esp — Restaurant in Denver

Whoever thought it would be a reasonable idea to set liquid fuel burning lamps onto each and every table within this small intimate venue needs to reassess how they effect the space as a whole, its staff, and patrons. Our visit here started great, but spending any more than 20 minutes there was made impossible by the sharp and random wafts of fumes from whatever fuel of choice they are burning on every single table! I do not understand this decor trend! This is not the only venue making this mistake. Apparently some people are not very sensitive or reactive to this on a surface level, while others such as me, developed a splitting headache, loss of focus, and mild nausea as my attention and mood were shifted onto this horrible miasma of fumes and carbon that permeated the entire venue. I won't go into immense detail but I challenge the management here to run an indoor air quality study on there venue with the current choice of table lamps and the effect that open flames from liquid fuel sources indoors, especially spaces with poor vent ventilation/airflow, has on the health and wellness of those continually within the space. There is no reason using electric/bulb lamps couldn't be a near perfect replacement to the light and feel that these lamps give, while being safer for guests and staff. Please make this change, I would love to come visit again!

EDIT: 3/29 - Thank you ESP for your quick and accurate reply. I respect and commend you commitment to transparency and well thought decisions. Non the less, despite your fuel choice and air exchangers, I can't deny my experience in your venue. I will make a point to come back and reevaluate my entire notion about ESP and update my view accordingly!!! I still would love to know how the air quality actually is in your venue. At any rate, an open flame is an open flame, or 50+ of them. Further, there is no lamp in existence that perfectly burns 100% of it fuel in the reaction, nor is there any flame that burns without any byproducts in the air. Though, I'm no chemist! Would love to see what you all find out,...

ESP HiFi on Santa Fe Drive is one of Denver’s most unique lounge bars, where music takes center stage.

With a vinyl player as the heart of the space/bar area, and a carefully curated selection of records—spanning jazz, funk, ambient, and more—the sound experience here is nothing short of incredible.

Vintage turntables and Klipschorn speakers deliver a rich, immersive audio environment that feels truly special.

The minimalist, cozy design invites you to relax and focus on the music, with staff thoughtfully selecting records to match the room’s energy.

Pair that with natural wines, Japanese whisky, and craft cocktails, and it’s an unforgettable sensory experience.

I always leave with at least one or two new albums to investigate, making each visit both a treat and a discovery.

For any music lover, ESP HiFi is an absolute must.

My only minor quibble is that it's certainly going to cost you more than your go-to dive bar, but the experience is well worth it, particularly if you're going on a date, reuniting with a lost friend, wanting to show off Denver to one of your out-of-state friends, or a special occasion with your significant other.

I did not try any of the food so I cannot...

As a bar goer esp is amazing, they have a wide variety of drinks and with all the tea and other drinks they have, this is a great spot to meet for drinkers and non drinkers alike. As a hifi enthusiast i was slightly disappointed. The klipschorns (large speakers in the back) are very special speakers and are intended to be set up in a specific way, in a corner. The klipschorns use the corners as a way to amplify, it is essential to the acoustics of the setup. The left speaker is sitting out in the open while the right one is in a corner, resulting in the right one sounding much louder and the left one sounding a bit hollow. This could be mostly solved by placing a half/temporary wall behind the speaker to help it with the corner amplification it was intended for. The cornwalls behind the bar sound great, but the last few times i was there it sounded like the vertical tracking force of the needle was too heavy and the music was distorting like crazy. Maybe a misadjusted phono pre amp. Anyhow, i love esp, but the attention to detail for klipsch lovers just isn’t there. This is one of the few places in the country you can listen to klipschorns and they’re not even set up...