Best Nightlife in Aspen

Description:

Located next to the Silver Queen Gondola, this popular restaurant combines location with style to create one of the premier ski restaurants in the world. A sun-drenched deck makes for a perfect viewing spot. The wood-dominated interior has a classy feel. For true Mediterranean tradition, try the Tuscan Barbecue Short Ribs, or for pasta fans, opt for the Venison and Pork Bolognese. The full bar has built a reputation for its martinis.

Description:

If you are looking to impress, opt for this restaurant. Consistently rated as one of the best restaurants in Aspen, it offers top food with top jazz. The enclosed waterfalls create an immediate impression of "ooh, this is different." The menu extends this feel by offering New American cuisine with select dishes from around the world. Angus Beef filet and elk tenderloin are two of the more notable dishes. Jazz begins at 10pm. The wine list is the size of a small novella and features over 300 varieties.

Description:

This Aspen mainstay, located inside the Hotel Jerome, has been pouring cold drafts since the 1890s. It is a favorite of locals who affectionately refer to it as the J-Bar. A big wooden bar with a mirrored backdrop dominates the room and exudes an old-time feel that begs one to hunker down with a beer and a newspaper. An adjoining room with a large screen TV is a prime perch for sports watching and somehow does not detract from the bar's vintage feel. The menu is classic bar food fare and features burgers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers. The bar is full service and offers a great beer selection of imports, domestics and microbrews.

Our Local Expert Says:

Do Salsa Night; Jimmy is a STEAMY dancer! Live music Friday night. A local's fav!

Description:

It is not often that you will find a restaurant that describes itself as serving "fierce" American food. But this Aspen favorite is so popular that no one ever stops to puzzle what "fierce" food actually means. This is one of those rare restaurants that knows how to blend casual with elegance and make it work. The main course menu features certified Black Angus steaks such as filet mignon, 35 day dry-aged rib eye, and a porterhouse for two, which is so big it looks like a throw pillow. The bar offers the largest tequila and mescal list (over 50 choices) in the nation.

Description:

Few, if any, Aspen restaurants can match Mezzaluna for its combination of great food and a lively bar scene. But it is this fusion that makes it so popular and prompted Gourmet Magazine to rank it as one of the top three restaurants in Aspen. The interior is Los Angeles hip: marble tables, big glass windows and tall potted plants. If you can secure a window table it is a great perch for people watching both inside and outside. If you covet booze-addled Happy Hours this is the place to go. The entrées feature an array of pasta, fish and meat dishes. There is also an audacious selection of avant-garde pizzas including one that features French onion with Swiss cheese and smoked bacon.

Description:

39 Degrees Lounge located within the Sky Hotel is truly the place to rush to for heady cocktails, pleasant conversations, hip crowds, and chilling out in style. The comfortable chairs beckon you to stay a little longer and the bar tempts you to drink a little more. In summer, you can seat yourself in the pool area too. It's a great place to mingle with friends, old and new.

Description:

In a swanky area, this local favorite snubs its nose at the chic and proudly embraces its dive bar feel. Formerly known as "Cooper Street Pier", the dining room remains rich with a "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" character. Six overhead TV screens make the place the closest thing Aspen has to a legitimate sports bar. Pool, darts and shuffleboard provide good drinking diversions.Burgers are the king of the menu. There are sandwiches and a great offering of barbecued ribs.