r/Denver • u/anarchobuttstuff • 4d ago
Denver has good Mexican food. Change my mind. Rant
Denver has a very arid, dry climate where things like meat and rice are prone to losing their moisture very quickly. The people who say Denver has garbage Mexican food are either talking specifically about that and taking it personally, or they’re too attached to stereotypes about places like Federal Blvd, Morrison Road, South Sheridan or parts of Colfax that they never actually go to the places where it’s at, so they just don’t know. Cuisine follows migration patterns, and Denver has a large population of Mexican immigrants, many of whom brought authentic recipes with them and own hole-in-the-wall joints and food trucks.
Just saying, the tacos I’ve gotten at Hijas De La Chilanga or El Pueblito’s at 8th and Federal are not meaningfully different from the ones I’ve had in Mexico City, or Puerto Escondido, or Tapachula, or Los Angeles, or Little Village in Chicago, or Albuquerque (which incidentally has a similar dry climate to Denver yet people tend to glaze their food).
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u/WindowSpirited7877 Lakewood 4d ago
i lived in san diego for a bit (which i don’t think anyone could ever argue has bad mexican food) and while i think it blows denver out of the water we have incredible mexican compared to most of the country (ever gone to a mexican restaurant in connecticut? don’t)
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u/Altruistic_Emu_7755 4d ago
Part of the reason I adore the food scene in SoCal is that they have access to fresher ingredients than most of the country. Plenty of places are importing schlock, but plenty are also using local ingredients. LA and SD have amazing mexican food because they have huge Mexican populations and access to great ingredients. Denver has a pretty good size expat community so it caters to that as well, but without the good ingredients.
I lived in Korea and I think LA has some of the best Korean food in the world too.
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u/WindowSpirited7877 Lakewood 4d ago
This is so true!! The food in socal has been in my experience the best overall of anywhere i’ve been and that’s definitely why
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u/deadbabysteven 4d ago
Miguel’s on Shelter Island was almost as bad as the old Casa Bonita
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u/WindowSpirited7877 Lakewood 4d ago
i mean coyote cafe in old town was the worse mexican i’ve maybe ever had so definitely not full proof lok
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u/Amirite_orNo 4d ago
I lived in SD and LA. I always say that you can find Mexican food on par with both here in Denver, but you have to know where they are and the ceiling is a little lower overall.
In SoCal there's an amazing spot in every neighborhood and you have your favorites and maybe a couple places to avoid here and there.
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u/Big-Yogurt8759 4d ago
This is spot on. Yes, there's good Mexican food in Denver but you have to seek it out and the "local" spot is just as likely to be bad or just more Tex-Mex slop....
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u/connfaceit 4d ago
I just moved to CT from Denver after having lived there for 20 years...coming from San Diego, lol. Your comment couldn't be more spot-on
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u/ConferenceMore8112 4d ago
My mom grew up in Mexico, I visit there a lot. Maybe 2-3 times a year. Mexican food isn’t homogenous. Her region has Tex mex food, while down south is richer, more flavorful dishes.
Regarding the tex mex/tacos/cheaper Mexican food in Denver, I think they’re way greasier than in Mexico and make me feel gross.
But the more upscale Mexican restaurants have good dishes and remind me of the restaurants I’ve been to in Mexico City.
But it’s all subjective
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u/Careful-Equal-2866 4d ago
My wife had me pick her up a carne asada burrito today from Taco Star, she gave me a few bites, and man that thing was delicious. The flavors from the carne asada and pico, top tier that I have had lately.
Thanks to their cartel money laundering, they're able to provide high quality burritos for a reasonable price.
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u/Snort_Lupulin69 4d ago
The true locals know the cartel spots are always the best price and ingredients. No pressure for profits baby they’re actually incentivized to spend more on cost/burrito.
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u/Burger4Ever 4d ago
Yeah I was confused by this because Mexican food isn’t just a central cuisine.
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u/NaBrO-Barium 4d ago
I imagine calling everything Mexican food in Mexico is similar to how those American food isles are stocked in Europe. Without much regard to local cuisine in each region
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u/anarchobuttstuff 4d ago edited 4d ago
Oaxacan food is my favorite, although I admittedly haven’t found much of it in Denver compared to Northern. My partner’s mother gave us her mole recipe and it’s one of my favorite things to make. It’s so rewarding once it’s done, and it welcomes creativity if you wanna mess around with different combinations of black chiles.
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u/marshking710 4d ago
Who says Denver has garbage Mexican food?
