In the words of my husband "everything about this place screams legit". He right AF! Your experience begins on bustling Broadway, a charming exterior lures you down a pathway to an entry transporting you to South America with the warmest welcome. We came on a Saturday afternoon with no reservation and were seated immediately, not to imply it was empty in any way. Service was attentive but not rushed. Food was authentic and flavorful. Drinks were refreshing and tasty. Husband had and was gushing over his entree, the Bandeja Montanera, a traditional Colombian dish of red beans, white rice, chorizo, sweet plantains, patacon, arepa, chicharron, carne molida(ground beef) & avocado, with fried egg I had the Arroz con Pollo* (GF) mixed yellow rice, shredded chicken breast, green peas, carrots, sweet peppers, corn, served with 2 sides that I chose yuca and arepas. Delicious!!! If you're looking for authentic Colombian food in Denver, stop here, you won't regret it! read more

La Chiva - a red building with a tree in front of it - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The hubs and I came here with a friend to finally give it a try. The location moved to across the street and the new spot honestly felt like we were in South America with the decor and vibe. First, the staff was so incredibly kind and worked very well together. Hands down that was the best part of our experience and that's saying a lot because we loved the food. We started with a variety of empanadas, Patacones Montados and palitos de queso (cheese sticks). The appetizers were an excellent start to the meal. The cheese sticks were wrapped in an almost bread like dough and were soooo good. I ordered the arroz con pollo for my main and didn't even eat it because I was stuffed from the apps. It made an absolutely excellent lunch the next day. We are already planning our next trip back. Everything was so good. read more

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I rarely write reviews for local restaurants, saving that tradition for when we travel. La Chiva has me breaking that rule. We walked in and immediately felt transported. The patio felt 1000s of miles from urban Denver. The jugos were so fresh and what was that magical ice they used??? The kids had arepas which were stuffed to the brim with delicious meat/veggies. The Chiva picada was great too. All in all, we will definitely be back and you should too! read more

My Colombian wife really enjoyed the sancocho here, and generally thinks this is a great spot for more regional soup and stew based dishes. I got the bandeja montañera , which unfortunately we both agreed was quite bland and dry and just not enjoyable at all. read more

I can't say enough about la chiva. I wanted to try a new restaurant and this was a excellent choice. They had a long wait and I understand why. They food was delicious, fresh and seasoned perfectly. The food is authentic and every bite was unbelievable. I definitely enjoyed, dining here. read more

La Chiva - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

We have been going to la Chiva for years and the service is pretty hit or miss. I love Colombian food and there aren't a lot of options in Denver. The moved across the street in Colfax to a bigger location. It's really cute and has a full bar. I called a few days prior to pick up a to-order - 4 orders (20) of empanadas and arepas with queso for Christmas Eve. When we went to pick them up they had only made one order (5 empanadas). What should have been a 15 minute trip ended up taking over 45. We waited for the order to be made and added a few extra items. We sat at the bar and waited. Our waitress disappeared for a while and we had to flag her down to pay for the order since they also only charged us for 5 empanadas. Hopefully it is just the Christmas rush, but I hope the service improves. read more

No longer good. Avoid! I've been coming to La Chiva for ~5 years. Since moving to their new location, this place has gone downhill. We came here for my friends birthday today and were treated to one of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. Some of the lowlights from our awful experience: - We were charged an 18% service fee. When asking about it, I was told it was a fee for bringing food to the table but not the tip. I was then asked to tip on top of it. In total the service fee and tip ended up being ~40% of the bill. - Our table asked for the bill and water multiple times and our server continued to forget it. We seriously asked for water 2-3 times before getting it... our server kept forgetting and they had 3-4 tables in the whole restaurant - We ordered 10 vegetarian and chipotle beef empanadas and got a weird concoction of empanadas which only 2 of them were vegetarian. Obviously not ideal when one of our friends is vegetarian so wasn't sure what he was eating I was born in Bogota and having an authentic and delicious Colombian place in Denver was awesome. I used to bring all my friends here to get a taste of Colombian cuisine. Needless to say, I will not be coming back after tonight. read more

La Chiva - An 18% service fee which did not include tip. Ended up tipping 20% on top of this. - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

