There is a new secret in Denver's Highland neighborhood, and it is hiding in plain sight beneath a longtime Japanese restaurant. Origami Den operates only on Saturday nights under Sushi Hai, serving a speakeasy-style sushi experience that pairs an influencer-designed menu with theatrical service and bold garnishes. A canopy of paper cranes overhead and the late-night format give the basement room a deliberately hush-hush feel for diners looking to shake up their usual weekend routine.
How To Get In
TableAgent lists Origami Den as a reservation-only spot, with bookings available on Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. Guests need a special access code to complete their reservation, and the booking notes spell out how to find and enter the basement space beneath the main restaurant.
Underground Vibe And Origins
The intimate dining room is lined with more than 1,000 colorful origami cranes, leaning hard into theatrical presentation and an intentionally secretive, underground vibe below Sushi Hai in Highland. Sushi Hai owners Tien Le and Kevin Nguyen invited Candies Liu to experiment in the otherwise empty basement in February 2025, and Origami Den officially opened there in November 2025. Liu, who has spent years documenting restaurants on social media, brings that audience-first perspective to the pop-up. Those details and the description of the room were reported by Westword.
What's On The Menu
The menu leans into luxe ingredients and playful plating. The Origami Trio combines minced toro with ikura and Hokkaido uni over seasoned rice for $26, while a caviar karaage features fried chicken crowned with crème fraîche and caviar at about $24. Many dishes arrive with a bit of tableside spectacle: servers sometimes pour water over dry ice to send fog streaming across the table for the dragon's breath roll. Liu told Westword, "I was like, 'This is perfect,'" recalling her first look at the basement and how that space inspired the menu.
Behind The Account
Before launching Origami Den, Liu founded InkSpired Magazine and built a public profile around food and culture. Public trademark records list her as the registrant for the InkSpired mark, according to Justia Trademarks. That mix of social media reach and hands-on restaurant ties helps explain why Origami Den attracts attention beyond what you might expect from a typical short-term dinner series.
Where It Fits
Origami Den adds a late-night, experiential outing to a city already known for its enthusiasm for sushi and theatrical dining. Local listings and guides highlight Sushi Hai's long-running presence in Highland and Denver's appetite for intimate, destination-style sushi experiences, according to Eater Denver.
For now, Origami Den remains a one-night-a-week escape tucked beneath a familiar neighborhood restaurant. The blend of social media sensibility and hands-on hospitality keeps it feeling more like a neighborhood secret than a conventional new opening. Diners can watch the Origami Den account or check reservation platforms for the latest openings and access details.
