BearLeek is new globally-inspired restaurant in RiNo from Executive Chef Harrison Porter and Chef de Cuisine Rema Maaliki. The spot is tricky to find because it’s literally underground — you walk down a flight of stairs to reach the entrance of this moody space, with inky black walls bathed in an neon wash of red and blue.
The main dining room is womb-like and dramatic, but I personally love a chef’s counter seat, it’s front-row to the kitchen action and the perfect spot to sip a drink from beverage director Carlos Hugo Meza.
An ursine theme playfully weaves its way through the menu, from a bread with “butterbear” (a great course with the flavors of burnt leek woven through it, to great effect) to house-made gummies.
Try the tuna crudo kissed with ponzu and served over labneh or my favorite, potato and chive pierogi, with a rich truffle butter sauce that’s lifted by hits of lemon.
The Prime NY Strip with shoestring potatoes inspires plenty of plate wiping, using every cut of meat to soak up the savory, intentionally broken A-1–inspired sauce.
Just one month in, not every dish feels fully realized just yet. Some ambitious ideas could use tweaking — the nest of crispy leeks around the halibut and ratatouille looks wonderful but is tricky to eat. Others, like the garland of tomato and melon with sweet-and-sour “bear cham,” hint that masterful punch of flavor could be possible, but pulls back into a polite jab, too delicate for my taste.
But this shouldn’t discourage you from visiting and discovering the dishes you enjoy most. There are enough promising moments to make me eager to return and see how the menu evolves over time. And since opening, they’ve introduced a lower-cost way to sample what BearLeek can do: all-day happy hour on Mondays, and Tuesday through Saturday from 4–5 pm, featuring a small selection of bar bites (skewers, a $12 burger) plus cocktail, wine, and beer specials.
The details
BearLeek
2611 Walnut St, Denver, CO
Disclosure: This meal was hosted. However, the restaurant has no influence over my coverage, which remains independent.