The drinks at Bitter Bar are outstanding. Â The bartenders listen to your request and cater your drink around it. Â I find it impressive and it helps differentiate this bar from most others. Â The liquor selection alone left me in awe. Â The best bartender by far has to be Justin - always on top of it with both drinks and service. Â A couple bartenders are not as helpful or quick and even come off as being snooty - unfortunate since the vibe here is pretty chill.
Review Source:I had hoped not to write this review. The Happy Noodle House and Bitter Bar had been home to many fond memories. I was there celebrating Mark Stoddard's 42 Below win. I managed to get a cocktail request into a black book. I even shared rare European liqueurs with certain bartenders.
Well, I need to shut the door on The Bitter Bar. It's not the same. I haven't been there in about 18 months and my return visit last Friday was a poor experience.
I arrived sometime before 6pm and was surprised to hear happy hour was happening. The patio was full and I'm always more a bar guy, so I headed there. It was dead inside and the bartenders were hanging around. Poor guys looked bored. I wasn't feeling like cocktails (where's the old drink book??), so I ordered brussel sprouts and the deviled egg with lobster. I thoroughly enjoyed the brussel sprouts with their sea salt and togarashi flavors. The mustard in the deviled egg was great, but the lobster didn't add much. All told, it was a great food experience. That was fast attentive service.
Then I finally asked for my bill. The one guy headed to the register surrounded by 2-3 guys. I thought my bill was submitted, because he went to his bar station to the right of the kitchen. I waited and continued waiting. Two tickets were given and paid for near me. That first guy passed me by one more time. New guests' drink orders were handled. Still no bill. Finally, I asked again. I received my bill and promptly had my credit card out. No service. I waited more. Keep in mind, the Bitter Bar is still overstaffed inside. Very few, if any, drink orders are being processed. Then they got slammed by this faux Frenchie group at 6:25pm. They started working them and I started gathering my things. Nothing. I walked to the hostess stand and asked to pay my bill. She rang me up, I wrote $0 tip and left.
I've waited 6 days for a response after submitting feedback on the Bitter Bar website. I trust, by their food, they're still serving quality food and beverages, but their customer service is greatly lacking.
Edited to add: The manager did respond to me. I replied and haven't heard back from him in 3 weeks. I thought this was going in a positive direction. Clearly, it's going nowhere.
They apparently have done a makeover since last I visited in March. This includes the menus, which no longer include the Blue Velvet. Â They'll still make it for you if you ask. Â The happy hour menu no longer includes the Old Forrest, although the closest thing, the Horse's Neck (minus the bitters), was an OK replacement. Thumbs up on the addition of brussel sprouts, but I will have to bring my own togarashi lest they forget it again next time.
Review Source:Fried brussel sprouts, pork bun, chicken wings and duck confit sope!!! Reminiscent of Linger or Root Down in a smaller Boulder space. LOVED finding this lounge with fun, interesting and DELICIOUS food! We shared everything, had mixology cocktails and enjoyed all for happy hour pricing! I can't wait to go back!
Review Source:They changed their decor a year or two ago and with it their attitude and identity. Ever since the 'remodel' they've become the snobbiest, haughtiest, most pretentious bar in Boulder. If that's the affect they are aiming for, they are succeeding enormously.
I've suspected they wanted to appeal to a more 'grown-up', well dressed, well heeled clientele. Fair enough, you've got a business to run and a desire to be distinguished. But there's a big difference between adult and turgid. In the end you're just a restaurant and bar for chrissake. Act like one and serve me with some humanity.
The Very Sweet and not so kind...Bitter Bar
Heard this was a great place for drinks. Can you say sweet!!! Not "sweet" Â as in good, sweet as in a long list of candy drinks. Not a shock, the place has a youthful crowd that looks as though they just weaned themselves off of soda pop and have transformed their sugar addiction to include alcohol. My wife said she wanted something from the drink list but nothing sweet. They recommended something, and guess what? It was sweet. I just wanted a dry martini, up with three olives, which seemed way to complicated to them. Boodles... nope, Sapphire... nope, they offered something local and fruity... what ever. It came a little sweet and with only two olives; which is just bad form. I explained that a martini should always come with a odd number of olives, and three would be nice, like I asked. Then comes the eye roll, shocker!
