was recommended this place for my bday and it exceeded our expectations. food and drinks were different and delicious 10/10

This is the latest spot from Chef Jose Avila -- the brilliant mind behind La Diabla (Michelin Bib Gourmand) and the El Borrego Negro lamb barbacoa pop-ups that were first on the side of a road in Morrison and moved next to La Diabla last year. I think his other 2 spots are still my favorite, but Malinche is definitely a vibe, too! Malinche is a mezcal bar and restaurant blending Mexican and Japanese flavors -- with cool, moody vibes, mezcal bottles suspended from the ceiling, a statue of Mayahuel (the goddess of mezcal) on the wall, vintage Mexican vinyl spinning, and a creative cocktail and yakitori-inspired food menu. Try the Tomatillo cocktail (cupreata, charanda, vanilla, tomatillo chateau, citrus) Don't miss: The Sabana de Atún -- a delicate tuna "blanket" glazed with miso-guajillo-yuzu tare and agave-cured egg yolk over pickled nopal, avocado, tomato & jalapeño. Also the rabbit tamales if the have them -- and whatever the taco truck outside is dishing out. read more

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My group and I went to Malenchi while they had a taco truck on site. We ordered our food and we told the wait time would be five minutes. After ordering our food, the taco truck ran out of supplies. The staff didn't bother to tell any of us and we had to wait upwards of 45 minutes for our food. The truck still continued to take orders from patrons. I even saw one guy order his food and then leave without getting a refund because he was so tired of waiting While we were waiting we decided to get drinks. I looked down into my cup, and there was an eyelash and dirt in it. 2 drinks were $30 during happy hour with how much I tipped. Not sure how that's happy hour pricing. After receiving our food, there was no apology or anything for it being late. The waitress just threw down our food and ran off. I also received the wrong order but at that point I was so hungry I didn't care. I understand that mistakes happen. But the least they could've done is to tell us that our food was going to be longer than expected. All they had to do was communicate. That's what drove me to write this review. read more

Came in for dinner after doing drinks at two bars around the corner from this place. This was an interesting experience. Malinche Audiobar has the feel of a couple of the listening lounges I saw in Japan, Chicago, and Miami, with a blend of a small food menu and strong cocktails. The menu is tiny...like, maybe seven food items. We tried the tempura de Hojas Santa, Sabana de atun, and the Tamalito de conejo, along with the Tomatillo and Pepita cocktails. I enjoyed it...but the vibe was tied to the bar atmosphere, because the restaurant space wasn't as lively or interesting. I thought the music was good, but didn't feel special or unique. (The sound quality was solid, though. Just wasn't loving the tunes.) I like what Malinche Audiobar was going for but I am torn on whether I would go back....which probably means that I wouldn't go back if I lived in Denver. Give this a look, because it is a little different, but I have a feeling Denver has other options succeeding at the same vibe. read more

Fun place to grab lite bites and drinks. The mushroom dish was delicious! They also have a taco shop right outside. Reservations recommended, as it is a small place with minimal seating. Great ambiance and server was attentive read more

Malinche Audiobar - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Randomly stumbled upon this spot when trying to decide where to meet friends west of downtown, and so glad I did! Between the 4 of us, we basically tried all the cocktails on the menu and there was not a bad drink. Everything was reasonably priced at $14-16 and flavors were spot on in accomplishing my reminiscence of Oaxaca and Mexico City. We also ordered one of each food item on the menu and everything was delicious. The octopus and tuna were my personal favorites, but I thought the tempura hoja Santa was the most creative. We all collectively thought the dessert was the only thing that fell flat and tasted one dimensional, but still overall enjoyed the evening there. It captured the uniqueness of Mexican and Japanese fusion and was a special experience. read more

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First the flavors of the dishes, mezcal cocktails and overall vibe of this restaurant is like nothing in Denver. Feels straight out of Mexico City and something everyone should check out. They have a couple huge speakers that are playing records of Spanish musicians. Transports you to another city. They also have 4 tequilas in upside down vases that they pour into shot glasses and are super unique. The restaurant is super small with only 2 folks working in open kitchen. Because of that you can only order 2 dishes at a time. I'll say this, I've never tasted anything like what they're serving. Seriously awesome flavors and it doesn't feel like something I could make at home. Service was great, vibes were great but I don't think it's a place we'd go back to regularly but for a special occasion or to to take friends who have never been, it's a awesome experience. read more

