Bar: Piper Inn

Address: 2251 S Parker Rd. Denver, CO 80231

Score: 9.6/10

I am notorious for saying that Denver lacks great bars. Denver has many bars, but gentrification has wiped out many hot beds for dive bars. If you look hard enough you can still find some absolute gems in the city that can go toe to toe with any bar in the U.S. I have been sitting on this bar for a bit because I wanted to go back and take some more photos to truly capture the essence of the Piper Inn. The Piper Inn is located right on Parker Rd. The location is prime for Denver and Aurora residents. The Piper Inn is known for bringing a biker bar, but brings in people from all walks of life and that’s why I love it. I first visited the Piper Inn because when I lived in the city I asked a gentleman where I could find good food of various varieties. For Mexican and wings his recommendations were fantastic. His wing recommendation? The Piper Inn. Voted the best wings in Denver and in U.S. rankings according to many publishers, the wings certainly live up to the hype. Some of the biggest, crispiest, flavorful wings you will ever find. They certainly make my top 5 wing list and in reality are my #1 or #2. Food definitely does not count into our ratings cause every bar does not have food, but the wings at the Piper Inn are a damn good reason to visit. If you are not a fan of wings (weird), they have great Cantonese food and loaded fries. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, seriously. 

Alright, enough of the food, here is why I love the Piper Inn. The first thing I notice from the outside of the bar is the sign. The vintage yellow sign with bold black letters sets the tone for the rest of the establishment. The bar also has two covered patios on each side in the front of the restaurant, sounds a bit odd, but it just works. They also have the ability to open up the side windows on warmer days, a great use of space during all times of the year. Some people say patios take character away from dives, and I’m simply saying, you’re wrong. There is nothing better than being outside and moseying into a dark divey atmosphere. 

Inside of the Piper Inn they play all the classics, wood paneling, drop panel ceiling tiles, and neon lights/advertisements covering every inch of the walls. I know I say this for a ton of places, but this is the most extreme case and I absolutely loved it. You can stare at all the decor 24/7 and still probably miss a gem or two. While the Piper Inn has many great features, my favorite certainly has to be the seating. Booths and high-tops make up all the seating. Some bars have low top seating, but not the Piper Inn. I counted 8 high top tables inside and booths lined the walls. Such a good utilization of space and I loved the contiguity of the black leather for all the seating. Additionally, they have a nice pool table. They also have a hilariously small bathroom set up that makes no sense at all, but god I love it. 

Man, the Piper Inn. What a freaking bar. Maybe it is all the stuff from the above, maybe it is the fresh mountain air pouring into the bar, maybe it is the charm that has remained in the bar for over 50 years, but probably it is all three. You can go to 16th st, Larimer, or another one of the shit trendy areas in Denver, or skip them and visit this gem, you won’t be disappointed. 

Price: Fair price for beer, they have about everything you could imagine. I think I paid $4-5 bucks for Miller draft

Decor: The best part about the bar, infinite bar signage. 

Service: Overall good service, the place was pretty empty cause it was early, but the server was very attentive the whole time.

Atmosphere: Went during off hours, but the vibes were still high. 

High Life Bottle?: Of course they had it. 

Bonus Points: No