Want the scoop on Denver's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which restaurants have been seeing especially high review volumes this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Denver businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are riding a trend this spring.
The Shanty Supper Club
Open since June of last year, this cocktail bar and traditional American spot, which offers seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.
Citywide, seafood spots saw new reviews increase by a median of 1.9 percent over the past month, but The Shanty Supper Club saw a considerable 136.4 percent increase, with a slight upward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to five stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis review counts increased by more than 1,500 percent.
It's not the only trending outlier in the seafood category: Hungry Wolf BBQ has seen a 11.8 percent increase in reviews.
Located at 1033 E. 17th Ave. in North Capitol Hill, The Shanty Supper Club offers Wisconsin-inspired eats including Midwest-style cheese curds, seared bone-in pork chops, mixed berry shortcake and more.
Esters at Oneida Park
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about South Park Hill's Esters at Oneida Park, the sports bar and New American spot, which offers pizza and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp increased their review count by a median of 2.4 percent over the past month, Esters at Oneida Park bagged a 47.2 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Denver's New American scene: Acova has seen a 12.8 percent increase in reviews, and Chocolate Lab has seen a 9 percent bump.
Open at 2201 Oneida St. since December, Esters at Oneida Park serves up American pub fare in the form of artisanal dishes and craft brews. Its menu includes the Flat Tire nachos (pulled pork, shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese, queso blanco, barbecue sauce, tomatoes, black beans, jalapeños, green onions and sour cream) and its Fluffhead pizza (San Marzano sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and basil).
DC Pie Co
City Park West's DC Pie Co is also making waves. Open since November at 2223 E. Colfax Ave., the bar, which offers pizza and more, has seen a 28.6 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2 percent for all businesses tagged "Bars" on Yelp.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Denver's bar category: Brightmarten Restaurant & Bar has seen a 15.1 percent increase in reviews.
DC Pie Co serves freshly-made Italian cuisine pizza pies with a slew toppings like red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, sausage and more. The restaurant also offers an abundance of cocktails, wines and vegan options. Over the past month, it's maintained a strong 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
