New Highland Sushi Speakeasy Lures Guests Underground

Origami Den offers luxurious fun and Japanese style beneath Sushi Hai restaurant.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:35pm

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Origami Den is a new Saturday-only speakeasy located in the basement of Sushi Hai restaurant in Denver's West Highland neighborhood. Created by social media influencer Candies Liu, the intimate underground eatery offers a menu of elevated sushi, small plates, and craft cocktails in a cozy, speakeasy-inspired setting.

Why it matters

Origami Den represents a unique dining concept that combines Liu's culinary passions with the growing trend of speakeasy-style restaurants and bars in Denver. By operating as a hidden, reservation-only experience within an existing restaurant, Origami Den provides an exclusive and immersive dining experience for guests seeking something beyond the typical restaurant fare.

The details

Origami Den is located in the basement of Sushi Hai, accessed through a discreet side door. The space features low ceilings, exposed brick, and dim lighting to create a speakeasy ambiance. The menu, developed in collaboration with Sushi Hai's owner Tien Le, offers a selection of sushi, small plates, and craft cocktails that are distinct from Sushi Hai's offerings. Dishes range from a $12 nigiri duo to a $39 platter of 12 sashimi, with specialty items like uni butter popcorn, the Origami Trio of toro, ikura, and uni, and a Tensei Temaki hand roll featuring filet mignon and uni. The cocktail menu features sweet, savory, and balanced drinks with visual appeal, such as the Geisha Lips and Dirty Dashi Martini.

  • Origami Den seated its first customers in November 2025.
  • Origami Den is currently open on Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m. by reservation only.
  • Liu hopes to expand Origami Den's hours to Fridays and Sundays soon.

The players

Candies Liu

A social media influencer who created Origami Den as a way to bring her culinary fantasies to life in an intimate, speakeasy-style setting.

Tien Le

The owner of Sushi Hai, who collaborated with Liu to develop the Origami Den menu and provided the basement space for the new speakeasy.

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What they’re saying

“My parents owned restaurants. I never had a baby sitter; I was always just at the restaurants. It's my greatest passion.”

— Candies Liu (5280.com)

“I worked really hard to make the menu completely different than Sushi Hai. It was very collaborative. I would bring my ideas for dishes to Tien and she would figure out how to execute it in a commercial kitchen.”

— Candies Liu (5280.com)

What’s next

Liu says she hopes to expand Origami Den's hours to Fridays and Sundays soon, providing more opportunities for guests to experience the speakeasy's unique dining and cocktail offerings.

The takeaway

Origami Den represents a creative fusion of a social media influencer's culinary passions and the growing trend of speakeasy-style dining experiences in Denver, offering guests an exclusive and immersive underground dining experience that sets it apart from the typical restaurant fare.