Why on earth did I wait so long to go check out the Meadowlark bar? This groovy little underground hideaway is surprisingly swank for its humble locale on the 2700 block of Larimer Street. The nearby Larimer Lounge may be the rocker hangout, but Meadowlark is definitely the sassy little sister club. I descended the stairs into the lounge last night and was pleased to see a cozy subterranean bar, complete with clean air (it’s non-smoking, though that will be a moot point after the July 1 smoking ban hits the bar scene), fresh flowers, a friendly bartender and a cool, quirky crowd. The music last night was courtesy of the three DJs who host the Secret Society of Sound every Tuesday night — Michael Trundle of Lipgloss, Peter Black of Rockstars are Dead, and Clay Meador of White Girl Lust — who mixed up disco with indie and soul to provide an appropriately cool, quirky soundtrack for the space.

The back patio is still under construction, but offers a quiet getaway with a handful of umbrella-clad patio tables, and will soon sport an additional outdoor bar and DJ booth. It’s one of those hidden gems you hear about (I’ve been hearing raves about the space for many months now), and I’m glad I finally got my butt down there to see it for myself. Now that I’ve fallen for the spot, I already have plans to return next week — and possibly this Saturday night to catch Elizabeth Rose perform live — and I’m sure it will soon become a regular and favorite haunt.