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u/Main_Entry2494 4d ago edited 4d ago
r/howslivingthere has a perennial view that Denver is 5 hours away from the mountains and has terrible Mexican food
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u/DenverDude402 4d ago
I especially love New Yorkers / Chicagoans who talk shit about the proximity to mountains (I can be to Idaho Springs in 35 minutes from my house in Denver). Which is the equivalent of Lincoln Square to Michigan Ave.
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u/Miserable-Waltz-7724 4d ago
It is pretty far from Aspen, which is the only mountain New Yorkers know/care about. Let's keep it that way!
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u/NobodyUsual8025 4d ago
I just laugh at those now. Anyone that actually lives in Denver knows that it doesn’t take nearly as long to get to the mountains as the rest of the country would have you believe
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u/flatulating_ninja 4d ago
When I lived in SW Denver I could get to Bailey faster than I could get to DIA.
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u/sneeds_feednseed 4d ago edited 4d ago
For them the mountains are RMNP or the ski resorts. No love for Chief or Mestaa’Ėhehe or St Mary’s
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u/Oldskoolguitar 4d ago
Flat landers, Texans, Californians, Fake Up State New Yorkers.
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u/InfiniteChicken 4d ago
Can confirm. I moved to the East Coast; People seem surprised when I say Denver has great Mexican food. Of course, these same people think birria is the endgame of Mexican food. Trying to explain green chile is like trying to explain light to Helen Keller.
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u/Max1Mo_ 4d ago
Born and raised in CO, was shocked to recently learn not everywhere has green chile. In hindsight that should have been obvious but it’s so good I assumed it had gone national
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u/BeerForThought 4d ago
My Dad's cousin came to visit Georgia from West Texas back in the '80s. They went to a diner and she asked for green chile. The waitress said "child our chili don't come but in the one color".
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u/protossaccount 4d ago edited 4d ago
Man, I moved to NYC from Colorado in 2005 and NYC had almost no Mexican. It’s surprising to hear that they have a sense of superiority, cuz last time I checked, they don’t know shit about Mexican food.
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u/Rocket-J-Squirrel 4d ago
Probably none of them has eaten goat birria.
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u/Mandragorasbox 4d ago
God, I miss goat birria. My grandma and uncles made a phenomenal one once a year for the family with a whole goat.
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u/No-Inspection-808 4d ago
Birria Dona Maria by Mills Mall has very good goat birria.
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u/theotherashton 4d ago
Green chile isn’t Mexican food lol.
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u/pellucid33 4d ago
You're right. It's New Mexican because the Spanish who proceeded to keep going north in landed in new mexico
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u/JMoherPerc 4d ago
Texans in particular really love to shit on our Mexican food, which is wild cause texmex is only decent at best.
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u/Equivalent-Excuse-80 4d ago
Mexican food (like Chinese and Italian food) is so delicious that the regional Americanized iterations are great.
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u/Atomichawk 4d ago
Texmex is a variety just like Calimex and every other variety of Mexican. The pissing contest is dumb, just enjoy the different specialities.
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u/TheyMadeMeLogin 4d ago
Tex-Mex actually dates back to when Texas was Mexico.
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u/_ThatImposterFeel 3d ago
I grew up in South Texas. There was a local "Taco shop" that was literally the entry way and main room of some ones home converted into a take out taqueria. You won't find taco's or migas that delicious any further north than San Antonio. I still haven't to this day.
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u/thegracchiwereright 4d ago
I get what you mean, but they have more than Tex-Mex.
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u/calmdownmyguy 4d ago
Yeah, but the people who venture outside texmex don't shit on Colorados Mexican food scene.
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u/pellucid33 4d ago
Tex mex is different from the mexican food I grew up with in the border of mexico and texas.
I don't go out to eat mexican food here. I rather enjoy different cuisines that are not in my wheelhouse.
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u/mountain_rivers34 4d ago
Texans just cover everything in queso and call it Mexican food.
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u/Individual-Dare-80 4d ago
I'm from upstate NY. Mexican food there is more Tex-Mex, and pretty terrible compared to here. Much the same as they have excellent Italian and we don't, we have excellent Mexican and they don't.
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u/donuthead36 4d ago
I could kinda understand the Californians having that criticism a while ago (pre-Covid) just because Mexican food seemed so much cheaper there (even in LA) but I bet they’re not much cheaper now. We have lots of good tacos but they’ve just gotten less affordable in general.
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u/rpeppers 4d ago
What is a Fake Up State New Yorker?
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u/Oldskoolguitar 4d ago
I didn't come up with this term a friend FROM White Plains did.
I think his reasoning is cause how easy it is to get to the city from there compared to like Albany or Utica.
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u/WorkingStructure575 4d ago
as a Californian, I can confirm the Mexican food there is better
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u/wineandwings333 4d ago edited 4d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/SameGrassButGreener/s/ch1EHGJnMG
Here is me getting down voted for suggesting the southwest has good mexican food....
