Tuesday brings all-day happy hour and $3 tequila shots and drinks, Wednesday is $4 you-call-it drinks, and on Thursdays, SIR celebrates industry professionals with 40 percent off the tab. Anytime is a good time to go, Stewart says, though the Sunday drag queen brunches with Lacey Vanderpump is especially popular. Dark red lights make the mood more nightclub-like, but to keep it bright there’s a rainbow light shining along the exposed brick wall. The large cylinder structure that used to house the serving station at Vesta is now a DJ booth. Push them to the side and you have a late night dance party, or put the seats in the center of the bar for dinnertime dining. Now, there are movable booths so the area can change based on what’s going on at SIR on any given night. “This used to be an iconic Denver restaurant it has natural brick and a lot of history.” “It’s a popping area, but there’s not a good gay bar,” he says. It’s the history of the space that drew Stewart to the location. Popular with bears and leather enthusiasts mainly and a good addition to all. SIR Denver opened in what used to be Vesta Dipping Grill, a long-time downtown hotspot. R&R Lounge A classic gay dive bar with darks, excellent drinks, and local charm. “The bartenders get to be creative it’s not just a -unless that’s what you want.” “I wanted to serve more than just vodka soda,” Stewart says. Stewart says the idea was to make a place where you could go have a nice glass of wine solo, meet a friend, or make a whole night out of it. There are cocktails on tap, craft beer, and a curated wine list. Sunday brunch, bookable as an OpenTable experience, includes bottomless mimosas, a drag queen host, and a plate of those aforementioned bruschetta featuring duck pate, artichoke, brie, short rib, and more.Īside from bubbles, drinks also play a big part in the experience of SIR. Overseeing the menu is chef Marissa Hardman, who has added plates such as tahini-laced cauliflower and a lineup of hearty bruschetta during brunch service.
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“Something that we put a little more thought into than just throwing in the fryer.” “We wanted to create something more on the fine-dining side,” he says. But the team is pulling away from the steakhouse vibe a little by slowly adding other dishes to the menu, Stewart says. With options including a 10-ounce bavette steak, double-cut rack of pork ribs, a 14-ounce Angus NY strip steak, a signature burger with secret sauce, and roasted Brussels sprouts with nuoc cham and peanuts, it’s not surprising one might think it’s a meat market. The “LGBT” toast (lettuce, guacamole, bacon, tomato) | Photo credit: SIRĪt first glance SIR appears to be a steakhouse.