June, 2008
v1.0
| Review by THE JAB: The Cruise Room in the historic Oxford Hotel in downtown Denver is not a must-visit bar for cocktails, but it is a must-see bar. It opened the day after prohibition ended as a beautiful art-deco bar inspired by the interior of the Queen Mary, hence the name The Cruise Room. Nothing about the decor has changed except there is a circa 1960s jukebox that plays original 45s of easy listening and lounge music. The only other change, according to the friendly bartender, happened during World War II when some soldiers destroyed one of the artistic relief panels which depicted German icons including Hitler and a German drinking toast. The bar is lit by original neon and consists of a series of banquets, along the walls, a beautiful rounded bar, and several different art panels representing different countries and their drinking toasts. Typically, the cocktail menu has many vodka drinks, most of which appeared to be on the sweet side, but also includes a Sidecar, which my companion had. It was well made with fresh lemon juice. I had a Martini that came with the shaker so I could dose myself at my own pace. The bar was well stocked with booze. I tried a locally made Whiskey. My only desire was that the cocktail menu had more drinks without vodka. We visited the bar early on a Saturday evening and it was pleasant and quiet. We returned later on Saturday night for a nightcap and it was crowded and noisier but we were able to sit at the bar and have a conversation as the other patrons were not annoying or rowdy. The service was excellent. The bartenders were friendly and wore dinner jackets and black bow ties. The cocktail waitress was very efficient and friendly as well. A must while visiting Denver! I also highly recommend the Oxford Hotel. It is in the moderate price range but the rooms are luxurious. I recommend getting the larger room which is only slightly more expensive than a small room. We also visited the historic Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver ( 321 17th Street) which has a wonderful nautical bar and restaurant from the 1930s called the Ship Tavern. Bottoms Up! |
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More history from the Oxford
Hotel web site: "Just off the main lobby of The Oxford Hotel is
the legendary Cruise Room
Martini Bar. The Cruise Room is downtown Denver’s first bar and opened
the day after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Boasting Art Deco
décor, this bar is original in its entirety. The Cruise Room was
fashioned after one of the lounges on the Queen Mary. Original chrome
and neon reflect onto the wall panels depicting light-hearted "toasts"
from around the world."
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