American Elm is a must visit restaurant in the Highlands. From the ambiance to the food, we always stay for hours & can’t wait to go back.

We arrived at American Elm and were seated inside the main dining room which directly opened up to the patio. American Elm is aptly named after the massive American elm tree that graces its exterior - the tree is one of the last & largest American elm trees in Denver. The aesthetic of the restaurant was fun & unique with a laid back attitude, impressive cocktail program and elevated menu that knocked our socks off.

Our server Beau came to play - he had a great demeanor and extensive knowledge of the menu. We ran with his recommendations all evening.

My favorite cocktail at American Elm was from the Tropical & Tiki selection - The Pandan Chi Chi made with Community Spirit Co. vodka, pandan, coconut, pineapple, & lime.

Whenever a Pandan Chi Chi is brought to the table, it has the effect of "I don't know what that is but I have to have one!" - just look at that lime green coloring! This cocktail delivered on its visual promise; it tasted as good as it looked. The taste was comparable to a vanilla creamsicle with notes of pineapple & coconut.

Tanya had the Down the Rabbit Hole which was bright orange in color and flavor.

The Pickle Sipper was made with Pickle infused vodka, Svol Swedish-style dill Aquavit, & pickles.

This cocktail was a classy upgrade from a pickle shot with a pickle spiced rim that brought real zing.

The Paloma was made with Tequila Arette blanco, grapefruit, lime, salt, & bubbles.

From the Raw Bar we had East & West Coast Oysters.

The Skookum, West Coast Oysters were buttery with low brininess. The WiAnno, East Coast Oysters were plump and firm with moderate brininess & a sweet finish.

The Deviled Eggs were made with smoked yolk, mustard seed, & house pork belly.

The deviled eggs were a mouthful of flavor. They had a creamy, rich yolk filling with a velvety texture that complemented the crunch of the house pork belly.

The Portobello Wraps were made with Bulgogi marinade, grilled portobello, bibb lettuce, carrot, sprouts, radish, cilantro, & toasted garlic chili oil.

These veggie packed wraps were fresh, bright, & filled with savory Portobellos.

The Grilled Spanish Octopus was made with fried fingerlings, chorizo, garlic aioli, gremolata, & Calabrian oil.

The octopus had a meaty chew with a spicy kick from the Calabrian oil.

The Crispy Pork Belly was made with jalapeno crema, grilled peaches, pickled fresno chile, mustard seed, & radish.

The pork belly was tender with a crispy outside layer. The smokiness of the pork was brightened by the grilled peaches.

For Housemade Pasta I had the Carbonara made with river bear guanciale, pecorino, parmesan, egg yolk, & chives with the addition of scallops.

The carbonara was utterly delicious. The creaminess of the egg yolk, thick pasta, and tangy pecorino topped with buttery scallops hit the spot.

The Roasted Half Chicken was made with haricot verts, trumpet mushroom, mashed potatoes, gremolata, & bordelaise.

Do not miss out on American Elm’s chicken - the skin was golden brown and the meat was oh so juicy.

The Crispy Trout Almandine was made with almond crusted trout, carrots, snap peas, quinoa, toasted garlic chile oil, pickled red onions, beurre blanc, & charred lemon.

For dessert we had the Killin' Me Smalls made with chocolate ganache, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, & butterscotch ice cream.

YUM. This dessert was a fancy nod to a S'mores. The decadent chocolate ganache was topped with sugary sweet butterscotch ice cream. The toasted marshmallow fluff was sticky and paired well with the smooth ice cream and crunchy graham cracker.

Big thanks to American Elm, Beau, Abby Hagstrom & ALH Communications/Dope PR for hosting us!

Check it out babes and let them know that denv.her. sent you! xx

American Elm

Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · Delivery
Address: 4132 W 38th Ave, Denver, CO 80212
Menu: amelm.com
Phone: (720) 749-3186