I have to review this in a rather schizophrenic way, because our experience here was so strange!
5 stars for:
Decor! crazy, awesome, huge place full of fantastic oddities
Drinks! fun, tasty cocktails at pretty normal Denver prices
Atmosphere! love the live music and all the indoor outdoor spaces
0 stars for:
Food! we love tapas, and expected this to be good. But we got... Ritz crackers and rolled up bologna. And canned salmon and MORE Ritz crackers. At some point there was a bit of grocery store cheese. I almost thought it was a joke, but you can see from some of the photos that this must be standard.
So... go get some drinks, sit on one of the patios and listen to the piano players. And bring your own snacks.
Loooove the Black Crown! Delicious drinks and great small plates. Also a good happy hour... I'm a sucker for happy hour.
They also have random great wine specials... Last night we got a $38 bottle of sauvignon blanc for $20. (Napa Valley... Cali isn't my favorite by far for sav blanc, but I won't even complain, all things considered.)
Personable, fun, classy service - we may just become regulars here.
Was really looking forward to this place...and it was disappointing! Â Our party walked in and then---nothing. Â No one greeted us, but there were five employees/bartenders/servers standing there. Place near empty. Â Minutes passed, and still nothing. "Um, do we just seat ourselves?" Â Finally someone came forward and led us to a table. Â Then....nothing. Â We had to get up and flag down a server! Â The food was underwhelming, not really anything that had to be cooked onsite. Â The drinks were terrible and the warbling pianist a fair at best talent . The interior was interesting, but little else to see here. Â Time and money best spent at out Denver locales.
Review Source:Really neat prohibition style vibe. Everyone is dressed in suits or tuxedos. Its an old mansion house that has been converted into a multi level bar and kitchen. They do a fancy brunch on weekends. the drinks are pricy, but that's what you get for the theme...
Downstairs is the bar and some seating and upstairs are antique chairs and love seats.
The place is neat, but I felt a bit out of place. Not really my style.
If you're looking for your typical night out for drinks, this is not your place - Black Crown is classy. Very classy. The live music is hit or miss. I've been twice and the tally is hit (1), miss (1 big time). I am not sure if it was the following of the musicians for that particular night, but it was interesting being in a place where the median age was well beyond that of my parents. It did serve to keep me on my best behavior though.
Drinks are made well and i was always impressed by the service - ill probably be back at some point, but it's just hard to totally love a place when the crowd is just REALLY not you.
Went to the Black Crown earlier this week during happy hour. Â The atmosphere, for me, was intriguing as I love antiques. Â My date thought it was all a bit too cluttered and overwhelming. Â As we entered the man behind the bar did not even acknowledge our presence even though there was no one else in the room. Â After standing in front of him for at least a minute, we asked if they were serving food. Â He replied, "tapas and small plates" without making eye contact. Â After waiting another 30 seconds we asked if we should just seat ourselves. Â He replied, "the balcony is closed." Â Â We entered the dining room and sat at a table with a nice tablecloth. Â As we sat down the top of the table flipped up as it is not bolted to the stand. Â We waited for five minutes and were not contacted by a server even though there was only one other couple in the entire restaurant. Â
We decided to go back into the bar and order cocktails and food at the bar. Â There were two barstools on the right edge of the bar, but there was only six inches of space between the edge of the bar and the stacks of glassware, so we moved out chairs four feet to the left in order to have more space for our orders. The bartender said in a loud, stern voice, "You can't sit there. Â Move the chairs back!" Â We said that there was no room where the chairs were originally set. Â He replied, "This is MY workspace, you can't sit there."
I had been to the Black Crown in the past and had a fairly decent "snack" although the sausage and cheese plate came with Ritz crackers. Â Even then, I thought it might be work giving a second chance. Â Never again. Â Two customers in the entire building and we couldn't get any service. Â Arrogant barman who appeared annoyed that we were not part of the GLBT community. Â No warmth with the staff, no service and very over-priced "snacks" Â Unless the GLBT community supports this establishment, it will quickly die.
