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    Rougarou

    4.7 (38 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Sam Q.

    Service was excellent, and the space had good ambiance. The food was tasty as well, but portion sizes were a bit on the smaller end and the flavors were good but not standout. I would give a 4.5 if I could.

    Baby lettuce salad
    Ann K.

    I saw their catfish featured on Mile High and Hungry and planned this dinner as a Christmas gift for my brother and his new girlfriend. He loves southern catfish so I was really excited for him to try their entree. I made the reservation while they were in town but had a hard time trying to edit or call them to see if I could adjust the party from 4 to 5 people. There's no phone number anywhere to contact them. We took a chance and showed up with 5 anyway and they were happy to squeeze us into a booth so all good. Once seated at 6pm, our server told us we had a brunch menu. Hmm. Once we looked at the different menu, we still were happy to see the catfish listed but didn't see the martini options we had seen on their website. Our server said they could still serve me the muffuletta martini but they had not prepped the garnish. I still agreed but was secretly hoping they could still add it anyway. It didn't come with the garnish, so I'd give it a 3/5. Mai tai presentation was nice. Strong drink. Red wine was a little light pour for $15 so I'd probably stick to mixed drinks. I think we must've been their last seated party and I'm guessing their staff was tired. We felt a little rushed. We sat at 6:05pm and were served our check at 7pm. We were warned that our sweet dessert would come first which was a little odd. The rest of the food came out quickly. Everything was made fresh and tasted delicious. The catfish had more breading than my brother liked but still flavorful. We noticed other tables had asked for a bottle of hot sauce. Greens and black eyed peas were very good. I'd probably skip the country fried steak. My daughter loved the sweet potato biscuit. We had healthy portions and enjoyed the baby lettuce salads. Very fresh and light to balance the fried foods. We parked right in front and it was easy street parking but be careful crossing the light rail tracks as that train is hauling by. Music was fun, funky and upbeat. I'd like to give them another try. I think we had a unique experience given NYD. I appreciate they were open!

    Aimee C.

    Reading all the great teviews about the restaurant, I was so excited to visit Rougarou! That must have inadvertently gotten my expectations higher, as my experience at Rougarou was quite lackluster. Firstly, the store front is quite hidden and not obvious, as going there at night, most of the neighborhood is underdeveloped with empty and overgrown lots, that we werent sure if Rougarous was one of the empty/closed stores. Upon further investigation and seeing a patron leave, the front door was open, but the choice of curved wall entrance combined with a grey wall paint choice looked like a closed door from afar. Upon going in, we stood around for a bit as they must have less staff on a weeknight, but were seated early since we arrived 30 minutes early to the reservation. The feeling from the staff most of the night was as if we were the side characters in their story; they were loud, boisterous, and friendly amongst each other and friends who had come visit, but would put on a coolf acade when talking to us. I can not deem if this was a "professionalism" switch, as as soon as they were done talking "directly" to us, they are well within view/earshot and had a switch of a personality instantly, which seemed quite weird for any waitstaff anywhere. Other than that, the food came out quickly and was great tasting; like others have said, this catfish is a 10/10, a sweet chili glaze with crunchy catfish that just flaked apart, and paired so well with my side of maque choux (a spiced corn dish). My dinner companion has grandpa's chicken, which whiled cooked a tad dry, had plenty of sauce to make up for it, and went so well with the green missmanti rice for our imprompty chicken and rice dish. The non-alc spritz was quite a sugary mocktail, so would not recommend for our non-alcohol drinking friends. Additionally, the restaurant is dim lit, most likely for a romantic atmosphere, but we were served and drank out of cracked glassware and didnt realize until halfway through our meal since we couldn't quite see. May be a few more months before the staff really settle into a rhythm here.

    Brena E.

    I'm past due on this review as I went to a Tasting Collective dinner in the fall which is not a traditional dining experience. I did come later than my table mates (although not late) and it took me awhile to get a drink. I found out later there was a wine pairing option which wasn't on the menu and I wish I would've known that before I ordered as I would've done that. It's a nice atmosphere, but was pretty loud and hard to hear. I ate things on the prix fixe menu that I probably wouldn't have ordered on my own (pickled shrimp and collard green salad), but they were delish. Great experience.

    Drink menu
    Matt C.

