Very cute neighborhood restaurant tucked into Congress park. It's an easy walk for neighbors and feels very local. I used to live around the corner from this and whenever I had a desperate Italian food craving and didn't want to cook, I'd call in. I have to say on most occasions that insatiable craving wasn't fulfilled. I felt that a lot of flavor was missing. This ended up being a go to place for me due to the proximity, and sadly not the food. read more

It was my first time here and my expectations were very high due to the reviews. Unfortunately my expectations were not met... food was overly priced and it was bland. The service was HORRIBLE, our waiter Maria was very rude and not attentive. read more

We ordered from here through postmates and paid around $95 with tax & tip. We got: - Pork Chop - Shrimp Diavolo - Creamy Piccata Overall, we were really disappointed. For paying that price point, we found most of the meal to be rather bland - I had to put a lot of salt on the piccata. They did provide free bread and dip which was a plus. This place has great reviews & I'm sure is much better for dine in, but for us we would not order delivery from here again. read more

Arrived on time for our reservation, yet waited 20 min for a table. The restaurant was packed and busy. Stood in unheated entrance hallway, as no room at bar or elsewhere. Chose the restaurant as the menu had extensive gluten free options, which was important as a member of our party has celiac disease, There must have been cross contamination in the kitchen, as he was adversely affected afterwards. The food overall had great flavor and the service was fantastic after we were finally seated. read more

One of Denver's best hidden gems - neighborhood Italian don with flair on every level.

Really amazing Italian food in a comfy location. Pre covid I was lucky to snag a seat at the bar on a busy Friday night with no reservation. The bartender was very attentive and busy pouring/ mixing drinks for all of the servers. Started off with the calimari which was amazing. Crisp and perfectly cooked which was an amazing start to the meal. Opted for the veal picatta which was also amazing as well and the portion was so large I had lunch the next day. Not sure what it's like post covid but I'll have to visit soon! read more

Was packed but slowed down pasta was good. Have had another better but can't beat the intimate close setting and being able to bring the wine home. Will be back read more

Shells and Sauce - Brussels. Carbonara and stuffed shells - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

We love Shells and Sauce, and we dine in at least once a week, it is such a neighborhood gem, with friendly staff and delicious food! I want to praise our waitress Maris, for always being helpful, friendly and providing us with excellent service! 5 Stars, highly recommend, cheers the 3 Baers, David, Jan and Harrison read more

Shells & Sauce get a 5 star review simply for the their BBQ shrimp and grits brunch dish. The dish was simply amazing. It had a slight sweet flavor and the grits consistency was spot on. Surprisingly they removed the dish from their menu but because I always check out the online menu I knew about it. (usually I check the online menu three days before a reservation to make a game plan on what to order, I take food way too seriously ) The waitress was nice to ask the kitchen if they can still serve the dish and they did! My wife went with the garden omelette which she thought it was just ok, the hash browns that came with it was really good though. Finally we finished off with the French toast which was a big disappointment. It wasn't hot when it was first served and overall was nothing out of the ordinary. Hope they bring back the shrimp and grits to their brunch menu and if they do make sure to order it! Ratings: BBQ shrimp and grits: 9/10 French toast brunch: 7/10 read more

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For two people, we ordered Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Tomato Bruschetta, Potato Gnocchi, Stuffed Shells Duo, and Tiramisu for takeout. The Brussel sprouts were deliciously crunchy and by far my fav of the bunch! Everything else was okay -- nothing was bad, but nothing was particularly great either. I expected the portions for the mains to be slightly larger given the prices. Really cute spot, I'd give it another try for dine-in, but probably wouldn't order takeout again. read more

Service, ambiance, and food were amazing! Will be back. One of our new favorite happy hours to visit.

