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Opal Restaurant & Lounge
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Asian Fusion Sushi Bars, American (New), Asian Fusion [Edit]
100 E 9th AveDenver, CO 80203
Neighborhoods: Southwest, Capitol Hill
(303) 861-7999
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
77 reviews for Opal Restaurant & Lounge
Review Highlights
"Amazing happy hour and super friendly staff."
(in 40 reviews)
"...and who could beat $1.50 Coronas, $2.50 Kirins and plenty..."
(in 17 reviews)
"Order the sea bass."
(in 4 reviews)
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77 reviews in English
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Review from Bradley L.
Denver, CO
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not a bad happy hour spot, but It is not appealing for lunch or dinner. Had good $1 oysters & $1 coronas. It was unfortunate that they only had one bottle of tabasco that I had to wait 12 minutes to get since another table was already using it. We also tried some of the sushi happy hour special and they were not bad, but nothing good enough to write up.
I will be taking my own tabasco with me from now on! By the way, if anyone else likes tabasco, you can buy travel size at World Market!
Provecho!!! -
Review from Alisa K.
Denver, CO
12/11/2011
Went here for reggae night. The owner is a DICK! They have a big aquarium in which once I looked at the fish I realized they were all beat up and unhealthy, like they were dying. I saw a big, beautiful lyon fish which was trapped and dying, it could hardly breath. I went to tell he owner so he could help him get utnrapped and he laughed at me!! He mocked me and said "What do you want me to do? Fill a bucket with water and put him in there? hahahaa"....Um YAH. I DO! if it would save them?! He said if I didn't like it, I didn't have to look at it.
Don't have creatures that you don't care for, jerk!
Terrible business owner! I've never been treated so rudely, especially when I was trying to help. -
Review from Lauren T.
Denver, CO
Why oh why didn't I listen to yelp!?
WORST dining experience of my life!
Against my better judgement I took my boyfriend here for a date night because I had a coupon. I was extremely embarrassed that we wasted our time and money here.
It took 50 minutes to get our appetizers, and 1 hr 20 minutes to got our entrees. Several times we wanted to walk out, but stuck it out because, by that time I was starving.
The food, we eventually got, was disgusting. I had the ahi tuna (per waiters suggestion) it was the toughest, chewiest, overcooked fish I've ever had.
The menu was hilarious. Everything was misspelled. See the photos....
The decor was so run down, sleazy and made me wonder how the kitchen was cared for.
The waiter was never around, and he never asked how everything tasted; he probably knew the answer.
If you want to laugh, look at the picture I posted. I counted 7 mistakes. -
Review from Laura P.
12/17/2011
This place is sketchy! Am amazed anyone would go there! Walked in because we were looking for a place in the vicinity and walked right out. Had gone when it first opened years ago and it was fine - now it is divey and NOT in a good way.
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Review from Shelly R.
Denver, CO
Updated - 7/9/2011
I was pretty excited to take a friend from California here to show him that sushi in CO can be good and affordable. WRONG!
Just like Fontana, the sushi grade and cut size has gone WAY down. I was embarrassed!
Our server complained for 10 minutes that it was her 21st B-Day and she should be out drinking with her friends instead of working. Wow! Maybe she should have just said, " I wish I didn't have to wait on you and can you leave me an extra BIG tip because it's my B-day!" It does completely suck to have to work on your 21st B-day... No doubt about it. However, I've had to work many B-Days and other holidays. Unfortunately that's one of the not so fun parts of becoming an adult.
We left a decent tip. I admit, her drama worked and we felt really guity. Even though the disgusting sushi and ambience were straight out of hell, we can fold with the best of them. $80 later, plus %15 tip... May as well have poked us both with a pitchfork! I wish I would have taken a picture of the beyond wimpy plate we shared for this amount! All the sushi looked wrong on every level from color, to texture. How is that even possible? To present sushi that is that wrong, is a mad skill. The rolls were the thinnest I've ever seen. Cigar size and NO we didn't even dine during the happy hour special. So be prepared to spend major mulla for skimpy, gross sushi. It's not just the happy hour peeps who are getting ripped off! We ate some of it anyhow. Ya, I know.... Call us risk takers who live on the fringe. Maybe therapy will help.
