Cherry Creek is about to get a serious hit of smoke and sushi. Uchiko, the fiery sibling of Uchi, is set to open on Monday, February 17, and the team is already taking reservations. The restaurant is moving into the former Ginny Williams Gallery and is promising a sushi bar, a private dining room, and a hearth-driven menu that pairs smoke and char with clean Japanese flavors. Chef de cuisine Andres Araujo will lead the kitchen, blending raw seafood service with wood-fired preparations.
Reservations and the first seating
According to Westword, Uchiko plans to welcome its first guests on Monday, February 17, with reservations already available online. Westword also notes that the team intends to rotate art installations throughout the space as a nod to Ginny Williams, and highlights the mix of sushi-bar service and hearth-driven plates as a defining feature of the Cherry Creek menu.
How to book and where to go
The brand's official site lists Denver as one of its locations and hosts a reservations portal, according to Uchiko. For those already plotting their first visit, OpenTable shows the address as 299 Fillmore St. in Cherry Creek and provides a contact number for takeout and private-event inquiries. The restaurant's online listings also note a private dining option for small groups.
Menu and the chef behind it
Westword reports that the menu will feature grilled oysters with koji creamed spinach, a post-oak grilled sea bass with brown butter dashi, and a four-times-seared Denver steak, with fresh fish flown in daily and Australian Westholme wagyu used for beef dishes. The same report names Andres Araujo, whose résumé includes Pujol, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, and Aska, as chef de cuisine for the Cherry Creek kitchen. Diners can expect a balance of omakase-style fish service and larger, wood-fired plates that lean into Uchiko's signature smoke and char.
Space, design and private dining
Project details on The Wells Partnership site list Semple Brown as the architect on the build-out and describe a sizable renovation and addition to the Fillmore Street property. OpenTable's listing specifies a fourteen-person sushi counter and a fourteen-seat private dining room with a stone fireplace as part of the venue's layout. Together, those elements are intended to give diners counter, bar, and quieter private options under one roof.
Why it matters for Cherry Creek
Hai Hospitality first announced plans for Uchiko in Cherry Creek back in May 2022, and local outlets have tracked the long road from announcement to opening, a timeline noted by 303 Magazine. The arrival adds a national, heart-forward brand to one of Denver's most upscale dining corridors and follows Uchi's successful run in RiNo. For diners, the opening promises a new option that blends sushi counter theater with richer, grill-centered dishes.
