We stopped by Izakaya Den for our valentine's dinner and were extremely happy with our night! The restaurant was packed for the holiday, but there were multiple hostesses taking care of parties coming in at the front. We were seated upstairs, which was decorated beautifully. Izakaya Den shares a menu with its sister restaurant, Sushi Den, so we were able to enjoy the specials. The mandarin yellowtail was definitely our most memorable fish of the night. They also brought out our dessert with candles in celebration for our birthday as well. read more

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2 stars. Food was ok, nothing to write home about. Service was inattentive. All food came out piecemeal. 1 person would eat, while the other ate nothing. Then about 25 minutes later something else would show up. 2 people were never eating at the same time, which was really awkward. Place is pretentious. Pricing is arrogant. If you're gonna charge those prices you have to earn it by having exceptional quality and service. This place needs a reality check. Hard pass. read more

The quality of fish at this establishment is one of the best in the entire state; which is why Izakaya Den is top three for Sushi anywhere for me. The ambience of this place is very cool and trendy while if you walk to the adjoining Sushi den it is much more subdued and quiet. My top recommendation is to sit at the sushi bar in Izakaya Den and have sushi handed to you from their fantastic sushi chefs. Like any good sushi restaurant be prepared to spend top dollar. read more

Sister restaurant to Ototo! The miso cod is my favorite sold here, definitely get that if you're going here. Very pretty, pretty good. I like Pearl Street, being able to walk around in a cute neighborhood after a meal feels nice, little fairy houses down the roads! Lovely selections of premium sake, I mostly like this place for drinks and desserts but not to fill up The sushi is plated very pretty and the quality is one of the best available in the area. That being said, it's very spendy. It is a pretty date spot! read more

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I would give Izakaya Den 100 stars if I could! The team continuously serves 100 when it comes to food, service and ambiance. This is the hip sister of Sushi Den and sooo good! We had almost one of everything tonight and it was all amazing. I would file the Toro in Tuna, Aburi Toro and Aburi Hotate under some of the best things I've ever eaten! We sat at the upstairs bar and had incredible service but every time we've been here we've had a great experience and the servers are all very knowledgeable on the menu and new things to try. If you like sushi - or if you've never had it and want to give it a try - this is a must try! read more

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We had a group of 8 people. It was a mix of newcomers and returning customers. The waiter did an awesome job going through the menu and what the history of Izakaya Den. We were able to get a sample of the sake before buying the bottle. The miso cod and Osaka style salmon were our favorites. Everything was delicious. Only thing is prepare yourself for spending a pretty penny. Definitely worth a visit! read more

So I was already hyped up about this place because of so many friends saying it's wonderful, great, yada-perfectly perfect-yada. I thought okay so it's tasty. Big deal. Went inside with zero reservation at 4:30 (there was already a line at 4:00!) and got seated pretty soon. Cocktails started off fine, and bathrooms were pretty. When I saw the appetizers, I was interested in the wagyu dish, but decided against it because it was slightly pricey and we opted for the calamari. I'm only used to fried calamari, so I was shocked at how tasty the real deal is. Every single ingredient is how you'd expect would taste if you were a witch in a magical forest and brewed together a dish using fairy dust at the very end to top it off. That's what I tasted in this dish. SO tender and delicious, I was shocked. I ordered the sushi dinner because it was familiar. Let me tell you something. This was UNFAMILIAR in quality, because the last time I had sushi this fresh was in Japan. Who would have thought Denver would have sushi this fresh!? Also they came with California rolls that were way tastier and fancier than an average california roll. How do they do that!? I was so full by the very end, I was pregnant with happiness. Oh, and my friend let me try the wagyu roll and I teared up from how good it was. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Maybe I really was pregnant with happiness with a reaction like that. I'm definitely not second guessing the wagyu appetizer next time. It was insulting of me to even hesitate. Oh part 2, the banana cream pie was the best I've ever had. I was already so full, but it was worth the pain of eating it anyways. I could eat it everyday if I had the chance. They should cater my wedding and just make a mountain size banana cream pie. Wishful thinking. read more

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The best sushi I have ever had in Denver! We came in for reservations on New Year's Eve. The fish is extremely fresh and very high quality. I loved the daily catch menu, as it includes fish from literally all over the world (Scotland, Spain, New Zealand, Japan...just to name a few). The taste of sashimi is a great starter and has 6 slices of fish. The slices are good sizes. The Hamachi Jalapeño Sashimi is almost melt in your mouth and very savory with a bit of spice. I really enjoyed the Crispy Spicy Tuna Cakes. Other places that serves this dish usually places it on a small round crispy rice cake. Here, it is on a small crispy rice cake, almost similar to sushi rice. I love the sauce and the flavors of the fish and rice cake combo. We'll definitely be dining here again. FYI, street parking can be a challenge in the area on busy days, but there is valet parking for $5 fee plus tips. read more

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Every time we go to Izakaya Den we have excellent food, excellent service, and incredible drinks. When people visit we make it a point to take them there. Get the Miso Black Cod...thank me later, it's amazing. The Miso Eggplant is also delicious! The Rainbow Roll and Poki Roll are amazing. I like to finish with the tamago...it's just the right amount of sweetness. Lastly, get the Old Fashioned - I cannot remember the name of it, but it had a cranberry simple syup, it was strong and very good. Can't wait until our next trip to Izakaya Den! read more

Tim was great! We had a great time with great food and service from Tim! Highly recommend tuna firecracker roll!

One of my favorite places around Denver. Coupled with Sushi Den, which is also great. The sushi chef helped us pick out nigiri and it was all delicious. read more

A magically delicious experience here. Wonderful service and atmosphere to boot! If you are looking for a special spot and yummy food, don't miss this! read more

Izakaya Den - Yum. - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Service was very slow, food took forever, and quality has dropped. I want to still love this place, but they have gone downhill

Izakaya Den is amazing! The food. The service. The atmosphere. All of it is just top notch. We went with a few couples and ordered a variety of sake, and sushi. The food is well prepared, and although it's pricey, the value is absolutely worth the price. Bring your friends, your wallet, and your appetite! read more

Heard this place was the best sushi in Denver, and couldn't wait to try it to celebrate our anniversary and last night after spending a month in town. We were very disappointed, and I got sick :( Yes, I realize it is in the middle of the country nowhere near the ocean. And yes, I have only ever lived on a coast. But the seafood was.... not fresh. Check out the photo - the tuna is so unrecognizable, it's so pink. The scallop sushi was chopped and drowned in a mayo sauce to obscure it's lack of freshness (I think this is what made me sick). The octopus was rubbery and chewy. Honestly, the worst for me was the salad. You can always rely on Japanese restaurants to have that great citrus ginger dressing, with the texture and crunch. For some reason, they put a very oily mayo dressing on their side salad - and drown it, making the lettuce very wilted. The service is terrible. The host took 5 mins to find someone to seat us. Our waitress greeted us and described all the menus (way too many menus). Then a new one came and said the other waitress' shift had ended; but the original waitress was still waiting on all the tables around us, even after we left! Our drinks took literally 15 mins to arrive from the time of ordering - we ordered a glass of wine and an old fashioned. It was 8pm on a Sunday, and the restaurant was only 1/3 full... We noted on the reservation that it was to celebrate our anniversary; they did absolutely nothing. The miso soup says it has shiitake mushrooms in it - they were regular mushrooms. And finally - we intentionally went to Izakaya Den, not Sushi Den, because we wanted to try a variety of food. All 4 menus said Sushi Den at the top, and there was no izakaya-type food on the menu. No skewers, no BBQ! What makes it different from Sushi Den on the corner next door, other than the interior design is much better?? Do not recommend, at all. Highly recommend Uchi - very fresh fish, great service! read more

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Hands down one of the best experiences I have ever had. Coming from texas, I was pretty disappointed in the food scene in Colorado but this place made up for it. Everything we had tasted amazing. Very fresh and new flavors. We also had the best server we could possibly ask for. Unfortunately I can't remember his name (he was a senior server, asian dude) but he was an amazing server. We did like a mini omakase, led by our server, my favorite was the aged toro and my boyfriend really liked osaka style Aburi salmon. The ambiance is also very pretty, make sure to ask for a table on the rooftop. read more

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Izakaya Den is a beautiful restaurant, with a super comfortable patio. All the staff is well trained and pleasant, but we truly love when we are seated with an old friend from Japon days. The cocktails are delicious, and the selection of sake and whiskey is incredible. The sushi? Amazing. I honestly couldn't ask for better. read more

Gorgeous atmosphere, annoying rules. This once gem-of-a-restaurant is filled with so many annoying rules, it just isn't worth it anymore, especially with so many fantastic restaurants opening in Denver. We came in for a drink and appetizerat the bar, we literally told the hostess this is what we came for, and the bartender told us we had to leave because it's full service. Ok, weird. We will finish our drinks quickly. We barely had another sip before ANOTHER hostess tried to usher us out as quickly as possible. The only reason I'm giving this 3 stars still is because the food is actually great, and the ambience is great too, but the staff seems so stressed and weird that this is clearly a place where is sucks for everyone, all the time. Hard pass . Oh btw there were a bunch of seats open and it wasn't busy. read more

Izakaya Den - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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This was a great surprise being in Denver. Had a business dinner here and the sushi great. Right when you walk in you are great with large tuna portions flow in and stored in coolers. The atmosphere is a mix of natural and modern. Our waitress was very attentive and made a few good recommendations on sake choices. We ordered a selection of sashimi and rolls, a few appetizers, and dessert. Everything tasted fresh. Quality was great. Not sure when I will be back in Denver but I this is on the short list on my next visit. read more

Started over 30 yrs ago with Sushi Den and then they expanded. I love Izakaya I think more than the den. It's very good for a romantic experience. Service is great with same excellent quality as the den. Try Izakaya for a great evening that will be memorable. read more

I'm so happy we found a sushi place in Denver that's ACTUALLY GOOD! we just came for my husbands birthday and we're immediately wowed by the decor. Really cool, spacious, and well designed with modern Japanese flair. The food... was so good! We had sushi at another "highly rated" place in Denver for sushi and were so disappointed, our expectations here were high. We're from San Diego so we know good sushi. But this place did not disappoint, in fact it exceeded our expectations! Only thing is I wish they had more roll options. The pineapple upside down cake with lychee sorbet was THE BEST we've ever had as well. Don't miss it. read more

Service ambiance energy food ... everything is incredible. Highly suggest going for fresh daily fish.

My friend and I finally came back to Izakaya Den after only having drinks last time! We put our names down and headed across the street for a taco appetizer and margaritas. Expect to wait at least an hour during prime dinner time on weekdays. We were pinged to head back to the restaurant and were directed upstairs to our table. We enjoyed cocktails and hot sake alongside delicious sushi. The fish is so soft and fresh. Service is fantastic. Décor is beautiful as usual. Such a swanky, upscale spot to have dinner or enjoy happy hour. We saw work outings and dates... Izakaya Den is perfect for all occasions. I wish I had the budget to come here more often but will treat myself again someday! read more

Izakaya Den - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I've been wanting to come here for months since I heard great reviews. When my sister came into town, I made a 8pm reservation for a Friday night. We were sat at our table right at 8pm. It was tucked away in a back corner. We first noticed it was SUPER hot at our table. It was around 8:20 we received waters and it wasn't till 8:40 we were able to place our food order. Our server was very nice but we noticed she was pulling double duty between the tables and the bar. She didn't have the time to walk us through the restaurant, food, and/or culture, as we observed from the tables around us. It was tough to see the table next to us receive drastically different service. Waters were at their table when they arrived, server walked through the whole menu/history/culture, and they placed their food in about 10 mins from being seated. After we placed our order, we received miso soup. As it was delivered to the table, part of the soup was spilled on to my sister's leg. (Which was super hot.) It was a total mistake but it was adding to the poor experience we were already having. We placed an order for 1 app, 1 salad, 2 rolls and 1 nigiri. I noticed food was coming out via food runners which was a relief since our server was busy behind the bar. We received our first roll and it was a the rainbow roll as we would have expected. The shrimp tempura threw us through a loop. It had mayo inside which was the first time I've seen that. Traditionally it does not have mayo and the menu didn't specify this. The nigiri was a disappointing surprise as well. The item is traditionally fish and rice. It was fish and rice however the rice was mixed with wasabi. Definitely unexpected! It wasn't till after all the food was delivered we were informed the appetizer we ordered was out of stock. We didn't order anything else in replacement. Truly we just wanted to leave. To round out the night, the server next to our table was lovely however invaded our personal space multiple times. Leaning over the other table causing his rear to be an inch from our food. Then while checking in on his guests, he leaned on my sisters chair. It became super uncomfortable how close he was to her when he was engaging with other guests and when addressed he simply said "sorry I'm tired" Reviews show this place is great. Maybe we had the perfect storm of issues. Staff was super friendly (outside of the server completely in our table space) I'm so bummed we had such a poor experience. I hope management takes the multiple above concerns and observations into consideration, and above all realize that splitting a bar tender to also wait tables on a Friday night isn't the best choice :( read more

This place was dynamite. We made a reservation to make it easier, highly recommend since this place seems to be very busy all the time. It's two stories so next time I'll have to scope the upstairs, but we sat in a two person booth and was very nice! I must have had six of the cocktails called Seven rings, and my god those are good. We ended.up going Omakase style which was just chefs choice for multiple plates and it did not disappoint. So many different rolls and styles and fish I probably wouldn't have thought to order got brought out. It's a little more doing it that way since you generally get nicer quality dishes so just an FYI there. We had the coolest waiter too, was crazy nice and made our experience awesome. He recommended and talked about where all the fish was from from around the world. 10/10 can't wait to go back. read more

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We had reservations for a Saturday night. When we showed up there was quite a wait out the door - so I'm glad we had those reservations. Service was impeccable - our server was great at checking in on us and keeping us filled with food and water at all times. Our first dish came out within minutes of ordering which was great. We had a mix of sashimi and sushi rolls - all of which was delicious. The sushi was fresh and absolutely delicious. I already can't wait for my next trip back! read more

Izakaya Den - Sake flight - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Recently celebrated a birthday for a friend here, decent group of 10 people. Our waiter, Sam, couldn't have been better. The recommendations he provided far exceeded expectations and his banter was perfect. He made us feel like we were the only table in the place on a very packed Friday night. Kudos to Sam and the chef - we will be back for sure. read more

Excellent -- menu is now pretty much the same as Sushi Den, but think the ambiance is even nicer. I like their nigiri, but we also tried their duck noodles, which was great, too. Happy for any reason to come here, still think this is the best sushi-quality fish I've had in Denver. Wait staff was impeccable, and timing of the dishes (on a busy Friday night) was better than a few other recent visits to Sushi Den. read more

The best meal I've ever had is at Izakaya Den. There is no competition. We've had sushi in NY, San Fran, Seattle and more. Maybe if we went to Japan and visited the restaurant from the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi we would find it better. Maybe not. Two brothers own Izakaya Den and three other fantastic restaurants on South Pearl St. in Denver. One brother is here in Denver and handles all the local operations. The other brother is in Japan and hand selects all the sushi that is flown to Denver daily. Here is your orientation to the best sushi restaurant on the planet. The restaurant is beautifully laid out. We prefer the upstairs street side area. We take the stairs that wrap around the elevator and by the huge bamboo trees and small Japanese water feature at the middle landing. It has huge side and ceiling windows they open up during the summer. Big paper light balls with holes drop down from oak beams. White fabric covers soft light on one wall, and bamboo pieces make the other side. We sat at a table by the front window, me looking out on the chair, Denise looking back in on the booth. Waters and hot towels are brought, and the menu and a pen shortly after. We are veterans there and dive right into selecting. We both get green tea which comes in beautiful earth tones ceramic mugs with thumb sized indentations everywhere. Denise orders a Sakitini with extra cucumber slices. Our first food item is the house salad with radishes, tomatoes and a ginger-tofu dressing that is perfect. Next comes the best miso soup we've ever had with tofu, seaweed, green onions, shimeji and shiitake mushrooms. The smell is enticing and inviting. Our first entree is the Spicy Tuna Roll. I grab a piece with my chopsticks, add a bit of wasabi, dip it in soy sauce and consume. The combination Spicy tuna mayo mix, avocado, cucumber, tempura flakes and amadare on the inside, diced red and yellow peppers, red onion, wasabi tobiko, jalapeño, and cilantro is perfect. I swoon as the flavors, crunch and spice combine and have my first tastegasm. Next is the Unagi, freshwater eel. It is grilled to perfection with teriyaki sauce on top of rice and wrapped in the middle by soft seaweed. I bite half off and salivate as another perfect combination hits me. The veggie and shrimp tempura is flash fried and hot. The dipping sauce is room temperature. The pieces melt in our mouths as crunch and soft meet in a perfect dance of opposite lovers meant to be. The best is last. Toro, fatty tuna is our very favorite. Better than the best filet mignon we've ever eaten. I add a bit of wasabi, dip it in the soy sauce, take a bite, close my eyes and my senses go wild. The wasabi gives my sinuses a buzz. The Toro melts as I chew, the flavor is decadent, almost erotic, but without the feeling I need to immediately see a dentist. I swoon as my taste buds get hard. I get a few extra pieces of the rolls and tempura because Denise is full. I savor the last few bites as she smirks at my swooning. We sit and revel at being just the right amount of full. We hold hands, look into each other's eyes, say our I-Iove-yous and enjoy the moment. We pay with our Sushi fund that we have saved with 5's and 10's over a few months. Holding hands we walk to our car and feel buzzed and loved thanks to another perfect meal. read more

Izakaya Den is an amazing sushi restaurant that offers a sentimental vibe for any special occasion. The decor is what makes Izakaya Den preferable to its more casual sister next door, Sushi Den, when you want to celebrate or cater to a more elegant sushi night. The two have different wait lists and ambiences but share a menu (according to the hostess). The service was good though surprisingly not much to write home about. Their sushi is delicious and I really enjoy the appetizer options. Overall, this place has good food, good service, and the thing that really seals the deal is without a doubt the ambience with the mood lighting and the bamboo at the center staircase. read more

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Food was fantastic. Sushi was fresh. Dinner menu items were hot and very good! Service was fast and friendly. Ambience was nice.

We had been recommended this spot sooo many times before we actually made our way here. And we're so glad we finally did! We stopped in on a Friday night during COVID - they were only seating 50% capacity, so we expected a wait. We got here around 5:15 and were told it would be a 1 hour 30 min wait. To kill the time, we walked around the neighborhood and stopped in a nearby cocktail bar. We ended up being seated after about a 1 hour 15 min wait and were seated downstairs. Our waiter was super attentive, coming over to us quickly to see what we wanted to drink. I got the Musashi cocktail, which was pricey but delicious. My fiance got a beer, which was pretty light and not his favorite, but he wasn't expecting it to be. The real magic started with the appetizers: we got the garlic calamari and the crispy spicy tuna (a kitchen special on the COTD menu that weekend). Both were SO flavorful. For entrees, we split the New Style Salmon Roll, a California Roll, the Tuna Firecracker Roll, and the Red Dragon Roll. Every single roll was DELICIOUS - seriously the freshest, most flavorful rolls I've ever had. From the service to the food, Izakaya Den lives up to the hype! Just expect a wait and a large bill at the end of the night - in my opinion, it was worth it! read more

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We go to Izakaya Den a lot but this last time was extra special. Jonathan is the BEST server! If you want to learn a lot about sushi and sake from an educated expert and friendly person, he is your guy. We had an idea of what we wanted to order but we ended up letting him pick some pieces for us and they were incredible. So glad we let him steer the boat. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more

Went here for a date night and it was phenomenal. The best, most fresh, most authentic Japanese fish I have ever tasted. Not to mention the atmosphere of the restaurant is super cool and fitting to a real Japanese restaurant (although I've never been to Japan). Our waiter Wade was especially helpful in recommending appetizers and rolls that were popular and tasted delightful. 5/5 will definitely be returning to hopefully have Wade as our waiter! read more

