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Bruno's Italian Bistro
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
2223 S Monaco PkwyDenver, CO 80222
Neighborhood: Southeast
(303) 759-7025
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Katie R. said: "After sampling a few delicious items at my company's "work hard/play hard" event, my cousin and I decided a cute little downtown bistro was in order for lunch the other day. We found a spot on the patio [so cute!] and proceeded to…" read more »
23 reviews for Bruno's Italian Bistro
Review Highlights
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"...freshly baked and is awesome to dip in the white wine sauce." In 3 reviews -
"...and are looking forward to going back again and again." In 4 reviews -
"The homemade bead with olive oil was delicious." In 3 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Beth W.
Denver, CO
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I know it is in a strip mall, but give Bruno's a chance. The food is so good that you will ignore the fact that it is next to the Family Dollar. I am serious.
I have tried a few different dishes, but I always come back to the chicken marsala. I am a marsala fiend, and Bruno's does it right.
The staff is friendly, and the wine is tasty as well. I have nothing bad to say about this place.
Go there. Do it. -
Review from Kimberly S.
Denver, CO
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
OK, what to say......
Interior - nice colors, easy to move around in.
Food - the pasta is good. We had the spaghetti, and the eggplant parmesan. Both were very good. I ordered the eggplant parmesan. My husband ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. We each had 1/2 of the others. I liked the eggplant, but must admit that I LOVED the spaghetti with the meatballs. The sauce was one of the best sauces I have ever tasted. The blend of spices was incredible! The meatballs were also very good.
We ordered a pizza to go. We were disappointed. It looked good, but when we tried it, not so good. It seemed like one of those pizzas that you finish baking at home, nothing special about it, very disappointing.
Parking - private parking lot, so no problem there.
Location - in a strip mall, with very few other businesses there. It does seem rather desolate.
Prices - not bad.
Service - good
Will we go back, most likely not anytime soon. The pasta was good, but the pizza, not so good. All in all, OK. -
Review from Melanie S.
Denver, CO
11/28/2011
This is some good food right here.
Yes, Bruno's is in a strip mall. So if you eat out on the patio you have a lovely view of..... a Family Dollar store. But don't let that discourage you. The food is delicious. I probably would not recommend this as a special occasion destination only because of the atmosphere. But it would be a great place to go if you've got family in town and you want good food in a relaxing environment. The staff is friendly too. -
Review from Linda M.
Denver, CO
1/2/2012
I have been here a few times and the food is always good and the service friendly. It is quiet and charming so a good place to go if you want to hang out with friends.
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Review from Rad S.
Denver, CO
12/14/2011
I'm a fan of Bruno's. The food is consistently good, and the service has always been great. I used to go here once a month (when they were open for lunch), and I still go once a quarter. The location is less-than-beautiful (which has been discussed plenty on Yelp) but once you're inside the door, I actually find the place kind of cozy and charming. Give it a try if you're in the neighborhood.
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Review from Tiffany W.
Denver, CO
3/12/2011 2 photos
The Dude and I decided to give this (formerly unknown to us) Italian joint a try for Restaurant Week 2011. Appetizer, soup, salad, entree, and dessert course PLUS glass of house red or white -- quite a deal!
I made reservations some time ago on Open Table, however, upon arrival last night they did not have my name down. Thankfully, a two-top was getting ready to leave, and they were apologetic for not having my name down. We only waited a few minutes by the (small) bar before moving to our table. The interior is warm; clean without being sterile and still casual enough that we saw plenty of couples come in wearing jeans (and nicer shirts). We received bread quickly after being sat. The bread was warm, crusty on the outside, and soft on the inside (yum). The dipping oil had kalamatas and sundried tomatoes as an added bonus.
We managed to snarf down the bread before anyone came over to greet us. When she finally did, she asked the ever-loaded "Has anyone been by to help you yet?". Luckily, I've waited tables before, and we hadn't been waiting that long. So it wasn't a big deal. Also, it gave us time to decide each course so we got our wine and food order taken all at once, and the food appeared in a timely manner from there.
