Velvet Cellar is one of those spots that feels like a hidden gem right by Union Station. The atmosphere is dim, intimate, and perfect for a date night or a laid-back night with friends. It strikes that rare balance of feeling upscale without being pretentious. The wine list is thoughtfully curated, and the staff does a great job guiding you to something you'll actually enjoy. I ordered the steak frites and it was amazing--perfectly cooked and super flavorful. Service was attentive without being overbearing, and the whole experience felt relaxed and unhurried. Definitely a spot I'd come back to if I want a cozy, elevated night out in Denver. read more

A fantastic Italian restaurant in downtown Denver. Stopped by with my office colleagues and we were seated promptly even though we were a large group (it was a weekday though). They have a great selection of wine and the steak and also the salmon was to die for. Love the ambience and staff was very friendly and food was out quick. All in all a fantastic place in downtown Denver and I look forward to visiting them again. read more

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Velvet Cellar was our fancy dinner while in Denver. Marcos our server was very patient as it was a travel day getting in and we enjoyed a happy hour just prior so we wanted to chill for a bit before food. The drinks were spectacular! Interesting and nuanced with unfamiliar ingredients that begged to be tried! Being from New Orleans we of course noticed the Hotel Monteleone cocktail and mentioned it. "Our bar director is from Louisiana." Send her over! We met Deanna Morgan from Ponchatoula and offered up a couple other places to try for craft cocktails. For dinner, we ate pretty light but tried the arugula salad, crab cream cheese stuffed squash blossoms, scallop ceviche and the happy hour smash burger. For dessert an Ube Crème brûlée that knocked our socks off. My friend had never tried ube before, the Chinese purple sweet potato that tastes like marshmallow. She's hooked now! Great experience! read more

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Birthdays are wonderful, especially the one I just or perhaps am still celebrating. Came here to discover a new spot before the rest of the celebration continued. I suggest reservations since it's popular being so central to Ball Arena (Tate McRae concert that night), ball games and just typical downtown events and busyness. Parking is street but we snagged a spot close by. While we read it is a great date spot, I disagree for first dates. Quite loud, not an intimate setting and would make for awkwardness. The place is nicely decorated with purple lit wine racks and green velvet benches. But it's lacking a certain sexy vibe to showcase the creativity of the chef and excellent staff. Thoughtful in having a birthday note at our table to greet us, staff is quick and friendly always ready to make sure your needs are attended to immediately. Reanna was sweet, attentive and knowledgeable. Her suggestions were on point since it suited our taste style. Cocktails are wonderful with the Death by Daiquiri being a favorite. It's light and refreshing contrasted against its sister the Jungle Bird, a warmer sexy cocktail. The wine selection is a great variety to choose from and couldn't resist the French rose and Spanish cava. One of the most gluten free option menus for downtown and a welcome surprise. We decided against the shareable entrees but highly suggest the rack of lamb. That looks so scrumptious. We opted for several plates to share like the salmon crudo. Ooeemmggee what a creative and yummy dish. It was a gorgeous presentation. The cold blueberry granita looked like caviar but marrying it with the creme fraiche and jalapeño was perfection. Light refreshing and incredibly chef genius. The meatballs, gluten free surprisingly, was great with the sourdough focaccia. The marrow butter is THE most mouth watering oozy goodness you could devour. Personally I am a big fan of birthday candles and birthday sparkles on my birthday dessert. But sadly my ube brulee came out naked with only pistachio crumbs to meet me. It's such a unique taste and quite rich without being overfilling. The pistachios add that extra for the dish. Overall I think you should stop in and have the items and graze a bit. I think when you love yourself a little extra, it's about to get magical. Thank you for spending the evening feeding me Velvet Cellar. read more

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We decided to try this spot for our anniversary. We had a great table and the server made sure to make our anniversary special. We had several plates and they were all winners except for the "deconstructed gumbo." When we ordered it the server made sure to warn us that it was deconstructed and not typical gumbo. We're always up for an adventure, but as South Louisianians this dish just... wasn't anything like gumbo. Why would you even do this to such a dish? If you want gumbo on your menu... have it be gumbo. We'll definitely be back, just not for the gumbo. read more

