Ask around Denver and more than likely you will not hear the best of things when it comes to Mercury Cafe. As a young child I remember my father warning to never eat here due to his experience as kitchen staff back in the day, and the unsanitary conditions. Well a friend and I decided to spend last V-Day here since it was the last place that had any reservations open. The experience was one of the most horrible and down right terrible to date. I think because we weren't a couple out for the holiday our waiter was annoyed with us. Or maybe it was because we not being overly hungry decided to share a meal he figured we were broke and not worth his time. We were ignored by.him and the rest of the staff or entire time doesn't in this S--- hole, drinks never came til I tracked someone down after 30-40 minutes and our food (some linguine dish w/ tomatillos) was cold upon arrival and blained. The place was packed and yes it was a major holiday, but the disrespectful attidude the staff had towards us was just not okay. To give them some credit the place looks cool, but then again, you can't judge a book by it's cover. Don't waste your money here. The foods not worth a dime anyways, unless you like spending a ton on something a child could make better. read more

The food has improved substantially since my initial review. Today's cornmeal encrusted Alamosa bass tasted like a much more expensive meal. As a bonus, it came with a salad, dessert, and coffee, all for $12, and the local veggies with the meal were fabulous as well. However, the establishment seems to have developed a pest problem since I last dined there; it's infested with wizards. Well, one wizard. And he seemed rather harmless. So unless you're allergic to wizards, I encourage you to dine here. (Seriously, there's a wizard, and apparently this is a normal occurrence. Consider my mind boggled.) read more

Wow.... Alright, places like this used to be my hangouts back in Mass... this place left me saying huh? Great food, one sound "errrweeeerrrunnhhhh" , for those that don't speak it thats ELK! yum, and man some of the odd ball alcohols they have... Great stuff!! love the crazy decor... 0, definately 0 dress code... see folk's in suits, see folks in... well anything you can imagine... so if I'm diggin it why not 5 stars right? well... it's very cliquish feeling... I walk in, and the staff was instantly giving me that, you don't belong here because you're the "man"... No, I'm not "the man"... but the "MAN"... yikes?!?! when is a revolutionary hardline socialist old school east coast crust punk the "man". Just because I show up in slacks and a dress shirt? Ok maybe I'm over analyzing a bit... None the less... didn't feel to welcome, felt ignored for the regular locals... I can kinda understand, but really, you shouldn't let someone just sit there with an empty glass for 8-12 minutes and then get annoyed when i ask questions about some of the obscure liquors... i'd love to be a regular here, but it's a fine line between rarity, obscurity, quirkiness, and out right cliquy pretension... read more

An interesting and eclectic place to visit. Overall not that impressed. service was horrible food was average at $13-$20 a plate. After being seated, we did not see a waiter for over 30 minutes. Another 30 minutes before we received our drinks and gave our orders. food too slow, salads came out after desserts. We were given the excuse that serval wait staff never showed up the Saturday night we went. Bottom line still poor service and overpriced. The highlight of the evening was the in house tarrot card reader. $10 would get you a reading. read more

Pro: The place itself is very unique, with festive decorations and a cool vibe. Cons: Firstly, the service was very slow. There was approximately 25 minutes from the moment we sat down until we received our food, which is a completely unacceptable amount of time to wait for a BURGER. Secondly, I ordered Elk, but it was unavailable--though listed on the menu--and it was replaced with Organic Beef. The dry beef patty was accompanied by two buns-of-steel, as what seemed to resemble bread slices were hard, very dry and overall inedible. There was an unidentifiable pickled vegetable (?) on the plate that turned me off to the entire meal, given that my senses were greatly offended by it's pungent aroma. In short, I didn't like my experience, and I will not return. This sentiment was solidified by the fact that I could not use my debit/credit card due to the cash-only policy. (There was an ATM behind a curtain in the adjacent room, but it proved to be very uncomfortable to be surrounded by and in the way of artists getting ready for a show in a very tight corridor.) read more

This place is where music and community come together! One of the most unique places I've ever been in Denver...and the food is reasonably price considering all the food is organic and local! This is a cash only place, but there is an ATM here... read more

