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Tables
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
2267 Kearney StDenver, CO 80207
Neighborhoods: Park Hill, Northeast
(303) 388-0299
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
73 reviews for Tables
Review Highlights
"Double Chocolate S'mores Graham Cracker, Marshmallow..."
(in 5 reviews)
"The ginger soy vinaigrette is tangy and a little sweet."
(in 4 reviews)
"The Lamb Loin was perfectly Rare Plus; just North of Rare..."
(in 6 reviews)
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73 reviews in English
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Review from Terry B.
Um...wow! I was really, really, REALLY impressed with Tables. My wife put together a special, surprise birthday dinner for me here, and I'm certainly glad she did.
First of all, the atmosphere feels like you're eating in a house, what with all the antique-ish tables and chairs. Decoration is a bit homey as well. Service here was fantastic, as we had a large group, but our server didn't miss a beat. They've got a nice wine selection and reasonably priced for this type of restaurant.
Now, onto the food. We started with the crispy sweetbreads which really are out of this world. I'm a self-confessed sweetbread freak, and this is probably my second favorite preparation I've ever had of them. We also got some gnocchi to share, and this is excellent gnocchi as well - nice and pillowy soft with a great cream sauce. Onto the main...I love duck. I love duck confit. So, when I saw crispy duck breast with duck confit bread pudding...had to have it. And I did! And it was flipping delicious! The duck was cooked perfectly with a nice crispy edge. The cherry demi-glace was fantastic with the duck. We pretty much all shared, and I think most people were jealous that they didn't order the duck. Oh, and the duck confit bread pudding...holy crap! Best bread pudding ever. I skipped out on dessert and opted instead for an Irish Coffee to keep me awake...The chef, owners and staff all were amazing, and made for a wonderful 40th birthday.Listed in: Best of Denver
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Review from Nick R.
Denver, CO
1/30/2012
Fun, quaint place. The whole down-home country theme is original. The menu isn't inspired, but the service was friendly. The highlight of the night was the baked desserts.
Reasonably priced and not inflated. -
Review from Dave G.
Boulder, CO
11/6/2011
In short, I was disappointed. For Denver this is "A-OK", for any culinary city, this place wouldn't survive. But I suppose after five years in Denver, it should come as no surprise that food at the "best restaurants" is mediocre. It should come as no surprise that despite its high reputation, the restaurant can't come up with more innovation than meat and three sides. And despite the simplicity of some of the best meals I've had, in cities like New York and San Francisco, the best Denver has to offer can't even come close. Why do these chefs insist on going beyond their means? When you are trying to execute some of these more difficult dishes: sweetbreads, demi-glace, they better be spot on, because those dishes have little room for error, and Tables did not deliver. Maybe you should scale back your aspirations, and worry about cooking the steak perfectly.
Let me go through the meal as I usually do. My girlfriend and I started by splitting the arugula salad with walnuts, dried cherries, and some sort of vinaigrette. It was good, but we have it at home every night, and it doesn't cost $12 for a small salad.
Then I went to the sweetbreads, on the waitress's note that some say they are the best sweetbreads they've ever had. The dish came with a good-sized helping, a neige in a veal demi-glace with some roasted roots vegetables swimming alongside. The sweetbreads were fine, prepared well. But they need acid. And the demi was supposed to provide that acid, but it was nearly unpalatable with the amount of thyme infused into the sauce. When you reduce a sauce for 12-16 hours, all the ingredients are showcased. Any imbalance can result in a very pronounced, and very disturbing final product. I always thought it was hard to add too much thyme to a dish, but Tables managed. The sweetbreads therefore were bland without the sauce they required, and overpowered by a woody herb with it.
My next dish was the steak, also highly recommended by the waitress. I ordered medium rare, which should provide enough heat to release the succulent juices within. This steak was served rare, and still mushy and slightly cold in the center. Like I said, before you venture to more demanding ground, try perfecting your steak temp first. Oh yea, and the steak was also swimming in the thyme-ridden demi. I had to transfer it to my bread plate to make sure I could taste the $30 steak, and not the thyme sauce. My girlfriend had the scallops on top of basil risotto. Very flavorful I must say, the best thing we had at Tables. But way too much salt. I see a trend here on over-seasoning.
Then came the dessert menu. It takes a lot for me not to order dessert, I crave it even when the meal begins. But this menu had four items, and looked like it was made for a 10-year old. Smores, ice cream with nuts on top, some sort of peanut-butter chocolate thing, and cheesecake. No thanks, I'll save my $7.
The wine was very good. Wirra Wirra Catapult 2007. I didn't mind paying the 100% markup.
I give it three stars for the risotto, the friendliness, and butter that came with the bread. But for those of you expecting something great, finally, from a Denver restaurant-- stay at home and save your money. It's not any different. -
Review from ilya b.
Castro Valley, CA
2/8/2012
A hipster joint in a quiet neighborhood that offers decent meal in a urban and recycle-feel ambiance. Their famous on Yelp tuna tartar starter is good but not outstanding. The flavors were good but didn't stood together. It felt like I was eating different ingredients from different dishes. Not worth $15.
Scallops were good, a bit salty for my taste but very fresh and tender. Great and attentive service. A good experience overall just shy of 4 stars. -
Review from Becca S.
Boulder, CO
10/6/2011
WOW.
After reading the plethora of five-star reviews on yelp, I was nervous that my high expectations would diminish the quality of the food, as happens often. But MAN was I wrong.
