Tyler was the best server we've had in a long time! He was funny, personable, and made really great recommendations. The food was all delicious and Michelin Star quality. We had a great time! read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Colmillo De Cobra - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I really enjoyed Lucina. Not just their execution but the concept. I don't see a lot of creative Latin fusion where I am and it's always fun to experience. The paella was rich, well cooked and flavorful. The shrimp were unevenly cooked. Likely a rotate issue. But still excellent. The salad was a flavor bomb you don't expect. Very good. And man I love what they did with the pork belly. Tender with char. The cucumber salad was awesome. It's a quaint spot. Fun decor. Enjoyed our service. They make a good old fashioned. Highly recommend to Denver patrons and out of towners. read more

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The food was great! The standout for us was the pork dish but the paella was delicious as well. I didn't care much for the corn but it was unique. The service was decent but they were slow to bring out our drinks. The ambiance was romantic and warm. read more

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The ambiance is great. Kearney is a really nice street in classic park hill. The open kitchen is really cool and there is a lot of energy and a fairly attentive wait staff. The chimichurri and the French fries were so good. They don't know how to serve a steak though. They pre sliced my steak! That's a no, no. When you pre slice the steak, air arrives at the table cold and tough. You should always serve the steak whole to the customer. So for $60 I got a cold steak. Please think about serving your steak whole or at least say on the menu it is pre sliced so the customer can request it to be whole. read more

My favorite dish at Lucina is the mussels and fries. I absolutely love the savory broth that the mussels are cooked in. Everything tastes fresh. It's on the happy hour menu for $15. It's a winner. Yesterday, we also ordered the pork pastel: skip this. For $24 you get maybe a tiny forkful of pork belly. Expected better for the price point on that item. Our other favorite dish is the Tlacoyo Cochinita - it's a really good serving of shredded pork on a baked masa bed. The anticucho was good, but i would probably skip next time and try something else. We added maduros ($9) to wrap up the meal. The daquiri was refreshing and went down a little too easy. They have a rotating beer selection - i had Toña from Nicaragua - crispy, fresh beer. read more

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It's been a year since I last came and I was a bit disappointed in the service. I liked Lucina because they open at 4pm and it's good time to eat for my toddler to come. I made a resy at 4pm and walk up and they say they're not ready and wait another 15 mins. We get seated on the half booth wall which I requested. Let me say this place has a kids menu and is in a residential neighborhood but aside from that IT IS NOT KID FRIENDLY. They have no kids cups or cups with lids, they have no take out silverware which I usually ask for since it's smaller for a kid. We started out with the pan, some fried cheese balls and Lucina salad. I love the salad it's great and big to share. The bread was great. The cheese balls were ok. We placed order for steak and chicken and the place is pretty quiet at 4:30 just 3-4 tables. He tells me it may be a bit but since not full shouldn't be too long. We didn't get our food till 45 min later. My guest asked for steak medium it was well done, pre sliced and cold. I felt bad I don't know if they waited for my chicken to serve or what. They used to have like a skirt steak vs the NY and I think they should go back to that. It holds up better. The chicken was ok, it came with a green sauce that didn't have much flavor. After almost 2 hrs there with a toddler very impatient I was ready to go. I tried their cafe con leche martini 5.0 and the 2.0 Was better way creamier and had cinnamon. This one was just basic. read more

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Stumbled across this place for a birthday dinner and so glad we did! Delicious food, fun ambiance, great service. The bread and butter was good ... the ham with chèvre delicious ... banafe dessert so good my non-banana-loving spouse who didn't feel like dessert wolfed down almost the whole thing. We will be back! read more

What an enjoyable and memorable dining experience. I took the opportunity to experience a chef inspired 5 course meal with live narration by Chef Casiano. The Chef took us on a culinary adventure through Latin America with authentic food from Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru where he took the time to explain what went into each dish and what he hoped we would take away from eating it. He also explained the discovery of so many of the fruits and vegetables that came from the new world are now a staple on most of the worlds menus. Everything we tasted was spectacular. The Pozole with duck broth simply divine. The Pastelito with a plantano masa, peppers exceptionally delicious. The Costa Rica beans and rice was pure comfort food. Peruvian grilled chicken perfectly cooked and served with fried potatoes. The corn cake dessert was surprisingly delicious with caramelized xoco. The wine list is perfect with lots of choices from Spain and South America. All perfectly complement the food. Inside the place is vibrant. Very Loud, but still we were able to hold dinner conversations. Service was spot on, friendly, helpful and attentive. This is an excellent choice for a nice meal. read more