    I don't mean to be dramatic, but Rougarou is home to the best catfish I've ever had. This is a dish you bite into, pause, and say, "WOAH." Rougarou is one of the more highly anticipated restaurant openings in all of Denver this year. From the team behind the ever-charming Yacht Club, who have garnered national recognition as one of the top cocktail bars in America, this is their love letter to the South. Swamp lore lives at Rougarou. The menu is meant for sharing. There are mains, appetizers, sides, and desserts. It'll add up, especially with every cocktail or glass of wine priced at $15, but your tastebuds will go on a unique adventure of the American South. Stating the obvious, you won't find too much authentic Southern food in Denver. Insert Rougarou, changing the game when it comes to honoring culinary Southern tradition, yet at the same time flipping it completely on its side. I tried many different items, i.e. collard greens, pickled shrimp, grandad's chicken, maque choux, etc. But good golly miss molly, this Hot & Sour Catfish, y'all...In all my years being surrounded by Southern food, I've never seen catfish prepared like this. This was one of the best things I've eaten in Denver this year. Hot, crispy, yet flaky and tender, the sauce was to die for. Service was friendly and the restaurant is beautiful with exposed bricks and hanging plants. They have a gigantic patio that I'm sure they'll activate soon once they get through the first few months of opening. If you're looking for a delicious foodie roadtrip to the American South, consider spending some time at Rougarou and diving into their menu of devilishly delicious cuisine.

    Cesar H.

    From the geniuses behind my favorite bar, Yacht Club, comes Rougarou, a new addition to Denver's Five Points neighborhood that's already making waves. Rougarou is a wine and cocktail-focused restaurant highlighting the culinary traditions of the American South. While Yacht Club will always hold a special place in my heart, Rougarou brings an entirely different concept to the area -- one that's soulful, creative, and well executed. We tried the blue cheese tart, Granddad's chicken, pork shoulder, hot and sour catfish, benne seed rolls, pimento cheese, and chicken on a stick. The cocktails were, of course, exceptional (no surprise there, given the team's Yacht Club pedigree). It's cozy, elevated, and effortlessly cool and a perfect spot for dinner and drinks with friends or a date night out. Make a reservation, though, they're already very popular!

    Soroosh P.

    Pretty interesting menu and ambiance. Loved the vibe - desserts and chicken! Loved the rice pudding and buttermilk cake. You can tell there was extensive thought put into the details of this restaurant from cutlery to the art hanging on the wall. Service was knowledgeable about the menu and friendly. The seating is weird. They have a line of seats by the kitchen where you can't face each other... wouldn't exactly be conducive for a first date. The sauce for the catfish tasted a little off. Hard to pinpoint what it was but there was a faint smell of trash. Overall will be back to try new things on their menu as the menu apparently changes seasonally. Having an elevated southern dining concept in the heart of Denver.

    Brandi H.

    Stop reading reviews and just go!!! This place was such a warm, inviting, and lively spot--it's truly a hidden gem. From the unassuming entrance to the bold flavors, this spot checked all the boxes. I walked in and luckily snagged a couple of bar seats, but I'd definitely make a reservation if I were you--this place was poppin'! Next time I go, I'm getting my own crab salad and not sharing! The citrus and lightness of the crab paired with those buttery crackers was exactly what you're looking for. I also loved mixing the black-eyed pea salad with the crab salad--so good. We also tried the Granddad's Chicken and the pork shoulder. The pork was sweet, tender, and the perfect portion. I was a little disappointed that the Granddad's Chicken wasn't fried--because that's what comes to mind when I think of "granddad's chicken." The flavor was still great, but I probably wouldn't have ordered it if I had known. Maybe the staff could mention that up front or note it on the menu. The cocktails were handcrafted, creative, and boozy--all good things at Rougarou! Can't wait to be back!

    Kitchen prep area
    Ian Denver A.

    Came here for a tasting and my, my, what an experience. We got to hear it from the chef, too! I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed their rendition of southern food, something that I've not always been keen on. Their collared green salad was out of this world. It was raw, thinly chopped, with the most wonderful accoutrements that made it the highlight of our experience. They have excellent wine pairing for food, too! With the excellent take on southern food paired with the most inviting atmosphere, it's definitely a place to check out.

    Menu 1/1/26
    Rick K.

    So I want to caveat this review w the fact that we went on New Years Day and it was pretty clear the staff wasn't that excited to be there. It was a strange brunch menu that they carried through dinner and they were running low on a few things. My wife ordered the muffuletta martini but was told they had run out of the prepped garnish (strange they couldn't make a garnish real quick like). The drink tasted good so we move on. We ordered fried catfish, sweet potato biscuit w ham gravy, braised beef, and country fried steak (w pork loin), a baby lettuce salad for a side, and Cara Cara tart for dessert (the server asked we order everything at once). We were told they were out of braised beef but lo and behold it showed up so some kind of miscommunication somewhere. A pleasant surprise cuz it was really good! Every dish had a side of some kind including the baby lettuce salad, black eye peas and coconut cream kale which wasn't spelled out on the menu so not sure if they threw it on there to be nice or what (I wouldn't have ordered the side if it was included w the dish). Now for the food. They served the Cara Cara tart as the first course - what? So weird. Then when the country fried steak that was supposed to be pork loin showed up the server said it was actually chicken. Wait - what? I will say that the country fried (chicken) was very tasty. I also really enjoyed the sweet potato biscuit w gravy. The fried catfish was good and had a very crispy batter but the batter did slightly overwhelm the fish. For the sides, the black eyed peas were a pleasant surprise - not something I get usually but enjoyed. The coconut cream kale was too salty for my taste. The tart was delicious but def would have been better at the end of the meal. So 3 stars for the strange experience and 5 stars for the food lands us squarely at 4 stars. I'll go back and see if things improve during a normal service.

