Eh. We came in under the impression that this was a higher end sit down restaurant but it definitely is not. They sit you at a table and tell you the table number, you go to the counter to order, and then they bring it to you at the table. The staff was extremely friendly when we came in and helpful everytime they came to the table. Drinks were pretty good I had an espresso martini (it came in a rocks glass not a martini glass) and it was one of the best I've had. Now onto the food. Prosciutto focaccia appetizer was great. Meatballs were okay, our group had mixed opinions on them. Savory cannoli was extremely salty and overall underwhelming. Charred cabbage was good flavor wise but was very difficult to chew and get down. Flavor on the Tuna Aguachile was nice but some of the tuna was still frozen together when we got it. Entrees as a whole were pretty good. Chicken parm and the rigatoni dish were both amazing. Ordered both desserts and the 'cannoli' dessert is really just grainy cheesecake filling in a cannoli shell with preserved strawberries thrown on top. Not great. The chocolate pudding though was phenomenal. Overall, very mixed reviews, some aspects of the night were great but a lot were underwhelming. read more

Heaven in a bowl. I am still thinking about my meal from Dio Mio a week after we visited. The hubs and I came here for a date night last weekend. We showed up early anticipating a full house before our night out. 5 o'clock is still a bit early and we easily found a table. The staff was really friendly and talked us through the menu. For my small plate I chose the kale caesar salad. I loved the new take on it with romaine lettuce, Granny Smith apple slices and crisp Parmesan cheese pieces. I also got a nice hit of the anchovy flavor in the dressing that pulled everything together beautifully. The hubs got the cauliflower small plate for his starter and we were both impressed with the pepperoni pesto. It was nice and thick so stuck well to the cauliflower pieces. The flavors were outstanding. My pasta dish was the sunchoke mezzaluna that I keep thinking about, it was so good. The sunchoke had beautiful flavors and was a light yet creamy smooth filling. There were small pieces of fresh mandarin oranges that at first glance is a bit odd but paired beautifully with everything else giving a nice hit of acid to the dish. Sprinkled on top were fried pieces of sunchoke which gave a nice balance of smooth versus crunchy textures. Under the pasta was an exquisite buttery sauce. The chef and team is on point with the home made (outrageously good bread) that they give you to sop up all the sauce. Never has a cleaner plate been picked up! The hubs got the pasta with Sunday ragu sauce. He was really happy with his dish and again, he had a nice thick sauce that stuck appropriately to the pasta. Overall, this is an experience that we both enjoyed and are ready to come back and hit replay on. read more

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Such a great restaurant in the RiNo district! You order at the counter and seat yourself, so if you go at a busy hour, you may need to wait for a table, especially for bigger groups. The guy behind the counter was very friendly and helpful as he recommended dishes to us newcomers. Every single dish we got was unique and tasty. I would highly recommend the squid ink pasta. The combination of kimchi and pork belly and everything was amazing. read more

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Found this spot via Yelp. Amazing find. My wife had the spaghetti and meatballs I went for the Cacio e Pepe. We also had their bread, cheese and Prosciutto. Staff was super friendly. You order first and seating is First Come First Served basis. There was ample space between each table. Decor was nice. Pretty straight forward spot with amazing pasta. Everything was amazing! Just wished they sold Perroni beer. read more

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Worst restaurant I've ever eaten at don't ever go here save save your money they have the worst food and worst service

I went here once years ago with friends who lived in Denver who adored this place. They have since moved away but were back in town recently for a trip and this was the spot they wanted to go to. We started with the artichoke appetizer which was flavorful and light. The sauce was so good that we each got out a spoon to eat up the extras. Or entrees they ordered their faves: the cacio e pepe and the rigatoni. I ordered the squid ink fusilli. I think the pasta for both the rigatoni and the cacio were different from the last time we were there. I think I preferred the orecchiette with the sausage and breadcrumbs combo but that's just a personal preference. The flavor was still just as salty, crunchy, and addicting as ever. To me the cacio was a bit underwhelming - I wanted it to be a bit saucier and more flavorful. I also think the squid ink fusilli was also with a different pasta - it didn't seem like fusilli to me but maybe more of a castellano? I also preferred this style - it scooped up all the delicious sauce perfectly. It was zesty, bright, and a bit spicy with the breadcrumbs giving a perfect and needed crunch. The pasta was a bit more al dente then the other dishes (perhaps because of the squid ink?) and like other reviewers mentioned, there's more of a fishy flavor though I think that might be because of the shrimp. It was my favorite out of the 3 dishes. Lastly, service was efficient and really friendly and the complementary focaccia was perfect for getting those last bits of sauce. read more

