Brian Nagele
Living in a landlocked state like Colorado usually means seafood is firmly off the table. To spite this notion, world-class chefs in Denver have found a way to serve the freshest seafood in establishments all across the city.
From fine dining to hole-in-the-wall joints, seafood restaurants litter the Mile-High City. Some of the best seafood spots even pair excellent menus with killer happy hours to attract nay-sayers!
Not every seafood restaurant calls for black ties and fine wines. Check out my list of the best seafood in Denver below!
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
1539 17th St, Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-292-5767
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Located just a block northeast from the 16th Street Mall sits Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar.
The famous fish restaurant is near Coors Field, Elitch Gardens, and Union Station, in downtown Denver’s heart.
Jax Fish House & Oyster bar doesn’t open until 3:30 pm every evening, but the wait is worth it for some of the best seafood downtown!
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar has a simple yet well-executed menu. The Chargrilled Oyster starter is to die for, but you can’t go wrong with the Ahi Tuna Poke!
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar has seasonal entrees for the dinner menu that often include Salmon, Yellowfish Tuna, and non-seafood options to get the freshest seafood. Oysters and caviar are always on the menu!
Stoic & Genuine
1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-640-3474
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Stoic & Genuine shares the iconic Union Station building and offers an extensive seafood menu.
Its prime location near the 16th Street Mall, Confluence Park, and the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art makes it the perfect spot for a fine dinner after exploring Colorado’s Mile-High culture.
Fresh seafood dominates the menu at Stoic & Genuine.
Local fish, such as lake trout, find a home on the menu in incredible dishes like the Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs.
Don’t skip out on the Japchae, a Korean dish with bay scallops, or the Verlasso Salmon. Stoic & Genuine also has a raw bar with a wide selection of west and east-coast oysters.
Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood
2625 E 2nd Ave, Denver, CO 80206
Phone: 303-333-2462
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In the heart of Denver’s Cherry Creek suburb is Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood.
It sits across from the Cherry Creek shopping center near the Denver Country Club and is New England dining in the middle of Colorado.
Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood provides diners with a simple menu, but the seafood is high-quality pier-to-table straight from Long Island.
Local trout makes an appearance again, but the Miso-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass steals the show.
You can also buy their world-famous clam chowder by the pint or quart for a lunch that’ll make everyone in the office jealous!
Fish N Beer
3510 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
Phone: 303-248-3497
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Blink, and you might miss this snug seafood spot off Larimer and Downing near the River North Art District.
Fish N Beers’ simple motto of making fish and beer the star of the menu has locals buzzing about this fantastic seafood restaurant.
Despite being landlocked, Fish N Beer offers some of the freshest seafood in the state.
Fish N Beer is only open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, but it’s worth the wait! Seafood is clearly the focus, as even the guacamole features seared tuna.
The best entrees on the menu are the Alamosa Bass, featuring locally sourced bass, and the Spanish Octopus grilled over a wood fire.
Plus, you can finish the whole meal with a coastal-inspired key lime pie that will ruin other pies!
Cafe Brazil
4408 Lowell Blvd, Denver, CO 80211
Phone: 303-480-1877
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Cafe Brazil sits on the corner of 44th and Lowell in northwest Denver. This fine-dining Brazillian restaurant is just south of Rocky Mountain Lake Park.
But this intimate eatery is only open four days a week. Regardless of the limited hours, the seafood is fantastic, especially with Brazilian-inspired flavors!
Must-try dishes include the Cazuela Colombiana served with large prawns and chicken breast in a tomato and coconut milk-styled stew.
Also worth a try is the Seafood Copacabana with shrimp and scallops, and the Moqueca De Peixe, which has Atlantic cod, large prawns, and scallops.
Guard and Grace
1801 California St, Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-293-8500
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Guard and Grace is a contemporary steak house in the heart of downtown Denver.
It is within walking distance from several hotels and conference centers and a short drive away from venues like Ball Arena, Coors Field, or Empower Field.
This elegant destination has private rooms capable of hosting events up to 120 people large.
The restaurant offers lunch hours during the week and evenings on the weekends.
Some excellent items on the Guard and Grace menu include Grilled Shrimp Banh Mi Sliders with grilled prawns and veggies on a potato roll.
The Alaskan Black Cod is unforgettable, and the Bubu Bowl served with hamachi sashimi, salmon, ahi tuna, and shrimp is the ultimate seafood meal.
You won’t find a disappointing meal on the menu, and the raw seafood bar is worth the high prices!
Maine Shack
1535 Central St, Denver, CO 80211
Phone: 303-997-2118
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Maine Shack is just off Interstate-25 and across from commons park in the heart of Denver’s culinary district.
The excellent location is great for attending shows or sporting events at nearby Coors Field or Empower Field at Mile High, with dedicated home game concessions stands.
It’s also pretty close to Elitch Gardens, and its casual nature makes it an excellent seafood restaurant for families with kids.
Maine Shack is famous for its lobster rolls. Each roll comes stuffed with knuckle and claw meat, though some come with lobster tail meat.
Lobster rolls aren’t the only incredible seafood roll, as Maine Shack offers fried rolls with scallops, shrimp, or whole belly clams.
Fried haddock sandwiches and steamed clams round out the menu.
Ocean Prime
7339 W Sand Lake Rd #400, Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: 407-781-4880
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Ocean Prime has two locations in Denver. One in Denver Tech Center (DTC) and one downtown.