What a wonderful and authentic gem for the city! The service and staff were amazing! We were able to pull up the menu that had lots of details about the different items, but the staff was also great at answering questions and making sure we were taken care of! We ordered way too much food, but couldn't help ourselves! We got the empanadas, the corn was slightly sweet but with an amazing chicken filling. Then we got the guisado de pollo which was delicious, arroz con pollo, arepa's and ajiaco soup. Everything was wonderful and gluten free which makes my heart so happy! Highly recommend a visit to La Chiva! read more

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Had a really nice date night out on the patio at La Chiva's new location. The meal was delicious as always and it's my favorite place to get delicious Colombian food! If you've been here before be prepared that they changed locations and the new spot is across the street. You enter through the front patio. The new location is really nice and has a good deal more outdoor space So I can see why they moved there! For our meal we started with the Chorizo Arepas it's was tasty and the chorizo was season perfectly and was super flavorful! It comes with a side of plantains which I love and were delicious! Next we ordered the soup of the day which was fantastic! It was a mix of chicken, potatoes, corn and plantains. I really enjoyed it and would say that's it's a must order any time you stop by La Chiva. read more

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I came to La Chiva after reading all the great reviews. My experience was not that wonderful. I tried the Bandeja Montanera, whose components I found to be bland and uninteresting, save for the plantains, which were yummy. I am not personally a fan of the style of meat that includes a 2" thick piece of fat . . . I did eat it, hoping to get some sort of pate-like experience. I didn't. Service was very friendly, but unfortunately lackluster, with my water glass only being refilled for the first time at my request while getting my check. This is a big negative for me. I liked the decor and could see how people could grow attached to the place. The number of reviewers here who liked other dishes than what I had makes me think I need to try it again, but for now, I found La Chiva to be a mediocre experience. read more

We sought out La Chiva as we had never had Colombian food, and absolutely loved it! To start, the location is absolutely adorable and POPULAR. I recommend a reservation because it's small and more in-demand than I'm used to seeing traditional restaurants. We waited 30 minutes (Saturday, 5 PM) for a table, and saw about six families come put their names on the list in that time. We were sat by the friendliest man who doubled as our server and was genuinely invested in whether or not we had a good time, which made the experience even better. We started with beef and chicken jalapeño empanadas, and were absolutely shocked at how tender the meat was. They were unlike any empanada I'd ever had, and blew all the others out of the water. Highly recommend the beef, especially. For a main, I got the Sobrebarriga Criolla, and same thing, impossibly tender meat. The plantains that come with it were so sweet and delicious, and a forkful of rice/plantain/meat really hit the spot. I licked the plate clean! Included is a photo of my husband's Arroz con Pollo, and his plate was also empty by the end. If you like Colombian food, or are just curious to try something new, I would recommend all Chiva! I also want to shout out the gentleman helping us again, as his genuine delight at our enjoying the food was so special to see. Check it out! read more

La Chiva - Sobrebarriga Criolla - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I've been here twice--once for drinks and it was fine and the second time for dinner. Our service was a bit spotty. At first we had multiple guys who were very attentive and then they must have gotten busy because they didn't come back for a while. The food would have been really good if it wasn't all dried out. It tasted like it was under a heat lamp for too long. I was bummed out since I've heard good things, but we had to ask for extra sauce to add to the rice and chicken since it was so dry. If you're going for a snack or a drink while walking in the area I'd say it would be fine, otherwise there a lots of other places in that area that are a bit better. read more

OMG YUM! La Chiva was my first time trying Columbian food and I was impressed. I had an early dinner there last night with my aunt and toddler. We all ate way too much- and it's not easy to satisfy the palates of two adults and a two year old sharing the same food. We started with empanadas- 3 cheese and 2 chicken jalapeño. Both kinds were good- the cheese ones were mildly sweet , which sounds kind of weird but was actually quite lovely. The chicken jalapeño ones were very flavorful but still mild enough for my son to eat without and irritated exclamations of "Spicy mommy!". I don't remember the name of the cocktail we both had, but it was a blend of Stranahans whiskey, amaretto, and passion fruit pulp that had us both savoring every sip. We shared La Chiva Picada for our entree and it was an amazing array of flavors and really gave us the opportunity to sample lots of different foods. Even though we overate we still took home big togo boxes (compostable). I ordered the pork arape sandwich togo for my husband and even though it looked good I was way too stuffed to try it when he offered (but he ate every bite and said it was yummy). We're planning to go back soon and I'm looking forward to it...and even though I don't remember what it's called, I know what I'm getting to drink! read more

