Loukas

Pretty darn gay gym!

OK, this 24 Hour Fitness on Colorado & Alameda is KNOWN as a very gay gym. The facility all in all is pretty good, though stuff seems to take forever for them to fix when it breaks. Also, the hot tub tends to be NOT very hot for some reason. It also gets VERY crowded Monday - Thursday from say 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. (like most busy gyms) and even parking and getting a locker can be an issue. The showers, hot tub area, sauna and steam room can be VERY cruisy at times. It actually amazes me how much cruising happens with it being a "mixed" (gay/str8) environment. I've had a 24 Hour membership for years, so I got in when it was cheap. Current pricing is still pretty competitive.

Mexican Food . . . not so great, but gay popular

The food here isn't the best (nor the worst), but hey . . . you are in Denver where you can find some of the best American Mexican food in America, right? This place gets VERY busy, so be prepared to wait. It's also VERY loud, so if you are looking for intimate conversation, go elsewhere. BUT, this place is popular with the gays, and the restaurant has a gay-friendly feel. Food is very reasonably priced.

Gay friendly, good eats!

I've never had anything from their menu that didn't taste pretty good. :) While str8 folks eat here too, you'll definitely pick up a gay vibe in the place. The restaurant is fairly large, but can still have an intimate feel . . . could work for a first or second date for sure.

Overpriced . . .

While the food in the end tends to be pretty good, I think it's pricey for Denver standards. It also seems that they can never get my order right on the first try! I much prefer Hamburger Mary's in the summer when you can dine on the large patio area (sort of makes it worth it to eat and lounge with friends). If you want some gay energy and don't feel like going to an actual bar, you can soak some up here.

Great selection of undergear!

Many people in Denver go to the Crypt (located a few blocks away) for their undergear needs, but I prefer Needz! This is a fairly small boutique with a GREAT selection of underwear and swimsuits. The staff are very friendly and the store caters to a gay clientele for sure.

Popular for many, not my favorite place . . .

I haven't gone here often, only on their big "Sunday Beer Busts" which draws a very large, more of a diverse crowd (you'll definitely find the beefy/bearish guys here generally . . . not my thing personally). I have found the guys there to be generally pleasant, so I can't really say much negative, just not so much my thing. They have a large open area when you first walk in, a video game / pool area and a small dance floor. They have a trough bathroom option for those into the "you show me yours I'll show you mine" thing. Drink prices seem pretty fair for Denver standards.

Nicknamed the "Dogpound" . . .

The title of my review sounds mean, but that's what the locals call the Compound. The only time I've gone and had fun was on Friday nights (bouncing between Boyztown and here). Their dance floor isn't all the big, but one of the few places to dance in Denver on a Friday night and the sound system and music are pretty good. Drinks here are overpriced for Denver standards, so I tend to drink at Boyztown and dance at Compound. Nice patio area. Very ethnically diverse crowd which is nice. Also seems to be a creeper magnet though.

Country Western Gay Bar

If you've never seen two guys in cowboy hats two-step, you should check out Charlie's. Admittedly, this is not my favorite Denver venue, but they are supportive of the community, and they have been around forever. They have a main dance floor with generally country western music, and a smaller "pop" dance area. Currently, Sunday nights are Vivid (drag show). Some folks will bounce over this way on a Thursday night after hitting JR's for their beer specials earlier in the night. Lots of "everyday" people here, pretty diverse crowd.

Once of the better gay nightclubs in the U.S.

I'm a Denver local, but travel a lot. Usually, folks eventually hate all the bars and clubs in their hometown (everywhere else is better, right?). Well, I have to say, Tracks Denver is one of the better gay nightclubs in the U.S. If you are a circuit boy from a REALLY big city, then probably anything not on either coast will be good enough for you, right? But Tracks has been around forever, and it's because they put on a great show. The venue is LARGE. The main dance floor tends to be pop music and gets packed. The smaller dance floor tends to be R&B/Rap on Thursday nights (18+) and 80's music on Saturday nights. These are their two big nights. I believe they have a women's night on the first Friday of the month. For special occasions (Pridefest, Halloween, etc.) they also open up the attached Exdo center and these nights are totally over the top every time! Drinks here are expensive for Denver standards, but less than the "prime" larger cities. For smokers, they have an outdoor area in the back (the alley actually). You will generally find the best looking guys in Denver at Tracks.

Used to be my favorite Denver Bar, still not bad ~

Boyztown Denver used to be my "home" bar, but I don't go as often anymore (perhaps I just burned out on it). If you are in town and want eye candy on a stage on just about any night (no dancers on Mondays), this is the place to go. The big night to go for a packed venue is Friday night (folks bounce between here and the Compound 3 doors down). Wednesday nights can be fun with their amateur night (most of the time they have amateurs competing, sometimes not though). For smokers, they have a great patio area with a dancing stage for your viewing enjoyment. Most dancers don't have the "hustler" feel you get at some places in say NYC or LA, and they will have a decent conversation with you. Most of the dancers tend to be pretty regular there (some having been there for years). This is a SMALL venue, so if you easily get claustrophobic, you will probably want to stay out on the patio or avoid altogether.

Enjoyed my stay

This is definitely not a "gay" hotel, but my partner and I felt pretty comfortable there. We stayed on a standard weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. One thing that stands out was that I had emailed ahead (after making reservations online) and told them this was for a romantic weekend. Upon arrival to the room, they had a complimentary bottle of champagne on ice! I'm not sure if this is standard, but was definitely a nice touch. The staff was all very friendly, and we LOVED the queen sized canopy bed (very romantic). The main level of the hotel had a very upscale feel, but the above floors with the rooms felt pretty generic. Last comment, the location . . . while only two blocks from Union Square and pretty convenient to catch the Muni . . . wow, turn down the wrong side street and you feel like you may get mugged! Stick to Geary St. and no worries.

I went on the wrong night . . .

Evidently, Friday nights are the night to go, but I found this out after going on a Saturday night (around 10:30, standard night). I liked the venue itself, but wasn't very busy. Very mixed men and women (and some women were definitely lesbians).

Meh on Badlands

I went fairly early on a regular Saturday night (perhaps around 10 or so). The place was pretty full and the crowd was pretty mixed with regards to "types" of gay guys and some women. The music was standard pop type stuff, nothing at this place really stood out to me. Felt pretty "local."