Bones

The pork belly buns and the Brussels sprouts are out of this world! Also ordered the carbonara ramen which was different but in a good way, the broth was amazing, just don’t order it if you are expecting a true ramen flavor… more Italian than anything. Would order everything again!

We drive past Bones all the time on our way home from the Esquire theater and finally stopped in for dinner last night. The space is small and cozy in a way that makes it feel like the perfect romantic date night spot. We were seated at the bar, which we usually love, but my seat was right next to the POS system and that turned out to be really weird. I agreed to sitting there though, so not knocking Bones on that. Service was just okay, not overly friendly or attentive and at one point I saw someone send their ramen back because it had cilantro in it and the chef just scooped it out. I’m not sure what restaurant protocol is for that kind of stuff but it ruined my illusion that when you return a dish at a restaurant they actually remake it.
As for the food, I was a fan of the steamed buns. The buns are really fluffy, if not slightly gummy, and the pork belly was perfectly portioned and flavorful. My green chile ramen was just okay. It was SO HOT that my tongue felt burnt to a crisp and I thought the flavor was more like your standard beef and bean chile than green chile but it wasn’t inedible or anything. My few tastes of the lobster ramen were great! The lobster was delicious and I really like the buttery tasting broth and inclusion of edamame. Overall, I just didn’t love Bones and bottom line is: if I want great ramen, I’ll just go to Uncle.

I’ve heard about this place before from so many people so had to try it! Apart from the ramen (obviously) they all said to get the pork belly steamed buns… They take 15min so we ordered them as soon as we sat down. Wow! Those were great. Diced up pork belly with a good crisp outside and flavorful doughy buns.
I got the green chili ramen and my friend got the carbonara ramen. The green chili ramen was a flavor-​palette delight with ingredients from all different regions and complimentary spices — the hominy/​cotija cheese/​poached egg combo was a wonderful surprise of flavors though. This ramen was in a broth whereas the carbonara one was more noodle based in a sauce rather than soupy. My friend seemed to enjoy hers though!
The food was delicious and the service great. However, this place is small and loud — the design makes noises echo, especially with an open kitchen (both good (fun to watch food being prepared and bad (noisy)).

This place is from the same owner of one of my favorite places to eat in Denver last year, Osteria Marco in Larimer square. This was described as a ramen place that is French inspired. I could not pass this up when it was recommended. This was different then the authentic ramen noodles I’m used to, but I knew that coming in.
4 stars — Vegetable ramen: Tofu, vegetarian dashi, Shiro miso, cured bamboo shoots, seasonal vegetable, cilantro. Not many places have a vegetarian option for ramen, so I was very thankful they’ve got one here. The texture of the vegetables were too soft and felt over cooked. The noodles though, were perfect, bouncy/​chewy. Ramen broth, if you’re not careful, can be salty. And that was a little bit the case here. Everyone at the table felt the same way and we mostly ate the noodles and not much of the broth. They all got either the lobster ramen or green chile ramen.
2 stars — Crispy brussels sprouts. These were flash fried, and about 30 seconds overdone. This is one of those sprouts preparations that can walk a fine line between being just right and just burnt. In this case, a tad on the burnt side. Especially the pieces of brussels sprouts that were just the leafy parts.
5 stars — Hot ginger tea. This was a comforting cup of tea! Fragrant and the right bit of ginger flavor, not too strong. They refill them also!
5 stars — Service. We reserved a table in advance and we were seated right away. I would recommend reservations, as this place is small. They can get busy, but the food service was so quick!
For those cold and snowy nights, ordering that ginger tea alone could make me happy. Also, it’s a good place in Denver if you are craving ramen.

