Strazza [strah-zuh, strazuh, sträzuh]…read more Noun 1. A concatenation of street and plaza "that connects pedestrians and cars in a safe and flexible environment". (Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, 9/13) 2. A creative developer's term for a surface parking lot ringed with restaurants and drinking establishments which happen to connect said developer's two hotels. Aren't new, made up words illuminating? I came across the completely made up word "strazza" in the 'Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle' when reading about all the new restaurants that have been opening up in Glendale's City Set development. The word strazza sounds vaguely upscale. It's a word which may remind you of a stroll through the Piazza del Duomo while you are devouring biscotti, one after the other. Or perhaps it is a sensual word which, when spoken aloud by the likes of Sophia Loren, will unfurl your flag. Strazza. Where was I? Oh yeah, City Set. Yeah, none of the above dreamy notions will disrupt your visit to City Set. City Set is a very clever way of maximizing the real estate around the parking lot between the Hilton Garden Inn and the Residence Inn by Marriott. The line-up of restaurants and drinking establishments which surround the strazza is indeed impressive and a coup for Glendale: Jax Fish House, Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria, World or Beer, Udi's Cafe Pizza and Bar, and Big Smoke Burger are already bringing in the crowds. And still to open are The Kitchen Next Door and a Native Foods Café. That's a lot of variety which covers not only different tastes but different budgets as well. Smart, very smart. All the restaurants and their patios are adjacent to one other and overlook the parking lot so it kind of feels like you are dining on a public square of sorts, a 21st century commercial vision of an insipid street scene. I guess it's like a food court too, except instead of tables in the middle, one can park a car directly in front of their establishment of choice. If you can't find a parking spot directly on the surface lot, then there is underground parking too which I personally find more convenient than competing for a spot on the strazza. There is a shared valet service available too, but I haven't had the need for it. City Set is A-OK and I'm sure they are going to succeed because they seem to have the right tenant mix, the convenience of parking, are surrounded by the right demographics, and are adjacent to the busiest street in all of Colorado. For me, I'd rather have the real thing, as long as there is valet parking of course. Strazza.

City Set is the latest and greatest piece of the Glendale renaissance. There are two hotels, a…read moregreat mix of sit down and fast casual restaurants, and a Verizon store. Almost everything you need, really. During a recent visit, someone told me that pretty soon this place will be "the next Vegas". Certainly a bit of a stretch, but one day you will be able to stroll with your adult beverage around City Set and over to the Riverwalk that is scheduled to be completed in 2016, I believe. Pretty cool! So why not five stars? Parking. There just aren't enough spaces to accommodate both hotel guests and daily visitors. While complementary valet parking is available (currently the only way to use the parking garage), I'm not going to valet the car just to run in and grab a sandwich or a burger to go. I think even bike racks are limited but perhaps this will be addressed in the future. In any event, City Set is a big boost for Glendale and a fun place to hang out. I'm excited to see what the future holds for this development.

Friendly Service, and the funniest breakfast... like ever! The Lyon Tartine was the showstopper!read more

Very disappointing experience, especially considering how often we used to come here…read more The menu has changed, and unfortunately not for the better. The portions have become noticeably smaller, including the Lions, which used to be one of the reasons we enjoyed coming here. The value simply isn't what it used to be. But the main reason for this one-star review is what happened with one of the servers. My wife and I were sitting at one table and placed our order. A more attractive table became available, and since the restaurant has open seating, we moved there. Our original table was directly behind me. My wife noticed that our server -- a woman with green hair -- was looking for us with our order. I turned around and tried to get her attention, but she didn't hear me even though she was standing about an arm's length away. I reached out with one finger and briefly touched her side to get her attention and indicate that we were sitting right there and that the order was ours. She brought the food to our table, and at that point everything seemed completely normal. Then, some time later, a manager came over with another employee and told us that we needed to leave the restaurant. We were completely confused and had no idea what was happening. We were then told that the server claimed I had grabbed her from behind. That accusation was absolutely shocking and completely inconsistent with what actually happened. I was sitting at the table with my wife, and the only physical contact was a brief touch on her side with one finger to get her attention because she couldn't hear me. What is especially disappointing is that this apparently wasn't properly addressed afterward. We continued to think about the situation because it was an extremely uncomfortable and humiliating experience. We used to spend approximately $140-$230 per visit here, depending on how many people we came with. We were regular customers and genuinely enjoyed this place. Unfortunately, after this experience, we will not be coming back. One star.