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My boyfriend and I were really excited to try this spot after seeing past reviews. So we were bummed that we didn't have a very good experience. We arrived here on a Friday night and it was pretty busy, as expected. But we were told that it would only be a 15-minute wait. However, it turned out to be more like 30 minutes or more. But we weren't too bummed at that point, just excited to try the good-looking food we saw other people getting. We were sat pretty close to the entrance which was unfortunate because there were so many people coming and going, plus it was pretty loud with the people waiting to be seated standing around us - this wasn't really anyone's fault but didn't help our experience. On top of that, we waited quite a while for a waiter to actually come ask us what we wanted to order and they weren't the most helpful when we asked about different recommendations. After ordering, it probably took 30 or more minutes to actually get our food. So all in all we had been waiting in the restaurant for a total of an hour+ without food.. When we finally got our food - we ordered the arepa with chorizo and the arroz con Pollo - we were hoping that it would be delicious enough to make up for the wait. But unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype in our opinion. But I will say the plantains were very tasty - probably our favorite part - maybe we just didn't order the right thing though or maybe we just already had a sour taste in our mouth from all the waiting? Who knows. Sadly though, this was just a disappointing experience and I can't say we'll be back. But clearly a lot of people love this spot so I do recommend anyone to still give it a try - just make reservations and expect to be there for a little while. read more

La Chiva - Chorizo arepa in front and arroz de Pollo in back - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Super cute place, great food & good service! I had the picada for one, a cheese empanada, and the guava bread pudding, read more

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This WAS our favorite Colombian restaurant and felt it WAS very authentic. My wife is Venezuelan and her mom was Colombian so she knows Colombian food. After my wife's experience there today, we will NEVER go back. She ordered Sobrebarriga Criolla, one of her favorite dishes there. When it came out, she let the waitress know there a was a problem that the meat was literally hard. So the waitress got someone who said they were the owner. He said there was no problem with the dish despite my wife having eaten it there several times and said don't ever order it again. Not what can I do - don't ever order it again!!! The self proclaimed owner!!! If he treats customers who have identified as having been there several times, can't imagine how he treats his workers. Unfortunately after this experience, we can't justify ever going back. read more

I had such high expectations. The reviews were phenomenal and we wanted to experience this excitement. unfortunately, we did make it past appetizers. we ordered the yucca fries and chorizo papas to start before our entrees. when the appetizers were delivered, we questioned if the chorizo papas were correct since it looked very strange plated. the yucca fries were okay but edible with the sauce. it needed some seasoning on the fries. the chorizo papas was the absolute worst. the chorizo tasted like blood sausage and the potatos had a boiled taste. it felt entirely unedible even with sauce. Maybe when we revisit Denver, we'll give them a second try but unfortunately this visit was great. read more

La Chiva - yucca fries - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Let me be fair. The food is good to really good. With that said, be aware that before you pay the automatically add a 15% "service charge" to your bill. I am a believer in tipping so I added an additional 15% tip on top of the service charge. NOT COOL of them to slide this extra cost in the bill. Honestly it's enough to make me want to try different places before I go back. read more

Very good, family-owned small restaurant! The environment is welcoming and cozy, and the service is always really good. The food is phenomenal. I always start my meal off with a mora (blackberry) juice con leche. They have a ton of flavors to pick from. From there, I get my main dish which is usually the Calentao special (chicken, rice, avocado, beans, and egg), but if I can't decide on what to get the La Chiva Picada is always a safe bet since it's like a charcuterie board/ sampler with all of their best menu items. They have these boards for a single person, or for two (a group of 4 could easily share this). Keep in mind there is an automatic service fee of 18% included on each bill. I didn't realize this for the first few times I went and tipped ~40% lol. even with a ridiculous tip, it's still so worth it and I'm sure the workers appreciate the love. Last thing i will note, is parking is free and usually pretty easy to find. Make sure to stop by and get some amazing columbian food! Support local businesses read more

Wow! I've never had traditional Colombian food. Thus, we had the sample platter for two. It was ALOT of food...we probably could have split the one for one person. Ut every single thing was delicious!!!!! Service was warm and attentive. The restaurant is in an old home and is so cute and inviting. Will be back. read more

