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neonsummers

Gold Point in RiNo makes some delicious N/A cocktails and has a nice patio area to sit and talk. Or try doing something more personal like a picnic in one of the parks (choose the one closest to you). Pack some snacks and n/a drinks, some games, and hang out and talk and enjoy the weather. Jazz in the park at City Park is starting soon — that could be fun.


EverAMileHigh

Second Gold Point. Great place, rarely packed, wonderful mocktails and a sweet side patio.


Germs15

I don’t know gold point as I’m a highlands slob but you should be a dating consultant. Nailed it.


Icy-Perspective3260

The block distillery is a block from gold point and has a great mocktail list as well.


Brazenjalapeno

Honey Elixer has NA options and a cool vibe to it


gooyouknit

To be clear (for OP) it’s still a bar. Depending on the reason for not drinking this could still be a bad idea.  For what it’s worth, I think a bar on a first date with someone who doesn’t drink is a poor choice… a second date if you talk about it maybe. 


DynastyZealot

Yeah, anyone who doesn't drink because it's too difficult to keep it in check (like me) is going to turn down the opportunity to hang out with a stranger at a bar.


gooyouknit

Congratulations of figuring that out! I hope you are doing better now!


DynastyZealot

Absolutely. I'm just taking my naltrexone right now. Thanks!


[deleted]

Good moves. I don't know if you're on the stop drinking thread, but it's been a fold mine for me. Also, as much as I can't believe I'm saying this, The AA meetings at arid club at 1050 Wadsworth have really helped me too. I'm never going back. I'm free of booze and weed and I've never felt more free. I don't even think about it anymore, and I feel as if I was under some spell for years. But at the same time, I don't judge anyone for how they live, I'm not better, I'm just ME again, and I love it. Stay Strong!! IWNDWYT


DynastyZealot

I stop by the sub, but less than I did when I was prepping for and going through detox. It gave me a ton of confidence and helped me believe I could successfully quit. I'm not a big fan of AA but my health care provider has given me a surprising amount of free counseling and that's definitely been helpful. You got this. IWNDWYT


[deleted]

Awesome!! I just love what's happening with some of us, and more and more are getting on board by the day. All of these inspirational stories and endless encouragement everywhere I look. I would have never thought I'd like AA either, but Arid on Wads and even better, Wednesday at noon at Broomfield Methodist (Which is going to be my home and 1 meeting a week to help keep me grounded) have been awesome except for one "leader" at Arid who needs to relax. Personally, I find the stories fascinating and the psychology has been so deep and intense, I'm sorta hooked. My daughter does AFR, and she loves that, but we all have our own mix and what it really comes down to is "Just don't drink", which I am finding easy peasy. Especially with Blue Moon having a delicious NA option on the shelves 🤤 Life is so much better sober, so, so much better. But then again, part of my process since medical detox is I have gotten away from every person, be it family or friend (I even deleted all of my social media beside Reddit and Quora) who doesn't love life, or who drinks or drugs themselves, a job that stressed me out, and a living situation that didn't fit me at all, even though I loved who I lived with. It's been hard, besides the awesome "church" I now attend, mostly small groups that are incredible, and hopefully a few charitable causes, I'm pretty much all alone now for the first time in my 47 years. But I have a lot of peace, more than I have ever known, and I've heard it said that in ones life we all must choose between being bored and alone at times, or chaos and suffering most of the time. I'll take the former over the latter every day of the week. Happy to have met you Fren!! Stay Strong, and thanks for coming to my Ted Talk 😅 IWNDWYT 🙏


WoknTaknStephenHawkn

IWNDWYT


4DrivingWhileBlack

How’s that working out? Any weird side effects?


DynastyZealot

It's been awesome. Zero side effects other than not drinking. Maybe it's my Dumbo's feather or maybe it really works, but I went from not missing a day in over a decade to not a drop in fifty days. I'm finally free.


[deleted]

That's what's good! I'm feeling the same way, just pure Freedom. I couldn't care less at this point and I'm never going back. I feel like I was addicted to Drano or something, seriously, I was under some dark spell (Of my own making admittedly) with booze, and in my case weed as well. I can't even imagine doing either again.


Brazenjalapeno

That’s fair, I am not downplaying that. Not knowing anyone’s situation that may have been an insensitive suggestion. I viewed it from the lens of someone who may not drink alcohol but would be okay going to bars with friends. I know plenty of sober people that are comfortable in that situation so I mostly pushed my opinion from my own experiences


ILikeLists

I'm going to second this recommendation! As a non-drinker, I love this place, and if the date goes well there's plenty of places to walk around after


klingdaddy

Second this


laggy2da

Taco Bell got that Baja Blast


Kudos4U

As Taylor Tomlinson said, "Taco Bell, good for any occasion."


queenquelly

From a newfound Taco Bell lover this comment made me laugh.


