Dearly Departed

Dearly Departed is one of the more impressive cocktail bars I’ve visited in Denver recently. The atmosphere is dark and moody but still approachable, and it never feels stuffy or overly serious. Located under Teocalli in the Highlands, it feels like a hidden neighborhood spot rather than a destination built for hype. The menu focuses on small plates meant to be shared, and everything we tried paired well with the drinks. It’s clear the food is meant to support the cocktail experience rather than compete with it. Their cocktail program is very well thought out. Drinks are grouped into categories like martinis, old fashioneds, sours, spritzes, and highballs, with three variations in each group. One leans classic, one is their house take, and one is more experimental. It makes the menu easy to navigate and fun to explore. I’ve visited twice in a short period of time and every drink has been well balanced and intentional. Standouts for me have been the savory martini, cherry spritzer, aperitif spritzer, and the more experimental gin and tonic. If you enjoy creative cocktails without the pretension, this place is absolutely worth a visit.

Stick to cocktails and you’ll be thoroughly impressed. Service 10/10, best around. Cocktails 12/10, untouchable. Atmosphere 10/10 next to none. For cocktails: all of them. We loved the martinis, margaritas (spicy mango!), and horchata (so unique). Try them all, just not in one night. However, a major pitfall is the food: Lack luster, poor quality, and send-back worthy. Potatoes bravas are boiled, not crispy. Tuna does not melt in your mouth as tuna crudo should. Steak was chewy. All the sauces, seasoning, and accoutrements were excellent, but that’s not what makes a dish. Had high hopes. Stick to cocktail, happy hour, or a night cap and you won’t be disappointed. This is not the main meal, it’s the end cap of an evening.

Just dropped into the brand new speakeasy tucked beneath the new Teocalli restaurant An incredible team of mixologists is shaking up some seriously next-level cocktails from a wildly creative drink menu. Every sip feels like a discovery. And yes… we had to try the cheesecake. Absolutely worth it! #SpeakeasyVibes #Craft Cocktails

Cool vibes in the basement of Teo Cali. Oysters on happy hour (try not to steal the dropper of specially made hot sauce that comes with it) were lovely, dont skip the meatballs or the patatas brava, crudo was not my favorite, the other bites are better. Service was grgreat, vibe was great, will def be back.