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Chef Jimmy's Italian Bistro & Spirits
Categories: Restaurants Italian Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Italian, Beer, Wine & Spirits
Denver International AirportConcourse A
Denver, CO 80249
(303) 342-5882
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6:30 am - 11:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
58 reviews for Chef Jimmy's Italian Bistro & Spirits
Review Highlights
"Marinated skirt steak was cooked just right and tasted..."
(in 3 reviews)
"It came with the crispest fresh green beans I've had in a..."
(in 4 reviews)
"The roasted mushroom pizza with sherry cream sauce totally..."
(in 3 reviews)
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Kelly S.
Airport food makes me angrrrrry. Why? It's desperately overpriced and typically mediocre. For example, I could have purchased an $8 sandwich at the Kansas City airport (turkey and american cheese on stale wheat) and a $3 water. But I chose instead to starve out of spite.
Jimmys however was reasonably priced and I had a damn good pizza. The service was pretty quick and when my flight boarded earlier than expected, they boxed it up for me and brought the bill right away. In the real world, Jimmy's would probably be A-OK. But in the world of airport food, Jimmys is better than most. -
Review from William B.
Addison, TX
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
The beer is decently priced for an airport, and the food is good. What else do you need? Free wifi?
They have that too! (the whole airport) -
Review from Tracy M.
Seattle, WA
11/4/2011
If I were just comparing this to other airport food, it'd be 4 stars. But compared to restaurants in general, it's only a 3.
Cocktails are AMAZING, though. The bloody mary's are delicious, with a wide variety (spicy, with gin, with multiple vodkas) and come with lots of veg (3 olives, a nice pepper, and a lime wedge).
Maybe dinner is better, but the breakfast was just mediocre. The eggs benedict was inconsistent. The hollandaise sauce is fine, but not very special, just not grosse. The ham is THICK and grilled, but not v ery flavorful. Most distressing was that my 1st egg was poached perfectly but the other egg was basically hard-boiled. How does that happen? Shouldn't they be cooked at the same time? The potatoes on the side were fine, but not fresh home fries, just deep fried from frozen bites.
My waitress was great! Very friendly and attentive. So that was nice. -
Review from Nick S.
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Garlic cheese bread was okay. not amazing but for airport food it was fine.
Marinated flatiron steak was not really marinated well. It was pretty tender which was nice and it with a little pepper and salt, tasted like a good cut of meat. was a little challenging to cut the steak up with the plastic knife however. -
Review from Eric B.
6/27/2011
Gayle, the Kid, and I arrived at DEN on time. However, the connecting Frontier flight was running about 90 minutes late. So instead of Lunch in Des Moines, it would be "fine dining" at the Airport. Gayle also wanted a sit-down place, and after walking away from the cigarette stench at Mesa Verde, we "settled" for Chef Jimmy's.
We were very pleasantly surprised. We opted for breakfast items, which were all delicious and reasonably priced. Gayle also ordered a Bloody Mary that definitely helped compensate for the fact that we got up at 3:30 AM to get to SFO for a 6:20 departure. The service was prompt and friendly. Seating was comfortable and with a nice view of the tarmac. We also appreciated that there was enough space to relax and that we were not hurried on our way. And for a general population Airport experience, it rarely gets much better than this. -
Review from Tim H.
8/20/2011
Surprising find in the Denver airport. Good service, reasonable prices, and good food.
I had the Lasagna and a side salad. A decent sized portion of lasagna (enough for most people to share)came out bubbling hot.
Chef Jimmy's is a Quizno's owned restaurant. -
Review from Tim K.
6/15/2011
Jimmy's was a welcomed surprise in the mundane mix of "food" available at the airport. My wife and I grabbed breakfast here during a layover and we were more than thrilled.
We both ordered omelets, and they came with toast and your choice of fruit or country potatoes. Everything was perfectly cooked and the waiter was great (not too intrusive and not invisible).
The only annoying thing was we were sitting near the servers' drink station and they were loud and gossipy like Jr. High girls. -
Review from Trish R.
6/4/2011
Keeping in mind I grade on a curve with respect to airport fare, I was pretty pleased with Chef Jimmy's. After gaining two pounds walking by KFC, a pizza place, and Panda Express in Denver International Airport, I decided to try a little healthier fare. Upon being seated, I was just a little afraid to open up the menu, wondering whether I would find a $25 price tag on a lemon wedge. To my delight, prices were reasonable.
