Locals Praise River and Woods' Imaginative Dishes, Others Still Miss John's

A Real Crowd-Pleaser: Facebook reviewers generously awarded chef Daniel Asher's new restaurant five and (a single) four star review. One guest shared that their service experience "was spot on from the moment we walked through the door" and they were welcomed by the owners themselves. Others celebrated the new space as the "[b]est new concept restaurant in Boulder" and as a "true treasure." The only mentioned drawback? The restaurant was often packed with other eager diners. [Facebook]

Not Your Mother's Fried Chicken (But She'd Probably Like It): In a brief review from Westword, River and Woods is applauded for its bold and occasionally unconventional twists on classic comfort food. Since the kitchen is open to recipes from local diners, chef Asher and team have created new renditions of Colorado and American cuisine. River and Woods "doesn't take the easy way out when it comes to evoking food memories" yet manages to serve food that "triggers bliss while taking off in new directions to make memories for repeat guests (of whom there will be many)." Despite the team's culinary innovations, the kitchen manages to "respect the past" without boring diners. [Westword]

The Drawbacks of A Trendy Spot: While Yelp reviewers enjoyed the cocktail and dinner menus, the slammed service and packed dining room dissuades some diners from returning. Citing a long wait for cocktails and noise that tends to reverberate in an "echo chamber," few guests found it "hard" to see themselves returning during busy hours. However, one diner has found a loophole: "[o]f course there is always the patio!" [Yelp]

Comparisons to the Past: Few diners and former regulars at John's Restaurant, the famed neighborhood spot that turned its cottage over to River and Woods, yearned for the menus of yesteryear. One TripAdvisor user reported a "lack of interest" in their food and, without the signature ambiance of John's, "will never return" to the space. Another user warned former regulars: "[i]f you're looking for anything near the ambience and quality of John's, which was at this location previously, you're in for disappointment." [TripAdvisor]