Want the intel on Denver's buzziest local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to analyze which restaurants have been in the limelight 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 worth exploring, right now.
Hoja
Open since December, this themed breakfast and brunch cafe is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp.
Citywide, breakfast and brunch spots saw a median 2.4 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Hoja saw a 55.6 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a five-star rating a month ago to 4.5 stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Hoja's review count increased by more than 330 percent.
Located at 1284 S. Pearl St. in Platt Park, Hoja offers fare such as The Farmer's Burrito with free-range scrambled eggs (or tofu), green chili, hash browns and cheese; The Big Salad with roasted veggies, baby greens, chopped almonds, parmesan cheese and quinoa vinaigrette; and Matzo Ball Chicken Noodle Soup complete with egg noodles, matzo balls, organic miso and spicy olive oil. (Check out the full menu here.)
Revel Social
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Five Points's Revel Social, the bar and breakfast and brunch and New American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, Revel Social bagged a 25.6 percent increase in new reviews within that timeframe, with a slight downward trend from a 3.5-star rating a month ago to its current three stars. It significantly outperformed the previous month by gaining 2.5 times more reviews than expected based on its past performance.
Open at 2229 Blake St., Suite 104, since November, Revel Social offers brunch and dinner options as well as a variety of libations. In the afternoon, stop by and hone in on popular brunch options like Campfire Toast with hot fudge, marshmallow, graham cracker and smoked maple or a breakfast burrito comprising of scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, potato, chili and your choice of bacon or sausage.
In the evening, fare turns upscale with options including grilled calamari, pork belly, steak frites and grilled salmon. This business also hosts events and VIP parties. (You can check out the full menu here.)
FNG Restaurant
West Highland's FNG Restaurant is also making waves. Open since 2017 at 3940 W. 32nd Ave., the well-established traditional American spot has seen a 7.3 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.4 percent for all businesses tagged "American (Traditional)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, FNG Restaurant's review count increased by more than 140 percent.
FNG Restaurant offers a wide range of fare on its extensive menus. Themed lunches for $13 go down Monday-Thursday. There is also a mac and cheese bar, weekend brunch and the main course menu. Stop by and check out notable choices like customizable mac and cheese, steak meatballs for brunch or a rotisserie half chicken served with mashed potatoes for dinner. (Check out the business' website for more information, pricing and a full range of options.)
Over the past month, it's maintained a strong four-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.
