I can only review the cocktails, but god they are good. The cocktail menu covers a nice broad range, and the bartenders are top-notch - they'll happily whip up anything you can think of. This place gets crowded, so go early and stake out a spot on the patio if the weather is good. read more

Happy Hour here rocks! but service is often lacking. But if you are a fan of interesting cocktails and fun gastro-pub-ish small plates, hit this place up! read more

My husband visited this bar about 5 years ago and has never stopped talking about how awesome the place was. Last weekend we got the chance to visit and it did not disappoint. The staff was superb, knowledgeable and went out their way to make us happy. The drink menu has a variety of delicious drinks and some small bar bites. Great music and cozy atmosphere. Great date night cocktail lounge. Loved it! read more

Great ambiance. Comfortable seating low light. Extensive cocktail menu. Good vibes to have a drink with your friends. Deserts may not be thier thing - out of cobbler, salted caramel ice cream was too salty, and the S'More is better done over my fire pit. read more

I'm very new to Denver/Boulder, but the cocktails I had at Bitters Bar were the best I've had in the area so far.

This place rocks. Excellent service. The cocktails were amazing as well as the beer selection. They have a great happy hour as well. Nice place. We will go back. And the food looked awesome! We had just eaten but everything we saw coming out looked drool worthy. read more

Great service, very friendly and knowledgable wait staff. Cool atmosphere and good beer list! The beers are a little warm for my husband but the cocktails are delicious and they have a light fare type of menu. The pretzel bites with cheese dip is yummy and hits the spot! read more

Creative food and drink selection. Super-duper service.

The drinks at Bitter Bar are outstanding. The bartenders listen to your request and cater your drink around it. I find it impressive and it helps differentiate this bar from most others. The liquor selection alone left me in awe. The best bartender by far has to be Justin - always on top of it with both drinks and service. A couple bartenders are not as helpful or quick and even come off as being snooty - unfortunate since the vibe here is pretty chill. read more

Met up with a group of folks for drinks. I'll assume the name Bitter would refer to the bartender we had. The locals in the group said this was standard and were not surprised. Lots of choices in Boulder to grab a drink I'd suggest a little personality behind the bar. read more

Such a great place to have a drink! The owner James is amazing , as is the rest of the staff! Favorite bar in Boulder by far! Come here for drinks, you'll have fun I promise!!! read more

Only a bit more laid-back than Chicago cocktail lounges, and a helluva lot cheaper.

No food new owner? The food used to be really good. But now it's gone. Seems like an incredibly stupid decision. Will just go to west end or Centro or kitchen or salt or any of the myriad of businesses that have found that incredibly elusive combination of food and liquor. read more

What an amazing place and experience. The bar staff and owner (James), are very knowledgable about the vast amount of spirits they carry, as well as how these flavors can be blended to make a well balanced and delicious cocktail. It was my birthday, and they made me feel very special! Thank you guys! Keep rocking it! read more

Great for happy hour. Lovely outdoor seating and their happy hour menu is great. Had the house red: smooth blend and Kiss the Sky: super refreshing. Service was a touch slow but that wouldn't keep me from coming back! read more

So my boyfriend and I went to Bitter Bar, expecting it to be Happy Noodle, but decided to try it out anyways. 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. But it was so dark in there I needed the light from my cell phone to read the menu. Our waitress took an awful long time to come by and take our orders. 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. 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. The head chef let several things slide out his or her doors that shouldn't have been served that night. 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. read more

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! read more

A great place to grab drinks after work. The cocktail list is impressive. Haven't tried the food.

Dropped in for happy hour on New Years Eve and was extremely impressed. Great cocktails. Great snacks. Great friendly service. As we were leaving we told ourselves this would be a new, regular spot for us! I am just bummed we didn't find the Bitter Bar sooner. read more

This place is so good I went two days in a row. They have happy hour until 8:00, and all of the cocktails I've tried are very creative and a great deal at five dollars. The service is perfect and they have free popcorn. The Blue Velvet is definitely worth a try, but I tend to order Negronis. They also have really good draft beers. read more

I love The Bitter Bar. The atmosphere is great and the cocktails are delicious. It is a little pricey, but their happy hour menu is really reasonable. Great whiskey drinks. Please try this place! read more

Drinks were very original and the environment was very quite light-hearted. The bartender was very sociable with me and my friend. The waitress did her job very well. The food was bomb. I couldn't ask for any more. read more

Very well informed bar staff and excellent cocktails that are executed with a high level of technical expertise. Layout of bar is very good and the atmosphere is relaxed. read more

It is definitely a fun place to check out! It is a high-class bar so get dressed up. It was the first bar that I had gone to where they actually have a hostess seat you at the bar and suggest you hang up your coat. Dont expect to get Jameson or Pendleton whiskey. They only serve the best and they have quite the selection. It was very pricey so we had one drink and moved on. read more

Such a difference from the "norm" of Boulder's amazing farm-to-table eateries and divey bars with local beers on tap. Despite the contrast, The Bitter Bar still gets my vote for introducing Boulderites to something totally new. The place is trendy, hip, and could belong in any urban metropolis around the world. My friend and I stopped in around 11:30pm on a Friday night to check it out and the place was more than bumping. Though they had closed the kitchen, they managed to turn out a S'mores dessert to cure our sweet tooth, the gastro take on every kid's favorite campfire creation: homemade cinnamon grahams, a massive gooey marshmallow, and heaps of luxe dark chocolate. The phenomenal bartender also picked up on our indecisiveness and offered to hand-craft us one of his personal concoctions according to our tastes in liquor. His artwork was flavorful, strong, and refreshing. I might even say it was worth the 10 bucks! If you're looking for a casual night out with a few cheap beers, keep going. But if you want a true night on the town filled with people watching (but not snobby) and innovative cocktails and snacks, look no further. read more

