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Denver, CO

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Culinary Dropout

4.2 (1k reviews)
ModerateNew American
Closed • 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

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CULINARY DROPOUT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
Trendy

Recommended Reviews - Culinary Dropout

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Fried Chicken
Jed M.

Atmosphere-centric restaurant near the Hale and Congress Park neighborhoods. Good service and atmosphere, but as a whole, food was a disappointment for the hype of other reviews and the value. This was my first Culinary Dropout experience which was on a date night and dinner outing. There was ~45 minute wait for a table as it was "dinner rush hour" before the weekend. We were seated in the bar area at a high top so we were very close to live music performer! So that was an enjoyable portion of the experience! The interior was dimly lit, loud and lively, and offered a rustic but modern feel. Based on this experience, food was overpriced and mediocre. We tried the fish and chips ($23) and fried chicken ($26). We were disappointed the fish and chips were not served with fresh lemon to "baptize" the fried fish. Fries were limp and didn't seem fresh. Also thought the fried fish should have had a crispier crust. The fried chicken was good flavor and texture on fried crust but the white meat was very dry. Mashed potatoes and gravy were lukewarm and not served hot. Also I tried to season the mashed potatoes but the pepper grinder at the table was completely empty. Biscuit was dry, overcooked, and lacked butter. Probably will opt for other options next date night.

Shaved prime rib
Briana N.

Even take out is so good, the shaved prime rib sandwich had so much meat, and it was all pretty gender. The bread had a really nice chew and it was nice and cheesy. And the dip and horseradish sauce were so addicting.

Mocktail: Vida Verdita - Highly recommend!!
Rika M.

This chain restaurant that has 15+ locations nationwide, it appears that it's a crowd favorite as many utter that it consistently offers super friendly service, lively/vibrant atmosphere and creative menu items for both foods and drinks. By now, average foodies have experienced what Culinary Dropout is all about and yet I humbly and honestly admit the fact that I was a virgin until I for the first time experienced it today on July 16, 2026. In a way, it was like celebrating a super belated birthday of someone I know. This Denver location is rightfully located in this one of the newly developed residential areas that used to be a desert (lol!!) With a blink of an eye, all sorts of businesses popped up within the last 5-10 years or so. First and foremost, what a spacious restaurant this is! Very modern with some casual sense but upscale at the same time. All 5 of us were taken all the way back to the u-shaped booths that is at the "Converse sneaker" decorated wall near the restrooms. Our waiter was John. His impeccable friendliness with expert-level server skills was quite notable. His timeliness in giving us a moment or two so we could decide what to drink/eat, checking back on us to see how everything was tasting etc. was almost AI-driven accuracy. For food and drinks, I am just going to speak just for myself. I got... -Vida Verdita which is a non-alcoholic cocktail that has a good amount of kick in it with pineapple with green appearance and -Roasted Salmon; the portion is a bit small and yet overall it tasted good with perfect medium-ness. Vida Verdita is one of the best NA drinks I've ever had in a while. This minimal consequence beverage is $9 as of mid-July 2026. If you want to steer clear of being drunk but want some energized push to get your night going then I highly recommend this NA drink. Roasted Salmon, on the other hand, was lacking exceptional quality for the price of $31. It wasn't bad as it was prepared in the perfect medium texture but I found it a bit boring so if spending $30+ on a mediocre plate is your pet peeve, then this "run of the mill" dish should be avoided. I feel that they should add more ingredients such as broccolini (yes, something green (not just some cilantro leaves) needs to be added to the plate.) In conclusion...did I walk away being super impressed after dining at Culinary Dropout Denver tonight? No, not really. And yet I wasn't disappointed either. Overall, my experience tonight sits somewhere between 3.5 and 4 star level. It was an occasion for our monthly "girls' get-together" and it's my understanding that we will meet at this place next month again. I will thus explore more on the menu by trying something different.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Emily K.

I was not very impressed with the food here. The only things that were really good, were the bacon wrapped shrimp and the drink. The pie was pretty good but it was really sweet. I had problems with other food items and the staff was understanding and friendly. Everything is very overpriced. Ambience, 3-4 stars. The decor is cool and it's very dimly lit and has a night club feel. Service, 5 stars. Food, 3 stars overall.

Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice-Yummy!
Vilma S.

Great Happy Hour Menu! We were immediately seated in the booth we asked for and our Server, Nate, was professional, personable, gave great recommendations and efficient! We started off ordering a Margarita and Endless Summer Margarita. We then ordered the Korean Ribs, Crunchy Chicken Tacos, Spicy Tuna Crisp Rice, Crispy Brussels Sprouts. Everything was well-presented, well-prepared and delicious! We also ordered Deviled Eggs on the regular menu, but some were too salty and the others ok. Told Nate and he apologized because the cooks are tweaking the recipe-we received another order and they were delicious and took it off our bill.