Very cute spot for drinks or a quick bit. Its very bright, light and airy inside. We took some…read morephotos and had to have some cute cocktails for them. Perfect for what we needed. I look forward to coming back and actually sitting down for a meal.

Staying 3 nights at the Jacquard and enjoying my $30 daily credit at the Narrative restaurant…read more First night - chicken avo chop salad (solid) 2nd night - happy hour - pork belly sliders (great portion - too sweet) - whipped burrata (solid, would taste better w pita or something bready and not chips) 3rd night - TBD What I enjoyed most as a hotel guest is how my server, Anthony, made me feel right at home with his attentive service and fun conversation. He clearly knows his job, gave me honest insight on the food and made me feel right at home away from home. Thanks Anthony!

I came here with a few co-workers during a week night and we had made a reservation in advance. It…read morewas bustling when we got there. We were seated by the hostess who got waters for us and then had a very friendly waitress. She was very attentive as well. We started with the dip duo and grilled artichokes. The chips that came with the dips were great and dips super flavorful and very different so it was nice to have the contrast. The artichokes were grilled deliciously. I loved the charred taste. I ordered the salmon dish. I really enjoyed the salmon and my broccoli. The mashed potatoes were not my things. Lots of leeks/onions in it. We did get a side of fries instead and those were great - they tasted just like McDonald's! I can see why this restaurant is popular. Good food and great service!

This may be the most spectacular collection of self-inflicted hospitality wounds I have ever seen…read moreat a restaurant. We had six people, including family visiting from Europe and Asia who, understandably, wanted to sit together. There was a booth where all six of us could comfortably fit. Cherry Creek Grill nevertheless refused to seat more than five people at a table because, we were told, food and service quality would suffer. That is a fairly astonishing admission of incompetence. Somehow every taqueria, neighborhood restaurant, and Michelin-starred dining room has figured out how to serve tables of six, eight, or ten people. Cherry Creek Grill is apparently drawing the line at five and telling you it is because the restaurant cannot maintain its standards beyond that. The solution to that problem, other than just gaining the competence to serve six people, would be to let us decide whether we are willing to accept lower food and service quality in exchange for sitting together. Instead, we got to discover the rule after arriving and were split up. But fine. They have planted the flag. Five is the number at which Cherry Creek Grill can provide the quality of service it is so concerned about protecting. Except it couldn't. Sandwiches came out at different times and different temperatures, none particularly hot. The fries were definitely not freshly made. One French dip came without the requested horseradish despite the request having been specifically confirmed. A couple at the table asked to split something and, rather than split-plate it, the restaurant just brought the sandwich as-is. None of these is some catastrophic service failure by itself. Collectively, they are pretty funny from a restaurant that had just separated our family in the name of preserving service quality. Then there are the rules. We were told they bring one individual serving of dipping sauce per table, apparently regardless of how many orders of fries are being shared at that table. I still do not understand why this needed to be a policy. They also apparently keep an artichoke dish on the menu year-round despite frequently not having it available. And Cherry Creek Grill has a dress code banning things like hats and team jerseys, which feels bizarrely out of step with both Denver and what the restaurant actually is. This is lunch in a Cherry Creek shopping district at a restaurant serving burgers, sandwiches, fries, and rotisserie chicken. Plenty of substantially more ambitious restaurants in this city somehow survive the occasional baseball cap. My Kölsch was also poured incorrectly, which is minor, but by this point felt almost on theme. The food itself was mostly just meh. My rotisserie lamb sandwich is separately called out on the menu as a limited item and was in no meaningful way special. The French dip was properly made. Nothing was awful, but nothing about the meal came close to justifying the amount of pretension surrounding it. I want to be clear that our waitress was pleasant, and I do not blame her for any of this. In fact, she gave us the funniest moment of the meal. We joked that the next time our overseas family was all together there would probably be a new baby and asked whether the baby would count toward the five-person limit. She deadpanned, apparently not getting that we were stating what we assumed to be an absurd joke, that yes, the baby would count. So Cherry Creek Grill at least gave our family a new inside joke. Hospitality should generally be about making it easier for people to enjoy a meal together. Cherry Creek Grill seems to have built an impressive number of rules around doing the opposite, while simultaneously failing to deliver the food and service quality those rules are supposedly protecting. *Additional note my wife reminded me of, we regularly ate here with 6 or more people at a single table in the past when it was much better.

