Entry No. 26 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: speakeasy
Gratitude Zero Proof Bar
Colorado's most complete alcohol-free bar, tucked into The Sluice in Old Colorado City — exotic mocktails built on kava, blue lotus, cayenne, and mushroom tinctures, plus NA beer, wine, and Indonesian tea, born from the owners' own sobriety journeys.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but the most intriguing drink order in Colorado Springs doesn't contain a drop of ethanol. Tucked inside Old Colorado City's historic retail strip sits Gratitude, a zero-proof bar founded by co-owner Michele Garrett and her partners out of their own sobriety journeys. Rather than settling for canned seltzers or sugary sodas, Gratitude stocks functional botanicals you're more likely to find in an herbalist's cabinet or an island ritual: South Pacific kava root, blue lotus, cayenne, and mushroom tinctures alongside non-alcoholic wines, ciders, and Indonesian teas.
The bar operates inside The Sluice, a converted multi-use creative building at 28th Street and Colorado Avenue. Instead of looking for a traditional tavern sign, you enter a shared space housing Story Coffee Co., an architecture studio, an art gallery, and working resident artists. Ordering kava here means getting a bowl of cold-steeped ground root and water that leaves your mouth pleasantly numbed and your nerves calm—making it a genuinely unique social sanctuary built around plant chemistry rather than alcohol.
What it's like
Finding Gratitude requires heading to the corner of 28th Street and Colorado Avenue and stepping through The Sluice's main storefront rather than looking for a standalone bar exterior. Inside, the space mixes industrial finishes and urban graffiti art with cozy lounge seating, hidden cubbies, and hanging swings scattered among the art studios. A parking lot sits directly behind the building along with validated spaces, but read the posted signs carefully to avoid getting towed. Order a bowl of kava alongside a spicy cayenne or mushroom-tincture mocktail to spark conversation, then head out on foot to explore Old Colorado City's galleries and shops. Seasonal hours shift, so verify open times before you head over.
The move: Order a blue-lotus or cayenne-mushroom mocktail and a round of kava — a genuinely good date for anyone skipping booze, with enough strange ingredients to keep the conversation going.
📍 Before you go Gratitude lives inside The Sluice, a reimagined mixed-use creative building at the corner of 28th Street and Colorado Avenue — you'll share the space with Story Coffee Co., a gallery, an architecture studio, and assorted artists, so look for the storefront on that corner rather than a standalone bar sign. There's validated parking plus a lot behind the building, but read the posted signs to avoid being towed. It sits dead-center in walkable Old Colorado City, the historic shopping strip, so it pairs naturally with browsing the boutiques, galleries, and patios up and down Colorado Avenue before or after. Hours shift seasonally — check ahead.
- 📍 Old Colorado City
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2752 Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Hours: Mon–Thu 2–10pm, Fri–Sat 12–11pm, Sun 12–9pm. (719) 644-6411.
Pair it with
- Aurathentic — Pair Gratitude's zero-proof botanical lounge in Old Colorado City with Aurathentic's aura photography and vibroacoustic beds in Manitou Springs for a full day of alternative sensory experiences.
- Shame & Regret — Contrast Gratitude's alcohol-free botanical menu with the dark alley entrance and 230-plus whiskey list at Shame & Regret in Downtown Colorado Springs.
- The Rabbit Hole — Follow up a relaxing round of kava at Gratitude with an underground descent into a former city morgue for gothic theatrical dining at The Rabbit Hole.
Good to know
Where inside Old Colorado City is Gratitude located?
Gratitude lives inside The Sluice, a mixed-use creative building located at 2752 Colorado Avenue (corner of 28th Street and Colorado Avenue), sharing space with Story Coffee Co. and local art studios.
What kinds of drinks do they serve?
They serve zero-proof craft mocktails made with kava, blue lotus, cayenne, and mushroom tinctures, as well as non-alcoholic beer, NA wine, ciders, and specialty Indonesian teas.
What is kava and what does it feel like?
Kava is a traditional beverage made by mixing ground root from a Pacific Island plant with water. It has an earthy taste and produces a mild, relaxing physical sensation along with a slight numbing on the tongue.
Where should I park when visiting?
There is validated parking and a parking lot behind The Sluice, but make sure to read all posted lot signs to avoid being towed.
What are the hours and phone number?
Operating hours are Monday through Thursday 2pm to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm to 11pm, and Sunday 12pm to 9pm. Hours can shift seasonally, and you can reach them at (719) 644-6411.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · springsmag.com · koaa.com · denvergazette.com
last checked: 2026-06-04