We chose the fried artichokes for an appetizer (other choice was steamed mussels). They were artichokes battered in something similar to calamari batter, fried, served atop spinach with roasted red peppers and garlic aioli. It was certainly a hearty portion between the two of us, and probably what did me in when I was too full for my entree later. Up next we each got a cup of their minestrone. It wasn't the best I've ever had; I probably would not order it on its own. And after that came the house salads (other choice was a Caesar). I read a previous review that said they make their own Italian and Balsamic dressings; The Dude and I ordered one of each. The Balsamic was pretty standard fare, but the Italian was no good. It just tasted like vinegar and was pretty disappointing overall.
Then came the entrees. The Dude selected the Shrimp+Scallops Scampi with linguine; I chose the Eggplant Parmesan. Mine came with a side of spaghetti with some kind of pesto-y sauce, mushrooms, peas, and roasted red peppers. I like each element of the dish (the eggplant and the pasta), but I wasn't a big fan of them together. Next time I would request just plain pasta and more red sauce, but that's a personal preference. Both items were quite tasty. The Dude said his seafood tasted fresh, and had a nice balance of flavors. They were full portion sizes, so I only took a few bites of mine and had the rest boxed up for another meal. Bonus! Also, they seem to use the "parmesan cheese" from the green shaker can (looks akin to a Comet can), which I feel is kind of lowbrow for a place like this.
We selected the tiramisu for dessert (out of that, Spumoni, chocolate gelato, or cannoli). We thought it sounded the best, but after eating it I suspect the chocolate gelato may have been superior. I could be wrong, but it seemed as though their tiramisu is made with (real) whipped cream instead of marscapone. It didn't have a lot of flavor and it was mostly whipped cream (or whatever it was) with a single layer of not-very-espresso-soaked lady fingers. But the presentation was pretty and at least it came across as housemade.
I'm not sure we'd drive over to that side of town to visit again (another oddly located Italian bistro in a run-down strip mall...), but it was a great deal for Restaurant Week. I suspect if they participate again next year they might be a front runner for reservations. Let's just hope if they are and I do make reservations, they actually have me down that time... -
Review from Angela A.
12/30/2010
Wow-What a wonderful surprise. I have had Bruno's bookmarked since 07. I just have always put it off for what I thought would be better. Shame on me.
We are slackers, I admit, and we didn't make reservations on Christmas Eve. Everywhere that was open was booked solid, for the entire evening. I found out that Bruno's was open and had availably for 4 through Open Table. Since I've had it bookmarked I thought why not? And I had no idea where else we would go for a decent meal.
We knew we struck gold when they brought us fresh toasted bread with a great oil dipping sauce. I immediately saw crispy polenta on the menu as an appetizer and without even reading the description, ordered it. We knew we really struck gold once it was served. We all devoured it and literally could have licked the bowl clean of the sauce. The polenta was fried to a crispy brown but was still smooth and silky on the inside. It was smothered in the most fantastic sauce that consisted of mascarpone, panceta, and, roasted tomatoes, and fresh spinach. To Die For!! It was so rich and had a sweet bite to it from the mascarpone. When we finished the polenta we dipped our bread in the rest of the sauce.
We opted for the minestrone soup instead of salads, but they did say they make their own Italian and balsamic vinaigrette so I'm sure those are both very good. The minestrone was home made and the best I've had. The flavor was fantastic. There was a good amount of fresh ingredients in it, not all broth.
Our entrées hit the mark as well. My friend and I each ordered linguine in a white wine sauce topped with a feast of seafood. Calamari, scallops, shrimp, muscles AND clams, hooray! The sauce was again, fantastic. It complimented the seafood so well. The pasta was cooked perfect al dente. We both loved our dishes. The other 2 in our party had chicken parm and spinach ravioli that looked fantastic and they both raved about. The chicken parm was served with a side of pasta giardino, a basic spaghetti tossed with fresh veggies in a light oil type sauce. The portions are large, enough for leftovers the next day.
