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As we're driving to Sketch, I'm pondering just how they arrived at the name.
Is it the "Sketchy" neighborhood?
Or the"Sketchy" transactions in the vacant lot across the street?
Just kidding, but I did realize something last night......
If you like a place enough, you overlook things like mediocre service --
I really, really, like Sketch.
The music was happening, the crowd mellow, the seating comfy, and the general atmosphere was exactly what I was looking for.
We were able to talk without screaming, sing along without being obnoxious -- all in all, a place I could frequent --- often.
Oh, and the food was right on -- we sampled almost everything.
Entirely too much food for a late night snack, but each item on the small menu sounded so tasty.
So, what did we eat drink, you ask?
A plate of prosciutto, 5 different cheeses, a cracker-like flat bread, and sides of figs,and olives to round out the flavors.
I found one of my fav wines at $10 a glass; a fair price for luscious full bodied red.
The hubby settled for a Tecate -- not his fav, but a good substitute never-the-less.
For a couple of hours, we ate, we drank, we sang --
The food, drink and atmosphere at Sketch was the perfect end to a perfect night out.
We're already planning a return visti, this time with friends -- that's how much we enjoyed Sketch.
Yeah !!!
I really pondered writing this review for a while because I don't like to give bad reviews, but I finally decided that one employee really made this visit a crappy one.. I visited Sketch for the first time on the night of 12/18/2009..
So first, the good stuff, because there are some things that I really enjoyed about this place. The ambience, decor and especially the bar height love seat at the bar is just "da bomb"... The wine list is good with most of the staff knowledgeable and entertaining actually... I love it when people enjoy what they do because that comes off to the customers in a good way.
Now to what just annoyed the hell out of me.. After sitting at the bar on what seemed to be a bar stool pulled from the alley, I got a nice glass of wine.. I am used to the bar area being a bit more noisy than the rest of the establishment for sure. When the female bartender decides to slam empty wine bottles in the trash, on top of bottles that are already there, that's a bit over the top. Not only did she do this once (which would have been fine), but 15 times. Yes, I am anal and I actually counted. 15 times she threw empty bottles in the trash that was right in front of where I sat. It got to the point I just "chugged" my damn wine and left.. The kicker was, as I was on my way to the door to leave, she slammed yet another bottle into the trash...
So the establishment and the wine selection is an A, but when the service is seemingly annoying on purpose, that reflects in a negative manner and made my visit a bad one...
My hubby and I went to Sketch for happy hour and we will not be back.
First we're walking in and a server was walking in before us (he waited on the outside tables). He turned his head and saw us but didn't bother holding the door open for us. We were literally a stride behind him. So rude. Strike 1.
Second, we sit at the bar (which maybe there were 6 people in the bar total) and it takes about 5 minutes for the bartender to acknowledge us. Mind you- we're sitting AT the bar right in front of her. So we order two glasses which took another 5 minutes b/c they didn't have any wine glasses washed. I can understand that can happen at the END of the night but for HH? This is a wine bar right? So shouldn't you have wine glasses washed? Just a thought. Strike 2.
The bartender was acting like the bar was slammed - let me repeat - there might have been six people in the bar. There was zero excuse for the chaos. We actually found it funny that they were acting ridiculous. Strike 3. Yourrrrrrrrrrr out!
Cool, cozy space. Soft lighting. Great drinks. Only bad thing is the music was too loud. Whaddya say? I SAID THE MUSIC WAS TOO LOUD!!!
Happy Hour: Daily 4-6pm, 10-2am
$2 Red & White Wine, PBR
$5 Red & White Sangria, Well Drinks
$2 Ham & Cheese Plates
Wine tastings last Monday of the month for $10 per person
Cute, cute, cute place! I almost missed it because it's tucked off of Broadway. It's the same owners as Mezcal and Tambien and a second Mezcal is scheduled to open up next door on Broadway. They serve a variety of meats and cheese and have a nice listing of wines. Sparse décor, perfect for a date night, a late night or a quick nosh before catching a flick at the Mayan.
My very first piece of advice is sit at the bar and not a table. Your service will be exponentially better from my experiences. Plus, the bar has these super cool 2 seat bar stools so it's kind of like sitting in a love seat at a bar.
Sketch's atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The lighting is soft, the space is open and the colors are muted. There is a giant wall of wine and liquor taking up most of one side of the inside. There is a tiny patio where people go to smoke when it's uncrowded.