First, the place. Driving up to see such a cute little restaurant with a beautiful outdoor patio nestled in such a random spot across from a Liquor Store and Karate Store was interesting, but I liked it. Had a very neighborhood feel to it. Upon entering the place, I was even more pleased. As many reviews have mentioned, it has a very shabby-chic feel to it. Very farmer-esque, for lack of a better word. I loved the old doors as decoration on the walls, and the fact that all of the tables were different (hence the name). The bread came in a yellow tin bucket, and the salt was in a miniature mason glass with a little ceramic spoon. Little touches like that were making me really like the place thus far. And I hadn't even tried the food yet. Little did I know how much I *really* would like this place...
Second, the food. Oh the food! We started off with the Roasted Beet Salad, which my Dad very casually mentioned we were going to split and it came out on two separate plates with a beautiful presentation. Great start. It consisted of two or three different colored beets, some delicious Gorgonzola, and greens. It was the perfect combination of flavors. I was impressed.
Onto the next course, my Dad ordered the Tuna Tartare. He had requested that his Tuna Tartare and my Sweetbreads come out at the same time, but there was a mix-up in the kitchen and the Tuna came out first - I had no issue with this, as it gave me more time to enjoy this dish! It was again, delicious! Crispy wonton chips decorated the outside which were a perfect vehicle to take this creamy, tangy, spicy tartare right into my mouth. It had a bit of a Wasabi kick to it but that was perfectly balanced out by the large chunks of fresh avocado. It was fresh, delicious, and perfectly done. Another A+.
Now onto the Sweetbreads. OH the sweetbreads. I am a huge fan of sweetbreads, and have had my fair share, cooked in many different ways. This was by far, hands down, without a doubt my favorite. The outside was crispy and delicious and the inside was moist, tender, and juicy. Cooked to complete perfection. It was in some sort of sweet reduction sauce that was the perfect compliment, with pieces of bacon, carrots, and shallots mixed in. Taking a bite of all the components together was *heavenly*. I was getting to the point of being full but couldn't stop eating it because it was so delicious. Yet another plate this evening licked clean. That's a good sign.
Now, as if that wasn't enough food, we still have two more dishes. My Dad opted for the 'Side Table' Gnocchi with fall harvest veggies and I chose the Roasted Duck with Confit Bread Pudding. Holy crap - I made a great choice.
However, I'll start with my Dad's gnocchi. This was one dish of the whole meal that I wasn't blown away by. It wasn't bad by any means, the gnocchi was fresh and handmade, all of the veggies were definitely fresh and in season, but it had a little too sweet of a taste for me. There was definitely a strong undertone of apple in there, and it almost had a bit of a desserty taste to it, which I'm typically not looking for in a dinner entree. But my Dad enjoyed it.
Now onto the duck. This duck was delicious! Again, cooked to perfection (these chefs really know how to cook their meat!) and everything on the plate went perfectly together. I was flabbergasted by how delicious the confit bread pudding was - it was a savory version that to me, really resembled stuffing (which is my all-time favorite comfort food). I was *yet again* in heaven. It was crispy on the outside; warm and fluffy on the inside. Piling all of the components on my fork again - a slice of duck, chunk of bread pudding goodness, cranberries, and spinach - it was perfect. Reminded me of a unique twist on Thanksgiving dinner, which I was more than happy with. It was, yet, yet, yet, again a home run. And now I'm stuffed to the brim, content, and beyond satisfied. But alas, there's more!
The sweet waitress came out and apologized (again) for the mishap in the kitchen with my sweetbreads. I expressed how I really didn't care, I realize things can be chaotic in a kitchen, and it was well worth the wait. But they wanted to buy us dessert. My dad was apprehensive, but I obliged with no hesitation. I didn't even have to look at the menu for two seconds before I knew what we were getting - Double Chocolate S'mores. Well, talk about decadent. It was very chocolately, and the inside chocolate cake part was warm, moist, and delicious. However, the type of dessert you can literally only take two bites of before you feel like you are going to keel over. I obviously took three.
So that was it. Perfection. I was completely blown away by this place and even now, the morning after, I am still in complete and total awe. -
Review from Eric I.
Boca Raton, FL
9/20/2011
I was only in Denver for one night so I decided to trust yelp and give the first 5 star restaurant that came up a try. Tables is what came up. And man was it good!!! Before I even get to the food I have to say the wait staff was fantastic. I have not felt as welcome as I did at Tables in a long time. The food came up exactly when it should and everybody was smiling and helpful. Also the decor in the restaurant is fantastic. The tables are all old re-purposed tables that look like they came from every possible type of 1950's kitchen. It was fun just looking at these.
Now the food. First of all good luck choosing what to eat. Everything from 3 types of fish prepared completely differently to a Paprika rubbed Rib Eye to a Pork Chop to the Lamb which I had. Also, make sure you wait for the specials. Today's was a Halibut cooked with a Apple Slaw made with Apple's from the chef's own backyard. The lamb was cooked perfectly. It literally melted in my mouth. It was presented over a Bacon-Zucchini Succotash. It also had crumbled Feta cheese on it. Suffice to say it did not last long.
Bottom line. Great place. Well worth the price. I wish it was back in my home neighborhood in Florida. -
Review from Chad M.
Kannapolis, NC
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
The ribeye is ridiculous! It was the most tender, savory ribeye I'd ever had. Not usually a fan of that cut, but this was as good as any filet I've eaten. The sauce...the sauce...I almost asked for a straw - that would've been a bit over the top for ambiance, but not undeserved. The sauce had a nice spice but wasn't overpowering; married beautifully with the polenta.
Then I asked the waitress, what's good for dessert. She quickly replied with the one thing that really piqued my interest, "raspberry buttermilk sorbet". I know...the buttermilk would throw me - except that it didn't. The tart and mellow played off each other skillfully and did wonderful things in my mouth.
Highly, Highly, Highly recommend you change your plans and go to Tables! -
Review from tracy a.
Oakland, CA
8/20/2011
Beet gazpacho = Heaven. Tuna tartare ain't so shabby either. Nice wine list. Cute little brick building tucked away in Park Hill.
