQIA+ support vibe. Parking can be tricky but the chill time when showing up early is worth it.

The mercury cafe is an iconic, legendary, historic venue with SO MUCH vibe. Completely unique!! Rough part of town but worth it!! The upstairs venue is big and awesome for music and dancing. The downstairs is fun too!

Baby Rave was great. Ball pits, free face painting, fun music, hoopla hoops, bubbles, and adult beverages.

We had our wedding here and couldn't recommend it more. The atmosphere is perfect for a wedding and required no decorations on our part. The food was absolutely delicious. It was very affordable, especially for a wedding. Alex, helped us throughout the whole process. He was always quick to respond, always on time, professional, and offered helpful advice. The big day was perfect! The staff was there when we needed them every time. We all had a great time! Wish we could do it all over again!

Wedding reception. here. Arty Atmosphere, good drinks, Wonderful live Irish music In bar area. Good food, vegan option. Great time with terrific people.

This place has something for everyone. The layout is great for grabbing a coffee and doing work or catching up with friends during the day. At night, you can grab a fun cocktail, wine, beer or nonalcoholic drink at the bar and even catch live music, poetry, and more. The food is better than expected and the staff makes you feel at home. If this isn't on your regular's list, you're missing out.

My husband and I stopped in for a drink and were hoping to enjoy some entertainment. Karaoke was wrapping up for the night and we ventured to the poetry venue. Realizing this wasn’t for me I ventured upstairs to the dance area only to be told it was a private venue. I left very disheartened and felt very unwelcomed. We will not be returning.

Yall, it's NOT CLOSED!!! Still having events and we got to see Psychostick and love this venue!!! Intimate, friendly, the bartenders are super friendly and accommodating! Thank goodness they are still open! Such an inclusive, welcoming environment- we didn't eat during the show but lots of people did and the fries looked bomb!!

I have always loved this place! My cousin invited me to lindy hop class. We showed up for beginners class on week 5..oops! It was still fun. We might have been behind, but the instructors took a little time at the end of the class for us and we will be back next month on week 1! $10 and worth the money and time! Love ot here!

We came here the other night and paid 10 bucks per ticket for their jazz night on Saturdays, the music was amazing and so was the crowd... but not impressed by the management team here as it was SUPER cold the entire night upstairs because they didn't take the time to get space heaters up there despite people having paid money to come and watch the show. They tried once after an HOUR of us all sitting there to fix the heater but it was super loud and they just turned it off, they mentioned bringing space heaters in but they gave up on that idea I guess.... Would come back if it was summer or I didn't have to freeze my butt off

This place is so cute! I went here for jazz night and the vibes were amazing. There is so much space for large groups of people to gather and have a wonderful time. The service was great. They do not have a bar menu but the bartenders were amazing. My friend got burger and enjoyed it.

So many great memories at the Merc! I've taken several Lindy Hop classes and even stepped out of my comfort zone to try Zouk. For whatever reason, I tend to come here on snowy days, which a great way to combat seasonal depression and just dance with a bunch of cool people. Check out their calendar online for a ton of events pretty much every day of the week. Finally checked out the restaurant downstairs more recently, hence the word CAFE in the name. Very affordable and community-oriented. I got the Spicy Bowl and Harissa Small Plate. Both were tasty! Would get them again. Oh and I got one of the dessert specials (Carrot Cake: Vanilla Trifle) which was AMAZING but forgot to take a picture. It's okay, I know I'll be back!

Love mercury cafe! Stopped by for a drink, and a quick bite. The drinks were great and the food was good too, but, we did find a long hair in our falafel burger. We didn't say anything bc we were literally on the last bite. Ambiance: This place has always been super cute and magical! Gives you the feeling of being in a fairy tale.

This spot has been on my list for a *long* time! We finally came in New Year's Eve for an early dinner. We got seated right away in the Jungle Room, where there was a very talented pianist playing. We had our dinner there but were curious about the performer in the next room over, so we asked our server if we could have dessert in the Rose Room and she kindly let us select a table of our choosing and brought our desserts over so we could check out the singer in Rose Room. Very cool vibe and atmosphere. Delicious and healthy menu, with ample vegetarian and vegan options! And the service was great! When we moved seats, the servers in the other room kept coming to check on us, and so did our original server when she had time. Will definitely be back to check out more events and performances this venue has to offer! An absolute gem!!