We stopped in here for a cocktail, and it was adorable. However it was like if you grandma and her BFF gay friend made a place. Very tea meets cocktail meets antiques with gold and crystals and baroque. It needed a grand piano. Liberaci' would loooove it here. But it was not my thing. Neat, sweet, but not for me.
Review Source:They get two stars for good food and the atmosphere but this subculture piano bar had THE WORST SERVICE. Â We waited over 30 min. for cocktails once and 20 another. Â The food took over 40. Â Also, when we were there (a Friday night) it was an older crowd. Â Not that that's bad! Â But, 50+ and mostly gay men are not what we thought we were gonna find. Â I'd go back but my man is out. Â Good spot for girls to meet for wine and apps. Â Get reservations so you don't get put in the overflow room and stuck with burned out waitstaff.
Review Source:We decided to visit Black Crown Lounge last Friday and I'm glad we did! Â This place is cozy and classy, perfect for a date and unlike anything I've seen in Denver. Or anywhere else for that matter.
As others have mentioned the atmosphere here is warm and inviting. The staff is terrific: friendly and prompt with our order. The crowd is definitely a mixed age group here and as others have mentioned, it's LGBT friendly.
I am definitely a fan and I will return for drinks and  possibly a Davenport.
A good word to describe this place is "unique". Surrounded by antiques, many of them on the verge of being tacky, in conjunction with decent ambient piano music and a relatively nice wine list resulted in what I would call an "average" experience.
The wait staff was fantastic, the two red wines my date and I had were about average, and the small plates we shared were tasty but overpriced. Given the wide variety of other enjoyable venues a short drive north, I do not believe I'll be visiting the Black Crown Lounge again.
Also, there was an extremely noticeable odor that was quite unpleasant that appeared to be coming in through the ventilation system. I thought it smelled like urine while my date thought it smelled like mold. Not a good thing for the ambience of a place trying to establish the kind of identity that this venue appears to be seeking.
Things I dislike about bars include: dirty, smelly, rowdy, uncomfortable. Black Crown is none of these things. It's more than just a bar or lounge, it's like a high society parlor, with down-home comfortness. Most of the items in here are for sale, so the decor is constantly changing and moving around. Every time I come here, it's different. One of the best patios in Denver too. Be sure to stop in during the holiday season. The Christmas decorations are quite enjoyable.
Review Source:Nestled in an otherwise unassuming part of town is a gorgeous fusion of art, music, tasteful antiques, decadent cocktails and delicious food. The Black Crown Lounge was stop #1 on my trip to Denver, and it certainly set the bar high. We were drawn back here several times throughout my short stay for the atmosphere (including the $1400 flower painting in the women's bathroom), and to indulge in their cocktail offerings and tapas-esque menu.
Just about everything in the restaurant is for sale, from the wall art, to the tables and chairs. Your senses will be immediately bombarded upon entering the restaurant, as there is so much art inside the relatively small restaurant, which all centers around a gorgeous baby grand piano. The entertainers were hit and miss, some much better than others, but it was nice seeing live musicians in such a nice environment. I wouldn't call it exactly upscale, although perhaps for the area it is, but definitely not a casual place.
Our favorites on the menu were the bruschetta, foie gras pate, cheese plate, beef wellington and the lamb. We ended up trying almost everything on the menu, but those stood out the most. We ordered them several times over our visit, all were consistently delicious.
Great place for date night, girls (and guys) night out or even to bring family. I saw they also have a brunch menu, although we didn't have time to try it out.
Eclectic, beautiful atmosphere and delicious food and drinks, what more could you ask for in a restaurant?
'twas the week before Christmas and I needed a mood fix. Â What a perfect place to get into the holiday spirit. Â There are lights and decorations everywhere. Â It is just beautiful. Â Really if you need an extra lift or just like the season go have a drink and a little something to eat.
I am hoping to return next week with other friends. Â I know they will love how pretty this fun antique shop that serves drinks and tapas is this holiday season.
I am already planning a party next year at this time. Â Just a very festive experience. Merry Christmas everyone. HOHOHO .
I went to the Black Crown for the first time last night, meeting a friend at her recommendation. My initial reaction was that the place was very pretty/classy, having not been there since the old Cafe Cero days. We sat in the "living room" area at first, but never was helped by a server. We then moved into the main area, in which there were two available tables. One of the servers said to sit anywhere, so we chose a larger round table in order to see the room and band better than from the 2top in the corner. The busser got very huffy with us upon sitting there, but mumbled "I guess it's ok". Then we were approached by the bartender who asked us to move because he "had a 4-top waiting". We relocated all of our things, only to watch as he sat another 2-top who sat there for the next 1.5 hours.
Our eventual server was nice, although she knew nothing about the wine list. Pours were decent, but wine was very over-priced. The cheese plate was a disappointment, generic and nothing special. Scallops and beef Wellington were good.
We asked to speak with a manager at the end of our time, and were told we could go find him at the bar. When he (Clint) finally came over, he was extremely arrogant, rude, and unapolagetic for the way we had been treated. The place was crawling with drag queens, and I can't help but feel we would have been treated much better if we were one of them, rather than two straight girls. It was ridiculous. As a paying customer, I expect much, much better...this certainly wasn't it.
To start off, I will say I LOVE This Place. The drinks are very imaginative and yummy. I had a Caribbean Sin which features coconut rum, Captain Morgan and some fruitiness. Delicious... and the bartender 'over poured' which meant that I basically got two drinks for the price of 1 ($9.00)
That being said, my 'friend' (euphemism for the right wingers) and I got there around 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Not prime time for a lounge but since this is Denver and there's relatively little to do if you aren't at a movie or shopping, we thought a drink sounded good. Which it was. The place is kitschy and fun with great swing music playing. The staff was friendly. My ONLY complaint...when I have a drink, I want to have something to snack on with it.
So when we ordered drinks, I also asked for the Assorted Cheese Plate. Our friendly server informed me that "The Tapas Menu isn't available until 5:00" Really? Nobody can cut the cheese in the kitchen before 5:00? (pun intended) They also didn't have any bar snacks, so we drank our drinks and had a nice conversation. So my one suggestion to get to a 5 star review would be to go buy a bag of smokehouse almonds or goldfish crackers and charge an extra buck for the drinks and let me think I'm getting something for nothing.
Minor Gripes:
* severely understaffed the night I went
* the smell of cooking fish (and I love fish) was overpowering at times
* their definition of 'not sweet' is my definition of 'super sweet'
The Awesome:
Everything else. Â We had a super attentive server--even when he was being pulled in several other directions. Â Every staff member we encountered was incredible. Â The food was amazing, but very small portions for the price. Â The atmosphere was fun and unique and perfect for my little going away gathering.
I will definitely be back.
I must say, black crown is one of my favorite places to grab a cocktail.
The interior is absolutely gorgeous. Most of the pieces inside are for sale.. I wish I could bring everything home :) And the patio... Oh the patio!!
The vibe is very relaxed. All different kinds of people, although primarily gay, but still a great place for everyone.
Love love love - groovy cool space, it is like hanging at your sophisticated older aunt's house on a Sunday while there is a classy lady playing the piano and people bring you adult beverages....wait, well, you get the idea.
Super cute space, service was a bit off but whatever, it was a Sunday afternoon. The menu is very limited for Sunday brunch and it could be awkward eating at the patio tables but the space is lovely if you just want to chill to a New Orleans vibe and have a little cocktail on the patio.
Came here for my girlfriend's birthday as a before-dinner drink stop...so glad we did.
We've decided to turn it into a lesbian bar. We clearly weren't the first ones to think this!
Walk in and see some adorable gay men reading newspapers. Walk farther in and find all of us ladies. Not kidding. Ladies. Draped over antique furniture. I died like, ten times, cause this place was heaven.
Perfect temperature in this 100 degree heat, HUGE pours of wine and whiskey, attentive servers, and beautiful decor...what more could a girl want?
This is our new bar. I'm not gonna lie, lesbians, it's awesome. Denver seriously needs help in the LGBTQ department when it comes to bars, but this one may just become a landmark; a beacon in the dark. Hurray, Black Crown Lounge! See you soon, sugar.
You know you are going to love a place when you walk in and immediately feel like you are at home. It gets even better as one wanders the various rooms of this enchanting establishment with a variety of garden spaces, indoor nooks and cute decor that can be purchased (as this is a bar/restaurant and antique store). Genius, genius and more genius. Honestly, I wish I had thought of it first, but I doubt I could have done it as well.
Have sampled the Agro Dolce Chicken and it very much reminds me of a chicken satay; the sauce is to die for and is a nice blend of sweet and savory. I have also nibbled on the Prime Rib-Eye Tomato Shallot Ragu and it was also fabulous. Looking forward to trying other dishes. Because this is a tapas menu and the dishes truly are tapas portioned, be prepared to order a few dishes (unless you have an uber petite appetite).
The Black Crown is an establishment that understands the cliche "The devil is in the details." They pay attention to every last one, such as serving Moscow Mules in copper mugs. Delightful in every way; even the restrooms are lovely.
This is a great place to go by yourself, on a date or with a group of friends. It won't disappoint!
Thursday night, the waitress proclaimed "we're slammed", looking around..not really. Â But the place is FABULOUS, so we forgive the slowness in drinks. Nick came over and started to take care of us, he was WONDERFUL!! A true saving grace for customer service. He explained people called out sick and they were suddenly short staffed.. Information sharing is key! Kudos!!
So the food is WONDERFUL!! Go for the Bruschetta!! Â The drinks are fantastic! The Happy Hour is killer too! Not one, but two patios to lounge in and take in the shade! And the Yelp $10.00 for $20.00 worked out smoothly! Couldn't ask for a better experience.
Go to the Black Crown Lounge NOW!!! You wont regret it!
This time, on my return visit to Black Crown during mid-week Happy Hour, we were able to order appetizers from the menu. Â
We opted to go with 3 small plates for $25 during HappyHour. Â They all sounded better than they actualy tasted. Â The crab pizza, which was tasteless - had no actual presence of crab with far too much mayo than I would ever want to eat. Â Skip it. Â Lamb chops were a bit underseasoned and dry. Â The accompanying sauce didn't do much to dress these up. I think the kitchen still has a learning curve but given time, once it works out some of the kinks, this will be splendor in the midst of average on this side of town. Â My tip to the kitchen - simple is best. Â Don't try to meld too many flavors and ingrediants and fancy-schmancy stuff into small bites. Â Less is more here.
You will not be disappointed, though, by the warm and elegant environment and the beautiful front and back patios. Â (Smoking on the back patio, I believe). Â This will become my hang out where, after a few more times, everybody will know my name & maybe I'll have my own chaisse lounge chair (instead of a bar stool)...
Black Crown Lounge is a great place to hang with some friends and have some fun! Â Our group of 10 rolled in last Saturday and everyone of us thought the place was a just incredible. Â With the plethora of antiques and the way the place is laid out it seriously felt like we were at a house party - in a really nice house. Â It has a little bit of an old speakeasy feel to it, which was cool. Â The crowd is about as eclectic as you can get, with the cool part being everyone can just be themselves and not worry too much about what other people think. Â Overall, a VERY welcoming vibe, which totally rocks!
We took over an area uptairs for a while that had a big couch to go with some very comfy easy chairs. Â All the while listening to the piano bar and enjoying some great drinks. Â After an hour or so we all moved out to one of the best patios I've seen at a bar in Denver. Â What an awesome place!
Definitely on my new favorites list. Hit the Black Crown Lounge after my birthday dinner on Saturday and it was fantastic.
As other Yelpers have noticed, the decor is outstanding and there's just an overall good vibe to this place. Lots of little nooks to sit and talk in and a STELLAR patio.
Thanks BCL for making it a great birthday - I'll for sure be back.
I'm not an overly clumsy individual, but something happens to me any time I enter an antique store. I go from a confident, sharp shooting buck full of swagger and dexterity to a fumbling buffoon with two left feet and guey ducks for hands. Without fail, I nearly break something just breathing in these quaint little nooks, so imagine my horror once being escorted through the front doors of Black Crown after bagging a solid six hours of drinking for the day, and staring straight into the belly of a full bar on a Saturday night. I was convinced that my $8 glass of Prosecco would soon turn into a $2,300 dent to my pocketbook, as a stumble into a mid-century full-length mirror seemed probable at worst. Fortunately, I had a close call with a spill on an $800 coffee table, but besides that, Ruggy the Bull was able to maneuver freely without making a scene. Success!
Black Crown is really unlike any bar I've ever had the pleasure of attaining a brain-numbing state of mind. Apparently not too long ago, this was a shot + beer bar that housed many 'a barflies looking for a quick and cheap route to drunkville. Now, it's a favorite outpost of the out-and-proud scene with seas of ornate antiques, live piano players, and a host of fantastically refreshing artisan cocktails. Like a Rikki Lake "geek to chic" special, only playing out in real life. Quite the curve ball that I didn't expect from Denver, but it's nice to be on your toes from time-to-time.
I'm not sure I'd recommend arriving with a large group, but 3-4 people seems to be the sweet spot. But beware: if you break it, you buy it!
This might be my favorite bar in the whole world. When I stepped into Black Crown Lounge I felt like I was stepping back into the 1920s, a decade I've long thought I was meant to live in. The dresses! The hair! The dancing! The music! I wanted it all in my modern day life and now I can experience it at Black Crown Lounge. Everything from the vintage furniture and decor (yes, most of it is for sale) to the live piano player and jazz singer makes my vintage loving heart feel right at home.
And the service is top notch. Say you start a tab at the bar because there are no seats to be found, but then you find your seat. Are the servers angry or condescending about this? No way. It's treated as no big deal, which is fantastic. Plus the servers are 1) all super cute 2) amazingly nice and 3) on top of the bringing-drinks-to-your-table game. I cannot wait until I can drink again to spend more of my dollars here.
Here are a few tips to ensure you enjoy this place as much as possible:
- The bar is gay-friendly, but no one seems to care what your sexual preferences are so don't even worry about it.
- You might want to dress nicer than "Denver casual." Shiny clothes, cocktail dresses, suites with bow ties, and so on are not out of place here. However, there isn't a dress code so if you're casual they'll still let you in. But, why waste an opportunity like this?!
- There are two excellent patios to enjoy in beautiful weather.
- It tends to be crowded so don't be surprised if there aren't any seats at prime bar times.
Please bring your best manners to Black Crown Lounge. This place is classy and beautiful and fun and I think that it deserves to have us reflect all that jazz when we're rubbing elbows, admiring the live singers, and throwing back flutes of champagne. Don't you?
Piano bar meets comfy and weird antique furniture that is great for people watching! On one stop in the birthday extravaganza last night, my friends decided they wanted to check out the Black Crown, as they had been hearing great things; I am glad that they took me there.
We showed up a little after 10:30 and were greeted by a pretty packed bar. A waiter prompt greeted us and took up upstairs to the "VIP" area that is usually reservation only (or at least that's what he told us), as the rest of the place was full. In our secluded room, we had a wide array of super comfortable furniture to sprawl out and relax while enjoying some great cocktails. Our waitress, Sherry, immediately came up to take our drink orders and provided us with some funny entertainment throughout the course of our stay! I would recommend trying to get her as your server, as she was super attentive and funny (two great qualities I love in waitstaff)!
The environment at the Black Crown is also pretty cool. We figured out from observation that most everything in there is for sale - from the old-school chandeliers to the creepy statues to the weird-shaped lamps. If you ever need to find that unique gift for grandma - this is the place to go! Plus, you can get your drink on while you do it!
