Entry No. 48 — the Denver file — filed under: speakeasy
B&GC (Boys & Girls Club)
Beneath the Halcyon Hotel in Cherry Creek — in a former post office — sits a 44-seat cocktail room that does not want to be found. There's no Google Maps pin; you text a number for a reservation, then hunt down an alley between Second and Third for an unmarked door that says only 'Stair 3,' marked by a gold Art Deco doorbell. Inside it's cognac leather booths, low gold-flecked lighting, and a serious cocktail program (they've poured a $2,500 martini). The whole point is that you have to know it exists and earn your way in.
The story
You don't search for B&GC on Google Maps because there is no pin. You don't walk in off Columbine Street because there is no front door. Instead, you text a reservation line, wait for a quiet confirmation, and navigate to a dimly lit alley between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in Cherry Creek North. You're looking for an unmarked door labeled 'Stair 3' and a gold Art Deco doorbell. Push it, and a host opens the hatch to usher you down through the concrete back-hallways of the Halcyon Hotel into the subterranean bones of what used to be the Cherry Creek Post Office.
Once through the second door, the back-of-house concrete gives way to a 44-seat hideaway wrapped in cognac leather booths, dark wood walls, marble floors, and low gold-flecked lighting. The room centers around a glowing island bar where bartenders craft tailored, off-menu drinks based on your flavor preferences or pour ultra-exclusive creations—like a $2,500 martini that comes with a real diamond necklace. It’s an homage to post-WWII cocktail culture built entirely around the thrill of earning your way in.
What it's like
Finding the alley door feels like a mild heist, but once you press the golden doorbell and get led through the hotel's concrete guts, the mood settles into a quiet, seductive hum. Space is tight in the 44-seat room, so weeknights offer a much calmer experience than packed weekends. Show up on time: your text reservation lapses after exactly 10 minutes. The crowd here is dressed up for date nights or intimate nightcaps rather than rowdy partying. One essential local tip: eat a real dinner elsewhere in Cherry Creek North first. The food menu is strictly high-end nibbles like meat-and-cheese boards and Marcona almonds, so arriving hungry is a tactical error.
The move: Text the reservation line after 3 p.m. to lock a slot, then make the alley hunt for the 'Stair 3' door and the gold doorbell part of the night — descend into the booth-lined room for craft cocktails. The find-it-yourself entry is the date.
📍 Before you go It sits in Cherry Creek North, Denver's most walkable shopping district (roughly 1st to 3rd Avenues), so park once and explore on foot — there's a public garage right at 250 Columbine, essentially next door, with flat evening rates. The entrance is off the alley beside the Halcyon Hotel; circle the block patiently rather than trusting a GPS pin. This is a reservations-only, 21-plus cocktail room, and it's small, so weeknights feel calmer than weekend crowds. Be punctual — held slots lapse quickly. Make a night of it with dinner or a gallery stroll among the surrounding boutiques first. Hours shift, so confirm ahead.
- 📍 Cherry Creek
- 💸 $$$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 249 Columbine St, Denver, CO 80206 (basement beneath the Halcyon Hotel; unmarked alley door between 2nd & 3rd Ave reading 'Stair 3', gold Art Deco doorbell)
Hours: Mon-Tue 6-10pm, Wed-Thu 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm, Sun 6-10pm (per current listings). Reservation by text to 720-925-8598; they hold a reservation only 10 minutes past the time. Confirm before going.
Pair it with
- Revampt — Kill time before your text reservation by browsing upcycled furniture made from wine barrels and car parts just a block away in Cherry Creek North.
- 12 Spirits Tavern — Trade one subterranean drinking lair beneath a hotel for another hidden inside the carriage house basement of an 1891 mansion.
- Bar Max — Keep the custom cocktail theme going a mile north on Colfax, where you order off-menu drinks using a 100-flavor sensory wheel.
Good to know
How do I make a reservation at B&GC?
Text your requested date, time, and party size to 720-925-8598. They handle bookings strictly over text, and hold your slot for only 10 minutes past your reservation time.
Where is the actual entrance?
Head into the alley running behind the Halcyon Hotel between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Look for an unmarked service door marked 'Stair 3' with a small gold Art Deco doorbell beside it.
Can I eat a full dinner here?
No. B&GC serves only small bar snacks like charcuterie platters and Marcona almonds, not full entrees. Plan on eating dinner at a nearby Cherry Creek spot before or after drinks.
Where should I park?
Park at the public garage located at 250 Columbine Street right next door, which offers flat evening rates, then walk around the block to the alley entrance.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: bandgcdenver.com · exploretock.com · Yelp · theculturetrip.com · 303magazine.com · Axios
last checked: 2026-06-07