The food was pretty decent, the ambiance and mood of the place is great; cozy and romantic.
The waitress we had was so sweet, nice and super helpful even though she has a sprained/​broken hand.
My main issue is the hostess (for the sake of if there’s more than one, we visited on Sunday the 10^th of Jan), she was a straight up rude bitch that doesn’t know how to deal with customers. I asked about if a table was reserved and if we could switch ours and she had an attitude problem and was extremely disrespectful answering «no». By 8:40PM a couple walked in (they weren’t going to eat they were just saying hi to a friend) and the hostess just went crazy screaming repeatedly «we’re closed we’re closed we’re closed!»
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t want to visit again, I’m hoping someone talks to her. I know she could be working hours and be tired but it’s uncalled for to be rude when you’re in a restaurant business.

Great food and friendly waitress. Love their tea. Had lobster ramen for the first time. And it is beautifully done. As well as the braised pork bunssss

I already knew the ramen here would be nontraditional. I think most places that try Asian-​inspired or Asian-​fusion get it wrong but I was still willing to give Bones a shot.
When it comes to ramen, I can appreciate creativity, but I think there are three things that can’t be comprised — the texture of the noodle, the flavor of the broth, and quality/​flavor of the meat. With that in mind, I think Bones did an ok job. In my party we tried the lobster ramen and chicken ramen. The lobster ramen was by far the better of the two, generous flavorful portions of lobster, noodles were a good consistency — bouncy/​chewy, but I think the soup had too much miso in it so it was too salty but otherwise satisfying. I don’t even mind paying a premium ($ 20) but it was not good enough to make me want to pay that again. The chicken ramen broth lacked depth and umami. The confit thigh itself was good but the broth made the dish really disappointing.
We also tried the escargot potstickers — drenched in sauce and no escargot flavor. Finally the buns. It feels like ever since David Chang revamped the traditional Chinese peking duck bun, every Asian-​inspired restaurant needs their own version. That’s fine, but the bun is just as important as the filling and most places care more about inventive fillings and sauces than the bun itself. We had the Wednesday special buns — this week they were shrimp tempura, nuoc cham, and cabbage slaw. I think the nuoc cham was watered down as I didn’t taste the pungency of the fish sauce at all, the shrimp tempura was well fried but the bun itself was underdone, almost raw (see picture). When I bit inside, I immediately felt the raw dough and couldn’t finish it. I asked the waitress if the bun was supposed to be like this and she said «yes our buns are doughy.» I would call this raw before doughy but it looks like most reviewers like how they do their buns. My opinion of a good bun is not too dense, fluffy, and definitely baked the same doneness throughout.
If you have never had ramen or pork buns before this place might be good. Perhaps my experience with better has tainted my view of this place. In the end, it was too pricy for what they were trying to serve.

Hands down the best ramen place I’ve ever been to. We got the Brussel Sprouts and Pork Belly Buns for an appetizer and they were delicious. I split the Lobster Raman and the Pork Shoulder Udon with my friend and they were both out of this world. Unfortunately I was too full to have dessert but will be going back to try the Churro Ice Cream Sandwich!

Bones had been on my To-​Try list for a long time. The colder the weather became, the more I wanted ramen, so we finally decided to go. I am a big fan of Frank Bonnano’s other restaurant, Osteria Marco, so I had pretty high expectations going in. That said, I had never had ramen before.
Parking in that neighborhood is a nightmare, especially on a Friday night. Fortunately, they have free valet on 7^th, so I took advantage of that. That was a nice bonus. I had a reservation, so we were seated immediately. The restaurant is tiny, but tables seemed to turn over quickly. The atmosphere was fun, but the music was a bit louder than I would have liked. It was difficult to carry on a conversation without yelling across our tiny table. I think I said «what?!» about 47 times.
The service was excellent. I have no complaints there… we were attended to and never left wanting for anything. The staff was very courteous and professional.
We ordered the braised pork buns and the bone marrow to start. I had been craving pork buns, and they were pretty good. The bone marrow was rich and garlicky — not my thing, but I enjoyed sampling it. We both ordered the yakisoba with shrimp and finished it. It was good. Everything was good. I have no complaints. I enjoyed my dinner, but I’m deducting a star because I just wasn’t wowed. I guess I expected to be wowed. It wasn’t a particularly memorable meal, and with so many other amazing options in the area, I wouldn’t go out of my way to go back. I also wouldn’t go out of my way to avoid going back.