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Had a reservation for 8 here on thanksgiving-eve and had a great experience. I ordered the Sweater Weather cocktail to start and wish I could have bottled it up and taken it home. Delicious! We started with the sourdough focaccia and charred onion marrow butter... heavenly. I ordered the steak frites, and we ordered the truffle mash potatoes, collard greens, and Mac n cheese to share. All great. The steak frites were cooked perfectly. I think the Mac n cheese was my fave though. We ended the evening splitting a couple desserts - one being the crème brûlée special which was so good! Very upscale vibes, great for a date night! read more

One of the best meals we've ever had. At twice the price we still would have thought it was worth every penny. We ordered 2 alcoholic drinks, 4 appetizers and an entree. Total bill was $120. Every item was outstanding, but the flavors of the mole chicken breast was spectacular. All items perfectly cooked. Two of the best mixed drinks we have had with a bartender who clearly knows and cares about what he is doing. Lastly, the staff were exceptional. Friendly, insightful and humorous. Would not be surprised if we are back here with friends tomorrow. read more

Don't waste you time or money here Supposedly this is supposed to be "fine dinning." First of all you got the waiters/host spending the majority of their time messing with silverware, wine glasses, and the positioning of plates, but mostly a lot of dwindling of thumbs. We waited 20mins to get water. Also who doesn't know how to make a moscal mule with a full bar is crazy work? The real crime was this $45 New York stripsteak that I asked for medium rare, that came out blue, was seared on one side and literally looked boiled on the other. Also trim the excess fat off your steaks? They offered to throw it back on the grill which I had already taken a bite out of, which seemed like a health code violation, at this point I had already lost my appetite. They "compt" the steak but then up charged a the second steak we got that was the same, on some bs excuse of it being a "bigger size". TEXAS ROAD HOUSE WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE ME LIKE THIS! Also the yaked out waiter and host continues to make all these excuses and apologies on how the service and food are never like this. Bro it wasn't even busy, also it's not my problem. Inexcusable for the price, yall look whack as fvck, straight to jail. read more

The Velvet Cellar - Steak - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Been walking past this place for two years and finally made it in last night. It far exceeded expectations. I loved the classy vibe and the professional service. You're likely in a Boujee mood if you walking into VC and the menus deliver. The cocktail list is deep and everything we ordered was a hit. Tip toe through the tulips was our #1 pick. The steak and truffle mash were fantastic. Well cooked and packed with flavor. Reasonable for a 10 oz flank ($40 including the chimmichurri). Certainly adding this to the pool of date night spots when the mood calls. read more

The Velvet Cellar - Oaxacan - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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The velvet cellar was delicious. The burrata was great and the bread toasted well. The star of the show was the lamb by far. Honestly some of the best lamb we have ever had. If you have had lamb before and liked it, make sure to try lamb here. The service was good and the waitress was attentive. read more

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The experience at Velvet Cellar was out of this world!! A big thanks to the friendly and attentive staff who patiently guided us through the menu and answered all our questions. The quality of both the food and drinks exceeded our expectations; the cocktails were flavorful, and the generous portions left us with plenty of leftovers. The meatball appetizer was a standout, surprisingly delicious and possibly the highlight of the meal. Overall I'm definitely look ling forward to returning to explore more of the menu. read more

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I recently went to The Velvet Cellar for a company get together and it was overall a great experience. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable, and her and other servers came by regularly to check on us. From getting drink orders, to folding napkins and grabbing dirty plates when people were up mingling or going to the restroom, the staff were very attentive. Appetizers for the table were green chili arancini and bruschetta, I enjoyed them and would definitely order the arancini again. I ordered the caesar salad- anchovy was very overpowering in it, and it was the item I disliked the most of everything else I ate. Chicken Marsala was absolutely phenomenal, and I'd order it again in a heartbeat if I went back. Also tried the brussels & bacon (not pictured) which were pretty good. Our server told us the dessert options were sorbet, cheesecake, or crème brûlée- so I sent it on the later option. When it came to the table I was surprised to see that it was not traditional- in fact it was with ube! It was so delicious. The cheesecake was also a banger of a dessert. I also got the cocktail "Whiskey Whisper" and throughly enjoyed it so much I got it twice. It had Four Roses whiskey, luxardo amaretto, dom benedictine, luxardo cherries and vanilla. The biggest con of the night was their choice to have the heat cranked up in there and everyone at our table was sweating, some even had to keep taking breaks outside where it felt much better. It wasn't that cold outside either so I'm not sure why they had the heat on full blast like that, but it did kinda kill the vibes some. Hopefully they fix that issue for others who'd like to dine in there. All in all a good experience and I'd go back to The Velvet Cellar to try some other food and drinks. read more