For dessert we all split a slice of home made Tiramisu. It was different than any other I've ever had. It was light and fluffy and had a very thin layer of lady fingers.
Our server was so nice and the owner came to our table to make sure everything was satisfactory. They didn't even rush us, or make us feel rushed, on Christmas Eve when we were the last people in the restaurant and I'm sure everyone wanted to get home to their families.
I should also add that we had 2 bottles of wine and all that food and our bill was under $200. Bruno's just made some new patrons I do believe. We were all very impressed and are looking forward to going back again and again.Listed in: Don't Fear the Strip Mall
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Review from Lyndsay A.
Denver, CO
2/6/2009
I come from a long line of italians who like to eat. I would recommend Bruno's to all of them and I'm rather picky about my dining experiences.
I was skeptical given the location of Bruno's but I thought I would keep an open mind - after all I was in the mood for italian. I've lived here for 4 years and have yet to be wowed by any italian eateries in Denver thus far.
With two friends who ordered the special and the chicken marsala, I explained that I, though it may portray me as 12, was going to order the spaghetti and meatballs. You'd think spaghetti and meatballs is one of those things that's easy to do - oh - no. PLENTY of places try this and screw it up. Bruno's got it exactly right -- from the start.
We were greeted promptly and had water ready for us before asking. I had a glass of the "house special" pinot noir ($7) which was much better than I was expecting for the price. Shortly thereafter hot bread appeared on the table with olive oil.
Our meals all came with salads which were decent house salads, but what was FANTASTIC was the minestrone my friend had. She graciously offered me some. I told her I would just have one spoonful. After the second spoonful I let them know that this was in fact the best minestrone I have EVER had (sorry mom).
What made the spaghetti and meatballs so good? Not one thing, but everything. The spaghetti was al dente - so many places don't cook the pasta properly - it was perfect. The hand-rolled meatballs were just great. And the sauce. I judge most italian places on their red sauce as a central element/necessity. This sauce was clearly homemade and clearly fresh. The spice balance was exact and perfect for the spaghetti and meatballs. Just thinking about it now, I want to go back.
My friends both raved about their meals as well.
The decor is simple and nice. Dressed up enough for a nice evening out, but not stuffy to make you feel uncomfortable. Our service was also excellent and attentive.
Finally, one of the owners came over to check on us and make sure everything was ok. No, it was not ok. It was excellent.
Give this place a try and see what you've been missing out on.
MANGIA! -
Review from Nicholas P.
Denver, CO
4/9/2010
My wife and I decided to explore and find a new (to us) Italian Restaurant in our area. I found Bruno's on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We showed up around 6 pm on a Wednesday evening and the place was nearly empty. A gentleman who I can only assume was the owner/manager welcomed us, sat us and took out drink order. He offered to extend the posted "happy hour" for us (which was nice)
In a nutshell- service was great, food was slightly above average, and I thought the prices were a bit high for what we got. I ordered the Veal Saltimbocca with gnocchi and my wife had the chicken pasta special. My veal was nothing special, but the gnocchi and spinach cream sauce were very good. I'll go back again if the mood strikes me right. -
Review from Mark M.
Denver, CO
4/23/2010
Tucked away in a nondescript strip mall, Bruno's has a modern interior with white table cloths, a water feature, good lighting and an overall comfortable ambiance.
As for the food, we started with the fried polenta in a bechamel sauce with pancetta, roasted tomatoes and fresh spinach. This was quite enjoyable. The polenta was perfectly prepared with the right amount of crunch on the outside and still creamy and tender on the inside.
I had the sausage lasagna and my friend had osso bucco. The osso bucco was a pork shank in a sauce that was not a reduction of the osso bucco pan juices, but more of a thinner broth with mushrooms, spinach and roasted red peppers. Though it was not a traditional osso bucco by any means, it was still quite flavorful and the portions were quite generous.