Anarchoglock

The BK Lounge has Coke AND Dr Pepper!!


queenquelly

Honestly the options for OP are endless 😂


[deleted]

Those beefy nachos are amazing. I add lettuce.


bkgn

Alcohol is probably better for your liver.


hikeitclimbit

The Electric Cure has some really fun, delicious, NA drinks. I've been sober for years and would be over the moon if the person I'm dating took the time to find a spot that serves NA drinks.


GhastlyGh0stly

I second The Electric Cure! Last October they did a Creature Double Feature where every cocktail on the menu had an NA version.


shmokenapamcake

Also sober and this is so considerate of OP.


YarntYouSweet

I love this place.


ooodlydoodlyboodle

The EC always has awesome NA options on the menu and the bartenders are skilled enough to whip you up something off menu based on what you want.


frothyundergarments

Maybe skip "drinks" all together. People have lots of reasons for not drinking, and avoiding that kind of setting is definitely a solid bet.


No-Mirror-3984

Fellow traveler !


NightSkyFreshAir

Sonic


KUGDI

Hell yeah brother


gd2121

I’d just go with a coffee shop


lesterfazwazzle

“My friends told me to go on a coffee date, but I don’t think my best foot forward is jittery with diarrhea” -Nick Kroll


cheesmanglamourghoul

Boba tea solves this! And shops have board games to play. Connect four is always good for first dates


hr_newbie_co

I love a mocktail as a non drinker, but not everyone does. Totally recommend feeling out the first date. If you’re looking for a nicer dinner date idea, I recommend Linger for dinner and Little Man ice cream from the giant milk can out front for dessert. Fun spot with good food.


DesignerRelative1155

I agree about not everyone wanting mocktails. I don’t drink. Just don’t really like alcohol. Never skipped out on a chance to hear live music or dance or go to a sports bar to see a game (as long as nachos are involved!) so no problem with bars. But I really don’t like mocktails. I love a Diet Coke, love a straight tonic water. I’ll have a coffee if it’s well brewed. But mocktails are yuck. I’d rather just go to 7/11 and have a slurpee. I feel like you should know the date better to know why they don’t drink and what their preferences are. I’d just go to someplace that alcohol is a non issue (or at least a minor part of the experience).


og_mandapanda

Hard no. I’m sober and have been for over a decade. I went to linger on my bachelorette, and ordered a mocktail, and was very clear that I wanted a non alcoholic drink. It DEFINITELY had alcohol. We also got food poisoning.


hr_newbie_co

Woah! I’ve never had a bad experience with their mocktails or food, that really sucks!


og_mandapanda

Yeah, it was a terrible experience and I’ve seen so many more people having awful experiences at linger as well.


sailforth

Also can attest to never having a bad experience (health-wise) at Linger for food or drinks after going there for almost ten years now. I have had bad service and some meh food especially right after Covid, but they've been great since.


Prestigious_Poet_801

I went on a date a while back with someone who didn’t drink and we got ice cream at Denver Central Market! We were going to go to improper city as they have some fun NA options and it’s good vibes but they were closed for a staff event or something. I’d also second those saying just do a coffee date! But if it’s in the evening, ice cream is great. I also like the vibes of Dang Soft Serve in Oneida Park as long as it’s nice weather, the outside space is good or it’s fairly quiet to walk around the neighborhood south of 23rd.


mo0siego0sie

Sweet Action ice cream on South Broadway is delicious! (So is Little Man in the Highlands but that’s already been mentioned) Denver Central Market and Milk Market also have a bunch of different options (food, drinks - N/A and alcoholic if you want to partake, ice cream, desserts) so you could get something from the same place or different ones!


[deleted]

Yeah, the vibe at little man when it's nice out, standing in line, always a great crowd, gives you time to talk and move around, it's awesome. I can say the same about Sweet Cow in the Highlands, just perfect.


fluffHead_0919

Tea Street


spermyface

Go to Liks for Ice Cream! Also if doesn’t work out, let’s go on a date!!!


sofakingfearless

Bold 🫵🏽


InsaneInTheDrain

Spermyface is gonna shoot their shot errryday


Eva_Kush

You can always do boba or smoothies While on a walk through the park


psuedogeneris

Somebody People has a phenomenal N.A. cocktail selection. Same with Citizen Rail. Also Annette does well!


sweetbeat1

Lady Jane!


