Local Love: Cinq à Sept Boulder

Photo by: @cinqasept.boulder

This North Boulder spot is all about that magical little stretch of time between work and dinner. The French call it cinq à sept, or five to seven, and it’s meant to be a little magical. It’s the part of the day when you’re officially done with work, not quite ready for dinner, and very much ready for a drink, a snack and some good conversation. Basically, a pretty excellent way to spend a couple of hours.

Located on Broadway in North Boulder, Cinq à Sept brings a fun French bistro feel to the neighborhood without making the whole experience feel overly fancy or formal. It’s the kind of place where you can pop in for a quick cocktail, meet friends for happy hour, or sit down for dinner and realize three hours later that nobody has any idea what time it is.

And honestly, that’s kind of the point.

The menu leans into classic French bistro flavors while keeping things approachable enough that you don’t need to brush up on your French culinary vocabulary before ordering. There are seafood options, steak, chicken, vegetables, salads and plenty of little bites that are perfect for sharing. And then there’s the bread and butter, which sounds simple until you realize how dangerous really good bread and butter can be and you’ve eaten 2 baskets. You might find things like tuna crudo, poached shrimp, grilled artichoke, endive and steak tartare. It’s a menu that works especially well when you’re with a group because you can order a bunch of different things and make your own little French feast. Then come the entrées. Think classics like roast chicken, sole, Colorado lamb and steak au poivre, along with sides that deserve a little more attention than the typical supporting role. Regarding drinks, Cinq à Sept has a cocktail menu and a French-focused wine selection, so you can keep things classic with a glass of wine or try something from the cocktail list. Either way, it’s a pretty easy place to settle into that I’m officially off the clock feeling.

Photo by: @cinqasept.boulder

The vibe is lively, social and welcoming, with plenty of energy inside and patio seating for those perfect Boulder evenings. And the best part? Cinq à Sept doesn’t need a special occasion. It’s just as fitting for a casual Tuesday night as it is for date night or dinner with friends. As a fun new addition to North Boulder’s dining scene, the restaurant comes from the team behind local favorites like Corrida Boulder, Oak at Fourteenth and CBar, bringing plenty of Boulder restaurant experience to the table.

Go because you want a good cocktail. Go because you’re craving steak frites and ridiculously good breat and butter. Go because your friend texted “drinks?” at 4:30 p.m. and you’re choosing to be the kind of person who says yes. Go because you’ve had a long week and five o’clock deserves to feel a little more exciting.

Open Sundays to Thursdays from 4pm to 9pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 4pm to 10pm. Happy Hour daily from 4pm-5pm.

Located at 4580 Broadway, Boulder CO 80301. For more info visit their website or instagram.