The Cherry Cricket has the kind of old-school neighborhood bar atmosphere that works perfectly for…read morea burger joint in Cherry Creek. Our group of six was seated without any trouble, and the staff kept things friendly and straightforward throughout the meal. The burgers came out hot, fresh, and seriously juicy. The sides are generous, especially the onion rings, and both the crispy tater tots and coleslaw were solid choices. There's also a strong drink selection with local craft beer, cocktails, shakes, and soft drinks. Good portions, well-made burgers, and a laid-back atmosphere make this place an easy recommendation.

WOW! We got a gift card from the manager due to our last experience and this time was amazing…read more Despite it looking super busy, we got sat right away and it was a weekend night, so we definitely got lucky. We told the waitress about our previous experience regarding my boyfriend's burger being super raw and she suggested that he get his burger cut in half, which worked! It was cooked well. I got the tuna melt and it was pretty standard, but delicious regardless. The star of the show, however, had to be the appetizers. We got the wings of two flavors that the waitress recommended. I don't remember the names, but one of them had a mustard taste to it and I really enjoyed it. My boyfriend and I are obsessed with the pretzels. They are soft, warm, and go perfect with the dip so well. Cherry Cricket this time was a great experience and we would come back for the pretzels alone.

Came out for a date night with wifey, and had an amazing experience:…read more Staff was very attentive and caring to all aspects of service. They got us started right away with happy hour drinks that we squeezed in right at the end. Ambience was a nice mid century modern. Comfy seating and dim lighting set the stage for a nice dinn

Nut allergy friendly: Servers were good about this and checked on everything…read more Parking: Unfortunately we just paid on the outdoor parking. It's a few dollars. I came here with a group of about 16 for a celebration brunch. There's a great room in the back with a long table for this kind of thing. We ordered family style and it came in two waves; avocado toast and pancakes for Wave #1 and all of the mains for Wave #2. Not sure if our host timed it all or if they take a while to prep, but we were there for just about three hours total. The steak was definitely the highlight of the meal for me. Nicely cooked and reasonably tender for skirt steak. They had a few misses in service - we got some drinks we didn't order (we ordered mimosas and somehow got a mezcal cocktail?) and they didn't give serving utensils despite a family style meal, so it was difficult to scoop hash browns with a fork. Overall, it was a nice spot and seemed pretty popular outside our meal.

Food - excellent Service - excellent…read more Ambiance- loud when busy (always) 1st time here on 7/4/26, a great experience overall! N/a fake margarita, at first spicy, got smoother after a few sips though. Got the: Farmers Market Scramble (brunch menu ). Vital Farms pasture-raised scrambled eggs, roasted sweet potato, charred onions, roasted red peppers, and aged white cheddar. Really good ingredients, filling, and satisfying! Also got a medium Cafe Latte, one of the best latte's I've had! Will be back in soon, gotta try the sourdough pizzas...

I always enjoy True Foods and the high quality of their offerings. My burger was delicious and…read moreperfectly cooked. I have tried many of their menu items, and the food is consistently very good to excellent. The noise level is high, and the parking is a nightmare. Street parking is almost impossible to find, and parking lots can run as much as $25. The atmosphere is attractive, and the staff is polite, informative, and helpful. Prices are high but correct for the quality and quantity. There is indoor and outdoor seating, and I recommend making a reservation.

