Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar — Restaurant in Denver

Whaaaaaaaaassssssaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssaa suuup with this place ??? No really,.. no seriously !!….. There are restaurants that serve food, and then there are those rare, glimmering gems that offer a fully immersive, soul-stirring experience. Jax Fish House in LODO is the latter — a culinary sanctuary where service, flavor, and hospitality converge in a way that feels both world-class and deeply personal.

Let’s start where all great seafood stories begin: with oysters. The moment our server placed the glistening tray on the table, we knew we were in the hands of professionals. The selection was a tour de force of brininess and beauty — West Coast varietals that were lush and creamy alongside sharp, saline East Coast gems….-BTW,.. thanks to DIA for bringing the freshness !!!

But oysters were just the overture. The crescendo came in the form of a chef’s visit to our table — a personal and gracious gesture that elevated the evening to something truly unforgettable. Warm, humble, and passionate, Chef Floyd shared insights into the provenance of the seafood, the philosophy behind the sourcing, and even some hints at what might soon appear on the seasonal menu. It wasn’t just a table visit — it was a masterclass, a handshake from the heart of the kitchen. Woah !!!

The mussels — oh, the mussels! — were plump, sweet, and swimming in a broth so rich with white wine, garlic, and herbs, we found ourselves requesting extra bread!

The halibut collar was a revelation: crispy at the edges, luxuriously tender within, and served with a bright, acidic sauce.. slathered with romesco that cut through the richness with surgical precision. It was the kind of dish you talk about for weeks after….., a rare cut cooked with reverence.

Then came the soft shell crab sandwich — that landed somewhere between coastal comfort food and haute cuisine. Perfectly balanced and not the least bit greasy, it was a sandwich that dared to elevate a classic and succeeded spectacularly.

But let me not forget to shine a spotlight on the service, which was nothing short of impeccable. Our server Pooky struck that ideal balance between attentive and unobtrusive — every question answered before it was asked, every wine suggestion spot on, every course timed like clockwork. It’s clear that this team doesn’t just serve guests — they orchestrate experiences.

And while in tonight we heard rumors, that Jax LODO may soon reopen for lunch. The very idea of returning midday for oysters and a crisp glass of white .. or chugging a darn beer is enough to make the drive across the city !!!

If the lunch service mirrors even a fraction of the excellence we experienced at dinner, it will instantly become the most coveted reservation in town.

In short, Jax Fish House in LODO is operating at the peak of its powers — a timeless legendary seafood stronghold in the heart of Denver that honors the ocean with every plate and the guest with every gesture. It’s not just a meal. It’s a celebration of craft, community, and culinary brilliance. Get yer arse in there! That’s the real deal … Join...

2/8/24 update - we have been coming here weekly since we found this spot. The oysters are the freshest most amazing I’ve ever had in Colorado. Usually you don’t get no shells when they get shocked this time we got a little bit of shells but I’m not complaining. I’ve seen that man work and he’s putting in work shucking all those oysters. I did have the fennel salad, it wasn’t very good. I basically ate it because it was almost $17 and I wanted to get my moneys worth. But I feel like it was missing some acid and just all the flavors were combined in one nothing really stuck out.

This is the first time using the restroom at this location and the way they have it set up. It was really hard to get to because there were two big parties in the back. I literally had to squeeze through and ended up bumping into one of the patrons. And it also seemed like it could be a little dangerous if there was a fire. There’s no way to move around back there. The bathroom is disgusting. You can tell it has not been cleaned. It was pee all over the seat all over the floor and there was no paper towels.

The person I was with wanted pasta and mussels. They had seen that you can order it off of DoorDash. So we asked our waiter about it and they said they had egg noodles we didn’t want egg noodles and then they mentioned that there was another pasta but it was “expensive more than five dollars a pound.” And we proceeded not to get a lot of information about this expensive pasta. What really sat with me wrong was the way that we were spoken to about the pasta price. I don’t know if it was because we are minorities or were women. But clearly it looks like we don’t have enough money to eat pasta at this place. But yeah, we order over $100 each in food every time we go. I was really bummed by the way that we were treated. We’ve decided we’ll take a break and if we do come back, it will only be for oysters and hopefully we could request a different server that we’ve had the last couple times.

——- First time trying this place, and definitely will be back. The staff was super friendly. We were talking amongst ourselves about the different types of oysters and a server came over and instantly helped us with recommendation. We loved the crackerjack oyster. It is one of the freshest oysters I’ve had in Colorado. Definitely recommend this place!

The burrata was amazing. It is definitely on the sweeter side but you have to give it a try. The bread with the oil was a perfect touch to the beginning of our meal. The pilling eat shrimp has like some sort of seasoning on it. I was not a fan of it. But it was definitely fresh as well.

So this is downtown Denver. So you have to pay for a parking meter. Which was not a problem for us because we went during the middle...

I recently dined at Jax for my wife's birthday, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience.

We made a reservation three days in advance, and while I initially appreciated the availability, I soon realized why there were so many open time slots. Upon being seated, our waiter approached us within two minutes to say he’d be back shortly to take our drink orders. However, it took him over five minutes to return, despite the restaurant being noticeably quiet, with many open tables and only a handful of patrons at the bar.

We ordered a bottle of chilled white wine, an appetizer, and two entrées. The wine was brought promptly, poured into glasses, and the waiter asked if we’d like a wine chiller. Naturally, we agreed. However, it wasn’t delivered until we reminded him about it, long after the wine had been sitting at the table. The appetizer arrived about 10 minutes later, which seemed reasonable, but our entrées were brought out just two minutes after the appetizer. This left us feeling rushed and unable to enjoy the meal’s progression.

During our meal, we ran out of water and had to request a refill. The waiter refilled my wife’s glass but only halfway. This small oversight added to the impression of inattentive service.

A noticeable whiteboard at the host’s station indicated that a 20% gratuity would be added to all bills. Thankfully, I had been forewarned by our OpenTable reservation that this was optional and could be adjusted. Given the poor service, we requested that the gratuity be removed and instead left a 12% tip, along with a note on the receipt stating “poor service.”

The overall experience was underwhelming, especially for a special occasion. The rushed pacing of the meal, lack of attentiveness, and inconsistent service overshadowed any potential the restaurant might have had. On a positive note, we salvaged the evening by heading to another restaurant down the street for dessert and after-dinner drinks, which...