Well I thoroughly enjoyed my meal here and had heard so many great things about this place so I was extremely excited to check this place out. Me and a few friends went for dinner and it seemed like their dinner menu was much smaller than the lunch menu and less options to choose from. None the less we started out with a drink of course, it had been a long week. We tried the mule which was recommended by our waiter. It had vodka in it but strangely tasted healthy almost like you were drinking a cleanse or something. It had ginger in there which I could taste and was happy about and I really liked how fresh it was and couldn't taste alcohol at all which can be dangerous but not to worry we limited ourselves to one drink! Me and my friend decided to share some small plates and ended up ordering the duck tongue, duck buns, Brussels sprouts, and crunchy Tuna rice. I enjoyed it all but the Brussels sprouts were a tad too salty for my liking as well as the duck tongue. I think maybe someone accidentally spilled the salt in our dish because those two were pretty salt heavy. Would have been better if it was toned down a bit. As for the duck buns yum yum yum I love me some duck buns. I would highly recommend trying these out they were great! A little jalapeño added some spice and was such a great dish. The crunchy rice with tuna was also one of my favorites and almost in a way tastes like sushi. I enjoyed those two dishes the most and sharing was a great idea because I was pretty full afterwards. This place seems kinda of expensive for what you get though. I ended up tapping $30 after tip.
(3)
Claudine M.
Went here a few nights ago. Ordered a ton of food to share with my boyfriend and friend. Can I just say my tummy was a happy camper by the end of the night? Pretty sure I'll be a regular here! Please try their buns, it's one of my faves- especially the duck confit buns. Mannnn I love those buns haha. Their bubu crispy rice is fantastic as well. We also tried their salmon rice bowl with curry and chicken thigh ramen. The curry was good and we got to select brown rice, and their ramen was their version of a healthy ramen so don't come expecting authentic Japanese ramen. It was still delicious though and the thought of the food being prepared healthy made me a little less guilty about eating so much haha.
(5)
Sean B.
Here is what I liked about Bubu: the service was good, the ambiance was nice and it was clean. We had 2 ramen bowls, the vegetable and the pork shoulder. The veg. bowl was very bland, like steamed vegetables and noodles in hot water. The vegetable cuts were inconsistent and the promised ingredients were not all there. The pork shoulder was much more flavorful, again bad knife cuts and missing ingredients. I also thought the $13 a piece price tag was ridiculous for lunch!
(2)
Paul J.
The food is good, however the portions are small and it is way overpriced! It's fresh and tasty but $16 for a bowl of noodles, some veggies and a FEW pieces of tuna?
(3)
Gale M.
Came for lunch and plan to be a regular! The Thai had just the perfect amount of spice. Every thing was super fresh. Love the decor and patio will be the ideal spot to sip a glass of wine or one of their interesting house cocktails on a warm summer evening. Staff was friendly and helpful!
(5)
Jennifer S.
Food was amazing and perfectly cooked! My kids loved it and it was extremely laid back. The employees were very nice and attentive.
(4)
Sally H.
My boyfriend and I came here the other day for lunch. It was our first time. We wanted to try it because it was close to home and a picture on a friend's instagram made it look appetizing. We came during late lunch/early dinner in which we were told that the chef was not ready to serve dinner. We were okay with that. We also happen to be the only customers at the time (later, was told it gets busy at five). We ended up ordering the shrimp quinoa potstickers, pork shoulder ramen bowl, and the Thai bubu rice bowl. My boyfriend also ordered lemonade which he loved because it reminded him of fresh-squeezed lemonade that you can get at the carnivals. The shrimp potstickers were one of the better potstickers I have had. It was fresh, not frozen. However, it did not come with a traditional potsticker dipping sauce; instead, the potstickers were laid on top of a carrot puree and came with a side of kimchi. I was not a fan of the the kimchi. It tasted over fermented, but the carrot puree was great. I actually used that to dip the potstickers in. My boyfriend's thai bubu rice bowl did not actually come with bubu. We were told bubu is an expensive Asian grain that had no taste, but was used for decoration. Nonetheless, his bowl was very tasty. He chose a brown rice base and grilled chicken as his protein. The thai bowl itself came with green papaya slaw, shallots, peanuts, thai dressing and my favorite wonton crisps. His bowl was definitely a healthy alternative. Mine, however, was not as healthy. I had the pork shoulder ramen and I am so glad they are generous with their meat portion compared to other places. The ramen was actual ramen!!! Not the individual package type you buy at the store and cook with boiling water. It was perfect and had a lot of flavors. I especially enjoyed the shiitake mushroom and the sweet thai peppers. The ramen was a little greasy due to the pork shoulder, but good nonetheless. Overall, we did really enjoyed our experience. Our waitress was super friendly and made enjoyable conversation with us. The place was modern and chic. We loved the healthy spin to Asian cuisine.
(4)
Lauren J.
Ok I lunched here again because I'm addicted and made my husband meet me for happy hour. I was sad that the bowls you build weren't avail after 3. The happy hour was great though. Delicious drinks and the duck confit buns were UHmazing. One HUGE disappointment was the salmon "poke". I get the raw salmon each time I've had lunch there. The poke was seared. So gross. For $12, I want sushi grade salmon, raw. The waiter gave me a delicious cookie from Sugarmill though, so I forgive. Troy Guard even made an appearance which was pretty cool. Sir, make the poke raw as it should be! Oh and since you own Sugarmill, have some actual desserts!
(4)
Christy C.
Nice lunch spot. Easy to customize bowls with rice (brown or white), as a salad or over noodles. Very fresh and fast. The shrimp Thai bowl was yummy! I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Kate C.
Have been to the Bubu in Lowry a couple of times now and I just adore this little spot. Great food, atmosphere is lovely and the service is friendly & attentive.
(4)
Anna Z.
I heard about this new Asian fusion place from my friends and really wanted to try it. I finally had time to stop by. The interior is very modern and clean and I liked that you can see the people working in the kitchen. All the waiters and waitresses were very friendly and had a chill vibe about them. The menu probably had half small plates and half rice/ramen bowls. I didn't want to try the rice or ramen bowls because I thought their small plates were more unique and worth trying. I split the following with a friend: brussel sprouts, duck tongue, duck bun, and crispy rice tuna. We also both got the cucumber mule drink. The drink was very unique. I expected something thin and watery but was pleasantly surprised to have such a opaque and refreshing drink. It looked like a detox veggie drink but it was pretty good. My two favorite dishes were the duck bun and the crispy rice tuna. They were amazing. The tuna was definitely my favorite and I would go back for that. The bun was great as well but wasn't as good as the tuna. I didn't especially like the tongue. Not that it's tongue but it was really salty and wasn't all that great. I liked the flavoring of the brussel sprouts but it was WAY too salty. I had to keep drinking water. On top of that, our total came out to 30 bucks each which was a little ridiculous for the food we got which wasn't a lot. They were all small plates. I thought the food was a little overpriced and too salty otherwise I would give 4 stars.