This eclectic establishment provides entertainment for all walks of life. I hadn't been here in years but I do remember the good times I had from before. The old fashioned that I was drinking were on time and tasty.

Fun ambiance. Lots of cool events. Check their calendar. Just don't come hungry. Food is meh.

If you are from the Denver area or just moved here and haven't been here yet you are definitely missing out... I have been here multiple times with my son and we both absolutely love it. He has participated an open mic three times and has he use the Mercury stage to help him get over his stage fright. The staff here are friendly and will treat you like family. The restaurant is clean, the food is good. Last time I came we ordered the quesadillas twice in one sitting... The salsa that came with it was just the right amount of spice, and the pico was fresh. I had a screwdriver and a beer while I was here, the bartender did not disappoint. The crowd for the poetry slam is always supportive as well as inclusive. Whether you are a local poet or just a soul with a lot to say, whether you are a comedian on his off day or an eight-year-old trying to combat stage fright - this crowd will welcome you with open arms. We, of course, will be back and hope to see you there next time.

The cafe downstairs: excellent. The upstairs music venue? Well the 7pm show on 12/28/14 had no warm-up groups - till after 8:00 and when the warm-ups showed they (rap) were so off-genre for what I came to hear (tuneful melodies of Oubrey Ray & Tarrius), and the rappers were so unimaginative and apparently very early in their careers that I couldn't bear it ... I endured it until I walked out at 9:10, never having seen the show I paid for. Not much for my $32 entry and $20 drink. If you go, plan accordingly.

Having been going for years to enjoy the eclectic entertainment (dancing, bands, poetry, sing-alongs, witches), colorful delightful decor, and delicious, thoughtfully sourced-and prepared foods. With new owners (but the former amazing owner, I've read, still deeply involved for now) the menu has changed. A pal and went last weekend and ordered the Smoked Shiitakes, Falafel Burger, and Mercury Market Bowl. The food LOOKED great and TASTED out of this world, baby. Yum. Just thinking about it makes me hungry. Attached some photos of the beautiful environment. Can't wait to go back and try more from the new menu.

Ridiculous came to share to open mic black guy with glasses said it was full. Sorry it was an inconvenience a poet wanted to share. I

Love this place. Great atmosphere, awesome shows, and amazing people. While you're here, you gotta try the pineapple basil Fresca. It's to die for. And everything chef Gino makes is delicious. I highly recommend it.

Cute local spot for independent shows. The staff is friendly and it's an LGBTQ friendly establishment.

This place is really cute. I went on a Saturday night where they had live poetry and piano music. The place was completely packed and we found out they were unexpectedly hosting a 200 person event. This did affect our experiences. The servers were very very kind and I understand the circumstances we were in. However, because of the large party we had to keep our orders extremely simple and they weren't able to accommodate any accommodations such as removing or adding an ingredient from a burger. I settled for a Caesar salad and would say my food was average. Their menu is pretty simple and healthy but could have been more flavorful. Regardless, I thought the place was really cute and had a great time chatting and drinking wine with my girls. The desserts were actually really tasty. We ordered one of each. I will be returning :)

Went for Sunday Brunch nice and quiet. No line. Only 2 other tables. Limited Menu on Sunday. Very good.

Despite difficult transition, events and food are recovering & getting better all the time. They need to answe the phone & keep up better communication on events... all will resolve; still unique & vital to Denver!!

So the Mercury takes cards now. That's right...you CAN use your plastic here. So don't listen to the folks telling you to stay away because they only take cash.

I went to the Buckhorn Exchange for the first time ! I was not disappointed. It was such a fun experience with great food . The staff was so helpful and friendly and all seemed to enjoy their jobs. Thank you for a wonderful evening

Words could never capture the love, joy and positive energy that exudes from this space. It is a utopia of sight and sound that fills the soul and invigorates the spirit. Marilyn started this place almost 47 years ago and the community has embraced her and it with a love no words could capture. From Jazz, spoken word or a bit of thrasher metal. There is something for everyone.

