Elway's Closing in Cherry Creek After Twenty Years

The original location of John Elway's eponymous steakhouse will shutter at the end of the month.

August 8, 2024

The original Elway's opened in 2004. Elway's

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In 2004, John Elway and partner Tim Schmidt opened Elway's at 2500 East First Avenue in Cherry Creek. Since then, the partners added a location in Vail, and spots in both the Ritz-Carlton downtown and at Denver International Airport received licenses to use the Elway's name and recipes.

But now, the former Denver Broncos quarterback is pulling the plug on the original Elway's, which will shutter after service on August 31.

Staffers got the word yesterday.

"The ongoing Cherry Creek Mall construction project requires our closure," explains a note on the restaurant's website. "Our plan is to continue to work with our development partners to determine a post-construction location. We have been honored to have been your dining choice throughout the years for special events and family celebrations and we hope to see you this month to thank you personally."

It's the latest closure announcement from a longtime staple. August kicked off with news that D Bar is out in Uptown, followed by big changes at Crafted Concepts, including the upcoming shuttering of Stoic & Genuine at Union Station on September 1.

But still, openings are outpacing closures, and it sounds like Elway's might make a comeback in Cherry Creek after construction wraps up.

Meanwhile, the Elway's at the Ritz-Carlton, which opened in 2012, just got a major upgrade; the first location at DIA opened in 2013, and a second has since joined the lineup.

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Molly Martin has been the Food & Drink editor at Westword since 2021. Prior to joining the staff, Molly reported on the Denver dining scene for more than a decade and contributed to Thrillist. At Westword, Molly monitors restaurant openings and closings, offers dining recommendations and reports on Denver-area food news and trends. She also publishes such annual lists as Top 100 Bars and Top 100 Restaurants, and contributes to the yearly Best of Denver edition. In 2023, she was recognized with the Colorado Restaurant Association's Outstanding Media Professional award.

Contact: Molly Martin

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Instagram: @mollydbu