As Bar Bar Strives for Cabaret License, Xcel Bills Force It to Mount Another GoFundMe

The Carioca Cafe, called simply Bar Bar for its bright red neon sign, has had a tumultuous year. The beloved dive at 2060 Champa Street was forced to pause its live music offerings last year after the city learned that Bar Bar didn’t have a cabaret license, even though it had hosted shows for decades. Denver made the discovery after an underage, undercover cop was allowed entry with an under-21 ID, then allowed to purchase alcohol. Bar Bar reached a settlement with the city and closed for fourteen days; when it reopened, no live music was allowed.

To cover the cost of the closure and the loss of live music, Bar Bar launched a GoFundMe back in May while it applied for a cabaret license.

While the bar is still trying to secure that license, the end could be in sight, according to Richard…