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Truly loves the ambiance of this place, I felt transported out of Denver to a Coastal town. The 3 of us came with appetites and enjoyed a few of the Platos. Pan de Casa - perfectly warm bread with melt in your mouth butter Ceviche de Atun - perfectly flavored Ceviche complemented by mango Empanadas - hearty Empanadas filled with the most flavorful Ropa Vieja Lucina Salad - unexpected showstopper with grated Manchego Choclo con Queso - wonderful corn dish with a varietal that is more chewy than traditional American corn. Delightful Banafe - dessert with interesting texture and smores like flavor The service overall was attentive but uncoordinated. She removed my half-full cocktail and asked if I was ready for another. Picked up a plate while my fork was still picking up the food from the plate and there was still food remaining. read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Came here for happy hour and was not disappointed! I would love to come back for a a full meal as sooo many menu items were hard to resist! I loved the coastal influence, this place is one of those restaurants where you feel transported out of denver by stepping inside, and I believe those are special! We ordered the HH margs (good, but nothing super noteworthy), choclo con queso and the mussels con chorizo. I wish there had been more bread served with the mussels to soak up all the broth, but we still enjoyed dining nonetheless! The choclo was a corn dish that sort of had Mac n cheese vibes, definitely a unique dish to suit this one of a kind establishment! read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Mussels con chorizo - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Much to my amazement (confusion?), it would seem I have not reviewed Lucina before...I've been to Lucina maybe 4 or 5 times since it opened, most recently for happy hour with friends. Though I live outside the neighborhood myself, I can say it's apparent what a local favorite Lucina has become. Reservations are certainly your best bet, but still easy enough to obtain with some planning. The food I've had on the main dinner menu has varied a lot, and as the menu changes, some of that commentary is likely past its prime. That said, I would recommend taking a sampling/sharing approach here, and trying a variety of items. I think Lucina shines with some of the more vegetable forward items (even the side salad is excellent), seafood (ceviche in particular), as well as the more traditional meat forward mains. I've been less enthused with the carb/masa small plates, I think in part just given the portion size for price raises the bar and also makes sharing less desirable. Speaking more specifically to the recent happy hour fare, the Anticucho (chicken skewers) were easily the table favorite, and the Papas Con Todo was also enjoyed. The Sikil Pak is definitely tasty but quite spicy, and you'll need to buy some extra chips to enjoy it thoroughly, as the few pieces it came with were not enough. The Abondigas were tender, but the sauce pretty watery, so I'm unlikely to repeat those. There were also some pretty strong negative feelings about the Daiquiri. The overall ambiance is stylish and cheerful. I will say, at least in the earlier days, lighting was a huge issue depending on where you were sat in the dining room. Closer to the kitchen, things were quite dark. I saw a couple that left their phone on as a torch the entire dinner once before, and even though my eyes have relative youth, I've found the dimness/light placement to be less than functional/cozy. The service I've experienced here has always been sufficiently attentive and helpful, though there has been some variation in the delivery which has sometimes verged towards awkward/trying too hard. (I realize this is a vague observation to make, but since it's happened a couple of times and been uncomfortable for others too, I figure is worth commenting on.) All in all, Lucina is an enjoyable experience; even with some room for improved consistency, I'm confident I'll go again. read more

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Really pretty decor. Our server was very nice & helpful. We enjoyed all our HH apps and the cerviche. I did recommend this place already. read more

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I finally got to try this after years of having it bookmarked. Really interesting and creative menu with dishes I haven't seen in the US. A few were a bit disappointing, however, and there definitely is some spiciness in dishes that aren't labelled on the menu as spicy, unfortunately. Standouts: Tlacoyo Cochinita (pulled roasted pork on masa) Gansito (guava mousse, guava jelly in a chocolate shell) Definitely want to come back and try some of the other dishes that may be more my speed than the ones that fell a little flat for me. Service was very warm and helpful read more

5 Stars - A Perfect Mother's Day at Lucina Eatery We had the pleasure of dining at Lucina Eatery in Park Hill for Mother's Day, and it was truly one of my favorite dining experiences to date. (Actually the night before on Saturday) Parking was easy and stress-free, which is always a great way to start. Inside, the restaurant is beautifully designed--warm, inviting, and anchored by a stunning rose mural that really sets the tone. We were seated near the semi-open kitchen, which added to the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Our server, Bryan, went above and beyond. Attentive, kind, and knowledgeable--he made us feel genuinely taken care of. The food? Outstanding. We started with a zesty salad and fresh ceviche, both packed with flavor and beautifully presented. The star of the meal was a wonderful pork dish that was cooked to perfection. Every bite was memorable. What stood out even more was the entire staff's friendliness--from the kitchen to the floor, everyone greeted us with a smile. The prices were more than fair, especially considering the quality of food, service, and ambiance. Lucina has easily earned a top spot on my list, and we'll absolutely be back. Highly recommend it for any special occasion--or just because! read more

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I'm visiting my aunt who lives in Denver this weekend. A few weeks ago, I was visiting my other aunt in Boston, and she told me I HAD to try their roasted carrots dish here; it was the best carrots she's ever eaten in her life! While the carrots are no longer on the menu, they iterated the dish to feature broccolini instead - which was delicious too and may have been the best broccolini I've had! Word of mouth truly is the best source of rec! The staff is so friendly and nice here. Chef Diego and the GM Alexander stopped by to say hello and check in. I liked the ambiance. It has a lovely ambiance for dinner with friends or family. It's the type of spot where you can dress as formal or casual you're feeling. I'm used to NYC prices, so I was delighted to see the majority of the smaller plates (platos) were under $20... and the portions are GENEROUS!!! Each of us in our party of 4 were able to get a satisfactory helping of each dish as we were sharing family style. Our favorite dishes of the night: - ceviche con causa - brocoli a la parilla - mofongo - tlacoyo The latter two were both pork dishes but prepared the pork in such different ways and paired with different textures and flavors that it didn't matter! The ceviche was one of the best I've had!! The desserts were a great way to end the meal. The pear sorbet was so good and captured the essence of the pear that I could have been just eating smooth frozen pear, lightly topped with some crunchy mix of blue corn, honeycomb, and cinnamon. I'm so glad I got to eat at Lucina while visiting. You have a new big Lucina fan now! read more

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Lucina is by far one of the best restaurants in Denver! It's hard not to be smiling when you walk into this place. From the decor, to the amazing staff, to the incredible food, this place checks all the boxes. The paella is the best in Denver. It's on the menu on Friday and Saturday nights. Some of my other favorites from the menu include the pan de casa, mussels con chorizo, lucina salad, mofongo, and the lucina burger. The cocktails are also delicious and beautifully prepared! read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

While this place is lively and fun, the food was underwhelming and service was terrible. Lots of wait staff that absolutely had no idea what they were doing. It's like they just pulled them off the street and told them to wait tables. We ordered three apps and an entree and drinks. The first two apps arrived before the drinks. Our waitress never checked in, dishes and silverware were never cleared for next course. Then our entree arrived. We asked about our third app and they said they forgot to place the order. The guy that brought it suggested we take the app home. This was your screw up. I told him to get our app and refire the main course later. Our waitress was never around, we had to ask someone else for second round of drinks twice. The food: The ceviche was overly spicy and not traditional. I like spice, but it can't overpower the dish. Croquettes were a bit mushy inside, definitely didn't mix up the batter correctly. The empanadas were the best dish we had, freshly baked and well balanced. The whole fish was not a portion for two. They didn't give us serving utensils or a dish for the bones. It was overpriced and completely underwhelming in every way. read more

If it wasn't for our great waiter, Bryan, the rating for our quick dinner at this restaurant tonight would have been 2 stars. Ambience/atmosphere checks out easily for this place. Modern interior throughout the restaurant; you'll not find this place as a dated old fashioned place. Nice open kitchen where you can see all kinds of great dishes lined up waiting to be served to hungry diners. We happened to seat at one of the tables very close to it so we could see it all. It was kind of fun. I like the menu size. Somewhat small and yet all the dishes are family style sizes so if you are ordering way too much your waitstaff will kindly let you know (is what Bryan said.) We listened to what Bryan said so we ordered several items to start with. Bread (Pan de Casa; not complimentary), Grilled Broccolini and Empanada. I made a mistake by showing up to it with my palate being ruined by an IPA I had at a nearby brewery (my bf and I attended a gathering there before our dinner and we both bad a pint of beer there. When we came to this restaurant I was hoping to have a glass of wine for our dinner. I realized that my beer influenced palate wouldn't cooperate with any of the wine samples Bryan was kind enough to offer me as they all tasted very sour to me; this wasn't restaurant's fault in any way. I had no choice but to go with water. At the end, this ended up being the right thing to do. I'll explain why.) Whereas I said that the ambiance checks out, I have to mention about the noise level of the restaurant. It is quite noisy. My bf actually had to go to the restroom to get some toilet paper pieces so he could put them in his ears. I'm not joking here. We did see some square shaped pad looking things on the ceiling throughout the place; they appeared to be for noise cancellation and yet they seemed be doing very little to ease the situation. Now let's get into the food we had which I'm going to write with mixed feelings. I wonder why there are so many restaurants that oversalt their dishes these days. That was the case for two of the dishes we ordered (well, one was brought to us by mistake as we didn't order it; upon telling them that they gave it to us free.) The Caesar Salad type thing (house salad called Lucina salad (this is the one we didn't order so it was free) was extremely salty. Even my bf who is not so salt sensitive said it was too salty for him; he actually likes salt so if the amount of salt was noticeable for someone like him then it was a big deal.) The broccolini was the same thing. What was salty was the reddish sauce underneath the broccolini (the broccolini itself was rightly seasoned; and it wasn't overcooked either. If the sauce wasn't that salty then it would have been a great dish.) I wonder what it is that they have to use that much salt to prepare their dishes. If they care about their diners' health, they need to make modifications to the way they cook and prepare their dishes. The only dishes we could comfortably enjoy were the house bread called (Pan de Casa that was accompanied by some seasoned butter (chimichurri) and the empanada. I am a big fanatic about empanadas; we absolutely didn't have any issues with the way they were prepared and cooked. But because half of what we ate was so salty, I kept drinking water so I wouldn't get thirsty. I am so glad that I forewent the alcohol. Conclusion: Whereas there are good things about this place that I can fondly talk about, I simply don't think we will go back here to dine again in fear that we might raise our blood pressure by eating their overly salty dishes. It's like a trial and error type situation; you try to discover a new place but you sometimes end up with some not so great experience. Well, at least we tried it. read more

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Not that you need me to tell you, but this restaurant is truly wonderful. Every dish was outstanding, made with care and served in an approachable neighborhood restaurant that also has kids' options. The bread was incredible, as were the stuffed peppers, the corn dish, the mussels...just...everything. This is the kind of place that makes you fall in love with food and dining. So much love and deliciousness here! read more

I loved my experience at Lucina. The hostess was very accommodating with a next day reservation. We were seated promptly and service was attentive despite the restaurant being rather busy. The space is lovely. Food was absolutely amazing. The arepas was crispy on the outside and the lamb inside was soft and flavorful. Ceviche was bright and fish forward (not a ton of fillers like onions tomatoes etc which was fab. The Mofungo was super tasty. We were lucky to be there on a night there was paella and it was amazing. Seafood was delicately cooked while the rice had a nice crispy to it . The cocktails were delicious and overall we had a fabulous time. Would definitely return. read more

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I really like the vibe here. It's chic and cozy with a very unique menu of Latin inspired fusion food. Our waiter Ryan was really friendly and gave really good recommendations and service. I ordered the Barbujas de Amor cocktail which was well crafted and tasted great and I could barely taste the alcohol. I also ordered the mussels con Chorizo and I gotta say that broth was super tasty! I drank it like it was soup since it was too good to waste. The mussels and chorizo were also good. I ordered the salad which was tasty with a slightly creamy Ceasar type sauce. I ordered the ceviche which was so tasty with a slightly lime flavored sauce. Finally I got the tlacoyo cochinta which took the longest to come out and I can see why...the pulled pork was so tender and there was a crispiness to the underlying bread like bottom. Everything was so tasty, service was really good, and ambience was very cozy. Very nice experience and I'll definitely be back read more

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This is some good mexican/cuban food. Everything is quite authentic and tasty. It's an upbeat atmosphere and festive. I will say I didn't love the cocktails...they think they're great but I found the Mai tai had WAY too much ice (plus it was crushed) and the banana drink tasted like monkey anus, read more

This restaurant was recommended by a friend. So we came here with high expectations. Pricy $65 for seafood paella but it was plentiful seafood and oyster mushrooms and other vegetables. They suggested that it's big enough for two but we were still hungry afterwards. Service was friendly and our waitress is knowledgeable. But the wait for the food, was brutal! We came at 6pm on a Saturday and waited 1 hour for paella (she told us it would be 40 min) so we wished that we had ordered an appetizer. We tried their cocktails, tiki taka, and la guardana. Both were delicious! The restaurant is Latin American with some Hawaii vibe. They have bright interior. We opted for outdoor dining and it was lovely on a cloudy evening. The bill came to $102 for food and drinks. read more

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As you can tell it's hard to WOW me. Guess I'm picky but was excited to try out Lucina in Park Hill on a Friday night. Happy it was a later reservation, 7:30 as it cleared out as the night went on.. got a lot quieter for my personal liking. Our server was amazing. Forget his name but super relaxed and chill and had really good suggestions. Ordered the empanadas, brocolini, ceviche and mofongo and all were amazing!Empandas were huge and filled to the brim. Broclini was nicely charred and the sauce was amazing on the bottom. Ceviche was fresh and the plantains were amazing as well. Mofongo was delicious and the pork belly nice a crispy. Know why this is in the top 25 places to eat in 5280 magazine. read more

My favorite spot for tapas and the best paella in Denver! Can't go wrong with anything in the menu. I love the rice and beans with the plantains, perfect combination of textures. The carrots are so so flavorful, juicy, and tender. And you have to come on the weekend to get the paella. We got ours with salmon, chicken, mussels, salmon, mushrooms and so many veggies. I loved the ratio of proteins to rice, felt perfect for the price. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and everyone here is so helpful. read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Paella - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

So good that during my one month in Denver I ate here twice! Lucina delivers on the flavors of my childhood in an elevated and warm dining environment. A wide selection on the menu with frequent new additions. Every last detail is done to perfection. Don't skip out on the maduros! Service is impeccable. read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

The place is obnoxiously loud and conversation was difficult. The food is very tasty and I could have had 3 orders of the Zanahorias. The prices however are aggressive and I wouldn't call the cocktails value for the money. read more

This place came highly recommended by one of my fiancé's colleagues and boy was he right! The food was phenomenal, high quality with lots of flavor! Officially one of our favorite restaurants in the Denver area. Huge shoutout to Gabe and Henry for the exceptional customer service! Gabe was so attentive and engaging and Henry was also engaging with top tier sense of humor, he had us cracking up on the patio. We can't wait to come back and try the paella next time!! read more

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3.5/5 We came by on a Friday evening for date night. We had a reservation and still had to wait a few for our table, but nothing too bad! Service was very average, possibly below average. After we were seated by one of the hosts, we did not have somebody come by for well over 10 minutes. Water glasses were empty throughout the majority of the meal. Our waiter recommended we order 3-5 small plates for the two of us. We went with the Pan de Casa, Empanadas, Tlacoyo Cochinita, Pupusa de Res, and the roasted heirloom carrots. We expected to still be hungry after those dishes and to order more, but the portions were actually quite large and filling. The Tlacoyo Cochinita was tasty and flavorful. We also really liked the carrots and the bread & (chimichurri!) butter was surprisingly delicious. We were not impressed with the empanadas and thought the pupusa was pretty bad. Not sure if we got a bad batch, but our pupusa was super doughy/sticky and we couldn't even taste that there was beef or cheese inside. Pretty yucky -- thought about sending that one back. We also got Abuelita's Xoco Flan to go -- that was a fun combination of flavors, a flan-cake-like fusion. Overall, we were not super impressed with this meal, though I think it could be that we just ordered poorly. Next time we'd probably go with the paella, we just didn't have the time (it takes 45 minutes) this time. read more

