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James Beard Award–winning chef Tyson Cole made a splash when he brought his Austin, Texas, sushi restaurant, Uchi, to a hip new LoHi spot in 2018. Eight years later, Cole’s Hai Hospitality has chosen Cherry Creek to introduce another of its concepts, Uchiko (which means “child of Uchi”), to the Mile High City. Moving into the former home of the Ginny Williams Gallery at the corner of Fillmore Street and East Third Avenue, Uchiko promises a menu of sushi and small plates similar to Uchi’s, but bolstered by wood-fired cooking.
While ordering à la carte from a cushy booth done up in burgundy leather is a great way to sample the offerings while viewing the rotating collection of art honoring Ginny Williams’ legacy, the somewhat intimidating (owing to the myriad options) menu can be tricky to navigate. Here, a tour of several ways you can get the experience you want, whether you’re looking for a value-based lunch or a celebratory night out.
Lunch at Uchiko
The power lunch took a big hit in the years following the pandemic as working from home became the norm. Cherry Creek was one of the first neighborhoods to bounce back—evident in the foot traffic and dearth of parking spaces during peak lunch hours.
Uchiko’s midday specials, offered from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, make the business lunch—or a break from shopping—a tasty idea, starting with a $29 prix fixe roster that lets you choose a starter (salad, Brussels sprouts, or the signature hama chili); main, including furikake crispy rice, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), or a burger stacked with American cheese, charred onion aioli, and pickled daikon; and seasonal sorbet. For a few dollars more, the Ko lunch offers a wedge salad, hand roll, two nigiri, and a burger, chicken sando, or karaage.
Happy Hour at Uchiko
Like Uchi, Uchiko’s happy hour, served from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, offers a considerable discount over dinner, with many temaki, nigiri, and small plates, like the hama chili (made with yellowtail, ponzu, Thai chile, and orange), ringing in at about half the price of dinner menu equivalents. You could also splurge on a happy hour tasting menu for a sampler of fresh seafood for $120 for two people.
There’s also a selection of wine and sake by the glass for $9, Sapporos for $7.50, and N/A cocktails for $8. If you’re not heading back to the office, consider the house gin and tonic made sweet-tart with a dash of yuzu cordial, or the Tsurai, a global blend of tequila, Aperol, passionfruit, and Thai chiles (both $10).
Omakase and Somakase at Uchiko
Not sure what to order? Uchiko’s 10-course omakase option puts the decision-making in the hands of the sushi chef. On any given night, you’ll taste longtime favorites alongside newer dishes like toro nuta, a combination of bluefin tuna, blueberries, lemon dashi, and pistachio. Hai Hospitality chief culinary officer Jack Yoss and chef de cuisine Andres Araujo hold team tasting panels every two months in which chefs and even line cooks and waitstaff can submit recipe ideas for new dishes that might be added to the menu. “Humility is one of our core values,” Yoss says. That means the Somakase (a Hai Hospitality invention) takes omakase one step further, allowing you to chat with your server about your ingredient and budgetary preferences so the culinary team can dial in a menu just for you. It could be as simple as “I’m not into fish roe” or as in-depth as your favorite cut of tuna. Prices vary based on market prices and chef selections, but expect to pay $100 to $150 for omakase and $75 to $100 for somakase.
Read More: 3 of the Best New Omakase Chef’s Counters in Denver
Vegetarian Dining at Uchiko
Uchiko has a dedicated slate of plant-based options, with more than 20 hot and cold plates, meatless nigiri, makimono, and desserts, many of which can be made vegan. A seaweed salad with cucumber, green apple, and sesame ponzu dressing might be a good way to start, followed by a crispy tofu roll, some kabocha squash tempura, and a hearty bowl of roasted Japanese sweet potato with crème fraîche, brown butter, and nori vinaigrette. There’s enough variety that you can even ask for a vegetarian omakase tasting for $70 to $85, depending on what’s in season.
Take-home Sushi Boxes from Uchiko
If you want all of the variety and glistening beauty of an Uchiko chef’s-counter experience but in the comfort of your own home, opt for one of three—Ichi, Ni, or San—gold-papered takeout boxes. All assembled for two people, the smallest option comes with 12 nigiri, two rolls, and the hama chili, while the two larger boxes include chirashi—a bed of sushi rice layered with avocado, shiso, cucumber, scallion, and the chef’s selection of sashimi. The largest box sports two 15-gram jars of caviar and two mother of pearl spoons that you can keep. These aren’t your standard takeout meals; expect to spend at least $100, and triple that for the caviar set.
Uchiko is located at 299 Fillmore St., Denver, and is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, and for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
