When Yardbird restaurant debuted on the American dining scene in 2011, it did so in a big way, with nominations as the country’s best new restaurant from the and . And when the company opens a Denver location later this year, it will somehow be even bigger – literally.
According to an announcement this week, Yardbird is slated to open this fall in the River North Arts District — at 26th and Blake in the Lot Twenty-Eight development — in a space thatap a whopping 13,800 square feet inside with an additional 20,000 square feet of outdoor space. The outside – lauded in a statement as the area’s “largest urban patio” – will feature a stage for live entertainment, a full bar, and a smoker.
The restaurant will be able to hold more than 500 patrons between its seats inside and out, the announcement said.
“I instantly fell in love with Denver’s RiNo District and knew Yardbird, with its combination of locally-sourced food in a warm and inviting industrial atmosphere, was the perfect addition to the continually developing neighborhood,” said John Kunkel, CEO of owner/operator 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, which also opened CHICA in Aspen in December.
Yardbird is known for serving upscale Southern food, with an emphasis on fried chicken, paired with a sizable menu of whiskey, beer, wine and other spirits. Bourbon, fittingly, is a staple of the beverage menu.
The Denver menu will feature some unique dishes that are still in development, a spokesperson said, but specialties like the St. Louis ribs ($36) and the lobster mac & cheese (market price) will make their way to the Mile High City. Another staple across the restaurantap many locations is chicken and waffles, which run $36 to $38 depending on the city where you dine. Upgrade to The Whole Bird, a larger portion of the chicken and waffles, and the price increases to $62-$68.
Denver will mark the eighth location when it opens this fall, behind locations in Miami, Las Vegas, Dallas, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Singapore and its newest restaurant in Chicago, which is scheduled to open this summer.