Solid dinner or lunch option in north Denver! Wonderful, comforting, homemade pasta that warms the soul. Has always been packed when I've been there - got takeout once which was good - but its better getting the pasta fresh and hot delivered to your table in my opinion. Super low key but feels very hip - a good date night spot or dinner with a friend or group of 4 - its a small restaurant so wouldn't say this is great for a big party. Also appreciate the inventive pasta dishes they put out for the seasons. Only request is - please have a chocolate dessert standard ;) read more

Food was excellent! Sat outside and the service was still on point. The wait staff made there way consistently out there to bring water and clear the table. I was thrown off by the ordering but it does make it easier for large groups if they're doing individual bills read more

Wow! Absolutely loved this place, the pasta was incredible. I had the cacio e Pepe and was blown away. The pasta is clearly hand made and the sauce was delicious. We also had the crispy Brussels sprouts which were a real treat. I cannot wait to come back and try another dish! read more

Great spot in RiNo to grab some solid hand made pasta and small plates. It's super casual; you order at the counter, get a number card to place at your table, and they bring out your food. Get the House Sourdough. Trust me. It's insanely good. It comes with prosciutto, burrata and balsamic and you will definitely not regret ordering it. The Cacio e Pepe is amazing as well. You really can't go wrong... all quality, well executed dishes. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back. read more

Dio Mio - Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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We came here because we were drinking and having quite a good time on Larimar. So when some of the locals recommended this place, we didn't hesitate. Well, that and it was rather close. Coming inside, it's not what you think of a typical Italian restaurant. It's nondescript interior speaks volume that the main focus is the food here. You head up to the counter to order and they'll bring it to you. When checking up on Yelp reviews for here, the squid ink pasta seems to dominate. However, it was not meant to be for us since they weren't making it that night. Instead we ordered: Calamari-Amazing, not your typical fried fare and the pickled chili is a nice touch. Sourdough-grilled and made with prosciutto, burrata, and aged balsamic. Tasty but only 4 pcs Campanelle-LOVE this dish! Earthy smokey and just comforting. There were a few other pasta dishes, but I forgot what they were and taking pictures here with a bit of low light was difficult. Yes, the portions were small and sharing was impossible with 4 people. We just got a bite of everything. Each dish is best shared by 2 people or maybe not even bother sharing to get the full effect. Just wanted to mention the lady behind the counter was nice enough to credit the Yelp check in difference after my bill was charged. Thumbs up for her! read more

Super low key counter style restaurant with fabulous homemade pasta offerings. Things to Do: 1) Come during Happy Hour for their $10 pasta specials 2) 4-6pm 2 for $6 wines!!! 3) Perfect take-out spot This isn't your dine-in date night experience, but if you are looking for solid homemade pastas and a glass of wine with affogato dessert b/c you need a pick me up and need to get back to work - this fast casual place is it. read more

We waited 45min for a table then another 30min for the food. Serve never came to our table. To make it even worse food was room temparture! Do not recommend. read more

Denver is home to *a lot* of true fast casual concepts--we're definitely not opposed to or unfamiliar with the notion. However, let's be clear that good quality, made-to-order food doesn't come always come out super quick and just because you're ordering at a counter doesn't make it fast casual. Case and point? Dio Mio. It's a nice hybrid between traditional dining and grab 'n' go. Friday night at 7 pm gets busy, just like pretty much every restaurant in Denver! Luckily my +1 and I gave our order, got our # and were able to snag one of the last tables available. Notice that I said gave our order *then* we sat down? It's tres rude IMHO to pop a squat before you've gotten in line and placed an order. Isn't that an unspoken rule at restaurants like this? It also messes with the flow of things... But I digress. Two appetizers, two glasses of wine and a pasta plate came out to $63 plus tip. Yes, it's more expensive than most fast casual spots. But the ingredients and ambiance make up for it! There's always a fun movie/tv show projected on the back wall and the wine selections work just fine for me... I should've gone with the $34 bottle of while Bordeaux. Next time! Between the kale caesar, burrata + bread, plus fennel sausage and pasta. Pefecto for two! Plus I got another glass of wine. Busy, good, and quicker than most! I love it! read more