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We went here on a Saturday night with 6 people under an 8pm reservation, and at first it was very busy. As time went by, it dwindled down quite a bit. We were seated in a nice back corner table right by the bathrooms which I think curbed some of the noise from the rest of the restaurant. Our server, Brian, was phenomenal, however the food was a let down. We ordered a bottle of Malbec and a bottle of Pinot noir for the table along with the regular paella, mussels con chorizo, ceviche con causa, sikil pak, mofongo, churassco y papas, and then for dessert cafe con leche's, pastel de horchata, and the pera congelada. Across the table, everyone enjoyed their wine but the Malbec stained everyone's lips and teeth horrendously. The paella was not good, I'm not sure how else to describe it, the rice was a bit undercooked and the mussels, little necks, and even the shrimp were fishy or really dry. The mussels con chorizo were also very fishy, but the broth and bread they came with were good. The ceviche, sikil pak, mofongo, and churassco y papas were good, but nothing over the top or to really rave about. The best part of the meal was by far the two desserts - I do not have a sweet tooth so this is saying something. Both the desserts were delicious and were hard to share across the table unlike the majority of everything else. All in all, I liked the environment and the service, but the food was way overpriced for the quality/ value (our bill was $470 pre tax), and thus it is not a place I would return or recommend. read more

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What a wonderful place ... great share plates - too many to list. But pork belly and corn dish were great. Cocktails very good and well done. Waiter was great .. Hidden gem in Denver. read more

Wow! What a fun place! It's bright and compelling. From the minute we walked in the door, we were met with bustling, energetic staff who were happy to advise us on drinks (yes, the caipirinha's were exceptional!) and food. We sat at the bar, because it was a very busy weeknight at Lucina. I love sitting at the bar to interact with both the bartender and other staff -- even other customers. After much interaction with all, we decided on three sensational entrees. Mofongo, a creative and delicious pork belly dish; a Moqueca de Peixe, a fabulous Brazilian cod stew; and a wonderful Tlacoyo Cochinita, a slow roasted pork on masa roja. Truly, they were all inventive and so so tasty. And... even though the three of us were stuffed, we had to try dessert. We split a Y Claro -- an eclair with cream out of this world. You gotta go -- just to experience the energy and enthusiasm of the staff, which passes on to its patrons. It's contagious and so much fun. read more

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I found the menu here very intriguing as I had never heard of several of the dishes. I spent some time researching before I could decide what I might want to order. That's usually not the case with my jaded palate, so it was fun to try something completely new. I enjoyed a great, properly-composed mojito which is not easy to find in Denver. We started with the empanadas, two very large pastries stuffed with shredded chicken braised in sherry with an herb remoulade. The pastry was perfectly crispy and the chicken was tender and delicious. I did find the portion of remoulade stingy and would have preferred twice as much. We continued with the tlacoyo cochinita, a native dish from Mexico that probably dates back to the Aztecs. This was a boat-shaped corn cake with slow roasted pork, refried beans, salsa macha (a native chile paste from Veracruz), pickled onions, and garlic sour cream. This was also a great mix of flavors with a perfect corn cake and tender meat. Most of the menu is appetizers and "small" plates. Our server proudly explained that the portions were very large. This left us confused and disappointed. We would have very much liked to try two more dishes, but one appetizer and one small plate filled us up. I don't understand the large portions with such an interesting, sharable menu. Other items on the menu wander from Spain to traditional dishes with Mayan and Aztec roots to Puerto Rico and El Salvador. Most of this is street food that has been tweaked and elevated to fine dining. We're eager to go back to try some of the other items. Service was great. Our server was very helpful and had many suggestions. The space is long and very narrow, especially the front with a row of tables very close to the bar. My handicapped friend had difficulty navigating and we had to ask several people to move. The sound level is stupefying. We could barely hear the server and carrying on a conversation was almost impossible. We'd still like to return, although probably right at opening time. read more

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Our first experience at Lucina will not be our last. I was immediately swept in by the coastal decor and light-filled atmosphere. Our server guided us through the menu, no matter how many questions we had, and shared knowledge about the cuisine, dishes and drink selection. Each dish presented new, fresh flavors that took us on a journey with the chef and his travels. Highlights included trying tinned fish for the first time, mixing egg yolk into our buttery choclo, and filling up on empanadillas. The pacing was leisurely, the atmosphere welcoming and we left looking forward to our next voyage. read more

