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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 53 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 10,547 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!

10,547 Reviews

  1. Lee VIP

    Denver32 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We have been going to Rioja for years, this visit we had: excellent service, great bar, but the food was just ordinary. Normally this is not the case.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Christy VIP

    Denver143 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We used to frequent Rioja quite often, but have decreased our amount of visits. Mainly due to the following reasons: the fees that are charged (5% living wage), Larimer Square fee, the increasing prices, and seemingly smaller dishes. Frankly, we still go every so often, but decrease the tip we would normally leave by the fees. The service was fantastic, but the food wasn't spectacular for the price. Not our favorite food visit for sure. We had the halibut and the mushroom pasta. Very overpriced for the portion. We were also disappointed in the wines by the glass. All decent glasses now run almost $30 a pour. Be very careful with this as the bottle prices are a much better deal, so you really get penalized for getting a glass vs a bottle.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Michelle

    Nashville1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I was traveling in the area and was very pleased with the food and service. I also have many food allergies and the chef and staff were extremely accommodating. Highly recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Cal

    Denver1 review

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was very impressive my family and I enjoyed our dinner together. Servers were very attentive and on top of service the whole night

    Is this helpful?

  5. Charles VIP

    San Diego5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Sat at the bar. Service was outstanding. Cannellini Bean Soup -- phenomenal. Black & White Tagliatelle -- phenomenal! Highly recommend and can't wait to go back!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Cheri

    Denver20 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and ambiance were fantastic. Service was not. Throughout dinner we had to wait for and ask for our server to be attentive to our table. Good thing there was excellent runner and table bus service.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Thomas VIP

    Phoenix22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was professional, courteous, and helpful. Unfortunately, we don't recall his hame.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Barbie

    Denver2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Rioja does not disappoint! Service, food, everything was impeccable! I was celebrating my mother‘s 93rd birthday followed by taking her to the symphony. She said what a perfect evening and she loved the restaurant! It was her first time there. 

    Is this helpful?

  9. Melissa

    Fayetteville3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was a fantastic experience. The staff were all attentive and very friendly. The food was outstanding and I appreciated the flexibility of being able to split the bill.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Amy

    Washington DC10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Creative dishes presented beautifully. I ordered the pork chop and cannelloni soup. Both were delicious! My dining partner’s half order of black and white linguini as an appetizer was yummy. Flank steak a bit tough, but good. Veggies that accompanied the dish—onions and potatoes— were perfect. Definitely recommend!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Rioja is rated 4.8 stars by 10547 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 53 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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