Parallel Seventeen

everything on the menu sounds wonderful & tastes even better, very cool atmosphere where you want to hang out after dinner, creative drink menu - the best sangria, professional service, great prices! Pros: great prices, excellent food, very cool ambiance more

Parallel Seventeen has got to be one of Denver's gems. When I walked into the restauarant, I was blown away at how ""un-Denver-like"" it seemed. The exposed red brick, dark wood, ambient lighting and loungey music reminded me of places I've been to in san fran and nyc.... I'm used to going to tacky asian restauarants decorated with fake flowers, pink tableclothes and laminated menus...so my first impression of this place was great atmosphere, but can the food stand up to all those places on federal? After eating there numerous times, I can definitely say that although not completely traditional...ie...no frog legs or whole fish, this place serves pretty authentic vietnamese food -spring rolls, summer rolls, crepes, meatballs, AWESOME pho and also some really great fusion dishes, you've got to try the vietnamese coffee short rib and the duck confit is one of the best confits I've had in this city. Lots of flavor (not too salty like I'm used to) and not so fatty either! And the prices are totally reasonable. The service was great: cute; attentive, knowledgable, and fun. I'd say the only thing I didn't like about this place is that they don't serve pho at night (I asked my waiter why and he said because pho is only eaten for breakfast or lunch in vietnam) and they're pretty small, so although we had a great time waiting at the bar for our table, we still had to wait for a while (i guess that's not their fault, its people like me telling people like you to go there!). they're pretty much always on a wait on weekends! I guess this place is more of a monday-thursday place if you want to come in and have a great dinner without being too much apart of the scene. So aside from not serving pho at dinner, this place is awesome. If you haven't tried it, you've got to go!!!! Pros: great food, service is friendly, best pho in town! Cons: no pho for dinner, small more

If you haven't been to P17 then you should, because it's beyond anything you can find at any Denverite Vietnamese/Thai restaurant. There's always something new and inventive to try if not try again and again.\r \r The drinks are amazing with a huge array of selections such as infused vodkas (lychee is my favorite) and the staff always have an idea or 2 to make up something to suit your soul.\r \r Not enough stars to rate this favorite. Great atmosphere and a great place to be throughout the year * Pros: Selection of food/drinks, ambience, parking Cons: Uptown (but worth the drive) more

This place is just one more jewel on 17th. With a small, classy atmosphere, interesting dishes, and yummy cocktails, it's a great place for a date or a night with the girls. The spring rolls are delightful, far from the usual greasy mess you get at other places. The tempura green beans are another must. I wouldn't recommend the eggplant appetizer though-It looked like a slimy eel and didn't taste all that lovely either. The curry was delightful - not over spiced like many places. OH! And you have to try the infused vodka. The mango was absolutely fantastic. Pros: interesting taste combinations, intimate atmosphere, vodka! Cons: the eggplant more

I love P17! The food is great, the drinks are great, the ambiance is great, the staff is great! Go for happy hour and try the sangrias! They have a great patio too, which is awesome in the warmer months. The menu caters to all diets, including many tasty vegan choices. Great scene for hanging out with friends - good music. Try it! Pros: Location - easy parking, aesthetically pleasing Cons: Not more restaraunts in Denver like this more

Truly one of my favorite restaurants in Denver! The place is small, but super-cozy & super cool inside. The lighting is warm, romantic & inviting, and the guest DJs add just the right vibe to add a little ""cool"" to the evening. The food is wonderful, with many of the dishes served accented with plenty of fresh herbs. The crepes are to die for, as are the mussels. I admire the owners for pursing a passion and turning it into a wonderful little haven. My only complaint would be the priciness of the drinks, and some of the ""small"" dishes seem a little high as well. But, overall, this is a wonderful find & one that I hope succeeds in our city! Pros: Ambience, music, food quality Cons: Priceiness of some items/drinks more

