High-Profile Restaurants Set for Denver, Vegas

A pair of noteworthy new restaurants are making their debut in the American West: now open in Denver is Ajax Downtown, in that city’s Union Station neighborhood, while about 750 miles west, country music superstar Jason Aldean is bringing his saloon/dining/live performance concept to the Strip in Las Vegas.

The Ajax Downtown is a sister restaurant to the Ajax Tavern in Aspen, Colo. It’s the latest development from Aspen One and Continuum Partners.

Ajax Downtown serves modern American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week for locals, travelers and guests of the Limelight Denver hotel, another Aspen One/Continuum Partners project adjacent to the restaurant.

Nina Gotlieb, founder of Otherworld Creative (Brooklyn, N.Y.), served as the project’s interior designer. Details in the space pay subtle homage to the original Ajax Tavern design, via such elements as its red banquettes. Ajax Downtown’s palette leans heavily into saturated color with more delicate, subtle detailing found in its custom dining chairs, textures and patterns.

“We worked hard to ensure that Ajax Downtown’s interior is like nothing else in Denver,” said Gotlieb. “The space is cozy but experiential, meant to envelop the guest with hidden details to be discovered, making them feel like they’ve escaped for a brief hour or two.”

Meantime, in Vegas, TC Restaurant Group is teaming with Aldean to bring the singer’s Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar to the Las Vegas Strip this fall. The venue will bring its signature combination of live music, Southern comfort food and one-of-a-kind memorabilia. It will feature outdoor patios, private event spaces, full-service dining and DJ-driven nightlife all under one roof.

“To open our fourth Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar and the first West Coast location in iconic Las Vegas is thrilling,” said TC Restaurant Group CEO Adam Hesler. “We will be right on the Las Vegas Strip, at the epicenter of the excitement and look forward to hosting not only incoming visitors from around the world but also giving the Las Vegas residents a unique experience and inviting atmosphere to unwind and have a great time.”

Located at 63 CityCenter at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue, the 22,500-square-foot, two-story venue will feature two music stages with regular live performances ranging from country to pop to other top 40 genres. The venue will include a 250-plus-seat main dining area, seven bars and an outdoor elliptical patio offering views of the Strip, as well as a 15,000-square-foot second floor of entertainment with velvet-tufted booths, resident DJs, an additional live music stage and an elevated VIP bottle service section. The Las Vegas location will also feature a signature 4000-square-foot patio with views of the Strip.

The venue will also include memorabilia hand-picked by Aldean, including record plaques of his best-selling songs including “Dirt Road Anthem,” “Any ‘Ol Barstool” and “My Kinda Party,” as well as guitars and personal photos. Also of note: the venue’s centerpiece Tractor Bar, which will be home to a vintage 4020 John Deere Tractor, an homage to Aldean’s multi-Platinum No. 1 hit song, “Big Green Tractor.”