Tables reminds me of early Potager (or maybe Duo). Similar decor -- simple but nice. Local ingredients, lots of emphasis on fresh food with a healthy orientation. The menu has lots of fish -- I had a very nice piece of halibut.
My only quibble with the service was a minor one. We had reservations and were running just a little late -- like 10 minutes. I called to let them know we were running behind (this is early in the evening, mind you, around 6:00). The person answering (maybe one of the owners, but I'm not sure) said, "well, please don't delay, we'll hold your table but we are booked up for the night." Yet the place was still barely half full by the time we left at 7:30. Posturing is irritating even when it's something small.
That fabulous beet gazpacho is what I will always remember. -
Review from Jeff S.
Denver, CO
11/20/2011
A hidden gem in Park Hill. We have lived in the neighborhood for 5 years and just tried it last month. Everything was excellent...the service, cocktails, and entrees. From what I understand, they have a new type of burger every so often depending on what meat they have in the restaurant. Don't let the hefty price tag scare you away, it will likely be the best burger you eat in Denver. My partner had the scallops and they were terrific (also, the sides for both dishes were great...the scallops were served over risotto cooked ti perfection and the burger came with a juicy corn on the cob with a red seasoning on it...perhaps paprika. Their cocktails are very inventive and have a ton of flavor. After 1 try it's now one of my favorite restaurants in Denver.
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Review from Derek W.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2012
Hands down best prix fix meal I have ever had in Colorado!
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Review from Frank T.
Denver, CO
5/21/2011
Great space, great food, great service. Everything I've tried has been great, but I have a definite soft spot for the beet salad.
It's so good, I could order it as a dessert. But, hey, if I did that, I would miss out on one of their great dessert selections. Lots of locally produced ingredients, definitely the freshest of the fresh, and interesting pairings without being "showy." Northeast Denver doesn't have that many great restaurants, so finding Tables has been most welcome. This is the place to go when friends gather at my place. -
Review from Nick C.
Updated - 3/22/2011
Not a bad place to have as your neighborhood restaurant. Had I more expendable cash, I'd be here multiple nights out of the week stumbling home full from exceptional food and drunk on wine.
The interior is incredibly charming and unique. Although the food is high end, the place is far from showy and pretentious with the dated and busted up tables and servers in flannel shirts and jeans. I swore our table was a near replica to those of my elementary art classes.
Great wine selection, and even better food selection. We started with the tuna tartar and the sweatbreads. Having had sweatbreads in Seattle the week prior, I was blown away by the comparison. How could a thymus gland be that much better at Tables than a thymus gland elsewhere? My mom who does not eat red meat, through my plea, tried a bite and proceeded to share half the plate with me. The tuna tartar has been raved upon by my neighbors and it certainly measured up to my expectations. The waiter even informed us that they are now bottling their ginger soy vinaigrette in the tartar for purchase at Spinelli's.
Our entrees consisted of the scallops with risotto, the pork chop, and the Alaskan black cod. All were exceptional and more than substantial in size. My favorite of the three being the scallops and risotto. A rather rich dish if you can imagine, but incredibly good.
The food and atmosphere at Tables totally justifies why this place is buzzing every night of the week.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2010
Always nice to have a fine dining restaurant just steps outside your front door. Tables has evolved… Read more »
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Review from Dave T.
Albuquerque, NM
9/13/2011
My favorite restaurant in Denver. Kind of a hidden gem - most locals my girlfriend and I talked to hadn't heard of it - but incredible food, great wine, and amazing service. The ribeye and lamb are both amazing, as are the soups, salads, and desserts!
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Review from JUSTIN S.
Frisco, CO
6/5/2011
Had a great experience at Tables a month or so ago. Limped in fresh off of ACL surgery, got seated in a comfortable spot, had a super friendly and helpful server, and that was just the start.
I usually don't order Halibut, but Tables may change that. It was easily one of the best fish dishes I've even eaten. The fish itself was prepared perfectly, and the sauce was absolutely amazing. Wow.
And if the waitress wasn't nice enough, the owners and chef came out to check on us, and even sent me home with a giant bag of ice for my aching knee.
If you're in the neighborhood, which is wonderful by the way, stop in at Tables, you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Hoang L.
Denver, CO
12/14/2010
So this is review is a bit late, as I ate there a few months ago w/ a group of 6. We all ordered a bunch of apps and a different entrees and shared everything -- you had a minute or two on each plate and then had to pass it along. And honestly, everything was amazing - standout for me was the sweetbreads appetizer... I could have ordered that for my main course and been extremely happy.
The food here is certainly unique -- sort of like comfort food with a modern twist. Service was excellent and we also spoke with the owner/chef afterwards and he was extremely nice.
I've eaten ate my fare share of good meals since moving to Denver and this might have been the best. It's pretty close between my meal here and Twelve Restaurant. -
Review from Talie B.
Denver, CO
7/16/2011
Dined here with girlfriends for girls night out and it was great. The place has a great atmosphere, some buzz with enough space that you can have a conversation and focus on the people you're dining with. The food was delicious and fresh. My favorite thing about the restaurant is that when I called to make a reservation, I spoke to both of the owners - a husband and wife team. This is not at all a corporate owned business, it's a mom and pop shop - all local to Denver - we have too few of those here. Thumbs up!!
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Review from Tania H.
Austin, TX
This small little place has a very interesting menu and the food was outstanding! Very unusual menu for a neighborhood restaurant with items like Foie Gras and Risotto...
I was pleasantly surprised by the intricate dishes and subtle flavors. Service was very good and the atmosphere is very eclectic with mismatched chairs and tables. Very Charming! -
Review from Shelly K.
