7 Colorado Springs speakeasies: Your guide to hidden, boozy gems

Feb. 24—Prohibition might have ended, but the spirit of speakeasies lives on — especially in Colorado Springs.

You can find them in the alleys of downtown, or underneath a local restaurant. So, what's with all these speakeasies popping up?

Dylan Currier, owner of The Archives Underground Libations, credits the rise of hidden bars in Colorado Springs to outside influence.

"We follow the trends of what's happening in the bigger cities," Currier said. "Colorado Springs is a big tourist city. So when people are traveling, and they're well traveled, they're looking for spots like these. So, I feel like that's why we're starting to see more and more of them pop up."

Here's a guide to some local speakeasies, but keep it hush, hush.

Allusion

Ever wanted to party in the "Stranger Things" Upside Down? How about join the Mad Hatter for a boozy tea party? At this Colorado Springs speakeasy, you can!

Hidden in the back of Rooster's House of Ramen, Allusion Bar takes on a new persona each quarter. With each theme change, the bar is transformed into another place, with a new cocktail menu to match.

The bar is tapping into madness with Alice in Wonderland, decorated with lush gardens, French suit motifs and of course, the mischievous Cheshire Cat.

Allusion has a second location on the east side of the city at 3317 Cinema Point, The bar embodies each theme a little differently at its two locations. For this quarter's theme, the downtown spot has turned into Wonderland, while the Powers location is hosting The Mad Tea Party. Reservations recommended.

The Archives

The Archives hides underneath Colorado Craft in downtown. You can find it by going down the stairs at the back of the restaurant or through the back door in the building's alleyway.

Once there, you'll be met with a dimly lit, classic cocktail bar with plenty of room to sit.

"We have those very intimate vibes where it feels much like a speakeasy," Currier said. "However, we like to play a lot of different music. We also like to play with the crowd. We like to turn the lights down low, turn the music up a little higher. So we have a lot more fun."

As for its founding, Currier referenced the revival of speakeasies during the 2000s.

"We kind of originated in the same form that most of the speakeasies in New York came about," Currier said. "Guys were really passionate about making cocktails in the early 2000s. They couldn't really afford spots, so they would get little places in the back or down an alley or just like places they could afford, not street level, things like that. And that's kind of what happened with me."

The cocktail menu is made up of simple classics and lists all the ingredients for each drink. The Archives also offers dining options from Colorado Craft upstairs.

Brooklyn's on Boulder

This speakeasy isn't just hidden, but disguised as a men's fine clothing store. Even a visit to its website may fool you: "Our haberdashery is for those who value style above all else. Whether you need a custom suit or that perfect accessory to complete your look, you'll find it all at Brooklyn's on Boulder Street," the site reads.

But step foot into the mysterious storefront and you'll be met by a bartender, not a tailor.

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"In early days, we had a few scenarios where confusion did run a loop, you know, because the front of our shop looks like a tailor's shop," said Lee Spirits owner Ian Lee.

The hidden spot is a tasting room for Lee Spirits, a local craft distillery. The bar is decorated in a minimalistic manner, with the focal point being on the drinks, Lee said.

"It's not as ornate and as whimsically designed as a lot of the other speakeasies in town, and we did that with a level of intentionality because truth be told, the speakeasies that actually existed in the '20s didn't have that level of opulence that we see in some of the other venues," Lee said.

District Eleven

Sitting in the vault of Mood Tapas Bar is District Eleven, a whiskey bar.

To access the bar, which has over 200 whiskey selections, you'll have to ask the host to escort you to the vault, or find the door that opens to the back alley.

Describing itself as "the sexiest speakeasy in Colorado," District Eleven offers a moody atmosphere with dark walls, dim lights and maximalist decor. While you're sipping on whiskey, you can also eat tapas from the overarching restaurant.

The Fifty-Niner

Drink some cocktails and play some games at the Fifty-Niner, hidden behind The Dice Guys Game Store. With over 200 games to choose from, this speakeasy has no shortage of entertainment.

The name of this speakeasy is a nod to the history of Old Colorado City, which became home to swarms of prospectors searching for gold in 1859 — leading to the name 59ers.

The drink menu includes a curated selection of craft cocktails, beers and wines, as well as a food menu. That includes the signature "59er," made with bourbon, sparkling water, lemon and honey. The drink is even adorned with an edible gold flake.

Shame & Regret

Head down the alley between Taste of Jerusalem Cafe and Escape Velocity comic book store, and you'll find a neon-red sign leading you directly to Shame & Regret (the bar).

This gothic hideaway prides itself in its American whiskey and scotch options, as well as its specialty cocktails. The cocktail menu includes drinks like the "Ball & Chain," made with thyme-infused vodka, elder flower liquor, lemon juice and cava float, as well as the "Voodoo Priestess," made with coconut rum, melon liquor and crème.

The bar also offers several nonalcoholic and vegan cocktail options.

With a large seating area, the bar has a dark, Victorian feel to it, decorated with chandeliers and large pieces of artwork.

The Rabbit Hole

Fall down the Rabbit Hole on Tejon Street. The underground bar and restaurant is accessed through a faux subway station stairwell, lit with a neon sign and string lights.

A popular destination for both cuisine and drinks, and of course the eccentric atmosphere, the Rabbit Hole's menu sticks to the Wonderland theme. Try the bar's signature martini, "The White Rabbit," made with vanilla vodka, coconut rum, cream and topped with a flaming marshmallow (yes, it does light on fire). In addition to its cocktail offerings, the bar also has mocktails available.

Reservations recommended.

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