La Chiva - Love this cute little spot... the mango Rita was great... not too sweet. We shared a platter so we could try a bit of everything. - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Prior to coming to La Chiva I had never ate Columbian food before, but after leaving this place I was thoroughly impressed by the Columbian cuisine. I came here on a Sunday with my girlfriend and a couple of friends for an afternoon lunch. I wasn't too sure what to order so I let everyone else choose what to get. We got the empanadas, fried plantain, fried yuca, and many other tasty items! The staff that work here are friendly and inviting, and take the time to explain all of the menu items. I highly recommend checking out La Chiva! read more

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Lovely people working there, and the ambiance is very Latin and colorful. I enjoyed every second until the food came. I've had better Colombian street food at a fraction of the price. Paying $87 for 2 drinks and appetizer style food is over the top. Nothing tasted like quality. Hopefully things will improve read more

My second time coming here has been amazing again. We ordered the entree la chica picada, it serves 2 and we were STUFFED. The share plate was only $32 it came with Colombian chorizo, yuca, patacones, rellena, pork rib, chicharrón, and arepa. We also finished the meal with vanilla flan it was perfect! read more

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This place has great flavor! It was my first time getting Colombian food so my friend & I ordered La Chiva Picada which serves 2 & has an array of items. It's a great starter dish (as shown in the photo). We also got the Empanada appetizer which comes with 5 empanadas & you can mix & match the flavors! Everything was jam packed with flavor! My favorites were the chicharrón, the patacones, & Colombian chorizo. Not to mention the empanadas & arepas! They also have a delicious chimichurri sauce that needed a shoutout! Lol Our server recommended so many other dishes that I will definitely have to go back & try. read more

La Chiva - La Chiva Picada - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The food is good and typical Colombian with some Venezuelan dishes as well such as tequeños, pabellón, and arepas. The heating is barely used because the place is always too cold. We believe is abusive to include 18% mandatory gratuities. The only restaurant in all Colorado ever seen to do so. read more

When in the mood for Columbian food look no further. It is the best in town. The Bandeja Monteñera and the empanadas were sooooo good!

Mediocre columbian cuisine. My fish was over cooked and bland, and the yuca with another dish was undercooked. The meat was pretty good. Not the best service, and not the best food. Ambience was ok, uncomfortable chairs. The presentation of the food was beautiful, everything came out looking amazing, the salad very fresh, and with edible flowers atop the fish. Very high priced for the quality of food about 20+ a plate. I do love how they add 18% gratuity automatically, because people don't tip anymore and people in the service industry deserve every penny. Overall just ok. read more

La Chiva - Encocado de Pescado-mahi mahi - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This was my second time coming to La Chiva. Every time I am presently surprised about how everything sends me back to Miami where I grew up. From the ambiance to the food to the smell everything here screams Columbia and I love it. On this trip to the restaurant I brought along a group of non adventurous eaters, who where kinda weirded out at first. But after ordering and figuring out what they wanted with a little help from me and the waitress they where more into it. When the food came out everything was amazing as usual, and the picky eaters loved it as well. I definitely recommend getting the La Chiva plate for two because it is a steal for how much food you get. I will definitely be back soon!! read more

La Chiva - La Chiva Picada - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Came here on a Friday night and got seated right away - it was 6:30 so that's a shock to me but I'm a suburbanite so we already eating by this time and things are full! I saw more people rolling in as the night went by. Service was attentive and helpful. We shared the 5-sampler empanadas and the variety platter for 2 which was plenty for 4 people. I didn't like everything but it's because of my taste and not its preparation. It was all well-presented and prepared. read more

We'd had this cozy spot in our sights for a long time and finally made it for lunch. Did not disappoint! The interior is larger than you'd expect when you approach the building. We were seated in an area that has been opened up so a second floor balcony overlooks the ground level seating. Very dramatic and prettily illuminated by a large stained glass window. We opted for refrescoes naturales (fruit drinks), which are served either in milk or water, the traditional practice in Latin America. I had guanabana in milk-really outstanding-and my partner had lulo in water. Lulo is also sometimes called naranjilla, a citrus fruit with a distinct flavor profile. She loved it. Other flavors include mora, maracuya, pina, and guava. Lots of room to explore but there's also a full bar. For lunch we shared La Chiva Picada, a sampler platter that includes arepas, patacones, maduros, potatoes, two types of sausage, chicken, and pork. It was super good! More food than we could eat at a reasonable cost. Unfortunately we didn't have room to try tres leches or flan for dessert. Definitely headed back for more! read more