Kansas City, MO
9/17/2010
Tables was beyond stellar. Starting with an amazing ambience, we had terrific service as we sat at the bar and chatted,waiting for our table. Our server (Matt) was clearly the best server on the planet (and begrudgingly admitted just that).
The NY Strip with Grilled Peaches and a Black Pepper Wine Reduction sauce was the stuff of dreams. Each bite was a little bit of heaven and it was .... well, something you simply must try.
Go there. Neighborhood place, great food, wonderful experience. -
Review from Brad F.
Denver, CO
8/29/2010
Tables is an excellent restaurant. The food is very good and creative. The ambiance is funky with the mis-matched tables and chairs. The wine list is diverse. These things deserve the four star rating I would normally have given Tables.
Unfortunately, last night's experience was a bad one. I attended a birthday party for one of the oldest friends. Not that he is old, but I've known him for about 45 years. There were 18 of us stuck in the middle of the room at two tables when several people had to have their backs to each other.
From the moment we walked in, Amy, the owner, treated us like we were in the way. They kept nagging us to sit down. Even after we sat down, through no fault of our own. She continued to treat us like we were in the way. One would think that and part of 18, would be treated well. If someone chose my place to drop $1,000, I think I'd treat them well. Unfortunately, the way Amy treated us put a damper on the entire night, for everyone, because everyone noticed. More than one person suggested we go somewhere else.
As much as i generally like Tables, I'm afraid last night may have been my last visit to the place, at least for a very long time. I'd still suggest you go eat there, but call ahead and go on a night Amy is off.Listed in: American Fare
Comment from Amy V. of Tables 8/31/2010
Brad, Thank you for comments about your experience at… More » -
Review from Tracie B.
Denver, CO
5/13/2010 ROTD 7/1/2010
It was my third visit to Tables, I'm not sure why I didn't Yelp the first two as I have very fond memories. This visit was different, only in that I wasn't paying which made it even more memorable.
I love just about everything about Tables - the location (not in Cherry Creek, LoDo, LoHi, Highland, West Highland etc.). Instead Tables is located on a short commercial street in the area of South Park Hill. This neighborhood is charming and unassuming, just like Tables. On a Wednesday night the place is crowded but not uncomfortably so. We have drinks at the bar before our large group of fifteen (or so) works its way into the dining area (we take up over half the seating area in the room). As this is an "event" the menu is fixed which can sometimes be a problem. Not in this case - the menu is perfect, from appetizer to dessert.
Speaking of appetizers - we feast (literally) on Tuna Tartar with avocado, scallions, ginger-soy vinaigrette on wonton crisps. The server keeps bringing more plates to our table of five as we can't get enough. Even the "non-fish" lover at my table is downing this little tuna nibbles with abandon. The marriage of perfectly fresh raw tuna complimented with bits of avocado, neither overpowering the other. The ginger soy vinaigrette is tangy and a little sweet. The wonton crisp gives this creation just the right amount of crunch when you put it in your mouth. Absolutely delicious! The beef on bruscetta is very good but I can't honestly describe it as I was too smitten with the tartar.
Next was a salad of Arugula, blue cheese, pistachios in a strawberry-rhubarb vinaigrette. Instead of croutons, the salad was topped with thinly sliced, crispy red beet slices. I could have eaten a plate of the crispy beets alone - and I don't even like beets! The salad gets an 11 on a scale of....well you get the idea.
After bread, appetizer and salad my tummy is starting to feel full but I'm so glad that I left room for the main which is even better than everything we've already eaten so far. Dill-tarragon dusted halibut, potato-beet ragout, preserved lemon vinaigrette and crème fraiche is quite simply heaven on a plate. The halibut is moist and flaky with just the right amount of dill-tarragon seasoning. Both dill and tarragon can be overwhelming - I'm impressed that the flavors work so well with the fish. My non-fish loving friend can't believe how much fish she has eaten in one meal and how much she loves it.
I'd like to go on and tell you how much I loved the Double Chocolate S'mores graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate sauce dessert but at that point I was stuffed. Fortunately it's in my frig waiting to be devoured at a later time.
Service was great which is saying a lot when you're serving a four-course meal to fifteen people.
I'd give Tables six stars if I could.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Jess V.
Washington, DC
11/12/2010
Tables was definitely an awesome meal and experience. I was in Denver for a conference and a local Coloradan told me I needed to get out of downtown and took me here. We shared the Prosciutto salad and I had the trout which was very good. We also shared the s'mores dessert thing which was good but messy.
The atmosphere was shabby-chic-charm and the service was great.
Would return if in the area again. -
Review from Meredith G.
Denver, CO
5/5/2010 6 photos
A hidden gem in Denver. That's what I think of Tables.
I had been here many years ago (before yelping) and I decided on Tables for my last good meal for 2 weeks before I wouldn't be able to eat anything solid again. And it didn't disappoint.
I took my mom here and we shared our meals. Literally, we each ate 50% and then switched plates. The dessert plate was squarely in the middle.
We ordered the Pan Seared Jumbo SCALLOPS, Basil-Mint RISOTTO, MUSHROOM Medley, Peppers & Arugula and the Colorado LAMB LOIN, Grilled Ciabatta, ALMOND-Pesto, MANCHEGO, FAVA Bean, BACON & Spring HERBS & Lamb Jus.
While the scallop dish was good and tasty the Lamb was AMAZING! The flavor in every bite was perfection. We would've been perfectly happy to have ordered the same thing and not had to have shared. Check out my pictures of the before and after to prove my point.
And you can't go to Tables and not have their Double Chocolate S'mores Graham Cracker, Marshmallow & Chocolate Sauce. It's sinfully rich and put us both in to a food coma. But it was all worth it!
If you haven't been here, get yourself there. Recommendations are recommended. -
Review from Joshua L.