My lasagna was a straightforward rendition of the Italian classic. The sauce was clearly made with a high quality Italian plum tomatoes with just the right amount of garlic. Though the tomatoes provided a brightness of flavor, it was still very hardy and the bechamel sauce was a nice touch.
The dessert was a house made tiramisu. Neither of us was impressed by this effort. It did not taste like it had mascarpone at all, but simply whipped cream. Also, a higher ration of lady finger to whipped cream ration would have been good.
The wine prices are reasonable, especially by the bottle. My friend had a glass of Monte Antico Chianti Classico for $7.
The service was attentive, but not hovering. All the wait staff seemed fairly personable. Everyone seemed to help out when they noticed we were finished with our plates or low on water. The service was quite good.
Overall, Bruno's is definitely worth a visit and we will go back again. -
Review from Bruce A.
Denver, CO
6/28/2011
Live in the neighborhood and used to frequent Bruno's years ago when it was owned by Bruno. It was OK, and the atmosphere meh. They closed and it sat empty for 3 years, but miraculously re-opened about 18 mos ago. Went with the fam on Sunday and wow...it's a whole new Bruno's! Excellent food and excellent value. Wifey had a clams vongole, the boy had a mixed seafood pasta special, the daughter snagged the baked ziti and I treated myself to veal parm. All of it was fantastic, as was the calimari and brushetta appetizers. Decent wine list too. Check it out.
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Review from Debbie F.
Denver, CO
12/15/2008
I gave Bruno's five stars because there wasn't one tiny thing wrong with anything that we ate there. The fact that it's in a strip mall totally goes by the way side after you eat the wonderful food. My snapper with a garlic sauce and sauteed veggies was to DIE for and my husband's veal parm was absolutely tasty. Another person in our group had chicken and it was prepared to perfection. The kids had spaghetti with homemade meatballs that I couldn't keep my hands off of ...
The sauces are wonderful, the cocktails were refreshing and made well and the chocolate gelato kicked butt!! The prices are amazing for what you get a great salad with the entrees ...
Run, don't walk to Bruno's .. great place for a group and if you're lucky enough to live down the street like us, you have a new favorite neighborhood bistro to call your own!! -
Review from David K.
10/12/2011
This place is totally nicer than it looks... the place is tucked in a shopping mall plaza, if i remember correctly next to a dollar store haha. But when we got inside the decor was very nice and they were setting our table up. We were seated and greeted my our waitress, she took our drink orders and we ordered the steamed clams in white wine sauce. The bread the give you is freshly baked and is awesome to dip in the white wine sauce! I ordered the chicken marsala with angel hair pasta, my friends ordered the lasagna and the special of the day which was chicken and sausage in a creamy marinara sauce. My marsala sauce was watery then other places I've tried before, the mushroom flavor was there though. I tried the lasagna and it was pretty good as well and but the special of the day was my favorite out of our three main entrees. The only reason I give this place a 3 star was the wait for our entree was much longer than we expected, they were a bit backed up but we didnt really mind. I still have to say this italian restaurant was pretty good!
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Review from Brad F.
Denver, CO
12/26/2010
The Italian food here is exceptional. The eggplant Parma ROCKS! The service is also very good. Not the greatest location, but check it out anyway.
Listed in: Best Italian Restaurant
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Review from Sandi D.
Centennial, CO
Updated - 2/21/2009
Gave another shot -- this time had the owners as waiters.
"What a difference a day makes" sang the HTB , who really enjoyed his lobster ravioli, however at $25.99 should have been made with chunks of lobster instead of a puree, and for that matter, been made on-site.
Food was out of the kitchen and served in such record speed, that it was our turn to be home before others were served.
I really liked the wine list, and that Silver Palm for $9 a glass will have me coming back -- I think this is the type of place that will grow with us, and I see more stars in the future.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/9/2009
Will go down in memory as the WORST service in the history of dining--
Made 6:30pm reservations for… Read more »
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Review from Erik R.
Englewood, CO
3/7/2011
I never like to mix 'value' with what i like to eat when eating out.