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Biggest shame how fast this place went down. New ownership kept the name but the staff, food and drinks are horrible. Went in regularly for 2 years and will never return. They jacked up the prices but deliver a really poor experience. So sad. read more

The food and the service were amazing! We were well taken care of and they accommodated my dietary restrictions so well! (I'm gluten free). The meatballs were fantastic but I think my favorite part of the night was the drink I got "Golden Flame". Best cocktail ever! The vibes in the restaurant were amazing too. Such a great place for date night. read more

The Velvet Cellar - An Old Fashioned and the Golden Flame - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

My wife and I were in on Tuesday. It was our anniversary. Our server Brittany was an absolute delight. She made the whole evening special. Very knowledgeable and attentive. She had the sommelier come help us select a bottle of wine, a lovely Bordeaux. Dinner was excellent, she had great recommendations and made sure we didn't over order. She made sure to get us dessert, Ube Brulé, so amazing. We definitely will be returning and asking for her. read more

Came here early on a Friday night with a few girlfriends. We made a reservation online and had high expectations from the postings we saw about it. Did not disappoint! This is a location where you can go to meet up with coworkers or a fun beginning to a night out. Business casual or casual cute is the vibe. It does get a little loud with the open style but not too loud to the point you can't hear your table. Only strange thing was walking to the restroom. We started off with a few drinks, they came out rather quickly, but the highlight of the night was the food. Starting with the lobster creste di gallo, my friend said it was one of the best she has had amazing flavor. The Risotto and Scotch Olives were also devoured. The funniest past was my meal, The Crispy Lions main. I thought it was fish until the Owner/Manager Chris came by and told me it was actually a mushroom. By that point I have finished it all and raved about the taste not being too fishy. Well in fact it wasn't a fish at all, but I loved it. Great experience, and I look forward to coming back! Overall 4.5/5 stars. read more

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Very cute bar and restaurant. Everything is clean and neatly organized. Bartender Mario crafted some delicious drinks. The happy hour prices are terrific for such a classy establishment. read more

The Velvet Cellar - Dining Area - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Love this place. I always get the chicken marsala (to die for!) and my boyfriend always gets the salmon. They have incredible cocktails, appetizers and desserts! We initially came here for his work holiday party, and come back all the time. Really kind staff and not a far walk from Union Station. read more

The Velvet Cellar - Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Excellent experience at Velvet Cellar for a Saturday brunch celebrating Mother's Day! Love that they seat large parties ~ it was easy to get a reservation for 12 people, which is how we found Velvet Cellar via OpenTable! The breakfast sandwich was really good, potatoes cooked to the perfect crisp, good deal on the mimosa flight -- 1 bottle, 4 glasses & a variety of juices! Our server was super nice & so was the owner! Everything about the experience was stellar. I'd recommend coming here & trying them out! Definitely on my list to come back & try out the dinner menu. read more

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Came in again tonight for dinner, drinks and dessert! It does not disappoint. So many wonderful options for food, wine, and drinks. The ambiance is comfortable, low key, not fussy. It's just GOOD. Queen of Hearts cocktail to start. It was incredibly light and refreshing for a cocktail. The souvenir of TVC queen of hearts playing card is a nice touch! Enjoyed the Korean lollipops for an appetizer again. That sauce and slaw served with the drums just blows my mind. You must try them! For my entrée tonight I tried the Shrimp & Grits. I was between the Lobster Creste di Gallo and the Shrimp & Grits, but I had to judge for myself the flavor packed into this dish so many have raved about. Boy did they not lead me astray! And anyone that knows anything about good grits done well knows they should be creamy and smooth, which is exactly what you get here. He got the NY Strip entrée with the garlic rosemary mash, broccolini, and a black garlic cherry demi-glace. (He let me sample a bite, and I'd recommend that to anyone too!) Finally, I made it a point to finish off the night with the Ube Brûlée dessert. Holy moly... I am not kidding you when I say this dessert made me stop and contemplate ordering a second one. The flavor reminds me of a perfectly roasted marshmallow with nutty undertones and a subtle sweetness. It's light and the perfect epilogue to complement a meal. I'm already thinking about my next experience here... read more