Portland, OR
3/21/2010
I like to cook. A lot. As I am not terrible in the kitchen, I have a tendency to eat at home much more than I eat out. Thus, I have never been good about consistently yelping. Sometimes, it is necessary to venture out of my little kitchen and eat at some of Denver's finest. Last night was one of those nights...
I needed to decide on a spot for four of us to eat, and as I have eaten at fourteen of 5280's top 25, I thought it was time to make that fifteen. I chose Tables as I have heard that Z Cuisine is a bit more of a romantic "date night" spot (will be eating there in the next month so that will make sixteen). I am exceptionally happy that I did.
To start, I love the space. Small, casual, and inviting it is "neighborhood chic". The room is sparse yet warm, bustling and energetic while not demanding that you speak loudly to be heard. It is all that I look for in a restaurant, and something that is in short supply in this fair city. If I could no longer create in my own kitchen, it would be my dream to take every meal in friendly confines such as these.
Was pleasantly surprised with the wine list as (much like the space) it is sparse but well designed. We dove straight into the mains with a New York Strip, Grilled Pork Chop, Scallops, and Alaskan Black Cod as the fare for the night. The Gorgonzola Mashers might have been the highlight for me. Simply fantastic! The Alaskan Black Cod was heavenly. Perfectly cooked, served on a tasty, inventive take on New England "chowda" with Little Neck Clams. I could have eaten two more portions... Easily!
Each item that we ordered was unique not only in each dishes' playful take on everyday foods, but in the variance between dishes. The menu at Tables just refuses to be pigeon-holed. The dishes, while familiar, refuse to be cliché and that makes a good restaurant exceptional. It is the type of restaurant that is perfectly suited as a neighborhood hangout since the menu veritably DARES you to be bored. I was not, and do not foresee boredom so long as the menu continues to be playful, mischievous, and so damn good. -
Review from Ryan F.
Castle Rock, CO
7/19/2011
Great neighborhood restaurant. The wait staff was excellent and the food was very tasty. I would go back again in a heartbeat.
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Review from Mary Jo S.
Denver, CO
5/20/2008 ROTD 10/14/2008
I am still in the after glow of an orgasmic meal. If I smoked cigarettes, I would be lying in bed right now smoking one. It was that good!
After the Yelp event at Meadowlark Bar, three of us went to Tables for dinner. First off the waiter recognized my Southern accent and we bonded immediately. He was from Arkansas and laid on that Southern charm and that down home Southern service.
Second, it is one of the first evenings this Spring we could sit outside to dine and that alone gained a star. However, if it had not been pleasant outside, the new addition (they bought the Pampered Pooch store front next door) would have been fine by me because Tables no longer seems so cramped and loud.
Third, the nightly cocktail was a cucumber infused vodka with elderberry something or another added and garnished with a cucumber. YUM!. (It went well with the Yelptail from the Meadowlark).
Fourth the Spring menu had some great choices along with a nightly special of Rocky Mountain trout. We started the meal with a salad of baby spinach, blueberries, papaya, and blue cheese dressing. My Southern friend split the salad three ways to accommodate us. We then split the Tuna tartare with avocado, scallions, ginger-soy vinaigrette and wonton crisps. Dinner choices were two for the trout and I chose the Little Neck clams, pesto, bacon, spaghetti, and Tabasco-tomato vinaigrette; I carry Tabasco in my purse for emergencies so you know I was in heaven. I cannot even begin to tell you how delicious that meal was. I would have dipped the rest of the bread in the sauce if I had not been so full. Both Amy and Dustin, owners and chefs stopped by to see how things were. It was just perfect!
And fifth, Rachel Ray picked Tables as one of her favorite restaurants and featured it on Tasty Travels. You know she is not going to blow her reputation on a bad place.
So, 5 stars. What else can I say but I will be ready for another go as soon as I rest up. -
Review from Sandi D.
Aurora, CO
5/20/2009 ROTD 8/21/2009
I just had the perfect meal !!!
I loved everything about Tables -- from the cute Shabby Chic furniture, to the small, yet comfortable feel about the restaurant. We sat inside, but the small outdoor patio looked very inviting.
Our server was friendly and attentive. He gave me a few moments alone with my sip of wine, which is smart ( red changes so much in a few short moments), and encouraged us to ask questions about the menu.
We started with the Sweetbread Appy, and have to admit it was probably the best, or at least close to the best I've ever had.
It had a nice bit of carmalization to the outside, soft and tender inside -- almost Fois Gras ' ish texture. Totally Yummy.
So Yummy, I wanted to change my dinner order and have 2 more Sweetbread orders -- something I may do next time.
Yes, it was That Good !!!
Main Courses were the Trout Special and the Colorado Lamb Loin.
Now here's where you can really appreciate the great service, and attention to detail --- We mentioned in passing that we'll be splitting the dinners -- and guess what ??
The kitchen split each dinner in half for us, and put each portion on each end of a super long plate -- perfect !!
Neither meal interfered with the other, and you could still appreciate the plating. Really shows the attention to detail.
The best part -- it tasted delicious.
The fish was fresh. The accompaniment perfect for a light fish; fingerling potato with Myer Lemon. Light and refreshing !! Not overdone at all.
The Lamb Loin was perfectly Rare Plus; just North of Rare -- Tender...cut like butter in the hot sun.
The best part, is that everything worked. I didn't feel as though I was in an Iron Chef Show, where the Chef is throwing anything and everything together not knowing the outcome.
The meals where well thought out -- Time tested if you will.
Tables restored my faith in Denver Chefs -- thank you for an awesome evening out !!!Listed in: De Cream of Da 'Cream
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Review from David T.
Denver, CO
3/3/2010
I can't remember how many times we've discussed trying this place over the last few years but for some reason we've always decided on somewhere else. That was a mistake on our part. The food here is really top notch (more on that later). We finally made it in for dinner last night thinking that since they weren't participating in DRW it would be quiet and an easy reservation - all true.