La Chiva - La Chiva Picada - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

What a fun little cultural gem on South Broadway! I came here for a girls night on the suggestion of a friend, and now I want to go back! It's authentic Colombian cuisine, and it's both affordable and delicious! I ordered a Modelo to start, and my friend got a mango margarita! I had a taste and it was so delicious - super sweet and dangerously drinkable. For food, I ordered the Arepa plate, and she ordered the Bandeja Montañera. Both were AMAZING. I got the chicken arepa - it had shredded chicken in tomato sauce, an avocado crema, and hogao (cheese) and plantains on the side. Just enough food if you're not super hungry. My friend's meal was much bigger & had a huge variety of things - they said it was one of their most popular. It had ribs, plantains, sausage, beans, rice, a fried egg, and an arepa. Really a sampling of everything! She said it was so yummy & even had some left over! If you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path - this is your spot! read more

I didn't love love it but I'm still giving 4 stars because I think it's because I just don't love love Colombian food, not because this place isn't good. I got the chicken and rice and it was simple but really good -- I'd give it 4/5 stars. I particularly liked the chimichurri sauce that comes on top of it. I asked for more because not much comes on the dish. My boyfriend got the traditional like Colombian platter and enjoyed it. It's a ton of food for one person. I tried most of it and found it to be a bit bland but most Americans tend to say that of any other cultures food as we tend to over season everything in the States The service was friendly and pretty quick and the building is cool. Not often you see a two story restaurant. Overall, I would come back if a friend wanted to try it but I am not rushing to come back myself. read more

La Chiva - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Food was so yummy! Service was very nice and food was delivered quick. Only down side was the QR code menus, the ambiance was lovely very authentic read more

La Chiva was the first time I've had Colombian food and it was so yummy. My friends ordered the picada and they said it was really good, especially the chicharrones. One negative comment though was that the arepas weren't great and I think one of the meats was dry. I ordered the encocado de pescado - the seasonal fish was mahi-mahi ($15). That coconut hogao sauce it comes with is to die for, so creamy, smooth, and delicious. The mahi-mahi was cooked nicely, though there wasn't much seasoning but I assume that's because you want to focus on eating it with the sauce. I thought the fried plantains weren't that great but I just used it as a vessel to eat more sauce. Altogether, a solid meal! read more

La Chiva - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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The service here is quick, and the staff is friendly. The ambiance is fun and they have a really adorable courtyard where you can enjoy your meal. The food is good, we tried a little bit of everything and really enjoyed our evening read more

Just Great ! consistent food and service. The beef empanadas are a must. Tried the limonada de coco (cartagenera) for a nice refreshing beverage. I'm thankful to have this restaurant in our city. It keeps me a bit closer to my lovely home town in Colombia. read more

La Chiva - Empanadas con Limonada Cartagenera - Colombian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I am so grateful I discovered La chiva. They serve True authentic Colombian food. It tastes just like as if I were in Colombia again. The feel of the restaurant also gives that true Colombian vibe. I definitely recommend this place. Their service has also gotten immensely better over the years too. Now stop reading and GO eat some delicious authentic food! read more

They had pretty decent Colombian Food. The chipotle sauce that came with the Choripapa was delicious. The Bandeja Montañera was what I had for the main course. It was all delicious. The chicharrón and chorizo were cut up into pieces instead of being served whole. The carne molida was good, but was a small portion for it being the "main" meat. I like how it was decorated inside, and the music and atmosphere was lively. I would return here. read more

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Great food and great service! La Chiva Picada, Encocado de Pescado, Guisado de Pollo, and Sobrebarriga Criolla-all of which were really, really good! From the tenderness of the meats to the flavors of the sauces, everything tasted so real. Indeed, highly recommended!. read more

Was unfortunately very disappointed by the food here. We ordered takeout and they didn't provide sauces that we paid for. The foot was disappointing as the yuca fries were dry and tough. The empanada flavors were indistinguishable and were not the flaky crispy empanadas you may picture. The arepa was the only one we enjoyed. Overall, I will not come back. read more