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" 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. read more

When I moved to Colorado, I was looking for a bar where they could mix a cocktail, had an ambiance that didn't include a television, and the crowd was similar to me. Bitter Bar quickly became a go-to place for me. PROS No sud jockeys here - they mostly have the ingredients and skilled bartenders to mix a good drink. Friendly staff - all of the staff here has been very friendly - from the bartenders to the managers. I've found the patrons to be quite friendly too - often times I've met someone new while having a drink here. Music - they play off Pandora or Songza or something, so it'll be different channels at different times, but it's never too loud to have a conversation with your friends. Crowd - the price point of drinks (more on that below) keeps this bar from becoming a frat party. College students do drink here, but not in the voluminous amounts you might see at some of the near by bars. CONS At risk of sounding like I have a problem - it doesn't open early enough. It's nice to get out of the office a little early to get a drink with co-workers, but BB doesn't open until 5. Price - Compared to other places around Boulder, the price point on drinks is on the high end. But they have a great happy hour that's on par with everywhere else (if you want what is listed on the menu). read more

Awesome vibe. Great little bar in Boulder. If you are into margaritas, ask for Taylor's special #7- he's the inventor. Amazing. Enough said. read more

The Bitter Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Great location. Specialty drinks are ok, but like many mixed cocktails, too sweet and about 20% too expensive for my tastes. We go here with other couple friends, but the bar is so dark (well, red) and loud that it's impossible to talk. I am in my mid 40s, enjoy a drink, but this place is not my favorite. read more

My drinks were great. The atmosphere is wonderful. Our server, Shelby, gave great recommendations and was so nice, so were the bar tenders. Overall wonderful experience. read more

I stopped in for the first time on a not too busy Sunday evening. The vibe definitely seems more urban and less divey than other Boulder bars, which was a nice change. I do love the dive bars though. We walked in and sat at the bar. We were asked what we wanted to order but needed more time to look at the menu. We made our decisions, but then had a hard time getting one of the bartenders to look our way. The female bartender was busy chatting with a co-worker and other patrons, so we sat there for about 10 minutes. Once we got the drinks, I didn't think it was worth the $12. I probably would never go again unless a friend asked me to. read more

let me tell you. The Bitter Bar, made me bitter. want to know why? I'll tell you. I drove 4 hours to get here and what do I get? Nothing. They wouldn't serve me because I am a woman. read more

When you walk into the Bitter Bar on a winter day it is warm and inviting. The drinks are wonderful and the manager is top-notch. I periodically crave the hamburger sliders with tomato chutney and the sticky bread pudding. They also have games which are fun to play if you go with a group of friends...giant jenga...a table that is a chinese checker board...riddles. The customers this place attracts tend to be sophisticated locals. read more

Channel was our bartender. My girlfriend and I could not be more impressed. She was patient, pleasant, helpful, nice, and knows how to make some of the most amazing drinks. The ambiance is cozy and stimulating. As far as music goes, I remember hearing the Postal Service, Imogen Heap, and Bijork. Thankfully the music is played at a good volume for conversation, unlike most of the bars around Boulder. I highly recommend checking The Bitter Bar out! Try the Cowboy! read more

I had only been to the bitter bar before when it was the noodle place that also had a good bar. So we were out celebrating my GF's birthday and she saw that they have happy hour M-F until 8pm, can't beat that! Draft beers for $4, on tap cocktails for $5 and I'm sure they had wine but we weren't interested in that. Out of the 5, I had 4 of the tap cocktails. The blue velvet was good, but the oregat(almond) can be overwhelming if you don't like almond essence, but the violet adds a nice subtlety. The kiss the sky was my fav, gin, ginger liqueur, lavender and lemon. It's basically a delicious lavender lemonade with gin. The tin cup was good, but to be honest it was whiskey and something else good, served in a tin cup. Finally I had the Bouldervardier(sp???), and to be honest, it was good as well but my palette was wrecked after all the other drinks and the hot salsa from Tacos del Norte. The thing that impressed me the most was, a friend ordered a draft wheat beer, and the mixologist said he wasn't going to allow it because the line had a cocktail on it and it was making it taste off. To me, that's a sign of a place that truly cares about what they serve. It might be a but expensive for me on non-happy hour, but it has to be one of the best deals with the greatest value for happy hour. read more

Not sure I know how to write a review of a bar with a really nice atmosphere that employs a server who charges for a wine variety that I didn't order and a shot that I didn't order. Aptly named. read more

Great music, but an intimate conversation is still easily manageable. No TV's. Vibrant patrons but not the college scene. Great first date bar that oozes refinement Jesse and the staff are very polite and not overbearing. read more

Great people, awesome drinks. We wished their small plates were a bit more substantial. They have pretzels and cheese plates and a charcuterie board. With that said it's an awesome place to start the night and the bartender gave us recommendations for our next stop. read more

The service was great. I had an old cocktail menu online and they still made the drink from the old list, even though it had been removed from the current menu. Highly recommend if you're in Boulder read more

Bitter bar is the best! It's hands down my favorite bar to go for happy hour (M-F 5-8) and really anytime I want a delicious cocktail. They have something for everyone; whether you prefer sweeter drinks, simple ones, classics, etc. they have it all! The atmosphere is dim and very hip. I love the decorations almost as much as I love the cocktails!! read more