BGC: The Hardest Bar To Find In Denver

Someone hands you a thick black business card. On one side, there’s a gold triangular logo, and on the other, a phone number. You text the number, after 3 p.m., as the person who handed you the card instructed. As you text the number, you begin to feel a creeping sense of secrecy and importance. That’s exactly what B&GC, one of Denver’s hottest speakeasies, is going for.

B&GC has a reputation for being one of the hardest places to find. Whether you’re given a business card with their number or you go to their website, all you’ll find is their phone number, and that’s the first step in making your way there. Text the number after 3 p.m. on the day that you want a reservation, including how many will be in your party. Once that’s confirmed, you make your way to the next step in the journey to B&GC: actually finding the place.

Located in Denver’s upscale Cherry Creek neighborhood, the entrance to B&GC is located in an alley behind the hotel, HALCYON. Don’t even attempt to locate B&GC on Google Maps because it won’t appear. Your best bet is to Google HALCYON, then walk up to E 3rd Avenue, turn left, and look for the creepy alley that yes, you’ll need to walk down.

You’ll find an unmarked door with a sign that reads “Stair 3,” with an even smaller sign beneath it with the gold triangle logo and the words “PRIVATE.” Ring the golden antique doorbell and wait. After a few minutes, someone will appear asking if you have a reservation, and then will lead you down a set of stairs and through some long hallways, until, voila, B&GC.

B&GC is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. The hoops you have to jump through to get to B&GC are worth it. It’s an intimate affair, with seating for only 44 people. The focus is the large center bar, complemented by big round booths for large parties. Low-lighting and a design that’s Mad Men-esque create an atmosphere that was generally saved for the elite and powerful in the 1950s but that’s now open to all.

The vintage cocktail menu has a selection of signature cocktails that were popular after WWII, including the martini, Sazerac, whiskey sours, and daiquiris. However, it is a full bar, so wine, craft beer, and liquor are all available, and with great mixologists on hand, any drink can be made. For those who get hungry, there is a small food menu with items like deviled eggs, caviar, and shrimp cocktails.

The secrecy and exclusivity of B&GC makes for a fun and unique bar experience in Denver. If you want to experience the “Boys & Girls Club” of Denver, just text 720.925.8598 and prepare for a bar experience that hasn’t been seen in years.

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