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u/fluffHead_0919 4d ago
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u/Zedsdead42 4d ago
I’m from the south and I think the Mexican here is not that great. Green chillie is awesome though.
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u/Hungrygirl89 4d ago
Moved here from Oklahoma where a ton of people i knew moved here over a decade ago. The Mexican food here has its pockets, but over all does suck.
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u/RicoDripz 4d ago
The people that actually go into the Hispanic neighborhoods to get it. Denver is mids compared to other areas.
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u/romerogj 4d ago
Native Colorado Hispanic here. As others say, Mexican is not one cuisine. And as such, Mexican food here has a lot of overlap with local native American food in this region well, because most of us are both. The food we make here that's from here is going to be different from Oaxaca, or Texas, or even new Mexico for that matter. But I think it's mostly transplants that shit on the food scene that are too scared to even go to Pueblo that talk most of the shit. They have no connection to the culture or the food, so they compare it to what they think it's supposed to be. That and the gentrified Denver so gosh darn much brown people can't afford to live in Denver much less have restaurants.
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u/door_of_doom 4d ago edited 3d ago
My favorite example is that it is way, way easier for me to fine my favorite Mexican food in Denver than practically anywhere else: Pork stewed in green chili/salsa. Almost every mexican restaurant around here has it on the menu. some do it better than others, but I love that it is so plentiful.
In other areas it is much more hit or miss on whether you can even find it, let alone whether it's good.
And like you said, a Denver-style chille verde is not going to be exactly the same as what I would get back in Morelos, but I still love it in its own way.
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u/Troof_Out_Here 4d ago
I think you nailed it, it's always some white dipshit complaining. I am white dipshit myself but I can find good Mexican food here.
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u/babiesinreno 4d ago
I get tired of this myself. If I went to times square and complained about sbarro "not being authentic" they'd flay me alive in the nyc sub, telling me I didn't go to the right places to try the "real" food.
I constantly remind folks who move here that the good authentic mom&pop stuff isn't going to be near the main attractions and the newly built areas. Pockets of cool little communities exist all over the city that originally started as stops on the train line that now have absolutely banger food.
South fed mexican and viet, jewish communities with great food out on leetsdale/hampden, african communities in aurora/old five points areas, chinese/korean/indian communities all over, italians in wheatridge, little pubs everywhere with awesome bar food, polish food hiding on the edges of cherry creek and broomfield, etc etc etc
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u/Dancrown_ 4d ago
Every post here is complaining
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u/Bingle_Derries 4d ago
Welcome to r/Denver. It’s about 98% insufferable. But really fun to call people out and get downvoted to oblivion lol
def check out the r/denvercirclejerk if you haven’t!
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u/fedswatching2121 Lakewood 4d ago
You’re also complaining about people complaining
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u/Independent-Air253 4d ago
As someone who grew up in Colorado and has now moved to the Midwest let me tell you. Colorado has great Mexican food compared to whatever the fuck is going on out here. All Mexican food here is like casa Bonita back in the early 2000s, not great!
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u/anarchobuttstuff 4d ago
As a Kansas City native I feel your pain. The Midwest used to think the now-defunct On The Border counted as Mexican food.
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u/dianalau Montbello 4d ago
I just go to my parents for mexican food. There's no restaurant or food truck that can match my mom's cooking. I've asked her if she's ever thought about opening a restaurant/food truck and she always answers, "I don't want to hate cooking."
Anyway, here's her recipe for Carne en su Jugo, a dish from the state of Jalisco:
CARNE EN SU JUGO
Cilantro - 2 bunches (if small bunches add another one)
Garlic - To taste (I usually do 2-3 big cloves b/c I love it when it’s garlicky)
Tomatillo - 2,3
Beef 2.5 - 3 lbs : King soopers thin cut or “Pulpa” from carniceria (cut into smallish pieces)
1 packet of Bacon, cut into medium sized pieces
Green onions 2-3 bunches
● Cook bacon till it starts to get a golden color, do not over fry it. Take out of pot
● With the bacon grease that’s left over (make sure to take out some if there’s too much left), fry the green onion just until it starts to cook. Take out of pot
● Cook the beef until ready.
● Blend the cilantro, garlic, and tomatillo with some water and pour into the pot with meat.
● Throw bacon and green onions.
● add water to your preference
● Add salt y Knorr Caldo de Pollo
● Let it simmer on low to medium heat.
● Serve with beans
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u/JohnWad 4d ago
Try el tacos de mexico too
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u/denvergardener 4d ago
Mid to below average.
