The Massive RiNo Yardbird Location Opens July 19

A whole fried chicken (which, yes, is available gluten-free) paired with a cheddar waffle and bourbon syrup; mac and cheese with an entire lobster on top; and 72-hour short ribs with green chile grits are some of the indulgent items you'll find on the menu at Yardbird, which opens at 2763 Blake Street on Wednesday, July 19.

The project comes from 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, and the Denver outpost will be the concept's eighth location, as well as its largest to date — 14,950 square feet. The original Yardbird opened in Miami Beach in 2011 and was nominated for a James Beard Award.

This new location is "the next generation of the brand" and will "showcase a new age of Yardbird," according to a press release. It is situated in the newly renovated Lot 28 project by Steel City Management, where neighboring anchor tenant Puttshack opened in late May. It includes three bars, multiple event spaces, an expansive terrace with a stage, and a bi-level patio that can accommodate up to 600 guests.
“Denver has emerged as one of the top dining locations in the country. With award-winning chefs and restaurants, the opportunity to continue to evolve the Yardbird brand in this thriving culinary and hospitality scene made Denver the perfect location for us to grow the Yardbird brand,” says 50 Eggs CEO John Kunkel. “Beyond the culinary scene, we are inspired by the local community and look forward to embracing RiNo’s vibrant art scene and infusing this into our design and programming.”

Yardbird will offer long-term artist residencies along with menu and merch design opportunities for local creatives; ahead of its debut, it commissioned new murals by Adam Vicarel and Olive Moya. It also plans to host live entertainment Thursday through Saturday and will provide spaces for community gardens.

While there are some staple items, each Yardbird location has a menu that reflects local tastes. This outpost will be serving up fifteen Denver-specific dishes, including an heirloom tomato salad and coal-fired octopus.

Yardbird is going to host special events quarterly, such as bourbon dinners and chef collaborations. Currently, there are plans to release a Stranahan's bourbon distilled specifically for the restaurant, and Yardbird is working with Denver Beer Company on collaborative beers.

The 22-page Beverage Book includes a world-class bourbon list and lengthy wine selection in addition to signature cocktails like the Southern Peach, a whiskey libation made with white peaches and sweet tea, as well as the Yardbird Old Fashioned made with bacon-infused bourbon and maple syrup. It plans to open its speakeasy, which is located underneath the main dining area, in the fall. 

Although this is the group's first venture into Denver, it isn't the first in Colorado. 50 Eggs opened the popular Latin eatery Chica in Aspen two years ago, and it held a Yardbird pop-up there in March and April.

Yardbird is located at 2376 Blake Street and will be open for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. beginning July 19. Brunch, lunch and late-night hours will be added in the coming weeks. For more information, or to book a reservation, visit runchickenrun.com/denver.