Friendly staff, fun vegetarian options, wonderful coffee, cash only!!! Wanted a low key, interesting place for brunch with hubby and friend. Found it! They open at 9am! I love the intereting options - quinoa, polenta, tofu, tempeh! I got the pegan vegetarian plate, it was interesting, but i wouldn't get it again. Hubby got the "No more war" burrito and said it was wonderful. It's a cool place we can walk or bike to, so we'll be back to explore more of the menu! There is also a cool location above that could be used for events or even some of the main dining room has a stage. It's an all in one kind of place! read more

This is a review on policy only, not on the actual place. But because I wasn't able to get in, it's the only review it gets. I came in for a swing dance lesson tonight, and was turned away at the door because I don't have cash or check. The bouncer told me that there's an ATM downstairs. I could be wrong, but when looking at swing dance lessons in the site, I didn't see anything about cash only. Look, I know it costs money to accept credit cards. But there are people out there who have handled money for a living and would prefer to never touch a dollar bill again. And between the fees that your ATM charges, and the fees my bank charges me on the other side, I'm paying $6 to get $20. That's a 30% surcharge. So a company's desire to save 2-3% on transaction fees means that I pay 30% if I want to enjoy your establishment. I can find swing dance lessons anywhere. I'd like to get lessons at the Mercury Cafe, but until they join the 21st century, it doesn't look like that'll happen. read more

The Mercury Cafe has gone through a variety of phases in its lifetime. At one point, this place, along with Ground Zero in Boulder, was Punk Central for Denver's underground. Now the place has a more mellow vibe, although it is still an underground establishment. It's not quite a coffee house, not quite a bar, and sort of a cabaret. The large back room has a stage and hosts poetry slams, spoken word tours, and local musicians. Tango lessons are upstairs (I never did make it up there) for those so inclined. The food is quite good. There's a good balance of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. Desserts are great. Because it's kind of out of the way, I didn't go to Mercury Cafe nearly as often as I should have when I lived in Denver. read more

came here for restaurant week and the food was AMAZING. Best meal I've had in a long time. I wish I came here sooner as I have been driving by this place for years! Top items at our table: Chili Rojo (cumin = deliciousness) Fruit and Cheese plate (super fresh figs, cheese and spreads) Bison Steak with Cherry compote Chicken Alfredo Homemade carrot cake and fresh coffee The bread basket was fresh and you could tell it was home made. They also have a really good organic beer selection. This place was wonderful! read more

I love the Mercury because the vibe is great but most of all I like them because they have these in the bathrooms: http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/02-0334 read more

Went at an invitation for swing dance lessons on Sunday evening, and two of four people I went with were not really into the huge crowd. One of us had been before and loved to dance, so no issue for her. I was a bit overwhelmed by the chaos of people and just watched, wishing my doc didn't have me on medical restrictions. However, after the lesson, I ran the others home and came back to listen to the Queen City Jazz Band and their great female vocalist for another two hours. It was great. There were a lot of hot hot dancers and just inspiring. I spoke to a couple of people there who were into other aspects of the music and having just finished the book, Really the Blues, I was into the scene. My gin and tonic was great but I upgraded the liquer as I always do. Definitely I am going back with a hand picked group of friends to try again. read more

Conflicted about the place - I absolutely love it for their events, but really don't like their food. The offering of dance classes, dances, live music, etc. is amazing. This place has something for everyone. The upstairs is where most of the dancing happens, and it's decorated beautifully (OK, the floor may need some attention because of the two bumps in it, which will trip those who aren't familiar with the venue). On the other hand, the food is not very exciting. Most often when I've had it, it's been completely bland. The desserts were either mushy, or overly sweet. I really appreciate what they are trying to do with it, and maybe I just don't understand that kind of food, but I've never had a good meal there. read more

