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The Dish That Started It All: The Whole Bass at Fish N’ Beer
A wood-fired whole bass at Fish N Beer
Rachel Greiman/Eater

The Guide to Denver's Top Seafood Restaurants

From toppling towers to crispy fried filets

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A wood-fired whole bass at Fish N Beer
| Rachel Greiman/Eater

Even living a mile above sea level, Coloradans are among the greatest consumers of seafood in the country. Today, conscientious fish eaters can support restaurants that participate in the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Program or the James Beard Foundation Smart Catch.

For their bargain-priced, happy-hour oysters and saucy grilled filet entrees alike, many of the restaurants on this map fly in fresh products weekly or daily. Some of the venues are casual hangouts, while others are swankier, more worthy of a splurge dinner.

Note: For a guide to Denver’s top sushi spots, head this way.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Wild Standard

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Chef Bradford Heap switched gears from his two other restaurants, Colterra and Salt, and focused on sustainable seafood at this popular place on Boulder's Pearl Street.

Fish N Beer

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The wood-fired whole Colorado bass is served with farro, roasted butternut squash, pesto, blistered tomatoes, and devil butter. See also oyster platters and an addictive chowder.

Rachel Greiman

Ohana Island Kitchen

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Poke has spread like wildfire in Denver, even in restaurants that aren't fish houses. But Hawaiian-owned Ohana Island Kitchen (which started as a walk-up window) on 15th Street offers ultra fresh tuna and salmon poke.

Adam Larkey

Maine Shack

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Though Maine Shack won’t open until the spring of 2019, lobster rolls and whole belly clams will be at pop-ups around town until then. Check the Facebook page for dates and information.

Maine Shack/Casey Giltner

Wewatta Point Seafood

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This year-old addition to the Union Station neighborhood sells jumbo lump crab cakes and Thai snapper alongside fresh-squeezed juice cocktails in a breezy California setting.

Adam Larkey/Eater

Albina by the Sea

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Milk Market’s seafood counter offers fresh fish to take home but also serves up a menu of prepared dishes like fish and chips, steamed clams, crab cakes, mussels, calamari, and blackend fish sandwiches.

Stoic & Genuine

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In the lively Union Station is an upscale seafood spot known for its raw bar and open kitchen. Diners can choose from a menu of sardines, peel-n-eat shell fish, a seafood tower, a whole roasted haddock, surf and turf, and more.

Facebook

Jax Fish House Denver

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Denver's original seafood house, Jax, has multiple locations and is known for its great oysters, but also chowders, gumbos, clam bakes, and steamed mussels made-to-order. Check out sister restaurant Lola for a great fish selection as well.

Jax Facebook

Ocean Prime

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This Larimer Square restaurant’s upper floor is the best perch for people watching. Entrees here include lobster tail, crab cakes, and a showstopping “smoking” tower of raw bar items. Denver will be the first city to have two Ocean Prime locations when the Tech Center outpost opens in late November.

Facebook

Guard and Grace

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This restaurant caters to corporate lunch-goers, happy-hour regulars, and special-occasion celebrators. Though red meat may seem prevalent on the downtown menu, it's offset by a beautiful raw bar and impressive selection of fresh fish entrees.

Guard & Grace facebook

Humboldt Farm Fish Wine

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For lunch and dinner, this Uptown, market-centric fish spot delights with trout, tuna, crab, and more in varied preparations, from clam chowder to steamed mussels.

Facebook

The Shanty Supper Club

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This Wisconsin-inspired supper club in Uptown features a pan-seared salmon served with rice and pineapple salsa, a fried walleye special with coleslaw, and a Friday fish fry, among other midwestern favorites.

Blue Island Oyster Bar and Seafood

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This fish and oyster house has it all from oysters to clam chowder and crab cakes. It has partnered with Blue Island Shellfish Farms in Long Island to bring the freshest shellfish available to Cherry Creek.

Blue Island Oyster Bar Website

Mario's Ocean Club

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Mario’s Ocean Club took over the former Chowder Room space on an easy-to-miss stretch of South Broadway, but it’s worth seeking out for $1 happy-hour oysters, ultra-fresh jumbo shrimp with their own special cocktail sauce, lobster rolls, and more.

Wild Standard

Chef Bradford Heap switched gears from his two other restaurants, Colterra and Salt, and focused on sustainable seafood at this popular place on Boulder's Pearl Street.

Fish N Beer

The wood-fired whole Colorado bass is served with farro, roasted butternut squash, pesto, blistered tomatoes, and devil butter. See also oyster platters and an addictive chowder.

Rachel Greiman

Ohana Island Kitchen

Poke has spread like wildfire in Denver, even in restaurants that aren't fish houses. But Hawaiian-owned Ohana Island Kitchen (which started as a walk-up window) on 15th Street offers ultra fresh tuna and salmon poke.

Adam Larkey

Maine Shack

Though Maine Shack won’t open until the spring of 2019, lobster rolls and whole belly clams will be at pop-ups around town until then. Check the Facebook page for dates and information.

Maine Shack/Casey Giltner

Wewatta Point Seafood

This year-old addition to the Union Station neighborhood sells jumbo lump crab cakes and Thai snapper alongside fresh-squeezed juice cocktails in a breezy California setting.

Adam Larkey/Eater

Albina by the Sea

Milk Market’s seafood counter offers fresh fish to take home but also serves up a menu of prepared dishes like fish and chips, steamed clams, crab cakes, mussels, calamari, and blackend fish sandwiches.

Stoic & Genuine

In the lively Union Station is an upscale seafood spot known for its raw bar and open kitchen. Diners can choose from a menu of sardines, peel-n-eat shell fish, a seafood tower, a whole roasted haddock, surf and turf, and more.

Facebook

Jax Fish House Denver

Denver's original seafood house, Jax, has multiple locations and is known for its great oysters, but also chowders, gumbos, clam bakes, and steamed mussels made-to-order. Check out sister restaurant Lola for a great fish selection as well.

Jax Facebook

Ocean Prime

This Larimer Square restaurant’s upper floor is the best perch for people watching. Entrees here include lobster tail, crab cakes, and a showstopping “smoking” tower of raw bar items. Denver will be the first city to have two Ocean Prime locations when the Tech Center outpost opens in late November.

Facebook

Guard and Grace

This restaurant caters to corporate lunch-goers, happy-hour regulars, and special-occasion celebrators. Though red meat may seem prevalent on the downtown menu, it's offset by a beautiful raw bar and impressive selection of fresh fish entrees.

Guard & Grace facebook

Humboldt Farm Fish Wine

For lunch and dinner, this Uptown, market-centric fish spot delights with trout, tuna, crab, and more in varied preparations, from clam chowder to steamed mussels.

Facebook

The Shanty Supper Club

This Wisconsin-inspired supper club in Uptown features a pan-seared salmon served with rice and pineapple salsa, a fried walleye special with coleslaw, and a Friday fish fry, among other midwestern favorites.

Blue Island Oyster Bar and Seafood

This fish and oyster house has it all from oysters to clam chowder and crab cakes. It has partnered with Blue Island Shellfish Farms in Long Island to bring the freshest shellfish available to Cherry Creek.

Blue Island Oyster Bar Website

Mario's Ocean Club

Mario’s Ocean Club took over the former Chowder Room space on an easy-to-miss stretch of South Broadway, but it’s worth seeking out for $1 happy-hour oysters, ultra-fresh jumbo shrimp with their own special cocktail sauce, lobster rolls, and more.

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