10/10 would absolutely recommend. Joe we love you thank you for amazing service! We had it all, the lamb burger, the donuts, the tortellini, the chicken salad sandwich, Benedict's and the best margaritas in Denver. The food, the service - I couldn't have asked for a better experience after a prior evening letdown. I'm not a chicken lover but the chicken salad sandwich was phenomenal. It was well balanced and the focaccia delic. My absolute favorite were the donuts, I could swim in that compote. Every dish was spot on and I'd absolutely return. Thanks for the Texas inspired margaritas Joe read more

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Met an old friend (from kindergarten!) and her son for a pre-theater dinner, with my daughter. We sat outside, but did see the interior, which was lovely. There's a small, limited menu, which I always like because they're focused on doing a few items very well, as opposed to many items less well. They do not have gluten-free pasta items. All their pasta is made in-house, and the server told me that so far, efforts with 1:1 flour have not achieved the texture that they want. But they do have risotto, so I ordered that, and the tuna tartare. The tuna was wonderful!! Really delicious. Our server brought me some papadum, because the olive crackers have wheat. The flavors were perfect. The half-order of risotto was quite small, and the piece of smoked trout was small as well, but combined with the tuna, was a perfect meal. The sauce was silky. My daughter and my friend's son both had the steak, and she said it was great. It was a nice size, and perfectly cooked. My friend had the pork. She's a trained chef and a serious foodie, and mostly enjoyed her entree. The "What's up Doc" cocktail with mezcal was very, very good. My daughter had one too. A lovely dining experience! I would return, just for the tuna tartare. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and I really appreciated the papadum. read more

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Rojas was wonderful, the stand out dish was the artichoke tortellini-so good we ordered another. One negative thing. Roija as expensive as the menu is charges 5% for there employees and a 1% Larimar "fee". With a 20% tip and 8.5% sales tax= 35%. Restaurants financial structure shouldn't be built that way. Wrong trend. read more

Walked in on Sunday afternoon hat in hand and they seated us almost immediately. Great drinks (the beet goes on was peppery and refreshing, the lion's tale was everything herby and delicious). Excellent bread and even better butter. Artichoke tortelloni was a complete experience with artichoke heart potato like chips and the goat cheese gnudi was savory and rich. The fig beignets were flavorful but I might go with the peanut butter chocolate tart next time. The table and chairs were cute comfortable and the wait staff cleaned the crumbs off the table with a plate and metal scrape. read more

Rioja - Artichoke tortelloni with a lion's tale drink peeking in the corner. - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Had a really nice dinner at Rioja in Denver. The atmosphere felt warm and romantic without being stuffy, and the service was friendly and very attentive the whole night. We started with a couple of great cocktails, then shared the Fresh Bacon (which totally lived up to the hype), butternut squash ravioli and artichoke tortelloni, a soup pasta, all were flavorful and well prepared without feeling overly heavy. The steak was cooked perfectly and flavorful, accompanied by a complex green sauce. Dessert was a highlight. The cheesecake was excellent, and the fig beignets were warm, light, and a fun way to end the meal. It's not a cheap night out, (we paid $188 with tip and shared everything) but everything felt thoughtfully done and worth it for a special dinner. Would definitely go back. read more

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Beautiful restaurant. Love the decor and lighting. Food was amazing. Had the spring risotto with trout. Half-size was plenty enough for me. All of our other dishes were great as well. Would love to come back to try more. read more