First of all you have to have the sticky buns or you’re doing it wrong. Make sure you get the kimchi and save some to put a little on said buns. Your Chiefs are the best entertainment (we sat at the bar) we got hot saki and Kirin and chicken ramen! Amazing! My favorite chief’s name is Nicky The Fish! He’s the shit

You must get the buns! Do not leave here without trying the buns! I’ve already made plans to return just for those dang pork buns!
We went for their happy hour and it was the perfect way to get a sample of their wares. As it should be! We got to try several things and a couple different cocktails. All half off! Everything was superb!
My favorite cocktail was the lychee sidecar. And my favorite menu item… hmmmm…what could it beeeeee?

I’m a really big fan of this restaurant. The restaurant is definitely modern asian, it’s not the most traditional, but the flavors are on point. I definitely suggest getting the brussel sprouts to start. They’re fried which gives them great texture, and they’re super flavorful. I’ve had both of their vegetarian dishes, the yakisoba and the vegetable ramen. Both were filled with fresh vegetables and the noodles were cooked well. I think I preferred the vegetable ramen, but that’s just a personal preference as there are few things I like more than a large bowl of soup. On top of it, the service is always great, and on one occasion where it was slow, they brought us complimentary sake to make up for it. I appreciate a restaurant that goes out of their way with customer service, and Bones definitely does that.

Started off on a bad foot as the server greeted us with «can I start some drinks for you?». Seemed irritated. No big deal because it got WAY better.
We had some shush its peppers and steamed pork belly buns for an appetizer. AMAZING!
For dinner we had the Lobster Ramen. It was PHENOMENAL.
The drinks were also amazing. I had a couple of the craft cocktail offerings and they didn’t disappoint.
It can be pricey if you do the full dinner and drinks, but definitely worth it!

It’s time to update my review of Bones, considering it’s been five years since I have been back. Let’s bump them up a notch.
Bones is solid. It hasn’t changed much in five years and I was happy to see a lot of the same items on the menu as the last time we were here. The flavors are good, the portions are plenty and the service is excellent. Huge plus for the service!
We started the night with the steamed pork buns and they were sweet, salty and soft. They were pretty good, but a little dry. The crispy Brussels sprouts were perfectly cooked, not over crispy and very flavorful. The bone marrow was and is my favorite, same as last time. The escargot pot stickers were nicely done, but a little too crispy IMO. Everything was pretty delicious, but again the bone marrow was the highlight for me. I remembered having it the last time we were in and it did not disappoint this time either. The only thing it was missing this time was the seasonal fig jam bummer, not sure what season we’re in jam wise, but a seasonal jam would have been nice touch. Overall the apps were good to go.
Here’s where it gets weird. My wife ordered the Udon, our friend ordered the lobster ramen, and against my better judgement, I ordered the green chile ramen. For me, the green chile ramen was a big miss. No, just no. Although the dish was perfectly prepared and the flavors were excellent, my tastebuds were so confused and put off. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of green chile ramen. It was just green chile trying to be a sneaky Asian fusion dish — Ninja Ramen?
Stick with what you do best, Bones, please replace this with something else, anything else. The other dishes were spot on — rich, flavorful and robust.
With the limited choices of ramen in Denver, Bones is a solid one. I will be back, but I will avoid the green chile ramen.

We told the hostess we were visiting from Chicago when we made our reservation and they had a postcard waiting for us! Service was amazing and food was impeccable. The menu items were unique and not to be found elsewhere. The menu focused on speciality dishes that they do best and the sake suggested was a perfect compliment. Would highly recommend if you are in the mood for new innovative tastes!

We love this place and they love us back!
We eat here a few times and month and we love it! Be sure to ask for a counter spot so you can see and smell the food!
Try the Miso Lobster Ramen and the Green Tea Press, but start with the roasted Bone Marrow. It’s like meat butter! Love it!

