Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Denver

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Denver? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Mezcaleria Alma

5.0

5 (177)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Mexican

LoHi

About the restaurant

Chef Johnny Curiel debuts Mezcaleria Alma in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood, bringing the dynamic spirit of Mexico City to life with CDMX-inspired small plates and an expansive Mexican spirits menu. Located beside Curiel’s first solo restaurant, Alma Fonda Fina, Mezcaleria Alma marks the natural next chapter in Curiel’s culinary journey to share the beauty of Mexico through food. Each dish and drink draws from Curiel’s experiences in one of the world’s most renowned culinary capitals—a city where culture and tradition merge with global inspiration and constant innovation.

While Alma Fonda Fina is a love letter to the home-cooked traditions of Chef Curiel’s childhood—the comfort food found at traditional fondas across Mexico—Mezcaleria Alma embodies the unbridled innovation that defines CDMX.

Top review

Margarida

Dined 6 days ago

One of the best restaurants and food experiences, ever!

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Experience

Chef's Counter

Experience

Dining Room Reservation

Cirrus Social Club

4.9

4.9 (46)

$30 and under

Lounge

Congress Park

About the restaurant

Denver's Premiere Cannabis Experience! Now open to the public 4 days a week.

Cirrus is an entirely new experience for Colorado and soon, the world. Share cannabis with the people you love in an environment designed to create joyful moments and fond memories. Whether you're a first-time consumer or as we like to say, "sophisticated stoner", our Flight Attendants will guide you through a sesh experience featuring cannabis, munchies, and beverages.

Cirrus is perfect for: Special Occasions, Date Night, Friends Night, the Adults of the Family, and Guests Visiting Denver!

Learn more on our website.

Top review

Joshua

Dined 1 day ago

Very unique experience. Excellent and knowledgeable service.

Banzai Sushi - Denver

4.8

4.8 (400)

$30 and under

Japanese

Virginia Vale

About the restaurant

Limited seating available on Opentable, please call restaurant at 303-329-3366 for reservation availability.

An oasis of Japan in the heart of Denver, Colorado.
Banzai Sushi features the highest level of Japanese
cuisine crafted with a creative touch.
We're the home of "100 Rolls". Select from 100 sushi combinations ranging from the usual to the outrageous. There is a sushi roll here for
every taste. Or choose from our innovative lunch and dinner menus featuring fully cooked selections of fish, chicken or beef. All prepared in the time honored cooking traditions of Japan.

Top review

Kris

Dined on Apr 27, 2025

Always a great experience. Still my favorite place!

Uchi Denver

4.8

4.8 (2852)

$50 and over

Sushi

River North (Denver)

About the restaurant

:: ADDITIONAL RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE ON RESTAURANT WEBSITE ::

The award-winning Uchi, which translated from Japanese means “home,” was first opened in Austin, Texas by James Beard Award winner Chef Tyson Cole. Since then, Cole’s signature non-traditional take on Japanese cuisine has been warmly received by visitors from across the country and around the globe. Reservations are encouraged and can be booked online up to 1 month in advance. Walk-in bar seating is available and is subject to wait times. Patio seating is weather permitting and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. We look forward to serving you, Kanpai!

Top review

Darah

Dined 3 days ago

Loved our experience at Uchi, we had been to their location in Houston and were interested to see how they would compare and it did not disappoint. We did their omakase which I would highly recommend if your are open to trying something new and different!

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ - Denver, CO | Cherry Creek

4.8

4.8 (189)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Cherry Creek

About the restaurant

Founded in Tokyo in 1996, Gyu-Kaku has become the world’s #1 Japanese BBQ brand! Thanks to our devoted fans we have reached over 700 locations worldwide. Each day, hundreds of thousands of people gather around the table-top smokeless grill, a centerpiece of our dining concept, enjoying selections of premium meats, just off the grill, and other freshly prepared foods from our kitchens, inspiring laughter, conversation, and a magical dining experience.

Our authentic yakiniku (grilled barbeque) dining experience crowns you the chef. Share a variety of delicious appetizers and premium cooked meats over a flaming grill, paired with Japanese sake, frosty cold beers, or other alcoholic and non-alcoholic options of your choice. We're the perfect spot to enjoy time with friends and family, organize an office party, or to spend quality time with your significant other!