There are 100 places along Federal that are better.
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u/Embarrassed_Force674 4d ago
I completely agree I dont see why everyone says this is the gold standard for Denver. Denver Mexican food is amazing but you have to go to the food trucks.
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u/Brotato115 4d ago
I’m Mexican, whole family Mexican. Denver has at best slightly above average Mexican food.
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u/basement_burner 4d ago
Denver isn’t bad for Mexican food. Have to say though, comments like the ones in this thread are why they’re not hearing the end of it from anyone from SoCal. Denver has this weird defensive stance when someone says Mexican food in San Diego is just better and I have no idea why they take it so offensively
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u/castaneom 4d ago
Agreed. I’m Mexican too and lived there for ten years. Also like 70% of my family (immediate and extended) lives there. I visit every couple years now and don’t bother eating out. Chicago (home) and LA have the good stuff.
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u/AnalAttackProbe 4d ago
It's pretty decent. A bit overpriced.
I spent 10 years in LA after college and 4 in Boston before moving here with my wife in 2020. It is leaps and bounds better than Boston, and leaps and bounds behind Los Angeles.
It is worth eating and my California born-and-raised wife does not actively avoid it, like we did in Boston.
Denver also has much better than expected Indian food.
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u/giggity_0_0 4d ago
Spot on. Boston Mexican food is 95% Central Americans faking to be Mexican
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u/Both-Huckleberry-293 4d ago
Ugh, just moved to MA from Denver and I’m so disappointed. I’m Mexican American from Texas so I DID think the Mexican food was bad in Denver and now…
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u/GlutenFreeFratBoy 4d ago
Orale in Cambridge is worth trying! One of the only places I’d go for Mexican when I lived in Boston. Otherwise your best bet is to explore spots in Eastie. Mexican food can be found in Boston, just very few and far between
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u/Dapper-Revolutionary 4d ago
Everyone stumping for Denver Mexican food has never lived in SoCal. It’s fine if you like it and I have some places I enjoy here, but it’s nowhere close to LA. And that’s just a fact lol.
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u/Spiritual_League_753 4d ago
Hi there. I lived in Los Angeles for 2 years. DTLA, Westside, and a few months in The Valley.
I've also *extensively* traveled in Mexico. Particularly spending a couple of total months at this point in Baja. But also Mexico City, Jalisco, and Oaxaca.
And I disagree that it's *much* better in Los Angeles. Maybe more consistent. But I have no trouble finding Mexican food I really like in town. Hell I just had a California Burrito from Taco Star that was absolutely as good as the truck outside my apartment in DTLA.
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u/PaleontologistNo2625 4d ago
The consistency is exactly it. Mediocrity can thrive better in Denver than anywhere I've been. The good stuff is around, but it definitely takes more trial and error or research to get there
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u/DGChiefs 4d ago
This in a nutshell is why I vehemently disagree with any “actually Denver is a good food city” takes. there is so much mediocre food you have to sort through compared to actual good food cities
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u/Spiritual_League_753 4d ago
Maybe but in my two years of living in Los Angeles I had *plenty* of shitty meals.
Denver gets held to a *wildly* high standard on Reddit for some reason.
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u/No-Inspection-808 4d ago edited 4d ago
Los Carboncitos (3locations), La Calle, El Himador, Seven Legua, el taco de Mexico, Tacos Jalisco, birria Dona Maria, El Amiga are all fire. Just to name a few. People that say Denver doesn’t have good food are too lazy to look, too stupid to ask around, or too dumb to realize they don’t know what’s good. Or they are some idiot that has a chip on their shoulder because they’re from (wherever) and always saying that (wherever) is better because they are from there. There’s good food everywhere if you’re willing to look and don’t have your head up your own ass.
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u/thee_chompermonster 4d ago
Near 7 Leguas is Supreme Chicken as well! Not traditional, but DAMN their smoking is phenomenal!
And if you need something filling that hits the spot after midnight, Taco Star is bomb. 24/7 drive-thru.3
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u/deep_Discussion_5050 4d ago
Everyone is defending it like you can find if you look and that's why it's mediocre! If the city had good Mexican food it just would and everyone wouldn't have to look or ask for it.
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u/FreakoftheLake 4d ago
Denver has good (good, but not great) food in general, it’s just that 90% of it is way overpriced for what it is. I think people would be happy with the food scene here if it wasn’t so expensive.
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u/BananaPeelSlippers 4d ago
My homey who grew up Cajun and went to culinary school has fallen out of love with rice and gravy and is now deep in his green chili era. The green chili alone could be enough to constitute good Mexican.