The service is always prompt and good. We enjoyed the crab bisque. The burger was perfectly cooked…read moreand the aioli is delicious. The lime tacos were also very tasty. We oiled go back

Lately I have not been impressed with Bazille. It used to be so delicious. I preferred when it was…read moreNordstrom Cafe many years ago. Since it has been rebranded it is not that good anymore in my opinion. I have had the Chicken Alfredo on the kids menu. The French onion soup, and the crab bisque. I really enjoyed when the crab was the lobster bisque, the restaurant would give you quite a few chunks of lobster. Now the crab bisque is all right and is light on the crab. In the past I would eat lunch with friends and colleagues. Now I order to-go. The quality just isn't there anymore. I was recently surprised to find out that the restaurant serves desert. They have crème brûlée on the menu and that is my favorite dessert of all time. The service is good. The restaurant is nice and clean. I like that it looks over first Avenue, but the quality just isn't there anymore and I'm not impressed. If you are hungry and want someone to-go be my guest.

Update: We went back to Hillstone for another date night, and once again, it did not disappoint…read more This time, my fiancée and I split the rotisserie chicken and the French dip, with a side of creamed corn. The rotisserie chicken was delicious and a great portion size definitely enough to fill me up. The apricot glaze was a really nice addition, and overall the chicken was top-notch. It comes with the warm kale panzanella. The kale itself was solid, but I wasn't particularly blown away by the croutons/panzanella portion of the dish. Still, the chicken more than made up for it. The French dip, though, was INCREDIBLE. Hillstone absolutely knocked this one out of the park. The beef was fantastic, and the whole sandwich just worked. I would highly recommend this to anyone coming here, definitely one of the standout dishes we've had. We substituted the French dip's usual side for the creamed corn, which was classic, comforting, and very yummy. A great side choice. And, as always, the cocktails were stellar. Hillstone consistently delivers on that front. Another great meal at Hillstone, and the French dip is now firmly on my list of must-order dishes.

Our first time at Hillstone was an interesting experience. We arrived for a 12:45 reservation on a…read moreSaturday afternoon. While the host was friendly and the waitstaff was helpful, several aspects of our meal were disappointing given the strict dining guidelines and supposedly high-endish experience claimed by this restaurant. Our experience with the food was inconsistent: - Appetizers: Since the grilled artichokes were unavailable, we ordered the artichoke and spinach dip. While the dip was flavorful, the tortilla chips were a letdown; we felt toast points or focaccia would have been a better accompaniment. - Entrees: The California burger and French Dip were good, though grilling the roll for the French Dip would have improved the texture. The Emerald Kale Chicken Salad was only average, as the chicken was quite fatty. - Sushi: The Coconut Shrimp Roll was the most significant disappointment. It lacked flavor and left an unpleasant taste that even wasabi could not mask, resulting in most of it going to waste. - Sides: The french fries were excellent and the highlight of our meal. Crunchy and perfectly salted. Overall, considering the expectations set by the dining policies, the experience was underwhelming and we do not plan to return.

Love it every time. We ordered in advance, but are there. The food was great. Great place to pick…read moreup to travel with.

Really big in service here... been to this location three times and experienced an underwhelming…read moreexperience. My first visit here, I had asked for utensils and was told to get it myself. Totally OK, but the condescending tone is unnecessary. Again, first visit here and I was in a rush- it should be standard at the register to share that information; where to go, what to get. Second visit, I brought my colleagues and manager. Again, this information was not shared but luckily I was there to just get them what they needed. No big deal! But the food came out at different times and most of us felt uncomfortable eating food unless the entire table had theirs. Third time and here I am writing a review. I waited for my food as multiple people got served prior to me. I tried smiling and waving to someone who was delivering the food, and she was clearly avoiding me. She even checked in on everyone around me... On top of that, they seem well trained at removing the table number once the food has been served. My table number remained up for 25 minutes. I purchased an entree, drink, and a cookie- really trying to support the business here despite the lack of mind for the consumer. Not until another woman who seemed to have the outside coverage passed by was I able to get to share my issue. The manager came and offered me an additional side or dessert but my meal came with two sides and I had already purchased a cookie. He explained that the issue was because my order was pushed as completed but that does not cover the fact my table number was up the entire time and the other service members completely ignoring me. I am at Cherry Creek for work every other week and wanted this place to be my go-to for meals but 3/3 visits of service being subpar- I've got to move on! I audit service for work and understand I can't make judgment from the first two visits. This third one solidified it! I am not comfortable at Flower Child. 3 stars for 3 underwhelming experiences.