I'll be damned. I eat as many meals at airports as I do at home some weeks and 95% of them suck. This food is solid. Like better than most restaurants outside of the airport solid. The drinks are good - bloody mary is legit. Prices are decent...maybe a tad high - but not when you consider it's in an airport. Their breakfast is hands down the best at DIA - of any terminal. I almost want to fly Southwest just so I can eat here. read more

Please alert me if there is a better place in an airport to get a bite to eat and wait for a flight. Coming from NYC, where are our airport food selections are pretty lousy (LGA), this was a welcomed sight! There is a bar in the back and traditional American food is being served in the front. While there were many options to choose from, I obviously chose the burger. The meat was so tender and moist. There was definitely a seasoning on the meat itself, but I couldn't identify what it was. The pork belly bacon on the burger was delicious. The bun was very soft and played very well with the burger. The burger also came with perfectly fried sweet potato waffle fries. The only thing i wasn't crazy about was the mustard dipping sauce the fries came with. My friend enjoyed it, so it could've just been me. Really though, next time you have a flight at Denver International, get there early so you can stop in for a bite! read more

Super glad a friend recommended Root Down to me when dropping me off at the airport! With mostly local ingredients and a menu of unique and out of the box options, I was instantly in love with this place! From the hanging globes to the wall decor of can lids, I felt like this was a beautiful space to watch planes leaving for takeoff and enjoy a delicious meal before departing myself. I opted for the Bahn Mi Turkey Burger and it was unlike any burger I've had before! The toppings were bursting with flavor and the sweet potato fries were the perfect side item. I went all the way to a different terminal just to give Root Down a go, and boy am I glad that I did! read more

Airport food is usually... okay. Root Down is exception food! I thoroughly enjoyed their ramen made vegan. The broth was lovely + a great variety of veggies in the ramen. While it was very busy, the service was good and attentive. If I ever need food at the Denver airport, this is where I will be eating. read more

I love root down for its flare, atmosphere, and delicious menu options. I tried Root Down DIA for the first time the other day. The things I really liked were the Jalapeno cocktail (yummy) and I tried the veggie burger with sweet potato fries. This restaurant really knows what it is doing with airport food. They ask you how long you have to dine before they hand you the menu. They have different menu options depending on cook time needed for each dish. The reason for my 4 star review is that the veggie burger, though very tasty with the avocado and jalapeno glaze was very crumbly and difficult to eat without a fork. This is the first stop on my Veggie-Curious list so I am looking forward to having more to compare it to. We also had the grilled cheese appetizer: another great vegetarian option. read more

When you're presented with a 2.5 hour flight delay once you're past security, the natural reaction is to get the panties in a bunch, get the brow to perma-furrow, and be a total dick to everyone else you encounter. I did that for about ten minutes until we were seated at Root Down. The space is set up so intelligently--there are comfortable seats for solo travelers, with a space for your luggage and tablet/phone. They've gotta be the least awkward solo dining seats ever created. If you're traveling in a group, the spaces underneath the bench seating goes way back--enough to store everyone's crap. Once that's out of the way and out of sight, you can relax and enjoy the cool decor and weird, classy, airporty ambiance. I wish I could remember the name of our server. He was amazing. His hospitality, calm-yet-efficient demeanor, and knowledge of both the food and beverage menu were spot on. Plus I think everyone at our table, all hetero, female and male alike, ended up with big, hairy crushes on him. He deserved the fat tip he got. The food was fantastic. No, I don't remember what I got. After my second bottle of Colorado Cider, all I knew is that I ordered right, and whatever I ordered was damn good. And yeah, we milked our time there. We had a loooong delay, and we spent the whole time there. It was packed, but we never felt rushed. It was almost a bummer to have to drink the last drop, unearth our bags, and board our flight. RDDIA, you make the airport okay. read more

