I went to Cody's for the first time a week ago and it was delicious! Â What a wonderful hidden gem in the Aurora strip mall! Â The food was delicious with a great variety of bar food, cafe food and more. Â I was pleasantly surprised by all the delicious options and left happy and stuffed! Â The owner was delightful and all staff made sure we were taken care of. Â I will definitely be back again!
Review Source:This is one of the best meals I have ever had in Colorado. It doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is spectacular. The staff is friendly, the prices are good, and the ambiance is nice. I highly recommend it. The tapas are great, especially the crab cake wrapped sugar cane, coconut shrimp martini, spinach cheese wontons, and chocolate hazelnut fried wontons.
Review Source:Four of us went for 5280 week. It was a great menu. With four entree choices we could each try something different. The lamb was spectacular. Tender, cooked well, spiced nicely. The seafood lasagna had large pieces of lobster and crab. The béchamel sauce wasn't too heavy, for a béchamel. The ravioli was thin and the squash filling was smooth.
The service was friendly and efficient. It was a little later in the evening and the chef came by our table. Â Even though this talented chef can cook me under the table we had a good time sharing ideas. This is a great neighborhood restaurant that is going to become a regular spot. .
This little treasure, tucked into a generic looking strip mall on Iliff, is worth hunting down. I've eaten at Cody's at least a half dozen times, and I'm never disappointed.  The menu features lots of flavorful pizzas, pastas and salads along with some unique tapas, prepared with the freshest ingredients available  and often, an Asian flare. Owner and chef Sue Smith, an experienced restauranteur who has travelled the world, is constantly updating the menu with exotic and flavorful combinations. Here are a few examples: crab cake wrapped sugar cane, lemongrass sausage penne, and ahi tostadas. This last item is gluten free, served with seared tuna, capers, mango pico de gallo, guacamole and rice crackers. If you aren't watching your diet or your waist line, make sure to enjoy the banana/chocolate wontons with ice cream, for desert.  The service at Cody's is warm and friendly, and so it the overall atmosphere. This place will appeal to most tastes.
Review Source:Went here this evening for dinner on my last evening in Denver. The service was great, the atmosphere intimate and cozy. I had the Artichoke Penne and it was phenomenal. Wish I could pack the whole place and transport it home to Northern California. Oh and try the Fried Chocolate Hazelnut Wontons for desert... so good.
Review Source:I really dig this place. Â It's not a sports bar, it's not a lounge, it's kind of like a cafe that has decent eats (from what others have said) and a full bar. Â They have a couple of TVs but on the Saturday night my friend and I visited they were both on cooking shows, so it's super laid back and quiet enough that you can have a normal conversation without yelling. Â They have maybe 6 booths, a bar that seats maybe 8 and a handful of tables so it's not the biggest place in the world, but nestled in an unassuming strip mall it gets the job done for a good after dinner drink.
From the outside decor and neighboring businesses you'd think this place would be a dump but it's not. Â Super clean and the bartender/waiter was very friendly and had good energy. Â Definitely recommended for the post-35 crowd looking to spend time with friends and catch up, not scream at each other and hookup. Â Hey that could be a marketing tag line.
Cody's is our favorite!!! We LOVE LOVE LOVE coming here! Very low key. Â We have done everything from just us two, to my bday there with 25 people! They are delightful in either case. Â Love the owner--she is sooo sweet! My fiance always gets the steak fettuccine and I like the grilled veggie salad. Â The Tuna appetizer is delish as well! Â Such great service, a fair price, a gem overall!
Review Source:We were looking for a happy hour near Parker Road and Iliff. Â After noticing the positive reviews from Yelpers such as Cheryl L. and Mark T., we decided to try out Cody's Cafe & Bar. Â This relatively small place is tucked into a strip mall on the north side of Illiff, between Havana and Parker Road. Â It may not look like much from the outside, but be sure not to judge this book by its cover. Â When you walk through the door, you see nice tables and chairs, a large bar in the corner, and some very cool paintings all over the walls. Â There were not that many people in the place on a late Wednesday afternoon. Â The bartender was very helpful and friendly. Â The happy hours deals were rather good. Â There were some great selections of $3 beers, wines, and well drinks.
