Exhibit 5.1

June 12, 2019

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc.

6312 S. Fiddler’s Green Circle

Suite 200 N

Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “you”), and have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about June 12, 2019 in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of an additional 660,000 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”), issuable under the Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. 2017 Performance Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2017 Plan”).

In connection herewith, we have examined:

(1) the 2017 Plan; and

(2) the Registration Statement.

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and such other corporate records, agreements and instruments of the Company, certificates of public officials and officers of the Company, and such other documents, records and instruments, and we have made such legal and factual inquiries, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for us to render the opinion hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the foregoing, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal competence and capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or by facsimile or other means of electronic transmission, or which we obtained from the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“Edgar”) or other sites maintained by a court or governmental authority or regulatory body and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. If any documents we examined in printed, word processed or similar form has been filed with the Commission on Edgar or such court or governmental authority or regulatory body, we have assumed that the document so filed is identical to the document we examined except for formatting changes.

When relevant facts were not independently established, we have relied without independent investigation as to matters of fact upon statements of governmental officials and upon representations

made in or pursuant to the Registration Statement and certificates or statements of appropriate representatives of the Company.

Based upon the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject to the assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and upon issuance and delivery of the Shares upon payment therefor, in accordance with the terms of the 2017 Plan, and any relevant agreements thereunder, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

In addition to the assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth above, the opinion set forth herein is further limited by, subject to and based upon the following assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions:

Our opinion herein reflects only the application of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, including the statutory provisions and all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting such laws. The opinion set forth herein is made as of the date hereof and is subject to, and may be limited by, future changes in factual matters, and we undertake no duty to advise you of the same. The opinion expressed herein is based upon the law in effect (and published or otherwise generally available) on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion should such law be changed by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise. In rendering our opinion, we have not considered, and hereby disclaim any opinion as to, the application or impact of any laws, cases, decisions, rules or regulations of any other jurisdiction, court or administrative agency.

This opinion letter is being delivered by us solely for your benefit in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission. We do not render any opinions except as set forth above. We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm in the Registration Statement. We also consent to your filing copies of this opinion letter with agencies of such states as you deem necessary in the course of complying with the laws of such states regarding the offering and sale of the Shares. In giving this consent, we do not thereby concede that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,


/s/ Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP