Aspen Nightlife & Bars, Snowmass Village

By Oliver Sharpe
Updated on January 2023

A visit to Aspen Snowmass requires a delicate balance of skiing and snowboarding across our four mountains and spending time exploring town—eating, drinking, and generally being merry.

“Nightlife” in Aspen is a nebulous term, as it can start as early as après, easily encompass dinner, and potentially run into breakfast. With a little planning, there’s time to do it all. Here are the top spots to paint the town.

Nightlife Hot Spots

The Snow Lodge

The high-altitude outpost of nightlife impresario Jayma Cardosa’s Surf Lodge in Montauk, The Snow Lodge occupies a stylish space at the St. Regis Aspen that is comfortable for dining but also suitable for dancing. The menu includes caviar service, hearty Italian fare, and craft cocktails, all of which are enjoyed by a cozy fireplace.

Belly Up Aspen

Thanks to the sound system—which rivals any club in the world—and the hospitality that the owners show the talent, Belly Up Aspen has become a requisite Rocky Mountain tour stop for all your favorite bands. This is an opportunity to see stadium headliners in a 400-seat room. Tickets tend to sell out, both in GA and the seated VIP Section, so plan ahead when booking your trip.

Escobar

A staple of Aspen’s nightlife scene, Escobar’s intimate space—which resembles the fuselage of an airplane—has been launching revelers into the stratosphere for over a decade. Nightly lineups of local and national DJs keep this bar rocking well into the morning hours.

The Sterling Aspen

The Sterling is a bit of a chameleon, serving different purposes depending on the time of night. Grab a blue banquette with friends to enjoy live music and a tapas menu from 6pm until 10pm, or show up later when the club shifts gears to DJs, dancing, and bottle service in the lounge.

A crowd cheers for a band playing at Belly Up Aspen, a live music venue in Aspen, CO.

Hooch

A subterranean speakeasy from the team at Meat & Cheese, Hooch is known for innovative cocktails with clever menu descriptions. Open nightly from 5pm until 1am, Hooch is a great spot to grab a couch with friends to kick off your evening or end your night.

Ponyboy

The latest addition to Aspen’s nightlife scene, Ponyboy rode into town in December 2022 for a six-month residency at the W Hotel. Located in the ground level “grottos” space at the hotel, you’ll find a low-slung bar serving inspired cocktails, and rotating DJs spinning alongside a leggy disco ball all starting at 8pm.

Silver City

Home to the last public pool table Aspen, Silver City brings mountain saloon vibes to the basement of the historic Elks building. There’s a wall full of whiskey and a jukebox full of country songs to get your boots scooting. If you consider yourself a crooner, karaoke on Monday nights is a crowd favorite.

The Wine Bar

Open from 3:30pm to 11pm daily, the Wine Bar at The Little Nell is a chic spot for après or an early-evening stop on a long night out. Sample one of the 35 wines by the glass or have one of the sommeliers from the award-winning wine program grab you a bottle from the extensive cellar, all while grooving to a DJ spinning actual vinyl.

Aspen Art Museum

Toast your weekend at the Aspen Art Museum’s rooftop Après Parties every Saturday from 5-9pm. Snack on specials like housemade sourdough pretzel bites and sip on cocktails from The Slippery Slope bar while dancing to beats by Golden, the winter resident DJ. Museum members get 10% off.

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