They also had several appetizers (like tacos and bruschetta) on the happy hour list.  The appetizers we ordered were cooked and brought to us very quickly.  We tried the Spinach Cheese Wontons  (stuffed fried wontons served with raspberry wasabi swirl and seasonal fruit chutney).  These were very flavorful and nicely crunchy.  I could have used a touch more wasabi to bring some heat.  The Bruschetta (tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic oil, parmesan cheese on homemade Italian bread slices) was similarly excellent.  I like mine a little toastier, typcially.  The tacos (Steak Taco--thinly sliced rib eye meat with mango pico de gallo, slaw, and guacamole on a corn tortilla) and (Chicken Taco--marinated chicken breast with mango pico de gallo, slaw, and guacamole on a corn tortilla) were very good.  Both of these were tasty.  They were not quite as good as the tacos from Phat Thai, but they were better than the tacos you get outside of a real taqueria (which abound in Denver).  I had a couple beers, which were nice and cold, and also had a top-shelf Irish Whiskey, which while not cheap, was less expensive than I expected.
A couple sitting at the table next to us were regulars at Cody's, and they sang the praises of the pasta dishes, including Cody's Spaghetti  (made with homemade pork sausage and homemade all-beef meatballs) and the Lemongrass Sausage Penne  (homemade lemongrass pork sausage, mushrooms, organic arugula, red pepper, and ginger soy).  I will definitely be trying one or the other (possibly both) of these on my next visit.
Great beer (got the sampler)... Even better food (our waitress sold us on the kick ass spinach cheese wontons with raspberry wasabi sauce and the desert wontons with chocolate and hazelnut). I was fortunate to have happened upon the tempura eggplant w/penne ala vodka. Love the staff, and it's right by my house! What's more to ask?
Review Source:Came here last night and had a 5 star experience!
Checked in for free apps, got the mussels and they were light and delicious! Although I didn't like the chunk of bread they put in the middle that soaked up all the delicious juices.
Had the crab cake tacos just for fun, they were very flavorful, even without any sauces. The mango salsa really boosted the flavors. (these are $2 at HH, Â I will come back for sure for when I'm in the mood for tacos night)
Got the fried egg plant penne with pink vodka sauce but subbed for chicken instead. They forgot and put both eggplant and chicken which as okay because it gave a nice contrast of textures and the eggplant really tasted like something more substantial then veggies (yay for me, I don't eat veggies, yuckiee :D ). The sauce was a zesty creamy tomato sauce that tasted fresh and I liked it. I eat pink sauce everywhere and this one is pretty good! It was even good for leftovers the next day.
Price was reasonable and service was excellent even though they only had one person running around.
I'll be sure to work up the courage next time to try the lemongrass sausage pasta that everyone raves about. I got a little scared after the waiter described it as a sweet sauce resembling lo mein. Lo mein and pasta? IDK, maybe it'll work.
I'll definitely put this place into "date night" rotation.
Cody's is still the best kept secret in Aurora. I continue to be blown away by the elegant simplicity of their dishes. We started off the the mussels, which were free thanks to a Yelp! Check-in offer. They were the largest, yummiest mussels I've ever had. For my entree, I had a pasta with stuffed crab claws. Need I say more?
If you haven't been to Cody's yet, you are truly missing out.
Truly a new idea in Italian. An Asian twist on Italian. Â We started w/ crab cake wrapped sugar cane. Not much there, but great flavors leaving me wanting more. I know they at tapas. I wanted it as a meal. I ordered the chicken Parmesan and enjoyed the red sauce. The chicken was a little dry, but with extra sauce it was very tasty.
We will be back for other menu items.
We live nearby and have liked the atmosphere at Codys. This part of town is lacking many spots with a cool feel like this place.  This past  Saturday night after Thanksgiving, the food and service were both terrible. The prices are higher than the nearby chains, but I wanted to support Codys on small-biz Saturday. We were all wishing we had spent our money elsewhere. I ordered my pasta without onions, even though menu did not indicate onions. Last time I ordered a pasta it was swimming in onions but did not mention any in the description. Tried to avoid this time but same thing happened again. Hubby and kiddo ordered burgers, medium rare. They came out on cold, cheap sesame buns the cheapest kind at the grocery store. Both burgers had been burnt, were closer to well done, and too crispy to eat the second half.  I asked for water after finishing my wine but never got it. Server never came to ask us how we were so we never had opportunity to correct any of this. The assistant server brought us our check and closed our bill, saying only "here you go," never even a thank you from anyone. It was a weird and disappointing evening. We will not be going back. Hate to say it, but Aurora residents are better to go over to Outback, Applebees, etc, where your experience will be more predictable. Denver residents are better suited to head over to The Tavern in Lowry.
Review Source:Cute, comfortable, stylish. Â Love all the Denver reviewers who need to criticize our part of town in their review (it's in a strip mall!). Yeah, welcome to Aurora. Â For those who like the nearby Bent Fork, this is in the same vein except the staff seems to actually like working here. The kitchen makes a very nice effort (nothing tasted to us like it came out of a microwave) and the menu has something for everyone. Â Such a great find for that quiet weeknight date night or whatever. Â Probably not a place intended for kids. Â The service couldn't be friendlier. Â The exterior is nothing great, and the name makes it sound like a sports bar, but if you check it out, you'll probably like it. Â Although the menu is Italian, it's more Italian influenced. Â Not a meatball shop.
Review Source:This place is fantastic, and hidden in a little strip mall. Wednesday was half price whiskey drinks and wine. So we had a few 12yr Jamesons! The fish tacos were great and the lemongrass sausage penne was outstanding! The interior was nice and had a small bar with two flat screens and a great selection of liquors. We will definitely go back. A hidden gem amongst all the 300 Asian restaurants in Aurora.
Review Source:Yuck. Â I had a salad with eggplant and wilted lettuce. Â I guess. Â My kid and my dad shared a Margaita pizza. Â It was just ok. Â Guess it was not good cold. Â I believe good pizza is good the next day without being heated. Â We also tried the calamari appetizer. Â I have had way better.
Our server was great. Â The place itself is ok. Â It is in a strip mall by Lamar's. Â Too bad it was closed or I would have had a donut to get rid of the awful salad taste. Â Oh well can't always go somewhere good.
Just moved here. Found this place on yelp and have been coming back since.
Pros:
-Ambience is cute and classy
-Server(s) are so nice
-Love the happy hour- $3 beer, wine, well drinks 5-7pm mon-sat
Cons:
-Service can be a little slow bc there is only the manager the times I've come.
There aren't that many people who have discovered this place, though
-It's kind of in an obscure shopping center
-Bread that comes before meal is meh (it's homemade as is everything). I could go for some focaccia.
Food:
-Tropical chicken salad- amazing. Caramelized onions are SO GOOD. salad is kinda sweet with the fruit and dressing, but I loved it
-Ahi salad- amazing
-Vegetable mixed salad- amazing
-Pizza- excellent
-Bruschetta- good, but bread could be crispier
-Fish tacos-not the best I've had, but good
Let's start with the bad. Â Cody's isn't exactly in the most happening part of town, but believe me when I tell you, the food at this Italian eatery is worth the trip. Â The atmosphere is tremendous, the space is cozy - the walls are decorated with interesting art- including a handsome mural of Cody, the restaurant's K-9 namesake. Â
Cody's also had some great wine specials, and an impressive selection of local beers on tap. Â
I started with the wontons; to die for. Â Light, crisp, and served with a tangy, homemade raspberry sauce.
For my entree, I went the chicken parm, which may seem like a strange thing to pair with wontons, but don't try to tell me that you wouldn't turn a double play at a restaurant that had wontons, AND chicken parmesan. Â
Supple al dente noodles, thick flavorful sauce, moist perfectly breaded chicken; magnificent. Â I could barely contain my excitement when I was chowing down, my meal would not have been out of place if it came out of the kitchen at an eatery in the Little Italy section of NYC. Denver isn't known for top quality Italian food, Cody's proved to be a surprising exception. Â
Next came desert, delicious fried pineapple triangles jaggedly protruding from a heaping portion of homemade ice cream. Â Having worked my way into the unenviable position of being too full too full for desert, I first watched with pained hesitation as companions gorged on this decadent confection. Â Full or not full, I knew that I had to partake. Â This sounds like hyperbole, but I can honestly tell you that making a glutton of myself never felt so good. Â Try Cody's, you won't regret it.
