It's ironic that the latest bar craze is a nostalgic fascination for speakeasies, the hidden drinking holes that flourished during Prohibition. Here in Colorado, we've got the Bitter Bar [2] in Boulder (which originally functioned as a noodle restaurant by day); Green Russell [3] in Larimer Square, which is accessed through the Wednesday's Pie [4] shop; and, open just last week, Williams & Graham [5] in Highland, which poses as a corner bookstore across from LoHi SteakBar [6].

When you walk in and give the bookstore clerk your name, she'll write it down and slip it through a crack in the bookshelves. Then, she'll swing open the bookshelves to reveal a pulsing bar scene. The small space has a vibrant 1920s-era feel, from the jazz music playing overhead to the brown leather booths and shiny wall of liquor bottles behind the bar. I swear I even smelled lamp oil.

Try a classic, old-time cocktail like a Moscow mule, old fashioned, or limey daiquiri. (To make it easy, the extensive drink menu is broken down by spirits.) A limited selection of appetizers, entrées, and desserts is also available. I loved the succulent pork terrine, served in a clear glass jar, topped with a creamy layer of fat, and served with several crunchy slices of grilled bread. The deviled eggs were also a nice cocktail companion.

Hint: To snag a conversation-friendly booth, get to Williams & Graham no later than 5:30 p.m.—even on a weeknight.

3160 Tejon St., 303-997-8886