It was so good we went twice in one night! Our bartender Matt was amazing and super cool! We absolutely enjoyed very minute at Cru! This is an awesome place for  blow your mind out of this world food. We will be back to try more flights since Spain was oh so good! The lamb lollipops were to die for! Thanks Cru! You made an enjoyable night even better.
Review Source:I honestly expected a little more from this place. Not sure exactly why but I felt like it was missing something. It is a small, cozy venue which appears nice with careful attention to detail...except that the place is a little too small and people have to squeeze to walk in between the tables. It felt a little too Euro for me.
I very much enjoyed the short ribs and the chocolate cake I had after my meal was superb but I didn't care much for the lobster bisque or the pork belly. Not that the dishes were prepared poorly....just felt like something was missing....again.
This is a decent venue, nothing wrong with it....I just didn't find it on par with some of the other restaurants in the price range located in Larimer Square.
I've been here for wine and I've come for food, as well. Â I vote YES for the wines and champagne selection. Â (This wine bar has definitely earned it's name!) Â I'm still on the fence about the food.
If you like wine and you want to try new things, the wine flights here your best bet. Â If you love wine and want a good selection to choose from, this spot is your scene on Larimer Square.
The atmosphere is inviting and romantic. Â There are small tables for privacy or seats at the bar for a more social setting. Â The staff is attentive and extremely knowledgeable about the varietals on the menu and off. Â I know for a fact that one of the servers is a Certified Sommelier. Â I'll take recommendations from an expert!
I liked Cru immediately upon walking into the restaurant, and had a very easy time making reservations for our group. So, I was starting high, and this review should perhaps be a bit lower based on the service and the food... but I'm feeling positive.
Five of us had dinner here before seeing a show at the Buell, which is about 3-1/2 blocks away. They made a note that we had tickets, and were sure to get our orders quickly so that we were out in time. That's about as good as the service got, though. Our server was not exactly on top of things... drinks were forgotten, an entree was forgotten, and items ended up on the wrong checks. She was, however, friendly enough.
The food was not bad, but was definitely under seasoned. This is a tricky part of town to work in, since there are so many excellent restaurants a stone's throw away. If Cru wants to last, they're going to have to pick it up a bit. But, as things stand now, I'll be back - why? Because I loved the atmosphere, their wine list is great, and the food wasn't awful... not by a long shot. They just need to fix a few areas, and things should be great from there on out.
I was going to give this awesome place 4 stars but after pondering on what I'd write in the review they really deserve 5 stars. Â
Like other Yelpers say the ambience is perfect. Good tunes in the background.
Service is always amazing. Â The staff know their wines are are super friendly. Â If you stay long enough they might even have a glass with you.. : )
I have yet to have a glass of wine in that I was disappointed with. Whoever picks their stuff deserves so kudos.
Flight 8 and 11 are my favs. Â
What blew me away here was the food. Â
Mussels. Â That's all I need to say.
Cheese plate is well done and what can you say about wood fire pizza and wine?? Perfecto..
The quality of wine and food this place dishes out makes it a charm for Larimer.
On Larimer Square we had a difficult time finding a table at any restaurant on Saturday evening, but we did get into Cru at about 7:30 and it was very good. All of the three wine flights were excellent and the food was very good too. There is a small plates menu. I had the crab cakes and the fig bruscetta and they were both tremendous. Others had the goat cheese beignet, grilled cheese and chicken picatta. They were also good. Although they sat us in the basement, the service was excelent.
Review Source:Great wine bar spot in the LoDo of Downtown Denver. Attended a work event at Cru and loved the wine & food! Only downfall was how crowded it got upstairs because most of the group did not venture downstairs. Plenty of room downstairs but it is a very dark atmosphere. They did have a bar downstairs so if should have encouraged more people to venture downstairs. Upstairs had lots of natural light and where most of the energy was for our party. Great venue over all but if you have a large event - be mindful of the space if you want to get everyone into one room.
Review Source:Cru has a fabulous wine menu and a few friends and I popped in after a dinner downtown for a night cap. Â
I love that Cru serves flights of wines, which let me sample more from their extensive selection. Â I got "The Spice Rack" and all three wines were fantastic. Â The menu (although I didn't get anything) had a lot of variety and looked good. Â Cru's only at three stars because our service was pretty bad. Â One friend ordered coffee and a piece of cake (pretty simple) and it took forever for her to be served. Â I'd give Cru another try in the future, but there are many other places in Larimer Square I think I'd rather go to first.