Yikes. The only reason they have two stars instead of one is due to the manager being friendly and apologetic, and actually refunding my money. I do appreciate that, but the experience itself was a failure of great proportions. First of all, these folks really, really, *REALLY* need to work on their carryout operation's time estimates. I inquired at the hostess stand about getting a carryout and was told to order at their carryout stand adjacent to the restaurant. Fine, will do. I had plenty of time, or so I thought. Root Down was in the C concourse, and my flight gate was in the A concourse. No big deal: I'd already gotten through the hard part of the TSA security checkpoint, and I'd like to thank Rainsux from the Detroit board here for recommending to me to leave *plenty* of time at Denver's airport, as the TSA was terribly inefficient. He was right: they were. That being said, contrary to normal behavior, I accounted for this, and had gobs of time. Or so I thought. By the time I got to Root Down, it was 25 minutes before my plane started boarding, which is gobs of time once security is out of the way. Unless, that is, Root Down tells you that it'll be a 10-15 minute wait for your food. That was fine with me! Here's hoping it's closer to 10 minutes, but if it's 15, that's cool. @!*#$@$!!!!!! Why can't they just say, "It's going to be 25 minutes for your order!", in which case, I'd have left without a problem right then. Nope! So I ordered right then. Found Chinese Take-Out Ribs on the menu at $20.52 (!!!!), and waited. If you like waiting, dude: THIS IS YOUR KIND OF PLACE. At the 15 minutes point, I inquired. The guy checked: "They're just coming up." Okay, cool. Five minutes later, no food. Um, where are they? "I'll check." My cousin, who I'm traveling with, has given up and gone to the gate...and I understood where he was coming from. After 25 minutes, no food. I inform them: refund my money. Now. My plane is now *boarding*. I've gotta go. "They're just boxing it up now!" I DON'T FREAKING CARE. Money now. They do refund my money...and they basically give me the ribs because now, after half an hour, here they are. The manager was apologetic and nice, but this is *not* how to do things anywhere, much less an airport, where time is of greater importance. I ended up making my plane with about 2 minutes to spare. The food, eaten on the plane, was functional, even decent, but hardly remarkable, and quite small, considering the price. I certainly wouldn't do it again. The time stress *alone* wouldn't be worth it, much less the (what I would consider to be) overrated food. Then again: I did eat it quite a bit after it was "fresh". Look, folks, in this particular setting, you need to be a lot (and I mean *a lot*) more time-sensitive. When you give an estimate in an airport, it needs to be relatively close. Double the estimate, and you need to take a good look in the mirror about how you're estimating carryout time. Half an hour when I'm told fifteen minutes is not acceptable. Needs improvement. read more

Great service, awesome food and reasonable price for an airport resto. Lots to choose from, salad, sandwiches, burgers and so on. Love their breakfast selections as well! Try the gluten free pancakes and smoked turkey club, it's amazing! read more

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Definitely 5 stars for an airport food establishment! Their "buffalo" wings which are actually duck wings are off the chain. Their seating system is based on flight time. They serve those that have flights leaving the soonest first! Amazing system! Their food is wonderful and much better than general airport crap. I had their bento box too and it was quite tasty. The service is great. I definitely recommend stopping here for food if you're ever hungry at Denver's Airport. read more

Having missed my connecting flight with much time to kill I decided to check Yelp for a better restaurant. Airport restaurants tend to be horrible and over priced. I found this highly rated place and went to much trouble and walking to get there. It was more than worth it. The food was beyond great. Everything had very unique and wonderful flavor. It appeared to be made of high quality ingredients. Their service was fine and the prices were more than fair. If this place was in my town I would eat there frequently. read more

It's not a very big airport, and it gets pretty busy at times but overall it was alright. Plenty of places to shop and eat. I stopped to get a quick bite to eat and was pleased with the quality of food I got during my wait. I'm normally not too impressed with airport food but this was great. Now I have a place to grub while I"m waiting for a flight here. Recommended. read more

Old school mixed with modern day healthy living. Old school stiff drinks that are long poured over a hockey puck piece of ice. Along with their vintage decor that is flooded throughout the restaurant, such as old luggage bags on the wall and built into the bar... This place will make you feel like you are a kid again at grandma and grandpa's about to get a great meal, and that is exactly what happened. Everything from the organic ketchup that is locally bottled literally down the road, to the mason jars of cold water you are served as soon as you sit down is unique about this place. They really focus on small details on presentation and taste! I got their veggie burger and side of duck wings. Yes duck wings! I am not a vegetarian by any means but this food literally left me feeling good, with energy left over after the meal and not bloated and greasy like the average restaurant chain leaves you feeling. Price wasn't an issue at all. Trust me, go here, you will feel good after I promise and the experience alone is worth the wait if you have the time. Nick read more

