Step into the sleek, intimate charm of @ototoden in Denver's Old South Pearl Street Shopping District. They're now offering a delicious lunch. As the relaxed counterpart to Sushi Den and Izakaya Den, Oto offers a more casual yet equally elevated dining experience, where the focus is on traditional pub-style Japanese cuisine. Explore a curated selection of sake, Japanese beers, and thoughtfully crafted cocktails that perfectly complement the savory menu. In Japanese, Ototo means "younger brother." The name is a perfect, playful nod to the restaurant's hierarchy and family dynamic on South Pearl Street. Bonus treat: The South Pearl Street Farmers' Market runs on Sundays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, typically from early May through mid-November. Lunch Hours : Sunday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Lunch/Brunch) Monday & Tuesday: CLOSED read more

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Went for Happy Hour to officially try this place. Ordered a handful on the happy hour menu and a few items from the menu. The ambiance was super chill and laid back. HH includes some entrees and small plates: 1. Crab Wontons: real crab, very minimal, a lot of sour cream and super overpowering. 2. Ribs: literally melted in your mouth and fell off the bone. The guava and fruity flavor was a nice hint. 3. Sushi Sample: completely forgot to ask without wasabi and the chef was extremely heavy handed, but it was still fresh. 4. Wagyu Sando: absolutely delish, and the blackberry sauce was super complimentary. 5. Honey Miso Eggplant: loved the flavor and reminded me of a sweet mushy cucumber almost Regular Menu; 1. Bacon Mochi, this is definitely an experience but was a huge miss 2. Pork Chashu Fried Rice: absolute must! Our server didnt mix it, but I figured with two large spoons I was suppose to. The crispy edges were perfection. Overall such a great happy hour! It was about $120 with tip for all of it! Would try and come back for the upbeat happy hour experience. read more

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Ototo used to be one of my top recommended restaurants to friends and people visiting Denver. It's an easy reservation. The food is good. In general, it's been a laid back, go-to place to get a meal that will be much better than average for the price. I've been many times since before and after COVID, and it was one of my favorite repeatable spots in Denver. However, the crew totally dropped the ball with our visit today. My wife ordered a tonkatsu ramen and got a chicken tonkatsu set instead (chicken cutlet, not bowl of ramen). To not make it weird, we just let that one be for the greater good of the table because it was our anniversary, grandparents were visiting, and we are here often. Our hamachi kama (one of my favorite dishes in the entire city, normally something I'd highly recommend on this review) was never sent to the kitchen, leaving us waiting for over an hour with two young kids at the table who had finished 40 minutes before. I watched the staff's confusion from my seat, even after we had been told that it was on its way. It was never even started, and it was obvious. That stuff happens, but it's hard to hide what happened in an open kitchen where you can hear what people are saying. But then after they had the "oh crap" moment, it wasn't even expedited. It was gonna take so long that it wasn't worth getting, so two people had to leave our not-busy lunch without getting the main thing we brought them to Ototo for. We were asked to wait for the dish, waited 15 more minutes, and it was not even close to ready. And while I appreciated the apology, the manager initially just tried to "take the dish off the bill," a dish we never received. So he basically tried to do nothing because no restaurant would charge for something that never came out. After I pointed this out, they took off part of the check, but that attempt at nothing under the guise of a comp was crazy. I've easily spent thousands at Ototo over the years. I've sent tons of people to Kizaki, Temaki Den, and the others. This will probably be the last time I go to Ototo. If you read some of the recent bad reviews, something is not working here anymore. I hope the otherwise amazing service at the other Dens can find its way back to Ototo. read more

The food was great! They had some classics and some very unique dishes. It was fun to try a bit of both. 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! read more

Ototo - Pork chashu garlic rice - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Absolutely love this place! Came here as a party of two on a weeknight, 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 read more

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Nice spot for happy hour. Most of the food is good, but there is opportunity for improvement. The pork rib appetizer should be grilled a little more to add char flavors to the ribs. The service was good. Our server was friendly. The space isn't very large and super tight in the front by the bar. Cool spot to grab a drink and something to eat. read more

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I went with a group of eight for happy hour, and it was pretty busy, but we had good service. I enjoyed the food and drink and said I would absolutely come back again for happy hour. The one kind of annoying thing is that they wouldn't split checks which made it complicated for our group. read more

Ototo - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This is the news. A great happy hour. Before you grab a $6 beer or $8 wine be sure to check out the rest of the new happy hour menu. Like a high ball, kare-age and edamame combo. The best vibe and now best deal in the neighborhood. Also, if Nick is your bartender ask him to create something special for you. read more

