10/06/09

My favorite to impress in Denver

by AudioGoddess

I am from Baton Rouge, so I would like to think I know a thing or two about Cajun food. Not only is Gumbo's my favorite restaurant in Denver; I would compare it to many of my favorite restaurants in Louisiana.

I had friends from "home" in town this week, and I was looking for a restaurant to impress them on their first trip to Denver. I initially dismissed Gumbo's because taking a Coonass to a cajun restaurant is like taking sand to a beach. After weighing my various experiences at the many options in Denver, I eventually decided on Gumbo's because of the consistency of service and food. I have never had a bad experience there, and this week was no different. The ambiance and service would indicate a much more high-end bill to go along with the high-end experience, but for 8 people with appetizers, entrees, (many) cocktails and a couple of shared desserts, our tab was $420. Sure there are less expensive alternatives, but there are few that live up to the value you get at Gumbo's.

Though the atmosphere is romantic and memorable, the food is the real reason to go. The portions are stuff-you-to-the-gills generous, and every dish I've tried has been remarkable. The Barbeque Shrimp appetizer is as delicious as a treasured family recipe; if you use the bread to "sop the sauce" you'll find a little piece of heaven. The gumbo is divine, with the right amount of spice and veggies with three different options of seafood, chicken and andouille. The seafood is fresh and impeccibly spiced and never over-sauced. We even had a special diet to accommodate, and at Gumbo's not only could we "find something" for her, but she was overjoyed with her meal.

Since we Tigers pride ourselves on our drinking, it's a good thing Gumbo's serves a variety of specialty cocktails too. The Strawberry Lemonade sounds innocent enough, and goes down quite smoothly, so you don't entirely expect the punch it packs. And the John Daly lives up to it's namesake.

This was probably our 15th or so visit to Gumbos, on a variety of occasions, from 2 people to 40. They've hosted business events as well as birthday celebrations for us. I always consider other dining options in LoDo, but when it boils down to it, I just want Gumbo's.

• Pros: Everything

10/19/08

Not the Cajun I'm accustom to however the food was good.

by Reider01

I was with a group of 4. We arrived close by from browsing book at "Tattered Cover" nearby. The service was somewhat slow to seat us. They had plenty of tables not sure why it took them 10 minutes to seat us. I ordered "the special" flounder or salmon don't remember which with 3 or 4 bacon wrapped shrimp and vegetable medley. The price of the meal was pretty high but we weren't in the mood for much more waiting or walking around. The waiter was spread a little thin with the number of tables he was serving. If you have more time to look around I would suggest finding something more economical.

• Pros: Food presentation was excellent
• Cons: Slow service, Parking dunno?Price high

01/19/08

Louisiana Boy Weighs in

by sfndenver

Well, as I said in the tagline....I'm a Louisiana boy, so I know my Cajun food. Let me just say that I loved Gumbo's. It's the only place that I've found in Denver that really "gets" it!

My date and I went there one evening just after returning from a long trip. The ambiance was incredibly relaxing and comfortable. The wine list was certainly serviceable and the food made me feel like I had really come "home."

If you're looking for good Cajun food, go to Gumbo's. And may I just say, the Louisiana folks "across the eastern border" have never been all that impressed with anyone we've met from Houston.

Try them out....I know you'll like 'em.