Best & Cool Bars in Highlands Ranch

"Since the day this jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring shrine to Japanese cuisine opened in 1985 in Platt Park, diners have waxed poetic, often waiting for hours on the sidewalk to snag a coveted seat in the stunningly appointed space. And it’s easy to see why: Owners and brothers Yasu and Toshi Kizaki source impeccably fresh fish from Japan and then masterfully create painterly mosaics that are as breathtaking to eat as they are to ogle. If you can score stools at the sushi bar, you’ll get dinner and spectacular knife skill theatrics."

"Pearl St. With 4.5 stars out of 1,776 reviews on Yelp, the sushi bar, bar and Japanese spot has proved to be a local favorite."

"Originally founded in a funky old Victorian house off Boulder’s Pearl Street, this quaint morning eatery now generates long lines across the Front Range for its chicory coffee, beignets, pain perdu, and more Creole specialties."

"A 40-year-old tradition, but still with only a handful of locations around Colorado, this Creole cafe is always charming. Highlights include chicory coffee, beignets, eggs sardou and buttermilk biscuits and gravy."

"Sputnik is the place to go in Denver when you want a delicious breakfast or brunch without the meat. The breakfast burrito topped with stewed black beans and vegan cheese is delicious and filling, and the quesadilla with macaroni and “cheese” and a side is tasty, too. You’ll also love the veggie fajita with purple kale topped with avocado, and the Israeli falafel sandwich makes for a satisfying meal as well."

"The location operates as a bar and as a restaurant that doesn’t have a lot of traditional bar food. Instead, this eclectic joint offers more vegetarian and vegan alternatives. You can feast on rice bowls or Israeli falafel while enjoying the perks of a full espresso bar and free Wi-Fi."

"American , Vegetarian"

"Stranahan’s Whiskey Distillery is a distillery in Denver known for its American Single Malt whiskey. This distillery’s flagship product is made up of 100% malted barley mixed with water from Eldorado Springs. Stranahan’s Whiskey Distillery & Cocktail Bar produce their whiskey by using special oak barrels and are aged at least a couple of years before shipping them out."

"Kalamath St. in Baker, the whiskey bar which offers beer, wine, spirits and more, is the highest rated distillery in Denver, boasting five stars out of 439 reviews on Yelp."

"spike in production and award for "Small Brewing Company of the Year" in 2009 at GABF are pushing its reputation on the Denver beer market. Located on the outskirts of northeast Denver, Dry Dock’s taproom with 180 seats and 16 taps make this little startup competitive with downtown’s most popular brewpubs. Must Try: The Dry Dock Hefeweizen is a dry, light-bodied wheat beer with hints of clove, banana and lemon."

"Dry Dock Brewing’s South Dock location is one of our favorite places to spend an afternoon. Not only is it absolutely huge, packed full of rustic tables perfect for spending time with friends, a comfortable couch area, and a brewing school, but they also happen to feature a lovely outdoor patio. Covered and usually located in proximity to a delicious food truck, Dry Dock’s patio is the place to be this summer."

"Dry Dock is technically located in Aurora, but since Aurora is considered a Denver suburb, we’re including it. And Dry Dock is such an essential Colorado brewery, it would be a shame not to. Like many breweries in the state, it started with some homebrewers who wanted to turn their side hustle into a full-time business."

"With family friends in Napa Valley and the access to wine barrels, Branded Oak’s specialty is wine barrel-aged beers. But that’s not the only thing that reminds us of California living at their brewery. You can also enjoy al-fresco drinking on their quaint and open patio, which is complete with several long picnic tables, plenty of shade, and wine country-esque greenery."

"Whether you're a hardcore beer lover or a casual patio drinker, Banded Oaks has something everyone will enjoy. Their specialty is wine barrel aged beer thanks to their family friends located in Napa Valley, CA who provide access to wine barrels. Banded Oak brews have an incredibly unique oak flavor that's constantly evolving."

"Crazy Mountain Brewing Company sits in the heart of Lakewood near West Alameda Drive. This brewery has a lot of ales: Belgian style ale, amber ales, black ales, you name it. One of their most popular beers is the Mountain Livin’ American Pale Ale, a bright, hoppy, and tropical ale."

"Formerly known as Former Future–yes, the famed airplane-wing bar is still there–brewer and co-owner James Howat went in a new direction to specialize in spontaneous and wild ales. Eschewing the quick money to be made by selling out to a huge beverage conglomerate as many small breweries sadly have, these folks are single-minded and relentlessly passionate in their quest to further the craft-brew movement and produce unusual, memorable, quality beer. Every Black Project beer is fermented with microbes captured from the local environment via a "coolship" or foraged from nature–think terroir in wines."

"Nobody does sour spontaneous fermentation in Denver like Black Project. Originally called Former Future, the brewery made “clean” beer styles until their sour experimentation yielded two GABF medals, which inspired them to change their name and switch entirely to sours. Black Project was the subject of one of our very first editorial series."

"This “incredible” spot provides licensed artwork from Disney, LucasFilms, Marvel and DC Comics and is a one-stop-shop for fans of movies and comic books."

"This gallery offers two floors of gallery space, giving you plenty of room to enjoy local art. They have no exclusivity on who they display, so you can expect to see both emerging and established artists working with all different types of mediums."