Favorite Mexican Food Haunts
My favorite Mexican food restaurants in Denver, in no particular order:
The list, so far
La Pasadita – On Park Avenue and about 20th or so, right across the street from the Five Points Safeway. Great green chili. The Pasadita dip is what other places offering a queso dip are still trying to perfect. A great rellono, a great burrito, great fajitas. And the best stuffed soppapilla I have found in Denver. And make sure to smother everything.
El Taco de Mexico – At Santa Fe and 7th, this little taco joint is home to the original Burrito Nazis. You better know what you want when you get there and order fast. These ladies mean business. Eat at the counter and watch this well oiled machine go to town. The food is really inexpensive and the menu is huge. For more sophisticated tastes, they serve beef brain tacos and fairly famous menudo, however I usually go for the carnitas tacos and the smoothered beef burrito.
Brewery Bar II – A Denver lunch time institution. Located at 3rd and Kalamath. Big ole mugs of beer and my favorite green chili. Some purists may argue it isn’t real green chili because of the tomatoey goodness. But screw that noise and just eat it. Get a burrito/relleno combo and smother it in medium or hot green chili. You will not need to eat for the rest of the day.
Bamboo Hut – When she is ready to cook it, she can make a great meal. Located on Larimer just east of Broadway, this place will never once be described as fancy, nice, upbeat or hip. It has all the elegance of a VFW hall in Meeker, CO. But the food is amazing. Breakfast for four on a weekend morning, with all the fixings – about $16.00. And did I mention Tang? Did I mention $1.75 draft beer?
El Coyotito # 3 – Hidden away on Leetsdale, this strip mall eatery has a very good , very, very good Chili Rellano. Fresh roasted Pablano pepper stuffed with Mexican Queso Blanco (no monterey jack here, folks) and smothered in a mild and fresh green chili. They are famous as well for their soup and seafood. I highly recommend the seafood cocktail. A red beer and fiery spices compined with shrimp and mussels and cod other foods of the sea. Very different than you find other places in town.
I’m with you until El Coyotito #3. Have yet to have a decent meal there.
But Brewery Bar sounds awfully tasty about now.
My favorite restaurants in Denver, in no particular order (I have to expand my list, as I’m not as well-versed on the Mexican cuisine as some folks):
Pat’s Philly Cheese Steaks – I think this is over at Quebec and Iliff (I think). Mushrooms, steak, double cheese, mayo. Then after you’re finished, don’t wash your hands and go next door to play with the PUPPIES.
Red Room – A great place to grab a cocktail and indulge in surprisingly inexpensive, gourmet appetizers. Plus, with its locale at Colfax and Grant.. you get to be entertained by the slurry of ‘passers-by’.. (the window shades are tinted, an added bonus)
Enzo’s End – Nestled next to our favorite dive-bar watering hole on Colfax, Enzo’s has undoubtedly the best slice of pizza in town.
La Pasadita – I must admit I have only been there once with Roy and Eddie.. but what a lasting impression the food made (and in a GOOD way! thbbbtbbtpp!). Inexpensive, delicious, and the building has a funny shape! teehee!
For my two cents, I’ll throw in El Tepehaun on South Broadway (just north of Hampden) and my beloved local haunt, Benny’s where I almost always get their Tacos al Carbon. Mezcal makes a pretty sassy chile relleno, (New Mexico style) too.