(3)
Ted S.
I came here with my girlfriend the other week to try it out and it does not disappoint! We got pretty much everything and planned on splitting it for two meals...but little change of plans, we couldn't stop we enjoyed it so much that we continually ate until it was finished. Don't regret a single bite.
(5)
Richard G.
I have never written such a Visceral response of a restaurant . This is the second time we have visited Bubu in Lowry. The competition is stiff in Lowry|: This place is horrible. I always believe on a second chance. What a mistake. The food was almost inedible! Salmon Poke sucked, (skanky smelly, weird after last) Brussels Sprouts sucked a little less. And the Duck Confit Buns sucked the least! Service Meh at best. NEVER GOING BACK
(1)
Simi E.
Ok.. I finally gave this place a try- was always unsure with their somewhat eclectic menu and visited the neighboring restaurants instead. All I can say is WOW. Their pork ramen and rice bowls are amazing. So are the Brussels sprouts! So was everything else we ordered from salads to sides (amazing fried rice too!). Wish I had been coming here sooner. EAT HERE- you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Holly S.
I love this place. We were out walking one day and decided to pop in for a quick bite. We've been back multiple times since. The food is great, the service is good and we love the atmosphere. Have only had lunch, but I'm sure dinner is just as amazing. The Hawaii five 0 and the OG Colorado are my favorite bowls!
(5)
Robert H.
Amazing Ramen! Great menu and staff. Love the shrimp dumplings! We'll be back for sure.
(5)
Akio B.
Bubu is very very good and nice place! This was my first time here and I was worried but our waitress was very nice to us 5 stars for costermer service!! I got them pork shoulder roman and it blow my mind, i totally recommend this place to everyone!
(5)
Brenda L.
Better bu bu-lieve I dig this place! Pros: 1. Five min from me 2. Modern Pinteresty decor with booths, a high chair communal tables, splashes of matte turquoise color with their metal chairs, yoga mat parking bin 3. Outdoor electric car parking 4. Sustainable ingredients 5. Yummy cocktails 6. Delicious food 7. Friendly service (I think our waiter's name was Michael? not sure, but he had tattoos and was pretty attentive) What I tried 1.bubu crispy rice with spicy tuna, jalapeno and tobiki for $14 (on the sushi menu) 2. bubu style corned beef with pickled shallots and cabbage for $8 (on the buns menu) 3. duck confit bun with hoisin and chinese vinegar slaw for $8 (on the buns menu) 4. grilled salmon brown rice bowl with green beans, yellow curry and coconut for $15 (from the rice bowl menu) 5. chicken thigh ramen with swiss chard, soy bean and radish for $12 (from the ramen menu) 6. crispy brussel sprouts w/ lime chile for $5 (from the etc menu) 7. orange soda whiskey cocktail 8. hot tamales tequila cocktail (with hot tamales simple syrup) My absolute favorite dish was the brussel sprouts. It was the best I've ever had! The edges of the leaves were crispy (perhaps quickly fried) and lime chile flavor was fantastic. I plan on looking for a similar recipe and making this @ home because I already crave it. My 2nd favorite were the crispy rice sushi dishes. The rice was SUPER crispy and the tuna tasted fresh. My 3rd favorites were the buns. The corned beef bun had mustard in it and tasted like I was eating an American sandwich. They're pretty filling and are easy to eat with your hands. My least favorite dish was the ramen because of the bland broth. The noodles were great in texture and taste but the broth was bland and the chicken was a little chewy and lacked flavor. Both of the cocktails I tried were yummy and weren't too strong in alcohol flavor. The hot tamales drink even came with a piece of the candy in it. I wouldn't mind getting that cocktail again. The whiskey cocktail was light and bubbly. I'm looking forward to coming back here for their kimchi rice cakes and other sushi dishes.
(5)
Jennifer M.
I looked at the online menu before coming to this place and got the impression it was a place that served rice bowl, almost like a fancier Tokyo Joes. However, going into the restaurant and looking at the menu, I realized they had so much more on their menu such as ramen bowls, sushi, and salmon poke. I was torn between the ramen and salmon poke, and ended up ordering the salmon poke. I can't remember what the exact ingredients that came with the salmon poke, but it was colorful, and had many different textures. The downside it was expensive for the small portions, and the salmon was room temperature. I was expecting the salmon to be a little colder like most places served them, but the room temperature salmon had a slight fishy smell, which I did not like. The restaurant is small and casual, but another aspect I did not like was the time it took for me to be seated. There were two empty tables needing to be cleaned, and I was asked multiple times if I was waiting for a table, but ended up standing around for 10 minutes before I was seated. Overall, the service was slow and I did not feel the food was anything special.
(2)
Jeff O.
After reading an internet forward of places to eat ramen in the Denver area I decided to try as many of them as I could. At first I thought the more "authentic" looking ramen places would do better. I'm talking about the kind of place that sells Japanese sodas and has manga posters on the walls. I wanted to hear Japanese coming from the kitchen. But none of them compares to Bubu's ramen. The quality of the broth and noodles was consistent in most of the restaurants I went to but Bubu's attention to detail with all of the other ingredients easily raises its rating above all competition. The pork shoulder in the pork shoulder ramen is tender, delicious, and plentiful. The peppers and bok choy are awesome. The optional poached egg hits the spot. I've found my best ramen joint in Denver.
I wish I wouldn't have found out at the end of our meal that bubu belongs to the Guard family of restaurants, because my standards were raised once I realized that, and I was slightly disappointed with our food. We ordered five items to share: popcorn shrimp, salmon poke, seared tuna, bok choy and pork shoulder ramen. The popcorn shrimp and bok choy were both incredible. Flavorful and expressive. The ramen was average. Tasty, but not stand out. The seared tuna was dry and flavorless, outside of the spicy mustard and over-crusted seasoning on the outside. The salmon poke was also bland. The service was great. Everyone was friendly and helpful and nice. I definintely feel like we could have gone elsewhere for similar food and not spent $80.00.
(3)
Robert V.
Went to this place based on the recommendations of friends. Upon first walking in, the place is kinda small but it didn't take long to be seated. The waiter was very friendly and helpful with our questions about allergen questions. Went with three other people and we got: pork ramen, salmon poke bowl, grilled shrimp cold rice noodle bowl, and 1/2 lb sirloin with side rice. This was my dish: the pork ramen broth tasted basically like beef broth, nothing special and something just tasted a little off. The pork is just one big slab or pork, it did taste pretty good though. Added an egg in it and they only do fried or poached, instead of the soft boiled that I usually see at ramen places. My friends said that their meals weren't as great either. The salmon poke had something off about the sauce they used. The meat that you order by weight is literally just the meat, no sauce, no flavoring...just meat cooked and put on a plate. The saving grace was the roasted Brussel sprouts that were pretty good. Nothing special, but better than everything else we had. I would have rated it 1 star, but the waitress was good, the ambiance was pleasant and relaxing, and of course the Brussel sprouts. Probably won't go again.
(2)
Abby L.
Tonight was my second time at Bubu since it opened. I had the chicken thigh rice bowl, which was awesome. Service was great as well. Our waiter was very knowledgable and attentive. At the end of the meal, the waiter asked us if we'd like him to box up our leftovers, and we said yes. Once we got the bill, we realized he had misunderstood us, and didn't realize we wanted the food to go. He felt awful, and offered to have our food re-made. I didn't think it was necessary to remake both meals, plus I didn't want to wait, so I ask if he could just give me a gift card for one dish. The manager came over and said she heard we declined having the dishes remade, and gave us two cookies. Guess we were striking out with communication tonight. I'm not in a hurry to go back.
(3)
Ron g.
Fun healthy menu with excellent prices. Love the patio and all the employees are friendly and helpful. Wonderful for lunch or dinner and a good date place or fun for the entire family.
(4)
Chad N.
My wife and I are big fans of everything Troy and the Tag group have done and this was no different. The bowls were very fresh and the service was great. It's definitely a unique flavor, so you have to be in the mood for the Pho-type food, but I would definitely recommend it. We will be back.
(4)
Ari M.
Outstanding food in a fun casual atmosphere. Can't wait to come back. Ramen bowl is delicious. Apps were excellent. Highly recommend the shrimp potstickers. Friendly staff and reasonably priced.
(5)
Dan M.
Came here for dinner. This was a fresh place to eat with good food and fun friendly service. The food stood out in a good way. It was flavorful and light. The duck confiet was very good and so was the curry carrots. The homemade kimchi was delicious and could be eaten by itself. The only issue I had was that the kimchi fried rice was too dry. The atmosphere was open and we'll suited for dining on a warm sunny day. The wait staff was friendly and engaging making the experience all the more enjoyable.
(4)
Allison A.
Just say no. Brussel sprouts overly salty fried beyond any flavor. Shrimp potstickers overcooked chewy shrimp . Edamame has some off seasoning overly steamed.. Sorry but not seeing any quality Troy missed this one. DIA Gee blows doors off of this!
(1)
Alasana B.
First time at Bubu. Placed an order to go and waited in the car. A young lady brought us the food which was in a ToGo bag. As she was carrying the food to us, I was thinking to myself that must be small. However when we got home and opened up the bag each bowl was pretty sizable and each was loaded with fresh ingredients and grilled chicken over brown rice. The Crispy Brussels Sprouts were great. Will definitely return. If you have not tried it yet, you have got to.
(5)
Krystal W.
I ate here on Sunday in the afternoon. The atmosphere was great, they have big garage doors they open up so you feel like you're on a patio, but you're still inside. I had the chicken rice bowl and it was phenomenal.
(5)
Fletcher D.
Went opening night and was very impressed with the new Troy Guard spot in Lowry. Once the word gets out about this place, it will be tough to find a table. First off, the interior is lovely. It's small, but has space for about 50 diners (I think). It's very bright, with an open kitchen. A couple of tall community tables and a chef's counter should allow for the random single or couple to find a spot most nights. Although the place was empty, we opted to sit at the chef's counter. I figured it would be best considering the newness of the joint and the interesting menu items. This turned out to be a great call. Chefs were very helpful answering questions and they were quite friendly. They steered us to something I wouldn't usually eat, the chicken fried duck tongue, and I was not disappointed. A little spicy, a little sweet, very savory and delicious. We also started with the duck confit baos/buns. Oh man, I don't know if I've had better in Denver. For our main course I had the salmon poke with a side of brussles. The sprouts were the new style fried crispy and delicious with some sweet and tart dressing. Poke was very light, fish was fresh and dressing highlighted the fish nicely. My wife won the night though with the pork shoulder bowl. It's served with curry, some bok choy, and scallions over a bed of rice. Spectacular! I will dream of this dish. I will eat it many times. Spicy, sweet, and the meat is just like butter. The place ain't cheap, but it is also very high quality with a focus on sustainability. I'm willing to pay a little bit more for that, and it was well worth it. Our meal was about $50 before tip, which I think is very reasonable. Can't wait for them to get a liquor license. A beer with that pork shoulder may just be heaven.
(4)
Jennifer H.
Lunch today was delicious ! Loved all the options and the price was right! Can't wait to go back soon. I work in the area and am so happy to have new choices for lunch and happy hour!
(5)
John L.
I had my first visit to BuBu today and I look forward to going back. The chairs were a little uncomfortable, so we sat at a perimeter booth which was fine. Service was helpful, pleasant, and prompt. Better yet was the food. The pork shoulder ramen was terrific, very flavorful - the pork was well seasoned, I loved the pickled beans that accompanied the vegetables in the tasty broth. Their popcorn shrimp was a great way to start the meal. I look forward to trying the rest of the menu in future visits. You should go too.
(5)
P B.
Well, super loud and full of Lowry families not interested in controlling their children. Very chaotic. Food was good, lunch menu is more flexible on bowls than dinner. Loud loud loud music also. I will say staff was positive and tried to keep up with their multi-tasking roles as no designated host or busser or bartender. They did it all. Loud.
(3)
Ken S.
Nice place. Good service. Rice bowls could use more flavor. They are still getting the system figured out and I expect things to get better.
(3)
Matt S.
The food was absolutely amazing. I had the pork shoulder rice bowl and it melts like butter in your mouth. The server was very nice and walked us through the menu as it was our first time there. My girlfriend, who is a vegetarian, got the crispy tofu in a rice bowl and it was great as well. It was seasoned excellently. The atmosphere is nice in the restaurant, a lot of children for some reason considering the prices aren't somewhere I would normally think of bringing children but this is not necessarily a bad thing just means it is very accommodating for all types of diners. The only reason I rate it a 4 out of 5 was the chair I was sitting in was very slippery and not the comfiest as it was metal, but I was in slacks and It probably would not be as bad with jeans. I will be back for sure and will just try to get a booth =)
Food is ok, but completely overpriced for what it is. Cold noodle bowl was around $15.. You can get an authentic cold noodle bowl at a Vietnamese restaurant for $7. Service is always slow.. You'll have to wait a couple of minutes before the staff even seats you. They see you there because you make eye contact with them., but they do NOTHING. It'll take a while before you get your food.. You'll finish your water and it doesn't get refilled because the staff is busy shooting shit with other customers.. Keep in mind they only cater to white folks, otherwise they won't even recognize your existence.. Then after your meal, you'll have to wait another century for your bill to come. Other staff sees you waiting, but again does NOTHING!!! They really need to get their team work together and maybe pay a little more attention to colored folks.
(1)
Darika S.
Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. I went for a weekday lunch and was craving a soup. The staff was attentive and friendly. I was sat down right away with menus and water. I went for the veggie ramen. It did take some time, but I had extra time to use. It came out looking wonderful. The veggies were bright and it was a large portion. I took a bite and it was ok. I continued and there wasn't any flavor from anything. I couldn't taste the broth or the veggies. I'm not sure if the veggies were overcooked and how the broth is seasoned. This is not the place to go for ramen. People near me ordered rice dishes, maybe that's what I should've ordered?
