James Florio
Audio By Carbonatix
Local restaurants have gotten a lot of national attention over the last several years, with big wins like Boulder’s Frasca being named Outstanding Restaurant at the James Beard Awards in June, and Alma Fonda Fina landing at number 45 on this year’s North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Now, Alma Fonda Fina is in the national spotlight again, along with three other Denver restaurants and one in Vail — though this latest list is based on diner reviews, not the determination of judges.
Reservation site OpenTable just released its 2025 Top 100 Restaurants, which “is generated from over 10 million reviews from verified OpenTable diners and dining metrics from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025,” OpenTable notes. “Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five-star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, the percentage of capacity, and direct searches. Metrics were weighted to comprise an overall score, used to rank the list.”
That means this list is limited to restaurants that use OpenTable as opposed to other reservation sites, such as Resy, or don’t take reservations at all.
When news happens, Westword is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $50,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to this community. If Westword matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Still, landing in this lineup is yet another indication that diners, both local and visiting, are loving these spots. Here’s what made the cut:
Shawn Campbell
OpenTable’s 2025 Top Colorado Restaurants
Alma Fonda Fina
4.9 rating on OpenTable with 1,044 reviews
Chef Johnny Curiel’s original restaurant debuted in LoHi in December 2023 and earned its first Michelin star less than a year later. The spot, which serves food inspired by Curiel’s upbringing in Mexico, was also a James Beard finalist this year for Best New Restaurant. It has a 4.9 rating on OpenTable with 1,044 reviews.
Alteño
4.9 rating on OpenTable with 547 reviews
Curiel’s fourth eatery, Alteño, opened inside the Clayton Hotel in Cherry Creek in March. When it debuted, he told Westword that Alteño “is an ode to my father and what I remember of him shaping me as a man and becoming the person I am today because of the great combination of what my mom did and my dad as a chef, as a father and as a restaurateur.” His father, the original Alteño (or “highlander”), is from Jalisco, and his influence runs through the restaurant. It was recently announced that Curiel will be opening another eatery, the Spanish-inspired Mar Bella Boqueria, inside the Clayton this winter.
Guard and Grace
4.8 rating on OpenTable with 834 reviews
Chef/restaurateur Troy Guard is an OG of the local dining scene (even though he now lives in Texas), and his downtown steakhouse continues to be a winner. Last year, it was named one of the best steakhouses in the world, and just last weekend, it hosted Travis Kelce — now a steakhouse owner himself in Kansas City — when the Chiefs came to town to face (and lose to) the Broncos.
Kizaki
4.9 rating on OpenTable with 172 reviews
The newest restaurant on the list, omakase concept Kizaki, debuted on South Pearl Street in April. Just five months later, it earned its first Michelin star — which would have been surprising save for the hard-earned reputation of its owner, Toshi Kizaki, who is a pioneer in Denver’s sushi scene.
Matsuhisa Vail
4.8 rating on OpenTable with 237 reviews
In 2011, the Nobu empire made its way to Vail, opening its fifth Matsuhisa location in the ski town. (It would be five more years before Matsuhisa Denver made its debut). As one review puts it, “Great food in a fun, trendy environment. Expensive, but it is Vail.”
