Iwayama Sushi — Restaurant in Colorado

One step into Iwayama and you'll feel like you walked into an episode of Cheers. The first hello and smile you'll get is from owner and chef Lee-San. Lee pretty much knows every one of his customers by name.

Lee's not your typical sushi chef - He is decked out with heavy duty protective eyewear (why wouldn't he be??), a smile plastered to his face, constantly multi-tasking, and engaging in conversation with someone at the sushi bar the whole time.

Ask for a recommendation and he might tell you to try the Juicy Lucy - a half pound burger filled with american cheese, grilled onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. Wait, where am I again? That's right, about every 15 minutes in between making rolls you'll hear Lee call up for a Juicy Lucy. He says you should see the young baseball players come in after a game for a burger and to see their face light up when they see the burger is bigger then their face.

One thing Lee brings to the table is his heritage from Hawaii and their fresh Wahoo. In fact, he drizzles a pesto over the top and serves it sashimi style. No wasabi needed my friends. Just sit back and let the flavor explosion start as you realize this is not your average sushi joint. In fact, Lee has his fish flown in fresh from Hawaii - one thing you'll immediately notice as you go from fish to fish, and fish to fish - oh the fish!

The specialty rolls will blow your mind. At about $15 a roll you'll be happy you tried them. I can't even tell you what the secret sauce was on some but it made me speechless.

Back to the burger - they do an 80/20 combo and mix the meat themselves - nothing frozen here friends. After making a 1/4 patty they add 2 slices of american cheese, then add another 1/4 patty on top and mold that baby together. I wish I could keep this a secret but it legitimately made my list of top 10 burgers I've ever had. The bun - good. The beef - good. The grilled onions - good. The cheese rolling down your face - gooooooood.

Concluding thoughts - save a few bucks every week and take your wife here for a date night every week. A happy mouth + a happy wife makes...

I've been around for quite some time and years ago had worried that this Resteraunt would not make it and was "doomed" per sa and not due to the typical reasons a Resteraunt doesn't make it but rather it seemed to be due to lack of leadership but they certainly have turned that around!!! The "new" ownership (I'm honestly not sure how long he has been in the owner position as I have just started frequenting this wonderful spot again ) knows what they are doing and you can feel that vibe the moment you walk in. What a Great Resteraunt!!! The one thing that I love above all is that you do not have to be a Sushi lover to love this Resteraunt. My best friend absolutely adores Sushi and has tried out different Sushi spots all over Denver and surrounding areas and has decided that Iwayama is his absolute, hands down, without a single doubt favorite. I, on the other hand, I'm not a fan of fish or seafood and would much rather take a swim with the fishes as aposed to see them on the plate in front of me lol. But I do see the "art" if you will, in the beauty of Sushi as an art form and love to sit at the Sushi bar and watch the artists create. The thing that I feel makes Iwayama so very special and stand so very far above the rest is that their menu is full of so many unique non sushi options!!!! My best friend gets his Much loved Sushi and I can choose from so many other non fish options!!! One of my favorites is the Moco Loco...a bowl of yummy steaming rice with a beautiful burger patty on top and then smothered in a delicious hearty brown gravy then to top it off a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg. Perfect, filling, tasteful meal!!! And there are so many options like this that means anyone can find a perfect meal for themselves!!! That is so very rare these days!!! I cannot say enough about Iwayama!!! Please do yourself and your entire family a huge favor and treat yourselves to a very special experience that you are bound to go back for...

This is the kind of place that the only regret you'll have is not eating there sooner. The simple but friendly decor and the open view into the sparkling clean kitchen tell you this place is all about the food, but the packed house on a Tuesday night tell you they nailed it. This is one of the freshest and most creative menus I've seen anywhere. With specials like a fried clam with mango roll, torched scallop nigiri, and a super fatty tuna belly so fresh you may be tempted to drive around back to see where the boat is docked. Even with the sea of happy guests there was no waiting to be seated. The staff is very friendly and Da Big Kahuna himself, Lee, makes it worth the visit all on his own. With captivating stories and and his beaming smile you'll feel like you stumbled into 'Cheers' only better and more Hawaiian. Iwayama Sushi has it all; freshness both in the menu and the ingredents, a staff that cares, great sake list, and a whole lotta love in what they are doing. Thank you so much. I will definitely be...