Dreamy food in a pretty room in RiNo! I've been to Dio Mio twice now and have been really impressed both times. Awesome happy hour, super fresh pasta, and killer location--what more do you need? Dio Mio is an order-at-the-corner sort of joint--in the land of fast casual, I love this upscale version. While this spot does get really busy on weekend evenings, I think it's a good fit for both groups or date night. What to get: come for 2 for $6 wine (4-6 pm Monday-Friday) and get the kale caesar and broccoli plate to share. I also suggest the Cacio e Pepe--the more classics the better. The one dish we weren't crazy about was the rigatoni with crab meat. I don't think it's on the spring menu and it wasn't terrible by any means, just *really* indulgent. We finished our most recent meal off with affogattos--you can't really go wrong with a coffee/ice cream combo in my book. Prices here are pretty awesome, especially considering the freshness of the food and the very hip location. Parking is limited to street options, but I've never had trouble finding a spot nearby. I'll be back (soon)! read more

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Horrible service - put our name down with a phone number and waited an hour before they told us they hadn't actually registered us on the list and weren't taking reservation. No rectifying the issue, if you're hungry and want reliable service this is NOT the place. read more

Amazing dinner. Incredible pasta (and the bread). Great vibes. Perfect date spot. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Will be back. read more

Dio Mio - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Big fan of Dio Mio - great fresh made pasta and awesome happy hour deals! Would highly recommend trying their happy hour - $10 pastas (limited selection), $5 apps, $5 for two glasses of wine. I've tried 4 of their pastas and the spaghetti is my favorite. It is simple but everything is done right. The pasta is a perfect chewy texture and the sauce is fresh, creamy, and garlicky. I also loved their broccoli and winter squash fritter apps. Loved the vibe of this place too - you order and pay at the counter, and they were projecting a YouTube video on how to make biscuits while we were there! read more

What a wonderful experience. Chef was awesome food was absolutely delicious service was spot on and so nice to go somewhere and have such a wonderful experience. Great job all a round read more

Overrated. Staff was rude minus one employee. Great if you like non-traditional Italian trying its hardest to be traditional without it tasting good. Do not recommend. read more

Awesome flavors and texture in the pasta especially the pesto. We loved the squash fritters and the simple salad was exactly that but packed with interesting depth. Definitely will be back! read more

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I wasn't blown away, but was definitely not disappointed. The Cacio e Pepe was like an adult Mac and cheese - very rich and yummy.

Amazing food and the folks working there were so nice! We got the broccoli and rigatoni. read more

I had an outstanding salad and broccoli appetizer here. However the pasta was surprisingly average. The cacio e Pepe seemed nearly without sauce and only had a light cover of cheese. It almost literally tasted like noodles without sauce. The happy hour pricing was excellent. Though the service seemed not exactly rude, but close to it upon entry. read more

Their portions are huge! So you can most certainly split it with your friend. Food was pretty good. The only down side was you had to go to the counter to order and you don't really have a server. Good environment! read more

Everything was great. Embrace the uniqueness of each dish, and try the dishes with all the ingredients that are included. They're there for a reason! My GF thought some of the ingredients sounded a little out of place, but she ended up loving every bite. I got the squid ink pasta, and definitely recommend. I know we'll be coming back! read more

Yummy gluten free cacio e Pepe ! Kind of wish the serving was a little bigger but other than that no complaints

My boyfriend and I dined here tonight after seeing so many people recommended it and we were not disappointed. The service was excellent it was a busy night but they made sure we were taken care of. The place got super busy so our food took a little while to come out but it was worth the wait. We ordered the rigatoni and spaghetti and meatballs and it was amazing. We honestly almost licked the plates clean and felt it was a great place to try. We highly recommend this spot!! read more

I like how experimental they were being with the Pasta, but I think it could use some work. Don't get me wrong the pasta was good but I think it had more potential to be amazing. A little expensive at 17 dollar though. Probably won't be trying it again but open to their other dishes. I got the Chitarra since I love spicy pastas. The pasta unfortunately wasn't spicy at all. The bread crumbs take up the whole dish and really distract from the pasta which should be the star. It was a nice addition, but I had an overwhelming large amount of it. The pasta itself was good but a little more on the firm side. The beef was tasty but I was hoping for more spice and szechuan to it. The flavors just didn't come through and shine. Overall a pretty okay dish, but if they could nail the flavors I think this would an all star meal. read more

Dio Mio - Chitarra - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This restaurant is definitely asking too much for small portions of fairly basic pasta. We tried the cacio e Pepe, agnoloti, and chicken parm. It was all... ok. Our favorite was the Agnoloti. We also ordered the rocky ford cantaloupe. It came out without the guanciale, and when we asked the server about it she basically called us lairs. When they did bring it out, they had obviously just used a little hand torch on it and it had a pretty bad astringent Burnt flavor, so different from what it would get browned in a pan. Forgot to take photos. read more

