If you want a good steak but don't want to pay a fortune for it, Columbine Steak House & Lounge is your go-to restaurant. It's been family owned since opening in 1961, and it retains that low-key, casual, family atmosphere today. It's a favorite of locals who relish its "neighborhood feel." Visitors to Denver who are lucky enough to discover it are likely to vow they'll return next time they're in town. Don't expect frills like fancy sides and sauces. If you want A-1 on your steak, that's just fine with this staff—"in fact, they have it ready for you. All dinners are served with a salad, Texas toast and a choice of baked potato or fries, all sandwiches come with fries. If steak isn't your choice, there's also shrimp, fish, fried chicken, pork chops. burgers and corn dogs.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: Good steaks at reasonable prices pretty much says it all. Add family-owned and casual and Columbine Steak House is a steak lover's happy place.
Christine's expert tip: Columbine Steak House is cash-only so visit the ATM before going if you don't normally carry cash.
This progressive American steakhouse raises the bar on hotel restaurants. EDGE is sleek and sophisticated as befits its location in the Four Seasons Hotel Denver. Steaks include a 16-oz dry-aged buffalo ribeye and highest-grade Wagyu, and the contemporary upscale menu features an expansive list of wines by the glass and bottle. Lamb rack, salads and seafood are also good menu choices, and the GF options are many. There are plenty of sides to choose from as well as options for topping your steak and sauces to accompany it. There's an entire raw bar as well, and there's an option of having your Wagyu steak cooked on the restaurant's signature hot stone.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: A warm but definitively chic aesthetic sets the tone in this modern take on a traditional steakhouse.
Christine's expert tip: With a location across from the performing arts complex, EDGE is a good choice for a pre-theater meal.
Read more about EDGE Restaurant & Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Denver →
A 14-oz dry-aged New York strip, 22-oz bone-in ribeye and 10-oz filet are among the steak offerings, but there's also lobster mac 'n cheese for the comfort-food crowd and sushi-grade seared-sesame tuna for those who prefer leaner fare. The Capital Grille is located in the heart of Larimer Square with its shops, galleries and watering holes, and walking distance to the Denver Performing Arts Center, Coors Field, the convention center and many of the downtown hotels. Although part of a small chain, Capital Grille feels like a hometown restaurant, and that is underscored by the many locals who make Capital Grille a regular stop.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: It's a Larimer Square staple that offers casual sophistication, excellent menu, expansive wine list and welcoming vibe.
Christine's expert tip: This is a see-and-be-seen gathering spot with a lively vibe and congenial crowd.
Wood-fired food is front and center in this 9,000-square-foot modern space, and not just steaks. In addition to prime, Wagyu and grass-fed cuts, there are also wood-fired veggies and fish dishes on the expansive menu. Sauces cover a steak lover's spectrum, from crab Oscar and bleu cheese butter to béarnaise, chimichurri and brandy peppercorn. You can also add a lobster tail if that appeals. Don't miss the oak-fired carrots (rave reviews) and do try one of the restaurant's creative cocktails before settling on a fine wine or Colorado craft brew to accompany your meal. If you can't get a reservation on the night you want, go early and grab a table in the convivial lounge area, where the full menu is available.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: Chef Troy Guard is one of Denver's top chefs and his steakhouse doesn't disappoint.
Christine's expert tip: Valet parking is available.
Among the steaks on offer are flatiron, New York strip and filet mignon, served up with chimichurri, garlic-herb butter or blue-cheese butter, depending on your preference. You can also add green peppercorn sauce, LoHi seasoning, wild mushrooms or a crab cake, and four different styles of potatoes are available along with a nice selection of veggies and salads. The menu has plenty to satisfy vegetarians, while burger aficionados have multiple options to choose from including the LoHi burger with bacon, cheddar, spicy mayo and steak seasoning. Happy hour runs daily from 4-5 p..m. A 22-percent fee, split among front-of-the-house and kitchen staff, is added to all checks as a way to make restaurant work more equitable.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: LoHi SteakBar is proof that downtown isn't the only place for Denver's top steakhouses.
Christine's expert tip: Complimentary parking is available at the 32V parking garage at 32nd & Vallejo Streets. Provide your license plate number to receive up to two hours of validated parking.
