Cannabis users, say “high” to Denver’s newest smoke-friendly venue.

Cirrus Social Club, a weed lounge on East Colfax Avenue, celebrated its grand opening on April 18, coincidentally debuting in time for the stoner holiday 420. The business, formally known as a “marijuana hospitality” establishment, is similar to a bar or restaurant, except that pot is on the menu.

On a mission to reinvent Denver’s nightlife scene, founder Arend Richard created a space to cater to tokers instead of drinkers, and it’s been a long time coming. Cirrus Social Club was supposed to open in March after two-plus years of planning and development. Getting its final permits approved by the city took longer than expected, but Richard is thrilled to finally be able to welcome the public.

“Finally getting to see the smiling faces of our guests enjoying Cirrus, and the team members loving the work that they do, feels like I won the lottery. I am so grateful for this idea and this opportunity to bring a new type of sesh to the world,” Richard said by email.

Guests who booked a table at Cirrus Social Club, at 3200 E. Colfax Ave, during opening weekend gained access to a prix fixe menu of marijuana and munchies, coursed out like they might be at an upscale restaurant.

The experience started with an amuse-bouche of gummies, followed up by a vaporized volcano bag of weed, charcuterie, more cannabis by bong, and other shareable, “elevated munchies.” That included items like house-made bagel bites and peanut-butter-and-jelly-and-Cheetos finger sandwiches. Ice cream sundaes for dessert rounded out the meal.

While the prix fixe menu was a limited time special, Richard said all the same items will be available a la carte for future patrons.

Portland residents Nathan Howard and Lisa Snyder, who flew to Denver specifically for the Cirrus Social Club opening, said they’d never seen a concept quite like it before. Similar public spaces where friends can gather to smoke weed are few and far between in Oregon. Seeing the plant normalized in such a setting was “a total trip,” Howard said.

“The idea of being able to go out and see your friends and have one common experience around this plant, it was super cool,” he said. “Where will we be in a couple of centuries if this continues? It makes me very excited.”

Plus, the venue itself is beautiful, Snyder added. Richard worked with Denver designer Miranda Cullen of Inside Stories to create an environment inspired by a 1920s New York City hotel restaurant. Not your average basement smoke circle, the venue includes floral decor, swanky chandeliers and a self-playing, pink piano that anchors the space.

Beyond the aesthetic, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly, Snyder said. The cannabis menu skews on the strong side, but guests control how much they consume, she said, which adds a level of comfort to the experience.

Servers, known at Cirrus as flight attendants, “come out with these beautiful trays with live edges and crystal glasses with cannabis in them that you can smell,” Snyder said. “That was amazing.”

Snyder is a marijuana advocate who has visited many lounges across the country, organizing events for a female-focused group she co-founded called Tokeativity. Comparatively, Cirrus Social Club is “a one-of-a-kind place,” she said.

Take a virtual tour of Cirrus Social Club below. The lounge is open Thursday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m. Book a reservation at cirrussocialclub.com.