Malinche Audiobar - Tempura dish - Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This is probably the most interesting and creative meal I've ever had. Malinche Audiobar is technically a Mexican-Japanese fusion place, but it's pretty much 90% in-your-face authentically Mexican with the other 10% being small accents of Japanese coming from either preparation techniques like tempura or ingredients like salmon roe, miso, shoyu, ponzu... things like that. We actually got everything on the menu here. It's a small menu so getting every dish and every cocktail only came to like $230 after tip which is a pretty typical bill for a nice night out. They serve Mexican food that is extremely hard to come by, some of which you'd probably need to go to either Mexico City or even more remote areas to find. The Tomalito de Conejo is a prime example of this. I've heard of conejo (rabbit) being a thing but I've never actually seen it served at a restaurant. And not only is it just rabbit but it's served with nixtamal which I've never had before, essentially it's masa before it becomes the actual masa that you'd use to make a tortilla. The rabbit in this dish was extremely tender, such a delicacy. I wish they would actually serve conejo tacos as that would be incredible. Something else that I was really intrigued by was the Tempura de Hoja Santa. Essentially you use a fried hoja santa leaf as a chip to eat a cuitlacoche cream, which really felt like eating chips and guac. Again, I've never had either of those ingredients but it was intriguing and delicious. Cuitlacoche is a fungus that grows on corn, which doesn't sound particularly appetizing, but believe me it's quite good the way they prepare it here. I would actually say my favorite dish overall though, one I would come back for due to craving it, was the Maitake al Copal. The aromatics from parts of a smoked copal tree mixed with a very rich and flavorful salsa matcha made the firm and fulfilling bites of the maitake mushroom quite heavenly. Now that's just some of the food we got. But the cocktails and spirits here are a whole other thing to talk about. First of all they serve some Mexican spirits I've never heard of, such as Raicilla (agave) and Charanda (Mexican rum). In this one cocktail called Epazote y Wazabi, they paired the raicilla with wasabi which tasted incredible, an absolutely genius combination. I was also impressed to see a cocktail with Sotol called the Pepita. I have heard of sotol before but never tried or seen it used in a cocktail, so that was quite special. All of the cocktails here are beautifully glassed and garnished. The place is really small, and actually quieter than you'd expect for an "audiobar". The decor is cool, with the walls made of mud and mezcal hanging from unlabeled jugs above the bar. The service is extremely attentive and friendly, and both the food and cocktails come out really fast. Though this was an interesting meal beyond comprehension, I do not think I would come back until they put some new stuff on the menu. Everything was good but not so good that I would feel the urge to get a second taste. But I would be really surprised if this newcomer didn't get awarded with a Michelin Bib award or even a star next year just due to how creative and unique the dishes are. This is one meal I will remember forever. read more

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Octopus was soooo yum! And my cocktail was top tier. Also the music was so on point with the vibe read more

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I can admit that this place is unique in concept, and they are trying to be really cool. The overall experience and food just didn't impress me. The staff is very friendly and sitting at the bar it was easy to order and chat to them. There were a lot of them just standing around which was kinda odd. The place felt cramped and stuffy, I think they are going for that vibe, but I would reduce it by 1/3 of the seats to create breathing room. The menu is very small, and they don't acommodate for any food issues. The food overall was not well executed, and it had a similar flavor profile. The dishes are small, so you end up eating all of them. The tuna dish was ok, but too salty overall and it wasn't bright. The arugula was an odd pairing. The rabbit was probably my favorite dish. I love rabbit, and it fit the mood of winter and cold weather. The mushroom dish was meh, too salty and again paired with arugula. Finally the octopus was overpowered by the sauce and didn't feel balanced. While they were trying to blend Mexican and Japanese it didn't quite come together and if you're going to only have 5 things on the menu, they need to be excellent. The drink menu was limited, and again I'm not a cocktail person when it comes to food pairings, I prefer wine. If I'm going to go the cocktail route, then I need to have everything available. Overall, it was trying to be too cool without actually delivering on the hype. read more

Malinche is a unique take on a Japanese audio bar that plays vintage Mexican records. The vibe is a little dark, cozy, and intimate. Star of the show was definitely the cocktails. I tried the Pepita which is a cocktail with a spirit that is new to me (Sotol) the cocktail had a light smoky flavor that was not overpoweringly smoky like a mezcal cocktail and a hint of honey. The other cocktail I enjoyed was called the Tomatillo which had a vanilla citrus flavor. Both were fantastic, and curated by an experienced mixologist who clearly knows their Mexican spirits. We stopped by during their opening week and service was top notch. Malinche was very busy but running like a well oiled machine. Next visit we will definitely try some food, they have a taco stand out front with al pastor on the trompo and a diverse menu. The people next to us were eating the octopus and it looked phenomenal. read more