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Fortunate to have celebrated the GO with these kind folks. Our bartender (I didn't get his name), Joe the GM, and last but not least Reilly, the owner made opening night so great for us. We were walk ins and patiently waited for coveted bar seats. There was a hockey game contributing to the crowds. We sat at the bar and watched the bartenders work their magic. We were presented with complementary welcome cocktails which were a vodka, grapefruit, and I think Campari mix. Delish! Ordered several other drinks and they were thoughtful, unique and well crafted. The vibe is friendly and comfortable yet elevated. We sat by both the owners brother and the general managers girlfriend. It was nice chatting with them both. Very clear this restaurant/bar is a labor of love. Can't wait to come back! read more

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First of all, $15 bottomless mimosas are amazing! I had the biscuits and gravy and while good, not enough gravy for the size of the biscuit. Our service was also a little slow and they weren't very busy. They did separate checks for us which I appreciated. read more

The Velvet Cellar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This was an absolutely fantastic dining experience! My boyfriend and I dined here last night for our 1 year anniversary and it was such a treat. I put notes in our reservation that it was our anniversary and they served us a complimentary glass of champagne each, such a nice touch! The restaurant had such a cool ambiance that felt modern but also classy. Our waiter was so professional, friendly and accommodating. He made great food recommendations and we also ordered a bottle of wine, which they corked for us and put in a bag since we underestimated how much we could drink in one sitting. The food was absolutely divine and flavorful. I highly recommend this establishment for special occasions or if you're in the mood for great and fancy dining. read more

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We had a fantastic overall experience here. We went here because of Restaurant Week and my wife's birthday, and we WILL be back. Great bar area. Spacious, cool vibe, and classy. I apologize for no pictures of that area. The bartenders were on point, without a doubt, and, more importantly, very cohesive and fluid in their chemistry. It was busy at the bar, and their efforts were effortless. Our primary bartender was Buckles, and his personality was clever and welcoming, and his efficiency was flawless. Simona (I think) popped in here and there, and she was great also. The food. Please understand my pics are of the Restaurant Week portions, so yours will have more. My wife's drink was tasty, and the presentation was elegant. Wife got the calamari, and I was jealous. It was served the way we prefer, and the sauce was magnificent. But, then I tasted my elote corn chowder, and my jealously dimmed, as mine was just as good. Wife got the steak for the second course. There was a little too much fat in it for her taste, but I tried it and the seasoning was fantastic, and I loved the taste. I got the chicken marsala, and I don't even like mushrooms very much. It was awesome. I made my mind forget that it had mushrooms in it, and enjoyed it immensely. For dessert, she got the brulee and I got the bread pudding. No complaints, and both were solid. My wife said these words "this is the best dessert I have had in...a long time." The manager even checked in with us as we were leaving (Scholl?), and he was extremely nice and you sensed his great personality and proficiency in his leadership in the thirty second conversation I had with him. Just a heads up, because I am a sports guy, that the place doesn't have TV's, So, separate your life from sports for an hour or two and go here for the experience. I would highly recommend Velvet Cellar, and we can't wait to come back to check out happy hour. read more

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Good vibes. Good food. Good Drinks. That's The Velvet Cellar in a nutshell. Came in for a date night and were blissfully treated. The La Piña Fuego is a satisfyingly Smokey and spicy sanctuary in a glass. We ordered the Elote Bruschetta. It was a refreshing,tasty, and different take on bruschetta. The Burrata and peach salad was yum! We added salmon which was cooked perfect. We also got the green beans which were slightly undercooked, but delicious. The ribeye was cooked yum and the chimichurri went together like PB&J. The lime forward chimichurri was yum. The finale was the ube brûlée. Hands down this was the star of the show. Overall a solid spot with good vibes! Won't be disappointed! read more

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We are from out of town and were guided here by the rave reviews on google. No lies. The food was so incredible - creative and so flavorful. Cocktails were unique and so tasty! We would come back to Denver just to eat here. The staff is amazing and so kind. The restaurant itself is beautiful but not stuffy where you feel uncomfortable. Don't walk, run to this restaurant and be prepared to have the best dinner and experience ever! read more

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Wonderful spot for our company Christmas party. We felt very taken care of my the staff and even though we have a small team and our holiday party was only about 20 people, we were able to get a nice table by the wine racks for a pretty affordable night for our team. We were very impressed with the menu and drinks and overall, loved the Velvet Cellar team. Highly recommended for your next company party. read more

