Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
Seafood restaurant · Union Station
1539 17th St, Denver, CO 80202
Highlights
Gourmet seafood and oysters, craft cocktails, happy hour
Gourmet seafood and oysters, craft cocktails, happy hour
"With an ovoid bar at its center, this LoDo seafood restaurant is always bustling. This long-standing Denver spot features exposed brick, wood floors, and a sculptural installation inspired by the skeleton of a whale. Whether ordering a dozen oysters on the half shell from the raw bar or diving into one of their buttery lobster rolls, know that Jax prioritizes sustainably-sourced seafood. Another sustainable product found behind the bar at Jax? Astral Tequila, used to make its house margarita." - Rebecca Treon
"A pioneer in LoDo in the 1990s — back when the neighborhood was just beginning to emerge from a long economic downturn — this seafood spot has evolved (and expanded) with the times while remaining true to the indie spirit it opened with. On the classic side is raw bar fare along with crab cakes, chowder, caviar service, and more; on the seasonal side, there might be seared sea scallops with grilled fennel, charred rapini, kohlrabi puree, and agrumato oil or lobster maltagliati in sage brown butter with whipped ricotta and beech mushrooms. All of it will be sustainably sourced, too, thanks to the longtime efforts of executive chef Sheila Lucero." - Eater Staff
"A pioneer in LoDo in the 1990s — back when the neighborhood was just beginning to emerge from a long economic downturn — this seafood spot has evolved (and expanded) with the times while remaining true to the indie spirit it opened with. On the classic side is raw bar fare along with crab cakes, chowder, caviar service, and more; on the seasonal side, there might be seared sea scallops with grilled fennel, charred rapini, kohlrabi puree, and agrumato oil or lobster maltagliati in sage brown butter with whipped ricotta and beech mushrooms. All of it will be sustainably sourced, too, thanks to the longtime efforts of executive chef Sheila Lucero." - Eater Staff
"Eating fresh seafood in an inland city like Denver is certainly a unique experience, but don’t let the distance from the ocean be a concern. Jax’s mission is to bring the coasts to the coastless, and it does so with aplomb. For the eco-minded, the restaurant is deeply mindful about acquiring ingredients from sustainable sources; it's the first eatery in Colorado to be certified by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program. Jax encourages customers to be smart about their own fish purchases and recommends that patrons use the Seafood Watch app. You’d better believe, after taking that kind of care to bring the ocean to the mountains,Jax prepares everything to perfection. There are two locations in Denver to choose from—as well as two other Colorado outposts, one each in Boulder and Fort Collins."
"One of a handful of restaurants that helped transform LoDo into a destination when it launched in 1996, Jax is still a hopping neighborhood hub as well as a regional leader in sustainable sourcing. A full raw bar isn’t half of what it does so well: The seasonal menu integrates global influences to offer the likes of fried catfish with bacon-braised collards and hush puppies, spaghetti alle vongole, and grilled salmon with miso-roasted potatoes and charred Chinese broccoli in one fell swoop." - Ruth Tobias