This spot, in my opinion, is one of the most unique and special spaces in Denver right now! Intentional creation of every element of the experience. From ambience, to music, to the perfectly balanced, cocktails, and beautiful, delicious food. We went for the soft opening, so service was a little bit slow, but I would never ding them for that, my hope and assumption is they've got their rhythm down now. But truthfully, it's a small intimate space and an experience that shouldn't be rushed. I could hang there for hours listening to the music selection of old vintage Mexican vinyl selected from the owners personal collection, and sip on Mezcal to my heart's content! I believe they said the menu may rotate a bit, which is great, for now the tuna dish is probably in my top five favorite bites of the year, just incredible! But truthfully everything we had was 10/10!! We were told they're going to be opening their taco truck soon, if it's not already open. And I will definitely be back for that! Well, done, Malinche!! read more

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From the brains behind La Diabla, El Borrego Negro, and 3 Margaritas comes Malinche AudioBar which is a fascinating new concept blending Japanese culinary techniques with Latin flavors. It's a space that honors culture and tradition while offering something truly new to Denver's dining scene. I stopped by shortly after opening, eager to experience their take on an "audio bar" which is a place where sound and flavor come together. The space is small but comfortable, with acoustic adjustments throughout. While I visited early on (and I imagine they're still fine-tuning things), I did feel like the audio experience could have been a bit more immersive. A touch louder, and it might really transport you. The menu is concise -- just six food items -- which speaks to their confidence. We tried four of them, and each was stunning: - Savana de Atún - Tuna longaniza blanket glazed with miso, guajillo, yuzu, agave-cured egg yolk, and pickled nopal. - Tamalito de Conejo - Nixtamal masa in acuyo leaf with rabbit braised in black miso and pasilla mixe, sweet potato, fig, and peanut togarashi crumble. - Maitake al Copal - Roasted maitake mushrooms with copal smoke, ponzu, and salsa macha. - Pulpo, Miso Negro y Chilmole - Roasted octopus glazed in black miso and Yucatecan chilmole, with pickled black radish and mezcal seaweed. We also sampled most of their cocktail list: - Maíz - Cupreata, corn liquor, piloncillo, tejate. - Tomatillo - Cupreata charanda, vanilla, tomatillo chareau, citrus. - Pepita - Sotol, pumpkin seed, citrus, xtabentún, honey liqueur. - Cacao - Cupreata, amaro averna, campari, cacao, chocolate bitters. The flavors here are complex, layered, and full of surprises with some completely new to me, others familiar but reimagined through new techniques. It's clear this team is experimenting with purpose and precision. I'm intrigued, impressed, and already planning my return visit. read more

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Great vibes and music! Located in LoHi - from the outside the spot appears unassuming from the outside. But upon entering you are greeted with homey old school vibes where all the details are thought out. The drinks are excellent and you have the ability to select from mezcal made from the proprietors own curations straight from Mexico. The food was all excellent. Portions are small but delicately presented. Note the menu is a little small so while the experience is certainly conducive to sharing, I probably wouldn't come here with a group larger than 4. The octopus and rabbit tamale were our favorites. Excited to explore the menu as the seasonal offering change. Perfect for a date night. read more

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I have been hearing about this place for several weeks and was excited to pop in and try it. We had no problem getting sat around 9 PM , and found parking right outside on the street. Our server Beta was such a sweetheart, we ended up hanging around to chat with her for at least 10 minutes after we finished eating, she really made the experience so memorable. She recommended the tomatillo cocktail, and it was incredible, I almost didn't notice the logo of the Malinche lady drawn into the foam of the drink. Very cool. My friend got a traditional margarita and also said it was delicious I tried the sabana de atun and was blown away by the unique mix of flavors and textures, such a refreshing sensation on the pallet, with high-quality fish and the light leafy greens - but what really said it apart was the agave cured egg yolk and pickled nopal, I have never had these before. This place really went above and beyond to make their menu unique and inviting. My friend tried the maitake al copal and was raving about it, the mushroom had such vibrant flavor and was cooked so well, and the sauce was delicious Prices were super reasonable and the whole time there was a live DJ, spinning music in the background, all records, different themes for different nights. Definitely can't wait to come back and try more of their yummy drinks and food read more

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Rockstar. Intimately casually perfectly fun with simple(y) amazing food. Can't wait to come back

We sat at the bar and felt like we were back in Mexico City. Great mezcal drinks and you can order food from the taco truck outside. Highly recommend the Al pastor and chorizo. read more

We are visiting from Arizona. Our first time in Denver and found this gem. Great service from our waitress Diana, very friendly made us feel very comfortable. We were here for happy hour, EVERYTHING was delicious from the menu, I personally enjoyed the tacos! My wife really enjoyed the well drinks, she tried the high ball and the el carajillo drinks, wow! Love the ambience, music, service, food, drinks. What can I say, would recommend this place to anybody! read more

Ambiance was nice, but the small plates did not offer much variety and pretty pricey for the portion. Next time I'll try the food truck parked outside. read more