This being said: yesterday i had beyond par very very very good steamed mussels in a white wine sauce, a glass of proper chianti, a tasty caesar, and i great plate of Chicken Marsala for like not that much cash. At all. And i'm a cheap bachelor if i don't have a date on my arm.
The atmosphere is impressive despite the dreary strip mall atmosphere that encompasses the parking lot of a defunct grocery store location. Don't let that trick you--just because the grocery store failed doesnt mean this place isnt fan-friggin-tastic. It's well worth a stop.
Final advice: You are not gonna go broke taking your woman out to this place any night of the week. Everyone who works there cares that you're happy. And the food is very very good and it tastes like it gets care: not something you get from most Italian restaurants today, which sucks.
I recommend that anyone looking for Italian in this neighborhood give it a go. Even the unique mix of Sundried tomatoes, garlic cloves, and kalamata olives sprinkled into the tried-and-true olive oil bread drip was a very welcome unique touch. -
Review from Emery W.
Philadelphia, PA
12/31/2010
Bruno's has great service and great food. I think I've tried most things on the menu, but my favorite has to be the osso buco.
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Review from Bill G.
Denver, CO
7/25/2009
Bruno's was the quintessential neighborhood Italian restaurant for years. It went downhill and closed and is now back under a new owner and better than ever. It is the best Italian in Denver that I know about. Expect to spend about $25/person for everything. No visit is complete without their tiramisu. For kids, you can't beat the macaroni and cheese with homemade macaroni and piles of freshly grated mozzarella cheese. In general, the standard menu is better than the specials.
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Review from Sara M.
Washington, DC
12/21/2010
I love this place! The food is incredibly delicious, and the service is outstanding. If there is something on the menu that you don't see and would like (in my case, Chicken Francese), the chef/owner will make it for you. Don't be fooled by the strip mall location-- this restaurant is fantastic!
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Review from jane k.
Aurora, CO
7/6/2011
minestrone soup was bad.. bland with a strange lemony flavor
pizza tasteless and mushy crust
thats all we had and probably won't make any effort to go back to try anything else, sorry... -
Review from Nora Z.
Denver, CO
8/28/2011
Def one of my fav italian restaurants in Denver!!
We ordered homemade mozzarella "squares" for an appetizer. The best homemade mozzarella squares I have ever had!! No doubt these were made from scratch. They were hand breaded and melted in your mouth. The marinara sauce was delicious too. The homemade bead with olive oil was delicious. The house made balsamic dressing with the dinner salad with good. The portion size was also generous. I ordered the pan roasted salmon entree off the menu. The salmon was to die for. The salmon was in a lemony sea of sauce with green olives, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, peas and toasted bread. One of the best dishes I have had that reminds me of my travels to Italy. It's been such a long search to finally find such a delicious meal with all of the flavor and complexity of the dishes I experienced abroad. I can't stop thinking about my meal:) Will def be back again w/my hubby. BTW: Did I mention it I had a cool interior design and a romanticism about it? -
Review from Jetmir Z.
Denver, CO
11/23/2010
A friend of mine suggested that I go to Bruno's if I want to have great Italian food. So I did go there with my brother and was amazed, the food and service was really good, the decor was to nice for a neighborhood place but its really good and that's why I took my date there.
first time I had the Chicken and Sausage with Creamy Marinara which was the best, the second time with my date i wanted to be more fancy so I ordered Chicken Parm Siciliano and was amazed again. I will be going back every time I want Italian food, and I recommend it to anyone. -
Review from Pamela R.
Denver, CO
8/7/2011
Great, friendly staff. Wonderful crusty bread and pretty good calamari. But sorry to say, it ends there. The red sauce on the spaghetti & meatballs was mediocre and the veal just OK. The ambience is fine inside the restaurant, but outside... it's kind of creepy=lots of folks patronizing the Dollar Store and liquor store in the otherwise mostly deserted mall. Also, there were a number of flies in the restaurant (I do not really want to think about this)... one ended up doing the backstroke in my water.