Rioja - Spring risotto with smoked trout - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This was my first time at Rioja and what an outstanding experience! I'm a Chicagoan so my standards are high...Rioja was such an invigorating Valentines weekend dinner! This spot is dripping in atmosphere and is so cozy. Their complimentary lavender sourdough and goat cheese biscuits were so tangy, buttery, and a great start. We went with the prickly pear barramundi agua chile and a half order of goat cheese gnudi as appetizers. The gnudi was heavenly and I could easily have eaten an entree size - so pillowy, and smothered in perfectly seasoned lamb ragù. The barramundi was refreshing and as a prickly pear lover the flavor was on point. For our mains we went with the pistachio crusted duck and Thai chili pork. My duck was impeccably cooked and melt-in-your-mouth. We loved the copacetic flavors of the dates and sauces on the dish! The purple veg was maybe a bit too bitter for me, but I can see how it would fit with the duck. The pork was also so juicy and the Thai inspired sauce the veggies are cooked in was excellent. For dessert we chose a valentines special- flourless fudge torte, rose scented whipped mascarpone, strawberry cava consommé. This was one of the best desserts I've ever had - every bite of the rich fudgey torte was imbued with a citrus flavor, and the carbonated cava was such a fun pairing! Every bite was like a perfect chocolate covered strawberry with a sip of sparkling wine. We truly loved this meal - the servers were all so kind and attentive too - and I'll be back soon to try out their lunch! read more

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We tried the mushroom pappardelle, artichoke tortelloni, Thai chili pork, the prickly pear agua chile and robiola cheesecake. Standouts for us were definitely the artichoke tortelloni and mushroom pappardelle, both were incredible and I'd absolutely recommend ordering them!!! The prickly pear agua chile was refreshing and it was my first time trying barramundi belly so that was a fun and delicious surprise. For dessert, we ordered the robiola cheesecake. It was okay very tart and the cheese flavor was a bit too strong for my personal taste. Our server did warn us how weird it may taste. Service was great. Everyone was friendly and gave solid recommendations. The overall vibe is perfect for a date night or a special celebration. I'd definitely come back! read more

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We stopped in for Sunday brunch and had an amazing experience. I ordered the Colorado lamb burger, which was outstanding--perfectly seasoned with house-made mozzarella, spicy aioli, oven-roasted tomatoes, a fried egg, chronic bacon, avocado, and a fresh arugula salad. Absolutely delicious. My wife had Gabe's Chronic Chicken Salad Sandwich, and the portion was huge--easily enough for two people. The flavors were great with the chili-marinated grilled chicken, curry aioli, candied cashews, and fresh focaccia. We finished with beignets and dough holes for dessert, which were warm, fluffy, and the perfect sweet ending. Great service, great food, and a fantastic Sunday brunch overall. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Fantastic service and excellent experience. The drinks were well crafted and the happy hour specials were also a pleasant surprise. The level of care and detail the staff provided was impressive and the best part of the visit. The Tortelloni was the overall winner from our order. read more

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We had a really nice dinner here Thursday. It's an attractive space, and while it was busy, it wasn't overly loud, so you can have conversation easily. The service was attentive, and we were seated right away for our reservation. We started with the house salad, which they split for us. It was great and had delicious dates and strong gorgonzola. My BF had the steak, which he thought was really well-prepared. I had the much lauded artichoke tortellini, and they were good but didn't quite live up to the hype. Be sure to tell them if you are vegetarian, because there are some undisclosed meat products used in the food. The cauliflower bisque has lard or bacon (I forget) and the tortellini is usually prepared with chicken broth, though they can make it with veggie broth. We tried the special dessert they had for the lunar new year, a cloud cake with 5-spice ice cream, and it was great! I just wish it had more ice cream. It was a very small amount, maybe 2 tablespoons. They also offered a smaller portion of the beignets since we were interested in trying them. They were very good as well. read more

They had some amazing dishes and some slight misses, but overall good. I understand the James beard. They are famous for the artichoke tortellini, which is a must order (I think made famous from iron chef where she was a semi finalist). Also loved the chicken salad sandwich (just trust me) and the beignets. We didn't love the udon with pork belly (too sweet), the lamb burger, or the churritos (they had a weird mushy eggy texture inside, but the peppermint chocolate it came with was good). For cocktails, I loved the fire starter. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Over all, we had a great experience here! read more

