Best New West Steakhouse

No, Big John isn't flipping tenderloins on the grills in the back, but he does show up every now and then -- and he's nothing but gracious when he does. And, no, the dining room isn't filled with fat guys in Broncos jerseys and sweatpants. Actually, Elway's draws the kind of crowd you see at every other high-tone address in Cherry Creek, as well as a good number of steakhouse converts who've been wooed away from some of the more established temples of meat. And while the place does have John Elway's name everlastingly attached to it, it's a restaurant first and foremost, with a pro team running a pro house where the comfort of their guests and the grub coming out of the galley is more important than anything else. Eateries opened by current and former celebrities have become something of a staple -- and a joke -- in this brave new post-Planet Hollywood world, but Elway's is serious about what it does, and does it well.