Did Denver really need another white person Mexican restaurant?? I miss the old food and i'm disappointed in the new decor and brighter lights. No one waits on you anymore and it's no longer open in the am. I miss the old Merc.

Go for the music no the food! We liked the concept and the venue. However the food was pretty cheap quality and not really good. We were 4 people and none of us finished the plate. We ended up going to another place for dessert. Live music and drinks are ok.

Great vibes, cool people. Came for poetry open mic night. An enjoyable and welcoming environment.

The building throws you off a little bit on the outside, but the side is beautiful and has that swing era vibe. Everything is a little expensive. I would go here for like 1-2 drinks and pay for the ambience. The live music was amazing.

I've heard of this place too many times to count and finally visited it on a 80s throwback dance party night. To be honest there just aren't enough 80s or 90's dance parties in the city and it totally sucks! We were happy to have been able to find this one and the Mercury Cafe was a great spot for it. We had a lot of fun and if they made this a regular event we would return and bring more friends. You know us mature adults spend money too. We actually have more of it to spend. Hint, hint

Come for the poetry, skip the food. The potato wedges are literally $1 per wedge, undercooked at that.

Visited 4/15. Not enough bartenders. Very, very long wait. 20-30 min to order. Was well decorated if that helps with waiting forever.

Mercury Cafe serves the most delightful lavender lemon drop! Perfect for summertime sips. I could probably down an entire pitcher on my own if allowed. But that might be too much of a good thing. Beyond the organic spirits and infused syrups, Mercury has a unique vibe that stands the test of time. The building itself looks to be from the early 1900's and is one of the few original structures in a sea of new construction. There was a wedding happening upstairs when I was visiting, but downstairs had plenty of room with a full bar, tons of open booths, a side room for swing dancing, and dessert bar. Plus a tarot card reader available. Cash only is a bit of a bummer. But that's really the only thing wrong with Mercury Cafe. Other than that, I will be coming back for my new favorite cocktail and watch to see how they make it so I can try to replicate at home.

Man I usually love this place but would NOT recommend going for food during open mic night. The night I went They were either extremely short staffed and forgetful or just didn't care. I waited for 20 mins to order with no one coming by. Staff walking by wouldn't even look me in the eye. Finally I walked up to the bar to order (good thing I did) and was informed the kitchen was just getting ready to close. Then no one checks on me the rest of the night. I had to walk up to the bar again to pay. Great atmosphere/events, very poor customer service/inattentive Wait staff

Food is HORRIBLE. How can someone screw up a hamburger, burrito, quesadilla?? The chef must try hard to make everything completely dry and tasteless. Don't believe me? I don't care. Try for yourself.

My little sister just had her wedding reception at the mercury cafe The place has awesome energy The staff is awesome The food was so good Everything was taken care of without any stress or worry for my family Highly recommend this place

A true gem of this community. This is something denver is so lucky to have. Beautiful spot, so many interesting and creative people in there, lots of inspiration all around. A true relic of another era, evidenced by the high rises going up around it. Thank you for what you do :)

Good food and great service, but I won't be back. A bit miffed at being charged a credit card fee when using cash, and then arounding down my change when not having the exact amount. That and parking is a nightmare and the homeless situation is out of control in the area.

The new management has completely ruined the point of this place. Was turned away for dinner because I don't buy a ticket behind for the event going on that wasn't mentioned online or on their messaging system. Not that anyone actually answered the phones to begin with. Communication would be nice.

Was really excited to try this place but sadly, it was not a pleasant experience. The ambiance and music are great. The food and service leave a lot to be desired. Our waitress was not attentive at all. It took us 20 minutes to be greeted and asked for our drink order. She never checked back on us. The appetizers were not good. The entrees were okay but nothing special. I had to walk to the bar twice to order a second drink. For our $200 tab, it was not worth the experience and We won't be back.

