Jennifer Jasinski's Larimer Square flagship is the restaurant that put Denver on the national culinary map, and the bar counter at Rioja remains one of the most civilized places in the city to spend an afternoon. The artichoke mousse — a Denver institution — arrives at the bar for happy-hour pricing alongside Spanish and Italian small pours that pair effortlessly. This is where Colorado's best chef does exactly what she does best.
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Cozy
Quiet
Romantic
Hip
Upscale
Good for groups
Known for cocktails
Google: happy hour drinks
Google: happy hour food
Vegetarian options
Takes reservations
Outdoor seating
Is that score good?
Almost everywhere scores 4–5 stars, so each site's score is shown against every venue in the Atlas rated on that site — here in Denver, and across the US. The gold bar is this spot.
Rated higher than 72% · tied with 12% · lower than 16% of the others
· median ★ 4.5
Across the US1,653 rated venuesTop quarter
1.02.53.03.54.0THIS SPOT4.65.0
Rated higher than 82% · tied with 5% · lower than 12% of the others
· median ★ 4.3
Each bar counts venues at that rating (0.1-star steps), lowest on the left; the curve starts at the lowest score anyone has. Ratings captured October 7, 2026.