I hold Mercury Cafe in a little special place in my heart. It has a very friendly, bohemic, hippy vibe that I can't get enough of. I've been there a dozen times and have had a unique, delicious meal that always ends up being extremely satisfying and well worth the money. Typically as I walk into Mercury Cafe I feel like I'm stepping into a weird world none of which I know about full of Gypsy's and palmreaders, but strangely enough I like it. I don't know what it is, but I recommend anyone that wants a little weird to go with their evening to try it out for yourself. One small con is bring cash as they don't except credit cards and it tends to be a little pricey. Also, if you go for breakfast you need to try one of their vast amounts of teas, Your going to like the way it tastes, I guarantee it!!! read more

We sat in the red room (next to the tigers), which made for a lovely ambient experience. In addition, the service was excellent. However, once the food came, I was not too excited. The hot & spicy tofu wasn't anything special; I could have made it at home. The Tom's enchilada sounded like an exciting menu item, but the reality of it wasn't that good; too many beans, not enough taste. The house red wine was surprisingly good considering the price. I would recommend trying it out once for the experience but don't go in with too high an expectation. read more

Probably the premier Lindy Hop/ East Coast Swing venue in Denver. Actually has three different venues: the night club, the restaurant and the ballroom. Good organic food from local producers. read more

The Mercury Cafe is potpourri - colorful, fragrant, useful. It's such a melange of people and activities. Laughter yogo, swing dancing, argentine tango, poetry slams, live music. Vegans, vegetarians, locavores. Toilet sinks, windmills, sidewalk gardens. There's a lot of community activities supported here. I'm sure all these small groups appreciate being able to meet and share their love for their organizations and social groups in one place. Regarding the food, I've eaten so many times here. The food can be quirky at times. Be sure to read the specials before ordering. You never know when a gem will appear. I enjoy the desserts since they have options for non-chocolate people and sugar avoiders. Garlic linguini, the fruit and cheese plate, nachos (no green chili b/c it'll go on the bottom and make everything soggy), santa fe plate are my staples. Breakfast is a hit, though. *Please bring back the cheesecake*. Yep, they serve "cheese"cake now. Reminds me of when we'd make tofu smoothies at home. The bread is denser than most breads. The elk is occasionally tough. Sometimes, the vegetables are cooked as soft as I'd like. The staff can be lackadaisical. But I still go there knowing this. It's a venue to support. read more

I've been a frequent patron of the Merc for three years because of their Tuesday swing dance nights. I give the restaurant/bar two stars and the entertainment four stars. The atmosphere of the Merc feels like going to your eccentric aunt's house--decorated in what can best be described as mid-century carnival sideshow fortune teller boudoir. The food is a mix of organic/veggie/local and ranges from ok to truly dreadful. In general, I recommend the most "traditional" sounding fare--an elk steak or fish of the day--rather than the vegan/vegetarian or gluten free stuff. The desserts are especially hit-or-miss and the same advice applies--choosing the item with the fewest food-restriction modifiers is your best bet. The espresso is decent, but the tea is surprisingly mediocre. The bar is ok with bartenders who rarely exceed "adequate," but if you prefer beer or wine, you'll be fine. "Adequate" describes the service in general. The entertainment--upstairs and down--is generally the highlight of the Merc. Tuesday nights at the Merc are the best swing dance night in Denver, and downstairs you'll frequently find interesting local jazz combos. Support the Merc--it's an important Denver institution whose proprietor deserves credit for keeping local music and traditional social dancing alive in Denver--just don't expect to be impressed by the food, drinks, service or atmosphere. read more

The Mercury Cafe was one of those places that has an air of such uniqueness and originality that when I went for the first time years ago for swing dancing, I thought for sure I was one of the first to discover a gem. I wasn't-and not surprisingly. Most of my friend already knew about this fantastic little hole in the wall. It's got so much personality anyway (even on the walls outside!) but what's even better is that they have such a variety of things going on there. For a long time, all I had done there was swing dance (which is always a blast.) On Sundays, they provide a small swing dancing lessons with great instructors which is followed by a dance session with a live band, some unbelievably great dancers, and a bar. I didn't think it could get much better than that. This past year, though, I discovered their open mic nights. Though I am not brave enough to participate actively in this endeavor, I tagged along with my roommates while they got up and sang. It was just fun to see them perform, but I was surprised at the talent of a lot of the performers too. And, like any open mic night, there is the inevitable entertainment of the oddball performers. They also serve food, which I actually found kind of hit or miss (although I honestly I don't find the food to be the appeal here.) Entrees are generally ok, but desserts are a bit dodgy. I tried two different cakes before I just stopped trying-they literally tasted like dirt. I think this may be because I am unaccustomed to eating vegetarian gluten free baked goods, so the differences there were a bit shocking. In any case, don't let the earth-cakes stop you. Go and enjoy this truly unique cafe. read more