Worst food and service ever! I don't normally write reviews but this was seriously so bad that I had to write a review! We had a private room booked for 50 people and prepaid and pre-orders our meals. We arrived at 6pm by 9pm half of the group still had not received their pre-ordered meals. They ran out of some items of food and started splitting the serve that was meant for one onto 2 plates, our order was completely wrong so after waiting 3 hours and paying $26 plus a $10 cover charge we couldn't eat the meal. And there was one waitress for the entire room which meant getting drinks or service was impossible. Will never go there again and would not recommend this place!

Maybe they were having a very bad night because, while the food at Sunday brunch food has always been good, it is the ambiance and activities that make this place special. Not the quality food or the consistency of service which is, correctly, not the reason to go there. Unfortunately, dinner tonight was just one bad night. While our waitress was lovely and tried her best to make up for the hour and 15 minute wait for food, which included telling us at 4 different times that they were out of things we had ordered. When the food did finally come, what 2 of us had ordered amounted to a small side salad and 6 bites of spicy tofu and vegetables. The other 2 guests had "bun" sandwiches which came with 3 small triangles of pita instead of potato wedges which they were out of. One bun was burned black, the other was cold. And, all the food served was, by consensus, not very tasty or well prepared. Maybe we caught The Merc on a very off night but, very off it was.

I love the ambiance of this place. The waiters were great but unfortunately the food is no good. The beans tasted from a can and the salsa was horrible. It said is organic but it doesn't taste organic or fresh. Hope they fix it soon. I love this place

Wonderful, relaxing and delicate ambiance. I love the organic foods, live music, beautiful twinkly lights and warm environment. We tried a few drinks and the beautifully-crafted fruit and cheese plate and were happy with a ladies night here. Hippie vibe flows all through this establishment -- a mini free library borders the bathroom which uses recycled water, and the delicious-looking desserts come in a variety of vegan and gluten free options. The service is also very laid back -- friendly but slow and relaxed, so do not come here looking for a quick meal, but do come if you have time to enjoy the performances and the vibe. Cash only is a buzzkill, as other Yelpers have shared, so come prepared in order to avoid ATM fees.

Really unique atmosphere that enraptured me the longer I stayed. Food choices took a quality over quantity approach. But I am told it was a partial menu. The food itself was very high quality with local and organic ingredients. Come for the unique space, stay for the food and the wonderful staff.

Well, this is a little sad. For decades (from Marilyn Megenity's first restaurant in Indian Hills, to the recently sold Mercury of the present) we could always anticipate a hearty, creative, consistently satisfying organic meal to kick off a Friday night. Of course there's no replacing Marilyn, now enjoying a life beyond the vast responsibility of running the amazing place she created. We had expected some minor teaks to the great and varied menu, as the new owners took the helm. (And congratulations and gratitude, for having the good sense to preserve the general ambiance. The new cozy couch spaces are a welcome tweak). What I'd not expected was the wholesale elimination of the menu. What??? - Now "scaled back" so far as to be unrecognizable. No more daily Specials board, No more robust, varied and creative plates of lovingly prepared organic meals. with hearty homemade bread and jam on the side. Instead all that was offered last Friday were a few very small and unimaginative appetizer plates (a blob of hummus and a few vegetable stick, or tiny generic salads, and a couple of small but pricey buffalo burgers. The Mercury evolved a lovely and varied cultural scene under Marilyn's loving eye - but always, and essentially, built around healthy organic, nourishing and satisfying food. It appears that era has passed. The decision whether to make the trip on a given Friday has gotten a little easier. I think that's unfortunate.

