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Denver · Venue

The Lion Lair

A compact East Colfax bar where Denver’s local-band circuit meets a decades-deep tavern history.

Upcoming shows
61
Capacity
105
Address
2022 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80206
Phone
(303) 320-9200
Next show
Fri, 2 Oct 2026
Official siteDirections
The Lion Lair in Denver

About The Lion Lair

Denver’s Lion’s Lair is a 105-capacity live-music bar whose compact plan puts the room’s large rectangular bar at center stage almost as decisively as the band. Tables line the edges, while performers work from a small corner stage framed by leopard-print curtains. That arrangement makes for a close-range show: this is a small room built around proximity, drinks and a view of the players from almost anywhere inside.

A name born from Colfax’s bar history

The address began its long hospitality run as the Aladdin Tavern in 1940, after earlier lives as businesses including a restaurant and the Skol Inn. John Lyons gave the site its lasting identity: local historical research lists Lyon’s Lair under his ownership in 1972–73, followed by Lion’s Lair in 1974. The current name therefore carries a specific turn in the building’s history, even as the room’s bar-and-stage setup retains the feel of a former neighborhood tavern.

A far later chapter nearly ended that run. Co-owner Doug Kauffman closed the 105-person venue voluntarily on March 13, 2020, ahead of wider pandemic shutdowns. The Lair ultimately spent eight months closed, then a community GoFundMe drew over 780 donations and raised over $34,000, helping cover the crisis period. A new ownership team arrived in 2023, with the venue signing a ten-year lease and renewing its emphasis on regular live entertainment.

The room today

Lion’s Lair programs local performers and small touring independents, with punk, alt-country and straight-ahead rock forming the clearest throughline. Its current booking process begins with an online form that feeds an ongoing artist database; Wednesday open mics serve as a direct way into the venue’s community, and the site says every genre is welcome. Expect a bar-first layout, a tiny corner performance area and an entertainment schedule that also includes comedy, karaoke and podcast events.

Sources

  1. Lion’s Lair Closes Voluntarily: “I Just Think It’s the Right Thing to Do” — Denver Westword
  2. Lion’s Lair — Colfax Ave Business Improvement District
  3. History of the Lion’s Lair — Colfax Avenue
  4. Denver Dive Bar and Music Venue Lion’s Lair Has a New Ownership Team — Denver Westword
  5. Community Pitches In To Keep Longtime Bar & Music Venue From Closing — CBS Colorado
  6. Booking | Book Your Event — Lion’s Lair
  7. Lion’s Lair — The Denver Guide

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