(2)
Jason C.
I came here during an evening saunter and was excited to try some of their food. My server, Joey, was super friendly and attentive. It seemed clear that folks worked as a team there, as I had lots of folks checking in on me throughout my meal. Joey explained how Bubu is part of the TAG restaurant group. My only other experience with TAG as a recent transplant was the TAG Burger Bar, so I had to do more homework to realize what that meant. I'm glad that TAG has been developing a variety of restaurant concepts to be accessible to a broad range of audiences. I sat at the counter by the kitchen and got to chat with one of the cooks. I'm blanking on the name, but I think his name was Sam or Sean. He was super friendly though and good about explaining what they were cooking. I always find it fun to learn how the food magic happens. The head chef came by as well to ask me how my food was, but I was alas in the throes of full on ramen inhalation, so I think I could only provide a vaguely positive mumble. It was a pretty chill restaurant overall and great for casual dining. Now on to the food! I had the pork shoulder ramen and got to try the fried duck tongues. The duck tongues were very tender and went well with the slaw. I'm not sure it's something I will order again, but I think folks who like things like duck fat fries or fried pork belly would find the savory richness appealing. In terms of the ramen, it was a pretty big portion. I had lots of good chunks of pork and vegetables. The noodles themselves had a decent chew to them, and the broth had lots of good umami flavor. I appreciated the generous sprinkling of cilantro and scallions, as I find the freshness really helps to make the ramen experience come together. The pickled Fresnos provided a nice counterpoint to the richness of the pork shoulder and broth. I've gotten the sense that Fresnos are in these days, but I think I would have preferred something with a slight bit more crunch or maybe bamboo shoots. The cucumber water was really refreshing and helped me reset my taste buds between bites. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Bubu and look forward to coming back some time. It's right by the Lowry Beer Garden and was a great place to stop for a bite before going for a beer. If you have a small party and like learning about food, I definitely recommend the counter to learn see all the culinary wizardry unfold.
(4)
Christopher S.
Bubu's full-on restaurant in Lowry is great! I first became aware of this Asian Fusion bistro in Larimer Square. The menu downtown is more geared towards the lunch crowd. The full restaurant version is totally awesome and expanded in the best way. The crispy tofu app got things started with a crunch. The Quinoa Salad is truly a thing of beauty; Fuji apple, celery and quinoa with a zesty, hot, light dressing. I've also had the ramen bowls here as well as the miso soup. The miso soup has more complexity and texture than most miso soups, and the use of quinoa is again innovative. The chicken thigh ramen bowl is a wonder of flavorful taste explosions. The service here has always been very good. They seem to understand the concept that patrons don't really care if "you're not in my section...", patrons just want a good experience from beginning to end. Multiple times I've had more than one server, busser, manager or runner attend to an issue that was not in their purview with grace and charm. Interior design at Bubu is a function of the limited space, but community tables, booths, a roll-up door to patio seating, and a small bar seating area make up in diversity what could be lost in sheer volume. Clean, white and organic looking materials adorn a post-modern new building right next door to Hangar 2 in Lowry.
(5)
Ken C.
Had high expectations going in given how awesome Chef Troy Guard's other restaurants are (TAG and Guard & Grace), but this was overpriced, bland, poorly executed, and topped off with lackluster service. Ordered the pork shoulder ramen and the steak rice bowl. Ramen broth was tasteless, and they put too little broth in to start. The server did not bring it out right away, so the noodles soaked up the broth and it wasn't hot enough. It was practically a dry noodle dish, so I asked her to bring more broth, and she again let the extra broth sit on the counter for 10 min until i had to ask again and she finally remembered and brought it. Still tasteless broth, and the pork shoulder barely had flavor, was tough and not soft, and had large chunks of fat. Steak rice bowl was a joke, especially for the premium price they charge for it. Again zero flavor, and the steak was a poor cut (chunks of fat), barely seasoned, and overcooked/tough. It really seemed like it was a cheap cut of beef that was lazily pan seared and dropped into an otherwise unseasoned rice bowl. I could do better at home with little effort, and i am nowhere close to a skilled chef. Very disappointed and bewildered at how this place has any good reviews. Will not be coming back.
(2)
Lisa P.
So good. We tried tonight for first time and got seated right away. Our peppy waitress Caitlin was pretty outgoing and informative, she was great fun! We had the Moto Mules to drink (kinda like Moscow mules with sake) and a tuna sushi roll and crispy brussel sprouts for starters. I had the pork ramen bowl and my husband had the salmon curry rice bowl. He liked mine better (always does) but his was good too. They don't have dessert- only thing they had was a gluten free cookie, being dessert lovers well we had to get it-and it was good for gluten free. We will be back for sure!
(5)
Michael H.
Let's start with a couple of questions: 1. Is Troy Guard the next Frank Bonnano? 2. If I had vegetarian food this good to eat, could I become a vegetarian? (See the end of the review for answers) My wife and I were quite impressed with Bubu at Lowry. It has a clean, modern, informal atmosphere where you could show up in a T-shirt and shorts and fit right in. This place is about the food. We mostly had small tastes from the menu. These included, along with ratings and comments: Dungeness crab: 4 stars. Crab not super fresh but sauce and accompaniments fine Shrimp potstickers: 4.5 stars Root vegetable: 5+ stars, incredibly good and unusual! How can you get the veggies so thin and crisp? My favorite item from the menu. Crispy tofu: 4 stars, could use a sauce on the side Kimchi: 5 stars. Not my favorite, but my wife loved it so got to go with 5. Bubu crispy rice: 4 stars. Really interesting but maybe too crunchy if that is possible. Cookie dessert: 4 stars. Rice flour is pretty unusual for us. Drinks: 4 stars. Very limited wine list with 4 glass choices, but the Daniel San cocktail and the Epic IPA were just fine. Service: 4 stars. Summary: if you are looking for something different and incline toward Asian food, fresh veggies and grains, you may really like this place. Informal setting with eclectic menu. Answers to my questions if you got this far: 1. yes, keep an eye on this guy, he is special 2. possibly yes
(4)
Jon O.
Good concept but you still need to iron out kinks. Too long of wait and food was only so so. Iron this out and I'll be back.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Brielle G.
Well I thoroughly enjoyed my meal here and had heard so many great things about this place so I was extremely excited to check this place out. Me and a few friends went for dinner and it seemed like their dinner menu was much smaller than the lunch menu and less options to choose from. None the less we started out with a drink of course, it had been a long week. We tried the mule which was recommended by our waiter. It had vodka in it but strangely tasted healthy almost like you were drinking a cleanse or something. It had ginger in there which I could taste and was happy about and I really liked how fresh it was and couldn't taste alcohol at all which can be dangerous but not to worry we limited ourselves to one drink! Me and my friend decided to share some small plates and ended up ordering the duck tongue, duck buns, Brussels sprouts, and crunchy Tuna rice. I enjoyed it all but the Brussels sprouts were a tad too salty for my liking as well as the duck tongue. I think maybe someone accidentally spilled the salt in our dish because those two were pretty salt heavy. Would have been better if it was toned down a bit. As for the duck buns yum yum yum I love me some duck buns. I would highly recommend trying these out they were great! A little jalapeño added some spice and was such a great dish. The crunchy rice with tuna was also one of my favorites and almost in a way tastes like sushi. I enjoyed those two dishes the most and sharing was a great idea because I was pretty full afterwards. This place seems kinda of expensive for what you get though. I ended up tapping $30 after tip.
(3)Claudine M.
Went here a few nights ago. Ordered a ton of food to share with my boyfriend and friend. Can I just say my tummy was a happy camper by the end of the night? Pretty sure I'll be a regular here! Please try their buns, it's one of my faves- especially the duck confit buns. Mannnn I love those buns haha. Their bubu crispy rice is fantastic as well. We also tried their salmon rice bowl with curry and chicken thigh ramen. The curry was good and we got to select brown rice, and their ramen was their version of a healthy ramen so don't come expecting authentic Japanese ramen. It was still delicious though and the thought of the food being prepared healthy made me a little less guilty about eating so much haha.
(5)Sean B.
Here is what I liked about Bubu: the service was good, the ambiance was nice and it was clean. We had 2 ramen bowls, the vegetable and the pork shoulder. The veg. bowl was very bland, like steamed vegetables and noodles in hot water. The vegetable cuts were inconsistent and the promised ingredients were not all there. The pork shoulder was much more flavorful, again bad knife cuts and missing ingredients. I also thought the $13 a piece price tag was ridiculous for lunch!
(2)Paul J.
The food is good, however the portions are small and it is way overpriced! It's fresh and tasty but $16 for a bowl of noodles, some veggies and a FEW pieces of tuna?
(3)Gale M.
Came for lunch and plan to be a regular! The Thai had just the perfect amount of spice. Every thing was super fresh. Love the decor and patio will be the ideal spot to sip a glass of wine or one of their interesting house cocktails on a warm summer evening. Staff was friendly and helpful!
(5)Jennifer S.
Food was amazing and perfectly cooked! My kids loved it and it was extremely laid back. The employees were very nice and attentive.
(4)Sally H.
My boyfriend and I came here the other day for lunch. It was our first time. We wanted to try it because it was close to home and a picture on a friend's instagram made it look appetizing. We came during late lunch/early dinner in which we were told that the chef was not ready to serve dinner. We were okay with that. We also happen to be the only customers at the time (later, was told it gets busy at five). We ended up ordering the shrimp quinoa potstickers, pork shoulder ramen bowl, and the Thai bubu rice bowl. My boyfriend also ordered lemonade which he loved because it reminded him of fresh-squeezed lemonade that you can get at the carnivals. The shrimp potstickers were one of the better potstickers I have had. It was fresh, not frozen. However, it did not come with a traditional potsticker dipping sauce; instead, the potstickers were laid on top of a carrot puree and came with a side of kimchi. I was not a fan of the the kimchi. It tasted over fermented, but the carrot puree was great. I actually used that to dip the potstickers in. My boyfriend's thai bubu rice bowl did not actually come with bubu. We were told bubu is an expensive Asian grain that had no taste, but was used for decoration. Nonetheless, his bowl was very tasty. He chose a brown rice base and grilled chicken as his protein. The thai bowl itself came with green papaya slaw, shallots, peanuts, thai dressing and my favorite wonton crisps. His bowl was definitely a healthy alternative. Mine, however, was not as healthy. I had the pork shoulder ramen and I am so glad they are generous with their meat portion compared to other places. The ramen was actual ramen!!! Not the individual package type you buy at the store and cook with boiling water. It was perfect and had a lot of flavors. I especially enjoyed the shiitake mushroom and the sweet thai peppers. The ramen was a little greasy due to the pork shoulder, but good nonetheless. Overall, we did really enjoyed our experience. Our waitress was super friendly and made enjoyable conversation with us. The place was modern and chic. We loved the healthy spin to Asian cuisine.
(4)Lauren J.
Ok I lunched here again because I'm addicted and made my husband meet me for happy hour. I was sad that the bowls you build weren't avail after 3. The happy hour was great though. Delicious drinks and the duck confit buns were UHmazing. One HUGE disappointment was the salmon "poke". I get the raw salmon each time I've had lunch there. The poke was seared. So gross. For $12, I want sushi grade salmon, raw. The waiter gave me a delicious cookie from Sugarmill though, so I forgive. Troy Guard even made an appearance which was pretty cool. Sir, make the poke raw as it should be! Oh and since you own Sugarmill, have some actual desserts!
(4)Christy C.
Nice lunch spot. Easy to customize bowls with rice (brown or white), as a salad or over noodles. Very fresh and fast. The shrimp Thai bowl was yummy! I'll definitely be back.
(5)Kate C.
Have been to the Bubu in Lowry a couple of times now and I just adore this little spot. Great food, atmosphere is lovely and the service is friendly & attentive.
(4)Anna Z.
I heard about this new Asian fusion place from my friends and really wanted to try it. I finally had time to stop by. The interior is very modern and clean and I liked that you can see the people working in the kitchen. All the waiters and waitresses were very friendly and had a chill vibe about them. The menu probably had half small plates and half rice/ramen bowls. I didn't want to try the rice or ramen bowls because I thought their small plates were more unique and worth trying. I split the following with a friend: brussel sprouts, duck tongue, duck bun, and crispy rice tuna. We also both got the cucumber mule drink. The drink was very unique. I expected something thin and watery but was pleasantly surprised to have such a opaque and refreshing drink. It looked like a detox veggie drink but it was pretty good. My two favorite dishes were the duck bun and the crispy rice tuna. They were amazing. The tuna was definitely my favorite and I would go back for that. The bun was great as well but wasn't as good as the tuna. I didn't especially like the tongue. Not that it's tongue but it was really salty and wasn't all that great. I liked the flavoring of the brussel sprouts but it was WAY too salty. I had to keep drinking water. On top of that, our total came out to 30 bucks each which was a little ridiculous for the food we got which wasn't a lot. They were all small plates. I thought the food was a little overpriced and too salty otherwise I would give 4 stars.
(3)Ted S.
I came here with my girlfriend the other week to try it out and it does not disappoint! We got pretty much everything and planned on splitting it for two meals...but little change of plans, we couldn't stop we enjoyed it so much that we continually ate until it was finished. Don't regret a single bite.
(5)Richard G.
I have never written such a Visceral response of a restaurant . This is the second time we have visited Bubu in Lowry. The competition is stiff in Lowry|: This place is horrible. I always believe on a second chance. What a mistake. The food was almost inedible! Salmon Poke sucked, (skanky smelly, weird after last) Brussels Sprouts sucked a little less. And the Duck Confit Buns sucked the least! Service Meh at best. NEVER GOING BACK
(1)Simi E.
Ok.. I finally gave this place a try- was always unsure with their somewhat eclectic menu and visited the neighboring restaurants instead. All I can say is WOW. Their pork ramen and rice bowls are amazing. So are the Brussels sprouts! So was everything else we ordered from salads to sides (amazing fried rice too!). Wish I had been coming here sooner. EAT HERE- you will not be disappointed.
(5)Holly S.
I love this place. We were out walking one day and decided to pop in for a quick bite. We've been back multiple times since. The food is great, the service is good and we love the atmosphere. Have only had lunch, but I'm sure dinner is just as amazing. The Hawaii five 0 and the OG Colorado are my favorite bowls!
(5)Robert H.
Amazing Ramen! Great menu and staff. Love the shrimp dumplings! We'll be back for sure.
(5)Akio B.
Bubu is very very good and nice place! This was my first time here and I was worried but our waitress was very nice to us 5 stars for costermer service!! I got them pork shoulder roman and it blow my mind, i totally recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Brenda L.
Better bu bu-lieve I dig this place! Pros: 1. Five min from me 2. Modern Pinteresty decor with booths, a high chair communal tables, splashes of matte turquoise color with their metal chairs, yoga mat parking bin 3. Outdoor electric car parking 4. Sustainable ingredients 5. Yummy cocktails 6. Delicious food 7. Friendly service (I think our waiter's name was Michael? not sure, but he had tattoos and was pretty attentive) What I tried 1.bubu crispy rice with spicy tuna, jalapeno and tobiki for $14 (on the sushi menu) 2. bubu style corned beef with pickled shallots and cabbage for $8 (on the buns menu) 3. duck confit bun with hoisin and chinese vinegar slaw for $8 (on the buns menu) 4. grilled salmon brown rice bowl with green beans, yellow curry and coconut for $15 (from the rice bowl menu) 5. chicken thigh ramen with swiss chard, soy bean and radish for $12 (from the ramen menu) 6. crispy brussel sprouts w/ lime chile for $5 (from the etc menu) 7. orange soda whiskey cocktail 8. hot tamales tequila cocktail (with hot tamales simple syrup) My absolute favorite dish was the brussel sprouts. It was the best I've ever had! The edges of the leaves were crispy (perhaps quickly fried) and lime chile flavor was fantastic. I plan on looking for a similar recipe and making this @ home because I already crave it. My 2nd favorite were the crispy rice sushi dishes. The rice was SUPER crispy and the tuna tasted fresh. My 3rd favorites were the buns. The corned beef bun had mustard in it and tasted like I was eating an American sandwich. They're pretty filling and are easy to eat with your hands. My least favorite dish was the ramen because of the bland broth. The noodles were great in texture and taste but the broth was bland and the chicken was a little chewy and lacked flavor. Both of the cocktails I tried were yummy and weren't too strong in alcohol flavor. The hot tamales drink even came with a piece of the candy in it. I wouldn't mind getting that cocktail again. The whiskey cocktail was light and bubbly. I'm looking forward to coming back here for their kimchi rice cakes and other sushi dishes.
(5)Jennifer M.
I looked at the online menu before coming to this place and got the impression it was a place that served rice bowl, almost like a fancier Tokyo Joes. However, going into the restaurant and looking at the menu, I realized they had so much more on their menu such as ramen bowls, sushi, and salmon poke. I was torn between the ramen and salmon poke, and ended up ordering the salmon poke. I can't remember what the exact ingredients that came with the salmon poke, but it was colorful, and had many different textures. The downside it was expensive for the small portions, and the salmon was room temperature. I was expecting the salmon to be a little colder like most places served them, but the room temperature salmon had a slight fishy smell, which I did not like. The restaurant is small and casual, but another aspect I did not like was the time it took for me to be seated. There were two empty tables needing to be cleaned, and I was asked multiple times if I was waiting for a table, but ended up standing around for 10 minutes before I was seated. Overall, the service was slow and I did not feel the food was anything special.
(2)Jeff O.
After reading an internet forward of places to eat ramen in the Denver area I decided to try as many of them as I could. At first I thought the more "authentic" looking ramen places would do better. I'm talking about the kind of place that sells Japanese sodas and has manga posters on the walls. I wanted to hear Japanese coming from the kitchen. But none of them compares to Bubu's ramen. The quality of the broth and noodles was consistent in most of the restaurants I went to but Bubu's attention to detail with all of the other ingredients easily raises its rating above all competition. The pork shoulder in the pork shoulder ramen is tender, delicious, and plentiful. The peppers and bok choy are awesome. The optional poached egg hits the spot. I've found my best ramen joint in Denver.
(4)Justin B.
I initially thought this was a fast-casual restaurant but it is actually a sit-down establishment. That said, food came out quickly. I ordered a Chinese chicken bowl with brown rice. The vegetables were fresh and appropriately crisp and the rice was cooked well (not over or undercooked). The sauce was pretty uninspired and seemed like only soy. I wasn't expecting much more than that, though, so wasn't that disappointed. Bubu is definitely much better than what you'd get at Tokyo Joe's or Pei Wei, but that is to be expected because you're also paying more. This really is more of a 3.5 star place for me, but I'm rounding up because of the location (in the burbs), pleasant décor and the good, if overbearing, service. I wouldn't go back alone, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at it if co-workers suggested it, either.
(4)Amy G.
I wish I wouldn't have found out at the end of our meal that bubu belongs to the Guard family of restaurants, because my standards were raised once I realized that, and I was slightly disappointed with our food. We ordered five items to share: popcorn shrimp, salmon poke, seared tuna, bok choy and pork shoulder ramen. The popcorn shrimp and bok choy were both incredible. Flavorful and expressive. The ramen was average. Tasty, but not stand out. The seared tuna was dry and flavorless, outside of the spicy mustard and over-crusted seasoning on the outside. The salmon poke was also bland. The service was great. Everyone was friendly and helpful and nice. I definintely feel like we could have gone elsewhere for similar food and not spent $80.00.
(3)Robert V.
Went to this place based on the recommendations of friends. Upon first walking in, the place is kinda small but it didn't take long to be seated. The waiter was very friendly and helpful with our questions about allergen questions. Went with three other people and we got: pork ramen, salmon poke bowl, grilled shrimp cold rice noodle bowl, and 1/2 lb sirloin with side rice. This was my dish: the pork ramen broth tasted basically like beef broth, nothing special and something just tasted a little off. The pork is just one big slab or pork, it did taste pretty good though. Added an egg in it and they only do fried or poached, instead of the soft boiled that I usually see at ramen places. My friends said that their meals weren't as great either. The salmon poke had something off about the sauce they used. The meat that you order by weight is literally just the meat, no sauce, no flavoring...just meat cooked and put on a plate. The saving grace was the roasted Brussel sprouts that were pretty good. Nothing special, but better than everything else we had. I would have rated it 1 star, but the waitress was good, the ambiance was pleasant and relaxing, and of course the Brussel sprouts. Probably won't go again.
(2)Abby L.
Tonight was my second time at Bubu since it opened. I had the chicken thigh rice bowl, which was awesome. Service was great as well. Our waiter was very knowledgable and attentive. At the end of the meal, the waiter asked us if we'd like him to box up our leftovers, and we said yes. Once we got the bill, we realized he had misunderstood us, and didn't realize we wanted the food to go. He felt awful, and offered to have our food re-made. I didn't think it was necessary to remake both meals, plus I didn't want to wait, so I ask if he could just give me a gift card for one dish. The manager came over and said she heard we declined having the dishes remade, and gave us two cookies. Guess we were striking out with communication tonight. I'm not in a hurry to go back.
(3)Ron g.
Fun healthy menu with excellent prices. Love the patio and all the employees are friendly and helpful. Wonderful for lunch or dinner and a good date place or fun for the entire family.
(4)Chad N.
My wife and I are big fans of everything Troy and the Tag group have done and this was no different. The bowls were very fresh and the service was great. It's definitely a unique flavor, so you have to be in the mood for the Pho-type food, but I would definitely recommend it. We will be back.
(4)Ari M.
Outstanding food in a fun casual atmosphere. Can't wait to come back. Ramen bowl is delicious. Apps were excellent. Highly recommend the shrimp potstickers. Friendly staff and reasonably priced.
(5)Dan M.
Came here for dinner. This was a fresh place to eat with good food and fun friendly service. The food stood out in a good way. It was flavorful and light. The duck confiet was very good and so was the curry carrots. The homemade kimchi was delicious and could be eaten by itself. The only issue I had was that the kimchi fried rice was too dry. The atmosphere was open and we'll suited for dining on a warm sunny day. The wait staff was friendly and engaging making the experience all the more enjoyable.
(4)Allison A.
Just say no. Brussel sprouts overly salty fried beyond any flavor. Shrimp potstickers overcooked chewy shrimp . Edamame has some off seasoning overly steamed.. Sorry but not seeing any quality Troy missed this one. DIA Gee blows doors off of this!
(1)Alasana B.
First time at Bubu. Placed an order to go and waited in the car. A young lady brought us the food which was in a ToGo bag. As she was carrying the food to us, I was thinking to myself that must be small. However when we got home and opened up the bag each bowl was pretty sizable and each was loaded with fresh ingredients and grilled chicken over brown rice. The Crispy Brussels Sprouts were great. Will definitely return. If you have not tried it yet, you have got to.
(5)Krystal W.
I ate here on Sunday in the afternoon. The atmosphere was great, they have big garage doors they open up so you feel like you're on a patio, but you're still inside. I had the chicken rice bowl and it was phenomenal.
(5)Fletcher D.
Went opening night and was very impressed with the new Troy Guard spot in Lowry. Once the word gets out about this place, it will be tough to find a table. First off, the interior is lovely. It's small, but has space for about 50 diners (I think). It's very bright, with an open kitchen. A couple of tall community tables and a chef's counter should allow for the random single or couple to find a spot most nights. Although the place was empty, we opted to sit at the chef's counter. I figured it would be best considering the newness of the joint and the interesting menu items. This turned out to be a great call. Chefs were very helpful answering questions and they were quite friendly. They steered us to something I wouldn't usually eat, the chicken fried duck tongue, and I was not disappointed. A little spicy, a little sweet, very savory and delicious. We also started with the duck confit baos/buns. Oh man, I don't know if I've had better in Denver. For our main course I had the salmon poke with a side of brussles. The sprouts were the new style fried crispy and delicious with some sweet and tart dressing. Poke was very light, fish was fresh and dressing highlighted the fish nicely. My wife won the night though with the pork shoulder bowl. It's served with curry, some bok choy, and scallions over a bed of rice. Spectacular! I will dream of this dish. I will eat it many times. Spicy, sweet, and the meat is just like butter. The place ain't cheap, but it is also very high quality with a focus on sustainability. I'm willing to pay a little bit more for that, and it was well worth it. Our meal was about $50 before tip, which I think is very reasonable. Can't wait for them to get a liquor license. A beer with that pork shoulder may just be heaven.
(4)Jennifer H.
Lunch today was delicious ! Loved all the options and the price was right! Can't wait to go back soon. I work in the area and am so happy to have new choices for lunch and happy hour!
(5)John L.
I had my first visit to BuBu today and I look forward to going back. The chairs were a little uncomfortable, so we sat at a perimeter booth which was fine. Service was helpful, pleasant, and prompt. Better yet was the food. The pork shoulder ramen was terrific, very flavorful - the pork was well seasoned, I loved the pickled beans that accompanied the vegetables in the tasty broth. Their popcorn shrimp was a great way to start the meal. I look forward to trying the rest of the menu in future visits. You should go too.
(5)P B.
Well, super loud and full of Lowry families not interested in controlling their children. Very chaotic. Food was good, lunch menu is more flexible on bowls than dinner. Loud loud loud music also. I will say staff was positive and tried to keep up with their multi-tasking roles as no designated host or busser or bartender. They did it all. Loud.
(3)Ken S.
Nice place. Good service. Rice bowls could use more flavor. They are still getting the system figured out and I expect things to get better.
(3)Matt S.
The food was absolutely amazing. I had the pork shoulder rice bowl and it melts like butter in your mouth. The server was very nice and walked us through the menu as it was our first time there. My girlfriend, who is a vegetarian, got the crispy tofu in a rice bowl and it was great as well. It was seasoned excellently. The atmosphere is nice in the restaurant, a lot of children for some reason considering the prices aren't somewhere I would normally think of bringing children but this is not necessarily a bad thing just means it is very accommodating for all types of diners. The only reason I rate it a 4 out of 5 was the chair I was sitting in was very slippery and not the comfiest as it was metal, but I was in slacks and It probably would not be as bad with jeans. I will be back for sure and will just try to get a booth =)
(4)Judy P.
Happy hour was indeed happy... We stopped by for a very early dinner during happy hour. I ordered a couple of the appetizers. The Brussel Sprouts were excellent. They were crispy and on a pool of a spicy citrus liquid. The Shrimp Potstickers were yummy as well. They were placed on a layer of carrot purée with a dab of kimchi. Okay, but the best was my husband's Pork Shoulder Ramen. The broth was how it should be, rich and complex. Now to the happy part besides the food. We enjoyed talking with a couple of the employees who were equally enthusiastic about the quality and taste of the food. We were very pleased with our choice of where to have our early dinner.
(4)Cheo B.
Food is ok, but completely overpriced for what it is. Cold noodle bowl was around $15.. You can get an authentic cold noodle bowl at a Vietnamese restaurant for $7. Service is always slow.. You'll have to wait a couple of minutes before the staff even seats you. They see you there because you make eye contact with them., but they do NOTHING. It'll take a while before you get your food.. You'll finish your water and it doesn't get refilled because the staff is busy shooting shit with other customers.. Keep in mind they only cater to white folks, otherwise they won't even recognize your existence.. Then after your meal, you'll have to wait another century for your bill to come. Other staff sees you waiting, but again does NOTHING!!! They really need to get their team work together and maybe pay a little more attention to colored folks.
