Alteño

  4.7 – 298 reviews   • Mexican restaurant

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✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in Alteño 80206

Address and Contact Information

Address: 249 Clayton St, Denver, CO 80206

Phone: (303) 532-4999

Website: https://altenorestaurant.com/

Menu Photos

Related Web Results

Alteño – Cherry Creek

From the heart of Michelin-starred Chef/Owner Johnny Curiel comes Alteño. Curiel’s newest creation pays homage to his Jaliscan Highland roots and traditions.

Alteno – Restaurants in Denver Colorado – Clayton Hotel

Alteño, the contemporary Mexican restaurant from Michelin-starred Chef Johnny Curiel located within the Clayton Hotel & Members Club in Denver, operates seven …

Alteno Restaurant – Denver, CO – OpenTable

Alteno offers a vibrant dining experience with “amazing food and service.” Known for its “exceptional” Mexican-inspired cuisine, standout dishes …

Reviews

Andrew Land
Finally made it out to Alteno, after making our reservations in January. It was well worth the wait. We got the opportunity to try a lot of the food and we were very happy with it.

We started with the Carne Apache which was strip with homemade potato chips 8/10. We were advised that the Pan De Elote cornbread was a must try and it did not disappoint, if anything the portion was a little small 10/10. We also had the camote asado sweet potato, which was a very unique dish, great flavor and spice 10/10. We also got a guacamole for the table which was good, but nothing special 8/10. I had a crab and avocado salad which may have been my favorite dish of the night 10/10. My friend had the stuffed mushroom which was alright, nice amount of crab in the crabcake 8/10. We also had the bigger quesadilla gringa al pastor which was fantastic but different 9/10.

For our entrees we had the chuleta de res, 32oz porterhouse which fell a little short. We did not love the mole that was served on it and our steak was a little overcooked from medium rare 7/10. The chicken dish we had was exceptional pollo a las brasas 10/10, fries were amazing as well!

For dessert my friend ordered a tres leches and said it was alright, it looked good but I did not try. Our server had forgot to put in one of our entrees which was suppose to be the lamb shank. I guess things happen. All in all we really enjoyed our meal. Our tab was close to $400 before tip for 3 people but we did order a lot of food intentionally because it was our first time here. The server and hostess were all very friendly. The parking is never that easy in Cherry Creek, we were able to find street parking but our meal took almost 2 and a half hours, so it expired. We look forward to coming back here again in the near future! Great spot for a special occasion, just make sure you plan in advance as it’s hard to get a reservation.
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Jennifer Tisdel
Alteno delivers an elegant experience from the moment you arrive. The space is beautiful and polished and the hospitality is unmistakably top-tier from the hostess stand onward.

We dined as a party of six. The menu’s small-plates format is designed for sharing. Our server, Kelsey, was impeccable. She was knowledgeable and thoughtful in guiding us through the menu with clear, detailed descriptions. One standout recommendation was the sweet potato dish by Alma Fonda Fina. Though it sounded simple on paper, it was exceptional and a favorite. The flavor depth and melt in your mouth texture made it one of the night’s highlights.

The kanpachi tostada was my favorite. The flavors and texture were perfectly balanced with a gentle spicy flavor lingering. The avocado margarita was unique and delightful with a beautiful Hawaiian black salt and tajin rim adding a small amount of heat.

Overall, Alteno offers reasonable pricing for a standout experience pairing elevated cuisine with impeccable service in a beautiful setting.
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Meagan Marley
The food was outstanding but why so over the top HOT?! No one at our table could handle the heat on 4/6 of our dishes. Wish they’d give some type of warning on the menu for that or something. Would have been much more enjoyable if they’d bring the heat down to a palatable amount (when 6 people at a table think it’s too hot it’s probably too hot). Would try again, with more questions about heat levels next time before ordering. AND why do they say the chicken is 40something ounces? It was Maybe 20 oz. And that’s being generous. I’m not the first person to say this either (read many review first).
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Nicole Von Zup
Alteno was just as amazing as Alma Fonda Fina! Everything from the atmosphere, to the service, and of course the food was a wonderful experience. They have a great drink menu to begin your meal. The Paloma was a very yummy drink and was so refreshing without being too over-powerful with the grapefruit. We started with the Guacamole and the Pan de Elote. That cornbread with the truffle honey butter was the best cornbread I have ever had! The next course we shared the Gringa Al Pastor and that was delicious. We finished with the ribeye which was so tender and flavorful. I love that each course they bring out, the chef recommends how to enjoy it. We cannot wait to go back!
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Heather Newett
We loved Alteño, and will definitely go back! We walked in and sat at the bar easily on a weekday afternoon. The service was wonderful and we tried several delicious dishes and were able to sample some amazing wine! Their commitment to cultivating amazing wine and spirit collections and making great food made our visit incredibly memorable. We’re looking forward to making reservations soon to have a full dinner there.
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Jeff Pearson
Alteno is a stylish spot that works well for a date night or an evening out with your partner. The food overall is good, with bold flavors, though definitely on the spicier side, something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive to heat.