    Inside vibe
    Melissa S.

    We came here just the second week of opening. The restaurant is lovely with exposed brick, playing folk/jam band music in the background. Very chill ambiance. The waitress we had was extremely friendly explaining the menu, their journey to opening and their future plans for the backyard. The food is unique and exquisite. I don't normally eat much fruit but the Stone fruit salad sounded intriguing and it was incredible.

    Pimento cheese and crab salad
    Christopher B.

    The most fun, interesting meal we've had in a while! Started off with some bubbles and a cocktail since it was our anniversary. I'm a sucker for pimento cheese, and it was fantastic. The crab salad was also super refreshing with the muffelatta martini. But then we got to the blue cheese tart and HOLY COW! What a nice surprise. We would have ordered 2! Eggplant salad with ancho peanut butter was a great intermission, then we moved to the Grandpa's chicken and hot and sour catfish. Side of the cream peas and maque choux. Finished it all off with a champagne killer cocktail And buttermilk pie. No notes. One of the best new restaurants in Denver. Vibes are super chill, and the service was fantastic! We will absolutely be coming back.

    Mississippi Mud Pie

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    4 months ago

    Food and ambience are top tier! Interesting menu, everything was delicious. Recommend ordering family style and sharing with your table

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

    A bit hard to find but a great new place to have in Denver. Love me some Cajun food and the fried chicken appetizer was amazing.

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    8 months ago

    This place is really good, the vibe is really cool too. I had the catfish and grits. I'd recommend checking this place out.

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    6 months ago

    Food was great and so was the service. Hip vibe with cool decor. If you get the chicken, ask for the sauce in the side.

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    Ask the Community - Rougarou

    Good place for a date night like Valentine?

    Depends. If you’re looking for really good southern cooking, this is a super restaurant choice. If you’re looking for romance and a quiet intimate place, you probably… Read more

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    Nola Voodoo Tavern - Voodoo NOLA Sampler Trio

    Nola Voodoo Tavern

    (326 reviews)

    $$

    Northeast

    Last night was a fantastic Phat Tuesday party. My second one at this establishment. Good times had…read moreby all. The staff literally worked their tails off and even the owner Henry wasn't too good to help them out. Serving food, making drinks etc.... Being that it was phat Tuesday you want to get your debauchery on so in turn it was very busy. Some customers got upset but the staff handled it well and did the best they could.

    This is a great spot to visit! Josh was the BEST server I…read morehave ever had in my experience in dining, He was a real OG. I would love to have him serve us again. Josh get 10 stars out of 5. I'll check this spot out again, whenever I'm in town and want a taste of home. I love that the owner is born and raised in new orleans, he brings NOLA to Colorado on a serious tip. The owner was so nice and down to earth. Mr. Henry was very welcoming; he felt like family. My friend and I started with the boudin balls, which tasted more like salmon croquettes, which would have been amazing as croquettes, but as boudin balls, we did not taste rice much at all, and no sauce was served with them. I was desiring some Crawfish ettouffe and they were completely out of that, so i settle for the pasta monica with shrimp, which looked nice, but was way too salty to enjoy. I tried to push through but if I had continue to, it would have burned my tongue. The po boys was great 10/10 the fried catfish was 10/10. fries was 20/10 perfect crisp and softness fillings. hurricane drink was a nice strong & sweetness, a ball was drop when salt was rim vs sugar, but nonetheless it was close to the best. I really want to try that sold out crawfish ettouffe next time i'm here. Thank you Josh for gifting me the blueberry cake that was very sweet!!! I love Mr Henry homemade signature dessert. (Not pictured) Rewards is offered here. military discount is honored here as well. I look forward to returning and exploring the menu; next Colorado visit.