This is hands down, my favorite place in Denver. We've recommended this place to two of our friends and they've both said the same thing. We find every excuse we can to go here. They have the best homemade bread! (Ask my husband who ate four loaves when we were there last time and got one to go, thanks to our awesome server). We've been happy with every single dish we've ordered and for the quality of food, it's super affordable, we just found out they have a happy hour list as well will some "small eats" so we will definitely be back for that. read more

My first trip was amazing. The food was sensational and the service was excellent. Make sure to make a reservation if you go. We waited for about 30 minutes because we did not make that reservation. It was still well worth it. I've been craving going back for more. Our server was tall and had a beard. I forget his name. He was very kind and thoughtful. A real first class act. Came in for a second time and everything as excellent once again. I was craving that Shrimp Spicy Dish. Leaving full and happy. read more

Shells and Sauce - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Definitely a pretty solid Italian place! All of their dishes are pretty good and meet my Italian food cravings! Would recommend for anyone looking for solid Italian food. I've had their bolognese, veal marsala, truffle Mac and cheese, and truffle parmesan fries. Honestly i love anything truffle so I'm a bit biased on those two dishes but they've got some solid flavors in their bolognese and veal marsala. Although I typically like a more creamy bolognese, theirs is pretty decent although a little more wet than I prefer. read more

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Good value could not finish the plate of chicken parm. The Negroni was perfect , the waiter was very attentive.

My boyfriend and I are very picky when it comes to pasta so we don't eat it often, but for some reason we just NEEDED a good ol pasta fix. I found this place and we decided to go since it's relatively close to our home, the reviews were good, and the photos we've seen of the food looked great. This place did not disappoint. There's off-street parking which is always a plus. But if the lot is full, there's plenty of street parking. When you walk in, they have hand sanitizer you can use. Seating wise, everyone was relatively distant from each other so that was great. We went during happy hour (3-6) so we can get some beers. When we sat down, you get a nice, warm loaf of bread with a delicious basaltic dipping sauce. We ordered the calamari and the garlic aioli sauce that comes with it is delicious. My boyfriend also enjoyed the calamari (and he does not like seafood). I ordered one of their specials as my main dish which was a rigatoni with shrimp and prosciutto. YUM! I was so happy with it. I believe my boyfriend got the Chicken Penne and he was so happy with his order. He let me try some of his pasta and it was to die for. The chicken was so flavorful and yummy. The portions are very generous. We couldn't finish our food! Which is fine because we now have delicious leftovers! Can I also mention how friendly the staff is?! This is some of the best service we've had ever. Shells and Sauce is our new go-to place when we want a good pasta fix. The neighborhood is cute, the food is delicious, and the staff is great! read more

Shells and Sauce - Calamari Fritti - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I had dinner recently at Shells & Sauce. The service was great and the food was good. I had eggplant Parmigiana. It could have used a bit more sauce, but otherwise was delicious. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time so I finally headed in for brunch on Saturday with a friend. I had made a reservation but I saw there were a few open tables so not sure how important that is. I did notice that if they had been on a wait there were not much room to stand around & wait so that's something to keep in mind. Our server showed up shortly after we sat down & got our drink order. My friend & I each had a Bloody Mary which I really liked. Our server was kind enough to bring us a chaser of beer upon request to offset some of the saltiness. I did find it weird that the bloodies were served in rocks glasses though. I ordered the eggs carbornora. I had been really excited about this dish & while on paper it looked good... it fell a bit short of my expectations. The eggs & pasta were cooked nicely but there was something lacking with the sauce. If I had to do it over I may ask for spaghetti noodles instead of penne. The service was super friendly! I would love to come back & try some of their other brunch or dinner items! read more

Shells and Sauce - Bloody Mary - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Service was super friendly and wine pours were large but ambiance was nonexistent and food was very average. Got the Caesar which was pretty bad, the chicken Marsala was decent, and bolognese was average at best. Always super crowded and has people outside though read more

Had an amazing experience at Shells and Sauce! Went here for an impromptu date with my boyfriend during a busy Saturday night for the restaurant. Still had amazing service from our awesome server Maria. Maria's service, the food and atmosphere was great! Would recommend! read more

Shells and Sauce - Peach Lavender (front) and Apple Cinnamon (back) sangria! - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I had high hopes b/c the place was packed on a Saturday night, but come to find out it's just b/c it's small. Services was fine, room was cramped and the food was sub-par. I had the Carbonara, if you can call it that. Watery sauce, over cooked noodles with no flavor. My wife had the fish which was ok, although a bit overcooked. I wouldn't go back. read more