Ototo - New happy hour deals! - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This story begins like all great food adventures: with rejection. We had our sights set on Izakaya Den, only to be met with the dreaded one-hour wait. We all know that an hour wait is basically a lifetime in hangry person math. So we did what any desperate slightly dramatic food lovers would do: we wandered Pearl Street praying for a miracle. Enter: Ototo. A little less crowded, just down the street, and totally unassuming. We walked in expecting another long wait but instead we were immediately seated at the sushi bar. At this point, I knew fate had intervened. Our waitress was fantastic. Super friendly, attentive, and just generally someone I would trust with my happiness (which at this moment was entirely food-based). We started with the tonkatsu cutlet, and I'm convinced it was fried by angels. Perfectly crispy, light, and not greasy, with pork so tender and juicy that as soon as we took our first bite, my friend and I gazed at each other as if we just met God. Then came our donburi bowls (specifically the Maguro Don and Shake Don). They looked small at first, but crazy enough the portions felt endless. The fish literally melts in your mouth like butter and the rice is fluffy and perfectly seasoned with furikake. My friend and I walked out of there so full and happy, we were ready for an immediate food coma only to dream about our next experience here. Ototo was truly the happy accident we never thought we needed. They won my heart and my stomach, and I will 100% be coming back. read more

Ototo - Shake Don (top) and Maguro Don (bottom) - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Without a doubt a new favorite spot of ours. Located on Pearl st, this tiny restaurant is the younger brother to Denver staples Sushi Den & Izakaya. However, don't let the size fool you - this restaurant may be the best out of the 3. Combining excellent service from servers such as Kelly, exceptional hospitality from manager Mark, and a talented yet humble team of chefs behind the counter and you have yourself a recipe for success. Do NOT sleep on this restaurant. read more

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I mostly enjoyed my birthday dinner at OTOTO! The atmosphere was nothing special and the service was pretty slow because of how busy they were, but the food was great! The standout dishes for me were the scallop carpaccio and the aburi salmon belly nigiri. Everything else was good but nothing crazy, I would order that salmon belly again and again though. read more

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This was the last of the Sushi Den restaurants for us to try and we were not disappointed. They have an excellent Happy Hour menu and all the ingredients are very fresh, just like the other 3 restaurants. From the Happy Hour menu, we got the Sushi Sampler and all 3 options for the Kushiyaki. I did feel like the sushi sampler fish was not the same quality as the ones you get when you order from the regular nigiri menu but it was still good. The Pork Belly Kushiyaki was our favorite. We got a few pieces of nigiri, tonkotsu ramen, and the pork chashu garlic rice. The nigiri was excellent, tonkotsu was smoky (good amount for 1 person without being overly stuffed at the end) and the garlic rice is very crispy and rich. Upon delivery, the server comes over and mixes the soft boiled egg for more creaminess. Ototo den is a more low key/casual option compared to Sushi/Izakaya Den with a great happy hour. I would absolutely stop by again! read more

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Don't pass it up. I don't like passing out 5 star reviews easily but I don't have anything to take away from. Straight forward selection, fresh and delicious food, and friendly/quick service. Don't overlook the garlic fried rice. That's what really sold me, it really hit the spot. I'll definitely be back and will 100% be ordering that again. Intimate spot, great ambience when the weather is nice and the windows are open. Not the largest of restaurants so you definitely want a reservation. Enjoy! read more

Ototo - Ambience, cocktails, indoor/outdoor - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The food is fine, nothing to write home about. However, the sake prices ARE notable -- for how outrageously expensive they are. I understand markups, but take the Otokoyama "Man of the Mountain," Tokubetsu Junmai. The 720ml sells for $29.99 at a local wine seller. But at Ototo, it sells for $130. That's MORE than four times the markup. The 300ml Drunken Whale goes for about $11, but they charge $45. Absolutely CRAZYTOWN! read more

Ototo - Outrageously priced sake - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Really liked our first visit to Ototo. Very comfortable interior with exposed brick and lots of wood. Cool garage door line an entire side of the restaurant. Everything is meant to be shared and really enjoyed the eggplant, short ribs and fried chicken. Great flavors and beautiful presentations. Need to go back and try a few more things on the menu. And loved the Denhattan, had two they were so good. read more

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The food is great but, I have a hard time leaving full unless I get something other than a sushi/sashimi/rolls. It's a nice location and atmosphere inside. read more

Food, Service & Ambiance are always exceptional. Been there a dozen times and Ototo never disappoints!