    Bourbon Grill - Bourbon chicken entree

    Bourbon Grill

    (544 reviews)

    $

    Uptown, Northwest

    Finally tried Bourbon Grill and it is delicious…read more My main issue is that I forgot to take a picture of the food as it was so good and ate it ravenously. I got it to go (UberEats if being honest) and the to go container was packed to the brim with bourbon chicken over rice with two sides. I chose the spicy noodles which are spaghetti with a spicy sauce (maybe ketchup based) and cabbage. They were both very tasty and the cabbage gave the plate a semblance of health (does have Vitamin C). The chicken is ridiculously good cooked grilled and charred. The sauce from the chicken gets onto the king sized bed of rice and is just divine. One portion will last for two meals in most cases. Can't wait to go back.

    Quick service and delicious food. I got the bourbon chicken combo plate with Mac and potatoes, with…read more4 eggrolls and a large drink. The bourbon chicken was crispy and juicy, the rice was soft and perfectly cooked, the Mac and cheese was cheesy but a bit bland, and the potatoes were oiled and seasoned really well (but there was a lot of oil). I mixed the Mac with the potatoes to give the Mac more flavor. The eggrolls were really good too; I wish they had duck sauce instead of only sweet and sour sauce. It is A LOT of food. I'm going to have leftovers at least for the next few meals. My total came out to around $28. My boyfriend got the same thing as me except he got the cabbage as a side. He said it was the best cabbage and bourbon chicken he's ever had. 10/10 spot.

    Pier 8 Cajun Seafood

    Pier 8 Cajun Seafood

    (174 reviews)

    We were passing through from out of town and Pier 8 was just what the doctor ordered! We sat at the…read morebar and had an awesome waitress - then ordered a crab leg, shrimp, and crawfish boil. It came with about six potatoes and three years of corn, and plenty of food for just $67. It was perfectly cooked, tasted delicious and I would definitely return! We then ordered the beignets for dessert which were not traditional, but tasted amazing as well. If you are in town or live near Pier 8, I would highly recommend going in. Great food and service!

    Our terrible servers name was Ash. I highly recommend you do not keep her On board because if you…read moredo, you will probably lose more customers. We just left and are heading to Hook and real. We Have eaten at this is establishment many times. My husband doesn't always order the all you can eat. I don't eat the all you can eat, my husband does. I order a full meal of my own and had ordered a full meal on my own and when my husband went to order his all you can eat our terrible server Ash, said both of us had to get the all you can eat in order for him to have it. We've never had that happen and I asked her about it and she said it was at the discretion of the server. I'm not quite sure how this server can have discretion on what somebody can and can't have. What should I expect? Completely unacceptable when brought up to the manager, she did apologize, but Ash was still very rude and saying I decided I was gonna leave and there was no more conversation and to go ahead and leave ans also encourage me to leave a bad review, completely unacceptable and rude.

    Bayou Boys Cajun Cooking

    Bayou Boys Cajun Cooking

    (14 reviews)

    Lodo, Northwest

    It's crawfish season, y'all! And if you haven't had any yet, this is your sign. The Bayou Boys are…read morepopping up at Skyline Pub this Saturday (5/10) from 1-5 PM, and trust me...you don't want to miss it. I tried them last month and everything we had was straight-up outstanding. Heads up: they do sell out, so make sure to pre-order at bayouboys.com! What we tried: Hot Boiled Louisiana Crawfish - Spicy, flavorful, and seasoned until the spirits say, "dats enuff." Served with corn, potatoes, and sausage. Hot Louisiana Boudin - If you know, you know. If you don't... Google it. You won't regret it. Jambalaya - Just like their mama made it, in a pot their grandpa used while helping build the Causeway across Lake Pontchartrain. It's giving flavor and history. Best bite: Crawfish has never been my go-to, but if all crawfish tasted like this, it might be. Spicy, full of flavor, and perfectly seasoned. And don't get me started on the corn because I'd take a whole plate of just that. The jambalaya also hit the spot (it's my NoLa fave), and for the record... I had my first and last pickle shot. Never again. So here's your weekend plan: treat your mom to a few pounds of crawfish and thank me later.

    A good spot for crawfish in a land locked state. This food truck posts up in different areas on…read moredifferent days. They have a helpful schedule on their website. A couple friends and I ordered a 3 lb orders each and that was perfect. I was pleasantly surprised with the size of the crawfish. The flavor was nice, but on the saltier side. Not too bad, but as someone who grew up in south Louisiana with family owned seafood businesses, I thought it could have a bit more cajun flavor and seasoning. Crawfish was juicy though and not too tough to peel. I ordered some boudin and the links were a little pricey at $7 for about a 6"-8" link. I believe it was smoked as it was on the drier side. The flavor was there, but could use some more jalapeño and parsley in the filling. All in all, a decent place for cajun seafood in an area that lacks accessibility for it.

    Rougarou - southern - Updated May 2026

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