I took my dad here 3 years ago on his visit from AZ and he still talks about it to this day- thats how great this place is. Space inside gets packed quick so I HIGHLY recommend making reservations. Service is always friendly and attentive. I constantly crave their stuffed shells duo (best I've ever had!) and I miss living close enough to walk over on a whim to order food to go! Shells & Sauce is a true neighborhood gem. read more

This is a classic, old school Italian restaurant with large and delicious food in Congress Park. This is a small restaurant so you will need a reservation and they hold you to 1.5hrs so do not dilly dally. You may want to review menu beforehand and be open to specials on chalkboard. Staff are friendly and accommodating. There is a downstairs and an upstairs (upstairs was reserved for a party). There is bread n the table, but I was not blown away with and did not waste calories. We all had Caesar salads with homemade dressing which was delicately balanced. Old school which means it comes with an anchovy so if you prefer none, make sure to ask the server to leave the anchovy (I ate the anchovies that others did not want). The meatballs are HUGE. Right portion of breadcrumbs so they are tender. Spaghetti was tender, sauce is right mix of acidity and sweetness. I would suggest ordering g sauce on side - I like my meal saucy. The lasagna is insane and very meaty. No complaints from me. Our friends had carbonara and capellini d'Angelo and they licked their plates. I recommend for a good Italian meal that will not break the bank. read more

One of the worse meals I've had in Denver. Table of 4. 4 diff entrees, 3 appetizers. Nothing had flavor. Pretty non attentive service. Would never visit again or recommend. Also asked for salt and was brought to go packets of salt lol read more

This Italian restaurant is insanely delicious. Strong drinks and the pasta is to die for. The restaurant has two levels, a bar and an outside area. I highly recommend. read more

Shells and Sauce - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Amazing Italian food in a neighborhood location. Caesar salads was perfect and large enough for our party. I had the veal Marsala, which was stunningly delicious. Rich sauce and flavorful mushrooms. The cocktails were wonderful and the lobster pasta ravioli special was amazing! I loved the saffron seasoning! read more

Shells and Sauce - Lobster ravioli - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Last Saturday night we were part of a party of twelve with a seven o'clock reservation. Over the years we've enjoyed a meal here many times. Usually on a weeknight. The place was always packed, always noisy and always good food. We thought, NOT the place for our group on Saturday night.... Looking around, it was clear nothing had changed and there was no sign of room for us. Once everyone had arrived, our host, Jose, asked us to follow him. I'm thinking, "Where? Out the back door and into the street?!?" Instead, he takes us to a big flight stairs hidden in back. AMAZING space, windows on all three sides, looking into the trees and feeling like the best summer treehouse. This area is huge, quiet and just the best for us to visit, enjoy the food and drinks and marvel at how fortunate we are. Only open on the weekends, it's magical. Can't wait to come back in summer. On to our server, Emily. She assured enough to give us definitive answers and her recommendations. Absolutely spot on throughout. Excellent Italian dishes in portions designed for take home lunches the next day. Emily is a great caretaker. We had the best experience possible. Again, thanks everyone for the lovely evening, Bill read more

I don't understand the reputation it apparently has. This place sucks. Olive Garden has better Italian food and OG is terrible. Top 3 things about Shells & Sauce: 1. The bread (they make it in-house) 2. The portion sizes (which is ruined by the taste) 3. Leaving The people who like this place more than likely do so because of the neighborhood it's in and the reputation. read more

I've been coming to Shells & Sauce for a few years and it is always a treat. This most recent outing was an 8 person dinner so thank goodness for reservations. We did have to wait about 15 mins for our table and unforch, there really isn't much room to wait. Once seated we were greeted with a wonderful wine menu and bread for the table. We ordered a number of apps including the bruschetta, cheese and others. For the entrees, I decided to go with the salmon for a change instead of pasta and was pleased with the choice. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the mashed potatoes it came with were awesome. Over all the flavor was just what I wanted but I did wish there was a bit more of it. Fortunately, with the apps, I was totally full. All in all, the party was happy with the food and the low key environment. Shells & Sauce makes you feel a part of the community and this local place is worth a try. The price point is just a slight bit high for an everyday spot but remains a great date night, family reunion place! read more

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One of our local faves. The food is great, the location is in the heart of our neighborhood, and the staff is top notch.