I couldn't eat most items on the menu due to my food sensitivities, so I settled on a chopped salad. The plate arrived at my table with lightning speed. The taste was great and the cost was right ( under $10).
I was also very entertained watching people across the food court get one step closer to atherosclerosis while choosing items from the KFC menu. Suckers. -
Review from Chad M.
Kannapolis, NC
6/8/2011
Way better than it should've been! Flat Iron Steak with seasoned steamed broccoli and a side of fresh fruit - HIT THE SPOT! and hit it well.
Skip the fast fix and eat here...they're quick and friendly and the food stands out on the concourse. -
Review from Kathleen W.
Albany, CA
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
The only place open.
Good bloody marys! Salty fries ...
Food of champions before a long redeye flight. -
Review from Bill B.
Jefferson, CO
3/13/2011
At some airport terminals -- ok, maybe make that MOST airport terminals your choices for eats are really limited.
Yeah, Phoenix Terminal 3: In fact I AM looking at you.
So Chef Jimmy's is a happy spot for me. A varied menu of things that aren't deep fried. Salads that aren't wilted. Interesting flavors. Mixed drinks that are made well.
So, not much for me not to like here. I would be glad to see them expand into other markets. -
Review from Adrian H.
Parker, CO
5/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Headline: worth the visit if you are in the airport.
I am flying out of Denver International Airport today, and want to get some dinner before I fly. As you are probably aware, there are lots of bad food options in Denver. I opted for Chef Jimmys, on concourse A. No music, fairly noisy - this is a travellers place. Eat and get out quiick.
I opted for the coffee, and won't again. It had been sitting on the burner way too long, and had a strong bitter aftertaste.
For food, I chose a cup of tomato bisque, which came with a thin slice of toasted bread on the side. The toasted bread was cold. The tomato bisque was warm, fortunately. It had taste, and if i was coming back, i would definately get a bowl of this smooth creamy soup.
I also ordered a vegetarian panini - sauteed mushrooms and roasted peppers predominate this sandwich. At least they know how to season the sandwich well. Vegetarian sandwiches normally suffer from that. The salt, however, was sprinkled on the outside prior to grilling, which meant a salty exterior, but bland interior. Balance was not this sandiwches strong point.
Overall, this is worth the visit if you are hungry in the airport, and a step above just about everything else. However, when comparing it to other restaurants in the local area, it is fairly average. -
Review from Emily B.
Wichita, KS
3/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has good service and good tasting bruschetta. I had two glasses of wine which were very moderately priced-just six dollars a glass.For an airport that I think thats a deal, considering that a beer can cost nine!
Also their half order of Caesar salad is huge and is less than three dollars! Plenty of croutons and fresh shaved parmesan with the perfect amount of dressing!
For my first time in the Denver airport., it was a great time. I was stuck at the airport and the only places open beside McDonnell's , star-bucks and an indoor smoking restaurant it was the only thing open! -
Review from Chris E.
3/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came in for lunch after a flight to the East Coast was delayed three hours (love it when that happens). Jimmy's was busy but I decided to give it a try based on my fellow Yelpers' experiences.
Service was terrific, food was very good, couldn't have gone better. I had the chicken BBQ entree - asked that the potatoes be replaced by veggies; done with a smile! Tasty, hot, delish.
This is a terrific solution for a sit-down restaurant in the A concourse! -
Review from Jarrod L.
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was pleasantly surprised to be able to get sauteed broccoli instead of hashbrowns with my omelet. The omelet was also eastern style (the "stuff" cooked into the egg instead of just wrapped in the egg) which I prefer. A pretty great breakfast in a hurry.
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Review from Brian H.
San Jose, CA
7/19/2011
It might have been the long day of travelling... It might have been too much Mexican food during the past week of vacation in Cancun... It might have been my first micro-brew beer in a while... but the mushroom and bacon smothered burger and beer was absolutely fantastic.
The waitress was excellent too, way too good for an airport restaurant.
I highly recommend stopping by when in the Denver airport. -
Review from Valerie H.
Vancouver, WA
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was airport-y.
I ordered a sandwich which was pretty good. The staff seemed a little bit clueless...or more into being a team than serving...or something...couldn't quite put my finger on it but it was a weird vibe - off putting. -
Review from Lou P.
3/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
As far as airport food goes...pretty good. Service is fast without feeling rushed, and the food was pretty good for airport food.
I don't often eat at DIA, but next time I have to; I'll come here again. -
Review from Christa W.
