Williams & Graham
Bar · Highland
3160 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211
Highlights
Handcrafted cocktails & small plates behind a hidden bookshelf door
Handcrafted cocktails & small plates behind a hidden bookshelf door
"The original Highlands speakeasy, opened in 2011, blends Prohibition-era vibes with classic cocktails and cozy, booklined entry theatrics; it’s known for hospitality driven by third-generation bartender Sean Kenyon and for specialty cocktails that have earned local and national “best of” recognition. The kitchen serves rich, adventurous plates — deviled eggs, frog legs, bone marrow and an acclaimed burger with fries finished in aioli and malt vinegar gastrique — alongside brunch staples like Hawaiian bread French toast with coconut, pineapple and hot honey, diverse breakfast sandwiches, green chili–smothered burritos and cotija-topped chilaquiles. Signature drinks include the Blackberry Sage Smash and the Great White Buffalo, and a rotating roster of Prohibition-compliant temperance drinks (for example, the Earl Grey–based My Bitter Clementine) offers sophisticated nonalcoholic choices." - Cynthia Barnes
"A hidden speakeasy-style bar tucked behind a bookcase that recreates the craft-cocktail focus and intimate atmosphere of its celebrated downtown sibling." - Ruth Tobias
"Behind a bookcase on a LoHi corner sits an internationally acclaimed cocktail bar. The dimly-lit space is dotted with booths for tender tête-à-têtes, but the best seats in the house line the grand wooden bar itself, where the crackerjack staff asks get-to-know-you questions before recommending a concoction made with any of the hundreds of spirits lining the shelves, both classic and rare; all sorts of handmade bitters, syrups, and tinctures; and such surprise ingredients as goat cheese, asparagus, bamboo shoots, and sun-dried tomatoes. Small plates like roasted bone marrow with bacon jam and fried frog’s legs with curry aioli round out the experience. (Meanwhile, adjacent sibling venue the Occidental offers a far grittier vibe but equally crafty drinks.)" - Ruth Tobias
"After 10 years on a busy corner in LoHi, this secret bar located behind a bookshelf isn’t such a secret anymore. But it’s still one of our favorite spots to get a well-crafted cocktail while indulging in a truly lavish dry-aged beef burger. Opened in 2011 by barmen Sean Keyton and Todd Colehour, Williams & Graham was one of the first Denver bars to carry high-end spirits like Highland Park. The quality remains consistent, even as the drinks list tips at over 60 offerings. Order trout lox, deviled eggs, and roasted bone marrow, then ask the bartender for a cocktail pairing." - Vox Creative
"If you’ve heard of exactly one drinking destination in Denver, it's probably Williams & Graham, located behind what appears to be world’s smallest bookstore. There isn’t a classic, on menu or off, that the bar can’t make or a special request it won’t entertain, so don’t hesitate to ask. But the heart of the list resides in the seasonal cocktails. The odder the concoction sounds, the more likely it is to blow your mind sky-high. So even if you're confused by the thought of sesame oil, spinach syrup, or sunchoke-flavored rum, give it a whirl. And despite all the hoopla surrounding it, once you get past the secret (okay, open-secret) entrance, it’s still a bar built for comfort." - Ruth Tobias