I have been going here regularly for the past 5 years. I enjoy the hell out of it because of two simple things: 1) I NEVER, never ever eat the food. 2) I meet great folks there all of the time The beverages ( teas, liquors) are excellent. The poetry nights used to rock pretty hard. They are not as sweet these days, but this place will always have a place in my heart. read more

When it comes to the dancing, tango and swing this is as good as it gets. Bring your dancing shoes and a good sparkly smile. Plenty of good dancers ....ladies can actually wait until they are asked ;-) The food is local, desserts are homemade and something on the menu for everyone. Excellent latte's . Marilyn is one of the most incredible women I have ever met. She walks the talk of community and earth awareness. Most often every sort of live music, dance, movement, spoken word. That just makes my world jiggle. Live music ...... Yeah Marilyn If you are curious about a look into Argentina after 11pm. Take a look at the upstairs dance floor at the Mercury Cafe on Friday evening. UMMMMMMM read more

First of all, we came in July, and it was sweltering. They did not have any air on, and the ceiling fans were turned off. We ordered food and drinks and the service was awful. Completely unattentive server, the warm drinks were cool, and we waited an obscene amount of time for any service at all. Then, when the bill came, we were told that they are cash only, and that there are several signs around the front when you walk in and on the menu. When you enter Mercury, there are a thousand things on the walls, so if you are expected to see that it is cash only, they are delusional. My husband had to go to the ATM and pull out money, and the fee was $2.25. This place is just stale and there are soooo many other places in Denver now that are so much more worth your time and money. read more

I really liked the Mercury Cafe. I was trying to find a new place to take a date. I am glad I chose the Mercury. The servers were excellent! I ordered the special which was tofu medallions and root vegetables and I could not of been more pleased. I do wish the prices were a little better. I paid 18 bucks a plate. Either way the Food and service was worth it. One nice thing is that the restaurant is powered by its own solar panels on the roof. Everything is organic and locally bought. On a side note; this is a very hippie place. If being surrounded by older people from the hippie generation and/or being served by a bunch of dreadlock 20 somethings then this place may not be for you. Which is just fine, that just means I will get a table faster next time. Oh, one last thing they do not take credit or debit cards. It is cash & check only! read more

Love this place! Great brunch, always something interesting going on and the owner is a peach! read more

Mercury Cafe - Music Venues Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I live close to the Mercury cafe and I've wanted to check it out for awhile. I walked there with my friend, Dean, in much anticipation of trying some tasty, organic, and local food. The atmosphere is cute and comfortable. Christmas lights line the inside and funky decorations compliment the walls throughout. My friend and I both started out with a beer which was on the warm side. I had the nachos and Dean had the Tony's potatoes. The nachos were ok- I did enjoy the added touch of basil and the cheese was yummy. Dean thought that his potatoes were good but nothing different from a "skillet at Village Inn". We closed the meal with the apple cobbler which was again nothing more than ok. The service was not so good. Our waitress seemed annoyed with serving overall and simply answered yes/no to our questions about the menu. I come from the service industry so I understand that maybe she was just having a bad night. I forgive her. I was disappointed in my experience at Mercury Cafe and did really want to like it. I would be willing to visit again and try some different menu items. I have heard their live music and dancing lessons are a hoot so that could be fun! read more