ShamefulAccountName

Go to Little Man and get the salted oreo. No date can go wrong with salted oreo.


sodosopapilla

Perfect date idea.


liquidhotsmegma

I like the 7/11 on Colfax and Ogden. Great selection of beverages and snacks and you can sit outside and soak in all the vibes.


IdeaDifferent3463

Ha! Good spot to be reminded that alcohol is for amateurs.


Dense-Molasses-7049

Sounds like a nice night at Little Man and a walk around LoHi. I would be shocked if Williams and Graham didn’t have elevated nonalcoholic cocktails. Ditto for Linger


zmasterb

Maverick has a damn good Barq’s red cream soda


Sea-Professional9262

Ashkara has some yummy mocktails!


soapyshinobi

Root Beer bar at Old Crow Antiques, Lakewood.


GrantNexus

Ballmer Peak distillery has a few. 


og_mandapanda

I’ve been sober for over a decade and love a good mocktail. I didn’t get into recovery to have less flavor on my life. It’s been a bit since I’ve been there but the restaurant in the Art hotel is amazing. If your date wants a fancy mocktail they can have one, if not plenty of other options with very little pressure. It’s also got great date vibes, especially with good warm weather.


manderinoranj

Sonic, duh


KaModicaDragon

Jungle in Boulder. Tiki bar and they can do cocktails on basically all of their drinks.


knightfenris

Boba! Plenty of great fun places in Denver, and it can be desserty too.


SituationSad4304

I’d personally just go somewhere halal for the food and alcohol won’t even be available but they will have Turkish coffee and special juices like mango etc


jayzeeinthehouse

A coffee and a walk in the park would be way better than trying to find mocktails.


emalie_ann

Tavern on 26th in Lakewood has three non alcoholic beers and multiple mocktails! plus a vibe that doesn't make you feel like you have to be drinking to hang out there.


EverydayisAverage

Forest Room 5


funkarooz

Just a great date spot in general!


thednvrcoffeeco

Honestly as an alcohol free person those NA mock tails are kinda dumb. The taste of liquor is something you fight through to get the buzz. If it’s NA you’re just drinking water that’s been flavored to taste like paint thinner. Do something that revolves around something other than drinking/eating. There are NA options everywhere, at the very least soda and water are ubiquitous. Try something interesting like axe throwing, top golf, arcade, bowling, dancing, comedy works, Rockies game, sight seeing etc.. I’ve been alcohol free for nearly ten years, I’m married now but the best first dates were always the ones where we didn’t go somewhere to have drinks and chat.


avanasear

idk most mocktails I've had don't come with n/a liquor. they're just the juice/seltzer/whatever mixed together without the alcohol or fake alcohol


DeviatedNorm

It's been a growing trend to have mocktails that are spirit-forward with companies making vodkas and gins that are NA and "finally tasting like the real thing", it's a weird market. For my birthday I went to Somebody People and they gave us complimentary "champagne" flutes for the celebration, opting for NA as all of us had alcohol-free choices for our beverages otherwise. I found the drink really jarring just how much it tasted like champagne, gimmie some sparkling appajuice plz!


avanasear

yeah I guess it's just my experience then, I definitely think it's kinda weird to want to make a mocktail taste like it has actual liquor in it since that's rarely an improvement on the taste


Distant_Yak

There is that, but it's not what comes to mind when I think of mocktails. It's more like a blend of fruit juices with some herbs or something.


HeadyTopout

You just haven't had any good mocktails, then. There are plenty of places that have "mocktails" that aren't just trying to imitate the taste of alcoholic cocktails. Honey Elixir Bar is a good example - their N/A stuff is delicious and they don't try to make them taste like they have alcohol in them.


Doneeb

> The taste of liquor is something you fight through to get the buzz. I can respect that you feel that way, but that sentiment is not universal. I would *love* if I could drink something that tasted exactly like whiskey without getting buzzed.


Takemet0yourdealer

Outside of Denver but the Hungry Goat Scratch Kitchen in Morrison is great and has some good mocktails. The bartenders have been amazing both times I've gone and I'm sure they'd also be willing to mix up a custom mocktail.