Dropped in randomly on a weekday night without a reservation, and by some miracle there were three seats available at the bar. Coming in with no expectations, the food quality blew my mind; it is the pricing of some of the smaller appetizers that prevent Ototo from being 5-stars. For instance, edamame for $8, spicy edamame for $9, and agedashi tofu for $8? Takoyaki for $12? It is hard for me to justify this pricing. The items that stood out to me were: - Hana kama: Grilled to perfection. So much meat. Well seasoned. - Bacon mochi: I mostly ordered this for fun and out of curiosity, but it turns out that I love fried mochi so much that I would absolutely order it again. The bacon went well with the mochi and didn't overpower it! - Brussel sprouts: Loved the flavor and thought the portion size was very reasonable. - Maguro sashimi yoten mori: Fish quality was great! - Beets salad: Really refreshing. I would love to visit here again and hopefully try some other items on the menu as well as their signature cocktails. read more

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Wonderful izakaya Japanese restaurant from the same team behind Sushi Zen and Izakaya Den. Great experience, good happy hour options, good drinks. Very nice ambiance and attentive, friendly staff. And some less common items like kanpachi kama! Everything I had on my celebratory solo dinner was great. Happy hour sashimi (beautifully arranged), pork and sausage skewers and karaage fried chicken did not disappoint). Though I'd have loved some more unusual kushiyaki/yakitori skewer options. I think Denver seems to be a few decades behind SF in that regard, though the more common items found here and nearby are really good and well prepared. The price was similar to dining at Sushi Den, though this is because I had a 300ml bottle of sake and a Japanese whiskey. (I walked to dinner and walked back, slightly less steadily). About 125 pre tip, $45 less if I weren't drinking like a fish. read more

We used to love stop by this place for late night snack before they close for business. Unfortunately flavor seem to change. All the grill items taste like BURN WOOD. I don't know maybe is because they just got back to open again after a few years. Hopefully they get back to where they used to be. Maybe will come back!!! read more

Great! Very fresh and delicious food. Great customer service. We will be back. Didn't get a photo of the pork chatsu fried rice that was also delicious. Reasonable prices. read more

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So happy Ototo is open again! This is our favorite place to share small plates. Everything is super fresh, high-quality and unique! In addition the atmosphere feels very complementary to the food. Service is always excellent and knowledgeable. I can't list all the must try items because it's basically everything on the menu. Worth every penny, great for a date night or special treat with family or friends. read more

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You can't go wrong stopping in here for some quick and delicious bites of exquisite quality Japanese food. This is a Sushi Den sister restaurant (right across the street from it) and the food is mostly the same style, flavor and type of preparation as its parent restaurant. In fact, you can get some of the same menu items from Sushi Den here, such as the Crispy Spicy Tuna and Miso Black Cod. Even the staples like Miso Soup and Gyoza taste and are prepared identically to that of Sushi Den's. But (a) it's far more casual here and (b) there are a lot of unique offerings here specific to Ototo. What stood out to me as Ototo-specific was the emphasis on the Yakitori. The core of their menu seems to rotate daily, so when we were there we got (among a ton of other things) both the Colorado Lamb yakitori and the yakitori with the duck breast (I don't recall the actual name of the duck one). They're served with delicious sauces and a scrumptious cabbage salad. The duck yakitori was my favorite as the shiitake mushrooms interpolated within the skewer was a dream pairing. I would definitely recommend coming here for a casual bite and treat-yourself type of meal. I would advise against picking this for a special occasion or date night because you're right by Sushi Den which is the same type of food with a much more appropriate ambience for that type of thing. Their raw offerings are also very limited as this is hot food/tapas style restaurant, so if you're looking for more traditional sushi place this isn't it. But if you do visit you will be able to try something that you've likely never had before which is cool. read more

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Amazing sushi!! This place is a gem on S Peal St. It's on the nicer side so plan ahead (make a reservation or try to snag a place at the bar). My friends and I each got a roll and shared 2 gyoza orders (got there in time for a happy hour special), 1 tuna crispy rice, and 3 small plates. It was the perfect order for the 3 of us. Plus, it didn't feel like we were breaking the bank. Will be coming back! read more

Stopped in while perusing the farmers market. This place has been on my list so i was excited to give it a try. Very happy we did. Everything we ordered was excellent and service and ambience exceptional. We oil come back. read more

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The food was mediocre, the happy hour/small plates were very bland especially the ribs, they were dry and flavorless. For the price it's just not worth it. The waitress tried her best and was slammed but we did end up waiting a long period of time for dessert and other food items as they were ordered. read more

The sibling restaurant to Sushi Den and Izakaya Den, Ototo is a great addition to three family of restaurants on South Pearl Street. This cozy addition to the den family is a great option to eat at on South Pearl. We were so excited to see that Ototo has great delicious offerings from their drink choices, appetizers, sushi and other plates. This is a different experience than Izakaya or Sushi Den. If you're looking for an omakase, go to sushi den. If you're looking for curated dishes and small plates, Ototo is the spot. Finally, just like the older sibling restaurants, the service is no different here, and just as great. read more

