2 Best Restaurants in Denver, Colorado

With a sister restaurant in Japan (and another, Izakaya Den, next door) and owners who import sushi-grade seafood to the United States, it's easy to see why this chic sushi bar is the one Denverites count on to provide the best quality available. The sushi chefs here can meet your every request, and the cooked dishes are just as well prepared—don't miss the steamed fish baskets. Check out the tony crowd and feast your eyes on the luxurious fabrics and well-designed furniture. There's almost always a wait to get in, and parking can be a hassle, but for serious sushi-heads this is the place to be. Plan far in advance to sit at the Chef's Table for an even more elevated experience and special fresh-fish selections that are unavailable on the regular menu.

This larger space from the brothers who own Sushi Den next door, Izakaya Den is supposed to be like a Japanese izakaya, an informal and inexpensive drinking place where snacks are served. Instead, its menu is nearly identical to its sister eatery's, with a more extensive roster of tapas-style sushi offerings, and they share the same executive chef. That said, the high quality of fish imported from the owners' market in Japan is unparalleled in Denver, and several dishes—the hamachi, the crispy tuna, and the Wagyu carpaccio—are stellar.