wordplay: Cassie Hood

Nestled next to Leela European Café and under the historic Tarantulas Billiards hides a small but exciting new place to hang out when the sun goes down. The funky retro décor with a modern twist makes the Shag Lounge a swanky pad to relax and get your drink on.

The ownership really did their homework when they decorated the club. Everything is a blast back to the swinging sixties but they made sure to add small modern details here and there to make the place seem familiar and comfortable. Owner Scott Kelly said they chose to open a tiki bar because there wasn’t really anything like it in Denver. “Everyone seems to be going with the chrome everything, and the color changing lights, we wanted to go with something a little more retro. A kind of throwback place to hang out,” he explained
 
Upon entering into the dim room, the furniture screams vintage. Each piece is mismatched, sleek and comfortable. The first things that catch your eye are the ball chairs that look like they were stolen directly from Austin Powers' bachelor pad. It's hard to resist sitting in the chairs, if just to see why they were so popular in the days of old. Snuggled nicely between the white and red ball chairs, is a plush red clam couch that's big enough to be a bed. There are a number of other couches and chairs to sit and chat on, but the red couch, centered at the back of the room, really calls people to it. Other decorations include shiny light fixtures that let in just enough light to illuminate the evening's happenings, but keep the room just dim enough to set the mood. Even the bathrooms have almost futuristic, yet still retro bowl sinks and wall pulls for flushing the toilet.
 
Adding to the hip ambience is their custom drink list. Their Tiki drinks, though a bit pricey, are well worth the money. Kelly explained, “They are $14 but when you break them down, they are a pretty slammin’ deal.” He went on to say that each Tiki drink has three shots of premium liquor in them. You can’t get drinks like that anywhere. Kelly's personal favorite is the Banana Boat. When they came up with the drink list, they kept old favorites like the Mai Tai, but they added their own personal twist. Another great Tiki deal is the luau size, meant for four people. While it will cost you $35, it is a far better deal than going to some other nightclub and paying $150 for a bottle service. They are well worth the price, and give you something nice to sip on while getting your mojo flowin’. If fruity isn’t your deal, try the martinis. Kelly’s favorite is the Apple martini, because they use real apple juice and it has a golden color to it, not that artificial florescent green. They really put a lot of thought into making their drinks stand out, with excessive garnishes and subtle twists.
 
Not only do they have a great happy hour from 3 pm to 7 pm, but locals that either live or work downtown get 10% off their tab; all they have to do is bring in a piece of mail or business card as proof. “We really wanted the people in the neighborhood to feel like they have a place to come,” Kelly explained of the locals-only discount.

If it's good tunes you're looking for, they have a video jukebox with over 100,000 music videos to choose from, Kelly believes theirs is the most extensive selection in town. He said that they really wanted to make a neighborhood bar for downtown residents to come to a couple of nights and week, but then have a happening nightclub for the weekends, and from what I saw, it works. There were a number of locals that the bartenders knew by name.

Keep your eyes peeled for some slamming parties this winter. They are working on something big for the day before Thanksgiving and or course something huge for New Year's, but details are still being worked out.

Be it an after work hangout, or weekend party place, the Shag Lounge really hits the mark. Get your drink on there, but they do say, “Excessive consumption of tiki drinks can cause uncontrollable nudity." 
Consider yourself warned.

830 15th Street

myspace.com/ShagDenver

ShagDenver.com