Retrograde

Walk into Sweet Action Ice Cream, ignore the cones, head for the walk-in freezer door, flip the light switch beside it, and wait. Behind that heavy steel door is Retrograde — a dim, glowing, outer-space-themed cocktail lounge that feels like a bar on a distant planet. The menu is all cosmic: drinks like 'My Alien Girlfriend' and milk-clarified Fernet oddities, served to a max of five people per party with no reservations. It's a real hidden-in-plain-sight gem behind an ice cream counter.

The move: Grab a couple of cones as cover, then sneak through the freezer door and order the weirdest space-themed cocktails on the menu in the glow of the alien lounge.

• 📍 North Capitol Hill / Uptown
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 530 E 19th Ave, Denver, CO 80203 (behind the walk-in freezer door inside Sweet Action Ice Cream; flip the light switch and wait)

Hours: Mon-Wed 6pm-1am, Thu-Sun 5pm-1am. No reservations, first-come; parties capped at 5.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3

Verified 2026-06-07.