Megan and I shared a bottle of champagne that was pretty affordable. The bartender kept it on ice just behind the bar in front of us which was a nice extra touch. We also had some cheeses, meats, apples, figs, and almonds as a sort of dinner. Over all this is a really great place for a nibble and glass of wine with friends or dates.
I had been wanting to try Sketch because several of my friends commented that it was a hot new spot. So I went for happy hour yesterday.
The good...the place looks very cool, the concept is a nice addition to the neighborhood, and wine by the glass was rather affordable.
The bad...like one of the other reviewers noted, the music is all over the place - and it was quite loud for a wine bar. Also, I don't know if there's no AC or if it was broken, but it must have been 80 degrees inside. One of the employees even propped the front door open so there'd be a bit of a breeze (it was 85 outside).
The meat and cheese selection looked good, but I was afraid to try anything prpeared in such a warm place. We left after one drink and walked down to Delite.
Nice little wine bar that reminds me of the places I used to frequent in nyc. Solid selection of reds, whites, rose's, red and white sangria (potent!), and even some beer. I like that you can still get a PBR here - it is south broadway, after all.
Cheese plate was quite good, and I like that they provide you with water crackers so you can actually taste the cheese (and not the cracker). But for the price, a little nuts or honey or something on the side would have been nice.
Meat plates were also quite delicious - we ordered the beef carpaccio. A bit heavy on the sauce and capers which made it quite salty.
Here's what I didn't like: music was on really loud, AC was on way too high for a relatively cool summer night, and once it got crowded the service at the tables dropped precipitously.
I couldn't find Sketch for the life of me last night, as it is tucked away across from the Big Lots and just a few steps off the beaten path of Broadway. However, once I got inside, I sort of felt like I was already not there, the white walls and mismatched white chairs made me feel quite existential.
All in all, it's a wine bar, dude. They're popping up everywhere, like downtown condos or the unemployed. My theory, however, is that if you're going to have a wine bar, fine. But Sketch, who is owned by the same people who brought us Mezcal and La Rumba, seems like it was just put there to collect a few more dollars for the family. At Mezcal, they focus on tequila, but still manage to include a little color. Sketch is just so one note, I was wondering if the record was broken.
"...Delicious snacks, 2 bottles of wine and 3 hours later we were in a mood. The place had filled up with 30-somethings out with friends and looking good. We were buzzing, and so was Sketch. The long week and longer commutes were long gone. We started reminiscing about how we met. We talked about wine and food and cheese and how these things make us happy. We talked about how good life is... how we're at just the right age where we can enjoy dive bars and PBR tall boys one night, carpaccio and fine wine the next. We concluded that we are awesome. That sketch is awesome. We ordered glasses of something purple and sparkly. We got all lovey-dovey and drunk. We got a little handsy and smoochy. Then... ahem ... we got the hell out of there and went home."
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White sangria?! Absolutely! And you know it's potent, as there is a three drink maximum.
The entrance to this place is not directly on Broadway. It's on 1st, across from the Big Lots parking lot.
Went there tonight and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Chill, comfortable, good service.
No complaints. I want to go back in the summer time and push the envelope with the three drink max.
Great wine list (they could use a few more rose options...) but other than that the wine list is great. Good happy hour prices (and they have happy hour on the weekend which is a big plus). Sangria is wonderful!
The ONLY downside to this Broadway gem is the waitstaff. They seem to always have a lot of "friends" at the bar and this distracts them from their job. So my ONLY advice would be to tell staff to socialize after hours!
I really like this place. I hesitated going in there at first because the white linen table cloths made me think I couldn't go in with jeans and sneakers. But hey! This is South Broadway... that place doesn't exist here (ok- well maybe you... Beatrice and Woodsley) and when seeing a group of what I might, maybe, call your average gutter punks sipping sangria in the window... I went in on a Sunday night.
The white sangria is heavenly, and will make you feel quite alright. I sat at the bar with my husband and sister, and we had a great time. The bartender made wonderful recommendations; treated us like we were his only customers (and we weren't). By the end of the night, we had a cheese plate, delicious cherries, and dark chocolate all paired perfectly with wine.
For those that don't like wine, don't fret! There are a few beers for cheap ($2.50!) and a great liquor selection, all top shelf.
I will be found at this spot often this summer. Welcome to the neighborhood!
I want to give this place a great review. I do. I love that it's in my hood. I think they have some kinks to work out though.