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Rioja amazed us.. we came for a mother daughter dinner and Su, our sweet, kind, and amazing recommender server was the best. She made it more of an experience. We ordered the artichoke tortellini as an appetizer, and also had the smoked paprika fazzoletti. They both were of high quality and refined taste. I appreciated the flavor, thoughtfulness of the ingredients and the presentation of each dish. We also shared a house salad which was a great starter. My mom had the smoke and mirrors cocktail which was so well balanced! I'd definitely make a reservation because they often times have long wait times on weekends. They don't make you wait if you have a reservation, though. We were seated quickly. When they preset the dishes they explain the dish really well which adds to the experience. The ambiance is fine dining. The noise level isn't too loud so you can definitely have a conversation which I appreciated. We had a really cute dessert with two mini ice cream cones. I would absolutely come back again, and I'm glad it was a recommendation given to us by a local. It was a treat! Thank you, Su! read more

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A-freaking-mazing. What a meal... artful, thoughtful, complex. Beautiful dining room, attentive and educated service. Chefs kiss! Best restaurant in Denver. read more

Rioja - Spring risotto - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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WOW. Rioja, you have surprised me nicely! I had a reservation at a hotel nearby and the lady checking me in suggested this restaurant and I'm so glad she did! The pork belly appetizer looks simple, but tastes delicious!! The pork was so nice and tender. The meat to fat ratio was also real good. Well worth it to try once! The pasta with the crab meat, I forgot the name of.. it was so good! Love the use of real crab. The dish was tasty, but watch out for the portions. I thought the full portion was not actually that much, but could be that I just eat too much haha. The STAR of the night was definitely the Thai pork chop. OMG. I loved the flavor combination. I thought the meat was cooked to perfection. The sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts were so well seasoned I literally cleaned the plate fully. Not one veggie or bite left. This was a must order for me. For dessert, the strawberry tart with pistachio ice cream was pleasant. I loved the ice cream, huge fan! The tart was not extremely memorable to me, so I think I would pass on this in the future if I were to come back. It wasn't bad, just not memorable for me. Bonus points for them surprising me with complimentary birthday cake ice cream cones! I heard someone say Rioja has had its ups and downs with chefs changing and whatnot, but whoever the chef was on the day I was there, knocked it out of the park! Such a great meal!! read more

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If you're looking for a magical meal in Denver: I wish there were an option for more than 5 stars for those exceptional culinary experiences- the ones meant to be savored both on the palate and our memories. And that was Rioja. Scene: the ambience is upscale but still lively and exciting with a nearly full house on Sunday night. I'm sorry to see that chef's table seating is still grossly underutilized, as I had a lot of fun watching chef prepare some plates and listen to the busy kitchen working the line. Drinks: There's a very solid wine list. But I indulged in the cocktails, and had to stop myself from slurping down the very well mixed lion's tail. Food: The bread course was delightful, with a biscuit, and 2 flavored breads- black olive and rosemary. The rosemary was outstanding but I'd save it for the end as not to overpower the other breads. The house salad was lovely with fresh arugula, tangy Gorgonzola and date slices, which added a sweet balance. I ordered the veggie version of their James beard winning dish- the artichoke tortelloni. It's quite possible the non veggie version with chicken broth may be quite different. I loved the individual components, including the pillowy mousse filled pasta, but the truffle eventually made the artichoke lose some of its power. Dessert: really interesting selection, but I succumbed to my constant chocolate craving. The peanut butter chocolate cheesecake did not disappoint, but I really appreciated the fun accompaniments of the excellent dark chocolate wafers and the candied peanuts. Service was fantastic and all my food arrived very quickly in spite of how busy they were. Maybe you can get equally good food somewhere else, but what made Rioja shine was the attention to detail in their presentations and the impeccable professionalism they clearly embody in their kitchen and service. This is a special place, and Denver is lucky to have Rioja! read more

