Marrakesh Restaurant

by Jose M.

real amazing moroccan food (i am from andalucia...kinda of know what i am talking about)...nice place...GREAT and GENTLE service and really tasty good food...we ordered chicken and lamb tangines and both were a pleasure for the mouth...and again..the service  was wonderful

by Dori M.

Thanks to fellow yelpers, I realized that House of Marrakesh has a lunch buffet. I am a huge fan of all Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, but had yet to try true Moroccan food until today. On a rare (very) afternoon away from word to celebrate my birthday, I decided to check it out. I like lunch buffets for that reason, you have an opportunity to sample various dishes and get a feel for a place before making a commitment to a full-blown meal. I was in a hurry, so I appreciated that they allowed me to get the buffet to go. I have a hard time eating very much in one sitting, so this is by far the best option for me anyway. I recall there being 7 different dishes, with various soups/salads/desserts as well. The variety was spread between vegetarian and meat dishes. I thought all of the items were tasty and some were very good, but overall I found the seasonings to be a bit more bland than I would have liked. I found many of the dishes to be very similar to their Indian counterparts (i.e. saag, chicken curry, etc.) but with different seasonings and preparations, which was nice. I will definitely visit again and would recommend this place to those looking for an interesting dining experience and quality of food, but I hope to be slightly more "wowed" by the dishes on my next visit.

by Matherine G.Amy U.cherie c.Kate M.Darika S.

Positive: Great atmosphere. It's tough to find a place in Denver that screams "authentic" the way that Marrakesh does. From the seating to the pillows to the decorations, this place felt legit. Above average service. It was great to have the owner/chef (?) come out and check on us. Good food. Tasty, juicy lamb that melts in your mouth. Great mint tea to finish the meal (but they shouldn't charge $2 for it).Negative: The website says that belly dancing is offered every night, but we didn't see it when we went (on a sunday). They should be more specific about when belly dancing is. The website prices are lower than the actual prices (but the prices are still reasonable for downtown Denver). While the menu itself is decent, it'd be nice if they offered more choices for appetizers and sides. Overall: We'd recommend it and we'll be back. Great date restaurant, but we're looking forward to coming back with a group of friends. P.S. In restaurants in other countries, it's common for the staff to wait for you to ask for the bill, so don't sweat it if it seems like it's tough to get the bill. It's a courtesy thing so that you don't feel like you have to leave.The atmosphere was wonderful, food was pretty tasty, and the bread was amazingly delicious. However, they didn't have the heat on and it was cold, but they said it was just turned on (which it never warmed up the entire time we were there) and the staff was a little over the top trying to please. There was 3 people who asked how we were enjoying our waters and bread and then at least one person stopped by our table every 5 minutes asking how things were. But for out of towners visiting who like ethnic, this would be a fun experience. They wash your hands in rose water and aren't shy about letting you know what you should order, plus, as I stated (and everyone else here too) the atmosphere is great.Wish I'd worn elastic pants.Man, this was some seriously delicious food.  We opted for the tasting menu to get a feel for the place and their specialties.  The servers were friendly and helpful, explaining each dish and how it is customarily eaten.  This was not my first experience with Moroccan food, but I always appreciate some cultural context and advice.The service was good. They let us know that they won't bring the next dish until we've finished what we had.  Glad they said something; I was saving some of the food in the hopes of leftovers for the next day.The mint tea was delicious at the end of the meal.  The decor is interesting. They've done a great job at putting out pillows and Moroccan-style decorative touches. But we couldn't help but wonder what the space might have been before?  Perhaps it was once the atrium entrance to an office, then a Mexican restaurant?  But that doesn't affect their rating. The food is excellent and the space is comfortable.It is very rare that I'll bump a restaurant up a star based on service and ambiance, but here it is.  I ate at Marrakesh because for some reason I was craving cous cous.  Seeing as how I was staying in a hotel and couldn't exactly buy a $2 box at the grocery store (well, I could, but it wouldn't have done me any good without a stove), I headed over to Marrakesh.  The decor immediately made an impression: pillows everywhere, many different rugs on the floor (and some on the walls), velvet-lined couches instead of chairs, Moroccan art, and some natural light.  Beautiful.  This is what my house would look like if I could afford it.  And hint hint guys: if a date took me here, I would definitely be impressed.Service was wonderful and very attentive.  The one waitress insisted that I try their homemade "spicy sauce" (harissa), and it was indeed very good.  They even wash your hands with rosewater before your meal.  Aside from the whole paying for my meal thing I felt like I was in somebody's home, not at a restaurant.My dish, the cous cous with seven veggies, was just ok.  Maybe I should have had a meat dish, but I really wasn't in the mood.  I found the flavors a little bland (adding harissa definitely helped) and the veggies a little overcooked.  I would definitely go back but I would also definitely order something else.One warning: the dinner prices at the restaurant are about $3-$4 more than the prices listed on their website.  Maybe the online menu is lunch only, I don't know.The food is fantastic!  The shrimp wasn't over cooked.  The hummus was smooth covered in olive oil.  They bread comes with a greek honey dip which wasn't too sweet.  The booths are covered with colorful pillows.  The belly dancer seem to have a good time.  Now the bad news.  The service is horrible.  It should not take 30 min after asking for a check to get a check.  Did not expect a 2 hour dinner.  For that  reason we might not eat there again and just do take out.

by Nicole W.

Went her with my diet buddy for our weekly check-in lunch! Yes buffets are hard, but we have to get out in the world and survive in the over abundance! The décor is amazing! I love the comfy seating with all the pillows and the soft fabrics! Felt so luxurious!  The buffet appears small from afar, but don't let that fool you. I am not sure what all I ate, but I enjoyed it! There was a chicken dish, a lamb dish, a spicy butter mushroom dish, a lentil dish, a white bean dish, couscous and a rice dish. As well as 2 soups and 3 cold salads! I kept my meal to one trip and one plate, so I skipped the cold dishes. The lentils had a great flavor, the white beans I could eat as a whole meal, the meatballs (forgot to add those to the list!) were tasty. The lamb had a good flavor too. The chicken was ok, so I'd probably skip it next time! My buddy loved the rice! LOVED it! I also got a pot of the sweet tea! Wow, yummy and warming! I'd probably request un-sweetened so I could control the sugar, but still delicious! I'll be bringing the hubby back soon!I also want to try out some of the foreign beers listed! Something you can't get every day!

by Kelly T.

There is nothing like a restaurant that requires you to sit on the floor after removing your shoes. In my opinion, this immediately sets the tone for the evening to come.I ate dinner at the Marrakesh Restaurant on Saturday night, and after reading the reviews about the amazingly priced buffet, I wish it had been for lunch. The entrees weer about $20 a piece, which I gladly pay if I get the right combination of food and atmosphere.Well, the food pretty much rocked my ever loving world. It was fantastic. The spices we delicious, the lamb was tender and the Lebanese beer was, well, different. But good.Since restaurants are mostly about eating good food, that's the reason I gave this place four stars, but the service was not so great. We were warmly greeted by the owner or manager and things seemed to start off nicely until we realized they had never written down the reservation my friend had made for our party of 7.  We were corralled into the first floor table in the restaurant right by the window.Our waiter came by and took drink orders while half of us were away in the little girls room. This is totally cool, but when he came back, he didn't ask any of the returned guests if we would like something to drink. We had to wait 10 more minutes until he came back to ASK for a drink. And he look pretty put out by the request for drinks.Half of us that ordered beer got a beer glass. The other half didn't even though they made a big fuss of bringing them a beer glass. One of us had to wait an additional 20 minutes for their first beer because they didn't have enough chilled. This would have been understandable had it been 10 or 11, but it was 7:30 in the evening.We had to get ASK to order an appetizer and ASK to order our main course.I also understand that good food takes time to prepare, but we waited about an hour and a half for our food. When we got it, we were so ravenous that we ate in about 20 minutes.Then we had to ASK for the bill.Overall, I would recommend this restaurant purely for the food (and the belly dancer was fantastic), just be mindful that you will be the for a while and you may have to ask for service repeatedly.

by Matherine G.