(1)Darika S.
Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. I went for a weekday lunch and was craving a soup. The staff was attentive and friendly. I was sat down right away with menus and water. I went for the veggie ramen. It did take some time, but I had extra time to use. It came out looking wonderful. The veggies were bright and it was a large portion. I took a bite and it was ok. I continued and there wasn't any flavor from anything. I couldn't taste the broth or the veggies. I'm not sure if the veggies were overcooked and how the broth is seasoned. This is not the place to go for ramen. People near me ordered rice dishes, maybe that's what I should've ordered?
(2)Jason C.
I came here during an evening saunter and was excited to try some of their food. My server, Joey, was super friendly and attentive. It seemed clear that folks worked as a team there, as I had lots of folks checking in on me throughout my meal. Joey explained how Bubu is part of the TAG restaurant group. My only other experience with TAG as a recent transplant was the TAG Burger Bar, so I had to do more homework to realize what that meant. I'm glad that TAG has been developing a variety of restaurant concepts to be accessible to a broad range of audiences. I sat at the counter by the kitchen and got to chat with one of the cooks. I'm blanking on the name, but I think his name was Sam or Sean. He was super friendly though and good about explaining what they were cooking. I always find it fun to learn how the food magic happens. The head chef came by as well to ask me how my food was, but I was alas in the throes of full on ramen inhalation, so I think I could only provide a vaguely positive mumble. It was a pretty chill restaurant overall and great for casual dining. Now on to the food! I had the pork shoulder ramen and got to try the fried duck tongues. The duck tongues were very tender and went well with the slaw. I'm not sure it's something I will order again, but I think folks who like things like duck fat fries or fried pork belly would find the savory richness appealing. In terms of the ramen, it was a pretty big portion. I had lots of good chunks of pork and vegetables. The noodles themselves had a decent chew to them, and the broth had lots of good umami flavor. I appreciated the generous sprinkling of cilantro and scallions, as I find the freshness really helps to make the ramen experience come together. The pickled Fresnos provided a nice counterpoint to the richness of the pork shoulder and broth. I've gotten the sense that Fresnos are in these days, but I think I would have preferred something with a slight bit more crunch or maybe bamboo shoots. The cucumber water was really refreshing and helped me reset my taste buds between bites. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Bubu and look forward to coming back some time. It's right by the Lowry Beer Garden and was a great place to stop for a bite before going for a beer. If you have a small party and like learning about food, I definitely recommend the counter to learn see all the culinary wizardry unfold.
(4)Christopher S.
Bubu's full-on restaurant in Lowry is great! I first became aware of this Asian Fusion bistro in Larimer Square. The menu downtown is more geared towards the lunch crowd. The full restaurant version is totally awesome and expanded in the best way. The crispy tofu app got things started with a crunch. The Quinoa Salad is truly a thing of beauty; Fuji apple, celery and quinoa with a zesty, hot, light dressing. I've also had the ramen bowls here as well as the miso soup. The miso soup has more complexity and texture than most miso soups, and the use of quinoa is again innovative. The chicken thigh ramen bowl is a wonder of flavorful taste explosions. The service here has always been very good. They seem to understand the concept that patrons don't really care if "you're not in my section...", patrons just want a good experience from beginning to end. Multiple times I've had more than one server, busser, manager or runner attend to an issue that was not in their purview with grace and charm. Interior design at Bubu is a function of the limited space, but community tables, booths, a roll-up door to patio seating, and a small bar seating area make up in diversity what could be lost in sheer volume. Clean, white and organic looking materials adorn a post-modern new building right next door to Hangar 2 in Lowry.
(5)Ken C.
Had high expectations going in given how awesome Chef Troy Guard's other restaurants are (TAG and Guard & Grace), but this was overpriced, bland, poorly executed, and topped off with lackluster service. Ordered the pork shoulder ramen and the steak rice bowl. Ramen broth was tasteless, and they put too little broth in to start. The server did not bring it out right away, so the noodles soaked up the broth and it wasn't hot enough. It was practically a dry noodle dish, so I asked her to bring more broth, and she again let the extra broth sit on the counter for 10 min until i had to ask again and she finally remembered and brought it. Still tasteless broth, and the pork shoulder barely had flavor, was tough and not soft, and had large chunks of fat. Steak rice bowl was a joke, especially for the premium price they charge for it. Again zero flavor, and the steak was a poor cut (chunks of fat), barely seasoned, and overcooked/tough. It really seemed like it was a cheap cut of beef that was lazily pan seared and dropped into an otherwise unseasoned rice bowl. I could do better at home with little effort, and i am nowhere close to a skilled chef. Very disappointed and bewildered at how this place has any good reviews. Will not be coming back.
(2)Lisa P.
So good. We tried tonight for first time and got seated right away. Our peppy waitress Caitlin was pretty outgoing and informative, she was great fun! We had the Moto Mules to drink (kinda like Moscow mules with sake) and a tuna sushi roll and crispy brussel sprouts for starters. I had the pork ramen bowl and my husband had the salmon curry rice bowl. He liked mine better (always does) but his was good too. They don't have dessert- only thing they had was a gluten free cookie, being dessert lovers well we had to get it-and it was good for gluten free. We will be back for sure!
(5)Michael H.
Let's start with a couple of questions: 1. Is Troy Guard the next Frank Bonnano? 2. If I had vegetarian food this good to eat, could I become a vegetarian? (See the end of the review for answers) My wife and I were quite impressed with Bubu at Lowry. It has a clean, modern, informal atmosphere where you could show up in a T-shirt and shorts and fit right in. This place is about the food. We mostly had small tastes from the menu. These included, along with ratings and comments: Dungeness crab: 4 stars. Crab not super fresh but sauce and accompaniments fine Shrimp potstickers: 4.5 stars Root vegetable: 5+ stars, incredibly good and unusual! How can you get the veggies so thin and crisp? My favorite item from the menu. Crispy tofu: 4 stars, could use a sauce on the side Kimchi: 5 stars. Not my favorite, but my wife loved it so got to go with 5. Bubu crispy rice: 4 stars. Really interesting but maybe too crunchy if that is possible. Cookie dessert: 4 stars. Rice flour is pretty unusual for us. Drinks: 4 stars. Very limited wine list with 4 glass choices, but the Daniel San cocktail and the Epic IPA were just fine. Service: 4 stars. Summary: if you are looking for something different and incline toward Asian food, fresh veggies and grains, you may really like this place. Informal setting with eclectic menu. Answers to my questions if you got this far: 1. yes, keep an eye on this guy, he is special 2. possibly yes
(4)Jon O.
Good concept but you still need to iron out kinks. Too long of wait and food was only so so. Iron this out and I'll be back.
(1)