Fried Chicken & Buttermilk Biscuit* two breast cooked extra crispy!
Bernadette M.

Shawn's service made our experience the best!! After coming from the 3 hour long movie - Project Hail Mary - I was hungry and hubby and I walked down the street for a bite to eat and I must say we were pleased! The place was dark so I couldn't capture pictures like I wanted to but boy my fried chicken breast were delicious! And my biscuit with butter and honey was great!! And my hubby's pub burger was really tasty and flavorful! You know I had to get a bite and I'll get a burger the next time we come! The bun, the bacon and patty was surprisingly fresh and just cooked right! It was after 8 so it wasn't too crowded and kinda romantic as we sat in a booth towards the back but I enjoyed the coziness! Sooo. To all you Denver folks if you looking for a good burger, great fried chicken breast then this is the spot! I'm a woman of color and I wouldn't tell you wrong about the fried chicken !!!

Monkey Bread
Parker E.

I can remember only one other restaurant experience where the service far exceeded expectations and was the best service I ever had. The first time was at a random Benihana in Orlando, and now the second is here at Culinary Depot in Denver. Our server, Summer, was absolutely phenomenal. She had a vibe that resonated with everyone; she was able to connect with my parents, who are a bit older, while also flawlessly conversing with the people at the table closer to her own age. The kitchen was a bit slow with the food during this visit, but Summer checked in to let us know it would be out shortly and asked if we needed anything while we waited. She was quick to respond to our needs and help with any questions we had. Summer is simply one of the best servers I've ever encountered. It's funny that we were initially seated elsewhere and asked to be moved inside; otherwise, we wouldn't have had her as our server. Thank you, Summer! Also, the food was good, as always.

Strawberry lemonade
Taylor T.

Tried to enjoy the nice "spring" weather by checking out this location because of the patio vibes. Unfortunately we couldn't enjoy because there was a private event. Good to know you can rent it though! There are many tables and booths to enjoy the atmosphere. They don't have kids booster chairs but they do have high chairs. It was busy for Saturday lunch rush but we were seated right away. I saw many tables with the Nachos so I opted to try it but wasn't very impressed. It was noticeably colder (not as hot) as some of the other dishes at the table. Strawberry lemonade was okay - tarty. I prefer a sweeter lemonade so if you like tart then this is for you! The fish and chips were very tasty! A nice little layer of breading and not a thick coat. Just a little bit oily. The star for us was the Black Truffle pizza (no photo). It's cut into 4 pieces and came with generous toppings! Would definitely recommend the pizza to others! Street parking on surrounding streets.

BBQ Pork Belly Nachos
Blake H.

We had a 12 person birthday dinner at culinary dropout! We were immediately sat at our seat with a reservation and we received amazing service from Alison. She was very responsive and made the bill process very easy!! Our food was great and the menu was unique where everyone could order what they wanted. We enjoyed the wings which were really good. I'd suggest going back soon!

Annie L.

The menu has a lot of interesting things to order. It's the kind of place where you'd like to go back and try some of the other things. They seem to strive for interesting creations and healthy foods. I had the Asian salad with steak added to it. The steak was good and cooked to my liking and the salad was very good with healthy ingredients and a lot of crunch which I like. However, I was disappointed that the mangoes in the salad were dried mangoes which didn't seem to go with the texture of everything else, as the mangoes were dried out and chewy. They were kind of weird that way. I thought that they would be fresh mangoes which I am so used to - fresh succulent and juicy mangoes, not dried out ones. I guess being from California I'm so used to all fresh fruit, juicy and delicious fruit, nothing dried or dehydrated. Hubby had the fried chicken which he said was very good. Our son had another steak dish which he also said was good. The fried brussels sprouts appetizer was so delicious! The service was very friendly and would have been excellent, but they forgot to give us steak knives (we all had meat) and I had to flag someone down to get them as I couldn't find our server. You'd think that with something like steak you would automatically think to give the customer steak knives! We also had to ask for water, more napkins, and had to ask for our bill when we were done. Despite these oversights, they were very accommodating and meant well.

Shaved Prime Rib Dip*
Britt G.

First time here , it had an inviting atmosphere with a large dining room and patio. We started with Sangria and Wagyu Pigs in a Blanket. The Sangria was refreshing and light and the Wagyu was flavorful and came with a nice mustard dipping sauce. The entrees , Fried Chicken and the Shaved Prime Dip , took a while to come out, but the manager stopped by and apologized for the long wait and offered to buy dessert. The chicken was crispy , flavorful and good sized portion. The drawback was the Prime Rib Dip. It was soaked in au jus making the sandwich soggy. Our server , Alissa was fantastic . She was attentive and very pleasant she saw that I didn't eat all of my sandwich and took it off the bill. She made the whole experience very nice.

