Entry No. 20 — the Boulder file — filed under: speakeasy

License No. 1 (The Catacombs)

Descend a full floor below street level beneath the Hotel Boulderado — a Victorian landmark that opened New Year's Day 1909, when Boulder was already dry. The basement bar, originally called the Catacombs, began serving legally in 1969 under one of the city's first mixed-use liquor licenses; that same license is still in use today, making this the last original holdout. The 2014 renovation rebranded it License No. 1, sharpening the speakeasy aesthetic: dark wood, leather booths, antique furnishings, and a legendary Otis elevator window peering into the hotel's century-old mechanics. Multiple rooms — a band room for dancing, back rooms with darts, pool, and skee-ball, and intimate sitting areas — make it feel like a found underground world rather than a bar. Historic Hotels of America has named it one of the nation's 25 most historic bars.

The move: Start with happy hour cocktails at 6 pm (the single-barrel Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned is a signature), then stay for live music on Fridays or Saturdays starting at 9 pm. The multiple rooms mean you can drift between dancing, a corner booth, and a game of pool all in one night.

📍 Before you go Open Wednesday through Saturday from 6 pm. Thursday comedy shows (The Underground Comedy Showcase, 7:30–9 pm) require reservations and sell out; book ahead. Live music starts at 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Must be 21+. Street parking on 13th Street or the city garage on Spruce. No dedicated hotel valet for bar guests. Happy hour runs 6–7 pm nightly with deeply discounted cocktails.

• 📍 Boulder
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 2115 13th Street, Boulder, CO 80302 (basement of Hotel Boulderado)

Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-11