Mercury Cafe

There used to be coffee house down the street called Muddy’s and it made 22nd and California a nice place to visit. I saw Blur here. Alanis Morrisette did a show here that was featured on Mtv. Now, I don’t go to the shows or dances here, but the Vegetarian entrées are scrumptious. They have the best seitan in Denver.

the poetry slam was one of my favorite things about being in Denver durning Americorps. so much talent in one night

I haven’t been here to actually eat, as as restaraunt, I’ve only been here twice to see promote different belly dancing events, for example, they did one “performance – open floor” night to raise money for Hurricane Katrina.

It seemed such a nice, fun little place.. I had a lot of fun here!! I always wanted to take their salsa lessons, but I had classes on those nights :(

You can find them online and they have a monthly calendar, or subscribe to their email list when they have new events going on! :)

They don’t take credit cards. The owner doesn’t believe in supporting the credit card companies. They do take personal checks though. Don’t go here if you’re in a hurry. A fast dinner is just not in the cards. This place is mellow to the extreme and to their credit the staff will not be rushed. This is in no way a criticism, just a fact. this is the place to go when you want a nice leisurely dinner with friends, good conversations, and a great atmosphere that cannot be beat. Don’t forget to check out the desserts, their banana cream cake is to die for. If you see a old hippy chick with long white hair walking around, give her three cheers. That’s marilyn, the owner and a Denver institution. She’s been around since my parents moved here in the 70s and she’s always done it her way.

in americorps we went all the time. its a great little place i havent been there since i’ve moved back though. we used to love going to the poetry slams (also had a friend that did them often) not cheap but worth it.

Open mic (& dinner) tonight! Who’s in? We’re getting a group together to go around 8:30pm =)

The first time I went, I went with two of my friends that could swing dance really well and I, of course, had no idea what I was doing. I thought I would spend most of the time sitting, but the Merc offered a free class before they opened for dancing and most of the people there were willing to teach you new steps. I’ve gone three or four times since, and I have fun every time I go. And I get better each time I go too! Hint: go with a group of friends or at least a dancing partner. You’ll spend more time dancing and have alot more fun that way.

My first visit to “The Jungle” many years ago opened my ears to the world of spoken-word poetry.
They have so much more too! Salsa and swing dancing. Not to mention the desserts are exquisite. For a meal/appetizer i recommend the “Mixed Grill” (Shrimp, Lamb and Beef grilled with mushrooms and peppers, served with black bean sauce)

This place is definitely worth visiting. From their swing dancing lessons to poetry slams, there’s something for everyone. The place has 3 separate areas, so you can choose to dance upstairs, catch a show downstairs, or just relax at the bar and get a drink. The food is an eclectic mixture of mexican, american, italian and world cuisine, and the kitchen stays open until ‘bout 10pm.

This place takes cash only!

This is one of the truly great places in Denver.

This business has been around for a long time, and the owner is constantly holding interesting events and taking risks. I’ve been to poetry readings, swing dancing nights (upstairs, something the place is really known for), New Year’s celebrations, and spoken word performances by the likes of Ian MacKaye here. The owner has even risked following her wish to make the place smoke-free, and the expected drop in business was not. It’s a great place for Sunday brunch (even for vegans) or afternoon cocktails, as well. Great atmosphere, beautiful decoration, interesting people. What more can I say? This place makes me like Denver more.