The food was delicious, and the service was awesome! Thank you, Courtney . Had the white wine flight, and they were all delicious. Oh, we are going back soon. A must try!!! read more

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What a great experience! Service, food and atmosphere delivered a 5 Star event. We selected this restaurant to celebrate my wife's retirement and we had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend The Velvet Cellar as a destination in Denver. We'll be back read more

Came in the during the summer with 9 of my girlfriends to celebrate a birthday. There was a card on the table wishing her a Happy Birthday, which was really nice and thoughtful! The space itself is really inviting. Dim but not dark, lots of wood with dark contrasts, a wall lined with wine bottles. Our large table was separated from the main dining area so it didn't feel crowded or like we were disturbing other customers. We ordered half of the menu: the large charcuterie board, summer and esquites bruschetta, 2 orders of ceviche, 2 orders of meatballs, Korean bbq and Buffalo chicken lollipops, salad w/ strawberries balsamic salad, garden risotto, shrimp & grits, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, asparagus and 2 ribeye steaks - all shared by the table. We topped it off with 2 rounds of cocktails, 2 bottles of wine and 2 wine flights. We didn't like the first wine in the flight so our server brought out a different one, which was better. The food was good. We really enjoyed the charcuterie board, meatballs, chicken lollipops, ceviche and the steak. The only item we didn't care for were the Brussels. We prefer them crispy, these were soggy and the bacon didn't mix well. We had a couple of servers since we were a large group and each person was great. Our drinks were always full, they didn't mind us adding more items throughout dinner and they checked in on us often but not too much. It was a great place for our girls night out / birthday celebration. read more

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I called to make a reservation, and the manager and sommelier Brian, was so friendly in the phone. When my 2 girlfriends and I got there, the ambience was perfect: not too loud, cozy and just the right lighting. Our waitress (I cant remember her name, sorry) was also very friendly, funny, and served us well, she made us feel so welcomed! For the food: We had the Sesame Chicken Salad, and the greens was so fresh, the dressing just right, and very tasty. And the best part: the dessert! We each had their Ube Crème brûlée that was out of this world! Honestly best dessert ever! We are so glad we came to The Velvet Cellar! We were visiting from different states, and glad we found this gem!! read more

The Velvet Cellar - Ube Crème Brûlée - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I gotta say, dining here was one of the best experiences I have had in a long time! The ambience and the vibe of the place is immaculate. Everyone is very nice and helpful. Each member of the team made sure that our party was having a great experience. Food & drinks were incredible as well. To drink, I had La Pina Fuego, which is a mezcal mixed drink. It was my favorite! It was just the perfect amount of sweet & smokiness. The table started off with the Ahi Aguachile. The tuna was delicious but the aguachile dressing was not my favorite. I'm used to a more citric lemony kind of taste, but that is my personal preference. For my entree I ordered the Steak Frites & it really stole the show for me. The Steak was a perfect juicy medium rare. Overall we had an incredible experience. I will be back to try more delicious options! read more

The Velvet Cellar - La Piña Fuego - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Came here for drinks and snacks and my companions swapped out and then we stayed for dinner. This is a rather small space, but in a more convenient area of downtown in that it's on the fringe. It was quite busy the night we were there, which is great. The wine list is great, of course as a somm is a co-owner. We shared the big charcuterie board, which was awesome and definitely lots of delicious items. My husband was the late joiner and he ordered the farmhouse chicken. Unfortunately, it was super salty, but otherwise good. I still need to try the scotch olives! I'll definitely be back. read more

We came here for a special celebration. The server was nice and the manager was extremely professional. We came here because we saw the reviews for the food looked good--I'm disappointed to say that the steaks we ordered were extremely average. They were overcooked, full of fat, and flavorless. Two people in our party felt stomach aches afterwards I'm sorry to report. We had a nice time there overall and it wasn't too crowded or loud. By far the best thing was the crème brûlée. The reviews did not lie when they said it was the best thing on the menu. In summary, I'd recommend eating dinner elsewhere and stopping there for drinks and dessert. read more