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Service was outstanding. The space is a bit packed but can be cozy from the right angles. Very much recommend the miso eggplant, black cod, robata pork belly, and the chicken karage. What a comforting and delicious dining atmosphere! Every plate we had was so fresh and executed really well. I loved the assortment they had available on the menu. Highly recommend! read more

Great food and great service. Had the Chicken Chashu Ramen, Shrimp Tempura, and Gyoza. read more

Ototo - Chicken Chashu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

amazing food, service, and atmosphere!! our server was very attentive and knowledgeable, the manager was very sweet and accommodating. Ototo is our new fave date night spot! must try the pork fried rice and crispy rice read more

Fantastic food, ambiance, and service! Chicken karaage, garlic fried rice, and sushi rolls were fantastic. Recently went to their sister restaurant Sushi Den and enjoyed the food/experience much better at Ototo. Would recommend going with a few people in order to try multiple dishes! 10/10. read more

We were devastated when Ototo looked like it wasn't going to reopen after Covid. Our fear escalated when they started using the restaurant to sell pottery. But then.... They reopened and it was just as amazing as it was before Covid. We really enjoy sitting with Ryan (I hope I have his name right) at the bar and chit chat while we eat the most amazing grilled squid, sushi, and scallop skewers. As an added bonus, Ototo is open on Mondays!! read more

O my o my o my (see what I did there). I was so jazzed that this place re-opened and that my friends wanted to come for dinner! It was super packed when I arrived. The place was bumpin'! The ambiance was upbeat and it smelled delightful. I tried the Crispy Spicy Tuna, Honey Miso Eggplant, Agedashi Tofu, Bacon Mochi, and ramen! Everything was so delicious. I would recommend all the things. The standout for me was the Agedashi Tofu and Honey Miso Eggplant. Uniquely flavorful and straight up superb! The server was really nice and accommodating. I will definitely be back! read more

Finally made it to Ototo after wanting to go forever, and it was well worth the wait! Absolutely loved the size and intimate setting of the restaurant. Felt so cozy! We had a lot of different dishes, and enjoyed every one of them! The bacon mochi was so much fun...great texture. I can't remember what the special sushi roll was, but it was amazing. The highlight, though, was the hama kama. We devoured that! Just writing this is making me want to go back stat! Really, really great evening! read more

Ototo - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This new restaurant has a upscale but welcoming ambience with very attentive and friendly servers. The entire menu looked so appetizing that my friend and I ordered a lot of dishes to share. Stand outs were the grilled whole squid, bacon mochi, and black miso cod. The only item we ordered that I would skip next time is the agadashi tofu - fried tofu in a broth made everything mushy. I wish it was served not in broth. The lychee margarita was perfect, not too sweet. Even though we thought we over-ordered, we ate it all because it was all so good. My only regret is that I didn't have room in my stomach to try the ramen. Will definitely be back! read more

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Very creative and interesting menu. We loved the garlic rice and chicken thigh dish. I look forward to going back and trying more.

Ototo was a lovely time. The food was very good and had some interesting takes on the traditional Japanese fare. The Crispy Spicy Tuna was the best item we had. It was not particularly busy on a Wednesday evening and the service was slow (it seemed like they were understaffed). The space is fun and would be very lively if it was fully booked. I would return, but may consider happy hour since it is fairly pricey. read more

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Not my favorite sushi den restaurant but still had a good meal. The toro nigiri was the highlight of the night and we ordered several more for the table. The actual sushi menu is pretty small and a lot of people were getting ramen. read more

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The service and atmosphere are great. The food is so so compared to Sushi Den even though they are owned by the same people... Get the exact same thing and sushi den is 5 star this place is 2 star.. O noticed this several times read more

A gem in Denver! Came here on a saturday with my family at 5 and it wasn't too crowded. Outdoor seating was cute. We got soo many dishes to share and definitely overate but no regrets Here's what's worth getting: -Nigiri (SOOO good esp the bluefin, scallop and the foie gras. it came with a yummy small green fruit that the manager explained was a baby peach fruit from Japan. We at first accidentally dropped it into soy sauce and she was gonna get us another one but never came back so we just ordered another dish because it was so good) -Hamachi jalapeno -Spicy crunchy Tuna -Spicy chicken ramen These other apps were not bad but not amazing: -nasumiso -ajifry -new style salmon I do wish they had a QR code menu because our menus kept blowing away in the wind and in general, it's probably more COVID safe. I would def say that getting items with raw fish are most worth it here! Probably one of the best sushi places in Colorado I've had. read more

Ototo - Nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado