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    Kawa Ni

    4.6 (232 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    KAWA NI ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Kawa Ni

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    Fried rice and dumplings
    Caroline B.

    The food was delicious! It was a great place to order a few things and try them. The spam bao buns were a stand out. The service was good. The dishes came out quickly and the server was attentive. The ambiance was nice inside but we sat outside which was perfect.

    Menu 2.21.26
    Jessica C.

    Our favorite ramen in Denver (so far)! We started with the hamachi which were thick slices and a fresh green sauce. The pork and garlic ramen were our favorite. Thick noodles that held on to the broth. The broth wasn't too creamy which sometimes tonkatsu leans that way. Black garlic added a nice essence. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal here and have been comparing all the ramen we've had since to Kawai Ni.

    Hamachi, Red Curry Coconut Onigiri
    Isobel R.

    Came back this week and re-ordered the hamachi, red curry coconut onigiri, and szechuan pork dumplings because they were absolute perfection the first time I came! They absolutely lived up to the hype again and the hamachi and onigiri remain the standout dishes on the menu by far. We also tried a couple of new items, including the cucumbers with pomegranate, kelp, sunflower, and shiso, which were a refreshing, crunchy bite and a great palate cleanser between the richer dishes. We also tried the pork & garlic ramen which was solid, the pork belly was delicious, and the noodles had a great snap. Once again, the service was great all around! Our server was extremely attentive and engaging and this second visit reinforced how consistent Kawa Ni is! I'll absolutely be back again!

    Tuna tataki - assembly required.
    John V.

    Kawa Ni still feels like a late-night flirt. It's packed, loud, and absolutely not trying to make it easy for you. Two years after opening, nothing about this place has cooled off. I was flying solo on a Thursday night and snagged the very last bar seat, perfectly wedged between two very demographically represented LoHi couples who were deeply committed to each other and their dinners. Honestly? Ideal. Peak people-watching, zero awkwardness, exactly where I wanted to be. I started with the cucumbers, and they were excellent. Super crisp, super crunchy, with bright hits of mint and pomegranate that immediately reset my palate and signaled that the kitchen is still capable of executing. Simple, refreshing, and smart. Next came the crab rangoon and this was the one miss of the night. Overfried, somehow not even properly crispy, and heavier and greasier than expected. I've had this dish multiple times and it is usually light, crispy and exceptionally crab forward. What stood out, though, was the service. The bartender comped the crab without me saying a word. Not because it looked bad, but because it took forever to come out. In hindsight, that delay should've been my sign to skip it on this particular evening. I finished with the tuna tataki, deconstructed, which arrived as a beautiful little DIY project. I'll admit it, I had to look up how to assemble it using my AI "companion." No shame. The process is simple once you know it: grab a sheet of nori, spoon on a bit of rice and tuna, fold it like a sushi taco, and eat immediately so the nori stays crisp. Crunch meets melt in one perfect bight. Also, it's just genuinely fun to eat at the bar. Misses happen at times and it's about how a restaurant handles those situations. At Kawa Ni the room, the energy, the execution everywhere else, and the way the staff handled the one stumble still reinforce why Kawa Ni remains one of the most popular spots in the neighborhood and in all of Denver. I'll be back. I'll order more. And if you can grab a bar seat, especially solo, do it.

    Biang biang karaage chicken, really good
    George E.