Wow, YUM! Â This place was actually our back up plan and, thanks to Yelp, it was a home run! Â I would have NEVER stopped at this restaurant without Yelp because it's in a very nondescript strip mall. Â Being called "Cafe & Bar" is very misleading because this has the feel of a nicer Italian restaurant with lots of local art on the walls, nice ambiance, and it's cute and quaint. Â It's small so it feels very intimate. Â Our server was VERY friendly and attentive. Â Oh, and if you show them that you found them on Yelp, you get a free appetizer!
The menu was a unique fusion of Italian with some of the dishes having an Asian twist, too. Â We had the mushroom potstickers and they were AWESOME! Â Their bread is also fantastic, too. Â Soft in the middle but just the right amount of chewiness in the crust. Â VERY good. Â
We ordered the Cody's Pasta (spaghetti with meatballs and sausage). Â I would NEVER order pasta at a restaurant thinking why would I pay for something I could make (out of a jar) at home?! Â Thank GOD my friend wanted to order it and someone here on Yelp recommended it because it was AWESOME. Â Great flavor, perfectly cooked meatballs, and just YUMMY. Â If I could get that from a jar at home, I'd never leave the house again!
We also tried the artichoke pasta with the pink vodka sauce. Â That was good, too, but really, I think I was so stuck on the other pasta I couldn't move on. Â The prices were about on par with Olive Garden (about $6 for the average appetizer and $12 for the average entree). Â They also had a lot of other unique dishes you just won't see on a chain restaurant's menu. Â I didn't even know where to start because I wanted to try it all!
I would TOTALLY eat here again....I'll probably be craving that Cody's Pasta again tomorrow!
WOW thanks Yelp for another fantastic recommendation!
We checked out Cody's Café on Friday when trying to decide on a place for dinner instead of cooking. I had heard great things about this place and am glad we checked it out. Cody's Café is located on the north side of Iliff tucked away in a little strip mall. Don't let looks deceive you, as this was a pretty good find.
The menu is kind-of an Italian-Asian fusion, yet super delicious. When I checked in on Yelp, I was surprised to find out that with an entrée purchase, you get a free appetizer. Our server recommended the crab cakes wrapped around sugar cane, which were ballin'! They were the perfect size and cooked to perfection. I had never had a crab cake that was prepared this way, however, the sugar cane and sauce they added made it very unique and flavorful.
For dinner, I had the chicken parmesean while my partner ordered some lemongrass mushroom pasta that was by far way better than my own. I can't complain on my decision, the chicken parm was pretty standard and tasty. The lemongrass sausage pasta was by far crazy delicious. The flavor combinations meld together into a savory, mouth watering plate of awesomeness. If you are on this side of town, Cody's Café is definitely worth a stop.
Some of the best pasta, sauce and meatballs that I've had in a very long time.
This charming little place is tucked into a strip mall between Havana and Parker Rd. on Iliff.
I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting but the pasta was cooked perfectly. Â The meatballs were moist and flavorful - the right amount of seasoning and the sauce had the perfect seasoning with the right amount of kick.
We also ordered the Shrimp BLT Sandwich and it was good, don't get me wrong but the spaghetti and meatballs were the star of the show. Â
The service was friendly and quick and the prices are very reasonable.
So if you find yourself in this neck of the woods, stop in and grab a bite - you won't be disappointed.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that this is the best restaurant in Aurora. Â You don't have a lot of signature restaurants in Aurora, but this is one of them. Â Off the bat, the decor is filled with custom artwork for sale. Â Another thing I have noticed about good restaurants is that there TV will have the food network on. Â To me, a mark of a business which caters to foodies! Â
When we ordered our food the server was very knowledgeable and provided great recommendations. Â If you like seafood, this place had a variety of options of with seafood entrees. When the crab tacos came out as an appetizer, it knocked me upside the mouth with a flavor punch! Â Good crab, mango salsa were all on point. Â
I had the angel hair chicken and it was a well balanced, light, but flavorful meal. Â My wife had some very good fish tacos. Â The place is quiet and very intimate, and my wife couldn't help but notice how perfectly timed the delivery of service was. Â Great marks for service. Â At the end of our meal, they gave us a little coupon to come back. Â Smart, very smart. Â This place is close by and we will come back, everything about this place is 5 stars.