This is the best airport restaurant I've ever visited. The atmosphere was updated. The bench seating was remarkably comfortable. The service was prompt and friendly. My Caesar salad was absolutely amazing when combined with the smoked salmon. I don't even like sweet potatoes (in general) but couldn't get enough of the fries. I can guarantee that I'll be eating there next time I fly through Denver. read more

I love Root Down! This is definitely a highlight when I go to the airport - along with Dunkin' Donuts, so perhaps I'm too easy to please :) But I have never had anything off their menu here at DIA or their other location that I was unhappy with. Keep up the solid menu and good wine selection! read more

I love everything at this restaurant. They have a great layout to provide everyone with enough room and privacy, which is pretty tough at a busy airport. The food is delicious, making me forget I am at an airport! Service might get a little slow every now and then but you will not see this place empty so it is understandable. They also have a to-go section in the front which is perfect if you're in a hurry. The staff is friendly! read more

Pop in to this C gates restaurant and expect an average experience. First, They sit me next to the window overseeing the tarmac. Second they serve me arguably the best burger I've had. Perfectly juicy 'medium' burger with avocados, pretzel bun, pork belly bacon, and spicy mayo. Coming from Texas it isn't easy for me to find better burgers. Totally unexpected! Atta girl Denver airport!! read more

Pros: aviation/ travel themed decoration Hipster Crafty food Prompt and attentive service Cons: Tiny portions Pricey wine (can't blame it's in the airport and it's hipster) Not bad for an airport restaurant but I wouldn't go if it is in the city read more

Hmmm...interesting plates but not so much for execution. Wings were oily and salty. Interesting take on KFC. Lamb sliders small but relatively big on flavor. Fries....were fries. Overall not sure if it was worth the nearly $70 with tip. Nice decor and decent service. If you're in concourse c...its not bad. If you have to come over from another concourse not sure it's worth the trip. read more

Had the cheese steak sandwich. Disgusting. Beef dry, over cooked. Shoe leather would have been better. After two bites reached for Prevacid. Were out of ice tea and lemonade. The freaken sweet potato fries were limp and dripping in grease. Hoping to not spend the rest of evening vomiting. The plate you see is what I left behind of this disgusting meal. read more

Root Down DIA - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

So good! I was super excited when they decided to put good restaurants at the airport and Root Down does not disappoint! The burger and kids grilled cheese were both amazing and we were able to get quick service and food. Highly recommended. As good as the original. read more

Food might be good but the service is terrible. If you have a flight which I think everyone at the airport does, you need someone to show up to your table sooner than 15 minutes after being seated! read more

For real?! I walked up so excited, asked to read a menu and the people behind the register looked like i just insulted their mothers. I understand you've got some pretty upscale food for an airport, but get over yourselves Root Down DIA staff. Instead of spending way too much money here, I left the airport. I preferred to wait for my cab to take me all the way into Denver than give them my time and money. The food may be great but the service made it so I will never know. Sorry all you 4 and 5 star people, you must have got people at the beginning of their shifts! I don't know what was going on when I was there. read more

This is not an airport restaurant. It is IN the airport, yes, but it's not airport quality. Our Lyft driver recommended it to us as we left Denver and we're so glad we listened to her. The restaurant itself was adorable and the staff was so friendly. They were packed, but the hostess made a point to thank us for waiting and as we left, and our server was super cheerful. The problem was choosing what to order because everything sounded too good. I ended up with the veggie burger, because the server informed me that it was unlike any other veggie burger. I thought it was mostly black beans, but was also told that it was mostly carrots and broccoli. SO GOOD. The jalapeno jam added spice plus sweetness, the avocado was a welcome cool element. I traded regular fries for the sweet potato waffle fries, which were delicious with the curry lime dipping sauce. Seriously, I wanted a jug of that sauce to bring home with me. Boyfriend liked his burger quite a bit; it looked good to me but I didn't try it. If it wasn't packed, we would have happily camped out here to eat more slowly and use the wifi, but we rushed so that others could enjoy the happiness we had found. When I'm back in Denver, I'm definitely eating at the Root Down in town. read more

