The Broker Restaurant

Service was horrible, food was not worth the price, and they added gratuity on automatically. We came in early on a Friday night and there might have been 15 people in the restaurant and the service was still horrible. When we sat down we had a dirty water glass and then the waiter replaced it with one with lipstick on it, so not a good start. The booth also had been duck tapped together, we should have just left at this point. Then we didn't see our waiter for awhile when he finally came back he had to read everything off a note card. He didn't speak good English and had no idea about the menu. We had a coupon so we had to get the peel and eat shrimp, seriously who serves shrimp that you have to peel and devein yourself. They were not good anyways. The main course was OK, a little slow and more fat on the prime rib than actual meat, but it tasted OK, not worth the $51 price tag though, would have been happy if it were $15. After they had ran our cards we get the receipt back and they have already hand written in our 20% tip and total, how unclassy can you get. We would never have left that much of a tip, the waiter may have deserved a 5% tip. We will never go back and based on how busy it was we are not the only ones. more

Loved the ambiance of the old bank. The shrimp cocktail was a great starter and the prime rib was cooked perfectly. The wait staff was attentive and courteous. Would highly recommend! more

We were so lucky to have a friend recommend this place as somewhere special to celebrate our anniversary. The steaks are incredible, but most amazing, the staff are great! I mean awesome! There was always someone there to answer our questions, take us on a tour, help us choose a table, and even take our picture. more

I have been a patronage of the Broker in downtown Denver for several years. Even though it is a drive of over 1 hour for me to get there. My family loves their all-you-can-eat shrimp bowl and prime rib. My co-workers would go usually 1/2 times per month there for their lunch of prime rib. But I will NEVER go back their again for dinner after the way our service was and how the management did nothing to try to fix the problem. Since it is located in downtown Denver I had several people drive from over an hour away to get their for dinner for a party of 6. When making the reservations for the Denver 5280 I called to verify that the dinner included the unlimited bowl of shrimp as it had been included the year before. They confirmed that it was and we made our plans. After getting there we were told that the unlimited bowl was not part of the dinner plan. We accepted that and moved on even though I complained that I did call and check and was told that it was concluded. The waitress was the worst one I have ever had at any place. She never once refilled a drink for a friend of mine. After getting it for a refill she never came back until it was time to get paid. When she came back and we asked the bill to be split into 4 sections we were told that we had to then pay a ""bill splitting fee"" of 20%. That would have been like $40 due to the size of our bill. I then decided to just have my friends pay me with a check and I would pay the bill. Meanwhile the manager got word of our apparent discontent towards our service and came up making the comment ""How is the math going?"". She then proceeded to give a weak apology regarding the 20% mishap and that was it. Really?!? After we got home my wife felt compelled to give them a chance to rectify the situation and called. She was told over 2 days and follow up calls from the Manager to effectively pack sand. We did learn that since the 5280 did not include the shrimp we could have paid $15 more per pair and gotten unlimited shrimp and a bottle of wine for each pair. Really?!? why was that never offered? I will never know as I will never go back for dinner again. Just look at the other reviews... It should explain it well. Pros: Food is pretty good... when they offer it to you Cons: Service, Management, and especially service more

I am a regular customer for the broker restaurant- big fan of prime rib lunch special. As a frequent customer, I went to the broker restaurant for 5280 restaurant week with my friends. Prior to the visit, my friend called and confirmed that the bottomless shrimp bowl comes with 5280 deal and learned that it was not a part of 5280 at the table. We were upset especially when they did not even apologize for their ""mis-communication"" over the phone but thought to let it go. Our waitress took my friends cup of coke for refill and never came back with it. (Which is understandable if they were busy. But they were not even busy at all!) I was very upset. We came to the broker restaurant, high-end restaurant that is known for good service and this is what we get? Also, our waitress told us that she is required to add 20% gratuity to split our checks. So we decided not to split our checks. One of us went to talk to a manager about it. The manager came back to us, did NOT even apologize, just told us how it was not The broker Restaurant's policy to add gratuity to split a check. VERY upset with their service and I suggest not to go to all my friends for dinner. Pros: Great lunch special Cons: WOST service I have ever had for dinner. more

I was recently subjected to the Broker Restaurant experience. My Boyfriend and I attended the Saturday Dinner, before heading to the Symphony. Pros: pretty decor Cons: Price, food and Service. more

Went out to dinner to get over getting a ""B"" on a test hoping to feel better so I went to the Broker. The ambience made me think I was in for a good experience. I was a little impressed that a shrimp bowl was presented as one of the courses...until I tasted them---plentiful but overcooked. Take it from me I usually order shrimp EVERYWHERE I go. So needless to say after about 5 of them, I was done. The salad was ok (tomatoes a little mushy) but I ate it anyway. I ordered the prime rib dinner. The meat was seasoned well but I was only able to eat the outer edge of one side b4 i was full. The potatoes were fine but lukewarm...I ate them anyway. The waitress took my dessert order and left with the rest of my meal. She came back with the dessert, when I asked where the rest of my prime rib was she replied she threw it away! UNBELIEVABLE she didn't even ask!!!!!!!!!!!! I was extremely shocked then became angry when as an apology she brought back a ""slice"" of prime rib and some shriveled green beans. For the price I paid for that prime rib her ""slice"" was an insult. I paid the bill---still leaving a tip but left with a bad taste in my mouth--literally. If you don't care about the price you pay for a meal, if you don't care about the quality of your food, then you will enjoy the broker otherwise STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!! Don't believe the hype. I have 2 more weeks here in Denver and fortunately there are a lot more choices around my hotel but this was one of the most disappointing experiences I have ever had. The cost of that meal was my entire per-diem. Pros: Ambience Cons: Overpriced, mediocre food more

I was hesitant to give The Broker a try after reading the reviews, but am glad we did. Went during Denver Art Week and the entrees were half price. Service was prompt and attentive, shrimp was great and refilled without a problem. I had the lamb chops which were grilled nicely and my guy had the beef tournedoes and loved them. Great wine list, good drinks, good salad. Also ordered the onion soup which was as good as any I've had. Green beans were blah and the dessert choices are boring. Other parties in the room seemed to have a coupon. At full price, probably slightly too expensive. Also, if you're expecting a Fleming's experience, this is not going to measure up. However, for the price we paid and the food we ate, we were quite pleased. Pros: Complete meal for one price Cons: Pricey if you don't have a coupon or special more

I wanted to take my visiting father and brothers out to a nice dinner. I have heard several people say that the Broker was supposed to be a really good place to have fine dining. The atmosphere is really interesting, considering it was a early 20th century bank vault. The food however was far less interesting... 1st off, the service was unbelievably slow; it took over 10 min for the busser to show up with the water... and another 10-15 min before we were able to place a drink order. Secondly, the shrimp that they serve as an appetizer was not peeled (tails and legs still attached) and most were not even de-veined, or done so poorly that the tract was half there... The waitress said that The Broker is known as a steak place and is ""famous"" for their prime rib. My wife and brother ordered the torrenados. My wife's steak looked like it could be served at an ihop, and she said that the sea food topping tasted ""tinny."" I ordered their famous Prime Rib (medium) and so did my other brother. His was raw in the middle, bright red and cold. mine was just the opposite. it was well done throughout and the outside inch of the ""steak"" was more like beef jerky... and their desert ""options"" consisted of a robbery topped NY Cheesecake, raspberry sherbet, and vanilla ice cream. if you wanted something ""better"" it was another $5.00 on top of the all included meal price. This is definitely not a place to have a $100.00 / person meal. We would have been better off going to a Chili's or an Applebee's and gotten a better meal than at the Broker. Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Not very good food more

There are a zillion better ways to drop $150 than dinner for two at The Broker. (How is this ""Denver 'Institution"" still in business?!) Cons: horrible service, overpriced mediocre food more

No FREE BIRTHDAY DINNER FOR SINGLES!!!! This is really a ""BOGO""/Buy 1 Get 1 deal-so NOT a TRUE Birthday Dinner at all-in fact, I am now crying...50-alone-and No Free Birthday Dinner for me.... it's a 'nice deal' if you aren't all alone, like me, for your 50th-or ANY!-Birthday.... Cons: The Broker advertises a Free Birthday Dinner-BUT .... more

I have a lot of great memories of the Broker. Including some fabulous wine and, of course, the endless shrimp cocktail . . . I'm a serious shrimp girl. more

I tried this restaurant during 5280 week and had the shrimp bowl which was ok, but the prime rib with the ice cream scoop of KFC-like flavorless mashed potatoes was horrible. The prime rib was cold, the mashed potatoes were cold and so were the 7 green beans. Totally flavorless. I cannot believe this place was still in business. The dessert consisted of ""chocolate mousse"" aka Jello pudding trying to be passed off as mousse. Really horrible. Like a bad, buffet or cheap wedding food. Cons: Nasty food more

I had such high expectations of this place and walked away hungry. I will never return to the broker. We just spent a hefty amount of money on the most bland tasteless food I've ever had. I'm amazed that they are still in business. A tiny dollup of flavorless potatoes...a clump of bland white rice...an unseasoned piece of salmon. I could not even eat my meal it was like eating fish flavored cardboard. And they serve you a bowl of shrimp with the skins still on? Really? Who likes ti shuck shrimp skin at a fine dining establishment? Not me. Absolutely horrendous dining experience. I will never return and I suggest you spend your money elsewhere. more

Tried the Broker for restaurant week. It was a horrible experience. The service was extremely slow and the food was less than flavorless. I've had better food in a school cafeteria or in a hospital. It is not worth the money at all. Cons: poor service, bland food, tight seating more

My dining experience at the Broker Restaurant was horrible The service was terrible, to say the least. We were asked at least 10 times within 20 minutes whether we wanted another drink. We asked the waitress to give us some time, we were celebrating a birthday and catching up on people and things. We were wasting our time with the request, she kept coming back and interrupting us. When we ordered our dinner the menus were snatched from our hands. When the food arrived the plates were slammed down on the table. The waitress didn't ask if our food was ok as ordered. We were treated as if we were an irritant. THEN, she brought a receipt for payment that did not list what was consumed. It was a receipt with a total, nothing more. My companion had to ask for an itemized receipt. The waitress stomped off looking like she drinks vinegar every day. I prevailed upon my friend to leave a tip. I know service people don't get paid a good salary; they make their money on tips. Two days later I called the Broker and asked to speak with the manager because I thought he should know about our experience. When I told the manager how we were treated, how we were served and that we were presented with a bill that was not itemized he said ""That's not possible."" ""Our wait staff is very attentive"" """"I'll check into this later, you've called me at a very busy time."" Upshot? The manager was ruder than the waitress. The food was ok. The service abominable. Don't eat at the Broker. You'll be sorry. more

Elegant atmosphere, but VERY bland food. (Furr's has more flavor) Tasteless ceasar dressing, no flavor to green beans or asparagus., no garlic in garlic mashed potatoes. Only thing still consistent was the shrimp bowl. Vault seating is romantic and fun, but table are bolted down very close to benches and you feel squeezed in. Our server wisked away 1/2 of a $60 filet without even asking if we wanted a to-go box. We went there because it was my husband's birthday, and after presenting the drivers license to show that, she never even said Happy Birthday, she just said, I will need to take this to my manager. She returned without a word. Never even asked if we wanted coffee. It's getting by with the old reputation but hasn't kept up the old Brokers' standard. Wouldn't go back. more

We went to The Broker the day after Valentine's Day.. It was our first time there since we're somewhat new to the area. It's a beautiful restaurant, and the shrimp plate and initial server were promising. Our waiter seemed a little odd, but he was pleasant enough at first. Then we asked about the Valentine special, and he just walked away like we'd upset him. He eventually brought the special menu, and then we didn't see him again for a very long time. When we tried to flag him down he shrugged us off and said he'd get to us. He was very busy, so we forgave him at first. We eventually ordered. He brought us someone else's first course. Then we saw him bring the wrong dinners to the table next to us, and then he was very confused as to how to remedy the problem. He brought us the wrong bottle of wine (we didn't notice it till it was almost gone, and it was actually very good so we didn't say anything). He forgot our vegetables, and then when we got them they were soggy and flavorless. The final straw was that he brought our bill, then after my husband gave him his card, he brought it back and the amount was much higher. We asked to see the original ticket and he reluctantly brought it. Sure enough, he had put someone else's drinks on our bill after the fact. It makes you wonder how many times this has happened to people and they didn't notice. more

My husband and I went here for our anniversary. We decided to go here because of an ad for dinner for 2 for $69.00. When we got there we were seated right away and our server was at our table right away. We were not made to feel ""cheap"" for getting the special. Our waitress was very pleasant and helpful and the manager was very nice. The food was excellent. After dinner we were given a tour of the vault and downstairs by the manager. It was a great experience and we plan on returning and taking others with us. Pros: romantic, great deal more

A couple of nights ago I had dinner in the vault at the Broker. For those of you that have not been there two of the main dinning rooms at the Broker downtown are actually located in a circa 1900s bank vault. The sheer intrigue of this location is unmatched in Denver dining unfortunately this is about the last good thing I can say for the place. Our waiter seamed to be preoccupied with a conversation he was apparently having with another waiter and left us to feel as though we were an inconvenience to him by being there. The legendary complementary shrimp bowl came out and reeked of bad bait that had sat out too long on a hot day. My steak was overdone which compromised the quality of what should have been Prime beef. The apparent manager of the location walked by our booth a couple of times but she never checked in to see how our meal was going. There is no doubt that in its heyday this would have been the place to have been. If it was given a new staff both on the floor and in the kitchen that cared about this once great landmark of Denver dining I am sure they could turn it around. For now I would say it is a okay place if you want to have a glass of wine in a cool location however dont expect the service to be great and you could get far better food at many Denver locations. Pros: You can eat in a Safe Vault! Cons: Food Quality was Poor, Service Was Terrible more