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Rioja, Denver, CO
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Rioja

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Visa Dining Collection

$31 to $50
Mediterranean
1431 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80202

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 43 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
  • Innovative
Chef Jennifer Jasinski's creatively inspired food is influenced by local seasonal products. Rioja is simple, pure food that emphasizes bright flavors and textures. The wines are a collection of fun interesting varietals that complement the cuisine.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Jennifer Jasinski

From the OpenTable editors: Rioja's Jennifer Jasinski is a trailblazer, being the first chef from Denver to win a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2013, along with many other accolades. The Larimer Square restaurant recently celebrated two decades, and the open kitchen still fires out rustic Mediterranean fare, from fresh handmade pasta to smoky grilled octopus.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Fusion / Eclectic
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (303) 820-2282
  • Website
    http://www.riojadenver.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Whatever the occasion, Crafted Concepts has a venue and menu to exceed your expectations. We truly thrive on creating custom events and exciting experiences – the only limit is your imagination!
  • Private party facilities
    The culinary prowess of James Beard award winner, Jennifer Jasinski, is highlighted at every meal served by the talented Rioja staff. A Mediterranean menu with local, seasonal influences is served in semi-private or restaurant-wide events from 20 to 150 handled with Rioja’s award-winning expertise.
  • Location
    1431 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80202
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown / LoDo
  • Cross street
    15th St; Larimer St
  • Parking details
    Valet available on Larimer Square each night of the week for dinner, $10 off with Rioja validation.A parking garage is located directly behind the restaurant on Market Street. Street parking is available throughout Larimer Square.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Spring Harvest Pasta Dinner

    $125.00 per person

    Prepaid

    May 21, 2025 only
    Join our talented culinary team for a pasta experience featuring house made pastas with local Spring ingredients.

Menu

Rioja's menu was last updated on 3/19/2025.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 10,553 people are saying

Rioja reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Denver / Colorado

    Mediterranean

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Rioja delights with "creative dishes presented beautifully" and a "menu that pleases every palate." Guests rave about "amazing food and service," highlighting dishes like artichoke tortelloni and Thai pork. The ambiance is "delightfully quiet," making it perfect for special occasions. Don't miss their "incredible house-made bread" and desserts!

10,553 Reviews

  1. Cole

    Denver3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was awful. The chicken and pancake’s stone fruit sauce was exactly the same a McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce. Sadly I am not joking. I’ve been here many times for dinner but this time was horrific. We all left sick to our to our stomach. It ruined my Mother’s Day lunch.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Scott

    Denver2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We’ve eaten at Rioja previously for dinner and was very good so we thought we’d go for brunch. Brunch menu was underwhelming. We were a little disappointed. The food was meh. For the caliber of a restaurant it is, we expected a better experience.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Simon

    Houston3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Easy booking experience and walked right in to our table. Waiter was excellent and drinks and food arrived promptly. Wine and cocktails were also on point. We were done in 90 minutes and on our way. Great place, absolutely nothing to be unhappy with. If you’re looking for somewhere in downtown Denver on or around Larimer this is a great option. There is also seating outside on the Main Street but it was pretty windy so we dined inside, exposed brick decor all very nice.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Brennan

    San Francisco3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Drew our server was fantastic and the food was all incredible. Best octopus in Denver. Bartender John was also great and made wonderful drinks and was very knowledgeable on the wine list

    Is this helpful?

  5. jeremy

    Denver3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a wonderful experience at Rioja. We enjoyed absolutely everything! The appetizers were beautiful and delicious, the drinks were unique and delicious. The halibut and steak entrees were spectacular and stunning presentation! Our server was very helpful in our selections for the evening too. A wonderful choice for a spectacular evening!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Roland VIP

    Washington DC167 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing. Tortelloni en Brodo amazing as were all the meals. Good service. Beautiful restaurant. Will be back!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Julie

    Denver20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are regulars at Rioja and always have a great experience. Today we favored the eggs benedict from the brunch menu and the wonderful beignets. Great food. Great service.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jim VIP

    Denver27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoyed brunch before CSO concert. It was lovely.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Michael

    Dallas15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We did the tasting menu with wine pairings. The food was creative and delicious and three wines were paired expertly. Highly recommend Rioja!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Elizabeth

    Denver8 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service and ambience were great. Server was very helpful. Menu options were good and the flavors were fresh. Disappointment with over salting steak (steak cooked perfect though), too much smoky chipotle in octopus (octopus itself was good). Artichoke tortellini was very good but it is rich so half order was just right. Scallop crudo flavors were good but the apricot and hazelnut were very forward.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Rioja is rated 4.8 stars by 10553 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Denver / Colorado
  4. Denver
  5. Downtown / LoDo

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 43 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Rioja

1431 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80202

Additional information

  • Cross street
    15th St; Larimer St
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown / LoDo
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Fusion / Eclectic
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet available on Larimer Square each night of the week for dinner, $10 off with Rioja validation.A parking garage is located directly behind the restaurant on Market Street. Street parking is available throughout Larimer Square.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.riojadenver.com/
  • Phone number
    (303) 820-2282
  • Catering
    Whatever the occasion, Crafted Concepts has a venue and menu to exceed your expectations. We truly thrive on creating custom events and exciting experiences – the only limit is your imagination!
  • Private party facilities
    The culinary prowess of James Beard award winner, Jennifer Jasinski, is highlighted at every meal served by the talented Rioja staff. A Mediterranean menu with local, seasonal influences is served in semi-private or restaurant-wide events from 20 to 150 handled with Rioja’s award-winning expertise.

Featured in

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