When walking into My Neighbor Felix on Central Street you’re always greeted with a rush of laughter and smells that will make your mouth water. But with Christmas just around the corner, entering the LoHi location offers a whole new sense of warmth. From the outside, it may not look like much has changed, but once entering you’re stepping into a world of Santa hats, Christmas trees and stockings galore.
Turning right into the bar area, you’re immediately welcomed with a blast of Christmas cheer in the form of trees bedecked with lights and ornaments, tinsel hanging from the ceiling, bearded nutcrackers adorning the bar, candy canes and Christmas classics showing on the large TV in the corner.
READ: 8 Holiday-Themed Bars in and Around the Denver Metro Area
To say My Neighbor Felix has transformed into a festive holiday restaurant is an understatement. Sitting at a high top in the bar area is a bright and jovial experience. Tim Burton’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas or others like Elf and The Santa Clause run on repeat between two beautifully decorated Christmas trees.
Friendly staff meanders through the various decorations to take orders and offer suggestions regarding the unique holiday cocktail menu and some of their house favorites. But the upbeat music and boisterous atmosphere aren’t the only things to enjoy at Felix Navidad. The Mistletoe Margarita ($14) is a sweet, pink drink that will satisfy your sweet tooth. If you’re feeling something with a little more punch, be sure to order one of their Old Fashioneds ($15) and “make it naughty” with smokey tequila and a cinnamon stick. If either of those isn’t festive enough for you, check out the Winter Coconut Cosmo ($14) — served pink in a martini glass, the mixture of vodka, lime, cranberry juice, coconut, agave and sugar-coated cranberries ought to do the trick.
Perhaps the most intriguing item on the holiday menu is their Santa’s Cookie N’ Milk Shot ($13). Served in a shot glass-shaped chocolate chip cookie with a chocolate rim, your trip won’t be complete without one of these. After slurping the rumchata mixture, be sure to take a bite out of your shot glass, because where else can you do that?
Of course, the decorations are only part of the attraction; when visiting the holiday version of My Neighbor Felix you go for the decorations but stay for the food. You can’t go wrong with their Guacamole Fresco ($11), a smooth and creamy dip served with warm tortilla chips, or their Queso Fondido Skillet ($10) to start off with. Between the twinkling lights and the flickering fire pits outside, you get the sense that you’re sitting by the fireplace on a chilly night while munching on your apps and sipping specialty cocktails.
If the drinks, decorations and apps don’t have you hooked, the entrees sure will. Keep things simple with their Americano Tacos ($14) filled with ground beef, queso, salsa and lettuce topped with their perfectly spicy salsa verde. If you’re too hungry for tacos, the Hot Iron Seared Burrito ($16) is sure to keep you satisfied, served sizzling and oozing with cheesy goodness. And if neither of those suit your fancy, the options are endless with salads, empanadas or larger plates like the Salmon Veracruz ($27) or the Aztec Bowl ($13).
But the drinks, food and atmosphere aren’t all that make Felix Navidad stand out from the rest. Situated under the TV in the corner is a Toys for Tots bin to remind us what the holiday season is truly about. It’s easy to find a fun and festive holiday pop-up bar in Denver, but the opportunity to give back while enjoying a Christmassy cocktail is a bit harder to find.
The My Neighbor Felix community came together to create Felix Navidad in just one night, which makes all the breathtaking decorations even more impressive. Stepping into the bar is like stepping into Santa’s workshop, and is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. Although it’s confined to just one area this time around, you’ll have to stop by next year to see what staff has in store.
My Neighbor Felix is located at 1801 Central St. and is open Monday – Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 a.m. You will be able to enjoy Felix Navidad decorations and specialty cocktails from now until January 3, 2022.
Photos courtesy of My Neighbor Felix.