Star Rating Rubric: 1 Star for Overall Experience 1 Star for Service 1 Star for Taste 1 Star for Dietary Accommodations 1 Star for Atmosphere Overall Experience: I was pleasantly surprised at the offerings the Mercury Cafe has. I went there to play a gig, I'm a bassist, and had no clue of the pleasant surprise awaiting me. The staff was very friendly and knowledgable about the menu. Most fo the food seemed to be organic and locally sourced when possible. In addition, I believe a lot of the deserts and breaded items are made from scratch. I ordered one of the specials, Polish Sausage and eggs, and throughly enjoyed the robust blend of flavors. Carbs, fats and proteins deliciously blended together for a happy patron. I'd go back another time when not playing a gig just for the food. As for price, they charge a fair price for the quality of food you get. I grow weary of the restaurants that charge a lot for non-organic, Shamrock/Cisco foods. Mercury Cafe is a great value for organic food. Nod to the chefs/cooks for preparing such tasty plates and desserts. Service: The server we had was pleasant and very knowledgable about the menu. Everyone I spoke with there was nice and made you fell like they wanted you to be there. Just overall great hospitality. Dietary Accommodations: I believe there is something for everyone is this day and age of personalized eating: vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, ton-o-gluten! Super psyched to find most items organic and locally sourced when possible. Did I say that already? Atmosphere: Super cool gypsy-type theme. I love the vibe it creates for being in Denver. The atmosphere is tranquil and makes your relax a bit. Check them out if you are on the area.

What a great place!! We enjoyed a glass of wine and the music. The food was very good. The staff was friendly and knowledgable. They offer vegetarian and vegan choices. Dessert menu was awesome. The atmosphere here is what brings people back. It is vintage and almost holiday-like. The have books to share and places to read. There is live music on some nights. Little lights the line the venue. I will definitely be back!!

Starting with the positive: this place has a nice vibe. We came for the drunken historians and I loved the small tables and the lights hanging from the ceiling. The food though is so mediocre. I had the vegetarian quesadilla and I m almost sure I d make it better at home. It was an appetizer, but the portion was small even for that. Lastly, we enjoyed only half of the show. The historians were too drunk for the second half. I d go back, but would make sure that I had dinner before.

With a witchy soul like mine, I was completely energized and felt right at home. I only ordered the chocolate mousse and my boyfriend and organic cocktail but everything was delicious! The staff were so helpful and very knowledgeable. Love the decor and love the environment. So happy I now live pretty close to this place!

I was super disappointed with my experience here. My dish tasted good, but it was grossly overpriced. I got Dinah's Tofu. $18!!! I was there for a music event and there was one server for the entire room of people. She was super sweet, but running all over the place and clearly overworked. The room was ridiculously hot. The soap in the bathroom was completely watered down. I don't know if it was the food, but I ended up with super bad stomach issues shortly after eating. I don't plan to return anytime soon.

I reallllly want to like this place and have tried it a few times but the food is just terrible. Very expensive, small portions, most of the food was luke warm and some was just cold, bland flavors (not even salt, really) and weirdly everything is very dry like it's been over baked or left out on the counter for a few hours. They told us they're redoing their menu but it'll be a long time before we eat here again.

I have tried this place now three times, each time was pretty surprising how bad the food was. I really wanted to love this place because the ambiance is great and the dancing and shows are such an attraction. I have finally given up stubbornly on ordering anything aside from wine or coffee because everything from the margaritas to the burger and stroganoff was of such poor quality. We went recently in a large group and at least 8 of the 13 complained about their food from being burnt to being tasteless and dry. Funny, they serve these funky, dry hamburger buns with all kinds of dishes from the hummus plate to avocado toast. They are terrible and certainly don't substitute for good, toasted bread to go with hummus! My friend's chicken dish came with vegetables so burned, they were absolutely black and crispy! The manager said they were "carmelized"!!!! Hardly!!! There was even a hair on my plate with my dry, over-cooked burger that came with weird vegetables as a side rather than real burger toppings. Service was poor as several wanted to order more wine and never could catch a server. One night, when there to dance, I ordered a margarita which was made with the wrong kind of liquor. Disgusting! The manager was sent over and she offered to replace the items, but didn't seem to be concerned WHAT the issues were to be able to fix them! When we tried to explain, she cut us off trying to get us to move on and order something else rather than understanding how to tell the kitchen staff to improve. It is clear this is a cash business that isn't concerned with quality! Just come to dance and drink. Don't waste your money on the subpar food.