Denver nightlife activity exceeds pre-pandemic levels

Despite what some may say, Denver's nightlife isn't dead.

By the numbers: 27% of bar and restaurant transactions across Denver occur between 7pm and 4am, per Square data taken from the second quarter of 2023.

• That's up 5 percentage points from 2019, before COVID crashed the party, and on par with last year.

Driving the news: This comes at a time when the city has beefed up outdoor dining permanently, Larimer Square has been kept closed to cars, and more late-night options are popping up all over town.

The big picture: The data suggests Denver's late-night scene is alive and well, which jibes with the overall post-pandemic sense that people are still burning off pent-up demand for social time.

Of note: The figures only reflect transactions made on the Square platform.

• Still, its use is widespread enough to suggest some broad trends.