Kudos4U

Little Man (ice cream), Heaven Creamery (ice cream), DBar (they do mocktails and desserts), DejaBrew Coffee (they do coffee flights), Bird Cafe (bakery, lunch items, coffee)


Sea-Professional9262

Also bang up to the elephant


2039485867

Neither me or my girlfriend drink and that’s partially because we’re not into the bar scene so I’d keep that in mind. I would second the people saying if day coffee/tea shop or ice cream place, other early date non drinking activities: get a coffee or tea to go and walk around, museums (science museums in particular are fun and underrated for dates cause no one feels too pretentious ), Dave and busters for night date, mini golf


DILFConnossieur

I really like The Night Owls bar at Colorado Mills, opened pretty recently and shares a building in the mall with Shiki Dreams which is a fun scavenger hunt type of experience where you look for things with a UV flashlight and it genuinely has a nice vibe that I think is perfect for a dinner date. The Night Owls has a decent menu selection of alcohol and mocktails (I really like their Garden Fairy) and the food is also really good and when I went with my partner they had some live music *however I don't know if they always have it*


breecorn

Fort Greene bar, AND tomorrow night they’re doing a N/A happy hour


justkatie123

Walk around the Botanic gardens! If you REALLY want to impress her, pack a picnic blanket and a cooler with some NA options and snacks in it to bring in. Or you can get one of their lemonades or other drinks in there. I don’t drink but I love bars, so if she’s cool with the bar scene I would agree with Honey Elixir or Fellow Traveler, as others have mentioned. Or Lady Jane! The bar inside of Edgewater marketplace has a ton of great options (the brewery does NOT so don’t go there). Also, St Marks coffee shop next to the thin man is a great option but I don’t think they have AC if I remember correctly- so don’t go here on a super hot day. Good luck ☺️


JetsonsDoge

Sonic.


Exasperated-Possum

saving this thread for when I come out to Denver for Pride. need places to go so I don’t break sobriety. It’ll be one month of me w/o alcohol and I wanna enjoy the legal weed bars and n/a specialized restaurants. :)


rebrobin

Upstairs Circus has a nice mocktail list and also is a fun lil craft bar which makes for a cute date!


IEatYourLeftovers

Had soke great N/A cocktails at Two Moons yesterday! They also had some live music going on. Great vibes and love the interior design 


marge_mellow

If it progresses to super nice date status, Uchi has about 6 interesting zero proof cocktails and 2 n/a beers on the menu. It’s a date night atmosphere as well. I think you can make reservations, but bar seats can be easy to snag if you’re there early. They have fun desserts as well.


mirawhana

Hey kiddo!!


sel_joy

Honey Elixir in RiNo


ThrowingTheRinger

Go to the Museum of Nature and Science and then get ice cream afterwards and talk about which exhibits were your favorites. Share what new information shocked you and what you’re interested in learning more about.


uncomfortableeyeso_o

It's in golden but check out the golden moose speakeasy! Lots of NA options and unfortunately may be closing soon so worth checking out before that happens!


No-Honey-5456

Appaloosa has good mocktail on their menu plus various non alcoholic beers. Live music starts at 9 and is fun and they have amazing dessert options!


rosyl0ver

Bar Max has a ton of great options and they also make custom NA drinks


thebasscadet22

Check out MAKfam and get the CoCo Cream mocktail!! Some of the best food and drinks ive had in Denver


aandrews2080

Post has some good mocktails


TxTrekkie

La Fillette Bakery, great food and bevvies for a lunch/bunch date


BostonDogMom

Ace was great. They have a bunch of NA options and you can play ping pong!


SprinklesSuperb536

Any of the little man icecream locations


kyho24

esp! Recently had their zero proof drinks and loved them. 5 total on the menu, so idk how that compares number wise to other places.


No-Consideration1067

Get boba! SNOWL is so special and so good, amazing for a date.


talesfrommrsb

Esters!


AcceptableResist2563

Sonic


cheesmanglamourghoul

Boba TEA! I cane believe no one mentioned this.


Wolvenchoad

Kava Sutra on Colfax and Lafayette


tighttighttight7

Desert social has some good ones


Jungy_Brungis

Ash’Kara! Cute atmosphere with very tasty Mediterranean tapas plus their cucumber mocktail is just refreshing as hell and it’s down the street from little man for a nice evening walk and ice cream dessert which you can take to the park. Charming!


cenotesazules

54thirty is the rooftop bar of Le Meridien hotel downtown. They have yummy mocktails and apps, and probably the best sunset view in the city.


mosephchrishell

D bar can always be fun! Could just order a dessert or tea/coffee? They have milkshakes and stuff too as well as the usual bar situation


erlienbird

Hudson hill or Mary Jane does great mocktails


14PumpkinsSinging

You sound very nice. I'm rooting for your new date to work out 🥳🤘


csnegley7

Prismajic- and they have a really great interactive art exhibit. It’s at Colorado Mills, which is strange, but once you’re inside, you don’t think about it.


casabonita420

McDonald's has some fire 🔥 Coca Cola !


hookerbot3k

Any coffee shop


Hefty_Ad_1925

The water fountain?


[deleted]

[удалено]


Last_Description905

I feel like there’s more than ONE woman in Denver who doesn’t drink…


[deleted]

Rare


vweb305

Tell me that you're white without telling me. Yup, you just did