The Velvet Cellar - crème brûlée - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The Velvet Cellar is LoDo's hottest new restaurant featuring American dishes, artisan cocktails, & sommelier-curated wine. It's centrally located and just a short walk to both Ball Arena, Union Station, and Coors Field. We arrived at The Velvet Cellar and were seated in the main dining room. Velvet Cellar offered an ambiance that made us want to enjoy each other's company & imbibe - the open concept, exposed brick, u-shaped bar, and cozy banquettes were styled & inviting. The staff was exceptional. The Owner Reilly Chunn was a star; he made us feel right at home (as he did with every table) and he gave us great info on the restaurant & menu. Our server Keanna was so sweet - she was attentive & quick with service. We started off with Signature Cocktails. The Best Kept Secret was made with...well, it's a secret! If you're an espresso fan, trust you will LOVE this cocktail. A must order! The La Piña Fuego was made with Convite Mezcal Joven Esencial, Ancho Reyes, pineapple, more pineapple, and jalapeño. I loved this cocktail - it rushed onto the palate with a taste of golden pineapple and a savory acidity that finished off with the subtle heat of mezcal & jalapeño. The Aspen Winter Sky was made with Aspen Vodka, violet, elderflower, lemon, and bubbles. The Wild Magic Greyhound was made with Ford's Gin, vanilla, and blood orange. The Korean Lollipops were made with hickory smoked chicken drums, gochujang barbeque sauce, and kimchi slaw. Mouthwatering - these lollipops were our favorite starter. The outside of the chicken drums were golden, crisp, and doused in the sweet and spicy gochujang glaze. The inside of the chicken drums were so juicy & tender. The Ahi Aguachile was made with Ahi tuna, aguachile, pickled fresnos, cucumber, and red onion. We couldn't go to The Velvet Cellar and not enjoy some wine! We had the pleasure of chatting with Sommelier Chris Dominey who leads the wine program and has carefully curated a selection of wines that is approachable (and would satisfy any connoisseur). We had a bottle of the Vincent Couche Eclipsia Rosé Champagne. This lovely blush sparkling wine had fresh aroma of apples and crisp fruit flavor that burst from the glass. The Vincent Couche Eclipsia Rosé Champagne was paired with the Charcuterie made with the Chef's selection of cheeses, locally sourced cured meats, grilled baguette, & seasonal accoutrements. This is the best charcuterie I've had in Denver - the hard gouda, classic brie, & lavender cheese were so good. The Steak Frites were made with Centennial cuts beef coulotte, whiskey barrel shoyu glaze, peking duck frites, duck cracklings, & sweet mirin aioli. Freakin' delicious and pan seared to perfection, the coulotte steak had a rich beefy taste. The peking duck frites had an extra crisp crunch. The sweet mirin aioli leveled up the steak and fries even more. This was our favorite main. The Crispy Lion's Mane Ragu was made with breaded lion's mane, bucatini, blue oyster mushroom ragu, crispy polenta cake, parmesan tuille, & basil olive oil. The breaded lion's mane pieces were huge and had a dense, clean flavor that faintly resembled crab. For dessert we had the Sorbetto - so refreshing and the perfect ending to a fabulous meal. read more

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The service here is fabulous. Very attentive. The quality of the ingredients is fresh. There is absolutely lots of potential. Maybe let them work the kinks out. Unfortunately the chef is trying to be almost too creative. There was literally something off in every dish we ordered: - scotch olives were ok - burrata had great texture but was under seasoned - the beet salad had hardly any beets (5 small pieces) - salmon couscous was actually pretty good if you didn't partake in the herbed butter drops - lobster creste di gallo sounded amazing, but in reality had a very strange bitterness from their attempt to use a citrus of some sort while being under seasoned (staff did take it back and brought the farmhouse chicken instead and were very nice about that) - garden risotto had wonderful texture but once again under seasoned and a little too mushy without any touch of crunch or other texture - farm house chicken was good, the mashed potatoes too salty and the carrots almost raw that came with it - New York strip was a good piece of meat but the glaze over it was meh. It was recommended that we get it with fries instead of the wedges, but even though the flavor was good they were very greasy. And lastly, we couldn't hear each other at all because of the acoustics. read more

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My husband and I came for dinner tonight after reading some recent reviews-- we had a great experience. The service was amazing, our waitress Keanna was very attentive and helpful. We ordered the Steak Frites and the Lions Mane Ragu, at the suggestion of Chris (one of the owners)--both were perfectly cooked and seasoned. We will definitely be back and highly recommend to anyone looking for a new restaurant in Denver. read more