This uber-popular Greenwood Village eatery is located near the Denver Tech Center and frequented by high-powered business folks and local celebrities. It's also an ideal choice for any steak lover, perhaps especially those celebrating a special occasion. If hearty steaks are your passion, Del Frisco's is definitely the right place. On the other hand, if lobster is your thing, Del Frisco's is also the right place. And if you prefer lamb, Del Frisco's is the right place, too. At lunch, the steak salad is a fine way to enjoy broiled and sliced steak in a lighter variation served with fresh greens. And, yes, vegetarians are accommodated here as well with a cauliflower steak.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: Del Frisco's is the choice for steak in Denver's Tech Center area.
Christine's expert tip: Need room for a private party? There's space here that accommodates up to 50 seated, 80 for cocktails, another holds 100 seated, 150 for cocktails.
As the name suggests, Ocean Prime, on Larimer Square, specializes in seafood and steaks and does both very well. Although it's a chain, it delivers an experience that doesn't feel like a chain. There are multiple steaks to choose from in terms of cuts and sizes, including three choices of filet mignon, one a 12-oz. bone-in option. The list of sides is extensive, from parmesan truffle fries to black truffle mac & cheese and, of course, loaded baked potatoes. Equally impressive are the seafood options. If trying to impress your dinner date is a goal, the custom-built smoking shellfish tower on the raw menu should do the job. There are many options for wines by the glass or bottle, and creative cocktails, too. In our opinion, the perfect way to finish your meal is with a glass of tawny port, found on the dessert menu.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: Seafood and steak have always been a good match and the Ocean Prime menu reflects that, with plenty on offer from land and sea.
Christine's expert tip: Want gluten-free? Just ask. Many items on Ocean Prime's menus can be modified GF.
Decidedly upscale but in that casual, friendly way of Denver restaurants, A5 is a fine addition to the city's steakhouse scene. An interesting choice among the steaks is a nicely priced Denver steak. It's not quite as tender as a filet or as flavorful as a bone-in ribeye. It's somewhere in between and a nice option if you don't want to pay the going rate for more popular cuts. The Babette is another option, a Wagyu that's just a bit more expensive. At the high end is a 30-oz. bone-in NY Strip. Sides include mac-n-cheese croquettes and chile crab fried rice among others. Happy hour runs 3:30 to 5 p.m. but you can't order from the dinner menu until 5, so bide your time with an old-school cocktail and oysters. The wine-by-the-glass list is compact but there are many bottles to choose from.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: A5 takes a well-deserved place among Denver's steakhouses with its lively ambience and menu that bridges old-school and creative contemporary.
Christine's expert tip: A5 is just a short walk from Union Station to make use of Denver's public transportation to eat here.
Operating since 1893, the Buckhorn Exchange offers an ambiance that evokes days of old, especially if your old days involved hunting and taxidermy. This is one of Denver's most authentic and historic restaurants, and a dream-come-true for steak lovers. Our first suggestion: the Buckhorn's famed 24-oz. porterhouse. In the spirit of community, the restaurant serves up massive steaks for sharing from 1.5 to two pounds for two diners or 3.5 or four pounds for five diners, with the price for the latter currently set at $232. These beauties are carved tableside and served with a variety of goodies. Elk, quail and salmon are among other choices on the extensive menu.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: It is a Mile High City institution. 'Nuff said.
Christine's expert tip: Buckhorn Exchange is Colorado's oldest saloon with the oldest liquor license in Denver (No. 1), and also one of the city's most meat-centric restaurants, though there are other choices, too. Combo plates pair options such as elk and Cornish game hen or buffalo prime rib with salmon.
Bastien's has been one of Denver's under-the-radar dining gems for decades. It's old school with its dark booths, retro vibe and menu items that include escargot, shrimp cocktail, veal marsala and a hefty pork chop. But the thing it's known for, steak, is not diminished by all that. Ribeyes, filets and NY strips are among the choices, not to mention steak salad and, of course, a steakhouse burger. But what makes Bastien's a Denver favorite is that diners are never nickel-and-dimed here. You order your steak and the next questions are rare or medium rare, what salad dressing do you want and how do you want your potato cooked? Veggies are also included at no added charge. You can't go wrong by choosing Bastien's signature sugar rub to your steak but there are a dozen options. And allow me to suggest the sizzling skillet apple pie for dessert.
Recommended for Steakhouses because: Bastien's is an old-school steakhouse in the best possible way—"great steak and sides at a great price.
Christine's expert tip: Take the advice of the owners and order your sugar steak rare or medium rare.