After moving to Denver from a big city, I was under the impression that I was doomed to endless disappointing dining experiences! Then, I stumbled upon Parallel Seventeen. Walking into the dining room, I was reminded of San Francisco & NYC, both places I've lived. For such a cow-town, Parallel Seventeen really stands out. The decor is hip, yet uncontrived and relaxing. The staff, friendly, un-pretentious & informed (it helps that they're all easy on the eyes). Yeah, sometimes you have to wait for a table....but why wouldn't you? The experience is definitley worth the wait...and it seems like the rest of Denver agrees. For a foodie like me, I really can appreciate and understand the fusion of French and Chinese influences in such a traditional Vietnamese menu. Its refreshing to find such a creative menu that honors a lot of traditional Vietnamese dishes; sometimes in Denver, I don't know if I'm eating Chinese food when I'm walking into a Japanese restaurant. The Vietnamese Crepes are to die for...not found in a lot of the ""traditional"" vietnamese digs in town. And the charcuterie...amazing. You can't go there without trying the calamari & the quail too. I could go on and on...but you probably get the jist. Pros: Can have drinks and apps and hang out or come in and have dinner. Awesome patio! Cons: Can't seat large parties on a busy night more

I was so disappointed! After such rave reviews and write ups this place was just ok. While some of the appetizers were tasty, the main dishes(curry, etc) didn't taste authentic. Also, as a side note, this place has not really risen above the neighborhood joint status- despite the ritzy interior. The service was flighty, the staff disorganized(we had to tell 4 different people we were online for a table!) and overall, the expereince was not what we expected after reading such raves. Pros: tasty appetizers Cons: long wait, disorganized service more

Went for lunch during the week. Wasn't too crowd and there were several tables open. We waited for someone to acknowledge us, but it became obvious no one was going to at any point soon. We finally sat ourselves after about 5 minutes of standing around. We were excited to try Parallel 17 as it is almost impossible to find Pho downtown and we live and work close by. The broth was quite different than Pho that we have had and was cold. The noodles were a little hard, but I will say the quality of the meat was amazing. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has a nice bar. However, we will probably continue to take the longer drive to the restaurants on Federal to get Pho. more

The ambiance is hip with a variety of cocktails to satisfy your thirst, but the food was no where near being gratifying or even tasty. The portions were small and lacked true Vietnamese flavor and ingredients. I would recommend Parallel 17 for a place to hang out and have drinks and maybe an appetizer (though I did not sample anything on the menu that I would recommend); but definitely do not go there for a Vietnamese dining experience, you will be very disappointed. Pros: Nice Ambiance, Variety of Cocktails Cons: Small Portions more

I've visited P17 for lunch several times and it's always good but sometimes, it's great. My friend loves the small chicken pho and the portion is huge, but I prefer the curry with chicken. Sometimes though, the chicken is just white meat chicken breast and other times it will be dark meat and it really changes the flavor. They give you the option of rice or a baguette and I really like the rice because it holds the curry sauce well and usually the potatoes melt in your mouth and are also very flavorful On my most recent visit though, the potatoes were undercooked and there was a lack of the curry sauce that makes this dish so great. It was still good but not fantastic like it usually is. But the portion is huge for so little money and the wait staff is always fabulous at lunch! Pros: cheap, outdoor seating, friendly waitstaff Cons: inconsistent more

What a great little place! Not your traditional Vietnamese cuisine. More Vietnamese with a Rocky Mountain panache. It's small. It's loud. It's hopping. We stayed late, and the DJ had the place rocking. I'd say try the scallops, the mussels & the curry bowls. Our veggie friend loved the eggplant & the tofu skewers. 3 drinks made big impressions on our group ... the Asian Glo (very unique!), the Cosmo (way strong!) & the Green Tea Martini (very tasty!). Plus, the 2 gals running the place & the other gal behind the bar are amazing hotties!!! Pros: The Food!, The Drinks!, The Staff! Cons: A Tight Squeeze! more

Super trendy (but comfortable), amazingly cheap and the best Pho in town. I just wish they'd have their lunch menu available for dinner too. Can't wait until the summer when you can dine on the patio! Pros: Inexpensive, Awesome Pho, Trendy Cons: Dinner Menu (lack of), Small Tables more

This place is a breath of fresh air, and I wish there were more places like this in Denver. The decor is fresh and inspired, the lighting is dim, a DJ spins great tunes many nights, but you can still hear yourself talk and count on being seated quickly. Best of all, I love the unique and diverse menu, and everything we was ordered was fabulous (and I'm a true food snob). The staff were great. I never write reviews but thought this intimate gem deserved attention. Pros: Great food, Stylish, Intimate more

Calling the food Vietnamese is a bit of a stretch. Although quite good, I think it would be better described as Asian-inspired tappas. A few negatives... portion sizes were inconsistent -- the curry is quite large but other dishes are quite small. Also, music was loud and distracting -- seemed better suited to a bar or nightclub than a restaurant. Pros: very good food, attractive setting Cons: music too loud, music inappropriate, inconsistent portions more