This guy was obviously full of himself, it was his show, his way and has nothing to do with the guest. That's typical these days, a bunch of kids who know nothing working in restaurants because they can't think of a better way to make a living. I get that much, it's the arrogance I can do without..
We ate there at the bar, and the food was... you guessed it SWEET. The veggies had a sweet sauce, the lamb chops were sweet. Yikes, nothing savory in this place. Ordered glasses of wine, Côte du Rhone for me which came from the end of a bottle... the wine was flat. (Should have known better for ordering dry French BTG in a place like this). My wife ordered a glass of Malbec which I ended up sharing with her as my wine was flat and we couldn't possibly get the attention of the bartender socializing with his friends. In the end he forgot to put the wine on the check (this is where the owners pay attention to my rant here) so we considered it even.  As we were getting up he cleared and dumped my full glass of wine down the sink without any inquiry why I didn't drink it. The mentality and indifference of employees like this begs the question, who do they work for? Obviously it's for themselves and not in the best interest of the business or the guest.
The Bitter Bar reminds me of Rontoms in Portland on a smaller scale. Cozy, dark, intimate. Our knowledgable server, Macey, had immediate recommendations that turned out to be perfect libations: Barrel Master & Hugo Bracer. The S'mores is ridiculous. Just try to not lick the marshmallow off the cookies!
Review Source:This is not just your typical going out, getting drunk the whole night bar. Its a classier bar with more high-end priced drinks. They are all really different and unique, some have lavender in them! Drinks are around $10-$15 each so maybe just pop in and have a drink then hit up another bar. Over all, I really liked the environment and the drinks.
Review Source:One one of coolest spots in Boulder. Â The atmosphere is great, with varietal seating and a cool lounge area. Â Cocktails are award winning and creative. Â I personally love the castelvetrano olives (also on happy hour!)
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It's hard to imagine giving this place less than 5 stars. The Bitter Bar is critical in the Boulder scene because it makes those of us who like to travel and have a penchant for lively urban culture, feel as if we are at an exclusive secret spot that might be found in a larger city like Portland, SF or NYC. Boulder may be small, but we are still on it! Â Thank GOD/dess for the BB to give us young professionals in our late 20's and 30's, the reassurance that we are not crazy, overlooked & forgotten while residing in a college town that gears a large part of the nightlife towards the college students. The Bitter Bar doesn't fuck around & affirms that Boulder IS an edgy hotspot with a lot going on and has a restaurant scene with some serious street cred.
Come here for all your favorite cocktails and one of the BEST happy hours in Boulder. Their happy hour runs till 7 p.m. and wow- this puts them in a league all of their own. Most of the downtown happy hours end at 5:30 which is really pathetic so if you work till 5:30 or 6 your out of luck & no happy hour fun for you.
Again, you have till 7 p.m. for HH! No excuses AND they feature several signature cocktails during happy hr that are the real deal & at a significant discount given that most of their cocktails go for $9-$12. A few of my favorites are the Aviation, Old Forrest, & the coin margarita. Highest quality for your happy hour dollars.
FYI- I don't ever eat here. I typically just think to drink here because the menu has never appealed to me. Would love it if they worked on their food menu.
Talk about expensive drinks! Â And I live in NYC now, so the pricing was quite unexpected. Â I guess a new wave is sweeping Boulder and if people are paying then why not? Â Our bartender looked like a character from Madmen, but I won't hold it against him... he made a good drink. Â All in all, it was spacious, had a good atmosphere, and had good drinks, but I'm ducking stars for cost. Â It's not THAT good.
Review Source:Dear Bitter Bar,
 I love you.  You complete me.  You make the most yummy, delicious treats and then BAM!  surpass it with even better cocktails.  The staff there is incredibly knowledgable, gracious, and always friendly.  I am a recent transfer from NYC, and was having serious issues finding a regular bar that felt like home.  And then, TADA!  James (Manager) and the Bitter Bar stepped into my life.  Do yourself a favor, go ask anyone of their bartenders to make you something delicious, name your favorite spirit, watch magic happen, sit back and sip on heaven.  Xo
Went back recently for HH and had some great food and great service! Â Â We all had the house white wine and there was also one margarita among the group, which was a tad too sweet for the person drinking it.
