Entry No. 136 — the Denver file — filed under: speakeasy
License No. 1
License No. 1 is a dimly lit, Prohibition-era cocktail den in the basement of the historic Hotel Boulderado, still operating under the very liquor license first issued in 1969 when once-dry Boulder finally allowed spirits. Plush leather booths, dark wood paneling, a billiards room, and meticulously crafted pre-Prohibition classics make it feel like you've slipped into a 1920s gentlemen's club beneath the streets of Boulder.
The story
When the Hotel Boulderado opened on New Year's Day in 1909, you couldn't buy a drink anywhere inside. Local voters had turned Boulder dry in 1907, a full decade before federal Prohibition took effect. For six decades, while the city remained strictly dry, the hotel's subterranean space operated as a utility basement for laundry services, coal heating, and hotel storage.
When Boulder finally repealed its local alcohol ban in 1967, hard liquor returned to local menus two years later. In 1969, the basement space opened as the Catacombs, receiving one of the city's very first post-repeal liquor licenses. Every other original 1969 liquor license issued in Boulder has since expired or changed hands, making this subterranean space the only bar in city limits still pouring drinks under its original license.
In 2014, the hotel retired the old Catacombs pool-and-arcade setup and renovated the cellar into License No. 1. Rather than fabricating speakeasy mythologies, they built the cocktail lounge directly into the physical bones of the old hotel cellar—retaining dark wood paneling, crimson leather booths, dartboards, archival photos of historical Boulderites, and the billiards room beneath the hotel's 1909 atrium.
What it's like
You won't find a street-level sign or outside entrance. Walk through the Hotel Boulderado lobby at 13th and Spruce—past the original 1909 mosaic floor and beneath the stained-glass canopy—and take the grand cherrywood staircase down into the lower level. Below ground, it's dim and insulated, packed with leather booths, dark wood paneling, and back rooms for billiards and darts. Despite the speakeasy branding, Boulder's casual culture holds: people show up in jeans alongside hotel guests, and the room fills quickly on Friday and Saturday nights. Go early around dusk or on a weeknight to grab a booth without waiting, order a spirit-forward Old Fashioned alongside the bacon deviled eggs, and check the schedule for live music or comedy.
The move: Arrive at dusk and settle into a leather booth for a round of spirit-forward Old Fashioneds and chef-prepared small plates, then challenge each other to a game of billiards in the classic billiards room — close out the night by asking the bartender about the history of Boulder's dry years and the story behind that original license.
📍 Before you go There's no street-level door — enter the historic Hotel Boulderado at 13th and Spruce, walk through the 1909 lobby (the stained-glass canopy and grand staircase are worth a look), and head downstairs to the lower level, the old Catacombs space. It's a 21-plus cocktail lounge, and the intimate underground room fills up on weekend evenings, so go earlier or be ready to wait; booking ahead for a weekend is a safe bet. Being below ground makes it a reliable cold- or rainy-night option. Downtown parking is metered streets plus public garages, and the Pearl Street pedestrian mall is a few blocks away for a stroll or dinner before or after.
- 📍 Boulder
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2115 13th St (lower level, Hotel Boulderado), Boulder, CO 80302
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Lighthouse Bookstore — Browse metaphysical paperbacks and crystals on Pearl Street before walking two blocks over and slipping into the Boulderado cellar for a drink.
- Fiske Planetarium Laser & Liquid Sky Shows — Catch an 8K laser dome show on the CU Boulder campus before heading downtown to wind down over pre-Prohibition cocktails.
- Sommers-Bausch Observatory Open House Nights — Look through campus telescopes during a Friday rooftop open house, then head downtown to discuss astronomy over an Old Fashioned.
Good to know
How do I find the entrance to License No. 1?
There is no street door. Enter the main lobby of the Hotel Boulderado at 13th and Spruce, then walk down the grand cherrywood staircase to the basement level.
Is there a dress code or age limit?
It is strictly a 21-plus lounge. There is no enforced dress code; patrons wear casual Boulder attire alongside hotel guests.
What is the story behind the name?
Boulder banned alcohol in 1907 and stayed dry until 1967. In 1969, the basement bar received one of the city's first post-repeal liquor licenses, which remains in active use at the venue today.
Do I need reservations or should I expect a wait?
The basement fills up on weekend evenings, making advance reservations or early arrival recommended; weeknights are typically easy for walk-ins.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · boulderado.com · Westword
last checked: 2026-06-07