I'm updating my review because this weekend I finally experienced the little seen basement. Â There is a private room down there, did you know? Â For a group of ten of us it was great. Â We were able to hear each other and not worry that we were bothering the people around us. Â There is a lot more space than I would have thought down there and now I know there are even small tables for when the bar is too packed to find a seat. Â Good find.
That being said, the food was still very hit or miss. Â Three of us ordered medium fillet- we got one very rare, one well and one meduim. Â Sooo...
Nice wine bar! Â We were going over to the theater and wanted some appetizers and wine before, and Cru was perfect. Â Nice happy hour 4-7 PM. weekdays. Â Our server was very very nice, and service was fast. Â Wine is $3 off on happy hour and there was small small plates for around $3 or so. Â Loved the goat cheese balls. Â Nice atmosphere.
Review Source:Cru has earned my 2 star review after 2 sub-par visits.
1. I wanted a quick glass of wine as I was waiting for a friend. I immediately let the bartender know this & he was completely understanding! I told him I like buttery, oaky, chardonnays. He poured me a taste of his recommendation & it was delicious- I ordered a glass & asked to close out. Looking at my receipt this single glass of chardonnay was a whopping $18! Seriously!? Who wants an $18 glass of wine that they have 10 minutes to enjoy? Yes, it was excellent but clearly I was not a candidate for an upsell.
2. After walking past an empty patio (slow evening) in search of something to kill another half hour I decided to pop in for a glass of sparkling! I asked the bartender if I could sit outside & he said of course. In the 16 minutes it took someone to even come out to my table (I should have left at that point) 2 other parties sat outside with me. The server spoke to the last table seated 1st & then to me & finally to the 3rd table. The menu presented on the table only had a flight of sparkling wine & I was looking for a single glass. Upon asking the server to see a by-the-glass wine list (which I know they have) he replied "Those are available by the glass" & walked away. Only 3 options of sparkling in a wine bar? I don't think so. I ended up leaving after about 7 more minutes of waiting for my server to return.
I want to like this place because of the location, atmosphere, & extensive wine list but unfortunately I can't. Maybe if I have more than a half hour to enjoy a glass & a few extra bucks to spend I will return. Until then...
I love this place. The location is great, and for a wine bar that's downtown the prices are really affordable. We didn't get anything to eat so I can only speak for the wine...but the wine was awesome. Everything is arranged in tasting flights which is a fun (and  reasonably priced) way to try new things. Our girls night was great thanks to this place.
Review Source:It's been 2 years since I was here last, and my co-worker and I wandered in after dinner just down the street.
It is pretty much the same as in my last review. Â In summary - a nice wine bar with good atmosphere, a good selection of wine, good service, and quality food to go with the wine. Â Though I still think the prices are a bit high.
Also, I must admit it was fairly late in the evening so it wasn't crowded - and we didn't order food. Â
So maybe this review isn't so informative. hmmm. Â
Well, we had a nice time, spoke to a couple of lovely locals, chatted up the server, and wandered back to the hotel.
I'd go back - and I stand by my previous review.
I came here for restaurant week and absolutely fell in love -- with the wine, the food, the atmosphere... everything!
Atmosphere:
It's dim and romantic, but also casual and good for a friendly outing. I love the design and pretty much want a room in my house that will look exactly like Cru. Very comfortable seating and noise level (not too quiet, but you also don't have to scream over everyone/music like at TAG).
Service:
Everyone here is very laid-back and casual, but also professional and extremely knowledgable about their wine. I had a great chat with one of the sommeliers about Colorado vs California wines (having moved from the Bay Area). He had a ton of good recommendations, and was willing to give me tastes before I ordered anything. I didn't feel overwhelmed or pressured to make a choice.
Food:
Absolutely THE BEST FOOD I'VE HAD IN DENVER. My friend had the duck, which was juicy and tender and amazing. I had the 12-hour braise short-rib, which literally fell apart as soon as my fork touched it, it was so tender. Both of us also had the lobster bisque before this, which was one of the best I've ever had (and I spent time living in SF, which is pretty much seafood central). The desserts were, of course, also wonderful. I had this chocolate cake which was warm and melting on the inside, with the perfect side of fresh strawberries. The portions were all just right, and I was left feeling full and happy and determined to come back -- again and again.
