Colorado's Ethically-Sourced Fish House And Oyster Bar Has The Best Seafood In The State

What's a Louisiana crawfish gumbo doing in a landlocked cowboy place like Colorado? Herb-seared New England sea scallops, steamed Prince Edward Island mussels, and North Carolina catfish in Rocky Mountain cattle towns — is this the reel life, or is this just fantasy? An Alaskan crab, Israeli osetra caviar, and West Coast oysters walk into a chilled raw bar in Boulder... If you've ever fantasized about succulent seafood while surrounded by snow-capped peaks, or craved surf in steakhouses grilling only turf, Jax Fish House and Oyster Bar is, according to food culturist The Takeout, your bait for the best seafood in the state.

In a state infamous for meat-focused Shanahan's, a chic Denver hotspot that feels like an art museum, and Buckhorn Exchange, Colorado's oldest restaurant, Jax awaits. And even at 1,000 miles from the nearest seashore, dig in with a clean conscience as all seafood served at Jax's locations in major Centennial State cities, from shellfish to ceviche, are ethically sourced and efficiently shipped for flawless freshness and superlative sustainability. The restaurant carefully selects suppliers who catch and harvest responsibly and use species that aren't overfished, so waters can continue to thrive with abundant marine life, earning it Colorado's first Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch certification for exceptional aquaculture practices.

With such a conscious approach, culinary director and passionate oceans advocate Sheila Lucero conjures mouth-watering coastal classics and contemporary chow and chowder that don't feel like fish out of water in the Rockies. Jax's rendition of the traditional mariner's velvety soup overflows with mussels, clams, fresh fish, shrimp, roasted garlic cream, bacon, and root veggies, yet goes swimmingly well with modern mash-ups like lobster katsu sando, cacio e pepe with blue crab or Gulf shrimp, and miso-glazed salmon.

Since docking in Boulder in 1994, just two blocks from one of "America's best foodie streets," Jax has netted acclaim from statewide publications such as the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Life, and Westword. A chilled raw bar (the original location presents the plushest caviar line-up) and signature flourishes like steamed Prince Edward Island mussels and fried New England calamari anchor the menu, together with the marquee Sunday night cioppino that's a tomato-garlic brothy boatload of Dungeness crab, fresh fish, mussels, clam, squid, and shrimp. What's refreshing is that different chefs helm each outpost, casting their own slate of exceptional sea fare. Standouts include Boulder's grilled swordfish, while Baja fish tacos and soft shell crab sandwich reign in Denver where Sheila Lucero is based. Peppercorn-crusted yellowfin tuna features at Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs unfurls a brunch menu with lobster deviled eggs and crab cake Benedict.

Dining at Jax can feel like a deep dive into the ocean's bottomless bounty. When seafood's not your game, there's always an all-American burger, and prairie proteins from pork chops to steak. Peel-and-eat shrimp, tasting platters, and snacky tapas headline happy hour, a daily gaiety that a Yelp review declares an "AMAZING" "don't-miss." Need more confirmation that Jax is a bona fide watering hole? The drinks list is a tantalizing tide of Colorado craft breweries, immaculately curated Old and New World wines, digestives, and creatively concocted cocktails. The ethos of Jax's pastry program parallels its seafood one, dreamy desserts woven from seasonal ingredients from local producers and farms. Ice creams and sorbets powered by fruit like cherry and raspberry reflect the time of year, and zero-carbon footprint pleasures like chocolate cake, warm cookie, and key lime tart are totally un-guilty.

When it comes to bivalves, the world of Crackerjax is the Jax oyster. Farmed proprietarily for the restaurant by Rappahannock Oyster Co. on the York River, 28 miles upstream from Chesapeake Bay, the exclusive house oyster gleans its briny bite from the Atlantic Ocean while sailing on freshwater waters drawn from the Blue Ridge mountains. Crackerjax is the star of the chilled raw bar and happy hour — the oyster shooter with cucumber-infused vodka and Bloody Mary is a lively way to kick off any evening. Heads up: Boulder's High Tide Tuesdays offer discounted prices on Crackerjax, platters, and bottles of wine all night long. At the Denver spot, the prized mollusks also come in a parade of delectable styles: char-grilled, baked Rockefeller, cornmeal-crusted fried, chilled with ponzu, and raw with smoked trout roe.

For splashy celebrations, look out for pop-up events like the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, an Italian-inspired tribute to the Boot's cherished La Vigilia fête, where you can savor dishes like spaghetti al scoglio and branzino that make appearances just once a year. When the University of Colorado plays at home, the Boulder locale unleashes a game day crab boil take-out with shrimp, potatoes, andouille sausage, and corn, while the Fort Collins location hosts one in-house every Sunday. Let the good times roll, especially with hospitality consistently given full marks on Google with qualifiers like "the staff here is the stuff of dreams," but fans already know that "special occasion or not, Jax is a five star restaurant," as a Tripadvisor user marvels.