At a time when we are all trying to support restaurants with ordering out, all I ask is that the restaurants do a better job of giving me what I order. The mystery of the missing meatballs should not be because it's cloudy. The menu asked for a selection of protein for $6. The receipt stated meatballs. But I did not get the meatballs. Please check your orders before they leave the restaurant. It makes a big difference. read more

Dio Mio - Mio Dio receipt. - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

If someone suggests eating at Dio Mio, your answer should be...YES! Go with friends, order one of everything, share, get full, and be happy. My recommendations are the Rotolo and fried mushrooms. I don't even like mushrooms but when they are paired with chicken liver mousse and chicken skin crumbles something incredibly wonderful happens. The vibe: fast-casual, fine dining, industrial, with high-quality food. Big garage doors bring in lots of light and provide that indoor outdoor feel. Egg cartons & paper pasta bowls are used for decorations. While dining under a canopy of pasta bowls I felt like I was eating in a Contemporary art exhibit without all the BS. Chef Spencer White was listed in Zagats 30 Under 30 the Culinary World's Best and Brightest Young rock stars redefining the industry: https://30under30.zagat.com/2017/national. I'm positive you could just point to any item on the menu and it would be delicious. read more

Dio Mio - Ceiling decorated with pasta containers. - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Dio Mio is hands down the best Italian food I had in Denver. I recommend ordering the spaghetti with pork belly. We ended up sharing my meal with others and buying bottles of their red table wine. Fun for groups and family. read more

Cool spot! Fresh, tasty pasta and broccoli. Great server and host. Outside seating in the shade is cool too! read more

Dio Mio - Ciabatta rolls are LEGIT!! - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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The service and ambiance were great. Such kind and wonderful people work at this place! I wanted to love the food more but I just didn't - the pasta was thick and heavy, and none of the three pasta dishes at our table were well-sauced or seasoned. It was so sad, I could tell the Cacio e Pepe could be great, but it wasn't creamy or punchy with the cheesy umami characteristic of that dish. It was dry and a little too al dente, and the price for the amount of pasta per portion seemed unreasonable to me. I spent $65 on 3 pasta dishes, no alcohol. So much potential, but not ultimately satisfying. read more

The best cacio e pepe and homemade pasta you'll get in Denver. Other places around just don't compare anymore. For what you're paying in comparison to the quality of pasta you're receiving, it's unmatched. read more

What could be better than homemade pasta!! Nothing! My meal was delicious and the added sausage really made it pop! I'm a huge fan of Italian so when I was visiting Denver and a friend recommended this place, I knew I had to go. The meal came with bread too! read more

Dio Mio - Cacio e Pepe with sausage! - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This place is AMAZING. So many great flavors in our pastas. It was exactly what we were looking for. The only thing questionable is the portion sizes of the wine. Seemed a little over priced. But still really good so doesn't seem right to knock a star off. I definitely recommend this place. read more

Underwhelmed sums it up. Was so excited to try for so long and when I finally made it in I was let down. First, we went in during Restaurant Week. Catch was everyone at our table had to order from it to try. Therefore, we missed out on that. Wish it was noted on their menu beforehand. Second, it's all counter service. Not a fan. Felt really odd getting up to order drinks and food when we had a tab of over $200. Now the food....We all tried different dishes. I think the simple spaghetti and meatballs were the best. Rigatoni was odd. Sauce was very thin and didn't stick to pasta well. Cocoa-Casarecce was interesting. Voted 2nd behind spaghetti. Didn't feel like the pasta was handmade. Especially the spaghetti. Caesar salad was ok. Very anchovy forward. We saw the chicken parm coming to other tables and that looked good. Should have tried! All in all - ok experience. Still need to try Redeemer pizza. Hope it hits the mark! read more

I do not give out the ol 5 - star rating lightly. This is the best pasta I've ever had. I went to Rome last year, and this is on par. Not even kidding. I'm frankly floored that they don't have an overall 5 star rating but whatever. Everyone says the pasta's good, then complains about something else. Eat more pasta, complain less! I've been trying to come here for forever but as it's a fast casual concept, and small, seating is tricky. We finally got lucky on a weds night like an hour and a half before they closed. The service was great. Super friendly. We started with the sourdough. The balsamic on the burrata and charcuterie was so good. I have a burrata addiction, so I always have to order it. We then had the cacio e pepe, squid ink radiatori, and the cavetelli. The pastas were beautiful! Perfect textures and done-ness. The sauces all had the most amazing flavors! Our friend actually ordered a second plate of the cacio e pepe, that's how good it was. As it was wine Wednesday, they had half off their house wines which were delicious, especially for the price! We stayed until they closed, so we lost our chance for dessert, but next time! Oh we'll be back, yes we will. read more