While walking down Wazee Street between 15th and 16th, Bedlam Pub at first feels rather unassuming. A sign hung high on the building’s brick façade and perpendicular to the sidewalk is the only indication that what was once a wine bar in the pre-pandemic iteration of the LoDo barscape, is now – like so many other storefronts – something different. When moving directly past the windows and having a view inside, Bedlam Pub is, in fact, distinct. Not only separating itself from the business that claimed its space before, but also from its surroundings and from the Denver bar scene at large, its antique warmth and honest approach to cocktailing and curating have quickly made it a favorite community watering hole. But in LoDo, that definition of community can span a broad spectrum of guests depending on the day of the week or the time of night.
Being just down the street from Union Station ensures a steady flow of foot traffic. Its location in the heart of Lodo guarantees neighborhood interest from the countless condos and apartments within a few blocks’ radius. Walking distance from Ball Arena and Coors Field means that sometimes Bedlam is packed wall to wall with jerseys, and at other times with concertgoers en route to a show. “I think in some ways we’re the opposite of a sports bar,” said co-owner, Jeremiah Berndt who – along with his brothers, Joel and Jacob, his sister and their longtime friend, Matt Moss – opened Bedlam nearly a year ago on May 31, 2024. “And yet, we’re getting that traffic.” Location is certainly a factor of that draw, but so, too, is something even more central to Bedlam’s identity.
“I think from the bar side of things, we want something for everybody,” explained partner and bar manager Matt Moss. “We’ve got our PBRs and then we also have our Yamazaki 12 up there. You can come in and get a premium top-shelf something. But then you can also come in and get your beer and a shot after you get off work.” For Bedlam, the name of the game is range. The team isn’t catering to any specific crowd. Instead, they’re embracing the eclectic nature of the guests that their location naturally offers.
“I realized that we were trying to walk more of a middle ground,” expanded Jeremiah, “where the bartenders could still be doing volume with the menu, while knowing a wide variety of classic and upscale cocktails. As a guest, I don’t necessarily want every drink on a menu to be smoked and have a flower in it. That’s cool sometimes but I think most people who know drinks know that the simple ones can be really good, too. Function over form.”
That same ethos also guides Bedlam’s approach to affordably upscale snacks. “For instance, having Lays potato chips with caviar. Elevated, but in balance,” continued partner and director of Bedlam’s culinary program, Joel Berndt. “With the charcuterie, too, I try to make it balanced. Generally, you have a salami, but then I’ll add something like a duck prosciutto. Sometimes I worry that I’m not sure how approachable all the cheeses are. I’m still learning to be honest. But then I remember to lean into that balance. I can get the fanciest, craziest snacking cheeses you can think of, or I can get just a good cheddar.”
Eclecticism, elevated approachability and balance don’t end with the menus. First steps into Bedlam are transportive as a guest is welcomed by a large leather sofa, vintage high tops and the sweeping bar near the entrance. Moving further back into the space, a red-felted pool table is centered to a smattering of antique couches, chairs and coffee tables slowly and methodically collected from antique shops, estate sales and Facebook Marketplace. Hung from the walls and the ceiling, the collection of art, sconces and chandeliers is expectedly diverse, arranged – along with the furniture – to create moments for guests and their groups to feel as though they have their own private space, without feeling removed from the pub’s main room.
“There was constantly a debate about what Bedlam really was, and I don’t think we quite knew what it was until we saw the space,” detailed Jeremiah. It’s that approach to let the space help define the pub’s identity that makes its atmosphere so welcoming and also so unique. In a scene overflowing with bars curating too specifically for one audience, or leaning too heavily into the speakeasy trend, Bedlam and its team ooze authenticity and effortlessly traverse breadth.
That’s how one of their staple traditions began. “We’re actually the number one Underberg seller in the state,” explained Jeremiah as he laid out the conception and framework of the Bedlam Pub Underberg Club, where the first 100 guests to tally the purchase and consumption of 100 of the botanical, German mini-bottles gets their own plaque. “It just kind of sprouted up naturally, and for me, I hope the next fun thing that separates us from other bars and keeps our guests coming back piggybacks off of that organic process.”
Beyond the Underberg Club, the seasonal cocktail menus that expand on their staples, and a rotating list of meats, cheeses and desserts, Bedlam also offers trivia every Tuesday night at 7:30pm. “We’re just trying to encompass everybody.”
Bedlam Pub is located at 1516 Wazee St., Denver. Its hours are from 4:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily.
All photography by Evan Dale