Positive: Great atmosphere. It's tough to find a place in Denver that screams "authentic" the way that Marrakesh does. From the seating to the pillows to the decorations, this place felt legit. Above average service. It was great to have the owner/chef (?) come out and check on us. Good food. Tasty, juicy lamb that melts in your mouth. Great mint tea to finish the meal (but they shouldn't charge $2 for it).Negative: The website says that belly dancing is offered every night, but we didn't see it when we went (on a sunday). They should be more specific about when belly dancing is. The website prices are lower than the actual prices (but the prices are still reasonable for downtown Denver). While the menu itself is decent, it'd be nice if they offered more choices for appetizers and sides. Overall: We'd recommend it and we'll be back. Great date restaurant, but we're looking forward to coming back with a group of friends. P.S. In restaurants in other countries, it's common for the staff to wait for you to ask for the bill, so don't sweat it if it seems like it's tough to get the bill. It's a courtesy thing so that you don't feel like you have to leave.

by rhondita j.

Probably my favorite restaurant in Denver so far ... The food was fantastic - fresh/well prepared/seasoned perfectly.  Along with great food, the ambiance really makes the place stand out.  It appears to be a family run business - in an intimate/uniquely decorated space.  There's even a couple of smaller/lowered tables upfront where you actually sit on the floor - authentic style.As if that wasn't enough - there is also a belly dancer for your entertainment!  It's just an all around great place to spend an evening.

by Alicea W.

If you like pillows, this restaurant is for you.  Not only do they have pillows for your back, they have pillows to rest your neck on, pillows to rest your arms on, pillows to pad your butt, pillows to hit people with, pillows to look at, everything except pillows to eat.  That's what their food is for.  I really like their food.  Some of my favorite items include carrots chermoula (marinated carrots), chicken tfaya (chicken with caramelized onions, raisins), lamb tagine (stew) with apricots and almonds, and that pretty purple pillow with the gold trim.For some reason, the waiters at Marrakesh Restaurant would never give you the check on their own, even if you are sitting at the edge of your seat, I mean pillow, hanging out your tongue, anxiously panting as if you needed to leave.  The waiters will still just pass you by.  You must flag them down, perhaps with a pillow, and then they'll finally bring it to you.  Geez.  They must have a huge bong in the back room where all the waiters hang out, like the one on display next to our table.1 star off: price...10 meals here and I can buy round-trip tickets to Morocco1 star off: slow service...10 meals here and I would have arrived in Morocco already

by Don W.

I visited during their all you can eat lunch buffet.While all that third world slop tastes the same to me, as long as there was a nice selection I figured my hunger would be addressed. I recognized the cous cous, jagged pieces of on-the-bone chicken, mystery meat mini-balls (most likely lamb), cabbage zucchini, the spinach ooze and a few trays of sloppy brown stuff that I didn't explore.The fare is so similar to Indian food (at least to my untrained palette) that none of it was unusual. I concentrated on the furnishings and the music. I couldn't tell if the CD player was skipping, playing backwards or at the wrong speed. In other words, contemporary Moroccan music.There were hookahs lying around which made me long for a "smoke," and enough hookah smoke and I might even get into the drone of the background music.I dug the pillows and the booths and was seated in a cushioned corner under a skylight making it very easy to read my newspapers.Attentive and friendly service, I'll be going there again if this light-headedness goes away. (I'm experiencing a bit of unsteadiness a half hour after the meal...must report back). The tapioca pudding, at least I think it was tapioca pudding, was a great way to end it.***UPDATE - happy endings - meal treated me well all day - I'll be returning to Marrakesh.

by cherie c.

Wish I'd worn elastic pants.Man, this was some seriously delicious food.  We opted for the tasting menu to get a feel for the place and their specialties.  The servers were friendly and helpful, explaining each dish and how it is customarily eaten.  This was not my first experience with Moroccan food, but I always appreciate some cultural context and advice.The service was good. They let us know that they won't bring the next dish until we've finished what we had.  Glad they said something; I was saving some of the food in the hopes of leftovers for the next day.The mint tea was delicious at the end of the meal.  The decor is interesting. They've done a great job at putting out pillows and Moroccan-style decorative touches. But we couldn't help but wonder what the space might have been before?  Perhaps it was once the atrium entrance to an office, then a Mexican restaurant?  But that doesn't affect their rating. The food is excellent and the space is comfortable.