Let's start with what's good. The servers are welcoming. The wine list is a decent variety for it's size. I love that it's tiny and it's a great intimate place for a glass of wine. It's not over-priced. I WILL go again, because I want to see it succeed. I want to support it. I want a cute wine place by my house!
OK, now to what needs some work. Our server was aloof and overly-attentive. It's OK. Better than the opposite. But, a wine bar generally is a place where people go to relax, take their time, enjoy wine and long conversations...not to get hammered and chat up the waitress.
The atmosphere is stark. White walls, no art, white chairs. The lights were up way too bright. The music kept changing, and most of it was pretty bad. (at one point, there was a pink-floyd cover band- yikes!)
I understand that Sketch wants to be simple, clean, etc. But it's not warm or inviting with the white, bare walls, and bright lights.
OK, I'm a critic. Sorry. As I said, I will go back, and I would recommend someone go there for a glass of wine and a conversation. It's a sweet little place, and I'd like to see it stick around.
I'll re-review, happily, if things improve a bit.
I'm a big fan of Sketch. It has such a great atmosphere - it's relaxed, unpretentious, great wine, knowledgeable bartenders, and excellent meats and cheeses. The only down side is during the day/evening, it is extremely hot and at night, the music is super loud. But, luckily Sketch has a nice outdoor patio.
i'm really excited to have a little wine bar on s. bway just blocks from our house that has a european feel to it. unfortunately, that feel ends at the door. the outside and the patio feels like a little euro bar, but once inside, it' kinda throws you off. the decor is pretty sparse and a little too white. it's almost like they haven't finished decorating yet or something. actually, the first time we walked in (like a week or two after they opened) we almost hestitated because we thought maybe they really weren't open yet lol!
anyways, the bar is the place to sit. the first time we were there, the bartender was really welcoming and friendly. we sat in the double bar seat and ordered the sangrias which he highly recommended. and now i highly recommend it. both the red and white are damn tasty and they are pretty strong!
i just wish they had more food. the cheese and meats plates are pretty pricey and not really worth the $. it would be nice to go and have dinner here, but there really isn't much of a selection.
we'll go back. all in all, it's always nice to have a cozy little wine bar you can stumble home from. yay for sketch.
I have tried Sketch twice. The wine is great (inexpensive Cava anyone?), and the service is warm and friendly... if you sit at the bar. The bartender that I have had on both visits is fun, funny and very knowledgeable, but - the big but - I have tried on both occasions to sit elsewhere and nobody has come to get drinks, or even said hello. The food is limited, but what they have is really really good. So, don't come hungry, but do come thirsty.
Consistent good little wine bar, this is a great place to tuck away and indulge in some lovely wines by the glass and little bites to nibble on, very cozy and cool. Good place for date or happy hour, don't go expecting a full menu...meat, cheeses and fruits, perfect pairing for the wines.
This is a really sophisticated addition to the Broadway corridor, with all the funky wine selection that Brix used to have (maybe that's because one of the owners is former Brix owner Charlie Masters)...The vibe is modern and airy and the staff is laid-back but knowledgable. On the minor downside, the snacks are really insubstantial and pricey. $2 for crackers? I wish there was a little more to taste alongside my wine- for example, couldn't there be actual bread and hummus or other spreads? Just a thought. It's not exactly Spanish as it is billed here, so that's a little misleading. But otherwise, I love it and can't wait to go back.
Wow! I have been meaning to go to Sketch since they opened and I was not disappointed. I sat at the bar and the bartenders were awesome -friendly, engaging, knowledgeable. The wine list (even by the glass) had something for everyone.
As a crazy New Yorker who has been a wine bar freak forever - this is the best Denver has to offer! Great wine and real "wine bar" food. They don't try to be a restaurant, in fact, there is no kitchen. Instead they offer a menu of cheeses, salumi and accompaniments. Now, I am a cheese freak, but perfectly aged Epoisses on a plate with Serra de la Estrella (one of my favorite Portuguese cheeses) - what more could a girl ask for???
To top it all off the Torchon de Foie Gras is the best in the city! Marinated in milk with pink peppercorns and just the right amount of sea salt - Sean has created a perfect slice of heaven.
If you're expecting dinner, this is may not the place for you (while I think a plate of cheese and salumi is the perfect dinner - most people would disagree) But if you want a great wine bar, this is the place to go. I will go back again and again and again.
Kudos!!
great place...you must check out. perfect for individualized attention from staff, conversation with your friends and fabulous vino. plan to love this little gem.
A glass of vino is always keeno. Here is where I…