Wine:
Great selection of wine. You can even try some local Colorado wines. Being a wine bar, there's some great wine flights they offer if you want to do tasting. The bottle prices start at about $40 and can go over $100 if that's your thing. However, the $40 bottles aren't  crap you could find for $7 at your local liquor store (as a lot of places tend to do). I split a delicious bottle that was a merlot/zin blend from northern CA, and was barely over $40. It was a great recommendation from the sommelier, and I'm glad I listened to him
Will definitely be back!
Wondered how we managed to get reservations during restaurant week then move them without issue. Now I know.
It was a Sunday, so wine was 1/3rd off. Had the Massolina Dolcetto after waiting 10 minutes for our order to be taken. Then a second server had to verify that was what we wanted. How many Dolcettos are in your 7 bottle "Italian" section, guys?
The pork belly, to their credit, was a great start to the dinner. Slight crisp to the skin, all of the elements balanced well, lots of texture and well seasoned. Then we went down hill...
The duck confit was covered in flaccid, fatty skin covered in maple-mustard glaze. So, if you don't like chewy duck skin, there goes any of the flavor. No sauce, either. Best part: they served it on the EXACT SAME set as the pork belly, sans arugula. The "apple" slaw was suspiciously missing any apple. No explanation, either.
I felt like they literally pulled the bait and switch, only by substituting proteins.
The few people who ordered the short ribs at our table were disappointed as well. They weren't properly sauced, with just enough to cover the top. It didn't help that the meat was just on the CUSP of being too dry. A little sauce would have gone a long way. And the carrots were borderline underdone, too.
The deconstructed creamsickle was okay, but the cream was a bit heavy and texturally odd enough that my GF wouldn't finish it. If you're going to deconstruct something, give us a hint of how we should eat it or what the elements on the plate are. While the other dessert options may seem a little uninspired, they're so much better - don't think twice.
Overall, I'm not sure we'd come back. There's too many superb options on that block to trot out a meal like that. I know it's restaurant week, guys, but you should use it as an opportunity to win return business, not put out plates to just "get through it".
2012 Review #38:
I came here with a Savored reservation, which means we got 30% off of everything we ordered, including alcohol. My friends and I came for dinner, but ended up just getting some plates and sharing. We got some sort of cheese plate, which was around $15, the mushroom pizza, which was $14, and the lamb lollipops off the appetizer menu, which were $17. I was very put off by the fact that the lamb was so expensive, but had high hopes. We each ordered a wine flight as well, which was 3 decent half-pours of wine for around $10.
We all enjoyed our wine flights, and found they were great ways to try some new things. Our cheese plate arrived first, and when it arrived we realized we were the only table in the restaurant without plates already on the table. Even people just being seated had plates at each chair. The person who brought the cheese left right away so we just sat there waiting for our waiter. We had to wait several minutes before he finally came around, and we asked if we could please have some appetizer plates. He stopped and looked at us like we were crazy and said, "um....ok," and eventually brought some. I still can't figure out why he reacted that way, because how are you going to eat crumbly cheese and crackers without a plate, especially when we were supposed to have plates in the first place? Anyway, the cheese was fine, though a lot of the accoutrements seemed like afterthoughts.
We each ordered a glass of our favorite wine from our respective flights, and were pleased they were all reasonably priced by the glass. At this point the rest of our food arrived. The mushroom pizza was about the size of one from California Pizza Kitchen, and about as good, too. It was underseasoned and it just didn't come together. The lamb lollipops were 5 2-inch chunks of lamb drizzled with balsamic reduction and topped with a few crumbles of goat cheese. It was probably 2 oz. of meat at most, on sticks, for $17. It was halfway decent but it was highway robbery.
We looked briefly at the dessert menu but it just reads sort of like a joke, or at least it did when we were there. It just doesn't seem appealing, and the options are so hackneyed: key lime cheesecake, molten chocolate cake, chocolate fondue, and creme brulee. Our waiter also seemed like he didn't really want us there, so we got the check. Even with the 30% discount, the bill was still around $80. If we'd paid full price, we would have paid around $50 for a CPK-quality pizza, 4 bites of lamb and some mismatched cheese and crackers. Although they are a wine bar, and we enjoyed our wine very much, it does not justify paying twice a reasonable price for food.
Came here on a Thursday night for a girls' night. Â We found out that bottles were 50% off. Umm.. YES!
The servers were so helpful/pleasant. The bartender sold us on a champagne that was specifically made for the Titanic cruise line? I have no idea. He sold me on "champagne.... Titanic...." and my thoughts wandered to Leo.
Very chill yet classy. I love the "bookshelf" of wines and the ladder - reminds me of Belle in Beauty and the Beast! Sigh~
Went to Cru last night with my family. Â We had been there before and everyone was happy with it.
The service and wine were great, the food and the time was only o.k. Â It took forever for the food to come out, including the appetizers. The food TASTED great, everyone got something different and said it was delicious. Â The problem was, at an average of $19 a "big" plate, pretty much everyone was still hungry when they were done. Â We went across the street to the Market afterwards because we didn't want to spend anymore money for additional small portions. Â We had a great time regardless, the food and wine were awesome. Â Don't go there too hungry, you'll end up going somewhere else for "second dinner"! Â For small appetites, it's perfect.
With Cru offering the likes of Napa's '08 Caymus (by glass or an affordable wine flight no less), how does the Wine Loft compete?
Best Denver restaurant offerings I've seen are $22-25 retail bottles sold at $12-14 per glass.
Cru offers serious quality by the glass.
You have only to taste the '08 Paul Hobbs Crossbarn or Caymus (paired in the same flight) to know at least one place in Denver is a true wine bar!
Some friends of ours came into town for the weekend and we decided on a whim to visit Cru while strolling Larimer Square after a long bike ride. Â It felt casual and cozy upon arrival which was great because we weren't dressed for fine dining.
The idea of an extensive wine flight menu is fun but I felt like our server could have been a little more proactive to give us an 'experience' by making pairing suggestions rather than just dropping our wine in front of us and walking away. Â I served tables in a fine dining restaurant for ten years and learned to always make suggestions but I felt like our server didn't even want to speak to us let alone make any suggestions. Â
Maybe it was lack of experience...which showed when I kindly asked for my daughter's sprite that I had ordered and still hadn't arrived when her food did. Â Instead of just going to get it she went on and on about how she 'swore she put it on the table. Â no really...she put it on the table.' Â I wasn't upset or accusing her of being incompetent but her reaction made me want to suggest another line of work to her. Â It wasn't a big deal at all and she turned it into a 'mysterious disappearing sprite fiasco'.
We ordered the Tuna Tartare which was pretty standard but good. Â Nothing too mind blowing. Â And we ordered the Lamb Lollipops which were delightful. Â The balsamic reduction and fig demi-glaze served on the plate was really good and the chops were cooked perfectly. Â Our friends shared a gorgonzola pear pizza and said they were enjoying it and our daughter ordered the Margherita pizza and enjoyed that too. Â I ordered the chicken piccata which was to die for. Â The chicken was crispy and seasoned beautifully and the potatoes and broccolini in the lemon caper sauce where divine. Â Tasted like comfort food but a little more sophisticated. Â
All in all? Â Pretty delicious food. Â Good wine. Â I can't say that the front of the house necessarily matched the back of the house during our visit though. Â I will say kudos to the chef though. Â The food didn't fall short.
Having never been to Denver previously (due to my aversion to any weather under 75 degrees), I was probably not the best delegate for finding a reception venue for my company. In prior years, we at least had friends (scouts, if you will) in the area to tour nearby venues and report back. This year, we were constrained by the internet as our only tool for finding an appropriate location to host our annual post-AERA party. Luckily, someone brilliant (from California, of course) invented yelp, which allowed us to discover the hidden gem that is Cru Wine Bar in Larimer Square.
During the planning process, Lori was super communicative and helpful with our 38567 emails back and forth. Because we were looking at an older version of the wine menu, one of our selections was unavailable so Lori and the sommelier chose a comparable wine at a similar price. The appetizer choices were reasonably priced allowing us to stay under budget without compromising quality. They even had vegetarian and vegan selections!
When we arrived at the venue, we were pleasantly surprised at the atmosphere, space, and decor. We had seen pictures that Lori had emailed, but they certainly did not do the venue justice. We had reserved the downstairs for our event which gave us access to the wine room, as well as a dining area that had been set up in a way that was more conducive to mingling. I uploaded a picture of the space if you would like to see it.
The music selection and volume was perfect, the dim lighting gave a very appealing atmosphere, and the staff throughout the evening were friendly, witty, and accommodating.
Our event ended up being a great success and we received numerous compliments on the venue choice. We could not have done it without Lori and the rest of the "crew" at Cru.
We had a few extra minutes before we needed to head over to the Pepsi center so we popped into Cru for some drinks. Â The wine selection is excellent. Â They have some great wine flight options. Â I chose the Pinot Noir flight.
The wines were excellent and covered a variety of flavors within the type. Â The bartender was knowledgeable and quite friendly. Â We had already ate dinner, so we did not try the food.
After a really long [and late, we stopped eating around 4-430] brunch at Snooze [hello carb fest] we decided to have a wine&cheese "light" dinner. ok lies. minus the light.
We got there at 9, the kitchen closes at 9 so we were getting anxious when it took them FOREVEr to wait on us [the place was empty too boo] but FINALLY we got their attention and as more ppl left, the better the service [haha]
We got 2 cheese plates, fried brie, and fondue. We finished everything minus the brie [too stinky for us] and this includes all the bread and flatbreads... soooo goooood...
We also ordered 5 wine flights and an extra glass of a favorite Syrah that I ended up falling in love with.
Classic & Chef's Pick Cheese plates with an added on Robiola from the Sinful Experience Flight....
THE FONDUE IS AMAZING!!! You HAVEEEEEEE to get it!!! :] It tastes best with the honey wheat bread that the cheeses come with tho!!!
For wines we got the Sex Reds, Syrah Seduction [the Penfolds was a favorite and I found that it went along with all the cheeses the best], Latin Affair, Pinot Envy and Exotic Italian.
The best cheese of the night was the estun Ciuc - "Drunken" a unique cheese from Piedmont, this cheese is aged inside a Barolo wine cask. Â It's bold, tangy and slightly grape-y. GET IT NO MATTER WHAT!!!
Let's do the sparkly math...by candlelight, pass me a flute, sil vous plait:
Thursday night = 1/2 price bottles of champagne.
$90 bottle of Veuve Cliquot = $45.
Four girls = happy.
My suggestion? If you are out with the girls, or want to impress a date (or whatever) trip to Cru on a Thursday for some dimly lit champagne drinking, conversating , etc without breaking your budgetary constraints. After all...there's always a reason to celebrate, especially when the good stuff is half price... ;)
A Mile High cheers to all, and to all a good (Thursday) night...
I seem to discover a Cru in every city I visit...and I love them all. Â After some quick research on their website I've discovered the reason for this- they are all sister wine bars!
This Cru was a bit on the fancy side, but we made ourselves quite comfortable at a table for 4. Â It just happened to be half price champagne bottle night (lucky us). Â The champagne was delightful. Â The only thing that could make the experience more perfect was a cheese plate (mmm). There was plenty of cheese on the menu to choose from, but soon after finishing our bottle we had to meet our colleagues at another bar.
Hopefully you're lucky enough to experience the Denver Cru for yourself, but if not they also have locations in Dallas, Austin and Houston.
I walked into this place and fell in love. The atmosphere is cozy and low key while still being upscale. I ended up getting a flight of Spanish wines and was impressed with the presentation. With each flight you get a description card listing your wines and our server was more than willing to make suggestions/answer questions.
Although I didn't order a meal, we did order the Brie balls ((I actually don't remember what they were called) and they were heavenly. They were given to us after we asked for a recommendation and as far as I could tell they were balls of brie covered in a fried shell and drizzled with honey. The dish tasted like a more savory, creamy version of a mexican Sopapilla -- I hope that didn't come across as bad because in my mind that is a very, VERY good thing.
Next time I am in Denver, I will definitely be heading back to Cru.
I get a warm greeting here, as if I walked into a local pub. Whether or not it's busy, I've always experienced great service. There's a strong selection of wine, and the flights are interesting. During my visit last week, I shared fondue with a friend -- as we all know, fondue can go either way. But Cru's was excellent, with good green beans, baby carrots, croutons etc.
Yes, the prices are high -- but look where it is. It's a beautiful place in a great location on Larimer, and you gotta pay for that real estate.
Oh, and they have the best press pot coffee in Denver (Illy, served in individual pots).
The scallops with tomato basil risotto is an absolutely killer dish.
Food is served really late. I think 11. Â Totally appreciated that.
The wine prices are pretty ridiculously inflated.
Great cheese plate.
Good atmosphere.
Bring your loaded wallet. and chow down on the food. cause its just as good as the wine.
Who would have thought you could feel so fancy in downtown denver??? Lots of imported wine in a low-lighted setting and a ton of european looking waiters?? Who would have thought!
And their wine selection is actually pretty extensive too! BUT it will definitely clean out your bank account. The bottles are not cheap here, neither are the glasses. Our waiter even managed to convince us to spend more money on a bottle than we wanted to, which is props for him, but he didn't help us choose a bottle in our price range after we asked him to....so minus a star there....
We didn't get food here when we went, but supposedly they do great food and wine pairings for you, which makes this place a good spot to take a rest from all of the Coors Light drinking the rest of downtown denver seems to partake in. And it is a great kind of romantic date spot too. The tables are nestled together so you don't have a ton of privacy, but all of the wine and scents and candles just add that special little touch of flair that begins the moment  you see the sign "cru" outside. It is just that random classy spot that doesn't really fit in with the rest of the area, but it is good, if you can afford it.
With thousands of librarians flooding the area around the convention center, we were struggling to find a place to get out of the cold and eat with less than an hour wait.  And then happily one of our number checked in at Crú to see if they had a table.  We were whisked down to their basement space immediately, where soft music played and the lights may have been dim, but you could still clearly see your food and companions and have a lovely conversation. Â
I like a nice glass of wine, but sadly I am no connoisseur. Â I lack the vocabulary to put into words what it is I enjoy. Â I usually just say "something white and dry"...too many years of dating a Chardonnay junkie left me annoyed by wine too sweet. Â When our charming (and utterly handsome) waiter brought out the bottle for me to taste, he was very concerned that I liked it. Â I tried to see how I might be able to enjoy it, but he could tell I was trying too hard. He insisted on bringing a second bottle for me to sample, and when that wasn't working, he brought down two which were both just lovely and one absolutely delightful. Â I'm sure I would have enjoyed the meal just fine without his gracious attentions, but having such a fine looking and attentive waiter tell me that he was there to make me happy was over the top delightful.
But the thing that really blissed me out what the Chef's cheese flight. Â In particular the Bermuda Triangle out of Humboldt County was one of the best cheeses I've had in years. Â Following it with even more cheese may have been a silly choice, but the Roasted Portobello Mushroom pizza was outstanding! Â I'm not easily impressed by pizza. Â Most fancy ones that people rave about seem to just be a decent crust with fresh ingredients balanced on it...no big deal. Â But this was magnificent. Â The fontina cheese was both flavorful and a delightful consistency, perfect for the thin crust pizza. Â And the combination of mushroom flavors with just a hint of truffle oil was subtle and divine. Â I loved it! Â How I was able to split the yummy chocolate mousse cake after all that food is a mystery, but it finished a perfect meal just so.
To be fair, I was pretty trashed when I went to Cru. Â I met my friends here after imbibing multiple mojitos at Samba Room. Â I vaguely remember drinking a flight of Riesling and definitely remember shooting a $16 glass of port (yes, I was SUPER classy that night). Â I do recall enjoying the ambiance, but my friends grumbled about the ridiculously slow service. Â
Even in my drunken haze, I remember thinking I'd love to go on a date here, and I think I may have even slurred that to my then-boyfriend. Â (Not usually that much of a hot mess, but my best friend was visiting from Seattle and we were having a rockstar night.) Â
I'm a big fan of wine bars and this place had a very romantic, classy vibe.
Would love to come back and enjoy this place sober!
$115 for two people.
Three flights of wine, a flight of champagne, and we shared the Margherita Pizza (which was awful!).
The Sexy Syrah flight was very good. Â The Malbec flight was fair. Â The champagne flight was my favorite, of course. Â :)
We were with a group of people for a birthday so we passed around a couple of the cheese flights. Â Let's see...the Italian and the Western I believe. Â The Brie was to die for and the rest were quite tasty as well. Â A little cheese goes a long way - especially with these rich selections.