First positives - message requesting a reservation promptly and courteously returned, ample street parking available, and arrival through a warm vestibule which was obviously added to an old building to provide a comfortable reception for arriving guests and prevent a blast of cold air from chilling diners. More restaurants (you know who you are) should make similar renovations. There's no excuse for suffering through an expensive dinner freezing your tush off by the front door.
Atmosphere is certainly more what you'd call utilitarian than posh. The signature "tables" are whimsical but the non-matching old fashioned wooden chairs become butt hell after about an hour. How about having Granny whip up some cushions for those suckers? Although the place was not even half full they insist on seating parties of two at very small deuces. I really hate having to assist the server in removing items and rearranging the table with the arrival of every course to make adequate room for your meal. Had to wave bye-bye to the bread and butter early on to make room for the first course.
Went straight to wine -- a short list but the reds featured a really lovely Chateaux D'Issan Margaux ($80). Quite lush. The lady friend and I differed on our opinion of our server. I found him overly hyper and talkative to a fault. She liked him fine but she likes to have servers yak her up extensively with recommendations, descriptions, etc. He certainly wasn't shy and the energizer bunny could take lessons on perpetual motion from the guy. Made me twitchy.
On to the food. Started with the shared Tuna Tartar with avocado, scallions and a ginger-soy vinaigrette served with beautiful fresh watercress and wonton crisps. Apparently created while the chef was at Strings, this is the star of the show at Tables. It is more than ample for two at $14 and absolutely the best rendition of a seriously overdone dish we've ever had. Superb. The wonton crisps are a cheap Chinese takeout throwaway though and diminish the brilliance of the dish.
Mains. For her, the tomato saffron braised Lamb Shank with a sweet potato mash ($24). Rich - maybe too much so. Certainly a serving out of Henry the VIII complete with bone "handle" - yarrrr! She wanted the Lamb Loin off the Prix Fixe Spring tasting menu ($35 for 4 courses). No go on that. Personally, I think that's tacky, especially on a slow night when her request could easily have been accommodated but be warned that apparently the Prix Fixe is tres Fixe. I had the Black Cod ($23) perfectly cooked on top of lightly sauteed fresh spinach and sugar snaps garnished with Little Neck clams in their shells - "New England Chowda' sauce" on the side at my request. Light and luscious. The clams were tasteless, as they almost always are in Colorado, but the Fish was amazing and clearly outshone the Lamb.
Hadn't really planned on dessert but can you really pass up a homemade mixed fresh berry and pear pie? You could really taste the homemade love but at $7 plus a $3 upcharge for ice cream Granny really loves her pie. We did, too.
So, a really delicious meal and great wine netted out at just a tad over $200 with tip. You could easily manage that down to a neighborhood restaurant reasonable price with a more modest wine choice. Worth a shot? You bet and well deserving of 5280's accolade as one of Denver's best 25.Listed in: My Denver faves, I'm my own best reviewer - or…
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Review from Anne C.
Denver, CO
10/4/2010
We tried items on the spring and the summer menus - and each time we were left completely satisfied!
You can't go wrong with the selection there...it is one of the tastiest places we've ever been to.
My only advice is to try to take your time in eating...you're going to want to taste the subtle nuances in each bite. Seriously...stuff that you wouldn't normally think would go together makes it SO delicious.
I'd recommend this place to anyone. It's a bit pricey but OH-SO worth it. -
Review from David M.
Updated - 3/6/2010
OK. You've heard enough about how much I love Tables (they just got ranked as the #9 restaurant in the Denver-Boulder area in 5280), so now I'm just writin' to tell you about an incredible deal they've got going: 4 course spring dinner for $35.
A little while ago I was pluggin' Vita's 3 course monthly special for $35 that includes a half glass of wine with each course. It's close which is the better deal, given what you get. And I don't think anything in town beats what Tables and Vita are doing now. So check 'em out. At Tables, Amy and Dustin serve such great food that I'm guessin' they'll break into the top 6 by next year. And their food tops Vita's, which is saying a lot.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/2/2009
As Tiger says these days . . . "Just do it." That is, just do dinner at Tables. We did last night… Read more »
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Review from Bryan M.
Lakewood, CO
8/3/2008
Expectations. I hate how they taint things, but at some level its unavoidable.
I went here for my birthday dinner this past Thursday. Reservations at 8, place was still pretty packed, which I liked to see... Hopes were high.
As you enter the building there is a tiny little host table that is so obtrusive there is no way to stand near it and wait for the host staff without shoving your ass in someone's face dining nearby. Luckily, the table nearest was empty.
It was after checking in that I realized there was something afoot. The communication between the hostess and the wait staff was not good. It took three attempts to wipe down and reset a table. Then as it finally got reset by one of the waitstaff, the hostess nowhere to be found, we stood, cramped, and stared at our fine table for minutes before we were seated.
Our server was knowledgeable about the food and wine, but he was scrambling. It seemed as if they were understaffed. My wife and I were discussing maybe someone called in, or no-showed. Or maybe the owner doesn't staff properly. We read review after review praising their service, maybe they were having an off night...
There were small signs of a back of the house guy running the front of the house... guys in chef coats generally don't bus tables after delivering food.
There were a few other touches, that while trying to seem quaint, just seemed cheap. Your "Open/Closed" and "Hour of Operation" sign should not remind me of the Sharpie scribbled cardboard pieces homeless people hold up on every damn street corner in the Denver.
My water and wine should not get to empty. They shouldn't sit empty for minutes either. In truth this place was teetering between one and two stars for me. Then our food arrived. The chef might not be great at running the front of the house, but holy hell can that guy cook! My ribeye was amazing. Lacey's lamb was fantastic (though a little small in portion for $26). The food was 4 or 5 stars, the experience, the service, was 1 or 2. I settled on an middling 3.