Awful. The concept is great but the food is terrible. The atmosphere was cute but looking more closely - the ceiling tiles are falling off. The waitresses are not great, some just woke up and rolled into their shift after partying all night and hungover. You're greeted by someone chewing their food and leading you to a table. Silverware was not rinsed much less washed .The sour cream is like eating Elmer's glue, ketchup exploded all over the table and you couldn't squeeze without explosions to follow and was disgusting, the salsa is like a squeezed rotted tomato. The other customers and waitresses talking about completely inappropriate things. Watch your kids ears. Was hoping to find a gem in the rough, guess I'll keep looking. read more

I adore this place. Mercury Cafe is a quirky restaurant/ dance hall. There are dance lessons upstairs most night of the week and they also have live bands pretty frequently. The food and drinks are good, albeit a bit expensive, and the place itself is adorable. The string lights hung everywhere really bring out the 5 year old in me, "Ooooo, pretty!" read more

I went here and had a quesadilla. The food was nothing extraordinary and it was also the pricey end. What makes me give this a four star was the swing dancing upstairs. I went on a Thursday and they gave a lesson as well as three hours worth of dancing for a total of $8. I am not an experienced dancer at all and I am pretty sure I have two left feet, but I did not feel judged at all! I loved how it was not weird to ask strangers to dance. It felt like a little community and everyone I danced with was willing to teach me or at least try to teach me. I was laughing and giggling the entire time. I will definitely be back for some more lessons and dancing! (I'll probably skip out on the food though.) read more

Nice vibe. Terrible food. I like the look and feel of the place and all the staff we ran into were friendly but the food was terrible. We went in for breakfast and had a couple of dishes whose names I don't recall but that consisted of eggs, sausage, potatoes, and bread. The eggs were swimming in a sauce, the sausage tasted like its only preparation had been boiling it in water, the potatoes could have possibly been from the day before, and ditto for the small muffins. When I shared with the server that the potatoes and bread were a little dried and hard for my taste she kind of seemed surprised. Maybe everyone else just says nothing and washes them down with a little water. When she brought out some new potatoes, though, the difference from the old and new batch was clear. I'm not sure how the server could have missed that detail. The coffee was pretty good though. read more

We visited the cafe for Swing dance lessons. The swing dance lesson was overpacked with peoole they should really put a limit on how many people they squeeze into one lesson. The cafe itself has great decor and a calm energy about it. The specialty drinks are very very lacking in any flavor or the right flavor. 12 bucks and I couldn't even finish my drink due to its foul taste. Three other people ordered a specialty drink of their own and all had the same experience. When you grimice after taking what is supposed to be a refressing drink due to its taste that is not good. Havent tried their breakfast yet. Pricey. Desserts looked tasty after the drinks we went elsewhere to eat. read more

Lovely idea, clever concept, outrageous atmosphere and a bit underwhelmed with the food. The server was excellent and the pastry bar looked amazing, but the main dishes were expensive and not that tasty. My salad was kind of small for a $12+tax and tip. Salad isn't expensive so I don't know why they just didn't build it out. As a primarily vegan person I don't have a ton to choose from besides salad, so eating a regular plate of salad often isn't enough unless it big. read more

It's exactly as you would expect .... organic fare in a very, very eclectic environment with very, very eclectic people. i've been a few times and tried very reliable dishes. Chicken Kabobs are very good. Main menu dishes like Turkey Stroganoff are good. The pasta dishes are good. Not a fan of the pancakes for breakfast....too dry. They make a great bloody Mary. Deserts: cookies are outstanding; pies are very good, cakes always seem a bit dry. But the experience, the entertainment, food, and drink contribute to the overall score. read more

What an awesome place, and only a few blocks from where I live. I just can't believe I have driven and walked past this unassuming place and not realized that this is a place I will be coming back to frequently. The ambience is unique, with exciting lighting and deep red hues. The food is interesting and both omnivore, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free friendly....yeah I said both. The bar is cozy and stylish. The activities, if you could call them that, are extremely eclectic. Dancing, dance lessons, bands, open mic, discussions, and more. The staff is super friendly, and not hipster snobby. Going to this place can be casual and formal. Meaning that you can pop in for a drink or dine with a several course meal. Multiple rooms with multiple things going on at one time. DT read more

