Little Fibby's Cafe At The Lancer

This was the best dining experience I've had in years. We dined during restaurant week (RW), and ate from the RW menu. Sometimes restaurants will skimp a little on the RW menu, but the kitchen at Luca did not. I was greeted by name when we walked in, which was just so classy. We ordered cocktails, but a glass of complementary sparkling wine arrived first which was a nice touch. From the RW menu, I ordered the eggplant, mushroom fusilli, and steak. All three were prepared so perfectly. The wild mushroom fusilli was the star for me. The sauce was mouth watering and mushrooms cooked perfectly. Furthermore, I can't complement the service enough. Water always topped before I could think of asking for more, silverware replaced quickly without interrupting our conversation, food and drinks arrived quickly, and always with a cheerful smile. We had the tiramisu for dessert and it was literally the best we've ever had. Our server was attentive without hovering too much. And the atmosphere was great as well. Great music, not too loud but still fun vibes, the dining room not too crowded. I appreciate the server told me about the additional service fee and that tip was voluntary. I can't wait to come back.

We started going to Luca last Valentine’s Day (2021) and since then it has become our go to celebration/special dinner spot. The food is incredible and very authentic Italian. Probably the most authentic I have found in Denver, and just to give a background, I studied culinary in Italy and am part Italian. The food may be out of this world, but the staff is what makes it even more special. They constantly make you feel special and take care of you. Tonight we experienced possibly our last dinner there before moving and celebrated our anniversary. To say they took care of us is an understatement. Their kindness and genuine care for their customer is something all restaurants should strive for. They made me cry tonight from just pure awe and happiness. We are really going to miss the food and more importantly those who cook and serve it and make the experience so much more. Thank you Luca, but especially thank you Carli and James!

This is a small, slightly upscale, Italian restaurant in the heart of Denver. The food is good but not remarkable. There are only about ten tables, making reservations a very good idea. A deposit is required and a 22% automatic gratuity is applied. However, the servers make it clear the tip is split among the entire staff, so they overtly push for more than 22%, which goes directly to them. I think it’s unlikely we’ll return as there are many great Italian restaurants in the Denver metro area.

My wife and I celebrated our birthdays here. It was our first time eating here. It was the absolute best meal best service best everything. I’ve lived in Colorado for 22 years. This was the absolute best experience I’ve ever had anywhere. Thank you Carly and thank you Jess for making our evening Ten Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I never thought I'd be giving a Frank Bonanno restaurant a "C," because past experiences have always been incredible. The vibe and staff-friendliness at Luca was great, and what came out of the kitchen was exquisite -- the best meatball ever, wonderfully prepared octopus and an unforgettable pasta with bountiful Manila clams. The problem was the service. First, we waited nearly 45 minutes for two easy gin and vodka rocks. Our very nice server apologized for the delay and said the bartender was buried, but I could see him closely from my seat, and for the better part of 30 minutes he just chatted with two ladies at the otherwise empty bar instead of taking care of orders -- just a bad start to the evening. Second, it took three requests and more than halfway through the main course before finally getting some promised crushed red pepper, with more apologies from our server who "...got sidetracked by my manager..." The food was truly outstanding, and we had leftovers boxed for us in the kitchen -- including a nearly complete pizza because one of our guests unfortunately had a headache and no appetite. Our server forgot to bring the leftovers back to the table; we left without them but quickly returned, and our server apologized and retrieved a shopping bag containing our food. Unfortunately, when we got home there was no pizza inside. Lastly, I didn't need to be reminded that only a portion of the 22% automatically added "Creating Happy People" service charge (something I'm supportive of) was kept by the server and any additional tip would be appreciated. Just not the great experience one expects from a restaurant of this caliber and reputation, sorry to say...