Hive Garden Bistro

Ordered the quinoa/​black bean veggie burger. Delicious. I wouldn’t say it’s worth 10.95 $, but you’re paying that price because it’s in the botanical gardens.
My son had a cheese quesadilla that he ate all of. We also got the lemon hummus with red chard and pita bread. I love most hummus but this was WAY to lemon-​y. For $ 12.95 that’s something I’ll never order again. Overall cool place, good lemonade, and it’s got a great view of the gardens!

We were visiting the Botanical Gardens and wanted to have a bite to eat for lunch. The location is perfect and is in the center of the gardens. The tables are all outdoors, some areas are covered by a patio cover and other tables have umbrellas. It is a counter order but they bring the food to your table.
The food was very good. Innovative selections, especially the salads and the sandwiches. Personal favorite was the BBQ Pork Sandwich w/​sweet potato fries. They have a good variety of soda’s and juices. There is a fire oven for pizza’s as well and they are yummy!
Tip: Grab a table near the Monet Pool, as the views are relaxing and beautiful!

We had slightly inflated expectations based on the Unilocal rating. I ordered the quinoa /​black bean burger with bleu cheese and fries on the side plus a margarita pizza for the kids. We also got two soda floats which proved popular for the little ones (no surprise.)
The burger was pretty good. Buns were a bit dry and firm but the pattie plus fixin’s of lettuce, tomato, onion and thick pickles overall made for a satisfying burger. I could taste some nice pepper in the veggie patty and it did not at all taste processed or «too much soy.» Without the bleu cheese it may have been too bland.
The pizza was a total disappointment. I had high hopes considering they have a nice outdoor gas-​fired pizza oven. Order taker warned it could take 25 — 30 minutes but it came in closer to 20. Soggy crust, too much cheese and the tomato sauce had an odd flavor. When it comes to thin crust pizza, more cheese is not better.
However, the food came out in a reasonable time, the weather was gorgeous and the botanical gardens (especially the pond) are truly beautiful.

AH-​MAZING! I went the weekend Corpse Flower was supposed to bloom…(who knew Stinky would be a late bloomer?) Went to The Hive to get a bite ’cause we were hungry. Stood in line for a short few minutes, and got greeted by a very friendly cashier. Ordered my meal gluten free, and tried to order sweet fries with my gluten free Bistro Steak Sandwich. She very politely and knowledgeably let me know that the sweet fries were not gluten free and offered the gluten free options. Super tasty sandwich. My friend got a regular bistro steak sandwich no onions, and that came out correctly, And the third person in our party also got a gluten free sandwich and that came out correctly (and super tasty too!) Great to know that not only is there tasty and safe food for me at the Gardens, as a Garden Member, I also get to save 10% off my meal! It’s a win-​win-​win all around. Beautiful Scenery. Tasty Food. AND I save money. :)

How is this place getting such high ratings? My husband and I are members of the gardens and have been for three years. I have tried to like this place. I really have but the food in my opinion is not in line with the theme of a botanic garden and it is overpriced for what you get. They put items that sound garden fresh but I really think that the products they use are not. I had a sandwich today that had poor quality lunch meat (suppose to be smoked turkey), and the bread was doughy. It was also very small and they charge $ 10 for it. I guess it does come with chips but I had to add a dollar to change this to sweet potato fries. The café at the front of the gardens is much better and uses more garden fresh ingredients. I was really excited when this new place went into the gardens and thought that it would be just a more upscale version of the café. The hive is just a glorified «grill» that charges more than the café with substandard food. I would much rather spend $ 15-​$ 20 for a lunch there and get better food because the patio and the overlook onto the lily pond are fantastic.

Place is a little over priced and the quality of the food is lacking. They are able to charge more since it’s in the Gardens. However the restaurant in the main building has better quality and prices as well. I had the chicken breast sandwich and was still hungry after I finished. Portions seem somewhat small, and the quality of the food wasn’t worth the price. The atmosphere is great but likewise you could bring a picnic from home and sit anywhere in the garden and have a great atmosphere. That’s what you paid admission for. Anyway caveat emptor. I will go to the other place and have an awesome Cuban panini.

Good food fast in a great setting: this is a different take on order at the counter! You are inside the fabulous Denver Botanical Gardens & enjoy dining on an elegant stone patio with comfortable seating. Delicious generously sized individual pizzas are produced quickly (you can watch them go in & out of the large brick oven), and greens & other ingredients for the meals are grown in the kitchen garden (le potager) alongside the dining patio. We shared our quinoa, greens & _​_​salad and split the prosciutto & artichoke pizza for a right sized lunch: both were delicious and arrived surprisingly quickly. Iced beverages are self-​serve, and include real (not instant) black tea, green tea, lemonade & another juice blend along with the usual soft drink selections. Beer, wine, espresso & chai are available.

I am so very fortunate to work next door to the gardens. On a beautiful spring day this week, I walked from work to the gardens to have lunch. The Hive Garden bistro was new for me to try. It is located next to the lily pond area so it could not have a more spectacular setting.
For lunch I went with the fried artichoke sandwich with lemon aioli and a side of sweet potato fries. As a member of the gardens you get 10% off the bill which is a nice little perk. They give you a number and then you take a seat. It was nice to have table side service.
The sandwich was a tasty little treat and the fries were good although they could have been a touch crispier. The artichokes were individually fried so it did make it a bit messy. There could have been a touch more seasoning in the artichokes too to really take them over the top.
The experience was really lovely as I listened to the frogs croaking and felt the spring breeze. Truly a magical little moment of the day.

It’s hard to believe a restaurant with this quality food was in this location. Most food establishments in side of a tourist area are not desirable at all. The Hive could easily be a brick and mortar in Downtown Denver.
The food smelled amazing and is prepared fresh. I only got the iced black tea and a key lime bar. Both items were fantastic! The misses got Aqua Fresas mango peach cilantro and mint I believe. It was super refreshing.
If your at the Botanic Gardens don’t pass up the Hive hell even skip breakfast or lunch before you go and have your meal here!

We all know that the food sold at attractions is usually mediocre, at best. That is NOT the case here!
The Hive is located pretty much in the middle of The Denver Botanic Gardens, and the fare here is a pleasant surprise. The food is actually made fresh to order, and delivious. They have everything from burgers to quinoa salad, and it all looks and smells fantastic. All of the cups and plates are compostable, which is awesome as well.
There are lots of tables under big shady trees surrounding this place if you need to sit, eat, and take a break. Definitely a great little find in an unexpected place!

Wow. Ordered the steak sandwich and was blown away. It was fresh and paired with what I am guessing was a chimichurri sauce of some sort. A little pricey, but what do you expect at the botanical gardens?

The menu is fresh, varied, modern, and exciting. The food was reasonably priced based on the quality on the fact that it’s within the park. I ordered the blue jalapeño burger and it was juicy and delicious!

These guys are the only game in town at the center of the botanic gardens. It’s a decent place, but the lines are ridiculously long. Curiously, we didn’t have to wait that long for our food after we had ordered. Super friendly staff (as are most Colorado folks), but just okay food. The Mahi Mahi sandwich was a little bland, though the fries were excellent. The pear salad was fine.