    Meeting old friends in Denver for dinner and the adventorous menu at Kawa MI looks intriguing. The restaurant is somewhat difficult to find. On a a Friday evening this place was packed and a nice vibe. Kawa Ni is known for their ramen, izakaya, korudo (cold dishes), nama (raw), and hotta (hot dishes), sandwiches, and men (noodles). Meals here are tapa-ish and meant to be shared. The options here are almost overwhelming, but the wait staff was more than helpful in navigating the extensive menu. We started with the addictive cold cabbage with yuzu, sesame and wasabi. The flavor was unique, crunchy, and not over seasoned. The kung pao karaage was well seasoned, spicy, packed with flavor and a nice crunch. The szechuan pork dumplings had a bite, great flavor and moist. The peekytoe crab rangoons were a bit dry but accompanied with a nice ginger kosho dressing. The crab fried rice was tasty, savory and contained bits of pork belly, corn and egg. Our favorite dish was the baing baing chicken bao with hot honey, yuzu, and pickles. They were a homerun and definitely, a Must Try. Reservations here are a must as the joint is poppin. The vast selections gives everyone a great option for shared plates. If you are adventourous and a foodie, Kawa Ni is a great choice in Metro Denver. My only criticism is a sign out front would be helpful. A fun time was had by all. Good job, Kawa Ni.

    Kimchi ramen
    Kristana K.

    Happy hour here is just wonderful. The drinks were around $10 for a cocktail and mine was really delicious. The ramen was well priced and a good size. We sat at the bar and the place filled up fast. Reserve ahead if you can. The communal table seemed fun as an option. The bartenders are well-versed, making perfect recommendations on food and drinks with fun personalities and a friendly demeanor! One spoke highly of the kimchi ramen with parmesan so I tried it. It definitely is an acquired taste. I love kimchi, but the combo with parm made it kind of funky! I wouldn't get it again. My friend enjoyed it. We also tried the yellowtail sashimi after happy hour and the shishito peppers. Both were spectacular! The shishitos were charred just right and had so much flavor! Will return.

    Szechuan Pork Dumplings  Very very good
    Rafael B.

    First time here and I'm pretty stoked so let's start strong with the food! Szechuan Pork Dumpling The wrapping itself is to be commended. Perfectly steamed with a soft chew stays rather than disappears. The initial flavor is a spicy zest followed by a mellow pork flavor and ends quietly with a hint of astringency which was nice. I'd like a little more pork flavor coming through but honestly the Szechuan flavors are so pleasantly balanced that it's just reaching at this point. Beautifully plated and works well with the More Passion drink. Pork & Garlic Ramen The broth is complex with flavors of rich pork, black pepper, and a smooth umami finish that lingers. The bok choy is appreciated for texture but the pork belly's crust and light chewiness is more than enough. The pork belly itself is a presence that stands out. The noodles are semi thin, perfectly cooked, and provide a satisfying chew that works well with the rest of the ingredients. The egg's texture is akin to nicely done firm tofu and the yolk flavor has an almost bright but earthy flavor that is quite tasty, appearing out of left field. Overall this ramen competes with the best on my list from California and has cemented Kawa Ni on my highly recommended places to try in Denver. More Passion (no booze) Passionfruit, aperitivo, orgeat, lemon Wonderfully refreshing, bright and fruity, lightly sweet and tangy. Compliments the spice of the dumplings nicely. Fantastic food, interior design, atmosphere, and genuine service is all you'll ever need and it's right here. Just go already

    Blistered Shishito Peppers
    Maura S.

    I've been waiting about a year to go to Kawa Ni, but not for the reason you would think. My siblings informed me that they had wonderful heated toilet seats and man were they right. Of course I had also heard the food was incredible, but the bathrooms need an honorable mention. Before I dive into talking about the food, I want to give a giant shout out to our waiter, Drew. He not only gave great recommendations and was so warm and wonderful, but he also shook each of our hands and remembered all six of our names for the whole meal - even when we were not sitting at the table! We were mind blown. Thank you, Drew, for service beyond compare! Ok onto the food - a lot of the plates here are very splittable and I definitely recommend trying a handful of things! My standouts were easily the red curry coconut onigiri ( do not sleep on this!), the chicken bao, cold sesame noodles, and beef curry udon. The red curry onigiri was one of the most flavorful things I've had in a while and incredibly well balanced. The rice was crispy on the outside, which was a nice mix of textures along side of the squishy tofu. The other dishes I mentioned were bomb as well put my brain didn't dial in on the detail as I scarfed them down, so I don't have as much to say ! Our table also ordered a couple drinks with dinner. Kawa Ni has a nonalcoholic sake bomb, which none of us had ever seen! One person in our group ordered the passionfruit option and said it was delicious. I ordered the Mazenta which was a shaken gin drink that had Ube in it. It was refreshing with just the right amount of tartness and didn't taste too strong. One of us also ordered the Hokkaido leaves cocktail, which was a whiskey drink with pan dan. If you enjoy those two flavors separately, I definitely recommend this cocktail . It was smooth and the pan dan was subtle but recognizable. Even though our table ordered a ton of food, we always save room for dessert. We tried the Matcha tiramisu as well as the black sesame ice cream sandwich ( which 100% had a better name than that). The matcha tiramisu is a hit for the reason. It has great texture, great color and just enough of the delicious Matcha flavor you are looking for. It's a perfect size to split, but I wouldn't blame you if you ordered one for yourself. The sesame ice cream sandwich was definitely the much more unique dessert option. I can't say I would eat a ton of it, but it's worth ordering with a group so everyone can have a bite to experience it. I can confidently tell you I have no idea what my facial expression was when I tried it for the first time. Kawa Ni definitely lived up to the hype with incredible food, great service, nice atmosphere, and of course, awesome toilet seats. So glad we planned ahead to make this reservation happen - the wait was definitely worth it

    Broccoli
    Jiansen W.

    Kawa Ni is a Izakaya-inspired Japanese pub. The word Izakaya in Japanese is made up of three kanji (居酒屋) with the meaning, "stay-drink-place." Happy Hour is Tuesday-Friday 4-5pm. AMBIANCE Packed with people inside, I appreciated Japanese decor and wood elements accented by dimmed lights. There's also exterior seating. SERVICE Host seats guests, while staff primarily interacted with guests, and kitchen brought out dishes table-side. Note 20% surcharge is automatically included. FOOD 3.5/5 SHAVED BROCCOLI (raw) - MISO GOMA (didn't taste much miso or sesame as it may have been overshadowed by the honey) - ham: best but smallest part of the dish - flavorful, tender - burnt honey: this overpowered the dish with too much sweetness and did not taste burnt imo - crunchy ra-yu: no chili oil was provided, and when i requested it I was given chili paste instead

    Dining
    Robert F.

    Everyone in the universe, including all of the professional critics and the vast majority of customers, seems wildly enthused by this place, but I guess I'm one of the few contrarians. I was not impressed. I've had a better version of every dish we tried at other venues. The space is a former firehouse which is completely encapsulated by an office building built over and adjacent to it, occupied by Compass Real Estate. Access to the restaurant is very confusing. The property comes to a point at 32nd and Erie with a high concrete platform that supports the restaurant's outdoor patio. There is an unmarked staircase off 32nd with a steep wheelchair ramp. There is a small, private parking lot just west of the staircase which is reserved for Compass; however, it includes one handicapped spot. This is completely unmarked, but I was informed by the staff that it could be used by restaurant guests. Once I found this, it was very convenient, but I had driven around the block three times by then, finally stopping the car in a no parking zone to investigate on foot. We had a reservation and we were seated immediately at a table properly set up for my handicapped friend. The restaurant is small, but attractive with a long bar and a row of booths on one side, tables on the other. It was unbearably noisy with blasting music and loud conversations. We were also treated to two screaming children in stereo, on either side of us. We should have chosen the peaceful patio, but it was a bit chilly. The server was very pleasant and knowledgeable and other staff popped by to help, but we felt rushed as our four dishes arrived randomly with no attempt at coursing. Despite the fact that the dishes are designed to share, our plates were not swapped out and became very messy. Empty serving dishes were eventually picked up, but crowded us on the small table for far too long. I finally started stacking them (I know this is rude) which attracted the attention of a staffer. There's a nice list of wines and cocktails. I started with the Kiku-Masamune Kimoto (junmai) saki which I enjoyed. The first dish was the "Szechuan" Pork Dumplings in a ponzu and garlic hot oil sauce. These were not at all warm. I thought for a moment they were intended to be served cold. Other than that, they were fine--nothing special. Despite a warning from the server, the sauce was very mild. Nothing Szechuan about the dish. The Peekytoe Crab Rangoon with a ginger-kosho sauce was also OK. I'm confused about the emphasis on natural crab when most of the filling was surimi. The server did make this clear. The wontons were crisp, the dish was fine, if rather bland. The Biang Biang Chicken Bao (fried chicken sandwiches) with "hot" honey, yuzu goma (citrus sesame dressing), and pickles was adequate. Karaage chicken should be very tender and juicy. This was just fair, but I apparently picked the good sandwich. My friend said his was so tough that it was mostly inedible. The final item was the Crab Fried Rice with pork belly, corn, kani (another surimi product), and a fried egg. This was our favorite dish and was quite flavorful. The pork belly was a little tough, though. To sum things up, the space is attractive, the service was pretty good, the noise was unbearable, and the food was very average. I would probably not return.