Portland, OR
1/2/2011 1 photo
Facing a long wait as the result of a delayed flight, I stopped in here to get a bit loopy and grab a bite to eat.
In a word: YUM. The best airport food I've ever had. The roasted mushroom pizza with sherry cream sauce totally exceeded my expectations and the dessert -- OMG! Tuaca apple cheesecake. Add 2 glasses of wine for a total of $28 and you've got one happy traveler who no longer cares that her flight is delayed. -
Review from Stacy M.
Longmont, CO
9/23/2011
If you need a break from fast food at the airport, try Chef Jimmy's. The fettuccine with arrabiatta sauce is fantastic!
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Review from Randy C.
Ridgway, CO
7/17/2011
A decent place with fair prices -- which is outstanding in an airport environment. I expect such places to be a ripoff, so it's a real pleasure when one isn't.
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Review from Nicole U.
12/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
I have a warped view on airport food. Maybe its because all I really have to go on is the crap that LAX dishes out.
This was a complete surprise. We arrived to DIA super early because everyone scared us about the crazy security measures thanksgiving weekend. There was no security issue, security was a breeze.
So with time to kill we walked by this spot and decided to try it out. The service was very impressive. Friendly and very timely. Drinks were poured strong and at a very reasonable price.
I ordered the chicken napolini and substituted broccoli for the pasta side dish. This dish was impressive, maybe because I was imagining that anything served in an airport would be awful. Two giant grilled chicken breast perfectly seasoned and topped with a zesty marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. I ate the entire plate! Did I mention that this dish only set me back $11.99?
If you are ever at the Denver airport this would be a good place to grab a quick bite before a flight. -
Review from Barry W.
8/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
*** Back in CO, yay ... I wanna steak! ***
I could not even wait to leave the airport.
I stopped to sample Chef Jimmy's meat
located right between connecting gates.
First a microbrew, DFT Hazed & Infused.
Hoppy IPA made locally. Hmm, it's aight.
Next a marinated skirt steak ... rather chewy.
I put my life at risk w/ each swallow, not cool.
Steak shoulda been marinated much longer.
I only continued eating it b/c it was so tasty!
Lastly, a macchiato and a tiramisu surprise.
Tiramisu concoction was unique ... it was a
cup of crumbled cookies topped w/ a fresh
Grand Marnier and expresso cream sauce.
That was rather crunchy and a lil too sweet.
*** So it's just an airport pit stop, not bad. ***Listed in: Doin' Denver ...
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Review from Al O.
DeLand, FL
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not bad for air port food. However very busy.
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Review from Heather R.
La Jolla, CA
8/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
Jimmy's is better than most airport food. I order a grilled shrimp salad but the shrimp wasn't grilled - it was bathed in mayo or some other creamy sauce. ewww. I ate it nevertheless and it was fine but....
Husband and daughter shared a burger and it looked really good. Glass of wine was six bucks which is a decent happy hour price I suppose. They have mostly crap beer on tap except for one or two local brews.
I think our meal was about $35 and the waiter didn't mind us taking our time since we had a couple of hours to kill. We made sure we tipped him well for letting us hang and not rushing us out! -
Review from Josie K.
Boston, MA
Super fast service and yummy. 6$ wine with good choices
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Review from Josh H.
Oviedo, FL
6/21/2011
Great food and very reasonable prices. Ordered a cesar salad and lettuce was very fresh and green. Burger was cooked as requested and all toppings were also fresh. Kids pizza portion was large and pizza was very tasty (so I'm told) and looked like NY pizza. House chard was okay, nothing great, but wine selection was big.
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Review from Marc C.
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Struck me as kind of like Applebees in the airport. I got the Fettuccine Alfredo which had the typical problem with half of restaurant Alfredo where it was more like noodles in an alfredo soup sauce and the sauce was not thick enough to stick to the noodles. The dish came with no sides and no bread so it was very minimal, including a piece of garlic bread would have seemed appropriate. The beer was good though and the food seemed to have decent quality ingredients and was not the highest in price, so it is ok for an airport.
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Review from Tiffany N.
Denver, CO
1/10/2010
If you ever find yourself in the Denver airport after 9 pm and you're looking for a drink you better head to Terminal A and get into Chef Jimmy's Bistro. They have the latest last call at DIA, at 11:30 pm. And they let you drink until midnight. If you happen to have to take a flight out of DIA at midnight you will soon realize that this one fact alone makes Chef Jimmy's worthy of 5 stars.
