4Play Kitchen & Cocktails — Restaurant in Denver

I believe 4Play has strong potential as a Black owned establishment, but right now the concept feels unfocused and underdeveloped. The venue seems to be aiming for a high energy Atlanta/Texas style nightlife experience, but the demographic and overall market here don’t support that approach. Instead, I feel this space would thrive far more as a refined lounge and restaurant something that leans into elegance, intimacy, and a more elevated dining and drink experience, particularly catering to women who value a sophisticated, comfortable environment.

The cocktail program is one of the first areas that needs serious attention. The drinks being served currently feel more like “juice cocktails” than real craft beverages. Presentation and execution come across as cheap, which attracts the wrong crowd and lowers the perceived value of the establishment. Elevating the menu with classic cocktails and branching out from there would position 4Play as a true contender in the upscale lounge market.

The bar itself is another concern. It often looks disorganized, cluttered, and unkempt more in line with a dive bar than a high end lounge. Stained countertops, unorganized bottles, and an overall lack of polish create an impression of carelessness. For a place charging premium prices, the physical bar setup and upkeep need to reflect quality and professionalism. Right now, the pricing feels inconsistent with the product being delivered both food and drinks are priced like a luxury establishment, but the execution and environment do not match that standard.

Service and kitchen efficiency also leave room for improvement. On one visit, my food took nearly 40 minutes to arrive despite the venue not being busy. For reference, wings alone should take about 15 minutes to prepare. It’s difficult to reconcile long wait times with someone introducing themselves as the chef. While I respect the ambition and hustle of the younger staff, including the chef (who was promoting his Twitch channel while guests were waiting for food), this comes across as unprofessional and further undermines the brand’s credibility.

Another critical observation is ownership presence. For a venue with this much potential, it’s concerning that the owner(s) don’t appear to be hands on or visible on the floor. Strong leadership and accountability are essential to maintaining high standards, consistency, and a culture of professionalism among staff.

To summarize: 4Play has genuine potential to be a premier Black owned business in this city, but right now it’s being run in a way that comes across as cheap and unfocused. With a tighter concept, better quality control, a serious revamp of the cocktail and bar program, improved cleanliness and organization, and stronger leadership involvement, this venue could truly thrive.

Current Score: 5.5/10 — Mediocre, but with real potential to become something great if...

Service and food/drinks were very subpar. We visited while in town for the weekend and wish I would have gone to bed hungry instead. Initially, everything was fine as far as the ambiance and staff but that was very short lived. We were seated fairly quickly and ordered drinks and the deviled eggs appetizer which were good, but the drinks were awful. I ordered the Drunk in Love and my husband had a Long Island and both were terrible. His was literally coke and sour mix and he told the waitress how awful it was and she took it back to only bring back an equally horrible one as the replacement. The service was the worst. We also ordered food which came out at two wildly different times about 25 minutes apart. I ordered wings which were blah and my husband ordered a shrimp po boy. After waiting a while, my food finally came out but his was nowhere in sight and the waitress didn’t offer any explanation for a delay until after another 10 minutes or so we mentioned that he had in fact ordered food at which time she said the kitchen was backed up. After another 10+ minutes, it finally came and had wilted lettuce on it. Fast forward to us getting the check, which she mentioned taking off the first Long Island because he didn’t drink it as if he drank the second one. It was literally sitting on the table still full because it tasted equally gross. Aside from the music, this place isn’t work it. Very disappointing and underwhelming...

This place is overrated. Yes, it’s black owned but it’s definitely not what it should be; which is solid and understanding of its culture. Bartenders are cool; (Females), but the managers and owners (Males) are terrible. I was a regular here and spent top dollars but they hated me out just talking to women there. I literally just enjoyed myself and had a good time. I never caused any problems with people. All I did was talk to ppl(mainly women). I was banned because they said somebody reported I wouldn’t stop talking to them. If you know me you’ll know I have respect for ppl. I don’t cause problems. Being banned was just due to hate of the men here. Not your typical black community. Very judgmental. There are many credible places in the city to go other than coming here. This would be my last resort. I love all ppl but disrespect is not cool. Whoever banned me wouldn’t even speak to me face to face. Attend this place at your own risk but it’s a place I definitely will not go back to. I party heavy in Atlanta because it’s legit. I’ve also partied in Houston and well known places, but this place is bottom tier. I could go on because I be out here….but it’s no need to. No need to waste your time here. trust me; it’s many other live black cultural...