Yes, City ‘O City is as warm and cozy as this picture makes it look. Photo from Denver Dirtbagger.

Valentine’s Day tends to mend broken hearts (or, alternately, harden the lonely ones), but whatever you did on Thursday, chances are you need a drink — and one that won’t flog your wallet, at least anymore than it’s already been flogged. We feel your pain here at Get Real Denver, which is why we’ve prepared this short list of Capitol Hill-area watering holes that offer affordable drinks, chill atmosphere and just enough edge to snap you out of whatever swooning or cynicism you’ve pickled yourself into…

In no particular order:

1. Horseshoe Lounge
Attractive happy hour specials (half-off drinks, $2 PBRs), comfy couches, unobtrusive decor and a respectable jukebox make this relatively new 20th Street bar just the ticket for a post-work chill session. If you wait around long enough you can use your earplugs, too, to drown out the ear-splitting late night tunes.

2. Gabor’s
If only every neighborhood had a bar as lived-in as Gabor’s. Weirdly nostalgic, Hollywood-obsessed furnishings, dim lighting and just the right blend of surly hipsters and chatty drinkers aren’t the only reasons to stop into this 13th Street haunt, situated next to Cricket on the Hill. The jukebox? One of the best in town, featuring a handful of sterling local releases.

3. Charlie Brown’s
I live a half-block away so I’m biased, but this former Beat hangout perfectly mixes mountain-worn snowboarders, aging Capitol Hill residents and enough polished oak to fill a gymnasium. Fortunately it’s got more personality than that. Loads more. Come for the near-nightly piano tunes, stay for the twice-daily 2-for-1 happy hour.

4. City ‘O City
OK, so this cozy place — the former home of Watercourse Foods (which also owns and operates City ‘O City) — ain’t exactly the cheapest in town, but you can still pop in and out for under $10 if you order smartly. And the hipster watching. Oh, the hipster watching. A healthy wine and beer list (including some crazy-strong brews) and loads of delicious vegetarian options (pizza, falafel wraps, fries) have made me a regular.

5. Bender’s Tavern
Skunky and unpredictable, Bender’s offers live music, punk rock karaoke and enough interesting-looking souls to populate a Jim Jarmusch flick. This is what people mean when they say, “I need a drink.” Grab a tall PBR, bottle of Bud or Jager shot and insert yourself into one of the booths along the side wall, then sit back and watch the place fill up. And fill up it will.

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