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One of the best pasta experiences I've ever had. The Artichoke Tortelloni is a must. No wonder it won a James Beard Award. The staff at Rioja were so kind and helpful. It was such a cool area to dine as well. The serving size and price was the only complaint we really had. They didn't match and I've been to equivalent restaurants. Generally a $27 pasta dish has more. read more

Rioja - Artichoke Tortelloni - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I finally got to make it to Rioja! I booked a reservation at Rioja expecting a lunch rush with all the conventions going on. I followed the host and waitress' recommendation and got the tortolloni with a side of grilled shrimp. The tortolloni soup won Rioja their James Beard award. I got three different wines to pair with all the food. All three wines were confirmed as good pairings by the staff and they were right! We got the fig dessert. The waitress was very attentive to out table's needs and gave great recommendations off the menu. It was definitely very expensive, but I would try it again. read more

It's been over 2 years since I dined at Rioja. I have been on their mailing list for years. On New Years Day, I received an email about a January Happy Hour promotion called Sips & Snacks where 4 wines with paired snacks would be available at the bar for $28. I arrived at 4pm. This week they were offering 3 oz pours of 2 whites & 2 reds from Portugal and Spain. Very interesting wines. In fact, one of the reds Corriente Tempranillo was good enough to get a full glass. So I decided to have dinner. I got an arugula salad and Fideua, a paella type dish made with vermicelli noodles instead of rice with gigande beans, chicken, Chorizo, shrimp, clams, saffron and shishito peppers. I was served by John at the bar and assisted by John. They add a 5% fee for Denver minimum wage and a 1% Larimer Square fee. I plan to be back next week for another Sips & Snacks. read more

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We ordered the bacon, thai chili pork and octopus. The bacon was amazing and I would rate this restaurant 5 stars if all I ate was the bacon. However, we did get 2 other dishes. The pork chop was a bit over cooked and tough and same thing with the octopus. I've eaten a lot of octopus before and this one was tough and I had high hopes. All in all, if I don't plan to come back unless I plan on ordering 5 bacons as my main and only dish. read more

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A fantastic dining experience. Rioja is great. I had a reservation for 4 and then found out some other dear friends were in town and wanted to join so I called and they were able to accommodate my group of 7, no problem! They were so gracious! We were seated at a cozy large booth in an intimate corner of the restaurant. The decor is lovely, from the main dining room to even the bathroom! We ordered some rioja picnics for the table. These were some beautiful and delicious charcuterie boards!!! I did try the lavender haze cocktail and it was beautiful and refreshing. I really enjoyed it. For my meal, I had the steak. It was really good and had a little kick to it. My love had the duck and THAT was the top tier choice for me. It was so delicious. The portions are perfect and the prices are fair. The service is spectacular. We had a wonderful dining experience and are so grateful to the Rioja team for making us feel welcome. read more

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My friend and I are big fans of Jennifer Jasinski and Rioja is her flagship restaurant. Neither of us had visited for awhile, so we went last Saturday. The place was strangely empty for a prime dining hour, which seemed odd. Anyway, the service was absolutely impeccable. Our server seemed very young (anyone under 60 seems young to me), but was extremely enthusiastic and charming. She was also awesomely knowledgeable about both the menu and the wine list and had clearly sampled all of the dishes. She had meaningful suggestions. The other staff pitched in as needed and the meal ran smoothly and seamlessly. Unfortunately things went downhill from there. We started with a shared plate of the Goat Cheese Gnudi. The extremely tender dumplings went perfectly with the delicious goat cheese stuffing which substituted for the usual ricotta. The bed of lamb ragù did not hold up to the gnudi. It was dry, flavorless, and tough. My entrée was the Smoked Duck Breast. It came with a cherry jus and braised cabbage plus mushroom and parsnip purées. Both purées were delicious, but the servings were so infinitesimal that I could have eaten them each in one bite. I had to dole them out in microscopic quantities. The jus was intensely flavored and the braised cabbage was wonderful. The duck is the star, though, and I was not thrilled with this. I do like rare steak, but I usually order duck medium. The server said the chef preferred medium rare, so I went along with that. The dish came out closer to rare. It was very hard to cut, even with a fancy knife, and there were a number of strips of connective tissue that were not rendered. The duck itself was just OK even though the accompaniments were all good. Sous vide might have been a better approach. My friend had the Seared Halibut which came in a tomato herb broth with blistered gooseberry, black olive, green chickpea, and toasted coriander. The dish looked beautiful. My friend is not one to complain, but I finally pried out of him that the halibut was so badly overcooked that several chunks were inedible. Another disappointment. This restaurant is beautiful and has been one of the top fine dining spots in town for over 20 years. We each had one drink. Our bill, with tip, was $220, not to mention the $30 for parking in the Larimer Square garage. I expect near perfection for a $250 evening. This didn't come close, although it could have been amazing. Jennifer, Jennifer, please get your eye back on the ball. read more

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We did it... we finally went to the famous Denver dining gem and we get the hype. First of all, the service- most attentive, knowledgeable, and cohesive team I've ever experienced! Exceptional! The vibes are cozy, upscale, and perfect for date night! And then... the food! The pictures may look unassuming but the flavors are the work of an artist! The stars of the show were the fresh bacon (absolutely divine... totally get why it's award winning) and the goat cheese gnudi (hubby's fave was that amazing lamb ragu). We also enjoyed the house salad (perfectly dressed, loved the combo of the dates and Gorgonzola), the mushroom pappardelle (loved the sauce, pappardelle was a bit think for me), the artichoke tortellini, and hubby had the bavette steak. I enjoyed a glass of the Gundlach cab blend (paired exceptionally and a 5 oz pour was very generous) and my husband had their firestarter cocktail (like a margarita... phenomenal... delicious and refreshing). They also have a nice bread service with yummy sea salt butter. Wish we saved room for dessert. Next time! Thank you for a truly lovely meal and an even lovelier night, Rioja team! read more

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Beautiful James Beard winning restaurant on Larimar Square. We sat indoors facing the square. Joe was our waiter & today's specials had our mouths watering. The cozy restaurant with a big bar is trendy. I enjoyed watching the chefs making the bread & desserts from scratch. Trip Advisor rated Rioja as #12 out of 2,700 in Denver. We shared the pea, sunchoke salad with sugar snap peas, ahi tuna, pickled sunchokes, torn herbs, freekah, red onions, pistachios, and crème fraîche. It was fresh, crisp, divided into 2 bowls & perfect. We also shared Jay's chronic chicken salad sandwich with chili marinated, grilled chicken salad, bacon, curry, aioli, ratatouille, celery, candy, cashews, and mixed greens on focaccia. For dessert we shared the half order of House made donuts. Lunch was exceptional, 5 stars doesn't do Rioja justice! read more

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I came here for dinner with some coworkers as it was recommended by one of our other coworkers. It's in Larimer square and we were seated immediately. Our server was super nice! We started off with the bread. There were 3 choices: Olive bread, sourdough, & a rosemary biscuit hybrid. That Rosemary bread was a cross with the sourdough and a warm biscuit. It had the perfect amount of crunch and paired nicely with the butter, the sourdough was ok but lacked flavor in my opinion. We ordered a bottle of red and a half bottle of moscato d' asti to drink, and finished both bottles. Now onto the entrees. I started off with the brassica salad and honestly I wanted to love it but the flavor was off, it had a sour aftertaste which was not pleasant. I did enjoy the aguachile but didn't know what made it spicy, I would order it again, the fish was fresh and I enjoyed it. But the star for me was the goat cheese gnudi, it was served with a yummy ragu and the ghost cheese tortellini melted in my mouth. read more