Second note to owner... Why are you so CHEAP?! Are you trying to win a metal for cheapness? Or are you blind? Change your disgusting carpet! No matter how dimly you light the place, your now x-patrons can still see the rankness. I think your carpet might just crawl off one day soon and save you the money to rip it out. Considering how obviously cheap you are... I'll assume this is what you're waiting for.
Note to potential soon to be x-patrons.... If you do happen to risk food poisoning and go to this place... Be sure not to look down. I'm serious.
Can anyone say charcoal pills?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/16/2010
It's dark and a dive. There might even be sushi addicts hiding in the shadows!
But this is the place… Read more »
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Review from Dani S.
Rowland Heights, CA
6/1/2011
Crappy food, over priced, HH is a scam!
As usual, I was craving sushi again - wanted big chucks of raw fish in my mouth. My friend searched for late night happy hour on his phone and found this place. Since my ph was died, I couldn't look it up on Yelp. Huge Mistake!
Parking was a bitch! Steet parking in non-existent. Got the 2 for 1 sushi deal. The hand rolls were skinny like a toothpick, and the sushi's had a paper thin slice of fish on a small piece of rice. Fish was stiff and bad quality! When our bill came, we were told that the 2 for 1 means u get 4 piece of "crap" instead of 2 pieces of "crap". Lovely! -
Review from Soupany S.
Aurora, CO
7/17/2011
We came here because they participate in the http://restaurant.com and I've got a certificate.
I have got to say I was embarrassed to take my friend there.
Who runs this place!?!?? !!!!
-Our certificates had MANY restrictions on them, that's fine that's expected, but we can't order sushi?!?! Isn't this place known for that???
-Service was very poor, our waitress just doesn't seem to care or know what she was doing. She was slow, and at one point, we waited for 15 minutes for her to come back, I saw her just combing her hair in the dressing room. Looking good is important, but it isn't going to get you more tip if you suck at serving.
-Then they start playing such loud music even though we were sitting at the dinner section of the restaurant and NOT the lounge portion. That's fine, but this was 8pm- we are still eating, don't turn it to a club just yet!
-Food is ok, but not really for the price you pay... Miso soup had cold tofu cubes in it! WTF!!?!?
Will not go back. -
Review from Christina O.
Denver, CO
5/30/2011
This place has really lost its luster. What was apparently a once fairly hip upscale joint is now a sad dingy dump. The carpet/rugs are hideous and filthy and in need of not only cleaning but replacing. The tables are arranged in a haphazard manner and the plush seating is stained and ripped.
The happy hour is completely deceiving. The 2 for 1 sushi deal is very very selective, essentially 5 items are on the happy hour option. The sushi is not fresh and is to date the worst sushi I've ever eaten. I didn't even try the seared tuna I ordered because it just looked like tuna left out to dry around the edges.
The service was awful. The waitress was neglectful to the point of rudeness, though it was not busy at all. I wonder if she purposefully neglected to ask if the food was okay or if we needed anything else, because she already knew the answer. No.
I can't think of one reason, really, to come here. The service is horrendous, the food is terrible, the atmosphere sucks, and the place is dirty. Not even the one dollar corona deal can make up for all that. -
Review from Jessica H.
Denver, CO
8/10/2011
Call me a food snob but I'll never order food at a restaurant/lounge that smells like sweat. Yeah, I said it - sweat. Why would you have a kitchen/sushi bar adjacent to the dance floor and deejay area - with no partition or wall??? Disgusting.
I come to Opal for Reggae on Saturday nights and to chill at the bar - very cheap drinks. I almost want to give it three-stars but I don't want anyone to be confused by the rating. :-) Come, dance and chill on the patio. Drink the cheap Coronas and Kirin's...sample the food at your own risk. -
Review from Joe Z.
Denver, CO
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good happy hour, and sushi is ok.
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Review from Amanda J.
Raleigh, NC
2/22/2011
1 star for the edamame and that's it. Sushi SUCKS - not fresh at all!! The place is dingy and dirty and the womens bathroom is horrendous. The attire the servers wear is trashy.
Save yourself the trouble and head up Broadway to "Go Fish". But go early as the place gets packed. I've been there about 5 times and I've never, ever been disappointed. -
Review from Kenneth P.
Denver, CO
7/14/2011
This is me advocating for the LOUNGE portion of Opal.
Their reverse happy hour (10:30-1:30) is awesome. They have incredibly cheap sake bombs and some half priced sushi. While the sushi is always the typical california roll and what-not, it's not so bad for the price when you're throwing down super cheap sake bombs.
