Da Rivuh

First, I realize that weekend summer afternoons in Idaho Springs are crazy busy. But the wait today was insane. Grabbed a table and was able to order with after a minimal wait in line. So I was not expecting the ridiculous long time to get our food. 45 minutes later we finally got our order. We didn’t order anything time consuming. The shrimp dinner was good but the white meat on my fried chicken plate was over cooked and dry. The sides were really tasty though. They ran out of sweet tea early on in our visit and it was never refilled but I found it way too strong anyway so I was just as happy to switch to soda. I had high hopes but this place just didn’t measure up. Hopefully they are better when things are a little slower but I doubt we’ll be back. Beware if you try to stop by on a summer weekend afternoon. You will be there for a loooong time

Must have been an off day! Came in for a late lunch post echo lake hike (awesome, you should do it), and got a shrimp po boy. The bread was pretty meh (not crusty nor chewy …) and the shrimp itself was just meh too. Got Cole slaw as the side — small and heavily dressed with mayo. The soda fountain was also out of Diet Coke so I opted for the unsweetened tea. Was really really warm (shouldn’t be so even sans ice)
It seems like a cool spot, but sadly this was a very forgettable lunch.

I think these people have kidnapped my grandma!!!
Give her back, please…
The fried chicken is better than Gus World Famous!!!
The bread pudding with Jack Daniel’s sauce is spot on.
The seafood gumbo is one of the best flavor profiles I’ve had, dark rich with lagniappe overflowing the cup/​bowl

Happened upon this town and looked up Unilocal reviews for good local eats. We ended up with 2 orders of the catfish and one jambalaya. The catfish dishes were… SO GOOD. Tender and scrumptious. Deep fried just right. Left us wondering what kind of breading they used. The jambalaya and cornbread were okay. My friends wanted to go back just for the catfish before we left Colorado but didn’t have time. Definitely a must for the catfish!

This place. THIS PLACE! So good!
I moved to Colorado in late January 2016 from The South and have been missing this type of cooking. Like most of the restaurants I try I came here based on Unilocal reviews and the reviews do not lie. I enjoyed everything I ordered and will definitely make the hour+ drive back here whenever I am craving some good Southern food from home.

Best meal I have had in a restaurant in a long time. Ordered the 3 piece Southern Fried Catfish and hubs ordered the BBQ Combo Platter. Beautiful white meat fish. As fresh as just caught with a wonderful flavor. Asked Doug, the owner, as he took our order, how he prepared the collards and he said, «The right way.» We smiled at each other, he in confidence, me in we’ll see. He won. Perfection. Potato salad to die for. Full of flavor that makes you want more and more. I was so consumed with my own lunch plate, that I didn’t taste much of hubs BBQ. But did like the subtle smoke flavor in the ribs. Nothing dripping in BBQ sauce; you can add your own at the table. The owner is a really nice guy. Really enjoyed visiting with him. Also asked if I could give kudos in person to the staff that served up such a great experience for us. Again, very nice, amiable folks. So shout out to Catfish and Sam in the kitchen. Thanks for making our afternoon so enjoyable.

This place was really amazing!!! We ordered the bbq pork with sweet potato fries, blackened catfish with grits — oh! The grits! – and fried okra, jambalaya and pecan bread pudding in creamed bourbon sauce. The last time I had southern food this good was in New Orleans 1997 (pre-​Katrina). I plan on flying back with my husband, just so he can try it.

Best cajun I’ve had in CO so far, mostly due to freshness. Incredibly fresh ingredients. Large portion size. Blackened catfish was light and perfectly cooked. Crawfish étouffée was massive, delicious, and had a ton of crawfish. Grits were the best I’ve had anywhere.
One criticism: please offer lunch portions at lunch prices. Having left overs isn’t always convenient and wasting a $ 20 meal is… a waste.

Stop it! This is the best southern/​creole/​BBQ place you will this side of the Mississippi! Make it a point to stop. We were driving up to Breck from Denver, had read a few reviews, and thought we’d give it a try– so glad we did. Our five year old twins even loved it. We had fried pickles (a must), BBQ pulled pork, fried catfish & pot roast and it was all to die for! We’ll be back for brunch– bravo!

Wow, this place is amazing. Who knew that anyone could make such authentic Cajun food in Colorado. I seriously enjoyed the oyster Po Boy’s. It was exactly like ones I’ve had in the Louisiana. The staff was super friendly. I highly recommend you skip the long lines and average food at Beau Jo’s and go here instead.

So good. I feel like I can only do 4 stars since I’m not a southern food aficionado, but my idea of what would be great Cajun food exists here. Small bowl of jambalaya was chock full of tasty meats. Fried okra was crispy and sweet, and collard greens were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The owners were super nice and came and asked how we were doing. Can’t wait to go back and try some other things! Oh and my picky teen was thrilled with the double-​patty burger. All very affordably priced.

Absolutely wonderful! The guys and I came here after looking for a place that is still open, our hotel book recommended this restaurant. It was a 20 min drive from our hotel but it was well worth it!
Prompt and courteous service. The food is as amazing, if not more, than the pictures I will upload.
We had beignets the first night. My bf ate 3 and half and the other two guys and I ate the rest. The next day we came back for brunch and had another set of beignets. My bf is a high critique of beignets and he loved these!
Go look at my pictures for the «teeny tiny» oysters!!!