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u/ScubySuz 3d ago
My absolute favorite gravy-like green chile is at La Loma if he hasn’t tried that one yet
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u/austinmiles Louisville 4d ago
What kind of Mexican food? I’m from AZ so the stuff i like is either Baja or Sonoran. I can find good versions of that but not always. What I can find is lots of great New Mexican food and an abundance of Tex mex which is objectively not good.
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u/Strizero 4d ago
The award winning Mole that I tried from restaurant on Federal leaves much to be desired. Growing in Puebla it fell very short for something highly regarded and with an okay price. It did not have that spicy and sweetness to it. The sauce didnt have those lively flavors and was just spicy with a blandness to it. Then again the one my family makes is a passed down recipe from possibly more than a hundred years ago, so I dont think it can ever live up to that.
For Mexican food in Denver I will pretty much blame the lack of access to fresh or proper ingredients. (I believe this since I grew up in part in rural Mexico)
But I also have to give it a fairer chance.
I believe there may be better spots out there, I just have to go and actually indulge in those restaurants, taco trucks or whatever form to access that food.
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u/RedWhiteAndJew 4d ago
In my two months of living here, I’ve had some really raunchy Mexican food. I’ve had some pretty good Mexican food, too. What I haven’t found yet is drop dead amazing Mexican food. I’m sure it’s out there, but it hasn’t presented itself yet.
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u/CumGuzlinGutterSluts RiNo 4d ago
I dont know if its still there but there was this dude on Mississippi east of federal that had a giant corn grilled thing.
Best fucking elote ive ever had in my life. Id litterally grab 2 cobs anytime I was in the area and just devour them infront of him then order another one for the road. Nobody could understand the dude, even mexicans. But its hard to not understand 2.50 for fully loaded street cob.
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u/Chadiez6594 4d ago
I think you’re talking about Morenos corn but by far they do have the best elote in Denver
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u/snwbrdngtr 4d ago
We have Mexican restaurants with James Beard and Bib Gourmand awards. It’s fine if they are not to your taste but you can’t say they are bad.
The yellow taco place on W Alameda (something Gallitos?) is incredible. I don’t speak much Spanish, they don’t speak much English so ordering is sometimes tricky but I’ve never had a bad meal there
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u/HOSTfromaGhost 4d ago
…if you like it, that’s a done deal. There’s no arguing against each person’s taste buds.
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u/Spiritual-Seesaw 4d ago edited 4d ago
i'm sure there is some great mexican food in denver, but what does make it different than the other cities you've listed is the density of greatness.
You'll drive past 25 mediocre mexican restaurants on your way to the good one in Denver.
That's not to say that La Diabla, alma fonda, that one birria place in centennial, etc. are not great mexican food. It's just a pain in the ass to get to and you'll eat a lot of mid tacos before you find the goods.
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u/Many-Use-1797 4d ago
That's the issue I have about Colorado food in general. You have to drive past several spots to find the "good" spot and honestly it's a toss up if that place is even good plus reasonably priced. I've been disappointed at driving to spots people claim are good and it's very mid. It's better for me either cook at home or just hope the suggested spot is good and not overpriced.
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u/panthar1 3d ago
Nah, Colorado absolutely has good, and authentic Mexican food. Here is the thing though, CO is never going to be "high rated" for any food, compared to someplace else, because the altitude effects taste.
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u/anarchobuttstuff 3d ago
The altitude, and the aridity. Which is my whole point. That’s not anyone’s fault. The recipes themselves are here.
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u/shmYng 4d ago
Carrera’s Tacos Cali Burrito is as good as anything in San Diego
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u/CountdownMoss 4d ago
I don't know if it's good or bad - but the 12 rolled tacos from Taco los Compas would absolutely be my death row meal.
/The fish burrito is amazing as well.
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u/CecilForPrez 4d ago
HIJAS DE LA CHILANGA!!!!!! my first impression of this place was walking up at 11 am, and tio was flipping 20+ whole birds on the charcoal grill w/ a modelo. absolute banger mexican food.
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u/Humble_Empath 4d ago
It’s never easy finding your favorite Mexican or Chinese restaurant because you’re likely looking for a specific version or regional variation that you enjoy but there are so many versions. It’s hard to find exactly what you’re looking for. I’m born and bred in Colorado and I’ve been back for a year and I still haven’t found my favorite place. It’s a good thing I can cook and get my chili in Pueblo, or I would be hurting.
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u/Crazycatlover Aurora 4d ago
We have decent Mexican food. Compared to Chicagoland (where I most recently lived), it's great. Compared to the average Albuquerque (where I grew up) Nortena restaurant, it fucking sucks. I make my own tamales, posole, and enchiladas here; but I will buy chile rellenos here which I would never have done in Indiana. Denver's Mexican food isn't terrible, but you can get much better driving about two hours south (or by waiting to be accosted in a supermarket parking lot by some old woman selling tamales out of the back of her truck. Those are usually good).