And no, I'm not kidding about every other bar in the airport closing around 9 pm. It is ludicrous.Listed in: Eating on the Run, Denver International Airport
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Review from mariah c.
Ann Arbor, MI
Updated - 2/8/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I liked Jimmy's so much that I stopped here again on my return lay-over. I wasn't disappointed. I was able to get a nice table (by an outlet, no less!) where I could work while sipping and eating, and my server was a total sweetheart.
I got the chicken panini, and it was pretty top-notch. I would be happy with this sandwich anyplace else, let along in an airport. Also? They sprinkled sea or kosher salt over not just the fries, but also lightly over the sandwich. How did they know what a salt fiend I am? I don't know, but they sure did make me happy!
In the world of airport food, this gets 5 stars for convenience, speed, food quality, and the ready availability of a few outlets for working lunches. Seriously, the best airport eating experience I've had. And until someone else in an airport trumps 'em, Chef Jimmy's gets 5 stars!Listed in: Pizza! Pizza!, Mile High, Travel: trains, planes &…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/31/2010
I really am doubtful there's a real Chef Jimmy, but if there is, I'd like to thank him. In a land of… Read more »
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Review from Todd H.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I've eaten here at least fifty times over the years. Within the category of airport food, Chef Jimmy's is one of the best choices I've found, and is likely the best food available at DIA. I love their omelets for breakfast, and I like most of their dinner entrees. Service is quick and friendly.
Jimmy, if you're reading this, I have just two requests: First, please offer daily specials or rotate your menu selections to add variety for us frequent flyers. Second, please serve something -- Jesus, anything! -- other than those bizarre, spongy, bland veggies you plop next to most of the dinner entrees. Blech. (...but, as you're in an airport, you still get five stars from me because, nasty veggies notwithstanding, you still outclass your competition by a wide margin.) -
Review from Greg T.
1/5/2009 1 Check-in Here
Walked by McDonalds McRib promo's, Panda Expresses suburbanized Americanized Chinese food, Schlotzsky's schmotsky's, KFC's fc, and ended up at "Chef Jimmy's Italian Bistro (small & unpretentious?) & Spirits"!?!, hahaha!,
First thought was, who the hell is this "chef Jimmy"? I doubt they even have a Jimmy! Especially after working in a restaurant I'd expect a chef Jaime, Jose, Jesus, or Jimenez, but regardless if Jimmy existed, I was freak'n pleasantly surprised. Be sides Sarah Lee isn't actually baking your cakes.
I ordered some sort of southwestern style burger with bacon, and I was hungover and hungry, but this was one of the better burgers I've had... yea, I said it "one of the better burgers" (not the hangover or alcohol speaking). I'll put myself out there because this place does try and put in the effort. The fries were nicely seasoned and very crispy, and came with it's own dipping sauce that I used sparingly, but the burger was definitely above average. Odd for an airport establishment, and I'd only expect this sort of quality food out of a Japanese train station.
So if you're ever in Colorado, and you can't make it over to Concourse C for La Casita's than you'll have to try out Chef Jimmy's....hahaha "BISTRO!" (ok, the place is small and unprententious, but how about dropping the "bistro", it's kind of pretentious), that also made me laugh cuz everything in CO is a bistro, gastropub, or an ultra euro loft martini lounge. -
Review from Mary Jo S.
Denver, CO
5/18/2008
We asked the Frontier ticket agent checking us in on Thursday where was a good place to eat dinner before our flight. It took her a nano second to say, "Chef Jimmy's."
Chef Jimmy's is on concourse A and really is the best place to get a full service meal. As Trish G says, they might tell you your wait will be 20 minutes but it will be no more than 10 minutes. Our server was extremely helpful and told me that the tomato bisque soup of the day was great; it was. I had a Kung Pao Salad which was surprisingly spicy (in a good way) for airport food and the husband had Sicilian Pasta, a creamy sauced dish with sausage. Both meals were good. The couple next to us started chatting us up and said their calamari was very good as well as their Southwestern Salad. The place really knows how to get you in and out without having to worry about missing your flight or a meal.
They also had Sunshine Wheat on tap served with a lemon which is a plus in my book and I might have given Chef Jimmy's 4 stars if I had not heard the husband say to himself, "What part of no vermouth in my martini do you not understand?"
The only annoying thing you might have to deal with is someone who will talk on their cell the entire time you are eating. I can usually turn that stuff off but this woman behind us just went on and on about some indiscretion the latest boyfriend had done to her. I felt like turning around and telling her I would have done the same thing if she had been my girlfriend.Listed in: Planes, Trains, and…
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Review from Trish G.