I echo what others have said: this is a fantastic restaurant! I felt as if I was out on the town instead of in the airport. The service was unparalleled and the food delicious. The best dining experience I have ever had at an airport. Will be back every time I fly into Denver. read more

Airport food is definitely evolving and the travelers are benefiting. Root Down offers an outstanding vegan burrito with mole, and a generous side of arugula and breakfast potatoes. The tricolored "home fries" are memorable - and very crisp. Coffee also excellent. My constructive comments are that they could use a drop ceiling to finish the "organic" look and there are a lot of surfaces that require a lot of dusting. I had to be assertive to get to one of the four window tables and the single seating options appear downright lonely. Window view worth the persistence but the lower sill, floor and window needed cleaning. Lastly, the plating of the burrito on the generous mole makes an AZ hand grab a bit messy. I will take the mess as the burrito was a refreshing change up to the standard breakfast burrito. read more

Denver.. How do you do it? Even your airport dining is awesome. Root Down is at the "Center Core" in C gates. Lucky you Southwest and Delta passengers. If you're departing from DIA, I suggest leaving a little extra time to enjoy a meal here. Or, if you're delayed, consider yourself lucky to be stuck at DIA. Huge beer list, great ambiance, excellent no-rush chill service and really tasty food. Seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, a generally healthy menu (+ bacon), vegan and gluten-free dishes as well. They also manage to pack in some really interesting visual interests too. A living wall, old Chevy Bel Air hood ornaments that look like little silver planes, tin-can lids.. I really like this place. read more

I wanted to wait until I visited Root Down several times before I wrote a review. The best thing about Root Down is their fresh ingredients. They have a line every morning before they open at 7am and there's a reason for this. The food is wonderful. Today I had the breakfast tacos and they were awesome. You get 3 of them and it comes with an arugula salad and crispy hot breakfast potatoes. This is a new item and ask for cholula hot sauce on the side. Another favorite is the cheeseburger. It comes with sweet potato fries, but guess what, they have regular fries all you have to do is ask for them. All the salads are great too. Super fresh. I get a turkey club often and it's like no other club you've had before. I think it's the siracha mayo that makes it so good. They have a lot of Colorado beers to choose from as well. Get to the airport early and enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner here. Don't rush it here. The bar is super cool with suitcases embedded into the bar. The staff is friendly and if they have a window seat it's a bonus. read more

Best airport restaurant in the country. The booths have power outlets, they color code your seating assignment by time you have until your flight, they support local farmers etc... hence the name roots. Love to support local. Great food. Great service and phenomenal overall concept for travelers. read more

Root Down DIA - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The waiter asked me if I like beets. I told him I hate beets. I ordered a salad and he brought me a salad with beets and begged me to try them (they must be on commission or a beet sales contest). I did and I still hate beets. Get these damn beets off my table, please. I'm trying to be nice because you know what a pissed waiter can do to your food! He proceeded to have a waitress (because he failed) bring me the salad I originally ordered. She brought the correct salad...with freakin BEETS! Lots of em! WTF? At this point, I'm looking around for hidden cameras because I assume I'm being punked. No cameras...no punk, no Allen Funt. Now I'm annoyed. I eat my 20 dollar salad, chucking those beets across the table, and I'm still hungry. So I get the hell out and stop at the food court and get something to eat before I board my flight. read more

PRAISE YOU! i had a long flight delay and I was staving! I glanced around and saw nothing worthwhile, but then this gem appeared out of what might have been heaven. Thank freakin goodness! Everything on the menu sounds amazing! I ended up going with the Bahn Mi and sweet potato fries - and i was NOT disappointed. Such a delicious meal - AT THE AIRPORT! The service was also very nice and my food was out quickly. Wonderful experience! read more

