Entry No. 35 — the Denver file — filed under: ritual-music
The Monkey Barrel
From the corner of Tejon in Sunnyside it looks like any other neighborhood building, but inside is a music-and-arcade clubhouse: a Nintendo 64 bolted into every booth, a room full of pinball, and walls of memorabilia signed by Nirvana, the Beastie Boys, Shepard Fairey and more. It's a born-again punk bar — the original got pushed off Platte Street by a developer, and regulars rebuilt it here in 2016 down to the Wreck-It-Ralph shelf from the old spot. Denver officially named it a Legacy Business, which is the city's way of admitting the place matters more than its plain exterior lets on. Thursday open-mic comedy is usually free.
The story
When corporate developers bought out the lease on Platte Street in 2016 to demolish the original 2013 Monkey Barrel—famous for its Sid Vicious and Peyton Manning murals—most Denver dive bars would have turned into a press release eulogy. Owner Jimmy Nigg did something messier: he found a run-down former deli market on Craigslist at West 44th and Tejon in Sunnyside, recruited regulars, and rebuilt the venue by hand. They even salvaged the custom Wreck-It-Ralph liquor shelf from the old spot to anchor the new bar.
What resulted isn't a glossy rebrand; it's a defiant punk-and-arcade survivor behind an unassuming brick exterior. Inside, the walls display signed memorabilia from Nirvana, the Beastie Boys, and Shepard Fairey, while every booth comes hardwired with a Nintendo 64 console. Beyond the main floor, the back build-out houses a dedicated pinball arcade set against a massive Beastie Boys mural.
City Hall eventually acknowledged the venue's neighborhood staying power, officially designating The Monkey Barrel a Denver Legacy Business in 2024—a rare badge of honor for a spot that kept its community intact through local craft taps, cheap smash burgers, and weekly comedy.
What it's like
Approaching the quiet corner of West 44th and Tejon, you'd never guess there's a multi-room arcade clubhouse inside until you push through the door and navigate past the bar toward the muraled rear section. On weekends, the N64 booths fill up quickly with four-player Mario Kart and GoldenEye sessions over smash burgers and local beers, so arrive on a weeknight or early in the evening if you want booth real estate. On Thursdays, the room pivots to free open-mic stand-up comedy (sign-ups start at 7:00 PM, show at 7:30 PM), drawing a lively neighborhood crowd. Because Sunnyside is strictly residential, plan to hunt for street parking on nearby side blocks and keep your volume down when leaving late.
The move: Grab a booth, fire up GoldenEye on the in-booth N64 over Colorado craft beers and a sandwich, then drift to the pinball room — and on a Thursday stick around for the free open-mic comedy.
📍 Before you go 📍 It's the plain corner building at W 44th & Tejon — the arcade lives in the back build-out, so once inside head toward the mural-covered rear section. Sunnyside is residential, so plan to hunt for free street parking on the side blocks and keep the volume down on a late walk out. The in-booth N64 setups are limited, so weekends fill fast — come on a weeknight or arrive early to actually land a booth (and to sign up if it's a comedy night). It generally skews toward a 21+ crowd, though the patio is friendlier to dogs and kids — confirm ahead. Tejon's surrounding café-and-restaurant strip makes for an easy before-or-after pairing.
- 📍 Sunnyside
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4401 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211 (Sunnyside; corner building, arcade in the Beastie Boys-muraled back build-out)
Hours: Roughly daily 11am-11:30pm, til 1am Thu-Sat; free open-mic comedy Thursdays (sign-up 7pm, first laugh 7:30) — verify event nights
Pair it with
- Diebolt Brewing Company — Walk six minutes down Tejon to drink French-style bières de garde in a former meat-packing warehouse before diving into N64 games and smash burgers.
- Lumber Baron Inn & Gardens — Trade noisy pinball cabinets and retro gaming for Victorian murder history and manicured gardens just three minutes south in Highland.
- The 1Up Arcade Bar - Colfax — If N64 booths and pinball leave you wanting more joysticks, head over to Colfax for 90-plus classic arcade cabinets at Denver's largest retro game bar.
Good to know
How do the booth N64 setups work?
Nintendo 64 consoles are built directly into the booth tables and are free to play for seated guests. Because setups are limited, booths are first-come, first-served.
What is the food and drink selection like?
The tap list features local Colorado craft beers, paired with a simple pub menu highlighted by budget-friendly smash burgers and fries.
When is the free open-mic comedy show?
Open-mic comedy takes place every Thursday night. Performer sign-ups begin at 7:00 PM, and the free show starts at 7:30 PM.
Is The Monkey Barrel kid- and dog-friendly?
The interior generally skews 21+ due to the bar, arcade, and late-night events, but the outdoor patio is welcoming to dogs and families during earlier hours.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Westword · Official site · birdymagazine.com · Yelp · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07