Da Rivuh Rocks. Upgrading my review to 5 stars is overdue. We have been having some great meals here. After being open for a year this place really seems to have hit its groove. Awesome fried catfish — perrhaps the best I’ve ever had. Super good fried chicken here too. There are a lot of things here that I have not tried because thier fried catfish is so good. Those muffuletta sandwiches look seriously good. Maybe next time…
Da Rivuh also has really friendly folks that are truly dedicated to making sure you have a great time. Bravo! And happy one year anniversary YALL!!!

As soon as we walked in, Whitney greeted us as if we were family. We came in for breakfast and every bite was more delicious than the last. We really enjoyed the hospitality and hope to swing back through for their Mardi Gras celebrations this year. Thanks again, and looking forward to coming back!

A wonderful gem located in Idaho Springs. The food is all made fresh and with a wonderful Cajun flair. We had the oyster Po’Boy, Mahi Mahi, boiled shrimp and bread pudding for dessert. It was all amazing and Catfish the bartender was as kind as could be! We’ll definitely be back!

My boyfriend and I stopped in here for a late lunch after skiing. We usually hit up Tommyknocker’s, but the wait was exceptionally long and as we walked back to the car hungry and disappointed, we smelled BBQ and heel-​turned to Da Rivah. Either I never noticed it before or it is new, but this place is surely a hidden gem!
The place is very understated and minimalistic… the way true BBQ should be! No frills, you order your food at the counter and grab a beer out of the case (the do have a bar area as well, but it was a slow afternoon and appeared unattended). One look at the menu and I really had no idea what to choose. I ended up getting the pork platter and my boyfriend got the fried chicken.
The pork was delicious! Smoked low and slow, it packed a serious punch of deliciousness that was hard to pace myself with. Don’t even get me with started with the BBQ sauce… I could drink that stuff!
When my boyfriend’s chicken cooled enough to eat (fresh out of the fryer and piping hot!) we tackled that, and I am at a loss to choose my favorite. The cornmeal batter was thick and crunchy, not the soggy skin commonly found at places service fried chicken. Hands down some of the best friend chicken I’ve tasted west of the Mississippi!
One suggestion is that I would really have loved to see cornbread on the menu. There is just something about a thick slice of sweet cornbread accompanying my BBQ that sends me to heaven each bite.
Next time you stop in Idaho Springs on your way back from the mountains, look past the long lines and now-​commercial vibe of BeauJo’s and Tommyknocker’s and hit up Da Rivuh for some truly southern food!

Hot damn! I’m trying to figure out how to make it to Idaho Springs every week just to gorge myself on the tasty bits here.
Their fried chicken is served piping hot and has just a touch of spice and savor to the breading. Crispy. Perfect.
Collard greens are unbelievably flavorful without being drenched in meat fat.
Fried okra is addictive.
Oyster Po’boy is dangerously addictive. I had to turn off the auto-​vacuum feature on my mouth after stealing a bite from my friend. Wanted the whole darn thing.
Jambalaya is PACKED with proteins — tasty sausage, tender chicken, succulent shrimp and crawfish… all in a well-​balanced sauce mixed in with springy rice.
My favorite? Hard to admit this, but it was actually the chicken and dumplings. Really hit the spot after a cold day of snowboarding. It says it’s in a cream sauce but it’s a little more like a broth, which I prefer, and is not very dairy’y (also good for me, Ms. Lactose-​intolerant-​but-​ignoring-​it).
My least favorite was probably the fried catfish but honestly I’m not a huge fan of catfish anyway. I’d be interested to try the blackened catfish, though…
The smell of beignets wafted over after our feast (portions are huge) and I nearly broke down and got some, along with some key lime pie. But I could barely stand. Food coma. So the sweets will have to wait until next time.
Did I mention the service? Comforting Louisiana drawl and a warm reception. You order and pay at the counter (especially convenient when you’re keeping the checks separate) and they bring the food out to you. I kept trying to get up to get things I needed at the counter, but a gentleman kept swooping in at the perfect time to help — super friendly and attentive.
Interior is simple but charming.
I’m into it.

If you don’t look outside the window, you’ll think you’ve been transported to New Orleans. Jambalaya, Gumbo, fried okra, collards are prominent on the menu, and portions are sizeable. Our group had a mix of the seafood gumbo, shrimp and grits, okra, and jambalaya. All were very tasty! And you do not leave hungry.
The staff are very friendly and helpful. A full bar is also available. My one quibble is that when you order, you are given a square disk that vibrates when your order is ready. Maybe during less busy times, such as when we were there (1−2pm), thought could be given to delivering the orders.
I’ll definitely be back the next time I’m in Idaho Springs. Well worth getting off the highway for!

This place is unforgettable! We went the first time after white water rafting and were very pleasantly surprised. So tonight we went back and ordered ribs again. Even better!
The potato salad is heavenly, fried okra awesome, and we finished with the perfect beignets! Soooooo good!
The service is super friendly, funny, and informative. Easily worth our 1 hour drive up the hill just for this food

We are from southern Louisiana and have been waiting for a place like this! Come to find out that the owners are from the same town we are. Great southern cooking and high quality food at a great price.
The owners are great and really make you feel at home. There are so many great menu items it was hard to choose from. Everything we tried was delicious.
It was great to listen to some great blues music while eating.
Thanks a lot to Whitney for all of the great hospitality!