It's perfect for a group of 8 or so, to go to a place and socialize and just enjoy the atmosphere.
A downfall is that there's no real dance area and it's not huge and kicking through the night. But it's a good spot to kick back with your buddies.
If you're there, definitely try out the hand rolls, they'll fill you up a lot more for half price. -
Review from Ashton D.
Manhattan, NY
12/24/2010
I'm never coming here again. The happy hour special is a bait-and-switch gimmick, and the people who work here don't provide good customer service.
I used to go to Opal a lot in college with my friends because they had a great decor, good happy hour specials, and a friendly staff. But a lot has changed over the years.
Last week, I stopped by during the late night happy hour with some friends. The service was horrible-- our server didn't ask us what we wanted, we had to walk up to her every time we wanted to order. It also took forever for the food to come out.
We were really shocked at how rude and unprofessional our server was throughout the evening. When we asked her about happy hour specials, she tricked us into thinking that certain sections of the menu were fair game, but then presented us a check and told us nothing we ordered was part of the happy hour special. The waitress never once thanked us as patrons, even before we called her out on her sloppiness.
The next day, we tried to call Opal and speak to management about our unsatisfactory experience. Whoever picked up the phone (a man) refused to give us the name of the manager, or his own name, and then hung up on us. I was so shocked.
My last gripe with this place is the lack of maintenance. The bathroom was disgusting, the main seating area looks run down and outdated. I noticed that several of the cushions had large rips and holes in them! You can't pretend to be an upscale and sophisticated lounge with such poor upkeep.
This place used to be cool, but now it's an embarrassing and poorly managed dump. -
Review from KAB C.
Golden, CO
9/8/2011
Scary, icky and quite filthy - service is bad, the place is dirty, restroom nasty. Won't be back.
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Review from David S.
Denver, CO
10/28/2010
I've been to Opal several times over the years. Last night was probably my last.
Let me start by saying the dinner I had was pretty good - lettuce wraps and shrimp tempura were delicious, and the Chilean sea bass was fairly good too. My review is based on what a dump this place has become over the years...years and years of deferred maintenance.
When I walked in the doors on the restaurant side, I thought for a minute the place was being remodeled or closed for renovation - the first room was rather empty looking with a couple chairs strewn about the space like it was not intended as a seating area.
The waitress pointed us toward the dining area, a dated, circa-1980 decor that was far worse for the wear. The carpet looks like it doesn't get vacuumed and there was a mis-matched runner running the length of the aisle, presumably covering worn spots. I asked the waitress if they were remodeling and she asked why I asked that. "Well it looks kind of messy, not very nice." She didn't seem to get it. You'd think working in that dump every night she'd be sick of it, not immune to it.
The final filth was the restroom - loud fans that sound like they'll fall out of the ceiling at any minute and filthy grime all over the white door. Just gross.
In the end, I was really embarrassed that I had suggested Opal to my friend for our dinner. -
Review from Sulema O.
Denver, CO
3/30/2011
It's ok only because the spirits are cheap during happy hour and our server was halfway decent although she looked a little on the "high" side.
Pros
2 for 1 sake, $2.50 japanese beer and 2 for 1 sushi (select items only) during happy hour. $1 coronas peeps! Can't beat that, but make sure you have a DD.
Cons
Bathroom is N-A-S-T-Y. No tp, smelly, dirty, and dirty. Wait did I forget to mention D-I-R-T-Y? Eww.
If you can grab a place to sit that's great, otherwise, expect to stand with your happy hour drinks and food. Best time to go is between 530p and 730p, otherwise their late night HH sucks.
BTW, they have salsa dancing after 9pm in their main dining area. -
Review from Steven S.
Denver, CO
7/27/2011
Cheap drinks, if you have enough of them (which might be hard to do) might get you sauced enough to eat what can best be described as Costco quality sushi.
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Review from Jayme B.
Denver, CO
7/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Amazing happy hour and super friendly staff. If you can, ask for Monica, she's super sweet and who could beat $1.50 Coronas, $2.50 Kirins and plenty of yummy rolls at super good prices!
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Review from Sandi D.
Aurora, CO
Updated - 12/11/2008
When the BF and I like a place, we hammer it, and that's exactly how we felt -past tense- about Opal.
