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Shells and Sauce, Denver, CO

Shells and Sauce

4.7
4.7
3103 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for happy hour
  • Good for special occasions
General Manager, Oscar Venegas and Executive Chef Marcus Jimenez are serving authentic Italian American food in the heart of Congress Park. Shells and Sauce brings Old Country taste to a cozy neighborhood restaurant. If you’re craving home-made lasagna, meat or fish, Shells and Sauce has a variety of savory appetizers and entrees to chose from. We also boast an extensive wine list to pair with anything you choose, and we offer delicious desserts to top off your evening. Whether you sit on our rooftop or in our main dining room to watch our open kitchen, Shells and Sauce is a great place to entertain friends or family in an inviting setting. Step into our kitchen and let us share our passion for food!

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, American, Comfort Food
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu 3:30 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 3:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Marcus Jimenez
  • Catering
    We cater all events. You are welcome to pick up the food or have it delivered from our Catering Menu. We have catered all occasions; from small birthday parties to President Obamas Tour and Media when running for his second term.
  • Private party facilities
    We do private events events from 10-130 guests. We have two floors. Our first floor seats 70 our second floor seats 60. There is a bar on each floor. The second floor is perfect for everything from Wedding Dinners to Corporate Parties. The second floor can be used Privately or Semi Private with Food and Beverage Minimums.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Cherry Creek
  • Cross street
    12th and Elizabeth.
  • Parking details
    Easy to find parking on the street, or park in our lot behind the restaurant.
  • Public transit
    Bus #10 & 12
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 3,103 people are saying

Shells and Sauce reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Shells and Sauce offers "exceptional food" with a "friendly and professional" service. This cozy neighborhood gem boasts creative nightly specials, "amazing" pasta, and a vibrant atmosphere. Despite occasional noise and crowding, it's a beloved local spot with "great happy hour deals" and consistently "delicious" dining experiences.
3,103 Reviews
  1. Charles VIP

    St. Louis6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Food great overall. Great for gluten free. Definitely need a reservation

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  2. Carolyn

    Denver20 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Haven’t been here in a while so was looking forward to it. Food was good, but service was a bit lacking. Had chicken piccata, yummy. Will go back again and hope for a slightly better experience next time.

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  3. Nathan VIP

    Denver53 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Such a great Denver staple. The service is beyond wonderful and the food is great. The restaurant, at least on a Friday, was very busy, very active and loud. It was def. A vibe though - with staff rushing around and making sure everyone was doing well, and everyone was smiling and having a good time. Not a place for quiet conversations. But celebrations, fun unwind from the week? Mid-week pick me up? This is the place.

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  4. Katherine

    Denver1 review

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A wonderful neighborhood find. The dishes are both distinctive and homey, each one prepared and served with care and pride. Reminds me of finding little family run restaurants in Rome. The gluten free pasta is really great. What would be even greater would be gluten free bread on offer so the gluten sensitive diners wouldn't be jealous of their fellow diners' luscious-looking loaf. They pack as many tables as possible into a relatively small space, which is just fine because that means it's more likely there will be a table for you!

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  5. Lulu VIP

    Denver5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and delicious food! We LOVE Shells and Sauce!

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  6. Stephen

    Denver1 review

    4.0

    Dined on March 19, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was excellent. Bread was average. Service was very good. I will go back. Many excellent dishes.

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  7. Ron VIP

    Denver2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    Like a lot of these places, this place is cramped and noisy. It was restaurant we however and this was our first visit. The pasta and raviolis were very good. The salad and dessert were underwhelming. The tiramisu was a particular disappointment. The main courses were very good, but there was a problem with mine. I ordered a medium pork loin and instead got was a well done pork chop. The wait person first tried to tell me that it was a pork loin, ust served a different way.  I googled a picture of pork loin, and then she essentially said she ordered it correctly and brought out what they gave her. This whole interaction, my food, and the noise, really distracted from the whole experience. Maybe they’re better and less crowded when it’s not restaurant week. I would give them another chance. The pasta was exceptional.

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  8. Leon VIP

    Denver43 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Last night was really crowded because of restaurant week. It was still great. Everything was perfect. The food was exceptional. We have seen this restaurant on Open Table for a long time but decided to try it now. It was really good, not outrageous, parking and a really happy place. We will return soon.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Denver3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Jaymys was very knowledgeable, friendly, and overall amazing. The portions were large and reasonably priced. The lasagna was tasty as was the chicken parmesan. The bread and balsamic was a nice surprise. Sitting upstairs you have a nice view of the sunset.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Denver1 review

    4.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was great. Piping hot and very tasty. The service was great lots of staff to accommodate. They had music playing in the room. It was hard to hear over the music booming from the kitchen. The side window had piercing light from the sun.

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FAQs

Shells and Sauce offers delivery in partnership with Postmates. Shells and Sauce also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (303) 377-2091.

Shells and Sauce is rated 4.7 stars by 3103 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation


Booked 6 times today
Google Map for Shells and Sauce

2600 E. 12th Ave, Denver, CO 80206

Additional information

  • Cross street
    12th and Elizabeth.
  • Neighborhood
    Cherry Creek
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu 3:30 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 3:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, American, Comfort Food
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Easy to find parking on the street, or park in our lot behind the restaurant.
  • Public transit
    Bus #10 & 12
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Marcus Jimenez
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    We cater all events. You are welcome to pick up the food or have it delivered from our Catering Menu. We have catered all occasions; from small birthday parties to President Obamas Tour and Media when running for his second term.
  • Private party facilities
    We do private events events from 10-130 guests. We have two floors. Our first floor seats 70 our second floor seats 60. There is a bar on each floor. The second floor is perfect for everything from Wedding Dinners to Corporate Parties. The second floor can be used Privately or Semi Private with Food and Beverage Minimums.
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