Denver, CO
5/6/2008
Don't be put off by the people waiting for a table - put your name on the list and you'll be called in a maximum of 10 minutes.
The servers are competent and the restaurant has good paninis, decent salads, ample pizzas. You can get in and out in about 35 minutes - get the check when your food comes.
If you've got an afternoon flight somewhere and know you aren't going to be able to get dinner on the other end, stop here before you get on your plane.
This place also has a 'to-go' shop next to it - you can pick up a salad or sandwich to take with.
Trivia: Chef Jimmy's Bistro is owned by the guy who owns Quiznos which is based out of Colorado. -
Review from Nate S.
12/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
The best thing about airports is that they are judgment free alcohol zones. Two pints and a bourbon at 9:30 am? No problem-o. The same cannot be said of the damned souls in the smoking zoos. They might as well just smear their feces on the glass walls for all the humanity afforded them. But I digress ...
One of the worst truths of the airport--other than the tea bagging TSA--is that the food suuuuucks. DIA is no exception. When you arrive in Terminal A you are confronted by Panda Express and all of its clones. And let me tell you, you can really smell the panda's sweet and sour musk. So, with that in mind and nose, you can really do much much worse that Chef Jimmy's Bistro. We drank Hazed and Infused on tap and ate a Kung Pao salad and mushroom fettucine. Both were fully functional, even tasty. The salad had udon and all kinds of real lettuces and veggies. The servers are very pleasant. The lamest moment was when I asked for bread for my pasta and was brought an aggressively microwaved stale wheat roll. I was then charged $1 for this specimen. Overall, though, the prices are very reasonable. Drinks and food for two with tip = $40. I recommend Chef Jimmy's. If my name were Jimmy I'd even say that Jimmy likes Jimmy's. -
Review from Nicole W.
2/11/2009 1 Check-in Here
We dine here on occasion when we have time prior to our frontier flights.
We have tried a number of different items here.
They are friendly, prompt, and tasty! And yes the wait is not usually as long as they tell you!
This last time I went with a portabello sandwich and was very pleased with the results!
Previously we have enjoyed the bloody mary's - mmm, and the southwestern eggrolls - mmmm!
Hubby went with the bacon cheese burger was very happy with his meal too!
This time we started with the calamari - and it was pretty good. Ask for some ranch as the marinara is just ok!
It's a nice place since they are aware that most people have a time dead line!
Lots of different choices and good strong beverages! -
Review from Mosey S.
San Francisco, CA
3/26/2011
Very good pizza. This is a nice place to go to eat lunch or dinner and do some people watching too. Full bar.
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Review from Samantha S.
Denver, CO
2/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
i travel a lot.
When I am traveling with employees, I often take them here... breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I have never had a bad experience.
Love their fries, omelette's too... you name it. They have a pretty decent selection of food, helps you remove your mind from being in an Airport.
One of my favorite spots to go... they never rush me either, I sometimes will pull out my laptop and do some work while eating.
I'll have more check ins here I am sure... :) -
Review from Melissa W.
Chandler, AZ
6/8/2010
One person in BV said some famous chef opened a restaurant in DIA, and another person said it's THE place to eat at the airport. So some sleuthing off the net, Chef Jimmy's is a restaurant concept from Consumer Capital Partners (looks like the founders of Quiznos and smashburger).
With 2 hrs to kill, this would be my go-to place to have a relatively good restaurant meal in an airport. I'm surprised they have the extensive menu (and wine list pairing they do). In PHX airport, food places have a minimal ability to cook food (ie. open flame)... you basically have to microwave and reheat everything (buddy owns a place in Phoenix's Terminal 4).
I had the shrimp salad, which was really generous with the qty of shrimp (a good dozen or more) over field greens (not a fan of no-nutrional-value iceberg). Adding the mahi grilled fish for only a few extra bucks was the best deal ever. I wonder if next time I could order 2 fish add-ons... ;) -
Review from N V.
Salt Lake City, UT
3/17/2010
Yummy food for long layovers.
I had the skirt steak with mashed potatoes and green beans and polished off the entire thing.
Great marinade for the steak, creamy potatoes, and crisp green beans.
Would probably skip the salad next time.
The silverware, however was plastic that looked exactly like the real thing. Interesting.
Washed everything down with a glass of wine.
Can't wait til my next layover in Denver!