The cocktails, however, were a bit of a letdown. They often leaned too heavily into spice, and the bartenders seemed to overpour, which threw off the balance.

The atmosphere is lively, but it comes with a high noise level, so you’ll find yourself speaking up to keep a conversation going. The table layout also puts diners very close together, almost shoulder to shoulder with strangers, which can feel uncomfortable if you prefer a little more privacy.

Finding the restaurant was also tricky. The signage isn’t very clear, and we ended up circling the block to confirm parking. If you’re heading there, look for the sign that says Clayton to know you’re in the right place.

On the positive side, the service stood out, with both the host and servers being excellent and welcoming.

Overall, while we enjoyed trying Alteno, the drinks, noise, and setup make it unlikely we’ll return. Still, it was a good experience to check out once.
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Zane .Guilfoyle
What another triumph for Chef Curiel. As always, his food is made with such passion and full of stories from his life and his culture. Absolutely highly recommend Alteño. Staff were fabulous as well as all of the dishes. Some of my favorites were queso fundido with the absolutely to die for sour dough tortillas. Another fabulous dish was the cornbread, so many complex flavors all married together. Finally the lamb was so tender the meat literally fell off the bone. Absolutely break bread with friends and family and enjoy the stories of Alteño.
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JB Fenix
Cornbread and margarita 5/5. Stuffed mushroom tasty but only one with a half plate of nonsense arugula (4/5). Mole and chocolate dessert missed on flavor (3/5). Atmosphere is part of a fancy hotel which is always less than exciting; quite loud. Solid service.
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Nils Bergmann
Having been twice for a full dinner, and a few times for happy hour drinks+snacks, Alteño has set a new standard for what we look for in a restaurant in Denver. Service, food, and locale – all are beyond amazing!

From a warm and hospitable welcome at the door, to the personable engagement and exceptional attention to detail of the entire staff throughout our dinners, an elevated service makes every moment of the experience here unforgettable (thank you Fiona and Ryan & everyone!!)

The atmosphere is just as warm and inviting as the staff – and even when at full capacity (which is almost always the case!) the tables still feel well spaced and intimate, as the lighting and decor play beautifully into the experience.

Now, most importantly the food… It’s so far beyond any words that I can only recommend you try it for yourself – you can’t go wrong with anything, but if you’re unsure, you’ll receive genuine suggestions and input in a heartbeat. Personally, I don’t think I will ever come here and ~not~ order the scallops… they’re just too great.

Other standouts for us so far have been the corn bread, the sweet potato (yes, it’s THAT good), and the sea bass. But really every single dish displays a ton of thought, and is prepared with the love and care of someone who wants to invite their guests to a place at ‘their table’. Delicious through and through, with a real personality and identity.

Plates are inviting and colorful, nothing feels over-engineered or overcomplicated – though you will still find incredible technique used to elevate carefully selected ingredients to absolute perfection.

In short, even right next to the many great restaurants of Cherry Creek, Alteño immediately cemented itself as our newest favorite – and will likely remain that for a long time!!
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Allison
Amazing! Simply perfection. Chef Johnny Curiel does it again. The food and the vibes are elevated western. Distinct from the other restaurants in food and vibes with some reoccurring classics. The food was delightful. But what really made it special was our server Jon. We were there to celebrate a birthday and he was not only insanely knowledgable with our many wine questions, but also just a general joy as he guided us through our meal. Highlights include the crab and avocado salad and the queso with sourdough tortillas. And the amazing chocolate cake dessert was cozy and magical. Thanks for a great meal and impeccable service! Also if you live local and are stressed about a rezzie, set an alert on Open Table. They had a lot of day of cancellations/day before so we were able to snag an earlier time.
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