Breakfast bowl with kale egg whites black beans
Jenny N.

Great service and food - 10/10 on the drinks. They make everything fresh in house and the cilantro pineapple juice was so fresh and tasty. Food was also really delicious. No complaints.

Crispy shrimp
Nikki J.

Delicious! Staff was nice, I visited with a few friends during lunch. Wasn't too crowded. But if you sit on the patio, your sticky drinks will get attacked by bugs :). Thankfully the server brought extra coasters to cover them. The food was so so good, flavorful, hot, and crispy.

Mississippi Mud Pie

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Reviews are largely positive. Many highlight the friendly, attentive staff, lively modern atmosphere, and creative menu options, with particular praise for the fried chicken and cocktails.

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

Great food and beer selection. Fun atmosphere. Very affordable considering the quality of everything.

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2 months ago

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2 months ago

The French Dip is tasty!!! Service was fast. The patio area is a nice place to sit. The open kitchen is a nice touch.

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2 years ago

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

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3 months ago

Shitty management. Treats staff terrible. Would not recommend eating here. Go anywhere else please.

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3 months ago

I came in and management were treating staff like shit. Wouldn't recommend. Bad vibes.

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

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11 months ago

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9 months ago

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7 months ago

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Page 3 of 26

Ask the Community - Culinary Dropout

Is there parking? I know that part of town has little street parking.

Yes! Street parking (hard to find a close space), but also there is a multi-story public lot approximately a half block away.

Is there long waits on the weekends in the mornings?

Brunch gets busy

Is there outdoor seating with heaters?

Yes, there is outdoor seating with heaters during cold weather.

Is it noisy?

Reasonable. High ceiling but music playing. Sometime live entertainment.

Do they play football games with the audio on?

I believe the sound is only on for championship games for sports, or special occasions. The majority of the time, it is just the visuals with the restaurants music playing.

Is this a good place for about 10-15 people to hang out / eat&drink in the bar area without sitting at a table?

I think so! It's a very big place and has many places to hang out !

Do they have gluten free options?

Yes, went with my gluten free friend & she had options for something to eat

Can Culinary Dropout accomodate a bus with 40 people for lunch?

I would definitely call them and see if they can take a reservation that big. It's a big place but I'm not sure how busy they get at that time or if they have enough staff.

Are dogs allowed on the patio / outdoor eating area?

Just checked and they only allow service animals :(

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Briar Patch - Kids menu-- Brunch

Briar Patch

4.2(38 reviews)
0.5 mi•Congress Park, Southeast

We had a great time in the porch at Briar Patch. We've been going every week since we stumbled upon…read moreit. The porch is a great size and it's very dog friendly. They even have dog food menus. Most importantly, the human food is very good! I keep getting the Swiss Mushroom burger each time and I love it. You definitely should check this place out. Great service, and great atmosphere.

I went for the burger, and it delivered, without a doubt. I had read about its magical taste on…read moresome best of lists, and I am SO glad I made time to hit up that part of town. Hannah was my bartender, and I got perfect service throughout my visit. Efficient, personable, and timely. The place had great energy, with background music that was fun without being too much. The restaurant has three TV's (one big screen in the corner), a great bar area, spacious dining room, and a fantastic wrap-around outdoor area. It is dog friendly, and they even had a big event coming up...just for dogs. They get their beers from Briar Common Brewery on the other side of town, and the Hoptomist IPA was one of the better beers I have had in quite a while. I chose the Royale with Cheese route, and couldn't have been happier with what came out of the kitchen. I spoke with the manager, Jeff, and you could sense that the quality of employees there was high across the board. He was very nice to the weird guy taking all kind of pics around the place. I didn't have room for most of them after the burger, but the fries were good too, and I had garlic aioli to dip them in. Tasty. I dropped this burger in at #10 for me all-time. It might move up after I go back and get the same thing once again. My visit was flawless, I highly recommend this place to folks, and see you there...

Photos
Briar Patch - Broccoli small plate-- at the suggestion of our server. Super crispy, ordered it on a Thursday and came back to order it again on Saturday.

Broccoli small plate-- at the suggestion of our server. Super crispy, ordered it on a Thursday and came back to order it again on Saturday.

Briar Patch - Pups and human children would love this place.

Pups and human children would love this place.

Briar Patch - Reuben (partially eaten | phone forgot to eat first), fries, aoli

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Reuben (partially eaten | phone forgot to eat first), fries, aoli

Culinary Dropout - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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