Happy hour is super satisfying with great drinks and food. Maria offered great service and was a complete gem with amazing recommendations from the wine to dessert. I went with the chicken parm small plate and the Malbec wine and my partner had the shroom and spinach flatbread with the Titan IPA. The bartender needs to work on his beer pour (it's 1-2 fingers of head silly not 3-4 inches) but everything else was on point! We will certainly be back. read more

Thaw absolute best Italian food in Denver!!! The service is exceptional, they always find a way to get us a table! This is our absolute favorite Italian restaurant! My husband ALWAYS has the servers order his dinner for him! Does that tell you how good the food is? It's a must! read more

Years ago I went to shells and sauce and it was too busy to get a table. This time I had a reservation for Friday night. I sat on the patio. I was excited to finally have time and the forethought to eat at this restaurant. The waiter provided bread and water. I ordered the mushroom sacchetti and my girlfriend had the stuffed shell duo. The sacchetti was delicious but the good parts stop there. The shrimp was over cooked and so were the shells. The service was slow. The white sangria was too sweet. Shells and sauce is just an overrated Italian restaurant who doesn't even make there own pasta. read more

Shells and Sauce - Wild Mushroom Sacchetti with shrimp - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Shells & Sauce is a wonderful neighborhood spot that serves up big portions of delicious Italian food. The service is friendly, and you can make reservations online with any number of popular apps. And they have AMAZING free bread. I had the cioppino special of the night, which was a mountain of seafood and delicious broth. Amazingly, there were ZERO bones and no traces of sand anywhere in my abundance of sea creatures. Even at some really fancy restaurants, you usually find one or the other. My wife had the wild mushroom sacchetti with shrimp. Both of our meals were really, really good, and we were pleasantly surprised to get grown-up portions. When you're getting Italian food, sometimes you get a giant plate with like three real forks of food - not the case here. Also, they take the tails off your shrimp for you, which is more convenient than you'd think. Our server was super friendly, and our water cups were never empty. They have a parking lot in back, but we didn't have any trouble finding street parking on a Sunday night. If you're looking for some bomb Italian food, make a reservation at S&S, and know that you'll leave happy. read more

Shells and Sauce - Cioppino special - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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From the first time I visited this place 8 years ago it has always been a go to for me. The food is consistently delicious. They have the best happy hour menu in town. It feels like a true neighborhood gem. read more

Literally the best food in aurora. I could eat there EVERY SINGLE DAY plus the customer service is impeccable. Their meat falls off the bone and the sides are to die for. Please just bring us wings!!!! read more

My boyfriend came here on a Friday night for date night. We made reservations online ahead of time. When we arrived, we were seated promptly upstairs. Bread and vinegar based type sauce was placed the table. They bread was so delicious and warm. I felt like I could have just eaten that for my meal. We started our dinner with a bottle of red wine and fried calamari. The calamari was good, it wasn't oily but still crispy. I ordered the stuffed shells duo and my boyfriend got the lasagna. I loved the sweet potato, butternut squash and goat cheese stuff shelled. It had great flavor. I wasn't a fan of the six cheese stuffed shell. It was too much cheese for me. I tried my boyfriend's lasagna and it was delicious and humongous! We definitely had plenty of leftovers. I was bummed I didn't get dessert but I was way too stuffed. I'll definitely need to visit again! read more

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Went here last Tuesday 11/17/20 for restaurant week. Honestly, the food was ok but I wouldn't say their food is amazing. Their mac and cheese was all right. We were doing the couple's deal with an appetizer, salad, and 2 entrees and desert altogether for $70, my boyfriend wanted their steak special for the night and they said they were out of steak (come on, people). Our server was sweet and fun for the night, honestly the highlight of our evening, not the food. Even though food wasn't amazing, the place was pretty cute and homey. read more

Shells and Sauce - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Our food was amazing. My wife & I came on a date night & man this place made out date amazing! The tiramisu was definitely pre made but our food was amazing!! read more

Shells and Sauce - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Food was great, very tasty and prices are just right. We had a lovely time with Jamis as our server. Lots of laughs, excellent suggestions, fun, attentive, beautiful human as a whole! Thanks for a delightful experience:) read more

Shells and Sauce - The most WONDERFULLY DELIGHTFUL server - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado