Chillfire Bar & Grill

Great food and atmosphere. You can order to go too. You can’t go wrong with this place.

We decided to try Chillfire for Queen’s Feast. I started with the lobster bisque which was nice and rich. I got the NC Trout for my main course. It came with shrimp and pepper jack grits. The trout and shrimp were deliciously seasoned, but the grits were rather bland. The bread pudding, for dessert, was one of the best I’ve ever had. Service was excellent! We will be back!

My wife and I only get away so often for a nice dinner. Chilfire Bar and Grill was very good but failed to meet the high expectations I had set for it. I ordered a filet and crabcake combo/​The crabcake was very good but the steak was somehow dry although cooked perfectly to temp (med rare). I typically enjoy a butter atop my filet but it was not offered. I was told that the butter could be applied but it was forgotten and I had to wait for it to ge to me. The service was ok although our server was very pleasant and helpful (which is most important to me). Strangest thing that there was an older woman at the hostess stand that appeared to be dressed down, taking away from the higher dollar feel to the place altogether. Next time if I want to spend a bit extra for dinner I will likely go to Dresslers, a few miles down the road.

Great addition to Denver, which greatly lacks a culinary scene (sorry not sorry). My parents come here for food and drinks for lowkey dinners and meeting up with friends. I’ve been to Chillfire twice, the first time I came for apps and shared the hummus platter (seems to be made in house, delicious tapenade, warm naan was on point) and the kale salad (to die for, actually). This visit was awesome, I raved about Chillfire even once I returned back to school.
However, we visited once again with a large group for my moms birthday and I decided to order the grilled tuna because everything that my family had ordered in the past looked awesome. When it arrived, I was utterly appalled. Clearly frozen, clearly a processed hunk of tuna I could’ve picked up from the frozen fish section in Food Lion. I understand that it *is* Denver, not Pittsburgh, Philly or NYC but why even put it on your menu of you aren’t going to do it right?
The wait staff fixed my polite complaint by giving me the steak medallions instead, after waiting 25 minutes (everyone was done eating) and after still being charged for the disgraceful tuna.
I’m sorry Chillfire, but you missed the mark in this young foodie’s book.

The food is absolutely delicious. A couple of comments. We ordered the Brunswick Street Crab Dip as an appetizer. The server immediately told us, ‘the dip does not come with enough bread, so for an additional $ 1.00 we should order more bread. Um, no maybe you should just add a few more slices. The place is very pleasant. Very busy, our 20 minute wait was 35 mins. They do accept reservations and offer free valet.

I really wanted to like Chillfire, but it fell short in key areas, namely the quality of the meals, which isn’t acceptable for a place that bills itself (and charges) as an upscale restaurant.
Their New Years Eve meal was $ 65/​ea and involved a four course meal with appetizers, soup or salad, entrée, and desert.
I had the shrimp cocktail for my appetizer. The shrimp were rubbery and unimpressive, and the homemade cocktail sauce was lacking in flavor.
I went with the lobster bisque for my second course. Lobster bisques always run the risk of being too rich, but Chillfire’s version was tasteless and bland. I add salt to food so infrequently that it’s pretty noteworthy when I do. It was served with a croissant that was undercooked and doughy in the middle.
My entrée was a medium rare filet, which was cooked perfectly and tasted great. The unmelted gob of butter on top (wtf?) was a little out of place, but easy to fix. The filet came with mashed potatoes which tasted dry and unseasoned (read: bland).
Restaurants that serve a «special» (greatly reduced) menu for special events should easily knock every dish out of the park. Otherwise, what’s the point? I hope they can better execute their normal menu.
The atmosphere was great and the band was phenomenal. The staff was friendly, but needed to be reminded of drink orders on a few occasions (we’ll chalk that up to them being uncharacteristic ally busy). Unfortunately, tasteless and bland was a recurring theme, and an unfortunate one for a pricey restaurant.

The service was wonderful. The plain cheesecake was awesome. I had the Papardelle with short ribs. Flavor was great but just a little greasy. Over all very nice meal.

The food is wonderful! Cooked perfect. Drinks are always perfectly made.
However… When the restaurant first opened, the wait staff was wonderful! They were kind, knowledgeable, and really made it a special experience. Now. not so much. We go back for the food, and it has been our go-​to restaurant for special occasions, but it’s starting to feel much less special. We may be looking at other places for our dinners if the staff can’t get it together.

HORRENDOUS FIRST EXPERIENCE!
First of all, I’ve NEVER written a bad review to any restaurant in my life, but this was TERRIBLE! My husband and I went to Chillfires for a date night since we live somewhat close to enjoy a good time with each other with some good food, but boy were we WRONG!!! We ordered the Spinach Dip to share for an appetizer but they only gave us 5 – 6 pita chips for a big amount of dip! So OF COURSE when we were asked if we wanted more pita chips, we said yes but THEY CHARGE YOU WITHOUT TELLING YOU (?!) when you want more in order to eat the dip! THEN they BURNT our pita chips and flipped them over to hide the fact that they were completely black burnt! Yeah no thanks, not paying extra for burnt pita chips either. So we ordered the pecan chicken and the duck, however the pecan chicken looked EXTREMELY unappetizing and tasted very VERY dry, and the duck was mostly all fat! By the way people, if you don’t believe us, we took pictures. That’s how bad this experience was. Sorry chillfires, we will never recommend this place to any of friends or family.