Sure it's sketchy looking, dirtier then I would like my food establishment to be, but we overlooked all the bad points since we liked the $1.95 Coronas, and the $20 Rib Eyes WERE -again past tense large, good quality, properly cooked steaks.
Since Merging with Aqua, the food has gone down, way, way down.
Each week it got worse.
The 1st week, we waited an hour for food, the server got the order wrong, and treated us like garbage.
The 2nd week, the portion was so small it was laughable. The only reason we didn't complain, is that it tasted so bad, we didn't want any more.
Last night was our 3rd, and last visit to the New Opal.
The BF ordered the rib eye, I went for fillet as the rib eye was inedible the previous time.
An hour later, our usual, and forever flustered and obnoxious server threw down hockey pucks.
Yes, we waited an hour for dried out past well done meat. Mind you, we were 1 of 2 tables and ordered our meat rare +, which is under medium rare.
Now everyone has an off night, but what happened next is why we will NEVER, EVER set foot inside this restaurant again.
We almost never send food back. In the almost 3 years I've been in Denver, I remember doing it 2 times, 3 if you count the time the server grabbed the food and told me not to eat it, they could do better, and I believe that was at a Q's bar, or someplace like that.
We cut into the meat. Black and stringy -- so over cooked.
Hey Chris ( the worst "server" in Denver) this isn't rare + or even medium rare.
"So what do you want me to do about it" -- says he
With a flounce, and a huff and a puff he begrudgingly takes my plate to the chef...quote, unquote,
The BF is starving, and will eat the sole of his shoe if he has to, so he tells Chris although it sucks the big one, or small one in this case, he'll eat it.
According to our Chris, the aforementioned Chef refuses to cook another, or anything else for that matter.
What????
So I sat there sans food --- like a kid being punished.
How stupid is that. Treating regular customers who order several rounds of drinks ( my cab is $9 a glass, never discounted, even on HH), usually an appy, 2 entrees, and once in a while desert, and who tip between 20-25% like that.
No wonder they're down to 2 tables for dinner -- I'm sure they're just getting rid of the food in the freezer, and whatever has been already ordered from Sysco --and will fire the few cooks they have left, and only keep the bar part open. If I was a betting Woman, I would say Opal will either close entirely after the Holidays, or at best, be a bar who doesn't serve food. Either way, go up the street to Dazzle, or head down to S Broadway, where all the restaurants are on an upswing--I'd stay away from this place until they get their act together, or more likely -- close down.
NEVER AGAINListed in: Just Say NO !!, Best Wine Happy Hour, Never Again !!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/27/2008
I was so exited to hear about the Aqua / Opal marriage, that I had to see it for myself.
So we walk… Read more »
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Review from Deryck M.
Denver, CO
11/28/2009
How hard is your job? We were one of two tables that actually bothered to show up to your place you call a restaurant, and we still had to endure your shitty sushi after having to wait over an hour for it and then our order still wasn't complete.
If it had been remotely busy, we could've understood, but when there's 7 people in there and the reason you went there was for the drink specials (the only good part of this place), and then we don't even get a happy hour priced refill because you didn't come to ask us if we needed anything for half an hour and by that point it was 7:31 and you 'couldn't' get happy hour prices anymore when the world knows its not hard to put it in to your touchscreen computer as such. And then after telling us our order wasn't on our order sheet, the waitress brought us the check FROM THE OTHER TABLE.
The sushi was warm and crappy and probably old, and it was tiny (that's what she said). DON'T GET THE HANDROLLS unless you want more emphasis on the dried seaweedwrap and less emphasis on any sort of sushi in there.
Go here for some of their $1 coronas for $2.50 huge japanese beers or their martini specials. But don't expect to get more than one or two in the 2 hours you're there without getting up and getting it yourself. -
Review from robert a.
Denver, CO
6/3/2008
I heard through the proverbial grapevine that this place was good--excellent happy hour, said Grapevine. But, it turned out, whichever grapevine it was in particular that had told me that was mistaken.
oh, so mistaken.
The lounge/bar part of the place has every wall mirrored. Really mirrored. With big ones. Long ones, or, maybe, just one big, long mirror.
I prefer not to watch myself and every other diner eat their food; especially when the food is inedible.
Granted, Grapevine, everything is cheaper ($2 coronas, 2 for one hand rolls & sushi & hot sake), but i'm resigned to the fact that i have to pay more for quality. And if yall want to charge an extra dollar on the sushi to afford dry Norri, then, well, do it. The Norri (the seaweed shell) was...The Norri was...wet?
Yes, wet.
Undry. Uncrisp. Thus, Untasty, unsavory, unscrumptous, and unwhatever-have-you else. As i tried to eat it, I felt like some jaguar goin' to town on a recent kill. And, perhaps worst of all, i had to watch myself--what, with the gobs of mirrored walls they have in the place--tear at it.
Other than the inability to prepare some sushi, the place is decent. The 2-fer-1 sake is nice in the winter, but Hapa does that too and their sushi is actually (i never thought i see these words fall from my fingers) closer to authentic... -
Review from sarah b.
9/1/2009
man...
our server/bartender "ghost" was just blah. I just wanted to apologize for making you serve us... your attitude was horrible, and would it kill you to smile? We waited 5 minutes and had to approach you for service... you and I had eye contact upon entry...
No water refill, tables were deffinently not wiped down... and maybe that is why it is so dark in here.
I will never return to Opal to eat... that is a promise...
Our sushi was warm... ??? and measley
The Dumplings were horrible.
The Only thing Opal had was 1 buck Coronas... thats cheap
Skip this and pay a little more somewhere else for good Sushi and Better service. -
Review from Mark S.
Omaha, NE
10/15/2009
Things you must know about Opal:
1. Sushi is mid grade. 2 to 3 days old. For the price the quality is poor.
2. Sushi is expensive and the rolls are TINY. These are the smallest sushi rolls I have ever seen.
3. Atmosphere is extremely trendy. I liked it actually.
4. Service sucks plain and simple. The lady at the next table caught are attention in order to actually tell us she also thought the service sucked.
5. Rolls, Special Rolls, and sushi are TINY....did I already say that?
6. Only reason to come here (and the two stars) at all is to get $1 Coronas from 5-7:30. I would never order any food here again.
7. How do people like this place? For midgrade sushi I strongly suggest Hapa instead.
8. Will not be going back. -
Review from Melissa R.
Denver, CO
7/29/2010
My review is based solely on the happy hour.
$1 coronas, $1 oysters....what could be wrong with that?
Service was "OK"...not phenomenal, but seriously, who cares as long
as you bring/refill my drink?
The oysters were decent, didn't try the sushi, and the beers were cold...which made a very happy me.
The place sort of reminds me of a run-down-diva....aka, something that once had shine and glitz, but now looks a little on the cheap side.. the interior is trying a bit too hard, especially with the freakin' "chain-mail" curtains.
With that being said, not a terrible place to get your evening jump started with a cheap happy hour....just don't stay there all night as there are definitely better places to shuffle off to after $1 coronas. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Denver, CO
2/24/2010
Let me say first that the rolls were FANTASTIC. Could not have tasted better! HOWEVER,
The waiter was clearly in over his head with all the happy hour business. He barely heard our drink orders, he snatched up the sushi order without even glancing at it (or speaking to us), and ended up doubling our order. Turns out that this is standard procedure for their happy hour (i.e. 2 for 1, not half-price). This makes sense if you think about it, but he didn't even let us know how much fish we would end up with. Luckily it was delish.
The atmosphere was awful as the room was near pitch black, the marginal electronic music was at 11, and the clientele seemed to be less than savory members of the community in general. Was that a coke deal I just saw go down?
Tsk tsk. Won't be back. -
Review from Erin T.
4/29/2010
I usually come here with groups as it really has a lounge atmosphere and is good for gatherings. They have a nice happy hour that also includes late night.
Daily 4:30-7:30 and Late Night 10:30-1:30AM
* 2 for 1 Sushi
* 2 for 1 Hand Rolls
* 2 for 1 Hot Sake
* $2.50 22oz Kirin Bottles
* $3.00 Imported Champagne
* $4.00 Premium Martinis
* $1.00 Corona (4:30-7:30 Only)
I agree the service is a little poor as I had to go find our server a bunch of times to order more drinks and sushi. The food is good and for the 2 for 1 deal, worth it. -
Review from Christina W.
Denver, CO
1/27/2009
I had a terrible experience here. I don't know if it was an off night, but I will never return. The only good part was the edamame--which was basically steamed and salted.
The service was terrible which is probably why the sushi did not taste fresh. We sat for about 45 minutes between the starter and the main course. It took forever to get a check and get out of there. I never want to step foot in there again! -
Review from Sasha V.
Denver, CO
11/28/2009
Dear Opal,
to make your restaurant worth coming to you will...
1. Properly train your staff to sell your products with a smile on their face... oh wait.. the sushi sucks, so you must first improve the quality of the sushi....
2. You will improve the weird loungey decor and stop trying to pretend to be exclusive... If exclusive means no one shows up I think you've done a great job at excluding without discrimating...
3. Stop seating your customers right next to a REALLY gross bathroom, when just about every single other table is open...
until these improvements come about.. to you i say good bye.... -
Review from Heather P.
Denver, CO
3/7/2011
Service in the bar area is horrible!! I have been there twice and both times the service was some of the worst I've experienced, and I have been told these servers have been there for years, so service is not going to change. New management is what this place needs, badly. The service in the dining area is better, but there are no TVs which is why most people deal with the bad service and sit in the bar area for happy hour. Our food took forever...and we only ordered Sushi. We were still hungry so we ordered more food, but the waitress messed up our order and it took twice as long. She also didn't rush the order eventhough she messed up the order in the first place. So we were waiting 45 mins for Shrimp Tempura.
I would give this place one star if it wasn't for the $1 Corona's and the price for sushi. The sushi isn't the best but when your there drinking Corona's, you eventually want to order some food. The Shrimp Tempura is not real Shrimp Tempura, it was fried in something I could have done at home, and it was squishy. Like one reviewer said it was like eating a Twinkie.
The only reason I would go back is for the $1 Corona's and the hang out environment. Make sure you get there early for a good seat or they'll make you sit in a corner that doesn't have a real table! -
Review from Jonathan R.
Denver, CO
4/28/2008
This is going to be a totally hypocrytical review... That you must read to the very end of to grasp the stunning hypocrisy of it.
Opal Sucks... Ok sorry I'm being far to nondiscriptive here
I enter the bar with my friends, its not very busy at all, some loungy house music permeats the atmosphere. After passing a dirty table, we find out seats, our conversation ensues. We are 20-something young professionals, our conversation revolves around which of our friends are sleeping with eachother, ect... 10 minutes later our waiter approaches, takes our drink & sushi order & disapears. after another 10 minutes our drinks find themselves at our table. Our conversation turns to which trendy clubs or bars are going to be the recipients of our hard earned skrilla during the night upcoming debauchery. After another 20 minutes our sushi finally puts in its much anticipated appearance.
Now I'm not going to act like I'm the world fore most sushi-oligist but I'm not terrible impressed by their selection.
Why two stars... Because for some damn reason I go to this damn place all the damn time & if heaven forbid people in Denver actaully start using Yelp & the staff Opal actually found this review... Well I'm pretty sure they know who I am -
Review from Annie B.
Updated - 3/6/2009
We went to Opal last night to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. I was sitting in the bar with a couple of friends and had just ordered sushi. The waiter, up until this point, has been super nice and fun. A friend of mine joined us and asked the waiter for a menu and the waiter gave him such a hard time that it was beyond ridiculous! All my friend did was ask for a menu and the waiter accused him of being a jerk because he (the waiter) is gay, hands flailing in the air, going off about how my friend does not appreciate his service and how rude it is. I was blown away by this as again, my friend did not do anything to provoke this.
The next few trips this waiter made to the table, he would still be super sweet to me, and my other friend that was sitting with me before the "offensive" friend joined us. When the waiter turned to my "offensive" friend, the attitude instantly changed and he was a jerk again. This was completely un-called for!
We hung out most of the night since my crew was DJing for the evening. I was hanging out by the DJ booth later in the night and that same waiter came up to me and started apologizing for how he acted but also tried to put blame on my friend. I then told the waiter "but he didn't do anything to you" and then he went off about how people need to understand his stressful job and they need to be nice to him and blah blah blah... I again said "but he didn't do anything to you" and he started to go off about himself again. I stopped him and said I really don't want to have this conversation and he threw a hissy fit and walked off.
I can't believe an establishment would hire a server like that! I'm still somewhat blown away by what happened as it was too weird and ridiculous to be real. We enjoyed our sushi and otherwise had a good time, but the service was fucking ridiculous!Listed in: Absolutely Awesome Asia, Bananny's Sushi Extravaganza!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/28/2009
Some friends of mine book the DJs on Thursday nights here at Opal. I've stopped in a few times to… Read more »
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Review from Stephanie L.
Denver, CO
12/28/2009
Disclaimer: This review is for happy hour only
We decided to check out Opal for happy hour as they had 2 for 1 sushi advertised. The place was a ghost town, there was only one other couple in the entire restaurant, which seems a bit odd for a Saturday evening. We sit down and look at the menu for happy hour. There are NO ROLLS in their sushi special. They had a couple hand rolls and some nigiri, but no regular rolls are included in happy hour. How can you advertise a sushi special and then have such an incredibly limited scope? We left and went to Hapa's happy hour, which was fantastic as always! -
Review from Maha K.
Denver, CO
I have a love-hate relationship with Opal. Don't bother with the dining area, it's not really up to par although you can find a few good dishes once in a while.
Eric is one of my favorite bartenders, hands down. If you do not tip him well, I will personally seek you out and make you feel like you're in a present-day Inquisition of the service industry.
That being said, the bar area is fun for a low-key weekend night.
So be kind, eat lots of sushi, and enjoy the DJ sets...especially on Thursdays. -
Review from Dylan S.
Denver, CO
4/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm going to have to disagree early happy hours is awesome, cheap food, cheap booze. Timing is everything people!
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Review from Mara B.
Denver, CO
4/15/2011
I haven't actually eaten at Opal, but I have to mark them down merely for dealing with them on a professional level. When I asked to speak to a manager on the phone I was hurriedly dismissed and even sworn at. If that's how people are going to behave just over the phone, how are they going to behave in person?
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Review from Marisa M.
Denver, CO
5/19/2009
Opal gets two stars for the effort our waiter put into his service as the food left something to be desired. Our waiter spilled an entire carafe of sake in our direction (which, luckily, just missed my lap) and made up for it by bringing us a new carafe and three additional carafes on the house. While the gesture was appreciated, there is no reason that two people need four carafes of sake.
As for the sushi, they were out of the two items on the menu that we were most interested in trying- the fatty tuna maki and the natto maki. We ordered a variety of sushi and was disappointed across the board. I will not be back to Opal as there are plenty of better sushi options in Denver. -
Review from Julie A.
Denver, CO
8/11/2009
I went here the other day for a happy hour boasting 2-for-1 Sushi. I've been to quite a few sushi happy hours lately and I guess I just wasn't very impressed. The sushi that qualified was very limited and there weren't any vegetarian options included in this selection.
The $1 Coronas were the bright and shining part of this trip. My friend who ordered a bunch of hand rolls that should have been 2-for-1 didn't get the happy hour deal because A. nobody told him that you have to buy 2 of the same and B. he only ordered 1 of each and nobody filled him in or brought him 2 (even though we were asking questions which made it obvious we were there BECAUSE of Happy Hour). He was pretty bummed that the waiter didn't bother to explain this beforehand.
Oh well. Better luck next time. I guess that explains why we went on a Friday during Happy Hour and there was hardly anybody there. -
Review from Monica T.
Denver, CO
12/28/2010
Ever wonder what a tire wrapped in rice would taste like? Well, if you have this is the place that'll cure that. Seriously, the sushi was pretty bad. The happy hour specials are pretty much the only reason to go. That and the salsa nights which I think are Thursdays? I could be wrong.
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Review from Lauren R.
Denver, CO
9/20/2007
I dont care what anybody says about this place - it is by far the most miserable dining experience I have ever had. Im stupid enough to have gone to sushi happy hour here multiple times, and each time has been worse than the last. Sure, the sushi is ok. Yeah, its cheap. But is it worth being subjected to the hellish service and rude bartenders for two hours of your life that you will never get back?
I have a deep seeded loathing for this place - the stress alone is enough to send me into a cold sweat for the remainder of the night after going here. -
Review from Lindsey D.
Austin, TX
5/4/2010
Pretty place with posh decor. I arrived first and an attentive server gave me a nice table that would accommodate 8 and there were only 2-4 of us.
Yes, there are only, like, 4 rolls with Happy Hour pricing. But the menu is reasonably priced overall. And my $4 dirty martini was excellent.
I didn't experience any of the horrendous service or problems with cleanliness that others have mentioned.
I won't run back, but I would certainly go again if someone suggested it.