Delicious Organic Friendly, Vegetarian Friendly, Meat Eater Friendly, Drinking Friendly!! Moved here in January with this right around the corner and just went for the first time..had no idea what kind of gem was around the corner!! My new favorite place!! our server was amazing, so friendly and personable. I totally recommend this place, you will LOVE it!!
Review Source:This is a great restaurant. I first came upon it through a networking even where I was able to sample the chef's culinary creativity. I've had them cater a work event and Cody's is now a favorite of mine for its great food and great service. I definitely recommend the "Cody's burger", Â a juicy, fresh Angus burger topped with a delcious onion bacon marmalade, gorgonzola and swiss and arugala. And dont forget the homemade vegetable chips! I could go on and on about the lemongrass sausage, great pizzas, fish tacos w/ mango salsa, chocolate/banana filled dessert wontons...everything I've had is fresh, tasty and delicious.
It may not look like much from outside, but you are truly missing a diamond in the rough if you dont give this place a try.
Cody's is a real treat. Located near Iliff and Parker, Cody's can be easy to miss on such a busy intersection.
The second you walk in, you'll understand what I mean when I say that this place does not belong in a strip mall. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing and the entire place settles really well with the eyes.
The owner, who also owns and operates New Orient a few doors down, offers a wide selection of foods from tacos to potstickers, pizza to bahn mi.
The beers on tap are delightful as well. Included are two Dry Dock beers if I recall correctly.
Overall a fantastic place to grab a quick lunch or slow down and enjoy a nice dinner with a date.
An Alice in Wonderland in Aurora: park in the L-shaped mall filled with the usual Aurora scenery, then go through the door of Cody's Cafe and find an tiny, elegant restaurant with a nice wine/beer list and a hugely varied menu. Â We went to appease my husband's yen for Italian, yet he was lured by the fish and chips, while I had a bowl of mussels off of the tapas menu. Our son stayed traditional and had the chicken parmigian. Â All three of us were pleased with our choices and, after sampling one another's plates, were unable to decide on a winner! Â We stayed for dessert and ordered creme brulee; only one was available but that was a lucky accident. Â We substituted the bread pudding, served warm with a spill of berries, and went home happy.
I have to confess to a moment of sticker shock (must get out more!) when I first looked at the menu but, having eaten the food, I am willing to pay the uptick. Â The portions are generous and the presentation and service highly professional.
If you're looking for a museum-quality Italian restaurant, this is not your best shot. If you're looking for a night out with the kids, I would suggest an elsewhere. Â If, however, you're looking for a grown-up meal with something for most, without a drive into "town", check this out!
This place is for real a diamond in the rough; never would expect it to be there, never would go there unless you knew about it. It is my new go-to restaurant in the 'hood. They have really good happy hour drink specials, but even if you don't get there for the happy hour, the prices aren't bad for what you get.
I agree that this place is not super authentic Italian, but I don't expect it to be, and everything I have eaten there I have liked. They have cute spins on food (like a coconut shrimp martini app that's incredible and a shrimp BLT) great pizza (I recommend the Kitchen Sink) and some classic dishes like Chicken Parmigiana that are pretty decent.
This place is small, but somehow it works and combines an intimacy with a place to go watch the game or hang out with a group of friends. And they host a Texas Hold 'Em tournament on Mondays, I believe, which makes them even cooler! Go there anytime, but especially for a midweek my-job-is-killing-me-need-glass-of-wine pick me up, you won't be disappointed.
Great food! Â Great wine! Â Reasonable price for quality food. Â We had the Walleye Linguine, fish tacos, misto salad, and fried wontons stuffed with chocolate and banana, served with ice cream. Everything was delicious! To the person with the review about "bland pasta"...sorry your experience wasn't as good...maybe you would prefer a chain with sodium loaded, previously frozen food like...Olive Garden?!
Review Source:I wasn't excepting this place to be here. Â With the recommendation of the bartender at McDonough's Pub and was there. Â I decided to walk over to Cody's, which across a way and a very short way.