Before you go, don't forget to taste our best-seller Harami Skirt Steak or Prime Kalbi Short Rib among other must-try dishes!

Top review

TayVIP

Dined on Apr 15, 2025

Our server Aaron was so helpful and kind as it was our first time. The food was delicious, cabbage salad and spicy cucumbers were out of this world!

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Experience

Prix-Fixe BBQ Courses for Everyone: Starting at...

Call Me Pearl

4.7

4.7 (94)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Denver

About the restaurant

Call Me Pearl is a space that honors an ethos of gilded celebration, simple joys, and humble hospitality. Here, we celebrate the often lost art of rituals and classics. Our menu features a focused selection of nostalgic favorites and convivial offerings that are equal parts exquisite and approachable. Providing a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels like your fondest home cocktail party, Call Me Pearl is an unforgettable indulgence that celebrates timeless beauty and the human experience. You have an open invitation, adding to our collective story of shared memories.

Top review

Mary

Dined 6 days ago

It was a really great spot for happy hour! They have some really great appetizers and it is a really calm and fun environment!

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4.6

4.6 (911)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Highlands

About the restaurant

Like the Highland neighborhood we call home, Sushi Hai is refined, with a funky bite to its elegance. Modern with a Japanese flair, and filled with exceptional art created in the neighborhood, this restaurant has a unique style and provides three floors of seating - and every table feels special. We also offer three private Tatami Rooms, which accommodate 8 to 10 diners in traditional Japanese floor-seating.

We at Sushi Hai welcome you to come indulge your senses.

Top review

TracyVIP

Dined on Mar 16, 2025

Everything was great! We really enjoyed our meal and drinks. Service was awesome

Bang Up To The Elephant

4.6

4.6 (271)

$30 and under

Vegetarian / Vegan

Central

About the restaurant

Bang Up to the Elephant blends the intimacy of indoor dining with the natural enchantment of the outdoors, providing a sultry space for escape and rejuvenation. The restaurant’s namesake, a Victorian-era phrase for 'properly done,' is reflected in every detail, from its spirited atmosphere to its thoughtfully prepared dishes, creating one of the more unique dining experiences in Denver.

Prioritizing the well-being of our life-sustaining oceans and land, the restaurant serves 100% plant-based dishes that are considerately crafted. Bang Up to the Elephant’s lush ambiance embodies our passion for focused and always-evolving menus that are globally inspired. With adventurous spices and heat, our ingredients are always vegan, fresh-from-scratch, and carefully sourced.

Amidst the tree–lined heart of our historically artistic Capitol Hill neighborhood, the restaurant hosts local art and entertainers through ongoing events – a must-visit for Denver's socially vibrant dining and arts scene.

Top review

Melissa

Dined on Apr 23, 2025

This place is a total gem. I like giving money not just for great food but for the effort a restaurant puts into bettering the social and biological environment. Bang Up to the Elephant was a great place all around. I was treated so well and would go there again next time I'm in Denver.

Pasque

4.5

4.5 (147)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Denver

About the restaurant

Located on the ground floor of Populus In Downtown Civic Center, Denver, Pasque features a seasonally driven, nature-based cuisine with a refined perspective on the riches of each season in an elevated dining experience..

Top review

Annie

Dined 1 day ago

What a fabulous experience! The food and ambiance was great and service was exceptional.., Brandon was our server and he was fantastic !!!

FIRE - The ART Hotel Denver, Curio Collection by Hilton

4.0

4 (1054)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Downtown / LoDo

About the restaurant

FIRE, a restaurant in the ART Hotel offers approachable American dishes with a creative modern twist. Serving locally sourced ingredients at the highest quality with an elevated service, complemented by an award-winning wine program and signature craft cocktails.

For parties of six or more, a 25% gratuity will be added to the bill, and we are happy to accommodate up to six separate checks. We greatly appreciate your understanding and look forward to serving you.

Top review

Charisa

Dined on Apr 6, 2025

We really enjoyed our 4th floor beach view. Our server was friendly and very helpful. Our food was beautiful. The kitchen was accommodating. My cucumber cooler was fun and refreshing. The art exhibits that were sprinkled around were an extra special treat. We had a great experience in every respect.

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Experience

Brunch

Experience

FIRE Social Hour 2-5PM

Experience

Sunset Sessions

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