Best sushi I have had in a long time. My mom is japanese so I have had some amazing sushi, this is ranked up there with it. The restaurant is beautiful. The service was amazing, our server Mark made excellent recommendations and was attentive and the food came out quickly. We wanted to try everything! We had the sushi dinner, which sampled different sashimi/nigiri, and came with miso soup and salad. As well as the chicken teryaki. We also ordered the garlic calamari as an appetizer, and the Dragon roll, tempura veggie roll, as well as the spider roll. All very fresh and super flavorful. I tried the japanese beer and i was pleasantly surprised by how smooth it was. It was our anniversary and we had a great time ! Side note: due to covid they are operating at 25% capacity and dont take reservations at the moment. When we arrived it was right after they opened at 4:30 the line was out the door down the block. We made it just in time to be able to get a table and waited an hour for it. Worth the wait but be sure to get there with the popularity in mind! read more

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Love the roman mushroom soup! Sushi is super fresh! Service- our waitress was very attentive and informative. Ambiance- amazing place to eat inside and out. read more

While there were some misses during dinner, ultimately I think the restaurant took care of it and there were some people at our table that didn't make things easier, so I went with four stars. A friend booked a table for 6 for her birthday. She went in alone to check in and when she came out, she said the guy at the checkin was "rude" and assumed she was a walk-in. That interaction set the tone for the night. We waited outside until they texted us that our table was ready. It seemed like they took COVID precautions seriously and asked us all questions about symptoms and took our temperatures. When we got upstairs, we saw that the tables were well spread out and the ambiance is beautiful. Our waiter got us water promptly and took our drink orders. He came back and had to ask us for our drinks again because he said the computers were down and he didn't write down the orders. There were some other drink issues throughout the night, but he proactively sent the manager over and she took a percentage off the bill. The food came quickly and was delicious. I loved the banana cream pie for dessert which was unexpected at an Asian restaurant. I'd also recommend my Yuzu ruby red cocktail. While I know not everyone in my party would give it 4 stars, I appreciated that they acknowledged the misses and did what I thought was fair to make it right. I know things aren't easy right now for restaurants. read more

Izakaya Den - Banana cream pie - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The best Japanese fusion I have had in Denver! With a gorgeous ambience full of bamboo and natural light, any meal here will have the perfect setting. We enjoyed a delightful tapas style dinner here Saturday night and could not have been more impressed with our selection. Our server greeted us promptly and recommended an off menu Yuzu Grapefuit Martini and YUM! Highly recommend this delicious cocktail, I will come back just for it. For appetizers we had the assorted tempura and Short Ribs. The Tempura was super crispy and light, and the short ribs super tender with a tangy teriyaki sauce. Next we shared some specials off of their daily catch menu, which is updated daily based on fresh fish selection. We tried the Ginger Sashimi Big Eye Tuna, Aburi Hotate and Aburi Lobster. The Tuna was my first time trying sashimi, and now I'm hooked. Perfectly balance with wasabi and ginger and delightfully tender. The Aburis were also outstanding, with the Hotate (scallop) being my favorite of the two with a crispy caramelized crust. Next we tried some rolls, the House roll was a standout and our overall favorite! We ended the meal with another recommendation from the server, the banana cream pie which is a recipe from the owners wife. It was super silky yet a light and delicate end to our meal. We didn't feel rushed and were well taking care of, definitely looking forward to the next time we can come back! One note: Although slightly confusing between Izakaya Den and Sushi den at the entrance, you are in for a delight when you dine at Izakaya. Just note that if you are trying to make reservations, all reservations are for Izakaya as Sushi Den does not accept reservations at this time. read more

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We literally loved everything!! Delicious and fresh! I asked for salmon belly nigiri torched (I try to get this everywhere I go) and it was literally the bestest! read more

Izakaya Den - Japanese Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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A good friend/client have made this our go to place to meet once a month for a weeknight dinner. The specialty seafood items are unique and amazing. John has been our server the last two times, and we will request him every time based on his A+ recommendations and model attentiveness. read more