Chef Jennifer prepared one of the most amazing menu I’ve ever had! So happy to have been one of the first to support since temporary shutdown and new dining rules, and we’re so glad we did! Slightly weary of everything going on, but staff and everyone made us comfortable and the night unforgettable!

Rioja is always a special spot. We are pulling for them as well as other independent restaurants with all the crazy virus disruption...

The staff was friendly and made me us feel right at home. Attentive and on point is an understatement. The cushioned booths made my experience perfect. Wooden seating and hard surfaces put a strain on my back so not only was the food delicious, I got exactly what I requested on OPEN TABLE even if I had to remind the hostess that apparently did not read my request. I will surely return!

Excellent food and stunning ambiance. Would definitely come back.

Wonderful evening! Food and service were spot on. Enjoy

The portions are modest but everything was very tasty. Tables are not too close together so there is enough privacy for business discussions or private ones. Overall a very good experience.

Fantastic food, great atmosphere, knowledgeable and friendly staff!

My daughter and I dine here often and have always left good reviews. This brunch was not up to snuff. My daughter had the omelet of the day which she found to be dry. I had the Benedict which was excellent. We sat in the main room and it was VERY noisy. Next tIme I would request the back room. The server did take care of mediocre omelet.

What a desultory performance -
Dish one six small shrimp akin to King Soopers.
Dish two a small dry piece of duck. For the same price Barolo provided on takeout large flavorful portions. Even worse the Rioja owner was sitting there and had to have seen what can only be described as the slop they served up.
They assume the Rioja name is so big they can pull nonsense like this. I’m not going back

My wife & I think that Rioja is consistently probably the best restaurant in Denver. Last ate lunch there this Sunday and I tries a new item on their menu, a chicken sandwich. It was great! Roast chicken on foaccia bread, stacked high, good slightly crunchy texture, and a delicious sauce with Indian/Asian spices. It was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had, and came with a side of greens & vinaigrette dressing.

Outstanding experience; service was first class, only to be topped by the food. First time here, will most definitely be. back.

We are visiting Denver and wanted a special meal to celebrate a birthday and weren’t disappointed. The food was delicious and service was impeccable. Highly recommend.

Great food and cocktails. Loved the interesting menu, so tough to choose, I wanted to try everything.

Anniversary

Appreciate the possibility of 1/2 portions on entrees. Food is always delicious.

A little pricey but the food was awesome. If you are looking for a great meal and something a bit different this is the place you want to go.

Had been awhile since we’d been back to Rioja. Easy to get caught up trying new restaurants. Glad we returned. Rioja is a real gem in Denver. Menu offers an amazing variety. Preparation is spot on, food is beautifully plated and OMG is it good! Tonight we had the lamb with gnocchi and the mole quail and are full members if the clean plate club. Wonderful food. Great date!

Casual dinner before going to the Avs game. Lovely environment and the food and staff were outstanding. The variety of flavors and textures was exceptional. We’ll be back for sure.

The food was good, but not sure it was worth the price. The ambiance of the restaurant was really great and the service was excellent.

Great ambiance for a quick dinner downtown.

Outstanding food, service and ambiance!!

An exceptional experience in every way!

Artichoke tortellini was wonderful, of course. Best entree was Beef Spare Ribs.

The service excellent and the food was delicious. Only drawback was when two of us ordered hot tea the water was just warm and not brewed properly.

We are at Rioja for breakfast. The service was outstanding and the food was amazing. It was also a great value in comparison to other restaurants in the area. I highly recommend it!!

Special was WAY over salty, all else was fantastic

Love Rioja, been going there for YEARS! Always consistent with food and service, make sure you try it out!

Rioja was a great experience. Awesome food with incredible complimentary bread service to boot!

This is a fine restaurant dinning experience in every way. The service is exceptional, the ambiance is very fine, and the food is delicious, but with the very small serving sizes expected of fine dining. I will admit, the serving sizes were obnoxiously small for the price... maybe I'm just not fancy enough to dine at this type of restaurant. I expected that the cheesecake would at least be a full wedge, but instead they serve three little morsels… At least the bread service (with a variety of delicious breads) is complimentary and generous.

From ambiance, to service, to food...it’s a solid 10! We celebrated our anniversary here and it will become a staple for special occasions from here on out!

Rioja is a must try in Denver. One of the best meals breakfast , lunch or dinner

As always the food was incredible. The chef and team are able to elevate dishes and flavors to new heights. Each course and dish exceeded my already high expectations.

I’ve always experienced great service from the wait staff, but they too were really on their A game. Extremely attentive but not to the point of disruptive.

I look forward to my next visit which will be brunch with a friend. So glad the egg sandwich is still on the menu!

Our experience at Rioja was good but not great. Service was top notch. The food quality was somewhat disappointing. We ordered the tasting menu. Some of the flavor profiles were unbalanced such that salt overwhelmed other flavors. Fish was very slightly undercooked (and the wine pairing was odd). Main entree of venison and dessert, however, were very good. Probably wouldn’t go there again because I have experienced far higher quality tastings in my hometown for half the price.

We always visit Rioja whenever we’re in town. Never disappoints.

Always amazing. Brunch at Rioja makes you feel like HAPPY WEEKEND! I AM SPECIAL!

This was our second trip to Rioja and we were there for our anniversary. This is a spectacular restaurant for an occasion - they treat you extraordinarily well. The service was attentive and well-paced, with water, bread, and drinks flowing freely. The chef also sent out an amuse-bouche of sous-vide arctic char that was stunning. We opened with the smoked pear & raclette and the pork belly app. They paired well, and the pork belly was revelatory. I had the duck confit special and my husband hade the molé quail. I admit: if I'm torn between entrees, I tend to pick based on their sides. I was very tempted by the braised short rib and when I had the pork belly, I admitted to my husband that I regretted not ordering it - the pork belly just melted in your mouth and I was sure the short rib would have too. But the duck confit arrived and it smelled rich and mapley, and fell off the bone. It was accompanied by a delicata squash puree and winter couscous that had just the right amount of sweetness. My husband's qual was stuffed with sausage and the seasoning on the whole dish was fantastic. We barely needed dessert but we were celebrating so we shared the black and white cheesecake. The star of this dish was the black sesame ice cream that I could have happily eaten by itself, and the plating was stunning. At the end of the meal, Rioja presented us with a Happy Anniversary card signed by the staff as well as complimentary glasses of champagne. This was a lovely and kind end to a fantastic meal. Thanks, Rioja! We'll be back!

Great food and outstanding service in a very nice ambiance.

Always a joy to eat at Rioja -great food and excellent service.

Excellent cuisine served by courses. Would definitely go back!

Rioja has become our favorite Denver restaurant as we come down from Laramie for a getaway weekend. It not just the incredible food, but the care and skills of the wait staff.