Dining Solo

I know there isn’t much action on this for Denver. But would like to get some stuff going. Just moved here from LA. big foodie and there are lots of places I want to visit. But I am looking for good places for dining alone. Price can be cheap to expensive. I just want to get list together of places I would not be uncomfortable dining alone. Thanks!

My only experience with Denver is in downtown, and mostly near LoDo.

If you find yourself in that area, either for a ballgame or to visit the Museum, then consider Mercantile or Meadowlark, both of which offer a lively bar area for dining solo.

And if you go to Mercantile make sure to get the risotto, which comes with this strangely addictive truffle infused egg yolk.

Sorry to see you leave LA. But enjoy Denver!

Thank you. I should have mentioned I live in the Downtown area. But I have a car and will drive for good food! Thanks for the suggestions meadowlark was on my list already.

“I should have mentioned I love in the Downtown area”

OK, but where do you live?:wink:

Ha when I first read this I didn’t catch the mistake and I was like wow they really want specifics. Then i finally caught what I typed.

Root Down is a great place to sit at the bar for apps and cocktails. Don’t miss the Duck Wings app. Same owners of Linger, which I have heard good things about. I also really enjoyed a couple of the offerings Pinche Tacos, but it’s not a downtown joint.

Hola! I did the opposite move a couple of years ago. My family still lives there, so I’m back at least once a year typically. Here is a list of some downtown ish places that I liked when I lived there and think are worth checking out. Tried to make 'em solo-dining-focused. I probably went overboard, but hopefully some of these help!

Keep us posted! Happy to send over more as I think of them, as well.

  • 5280 Magazine - http://www.5280.com/ Not a restaurant, but this is a great resource for restaurant/bar/coffee/etc. happenings in Denver.
  • Great Divide Brewery - If you like beer, this is the best place. I think they have a food menu now or they used to have food trucks outside.
  • Root Down - As @RhonelyInsanediego, this is a good spot for dinner or just cocktails.
  • Z Cuisine / A Côté - A French restaurant and side-bar in the Highlands. This was my favorite spot in Denver. There’s typically a pretty good atmosphere and the food is solid. A Côté would be especially good for solo dining. The owners are really nice people.
  • Steuben’s - A nice upscale diner feel. Pretty good food and cocktails, plus a long bar and outdoor seating. When I was there, they had a killer burger & beer for $5 special after 10pm.
  • Mizuna - Probably not as great for dining solo, but really good food, as I recall.
  • Bones - Same chef/owner as Mizuna. I remember loving the lobster ramen here. A nice chef’s table/bar.
  • Green Russell - This is a speakeasy in Larimer Square with good cocktails. During the weekend it’s a shit show.
  • The Source - http://www.thesourcedenver.com/ This is a market with several different restaurants/liquor store/brewery/flower store/whatever. I went to Acorn last time I was in town and thought it was pretty good. Believe there was a chef’s table/bar.
  • Masterpiece Delicatessen - Really solid lunch spot in the Highlands.
  • The Thin Man - A great neighborhood spot. Maybe not a huge highlight for food but good atmosphere.
  • Vine Street Pub - Next to The Thin Man, they once had this burger called the Date Night Burger that I still think about.
  • Crema - This was my favorite coffee shop in Denver.
  • Uncle - A fine place in LoHi for a ramen fix, even if it doesn’t match the heights of LA ramen. Believe there was a chef’s table/bar, as well.
  • Ice Cream - So many little boutique ice cream shops in Denver these days, it seems. Little Man, Sweet Action and Sweet Cow are really popular. My favorite was the old school Bonnie Brae Ice Cream. Get the peppermint.

No this is perfect! So awesome. Never too many suggestions. We need to get this Colorado thread moving. Thanks so much. This list looks great.

I moved here from LA back in 2013. This board is very slow as it was the same on Chowhound. Denver people just don’t get online to discuss. Yelp OTOH is very active for the Denver area. But it’s Yelp. It’s annoying. I’m in Boulder but in LA standards a drive from Boulder to Denver is like a drive from Pasadena to Santa Monica with no traffic. So just imagine that! I haven’t dined alone too much but Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder has a great counter. I’ve eaten there with a friend but had solo diners on either side of us. The other place I enjoyed was Sushi Den. There’s a sushi bar but you can’t order from the chef. You have fill out a paper with your full order even at the counter. Pretty disappointing. It’s the best Colorado can do for sushi. In LA standards, it would be ok to good. Nothing like Mori or Shunji. That type of Japanese cuisine at that level doesn’t exist in Colorado. In fact, I would say Sushi Gen is better than Den. If you come across better sushi please advise. The other place of interest may be Union Station. Kitchen Next Door always has a great counter. Great beers and decent farm to table. Good luck!

Thanks for responding. Yes I am not a big yelp person. Just like looking at peoples pictures and maybe posting really bad reviews but thats only if I have an awful opinion of the restaurant. Went to sushi Den. Thought it was good enough. For sure not like home but it will do when I have a craving. Been to the Kitchen Next Door when I was up in Boulder. I really enjoyed it. Boulder is a great town. I don’t find the drive bad at all. Its like nothing, worth driving for a good meal.

Yes, do try Oak at 14th. The things I DO like about Denver/Boulder Front Range area are that getting around is easy. Sure there’s traffic and sometimes the 25 gets bad but nothing compares to the 10 east at 4pm or the 405 or the 101. And I love that many of these restaurants exist without some of the fanfare that LA restaurants have. In the meantime, keep us up to date on restaurants here. Even if it means just you and I keeping the ball rolling! :grin:

+1 on keeping the updates coming.

Although I don’t live there, I still have quite a few friends/family there, so always interested to know what’s going on.

Yes for sure I will keep the board updated. Unfortunately I am not eating out as much as I want to. But if i come across something really great I will. I have to admit the D Bar in uptown is really a fantastic meal. They aren’t doing anything life changing but from the entree to obviously dessert they are doing something right. Plus I live right upstairs so it is a nice bonus. Their brussel sprouts are some of the best I have ever had.

Nice! Uptown is where I lived too. You’re in a good area. A couple places I mentioned in my original post are pretty much right around the corner from you (Steuben’s, Thin Man, Vine St Pub).

I greatly appreciate it. I went to Steuben’s for brunch right when I got here. Been meaning to go back. Vine St. I went to their sister restaurant in Boulder. Really great burger and beer. Need to get to this location sometime soon! Thanks for all your suggestions. There is just way too much to eat in this town.

Replying to this thread since it’s the most “active.”

Visited the old stomping grounds this week. Unfortunately it was a work trip, so I didn’t get to go around to as many places as I’d liked (plus, had to choose on proximity to location) but still managed to visit a couple.

DEVIL’S FOOD BAKERY
Not many people know this place is open for more than just brunch. I question why they are, but I’m glad they are. On a weekend, the wait can be upwards of two hours just for a table, and since they serve breakfast all day, dinner is an ideal time to go. I had a salmon dish, which was ok. The chicken dish was great - very moist, with great flavor. Blueberry pancake is an above average rendition of a blueberry pancake. Overall, I say: go for the breakfast food but go during dinner.

OPHELIA’S
This apparently used to be a brothel, the a dingy adult store/arcade and now is a restaurant/bar/venue. The space is bizarre with a balcony opening to a stage below. We sat on the back patio, which was nice, if a wind tunnel. The food was dense and heavy. My parents seemed to enjoy their food though. Not terrible, but not a place I imagine going back to.

Z CUISINE
When I lived in Denver, this was my favorite restaurant in the city, and after visiting again, it still is. They no longer open the restaurant space (I gather), so most of the dining is in the side bar “A Côte.” The space is as charming as ever, and the food is comforting without weighing you down too badly. I had the cassolet with duck and andouille. Really a great, if over-priced. Also tried the tartine and fish mash potatoes (they have a real name, but it escapes me) and both were solid. Oh! And the charcuterie was very very good. A bit spends to be sure, but there is a freshness to these traditional French dishes. A must visit, for me.

STOIC & GENUINE
Don’t be swayed by their joke of a name, this is a solid Denver restaurant. The cocktails are all fun, largely comprised of “granitas,” which are poured table-side into a glass of crushed ice. The oysters were all great. Apparently they fly in their fish daily. The Haddock was a beast, but flakey and flavorful. The Scallop and Arctic Char were fiiiine. They felt progressive for Denver. I don’t mean that in a shitty way, as they were both good, but I wouldn’t necessarily order them again.

Thanks for posting! Been dying to get to Stoic & Genuine. Have only heard great things. Parents are coming to town this weekend and we will be doing to Guard and Grace & Bar Dough. Will report on those two sometime next week. Hope you enjoyed Denver.

Nice. I’ve been to Bar Dough but only for drinks. And I went to Guard and Grace a couple visits ago and thought it was pretty great. Probably the best steakhouse in Denver.

If you haven’t been to Acorn at The Source yet, you should try to get over there soon as well. I have only been the once on my last visit, but my friend went last week and has had glowing things to say.

Enjoy!

Had two really excellent meals this past weekend. First night at Guard and Grace. Started with a delicious tomato salad and octopus.Shared two steaks a bone in rib eye and dry aged strip. Really tasty fatty and cooked perfect. Dessert was good. Only had a bite too full. Second meal was at Bar Dough in the Highlands. A great meal again. Huge menu so many choices. We opted for the friend sunchocks which were probably the best vegetable dish I have every had. Really great. Then we shared two pizzas, one spicy clam and the other with sausage and peppers. Just a nice crispy crust. Then we had to get a half portion of the housemade pasta with pesto and chorizo. Recommend both restaurants.

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Thanks for the report back!