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Interesting place that obviously tries hard - perhaps too hard. The Beet and Burrata was pretty good, but severely lacking in beets - however the purple paste ended up everywhere on their very small, narrow tables for two. The Prickly Pear Agua Chili just wasn't very good. The fish was chewy, what came with it was sour and offputting. So we were off to a very mediocre start. The Duck and Butternut Squash Mezzaluna almost made up for it. The Duck itself was spectacular and perfectly cooked - but what came with it, again, not so great, though it sure looked pretty. No complaints at all about the Mezzaluna - that was really great. The desserts here - again - very pretty but odd. The Churros and Chocolate was good - nothing out of the ordinary there. The other item we had..... cannot recall what they called it - was supposed to be some white chocolate concoction, but I never really cracked the code on what it was and it was quite mediocre. The service earned them the 3rd star. It was fantastic. As we walked over to the DCPA after dinner my wife and I came to the conclusion that they spend too much time making the dishes look pretty and not enough time on making sure the colors they put together taste well together. read more

What a great place to eat! My favorite dish was their James Beard dish,the tortellini. I didn't know I ordered their most popular dish until the server brought it out. Be sure to order a larger order of this because it can go fast. Overall we had a great experience. The food, service, and staff was excellent. Cheers!! read more

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Loved this place!! We wanted something small to share and drinks. We loved the vibe in this place! Fun decor. Our server, Vivienne, was so nice and helpful! We really appreciated the other staff too - bread guy, water guy, dish cleared - everyone chipped in to keep us happy! We had drinks, a salad, and the picnic with just cheese, no meat. So good!! read more

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Messaged the team ahead of time and they made the vegetable pot pie friendly to my diet (no alliums and no egg). They also made the Brussel sprouts for me which I really enjoyed. Great spot for a team dinner / group dinner. read more

Rioja - Vegetable pot pie - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I loved the house salad at this place so much that I returned again a few days later while still in town. With the 90 degree weather outside, I was looking for a light lunch that wouldn't require me to take a nap afterwards. Their house salad is made just perfectly. I like to substitute the gorgonzola with goat cheese, and it's just absolutely delicious! I also asked for some lemonade, and my server was kind enough to have the bartender shake it for me. I had never enjoyed lemonade that way, and I don't think I'm ever going back to drinking it regularly lol. So yummy, didn't even need ice, which I'm not a huge fan of in drinks anyway. read more

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An amazing dinner at Chef Jenn's restaurant, Rioja in Denver CO. We were fortunate to have her on a cruise from Venice to Athens. The bluefin tuna appetizer with the duck entree was superb! The staff and service was above reproach This dinner with Lisa and Tim (friends from Nocatee FL) will be so memorable. read more

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The restaurant is beautiful. A very romantic setting before a lovely hearth with the open kitchen. The service is not the best. They are slow to seat, slow to bring menus, slow to take the order, slow to even bring drinks out initially, and slow with the food and check in. With that in mind, know that if you are ordering the Amish Natural Chicken, you should reserve about an hour wait - from the time they take your order. They did not tell us this upon ordering, so we ended up waiting all that time thinking our order was forgotten. Every table around us was served and finished eating before we got our chicken. I will say the squash soup is very nice. Its lovely presentation and a balanced flavor profile is satisfying. The Amish chicken, once it does get to you, is also tasty, juicy, and satisfying. Worth the wait? Depends on your evening plans. The wine selection is good, though expensive. The top off to the extremely slow service is learning upon receiving the check that they not only charge a 5% fee to support their servers having a living wage, which of course I support, but on top still ask for the 20-30% gratuity. That part is too much, and certainly not an invitation back. read more

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Visited this restaurant while traveling to Denver. What caught my eye was that it won James Beard Foundation award so I made reservations. This place has a very classy ambiance and great for a celebration (e.g. birthday, anniversary, etc). It won the James Beard award for its fresh bacon start and artichoke tortelloni. I also got the smoked liberty duck breast since love duck. The portions sizes are appropriate and would definitely recommend two entrees and a starter in order to be full. My favorite was the the artichoke tortelloni. The duck was also decked but I wished that I came with some additional carbs to balance with the meat. They serve you some bread at the beginning but I wish that they came back again since I wish that I had additional bread with the duck. I also think potatoes would go nicely with the duck. Service was excellent and felt well attended to. Overall, great restaurant, slightly on the pricey side. read more

Rioja - artichoke tortellini - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This may be my new favorite restaurant on Larimer Square! We had the most wonderful time here. Our servers and the surrounding wait staff were so attentive, my water glass was never empty. Everyone here was so kind and consistently checked in on us. While the menu prices are high, the food here delivers. The snack picnic plate was beautifully arranged and had a lot of fun flavors and textures going on, this was great to share bewtween 4-5 people. We also shared the scallop crudo and this was overall just an okay dish. Appreciated the crunch of the hazelnut but would skip this dish next time. We ordered the chicken as an entree to share, and they elegantly plated our dishes separately, what you see in the pictures is only half of what our entire portion was. The chicken itself was juicy with some flavorful skin. The beans it was served on was delicious and made the dish even more hearty. This is a great spot to come with a bigger group or even just for a date night. Loved the darker ambiance and it was not too loud in here either. Would recommend! read more

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While touring the city for the first time, we stumbled upon this restaurant and decided to go in for happy hour drinks and appetizers. We chose wisely because what a beautiful restaurant. The waiter/bartender was the absolute best. He even let us try some really good tequila which I will have to buy. I will definitely come back and I recommend everyone else going to this beautiful restaurant. read more

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We finally made it to Rioja! For some reason, we thought it was high end Mexican restaurant. The staff was pleasant and the lavender sourdough bread paired really well with the artichoke tortellini. That dish won a James beard and it was to die for. The only reason for a 4 over a 5 star was because we weren't a fan of the cocktails. read more

We started with the picnic and the pork belly. The picnic was good, but I would've liked more cheeses and meats at that price point. The pork belly was crispy and flakey and the garbanzo purée was excellent. Ordered the pork chop, which was excellently seasoned and very well cooked. The sweet potatoes were a fantastic side; they were nice and crispy without being too burnt. The Brussels sprouts were good, but there weren't enough of them at all. Drinks were solid. Very accommodating for my gluten free friend. The service was very attentive. The ambiance was plain. I definitely would want to try more. Overall 4.4/5 read more

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Delicious scallops app and steak entree, I'd eat here again. Bar tenders were super even encouraged me to do half order of fig pastry's. read more

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Food was great, we got all the things the server recommended. Would give them a try especially if you have the chase reserve card read more

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We enjoyed 3 excellent dinners during along weekend in Denver. Both my wife and I agreed that Rio a was the best of them. The service in this restaurant is absolutely first rate. It's not easy for t staff for be extremely attentive to their diners while at the same time not smothering them. At Rioja they have found the goldilocks balance. We were really well cared for and yet felt left alone when we didn't need or order anything. We were seated inside at a table near the door. It was a very warm day in Denver and we needed a break from the sun. The restaurant is well appointed with nice tables, chairs and white tablecloths inside. Our meal was a bit small as it was just too hot to eat and too hot (for us) to drink alcohol. The chamomile Scallop Crudo was absolutely fantastic. The scallops were tender, sweet and beautifully presented. The house salad was a nice portion of very crisp and satisfying veges. The lettuce and other ingredients were very fresh. Our entrees included the Smoked Fazzoletti. This was such an interesting dish-both flavorful with great texture of the pasta. My wife enjoyed her Seared Halibut that was very fresh and well prepared with a wonderful sauce that did not smother the taste of the fish. We shared the Strawberry Sumac Tart. I really appreciated both the fruit flavor and that the dessert wasn't too sweet. A truly enjoyable meal. You should know that your check will include a 5% 'DMW' charge for the staff. This is before you choose to leave a tip. read more

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