Their well gin is Tanqueray - which made me happy - as my go-to drink is a T&T. Overall, I would recommend Black Crown Lounge if you're looking for a unique and fun place to go for a night on the town. We didn't really pay attention to the piano music as our room was back and in from the main area, but from what I could tell, the music wasn't too bad.
It isn't too far off the beaten path (right off of Broadway and Arkansas/Louisiana) and had ample street parking. If you decide to check out the Black Crown Lounge have fun and remember to drink responsibly! Have fun!
I got to come here for a friend's holiday party and boy was I impressed.
The people are great! Â Every need was attended to and we had a fabulous time because they were so personable and attentive. Â Our party was huge, but everyone had a cocktail and a smile the entire time. Â Plus the decor and the fact you can purchase the decor is such a great idea. Â
Like Emilee H. said I can't wait to come back in the summer and get use of the amazing front and back patios!
The Black Crown Lounge is fantastic! I just loved the environment and looking at all the things that were to look at (for sale or not for sale). The private room upstairs was quaint and intimate, would love to rent it out for a special evening. The piano player was lovely and the bar tender was very nice. My best friend and I loved it and felt very welcome there. Â
We ordered the bruschetta and the rib eye with the most amazing sauce on it. Both were delicious. They were small plates, but delicious and worth splurging on. Don't go starving and you'll be fine. The waiter was very nice and did his best to answer all our questions. He did say that the menu does change periodically. The Black Crown Lounge is one of the most unique ideas for a piano lounge and it was so refreshing and a lovely change of pace/atmosphere.
This place it SO CUTE! Â We went for our holiday party and it looked like Christmas threw up all over the place! Â It is an antique store by day and bar by night, definitely more of an older crowd. Â Great date spot, you could find a little nook in the house and have a nice quiet conversation.
They have a great backdoor patio area. Â Our service was wonderful! Â We had a few small apps but nothing that I was wowed by or could write an honest review about.
Ill be back in the summer to sit on the patio!
The perfect place to take someone so you can make out in the middle of the day ;-)
I had bookmarked this place on Yelp and finally got the chance to check it out...everything I had hoped for and more! What once had been Cafe Cero, the new Black Crown Lounge is so relaxing and welcoming it should be a crime. Promptly greeted by Mike, I had me a delicious glass of Pinot Grigio and then set off to explore the awesome setup.
Seriously - Â feels like you are hanging out in someones house. The lounge itself is a showroom for the antiques and home furnishings sold by the store at the front. The at home feel totally makes this place a hidden treasure! It's a nice change from the "thumpa-thumpa" of most bars these days. Stop in with friends for a little convo and a little drinky-drink.
I loved the abundance of sitting rooms, the patio (both front and back), the customer service...but mostly I like that you can go to the upstairs and hang out while looking down your nose at all the people below. Such an awesome atmosphere!
While hanging out in the upstairs lounge area Mike came by to refill our drinks and sat down for a nice little chat too. It was nice to see that level of care for customers. Moreover, the MUSIC, oh the MUSIC was like being transported back to grandma's house with the old, yet fun tunes. Only this time, you're allowed to drink :-)
I highly recommend The Black Crown Lounge for people who love to enjoy the little gems that Denver has to offer while sipping on some cocktails and chatting with squirrel friends.
The Black Crown Lounge to say the least is a very unique place. It is located off of Broadway in Denver in the antique district and makes sure to bring that into it's theme. The lounge sells a great deal of antiques which are for sale as well as all kinds of nooks to go into and hang out. The back yard or patio if you will has these said nooks along with calming water features. Besides the fact that the place sells many antiques they also serve drinks as well so this makes the atmosphere more than intriguing. The staff are helpful and friendly.
While The Black Crown is listed as one of Denver's gay bars and indeed it was very gay(Drag queens like to hang out here as well as couples) the place is more than friendly to anybody that may venture in.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
