Cajun in Denver

2400 W. Alameda Ave. Southwest Denver

303-922-0699

If you were asked to seamlessly blend East and West, Asian and Cajun probably wouldn't be the first combination to come to mind – but that element of surprise is exactly what makes this oddball fusion cuisine so great. The Asian Cajun is really two restaurants in one: It offers year-round seafood boils and Cajun favorites like fried frog legs alongside delicious, sizzling Lao lemongrass sausage and Korean barbecue. Throw in a few hybrid creations — try the étouffée dip served with wonton chips — and your biggest challenge at Asian Cajun will be narrowing down your choices (hint: Bring friends).

7 articles

Bayou Bob's Restaurant & Bar

1635 Glenarm Place Downtown Denver

303-573-6828

Cajun, Creole

Let the good times roll! Bayou Bob's, conveniently located next to the Paramount Theatre, brings the spirit of New Orleans to Denver. This is close as you'll get to Bourbon Street without leaving Colorado. The kitchen serves up authentic Southern cuisine, including crawfish, jambalaya and etoufee; the bar offers happy hour six days a week, with specials on domestic longnecks and hurricanes, Louisiana lemonades and Bayou Ritas.

9 articles

Bourbon Street Seafood and Chophouse

328 McCaslin Blvd Louisville

303-955-0845

Cajun

Get into the spirit of New Orleans with Dixieland Jazz on Friday nights.

Casian Seafood

211 N. Public Rd. Lafayette

720-216-5704

Seafood, Asian, Cajun

You don’t think of crawfish when you think of Colorado, and you probably don’t think of Lafayette when you think of James Beard Award-nominated restaurants. But you’ll find both in one appealing package at Lafayette’s Casian Seafood, which was nominated for Best New Restaurant in the Mountain region in 2022. It didn't take home the prize, but you’ll feel like a blue-ribbon recipient digging into a seafood boil at the Cajun-Asian spot (get it seasoned with regular or spicy ginger, lemon and garlic; lemon butter; or the house “spicy Casian”). You can also go straight-up Cajun with jambalaya and fried oysters or Hmong-influenced with lemongrass sausage or ceviche-shrimp larb.

Cherry Creek Harbor

13740 E Quincy Ave, Unit 9 Aurora

720-870-0255

Cajun, Indian

1 article

Chickee's Lil Kitchen

4340 Zuni St. Northwest Denver

720-329-3980

Cajun, Mexican, Best Of, Menu

3 articles

Clawful

1862 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Lakewood

303-632-8079

Cajun, Vietnamese, Seafood, Menu

The Crawling Crab II

3215 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Lakewood

303-284-4670

Cajun, Seafood

The Crawling Crab

781 S. Federal Blvd., Unit A Southwest Denver

303-936-0123

Cajun, Seafood, Menu

The big red crustacean hunched over the Crawling Crab sign on Federal Boulevard lets you know that you’ll be swimming in uncomplicated seafood once you step through the door. And the rest of the decor echoes that promise: Life-sized sharks and pelicans swoop from the ceiling above life preservers, mooring ropes and raw timbers that seem salvaged from an old pier. Throughout the restaurant, the distinctive aroma of crab boil mingles with the sweetish, tidal notes of steam rising from boiling pots of crab, crawfish and shrimp. The Crawling Crab’s spicy Rajun Cajun sauce brings out the best in the boiled crawfish, while the more refined garlic-butter sauce offers just the right richness for meaty, whole blue crab. But this isn’t just a typical Louisiana seafood joint; it’s an example of the Vietnamese variation on crab shacks that began sweeping the country nearly a decade ago. Subtle Asian touches in the sauces and sides moor the restaurant more firmly in the here-and-now of the cultural collisions so prevalent on this stretch of Federal.

3 articles

The Creole Vegan

1020 15th St. Downtown Denver

720-381-8681

Cajun, Creole, Vegan

Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood

9280 Sheridan Blvd. Westminster

303-427-8888

Cajun, Seafood, Menu

Jessie's Smokin' NOLA

11061 S. Parker Rd., Parker Southeast Denver Suburbs

720-600-1191

Cajun

After running a food truck for more than five years, Jessie Rayford opened a brick-and-mortar location of his Cajun eatery, Jessie's Smokin' NOLA, in Centennial in 2019. In July 2022, he opted not to renew the lease and closed the place. "Retiring" was his simple answer for any question about what he planned to do next. But he didn't retire; instead, he reopened his eatery inside craft beer bar Max Taps in early 2023, and moved to his own brick-and-mortar in Parker in 2024. Now Rayford has space to spread out and offer dishes like crawfish bread and a turducken burger in addition to fan favorites like po'boys, jambalaya, gumbo and fried seafood platters.

Lincoln's Roadhouse

1201 S. Pearl St. South Denver

303-777-3700

Cajun, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

The rowdy blues and rock at the Roadhouse fit the rough-and-ready crowds looking for beer and a band on the weekends, when the smallish joint can get packed. Big booths keep colleagues comfy and close for conversation, and the stage is right by the window, so prospective patrons can get an earful before they even venture inside. There's plenty of Southern fare on the menu, like po' boys, grilled Louisiana hot sausage, gumbo and jambalaya, as well as Lincoln's famous pot-roast burrito and meatloaf cheeseburger.

16 articles

The Lost Cajun

5350 S. Santa Fe Dr. Littleton

720-535-8862

Cajun, Recommended, Menu

There aren't many Cajun eateries in Denver, and the few that do pop up often skew Asian, thanks to the Vietnamese immigrant population that settled in Louisiana and then migrated north. But this Littleton spot is all Southern, and despite the casual vibe, it doesn't take any shortcuts with the food: The gumbo simmers for eight hours before being served up to customers. And there are plenty of Bayou classics on offer: Choose from one of four different gumbos (including a veggie version), fried alligator nuggets and boudin sausage bites, hush puppies and authentic sweet tea (just Lipton and simple syrup). The excellent jambalaya often sells out, so go early.

1 article

NoNo's Cafe

3005 W. County Line, Littleton Southeast Denver Suburbs

303-738-8330

Cajun, Creole, Southern, Best Of

Better wear the elastic-waistband jeans to NoNo's Cafe, a Southern-style eatery that serves comfort food in the extreme. NoNo's features food so bad (for you) it's good, from big, bacony breakfasts to an outrageous stacked macaroni and cheese that's served as a heaping accompaniment to many entrees. NoNo's also satisfies a New Orleans jones with gumbo, catfish dishes and every imaginable kind of po' boy sandwich; beignets and chicory coffee are nice, authentic touches. If it's a light meal you're after, stay far away from NoNo's, where even the grilled salmon comes covered in a creamy sauce. But if you're looking for a big, fat feast, NoNo's will surely do the trick.

5 articles

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

7520 E. Progress Place, Englewood Southeast Denver Suburbs

303-740-9449

Cajun, Creole, Soul Food, Southern, Menu

This Texas-based chain draws inspiration from the vibrant French Quarter in New Orleans, and it attempts to channel that scene in both atmosphere and cuisine. Wooden slats and and brick walls provide the base for the bayou-themed decor in Pappadeaux's low-ceilinged, massive outpost in the Denver Tech Center. Groups flood the place for the seafood-based menu, which includes Louisiana specialties like shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and gumbo, as well as plenty of fruity, alcoholic beverages. A Sunday brunch buffet invites a veritable orgy of eating, with diners able to sample not just the entrees, but breakfast fare such as pancakes, omelets and much, much more.

Trailhead Taphouse and Kitchen

811 12th St Golden

720-638-9009

Bar, Cajun, Menu

Cajun in Denver

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