A great place for a date - sooo romantic! Â We were on the back patio and it was a perfect evening. Â Our server was incredibly sweet and seemed to know a fair amount about the wines. Â
I'd definitely go back but only for cheese and wine.
The restaurant space is small but well decorated. Â My friend and I went for dinner during happy hour one night so while everyone around us was sipping wine and eating cheese we were feasting on tenderloin and scallops. Â All the food was good and we both enjoyed our meals but there was one real standout that I feel I must share. Â In fact, I wrote this review with the express purpose of telling you this:
Order the Cheese Fondue. Â You are welcome.
This place is my dream come true. Fantastic wine and cheese in several delicious varieties... a la fondue, 5 cheese pizza, and two kinds of cheese plates. We had all three of the above and YUM. Truffle oil (aka crack in the form of oil) complemented two of the three above. The steak tenderloin and horseradish mashed potatoes were just as good as the cheese dishes. And this is a great place to go to share food with your girlfriends. You get to try more than one thing for about the same price as a salad, entree and two glasses of wine at any other fine dining establishment.
Go on a Thursday and you can get 1/2 price bottles of wine. We had the sparkling Shiraz, and just had to order a second bottle (they were only $21 each at 1/2 off)! Â I was also greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne that at the regular price was over $140 a bottle! Â Did I mention the waiter was adorable and expedient? Yeah it'd be great for a date, but it was just as fun with three girlfriends too!
I'm in love. It's a forbidden love though because I am a girl and the object of my affection is a restaurant. It'd never work out for me because I'm not really good at sharing with that many people and Cru is a restaurant that definitely deserves to be shared by many, many, many people.
The decor and ambiance is awesome - the walls are decorated in large, wall-papery versions of famous champagne and wine bottle labels with muted colors to balance it all out.
The service is impeccable. It's one of those places I have no doubt they remember you if you go more than twice. Did I mention they gave us a free tasting of champagne and that this "tasting" was actually just a glass? So sweet.
Speaking of champagne Thursdays are half-priced bottles of it and sparkling wine. We had a bottle of sparkling shiraz that wasn't only tasty it was also really pretty to look at. I have this weird love affair with pretty food and drinks. And the wine flights are super cool - I saw lots of good wines on there.
And then there's the food. A bunch of us just shared lots of stuff so I was able to sample their fondue that's made with truffle oil (Yum!), a Western Europe Cheese Plate (strongest blue ever!), Beef tenderloin with horseradish mashed potatoes (to die for) and a 5 cheese pizza (I almost cried it was so good.)
Even though I was there with my lady friends and it was perfect for our purposes I'd also say this would be excellent for a date. (Hint. Hint.)
CHEESE PLATE. I'm always desperately seeking cheese plates. So when I sit down at this nice little bar for glass of wine and the bartender is all "would you like to see the menu" and I'm all "I just ate but what the hell" and the menu turns out to be, like, a cheese plate digest ... like, a sweet hallucination of a cheese plate oasis (with a section of FIVE different selections of different cheese plates alone)... I get, overstimulated, and write run-on sentences.
These cheese plates were no joke. I loved them, and the wine flights, and bartender, and the ambiance.
CHEESE PLATE HI FIVE!
As soon as we arrived in Denver we asked the concierge where the closest wine bar was. We were directed to Cru which just so happened to be about 3 blocks from the Ritz Carlton.
Great wine flights. Fairly reasonable prices. Good food and cheese selections. We sat at the bar and our server was friendly and offered some great suggestions of places to venture to afterwards.
Get the sexy syrah flight and try the tomatoe bisque soup. Yummy.
I ate here with a friend of mine last year. Â While I can't remember exactly what I ate, I know I was impressed. Â We started with a wine flight of whites which included a Riesling. Â I'm a big fan of a good Riesling. Â For food I know we had the cheese plate as an appetizer with our first sips of wine. Â Wine and cheese--I'm in love!
After the wine flight we each chose our favorite and got a regular glass. Â It was a little pricey but it was worth it for the expertise of the waitstaff. Â I can't imagine having to know so much about wine. Â It's mind boggling. Â I'm glad I didn't fool myself into thinking I could be a sommelier when I was young.
I have just been waiting for an excuse to go back. Â Oh I almost forgot. Â We sat downstairs which is a bit quieter and very posh with dark lighting. Â There was even a private room down there for special parties. Â Maybe I'll plan my own birthday dinner there.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