    Tiffany A.

    Took a friend here for happy hour and even though I'd been here twice before, I was still blown away, as was she! We went for Happy Hour, and ordered everything off the menu with the exception of the veggie ramen. I hadn't had the Tan Tan chicken udon noodle bowl before, and that was hands down my favorite. The kimchi udon bowl also always does it. Can I just say hands down what an AMAZING food happy hour?! Full size ramen and noodle bowls for $13 what?! We also split the tofu pocket (each got one), a cod bun (with American cheese - sounds so strange but so good!!) and shishito peppers. My ONLY comment was the back room we were in was DARK like way too dark for a cozy ambience. Other than that - love this place!!

    Jackie D.

    Kawa Ni in Denver delivered a solid dining experience with a comfortable atmosphere. We walked in without reservations and still managed to get seats at the bar, which ended up being a good spot. The bartender handled both drink service and food orders and made an effort to learn our names and use them throughout the night. It added a personal touch that stood out. We ordered the creamy tuna, dumplings, and udon. All three dishes were prepared well and had clean, balanced flavors. The menu isn't overwhelming, but what they offer is executed with care. Drinks were well-made and matched the style of the restaurant. Overall, it's a place worth recommending for a casual night out or a last-minute dinner, especially if you can grab a bar seat.

    Brena E.

    Parking is a little challenging in the neighborhood, so make sure you leave extra time. It's a beautiful, contemporary space. I came with a group of people who mostly shared items, but I don't really like spicy food so I got my own thing and they were nice enough to give me my own separate bill. I had the leafing knife cocktail which was delicious and also the crab Rangoons. I tried a few of the other dishes my friends got that were less spicy, and they were all very good as well. They do put a 20% automatic gratuity on the bill. My friends have gone there multiple times and consider it one of their favorites.

    Matcha Tiramisu

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Kawa Ni

    What's the difference between the dining room and the OCHRE room?

    The semi-private Ocha Room is separate from the main dining room and accomodates up to 24 guests.

    Is there a dress code or is casual dress acceptable?

    Casual attire definitely acceptable!

    Is happy hour everyday from 4-5?

    Tues-Fri 4-5pm!

    Do they have gluten free options?

    They do!

    What is the difference between the dining room and the Ocha Room for the reservations?

    View All 6 Questions

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    5.2 miSouthwest
    $$

    The food was great! They had some classics and some very unique dishes. It was fun to try a bit of…read moreboth. They had the best tuna crispy rice. The service was good the server was patient and kind The ambiance was bustling at dinner on a Friday night. Fun place!