Solid bar and restaurant with an innovative, fusion menu and super friendly staff. The biggest drawback was that the cocktails may have been a bit too funky for my taste, as I had the Maiz drink, which started off with eating a raw cacao bean and the drink only got more bitter from there... Also, there was a strong smell of fried oil in the air, so much so that my wife and I had to get our overcoats dry cleaned because of it. I think there is a ton of promise here, as the vibes are cool and I loved the jugs of mezcal hanging from the ceiling that the bartenders poured shots from, but the oil smell and the bitter drinks just didn't hit this time for me. I look forward to giving it another try soon though. read more

Great spot with a creative food and beverage menu. Make sure to make a reservation as space is very limited. read more

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I was able to make a reservation thru Resy for 1 person. I chose a bar seat. But I was seated at the end next to a prep area. The inside is crowded with mostly 2 person tables. In fact, the restaurant is not handicap accessible. There is a semi-ramp up from the sidewalk. They still have a limited menu of 5 small plates and a dessert. A good range of mezcal and 5 cocktails + beer & NA drinks. I started with Maiz cocktail. I requested the coconut shell that was indicated in a Westword article. They have moved away from using the shell but I got one anyway. Being corned based, it was light & smooth. My first food was the Tempura de Hoja Santo. It was a large corn tortilla with cuitlacoche cream. Cuitlacoche is corn fungus that imparts a smoky flavor. An interesting dish. My next drink was the Tomatillo. It includes the house mezcal, Cupreatu with vanilla & citrus. It had an elible film with their logo. A nice light drink. My next food was the Tamalito de Conejo. This was a main course with braised rabbit wrapped in nixtamal masa in an acuyo leaf served on a bed of sweet potato puree with peanuts & fig. A very tasty entree, though smaller than indicated in the Westword photo. I added the Cacao cocktail made in the style of a Negroni. Very strong drink. I got the only dessert, Nicuatole. It was a very visually interesting with a nixtamal custard drizzled with a piloncillo-yuzu glaze, sesame seeds, slices of pear accented by shoyu-cured salmon roe. A mix of Mexican and Japanese ingredients. They do charge a 3% fee that goes to kitchen staff. I tipped 15% on top. They have 2 turntables that play classic Mexican music over a good system with a old style radio tube amplifier. I learned that they finally got the permits to activate the food truck out front for tacos. read more

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Service was phenomenal! I sat at the bar and the bartenders were great and so happy. That I tried the Maiz and the Tomatillo and LOVE the Tomatillo. The mushroom dish and the tuna tostada were both delicious with balanced flavors. Really great sexy vibes with the red lights and perfect music to go along with the space! Cant wait to go back! read more

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Mexican X Japanese listening bar with a unique aesthetic, quality sound, and magical vibe. Their pepita cocktail is the best cocktail I've had in a long time. I could drink it all night, but also wanted to try some other offerings. The maiz cocktail was mezcal forward and came with cute cacao bean on a wooden spoon. The food is spectacular too. Really loved the rabbit tamale with fig mole. Fig mole is my new favorite mole, and this is the first mole I've had in America instantly transports me back to the first time I tried amazing mole in Mexico. The chilmole x miso negro roasted octopus dish was tasty and creatively paired with mezcal seaweed and pickled radish. The tight knit space and dim lighting were reminiscent of the delightful cocktail bars of Mexico City, but with ample seating, a chiller vibe and cultural handcrafted decor. The texture of the walls even felt surprisingly soothing and grounded. A delight for all the senses. Really cool and visionary concept that elevates the Denver bar scene. read more

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Very nice ambiance with great plates. Love that they keep the items to a minimum. All of the ones we tried were great. Service was excellent. Everyone was very nice. read more

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Love this audiobar! The food and drinks were mazing. The lighting and decor are amazing and romantic. The staff are all so friendly too. I'll be regularly stopping by. Thank you for a fun evening!! read more

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Amazing beers. Wednesday's are the best here!!! Especially loved the Mexican Lager. West coast IPA was also good read more

AMAZING - everything is lovely here! The customer service was exceptional and both the drink and food menus are unique and delicious! Ambience, decor, and music get two thumbs up. Don't walk...run to check this place out! read more

so amazing! staff was fantastic and super helpful with helping me understand the menu best food I've had in a while 11 out of 10 thank you so much read more

Let's get real - wildly popular now but - best tuna dish in Denver phenomenal cocktails -then you serve a mushroom dish with a bunch of greens and a lousy citrus sauce -'then a skimpy but tasty portion of calamari with the same greens as were on the greens - step your game up now or join the long list of two month wonders - can't get in today and gone tomorrow- hard working friendly staff read more