Shane's Top Restaurant Picks

My friend Shane Clark liked to eat out more than anyone I know. Since I don't go out to eat as much, and I often have clients that ask me about restaurants, I asked Shane to put together a list of his favorite restaurants for me. The result of that request is below.

Shane is not with us anymore (He passed away after a courageous fight with brain cancer). However, Shane's list lives on!! I'd like to memorialize his list on this restaurant review blog. I'd like to add reviews of our own as Meg and I get out and experience a little bit more of Denver's cuisine scene. Rather than expect people to frequent this blog, it'll be more about helping me organize my thoughts on local restaurants and keeping track of where we've been, what we like, and hopefully, I'll be able to do a little bit better job at recommending restaurants to people as of result.

Shane’s Top 10 Restaurant’s List:

1. Carmine’s on Penn
2. Harry’s Chop House
3. Oblio’s Pizzeria
4. Romano’s Pizzeria (Littleton)
5. Maggiano’s
6. Abe’s
7. Pete’s Kitchen
8. Jabo’s Bar-B-Que
9. Lik’s
10. Santiago’s

More on the top 10.....

1. Carmine’s is the best family style Italian in Denver. Menu’s are on chalkboards around the restaurant, the place is always packed and loud. Plan ahead because even with reservations you will probably have to wait. The dress is casual but don’t be surprised to see people in Suits or better. Expect to pay $60 or more for two.
2. Harry’s Chop House is New to my list of places to eat. This is uptown dining at it’s best, a small restaurant with the opportunity for live music or a small theatre. Steak here is wonderful, the menu is short, but covers a good variety of food. Good date place, quiet small tables. $60 or more for two.
3. Oblio’s Pizzeria is the ultimate fun date stop. For one on one or group dating the pizza here has to be the best in Denver. The restaurant is east of the Denver Zoo and Colorado Blvd in a nice quiet neighborhood. Open from 5pm until they get tired, the menus are old record covers. Indoor and outdoor seating makes this a great place for a spring or summer evening. $20 or more for two.
4. Romano’s Pizzeria (Littleton). This is not Romano’s Macaroni Grill, it’s much better. Family owned and operated this is a fun and tasty place to eat in Littleton. Service is good and fast and it’s very casual. There is another location in Highlands Ranch but it’s not recommended. $25 to 40 for two
5. Maggiano’s is just good food. This is a great place to take a large group, especially if you’ve planned ahead. Similar to Carmine’s because you can order family style, but not nearly as fun or flavorful. Expect to spend $40 to $60 on dinner and dessert for two.
6. Abe’s is a great little Greek place in old town Littleton. Breakfast Gyro’s are great here lunch is good too. Indoor and outdoor seating as well. Try the desserts, ice cream and traditional Baklava. $10 or more for two.
7. Pete’s Kitchen, this is the ultimate trashy diner. Well, it’s not that trashy. Breakfast here is great, but fairly greasy spoon. It’s almost always busy and if you want to eat on a Saturday morning you’ll need to plan for a wait. There are two locations, one on Colfax and one on University (Pete’s University Café). $20 to 30 for two.
8. Jabo’s Bar-B-Que, I remember this place from when it was in a parking lot and you would wait for 20 minutes or more just to order your food. No other BBQ compares, many different Sauce flavors and heat ranges for EVERYone. If you like it HOT or mild, this is the place to go. $10 to 25 for two.
9. Lik’s Ice cream J This is one of two places that have GREAT ice cream in Denver. Until recently they only accepted cash, so don’t be surprised if that’s all they will accept when you go. All of their ice cream is made in house, so they have some interesting flavors. Personally I like the Guinness ice cream, but all of them are worth trying. Located on 13th west of Colorado. $10 to 15 for two.
10. Santiago’s is the best takeout Mexican you can find in and around Denver. There are locations all over the place. Breakfast burrito’s here are very good, and the green chili is HOT! So get medium or mild. Expect to spend $5 to 10 for breakfast burritos.

Shane’s Other Favorites:

1. Guadalajara’s
2. Wok Up Town
3. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
4. Las Delicias
5. Illegal Pete’s
6. P.F. Chang’s
7. Hoong’s Palace
8. Seven 30 South
9. Lime
10. Cheesy Jane’s
11. Appaloosa

More on Shane's other favorites......

1. Guadalajara’s has great Chips and Salsa. If you’d like to practice your Spanish, this is the place to go. The food is good, it’s usually quiet, and they serve Coke products which is always a plus. $15 to 30 for two.
2. Wok Up Town has very good Hot and Sour Soup. I used to work here, the food is good but the restaurant is very small. Great for lunch too, across the street from Children’s Hospital. $10 to 25 for two.
3. Pappadeaux is everywhere, the one here is good, but it’s a chain restaurant. It’s almost always busy and I don’t know what their reservation policy is. Expect to spend $25 to 40 for two.
4. Las Delicias is a great sit down Mexican breakfast place. There are 6 of these restaurants around Denver; the original is located on Pearl and 19th. The best is on Colorado Blvd next to Home Depot. $15 to 30 for two.
5. Illegal Pete’s. So you think you know big burritos, think again. Chipotle has nothing on this place, fresh meat and salsa like everyone else; the catch is that they mix the ingredients before wrapping. They also serve huge breakfast burritos. $5 to 10 each with a drink.
6. P.F. Chang’s is extremely Americanized Chinese food. This is a good date place, the lettuce wraps are famous here, the food is consistent, and they too serve Coke products. This is a busy restaurant, it’s loud there and expensive. Expect to pay $30 to 50 for two.
7. Hoong’s Palace as you can guess is Chinese as well, if you’re near Arapahoe and I25 this is a place worth trying. The food is consistent and the service is good as well. This place is always busy. Should expect to pay $30 or more for two.
8. Seven 30 South is a great brunch place; it’s in the Bonnie Bray district though so Parking is difficult. Location is good as well; Bonnie Brae ice cream ($1 to 10 for two) is across the street as well as The Saucy Noodle Pizzeria. Short trip to Cherry Creek Shopping Area as well as Down Town Denver. Expect to pay $15 to 30 for two.
9. Lime is another new addition to the list it’s semi upscale Mexican but fairly mild. This is a culturally diverse neighborhood but safe as far as I’m concerned. There are many places to eat and being on 6th avenue puts you close to Cherry Creek and Down Town. The tables are small and it’s a little cramped but this is definitely worth trying. $20 or more for two.
10. Cheesy Jane’s. Want a cheese burger? This is your place. Spicy bits are worth trying here, onions and jalapenos battered and fried together, don’t worry it’s not very hot. Coke products are a plus once again and they have other goodies that you’d find in a vintage diner. Expect to pay $10 to 20 for two.
11. Appaloosa is an upscale restaurant and bar that has live music every night. It’s a very loud place because it’s not very large, but the food is pretty good. It’s on the 16th street mall across from Hard Rock Café and is worth trying if you’d like the have a quick bite at lunch or see an unknown band at night in the city. Prices are high here.