In my opinion if your restaurant is only open 5 days a week. For a whopping 4.5 hours each day, you should probably have your shit together. I'm willing to try the place again, the food was great and everyone has a bad day. But I wouldn't bring anyone here on a special occasion that was hoping for a great birthday dinner. -
Review from Dani S.
Rowland Heights, CA
1/4/2011 1 photo
awesome boutique restaurant!
We were driving around this area and our first choice for dinner was closed due to remodeling. So, I quickly looked up Yelp and found this spot, and Yelp does not disappoint!!! woohoo!
MUST get "sweetbread" - my dude talked me into trying this dish and oh my god it was mind blowing! All the other appetizers and entrees were absolutely delicious and well prepared too. Service was A+ and super friendly.
$110 for 2 - no drinks. yeah yeah, we eat alot. -
Review from John N.
Denver, CO
1/14/2010
Tables has, well, nice tables. My old-timey table had Kosher salt and room temp butter in little jelly jars on table - a nice touch on both counts. There's also a maitre'd greeting diners as they enter and watching the patrons - always a sign of good service.
Mike the friendly server greeted me, and called me by name throughout the meal. After discussing the menu with Mike, who was very knowledgeable about the dishes, I started off with the Tuna tartar appetizer and a nice glass of Red Zinfandel. The tuna was delicious, but what really made this dish stand out was the sauce! Ginger-y with an unexpected spicy burst at the finish. I used a piece of the crusty, house-made bread to mop it up - it was that good! As I was eating the last of the Tartar, I realized that I didn't want to dish to end - I wanted more!
I had Mike's recommended entree: the Lamb shank. Wow! Falling-off-the-bone tender and served on mashed sweet potatoes (that weren't super-sweet - nice!) with a deep brown sauce. Mike provided a knife but I didn't use it, the meat was so tender a fork pulled it apart. I ate every bit and like the appetizer, this was another dish I didn't want to end.
A glass of 12-year old Sherry rounded out this excellent meal. Final bill $64 plus tip - not cheap but very reasonable given the very high quality of the food.
A final word about the service: Mike was very friendly and really discussed the dishes with me. He seemed genuinely familiar with the food and didn't sound like he was just reciting some memorized blurbs. Tables obviously takes steps to ensure their servers really know the food and can communicate that knowledge to patrons - that attention to detail is appreciated! Both the appetizer and entree were Mike's recommendations, both were exactly as he said and both absolutely delicious. The promise of the maitre'd proved correct as my entree arrived within a minute or so of finishing off the appetizer - the only other time I've had this happen was in one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants in New Orleans (NoLA) and they had at least twice as many servers per patron as did Tables.
I'm kinda reticent to give another 5 star review, but I honestly can't find anything at all to complain about, and I tried to find something! Excellent service, nice decor, wonderful food, fair price - nothing whatsoever to complain about. Best meal I've had in Denver, by far. 5 stars! -
Review from Rob K.
Denver, CO
1/5/2008
I wanted this place to be more special than it was. In the neighborhood restaurant-starved Park Hill neighborhood, Tables is a pleasant surprise compared to its lackluster competitor, The Cherry Tomato....but I think they are underperforming and I know they could do better.
Owner Amy Vitale (who used to man the stoves at Strings for years) turned out more passionate food then, then what seems to be coming out of the kitchen now. I think her husband is manning the stoves now, but I'm really not sure (she was working the front the night I was in). There was nothing wrong with the food. It was reasonably priced, but it seemed to lack any punch or pizzazz. I say this, simply trying to convey that I expect to get things eating out that I wouldn't readily be able to recreate at home myself and in this respect, Tables fell short.
The service was very friendly and attentive. The space is warm and cozy. These are all things that you want and need from a neighborhood space, and in that sense, Tables delivers.
To be honest, the wine list seemed like an afterthought. Reasonably priced selections available, but relatively tame and rather boring. For the theme of the menu, there should be more Old World wines to match the style of the food. France and Italy should be represented all over this list, but they're not.
I don't live in Park Hill any more, so I don't know when I'll be back, but they deserve another chance, and if you do live in Park Hill, you should check this place out. They are at least doing fresh, seasonal cuisine, which is more than you can say for the Cherry Tomato, who seemingly hasn't changed their menu since the Reagan administration.
Another chance and they could might get a fourth star, I'm sure on some nights they deserve it. -
Review from Lacey M.
8/4/2008
I really really wanted to love this place. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and I heard nothing by excellent things about the food and service. So I thought it sounded perfect for this special occasion.
Well, I was wrong. The service was pretty awful from the get go. It took the hostess a pretty long time to simply wipe off a table and seat us. I think it felt like much longer due to the fact that the entry way does not have a good spot to stand and wait. It just feels very awkward. Good thing the restaurant wasn't full, or else our asses would have been in someone's face, interrupting their special occasion dinner.
We sat outside, and were definitely sitting on an incline. I would have been okay with that, if the rest of the experience made up for it...but it didn't. The service was just incredibly slow in every aspect. Slow to bring our drinks to the table, slow to refill our drinks (our water and wine glasses sat empty more than once), slow to bring our check, slow to cash us out.
It did not seem to be all of our server's fault, though. He was running around like crazy, never stopping....due to being only 1 of 3 servers working that night. He was very knowledgeable of the food and wine, but seemed to feel that he could not spend any time with us, due to being so far in the weeds. Either they had completely understaffed the place for Thursday night, or someone didn't show up. At least they tried to make up for it, with the chef running food and clearing tables. But it still didn't help my husband's birthday dinner go any better.