The Velvet Cellar - steak frites and lions mane ragu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The Velvet Cellar is officially opening its doors this week in the historic Saddlery building at 1500 Wynkoop in downtown Denver! Owners Reilly Chunn and Chris Dominey have spent over five years bringing their shared vision to life, creating a wine bar concept that aims to breathe fresh life into the downtown dining scene. Located in one of the last grand old warehouse buildings in LoDo, the newly redesigned space is sophisticated yet approachable, providing a relaxed yet elevated atmosphere for wine and culinary enthusiasts alike. With a menu featuring seasonal and scratch-made dishes, a wine-forward beverage program, and a selection of 300-400 different labels, The Velvet Cellar is sure to become a go-to spot for post-work happy hours, pre-Ball Arena cocktails, and delicious meals downtown. Join us in experiencing a unique and unforgettable dining experience at The Velvet Cellar! See photos for featured dishes n drinks! read more

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I see that this restaurant has a lot of good reviews and given that it was the soft open, I'm not sure how much I trust that they aren't from friends and family, especially after visiting. I will point out to everyone that three stars on Yelp is "OK" - and it was. It was just OK. It wasn't a bad experience - but it certainly wasn't memorable or exceptional in any way. Let's start with the decor/ambiance. We walked in and were immediately thinking "eh." I'm not sure if they rushed to open but they just stuck a bunch of tables and high tops in a giant open space. Nothing was anchored, and it felt cold and uninviting. Whatever, I can get over that but for the prices and location, they should call an interior decorator. Our server was very sweet and friendly but it was evident that they forgot to put in drinks at least twice. My friend ordered a second drink before his entree came and got the drink after he was done eating. He actually said "oh yeah, I forgot I asked for that." The drinks were pretty tasty, particularly the 'The Real Shenanigans' - this was a good one for any gin lover. On to the food - we took the server's recs for the starters - bruschetta and Korean lollipops. I'd recommend the bruschetta - it was a unique, warm/fall take and the bread was pretty good. The lollipops were fine? $22 for 4 wings (essentially) in a sticky sweet sauce that isn't terribly inspiring was not worth it. The starters menu is kind of weird and frankly, the $90 charcuterie option was laughable - for $90, that still doesn't get you burrata, which apparently costs an additional $16. Not to mention - the menu doesn't even say what you get for $90! Who even orders this and why? If you're going to bother with charcuterie, please offer an a la carte option. Between us, we ordered the steak frites, lobster pasta, lion's mane ragu, and farmhouse chicken. Of them, the consensus was that the chicken was probably the best but honestly, it was nothing special and for $38, I think it's fair to expect a unique take, special cooking method, or something. Not to mention - it was kind of a small portion. The small portion thing is generally across the board. Lobster pasta - $40 - small portion, basic cream sauce, skimpy on the lobster. Again, it was fine, but if you're going to be a trendy downtown restaurant, at least put a little effort into plating or presentation - a small bowl of pasta with tiny bits of lobster is insufficient. Steak frites - fine, slightly more cooked than it probably should have been but not a fatal flaw. Came with some kind of citrus aoili (yuzu?) that didn't make sense with the steak or the fries. The menu says 'sweet mirin' but that seems inaccurate. They also sliced the meat SUPER thin - why? As to the lion's mane ragu ... ugh. I made the mistake of not looking at the menu online, which has curated photos of the food. When I saw the plate, I almost sent it back and sitting here today, I kind of wish I had. Lion's mane is a beautiful, expensive mushroom and they took it ... and battered and deep fried it (menu says it's 'breaded' but it definitely isn't - that was a fish fry batter). It basically could have been ANYTHING and was unrecognizable. This should immediately be removed from the menu because it is a crime against that poor mushroom. The dish was two slices of a gorgeous mushroom that was bastardized over a small portion of spaghetti/bucatini and sauce and an inexplicable chunk of crispy polenta that did not make sense with the dish (other than polenta generally pairs well with tomato sauce). Lastly - ube brulee - good, not too sweet, nice texture, pretty ube flavor/color. Not really shareable as it's a small portion but fine for 1 person. Overall - 2 starters, 4 plates, 8 drinks, 1 dessert - $360 plus tip. At least they don't add a service charge on top of everything - glad they didn't fall into that trend. read more

The Velvet Cellar - Unrecognizable lions mane mushroom. Sad face. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Came here for a birthday dinner and it did not disappoint! The lamb chops were perfection as well as the Pear Pressure drink. The service was great, we loved Dan! read more