Went here with my husband and mother. The atmosphere was very nice, and the service was great. The food was very good, for the most part. The lobster mac and cheese was a little bland and disappointing. We will definitely be going back. I really want to try the lunch there.

Lovely upscale restaurant in my hub’s little hometown of Denver, North Carolina. 4.5 stars.
Food: 4.5, Atmosphere: 4.5, Service: 4
Cost to worth it rating: 3 (lunch entrees $ 10 – 15)
Return worthiness: yes
Highlights:
— Brisket poutine: stewy beef, gravy, and cheese on top of well-​cooked and seasoned fries. One of the best things I ate the entire weekend visit. 5 stars
— Fried green tomato sandwich: loved the crispy textured breaded slightly tart green tomato, bacon, and fresh 9 grain bread combo. Unique and delicious. 4.5 stars
— Pork schnitzel: hub’s order. Not fried like anticipated but oh so tender and with a tasty gravy. 4 stars.
— Sides: you get to pick one with each entrée. Fries solo were great.
— Key lime pie: right amount of sweetness and tartness, crumbled graham cracker crust, and a blow torched meringue on top. 4.5 stars
— Wine list: decent list and very affordable bottle prices (a lot more for the same bottle in California) plus half price bottles on Mondays is a steal.
— Atmosphere: upscale yet comfortable
Midlights:
— Mac and cheese: bit too truffly tasting for me and I prefer smaller, less al dente noodles and a cheesier sauce. 3 stars
Lowlights:
— No printed kids menu and bit limited as a fancier place
Fully enjoyed eating here and I’d be happy to return on my next visit.

I wish I had something to critique, but I don’t; we had a GREAT first experience here!
My husband and I went in Saturday and waited less than 15 minutes at the bar before our outdoor table was available. The bartenders were great! Super friendly, and they made my night when they told me that they have blue-​cheese-​stuffed olives (my favorite, and they were PERFECT; I could have eaten, like, nine of them … okay, okay, I *did* eat nine of them …).
I couldn’t decide on an entrée so I ordered the wedge salad and two appetizers: the fried green tomatoes and oyster sliders.
The wedge salad was terrific — everything was super fresh — and I loved the croissant that came with it! The oyster sliders? They were okay — certainly nothing was «wrong» with them … I think it’s just that the fried green tomatoes totally stole the show for me. *Anything* after that was going to pale in comparison.
I’ve never considered adding a relish of sorts to green tomatoes. But man! These were piled high with lump crab meat, cherry tomato halves and corn. Oh gosh. Absolutely divine.
My husband had a blackened-​chicken pasta and really loved it.
Our waiter was attentive and friendly. And the servings were PLENTIFUL. We both had leftovers. (Unfortunately, none of mine would have re-​warmed well, but I would have had an entire meal on Sunday just from leftovers.)
I’ve read some reviews that seemed to critique the choice of music playing (classic rock), along with televisions at the bar … and how those two things don’t jive with the otherwise upscale ambience at the restaurant. It didn’t bother me at all. In fact, it was sort of refreshing. It’s neither too «stuffy» nor too much like a bar.
I’m sure we will be going back; I mean, I’d go back JUST for the stuffed olives and fried green tomatoes!
Good stuff.

The food here is phenomenal. The service was friendly and attentive.
We will likely become somewhat regular going here.

I think the good reviews are due to the fact that it is in Denver. If it were in Charlotte, I doubt it would survive. The food is bland, sub-​par ingredients, OK service. In general, the food is way over priced.
We tried this place for the second time thinking lunch would be better. Nope. We got a tuna tower with fishy tasting tuna and no flavor at all. We also ordered the veggie sandwich which again had no flavor. I had to ask for marinara just to make it edible.
Won’t be coming back.
Response to owner. Check the other reviews. Plenty of them with a similar thread. Do you eat the food there? I suggest you try a place like the fig tree in Charlotte. Similar price but a much, much better experience.

Spot on the best upscale restaurant in Denver.
We love everything about it — steaks are perfect.
Brunch on Sundays are phenomenal!
If you’re over in Huntersville or Cornelius, definitely worth the drive!

Chillfire has never disappointed us when we go. From the staff at the bar to the dining area staff, service is excellent. The manager is always present and is quick to take care of any issue.
The food is amazing. I have tried many of the dishes and have never had a bad meal. The prime rib is particularly amazing.
The brunch is also good and offers a taste of all Chillfire has to offer.
We will continue to support Chillfire. Its our favorite.

I had heard good things about this restaurant and got a reservation for 745 on a Saturday night for 4 people. We drove 45 minutes to the restaurant and were notified at our arrival that they were running 10 minutes behind schedule. An hour later we were finally seated and were given free cheese bread :(
The food was average, service was good but prices were too high. Will not be going back to this restaurant and do not recommend it.

I was turned onto this place when my parents and I were deciding where to go eat for the night. It was down to two restaurants, and since we were going to eat at the other restaurant the next night.
Angry lobster nothing special. It’s lobster. It’s battered with a light flavoring (I could barely taste anything). It’s fried. The price? Makes sense, I mean it’s lobster. It was served with a honey mustard dipping sauce, which was good.
Let’s go to the entrées. I was absolutely torn between the lobster Mac and cheese and the pot roast, so I did what any amazing Unilocaler would do… Order both and report back. My mother ordered the sea bass and my father the venison. (Both were specials so don’t think you can get these any night!)
My verdict? This is my order from best to worst. I’ll also give reasons why.
1. Venison — this was by far the best in my honest opinion. It was extremely tender and fell off the bone. It was sort of cooked in a roast type of way and the sauce was great. The only problem is that this dish isn’t available everyday. Daily specials… How we wish they just served them always.
2. Pot roast — the pot roast was great. It was served on a bed of mash potatoes and was very hearty. It was a great dish to eat especially in the winter. It was flavorful, and the mash potatoes finished my appetite off.
3. Lobster Mac and Cheese — this dish was a pretty big let down. Maybe I just don’t do well with baked Mac and Cheese? It had no flavor, considering they have three cheeses in the dish. The dish was dry with some lobster pieces. I guess that’s how baked Mac and Cheese is supposed to be? Anyways, it didn’t have any taste and that isn’t like what Mac and Cheese is supposed to be like.
4. Sea bass — the sea bass, also a special… And the worst dish of the night. I believe a dish should stand well by itself, and no extras needs to be added. I believe my mother added a copious amount of salt and pepper to even have any flavor. I tried a bite and it was true, even the sauce lacked in any type of flavor. This is a dish you won’t be able to get, so I’m not going to keep droning on how this dish was just ‘meh’.
Overall, my experience was good at Chillfire. The fire was fake, but the atmosphere was chill! The waiter was polite, minus the one instance where a waiter who served the angry lobsters and placed it on the far table away from us and then just left, I thought our main waiter was very helpful and well, chill.
I probably won’t come back, but it’s a place to try out. (Just for the pot roast though!)

Nice atmosphere and reasonable portion sizes. We really enjoyed our meals and the service staff was friendly and attentive. The sea bass melted in my mouth and the beurre blanc sauce was incredible. My wife had the surf and turf, the steak was cooked perfectly and it was very tender. I highly recommend all of you local rednecks to skip the cookout across the street and take your lady out to a nice evening out on the town! Be sure to leave your ball cap at home and put on some clean jeans.

We returned on 5 December to try Chill Fire again.
I don’t even know how to adequately describe the phenomenal and mind blowing experience we had at dinner last night.
Our server, Laura, was spectacular and knew the menu and was excellent at offering suggestions to match side dishes to the selected entrees of the recently refreshed menu. While not a traditional farm to table, many items are locally sourced and every ingredient tasted farm fresh. The flavor profiles were delightfully inventive without being pretentious or overly complicated and fussy. Clean, fresh flavors that were a delight to enjoy.
The timing of our appetizers, salads and entrees was exactly right. We were able to enjoy our meals without feeling rushed or, alternatively, looking at our watches wondering when the next item would finally appear.
Bar selections were excellent, not just mixed drinks and wines by the glass, but the selections of craft beers showed depth of understanding of the beer aficionado as well.
Our dining companions selected entrees of meatloaf and short rib pot roast. The meatloaf was a huge slice with a healthy portion of Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. The slice had been broiled to give a lovely crust before being coated with a silky gravy and placed on the potatoes. High marks of praise for that entrée! The short rib pot roast was an incredibly moist, tender and high flavor dish with perfectly seasoned root vegetables to accompany. This entrée normally comes with mashed potatoes, but this dining companion is not a potato eater and they substituted the mushroom side instead. Perfectly done, silky and with a lovely glaze, a most excellent pairing!
My husband chose the strip steak and it was cooked precisely medium and was served with grits that would make any Southerner proud. Creamy without being runny. Thick without being gelatinous. Buttery without being oily. Sublime hominy perfection!
I had selected the scallops. They were served with a pair of incredible gastriques; orange and pomegranate. The flavorful, but not overpowering flavor of these two perfectly sweet and sour sauces. The brightness of the orange and the autumnal depth of the pomegranate were pure delight. With each bite I would declare one better than the other until the next bite when I reverted to the other.
We were sated by our meal and had initially passed on dessert, but once we’d had the opportunity to linger over coffee… in a wonderfully sized adult cup, not a teeny, tiny cup reminiscent of Niles and Frazier… we decided to share a dessert.
From the first bite, we knew we’d made the right selection. Crème brûlée is a simple dessert, but easy to miss the mark on. This one knocked it right out of the park with silken perfection. The sugar crust was thin enough to break through but not without substance. The strawberry halves that were centered on top were luscious and blended perfectly with each bite of the richly flavored vanilla custard.
All in all one of the best meals we enjoyed in 2014 and we cannot wait to return again in the near future, especially for Sunday Brunch!