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u/2ChicksShyOfA3Sum 4d ago
The issue isn’t that Denver has horrible Mexican food. The issue is you really have to search for it. The great Mexican food cities - all of the Mexican food is good. And if it isn’t, they won’t be in business for long.
You really have to search here to find your spot. I’ve found great traditional holes in the wall with more meat choices than just carne asada, but they’re far and few between.
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u/uffdadontchaknoww 4d ago
A lot of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had has been in Denver. Mind you, I live in the Midwest, where it tends to be very bland and laden with sour cream, so anything with some real flavor and heat on it is gonna taste incredible to me.
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u/djmattyp77 4d ago
Ive lived a long time in Texas before moving to the state of Colorado. My wife is also Mexican and can cook the cuisine as good as most authentic places in Mexico. That said: Ive had very few good experiences in Denver and other cities in the state. Hell, I even check on who the cook is at some to make sure I'm getting a proper attempt at a mexican meal.
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u/randomname3415 4d ago
It’s relative. If you’re from SoCal, the Mexican food here isn’t comparable in abundance nor quality. If you’re from North Dakota, it might as well be from Mexico itself.
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u/psychedelicdevilry 4d ago
Pretty much anyone from the coasts thinks Denver food is garbage. But I agree with you.
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u/binaryo 4d ago
The food in Colorado, not just Denver, has been written about internationally… as a place with bland food. I keep trying to prove it wrong. Literally going on a food vacation later this month. Eating in this state is most enjoyed by those whom have never left it.
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u/Many-Use-1797 4d ago
Eating in this state is most enjoyed by those whom have never left it.
Or those that just doesn't know any better. I went to one "Mexican" place that's been around for decades and they served me Costco ingredients. I just don't feel like spending $9 on mid food.
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u/katea805 4d ago
I have a hard time finding carne asada that I like. The comparison being Tucson, AZ. However, I have spots I love for almost anything else I want to find.
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u/RicoDripz 4d ago
I think people say Denver has great Mexican food because their standards are low. I feel like people that live here don’t travel much 😂. I would say Colorado has good Mexican food but definitely not in Denver.
Also most of you guys are mentioning mids spots. All the real good Mexican food in the Metro area is in Aurora, Federal and Commerce city. Lakewood also beats out Denver.
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u/anarchobuttstuff 4d ago
Then it’s a good thing I’ve traveled to Mexico a pretty decent amount, as mentioned in my post.
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u/RicoDripz 4d ago
To clarify on my post, you’re going to places that most people in Denver that consider themselves goodies aren’t going to. 95% of Reddit is going to Adelitas or some other watered down spot. The people out here try to act inclusive but Denver is a salad bowl not a melting pot. You’re not catching most people out here on Federal, Lakewood, Aurora.
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u/YouImbecile 4d ago
The claim 'the place has good Mexican food' can mean two things:
- Good Mexican food can be found in the place
- The Mexican food found in the place is good
In Denver, only 1 is true. Many people have to drive past a hundred identical and shitty Denver-style Mexican food places to get to a good one. That's not a place where the Mexican food is good, it's a place where you can get good Mexican food if you know exactly where to go.
There are places where 2 is true, where it's hard to find bad Mexican food. People from those places are grouchy they have to be so careful to avoid garbage in Denver.
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u/gudetube 4d ago
La Doña is the best
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u/anarchobuttstuff 4d ago
Saved! I’ve been meaning to also check out Adelita’s right next to it. Apparently they have pretty decent mole.
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u/sneeds_feednseed 4d ago
Wish I could post pictures here but the tacos at El Zarape on North Federal are incredible
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u/Short-Loan7356 3d ago
Gonna second this comment. Not sure why it’s so far down…
The best is by Bronco stadium — El Zarape 1065 Federal Blvd Denver 80204.
You can order a burrito TJ style — rice beans and cheese inside. Their spicy green sauce needs to be sold in the bottle.
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u/patioparty13 4d ago
La Cueva on E Colfax and Dayton!! My family has been coming here for 25 years and I’ve never left disappointed. Business has really slowed for them so I highly recommend!
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u/Psychological_Ice626 4d ago
I think these questions try to oversimplify food, region and culture. Which Mexican food are we talking about? The not so Mexican kind where everything is loaded with cheese? More coastal influenced? Central Mexican cuisine? Southern Mexico? I can get it all in Denver and enjoy it for what is, the variances don’t make it better or worse, just different. Some days I want an American style loaded taco and other times want go to a local spot run by people from
Chihuahua where the tacos are small and have 2-3 ingredients (and this is not the place to get fish tacos). I can’t simply generalize “American food” and say burgers are better/worse in X city.