At the end the waiter found out we were celebrating a birthday and became more friendly and spent a little time chatting. However, this was after we had finished eating. Too little, too late. When we passed on dessert, he brought our bill with 1 of my husband's glasses of wine taken off. We thanked him, and thought it was a nice gesture (especially since it was a $12 glass of wine). Again, it didn't make up for the rest of our experience that night.
Too little, too late. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Baltimore, MD
7/29/2010
My husband and I went to Tables based on the great Yelp reviews and its proximity to our hotel. We were jetlagged, not hungry, and a little grouchy from getting up at 3:45am. I didn't even want to go out for dinner, I just wanted to go to bed.
We ordered the carpacchio appetizer, and I had a vegetable soup and my husband had a salad. Everything was excellent. I wished we'd ordered a full dinner. The service was -
Review from Lynn L.
8/12/2009
Finally got to try Tables recently, and yeehaww, I was completely captivated by my experience!
I loved the shabby-chic decor, and the staff were all exceedingly friendly and attentive. Though the surroundings and staff were nice, the real star of the evening was the food.
Here's what we had:
Baby SPINACH, BACON, PLUM, BLUE CHEESE & Vanilla-RHUBARB Vinaigrette
GOAT CHEESE, Summer BEETS, Sunflower Seeds & Black Pepper-HONEY Thyme
BASIL Crusted Alaskan HALIBUT, Heirloom TOMATO 'Gazpacho' & Watercress
Colorado LAMB LOIN, Red Pepper, PEACH & Fingerling Potato Ragout & MINT Pesto
Double Chocolate S'mores Graham Cracker, Marshmallow & Chocolate Sauce
Pistachio Ice Cream, Rhubarb Jam & Pistachio Brittle
We were blown away by the flavor combinations, yet pleased with the simplicity of the food. Though it was nicely plated, it wasn't "fancy pants". Everything was absolutely delicious, and we finished every last morsel!
A very laid-back, neighborhoody restaurant. There were diners in shorts, and diners with children. I can't wait to come here again and have an informal meal at the bar. I also can't wait to come back and have another 3-course, decadent meal. There isn't a "neighborhood" joint in Denver that I have enjoyed this much. It's just a bonus that it's in MY neighborhood! It is worth the trip! -
Review from Dank T.
Denver, CO
10/5/2011
Inconsistent. Avoid the duck regardless of the menu. Pricey. I get why but it's a bit much for the cuisine. Want this to be better because the neighborhood deserves it.
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Review from Suzy S.
Denver, CO
6/12/2009
The weather has been crazy in Colorado lately! I was rained and hailed on earlier in the day, but by seven PM the sky was beautiful so I pedaled over to Tables and chose a patio location and waited for my friend. (And waited and waited! He went to Tastes accidentally!) While waiting I had a few glasses of Australian Zinfandel - the red choices range from $7 to $13 for a glass, and anywhere from $27 to $300 per bottle. They serve bread for a pastel colored aluminum planters pot that is really cute.
I don't know much about wine, so when my friend arrived I let him pick the bottle and he went for an Oregon Pinot Noir that was tasty and around $50. I had ample time to look over the menu but was having a horrible time making a choice because everything looked so good.
One of the salads to choose from is a "Beet and Bacon Stack" with goat cheese. HELLO!!? How can I pass that up?! But at $11, I didn't think I wanted that plus a whole meal, so I was trying to decide between the small plates, but my eyes kept wandering down to the scallops.... which also happened to be our servers favorite dish. I decided I would have to be a glutton and pig out this one time (yeah right, this one time!).
The Beet and Bacon Stack lived up to my expectations with the bacon being super crispy and the fresh beets having the perfect texture. My friend had the spinach salad with blueberries. At first it appeared to be berry free until he started looking under leafs, and found the buggers. We both licked our plates clean and awaited the next course.
One thing they do here and I believe they should do at other restaurants is bring out fresh silverware. I love this - what a classy touch and so nice not to have beet juice on scallops, or worry about where to put the fork on the table where it will leave a mess.
When our main courses arrived, mine looked awesome, but there were only three scallops which I think, had I not filled up on bread and bacon, I would have been disappointed with. They were seared to perfection however, and I enjoyed every bite.
My friend ordered the snapper and as they set it down we both thought it looked a little TOO blackened. Hoping for the best, he dug in and found it was overcooked. He's not a complainer though, and as long as he mixed it with the side, the dryness of his fish wasn't a complete turn off. We did, however see the snapper that was served at the table next to us was not as black and looked perfect.
When they cleared our dinner plates and made room for coffee and desert, they asked how the meal was, and my friend said "it was good, just a little dry". That's it. He didn't make a stink, he called it as it was and didn't expect anything for it. They, however, comped his dish, which made him embarrassed, but also thankful. He even tried to talk them out of omitting it from the tab, but they insisted.
We had the apple and berry pie with pecan ice cream for desert. I've never had apple with berries like that and it was FANTASTIC!!!
Full, slightly drunk, and happy I hoped on the bike and pedaled home, completely content. When I got home I sat in the back yard and played fetch with the dogs and talked on the phone with another friend about how great my meal was....until the crazy rains started, along with pounding hail. Perfect timing!!
PS: Dear Lynn - I know we agreed to try this restaurant out together, but I just couldn't wait any longer. Yes I cheated on you, but it was worth it! -
Review from darwin r.
Denver, CO
8/18/2011
Truly a neighborhood gem. My wife and I go to tables as often as we can. We live 2 blocks away and have a 6 month old child (we bring with us). Amy and all of the staff are always very friendly and happy to see us. The food is excellent every single time.
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Review from Paul B.
Denver, CO
5/18/2011
Very friendly staff. Great comfortable feel. Delicious food. a really nice place when you want excellent food in a laid-back setting.