Both sites offer an extremely high-class Denver seafood spot, but only the DTC location provides lunch.
The downtown location is in the beautiful Larimer Square, which celebrates iconic old-school Denver architecture. DTC Ocean Prime is more open and light-focused.
Ocean Prime offers a chilled menu featuring half-shell oysters, east and west coast oysters, and even chilled whole main lobster.
Appetizers are also high-end with a surf and turf with scallops and braised short ribs. Unique entrees fill the menu with options like Florida Grouper, Teriyaki Salmon, and Blackened Snapper.
Crab Cakes, Ahi Tuna, and Sea Scallops are available as more common options.
Humboldt Kitchen + Bar
1700 Humboldt St, Denver, CO 80218
Phone: 303-813-1700
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Humboldt Kitchen + Bar is just south of the St. Joseph Hospital complex and sits on 17th, close to the Denver Zoo and the Filmore Auditorium.
This restaurant focuses on small, chef-inspired plates with quality seafood and excellent hand-crafted cocktails.
They’re open for lunch and dinner, and their happy hour is generous. The modern styling works well and creates a cozy, ocean-themed restaurant.
While steaks are a focus, some fantastic seafood options grace the main entrees. A locally-sourced trout dip highlights the starters, but the Spicy Tuna Tartare is the premium appetizer from Humboldt.
The Pan-Seared Salmon, Shrimp Tacos, and Grilled Mahi-Mahi are all competent, fresh seafood dishes that claim to be some of the best in Denver.
IzakayaDen
1487A S Pearl St, Denver, CO 80210
Phone: 303-777-0691
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Situated between Washington Park and the Overland golf course are the IzakayaDen and SushiDen.
Closed on Monday but open for dinner the rest of the week, IzakayaDen promises some of the most incredible seafood in the Mile-High City.
IzakayaDen is the peak sushi destination with the freshest seafood caught daily.
The restaurant is so exclusive that four-person reservations are the max, and anything higher requires special approval.
You can’t go wrong with any of the amazing sushi or sashimi rolls, even having an option to take out.
Each menu uses fresh seafood ingredients and traditional Japanese cooking techniques for an Asian spin on some of Denver’s best seafood!
Japanese fish catch of the day and kitchen-produced meals also have dedicated menus.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
5111 DTC Pkwy, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: 720-826-7488
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Just off Interstate-25 and East Belleview in Denver Tech Center is Eddie V’s Prime Seafood.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood offers elegant seafood and steak dining with a wine list that’s 300 bottles deep.
This particular seafood restaurant features live music, private dining rooms, and a seasonally changing menu. You’ll forget that you’re in a landlocked restaurant with fresh-caught fish!
For starters, the Big Eddie offers diners a little bit of everything, including King Crab, Maine lobster, Tuna Poke, shrimp, and oysters.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood really shines for the main courses, which feature options like Mediterranean Branzino, Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, and South African Lobster.
There’s even a shop to purchase the best seafood and steaks in Denver for cooking at home!
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
7520 E Progress Pl, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: 303-740-9449
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On the west side of Interstate-25 sits a seafood restaurant called Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.
This well-known seafood restaurant may be a chain, but it serves some of the best local seafood in Denver.
It’s different from other chain restaurants with dedicated trucks that deliver the freshest seafood and continues to be a family-owned establishment. There are even private dining rooms for large parties.
What makes Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen unique is the use of Cajun recipes.
Popular meals include the crawfish platter, blackened catfish, and the Jumbo Shrimp Brochette.
The Mississippi Catfish Opelousas, Rainbow Trout and Shrimp, and Crispy Atlantic Salmon are unique alternatives to the standard seafood fare available at any other restaurant!
Cajun Haus
1225 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219
Phone: 720-609-2899
Cajun Haus off S. Federal and between Mississippi and Arizona offers a unique take on seafood in the Mile-High City.
Located in a somewhat unassuming part of town, the Cajun Haus is a seafood restaurant that focuses on quality instead of fancy atmospheres.
The Cajun take is refreshing and delicious. The nautical theme reminds diners they’re in a seafood restaurant, but they return for the fantastic food.
Calamari and raw oysters are premium seafood appetizers at the Cajun Haus, but the chowder and hush puppies are distinctly Cajun fare.
Cajun Haus sells generous portions of King and Dungeness crab legs, Fried Catfish Baskets, and even muscles.
Prices may be high, but the helpings are large enough for whole families to chow down on some of the best seafood in Denver.
Final Thoughts
Denver isn’t the first place one thinks of when pondering outstanding seafood. The landlocked city has better claims to field animals like bison, cattle, and chicken.
Despite the lack of oceans, Denver is a burgeoning culinary hot-spot, and some locally sourced fish provides enough unique flair to provide incredible seafood.
Plus, many restaurants can source quality seafood without it losing freshness. Several restaurants offer a unique spin on seafood, with some having a Cajun theme while others stick to fine dining.
If you’re looking for something a bit more scenic here in Denver, check out these rooftop bars for drinks with a view!
Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment, and we’ll check it out!
Best Seafood in Denver
- Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
- Stoic & Genuine
- Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood
- Fish N Beer
- Cafe Brazil
- Guard and Grace
- Maine Shack
- Ocean Prime
- Humboldt Kitchen + Bar
- IzakayaDen
- Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
- Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
- Cajun Haus