Yay! -- Pretzel with mustard, Cap'n Crunch chicken wings with maple honey mustard (other sauce was way too spicy), homemade focaccia bread, smoked mozzarella tortellini
One tweak away from Yay! -- Tater tots (the sauce was kind of mayo-y), deep fried greens (they could be a little less oily), mussels (red sauce was a little too spicy)
Meh: Coconut shrimp eggroll was not distinctive, would not order again.
Nothing bitter about my experiences at The Bitter Bar - all instances were fantastic, from the food, to the libations, to the service, to the atmosphere. Â
Of course, I'd like to rave first and foremost about the cocktails, which The Bitter Bar so painstakingly crafts to ensure an exquisite drink. Â I've never met a drink at The Bitter Bar that I didn't love. Â They've got a long menu from which to choose, for those craving a flavor adventure as well as those with a more traditional palate. Â My personal favorite has been The Italian Herbalist, made with kombucha. Â
You'll walk into a dark and dimly lit space, furnished in dark woods, with a bar running up one wall of the restaurant. Â Well-dressed and hip staff/bartenders/hostesses abound. Â Each time I've been, the service has wow'ed me - friendly and knowledgeable staff, eager to make recommendations. Â I've loved the simple but flavorful food as well, although the menu is short and sweet. Â With a dedicated pastry chef, I have also come to love the desserts offered here.
I consistently send friends here that are looking for recommendations for a terrific cocktail/dining establishment in Boulder.
Wow! Â Surprised ourselves and re-visited due to a friends request to meet there. Â EVERYTHING WAS EXCELLENT! Â Management (James) was roaming, & visiting with guests. Â He was clearly concerned and passionate about creating a positive atmosphere. Â My wife's salmon entree and my pork sandwich were delicious. Â Overall it was a great value. Â Tried new fantastic Tesoro cucumber margarita recipe designed by James. Would have given this 5 stars, but compelled to average it out with my previous 2 start review.
Review Source:Finally! I got to have cocktails at the Bitter Bar. I have been wanting to come here for quite a while, but I live in Loveland and have a very hectic schedule that makes it difficult for me to travel. This past Monday they were hosting an event for the Museum of the American Cocktail called "On the Town" featuring a legendary mixologist named Dale Degroff who tells stories while food and cocktails are served. I couldn't miss this opportunity so I bought my ticket and a hotel room in town.
The cocktails served during the show were mostly ones I was already familiar with and they were executed perfectly. After the show I tried a couple of their original cocktails and was more than impressed. One was called "blue velvet" and featured an ingredient called creme yvette that until recently hadn't been produced for nearly 50 years. This was the first time I had seen it on anyone's back bar...props.. The other cocktail I tried was the "Sao paulo swizzle" Â which was made with cachaca and another esoteric ingredient called falernum which is a splended, rum based syrup from Barbados. These cocktails were well developed and expertly crafted. I usually have to go home to Vegas for original cocktails of this caliber.
I have seen a lot of sub par reviews for this bar mainly focusing on their lack of service, but I saw nothing to that affect. I spoke with just about everybody who was working that night and they were all incredibly friendly and professional. I spoke with a waiter name Micheal and a female barback who's name I did not get. They were both very nice and personable. There were 2 bartenders working named Noah and Michael who each made me drinks. I met another man named James who was awesome, but I don't think he was working that night probably just there for the event.
I was particularly impressed with Noah's passion and sense of duty behind the bar. I watched him interact with several guests and he always took time to tell them a little history about their drinks or a particular spirit he was using. this skill is extremely important in a cocktail bar because it not only educates the guest but also adds character to their cocktail making the experience that much more enjoyable.
My advice to anybody going to the Bitter Bar for the first time is to do so with an open mind. This isn't your run of the mill dive bar or craft brewery. It is a cocktail bar and the bartenders are well studied mixologists who really believe in what they are doing. Don't be afraid to ask your bartender questions and try new things. Also to the beer geeks out there pissed because they didn't have your particular brew: This is a COCKTAIL BAR. You getting mad because they dont have a wheat beer is like me getting mad because the bartender at Old Chicago's doesn't know what a Sazerac is.
Cheers.
Bitter Bar. Take two.
After writing a very honest, forthright review on my experience at the Bitter Bar several months ago, I was contacted by a Bitter Bar employee who generously offered a complementary meal for myself and a guest, as a means to rectify the situation of my less than satisfactory meal.
I was excited to give this place another try and responded to the benevolent offer with open arms. The manager and I emailed back and forth a few times and he seemed extremely personable and very eager to redeem himself and the restaurant alike. We made a reservation for a Friday night, and I brought my food loving friend, Kylie, because I knew she would appreciate the tastes of the evening.
When we arrived we were promptly seated at our table, and a waitress came over. She took our drink orders and left. No mention of the review, meals being comped, etc. No big deal, I'm sure it will come up later. Now onto the food.
We ordered the crispy brussels sprouts to start, which were delicious as always. Next we ordered the special which was a watermelon salad with pork belly. It was absolutely delicious. An interesting combo, indeed, but the flavors all went perfectly together. Next we moved onto the duck confit gnocchi and a shortrib ragout for the entrees - both were fabulous. The food overall was great - it's really the service that was in question here.
As the evening went on, we continued to wonder whether or not the waitress was even aware of the situation at hand. I wasn't expecting anything more than an acknowledgement, but she made no mention of our meals being comped or the review that was supposedly being "rectified", and I am starting to really think that she has no idea altogether.
Now I am not a timid person, but I personally do not like confrontation, and often try to avoid it, so having to speak up and inquire about whether or not she is aware that the evening is supposed to be comped is something I'd rather not do. It's just awkward.
But I go ahead and do so anyway, asking if the manager I spoke with is available, and she says that he is not working tonight. I then ask if there are any other managers available, because he offered to comp our meals for the evening and I just want to make sure everything is squared away. She responds, in a very nonchalant tone, "Yes, we're aware of it."
Well, that was sufficiently awkward. But at least we have it figured out now - she did know all along, but just didn't feel the need to say anything. Kind of bizarre to me, if you're really trying to "rectify" a previous sub-par experience, but not a big deal.
Now onto the real kicker: the martini fiasco. I ordered a dirty vodka martini in the beginning of the night. It was good - dry and delicious - and I was happy, so I ordered another. Upon tasting the second martini, I was convinced there was something different about it. It tasted weird and nothing like the first, and after passing it around the table, we came to the conclusion that it must be gin instead of vodka. I politely let the waitress know that this martini tasted a bit weird, and how we thought it might be gin - she explained how the brand I was drinking has both a gin and a vodka so that must be the issue - the bartender just switched it accidentally. Sounds like an easy mistake, fair enough.
Five minutes later, the waitress comes back, same drink in hand, and says that the bartender tasted it and said that I was wrong, it actually is vodka. Here you go. And she gave the drink back to me.
So not only does she come back to tell me that A) I was wrong but B) the bartender also sipped my drink and I have to deal with it. I was appalled. I'm personally not a germophobe or the type of person who would be disgusted by the thought of someone else drinking my drink - that doesn't really bother me, it's the principle of it all.
I worked in the restaurant industry for most of my teenage life, and the number one rule that was always enforced is that the customer is always right. Even if someone is being totally outlandish and rude (which I wasn't at all) if a customer says that their drink tastes weird and they'd like a new one, you don't have the bartender sip it himself and then give it back to them. It's just bizarre to me.
SO, after my little rendezvous with the bartender, I was done. I couldn't take much more and wanted to get out of that place ASAP. The waitress had been rather cold the entire evening, and this was the straw - or lack thereof - that broke the camel's back.
Overall I'll be the first to admit that the food was delicious. I will give them that, 100%. But the aloofness of the waitress, weirdness of the martini situation, and awkwardness of the entire meal really turned me off. The whole evening was just plain weird, and I really don't understand why they would comp an entire meal if there was no intention to redeem the situation. Just seems like a waste to me, and indeed, a waste it was.
Overall, I really love the atmosphere, cocktails and food at The Bitter Bar. The service has been a bit of problem for me in the past- at my most recent visit, the bartender briefly (and a bit rudely) acknowledged us before running to the other side of the bar and not returning to take our drink orders until nearly 20 minutes later.
However, the drinks were fantastically crafted and absolutely delicious, and fortunately worth the wait. We also ordered dessert- the chocolate caramel sea salt tart with ice cream and the caramel bacon popcorn. Easily one of the most delicious desserts I've ever eaten, and I HIGHLY recommend it!
We did ask for our bill to be split in half, and found out the next day that our bartender had put the entire amount on one card, which created a slight hassle. Overall, with a little work on the service- the Bitter Bar is an excellent place to have a great cocktail in a slightly more upscale and very cool environment.
I've had some odd tipping experiences here but I think the second experience far outweights the first.
First time (right after switching from Happy Noodle): My group has a nice time in a booth, have a few cocktails, split the bill. Totally normal. However, on our way out, the waitress looks at the tip and asks "I'm sorry but I'm just wondering if I did anything wrong ... because of the tip" She said she just wanted to make sure they were doing everything right as a new bar...
Thing is, I'm pretty sure we tipped around 15+% so this really pissed me off. Dont' ask about your tip... EVER. Unless I gave you zero...
Well so I like this bar anyway so I've been coming back. Last time I came here there was a communikey event going on w/ a DJ and the whole bar was crazy packed.
I asked for the check and the waitress gives me the bill, crosses out the tip part and apologizes about how busy the place has been and tells me to please not tip her. It felt weird not to tip so I left a few dollars on my card anyways...
I check my credit card bill today and... She didn't add the tip! That's what I call honest and good service!
So my boyfriend and I went to Bitter Bar, expecting it to be Happy Noodle, but decided to try it out anyways. Â The decor wasn't changed all that much from when it was the noodle house (which we liked back then), except for less tables and more couches, dimmer lighting and live music which is fine if you'd rather be more of a bar than a restaurant. Â But it was so dark in there I needed the light from my cell phone to read the menu. Â Our waitress took an awful long time to come by and take our orders. Â When our dinner arrived, we still didn't have silverware.
The food had good flavors but had several inconsistencies that made parts of our food undesirable. Â Meat not cooked to the proper temp, potato batons in different widths to have some undercooked, a caramel tart that was inpenitrable without brut force of a knife because of overcooked caramel and so forth. Â The head chef let several things slide out his or her doors that shouldn't have been served that night. Â
With that being said we let our server know the issues so they could be worked on and was given a discounted fair. Lets hope that the issues with proper training of the staff is addressed and a more eye for detail and attention is put into The Bitter Bar.
I've been hearing about this place and it's ups and downs for a while. I wasn't willing to give it a try until tonight when my friend expressed interest. "What Ev's I'll go" I say. I have to give the atmosphere, staff, and food 5 stars! (At least during Happy Hour, I can't attest to it's busy late nights!) The food is where I get really picky, but we gladly made our way thru their delicious muscles ( with chunks of vegetables and sausage that make it closer to a paella, oh- AND get your bread ready the broth is amazing!) a fighting for first place caesar salad, Â and the meatballs and risotto made me smile. Â Happy me! (and that's saying A LOT!) Kudos for being on the upswing Bitter Bar! I will return.
a few seconds ago  Like
This bar was a great find, thanks to the bartender (the one from Michigan) from Absinthe House's recommendation. My boyfriend and I were completely new to the Denver and Boulder area and walked into this place knowing only that the bartenders were great mixologists. We were pleasantly surprised to see a dimly lit, cozy, yet modern bar serving up a massive selection of classic and new whiskey drinks. The bartender was very knowledgeable and was happy to answer any of our questions. The Aztec chocolate dessert was amazing. We met a couple new friends sitting at this bar. In my opinion, that's the sign of a great find!