Personal touches on there food and great and speedy service. Â I was surprise how fast everything got out. Â The server had great wine knowledge. Â I had gotten the soup and it was a tomato bisque, and it was the best I ever had. Â I over heard that all there seafood is fresh and delivered in on that morning; even though I ate on a Saturday and most deliveries on a Saturday. Â I got the spicy seafood spaghetti, I did not except to be so much, but I still finished it. Â They also had a great selection of tapas.
The one thing that made me a scared were the bar stools at the bar. Â They did not have support in the middle, so I thought I was sinking through the stool. Â It made me a little uneasy because I am not a big person to be falling through a chair.
After reading about Cody's on Yelp, we decided to check it out. Â Wow - This is really a great find. Â It's a cozy little place with stylish tables and chairs and a warm ambience. Â The food is a step-above, surprisingly creative, really delicious, and well presented. Â The beer list made my husband jump for joy. Â The service was friendly and spot-on. Â Even the background tunes made us happy.
As far as I can tell, Cody's webpage doesn't include their dinner menu (only take out). Â That's a shame because they have an impressive list of tapas, entrees, and desserts. Â My only suggestion is that the owner dims the beaming lights at the bar. Â Both the counter lights and kitchen lights seemed to beam into the bar area killing the ambience a little there.
Overall, we were really impressed. Â We felt like we were sitting in a wine bar on Larimer Square. Â With the new Copper Kettle Brewing Company about 3 miles from Cody's, we are finding lots of reasons to stay in the burbs!
We've decided to make this our weekly spot after more than a few really good experiences. From the delightfully constructed Italian/Asian fusion dishes to the great local beer selection and friendly/attentive waitstaff, Cody's is a true hidden gem tucked away in a very unassuming strip mall.
Our Favorites: Goat cheese and caramelized onion bruschetta, homemade chips and guac (seasonal), Cody Burger, Pasta dishes (sans artichokes due to use of inedible spiny parts), pizzas (home made crust!).
Other notables: The fish and chips were surprisingly well done with a very light batter surrounding quality fish filets served with thick cut potatoes to soak up the extra malt vinegar if that's your thing. The beer flight was also well constructed giving micro-brew noobs a great introduction to some of Colorado's best brews. Desserts are amazing! Leave room for the homemade ice cream. Keep an eye out for Foursquare deals! We scored a free appetizer on our first visit and a free entree after visit #3.
Could use some work: As previously noted, on one occasion I had the Artichoke pasta dish and while I appreciate the use of fresh artichokes as opposed to canned, the chef left too many of the spiny pieces from the outer layers in the mix. I had to pull these pieces out and set aside.
Don't be shy about asking for a basket of their homemade bread. We haven't been served it consistently but if you ask for it, it's worth it. Beautifully toasted and served with quality olive oil and balsamic for dipping.
In the same stripmall as Aladdin Market (see previous review) is a similarly new and nifty find, Cody's Café. The ever-cheerful proprietress of the former Viaggio (she also owns the equally yummy New Orient a few doors down) has fused Italian, American and her native Vietnamese delights in her latest restaurant offering.
Sip one of their many craft beers while you peruse the many tempting items on their one-page paper menu. To start, why not sample some fried-just-right coconut shrimp, served with a citrus aioli in a jaunty cocktail glass? Or some spinach and cheese wontons with raspberry-wasabi dressing? Or crostini with creamy goat cheese?
If, instead, something hand-held would hit the spot right about now, Cody's take on the classic Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich (with moist grilled chicken and tangy daikon and carrot slaw) might be just the thing for you. Then again, doesn't their signature burger (with arugula, gorgonzola, Swiss cheese and a bacon-onion compote) sound good?
In keeping with Viaggio's (previous) emphasis on Italian food, you can still find rich and savory eggplant parmigiana - or what about a pizza? If I told you that the marvelous homemade sausage has just a hint of lemongrass, would that entice you? I figured it would. But honestly, no matter what you end up selecting (and the dishes I described are just the tip of the iceberg!), Cody's has something for every palate.
Take all of this, and combine it with personably prompt and perky staff, and a welcoming atmosphere that puts "Cheers" to shame, and you have a real gem. Yes, there's always a lot of fun to be had at Cody's, so why not find out for yourself? Who knows - if you're lucky, you might even see me there!