    Absolutely love this place! Came here as a party of two on a…read moreweeknight, which was lucky because we didn't have a reservation and if it was just a little busier, we wouldn't have been sat at all. We got a cute high top table by the window, their seating is comfortable, even the hightop chairs have backs. The drinks here are delicious, I got the lychee margarita and it was perfect, not too sweet and comes with a real lychee on a skewer, which is a lovely pairing. To eat, I got my favorite aburi tuna, which I always make sure to try if a place has them. It was so good, I love the seared flavor and the fish was so fresh, the texture was perfect. We also got the fried rice, it is served with the staff, mixing the yolk of an egg into the dish at the table in front of you. This made it so rich and delicious, and felt like a show. I was really impressed by the rice itself too, nothing simple about it. The flavors were so dynamic, and everything was cooked to perfection. We also had the black miso cod, this might have been the highlight dish. It was so tender and supple, melting at the touch of a fork and even better in your mouth. The flavors were unbelievable, and it leaves you wanting more. The area is pretty central to wash park, a quick five or 10 minute walk over to Broadway after dinner is easy and accessible too. Totally will be back

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    Ototo
    Ototo
    Ototo

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    Uchi Denver

    Uchi Denver

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    1.4 miFive Points, Northwest
    $$$$
    Takes reservations
    Fine dining

    Uchi Denver exceeded every expectation and gave us the best culinary experience I have ever had…read more We came in for our anniversary on our first trip without our kids, and from the moment we arrived the team made us feel genuinely taken care of. Having champagne waiting at the table was such a great touch and set the tone for the night. We went with a chef's choice experience and every course was thoughtful, creative, and incredibly well executed. The surprises throughout the meal and the complimentary dishes made it feel even more special. The wagyu on the hot stone was easily the best thing I have eaten in my 36 years. What really made the night unforgettable was the team. They gifted us a cookbook signed by everyone with a beautiful message, which meant a lot to us. This is a night we will be talking about for a very long time. Thank you to the entire Uchi team for such an incredible experience.

    Uchi was the perfect place for an intimate birthday dinner. The atmosphere is elevated, and the…read moreservice was attentive throughout the entire meal. We had the somakase, and every dish seemed better than the last. The hama chili and walu walu were phenomenal. From the quality of the food to the overall experience, this was easily one of the best meals I've had in Denver. A must try for anyone who appreciates exceptional sushi, great service, and an experience that feels special from beginning to end.

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    Uchi Denver
    Uchi Denver - Spicy Crunchy Tuna

    Spicy Crunchy Tuna

    Uchi Denver - Hot sake.

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    Hot sake.

    Kumoya - Salmon, unagi, and needlefish Sashimi. Smeltfish roe

    Kumoya

    4.4(160 reviews)
    0.3 miNorthwest, Highland

    Kimora has the makings of a giant izakaya but somehow sectioned things off to make the back rooms…read morefeel more modern. If that doesn't raise expectations the service is on a whole other level with super knowledgeable staff as if they have been there for a while or even own the places. Its impressive! When you tie service and ambiance that leaves the food. Delicate and flavor forward dishes really play to all levels of the meal. Precisely cut pieces of fish and decorated with spices and sauces for an amazing meal! Highly recommended and an easy decision to return. Make your reservation and get that sushi in your belly!

    I've been to Kumoya twice now, once in 2023 and again recently, and I really wanted to love it. The…read morefood is good, the ambiance is great, and the staff is kind when you interact with them. Unfortunately, both visits had the same issue: very long gaps between dishes. On my most recent visit, we waited nearly 50 minutes between courses and never received the remaining three dishes. We ended up asking for the check instead. What made it more frustrating was the lack of service. No one checked on us, and we had to flag down another staff member just to get the check. Our server never came by. It was also surprising because the restaurant wasn't busy. There were open bar seats and plenty of open tables, so I'd be nervous to see what the experience is like on a busy night. It's disappointing because the food is solid, but the pacing and service make it hard to come back.

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    Kumoya - The cocktail bar

    The cocktail bar

    Kumoya - Wagyu tartare

    Wagyu tartare

    Kumoya - Booth in the main dining room

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    Booth in the main dining room

    Kawa Ni - izakaya - Updated May 2026

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