Lucina Eatery & Bar - Tinned fish and vinho verde - Latin American Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I was so blown away by everything here! The decor is so beautiful and unique. Our server was so kind, helpful and friendly! We tried around 8 different dishes and they were all incredible, I kept wanting more! I enjoyed my cocktail as well. I definitely will return read more

We had one of the most satisfying dinner recently Lucina Eatery. It is a melting pot of incredible Latin American, Latin Caribbean, and Coastal Spanish cuisine. Only over a year old Westword named them both Editors and Readers Choice for Best Central/South American Restaurant in the Best of Denver 2023 issue of the at Denver Westword. Lucina is named after Chef / Owner Erasmo "Ras" Casiano's mom Santa Lucina. They wanted this to be a comfortable place that you can make your own. It definitely feels like it! Chef Ras and business partner Chef Diego are there everyday doing what they do -Sharing their love and pride for Lucina with their customers! They're also the owners of @createkitchenbar @stanleymarketplace Featured Dishes ( in order of swipe) which one would you go for first? See my Story for cocktails! 1. Ostras. Jalapeño Toreado Butter, garlic Crema, Maiz Crisp. Chabroiled in their hearthstone oven. The chiles are fried then cured then chopped into the butter! Topped with maiz crunch they grind in a molcajete with garlic and Aleppo chiles into a little seasoning. All that to create that perfect bite! Such dedication! 2. Lucina Salad 3. Empanadas 4. Tlacoyo Cochinita. Heritage masa, sloe roasted pork, refrito, sala matcha, habanero onions, garlic crema. 5. Paella del Momento. Fridays and Saturdays only after 5 pm. Mother Earth's bounty. ( the ingredients vary every weekend) 6. Pastel del Guava. Cheesecake, cornbread, Streusel, Xoco blanco. read more

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I will definitely be back to Lucina! Went with a group of people for a birthday party and they were able to accommodate a reservation for 6 people. The atmosphere is bright with beautiful/colorful murals on the wall. The space is also well laid out and not cramped. We ordered 8 dishes and 2 desserts and everything was absolutely amazing. You can tell the food is truly inspired and well executed. The service was great and the waiter was knowledgeable about the menu. read more

Had one of the best meals of my life at Lucina last night. Everything was so unique and delicious, I was beyond impressed. The restaurant is also super cute and service was wonderful. Can't wait to come back. read more

I love their latin influence. Their paellas are really good. I wish they had entrees more like individual sizes though, but overall the place is really good. read more

My best dining experience since moving to Denver nearly ten years ago was a fabulous combination of service, menu, ambiance, and Latin American food. Wow, I loved this place. We secured a reservation for eight on a busy Friday night, and I could not be more pleased with everything about this evening. We had family visiting for a wedding, and while I had some concerns about the menu being suitable for each visiting family member, they were quickly extinguished. Phenomenal service from Dillon resulted in a great night. He and the staff were terrific regarding our needs, never rushed us at any point, and constantly maneuvered around the table to make it a superb visit. I enjoyed how the staffers got along so well, with constant fist pumps and smiles as they crossed paths. THAT makes a difference to me. The interior is fantastic, with great art and murals heightening the visuals. I like the look of the bar, too. The open kitchen is there to observe and enjoy in the back of the room and I did! There is a lot of street parking on Kearney. Great appetizers - empanadas, mofongo, and yuca fritas. I could have grazed these all night. The empanadas were delicious, and the yuca fritas were tasty. But the mofongo was exceptional - pork belly with a delicious crust, adding unbelievable plantain mush, a mint, and a salad tipped by habanero cream. It was truly unique. The key is Fridays and Saturdays; they feature paella, which is spectacular! Give the kitchen 45 minutes to prepare it and order appetizers like we did! They're flexible due to varying palettes, and we substituted chicken for shrimp and another shellfish and LOVED the mahi mahi along with all of the ingredients. It was a glorious overall paella. Could have served four, but two of us managed to eat most of it because the unique flavors brought us repeatedly back for more. The bomba rice is fantastic. It tasted just as good the next day with eggs!!!! Our dessert capped off the whole visit and was elite. Chef Jose, who hails from San Juan and Buenas Aries, is terrific. He visited us multiple times and added to the overall visit with his interaction and kindness. Again, I have not enjoyed a food experience like this before in Colorado, and I can't wait to visit again, as the two of us can have another great dinner. And it will be on a Friday or Saturday! read more

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