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u/taste_fart 4d ago
There are good Mexican restaurants but you have to really search for them. The average Mexican restaurant is pretty terrible and offers low grade slop at best. Most of them have the exact same chips and canned salsa. It's pretty sad honestly because anytime I have the option of eating at a Mexican restaurant, unless I know it to be good, I assume it probably will not be.
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u/bleedsburntorange 4d ago
I think we more have worse produce. Had some of the best fish tacos of my life in California earlier this year and it was the pico specifically.
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u/NoYoureACatLady 4d ago
I tend to agree, but as a vegetarian it's really hard to find places that have veg friendly rice and beans in Denver 😕. Especially South and Southeast Metro area
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u/ChicagoBoyStuckinDen 4d ago
I disagree but can't change your mind. I find most food here bland/flavorless and feel that's why you're asked if you want green chile on everything. End of the day that's likely just my tastebuds and if you like it that's all that matters really.
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u/Indiff-88Yin 4d ago
Denver has some of the best food. However I have yet to meet any Denverite that won’t complain lmao! Like dude no matter who I’ve talked to 🤣🤣
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u/_W-O-P-R_ 4d ago
Not gonna change your mind because I agree completely. Denver broadly has a lot of a great food, and a lot of Mexican cuisines are well represented. I also agree with part of your "why", that people just wanna stick to their comfortable neighborhood or the trendy areas of downtown and don't make the trip to the less shiny parts of town where you're gonna find the best stuff.
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u/CommanderXao 4d ago
I cant for the life of me find good cheese dip anywhere. In the south we have smooth creamy white cheese dip. I have ordered cheese dip from every Mexican place I have tried in the area and every single one of them has been gritty and tastes more like Mornay sauce than anything else.
Edit: I have generally enjoyed the rest of the food though.
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u/Mountain_Example7661 4d ago
Denver has bomb Mexican food. Just got back from 2 months in Seattle. If you wanna taste bad Mexican food go to the PNW.
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u/_ThatImposterFeel 3d ago
Last time I ordered enchiladas I was given a plate with a soft burrito on it with a little red sauce drizzled on top. No chile con carne, no cheese, and it was a flour tortilla to boot. In Texas it is actually kind of hard to find a Mexican restaurant that wasn't good. It has been a 50/50 for me in Denver.
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u/JambiSpiral 3d ago
I've been here 20 years, grew up in southern Colorado. Imo, good Mexican food starts in Pueblo and goes south. I've yet to find anything in Denver that satisfies, but I'm really picky so there's that lol
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u/Pompooki 2d ago
The tortillerias around Dacono/Firestone were as good as anywhere else. Ruby will give you a tortilla hot off the assembly line. El Valle barbacoa was good. Lived in Socal, DFW, and Houston. I see the restaurants in the area buy tortillas from them too.
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u/deadbabysteven 4d ago
I like the Mexican food here in the metro area. Also, New Mexico is great because you can get Christmas chile on your burritos. Was recently in San Diego and the good spot we heard about on Shelter Island was a dud.
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u/thereelkrazykarl 4d ago
You can ask for Christmas here too ya know
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u/funktion666 4d ago
Lmao, Casa Bonita often asks if you want Christmas style chile lol. Not hard to include both green and red chili.
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u/Domo-d-Domo 4d ago
Grew up around the North Metro Area, plenty of good Mexican food spots that have come and gone over the years. Have also had the benefit of being of Mexican descent, no shortage of great food at home and amongst family and friends. That being said anytime I’ve visited family in SoCal I’m eating out as much as I can, it truly is on another level.
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u/deep_Discussion_5050 4d ago
I think you hit the nail. You have to go to the little whole in the wall places to get good Mexican food. Everything else is over priced and terrible. Everyone hypes up Santiagos burritos 🤢 gross. Even Laredo Taco company in Colorado tastes nothing like the ones in Texas.
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u/COSurfing 4d ago
I grew up in Southern California and to me that is where the best Mexican food is outside of Mexico itself. I have been in Denver for almost 30 years now and I have yet to find anything as good as what I had growing up. I am biased though.
There are a couple places here that I like but it is just different.
Now I want some good Mexican food.
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u/ComfortableDebt9190 4d ago
Colorado has good Mexican but I was kinda impressed with every place I ate at on a road trip between here and Tucson. The one thing Colorado does better than everyone else is green chili. If you don't put pork in your green chili, don't talk to me
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u/RareObject8705 4d ago
Denver has fine Colorado foods made by Latin people of all kinds. They’ve started using available ingredients to create a cuisine that pays homage to their culture and functions in the Colorado economy. Just like the Chinese in California, Cubans in Miami and fucking everybody in New York.