Hands down the best «alt ramen» I’ve had
Hominy
Green chili
Braised pork
Tomato
Pork broth
Porno egg
The location is small and nobody yelled any racial slurs while I was here so that is good
You need this in your life

I’m gonna go ahead an’ start this one with a random sampling of things said/​overheard when the cooks cranked Minor Threat Radio– and I do mean cranked:
* «It’s not very punk to eat trail mix.»
* «Apparently, he’s a big immigrant activist in Rhode Island.»
* (When one cook asks if it’s edge to drink a beer while listening to Minor Threat, she-​beaux says) «Being ‘you’ is the most EDGE thing you can do.»
Bits like this is why I love my boo so much, ya’ll.
And this is after the motown mix that absolutely slayed the place prior to Minor Threat. At one point, everyone eating at the bar sang aloud «Play That Funky Music» unplanned and unrehearsed. It was amazing.
The staff here are exceptional, or whatever other more superlative words you can come up with. The ladies workin’ here are super rad, and gorgeous (this is a she-​beaux approved anecdote), and the guys cookin’ it up have excellent recommendations to accommodate our desire for veggies in the ramen, and the GF necessity.
Order the shishito peppers just so my man will break out the War of the Worlds lookin’ blowtorch and scorch them puppies while explaining the culinary fixture attached to the nozzle.
And add an egg to everything you order.
Final words on my man– a couple came in close to closing and tried to play that whole «Oh, we’ll be quick; we don’t want to put you out» bit with him, but he let them know they had to order what they want. When homegirl-​trying-​to-​be-​cute/​nice says, «It’s your job to go home» (say what, girl? I wanna get paid for that job), my man raises his voice, points a ladle at her, and barks «Our job is to cook. Your job is to eat well.»
Plus he has the same laugh as Billy from Predator.
That’s what’s up.
Get at ‘em, and do so at the bar on a weekday night near closin’ time for the illest experience.

So I wish I could give this four, but I feel that the ramen was a little «meh» especially considering how much you’re paying. My boyfriend got the Lobster Ramen, which tasted a lot like a watered down bisque (not a bad thing, it was actually pretty good), but the amount of lobster for the hefty price tag, and the prepackaged tasting noodles was a bit much.
I ordered the very spicy Mexican food fusion ramen (I can’t remember its fancy name for the life of me, but you’d know it when you saw it on the menu. It’s the one with lots of peppers in it). Really unique, very good and I loved it! What I didn’t love was the fact that the waitress kept insisting how spicy it was when I tried to order extra chili on the side. She even had someone whip up a watered down version of «extra chili» just incase it was too spicy. I get that she’s trying to be considerate (which good on her A+), but I would love for someone to take, «I like my food to burn my face off» seriously. I know I’m whiter than the driven snow, but I love stupidly spicy food that hurts your mouth when you eat it. Just give me my spicy add ons damn it, I don’t need the «just so you know it’s already hot» lecture every time I eat out (this is totally not a problem with me, I know it’s just me). Regardless, the ramen I got was brilliantly delicious and I felt well worth the price tag with it!
For dessert, my BF and I ordered the Churro ice-​cream sandwich. Holy crap that was amazing! I would return just to eat that! I have never had something more heavenly and can’t wait to get in there and have it again!

Everything is really good here. I had the lobster ramen + egg and Chloe had the green chile udon. We started with the pork belly Buns (half and half, pork shoulder and whatever the other option was), and the bone marrow, which was AWESOME. Had the Tokyo Sour and the Manhattan variation. Also had the Sake with ginger beer and a bottle of it. Bread pudding for dessert!
Super small, but perfect for two. No large parties here. The front doors are the tiniest doors in history. Lots of different sake bottles on the wall, and the chefs are on top of it. You get a waitress plus the manager bringing you food and checking on you, so not a moment goes by where you aren’t attended to!
One star off for the price, it can get up there when you add $ 12 cocktails and $ 14 – 16 appetizers! And some of the ramen bowls are a little expensive. But still worth going here!