New Cocktail Bar Bedlam Is a Cozy Addition to Downtown

Jacob Berndt grew up in Denver but lived in Seattle for a decade before returning to the Mile High. "I had a hard time when I came back, because I felt like I had two options" when going out for drinks," he says." One was a true dive bar, or I could go to a place where I'm going to drop way too much money and I'm supposed to be on a date or it's my anniversary or it's my birthday."

He's not alone in noticing that hole in Denver's drinking scene. Several new bars, including Pretty Neat, My Boy Tony and the W, aim to blur the line between a comfortable neighborhood dive and an upscale cocktail bar.

Jacob has a similar vision for his new bar, Bedlam, which is located at 1516 Wazee Street and will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, May 31, with $5 caviar bumps and bubbles all night.

"The guiding light has always been trying to walk that fine line. I don't want people to feel like they have to be on their anniversary date to come here, but I also don't want people to feel like they can't get some nice whiskey, nice cognac, good cocktails," he explains.

He's had help bringing that vision to life. "I've just been working in the industry forever and decided to start my own thing up," he notes. "It's a family affair."
His co-owner is his brother, Jeremiah. Another brother, Joel, is heading up the food program. There are six Berndt siblings in total, and the name of the bar is in part an homage to the family matriarch. Bedlam was the first asylum for the mentally ill in England, and "the Berndt family had a grandmother who was a bit of a crazy English lady," he jokes. "She was a lovely person, but definitely a crazy English woman."

The long and narrow space was formerly home to Deep Roots Winery & Bistro, and had been empty since 2020 before the Berndt brothers began transforming it about six months ago. "We basically did almost all of the buildout ourselves," Jacob says. "I still have paint on me; I don't think I have a pair of pants anymore that doesn't have paint or caulking or glue on it."

Bedlam has a lounge area in the front with a large leather couch, and the long bar is made out of reclaimed wood. In the back of the space is more seating — a few wooden tables, various vintage couches and comfy chairs, plus a pool table. "Come for billiards, beverages, and arguments about Oxford commas," the website notes.
The walls are covered with art and various knickknacks, giving the space a well-worn feel, like it's been in business for decades, not days. Some of the artwork was created by staff, including Jacob. Some came from estate sales and Goodwill, as did almost all of the furniture.

Joel's food menu is "real simple stuff, just some elevated bar fare," Jacob explains. The succinct lineup includes smoked trout and onion dip, olives and nuts for snacking, and pickled veggies and Brie brûlée with honey, rosemary and truffle oil. Cured meats, cheese and tinned fish are also available, along with caviar served with Lay's potato chips.

The cocktail list, which is priced from $13 to $16, includes classics like an Americano dubbed the Day Drinker, made with sweet vermouth, Rinomato Americano Bianco, soda and orange, and a Corpse Reviver called Money Tree. There's also a section of "staples" with libations like the (Hot) Charlotte Sometimes, with gin, cucumber, elderflower, lemon and Tabasco, and the Tiki Nerd, described on the menu simply as "rums, sweet, juice."

"It's approachable classic cocktails, just done really well," says lead bartender Matthew Moss.

There are also boilermakers, absinthe and a G&T with housemade tonic. "We want to have one of the best back bars in Denver, so you can get your premium spirits, but we're also not excluding people. You can come in and get your beer and your shot after work," Moss adds.
The Bedlam team wants the bar to be a reliable staple in the LoDo neighborhood, which is why it will be open from 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day. "We're trying to be that little bastion of where you can come create that sense of community," Moss says.

"I fell in love with bars when I was very young, and that sort of culture, the community-building that happens at smaller neighborhood bars, is really something that raised me, so there's a little bit of nostalgia for that for me," Jacob concludes. "I want the neighbor to be able to roll in and say hello and know his name, and people meet each other and talk. That sort of culture is definitely an inspiration."