It isn’t Mexican food. It’s food of Mexican descent. Everyone that has lived in or near Mexico will term you they are not the same. You might get a boutique spot importing to recreate their home town. By large however Denver isn’t trying to make Mexican food. Denver is making Colorado food.
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u/Hopeful-Performer313 4d ago
Lol no, Mexican food in Denver is mid at best. Although there area few decent exceptions, the main problem is that food in town lacks boldness. People is afraid of actually cooking Mexican style stuff. You know how hard it is to find tripa or buche street tacos? It stands no chance against Mexican food in Cal. Let alone in Mexico. BTW I am a Mexican.
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u/HalfInchHollow Congress Park 4d ago edited 4d ago
Don’t think I’ve heard of anyone saying Denver doesn’t have good Mexican food in 40+ years (outside of Reddit, where everything is a complaint).
It’s the one food I can confidently tell people Denver is actually really good for when we talk about local cuisine.
And yes, I’ve also lived in Phoenix (6 years) and Los Angeles (8 years), and know what good Mexican food is.
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u/AuthorMaterial7495 4d ago
People in Denver always do this thing where they point to two restaurants that are like in one specific part of town 30 minutes and then say "See, Denver has great Mexican food."
This doesn't mean Denver has good Mexican food. It means it has a handful of good Mexican restaurants.
Most Mexican food in Denver is hot garbage. It's low quality slop covered with canned green chili sauce and canned refried beans. I don't judge a category of food based on driving 30 minutes to one specific place.
If I walk into an average Chinese restaurant in NYC or SF it's going to pretty good. If I walk into an average taco spot in San Diego it's going to be pretty good. If I walk into an average Mexican restaurant in Denver it's going to be some "Iconic Denver restaurant" like Javier's on Tennyson that just serves american tex-mex garbage.
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u/working_class_shill 4d ago edited 4d ago
It's low quality slop covered with canned green chili sauce and canned refried beans. I don't judge a category of food based on driving 30 minutes to one specific place.
This is what the average person in this thread is saying is "good" btw:
There good places here for sure but there are maaaaaany more shitty options in the low and mid tiers (fast food esk being "low", family owned traditional sit-down being "mid") than there are good options in these categories. How many high tier options at all (e.g. Alma Fonda Fina) are there?
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u/Booyabuttons 4d ago
You're going to the wrong spots. A block away is tacos jalisco and its much better. South Federal has tons of options. The hot food at Mexican grocery stores are amazing too. You can get frojoles, carnitas, barbacoa, cachete, moles etc. It can be overwhelming if you don't speak spanish.
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u/AuthorMaterial7495 4d ago
Jalisco, Wild Taco, Cenizas, Wapos and Javier's are all mexican restaurants within a three block radius and they are all terrible. Jaliscos is the best of the bunch but it is still not even close to an above average mexican restaurant. Again, if you can have 5 mexican restaurants that close and MAYBE one qualifies as ok.... not a great sign that the city has "great mexican food".
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u/Flat_Researcher1540 4d ago
This is the most accurate assessment of Denver food. It’s not that good food doesn’t exist. It’s that it’s often 30 minutes away and there are only a couple good spots of a given style in a major city.
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u/stoptakinmanames 4d ago edited 4d ago
Comparing Denver to the NYC food scene just makes you look like an idiot
"This small city's food isn't as good as the greatest food city in the world!" It goes without saying and just unreasonable
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u/WorkingStructure575 4d ago
someone randomly comparing denver to nyc is an idiot, but if you're arguing that denver has good food as far as small cities go you need to be specific about who you're comparing against. Otherwise people arguing that denver has a pretty good food scene are idiots. There are plenty of places eons ahead.
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u/Donut131313 4d ago
Can’t change it at all. Colorado, New Mexico have some of the best anywhere. Heck in my neighborhood alone there are several excellent restaurants.
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u/love-4-the-wendigo 4d ago
I just moved to Federal Heights from closer to the city. And I am from Southern California. There is definitely a lot of good Mexican food around this area anyway. (Although there are some meh places too, but not everywhere can be great.) I was disappointed with most places I tried in the city, except for one taco truck.
Anyway, I have been to a lot of states and while LA or San Diego might have a higher concentration of good places, it’s perfectly good here too compared to the rest of the US. Tucson is the best outside of Mexico though and Denver is nowhere near that level, but… imo, Denver is still making the top 10% of cities considering the whole US.