Missed out on Root Down our one night in Denver because they were completely booked so was happy to see they had one in the airport as we were heading home. We got the blackberry duck wings, a salad and pork osso bucco. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend the duck wings. They were spicy with just a touch of sweetness from the blackberries. The pork was slow cooked and fell right off the bone. Great place to stop for a nice meal if you have time before your flight. read more

I stop here before every flight of of Denver, even if I'm not flying out of terminal C. Great veggie burger. read more

Root Down DIA - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Unreal goodness! Last time I was in Denver I wanted to visit their flagship location, but was unable to. However, upon arrival to the Denver airport for a layover, a friend text me and informed me of their new location on-site. Oh how thankful I was. I went on a mission to another terminal in search of amazing food, and I was not disappointed. Actually, "not disappointed" isn't close to accurate - I was thoroughly impressed. My server was awesome, (encouraged me to get a head start on boozing for the family reunion I was heading to) and she offered me a few of the local beer samples which was great. While I opted to skip the brew, I did go with their amazing Mediterranean omelet with roasted veggies and quinoa. Simply stated, if you go there, you get this. Sure, you may get something else too, but be sure you get this and then come back to this review and thank me. Unreal goodness... unreal goodness! read more

Everyone enjoyed their food, but the service left a lot to be desired. It was quite obvious the server would rather have been anywhere but there. read more

As far as airport food goes, Root Down was awesome. First off, the service was amazing. I sat at the bar and she kept my drinks coming and my water full, and let me linger as I had a long layover. They had a great beer and even wine selection. The restaurant and bar have a great vibe and it doesn't feel like you are in the airport. I finally ordered the turkey burger, as it was recommended to me by the bartender. It was fantastic and I ate all of it. The sweet potato waffle fries were great, but next time I'd like to get the beet salad as a side. I love the food options in the Denver airport but now that I've discovered this I love them even more! What a great spot. Definitely worth taking the train to the C terminal if you have time and your gate is elsewhere. read more

Be it in the airport or in the city, Root Down consistently serves tasty, fresh, and palate-provoking dishes. Like many, I love the turkey banh mi burger--so much so that I haven't ordered anything else yet in a half dozen visits, though I forage freely off of fellow diners' plates (my boyfriend's, mind you, not strangers'). Yes, it can be slow when they're busy, so order from the take away register if you're tight on time. This is *not* a place to go if you only have 30 minutes before boarding. read more

For my return meal at DEN (my first one at 7:00 AM did not go well) I was completely satisfied. It was worth the wait , glad I had time to do so. Now I know why there was no seating available, the food was actually food and quality. I orderd mine to go, as aforementioned they were packed. I went for the veggie burger but opted for the combo of Pizolle (kinda like a vegetarian chili) and the farm salad with tofu. The soup was hot, spicy, well seasoned and hearty. I about got full off it , leaving little room for salad. When I got to it though I was impressed with the freshness of the greens and tomatoes. The dressing was a dull creamy base and it was also good. The tofu ...meh, I had to add salt (which I don't usually like to do). I wish I'd tried the veggie burger. Perhaps next time. Staff were friendly and service efficient. Love how they had water fountains, recycle containers and everything seemed green friendly. read more

Root Down DIA - Pizzole - New American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I give this place 4 stars because who expects a good meal in an airport...in Denver? If you have the time, like at least 45:00, then eat here. In a hurry, move along. read more

Maybe it was because I got eggs benedict 7 minutes before brunch ended, but I was not impressed. The turkey seemed like a processed loaf-slice and had an almost purple hue to it. The pastry-thing it all came on was unflavorful and too squishy to stand up against poached eggs and hollandaise. Should have stuck with an English muffin in my opinion. The home fries were certainly colorful, but nothing much beyond potatoes and salt. I'm gonna assume I got the wrong thing at the wrong time, because I'm looking at a bunch of other pretty decent reviews. Props for the draft beer selection though, and the service was nothing to complain about. read more

Big shoes to fill with being a Root Down restaurant in the airport....and they nailed it! The experience was just like what you get from Root Down in the highlands with great quality food, unique fare unlike the other standard stuff you get every where else in the airport, and great service. AND they are great with time too with people in a hurry for flights. AAAANNNDDD this place is typically packed so clearly others are in on how great this place is. If you can get a seat, DO IT. read more