Review Source:We've come to happy noodle and the bitter bar on a regular basis and always liked it. The new Bitter bar is pretty nice, if they let you in!
The last two times we came, the bar was pretty full but not crazy full and we were told that they cannot accommodate us at the moment. This is Boulder, not SF or NYC. We've been loyal customers until now and being sent away twice in a row is simply poor service and not acceptable.
I've never eaten here (except back when it was Hapi) so this is a review of Bitter Bar as a bar. Â That said, I saw some good looking food come out while I was there so I'm looking forward to trying it out.
As a bar in Boulder, this was what I always hoped I'd find. Â After living here for about a year, I wanted to find a place with great drinks, a relaxed atmosphere, a low hippy contingent, a low tech crowd contingent, 30-something friendly and preferably an open door until last call. Â Luckily for me, Bitter Bar is all those things.
I had a bunch of different drinks but I remember all the bourbon cocktails were great. Â This isn't another Boulder microbrew bar so it's probably not the place to go if you want a local beer sampler (luckily, every other Boulder bar will fit the bill for you).
Boulder people will probably say that it's "too hipster" but that's just how they describe anyone not in fleece. Â It's a good crowd, good drinks, good music...easily my favorite spot to grab a drink in Boulder.
We there on a Tuesday night. Â The music was great. Our server was also really attentive and friendly. Â The food was pretty yummy. We shared the special, a meat and cheese plate and that was my favorite thing, steamed mussels, smoky corn broth, lobster toast also yummy, and the short rib lasagna, which was ok.
I did not have any of the specialty drinks but they made a very good dirty martini.
If anyone reading this was a fan of Trios downtown, you would love the look and feel of The Bitter Bar.
I love the drinks here! They're not the overly sugary, chemical-laden kind. Everything's made with high quality ingredients and tastes amazing. They rotate through their drink menu, so you can always find something new and exciting. Just a warning - don't come here for a simple beer. Go down the street to Walnut Brewery for that.
Review Source:Classy joint in Boulder with a sophisticated list of beers on tap. The waiter knew the drink menu like the back of his hand and could make a personalized cocktail based on what you wanted, except there wasn't a single wheat/light beer in the place. Â Which is what I wanted. Sad face.
We stopped by for live jazz music on a Tuesday night and it was hard to find a place to sit. Dim lighting could make this a good spot to take a date. It's an older scene than what I typically go for, although I should stop complaining about places making me feel young! :)
The overwhelming vibe that we got from this place was that it's trying to be a Denver-style cool bar in Boulder. This doesn't necessarily work, because Boulder bias tends to be very trendy but in a weird hippie yuppie college aged way. Whereas a Denver bar, especially one trying to go for a Prohibition era, speakeasy feel, will be just cool enough that you kind of doubt you should be there, without being overly hipster, nor without proselytizing itself unnecessarily. The Bitter bar does not quite make it to this standard.
This used to be Happy Noodles as well, and why they got rid of the noodles I do not quite understand because you can still see the Asian decor themes. From the cat waving its hand, to the Asian inspired lamps over the bar, there is just a very weird lack of clear vision in this place, which makes it obvious that this has to have been something with a different vision, which is now trying to be something completely different. The booths have these little curtains that hang down, which is a weird privacy option, but it feels like a mixture of mosquito netting mixed with hospital curtains. I understand the sentiment behind it, however, considering that the loud, packed bar is next to every single table, it seems ridiculous to think that you're going to get any hint of privacy by simply blocking off the ceiling space of the booth on either side of you. The menu is divided up into small plates, a pressed, half chicken as an entree option, desserts, and drinks. On the plus side, the drink menu is slightly less expensive than Green Russell, but on the downside not nearly as good. My "Easter rising" contained  whiskey, apple butter, soda, and citrus. My husband's Equinox was a citrusy vodka drink with some berries of it. Both drinks were so citrusy they were almost undrinkable, and my drink had literally no flavor of whiskey. If I hadn't ordered it, I would've assumed it was an extremely acidic nonalcoholic beverage, and I love me some citric acid.
For small bites, we ordered the bratwurst on pretzel bun with I think the housemate kraut, and the rosemary fries with some sort of dipping sauce. The bratwurst was just fine, but that was it, and at one third the size of a Jim's dog, for nine dollars it was most certainly not worth it. The fries were good, tasty, hot and a pretty good value at five dollars for a tin can-full. We also got one of their desserts, which from the presence they get on the menu, seem to be something they pride themselves in. We got the Noosa Cloud, a  combination of a Pavlova with Hibiscus in the bottom of the plate and a noosa cream with some spun sugar on top. My husband would not stop talking about how sweet the Pavlova was and unless you got a very large spoonful of the hibiscus broth in the bottom, again it was just too much sweet. Overall we thought that the flavors were often very lacking in subtlety, from the extremely over-the-top citrus in the drinks, to the overly earthy flavors in the fries, to that over the top sweetness in the desert. My husband later ordered a Moscow Mule, but again the lime was so overpowering that you would have thought it was a limeade, with hardly any zing from the ginger beer. Also, $11 for a not wonderful Moscow Mule is absolutely ludicrous. They don't make their own ginger beer, and with a bar with probably over 200 different types of alcohol, they don't talk about much of a house made anything. Although the bartenders are all sporting similar Prohibition era uniforms like green Russell, the blaring 70s disco hits, combined with the lack of anything housemaid, make this place a complete mystery as to what they are going for besides a place where Boulder college students can come get wasted in style.
On the other hand, as it is extremely uncommon in Boulder, our waitress, Ariel, was absolutely amazing. She lacked any pretentiousness that one would assume would come with a place like this, which the hostess had in spades, and she was attentive without being overbearing. She lended her hand at making suggestions with thoughtful comments about what we chose to eat and drink, without seeming like she was trying to upsell anything on the menu. She kept as well watered, well fed and in good libation, even though the bartenders could not.
Walking into the Bitter Bar, one is unavoidably greeted with an artistic list of how to say "cheers" it many different languages. I love this kind of thing, except in this case it manages to be inaccurate and offensive: it lists L'Chaim twice, as both Hebrew and Palestinian. Well, it is a Hebrew word, and given the hippie atmosphere of Boulder, one can imagine the intentions of the artist who put it up there. Posting a pic of this on Facebook, I managed to get people of all persuasions laughing at the sheer absurdity of it.
Other than that, this place rocks. We managed to get Becherovka, an obscure Easten European bitters. So if esoteric liquors is your thing, come to Bitter Bar.
The re-vamped Bitter Bar puts you back into a rec room from Mad Men. Â Hipster staff, the best drinks in Boulder, appropriate and double-take decor and a refurbished food menu...this place is always full of a crowd full of famous climbers, LMFAO stalkers and "that guy" all drinking next to the brightest entrepreneurs Boulder can offer. Â Oh yeah, and the table of 12 college trust-funders next to us spent all night taking turns visiting the restroom to snort lines off of the Bitter Bar toilet seats at 9p with doors open. Â So there that is.
Review Source:awesome. I came in and all I told the bartender was: "I want gin that tastes like springtime...but in a vegetal way." Weird, I know. well, what I got had to be hands down the best drink I've had since moving to Boulder. Finished with a smooth egg white froth and beginning with the bright green taste of spring time, I'll be sure to come back for more of whatever they want to serve me (as long as I can afford it - kind of pricey)
Review Source:This is one of those tough Yelp reviews- because the Bitter Bar at Happy really deserves 5 stars (I wish I could review it separately somehow)...but the food only deserves maybe 3. So it's a toss up.
I will start with the cocktails which are reason enough to visit this establishment. The mixologists are amazing- sit at the bar, take your time, tell them what you like and they will concoct some amazing beverages for you. My absolute FAVORITE cocktail EVER is the Bee Keeper- not always on the menu, but something I will return for time after time.
I was really hoping for an awesome noodle joint in Boulder when we moved back into town- but unfortunately this is not that. It's Asian Fusion that just doesn't quite execute on any of it's chosen flavors. After numerous meals here I've decided that I like to come here and have drinks and apps- the flash fried brussel sprouts are one of my most favorites of all time. I could eat this, and drink their cocktails and be happy all night (and way too drunk). The noodle dishes are just all OK...I wish the pork banh mi was more spectacular....everything SOUNDS so good when you order it but never comes out to meet my expectations.
So come for drinks and apps pre dinner somewhere else OR come for late night drinks- that's how this spot scores 5 stars in my book.
Annnnndddd they're back! Yes!
My experience last night was demonstrative of the five star experience I am accustomed to at Happy.
First great piece of news: The aioli is back in the green sriracha sauce for both the griddled pork bun and pork banh mi. A necessary and celebrated return. Â
Second great piece of news: The Tuesday happy time tacos are better than ever! They are packing in tasty layers of pickled veges and some type of aioli sauce to go along with their always delicious pulled pork. This item really needs to become a staple on the menu.
Third great piece of news: The happy sling drinks are in bigger glasses! This is my favorite drink of theirs and I'm always *happy* to see more of it.
Why else do they get five stars? The people. Jesse, the sous-chef, is always making rounds to tables and the bar area to make sure everyone is having a tasty experience. He's a favorite and so appreciated. After he found out about my formerly bad experience at Happy (when he was out of town, btw) he went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of. Also, most of the bar staff is jokey-jokey and happy to oblige fanciful drink requests. They are fun.
All and all, I am back to butterflies with excitement when I take a trip to Happy.
It's tough to assign a rating for this place - The Bitter Bar aspect of the establishment is clearly a five, but the food is probably a four or high three.
The Bitter Bar is fantastic. The bartenders are experts, and execute complicated drinks with great precision. I kinda gave the bartender free-reign as to what he should make me, and I wasn't let down at all. We had some great conversations about the spirits and drinks, too. I highly recommend stopping by for some good drinks. The prices are high but worth it.
We also had some small plates from their 'happy time' menu. These were mostly good, but nothing to write home about. We sampled pretty much everything on that menu, and I have no major complaints, but I'm not sure I'd bother getting them again.
For a girls day out, I attended a cocktail mixing class at the Bitter Bar, lead by the acclaimed mixologist James Lee. So so so much fun! Â We learned how to make tasty and authentic cocktails and even got behind the bar for a hands on experience. This bar is serious about their cocktails but the bartenders were not at all pretencions. I already signed up for the my next class 4 months away!
We also ate lunch before the class started. The Hot and Happy Soup was yummy, perfect for a cold day. Â The soup was a little on the greasy side but it wasnt tasty enough to keep my slurping for more. Overall, great experience at the Happy Noodle House!
This review is only for the The Bitter Bar, which is in Happy Noodle House toward the back of the establishment. The space is done quite tastefully with fun swiveling wood bar stools with small backrests. The bar itself may look just a bit light on bottles, but they have a full range of spirits and brands. Fresh mint and fruits line the bar top and are a good sign of serious bartending. There's also a lounge area with tables and sofa-like benches. While the lighting is low, it's still possible to see and while there's piped-in music, it's still possible to have a conversation.
I found this location from an article in some magazine and was a bit suspicious about whether they would have great cocktails. The cocktail menu trend may be ubiquitous, but quality cocktails certainly are not. But Bitter Bar did not disappoint. The bartenders know their stuff and show a real respect for the process--measured pours and fresh-squeezed juices. They're also quite friendly and willing to chat. I was also glad to see that they start patrons out with a nice glass of water.
I especially enjoyed the Basil and Basil, which is a Manhattan with muddled basil. They use Vaya vermouth and homemade bitters. I also had a Kiss the Sky. A bit too sweet for me, but the idea of combining ginger and lavender was quite interesting. Their process for making sazeracs is quite good too. Although, I prefer mine with one cube not two and with just a dash of water when muddling the sugar and bitters--it helps both dissolve the sugar as well as cut the fire on the drink just a bit more.
The place wasn't mobbed as I had expected it to be. But I hope they do well and I encourage people to go out of their way to have a drink here.
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