Why oh why do I not go to the Mercury Cafe more often? It's been years since I stopped in, but last night, at the annual Witches Ball, I was reminded of why I love "the Merc." It's an oasis in the middle of the city, bringing all things together in harmony: real, local food, interesting music, art and culture, diversity, good beer and just a hint of hedonism. The more things change, the more The Mercury Cafe stays the same and thank goodness for that. read more

We went to the Mercury Cafe last evening to hear a flamenco guitarist. He was wonderful. We will certainly go back to hear him again but will make one change to our evening: we will NOT eat there again. The Mercury Cafe prides itself on offering organic food. The food that we had last night gives organic food a bad reputation. I was tasteless, poorly seasoned and poorly presented. I had to force myself to eat part of my enchilada dinner. I am in my 70s and grew up with organic food in CA from our garden and from our family's dairy. We had fish that had been in the ocean earlier in the day and wonderful produce in the Salinas Valley. I love to cook and I love to eat. This was the worst meal that I have ever had. Never again! read more

Mellow, granola, and just plain chill. Live music, too, if you're into that sorta thing. Overall, the food was excellent all around. Tasty brunch and their cinnamon rolls are truly to die for. I mean, there's fricking CHOCOLATE in them! Who doesn't want some cocoa in their cinnamon rolls? Service was decent, although a bit slow at times. My main qualm is that a giant restaurant at that caliber doesn't take credit. What are we, in the 90's? Do a lot of people still walk around with wads of cash these days? Generally speaking, it's a really lovely space with a one-of-a-kind vibe. You really don't get it any many other places in Denver. From the outside, you might be quick to judge, but it's certainly worth checking out to get to full taste of the variety Denver has to offer. read more

Funky, laid back and inviting restaurant/bar/dance hall/concert venue. The food sounds better on the menue than what comes out of the kitchen, it's not really all that healthy, somewhat rustic and plain, yet redeemed by the fact that most of the ingredients are organic and Fair Trade. What makes it a worthy place to visit is the atmosphere. It's undertit, with a dark antique bar and little cafe tables and some community long tables. While I ate dinner, an older hippie guy improvized on his cello in the corner accompanied by a pretty punk rock girl on the grand piano. This is a great alternative to LoDo's trying-so-hard-to-be-hip touristy establishments. read more

I went here a few months ago and had the bass on quinoa pasta. I am used to eating gluten-free, but the pasta was still a little off. It was slightly harder than al dente in the middle and mushy on the outside. The flavors were good but really, really simple and expected--nothing innovative or crave-worthy. For the price, I expected more. Most of the desserts I craved were not gluten-free, but that's expected. They have a good selection of drinks. They only accept cash, which I forgot to mention to my date. They either didn't have an ATM or it was down, because he ended up leaving to go find one. Overall, it was good, but given the selection of amazing restaurants in Denver, I probably won't be back. read more

This place has Denver's WORST Muffin. Size = small Price = $3.00 Taste = indifferent Texture =Dry Value = Memorably frustrating. ... if only the menu would match the ambiance... read more

Venue = 5 Food = 2-3 stars Average = 4 We've been to The Mercury three times now, twice for events and once with a full dinner pre-event. Dinner: they are very focused on good solid ingredients (awesome) and as a vegetarian, they have many options. We had the quesadilla and the enchiladas. The quesadilla was interesting...very crunchy - I enjoyed it but as it is an appetizer it is only four small pieces ($6, should have been $5 per the menu, but I digress). My partner had the enchiladas ($10) which she called "bland and in desperate need of S&P". Overall, I think we will stick with coffee and dessert here from now on. Burlesque/Drag: WOW WOW WOW! The Boulder troupe performs here every last Saturday and we were in the house last night for one awesome show. This is NOT classic burlesque (one number maybe kinda sorta was) but it is the most entertaining and unique burlesque show I have ever attended. Think a ton of audience participation and many comedic/group as well as the artistic expression style. Spoken Word: YES. We saw Minor Disturbance perform an "All-Star" type show recently where a few of the older members came back and performed. This crew rivals any Oakland folks I've seen and we were very impressed overall. read more